mazibee wrote: Sat Nov 09, 2024 9:46 pm
Thank you so much, Curioso, for your response - I truly appreciate it!
As a newcomer to Master Xard’s system, I’m aware that it has been around for quite some time; the first post on this forum dates back to 2017, so it’s been around for about seven years now (even more)
The challenge I’m facing is that when I try to go through the thread from the early pages and compare those versions with the current Version 18, the only elements that seem consistent are the ZZ lines and the Semafors MAs. I also noticed that the Semafor settings have changed compared to earlier versions.
I really want to focus on mastering version 18 without needing to switch to older versions or different systems. Since Master Xard, yourself, and other experienced members have found success with this system, I believe I can too if I follow the latest version by the Master Xard. It’s clear that the adjustments in version 18 reflect Master Xard’s experience and the feedback he’s received from members over the years.
My request is if you could please share the entry and exit rules specific to Version 18 on the M15 time frame, considering the H1 and H4 biases. I’m sure this would be incredibly helpful not only for me but also for other members who are new to the system.
Thanks once again to this amazing community and especially to you, Curioso!
Thank you for your words, but this is a teamwork and and I forgot to mention in the previous message, and don't worry about the excess of text, we always like to read long messages with constructive doubts and that at the same time what are your questions, many have answers and available to help us.
Nobody judges here, egos don´t allowed, but we are all different in trading style, but at the end of day we help each other everyday.
So let's see what we can do to help you with the zigzags. I took the source code we have for the 65m version and asked for ChatGPT.
This is the answer for XU v65m-ZZ1 Line
--------------------------------------
This code is an implementation of a zigzag indicator in MQL4, used in MetaTrader 4. It appears to belong to the "Xard Universe" set of indicators and specifically tracks highs and lows over a customizable period to form a zigzag pattern on a trading chart. Let’s go over its core structure and functionality:
### Key Components
1. **Properties and Meta Information:**
- The `#property` directives set information for the indicator, such as the chart window property and indicator buffers.
2. **External Variables:**
- `ExtDepth`, `ExtWidth`, and `ExtLabel` are defined for configuring the depth of historical bars considered, line width, and a label switch.
- The `Version` variable provides version information.
3. **Buffers and Indicator Initialization:**
- The indicator uses three buffers:
- `zz` is the main buffer for the zigzag line.
- `zzH` and `zzL` are helper buffers for storing high and low points, respectively.
- The `init` function sets styles and values for these buffers based on the `Period()` of the chart, adapting depth according to the timeframe.
4. **Main Calculation Loop:**
- In `start()`, a zigzag pattern is calculated:
- The loop traverses each bar backward from the current one, storing high and low values based on predefined conditions.
- Using `Lowest` and `Highest` functions, it finds the lowest low and highest high within the `ExtDepth` period.
- If a new high or low is identified, the corresponding buffer is updated.
5. **Metka Function:**
- This function (`Metka`) applies markers or filters based on `zzH` and `zzL` values to clean up the zigzag line, potentially setting values to zero when not significant.
6. **Protection Check:**
- The check at the beginning of `start()` ensures that the indicator's name remains as "XU v65m-ZZ1 Line." If changed, a warning comment is shown, preventing any unintentional name modifications.
### Key Observations
- **Dynamic Depth Adjustment:** The indicator adapts its depth based on the chart period (`Period()`), providing flexibility for different timeframes.
- **Clean-up Mechanism in `Metka`:** This is designed to refine the displayed zigzag line, ensuring that it only shows significant highs and lows.
- **Protection Mechanism:** The indicator includes a safeguard preventing name changes, which might help in maintaining consistency for updates or compatibility.
### Potential Improvements
1. **Code Readability:** Adding comments for each significant section could make the code more readable.
2. **Optimization for Speed:** The nested loops and condition checks may affect performance in real-time; further optimization could be explored for larger datasets.
This indicator helps visualize market swings by showing highs and lows, which can assist in trend analysis and support/resistance levels in technical analysis.
---------------------------------------------
This is the answer for XU v65m-ZZ2 Line
This modified version of the Zigzag indicator in MQL4 (`XU v65m-ZZ2 Line`) shares similarities with the original code (`XU v65m-ZZ1 Line`) but includes notable changes in the parameters, providing a shorter historical range (`ExtDepth = 36`) and a narrower line width (`ExtWidth = 6`). Here’s a breakdown of the key features and adjustments in this updated version:
### Key Features
1. **Indicator Properties and Meta Information:**
- Similar to the original, it includes a link, description, and an identifier for the Xard Universe.
- Properties for display in the indicator chart window and buffer configuration remain the same, allowing it to function similarly on MetaTrader 4.
2. **External Variables and Versioning:**
- The `Version` identifier is updated to `"XU v65m-ZZ2 Line"`.
- `ExtDepth`, which controls the historical range, is reduced to 36 (from 144 in the original).
- `ExtWidth` is reduced to 6, indicating a thinner zigzag line for a different visual emphasis.
3. **Initialization (`init` Function):**
- `ExtDepth` is dynamically adjusted based on the chart period, allowing it to be shorter for faster timeframes (`PERIOD_M1` and `PERIOD_M15`).
- Buffer configurations and styles remain largely the same, but the color is set to `clrSnow` (white color) instead of `C'145,125,88'`, enhancing visibility against dark chart backgrounds.
4. **Zigzag Calculation Logic (`start` Function):**
- The `start()` function computes the zigzag points by:
- Iterating through bars from the recent to older ones within the `ExtDepth` range.
- Using `Lowest` and `Highest` functions to determine significant highs and lows within `ExtDepth`.
- Updating buffers `zzL` and `zzH` based on price movements. Only the new highs and lows are retained, while previous values are reset to `0`.
- The shortened `ExtDepth` in this version (36 vs. 144) results in a zigzag that is more responsive to recent price movements, suitable for short-term trading.
5. **Metka Function for Refining Zigzag:**
- `Metka()` applies a similar clean-up and marking process to remove unnecessary points in the zigzag line based on specific conditions, improving visual clarity.
6. **Protection Mechanism:**
- This version also includes a protection feature that verifies the indicator's name, preventing users from renaming it to ensure compatibility with potential updates or dependencies within the Xard Universe indicators.
### Differences and Functional Implications
- **Reduced Depth (`ExtDepth`):** The smaller `ExtDepth` makes the indicator react faster to recent highs and lows, potentially providing more frequent signals but with increased sensitivity to market noise.
- **Narrower Line Width:** The reduced `ExtWidth` gives the zigzag a more precise look on the chart, which may be beneficial in identifying subtle trends or reversal points.
- **Color Change (`clrSnow`):** This color change helps the indicator blend well on various chart backgrounds, enhancing visibility.
### Potential Use Cases
The adjustments in this version make it better suited for short-term trading on lower timeframes, where faster responsiveness to price changes is advantageous. It offers a lighter visual presence on the chart, appealing to traders who prefer minimalistic indicators.
This updated version is more refined for rapid price movements, providing potentially more frequent pivot points, which might be particularly useful in high-volatility market environments.
---------------------------------------------
Now continue making more questions about the integration of zigzag in your trading style
Adding the **13 and 55 EMA crossover** to market structure analysis can be highly effective for identifying trend direction and confirming trade entries and exits. Here’s why this specific combination of EMAs is valuable and how it complements market structure:
### 1. **Significance of the 13 and 55 EMA Pairing**
- **13 EMA (Short-Term)**: The 13 EMA represents a relatively short timeframe, which helps capture recent price momentum. It reacts quickly to price changes, making it useful for identifying shifts in short-term trends.
- **55 EMA (Medium-Term)**: The 55 EMA represents a longer timeframe, which smooths out price data and reduces noise. This line is slower to react and highlights the medium-term trend direction, which is especially useful in combination with market structure for confirming trends.
The 13/55 crossover is popular among traders because it balances sensitivity with stability. It allows you to capture meaningful trend shifts without getting whipsawed by minor fluctuations.
### 2. **Benefits of the 13/55 EMA Crossover with Market Structure**
- **Trend Confirmation and Reversals**: In market structure analysis, the 13/55 crossover helps confirm trend direction. When the 13 EMA crosses above the 55 EMA, it aligns with a potential bullish trend. Conversely, a cross below signals a potential bearish trend. Combined with market structure, this gives you additional confirmation for trend continuation or reversal.
- **Entry Signal at Structural Levels**: By waiting for the 13 EMA to cross the 55 EMA near key support or resistance levels, you can improve entry timing. For instance, if the price is approaching a significant support level and the 13 EMA crosses above the 55 EMA, it may be a strong signal to go long.
- **Identifying Breakouts and Pullbacks**: In trending markets, the 13/55 crossover can help differentiate between real breakouts and temporary pullbacks. In an uptrend, a bullish crossover near a structural low (support level) often confirms a continuation of the trend, while a bearish crossover at a structural high (resistance) might signal an impending reversal.
- **Adding Structure to Stop-Loss and Take-Profit Levels**: Market structure levels (previous highs, lows, and support/resistance areas) work well with the 13/55 crossover for setting protective stops and profit targets. For example, a bullish crossover can provide a take-profit target near the next structural resistance, while a bearish crossover provides an area for stop placement below recent support.
### 3. **Practical Strategy for Combining 13/55 EMA Crossover with Market Structure**
Here’s how you could approach trades using both the 13/55 EMA crossover and market structure:
- **Identify Market Structure and Trend**: Start by analyzing the market structure to understand the current trend (uptrend, downtrend, or range-bound). Mark key levels of support, resistance, recent highs, and lows.
- **Look for EMA Crossover Signals**: Watch for the 13 EMA crossing the 55 EMA. For instance:
- **Bullish Signal**: 13 EMA crosses above the 55 EMA, indicating bullish momentum, which could confirm an uptrend if aligned with higher highs and higher lows in market structure.
- **Bearish Signal**: 13 EMA crosses below the 55 EMA, suggesting bearish momentum, which may confirm a downtrend with lower highs and lower lows in market structure.
- **Wait for Confluence at Key Levels**: Confluence occurs when the crossover aligns with a significant structural level, like a breakout above resistance in an uptrend. This can provide higher-probability trade setups.
- **Confirm and Enter**: If the crossover aligns with a market structure level and price is moving in the direction of the dominant trend, it’s generally safer to enter. For example:
- In an uptrend, wait for a 13/55 bullish crossover near a support level, then consider a long position.
- In a downtrend, wait for a 13/55 bearish crossover near a resistance level, then consider a short position.
### 4. **Limitations and Considerations**
- **Lagging Nature**: EMAs, particularly the 55 EMA, are lagging indicators. While they are effective for confirming trends, they can sometimes react late, especially in fast-moving markets.
- **Whipsaws in Ranging Markets**: Like many crossover strategies, the 13/55 combination can produce false signals in a range-bound market. It’s essential to use market structure to identify these conditions and avoid trading in choppy markets.
- **Adjusting for Timeframes**: The 13/55 EMA crossover is versatile across different timeframes, but it’s essential to choose settings that match your trading style. For example, shorter-term traders may look for 5/21 EMA crossovers, while longer-term traders may use the 13/55 or 50/200 crossover.
### In Summary
The 13/55 EMA crossover is a powerful tool to confirm trends within the market structure. It helps refine entries, reduces false signals, and provides momentum-based confirmation that aligns with structural trends. This combination works best in trending markets, where the crossover can enhance both trend-following and trend-reversal strategies by clearly marking shifts in momentum aligned with key structural points.
---------------------------------------------
After the theory, let's move on to action.
Example today on ETHUSD
What's always important to mention is that if you have a pattern after BIGSema or SemaARROW that's what you get next, if you have a minidot then look for your 2nd or 4th minidot, if you have a colored dot with a zigzag we'll look for our 2nd or 4th with a zigzag. Yes, it's not easy sometimes to wait for the right moment, but it's that patience and sometimes they appear when you're not looking at the charts. So focus on what the key points are.
Always consider the DailyOpen and all the elements, and even the small details that seem small, such as the header where the pair is, the color of the candles.
And then there are small improvements that you can always take into account, which is to anticipate the big moves.
Make sense?
