MetaTrader4/5 User Guide Display rectangle/triangle/ellipse
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On MetaTrader4 (MT4) / MetaTrader5 (MT5), you can display 3 types of shapes on the chart, a rectangle, a triangle, and an ellipse. You can change the colors, or show them behind the chart. Use these tools to analyze the market with better precision.
Here we will look at how to display and set up the shapes like rectangle, triangle, and ellipse on MT4/MT5.
Switch between MT4/MT5 tabs to check the steps for each.
![mt4](/common/images/icon_mt4.png)
![mt5](/common/images/icon_mt5.png)
Step 1
Click "Insert" in the menu. Hover the pointer over "Shapes" and select a shape.
![Select a shape from Insert](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes01pc_mt4_en.png)
![Select a shape from Insert](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes01sp_mt4_en.png)
-
Rectangle
Highlight a specific part of the chart with a rectangle.
-
Triangle
Highlight a specific part of the chart with a triangle.
-
Ellipse
Highlight a specific part of the chart with an ellipse.
Step 2
Draw a rectangle
Click the starting point on the chart and drag it to the end point to create a rectangle.
![Draw a rectangle](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes05pc_mt4_en.png)
![Draw a rectangle](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes05sp_mt4_en.png)
Draw a triangle
Click the starting point of the triangle on the chart. Click again at the midpoint, then drag the pointer to the end point to draw the triangle.
![Draw a triangle](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes06pc_mt4_en.png)
![Draw a triangle](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes06sp_mt4_en.png)
Draw an ellipse
Click the starting point of the ellipse on the chart and drag it to the end point to plot the major axis. Then drag the middle point in the direction of the minor axis to create an ellipse.
![Draw an ellipse](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes07pc_mt4_en.png)
![Draw an ellipse](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes07sp_mt4_en.png)
Step 3
If you want to adjust the position of the shape, make sure the white dots are being displayed on the shape and move each dot as necessary. If you cannot see the white dots, double-click near the shape to display the white dots.
![Adjust the position of the shape](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes08pc_mt4_en.png)
![Adjust the position of the shape](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes08sp_mt4_en.png)
Number |
Descriptions |
---|---|
1 |
Change the starting point of the shape. |
2 |
Change the position of the shape. |
3 |
Change the midpoint of the shape. |
4 |
Change the end point of the shape. |
Step 4
To modify the shape settings, right-click near the shape and select "(shape name) properties".
![Change the settings for the shape](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes09pc_mt4_en.png)
![Change the settings for the shape](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes09sp_mt4_en.png)
Step 5
On the "Properties" window, edit the parameters in the "Common", "Parameters", and "Visualization" tabs and click "OK".
"Common" tab
![Common tab](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes10pc_mt4_en.png)
![Common tab](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes10sp_mt4_en.png)
Number |
Item name |
Descriptions |
---|---|---|
1 |
Name |
Name the shape. |
2 |
Description |
The description of the shape can be displayed on the chart. |
3 |
Style |
Set the color, line type, and line thickness for the shape. |
4 |
Draw object as background |
Check this box if you want to place the shape behind the chart. |
"Parameters" tab
![Parameters tab](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes11pc_mt4_en.png)
![Parameters tab](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes11sp_mt4_en.png)
Number |
Item name |
Descriptions |
---|---|---|
1 |
Starting point position |
Specify the starting point position by date, time, and price. |
2 |
End point position |
Specify the end point position by date, time, and price. For triangles, specify the midpoint position instead. |
3 |
Scale |
Change the length of the ellipse's minor axis. The smaller the value, the longer the minor axis. This parameter is not available for rectangles. For triangles, this parameter is to specify the end point position by date, time, and price. |
![Shape without fill on MT5](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes12pc_mt4_en.png)
![Shape without fill on MT5](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes12sp_mt4_en.png)
On MT5, you can choose whether to fill a shape with color or only show the border.
"Visualization" tab
On the "Visualization" tab, you can specify the timeframes to use the shape with.
![Visualization tab](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes13pc_mt4_en.png)
![Visualization tab](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes13sp_mt4_en.png)
Step 1
Click "Insert" in the menu. Hover the pointer over "Objects" > "Shapes" and select a shape.
![Select a shape](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes01pc_mt5_en.png)
![Select a shape](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes01sp_mt5_en.png)
-
Rectangle
Highlight a specific part of the chart with a rectangle.
-
Triangle
Highlight a specific part of the chart with a triangle.
-
Ellipse
Highlight a specific part of the chart with an ellipse.
Step 2
Draw a rectangle
Click the starting point on the chart and drag it to the end point to create a rectangle.
![Draw a rectangle](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes05pc_mt5_en.png)
![Draw a rectangle](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes05sp_mt5_en.png)
Draw a triangle
Click the starting point of the triangle on the chart. Click again at the midpoint, then drag the pointer to the end point to draw the triangle.
![Draw a triangle](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes06pc_mt5_en.png)
![Draw a triangle](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes06sp_mt5_en.png)
Draw an ellipse
Click the starting point of the ellipse on the chart. Click again at the midpoint, then drag the pointer to the end point to draw the ellipse.
![Draw an ellipse](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes07pc_mt5_en.png)
![Draw an ellipse](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes07sp_mt5_en.png)
Step 3
If you want to adjust the position of the shape, make sure the white dots are being displayed on the shape and move each dot as necessary. If you cannot see the white dots, double-click near the shape to display the white dots.
![Adjust the position of the shape](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes08pc_mt5_en.png)
![Adjust the position of the shape](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes08sp_mt5_en.png)
Number |
Descriptions |
---|---|
1 |
Change the starting point of the shape. |
2 |
Change the position of the shape. |
3 |
Change the midpoint of the shape. |
4 |
Change the end point of the shape. |
Step 4
To modify the shape settings, right-click near the shape and select "Properties of (shape name)".
![Properties of (shape name)](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes09pc_mt5_en.png)
![Properties of (shape name)](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes09sp_mt5_en.png)
Step 5
On the "Properties" window, edit the parameters in the "Common", "Parameters", and "Visualization" tabs and click "OK".
"Common" tab
![Common tab](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes10pc_mt5_en.png)
![Common tab](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes10sp_mt5_en.png)
Number |
Item name |
Descriptions |
---|---|---|
1 |
Name |
Name the shape. |
2 |
Description |
The description of the shape can be displayed on the chart.
|
3 |
Style |
Set the color, line type, and line thickness for the shape. |
4 |
Draw object as background |
Check this box if you want to place the shape behind the chart. |
5 |
Disable selection |
Check this box if you want to disable the editing of the shape. |
"Parameters" tab
![Parameters tab](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes11pc_mt5_en.png)
![Parameters tab](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes11sp_mt5_en.png)
Number |
Item name |
Descriptions |
---|---|---|
1 |
Starting point position |
Specify the starting point position by date, time, and price. |
2 |
Midpoint position |
Specify the midpoint position by date, time, and price. |
3 |
End point position |
Specify the end point position by date, time, and price. |
4 |
Fill |
Check this box to fill inside the shape. |
When "Fill" is checked
![Fill](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes12pc_mt5_en.png)
![Fill](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes12sp_mt5_en.png)
"Visualization" tab
On the "Visualization" tab, you can specify the timeframes to use the shape with.
![Timeframes](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes13pc_mt5_en.png)
![Timeframes](/common/images/mt5guide/shapes13sp_mt5_en.png)
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