verticalLine

A vertical line is a simple tool that lets you mark a specific time (candle) on the chart. Traders often use it to highlight important events, such as news releases, earnings, or just to separate sessions/days.

Syntax

verticalLine(time, styles?, text?)

Parameters

• time: The candle time where the vertical line should be drawn (for example, time(20) means 20 candles ago).

• styles (optional) Style options for how the line looks:

  • linecolor: color of the line (e.g., color.blue)

  • linewidth: thickness of the line

  • linestyle: solid, dashed, or dotted

  • showLabel: show a label on the line (true/false)

  • textcolor: the color of the label text

• text (optional): A short label to display on the line (if showLabel: true).

Return Value

• string — A unique drawing id.

Example

This example will draw a blue vertical line every 30 candles to mark sections on the chart. We also add a label “Marker” so it’s clear what the line represents.

//@version=1
init = () => {
    // Put this indicator on the main price chart
    indicator({ onMainPanel: true, format: 'inherit' });
};

onTick = () => {
    // Every 30 candles, draw a new vertical line
    if (index % 30 === 0) {
        // Choose the current candle time as the marker
        const time_line = time(0);

        // Draw the vertical line
        // - Starts at the current time (t)
        // - Styled in blue
        // - Thickness set to 2
        // - showLabel = true, so the text appears
        // - Label set as "Marker"
        verticalLine(
            time_line ,
            { linecolor: color.blue, linewidth: 2, showLabel: true },
            'Marker'
        );
    }
};

Result

Tips

• Use vertical lines to highlight recurring patterns (like market opens or closes).

• Dashed vertical lines are useful for visual guides without overwhelming the chart.

Warning

• If time is invalid or outside the chart, the line won’t appear.

• Adding too many vertical lines too often can clutter the chart and make it hard to read.

Good Practice

• Use vertical lines as “markers,” not as permanent drawings. For example, to mark events or analysis points.

• Keep labels short (like “News” or “Open”) so the chart stays clean and readable.