Is there a way to specify a signal to be triggered if my condition is true for say 60 seconds or more?

i'm trading on a 5 minute chart and i want to enable the "Recalculate expert live" option however my criteria becomes true and false throughout the session and i'm thinking this will assist in my problem. This code using the previous session as timing which wouldn't work for what i'm trying to do on a 5min chart, correct? Is there a way to modify this? signal:=Cross(MACD(),Mov(MACD(),9,E)); a1:=Ref(signal,-1); <===== would be a 5 min session in my case right? signal AND a1

Thanks hayseed... if i understand you correctly wouldn't that put me in a bad position for a particular trade? like if my signals crossed at 3:53:30 the signal would not go off until 3:55 correct?

The live bar will continue to change unless you turn off the feature in OPTIONS | REALTIME. I've been thinking about how else you might achieve the outcome, but I can't think of any way that is based upon a certain number of seconds. This possibly could be done with MSX. Also, you could do this outside of MS as part of a DDE application. Both would require the skills of a programmer. Using the Ref() function would delay your signals by whatever time period you are trading. i.e., a1:=Ref(signal,-1) would be 5 min in your example. In your example, your criterion is a crossover. That is plotted when the crossover occurs. You could extend it with the Alert function, but I don't see how that would help you. Maybe you want to combine conditions such as when the crossover has occurred and the macd() is higher than the average. Something like this might get you started: [code:1:9e9cc83fe5]a1:=MACD(); a2:=Mov(MACD(),9,E); up:=Cross(a1,a2); dn:=Cross(a2,a1); 0;If(up OR a1>=a2,1,If(dn OR a1<a2,-1,0));[/code:1:9e9cc83fe5] I tried to play around with counting how many times a live bar triggered my criteria. Then, if it happened xx number of times, give me a signal. I think it just showed volatility though. I didn't have much time to sort through it and it never quite worked the way I wanted. However, maybe something like this will help you: [code:1:9e9cc83fe5]cond1:= Cross(MACD(),Mov(MACD(),9,E)); signal:= If(cond1, ExtFml("GV.SetVar","Count", ExtFml("GV.GetVar","Count")+1), ExtFml("GV.GetVar","Count")-1); signal[/code:1:9e9cc83fe5] Then, if signal > xx, do something. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I think H said it though... look at the ref() function.

Mark Pyle's gv.dll can be downloaded here: http://forum.equis.com/d..._file_view&cat=8&file=31 Find out more about the MS Developer's Kit here: https://www.metastock.com/partners/developers.aspx Our resident developers pick and choose their projects. I'm sure that this thread will be read, so hang on for possible responses. Make sure you read posts by MSTT regarding working with multiple time frames. You can do an author search and pray... (inside joke) Check out his website here: http://www.metastocktips.co.nz/ Also, Chris3105 has posted some of his multi-time frame work: http://forum.equis.com/viewtopic.php?t=2745 My counter theory may work, but my code is a complete bust. Check out MSTT's counter here: http://forum.equis.com/viewtopic.php?t=3958 Finally, don't forget that you can set up a layout to include multiple time frames... say, 1 min and 5 minute. Then you can add independent indicators to them and save. At the very least, you will have a visual reference right in front of you. You can read more on layouts in the User's Manual.