shapes

This lets you place markers or icons directly on your chart, like arrows, circles, or text labels. Think of it as a way to visually highlight signals: for example, put a green arrow below the bar when you want to show a “buy signal,” or a red arrow above the bar for a “sell signal”.

Syntax

plot.shapes(title, value, text, color, textColor, plottype, location, transparency?, id?)

Parameters

• title string — Name of the shape series (shown in settings).

• value number — The bar or point where the shape should appear.

• text string — Text label to show with the shape (optional, can be empty).

• color string — Color of the shape (like "green" or "rgba(0,255,0,0.8)").

• textColor string — Color of the text label.

• plottype PlotShapeId — What kind of shape to draw (arrow up, arrow down, circle, square, etc.).

• location MarkLocation — Where to place the shape (above bar, below bar, on price).

• transparency number (optional) — How transparent the shape should be (0 = solid, higher = more transparent).

• id string (optional) — Custom identifier if you want control.

Return Value

{ value, id } — The shape data and its identifier.

Example

// Buy signal: green arrow up below bar
buySignal = plot.shapes(
  'Buy Signal',
  close,
  '',
  'green',
  'white',
  PlotShapeId.ArrowUp,
  MarkLocation.BelowBar
)

// Sell signal: red arrow down above bar
sellSignal = plot.shapes(
  'Sell Signal',
  close,
  '',
  'red',
  'white',
  PlotShapeId.ArrowDown,
  MarkLocation.AboveBar
)

// Custom label on chart
customLabel = plot.shapes(
  'Event',
  close,
  'News',
  'yellow',
  'black',
  PlotShapeId.Label,
  MarkLocation.AboveBar
)

Result

Tips

• Use arrows for buy/sell, circles or labels for special events.

• You can mix shapes and text: for example, a red arrow with “Sell” on it.

Warning

• If you don’t choose the right location, your shape might overlap price bars or get lost in the chart.

• Avoid using too many shapes at once, or your chart will look messy.

Good Practice

• Keep your signals clear: green for buy, red for sell, yellow for alerts.

• Use shapes to highlight the important moments only, not every single bar.