I'm a little confused on the MACD indicator. I want to have a "check mark" in a colum when the MACD is crossing up through the signal line TODAY, or has already crossed TODAY. I would also like a check mark in a box if the MACD has crossed within the last WEEK. Do i simply change the timeframe? from Daily to weekly and vice versa?

Changing the time frame would change the size of the bars used in calculating the MACD. Each bar represents one day in a daily time frame and one calendar week in a weekly time frame.

You can add the MACD to the chart, adjust its settings as desired and click on it to select Create Scan Condition for the one day version of the condition. There will be an option to add it to an existing WatchList as a WatchList Column when you are done creating the condition.

Create Conditions from Your Chart

To create a version which checks for a daily MACD crossing during the last week, you would need to create a Condition Formula. The exact formula and technique would depend on your specific requirements and the settings of the MACD.

For example, you just wanted to check an Exponential MACD 12,26,9 was below its signal line 5-bars ago but above the signal line currently, you could create the following Condition Formula:

XAVGC12 - XAVGC26 > XAVG(XAVGC12,9) - XAVG(XAVGC26,9) AND XAVGC12.5 - XAVGC26.5 < XAVG(XAVGC12.5,9) - XAVG(XAVGC26.5,9)

Understanding MACD

But if you wanted to check each of the most recent 5-bars for a crossup from the previous bar, you might want to use a 1-bar crossup formula as the Boolean Formula in a Custom PCF % True Indicator:

XAVGC12 - XAVGC26 > XAVG(XAVGC12,9) - XAVG(XAVGC26,9) AND XAVGC12.1 - XAVGC26.1 <= XAVG(XAVGC12.1,9) - XAVG(XAVGC26.1,9)

You could then set the Period to 5 and the Average Type to Simple. This would mean the formula would be greater than zero if there was a crossup during any of the most recent 5-bars even if the MACD was no longer above the signal line. You could then click on the Custom PCF % True Indicator and select Create Scan Condition to check for the Custom PCF % True Indicator being greater than 0 to check for your requirements.

SGN(XAVGC12 - XAVGC26 - XAVG(XAVGC12,9) + XAVG(XAVGC26,9)) <> SGN(XAVGC12.1 - XAVGC26.1 - XAVG(XAVGC12.1,9) + XAVG(XAVGC26.1,9))

So, This formula, is supposed to tell me whether or not the MACD is crossing up or down the signal line TODAY?

Where is "Custom PCF % True Indicator"? Is that the same as creating a condition...?

what is wrong with this condition? Doesn't show a check mark when i know it to be TRUE

XAVGC12 - XAVGC26 - XAVG(XAVGC12,9) + XAVG(XAVGC26,9) > 0 AND XAVGC12.1 - XAVGC26.1 - XAVG(XAVGC12.1,9) + XAVG(XAVGC26.1,9) <= 0
 

supposed to be when MACD crosses UP through the signal line (9 EMA)

Yes, the formula will return true the Exponential MACD 12,26,9 is currently on the opposite side of the signal line today than it was at the close of yesterday.

It is an indicator. It is added to the chart in the same way that you would add any other indicator. Select Add Indicator and choose it from the list.

Adding and Moving Indicators

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the condition. It shows a check mark when used as a WatchList Column set to Show Check When True when an Exponential MACD 12,26,9 is above its signal line today and not above its signal line yesterday if the time frame of the Condition Formula is set to daily.

I have not been able to find any examples where this is not the case. Can you provide some specific examples?

Lets take EUM as an example. I used your boolean formula, but, no check mark shows for the condition, and the MACD crossed the signal line on august 5th.

what am i doing wrong?

Which boolean formula did you use and how did you use it?

The following Condition Formula given in my Wednesday, August 07, 2013 12:36:20 PM ET post returns true for EUM.

XAVGC12 - XAVGC26 > XAVG(XAVGC12,9) - XAVG(XAVGC26,9) AND XAVGC12.5 - XAVGC26.5 < XAVG(XAVGC12.5,9) - XAVG(XAVGC26.5,9)

All of the other formulas in this topic so far only check for a cross between the previous close and the current price. If you used one of the formulas:

Did you use the Boolean Formula as a Custom PCF % True Indicator?

Did you set the Period of the Custom PCF % True Indicator to 5?

Did you set the Average Type of the Custom PCF % True Indicator to Simple?

Did you then click on the Custom PCF % True indicator and select Create Scan Condition to create a condition for the value of the Custmo PCF % True Indicator being greater than 0?

I think i got it figured.

Can you possible create the boolean indicator to say a cross up OR down? i.e. whether it has crossed the signal line in either direction in the last 5 days?

A Condition Formula for an Exponential MACD 12,26,9 being on the opposite side of the signal line currently than it was 5 bars ago could be written as:

SGN(XAVGC12 - XAVGC26 - XAVG(XAVGC12,9) + XAVG(XAVGC26,9)) <> SGN(XAVGC12.5 - XAVGC26.5 - XAVG(XAVGC12.5,9) + XAVG(XAVGC26.5,9))

The formula given by you in your Wednesday, August 07, 2013 12:39:16 PM ET post would work in a Custom PCF % True Indicator with the Period set to 5 and the Average Type set to Simple (in this case the cross would not need to have stayed on the opposite side):

SGN(XAVGC12 - XAVGC26 - XAVG(XAVGC12,9) + XAVG(XAVGC26,9)) <> SGN(XAVGC12.1 - XAVGC26.1 - XAVG(XAVGC12.1,9) + XAVG(XAVGC26.1,9))

Bruce, you are fantastic.

What about a PCF for ADXR?

I do not know of a way to createa Personal Criteria Formula for ADXR which is short enough or fast enough to be practical or post in the forums.

You will need to click on ADXR and select Show Values in WatchList or Create Scan Condition.

If you want to use past values of ADXR, you can add a 1-Period Simple Moving Average with the Offset to the number of bars ago you need to use. You could then click on the moving average and selet Show Values in WatchList or Create Scan Condition instead of clicking on the ADXR.