over how long? days, weeks, months, years? can you quantify the minimum change? $3, 50% ? consolidation? the price does not change? it only changes by an amount x? 17+, is that 17 - 522550 days so we find flags within the last millenium? once the previous bits have been defined, this bit is easy! You need to be VERY specific when you ask a computer to do something. Remember, a computer cannot interpret what you think you mean. It will do exactly what you say. In simple terms: [censored]in = [censored]out! wabbit :D

Does this do it for you? --8<------------------------ shortPeriod:=40;{days} consolPeriod:=20;{days} retrace:=38;{pct} incLimit:=50;{pct} x:=C;{data array} Sum(x>((100-retrace)/100)*ValueWhen(1,ROC(x,shortPeriod,%)>incLimit,x),consolPeriod)>=consolPeriod; --8<------------------------ Got any example stocks I can have a look at to make sure the returns are right? wabbit :D P.S. Be nice..... [edited]

After spending a little more time.... --8<---------------------------------- shortPeriod:=40;{days} consolPeriod:=20;{days} retraceLimit:=20;{pct} incLimit:=50;{pct} x:=C;{data array} y0:=ROC(x,shortperiod,%)>incLimit; y1:=y0=1 AND Alert(y0=0,2); y1*x; {red histogram} y2:=ValueWhen(1,y1,x)*(100-retraceLimit)/100; y2; {green line} N:=BarsSince(y1)=consolperiod AND Sum(x>y2,consolPeriod)>=consolPeriod; X:=x<y2; I:=Cum(N+X>-1)=1; Tr:=BarsSince(I OR N)<BarsSince(I OR X); Tr*C; --8<---------------------------------- Step by step: Define the variables to be used.... no tricks here! shortPeriod:=40;{days} consolPeriod:=20;{days} retraceLimit:=20;{pct} incLimit:=50;{pct} x:=C;{data array} Find the day when the Rate of Change is greater than the specified amount over the specified time period. I like to plot this so I can evaluate if the triggers are responding correctly. y0:=ROC(x,shortperiod,%)>incLimit; y1:=y0=1 AND Alert(y0=0,2); y1*x; {red histogram} Now we calculate the retracement line price, and plot it too! y2:=ValueWhen(1,y1,x)*(100-retraceLimit)/100; y2; {green line} The Entry is set if the ROC condition has been met, and the price has not fallen below the retracement amount during the consolidation period, since the last time this condition was met. This is a limitation, because if the ROC condition is met again in this period, it resets. It saves nesting counters and a lot of my time. It has an added plus though, it pyramids entries. N:=BarsSince(y1)=consolperiod AND Sum(x>y2,consolPeriod)>=consolPeriod; Once the entry has been set, I recompute the actual entry price and the new limit. Again I like to plot this to see if all is well. y2:=ValueWhen(1,N,x)*(100-retraceLimit)/100; y2; {green line} Now we define the exit criteria. This is set here if the price falls below the green line, the retracement limit.... You could set your own criteria here. X:=x<y2; Then Roy Larsen has shown us the way from here! I:=Cum(N+X>-1)=1; Tr:=BarsSince(I OR N)<BarsSince(I OR X); Tr*C; {heavy blue line} Hope this helps. wabbit :D

I am still looking into your case .... but just an observation as we go through. The reason my code didnt pick up ESE was because the LOW on 04/27/05 was 70.80, but the LOW on 06/10/05 was 103.00, a change of only 45.48% You were comparing highs with lows. In my code you get to set the data arrays to compare with the 'x' variable. If you want to compare highs with lows, change the line: y0:=ROC(x,shortperiod,%)>incLimit; to read: y0:=(H-Ref(L,-shortPeriod))/Ref(L,-shortPeriod)>incLimit; and see where that takes you.... alternatively, change the threshold level of the incLimit from 50 to, say, 45 wabbit :D P.S. Where are you? and do you skype?

Hi wabbit, I am from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I don't use skype but I can be reached at ysylcl03@yahoo.com (Yahoo Messenger). Again thank you very much for your sharing. It's very close to what stated in the statement but is not exactly described the statement. Again let's take ESE as example to clarify. This stock moved up from a low of 70.80 on 04/27/05 to 106.50 on 06/10/05, an 50.4% move in less than 8 weeks (in my 2 cents, we can't set shortPeriod:=40 which it will calculate the ROC value in exactly 40 days). From 106.50 it developed a consolidation pattern that declined to 97.09, a drop of 9.41 points, or 26.4% of the prior upmove (<38%). The consolidation lasted 17 days or longer (again, not exactly 17 days) before a breakout (buy entry is triggering by a breakout) occured on 07/14/05. Hope this clarifies the statement! P/S: English is not my mother tongue, please bear with my poor writing!

Hi wabbit, I've downloaded the file you mentioned but I am pretty new to latch file. How am I going to do with the file? Import it in to my MetaStock or what? Many thanks!