Rule Configuration

Each rule on the canvas has a set of configurable parameters that control its behaviour. This page walks through how to open the configuration panel, the common parameter types you will encounter, how to use expressions for dynamic values, and how to save or reset your settings.

Opening the Configuration Panel

There are several ways to open the configuration panel for a rule:

• Double-click the rule node on the canvas
• Select the node and press Enter
• Right-click the node and choose Configure from the context menu
• Click the gear icon that appears when you hover over a node

The configuration panel slides open on the right side of the canvas, displaying all available parameters for the selected rule. The panel title shows the rule name and type, and a brief description of what the rule does appears at the top.

Common Parameter Types

While every rule has its own specific parameters, there are several common parameter types that appear across many rules:

Numeric Parameters

Numeric fields accept integer or decimal values. They often include minimum and maximum bounds, as well as a default value. Examples include indicator periods (e.g., RSI period of 14), threshold levels (e.g., overbought at 70), and multipliers (e.g., ATR multiplier of 2.0).

You can type a value directly, use the up/down arrows to increment, or drag the slider if one is provided. The field will display a validation error if you enter a value outside the allowed range.

Dropdown Selections

Dropdowns let you choose from a predefined list of options. Common dropdown parameters include:

• Price source -- Which price to use for calculations (Close, Open, High, Low, HL2, HLC3, OHLC4)
• Moving average type -- SMA, EMA, WMA, DEMA, TEMA, etc.
• Comparison operator -- Crosses above, crosses below, is greater than, is less than, equals
• Order type -- Market, Limit, Stop, Stop-Limit

Toggle Switches

Boolean toggles enable or disable specific features within a rule. For example, a Moving Average Crossover rule might have a toggle for "Use close price confirmation" that, when enabled, requires the bar to close beyond the crossover level rather than just touching it intrabar.

Timeframe Selectors

Some rules allow you to evaluate conditions on a different timeframe than the strategy's primary timeframe. The timeframe selector lets you choose from standard intervals (1m, 5m, 15m, 30m, 1H, 4H, 1D, 1W, 1M). This is useful for multi-timeframe analysis -- for example, using a daily trend filter in a strategy that trades on 15-minute bars.

Colour Pickers

Colour parameters control how the rule's indicator or signal appears on the chart. While purely cosmetic, consistent colour choices improve chart readability during backtesting and replay analysis.

Using Expressions

For advanced users, many numeric parameters support expressions -- dynamic formulas that are evaluated at runtime. Instead of entering a fixed value, you can write an expression that references other data points or calculations.

To switch a parameter to expression mode, click the fx button next to the input field. The field expands into a text input where you can type an expression.

Expression Syntax

Expressions use a simple, readable syntax. You can reference built-in variables and functions:

# Set stop loss at 2x ATR below entry price
entry_price - (atr(14) * 2)

# Position size as 1% of equity divided by ATR
(account_equity * 0.01) / atr(14)

# Take profit at the upper Bollinger Band
bb_upper(20, 2)

# Dynamic RSI threshold based on volatility
if(atr(14) > 0.5, 25, 30)

Available Variables

The following variables are available in expressions:

• open, high, low, close, volume -- Current bar data
• entry_price -- The price at which the current position was entered
• account_equity -- Current account equity
• account_balance -- Current account balance
• position_size -- Current position size in units
• bar_index -- Number of bars since the start of the data
• bars_since_entry -- Number of bars since the current position was opened

Available Functions

Common functions include:

• sma(period), ema(period) -- Moving averages of the close price
• atr(period) -- Average True Range
• rsi(period) -- Relative Strength Index
• bb_upper(period, std_dev), bb_lower(period, std_dev) -- Bollinger Band values
• highest(source, period), lowest(source, period) -- Highest/lowest value over a lookback period
• if(condition, true_value, false_value) -- Conditional expression
• max(a, b), min(a, b) -- Maximum/minimum of two values
• abs(value) -- Absolute value
• round(value, decimals) -- Round to specified decimal places

Validation and Errors

The configuration panel validates your inputs in real time. Validation checks include:

• Range checks -- Numeric values must fall within the allowed minimum and maximum
• Required fields -- Fields marked with an asterisk must have a value before the configuration can be applied
• Expression syntax -- Expressions are parsed and validated as you type. Syntax errors are highlighted with a red underline and an error message below the field
• Logical consistency -- Some rules check that parameters make sense together (e.g., an upper threshold must be greater than a lower threshold)

If any validation errors are present, the Apply button is disabled and the error messages tell you exactly what needs to be corrected.

Saving and Resetting Configuration

Applying Changes

When you modify parameters in the configuration panel, the changes are not applied until you click Apply or press Cmd/Ctrl + Enter. This allows you to experiment with different values before committing. If you close the panel without applying, your changes are discarded.

Resetting to Defaults

To reset all parameters to their default values, click the Reset to Defaults button at the bottom of the configuration panel. This is useful when you have made many changes and want to start the configuration from scratch. A confirmation dialog will appear before the reset is applied.

Saving Presets

If you frequently use a rule with the same set of parameters, you can save the current configuration as a preset. Click the Save as Preset button, give your preset a name, and it will appear in the presets dropdown for that rule type in the future.

RSI - Aggressive Scalping
  Period: 7
  Overbought: 80
  Oversold: 20
  Price Source: Close

RSI - Conservative Swing
  Period: 21
  Overbought: 65
  Oversold: 35
  Price Source: HLC3

Presets are saved to your account and available across all your strategies. You can manage (rename or delete) presets from the Settings > Presets page.

Configuration Tips

• Start with defaults -- Every rule ships with sensible default parameters. Start with the defaults, run a backtest, and then adjust based on results rather than guessing optimal values upfront.
• Change one parameter at a time -- When optimising a strategy, adjust a single parameter between backtest runs so you can isolate the effect of each change.
• Use expressions for adaptive logic -- Instead of hardcoding a stop-loss distance, try using an ATR-based expression. This makes your strategy adapt to changing market volatility.
• Save presets for common setups -- If you use the same RSI settings across multiple strategies, save them as a preset to avoid re-entering the values each time.
• Review the summary on the node -- After applying configuration, check the summary text on the canvas node to confirm the settings match your intent.