Definition and Purpose:

The OpenTimestamp function in ProBuilder language is designed to return the Unix timestamp corresponding to the opening time of the current candlestick. A Unix timestamp is a way to track time as a running total of seconds. This count starts at the Unix Epoch on January 1st, 1970 at UTC. Therefore, OpenTimestamp is crucial for strategies that require precise timing measurements between different events in the trading data.

Syntax:

OpenTimestamp

Example Usage:

To calculate the number of seconds that have elapsed since the opening of the current candlestick, you can use the OpenTimestamp function in conjunction with the Timestamp function, which provides the current time’s Unix timestamp.

elapsed = Timestamp - OpenTimestamp
return elapsed

This code snippet will calculate the elapsed time in seconds from the opening of the current candlestick to the current time.

Additional Information:

• The Unix timestamp is a universal time standard and is not affected by time zones or daylight saving changes, making it a reliable measure for time-based calculations in trading algorithms.
• Understanding the use of timestamps can be crucial for developing strategies that depend on specific time intervals or need synchronization with external data sources based on time.