Polyline

The Polyline tool creates a connected series of straight line segments through any number of anchor points. Unlike a standard trend line which connects exactly two points, a polyline can pass through three, four, or dozens of points, tracing the exact path of price action or a custom annotation path. Each anchor is stored independently, so you can edit the entire path one point at a time.

Each segment is individually editable — you can drag any anchor point to reposition it, or click on a segment to insert a new point at that location. This makes the polyline the most flexible shape for tracing complex price structures, connecting multiple pivot highs or lows in a single tool, and drawing custom annotations that follow the contour of the price action. The polyline bridges the gap between a simple two-point trend line and a fully smooth Bezier curve, preserving straight segments while allowing direction changes at each anchor.

To complete a polyline, double-click on the final point or press Escape. The tool remains active until explicitly finished, allowing you to add as many segments as needed. The polyline stores all anchor coordinates independently, so each point can be individually adjusted after completion. This non-destructive editing model means you never have to redraw the entire polyline to adjust a single point — just drag the anchor to its correct position.

The segment color feature allows each segment to have its own color. This is useful when different segments of the same polyline represent different market phases, wave degrees, or structural elements. For example, a polyline tracing a five-wave impulse could use blue for waves 1, 3, and 5 (impulse) and red for waves 2 and 4 (corrective), all within a single polyline annotation.

1. 1
   Select the Polyline tool

   Click the Polyline icon in the shapes toolbar. The cursor changes to a crosshair for precise placement.
2. 2
   Place the first anchor

   Click at the starting point of the polyline. This anchors the first point at a specific price-time coordinate.
3. 3
   Add subsequent anchors

   Move the cursor and click at each point along the path. Each click adds a new segment connected to the previous point.
4. 4
   Continue adding points

   Repeat for as many points as needed. A preview line shows the next segment as you move the cursor.
5. 5
   Double-click to finish

   Double-click on the final point or press the Escape key to complete the polyline drawing.
6. 6
   Edit after creation

   Drag existing anchors to reposition them. Click on any segment to add a new anchor at that location.

• Complex price structures — trace through multiple swing highs or lows in a single connected line. A polyline through successive pivot lows shows the changing slope of support over time, revealing trend acceleration or deceleration at a glance.
• Custom trend channels — draw angled segments that adapt to changing slope. A polyline can follow a trend that steepens or flattens over time, unlike a single trend line which assumes constant slope across the entire chart span.
• Elliott Wave counts — connect wave degrees along the price axis. Label each wave (1–5 for impulses, A–C for corrections) on the polyline anchors for clear wave structure visualization. Use different colors for impulse vs corrective polylines.
• Educational charts — highlight specific price paths for presentations, tutorials, and trading journals. The polyline's flexibility lets you trace any path on the chart with complete accuracy, creating clear visual narratives.
• Trade plan annotations — draw expected price paths for entry, stop, and target progression on a trade plan before execution. The polyline shows the anticipated route from entry to target in a visual format that is easy to follow during live trading.
• Pattern contour tracing — trace the exact contour of a head and shoulders pattern, a flag, or a pennant to highlight the pattern boundaries for visual analysis and presentation.
• Multi-segment support and resistance — draw support lines that change slope at key structural points. A polyline through swing lows in a trend that transitions from steep to shallow shows the deceleration of momentum without requiring multiple separate trend lines.

Managing the segments and anchors of a polyline is straightforward. Each segment connects two consecutive anchor points. To insert a new anchor, click anywhere on an existing segment — it splits into two segments with the new point at the click location. To delete an anchor, select it and press the Delete key; the two adjacent segments merge into one spanning the remaining anchors. This insert/delete workflow makes the polyline easy to refine incrementally.

For long polylines with many segments, use the extend feature sparingly. Extending a segment to the chart edge that is part of a long chain can create a misleading visual impression of a trend that persists across the full chart width. Only extend the first or last segment when that specific segment represents a meaningful trend direction on its own and not just a local fluctuation.

The polyline is an essential tool for Elliott Wave analysis. Use it to connect the sequential wave degrees (1–2–3–4–5 for impulses, A–B–C for corrections). Each anchor represents the end of one wave and the start of the next. The straight segments between anchors emphasize the linear structure of each wave within the larger sequence. Using the segment color feature, impulse waves can be colored green and corrective waves red within the same polyline.

For clarity, use separate polylines for each wave degree: a thick polyline on the weekly chart for primary waves, a medium polyline on the daily chart for intermediate waves, and a thin polyline on the 4-hour chart for minor waves. This layered approach maintains readability even on complex charts with multiple wave degrees visible simultaneously. Label each anchor with the wave number for permanent reference.

• 1.Polyline tool guide — TradingView Help
• 2.Elliott Wave Principle — A.J. Frost and Robert Prechter
• 3.Technical Analysis of Financial Markets — John J. Murphy
• 4.The Visual Analysis of Financial Markets — John F. Ehlers
• 5.Market Profile and Volume Profile Analysis — Steidlmayer and Dalton
• 6.Multi-Segment Trend Analysis — Technical analysis reference