Overview: all instrument variables in TradingView's Pine Script

Overview: all instrument variables in TradingView’s Pine Script

TL;DR
Pine Script exposes instrument metadata via the syminfo.* namespace—everything from the exchange prefix and tick size to the base/quote currency and trading session.

At a Glance

Difficulty	Beginner
Time to implement	10-15 min
Category	Language Basics

Quick Actions

• Open in AI Editor
• Browse PineScript Examples
• Connect to Live Trading

Quick Start

//@version=5
indicator("Instrument snapshot", overlay=true, max_labels_count=500)

text = str.format(
    "{0}\nExchange: {1}\nTick: {2}\nCurrency: {3}\nType: {4}",
    syminfo.tickerid,
    syminfo.prefix,
    str.tostring(syminfo.mintick),
    syminfo.currency,
    syminfo.type
)

if barstate.islast
    label.new(bar_index, close, text,
        style=label.style_label_left,
        textcolor=color.white,
        bgcolor=color.new(color.blue, 70))

Tip. Instrument metadata is static—cache the label on the last historical bar or when inputs change so you don’t create hundreds of labels unnecessarily.

Why It Matters

Scripts that adapt to symbol metadata feel smarter: they can adjust tick-based inputs, change currency formatting, or refuse to run on unsupported asset classes. The syminfo variables remove guesswork—everything you need about the current instrument ships in the runtime.

What You’ll Learn

• The complete list of instrument variables, grouped by purpose.
• How to display the metadata on chart for debugging or UX.
• Practical cases for using each group (tick-based sizing, currency-aware formatting, session filters).
• Tips for combining syminfo values with other Pine helpers.

Quick Reference

Category	Variables	Purpose
Symbol & source	syminfo.prefix, syminfo.root, syminfo.ticker, syminfo.tickerid	Exchange prefix, root symbol, naked ticker, and exchange-qualified ticker.
Price increments	syminfo.mintick, syminfo.pointvalue	Tick size and currency value per full point move.
Currency	syminfo.currency, syminfo.basecurrency	Quote currency and base currency (pairs).
Time	syminfo.timezone, syminfo.session	Exchange time zone and session template (regular vs extended hours).
General	syminfo.description, syminfo.type	Human-readable description and asset class (stock, crypto, futures, …).

Implementation Blueprint

1. Query the syminfo namespace
   Access the variables directly—no imports or requests needed.

   tickerId   = syminfo.tickerid
   tickSize   = syminfo.mintick
   assetClass = syminfo.type

2. Format output for humans
   Bundle values into labels, tables, or alerts so users understand what’s driving the script.

   summary = str.format(
       "{0} ({1})\nTick: {2}\nCurrency: {3}",
       syminfo.ticker,
       syminfo.prefix,
       str.tostring(syminfo.mintick),
       syminfo.currency
   )

3. Adapt behaviour
   Use the metadata to change inputs, skip logic, or align calculations to the instrument.

   minStopTicks = syminfo.type == "crypto" ? 5 : 1
   stopPrice = close - syminfo.mintick * minStopTicks

Example Playbook

//@version=5
indicator("Instrument-aware template", overlay=true, max_labels_count=500)

// Build a helper that returns the full instrument profile.
getInstrumentProfile() =>
    str.format(
        "{0}\n{1}\nType: {2}\nTick: {3} (point {4})\nCurrency: {5}/{6}\nSession: {7}",
        syminfo.tickerid,
        syminfo.description,
        syminfo.type,
        str.tostring(syminfo.mintick),
        str.tostring(syminfo.pointvalue),
        syminfo.basecurrency,
        syminfo.currency,
        syminfo.session
    )

// Choose risk settings based on min tick.
minStopTicks = syminfo.mintick <= 0.01 ? 5 : 1
stopLevel = close - syminfo.mintick * minStopTicks
plot(stopLevel, "Adaptive stop hint", color=color.new(color.red, 0))

if barstate.islast
    label.new(bar_index, close, getInstrumentProfile(),
        style=label.style_label_left,
        textcolor=color.white,
        bgcolor=color.new(color.blue, 65))

Why this works.

• Metadata prints directly on chart, helping you validate which contract, session, and currency your script sees.
• Tick-size aware logic keeps risk calculations sensible across asset classes.
• The helper encapsulates repeated formatting so you can reuse it in alerts or dashboards.

Pro Tips & Pitfalls

• Futures contracts roll—use syminfo.root when you need the continuous symbol rather than the dated contract.
• Combine syminfo.session with session.ismarket() to enforce regular-hours-only trading.
• syminfo.pointvalue helps convert point-based stops to currency risk; multiply by contract size if needed.
• Cache heavy string formatting in a var and refresh when barstate.islast to avoid performance penalties.

Troubleshooting & FAQ

Why does syminfo.basecurrency return na?

It only applies to currency pairs and crypto symbols quoted with base/quote conventions. Stocks and indices return na.

syminfo.session looks cryptic—how do I use it?

It returns TradingView’s session template (e.g., 24x7, 0930-1600). Use it with session.ismarket() or compare against custom strings to detect extended hours.

Can I detect contract size or margin requirements?

Pine doesn’t expose contract multipliers directly. Combine syminfo.pointvalue with exchange documentation or strategy(position_size) to infer the effect.

Key Takeaways

• syminfo.* variables give you the full instrument profile—symbol, exchange, currencies, tick size, session, and more.
• Display the information for debugging and UX, then use it to adapt sizing, formatting, or eligibility rules.
• Cache or throttle label/table updates since the metadata rarely changes mid-chart.
• Mastering these helpers makes your scripts portable across asset classes without hard-coded assumptions.

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Keep Going

• Open AI Editor to apply the pattern with guided assistance
• Browse PineScript Examples for ready-to-run templates
• Connect to Live Trading when you are ready to automate

Adapted from tradingcode.net, optimised for Algo Trade Analytics users.