OPEN-SOURCE SCRIPT
ATR Bands with Optional Risk/Reward Colors
Updated
█ OVERVIEW
This indicator projects ATR bands and, optionally, colors them based on a risk/reward advantage for those who trade breakouts/breakdowns using moving averages as partial or full exit points.
█ DEFINITIONS
► True Range
The True Range is a measure of the volatility of a financial asset and is defined as the maximum difference among one of the following values:
- The high of the current period minus the low of the current period.
- The absolute value of the high of the current period minus the closing price of the previous period.
- The absolute value of the low of the current period minus the closing price of the previous period.
► Average True Range
The Average True Range was developed by J. Welles Wilder Jr. and was introduced in his 1978 book titled "New Concepts in Technical Trading Systems". It is calculated as an average of the true range values over a certain number of periods (usually 14) and is commonly used to measure volatility and set stop-loss and profit targets (1).
For example, if you are looking at a daily chart and you want to calculate the 14-day ATR, you would take the True Range of the previous 14 days, calculate their average, and this would be the ATR for that day. The process is then repeated every day to obtain a series of ATR values over time.
The ATR can be smoothed using different methods, such as the Simple Moving Average (SMA), the Exponential Moving Average (EMA), or others, depending on the user's preferences or analysis needs.
► ATR Bands
The ATR bands are created by adding or subtracting the ATR from a reference point (usually the closing price). This process generates bands around the central point that expand and contract based on market volatility, allowing traders to assess dynamic support and resistance levels and to adapt their trading strategies to current market conditions.
█ INDICATOR
► ATR Bands
The indicator provides all the essential parameters for calculating the ATR: period length, time frame, smoothing method, and multiplier.
It is then possible to choose the reference point from which to create the bands. The most commonly used reference points are Open, High, Low, and Close, but you can also choose the commonly used candle averages: HL2, HLC3, HLCC4, OHLC4. Among these, there is also a less common "OC2", which represents the average of the candle body. Additionally, two parameters have been specifically created for this indicator: Open/Close and High/Low.
With the "Open/Close" parameter, the upper band is calculated from the higher value between Open and Close, while the lower one is calculated from the lower value between Open and Close. In the case of bullish candles, therefore, the Close value is taken as the starting point for the upper band and the Open value for the lower one; conversely, in bearish candles, the Open value is used for the upper band and the Close value for the lower band. This setting can be useful for precautionally generating broader bands when trading with candlesticks like hammers or inverted hammers.
The "High/Low" parameter calculates the upper band starting from the High and the lower band starting from the Low. Among all the available options, this one allows drawing the widest bands.
Other possible options to improve the drawing of ATR bands, aligning them with the price action, are:
• Doji Smoothing: When the current candle is a doji (having the same Open and Close price), the bands assume the values they had on the previous candle. This can be useful to avoid steep fluctuations of the bands themselves.
• Extend to High/Low: Extends the bands to the High or Low values when they exceed the value of the band.
• Round Last Cent: Expands the upper band by one cent if the price ends with x.x9, and the lower band if the price ends with x.x1. This function only works when the asset's tick is 0.01.
► Risk/Reward Advantage
The indicator optionally colors the ATR bands after setting a breakpoint, one or two risk/reward ratios, and a series of moving averages. This function allows you to know in advance whether entering a trade can provide an advantage over the risk. The band is colored when the ratio between the distance from the break point to the band and the distance from the break point to the first available moving average reaches at least the set ratio value. It is possible to set two colorings, one for a minimum risk/reward ratio and one for an optimal risk/reward ratio.
The break point can be chosen between High/Low (High in case of breakout, Low in case of breakdown) or Open/Close (on breakouts, Close with bullish candles or Open with bearish candles; on breakdowns, Close with bearish candles or Open with bullish candles).
It is possible to choose up to 10 moving averages of various types, including the VWAP with the Anchor Period (2).
Depending on the "Price to MA" setting, the bands can be individually or simultaneously colored.
By selecting "Single Direction," the risk/reward calculation is performed only when all moving averages are above or below the break point, resulting in only one band being colored at a time. For this reason, when the break point is in between the moving averages, the calculation is not executed. This setting can be useful for strategies involving price movement from a level towards a series of specific moving averages (for example, in reversals starting from a certain level towards the VWAP with possible partial take profits on some previous moving averages, or simply in trend following towards one or more moving averages).
Choosing "Both Directions" the risk/reward ratio is calculated based on the first available moving averages both above and below the price. This setting is useful for those who operate in range bound markets or simply take advantage of movements between moving averages.
█ NOTE
This script may not be suitable for scalping strategies that require immediate entries due to the inability to know the ATR of a candle in advance until its closure. Once the candle is closed, you should have time to place a stop or stop-limit order, so your strategy should not anticipate an immediate start with the next candle. Even more conveniently, if your strategy involves an entry on a pullback, you can place a limit order at the breakout level.
(1) tradingview.com/support/solutions/43000501823-average-true-range-atr/
(2) For convenience, the code for the Anchor Period has been entirely copied from the VWAP code provided by TradingView.
This indicator projects ATR bands and, optionally, colors them based on a risk/reward advantage for those who trade breakouts/breakdowns using moving averages as partial or full exit points.
█ DEFINITIONS
► True Range
The True Range is a measure of the volatility of a financial asset and is defined as the maximum difference among one of the following values:
- The high of the current period minus the low of the current period.
- The absolute value of the high of the current period minus the closing price of the previous period.
- The absolute value of the low of the current period minus the closing price of the previous period.
► Average True Range
The Average True Range was developed by J. Welles Wilder Jr. and was introduced in his 1978 book titled "New Concepts in Technical Trading Systems". It is calculated as an average of the true range values over a certain number of periods (usually 14) and is commonly used to measure volatility and set stop-loss and profit targets (1).
For example, if you are looking at a daily chart and you want to calculate the 14-day ATR, you would take the True Range of the previous 14 days, calculate their average, and this would be the ATR for that day. The process is then repeated every day to obtain a series of ATR values over time.
The ATR can be smoothed using different methods, such as the Simple Moving Average (SMA), the Exponential Moving Average (EMA), or others, depending on the user's preferences or analysis needs.
► ATR Bands
The ATR bands are created by adding or subtracting the ATR from a reference point (usually the closing price). This process generates bands around the central point that expand and contract based on market volatility, allowing traders to assess dynamic support and resistance levels and to adapt their trading strategies to current market conditions.
█ INDICATOR
► ATR Bands
The indicator provides all the essential parameters for calculating the ATR: period length, time frame, smoothing method, and multiplier.
It is then possible to choose the reference point from which to create the bands. The most commonly used reference points are Open, High, Low, and Close, but you can also choose the commonly used candle averages: HL2, HLC3, HLCC4, OHLC4. Among these, there is also a less common "OC2", which represents the average of the candle body. Additionally, two parameters have been specifically created for this indicator: Open/Close and High/Low.
With the "Open/Close" parameter, the upper band is calculated from the higher value between Open and Close, while the lower one is calculated from the lower value between Open and Close. In the case of bullish candles, therefore, the Close value is taken as the starting point for the upper band and the Open value for the lower one; conversely, in bearish candles, the Open value is used for the upper band and the Close value for the lower band. This setting can be useful for precautionally generating broader bands when trading with candlesticks like hammers or inverted hammers.
The "High/Low" parameter calculates the upper band starting from the High and the lower band starting from the Low. Among all the available options, this one allows drawing the widest bands.
Other possible options to improve the drawing of ATR bands, aligning them with the price action, are:
• Doji Smoothing: When the current candle is a doji (having the same Open and Close price), the bands assume the values they had on the previous candle. This can be useful to avoid steep fluctuations of the bands themselves.
• Extend to High/Low: Extends the bands to the High or Low values when they exceed the value of the band.
• Round Last Cent: Expands the upper band by one cent if the price ends with x.x9, and the lower band if the price ends with x.x1. This function only works when the asset's tick is 0.01.
► Risk/Reward Advantage
The indicator optionally colors the ATR bands after setting a breakpoint, one or two risk/reward ratios, and a series of moving averages. This function allows you to know in advance whether entering a trade can provide an advantage over the risk. The band is colored when the ratio between the distance from the break point to the band and the distance from the break point to the first available moving average reaches at least the set ratio value. It is possible to set two colorings, one for a minimum risk/reward ratio and one for an optimal risk/reward ratio.
The break point can be chosen between High/Low (High in case of breakout, Low in case of breakdown) or Open/Close (on breakouts, Close with bullish candles or Open with bearish candles; on breakdowns, Close with bearish candles or Open with bullish candles).
It is possible to choose up to 10 moving averages of various types, including the VWAP with the Anchor Period (2).
Depending on the "Price to MA" setting, the bands can be individually or simultaneously colored.
By selecting "Single Direction," the risk/reward calculation is performed only when all moving averages are above or below the break point, resulting in only one band being colored at a time. For this reason, when the break point is in between the moving averages, the calculation is not executed. This setting can be useful for strategies involving price movement from a level towards a series of specific moving averages (for example, in reversals starting from a certain level towards the VWAP with possible partial take profits on some previous moving averages, or simply in trend following towards one or more moving averages).
Choosing "Both Directions" the risk/reward ratio is calculated based on the first available moving averages both above and below the price. This setting is useful for those who operate in range bound markets or simply take advantage of movements between moving averages.
█ NOTE
This script may not be suitable for scalping strategies that require immediate entries due to the inability to know the ATR of a candle in advance until its closure. Once the candle is closed, you should have time to place a stop or stop-limit order, so your strategy should not anticipate an immediate start with the next candle. Even more conveniently, if your strategy involves an entry on a pullback, you can place a limit order at the breakout level.
(1) tradingview.com/support/solutions/43000501823-average-true-range-atr/
(2) For convenience, the code for the Anchor Period has been entirely copied from the VWAP code provided by TradingView.
Release Notes
MAJOR UPDATE- Corrected an error in the risk/reward advantage calculation.
- Adjusted ATR bands for more precise results on stocks with two decimals.
- Added an optional table that can assist in trade management.
The table is displayed only when the risk/reward coloring is active and shows values only when the risk/reward advantage corresponds to at least the lower value between the minimum and optimal risk/reward settings.
This table displays the following values relative to the previous candle or the current one (or both):
- Entry price (corresponding to the break point).
- Stop price (corresponding to the ATR band).
- Maximum number of shares based on the set buying power and risk.
- Up to three share splits (optional) for take profits.
The colors of the table can be customized, or you can choose from some old school graphical themes (CGA / CGA-to-mono).
Open-source script
In true TradingView spirit, the author of this script has published it open-source, so traders can understand and verify it. Cheers to the author! You may use it for free, but reuse of this code in publication is governed by House rules. You can favorite it to use it on a chart.
Disclaimer
The information and publications are not meant to be, and do not constitute, financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice or recommendations supplied or endorsed by TradingView. Read more in the Terms of Use.