# Indicator placement When an [indicator] is added to the chart, the library chooses the [pane] and [price scale] to place it on. This article describes the default placement rules and how to change them. ## Default placement Indicators are divided into two groups depending on the range of values they return. - **Price indicators** return values in the same range as their source. For example, _Moving Average_ and _Bollinger Bands_ return prices. The library places such indicators on the pane of their source and attaches them to the same price scale. - **Non-price indicators** return values in a different range. For example, _Stochastic_ always returns values from 0 to 100. The library places such indicators on a new pane and attaches them to a new price scale. The source of an indicator is the main [series], unless the indicator is applied to another indicator. For [custom indicators], the group is defined by the [`is_price_study`] property of the [metainfo] object. ## Change the pane To place a non-price indicator on the pane of its source, pass `true` to the `forceOverlay` parameter of the [`createStudy`] method. ```js widget.activeChart().createStudy('Stochastic', true); ``` :::info `forceOverlay` affects **non-price indicators only** and does not change the price scale. There is no way to place a price indicator on a separate pane at creation time. Instead, add the indicator first and then [move it to another pane](#move-an-indicator-to-another-pane). ::: ## Change the price scale To attach an indicator to a certain price scale, specify the [`priceScale`] property in the `options` parameter of [`createStudy`]. The library looks for a suitable scale within the pane where the indicator is placed. | Value | Description | | --- | --- | | `new-right` | Attaches the indicator to a new right price scale. | | `new-left` | Attaches the indicator to a new left price scale. | | `no-scale` | Adds the indicator in the _No Scale_ mode without attaching it to a price scale. | | `as-series` | Attaches the indicator to the price scale of the main series. If the pane does not contain the main series, the indicator is attached to a new price scale instead. | The code sample below adds a _Price Channel_ indicator to the pane with the main series and attaches it to a new left price scale. ```js widget.activeChart().createStudy('Price Channel', true, false, undefined, undefined, { priceScale: 'new-left' }); ``` :::info A pane can contain up to eight price scales. If the limit is reached, `new-right` and `new-left` add the indicator in the _No Scale_ mode. ::: ## Move an indicator to another pane Users can move an indicator using the _Move to_ option in its context menu. The option offers the _Existing pane above_, _New pane above_, _Existing pane below_, and _New pane below_ commands. To do the same programmatically, get the indicator with [`getStudyById`] and call the corresponding [`IStudyApi`] method. - [`mergeUp`] and [`mergeDown`] move the indicator to the existing pane above or below. - [`unmergeUp`] and [`unmergeDown`] move the indicator to a new pane above or below. ```js widget.activeChart().getStudyById(studyId).unmergeDown(); ``` To change the price scale of an existing indicator, use [`changePriceScale`]. The method accepts the same values as the `priceScale` property, as well as the ID of another indicator whose price scale should be used. To interact with the panes themselves, use the [`getPanes`] method. It returns an array of [`IPaneApi`] objects that allow you to change the pane height and position, and to collapse or maximize the pane. ## Custom indicator placement The default placement of a [custom indicator][custom indicators] is defined in its [metainfo] object. | Property | Description | | --- | --- | | [`is_price_study`] | Whether the indicator is a price indicator and therefore appears on the pane of its source. | | [`linkedToSeries`] | Whether the indicator always uses the price scale of the main series. If `true`, the _Move to_ option is hidden in the UI. | | [`priceScale`][metainfo price scale] | The price scale to attach the indicator to. Refer to [`StudyTargetPriceScale`] for the available values. | | [`overlayScaleMargins`] | The share of the series pane the indicator occupies when it is displayed there without a visible price scale, as the built-in Volume indicator is. | [`changePriceScale`]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/api/interfaces/Charting_Library.IStudyApi#changepricescale [`createStudy`]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/api/interfaces/Charting_Library.IChartWidgetApi#createstudy [`getPanes`]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/api/interfaces/Charting_Library.IChartWidgetApi#getpanes [`getStudyById`]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/api/interfaces/Charting_Library.IChartWidgetApi#getstudybyid [`IPaneApi`]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/api/interfaces/Charting_Library.IPaneApi [`IStudyApi`]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/api/interfaces/Charting_Library.IStudyApi [`is_price_study`]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/custom_studies/metainfo.md#is_price_study [`linkedToSeries`]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/custom_studies/metainfo.md#linkedtoseries [`overlayScaleMargins`]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/custom_studies/metainfo.md#overlayscalemargins [`mergeDown`]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/api/interfaces/Charting_Library.IStudyApi#mergedown [`mergeUp`]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/api/interfaces/Charting_Library.IStudyApi#mergeup [`priceScale`]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/api/interfaces/Charting_Library.CreateStudyOptions#pricescale [`StudyTargetPriceScale`]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/api/enums/Charting_Library.StudyTargetPriceScale [`unmergeDown`]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/api/interfaces/Charting_Library.IStudyApi#unmergedown [`unmergeUp`]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/api/interfaces/Charting_Library.IStudyApi#unmergeup [custom indicators]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/custom_studies.md [indicator]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/ui_elements/indicators.md [metainfo]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/custom_studies/metainfo.md [metainfo price scale]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/api/interfaces/Charting_Library.RawStudyMetaInfo#pricescale [pane]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/resources/glossary.md#pane [price scale]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/ui_elements/Price-Scale.md [series]: https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/latest/resources/glossary.md#series --- ## Sitemap - [All documentation pages](https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/llms.txt) - [Full page map with headings](https://charting-library-docs.xstaging.tv/docs_map.md)