pine-debugger

Q: How do I install pine-debugger?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/traderspost/pinescript-agents --skill pine-debugger in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/pine-debugger/ (personal) or .claude/skills/pine-debugger/ (project).

by traderspostCode Quality & Workflow

Troubleshoots Pine Script issues and adds debugging capabilities. Use when scripts have errors or unexpected behavior.

Installs: 462
Last 24h: —
Trending rank: —
Security: Not audited

Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/traderspost/pinescript-agents --skill pine-debugger

01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads pine-debugger automatically when relevant.
03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.

SKILL.md

The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.

Pine Script Debugger

Specialized in adding debugging tools and troubleshooting Pine Script code in TradingView's often opaque environment.

⚠️ Pine Script v6 2025 Common Pitfalls

CRITICAL: March 2025 Breaking Change - For Loop Boundaries

for loops now re-evaluate boundaries every iteration.

PREFERRED FIX: Use for...in loops:

// ✅ BEST: Use for...in for arrays (safe and clean)
for element in myArray
    // Process element - safe even if array is modified

// ✅ BEST: Use for...in with index when needed
for [index, element] in myArray
    // Have both index and value

// ✅ for...in works with matrices too
for row in myMatrix
    // row is an array of the current row's values

// ✅ for...in works with maps (key-value pairs)
for [key, value] in myMap
    // Iterate in insertion order

FALLBACK: Cache boundary if traditional for is required:

// ❌ BUG: Infinite loop or unexpected behavior
var arr = array.new<int>()
for i = 0 to array.size(arr)  // Re-evaluated each iteration!
    array.push(arr, i)        // Array grows, loop never ends

// ✅ FALLBACK: Cache the boundary before the loop
arrSize = array.size(arr)
for i = 0 to arrSize
    array.push(arr, i)

Debug check: If a loop seems to hang, either switch to for...in or verify boundaries are cached.

Line Continuation Errors

The most common syntax error. Updated rules as of December 2025:

// ❌ ERROR: "end of line without line continuation"
text = condition ?
    "value1" :
    "value2"

// ✅ FIX: Keep ternary on one line
text = condition ? "value1" : "value2"

// ✅ Inside parentheses - any indentation now works (Dec 2025)
plot(series,
    title="Plot",
    color=color.blue)

// ⚠️ Outside parentheses - still requires non-multiple-of-4 indentation
condition = value1 > value2 and
     value3 > value4   // Must use odd indentation (e.g., 5 spaces)

Bid/Ask Variables Return NA

// ❌ UNEXPECTED: Always na on most charts
bidValue = bid  // Only works on 1T (tick) timeframe!

// ✅ DEBUG: Check timeframe
if barstate.islast
    label.new(bar_index, high,
        "Bid: " + (na(bid) ? "N/A (not 1T)" : str.tostring(bid)))

Plot in Local Scope

// ❌ ERROR: "Cannot use 'plot' in local scope"
if condition
    plot(value)

for i = 0 to 10
    plot(close[i])

// ✅ FIX: Use conditional plotting at global scope
plot(condition ? value : na)

Core Debugging Toolkit

1. Label-Based Value Inspector

// Debug label showing multiple values
if barstate.islast
    debugText = "RSI: " + str.tostring(rsiValue, "#.##") + "\n"
    debugText += "MA: " + str.tostring(maValue, "#.##") + "\n"
    debugText += "Signal: " + (buySignal ? "BUY" : "NEUTRAL")
    label.new(bar_index, high * 1.05, debugText,
        style=label.style_label_down,
        color=color.yellow,
        textcolor=color.black)

2. Table-Based Variable Monitor

// Real-time variable monitor table
var table debugTable = table.new(position.top_right, 2, 10,
    bgcolor=color.new(color.black, 80), border_width=1)

if barstate.islast
    table.cell(debugTable, 0, 0, "Variable",
        bgcolor=color.gray, text_color=color.white)
    table.cell(debugTable, 1, 0, "Value",
        bgcolor=color.gray, text_color=color.white)

    table.cell(debugTable, 0, 1, "Bar Index", text_color=color.white)
    table.cell(debugTable, 1, 1, str.tostring(bar_index), text_color=color.yellow)

    table.cell(debugTable, 0, 2, "Close", text_color=color.white)
    table.cell(debugTable, 1, 2, str.tostring(close, "#.####"), text_color=color.yellow)

    table.cell(debugTable, 0, 3, "Signal Active", text_color=color.white)
    sigColor = signalActive ? color.green : color.red
    table.cell(debugTable, 1, 3, signalActive ? "YES" : "NO", text_color=sigColor)

3. Loop Iteration Debugger

// Debug loop iteration (use for...in for safety)
var array<float> values = array.new<float>()
var int loopIterations = 0

loopIterations := 0

// ✅ PREFERRED: Use for...in (safe, no boundary issues)
for [idx, val] in values
    loopIterations += 1
    // Process val directly, idx available if needed

// Alternative: Traditional for with cached boundary
// boundarySize = array.size(values)
// for i = 0 to boundarySize - 1
//     loopIterations += 1

if barstate.islast
    label.new(bar_index, high,
        "Loop ran " + str.tostring(loopIterations) + " times\n" +
        "Array size: " + str.tostring(array.size(values)))

4. Repainting Detector

// Detect potential repainting
var bool repaintDetected = false
var float previousValue = na

if not barstate.isrealtime
    if not na(previousValue) and previousValue != value[1]
        repaintDetected := true
    previousValue := value

if barstate.islast and repaintDetected
    label.new(bar_index, high * 1.1, "⚠️ REPAINTING DETECTED",
        style=label.style_label_down,
        color=color.red,
        textcolor=color.white)

5. NA Value Tracker

// Debug na propagation
debugNa() =>
    result = "NA Debug:\n"
    result += "value1: " + (na(value1) ? "NA ❌" : "OK ✓") + "\n"
    result += "value2: " + (na(value2) ? "NA ❌" : "OK ✓") + "\n"
    result += "result: " + (na(result) ? "NA ❌" : "OK ✓")
    result

if barstate.islast
    label.new(bar_index, low, debugNa(),
        style=label.style_label_up,
        color=color.orange)

6. Security Function Debugger

// Debug request.security() calls
[htfClose, htfTime] = request.security(syminfo.tickerid, "D",
    [close, time],
    lookahead=barmerge.lookahead_off)

if barstate.islast
    secDebug = "HTF Debug:\n"
    secDebug += "Close: " + str.tostring(htfClose, "#.##") + "\n"
    secDebug += "Time: " + str.format_time(htfTime, "yyyy-MM-dd") + "\n"
    secDebug += "Current TF: " + timeframe.period
    label.new(bar_index, high, secDebug)

7. Input Active State Debugger (July 2025)

// Debug conditional inputs
showAdvanced = input.bool(false, "Show Advanced")
advValue = input.int(10, "Advanced Value",
    active=showAdvanced,  // July 2025 feature
    tooltip="This input is conditional")

if barstate.islast
    label.new(bar_index, high,
        "showAdvanced: " + str.tostring(showAdvanced) + "\n" +
        "advValue: " + str.tostring(advValue) + "\n" +
        "(advValue active: " + str.tostring(showAdvanced) + ")")

UDT Debugging Techniques

1. UDT State Inspector

// Debug UDT field values with a method
type Regression
    int startTime
    int endTime
    int startBarIndex
    int endBarIndex
    float slope
    float intercept
    line centerLine = na

// Add debug method to UDT
method debug(Regression this, int yPos) =>
    if barstate.islast and not na(this.startTime)
        debugText = "Regression Debug:\n"
        debugText += "startTime: " + str.format_time(this.startTime, "MM-dd HH:mm") + "\n"
        debugText += "endTime: " + str.format_time(this.endTime, "MM-dd HH:mm") + "\n"
        debugText += "startBar: " + str.tostring(this.startBarIndex) + "\n"
        debugText += "endBar: " + str.tostring(this.endBarIndex) + "\n"
        debugText += "slope: " + str.tostring(this.slope, "#.######") + "\n"
        debugText += "intercept: " + str.tostring(this.intercept, "#.##") + "\n"
        debugText += "hasLine: " + (na(this.centerLine) ? "NO ❌" : "YES ✓")
        label.new(bar_index, yPos, debugText,
            style=label.style_label_left,
            color=color.blue,
            textcolor=color.white)

// Use it
if debugMode
    myRegression.debug(high)

2. UDT Array Inspector Table

// Debug all items in a UDT array
var table udtTable = table.new(position.bottom_left, 6, 12,
    bgcolor=color.new(color.black, 80))

if debugMode and barstate.islast
    // Header row
    table.cell(udtTable, 0, 0, "#", text_color=color.gray)
    table.cell(udtTable, 1, 0, "StartTime", text_color=color.gray)
    table.cell(udtTable, 2, 0, "EndTime", text_color=color.gray)
    table.cell(udtTable, 3, 0, "Slope", text_color=color.gray)
    table.cell(udtTable, 4, 0, "HasLine", text_color=color.gray)

    // Use for...in to iterate UDT array
    row = 1
    for [idx, reg] in regressions
        if row < 11  // Limit rows
            table.cell(udtTable, 0, row, str.tostring(idx), text_color=color.white)
            table.cell(udtTable, 1, row, str.format_time(reg.startTime, "MM-dd"), text_color=color.yellow)
            table.cell(udtTable, 2, row, str.format_time(reg.endTime, "MM-dd"), text_color=color.yellow)
            slopeColor = reg.slope >= 0 ? color.green : color.red
            table.cell(udtTable, 3, row, str.tostring(reg.slope, "#.####"), text_color=slopeColor)
            lineStatus = na(reg.centerLine) ? "❌" : "✓"
            table.cell(udtTable, 4, row, lineStatus, text_color=color.white)
            row += 1

3. Time vs Bar_Index Comparison Debugger

// Debug time-based coordinates vs bar_index
if debugMode and barstate.islast
    currentTimeFormatted = str.format_time(time, "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm")
    barsAgo = bar_index - startBarIndex

    debugText = "Coordinate Debug:\n"
    debugText += "Current bar_index: " + str.tostring(bar_index) + "\n"
    debugText += "Current time: " + currentTimeFormatted + "\n"
    debugText += "─────────────────\n"
    debugText += "Start bar_index: " + str.tostring(startBarIndex) + "\n"
    debugText += "Start time: " + str.format_time(startTime, "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm") + "\n"
    debugText += "Bars ago: " + str.tostring(barsAgo) + "\n"
    debugText += "─────────────────\n"

    // Check if bar_index would hit 5000 limit
    if barsAgo > 5000
        debugText += "⚠️ WOULD EXCEED 5000 BAR LIMIT!\n"
        debugText += "Use xloc.bar_time instead\n"
    else
        debugText += "✓ Within bar_index limit\n"

    label.new(bar_index, high * 1.02, debugText,
        style=label.style_label_down,
        color=barsAgo > 5000 ? color.red : color.green)

4. Drawing Object Status Debugger

// Debug whether UDT drawing objects exist
method debugDrawings(Regression this) =>
    status = "Drawing Status:\n"
    status += "centerLine: " + (na(this.centerLine) ? "NULL ❌" : "EXISTS ✓") + "\n"
    status += "upperLine: " + (na(this.upperLine) ? "NULL ❌" : "EXISTS ✓") + "\n"
    status += "lowerLine: " + (na(this.lowerLine) ? "NULL ❌" : "EXISTS ✓") + "\n"
    status += "fill: " + (na(this.fill) ? "NULL ❌" : "EXISTS ✓")
    status

if debugMode and barstate.islast
    for [i, reg] in regressions
        if i == 0  // Just debug first one
            label.new(bar_index, low, reg.debugDrawings(),
                style=label.style_label_up,
                color=color.purple)

5. UDT Creation Flow Debugger

// Track when UDTs are created
var int udtCreationCount = 0
var array<string> creationLog = array.new<string>()

// When creating new UDT
if shouldCreateNew
    udtCreationCount += 1
    logEntry = "Created #" + str.tostring(udtCreationCount) + " at bar " + str.tostring(bar_index)
    array.push(creationLog, logEntry)

    newReg = Regression.new(
        startTime = time,
        startBarIndex = bar_index,
        // ...
    )
    array.push(regressions, newReg)

// Display creation log
if debugMode and barstate.islast
    logText = "UDT Creation Log:\n"
    logText += "Total created: " + str.tostring(udtCreationCount) + "\n"
    logText += "─────────────────\n"

    // Show last 5 entries using for...in
    startIdx = math.max(0, array.size(creationLog) - 5)
    for [i, entry] in creationLog
        if i >= startIdx
            logText += entry + "\n"

    label.new(bar_index - 10, high, logText,
        style=label.style_label_right,
        color=color.teal)

6. xloc.bar_time vs xloc.bar_index Validator

// Verify time coordinates work correctly
if debugMode
    // Draw test lines with both methods
    if barstate.islast
        testStartBar = bar_index - 100
        testStartTime = time[100]

        // bar_index method (may fail if >5000 bars back)
        testLine1 = line.new(testStartBar, close[100], bar_index, close,
            xloc=xloc.bar_index,
            color=color.red,
            width=2)

        // bar_time method (unlimited lookback)
        testLine2 = line.new(testStartTime, close[100] * 0.99, time, close * 0.99,
            xloc=xloc.bar_time,
            color=color.green,
            width=2)

        label.new(bar_index, low * 0.98,
            "Red: xloc.bar_index\nGreen: xloc.bar_time\n(Should overlap if working)",
            style=label.style_label_up,
            color=color.yellow)

Common Issues and Solutions

1. Infinite Loop (March 2025)

Symptom: Script hangs or times out

// ❌ CAUSE: Dynamic boundary grows during loop
for i = 0 to array.size(arr)
    array.push(arr, i)

// ✅ FIX: Cache boundary
size = array.size(arr)
for i = 0 to size
    array.push(arr, i)

2. Unexpected NA Values

Symptom: Calculations return na unexpectedly

// Debug NA chain
if na(finalResult)
    // Check each component
    if na(input1)
        label.new(bar_index, high, "input1 is NA")
    else if na(intermediate)
        label.new(bar_index, high, "intermediate is NA")
    else
        label.new(bar_index, high, "Unknown NA source")

3. Security Function Issues

Symptom: Wrong values from higher timeframe

// ✅ Correct security() usage
htfValue = request.security(syminfo.tickerid, "D", close,
    gaps=barmerge.gaps_off,
    lookahead=barmerge.lookahead_off)  // Prevent future leak

4. Historical vs Real-time Mismatch

Symptom: Strategy works in backtest, fails live

// Debug historical vs realtime
if barstate.islast
    label.new(bar_index, high,
        "ishistorical: " + str.tostring(barstate.ishistory) + "\n" +
        "isrealtime: " + str.tostring(barstate.isrealtime) + "\n" +
        "isconfirmed: " + str.tostring(barstate.isconfirmed))

5. String Too Long (Pre-August 2025)

Symptom: String truncation errors

// August 2025: Limit increased to 40,960 characters
// If still hitting limits, chunk the string
longString = ""
for i = 0 to 100
    if str.length(longString) < 40000  // Leave buffer
        longString += "data" + str.tostring(i) + "\n"

Debug Mode Implementation

// Master debug toggle
debugMode = input.bool(false, "🔧 Debug Mode", group="Debug")

// Conditional debug elements
var table debugTable = na
if debugMode
    debugTable := table.new(position.top_right, 2, 5,
        bgcolor=color.new(color.black, 80))

if debugMode and barstate.islast
    table.cell(debugTable, 0, 0, "Debug Info", text_color=color.white)
    // ... add debug info

// Debug plots (only when debug mode on)
plot(debugMode ? debugValue : na, "Debug Value", color.yellow)

Debugging Workflow

Identify Symptom
- Compilation error?
- Runtime error?
- Wrong values?
- Performance issue?
Check 2025 Breaking Changes
- For loop boundaries (March 2025)
- Line continuation rules
- Bid/ask availability
Add Debug Points
- Labels at key calculations
- Table for variable monitoring
- Plot intermediate values
Trace Execution
- Follow calculation flow
- Check condition evaluations
- Monitor state changes
Test Edge Cases
- First bars (bar_index == 0)
- NA values
- Real-time vs historical
- Different timeframes
Clean Up
- Wrap debug code in if debugMode
- Or remove before publishing

Quick Reference: Error Messages

Error	Likely Cause	Fix
"end of line without line continuation"	Split ternary or wrong indentation	Keep ternary on one line, use 5-space indent
"Cannot use 'plot' in local scope"	plot() inside if/for/function	Use `plot(condition ? value : na)`
"Loop too long"	Dynamic boundary in for loop	Cache boundary or use `for...in`
"String is too long"	String > 40,960 chars	Chunk string or reduce content
"na" everywhere	NA propagation	Add NA checks at each step
Drawing doesn't appear	bar_index > 5000 bars back	Use `xloc.bar_time` instead
UDT line is na	Forgot to assign after line.new()	Use `:=` to assign drawing to UDT field

UDT-Specific Debugging Checklist

Are time values being captured when events occur (not later)?
Are both time AND bar_index stored (for drawing + calculation)?
Are drawing objects using xloc.bar_time?
Is delete() being called before draw()?
Are UDT methods using this.field := for assignments?
Is the UDT array being iterated with for...in?

TradingView's environment is opaque. Always test thoroughly and provide multiple debugging approaches.

FAQ

What does the pine-debugger skill do?

Troubleshoots Pine Script issues and adds debugging capabilities. Use when scripts have errors or unexpected behavior.

How do I install pine-debugger?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/traderspost/pinescript-agents --skill pine-debugger in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/pine-debugger/ (personal) or .claude/skills/pine-debugger/ (project).

Which AI agents can use pine-debugger?

Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.

Is pine-debugger safe to install?

No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.

Who maintains pine-debugger?

It is published by traderspost in traderspost/pinescript-agents. It has 462 recorded installs.

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pine-debugger

Install

Install

Describe the task

Review the result

SKILL.md

Pine Script Debugger

⚠️ Pine Script v6 2025 Common Pitfalls

CRITICAL: March 2025 Breaking Change - For Loop Boundaries

Line Continuation Errors

Bid/Ask Variables Return NA

Plot in Local Scope

Core Debugging Toolkit

1. Label-Based Value Inspector

2. Table-Based Variable Monitor

3. Loop Iteration Debugger

4. Repainting Detector

5. NA Value Tracker

6. Security Function Debugger

7. Input Active State Debugger (July 2025)

UDT Debugging Techniques

1. UDT State Inspector

2. UDT Array Inspector Table

3. Time vs Bar_Index Comparison Debugger

4. Drawing Object Status Debugger

5. UDT Creation Flow Debugger

6. xloc.bar_time vs xloc.bar_index Validator

Common Issues and Solutions

1. Infinite Loop (March 2025)

2. Unexpected NA Values

3. Security Function Issues

4. Historical vs Real-time Mismatch

5. String Too Long (Pre-August 2025)

Debug Mode Implementation

Debugging Workflow

Quick Reference: Error Messages

UDT-Specific Debugging Checklist

FAQ

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