Date and Price Range

The Date and Price Range tool is a measurement rectangle that provides precise quantitative information about a selected section of the chart. When you drag from one point to another, the tool displays both the horizontal span (time elapsed, bar count, or calendar days) and the vertical span (price difference in absolute points or percentage change) in labeled readouts. This dual-axis measurement makes it the most quantitative annotation in the drawing tools toolbox.

This is essential for quantitative traders and analysts who need to measure the exact duration and magnitude of price moves, consolidation periods, and chart patterns. The tool combines the functionality of a horizontal date measure and a vertical price measure into a single annotation, saving chart space and reducing clutter. Instead of placing a Price Range and Date Range separately, a single drag produces both measurements with synchronized boundaries that share the same start and end points.

The Date and Price Range tool differs from the Price+Date Range annotation tool in that its primary purpose is measurement — displaying quantitative readouts — rather than visual zone highlighting. The measurement labels are the primary feature, with the rectangle fill being a secondary visual aid. Use the Price+Date Range annotation when you want to highlight a zone visually; use this measurement tool when you need precise numerical readouts of time and price.

The label prefix settings allow you to add descriptive text before the measurement values. For example, "Range: 200 pips" or "Duration: 14 days". This makes the tool more useful for presentation charts and exported images where the measurements need to be self-explanatory to viewers who may not be familiar with the specific format of raw measurement labels.

1. 1
   Select Date-Price Range

   Click the tool from the measurement toolbar.
2. 2
   Set the start point

   Click to place the first point at the beginning of the period to measure.
3. 3
   Drag to set the end point

   Drag diagonally to define both the time range and price range simultaneously.
4. 4
   Release to see the measurement

   The tool displays elapsed time and price distance at the top or center of the rectangle.
5. 5
   Fine-tune boundaries

   Drag any edge or corner to adjust the rectangle. The measurement labels update in real time.
6. 6
   Configure display

   Adjust the time display mode, price format, and decimal precision from the settings panel.

• Price swing measurement — measure the duration and magnitude of price swings for volatility analysis. A 5-day, 200-pip swing has different implications than a 20-day, 200-pip swing. The former suggests aggressive momentum; the latter suggests a grinding, less decisive move.
• Consolidation period quantification — quantify the length and tightness of consolidation periods. A tight 10-day, 50-pip range suggests compression before expansion. The price label tells you how tight the range is; the time label tells you how long it has persisted.
• Elliott Wave equality measurements — compare leg A vs leg C in Elliott Wave for equality measurements. If wave A was 100 points over 10 days, check if wave C shows similar duration and magnitude. Equality of time or price between legs A and C is a common Fibonacci guideline.
• Cycle analysis — track time between successive pivot highs or lows. Consistent time intervals suggest a dominant cycle worth monitoring for potential turn dates. The time label gives you the exact interval for precise cycle tracking.
• Performance review — calculate percentage change over a specific date range for performance review. Measure the return of a completed trade or a holding period for journal analysis with exact percentage values.
• Range expansion and contraction — compare the size of consecutive swing moves. If swings are getting shorter in both time and price, a period of compression is developing that often precedes a significant breakout in either direction.
• Volatility ratio calculation — measure the price range of the current bar and divide by the 20-bar average range. Use the percentage mode to get a direct ratio reading for volatility comparison.

The choice between bars, trading days, and calendar days fundamentally changes what the time measurement tells you. Bars elapsed is the most direct measure — it counts every candle in the range regardless of calendar time. On a daily chart, bars elapsed equals trading days. On a 4-hour chart, there are 6 bars per trading day (24 hours divided by 4 hours). On a weekly chart, each bar is one week and bars elapsed equals weeks.

Trading days mode only counts sessions with actual trading activity, excluding weekends and holidays. This is the most useful mode for market-relative analysis because it measures price action time, not calendar time. Calendar days mode counts every day from start to end and is useful for real-world planning such as "this move took 3 weeks" but includes periods when the market was closed and no price action occurred. Choose the mode that matches your analytical context.

• 1.Price and Date Range tool — TradingView Help
• 2.Cycle Analysis — StockCharts ChartSchool
• 3.Technical Analysis of Financial Markets — John J. Murphy
• 4.The Profit Magic of Stock Transaction Timing — J.M. Hurst
• 5.Cybernetic Analysis for Stocks and Futures — John F. Ehlers
• 6.Swing Measurement Techniques — Technical analysis reference