The Ultimate EasyLanguage Cheat Sheet for TradeStation and MultiCharts

Every systematic trader hits the same wall: you have a strategy idea, you know exactly what you want to build, but translating that logic into EasyLanguage code feels like translating English into ancient Greek. You find yourself constantly switching between your code editor and documentation, searching for that one function name you can never quite remember.

That's why I created this EasyLanguage cheat sheet. It's the reference I wish I had when I started coding trading strategies fifteen years ago. One page. Everything you need. Print it, bookmark it, or keep it open while you code.

Download the EasyLanguage Cheat Sheet (PDF)

What's Inside the Cheat Sheet¶

This isn't a tutorial or a course. It's a quick-reference guide designed to sit next to your keyboard while you work. Here's what you'll find:

Syntax Essentials cover the foundational rules that trip up every beginner: how statements end with semicolons, how bar-by-bar evaluation works, and the basic if-then structure that forms the backbone of every strategy.

Price and Bar References give you instant access to the shorthand for Open, High, Low, Close, and Volume, plus the bracket notation for referencing historical bars. Forgetting whether it's Close[1] or Close(1) for yesterday's close? This section has you covered.

Operators include arithmetic, comparison, logical, and crossover operators in one glance. The crossover syntax (Crosses Above, Crosses Below) is particularly useful since it's one of the most common entry conditions in systematic trading.

Variables and Declarations explain the differences between Var, Input, Define, and Array declarations. Getting these right from the start saves hours of debugging later.

Trading Verbs and Order Types list every action you can take: Buy, Sell, BuyToClose, SellToClose, ExitLong, and ExitShort. Combined with order types like at market, limit, and stop, this section lets you construct any order you need.

Built-In Functions Worth Memorizing¶

EasyLanguage comes with a powerful library of built-in functions. The cheat sheet organizes them by category so you can find what you need fast.

For moving averages, you have Average() for simple moving averages, AvgExp() for exponential, DEMA() for double exponential, and LinearReg() for linear regression. Most trend-following strategies start with one of these.

The momentum oscillators section covers the classics: RSI(), Stochastic, MACD(), CCI(), ROC(), and Momentum(). These form the foundation of mean-reversion and momentum strategies.

Volatility functions like ATR(), StdDev(), TrueRange(), Highest(), and Lowest() are essential for position sizing, stop-loss placement, and volatility-based entries.

Trend indicators including ADX(), DMI(), Aroon(), and SuperTrend help you filter trades based on market regime. Knowing when to trade and when to sit out is often more important than the entry signal itself.

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Strategy Patterns You'll Use Constantly¶

The cheat sheet includes four common strategy patterns that appear in countless trading systems.

Golden Cross demonstrates the classic moving average crossover entry:

If FastMA Crosses Above SlowMA Then Buy at Market;

RSI Extreme shows how to trade overbought and oversold conditions:

If RSI(14) > 70 Then Sell;
If RSI(14) < 30 Then Buy;

ATR Stop Loss illustrates volatility-based risk management:

MyStop = EntryPrice - 2 * ATR(14);
Sell next bar MyStop Stop;

Volume Confirmation adds a filter to ensure you're trading with conviction:

If Close > High[1] and Volume > AvgVolume(20) Then Buy;

These patterns are building blocks. Combine them, modify them, and adapt them to create your own systematic strategies.

Best Practices for Cleaner Code¶

The cheat sheet includes a best practices section that's easy to overlook but will save you from common pitfalls.

Test strategies on historical data first. This seems obvious, but the temptation to go live with untested code is real. Backtesting isn't perfect, but it catches the obvious errors before they cost you money.

Always include stop losses. A strategy without risk management isn't a strategy; it's a gamble. Define your maximum loss per trade before you define your entry.

Use LastBarOnChart to avoid repainting. Repainting happens when your strategy looks perfect in backtests but behaves differently in real-time because it's using future information. Checking for LastBarOnChart prevents this.

Initialize variables to 0 or False. Uninitialized variables cause unpredictable behavior. Start clean.

Comment your code for clarity. Future you will thank present you. So will anyone else who reads your code.

Avoid look-ahead bias. Your strategy can only use information that was available at the time of the trade. If you're referencing tomorrow's high in today's entry condition, your backtest is lying to you.

How to Use This Cheat Sheet¶

Print it and pin it next to your monitor. Or keep the PDF open in a second window while you code. The goal is to minimize the friction between having an idea and implementing it.

When you're building a new strategy, start with the strategy patterns section for inspiration. When you're debugging, check the syntax and operators sections. When you're optimizing, reference the built-in functions to see if there's a cleaner way to calculate what you need.

Download the EasyLanguage Cheat Sheet (PDF)

Beyond the Cheat Sheet¶

A cheat sheet gets you started, but systematic trading requires more than syntax knowledge. You need strategies that have been tested across different market conditions, proper backtesting methodology, and a framework for portfolio construction.

New to EasyLanguage? Read our guide on whether EasyLanguage is hard to learn for a realistic learning timeline and practical tips from 15 years of experience.

That's what we're building at QuantCodeClub: a transparent library of EasyLanguage strategies with real performance data. If you want to explore systematic trading further, join the waitlist and get access to our strategy library when we launch.

Frequently Asked Questions¶

What's included in the EasyLanguage cheat sheet?¶

The cheat sheet covers EasyLanguage syntax essentials, price and bar references, all operators (arithmetic, comparison, logical, crossover), variable declarations, trading verbs, order types, built-in functions by category, and four ready-to-use strategy patterns with complete code.

Does this cheat sheet work for MultiCharts?¶

Yes. EasyLanguage (TradeStation) and PowerLanguage (MultiCharts) are nearly identical. All syntax and code examples in this cheat sheet work on both platforms without modification.

How do I use the cheat sheet while coding?¶

Print it and pin it next to your monitor, or keep the PDF open in a second window. When you're stuck on syntax, check the operators and declarations sections. When you need a function name, scan the built-in functions by category. When starting a new strategy, reference the pattern examples for inspiration.

Is this cheat sheet good for beginners?¶

Yes. If you're new to EasyLanguage, the cheat sheet works best as a companion to hands-on practice. Start with the syntax essentials, then try modifying the strategy pattern examples to see how each element works.