Triggers (Conditions + Indicators)

In Auto, a trigger is a condition tree that evaluates continuously. When the tree resolves to true, configured actions run.

Market Coverage

Auto monitors the full Elfa symbol universe — crypto spot and perps, plus tokenised equities, commodities, and FX listed as HIP-3 markets on Hyperliquid. See Symbols for asset classes, examples, and how to verify a specific ticker.

price and ta conditions select their data venue via the required exchange arg (hyperliquid or gmx). See Exchange Argument (price / ta).

Trigger Shape

All triggers are expressed as conditions with a root boolean group:

{
  "conditions": {
    "AND": [
      {
        "source": "ta",
        "method": "rsi",
        "args": { "symbol": "BTC", "timeframe": "1h", "period": 14 },
        "operator": "<",
        "value": 30
      }
    ]
  }
}

Rules:

Root group must be AND or OR.
Groups can be nested.
Max condition tree depth: 3.
Max leaf conditions per query: 10.

Supported Condition Sources

Price Source (`price`)

Method	Arguments	Returns	Description
`current`	`symbol`, `exchange`	`number`	Current market price
`change`	`symbol`, `period`, `exchange`	`number`	Percent price change over period
`high`	`symbol`, `period`, `exchange`	`number`	Highest price in period
`low`	`symbol`, `period`, `exchange`	`number`	Lowest price in period
`volume`	`symbol`, `period`, `exchange`	`number`	Volume in USD over period

exchange is required on all price methods — see Exchange Argument (price / ta).

TA Source (`ta`) - Indicator Methods

Indicator method	Arguments	Returns	Description
`rsi`	`symbol`, `timeframe`, `period?`, `exchange`	`number`	RSI (0-100), default `period=14`
`macd_value`	`symbol`, `timeframe`, `exchange`	`number`	MACD line value
`macd_signal`	`symbol`, `timeframe`, `exchange`	`number`	MACD signal line
`macd_histogram`	`symbol`, `timeframe`, `exchange`	`number`	MACD histogram
`bbands_upper`	`symbol`, `timeframe`, `period?`, `exchange`	`number`	Upper Bollinger Band
`bbands_middle`	`symbol`, `timeframe`, `period?`, `exchange`	`number`	Middle Bollinger Band
`bbands_lower`	`symbol`, `timeframe`, `period?`, `exchange`	`number`	Lower Bollinger Band
`ema`	`symbol`, `timeframe`, `period`, `exchange`	`number`	Exponential moving average
`sma`	`symbol`, `timeframe`, `period`, `exchange`	`number`	Simple moving average
`atr`	`symbol`, `timeframe`, `period?`, `exchange`	`number`	Average true range
`stoch_k`	`symbol`, `timeframe`, `exchange`	`number`	Stochastic %K
`stoch_d`	`symbol`, `timeframe`, `exchange`	`number`	Stochastic %D
`cci`	`symbol`, `timeframe`, `period?`, `exchange`	`number`	Commodity Channel Index
`willr`	`symbol`, `timeframe`, `period?`, `exchange`	`number`	Williams %R

exchange is required on all ta methods — see Exchange Argument (price / ta).

Signal Source: X/Twitter Post (`tweet`)

In the builder catalog, this appears in the Signal category as X/Twitter Post.

Method	Arguments	Returns	Description
`semantic`	`username`, `text`, `minConfidence`	`boolean`	Matches posts from a specific X/Twitter account when semantic confidence meets threshold

Notes:

username should be passed without @ (for example cz_binance).
username must resolve to an active monitored account, otherwise validation/create fails.
minConfidence must be an integer from 0 to 100.

Default condition shape:

{
  "source": "tweet",
  "args": {
    "username": "cz_binance",
    "text": "Binance Alpha is listing a new token",
    "minConfidence": 80
  }
}

Signal Source: Event (`news`)

In the builder catalog, this appears in the Signal category as Event.

Method	Arguments	Returns	Description
`semantic`	`text`, `minConfidence`	`boolean`	Matches event-like mentions from news-tagged sources when semantic confidence meets threshold

Notes:

Event matching is based on news-tagged sources.
minConfidence must be an integer from 0 to 100.

Default condition shape:

{
  "source": "news",
  "args": {
    "text": "SEC approves a spot ETH ETF",
    "minConfidence": 80
  }
}

TA Args Contract

This is the exact args contract validated by Athena for TA methods.

Every method below also requires an exchange:string arg (hyperliquid or gmx). It is listed under required args for each method — see Exchange Argument (price / ta).

Method	Required args	Optional args	Notes
`rsi`	`symbol:string`, `timeframe:string`, `exchange:string`	`period:number` (default `14`)	`period` is optional.
`macd_value`	`symbol:string`, `timeframe:string`, `exchange:string`	None	Uses MACD defaults internally.
`macd_signal`	`symbol:string`, `timeframe:string`, `exchange:string`	None	Uses MACD defaults internally.
`macd_histogram`	`symbol:string`, `timeframe:string`, `exchange:string`	None	Uses MACD defaults internally.
`bbands_upper`	`symbol:string`, `timeframe:string`, `exchange:string`	`period:number` (default `20`)	`period` is optional.
`bbands_middle`	`symbol:string`, `timeframe:string`, `exchange:string`	`period:number` (default `20`)	`period` is optional.
`bbands_lower`	`symbol:string`, `timeframe:string`, `exchange:string`	`period:number` (default `20`)	`period` is optional.
`ema`	`symbol:string`, `timeframe:string`, `period:number`, `exchange:string`	None	`period` is required.
`sma`	`symbol:string`, `timeframe:string`, `period:number`, `exchange:string`	None	`period` is required.
`atr`	`symbol:string`, `timeframe:string`, `exchange:string`	`period:number` (default `14`)	`period` is optional.
`stoch_k`	`symbol:string`, `timeframe:string`, `exchange:string`	None	No period argument in EQL.
`stoch_d`	`symbol:string`, `timeframe:string`, `exchange:string`	None	No period argument in EQL.
`cci`	`symbol:string`, `timeframe:string`, `exchange:string`	`period:number` (default `20`)	`period` is optional.
`willr`	`symbol:string`, `timeframe:string`, `exchange:string`	`period:number` (default `14`)	`period` is optional.

Exchange Argument (`price` / `ta`)

Both price and ta conditions require an exchange arg that selects which venue's market data backs the condition.

Property	Value
Arg name	`exchange`
Type	`string`
Required	Yes
Allowed values	`hyperliquid`, `gmx`

Use it to read the same indicator from a different venue — for example, evaluate RSI on gmx rather than hyperliquid.

{
  "source": "price",
  "method": "low",
  "args": { "symbol": "BTC", "period": "1h", "exchange": "gmx" },
  "operator": "<",
  "value": 98000
}

{
  "source": "ta",
  "method": "rsi",
  "args": { "symbol": "BTC", "timeframe": "1h", "period": 14, "exchange": "hyperliquid" },
  "operator": "<",
  "value": 30
}

Notes:

exchange only affects the data source of a price/ta condition. It is independent of where market_order / limit_order actions execute (those carry their own required exchange param — see Trading Execution).
Use the exact lowercase enum values (hyperliquid or gmx).

Validation Errors → Next Action

When Validate Query or Create rejects a query, the error is almost always a phrasing issue — not a capability gap. Iterate on Validate instead of abandoning the query.

Error signal	What it means	Next action
`EQL_MISSING_ARG`	A required arg is absent (e.g. `period` on `ema`/`sma`).	Check TA Args Contract, add the missing arg, re-validate.
`EQL_INVALID_ARG` / type errors	Wrong type (e.g. `"14"` instead of `14`) or unrecognized key (e.g. `length` vs `period`).	Use the exact key names and JSON numeric types from the contract table.
Unknown `method`	Indicator name not supported.	Pick the nearest supported method from TA Source; ask Builder Chat to substitute.
Unsupported `timeframe` / `period`	Value outside the enum.	Snap to the nearest allowed value — see Timeframe and Period Enums.
Unsupported `symbol` / source	Asset not indexed or DEX pair unsupported.	Skip that symbol and report it; proceed with the supported subset (see capabilities prompt pack for the "skip unsupported" pattern).
Unmonitored `tweet` username	`tweet.semantic` account is not in monitored active account set.	Replace with a monitored active handle and re-validate.
Invalid `minConfidence` (`tweet`/`news`)	Confidence is non-integer or outside `0..100`.	Use an integer between `0` and `100` (start with `80`).
Depth / leaf-count exceeded	More than depth 3 or 10 leaves.	Split into two queries joined by your runner, or factor shared conditions out.
`cron` / `llm` period too short	Below 1h minimum.	Raise to `1h` or higher — see Scheduling Period.
Dynamic value in action params	Dynamic values only allowed in condition `value`.	Move the dynamic reference into a condition; keep action params literal.

General rule: if Validate returns an error, reshape and re-validate in a loop — do not create your own monitoring stack. See also If /auto doesn't fit.

Common TA Arg Errors

ema and sma require period; length is not a recognized alias.
period must be a JSON number (for example 14), not a string ("14").
timeframe is required for all TA methods.

Invalid EMA example (length used, period missing):

{
  "source": "ta",
  "method": "ema",
  "args": { "symbol": "BTC", "timeframe": "1h", "length": 20 },
  "operator": ">",
  "value": 100000
}

Expected validation failure:

EQL_MISSING_ARG for period on method ema

Valid EMA example:

{
  "source": "ta",
  "method": "ema",
  "args": { "symbol": "BTC", "timeframe": "1h", "period": 20 },
  "operator": ">",
  "value": 100000
}

Cron Source (`cron`)

Method	Arguments	Returns	Description
`once`	`period`	`boolean`	True on first due evaluation at/after `createdAt + period`
`onceRemainTrue`	`period`	`boolean`	True on first due evaluation and remains true afterward
`every`	`period`	`boolean`	True at each period interval from query creation

LLM Source (`llm`)

Method	Arguments	Returns	Description
`athena_condition`	`query`, `period`, `speed?`	`boolean`	LLM-evaluated condition

Note:

cron, llm, tweet, and news support shorthand forms and are expanded server-side.
period for cron and llm sources has a minimum of 1h. See Scheduling Period (cron / llm) for the allowed set.
For clearer runtime semantics and easier debugging, prefer separate queries for event-driven Signal intents (tweet/news) and recurring schedule intents (cron.every).

Supported Operators

>
<
>=
<=
==
!=
crosses_above
crosses_below

Cross operators use previous-state tracking and evaluate transitions:

crosses_above: previous < threshold and current >= threshold
crosses_below: previous > threshold and current <= threshold

Dynamic Comparisons (Dynamic Values)

value does not need to be a static literal. It can also reference another data source result at evaluation time.

This lets you compare one live metric against another live metric, for example current price vs. an indicator band.

Example: trigger when ETH price crosses above the current 4h upper Bollinger Band.

{
  "conditions": {
    "AND": [
      {
        "source": "price",
        "method": "current",
        "args": { "symbol": "ETH" },
        "operator": "crosses_above",
        "value": {
          "source": "ta",
          "method": "bbands_upper",
          "args": { "symbol": "ETH", "timeframe": "4h" }
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

Important:

Dynamic values are supported only in condition value.
Dynamic values are not supported in action parameters.

Timeframe and Period Enums

TA timeframe values:

1m, 5m, 15m, 30m, 1h, 2h, 4h, 8h, 12h, 1d

period values for price args and TA indicator lookbacks:

1h, 2h, 4h, 8h, 12h, 24h, 1d, 7d

Scheduling Period (`cron` / `llm`)

For cron and llm sources, period is a scheduling interval with a minimum of 1h.

Allowed values:

1h, 2h, 4h, 8h, 12h, 24h, 1d, 7d

Signal Match-Description Guidance

For X/Twitter Post and Event, write args.text as a short factual claim.

X/Twitter Post examples:

bad: Bearish vibes -> good: Opens a short position on oil
bad: Something bullish -> good: Announces a new stake in TSLA
bad: Bullish on a coin -> good: Posts that they're bullish on $HYPE and $SOL

Event examples:

bad: Market crash -> good: Major DeFi protocol suffers a $200M exploit
bad: War conflict -> good: US imposes new sanctions on Russia
bad: Big news -> good: SEC approves a spot ETH ETF

Market Coverage​

Trigger Shape​

Supported Condition Sources​

Price Source (price)​

TA Source (ta) - Indicator Methods​

Signal Source: X/Twitter Post (tweet)​

Signal Source: Event (news)​

TA Args Contract​

Exchange Argument (price / ta)​

Validation Errors → Next Action​

Common TA Arg Errors​

Cron Source (cron)​

LLM Source (llm)​

Supported Operators​

Dynamic Comparisons (Dynamic Values)​

Timeframe and Period Enums​

Scheduling Period (cron / llm)​

Signal Match-Description Guidance​

Related Docs​

Market Coverage

Trigger Shape

Supported Condition Sources

Price Source (`price`)

TA Source (`ta`) - Indicator Methods

Signal Source: X/Twitter Post (`tweet`)

Signal Source: Event (`news`)

TA Args Contract

Exchange Argument (`price` / `ta`)

Validation Errors → Next Action

Common TA Arg Errors

Cron Source (`cron`)

LLM Source (`llm`)

Supported Operators

Dynamic Comparisons (Dynamic Values)

Timeframe and Period Enums

Scheduling Period (`cron` / `llm`)

Signal Match-Description Guidance

Related Docs