Welcome to the Hidden Cycles Blog
Hidden Cycles is not just another MT4 indicator — it’s a new way of understanding market structure.
Most tools rely on man-made formulas. They lag, break, or constantly need tweaking. Hidden Cycles does the opposite: it applies universal laws of proportion and relation, giving you timeless insight into any market. Inspired by principles seen in nature and geometry, this indicator is designed to reveal the invisible framework behind price action.
Whether you’re a swing trader, a reversal trader, trend follower or whatever or maybe just tired of inconsistent tools — this blog will guide you through everything Hidden Cycles offers:
A complete explanation of every single input
How to choose the right mode for your trading goals
Deeper insights into the geometry behind the market
How to trade with Hidden Cycles? General Advice.
This blog is your official reference for Hidden Cycles.
Let’s begin with the full breakdown of the indicator’s settings — from top to bottom.
✅ Full Hidden Cycles Input Explanation
==== [A] General Settings ====
Mode
Choose the desired operating mode of the indicator. You can select between the following modes:
Grid_Mode – Displays levels based on fixed step size.
Auto_Grid_Mode – Automatically calculates rhythm based on last day’s close.
Square_Mode – Manually define price and time square.
AUTO_Square_Mode – Full automatic mode using selected reference area.
Tag
Enter a unique text label (e.g. “1”, “AUDUSD_H1”) to distinguish between multiple instances of the indicator on the same or different charts. This ensures that buttons and visuals don’t interfere across instances.
==== [B] Grid Mode Settings ====
GridStepInPoints
Set the number of points (not pips) between major levels. For example, setting this to 12500.0 will space major levels 12500 points apart, starting from price level 0.
LinesAboveBelow
Choose how many levels (lines) to draw above and below the current price. This applies only to major lines.
==== [C] Square Mode Settings ====
SquareStartTime
Set the exact datetime (format: D’YYYY.MM.DD HH:MM’ ) where your manual Square should begin. This defines the first vertical time line of the square.
SquareBarsIntoFuture
Defines how many candles forward the Square should project its geometry. Must be divisible by 8.
SquareTopPrice
Set the price level that acts as the top (8/8) of the square. Important: you must also define a matching bottom.
SquareBottomPrice
Set the bottom (0/8) level of your custom Square. Together with SquareTopPrice , this defines the full vertical range of the square.
SquareTimeframe
Set the timeframe the square is based on — as an integer value corresponding to the chart timeframe. This must match the timeframe of the chart where the indicator is attached. If the value does not match, Square Mode will not function properly.
Available timeframe values:
1 = M1 (1 Minute)
5 = M5 (5 Minutes)
15 = M15 (15 Minutes)
30 = M30 (30 Minutes)
60 = H1 (1 Hour)
240 = H4 (4 Hours)
1440 = D1 (Daily)
10080 = W1 (Weekly)
43200 = MN1 (Monthly)
Example: Use 1440 to define a daily square. If so, the indicator must be placed on a D1 chart, or it will not display anything.
==== [D] AUTO_Square_Mode Settings ====
HorizontalLinesReferenceArea
Select which reference area the automatic square should be based on:
LastDay → M15 chart required
LastWeek → H1 chart required
LastMonth → H4 chart required
LastQuarter , LastHalfYear , LastYear → D1 chart required
TimeLinesResetEvery
Select how often the vertical time lines should reset:
OnceDay , OnceWeek , OnceMonth , OnceQuarter , OnceHalfYear , OnceYear , or FixedDate
FixedResetDate
Only used when TimeLinesResetEvery = FixedDate . Enter the reset date in format “MM.DD” (e.g. “03.13”).
TimeLinesBarsIntoFuture
How far (in candles) the vertical time lines should be projected into the future. Must be divisible by 8.
==== [E] Horizontal Lines Settings ====
Major_0_8_Color / Width / Style
Visual settings for the strongest horizontal level (0/8 and 8/8). Choose color, thickness, and line type.
Major_1_8 to Major_7_8…
Same as above, applies to other major levels (1/8 through 7/8). Customize color, thickness and style per level.
Minor_1_8 to Minor_7_8…
Settings for mid-step levels between major lines (dividing space between majors into further 8 steps).
Baby_1_8 to Baby_7_8…
Settings for ultra-fine levels. These divide the minor segments further into smaller levels.
HL_ButtonX / Y / Width / Height / FontSize
Position and appearance of the “Horizontal Lines” on-chart toggle button. Use pixel values to shift the button’s position.
HL_ButtonText / OnColor / OffColor / TextColor
Set the label, button colors (active/inactive), and text color of the Horizontal Lines toggle button.
==== [F] Time Lines Settings ====
TimeLine_0_8 to TimeLine_8_8 – Color / Width / Style
Same as with horizontal levels, but for vertical lines (time lines) that divide the Square into 8 time segments.
TL_ButtonX / Y / Width / Height / FontSize
Position and size of the “Time Lines” toggle button.
TL_ButtonText / OnColor / OffColor / TextColor
Text and color settings for the “Time Lines” button.
==== [G] Decision Rings Settings ====
EnableDecisionRings
Set to true or false to enable or disable Decision Rings.
DecisionRingOuterColor / MidColor / InnerColor
Choose different ring colors based on size.
DecisionRingMidRatio / InnerRatio
Set how large the inner and middle rings are (in relation to outer ring = 1.0).
DR_ButtonX / Y / Width / Height / FontSize
Customize on-chart button for Decision Rings.
DR_ButtonText / OnColor / OffColor / TextColor
Customize button appearance and label.
==== [H] Action Lanes Settings ====
Action_Lanes_Color / Width / Style
Customize the diagonal trend channel lines (Action Lanes).
UP_Button / DOWN_Button – All visual inputs
On-chart buttons to toggle UP/DOWN Action Lanes separately.
==== [I] Trend Slope Lines Settings ====
Trend_Slope_Lines_Color / Width / Style
Settings for the sloped trend lines designed to anticipate momentum moves.
TrendSlope_UP_Button / DOWN_Button
Separate toggle buttons for UP and DOWN Trend Slope Lines.
==== [J] Hidden Cycles Triangle Settings ====
Hidden_Cycles_Triangle_Color / Width / Style
Color, line width and style of the main Hidden Cycles Triangle.
HT_Button…
Toggle button for showing/hiding the triangle.
==== [K] Triangle Fast Reverse Settings ====
Triangle_Fast_Reverse_Color / Width / Style
Second inner triangle to show fast reversal zone.
TFR_Button…
Toggle settings.
==== [L] Triangle Fast Reverse 2 Settings ====
Triangle_Fast_Reverse_2_Color / Width / Style
Another variation of fast-reversal triangle.
TFR2_Button…
Toggle settings.
==== [M] Triangle Breakout Settings ====
Triangle_Breakout_Color / Width / Style
Triangle lines used for breakout scenarios.
TB_Button…
Toggle display of Triangle Breakout visuals.
==== [N] Volume Settings ====
Percentage_Label_X / Y / FontSize
Location and size of the label showing percentage volume change between last and previous candle.
Percentage_Positive_Color / Negative_Color
Color when volume increases or decreases
Volume_Button…
Settings for the on/off toggle for volume label.
==== [O] Balance Settings ====
Balance_Label_X / Y / FontSize / Color
Shows the midpoint of the previous candle’s body – acting as dynamic short-term S/R level. Best on H4 and D1.
Balance_Button…
On-chart toggle button.
==== [P] Moving Averages Settings ====
MA1_Period to MA5_Period
Length of the moving average. Set your desired period for each of the 5 individual MAs.
MA1_Shift to MA5_Shift
Shift the MA forward or backward by this number of candles.
MA1_Method to MA5_Method
Choose MA method by number:
MA1_AppliedPrice to MA5_AppliedPrice
Choose price source by number:
0 = Close
1 = Open
2 = High
3 = Low
4 = Median (HL/2)
5 = Typical ((H+L+C)/3)
6 = Weighted (H+L+C+C)/4
MA1_Color to MA5_Color / Width / Style
Customize visual appearance of each MA.
MAx_ButtonX/Y/Width/Height/Text/Colors
Settings for each MA’s on-chart toggle button.
==== [Q] Chart Options ====
Set_Chart_to_Foreground
Set true to move the chart to foreground so all lines appear behind it.
Auto_Scale_to_Square
If true , chart is scaled so the square fits properly.
Offset_Top
Defines how many points are in between SquareTopPrice and the absolute top of the chart.
Offset_Bottom
Defines how many points are in between SquareBottomPrice and the absolute bottom of the chart.
AutoScaleBtn…
Settings for Auto Scale toggle button.
Labels_Shift / Labels_Text_Size
Controls how far labels are shifted from their anchor point and how big the label text appears.
==== [R] Helper Square Button ====
HS_ButtonX / Y / Width / Height / FontSize
Helper Square toggle button. Draws a support visual square if desired.
HS_ButtonText / Colors
Customize label and appearance.
🧭 How to Choose the Right Mode for Your Trading Goals
The Hidden Cycles Indicator offers four powerful modes. Each one serves a different purpose — whether you’re researching, learning, or live trading. Here’s how to pick the right one for your specific needs:
🔹 Grid Mode
Use if you want full control.
This mode is perfect when you want to draw horizontal levels using any custom step size (e.g. 1000 points, 12500 points, 333.33 points — anything!). You can visualize round numbers, psychological levels, personal zones, or any repeated structure starting from absolute price zero.
Best for:
🔹 Auto Grid Mode
Use if you want to detect the market’s current rhythm.
Here, the step size is calculated automatically using the last day’s closing price and a formula inspired by fractal-based geometry (think: Murrey, Gann, etc.). No need to guess — just let the indicator show you the natural horizontal level spacing of the market right now.
Best for:
Market rhythm research
Understanding current structure
Spotting valid level clusters
Cross-checking between instruments
🔹 Square Mode
Use if you want to define your own price–time block.
Set a custom start time, price top/bottom, and bars into the future. The indicator will draw both horizontal and vertical geometry based on your definition — but it won’t update or adapt. It stays static.
Best for:
Backtesting a specific market phase
Comparing past behavior vs now
Manual analysis of hand-picked price/time blocks
⚠️ Note: Square Mode requires using the correct chart timeframe. If you set SquareTimeframe = 1440, then apply the indicator to a D1 chart.
🔹 AUTO_Square_Mode (🔥 Core Trading Mode)
This is the most powerful mode of the Hidden Cycles Indicator — and the one specifically designed for real-world trading.
In AUTO_Square_Mode, the indicator automatically calculates both horizontal and vertical market geometry using universal price and time proportions. All you have to do is choose one of the six built-in Reference Areas (like Last Week, Last Month, Last Quarter, etc.), and the indicator will handle the rest — completely auto-updating over time.
📌 But that’s not all:
To get the full benefit of this mode, you must also configure the Time Lines Reset Settings correctly. These inputs define how often the time grid resets (e.g. once a month, once per quarter, or a fixed calendar date). A correct configuration here is essential to getting meaningful rhythm and timing guidance from the indicator.
📥 Set Files Included for Fast Setup
To save you from manually adjusting 50+ inputs, I’ve included ready-to-use universal set files in the comments section of the product page.
These set files are not optimization sets like in most indicators (which try to fine-tune entries for specific pairs and constantly need re-tuning). Instead, these are universal layout and geometry presets for AUTO_Square_Mode — built for real trading and ready for all instruments.
✅ You get:
1920×1080 layout set
4K resolution layout set
⚙️ These sets can also be easily modified to use in Grid Mode, Auto Grid Mode, or Square Mode — simply switch the mode and adjust the relevant few inputs. No need for new files.
📌 Important Timeframe Matching
Each Reference Area is built for a specific timeframe, and the indicator must be applied to the correct chart:
Reference Area | Must be used on… |
---|---|
Last Day | M15 |
Last Week | H1 |
Last Month | H4 |
Last Quarter | D1 |
Last Half-Year | D1 |
Last Year | D1 |
If you select the wrong TF, the indicator will display an error and not draw the geometry.
💡 Pro Tip: Multi-Period Mastery
One of the most powerful ways to use Hidden Cycles is by opening multiple charts of the same pair, each with a different reference period in AUTO_Square_Mode. For example:
3x D1 charts → Last Year, Last Half-Year, Last Quarter
1x H4 chart → Last Month
1x H1 chart → Last Week
1x M15 chart → Last Day
This gives you an incredible multi-timeframe view of the market’s rhythm — from short-term intraday swings to long-term structural turning points.
⚠️ Important: Even though you use one instance of the indicator per chart, you must set a different TAG for each one — since it’s the same pair across all charts in the same MT4 terminal.
🧭 I also recommend using a free Symbol Changer indicator to quickly switch symbols across all open charts at once. Many great options exist in the MQL5 Market — and I will soon provide a clean, optimized version for FREE.
Deeper Insights into the Geometry Behind the Market
Markets are often seen as chaotic, unpredictable forces — but that’s only the surface. Beneath every price move lies a deeper structure governed by the same universal laws that control everything in existence: proportion, balance, and cyclical rhythm.
From the orbit of planets to the tides of the ocean, from musical harmony to the shapes in nature — nothing happens randomly. As Faraday once said: “There is nothing in the Universe but mathematical points of force.” And Gann followed up with: “Everything in existence is based on exact proportion and perfect relation.”
If this is true for the universe, it’s also true for the markets.
Financial markets are not an exception — they are part of that very same structure. What seems like noise is actually a pattern. What appears random is, in fact, a rhythm. Every chart, every price, every movement is part of a measurable and predictable cycle — if we know how to look.
That’s where geometry comes in.
Geometry is the visual language of mathematics in motion. It allows us to measure where something happens, when it happens, and what is happening — the trinity of all structure: space, time, and matter. When applied to trading, this geometry reveals the underlying grid that markets move within.
These are not trendlines, not indicators, and not opinions. This is the mathematical division of price and time — into precise, proportional intervals. Each movement becomes part of a larger shape. Each reversal, breakout, or consolidation becomes part of a universal rhythm — one that repeats across all instruments and timeframes.
This rhythm has structure:
It divides space into eighths: major, minor, and baby levels.
It divides time into natural turning points.
It reflects the balance between momentum and exhaustion.
The key to understanding this rhythm is observation. Just as a musician can anticipate the next note, a trained trader can anticipate the next reaction — not because of guesswork, but because the geometry shows where decisions happen.
This is the foundation that made Hidden Cycles possible — not a random algorithm, not curve fitting, but the application of timeless, measurable truth. Once you train your eyes to see it, the market becomes a living structure — full of zones, layers, and motion — where nothing is random, and every move makes sense.
🔍 How to Trade with Hidden Cycles – General Advice
Trading with Hidden Cycles is not about following rules — it’s about understanding structure, rhythm, and proportion. The tools this indicator provides don’t just react to price; they expose the invisible forces guiding it.
Below you’ll find key principles, practical advice, and deep insights into how to use Hidden Cycles effectively — no matter your style or asset class.
🧠 Start With the Right Mindset
Most indicators are rigid. Hidden Cycles is adaptive — not to the market, but to universal geometry. The indicator expects the market to follow its logic — and the more the price respects a certain element (e.g. level, angle, or zone), the more relevant that structure becomes for your trade.
🔘 Use the Buttons Wisely
All geometry in Hidden Cycles can be toggled on/off individually via on-chart buttons. This allows you to:
Start clean: Disable all geometry first
Activate only what’s useful right now
Keep your chart focused and uncluttered
This is critical because not all geometry is always relevant — you want to focus only on what the market is currently reacting to.
🧩 Example workflow:
Turn off everything
Enable Horizontal Lines (+ optional Helper Square)
Observe how price reacts — is it respecting certain levels?
Then selectively enable features like Trend Slope Lines, Action Lanes, or Time Lines — check if they align with price
If something doesn’t add value right now, turn it off again
💡 Hidden Cycles Remembers Your Setup
The indicator automatically remembers your button settings, based on:
You can safely switch between charts or symbols — when you return to a previous setup, your layout is exactly how you left it. This is especially useful when doing multi-pair or multi-timeframe analysis.
🧮 Horizontal Levels – Know Which One is in Play
Hidden Cycles is built on closed prices, not wicks.
That means: where the candle closes determines which level the market is reacting to — not the high or low.
But what if the close is between two levels?
➡️ Use the baby 4/8 level (i.e., the midpoint between two main lines).
Here’s how it works:
If price moves up and closes at or above the baby 4/8 level → the higher level is considered reached.
If price moves down and closes at or below the baby 4/8 level → the lower level is considered reached.
✅ Example (upward move):
Price closes between 6/8 and 7/8
→ at or Above baby 4/8? → Treat as 7/8
→ Below baby 4/8? → Still 6/8
✅ Example (downward move):
Price closes between 1/8 and 0/8
→ at or Below baby 4/8? → Treat as 0/8
→ Above baby 4/8? → Still 1/8
Using the line chart briefly can help spot this more clearly.
🟦 Even vs. Odd Levels – Understand the Personality
The Hidden Cycles geometry (lines, slopes, lanes, timelines) uses even and odd logic — and their behavioral traits differ:
Type | Lines | Behavior |
---|---|---|
Even (0/8, 2/8, 4/8, 6/8, 8/8…) | Strong! | Often slows price and causes smoother, gradual turns |
Odd (1/8, 3/8, 5/8, 7/8…) | Weaker! | Reactions are more aggressive when they happen — fast reversals or sharp spikes |
This is true not just for horizontal lines, but also for:
Trend Slope Lines (even only → stable structure)
Action Lanes (alternating even/odd)
Time Lines (0/8, 2/8, 4/8 stronger than 1/8, 3/8, etc.)
Example: Action Lanes Behavior
Imagine a strong uptrend, and price is bouncing between diagonal Action Lanes:
✅ Typical behavior:
Controlled, step-by-step rises from even diagonal support
Sudden, snappy pullbacks off odd diagonal resistance
Knowing this pattern can help you enter calmly and exit precisely.
🔁 Rhythm-Based Trading: “3-Level Move Rule”
Price often flows in measured steps. One of the most useful principles (inspired by classical rhythm-based models):
📏 A clean move across three Hidden Cycles levels (e.g., 5/8 → 6/8 → 7/8 → 8/8) is a common structure.
After this, expect one of two things:
🎯 Strategy Tip:
After 3 levels = Take partial profits or move SL to BE
Use this as a rhythm benchmark for scalping, swing, or longer holds
🧠 Multi-Period Confluence = Maximum Clarity
Want a clearer view of the market? Use multiple reference areas in AUTO_Square_Mode.
💡 Pro Setup:
Open 6 charts with the same symbol
Use different timeframes and reference periods:
Assign each chart a unique TAG
Now you’re seeing the short, medium, and long-term geometry together.
You can also use a symbol sync indicator to change all charts with one click. Many are available — and I will soon provide one for free.
🛠️ Universal Set Files — Plug and Play
Setting everything up can be time-consuming.
That’s why I provide ready-to-use universal .set files for:
1920×1080 (Full HD)
3840×2160 (4K)
These are not like traditional set files optimized for a specific pair or strategy.
Instead, they contain complete visual and layout configurations, especially for AUTO_Square_Mode.
They can be easily adjusted for other modes as well.
✅ Save time
✅ Avoid setup mistakes
✅ No re-optimization needed — ever
You’ll find them in the Comments section of the MQL5 product page.
Wish you all the Best and many green pips! Questions? I am always here to help! 🙂
SOON FOR SALE!!
www.mql5.com (Article Sourced Website)
#Hidden #Cycles #Geometry #Market #Behavior