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timeframe namespace

`timeframe`

Overview

The timeframe namespace describes the chart’s resolution and offers utilities for converting between timeframe strings, seconds, and timeframe categories (intraday, daily, weekly, etc.). These helpers are essential when building multi-timeframe logic that reacts differently on higher resolutions.

Timeframe strings follow TradingView’s format (e.g., "1", "15", "1H", "1D", "3M"). Use input.timeframe to gather user input in that format, then process it with `timeframe.*` utilities.

Common helpers

Function	Purpose
`timeframe.period`	Returns the script’s current timeframe string.
`timeframe.multiplier`	Number of base units in the current timeframe (e.g., `5` for `5m`).
`timeframe.change(tf)`	`true` on the first bar of each new `tf` period.
`timeframe.isintraday`, `timeframe.isdaily`, `timeframe.isweekly`, `timeframe.ismonthly`, `timeframe.isseconds`, `timeframe.isticks`	Boolean flags describing the current chart.
`timeframe.in_seconds(tf)`	Convert a timeframe string into seconds.
`timeframe.from_seconds(seconds)`	Produce the closest matching timeframe string for a number of seconds.
`timeframe.main_period`	Underlying base period for composite ranges (e.g., `1D` for a chart built from multiple days).

Remarks

timeframe.change() is handy for drawing separators or resetting accumulators whenever a higher timeframe begins (daily on a 5-minute chart, etc.).
For custom resampling, multiply timeframe.in_seconds() by a factor to create strings with timeframe.from_seconds() before feeding them to request.security().
Category checks (e.g., timeframe.isseconds) help you guard code that only works on certain chart types, preventing runtime errors.

Example

//@version=5
indicator("Timeframe utilities", overlay=true)

isNewDay = timeframe.change("1D")
isHigherTF = timeframe.in_seconds("1D") >= timeframe.in_seconds()

plotshape(isNewDay, style=shape.labelup, text="New day",
    color=color.new(color.orange, 0), textcolor=color.white,
    location=location.belowbar)

bgcolor(isHigherTF ? color.new(color.blue, 92) : na,
    title="Chart timeframe ≤ daily")

See Also