Scallop

Scallop puts an objective boundary on a pattern that is usually eyeballed — the rounded J-shaped pause that continues a trend. Because a scallop has no straight line to test, the build fits a least-squares quadratic across each span and accepts only curves that behave: minimum fit quality, mid-trend depth and duration, a turn inside the span, enough time near the extreme to rule out a sharp V. A candidate completes when price carries beyond the curve's starting lip; the fitted curve, target and stop are then drawn, with measurements in the tooltip.

How to Trade the Scallop?

• Completion carry: a close above an ascending curve's starting high (below for descending) completes the pattern.
• Target and stop: the dotted target projects part of the curve's height beyond completion; the dashed stop sits at the turn.
• Shrinking series: a completed scallop shorter and shallower than its predecessor is a maturing-trend hint, with its own alerts.
• Developing curve: an optional dotted preview traces a forming curve once its turn is in, plus the level to carry beyond.

A trend filter keeps ascending curves in advances and descending in declines, their place in the continuation pattern family.

Scallop Settings

• Ascending Scallops / Descending Scallops (both on).
• Swing Detection Length (default 5): bars each side confirming the starting lip.
• Curve Length Min (default 15) and Max (default 100): duration bounds in bars.
• Curve Depth % Min (default 3) and Max (default 25): lip-to-turn distance in percent.
• Curve Source (default close), Curve Fit Quality (R²) (default 0.8) and Roundedness % (default 30): the shape tests.
• Trend Filter (default on) with Trend Average Length (default 50); Require Volume Curve (default off).
• Target Projection % (default 50), Show Target Level and Show Stop Level (both on); style: Show Labels, Show Developing Curve (both on).

Frequently Asked Questions

What separates a scallop from a cup and handle?

Scale and role: a cup-with-handle base is a large rounded base launching a new advance, handle included. The scallop is a modest dip inside a move already underway — hence the depth and duration caps.

Why did the developing curve disappear?

The preview is re-graded on every live bar; a shape that degrades — too deep, too old, fit quality lost — is withdrawn. Only the completion carry makes a pattern permanent.

Why is the default target only half the curve height?

Pattern statistics favor trimming full measure-rule projections, most of all late in a trend. Target Projection % restores the full rule at 100.