Indicator Triggers

The trigger() function is a TradingGoose extension to PineTS that lets your indicators fire workflow executions when conditions are met. This bridges the gap between technical analysis and workflow automation — an indicator can detect a signal and immediately trigger an action like sending a notification, placing a trade, or running a complex multi-step workflow.

Syntax

trigger(event, options)

Parameters

Options Object

Event Name Rules

• Must match pattern: /^[a-z][a-z0-9_]{0,63}$/
• Starts with a lowercase letter
• Only lowercase letters, digits, and underscores
• Maximum 64 characters

Basic Example

indicator('RSI Trigger Example');

const rsi = ta.rsi(close, 14);
plot(rsi, 'RSI');
hline(70, 'Overbought', '#FF0000', hline.style_dashed);
hline(30, 'Oversold', '#00FF00', hline.style_dashed);

// Fire when RSI crosses above 70 (overbought)
if (ta.crossover(rsi, 70)) {
  trigger('rsi_overbought', {
    condition: ta.crossover(rsi, 70),
    input: 'RSI crossed above 70 — overbought signal',
    signal: 'short',
    position: 'aboveBar',
    color: '#FF0000'
  });
}

// Fire when RSI crosses below 30 (oversold)
if (ta.crossunder(rsi, 30)) {
  trigger('rsi_oversold', {
    condition: ta.crossunder(rsi, 30),
    input: 'RSI crossed below 30 — oversold signal',
    signal: 'long',
    position: 'belowBar',
    color: '#00FF00'
  });
}

Multiple Triggers

An indicator can define multiple trigger events. Each event can connect to a different workflow:

indicator('Multi-Signal', { overlay: true });

const fast = ta.ema(close, 9);
const slow = ta.ema(close, 21);
const [macdLine, signalLine, hist] = ta.macd(close, 12, 26, 9);

// EMA crossover trigger
if (ta.crossover(fast, slow)) {
  trigger('ema_bullish_cross', {
    condition: ta.crossover(fast, slow),
    input: 'Fast EMA crossed above slow EMA',
    signal: 'long',
    position: 'belowBar',
    color: '#26A69A'
  });
}

// MACD histogram reversal trigger
if (hist > 0 && hist[1] <= 0) {
  trigger('macd_positive_flip', {
    condition: hist > 0 && hist[1] <= 0,
    input: 'MACD histogram flipped positive',
    signal: 'long',
    position: 'belowBar',
    color: '#2962FF'
  });
}

How It Works

1. Evaluation — On each bar, PineTS evaluates your indicator code including trigger() calls
2. Condition check — The condition property is resolved for the current bar. If falsy, the trigger is silently skipped
3. Validation — Event name, options structure, input, and signal are validated. Invalid calls generate warnings (not errors)
4. Capture — Valid triggers are captured with their metadata (event, input, signal, position, color, bar time, bar index)
5. Workflow dispatch — When running live, captured trigger events are dispatched to connected workflows via the Indicator Trigger

Connecting to Workflows

To use indicator triggers in a workflow:

1. Create an indicator with trigger() calls
2. In the workflow editor, add an Indicator Trigger block as your workflow's start point
3. Configure it to listen for your indicator's events
4. The workflow receives the trigger's input text and signal as workflow input data

Validation Warnings

Invalid trigger calls produce warnings (not errors) so your indicator continues running: