MultiCharts PowerLanguage: Syntax, Examples and Common Errors

PowerLanguage is the scripting language MultiCharts uses for indicators, signals (strategies) and functions. MultiCharts calls it "an evolution of EasyLanguage", so most classic TradeStation EasyLanguage code compiles in MultiCharts with no changes; object-oriented EasyLanguage is the main exception. You write and compile PowerLanguage in the PowerLanguage Editor, and the code is compiled rather than interpreted.

What this guide covers:

• Syntax: inputs, variables, arrays, If/Then/Else and Begin/End blocks.
• Orders: Buy, SellShort and their four entry types, plus SetStopLoss and SetProfitTarget.
• Examples: plots, alerts and a moving average crossover, taken from the MultiCharts wiki.
• Errors: the rules that most often break a compile or a backtest, and how to fix them.

For a tour of the platform itself, see our guide to MultiCharts features and pricing.

PowerLanguage vs EasyLanguage vs MultiCharts .NET

PowerLanguage is the language of standard MultiCharts; MultiCharts .NET is a separate edition for C# and VB.NET. The table compares the three options, using MultiCharts' own feature pages (read on 31 Oct 2026).

MultiCharts says it tested more than 2,000 EasyLanguage indicators and strategies, but it does not claim 100% compatibility. If you are moving code from TradeStation, our guide to EasyLanguage syntax and verification errors covers the TradeStation side.

The PowerLanguage Editor

The PowerLanguage Editor is where you create, edit, import, export, protect and compile studies. You open it from the Run PowerLanguage Editor icon on the MultiCharts main toolbar, the Quick Launch bar or the desktop.

MultiCharts lists syntax highlighting, auto-completion ("IntelliSense") and built-in syntax checking among the editor's features, plus a built-in keyword reference. You can also choose Fast Execution or Fast Compilation, depending on whether you are trading a study or still developing it.

PowerLanguage Syntax Basics

A PowerLanguage study is a list of statements, and each line of code ends with a semicolon. The building blocks below are quoted from the MultiCharts wiki keyword pages.

Inputs

Inputs are values a user can change in the study settings. The code itself cannot change them: "Once declared, the value of the input cannot be modified by the study's code." Input and Inputs are the same keyword.

Input: Length(20);
Input: Price(Close), Name("Last Close");
Input: Draw_Line(True);

An input's type comes from its default value: numerical, string or true/false. Names can use letters, numbers, underscores and periods, cannot start with a number or a period, and are not case sensitive.

Variables and arrays

Variables hold values your code changes from bar to bar. The wiki's If example declares one and assigns it like this:

Variables:
	EMA(0);

EMA = XAverage(Close, 20);

Arrays hold several values under one name. Indexing starts at 0, so this declares two 9-element arrays:

Array: Length[8](0),SFactor[8](0);

By default a variable or array updates at the close of each bar. Adding IntraBarPersist before the name makes it update on every tick.

Maximum bars back

Studies that use past data reference a set number of earlier bars. MultiCharts calls this the Maximum number of bars a study will reference, or Maximum Bars Back, and shows it in the settings of each indicator or signal. The MaxBarsBack keyword returns that setting, as in Value1 = MaxBarsBack;.

If, Then, Else and Begin, End

Conditions use If and Then, with an optional Else. To run more than one line, wrap the lines in Begin and End:

If UpTrend = True Then Begin
  Buy Next Bar Market;
End
Else Begin
   SellShort Next Bar Market;
End;

Three rules from the wiki cause most compile errors here: a Begin must always be followed by an End, Begin is not followed by a semicolon, and only the last End in the statement takes a semicolon. Begin and End also work with For and While loops.

Order Keywords and Entry Types

Signals open positions with Buy (long) and SellShort (short), and exit with Sell and BuyToCover. The wiki's SellShort page notes that when a SellShort order fills, any open long position is closed too.

On and At are skip words you can leave out. An optional label in brackets names the entry, and the size is a number followed by Share, Shares, Contract or Contracts. These examples are from the SellShort page:

SellShort This Bar On Close;
SellShort("Entry")1 Contract Next Bar Market;
SellShort 2 Shares Next Bar At 100 Limit;
SellShort 10 Contracts Next Bar 50 Stop;

Without a size, the strategy uses the trade size set in the Properties tab of the Strategy Properties window.

PowerLanguage Examples

The examples below are copied from the MultiCharts wiki. Each one runs on its own as a study. We checked every keyword in this guide's code against the PowerLanguage Keyword Reference on 31 Oct 2026.

Plot a value

Plot1 to Plot999 draw values on the chart. The simplest plot draws the close:

Plot1(Close);
Plot1(Close,"Close",Default,Default,Default);

Moving average crossover

The Cross keyword is true on the bar where one value crosses another. Above and Over mean the same, as do Below and Under. This is the wiki's entry example:

if Close cross above Average(Close, 20) then
	Buy 2 contracts next bar at market;

Stop loss and profit target

SetStopLoss and SetProfitTarget take a currency amount and are checked within the bar, so they can exit on the same bar as the entry. By default they apply to the whole position; SetStopContract makes them apply per contract.

SetStopPosition;
SetStopLoss(100);

Alert on a condition

Alert opens an alert window with optional text. This example, based on the Alert page, fires when the close rises:

If Close > Close[1] Then
   Alert(Text("Price turning up"));

Want tick-by-tick orders? Add [IntrabarOrderGeneration = True]; at the top of a signal. MultiCharts notes that with it on, "next bar really means next tick".

Common PowerLanguage Errors and Fixes

Most PowerLanguage problems are a broken syntax rule or a keyword used outside its study type. The table lists the ones the MultiCharts wiki documents, with the fix.

One error is about the install, not the code. The wiki says "Compilation Error (errLine 0, errColumn 0, errLineEnd 0, errColumnEnd 0)" can appear after Windows updates, and its first fix is to restart, then repair MultiCharts from Windows Settings, Apps. If that fails, it suggests reinstalling to a short folder such as C:\MC64 and moving the Studies folder to a simple path such as C:\MyStudies.

For data feed, broker connection and crash problems, see our list of common MultiCharts errors.

Running PowerLanguage Strategies on a VPS

A PowerLanguage signal only places orders while MultiCharts is open and connected. A trading VPS keeps the platform running when your own PC sleeps or restarts for updates. Our MultiCharts VPS in Chicago lists 0.52ms to CME, and QuantVPS includes automatic off-site backups on every VPS plan.

FAQs

Is PowerLanguage the same as EasyLanguage?

No, but they are close. MultiCharts describes PowerLanguage as an evolution of EasyLanguage, and most classic EasyLanguage studies compile in MultiCharts unchanged. Object-oriented EasyLanguage is not supported.

Where do I write PowerLanguage code?

In the PowerLanguage Editor, which you open from the MultiCharts main toolbar, the Quick Launch bar or the desktop icon. It creates, compiles, imports and exports studies.

Can I use C# instead of PowerLanguage?

Yes, in MultiCharts .NET, a separate edition that uses C# and VB.NET and works with Visual Studio. Standard MultiCharts uses PowerLanguage.

How do I add a stop loss in PowerLanguage?

Use SetStopLoss(Amount) in a signal, where Amount is in currency. Add SetStopContract; to apply it per contract instead of to the whole position.

Why does my PowerLanguage alert not trigger?

The Alert keyword works in real time only, so it will not fire on historical bars. Alert settings are under Formatting Studies, Alerts in the MultiCharts help.