How to Setup Thinkorswim Aggregation Period for Your Benefit
The Thinkorswim aggregation period refers to the time frame that data is aggregated when using the platform.
You can use Thinkorswim aggregation period to your benefit by customizing it to fit your trading style. For example, if you are a day trader who only looks at data during the day, you would want to set your aggregation period to "1 Day". This way, you would be able to see all of the data for that day in one place.
On the other hand, if you are a longer-term investor, you may want to set your aggregation period to "1 Week" or "1 Month" so that you can see how the market has been performing over a longer period of time.
Thinkorswim Aggregate Period Customization
This setting can be found by going to:
- Edit > Preferences > Data
- And then you can select the time frame you want under "Aggregation Period" on the right hand side of the window.
- There are defined aggregation periods built in, I have put them into relevant groups:
- MIN, TWO_MIN, THREE_MIN, FOUR_MIN, FIVE_MIN
- Then there is: TEN_MIN, FIFTEEN_MIN, TWENTY_MIN, THIRTY_MIN
- After that: HOUR, TWO_HOURS, FOUR_HOURS,
- Then we have: DAY, TWO_DAYS, THREE_DAYS
- And finally: WEEK, MONTH, OPT_EXP, QUARTER, YEAR
Each aggregation period is further explained with its own syntax and example from this page.
There is also the GetAggregationPeriod function which gives you the aggregation period in milliseconds for time charts, in ticks for tick charts, and in dollars for range charts.
If you want to get more advanced the Thinkorswim learning center has this article on secondary aggregation
There are three types of aggregation: .
- Time - which plots price action over a certain amount of time
- Tick - which plots price action after a certain number of trades
- Range - which price action after a certain amount of accumulation.
Secondary aggregation is when you use data from a different time period than the primary one set by chart settings, which is useful when you want to use data from a different time period in an expression with another function.
You can reference secondary aggregation with the Data function. When referencing secondary aggregation with a variable, keep in mind that if this variable is used in an expression with any of the Fundamental or Date&Time functions with the primary aggregation period, the whole expression will use the latter, not the secondary one.
Aggregate Time Frame Settings
You can also use pre-defined string values to reference aggregation periods.
TOSIndicators have provided this useful video on how you can plot a daily time frame indicator on an intraday time frame chart
So for example you can take a 50 day simple moving average from your daily time frame and can plot that same value on a five-minute chart.
In the video they use Coke (KO) as an example and there is a breach or test of that 50-day simple moving average also the wick happened to touch and overlap with the 50 .
They can then take this setup and use it on an intraday time frame chart
They have useful code examples and explanations on their site.
You might be also interested in How to use Donchian Channels on Thinkorswim and How to Trade Using the Supply and Demand Indicator on Thinkorswim.
