Indicators Overview
MZpack provides six indicators for NinjaTrader 8, each focused on a different aspect of order flow and volume analysis. All indicators render directly on the chart using hardware-accelerated Direct2D graphics and process real-time tick data.
Available Indicators
| Indicator | Purpose | Data Required |
|---|---|---|
| mzFootprint | Order flow footprint charts with bid/ask clusters, imbalances, and absorption | Level 1 (tick data) |
| mzVolumeProfile | Volume distribution profiles with TPO, POC, value area, and VWAP | Level 1 (tick data) |
| mzVolumeDelta | Volume delta analysis with histograms, candles, and cumulative delta | Level 1 (tick data) |
| mzBigTrade | Large trade detection with tape, markers, and trade volume profiles | Level 1 (tick data) |
| mzMarketDepth | Level 2 order book visualization with liquidity migration tracking | Level 2 (DOM data) |
| mzDeltaDivergence | Delta-price divergence signal detection | Level 1 (tick data) |
Adding an Indicator
- Right-click on a NinjaTrader 8 chart
- Select Indicators
- Search for the indicator name (e.g.,
mzFootprint) - Click Add, then OK
For a step-by-step walkthrough, see Your First Indicator.
Common Concepts
Order Flow Calculation Modes
Most MZpack indicators reconstruct order flow from tick data. The calculation mode determines how trades are classified as buying or selling:
| Mode | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| BidAsk | Classifies trades based on whether they hit the bid or lifted the ask | Live trading with Tick Replay enabled |
| UpDownTick | Classifies based on price direction (uptick = buy, downtick = sell) | Historical data analysis |
| Hybrid | Uses UpDownTick for historical bars, switches to BidAsk for live data | Mixed use cases |
Color Modes
All indicators that display volume data support multiple color modes:
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Solid | Single uniform color |
| Saturation | Color intensity scales with value magnitude |
| Heatmap | Multi-color gradient (red = high, blue = low) |
| GrayScale Heatmap | Monochrome intensity gradient |
| Custom | User-defined color thresholds |
Alerts and Notifications
Each indicator supports real-time alerts:
- Sound alerts — play a WAV file when a threshold is crossed
- Email notifications — send an email on triggered conditions
- Alerts can be configured per metric (volume, delta, trades, etc.) with custom thresholds
Performance
MZpack indicators are optimized for real-time tick-level processing:
- Minimal allocations in hot paths (no LINQ per tick)
- Direct2D hardware-accelerated rendering
- Configurable render throttling via MaximalRenderMs to balance visual refresh rate vs. CPU usage
Editions and Feature Availability
Not all features are available in every edition:
| Feature | FREE | TRIAL | Indicators License |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic footprint display | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Imbalance / Absorption | — | Yes | Yes |
| S/R Zones | — | Yes | Yes |
| Volume Profile Levels | — | Yes | Yes |
| Statistics Grid | — | Yes | Yes |
| Delta Divergence signals | — | Yes | Yes |
| Alerts and notifications | — | Yes | Yes |
See Licensing for details.