What You Can Compare
A Comparison Node compares two values. Most examples put one indicator against another, which leaves the impression that indicators are the only thing it accepts.
They aren't. Raw price, a previous candle's value, and an N-candle high or low are all valid on either side - so several common price action rules are already expressible without a single indicator.
This page lists everything you can put into a comparison.
The operands​
| Operand | What it is | How you select it |
|---|---|---|
| Indicator | Any of the supported indicators - EMA, RSI, Supertrend, VWAP, ATR and the rest | Search for it in either side of the node |
| Raw price | The candle's own Close, Open, High or Low | Set the indicator's Source |
| Averaged price | OHLC4, HLC3, HL2 | Also Source |
| Previous candle values | What a value was N candles ago | Set Offset |
| N-candle high or low | The highest or lowest value over a lookback window | The Min Max indicator |
| Constant | A fixed number, such as 60 or 24000 | Type it directly into one side |
| Time | The candle's clock time | A Time Node, not a Comparison Node |
Any of these can appear on either side. Close > EMA(20), EMA(20) < Close and RSI(14) > 60 are all valid.
Price action rules you can already build​
"Above the previous 20-candle high"​
Use Min Max with min_max_type = MAX, source = HIGH, period = 20. Compare Close against it with Crosses Above.
There's a full worked example in Min Max, including the matching breakdown exit.
"Higher than the previous candle"​
Use Offset. Offset = 0 is the current, still forming candle; Offset = 1 is the last completed one; 2 is the one before that.
So "this candle's close is above the previous candle's high" is Close (offset 0) vs. High (offset 1).
"RSI was oversold and has recovered"​
Two comparisons joined with an AND Logical Node: RSI(14) with Offset = 1 below 30, and RSI(14) with Offset = 0 above 30.
"Only after 9:30"​
A Time Node, ANDed with your entry conditions.
Mixing timeframes​
Each indicator carries its own Timeframe, and one strategy can mix them - for example, enter on a 5m signal only when the 1H trend agrees. Add both conditions and join them with AND.
Worked example: a breakout with a trend filter​
"Buy when a 5-minute candle closes above the previous 20-candle high, and price is above VWAP."
| Piece | How it's built |
|---|---|
| 5-minute candles | Timeframe 5m on every indicator in the strategy |
| Above the previous 20-candle high | Comparison: Close Crosses Above Min Max (MAX, HIGH, period 20) |
| Price above VWAP | Comparison: Close Greater Than VWAP |
| Both must hold | An AND Logical Node joining the two |
Index spot charts carry no volume, so VWAP and VWMA don't work on them. Use a futures chart for the index instead, or drop the volume weighted indicator from the condition. See Trend Indicators.
Related​
- Building on the Canvas - the four node types and how they connect
- Indicator Parameters - Source, Offset, Timeframe and Candle Type explained in full
- All indicators - trend, momentum and volatility