Question 1

The High-Volume Level line does not appear on my chart even though the other zones show correctly.

Accepted Answer

The High-Volume Level requires a bar with volume exceeding iVolMult times the average within the lookback period. If no bar meets this threshold, the HVL line will not draw. Try lowering iVolMult from 1.5 to 1.2 to catch more moderate volume concentrations. On forex pairs or other markets with unreliable volume data, the HVL may not produce meaningful results — consider disabling it with ShowHVL set to false.

Question 2

The Swing High and Swing Low levels seem too close together. Is the lookback too short?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The default iLookback of 50 bars covers roughly 10 weeks on daily charts. If the market has been range-bound during that window, swing extremes will be compressed. Increase iLookback to 100 or 200 to capture a wider structural range. On lower timeframes like 15-minute charts, 50 bars covers only about 12 hours — increase to 200+ for meaningful intraday structure.

Question 3

The Prior Day High/Low lines jump at the start of each session. Is this a problem?

Accepted Answer

No, this is correct behavior. Prior Day H/L lines reset at the beginning of each new trading session to reflect the previous completed session's range. This is standard behavior for session-based reference levels. The lines should remain stable throughout the current session until the next session opens.

Question 4

The Bias column shows NEUTRAL for almost every symbol. I expected more directional readings.

Accepted Answer

NEUTRAL means price is positioned between the bullish and bearish zones without a clear directional lean. This is common during range-bound or consolidating market conditions. Try a larger iLookback to capture broader swing structure, which may produce more separation between zones and clearer bias readings. Alternatively, check during trending market regimes when more symbols tend to show directional positioning.

Question 5

The HVL column shows 0 or blank for some symbols. Why?

Accepted Answer

The High-Volume Level requires at least one bar within the lookback period to exceed iVolMult times the average volume. Symbols with consistently low or flat volume (small-cap stocks, certain ETFs) may not meet this threshold. Lower iVolMult to 1.2 to capture more moderate volume concentrations. For forex pairs where volume data is unreliable, consider ignoring the HVL column entirely.

Question 6

Can I use this on intraday timeframes instead of daily?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Change the RadarScreen interval to your preferred intraday timeframe (5-minute, 15-minute, etc.). Increase iLookback to at least 200 bars to capture enough intraday structure for meaningful swing highs and lows. Note that the Prior Day H/L levels remain session-based regardless of the interval, so they will be the same on any intraday timeframe.

Question 7

DistPct shows the same value for two different symbols but one is a $20 stock and the other is a $500 stock. Is that correct?

Accepted Answer

Yes. DistPct is a percentage measure, not an absolute dollar distance. A 1.5% distance means the same proportional proximity to the zone regardless of stock price. This is intentional so you can sort and compare proximity across symbols with different price levels. If you want absolute distance, multiply DistPct by the symbol price to estimate the dollar gap.

Question 8

Mode 4 (Confluence) shows very few signals. Is the indicator detecting zones correctly?

Accepted Answer

Confluence signals require price to be within iProxPct of two or more zones simultaneously, which is a strict condition by design. Multi-zone convergence is rare — that is what makes these signals high-probability. If you want more signals, increase iProxPct from 2.0 to 3.0 or 4.0 to widen the proximity window. Alternatively, switch to Mode 1 or Mode 3 for individual zone interactions.

Question 9

Mode 2 (Zone Labels) text objects are cluttering my chart after running for a long time.

Accepted Answer

Text objects from Mode 2 accumulate over time as new zone interactions occur. Remove and re-apply the study to clear old labels. For long-running charts, Mode 1 (Dots) produces less visual clutter because dots are smaller than text labels. You can also increase iLookback to identify fewer but more significant zones, which reduces the number of interaction signals.

Question 10

Can I use the ShowMe without the main chart indicator?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The ShowMe calculates its own key zones internally and works independently. However, using it alongside the Key Zones chart indicator gives you the full picture: the chart indicator shows the horizontal level lines, and the ShowMe marks the exact bars where interactions occur at those levels.

Question 11

I see very few colored bars. Most bars retain their normal colors.

Accepted Answer

The PaintBar only colors bars within iProxPct of a key zone. With the default 2.0%, only bars within 2% of a zone are colored. If zones are far from the current price, no coloring will appear. Increase iProxPct to 3.0 or 5.0 to widen the colored zone. Alternatively, check the chart indicator to see where zones are relative to current price — you may need to wait for price to approach a level.

Question 12

Can I change the proximity colors to match my chart theme?

Accepted Answer

Yes. To change colors, right-click anywhere on the chart, go to Studies > Edit Studies..., select the indicator, click the Inputs tab, and change BullProxColor, BearProxColor, and HVLProxColor inputs to any TradeStation color name or RGB values. Choose colors that contrast with your normal candlestick colors for clear visual distinction.

Question 13

Multiple zones are close together and the bar is colored one color but I expected another. Which zone takes priority?

Accepted Answer

When price is within proximity of multiple zones, the nearest zone determines the bar color. If the Swing Low (green) is 0.5% away and the High-Volume Level (yellow) is 1.2% away, the bar will be colored green. If you want to see all nearby zones, use the ShowMe study in Mode 4 (Confluence) to identify multi-zone convergence areas.

Key Zones Bundle

What's Included

Key Zones Chart

Key Zones RadarScreen

Key Zones ShowMe

Key Zones PaintBar

Full Color Customization

5 Ready-Made Palettes

70+ Individual Colors

Color Mixing Guide

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