Colors

Colors are of type ColorRef. A ColorRef does not only hold a color: it holds where the color comes from. The chart resolves it when it draws, so a point colored with “the first color of this series” follows the settings of the user, and a theme color follows the light and the dark theme, without recalculating the indicator. This is also what lets an indicator run on the server, which knows neither the theme nor the settings of each user.

Sources of a color

Literal
Theme
Series
Parameter

A fixed color.

ColorRef orange = ColorRef.FromRgb(255, 165, 0);
ColorRef halfRed = ColorRef.FromArgb(128, 255, 0, 0);
ColorRef named = ColorRef.Yellow;

A color of the theme of the user: the right green, red or neutral for a light or a dark chart.

ColorRef up = IMethodAPI.GetColorRefForTheme(ColorReferenceEnum.Up, ColorTypeEnum.Stroke);
ColorRef text = IMethodAPI.GetColorRefForTheme(ColorReferenceEnum.Neutral, ColorTypeEnum.Text);

ColorReferenceEnum says what the color means (Up, Down, Bid, Ask, Neutral), ColorTypeEnum what it is used for (Stroke, Fill, Text).

One of the four colors the user chose for a series.

point.LineColor = rising ? Band.PrimaryColor : Band.SecondaryColor;

A color parameter of the indicator. Just use the property:

public ColorRef BoxColor { get; set; } = IMethodAPI.GetColorRefForTheme(ColorReferenceEnum.Neutral, ColorTypeEnum.Stroke);
// ...
box.LineColor = BoxColor;

Changing a color

// transparency, 0 (invisible) to 255 (solid)
box.BackColor = BoxColor.WithOpacity(25);

// a mix of two colors: 0 is the first, 1 is the second
ColorRef mixed = VAn.GetFadedColor(color, SqueezeColor, 0.7);

Both keep the references: a fade between a series color and a parameter still follows both.

Defaults for series and parameters

Use theme colors as defaults, so the indicator looks right on every theme the first time it is added:

PrimaryColor = IMethodAPI.GetColorRefForTheme(ColorReferenceEnum.Up, ColorTypeEnum.Stroke);

Do not use IMethodAPI.GetColorForTheme: it returns the resolved color and exists only on the desktop. GetColorRefForTheme returns the reference and works everywhere.

Where colors are used

Object	Properties
point of a series	`LineColor`, `BackColor`
annotation	`LineColor`, `BackColor`, `ForeColor`, `LineColor2`, `BackColor2`
axis	`GridColor`, `TextColor`

A point without a color of its own takes the color of its series. Set point colors only when they change from point to point, and set OverrideAutoColor = true on the series attribute when you do.

Get started

Concepts

Desktop and server

Examples

API reference

Help

Sources of a color

Changing a color

Defaults for series and parameters

Where colors are used

​Sources of a color

​Changing a color

​Defaults for series and parameters

​Where colors are used

Sources of a color

Changing a color

Defaults for series and parameters

Where colors are used