Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
User Guide
OSIsoft, LLC
777 Davis St., Suite 250
San Leandro, CA 94577 USA
Tel: (01) 510-297-5800
Fax: (01) 510-357-8136
Web: http://www.osisoft.com
Introduction.............................................................................................................. 1
What's new in PI ProcessBook 2015 R2............................................................................................................ 1
PI ProcessBook essentials........................................................................................... 3
What can you view with PI ProcessBook.......................................................................................................... 3
Start PI ProcessBook....................................................................................................................................... 3
Servers and connections..............................................................................................................................4
Workspace...................................................................................................................................................7
Run mode and Build mode...........................................................................................................................8
Add-ins........................................................................................................................................................... 9
Load add-ins................................................................................................................................................9
Menus and toolbars....................................................................................................................................... 10
Command menus...................................................................................................................................... 10
Customize toolbars....................................................................................................................................10
Toolbar buttons......................................................................................................................................... 11
Browser toolbar............................................................................................................................................. 11
Browse ProcessBooks and displays............................................................................................................ 11
View browsing history................................................................................................................................12
Set a Home Page....................................................................................................................................... 12
Bookmarks and browser history.................................................................................................................12
Keyboard shortcuts....................................................................................................................................... 14
Assign a keyboard shortcut........................................................................................................................ 15
Remove a keyboard shortcut..................................................................................................................... 16
Preference settings....................................................................................................................................... 16
General preferences.................................................................................................................................. 16
Table of Contents preferences................................................................................................................... 18
Display Window preferences..................................................................................................................... 20
Trend preferences......................................................................................................................................21
Trend Elements preferences...................................................................................................................... 23
Print.............................................................................................................................................................. 25
Page Setup for printing..............................................................................................................................25
Print Preview............................................................................................................................................. 26
Set up printer............................................................................................................................................ 26
Change the language used for PI ProcessBook.............................................................................................. 26
About PI ProcessBook................................................................................................................................... 27
Remove an entry....................................................................................................................................... 42
Save and close a ProcessBook................................................................................................................... 42
Open an existing ProcessBook.......................................................................................................................43
Work with multiple ProcessBooks..............................................................................................................43
Import files to a ProcessBook........................................................................................................................ 43
File sharing capability....................................................................................................................................44
Moving a ProcessBook to another PC............................................................................................................ 44
Efficiently display current and historical data residing in the PI System and other sources
Create interactive graphical displays that can be saved and shared
Quickly switch between view and configuration modes
Create dynamic, interactive displays and populate them with live data
Write scripts that automate displays and trends using Microsoft Visual Basic for
Applications, which is integrated into PI ProcessBook
Use OSIsoft add-ins to perform PI Batch and other analyses
Start PI ProcessBook
Procedure
1. Launch the application.
2. Connect to a PI Data Archive server.
3. Open a ProcessBook file or display.
Procedure
1. Click File > Connections.
The PI Connection Manager window appears. The window lists the configured servers to
which you can connect. It also shows the server you have chosen as the default server.
A selected checkbox next to a server name in the Connections window indicates an open
connection to the PI Data Archive server.
When PI ProcessBook attempts to connect to a PI Data Archive server, the application first
attempts to pass your Windows login credentials. The PI SDK will try to use them directly or
find a Trust for the user, domain, application or machine (per Trust configurations).
If all attempts to login to the PI Data Archive server using Windows credentials or other
machine-related information fail, then you must have a PI user account (not Windows
security-based). In this case, the PI SDK attempts to use the default PI user account
configured for the Server (you can see this in the Connections window in PI ProcessBook).
See Connect to a PI Data Archive server.
If the default PI user account does not require a password, then you are automatically
logged in. If the default account does require a password, a login window appears, which
expects the PI user account and password.
Note:
For more detailed information on PI Data Archive server security see PI Data Archive
Security Configuration Guide, which is available on the OSIsoft Technical Support website.
As of PI Server 3.4.380, the server can be configured to take advantage of significantly
enhanced security options.
Network errors
Network errors update the Status Report window, rather than displaying error messages on
your monitor. When a display is opened but the server is not available, only one Select New
Node window appears. The window appears once for each server that is not available. See
Status report for dynamic symbols and Displays and connection failure.
Click Connections to launch the PI Connection Manager window. From there you can choose a
new server from the drop-down list of connected servers.
Workspace
When you start PI ProcessBook, it appears as an open window or workspace on the desktop.
Depending on your settings, you may initially see an empty workspace, or an open
ProcessBook in either Book View or Outline View view.
Within the PI ProcessBook workspace you can open a ProcessBook or independent display.
ProcessBook (.piw)
In PI ProcessBook a ProcessBook is the container for the information and analysis of the
process you are monitoring. A ProcessBook may appear as either a tabbed book - Book View,
or an outline - Outline View, and is saved as a separate file with a .piw extension.
A ProcessBook is a collection of individual displays of data and analysis. Use a ProcessBook to
organize data from the PI System and other sources so that you can analyze the processes you
monitor or the tasks you perform.
A ProcessBook and its displays are stored in a single file.
Display
The main unit for creating presentations of data in PI ProcessBook is the display. A display can
stand on its own (.pdi or .svg), or it can be part of a ProcessBook (.piw). A display contains
all the symbols used to represent an operational environment using real-time, production data
from the PI System as well as data from other sources. In addition to containing this collection
of data elements, the display has its own set of features and properties that affect the collection
of data elements.
Displays can show a variety of elements, such as a schematic representation of a production
line, a plot of readings taken from a production line, or a comparison of lab data and batch
specifications. Displays can also be linked to other ProcessBooks, displays in other
ProcessBooks, or other applications.
Procedure
1. Click File > New to launch the New window,
Build mode
Most of the functions that you use when you create or modify a ProcessBook require the
Build mode pointer. Use Build mode to add, remove, or move symbols on a display, to add,
remove, or organize entries in a ProcessBook, and for access to symbol definitions and
formatting tools.
Run mode
Run mode is used to open entries and execute commands after a ProcessBook is built. You
can make some changes to a display while in Run mode; however, working in Run mode
keeps you from accidentally making permanent changes to items in a display.
You switch between modes by clicking the Run mode pointer or the Build mode pointer
, which are located on the Tools menu and the Drawing toolbar. Your preferred mode of
operation is set as a default in your Preference settings.
Note:
You can choose Build or Run mode as your preferred mode of operation by clearing or
selecting the Prefer Run Mode check box in the General preferences tab of the
ProcessBook Preferences window. This is a helpful preference if you spend most of your
time building or editing displays.
Add-ins
By default, PI ProcessBook installs with the following add-in components. You can load or
unload these and other add-in components by using the Add-In Manager.
PI BatchView
Load add-ins
The Add-In Manager lists the add-ins available in your PI ProcessBook installation. Use this
window to control whether the add-ins are loaded whenever you use PI ProcessBook.
Procedure
1. Click Tools > Add-in Manager.
The Add-In Manager window appears.
2. Click an available add-in from the Available Add-Ins list.
A description of what the add-in does appears in the Description box.
3. Under Load Behavior, select the appropriate check boxes:
Loaded/Unloaded
Loads or unloads the selected add-in. The add-in's current status appears in the Load
Behavior column at the top.
Load on Startup
Loads the selected add-in on startup of PI ProcessBook. The add-in's current status
appears in the Load Behavior column at the top.
Command Line
Loads the selected add-in when PI ProcessBook is started from the command prompt or
from a script.
4. Click OK to complete the action and close the window.
Note:
If the add-in is unloaded and then reloaded, you must click the Revert toolbar button
to re-synchronize any symbols using the add-in.
Command menus
The active components of menu bars change depending on the active window and current
selections. There are five different collections of menu commands.
Menu Bar Function
Default Displays when no documents are active
Book Displays when a PI ProcessBook workbook is
active
Display Displays when a PI ProcessBook display document
is active
View-Only Book Displays when PI ProcessBook is running in no-
edit mode and a PI ProcessBook workbook is
active.
View-Only Display Displays when PI ProcessBook is running in no-
edit mode and a display or workbook document is
active.
Customize toolbars
Toolbars may be displayed or omitted.
Procedure
1. Click View > Toolbars.
The Toolbars tab of the Customize window opens.
2. Check the toolbars you wish to display, and click OK.
Note:
Click the Commands tab to see what buttons appear on each toolbar.
3. To move a toolbar, click on the double vertical bar at the left end and drag to the new
location.
If the toolbar has no move handle, click on the title bar instead.
4. To reshape a floating toolbar (one without move handles), grab one of its edges and drag to
a new shape.
Toolbar buttons
Many of the menu commands in PI ProcessBook can be selected by clicking a button on a
toolbar. To determine the use of a button on a toolbar, hover the mouse pointer over the
button to display a tooltip.
You can configure toolbars to display as view-only to omit unnecessary buttons. View-only
toolbars and others can be specified in procbook.ini. See PROCBOOK.INI for details.
Procedure
1. Click View > Toolbars.
2. From the Commands tab of the Toolbars window, you can select a particular toolbar in the
window and drag buttons to existing toolbars in your PI ProcessBook window.
3. While the Commands tab is open, you can also drag buttons off of a toolbar to remove them
from your window.
Browser toolbar
The Browser add-in provides a toolbar that resembles the controls of a typical web browser.
The toolbar is automatically loaded when you install PI ProcessBook, and allows you to
navigate recently-used ProcessBooks and displays.
3. From the Browser toolbar, click either the Forward or Back buttons to view
drop-down box that lists the last ten ProcessBooks and/or displays that you visited during
the current session.
2. Click an entry to return to that item.
The final entry in the list is History.
3. Click History to open the History tab of the Organizer window, from where you can find an
alphabetical list of all ProcessBooks and displays visited during the current session.
See History tab and Bookmarks and browser history for details.
Procedure
1. On the Browser toolbar, click the small arrow next to the Home button .
Bookmarks tab
New bookmarks are automatically added to the root level of the bookmarks tree. You can
organize the entries into a hierarchical tree structure by dragging and dropping entries.
Bookmarks are stored in %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\PISystem\PI-ProcessBook
\OSIsoft.PB.ToolBars.Browser.Bookmarks.xml. This file is saved when PI ProcessBook
is closed.
Right-click the Bookmarks tab to select one of the following from the menu:
New Folder inserts a new folder at the top level of the tree or as a subfolder of a selected
folder.
Rename makes the entry name of the selected entry editable.
Edit opens a window where you can enter a new name and file path for the selected
bookmark.
Select All selects every entry.
Deselect All clears every entry.
Send To File opens a Save File window for the location to store the list of bookmarks.
Bookmarks are saved as XML and can be subsequently imported. Only files or folders that
are selected (checked) in the tree are exported.
Send To E-Mail opens a pre-populated Outlook email with the selected bookmarks ready to
be sent as an attachment with the same format as the Send to File option. Only files or
folders that are selected (checked) in the tree are exported.
Note:
The Send To options are only visible if at least one entry is checked or when right-
clicking an item.
Import opens an Open File window where you can select a bookmarks file to import.
History tab
The History tab contains an alphabetical list of all ProcessBooks and displays you have visited
during the current session. From there you can click an entry to return to that item.
The icon of the entry indicates its file type. Hover over an entry to see its full path in a tooltip.
If the active file is already bookmarked, the same icon appears as the Edit Bookmark icon.
Click this button to edit the bookmark's label and file path.
Keyboard shortcuts
A keyboard shortcut is a combination of keystrokes to use for frequent actions. Several of these
are already assigned in PI ProcessBook. They appear to the right of the corresponding menu
command on the drop-down menus.
PI ProcessBook lets you assign new combinations of keystrokes or change existing ones.
For example, you can:
4. In the Press new shortcut key box, type the key you wish to use for the shortcut.
Note:
If you choose a combination already in use, the current assignment appears in the
window. If you click OK, the previous assignment is voided.
5. Click OK.
The new shortcut appears in the Assigned shortcuts box.
Note:
If you want to reset all the keyboard shortcuts to their original positions when PI
ProcessBook was installed, click the Reset All button, and then the OK button.
Preference settings
You can reach the ProcessBook Preferences window by clicking Tools > Preferences.
Preference settings determine how the ProcessBook entries look, what colors are available
when you draw, and whether your ProcessBook opens in Book View or Outline View.
Note:
Preference settings are stored in the file procbook.ini. Before you change the
Preference settings, consider creating a back-up copy of procbook.ini so that you can
restore PI ProcessBook to the original settings.
General preferences
Click Tools > Preferences > General tab to configure application-wide settings. These settings
are stored in and retrieved from the [STARTUP] section of your procbook.ini file. See
PROCBOOK.INI for details.
Author
Determines the name used as the creator of new files and the person who last edited the
file.
Startup File
The file name and path in this field determine which, if any, file is automatically opened
when the application is launched. The default value when PI ProcessBook is first installed is
<installation path>\procbook\pidemo.piw.
Library File
The file name and path in this field determine which, if any, file is opened when the original
symbol library command is used. The default value when PI ProcessBook is first installed is
<installation path>\procbook\symlibry.piw.
Default View
Settings in this area determine how ProcessBook entries are displayed by default. The
default is Book view.
Font Settings
The controls in this area determine the font settings applied to each entry level in a
ProcessBook. The font settings control the display of entry names in Table of Contents
windows.
Preview
This read-only field displays font settings for each level in a ProcessBook. Each of the 10
possible entry levels is listed and displayed with its current font name, and style settings.
Color Palette
These fields present the 16 colors selected for use throughout the application as the basic
colors for the color well control.
Use the Modify button to launch the Color window, where you can select additional
colors.
Use the Reset button to return the Color Palette to system default values.
Symbol Defaults
Contains fields to set the default formatting values for new symbols. These defaults are also
changed when the Formatting controls are used and no symbols are selected.
Trend preferences
Click Tools > Preferences > Trend tab to set default settings for new trend symbols. These
settings also apply to instant trends.
Display
Check or uncheck these options to configure what information a trend displays by default.
AutoScale
Select this check box if you want trends to be scaled as tag values change over time. If
you do not select this check box, then trends use the Database scale for each tag.
Plot Title
Select this check box if you want a title to display.
Grids
Select to display grid lines. See Grid lines and labels.
Multiple Scales
Add a value scale for each data point when selected. When the check box is cleared, only
a single value scale appears. See Single and multiple scales for the vertical axis.
Markers
Select the Markers check box if you want markers to indicate data points on the trend. If
you do not select the Markers check box three markers display on each line. These
markers help you match a line to a tag.
Legend
Select or clear these options to configure what information appears in the trend legends.
The information that can fit in the legend is determined by the size of the trend.
Consequently, not all of the information in the legend may be visible:
If the width of the legend is more than the width of the trend the legend does not
appear.
If the height of the text in the legend is longer than the total height of the trend, items
are removed in this order: engineering units, tag name, then value.
Options include:
Tag Name
Server Name (for PI tags)
Value
Description
Eng Units
Sample
Use this display area to view a preview of selected trend preferences.
Multi-State on Ad Hoc
Select this check box to include data from multi-stated symbols when creating an ad hoc
(instant) trend. When this option is cleared, data from a multi-state configuration is not
included on instant trends.
Plot Elements
Use the drop down list to select from pens, text, grids, and background.
For each plot element, select a Marker Type, Line Style, Line Weight, and Color.
Note:
You may select one of several line styles for each trace. You can also specify the line
thickness. Select none to omit a grid line.
Sample
See your changes previewed in the Sample area at the bottom of the window.
Note:
PI ProcessBook supports dot matrix, HP PCL (LaserJet), Postscript, and color printers.
However, all Windows print drivers may not be compatible. If you are not sure if your
printer is supported or you observe any printing problems, contact OSIsoft Technical
Support.
Print Preview
Print Preview displays your selection as it will look when it is printed. Note that the Print
Preview shows colors even though you may be using a black and white printer.
After you select the item you want to preview, click File > Print Preview. Zoom in or out of the
selection by clicking on the selection with the magnifier cursor or by clicking the Zoom
buttons. To print the selection, click the Print button.
Set up printer
Select Print Setup to choose a printer, page orientation, and paper size. In addition, you can
fine-tune the quality of output or the performance of your printer. The settings you choose in
Print Setup become the defaults for all your printing.
Procedure
1. Click File > Page Setup.
The Print Setup window appears.
2. Select the printer, orientation, and paper size and source.
Note:
PI ProcessBook supports dot matrix, HP PCL (LaserJet), Postscript, and color printers.
However, all Windows print drivers may not be compatible. If you are not sure if your
printer is supported or you observe any printing problems, contact OSIsoft Technical
Support.
3. Click the Properties button to select printer-specific options.
Refer to your printer documentation for additional information about these options.
Procedure
1. Run the PI ProcessBook Language Pack and select the language resources you want to
install, if they are not already available.
2. Click Tools > Preferences.
About PI ProcessBook
You can launch the About PI ProcessBook window by clicking Help > About PI ProcessBook.
The window provides detailed version and build information, as well as a link to the OSIsoft
Technical Support website.
Click Copy Info to copy the contents of the list to your Windows clipboard where it can be
pasted into a spreadsheet or text editor. This can be useful to share with OSIsoft Technical
Support engineers if you have a problem.
Click System Info to launch the Microsoft System Information window. This information can
also be useful when troubleshooting issues through OSIsoft Technical Support.
Procedure
1. Create and save a ProcessBook.
2. Add, organize, and edit entry titles.
3. Design a detailed display for each display entry title, using the drawing tools to create
schematics or other drawings with trends, bars, and values. To import outside data, add
OLE objects and values from data set queries.
4. Format trends and make other adjustments to each display to present your data in the most
useful manner.
5. Save the completed ProcessBook and install it wherever it is needed.
Note:
In some installations, the system administrator might set your PI ProcessBook to
View-only mode mode. If so, you cannot create and save new ProcessBooks.
Procedure
1. In Build mode, click File > New.
The New window appears.
2. Select ProcessBook (.piw) File.
3. In the ProcessBook Name box, type a name for the new book.
4. Click OK.
A new ProcessBook appears.
Note:
If you typed a name in the ProcessBook Name box, then the name appears on the
ProcessBook title bar. If you did not type a name, then the default title Book1 appears
on the title bar.
Text
Provides headings or static information. See Create a text or display entry.
Display
Opens a display. See Create a text or display entry.
Linked displays
Links to an independent display file. See Linked display entry.
Linked ProcessBook
Links to an entry in another ProcessBook. See Linked ProcessBook entries.
Operating system (OS) command
Opens another application. See Operating system command entry.
When you add entries to a ProcessBook in either Outline or Book View, the entries are
arranged hierarchically. Subentries are indented under main entries. The name you give each
new entry is the name that shows in the ProcessBook.
When you create a new entry, it is placed in the ProcessBook just before the selected entry. If
no entries are selected, the new entry appears at the end of the current tab section in Book
View or at the end of the Outline View.
The first entry on a book tab is normally a Level 2 item (Level 1 is used as the tab label). All
Level 3 through 10 items are listed below a level 2 item and indented the same. In Outline
View, all levels are indented according to their level.
Procedure
1. Click File > New.
The New window appears.
2. Under Type, select ProcessBook Entry.
3. Click OK.
The Define ProcessBook Entry window appears.
4. In the Label window, type a name.
Note:
The label must be 244 characters or less in length.
Note:
If you need to move the original entry to another directory or ProcessBook, you must
redefine the link between the ProcessBooks. If you move both the original and the
linked item and the relationship between the two file paths is unchanged, you do not
need to relink.
Note:
If the file type is supported by ProcessBook (either natively or through an add-in),
then it is opened directly when this option is selected for a Link or OS command entry.
For example, an .svg file is opened using the SVG File Converter in ProcessBook, even
if you have Adobe SVG Viewer installed. Clearing this check box disables this behavior,
so the default shell command is used to open the file instead.
12. Click OK.
An icon for the program you are launching is added to the outline and book view of the
ProcessBook and the application opens. Close the application.
13. Click the Save button.
Note:
Any path entered in the Action field is considered absolute. If the display with this
entry is moved, the path is not changed from the original entry. If the Action is
entered and saved as a relative path, the system attempts to open the command using
that relative path. In this case, if you need to move the original entry to another
directory or ProcessBook, you may have to redefine the link between the
ProcessBooks. If you move both the original and the linked item and the relationship
between the two file paths is unchanged, you do not need to relink.
Book View
In Book View , the ProcessBook displays as a loose-leaf binder.
Tabs indicate major divisions in the ProcessBook. Each tab section has a heading, which may
be any ProcessBook entry. The entry title is used as the tab name. A tab section may contain
several pages of entries representing different types of information. There is no limit to the
number of tabs you can have in a Book. However, as you add tabs or reduce the size of the
ProcessBook, the tabs are stacked to the right of the Book. This might make the ProcessBook
difficult to read in Book View.
When you create a first-level entry in Book View, the name becomes the label for the section
tab. If the entry is the first entry you have added to the ProcessBook, the entry level is
automatically set at 1. Subsequent sub-entries are listed below the main entry. When you
select another first level entry, a new page is created with a new tab. You can have up to 10
levels of entries in a ProcessBook, but levels 3 to 10 are displayed in Book View as though they
were at the same level.
Displays within a tab section are typically arranged in a hierarchical fashion. For example, a
display that includes a boiler, a condenser, and a pump may be at the top level of a tab section.
The boiler, the condenser, and the pump may be separate displays that are arranged
underneath the summary display. Each of these displays can have several displays for their
components.
Book View
Resize a ProcessBook
Procedure
1. Click and drag on the frame of a ProcessBook until the window is the size you want.
As you make a window smaller, the ProcessBook is resized so you can still see all of the
tabs. If the window becomes too small to display all the members of a group of displays, the
displays are moved to new pages.
If the ProcessBook window becomes too small, all the tabs behind the first tab are collapsed
into one tab labeled More.
2. Click the More tab to display a pop-up list of the other tab sections.
Procedure
1. Click View > Book to view a ProcessBook in Book View.
2. In Build mode, double-click the entry you want to change.
The Define ProcessBook Entry window appears.
3. In the Label text box, type a new name.
4. Click OK.
Procedure
1. Click View > Book to view a ProcessBook in Book View.
2. In Build mode, double-click the entry you want to change.
The Define ProcessBook Entry dialog appears.
3. In the Level list, click the level at which you want to reposition the entry in the ProcessBook
hierarchy of entries, or
Type a number between 1 and 10.
4. Click OK.
Outline View
In Outline View , ProcessBook displays are arranged hierarchically on a page.
Click View > Outline to display a ProcessBook as an outline. When you are in Outline View, a
set of buttons is added to the active ProcessBook window to collapse or expand the outline.
You may need to resize the window so all the buttons are visible. Use the horizontal and
vertical scroll bars to see all entries in the outline.
Hierarchies of entries may be revised by dragging entries from one location to another, or by
promoting and demoting entries.
Outline View
Procedure
1. Click View > Outline to view a ProcessBook in Outline View.
2. Click the black plus sign to the left of an entry to expand it.
This shows additional displays that are subordinate to the selected display.
Collapsed View:
-or-
Click the transparent plus sign to collapse the list of subordinate displays.
Expanded View:
Note:
You can change the font for each level in Outline View in the Preference Settings
window. See Preference settings.
Remove an entry
Procedure
1. In Build mode, select an entry title in either Book View or Outline View.
2. Press the DELETE key.
The entry is removed from the ProcessBook.
Note:
If you accidentally delete the wrong entry click Edit > Undo.
Procedure
1. To save a ProcessBook for the first time, click File > Save or Save As.
Procedure
Use the File menu to create new or open existing ProcessBooks.
Use the Windows menu to select the ProcessBook title and switch among them.
Click inside a ProcessBook window to make it active.
Switch among the open windows by pressing CTRL+F6.
Save the changes under a different ProcessBook name, thus creating two ProcessBooks,
-or-
Close the ProcessBook and reopen it so that the new version of the display is shown. Then
make changes and save again.
When the number of colors is different between the original PC and new PC, PI ProcessBook
uses the closest color when drawing an entry. This is true for any graphics you may have
included in an entry.
If an entry calls for a font that is not available on the new PC, PI ProcessBook substitutes a
similar font.
If a ProcessBook includes links to other entries, ProcessBooks, or applications, PI
ProcessBook may not be able to locate them if the path on the new PC is not the same as the
old one.
Node names (for PI Data Archive servers) must be identical.
Different monitors have different resolutions, which may distort the appearance of an
existing ProcessBook.
PI ProcessBook records both the absolute and relative paths for Linked displays and Linked
ProcessBooks. This means you can copy ProcessBooks to new directories without breaking
links as long as either all the linked files are placed in a similar directory tree or all the drive,
directory, and file names remain the same.
Static symbols
Static symbols are symbols that do not automatically change as time passes, such as an image,
process diagram, or descriptive text.
Static symbols include all items in a display that do not connect to the PI Data Archive server
or other application to retrieve data, and do not start any application. Text labels and flow lines
are examples of static symbols. Other types include rectangles, circles, arcs, and images.
Dynamic symbols
Dynamic symbols are values, bars, trends, XYPlots, SQC charts, and multi-state symbols (such
as a pump image tied to temperature data) that change over time, and are based on the value
of a tag in the PI Data Archive server. If you wish to see how a dynamic symbol was defined,
select it and click the Item Definition button on the Drawing toolbar.
Dynamic symbols may also report data from outside databases through queries.
If you rest your mouse on a dynamic symbol, you can see a ToolTip with the current value,
tag name, and time stamp.
Icons for questionable, substituted, and annotated PI data can also appear on your displays.
Most point types (see PI Data Archive data types) can be used with any dynamic symbol.
There are some restrictions on string and timestamp data.
Buttons
Buttons are elements that create a link to other applications, such as a calculator or word
processor, or other ProcessBooks or displays. You can also use buttons to execute a script.
For example, if you find you work in a particular display and frequently need to update a
report with the information you are monitoring, you can add a button that automatically opens
a spreadsheet program. You also can use a button to perform common actions using a script,
like printing a display, or connect to related displays, ProcessBooks, or Web sites.
OLE objects
OLE objects include information from outside applications, such as text, spreadsheets, or
graphics. This information may be configured to update dynamically. OLE objects may be
either linked or embedded or into displays. See Link a file to a displayand Embed in PI
ProcessBook for details.
Open a display
Use any of these procedures to open a display from either Book View or Outline View of a
ProcessBook.
Procedure
Click on the display title, then on the New button to open the selected display in a new
window.
Click on the display title, then on the Open button to open the display into the last display
window you used.
If none are open, a display window opens.
With the Run Mode pointer, double-click the display.
The display opens and appears within an existing window, if possible.
Click and drag the display title to an unused area in the application workspace and release
the mouse.
This opens a new display in addition to already opened displays. If you drag the display on
top of an open display, it closes that display while opening the dragged display.
To use the keyboard instead of the mouse, use CTRL+F6, to select the ProcessBook, then use
the up or down arrow keys to select the display title. Press Enter.
If you have more than one display open, it replaces the open display with the new display.
Pressing CTRL+N is the same as clicking the New button.
Results
If the display is a display, linked display, or linked ProcessBook, the display is opened and the
contents are displayed on your workspace. If the display is an operating system command, the
command is executed or the application is started.
Note:
If you click on an operating system command more than once in the same session, it
might run the application repeatedly. This depends on the application and how it has
been set up.
Displays re-open in the same position, size, and shape as when they were last saved.
Procedure
1. Press SHIFT while highlighting the displays you want to open in Outline view.
2. Click the New button at the bottom of the list of displays.
Each display or linked display is opened in your workspace.
Procedure
To make a display active, click in the display window or press CTRL+F6 to toggle between
open displays.
To improve viewing when there are multiple open displays, choose:
Window > Cascade
The titles of all open displays and ProcessBooks appear in a cascaded list down the
screen.
Window > Tile
All open displays and ProcessBooks appear in a tiled view.
Window > <display title>
The selected display is active.
Procedure
1. Double-click on a display file in Windows Explorer.
A copy of the PI ProcessBook application installed on your PC opens, just as it would if you
double-clicked on a .piw file. The independent display appears inside the application.
Other toolbars vanish and the display enlarges to fit the screen.
2. Click the Full Screen button again to restore your toolbars.
A default keyboard shortcut of F11 also toggles between Full Screen and Normal
presentations.
Note:
You can customize the Full Screen toolbar to contain other buttons to use with a Full
Screen display.
3. In the Name box, type one or more of the letters of the display name.
4. In the Look in drop-down list, click the location you want to search.
-or-
In the drop-down list, click Browse, and then locate the appropriate folder.
5. Optional: Select the Look in subfolders check box.
6. Click the Search button.
The search results are displayed under Results.
7. Under Filename, click the display you want to open and then click OK.
Save a display
A display may be saved within a ProcessBook or as an independent file (.pdi).
Procedure
1. Click File > Save or Save As.
2. From the Save as type drop-down box, select one of the following six formats.
The default is .pdi:
.pdi
Display file. If you select this format your display becomes an independent file that
updates under certain circumstances.
.svg
SVG file for Web use. PI ProcessBook 3.0 or higher only supports version 3.0 or higher of
the SVG add-in. See the SVG add-in release notes for more information.
The last four file types are graphics formats and do not update. If you choose one of the
graphic formats, the display in focus is unchanged by the Save-As operation. The display is
left open and remains in the same mode (Run or Build).
.jpg
JPG-JPEG-JFIF compliant
.bmp
32-bit Bitmap
.wmf
Windows Metafile
.png
Portable Network Graphics
Background Color
The color applied to the area of the display where there are no symbols. This field uses a
color well control to provide color choices. The color selected in this field also becomes the
default background color for new displays.
Time Zone
This field determines whether the local computer or PI Data Archive server time zone is
used for interpreting dates and times for this particular display.
Note:
If this setting is changed while a display is active and the client and the server are in
different time zones, all absolute times (not based on now such as '*-8 hours') will not
be translated to the new time zone. This setting is saved with the display.
Connectors
The Enable Connector Attachments check box allows a symbol dragged and dropped on a
Connector symbol to be attached to that Connector. Clearing the check box disables this
functionality for the Display. Note that even if this feature is disabled for the display, you
can still use the Connectors window to attach Symbols to Connectors.
Enable Scripting
When displays have many symbols on them, the performance of PI ProcessBook may be
affected. One way to improve the situation is to disable the ability to code the majority of
those symbols. In order to disable scripting and improve performance, you can take the
following actions:
In the Enable Scripting section, clear the Automatically Enable Scripting check box. This
adds new symbols to the display without the overhead of enabling scripting if it isn't
needed.
If the display already has many enabled symbols on it, click the Disable Scripting for All
Symbols button in the Enable Scripting section. This button removes the scripting
capability for all existing symbols to help improve performance.
OK
Clicking this button accepts the changes made and closes the window. These settings are
saved as part of the display object.
Run Mode scrolling determines the scroll bar behavior of display windows in Run mode.
Build Mode scrolling determines the scroll bar behavior of display windows in Build mode.
On Display contains scroll bars all the
time.
Off Scroll bars never appear.
Automatic Scroll bars appear when needed.
Image Name
Displays the current default color for symbol line,
fill, and background color.
Keyboard Numeric Lock is on.
Drawing tools
PI ProcessBook includes a drawing environment with features that allow you to create
symbols and graphics within an entry.
You can use the drawing tools to:
Organizing symbols
PI ProcessBook provides several tools to help you organize your drawings. These tools include
a drawing grid, flip and rotate capabilities, and the ability to change the order in which objects
overlap each other. You can move and resize drawing objects. You can also divide a display
into layers so that you can segregate various elements. For example, you might separate HVAC
elements from Electrical elements in a display.
Any of these functions can be performed on a single screen element or group of them. For
information on grouping objects, see Group, ungroup, or regroup symbols.
Make sure you have selected the item or items with the Build Mode pointer.
OLE objects behave somewhat differently; their behavior is discussed under Commands that
ignore OLE objects.
Drawing area
The drawing area of a display is actually much larger than your monitor. There are scroll bars
on the display window for moving around this area.
You should plan to set a few options before you begin drawing:
Consider turning on snap-to grid and setting the grid size, font style, and default colors of
lines, backgrounds, and fills before you begin. It is usually easier to work with a grid when
laying out a display. Symbols in your drawing automatically align themselves with the grid
lines or the intersections of grid lines. Grid lines not only make it easier to place objects in
the drawing, but it helps keep the objects proportional. You can start with one grid size and
then modify it as your work gets more detailed.
Select a font and font size for any values, trends, or text boxes you might add to the drawing.
Select colors for lines, fills, and backgrounds that are easy on the eyes. For example, if you
are projecting on a large video screen, a black background with colored lines is better, but if
you are printing, a white background is better.
While you are drawing, you can use the zoom feature to zoom in on an area that requires more
attention. Zoom out if the drawing is larger than your monitor.
Drawing grid
The grid is a system of vertical and horizontal lines spaced at regular intervals on the drawing
area. Dots are placed at the intersection of the grid lines. The grid helps you align drawing
objects.
When you move an object to a location on the drawing area, the corners or edges of the object
are aligned with the closest grid intersection. This is called snap-to-grid or grid snap. When
you turn off grid snap, you can move an object to any location within the drawing area.
You determine the interval at which you want the grid lines to be spaced by setting the grid
size.
Formatting
Each symbol you draw and place on a display has attributes that determine how the symbol
looks. The fill and line attributes that are currently selected on the Display Window tab of the
ProcessBook Preference window are applied to any new drawing symbol. You may configure
these attributes for individual symbols or for all selected symbols as a group. See Display
Window preferences for details.
The Symbol Formatting toolbar contains buttons for formatting fonts, colors, and line styles. PI
ProcessBook also includes the older Formatting toolbar to support backwards compatibility.
Set font
To determine what type of formatting is applicable for each symbol, refer to the table of
Editable formatting attributes.
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display, and click the symbol(s) whose font you want to change.
2. On the Symbol Formatting toolbar, click a name in the Font box.
Note:
When choosing fonts, plan to use fonts that other PI ProcessBook users are likely to
have. If another user does not have the fonts you used, PI ProcessBook attempts to
match the font to an existing font. However, the match may make it difficult for
another user to read the entry.
3. Type or click a point size in the Font Size box.
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display, and click the symbol(s) whose line color you want to change.
2. On the Symbol Formatting toolbar, click the Line Color button .
Depending on the symbol type, the following elements change to the color displayed on the
button.
Symbols that display text use the line color to determine the color of the text within the
symbol
Symbols that have lines (such as ellipses) use the line color to change lines in the symbol
3. Click the arrow on the right side of the Line Color button to display the color palette.
4. Choose from the 16 colors available or click on one of these two buttons:
Custom Color
Opens the Color window where you can choose additional colors from a color well of
options
None
Disables line color. Setting the line color to None for Pen elements on a trend hides the
trace and its associated markers
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display, and click the symbol(s) whose fill color you want to change.
2. On the Symbol Formatting toolbar, click the Fill Color button .
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display, and click the symbol(s) whose background color you want to
change.
2. On the Symbol Formatting toolbar, click the Background Color button .
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display, and click the symbol(s) whose line weight you want to
change.
2. On the Symbol Formatting toolbar, click the Line Weight button .
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display, and click the symbol(s) whose line style you want to change.
2. On the Symbol Formatting toolbar, click the Line Style button .
A list of six line style options appears below the button. Options include solid, dash, dot,
dash-dot, dash-dot-dot, and none. Selecting None for a trend Pen element hides the trace
line, but not the marker.
3. Select a line option.
The symbol's line pattern changes.
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display, and click the symbol(s) whose line ends you want to change.
2. On the Symbol Formatting toolbar, click the Line Ends button .
A list of four line ends options appears below the button. These options determine whether
arrows appear at the end of lines.
3. Select a line ends option.
The selected symbol's line pattern changes.
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display, and click the symbol(s) whose font, color, or line formatting
you want to replicate.
2. On the Symbol Formatting toolbar, click the Formatting Paintbrush button .
Note:
Double clicking the Formatting Paintbrush button allows you to apply formatting to
more than one symbol. To turn off the Formatting Paintbrush selection, click the
button again or press ESC.
3. Click another symbol.
The formatting of the first symbol is copied to the selected symbol(s).
Note:
The options under Summary Statistics to Show do not affect tooltips for XYPlots.
Tooltip statistics are shown for any dynamic symbol that has PI Data Archive or PI AF data. The
effective time range of the display is used to aggregate the data for these statistics. There is an
option for Event Weighted or Time Weighted statistics. This setting is used for both tooltips
and the Details window.
The toolbar contains a time tracker that shows the display range, the scroll period that shows
the start and end time for the entire playback session, and the following controls:
Revert
Click the Revert button to restore all the active displays to their configured time ranges.
range back or forward one time period for the active display or all active displays, if
synchronized. See Display range for details.
When you use these buttons to move beyond the start or end time of the scroll period, the
scroll period expands to contain the display range.
These buttons are available only when playback is not active.
Time tracker
The time tracker shows the Display range and available Scroll period.
Go to Current Time
Click the Go to Current Time button to move the display range so that its end time is the
current time (*).
This action does not change the dimensions of the display range.
This button is available only when playback is not active.
Change Display Range window and change the time range of the PI ProcessBook display. See
Change Display Range window for details.
Synchronize
Click the Synchronize button to enable synchronization when one or more PI ProcessBook
displays are open. When synchronization is enabled, time-related actions that you perform
through the Time Range and Playback toolbar affect every display that is currently open and
every new display that you open. Synchronization is disabled by default. Once on,
synchronization remains enabled even if you close all displays.
Time range actions that you make from the PI ProcessBook Time Range toolbar or a button on
the standard toolbar are not synchronized.
Only symbols that are already on the active display are synchronized. Symbols that you add to
the display are not synchronized until the next time the display range changes.
Synchronization is temporarily suspended during playback. The displays are resynchronized
when playback is paused or stopped.
Repeat
Click the Repeat button to make the playback repeat each time it reaches the end of the
Scroll period.
Stop
Click the Stop button to end playback.
This action resets the position of the Time Tracker to the far left and changes the Pause/Play
icon to Play.
Pause/Play
The Pause/Play button drives the playback feature.
ThePlay button changes to the pause icon when a display is in playback mode. When
playback is paused, the button shows the play button.
Note:
The playback rate is reduced if PI ProcessBook cannot retrieve display data quickly
enough to keep up with the desired playback speed. When this occurs an information
icon appears on the right side of the time tracker.
Fast Forward
Click the Fast Forward button to accelerate the rate of playback. Each successive click of
Fast Forward doubles the rate at which the display plays back. The first click doubles playback
speed, then advances to 4x, 8x, 16x, and 32x the playback speed. An additional click returns the
playback to the default playback speed.
Click Play to resume normal speed playback. The playback continues from the current position
rather than starting from the beginning.
Options
Click the Options button to open the Scroll Options window.
Calendar
Hover at either end of the scroll period to see the Calendar icon.
Click the scroll range while the calendar icon is displayed to open a calendar to set that end of
the scroll period.
The calendar accepts any time string format supported by PI and returns dates and times using
Windows time configured with the current regional settings of the client computer.
Scroll period
Display range
Display Range
Use any accepted PI time input parameter to set the length of the display range. See PI time
and Display range for details.
Scroll Period
Use the spin box or calendar controls to select start and end dates and times. See Scroll
period.
Refresh Rate
select the number of seconds between updates of the display that is being played.
Speed
Select the rate at which the display plays back. The speed is expressed in units per second.
Speed can be expressed as milliseconds, seconds, minutes, hours, days, and months, and
must be smaller than the display range.
Scroll period
The scroll period marks the earliest and latest time for which you can manipulate or playback a
display.
Procedure
Hover the mouse next to the left or right arrow of the scroll period to change the mouse
icon to a calendar icon. Click the icon to open the calendar where you can modify the dates.
Click the Scroll Options button to open the Scroll Options window. See Scroll Options
Display range
The display range represents the time duration shown on the trend
symbols, or for a bar or value, the end time of the display range is the symbol time.
The display range must be shorter than the scroll period.
Procedure
Click the Change Display Range button or double-click the display range to open the
Options window.
Click the display range and use the up and down arrow keys to change the size of the
display range.
Results
Note:
A display must be reverted to re-establish any build time configuration time ranges for
individual symbols.
The start and end time boxes support all time string formats recognized by PI.
You can edit the times manually. The dynamic time strings, such as *-1h, that you set are
added to the drop-down list.
Static time strings, such as 1-Jan-2009, are not added to the list.
Each drop down list saves the ten most recently used values.
Settings are stored per user.
This button is available only when playback is not active.
Procedure
Use the Time Tracker arrow keys to move the display range current position.
Click the scroll bar on either side of the display range to move the display range to the
position where you click.
Click anywhere in the display range and use the left and right arrow keys to move the
display range back and forward across the scroll period.
The Time Range toolbar is used for working with dynamic symbols. This toolbar is hidden by
default for new installations of PI ProcessBook 2012 and later.
Note:
We recommend you use the Time Range and Playback toolbar to manage time in a
display.
In general, the commands on this toolbar affect only the symbols selected on the display. If no
symbols are selected, all symbols are affected. This toolbar, which must be used in Run mode,
contains three buttons:
Revert
Opens a window to set new, temporary start and end times. For Bars, Values, and Multi-
State symbols you can only set an end time.
Scroll Bar
Discard any of the changes you have made to the time range of a trend or the effective time of a
Bar, Value, or Multi-State symbol and return it to its saved setting.
Procedure
In Run mode, click View > Revert, or
Click the Revert button.
The Time Range command lets you enter new starting and ending times for dynamic symbols.
When you specify a time range for a single-time dynamic element, such as a Multi-State
symbol, bar or value, only the end time is used.
Note:
The time represented on your display is the time relative to the PI Data Archive server,
unless you have selected the client time zone setting for your display. If the PI Data
Archive server to which you are connected is in a different time zone, time on your
display represents the server time zone, not the local one.
Procedure
1. In Run mode, select the dynamic symbol or symbols for which you want to change the time
range.
If no symbols are selected, the time range change affects all dynamic symbols on the
display.
2. Click the Time Range button on the Time Range toolbar, or
Click View > Time Range.
The Change Time Range window opens, allowing you to change the time span for a trend or
plot, or the effective time for a bar, value, or Multi-State symbol.
3. Select new starting and ending times from the drop-down lists or define your own starting
and ending times.
Procedure
1. In Run mode, select the dynamic symbol or symbols for which you want to change the time
range.
If no symbols are selected, the time range change affects all dynamic symbols in the display.
2. On the Time Range toolbar, click the forward or backward Scroll Time button, or
Click and drag the Scroll Time slider, or
Click the space on either side of the Scroll Time slider to increment or decrement by a time
span.
If the slider is dragged, a tooltip is updated with the end time that is applied when you
release the mouse button.
3. Release the mouse button.
Selected symbols are refreshed with the new time range.
Note:
You can scroll the time for all items in a display or selected items. If no trend is
included in the selected items, the scroll buttons are disabled.
Use the time backward and forward buttons to scroll the time range forward or backward.
Procedure
1. Click on the desired symbols with the Run Mode pointer.
2. Click the Time Forward or Time Backward button.
Trends scroll by the time range specified in the trend definition. When you select multiple
trends, each trend maintains its time range as it is scrolled. If you select a trend and a
dynamic element such as a value, the non-trend symbol scrolls by the time range specified
in the first trend's definition.
For example, if the trend displays data from 1:00 to 4:00 (three hours) and the value has a
timestamp of 5:00, scrolling backward shows trend data from 10:00 to 1:00. The value's
timestamp also changes by three hours (2:00).
> Run. The mouse cursor appears in the shape of a small arrow.
Note:
You can choose Run mode as your preferred mode of operation by selecting the Prefer
Run Mode check box in the General of the ProcessBook Preferences window. This is a
helpful preference if you spend most of your time observing or analyzing displays rather
than building them. See General preferences for details.
A layer can be visible or invisible in Run mode. Layers are always visible in Build mode.
You can move symbols between layers or remove them from a layer.
Add, make visible, restack, and lock layers while ProcessBook is in either Run mode or Build
mode. Delete layers only when ProcessBook is in Build mode.
Create layers
Procedure
1. Open a display.
2. Click the Layers toolbar button , or
3. Click the New Layer button to open the New Layer window.
A default name comprised of the word Layer prefixed to the layer number appears. The
layer number does not necessarily match the index number; it is simply the next unused
integer in the list.
A new layer is added to the end of the collection. Its index is one higher than the previous
high index number. All symbols added to this layer are displayed over symbols on lower
indexed layers.
4. Click OK to return to the Layers window.
Index
Specifies the index number of the layer. The index is used in determining the display
order (Z Order) of overlapping symbols. A layer with a lower index number is lower in
the stack than one with a higher number. Higher layers may obscure symbols in lower
levels.
Count
This is a read-only value that contains the number of symbols on a layer. A composite
symbol is counted once and each of its subordinate individual symbols is also counted.
Up/down arrows
Buttons at the right side of the window box are used to move the relative position of one
layer to another within a display. As a layer is moved down the list, its index number
becomes larger, and vice versa. Symbols on layers with higher index numbers may hide
or cover symbols with lower-index numbers. Locked layers cannot be reordered.
5. Select the appropriate check boxes:
Visible
Makes the elements in the layer visible in Run mode. New layers are visible by default.
Active
Accepts all new symbols as you add them to the display. Inactive prevents symbols from
being added automatically. New layers are Active by default.
Locked
Prevents you from adding symbols to a layer. Existing symbols on locked layers cannot
be cut, copied, pasted, deleted, or moved. New layers are not locked by default.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 as needed.
7. Click OK to accept changes and close the Layers window.
Procedure
1. Select a symbol, right-click, and select Assign Layers.
The Assign Layers window appears and displays all of your existing layers.
2. Select or clear the checkbox next to a layer name to add or remove the selected symbol from
a layer.
If a layer name is grayed out, the layer is locked and you cannot add or remove symbols.
You may add the same symbol to more than one layer.
3. Click OK.
If no layers have been defined, the icon appears with a slash through it.
Hovering the mouse over the icon displays a tooltip with the names of any active layers,
beginning with the top layer.
If a match is found, PI ProcessBook retrieves the tag name associated with the tag ID and
compares the tag name with the saved tag name.
If the tag names are the same, the value is shown in the entry.
If the tag names are different, PI ProcessBook searches the database for the tag ID of the
saved tag name. If a match is found, the value is shown in the entry.
If a match is not found, PI ProcessBook uses the tag ID saved with the ProcessBook
regardless of the different tag names.
If no tag ID or tag name is found in the database, PI ProcessBook displays a message
informing you of the missing tag.
This behavior is governed by the value of PB2TagResolution, located in the procbook.ini
file's Data Manager section. PB2TagResolution can take the following values:
0
[Default] the Point ID is used to match a missing tag before the stored point name
1
Uses the tag name before checking Point ID. This mimics behavior of older version of PI
ProcessBook that are based on the PI API.
See PROCBOOK.INI for information on procbook.ini.
Procedure
1. In the ProcessBook toolbar, choose Tools > Add-In Manager. The Add-in Manager window
opens.
2. In the list of available add-ins, select AF Display Builder Add-in.
3. In the Load Behavior area, clear the Loaded/Unloaded check box and then click OK.
Dynamic symbols allow you to view live data in your display. These symbols are updated in
real time as PI ProcessBook receives updates from your PI Data Archive server.
Note:
The maximum number of dynamic symbols per display is 278,343.
Static symbols allow you to embed graphics, text, lines, and other images in a display.
Trends
A trend is a dynamic symbol that lets you view values plotted against time. Trends can show
the value of one or more data items over a time period. Trends are typically used to display
time series data, though they may also include non-time series data as well.
Some components of trends include:
Traces
Lines drawn on a trend to represent a series of data points from a data item.
Pens
Formatting components used to determine the presentation of data lines (traces) on trends.
Plot Title
The title of the trend being configured. The plot title can be blank, but a title is supplied by
default.
Grid lines
Used to mark intervals along the time and value scales.
If the Plot Time continues through the current time, the trend updates as information changes,
unless the length of the overall time period exceeds the limit set by your System Administrator.
The default limit is 7 days. This value is configurable.
Edit a trend
Define Trend window
Configure Trend Scale
Trend analysis tools
Change time range
How trends refresh
Trend appearance
Ad hoc trends
OpenVMS trends and graphics
Add AF attributes to trends
Create a trend
Procedure
1. Open a display.
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click the Trend button , or
3. Click in the display where you want to add the trend and drag the pointer to form a
rectangle into which the trend will be placed.
When you release the mouse button, the Define Trend window appears. See Define Trend
window.
If you have an ODBC dataset column with a PI Tag placeholder or a PI Summary dataset
column selected for the plot, the Custom Placeholder button is enabled.
9. Click the Custom Placeholder button to change the PI Tag used as the placeholder for the
selected trace.
Note:
PI ProcessBook allows you to create custom placeholders for a symbol based on a
summary data set or a PI tag placeholder in an ODBC data set. Placeholders are not
allowed for expression data sets. The Custom Placeholders button in symbol
definition windows allows you to specify different PI tags for a PI Summary data set or
ODBC data set with a PI tag placeholder. The change applies only to the configured
symbol. See Add or edit placeholders for details.
10. Under Scale, select Single Scale or, if you have more than one trace, you may select Multiple
Scales.
The multiple scales option shows a value range for each trace. There is only one time scale.
11. Consider checking the following check boxes:
Logarithmicto display the data in a logarithmic scale. If you have multiple scales, you
may set this option differently for each trace. This option is disabled for digital tags.
Note:
You may use logarithmic and non-logarithmic scales for traces in the same trend
when you select Multiple Scales. In this case, the minor grid lines associated with a
logarithmic plot may confuse the plot. You can turn off the minor grid lines by
setting the vertical minor grid color or line style to none.
Regression Linedetermines whether a regression line is drawn for a selected trace.
12. In the Max and Min drop-down lists, select Autorange or Database or enter the values to
determine the value scale range.
Min Settings:
Autorange
The trend displays with the value scale starting at the closest available major axis. If
the minimum is Autorange and the maximum is not, the scale starts at the lowest data
value in the trace (not on a major axis) and ends on the closest major axis.
Database
The tag's Zero attribute is used to specify the minimum plot value. This value can be
negative is the value of the tag is negative.
0 (absolute value)
The value you type is used as the first value on the value scale.
Max Settings:
Autorange
The trend displays with the value scale ending at the closest available major axis. If
the maximum is Autorange and the minimum is not, the plot starts on the minimum
value and ends on the largest trace value (neither min nor max will be on a major
axis).
Database
The tag's Zero + Span attributes are used to specify the maximum plot value.
0 (absolute value)
The value you type is used as the value scale maximum.
13. From the Format drop-down list, select the number format for the scale.
Database is the default format. This number format is also applied to legend, cursor, and
tooltip numbers.
DatabaseDatabase format uses the displaydigits PI Point attribute to determine
how many decimal places to show. If the length of the number exceeds the
displaydigits value, scientific notation is used. PI ProcessBook trims trailing zeroes
that follow a decimal point. The Database format option is intended for use with PI Tags
only.
GeneralShows all significant digits for a number except trailing zeros. If the absolute
value of the value is greater than 1e+7 or less than 1e-5, the format will switch to use
scientific notation.
ScientificMost useful with very large numbers. The scientific format used for trends
displays in the format: 0.00E+00.
Custom (#,##0.00, 0%)Allows you to enter your own number format. See the Table of
Format Values for examples.
14. Under Plot Time, from the Start and End drop-down lists, select a time. An asterisk (*)
represents the current time. You can also manually enter a valid PI Time string.
15. In the Style drop-down list, select Full time stamp, Partial time stamp, or Relative time
stamp to indicate how time is displayed on the time axis.
16. Click OK.
Note:
PI ProcessBook allows you to create custom placeholders for a symbol based on a
summary data set or a PI tag placeholder in an ODBC data set. Placeholders are not
allowed for expression data sets. The Custom Placeholders button in symbol
definition windows allows you to specify different PI tags for a PI Summary data set or
ODBC data set with a PI tag placeholder. The change applies only to the configured
symbol.
See Add or edit placeholders for details.
display. Once the plots are created they are no longer associated in any way and are
configured, moved, and sized individually.
Procedure
1. Follow the steps to Create a trend.
2. To create additional plots, click the New Plot button and select tags.
Repeat as necessary. To view the tags you have selected, you can select each plot name in
the Plot box.
3. To adjust the arrangement matrix for the plots you are creating, click the Layout tab (see
Layout tab).
Note:
These matrix options are available only when you create the trend and cannot be
edited later. However, you can revise the traces and other trend properties on each
plot individually.
Move a plot
If you have created more than one plot in the trend, you can move each plot separately.
Procedure
1. In Build mode simply click the plot you want to move.
2. Selection handles appear around the plot. Use these handles to drag the plot to its new
location.
plot. You can turn off the minor gridlines by setting the vertical minor grid color to none. This
is discussed in Trace Format tab.
The log of zero and negative values is plotted similarly to bad data. The graph shows an X
where the invalid log values begin. A cursor running over the negative values displays
Invalid Log. If the current trace value is zero or less, the legend displays Invalid Log as
the current value.
Edit a trend
Use the Define Trend window (see Define Trend window) to edit an existing trend. To launch
this window do one of the following.
Procedure
In Build mode, double click a trend
Select a trend and click the Item Definition toolbar button
Display Format
Options for the elements to be included in the trend.
Trace Format
Provides an alternate way to choose colors and line styles for each trace (plot line) as well
as the axes, background, and text.
Layout
Options determine the arrangement of rows and columns for multiple plot trends. This tab
only appears when you first create a trend symbol.
If the width of the legend is more than 50 percent of the width of the trend, the legend
does not display.
If the length of the text in the legend is longer than the total height of the trend, the items
on the bottom are not shown.
Display group box
Select or clear the following check boxes. The sample trend reflects the changes you make.
Plot Title
Vertical Scale Inside Axis
Draws the value scale inside the plot area
Grids
Shows grid lines on the trend
Markers
When selected, markers indicate data points on the trend. If the Markers box is not
selected, three markers appear on each line to help you match a line to a tag.
Trend orientation
Select one of the three options at the top of the window: End Time at right (horizontal), End
Time at top (vertical), or End Time at bottom (vertical). This feature allows you to orient
your trend in a horizontal or vertical direction.
Layout tab
The plot arrangement in a multi-plot trend is established by setting up the number of rows and
columns of plots in the Layout tab.
Note:
The Layout tab only appears when you initially create a trend (see Create a trend). After
the layout is set, you cannot revise it because the plots are no longer associated when the
symbol is created. However, individual plots can be moved on the display in Build mode.
To revise the proposed plot arrangement matrix:
Under Plot Arrangement, select the number of rows and columns you want. The following
example shows four plots, to be arranged in 2 rows of 2 columns each. Tab past the matrix to
see the sample of your new selection display in the Preview area.
Procedure
1. In Run mode, double-click the plot's value scale to open the Trend Scale window.
Note:
In PI ProcessBook you can also click View > Trend Scale. This menu object is not
available in PI ActiveView.
2. Click Single Scale or Multiple Scales.
3. If you are using multiple scales, then select the tag for which to set the scale options from
the Tags drop-down list.
4. Select Autorange, Database, or Absolute options for the Maximum and Minimum values of
the scale.
Autorange
Sets the value scale using the minimum and maximum tag values between the trend start
time and end time.
Database
Sets the value scale using the tag attribute values in the Point Database. Zero is the
minimum. Zero + Span is the maximum. See the PI Data Archive Reference Guide for more
information on tag attributes.
Absolute
Allows you to enter a custom value for the value scale of a tag. Enter the value in the
adjacent box.
5. If you have selected the Absolute option, then type in the Maximum and Minimum values of
the scale in the adjacent boxes.
6. Click OK.
Modifications made to a trend through use of this window do not affect the stored settings
of the trend.
Note:
To return the trend scale to its original settings, click Revert on the context menu.
Trend Zoom
Lets you use the mouse to drag a box around the data you would like to see more detail.
SeeReduce or enlarge a trend time range.
Trend Expand
Temporarily expands a trend symbol so that it occupies the entire display window. See
Expand a trend.
Trend Cursor
Shows the value of the plotted tags at a specific point in time. See Trend cursor.
Drag Zoom
Drag Zoom lets you contract the time scale of a trend.
Procedure
1. With the Run mode pointer, click an area in the trend at which you want a closer look.
2. Drag the pointer diagonally to create a rectangle.
3. When you release the mouse, the trend displays the data within the rectangle.
For example, if your PI ProcessBook trend time range is 8 hours, zoom in to divide the time
range by 2 to display the trend with a 4-hour time range. Zoom out to multiply the time range
by 2, which displays the trend for a 16-hour time period.
Click Revert to remove the time range.
Note:
The zoom in and out buttons might not appear on a small trend. Double-click a trend to
expand its size and display hidden buttons.
If there are no trend cursors, the Trend Zoom 2x command zooms in or out of the last portion
of the time period. For example, if the initial time range is 60 minutes and you select Trend
Zoom 2x In, the trend displays the last 30 minutes. Trend Zoom 2x Out displays 120 minutes,
adding 60 minutes to the beginning of the trend.
When a trend cursor is displayed, the command uses the trend cursor as the center of the
zoomed trend. If several cursors are used, the last one set is used as the center of the zoomed
trend.
Expand a trend
Procedure
Double-click a trend in Run mode to redraw the trend so that it occupies the entire display
window.
Double-click again to reduce the trend to its original size.
While the trend is expanded, the Drawing toolbar is disabled. If you switch to another
display, the Drawing toolbar will work there. All descriptive information (title, tag
descriptor, tag value) is shown on an expanded trend.
Trend cursor
A trend cursor lets you read tag values for a particular time. When you select a trend cursor, a
vertical line indicates the cursor position. The box at the top of the line indicates the value and
status. The box at the bottom displays the time and date of the value. On vertically-oriented
trends the cursor is horizontally oriented.
You may display several trend cursors at one time.
Note:
A trend does not update while trend cursors are visible.
If the trend is too small, the Trend Cursor command is disabled and the mouse pointer does
not change when you move over the left axis. You can expand the trend by double-clicking it.
Trend cursors can be automated.
Procedure
1. Notice whether the time scale appears at the bottom and the time stamp appears at the
upper right.
If not, the trend rectangle may be too small to use trend cursor. Enlarge the trend. If the
time stamp does not appear, reformat the display format to show it.
2. With the Run mode pointer, click the Trend Cursor button .
A cursor appears at the right edge of the trend. When the mouse pointer changes to a
double-headed arrow over the trend cursor, click the vertical line and drag left to position
the trend cursor, or
Click View > Trend Cursor.
An indented icon in front of the command indicates that trend cursors are on.
3. Move the mouse pointer over the left axis of the trend.
The pointer changes to a trend cursor symbol. As you drag to the right, a new trend cursor
is added to the trend.
4. Move the trend cursor back and forth across the trend by dragging it.
As you move it, the time stamp, status, and value appear in a box at the top right of the
trend.
When you release the cursor, the values appear in boxes at the top and bottom of the
cursor. You can add additional cursors by grabbing the trend cursor icon at the left axis.
Procedure
Click the Trend Cursor button , -or-
configured settings.
Note:
If the trend is too small these buttons may not appear. Expand the trend's size to
display hidden buttons.
You can also use buttons on the Time Range toolbar to modify time configurations settings.
Unlike data from a PI Data Archive server, data from an ODBC data set refreshes according to a
configured refresh rate.
Trend appearance
A trend appears according to the format established in the Trend Preferences. Click the Trend
Formatting button to override this format.
Typically, the title of the trend appears at the upper left, and the current timestamp appears at
the upper right. The selected tag names, current or end value, and engineering units appear in
the legend opposite the value scale.
Grid lines
Horizontal and vertical grid lines align with even units (whole numbers) on the scales. Grid
lines for the value scale line up with whole numbers at intervals of 1, 2, 5, 10, or powers of 10
times those intervals. Grid lines for the time scale line up with time intervals such as weeks,
days, hours, minutes, and so on. The traces then scroll as time passes on an updating trend.
Configure the labels for the time axis using a full time stamp, partial time stamp, or a relative
time stamp:
Full timestamp Displays a complete time stamp for the start and end
times. The time range of the trend is in the middle of the
time axis.
Partial timestamp Labels most grid lines in the units of the time range.
Displays the full time stamp for the end time of the trend
at the top right edge of the plot.
Relative timestamp Displays the offset from the end time limit in weeks, days,
hours, and so on. and the full time stamp for the end time
of the trend at the top right edge of the plot.
Note:
Labels for the grid lines appear unless the trend rectangle is too small.
Autorange scale
The value scale is determined by a calculation based on minimum and maximum values in the
trend. As new data are received from the server, the high and low values may change, and the
scale is recalculated accordingly.
For example, if the original scale ranged from 5 to 100, but the new data has a high of 103, then
the new plot shows a range from 5 to 105 (the nearest number divisible by 5 and larger than
the high value).
If more than one tag is plotted on a single scale, the value scale is calculated from the highest
and lowest values for all the tags.
Database scale
If the scale is set to Database, the range is the same as the limits for the point on the server.
The minimum value is termed zero, and the maximum value is the sum of the zero value plus
the span value.
For example, suppose the tag attributes for a point are Zero = 3 and Span = 6. The plot range
therefore is based on making the minimum and maximum values 3 to 9.
Logarithmic scale
If you prefer a logarithmic scale, select this option. This option is disabled for digital, string, or
time stamp tags.
For a single scale label, the union of the ranges for all traces appears.
For multiple scale labels, the range for the first trace appears next to the value axis. Ranges
for the other traces appear in increasing distance from the axis in the order the tags are
listed in the trend legend.
Note:
On a single scale trend, traces that contain only one value (a flat line) or have no data are
governed by special scaling rules. When a trend is composed of only flat or no data
traces, the default value scale range is inflated to prevent showing a flat plot area. These
default ranges are not applied if the trace in question is on a single scale trend that
contains other visible traces that do not fall into either of the aforementioned categories.
A single scale trace containing one flat trace with a constant value of 0.
A single scale trend containing a flat trace and a non-flat trace. The default range for the flat trace is
not applied.
Full Timestamp
Labels the start and end time limits with the date and time. When space permits, the
elapsed time between these lines is also shown.
Partial Timestamp
Labels each grid line in whole units, such as hours. For example, the grid lines might be
labeled 9:00, 10:00, and 11:00. A full time stamp showing the plot end time is shown at the
upper right.
Relative Timestamp
Labels each grid line with the amount of time preceding the end time limit in days, hours,
minutes, or seconds. For example, the grid lines might be labeled -4, -3, - 2, -1, meaning 4, 3,
2, and 1 hours before the end time. A full time stamp for the end time is shown at the upper
right.
Traces
A trace is a single line on a trend. When a trace is continuous, a line is drawn from
measurement to measurement. When a trace is discrete, the value is propagated forward until
a new value is recorded in the database. This results in horizontal and vertical lines for the tag
(staircase trace).
Digital points are discrete type measurements, producing staircase traces. For digital points,
the offset from the starting digital state code is plotted.
Staircase traces are used for points from a PI Data Archive server that have a Step Flag set to
TRUE.
ODBC queries may produce either curved or staircase traces, depending on the Stepped Plot
check box setting in the ODBC Data Set window.
Hide traces
You can hide one or more traces on the trend in Run mode so that an area of concern is more
easily viewed.
Procedure
1. Open a trend in Run mode.
2. Hover your mouse pointer over the trend's legend.
The mouse pointer changes to a hand cursor , and the trace in the trend is highlighted.
3. Click on the legend item to hide or show the trace on the plot.
If the trace has a regression line configured, the regression line is also hidden. When a trace
is hidden:
the trace name is dimmed in the legend and the description, value, and engineering units
are hidden (if they were shown before).
the space reserved on the legend for the description, value, and engineering units
collapses so that the trace under the hidden trace is moved. This clearly shows the visible
traces on the legend, especially on a trend with many traces.
on a multi-scale trend, the scale associated with the hidden trace is hidden.
on a single scale trend, the minimum and maximum values shown on the scale may be
adjusted.
Results
You can show hidden traces by clicking their names a second time in the legend, or by clicking
the Revert button. All hidden traces are shown in Build mode.
Note:
You can also right click on a trend and select Show All or Hide All to make traces visible
or invisible.
Markers
Markers indicate data points and allow you to differentiate between traces on a trend. There
are three types of markers.
At least three markers are shown on a trace, unless the plot is too small.
Trace markers
If there are too many values to plot based on the size of the trend, the display resolution and
the density of the plotted data, actual data markers do not appear and trace markers are used
instead. Trace markers are also used if the trend configuration does not specify markers.
Trace markers help you identify the legend information for each trace; they do not indicate
actual plot values. Up to three trace markers are used per trace.
X markers
When a value is outside the limits defined for the trend, it is plotted as over- or under-range.
When a value is out of range or has a bad value, it is not shown on the plot. An X marker is
placed on the trend at the beginning and end of the time when data are not plotted. When the
data are missing, (for example, not connected to a server) they are given the value No Data
and are not plotted.
Ad hoc trends
Create a trend on an ad hoc basis for tags represented by dynamic symbols in a display within
a ProcessBook.
Ad hoc trends are like any other trends in that you can scroll the time forward and backward,
view cursors, zoom, view point attributes, use multiple scales, or change the time range.
To create an ad hoc trend, use either:
Trend tool to add a trend to an existing display pre-configured with data from other
Procedure
1. In Run mode, select the dynamic symbol(s) with the data you want to trend, such as a bar,
value, or Multi-State symbol.
To select more than one dynamic symbol, hold down the Shift key while you click them.
2. Click the Trend Display button .
A new display window opens, and a trend is created automatically for the selected symbols
using the default format and time range. It is given the unique name Trend Display#, where
# is a number. The plot title is Ad Hoc Trend.
- or -
Click the Trend button . The mouse pointer changes to a trend pointer. Click in the
display and drag to create a rectangle. It is given the name Ad Hoc Trend.
The trend appears in the rectangle, using the default format.
Note:
If you select more tags than the default set in your Preference settings, usually 3, then
you will have more than one plot in your trend or trend display.
Procedure
Save an ad hoc trend display as an independent display by clicking it and using the Save As
command with a .pdi filename extension.
If you had a display entry from a ProcessBook open when the instant trend was created, the
instant trend can be saved as a subordinate of the display by using the Save command.
You can save an ad hoc trend as another file type, such as a bitmap (.bmp) file, using Save
As.
Note:
You cannot save an ad hoc trend from view-only mode.
PIDisDIFF files
Contain trend graphs built using the PI Data Trending Package. You can convert horizontal,
vertical, composite, and overview trends.
PI-GP files
Graphic files built using the PI-GP Graphics Builder.
Before you can convert your trend files (PIDisDIFF), you must convert them as ASCII text files
on the VAX and then download them to your PC.
Once the files are on the PC, you can import them to a ProcessBook. Trends are formatted
based on the settings on the Trend Elements tab on the ProcessBook Preference window.
Procedure
1. On the VAX or Alpha at the DCL prompt, type
$ Run PISysExe:PIDisDIFF
2. Select option 1 List Master Display Library from the PI Display Data Interchange File Format
Builder.
3. Direct the output to a file.
4. Enter a file name.
If your file name is more than 8 characters and a 3-character extension (xxxxxxxx.xxx), the
name is truncated during the download process.
5. Accept the defaults for display mask, group numbers and unit numbers (*).
6. Select the trend display types you are importing.
For optimum performance select only options 1 (horizontal), 2(vertical), 3 (composite), and
8 (overview).
7. Quit the PIDisDIFF application (option Q).
8. Transfer the file from the VAX or Alpha to the PC using any ASCII text file transfer program
you have available.
Procedure
1. At the DCL prompt, type
$ RUN PISysExe:GPAB
2. Select option 1 Convert Binary to ASCII from the PI Graphics Package ASCII/Binary File
Conversion menu.
3. Type the display name of the graphic you want to convert and press Enter.
Repeat for each file you want to convert.
4. Select option Q to quit the application.
5. Transfer the file from the VAX or Alpha to the PC using any ASCII text file transfer program
you have available.
Your PI ProcessBook Install disks include an OpenVMS command file which performs Steps
1 - 5 for all graphics. The file is named GPPBConv.com.
Procedure
1. Open a display and select Build mode.
2. Select the trend to which you want to add AF attributes.
3. Select an AF element from the list in the AF Browser. The AF Property pane displays the
attribute information.
4. Drag and drop an attribute from the AF Property pane into the empty trend plot.
The attribute data is added to the trend.
XYPlots
An XYPlot shows a correlation between one or more paired sets of data. On an XYPlot (also
called a scatter plot), the X scale shows possible values for one of the items in the pair and the
Y scale shows the value of the other item in the pair. A basic scatter plot looks like the
following:
Uncorrelated data
This case plotted 10-minute intervals of two points, A and B, for the last hour. Point A had 12
point values; Point B had 16 point values. The number of points plotted equals the number of
pairs. Since A had fewer point values, the plot shows only 12 point pairs. The extra data from
point B is ignored. You can configure the method by which pairing occurs.
Correlation is a measure of the strength of the relationship between two variables. Correlation
is indicated graphically by the spread of the data points around a fitted straight line (for
example, a straight line that indicates the trend of the data). In general, the closer the points
are to the fitted line, the stronger the correlation. The two PI tags shown in figure 1 are not
strongly correlated. Another plot shows perfectly correlated data:
Perfectly correlated
Somewhat correlated
In the case of the third plot, a regression line with a slope (M) of 1 and an offset (B) of 0 drawn
diagonally across the plot would show all points lying close to the line, some above it, some
below it. This line formula is appropriate in this case because both scales are the same and the
points appear to have values very close to each other. In other cases, one value may be two or
three times the other value (for example) and the regression line would fall on a different
slope, depending upon how the scales are configured. If the scales are the same, the slope of
the line determines the relationship between the points. If the scales are not the same, the
slope is insignificant.
Draw an XYPlot
Procedure
1. In Build mode, click Draw > XYPlot,
-or-
General tab
Use the General tab to select data items to plot.
Plot Title
Enter a plot title. Change it later if you wish.
Tags in Plot
Select the tags or data sets you want to plot.
Click the Tag Search button to locate a tag, or
Click the Tag Search arrow to see more search options:
Tag Search
PI Calculation (data set)
ODBC (data set)
AF2- launches the Select AF Attribute window, from which you can search an AF
database for elements and attributes.
Element Relative - launches the Element Search window from which you can search an
AF database for elements.
Your selections for tags, data sets, or attributes appear under Tags in Plot. An Options radio
button appears next to each tag name.
Select Options to choose the X-axis tag. Unselected tags are Y-axis tags.
If a tag that is selected as the X-axis is deleted, the first tag in the list becomes the X-axis tag.
Use the four toolbar buttons on the title bar to rearrange this list. They are, in order, Add,
Delete, Up Arrow, and Down Arrow.
Server
Enter or select a PI Data Archive server name. This field is only used when a PI Tag name is
typed directly into the list.
Note:
PI ProcessBook allows you to create custom placeholders for a symbol based on a
summary data set or a PI tag placeholder in an ODBC data set. Placeholders are not
allowed for expression data sets. The Custom Placeholders button in symbol definition
windows allows you to specify different PI tags for a PI Summary data set or ODBC data
set with a PI tag placeholder. The change applies only to the configured symbol.
See Add or edit placeholders for details.
Configure pairings
Once the tags are listed in the Tags in Plot list, configure the method for pairing values
between X and Y in the Data Retrieval Methods box.
X Tag
Choose either Recorded or Interpolated for the retrieval method.
Interpolated
An interval may be entered in the Plot Time section. Interpolated is the default for tags
and is disabled for ODBC and Custom data sets. This method retrieves interpolated
values for the specified time range in regular intervals. For example, if the time range is
*-1h to * and the Interval is 10m, then six values spaced 10 minutes apart are returned.
This option provides a way to get evenly sampled data.
Recorded
Retrieves archive values between the specified start and end time.
Y Tag(s)
The Y tag data retrieval method applies to individually selected tags in the Tags in Plot list
(unless the Use for all Y tags check box is selected). The default data retrieval method for Y
tags is Synchronize.
Y Tags, paired by position in the list
To use multiple time ranges, select Recorded or Interpolated. In this case, data is paired by
position in the point list. If Interpolated is selected for the X tag as well, the interval value
for the Y tag defaults to the one for the X tag.
When Recorded is the retrieval mechanism, the results are not skewed by minor time stamp
differences
Y Tags, paired by timestamps
To pair values by time, rather than by list position, choose one of these retrieval methods:
Synchronize
Synchronizes data found for X with data for Y using the time stamps for the X data. This
may result in interpolated data values for Y.
Match
Find the event for Y corresponding to the exact time stamp as X. If no matching event is
found, no match is made for that X value.
Match or Previous
Find the event for Y corresponding to the exact time stamp as X. If there is none, find the
event that is the closest but earlier in time.
Match or Next
Find the event for Y corresponding to the exact time stamp as X. If there is none, find the
event that is the closest, but later in
time.
Synchronize and Match use different PI SDK value retrieval methods. Synchronize uses
TimedValues. Match uses RecordedValues and then uses the values where the time stamps
match.
Note:
Synchronize is disabled for ODBC and Custom data sets.
If you select Synchronize or any of the Match options, the start and end times for that tag
are set the same as for the X tag and cannot be changed.
Note:
The XYPlot supports ODBC data sets that don't contain time stamps. This type of
entry must be plotted as a Y-tag, and data values must be retrieved using the
Recorded retrieval method. If a tag is changed from a Y tag to an X tag and has a value
for Retrieval Method that is only valid for Y tags, the method is changed to
Interpolated. If the tag is a data set, the method is changed to Recorded.
In all cases, if a pair is not made, the unmatched X or Y events are ignored.
Use for all Y tags
Selecting this check box indicates that the Y-tags data retrieval mechanism applies for all Y-
tags. If one of the tags is a Custom or ODBC data set and the selection mechanism is
Interpolated or Synchronize, the selection mechanism will be Recorded or Match
respectively for that tag only.
Scale Box
In the Scale Box, set the scale ranges for all tags.
Single Y Scale
The following table describes how to create a custom number format mask.
Symbol Explanation
# Placeholder for a digit. Leading and decimal zeros
are not displayed
0 Placeholder for a digit. Leading and decimal zeros
are displayed.
Plot time
You can set the time for each tag as it is highlighted in the Tags in Plot box. If a Y tag is selected
and its selection mechanism is not Recorded or Interpolated, then these boxes are disabled.
Start
The start time of the selected tag. The list includes *-1h (minus one hour), *-4h, *-8h, *-1d,
*-7d. The default is *-8h.
End
The end time of the selected tag. The list includes *, *-1h, *-4h, *-8h, *-1d, *-7d.
The default is * (current time).
Interval
This field is enabled when the retrieval method is Interpolated. It provides a sampling
interval for data.
When you have completed configuring the fields on the General tab, click the Display Format
tab.
Procedure
1. In Build mode, click Draw > XYPlot,
-or-
On the Drawing toolbar, click the XYPlot button .
Procedure
1. Connect to an AF System.
2. Specify search criteria for the elements.
3. View the Search results.
Legend
Tag Name
Lists the entries in Tags in Plot. Selected by default.
Srvr Name
Select this check box to prepend the tag name with the server name. Cleared by default.
Description
The tag description may be displayed on the legend. Selected by default.
Value
The last value of the tag plotted may be displayed. For digital and string tags, a string value
is shown. Selected by default.
Engineering Units
Selected by default. If the tag does not report units, they are not shown on the legend for
that tag.
Correlation Coefficient
When selected, indicates that the correlation coefficient should be calculated and displayed
on the legend. Selected by default.
Display
Plot Title
Selected by default.
Vertical Scale Inside Axis
Select this check box to show the vertical scale to the right of the Vertical Axis, inside the
plot area. Selected by default.
Grids
Select this check box to include vertical and horizontal grid lines. Selected by default. On the
Plot Format window, you can configure the appearance of the major and minor grid lines.
Linear Correlation Line
Select this to show a linear regression line. The default is cleared, which does not draw a
line.
Connecting Lines
Select this check box to show the paired points connected with straight lines in the order
they are plotted. Selected by default. Clear the check box to configure a scatter plot with
points only, no lines.
The Sample area displays a sample XYPlot with the options you have selected. When you have
completed the Display Format window, click the tab for the Plot Format window.
Plot Element
Drop-down list of the elements you can configure, such as major and minor gridlines,
background colors, text font, etc. Pens correspond to the X-and Y tags listed in the order in
the Tags in Plot box on the General tab.
Element Format
After you select an element in the Plot Element drop-down, available formatting options
appear. A drop-down arrow is grayed out if the option is not configurable. For example, text
has color but no line style options.
Line Style
Determines the line style for the selected element.
Line Weight
Determines the line weight for the selected element. If the selected element does not
have a line weight property, this field is disabled.
Marker Shape
Determines the marker shape for pen elements.
Color
Determines the color for the selected element. Pen elements apply the color to the line
and marker.
Last Marker Color
Allows selection of a different color for the last marker for a pen. If Match Trace is true
(selected), this field is disabled. If the selected element does not have a marker, this field
is disabled.
Next To Last Marker Color
Allows selection of a different color for the second-to-last marker for a pen. If Match
Trace is true (selected), this field is disabled. If the selected element does not have a
marker, this field is disabled.
Match Trace
Determines whether all marker colors match the trace color (true) for a pen. If set to
false, the Last Marker Color and Next To Last Marker Color fields are enabled so the
marker color can be changed for those two plotted pairs. By default, this field is selected
(true). If the selected element does not have a marker, this field is disabled.
SampleProvides a preview of your formatting changes.
Ad hoc XYPlots
You can draw an XYPlot in Run mode on an ad hoc basis. Click the XYPlot button to begin,
and follow the steps described in Draw an XYPlot
Procedure
1. Double-click an XYPlot or SQC symbol.
The Statistics window appears.
3. (optional) To save this data to a text file, click Save Data to File.
The data is saved to the file in the following format:
Tag, <tag name>
Start Time, <start time>
End Time, <end time>
Count, < number of points paired>
Mean, <mean>
STDEV, <standard deviation>
Data Type, <data type>
Index, Time, Value, Status
<index>, <time>, <value>, <status>
<index>, <time>, <value>, <status>
Tag, <tag name>
Start Time, <start time>
End Time, <end time>
Count, < number of points paired>
Mean, <mean>
STDEV, <standard deviation>
Correlation, <correlation coefficient>
Slope, <slope>
Intercept, <intercept>
Data Type, <data type>
Index, Time, Value, Status
<index>, <time>, <value>, <status>
<index>, <time>, <value>, <status>
Note:
You can also view these statistics in the Details window.
Where m is the slope and b is the offset. To calculate m, we use the following equation:
Once m and b are known, the value of y that intersects the best-fit line can be calculated.
Correlation coefficient
The correlation coefficient (r) varies between -1 and +1. Positive values indicate that as X
increases, Y also increases. Negative values indicate that as X increases, Y decreases. A value of
zero indicates no correlation in the way the sets of values vary.
The correlation coefficient for a set of points is calculated using the following formula: (n is the
number of points, s is the standard deviation). You can display the correlation coefficient in the
plot legend.
Note:
Bad data points are not included in this calculation.
Interpreting an XYPlot
In PI ProcessBook the XYPlot is a dynamic symbol. It has specialized characteristics, such as its
statistical calculations, which are described in the following paragraphs.
Point Properties
Data can be retrieved from PI Data Archive or from independent data sets. Use the Tag
Properties button or the right mouse menu Properties item to determine the attributes of the
points in your XYPlot.
Scroll Feature
Scrolling is available from the ProcessBook toolbar. When time scrolling is used on an XYPlot
symbol, all tags time ranges are changed to support the scroll duration.
Plot Values
In a typical XYPlot, the current name for the X tag appears below the plot. The current names
for the different Y tags appear at the upper right. Below each one is the correlation coefficient
for that XY pair. The dots and lines on the plot are colored to match the tag names.
Plotted pair values appear in a ToolTip over the plot when the mouse cursor is hovering over
an actual plotted point pair. The following illustration shows an example.
In the figure above, if there had been more than one Y tag, each one would be displayed on a
different line. The X tag information is placed at the bottom. For digital or string tags, the text
value is displayed in the ToolTip.
You can also view plot values by double-clicking the title bar and choosing the Raw Data
option, rather than the Statistics option in the Statistics window.
When you release the mouse, this area is enlarged to the borders of the original plot.
Note:
The zoom area must be smaller than the plot area and cannot include the outer 20
percent of the plot. If the mouse is dragged past the plot boundary, the zoom rectangle
stops at the border until the mouse reappears within the boundary. If the mouse is
dragged off the plot symbol boundary, the zoom is canceled.
Revert
Procedure
1. Click Undo to return the plot to its state directly before the zoom occurred.
2. Click the Revert button to return the plot to its configured appearance.
appearance.
XYPlot cursors
The cursor for an XYPlot includes both a horizontal and a vertical line. The mouse cursor is at
the cross point of both cursor lines. You must be in Run mode to use the XYPlot cursor.
To create a cursor, place the mouse very close to either the X- or Y-axis. Drag the cursor onto
the plot.
In the XYPlot below, you can see an XYPlot cursor at the Y axis that is not yet intersecting any
points on the plot.
You can also see an XYPlot cursor that was dropped on a point. The X and Y values appear in
small boxes outside the axes.
Using the mouse, you may position and release the cursor over any pair on the XYPlot. If the
cursor is dropped on an area that contains no points, the cursor snaps to the nearest pair.
Examples of XYPlots
For these examples, the X-axis represents one of the values in the pair and the Y-axis
represents the other. The configuration of these axes regarding minimum and maximum
values and interval (or unit) settings is left to you.
1. Plot the temperature of Boiler1 (the B1Temp tag) on the X-axis of an XYPlot and the
temperatures of the other three boilers (B2Temp, B3Temp and B4Temp) on the Y-axis.
2. Use the same time range for all four tags.
3. Select a single scale so that the Boilers 2, 3 and 4 are compared directly against Boiler1.
4. Configure the plot to show the correlation co-efficient for each of the boilers.
By viewing how far from the regression line each of the boilers falls, you can determine how
closely their performance matches and which boilers you should continue to adjust. When all
three boilers have an acceptable correlation coefficient, you know the work is complete.
1. Put the results from the in-house lab into a data set.
2. Place the results for the same test from the other lab into another data set.
3. Selects each data set as a tag in the plot, and select which one to be the X-axis.
4. Choose Recorded as the retrieval mechanism for each data set so that the results are not
skewed by minor timestamp differences.
If the XYPlot shows the results from the new process are well correlated with the outside lab's
data, the new test procedure is validated.
1. Select the fixed set of measurements by choosing the appropriate tag or data set and
indicating it is to be used for the X-axis.
2. Select the appropriate tags for the comparison batches, entering their specific time ranges.
3. Use Recorded values for all retrieval mechanisms.
The data points are paired according to their position in the events list. The XYPlot shows how
closely the results are correlated by how closely the pairs fall on a linear regression line. Pairs
that fall outside this line may indicate problems with the batch run.
1. Enter the tag twice and assign one instance as the X tag.
2. Enter separate time ranges for each tag.
3. Set the match mechanism to be recorded or interpolated so that values are paired by their
position in the list.
If the pairs fall close to a linear regression line, you can assume the boiler's performance is at
least steady. If some pairs are far from the line, it may indicate that the equipment has a
specific problem.
Values
A Value is the reading obtained for a data stream at the end time of a display. It is shown as a
number or a digital state string. The tag name and time stamp can also be shown. The time
stamp is the time stamp from the PI System that matches the event value shown.
-or-
Click Draw > Value.
The mouse pointer changes to the Value pointer.
4. In the Server drop-down list, select the PI Data Archive server to use.
If a tag name is manually entered in the Tag box, it is expected to be on the selected server.
If both server and tag name are entered in the Tag box, this field is updated with the
entered server name. This field has no effect for non-PI data.
5. In the Tag box, type the name of the tag you want to display in the value box.
-or-
Click the Tag Search button to locate a tag, or
Click the Tag Search arrow to see more search options:
Tag Search
PI Calculation (data set)
ODBC (data set)
AF2- launches the Select AF Attribute window, from which you can search an AF
database for elements and attributes.
Element Relative - launches the Element Search window from which you can search an
AF database for elements.
Note:
The Sample area shows how the value will look.
Button
Add a button
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display.
On the Drawing toolbar, click the Button button , or
Note:
By default, ProcessBook attempts to open a linked display from its relative path
first. If the relative path fails, then the absolute path is attempted. Clearing this box
reverses the order in which the paths are resolved. For new displays, this option is
checked by default.
Ignore the default shell command for recognized file types (for example, SVG).
Note:
If the file type is supported by ProcessBook (either natively or through an add-in),
then it is opened directly. For example, an .svg file is opened using the .svg File
Converter in ProcessBook, even if you have Adobe SVG Viewer installed. Clearing
this check box disables this behavior, so the default shell command is always used
to open a file.
9. Click OK.
The button is added to your display.
Bars
A Bar shows the current value of a tag as compared to a specified range of values.
For example, a bar may be used to create the effect of a vessel filling and emptying, as the value
changes.
The range of values can be the maximum and minimum values specified in the point attributes,
or, a bar can be designed to show a specific range of values.
For example, if a tags specified value is between 0 and 100 but it typically falls between 0 and
30, a bar can be designed to show that range. However, if the value is outside the range of the
bar, the bar will appear the same as a value right at one of the limits of the bar.
The start of the bar may be within the limits of the bar. This lets you display deviations from a
standard or target value. Bad values are shown with hash marks across the entire bar.
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display.
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click the Bar button , or
4. In the Server drop-down list, select the server to use for manually entered tags.
If the server and tag name are both entered in the Tag box, this field is updated to show the
new server name. This field is ignored for non-PI data.
5. In the Tag box, type the name of the tag you want to display on the bar, or
Click the Tag Search button to locate a tag, or
Click the Tag Search arrow to see more search options:
Tag Search
PI Calculation (data set)
ODBC (data set)
AF2- launches the Select AF Attribute window, from which you can search an AF
database for elements and attributes.
Element Relative - launches the Element Search window from which you can search an
AF database for elements.
6. From the Upper and Lower drop-down lists, select the maximum and minimum values you
want to use for the bar.
Enter a constant, or choose Tag Zero() or TagZero()+TagSpan() for either or both values.
Note:
If you choose a maximum value that is too small, the bar will be fully colored but there
will be no warning that it has exceeded the maximum.
7. From the Start drop-down list, select the point on the bar from which you want to start
drawing the bar. Enter a constant, or select TagZero()+TagSpan() or Tag Zero().
8. Under Orientation, select one of the options to display the bar either vertically or
horizontally.
The Upper and Lower drop-down lists are renamed Right and Left when you select
Horizontal orientation.
Note:
The Sample area shows how the bar will look.
9. Under Scales, select Show Scales to show data values and scale tick marks on the bar
symbol.
When you select Scales, the Scales Inside and Number Formats are enabled. See Bar scales
for information on working with scales.
10. Click OK to add the bar to the display.
Note:
PI ProcessBook allows you to create custom placeholders for a symbol based on a
summary data set or a PI tag placeholder in an ODBC data set. Placeholders are not
allowed for expression data sets. The Custom Placeholders button in symbol
definition windows allows you to specify different PI tags for a PI Summary data set or
ODBC data set with a PI tag placeholder. The change applies only to the configured
symbol. See Add or edit placeholders for details.
Bar scales
The options under Scales control how the bar symbol shows scales.
Format appearance
Defaults
The default is to show scales inside the bar symbol in General number format for symbol bars
created with PI ProcessBook 2012 or later. For earlier versions of PI ProcessBook, Show
Scales is not selected, and scales do not appear on the symbol bar.
The scale values for the bar symbol are the Upper and Lower or Right and Left values in the
Define Bar window for both tags and datasets, including AF.
The default font is the font of the display.
Digital tags show the value of the digital state rather than the numeric value of the state.
Compatibility
Bars created in PI ProcessBook 2012 are backward compatible with previous versions of PI
ProcessBook.
When a PI ProcessBook 2012 file is opened in a previous version, bar symbols appear as they
did in the previous version. If the display is saved and reopened in a newer version, the scale
settings are retained.
A display created in version 3.2 or earlier of PI ProcessBook defaults to ShowScales not
selected.
Tick marks
For vertical bars, the tick marks and values are shown on the left hand side of the symbol. For
horizontal bars, the tick marks and values are shown on the bottom of the symbol. You can
draw the scales inside or outside the bar symbol.
The lengths of major and minor tick marks are a percentage of the height or width of the bar,
depending on the bar orientation, as described in the following table.
Horizontal Vertical
Minor Tick 4% of Height 4% of Width
Major Tick 8% of Height 8% of Width
For vertical bars, the tick marks and values are automatically turned off if the height of the bar
becomes less than two times the height of the text used to write the scale values, or if the width
is less than the width of the longest text used to write the scale value plus a small offset.
For horizontal bars, the tick marks and values are automatically turned off if the width of the
bar becomes less than two times the width of the longest text used to write the scale value, or
if the height is less than the height of the text used to write the scale values plus a small offset.
For both bar orientations, given the range of scale values, the scale increment values are
rounded numbers, as close to integers as possible.
The maximum number of major tick marks is nine; eleven counting the maximum and
minimum values. The number of tick marks shown is a function of the size of the font and the
size of the bar symbol. The number of major tick marks decreases as the size of the bar is
decreases.
The minor tick marks are shown at the half way point between major tick marks.
There are major tick marks for each digital state, if the string value for the digital states fits in
the width of the bar. There are no minor tick marks for digital tags.
Format appearance
To change the appearance of the bar symbol, right-click the bar.
Click Format Font to change the font for the bar symbol.
Click Format Color to change the color of the bar symbol.
The color for the tick marks and values is the same as the bars line color.
Click Format Line Style to change the style of line for the bar symbol.
Multi-state symbols
Some symbols support a multi-state configuration, which allows their colors to be altered
based on a dynamic data value. Colors are assigned to ranges of values to create conditional
formatting states. Any symbol except a trend, XY Plot, graphic, button, or OLE object can have a
Multi-State configuration. String and timestamp data cannot be used to configure multi-state
behavior.
You determine the number of value ranges, the maximum for each range, and the colors
assigned to each range. As the value of the tag changes, the Multi-State symbol changes color to
reflect the current value state. You can make a symbol seem to disappear by setting a state
color to the background color or to a color of none. For alarms or other purposes, you can set a
state color to blink.
For example, you may have a symbol showing two states. State 1 has a value range from 0 to
50 and a color of blue assigned to it. State 2 may have a range from 50 to 100 and have red
assigned to it. When the reading is 50 or below, the symbol appears blue. Above 50, the symbol
appears red. A color and sometimes a blinking attribute are assigned for data in bad status (for
example, the interface becomes disconnected). For digital point types, a different color may be
assigned to each digital state.
The following symbols support multi-state formatting:
Value
Bar
Rectangle
Ellipse
Line (or Connector)
Text
Polygon
Polyline
Arc
Symbol Library
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display.
2. Click the symbol that you want to use for creating a Multi-State symbol.
On the Formatting toolbar, click the Multi-State Symbol button , or
3. In the Server drop-down list, select the server to use for entered tags.
If a server and tag are both entered in the Tag box, this field is updated with the new server
name. This box does not apply to non-PI data.
4. In the Tag box, type the name of the tag you want to assign, or
Click the Tag Search button to locate a tag, or
Click the Tag Search arrow to see more search options:
PI Tag Search window
PI Calculation data sets (data set)
ODBC data sets (data set)
Configure a symbol with an AF attribute
Opens the Select AF Attribute window, from which you can search an AF database for
elements and attributes.
Element search symbol
Opens the Element Search window from which you can search an AF database for
elements.
5. In the Number of States box, select the number of states to use.
If the number of states is not entered, the number defaults to 2. (For digital tags, the
number of states is automatically set to the number of defined states for that tag.)
6. From the Color for Bad Data drop-down color palette, select a color that will be used when
the information is in bad status.
You may also select the Blink check box to call attention to the symbol when data is bad
(optional).
Static symbols
Topics in this section
Text symbol
Line symbol
Rectangle, square, arc, ellipse, and circle symbols
Polygon symbol
Polyline symbol
Graphic symbol
Symbol Library
Text symbol
The text symbol allows you to put one line of text on a display. Multiple lines of text are not
supported. When this symbol is first added to the display, a text box with a blinking text cursor
is displayed.
You can add or edit text by double-clicking the Text symbol while in Build mode, which
provides the text cursor. Unlike most other ProcessBook symbols, this symbol is not sized by
dragging an area on the display. Instead, the symbol is sized to accommodate the text within.
When text is added, the symbol grows in size and when text is removed the symbol size
shrinks. The size of the font used also affects the size of the symbol.
You can format the text symbol for font and color. Text symbols have all the functionality of
other static symbols except rotating and flipping.
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display.
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click the Text button , or
Line symbol
Lines within a drawing can be diagonal, horizontal, or vertical. Attributes you can change
include line color and whether a line is dotted or dashed, thick or thin, and with or without
arrowheads.
Draw a line
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display.
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click the Line button , or
Using the drawing tools, you can create these simple shapes:
Rectangle, Square
Arc
Ellipse, Circle
Polygon symbol
The Polygon tool draws irregular shapes. When you select the polygon tool the mouse pointer
changes to a polygon pointer. Polygons are drawn using the current color and line style
attributes.
Draw a polygon
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display.
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click the Polygon button , or Choose Draw > Polygon.
Polyline symbol
A Polyline is a set of line segments that you can draw using the Polyline tool. It uses the current
line style attributes.
Once you add a Polyline symbol, you can edit it in the same manner as the existing Polygon
symbol. You can move or resize the entire symbol, as well as move the individual endpoints to
create any desired arrangement.
Draw a polyline
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display.
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click the Polyline button .
Graphic symbol
Include a graphic file from another application, such as Microsoft Visio or CorelDRAW.
Use a drawing or picture as the background for your display, then add symbols to it. This
can reduce the amount of time you take to create a drawing.
Rotate or flip a picture.
Add an illustration to a display, and store it within the display or link it to the original
graphic file. (Linking means that if the original graphic is edited or moved, it affects the
appearance of the display as well.)
Load an image in one file format and later save it in a different format.
Note:
A drawing is display-resolution dependent, which means that it might look different from
one monitor to another. Test the drawing on each monitor to see how it will look.
PI ProcessBook supports the following image formats. Note that PI ProcessBook draws using
raster graphics, so vector graphic formats might not appear exactly as expected.
BMP Windows Bitmap file; standard, non-compressed bit-
mapped graphic
CUR A file that contains an image that defines the shape of a
cursor on the screen.
Add a graphic
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display.
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click the Graphic button , or Click Draw > Graphic.
In the File Name box, type the path and file name of the graphic you want to insert.
5. Under Image Location, select:
Embed if you want to update the graphic within the display file.
Link if you want to store the graphic separately from the display file.
6. Under Format, select the appropriate option.
Note:
Stretching the image to fit the bounding rectangle may distort the appearance of the
graphic.
7. Click OK.
A copy of the graphic is added to the display.
Symbol Library
A large selection of images is available in the Symbol Library. Many of these images have
characteristics such as color, fill type, orientation, or background, which you can modify.
On the installation CD, OSIsoft provides several other commonly used images in the
ProcessBook file SYMLIBRY.PIW. You can cut and paste these images into a display. You can
also add frequently used drawing components (for example, company logos) to this PIW file
for later reuse. This file is usually installed here:
C:\Program Files\ProcessBook\ProgramFiles\pipc\Procbook\SYMLIBRY.PIW
-or-
On the Draw menu, click Symbol Library.
The mouse pointer changes to the Symbol Library pointer.
3. Click in the display where you want to add the image and drag the pointer to form a
rectangle into which to place it.
When you release the mouse button, the Symbol Library window appears.
4. Under Categories, click the type of image you want to use, such as Boilers, Controllers,
Valves, etc.
5. Click Options to modify the image. See Configure Symbol Library options.
6. Click OK to add the image to your display.
Procedure
1. In the Symbol Library window, a selection of images is displayed in the right-hand side of
the window, click the appropriate symbol, and then click the Options button.
-or-
Right-click the image and click Symbol Options.
The Symbol Options window appears.
3. Click the Defaults button if you want to revert to the default settings.
4. Click OK to accept the changes and return to the Symbol Library window.
Symbol Properties
If you right-click an image in the Symbol Library, the focus box at the upper left reflects that
image. A small window appears; you can choose either Symbol Options or Properties.
If you choose Properties, you see a Symbol Properties window, which displays the Symbol
description, Data size, Type, and Handle information. This information could be used in VBA
automation of PI ProcessBook.
Details window
To view data in the Details window, click a symbol in your display. Moving a plot cursor
changes the rows highlighted to show the range of data around the cursor time.
By default, the window remains open when a different display symbol is selected. The Details
window is hidden when you switch to Build mode. You cannot open the Details window while
in Build mode.
Data Item
This field allows you to choose a data item, including datasets and PI tags in the selected
symbol (by default, the first trace or main data source for the selected symbol is shown).
The Show All entry shows data for all the data sources in the selected symbol.
Note:
The Show All option only displays the first 3,500 values. This value can be increased
by adding the registry key HKCU\Software\PISystem\PI - ProcessBook
\DetailsAddin\MaxPoints (type DWORD) and setting it to the maximum number
of points desired.
Option
This field allows you to toggle among three different types of information about your data
source.
Data
Shows recorded values for a selected symbol's time range. By default the table is sorted on
the timestamp column in descending order.
Questionable (Q)
The event value is unreliable or the circumstances under which it was recorded are
suspect.
Annotated (A)
An annotation has been made to the event to include further information or
commentary. You can add annotations to PI tags using PI ProcessBook, if you have
permission to write to that tag on the PI Data Archive.
Substituted (S): The event value has been changed from the original archived value.
Statistics
Shows a table of available summary values available, for example, Average, Minimum, and
Maximum. Selecting this option disables the PI Annotation Maintenance controls. Available
statistics vary for each symbol type.
Point Attributes
Shows an alphabetized list of PI point attribute values. This option is only available for PI
tags. Selecting this option disables the PI Annotation Maintenance controls. See PI point
attributes for details.
Each view option provides the following controls:
<Symbol Name>
The name of the symbol selected on the display is shown above the data table.
Refresh
Refreshes data in all tables. Data shown does not automatically change after a symbol is
first selected. You must use refresh to view any updates in the Details window.
Enlarge/Shrink Font
Makes the text size bigger or smaller. This may reduce the number of visible rows.
Copy to Clipboard
Allows you to copy the data table to your clipboard. You can then paste this data into
another location such as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.
Note:
Use the pin icon to lock the docking window to your screen. Click the pin icon again to
unpin the window and minimize it along the border of your PI ProcessBook window.
When a docking window is unpinned, a button appears along the side of the screen.
Hover over it to re-expand the window.
PI annotations maintenance
Annotations allow you to associate related information (such as text comments and other
binary data) with any archive value. The PI Annotation Maintenance group at the bottom of
the Details window allows you to easily annotate values on your dynamic symbols.
Add annotations
Procedure
1. Open the Details window.
2. In Run mode, select a dynamic symbol on your display.
3. Select the event of interest in the Data table.
4. Click inside the Value text box and enter the information you wish displayed in your
annotation.
5. Select a value from the Value Type drop-down box.
6. Click the Save button at the top of the PI Annotations Maintenance group.
An annotation icon appears on the dynamic symbol if it is showing the annotated event.
Hover over this icon to read your annotation. A record of the annotation also appears on the
Details window when the Data option is selected.
The add-in can be unloaded or set not to load at startup by changing the options in the Add-in
Manager window. When the Data Favorites add-in is first loaded, its window appears in the
upper left corner of the PI ProcessBook application window. The window is only accessible in
Build mode. If the window is closed, in Build mode, click View > Data Favorites. See Load add-
ins for details.
There are two panels within the Data Favorites window:
Search
Favorites
Each panel can be collapsed if it is not needed.
Procedure
To set the default symbol, click the Default Symbol button and select an option from the
drop-down list.
Available symbols:
Bars
Trends
Values
XYPlots
Note:
If the selected symbol type does not support the data type of the dropped data item, a
value symbol is drawn instead.
Use the Search panel to search for PI tags and other data items.
Procedure
1. To search for data items, use the Search Mask text box or click the Tag Search button
Favorites panel
The Favorites panel provides controls for manipulating the list of data favorites .
Note:
The Favorites list is saved per user, so when a different user opens PI ProcessBook on the
same machine, their list may be different.
Use favorites
Procedure
1. In Build mode, click View > Data Favorites to launch the Data Favorites docking window.
2. Select a default symbol for Data Favorites. Any favorites dragged onto a display take the
form of this symbol.
3. In the Favorites panel, drag and drop any listed favorite to an existing trend or XYPlot
symbol, or to a blank area of a display. The data item is permanently added once the display
is saved.
Note:
If the dropped selection contains multiple data items (for example, multiple tags) and
the Bar or Value symbol is selected, a symbol is created for each one, slightly offset
from each other, in cascading layout.
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display.
2. Click a symbol in your display.
Small squares appear around the bounding rectangle of the symbol.
3. If you want to move the symbol, drag the symbol to the desired location within your
display.
Press the Tab key to toggle among different symbols in your display once a symbol is
selected. When you press the Tab key you deselect the current object and select the next
object in the tabbing order. The tabbing order follows the stacking order on the display (by
default, the order in which objects were added to the display).
To cancel a selection on any one object press SHIFT while clicking the object to deselect. To
cancel selection of all objects on a display, click on the display background (in a spot where
there are no symbols).
Note:
ActiveX controls on the display do not react to tab order like other ProcessBook
symbols because they are treated as separate windows within the display.
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display.
2. Do one of the following:
To select all of the symbols in a drawing area, click Edit > Select All.
To select individual symbols, press SHIFT while clicking each symbol. Selection handles
display around each selected item.
To select several symbols at the same time, click near a symbol, and then drag to create a
rectangle that includes all the symbols you want to select.
To select symbols that are stacked on top of each other, click the top symbol. Selection
handles appear. Continue clicking the top symbol to select symbols located under the top
symbol.
3. Click the symbols you want to change or move.
The selected symbols display handles.
Rotate a symbol
You can rotate a drawing symbol in 15 or 1 increments. You cannot rotate text, graphics, or
OLE objects. Symbol Library images can only be rotated in 90 increments.
Procedure
1. Select the symbol you want to rotate.
2. Click Arrange > Rotate.
A rotation object appears in the center of the symbol.
3. Click a selection handle and drag in the direction that you want to rotate the symbol.
The symbol is rotated in 1 increments.
-or-
Press SHIFT while dragging to rotate in 15 increments.
Flip a symbol
You can create a mirror image of a symbol by flipping it. You cannot flip text, graphics, or OLE
objects.
Procedure
1. Select the symbol you want to flip.
2. Click Arrange > Flip > Horizontal to flip the symbol from right to left or Vertical to flip the
symbol from top to bottom.
Delete a symbol
Procedure
1. Select a symbol or multiple symbols that you want to delete.
2. Press DELETE,
-or-
Click Edit > Clear.
Stacking order
Each symbol you add to a drawing occupies its own space in the drawing. The layers, and
therefore the symbols, are stacked on top of each other. By default, the first symbol you draw is
at the bottom of the stacking order and the last symbol you draw is at the top of the stacking
order.
Using the stacking commands, you can move a symbol forward or backward within the stack.
Depending on the number of objects between top and bottom, you may need to repeat a
stacking command several times to move the symbol to the desired location within the stack.
Procedure
1. Select the symbols you want to align.
2. Click Arrange > Align.
The Align submenu appears.
Connectors
Topics in this section
Connect symbols
Connection points
Attach a symbol to a connector
Connectors window
Detect connections and attachments
Reroute a connector path
Connect symbols
Connect two symbols to each other using the connector symbol. A connector remains attached
to other symbols regardless of how you move them. A connector is intended for modeling and
automation purposes.
Connection points on each symbol define where a connection occurs. You can add, delete, or
move connection points on a symbol.
Connectors try to avoid objects as they are being connected between two symbols. As
connectors are drawn, they are orthogonal to the display, meaning that they go horizontally or
vertically. There are no diagonal connectors.
Each end of a connector attaches to a connection point on another symbol. If you have not
already created a connection point on a symbol, a connection point is built automatically as
you draw the connector across a bounding line of the symbol.
Procedure
1. Click the Connector button .
-or-
Click Draw > Connector.
2. Click the first symbol, called the source, and drag the mouse into the second symbol, called
the destination.
The connector arrow has a flow direction from the source to the destination. Connection
points appear on both symbols.
We recommend that you not move connectors by dragging and dropping them. Instead, use
the Connectors window to rearrange connectors.
Note:
You can use the Undo and Redo commands with connectors.
Connection points
Connection points on each symbol define where a connector may connect. Connection points
are visible in Build mode only and appear on symbols as small x marks. When you select one
with your cursor, it changes to an x within a bounding circle.
A connection point is created automatically when a connector is dragged into a symbol. This
point is created at the midpoint of the nearest edge of the bounding rectangle of the symbol.
The end of the connector is moved to the connection point. You may add connection points and
move them to specific locations.
A connection point can be used for either the start of the flow or the end of a flow. The same
connection point can be used for both. A flow can be bi-directional.
If a second connector is dragged over a symbol, it either moves to the existing connection point
or creates a new one.
For irregular figures, connection points are placed near the midpoint of the side of the
bounding rectangle of the figure, as shown in the illustration below, rather than inside the
figure itself. You can adjust the position of the connection point to touch the actual figure.
Note:
If a symbol is placed in front of another, the connection points on the hidden symbol
cannot be selected. You can solve this problem by placing the two symbols on different
layers of the display.
Procedure
1. In Build mode, click on a connection point.
2. Click Edit > Connection Points > Move.
The Connection Point Placement window appears, where you can edit the width and height
ratios in comparison to the X and Y axes of the symbol.
In other words, connection points have identifying names that are derived from the symbol
name. For example, for a rectangle named Rectangle2, two connection points would be named
<Rectangle2 : 1> and <Rectangle2 : 2>.
If you are using a symbol from the Symbol Library, the connection point is named
<TBSymbolx : n>, where TBSymbolx represents the specific name of the symbol.
Procedure
1. Click Edit > Display to open the Display Properties window.
2. Be sure the Enable Connector Attachments option is selected. Click OK.
3. Create the subordinate symbol and drag and drop it across the connector.
The subordinate attachment is attached to the connector. The placement is snapped either
left/right or top/bottom depending upon the orthogonal direction of the connector at the
position where the attachment has been placed.
Note:
To remove an attached symbol from a connector, click the symbol and drag it away
from the connector.
Procedure
1. Select at least two symbols.
This enables the Symbol Attachments icon .
Connectors window
your display. See Configure the flow of a connector and Configure attachments to a connector
for details.
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open the Connectors window.
The Flow tab is in focus.
Note:
Hover over any symbol or connector on a display for a tooltip to identify the
connector you wish to rearrange.
2. In the Connector drop-down box, select a Connector.
Connection points for the selected connector appear highlighted in the Source and
Destination boxes.
3. Optional: Modify the Flow Direction.
4. Click a new Connection Point on the Source tree to change the source connection point.
5. Click a Connection Point on the Destination tree to change the destination connection
point.
Note:
As you adjust connection points in the Connectors window, the corresponding
connector in your display also provides visual indicators to help you see how your
changes will appear.
6. Click Apply.
This changes the display.
7. Repeat these steps for all connectors on the display that you wish to modify.
8. Click OK.
Procedure
1. In Build mode, create a connector. See Connect two symbols.
2. Create the auxiliary symbol to be added to the connector.
3. Open the Connectors window, and select the Attachments tab.
4. Choose a connector from the Connector drop-down box.
Unattached symbols on the display are listed in the Unattached Symbols box. Symbols that
are already attached to the connector appear in the Currently Attached box. Existing source
and destination symbols that are connected to connectors are not listed.
5. Highlight a symbol in the Unattached Symbols box that you want to add and click Add.
The symbol now appears in the Currently Attached box.
Note:
The Unattached Symbols box does not include Connectors or symbols attached to
other symbols.
6. Adjust the position and placement of the attached symbol as needed.
To move the symbol closer to one end of the connector, double-click the specified % and
change it.
To move the symbol from the top of the connector to another placement, double-click the
default Top and choose Left, Right, or Bottom.
7. Click Apply and select another connector to adjust.
8. If you need to remove an attachment, highlight the attachment in the Currently Attached
box and click Remove.
9. When you are finished adjusting, click OK.
Procedure
1. Click the Connector button .
-or-
Click Draw > Connector.
2. Click on the first symbol, called the source, and drag the mouse into the second symbol,
called the destination.
The connector arrow has a flow direction from the source to the destination. Connection
points appear on both symbols.
Note:
If your mouse does not touch a symbol, you do not see a connection point. Do not
adjust the connector manually. If you do not see connection points on both symbols,
delete the connector and draw it again.
You can use the Undo and Redo commands with connectors.
Use the Item Definition button in either Build or Run mode when you want to see what tags
and formatting options were used in any symbol that uses a window for basic configuration. It
is the same as double-clicking on the item with the Build mode pointer. If the symbol does not
have a definition window, the button is dimmed. You can change the selections and save the
new definition. This button does not open any of the formatting windows (for example, Font or
Color).
-or-
Click the symbol, then on the Formatting toolbar, click the Item Definition button.
Note:
If the Item Definition button appears dimmed, the symbol you selected might not have
a definition window.
A definition window displays that corresponds to the symbol you selected.
3. In the appropriate window, make your changes to the item's definition, and then click OK.
These changes are saved with the symbol.
or
The Status Report window appears when you have a display in focus and double-click the
Status icon. This report lists all the symbols in a display that have data associated with them.
You see the tag to which the symbol is connected and, if there is an issue, the error message
appears. You can sort the list by any of the column headings.
For troubleshooting purposes, the Message Log button shows you the SDK Log file.
You can save this report as a .csv file by using the Save to File button.
Note:
The status bar can be displayed or hidden from the View Status Bar item on the View
menu.
Questionable
Indicates that there is some reason to doubt the accuracy of the value.
Substituted
Used to indicate that the value has been changed from its original value. This value is set
only by the PI Data Archive server when an existing value is changed.
Annotated
Indicates that there is a comment about a value. Text annotations are shown in symbol
tooltips. Use the Details window to view and add annotations.
If a tag has more than one flag, the highest priority status will be shown. The priority from high
to low is: Questionable, Substituted, Annotated. To view all the flags associated with a PI Tag
on the display, use the Details window, Data option.
If you clear the Show Value Attributes check box in your Start Preferences, you do not see
these icons. Consider disabling the icons to improve ProcessBook performance if you have
very high speed sub-second data.
See Status report for dynamic symbols
Procedure
1. Click File > New to open a new display.
2. Select Build mode.
3. Using the drawing tools, add symbols to the display.
4. Click Arrange > Group to include all the elements into a group.
You can now assign the composite symbol to create an AF-based symbol.
Procedure
1. Select the symbols you want to group and from the Arrange menu choose one of the
following:
GroupThe symbols combine into one composite symbol with selection handles around
the entire group.
UngroupThe group is disassembled into its component symbols.
RegroupYou do not need to re-select all the components to regroup a previously
grouped set of symbols. This command is only enabled when it applies.
Procedure
1. Open a display in Build mode and then locate and select the AF-based symbols.
2. Optional: If you have a composite symbol and you only want to change one of the grouped
symbols, select the composite symbol and then click Arrange > Ungroup.
This action separates the grouped symbols so that you can select symbols individually.
3. To change the symbol, right-click the symbol and then click Change Symbol.
Note:
You must right-click directly on the symbol you want to change.
The Change Symbol window opens.
4. Select the type for the new symbol and click OK.
5. When you are finished with your modifications, save the display file.
The changes you made to any symbols in the display are saved only within the PI
ProcessBook file and not updated in the AF database.
To assign the modified symbol to an AF element template, see Assign symbols to AF
element templates.
To assign the modified symbol to an AF element, see Assign symbols to AF elements.
Procedure
1. Open the display and select the symbol you want to use in a PI Coresight analysis.
You can select single or multiple symbols within the display, or include all the symbols in
the display.
2. Click the Explore in PI Coresight button .
AF-based symbols
AF-based symbols are those symbols in PI ProcessBook that you assign to a PI Asset
Framework element template or element. You can use them to create customized, reusable
symbols that represent your AF elements within displays.
Connect to a PI AF database
Use the Select Database window to find and connect to PI AF databases.
Procedure
1. Click File > PI Systems.
The Select Database window appears.
2. Use the System drop-down list to connect to a PI AF server that contains a PI AF database
you wish to use.
The (...) button launches the Systems window, where you can connect to other PI AF
servers.
3. Once you select a PI AF server, search for a PI AF database using the Databases search box.
4. Select a database and click OK.
The database you select is used by the Element Relative Display (ERD) add-in, where you
can populate symbols with PI AF elements from the database.
Procedure
1. Open a display and select the symbol you want to assign to an AF element template.
2. Right-click the symbol and then click Assign Symbol to Template.
The Assign Symbol to AFElementTemplate window opens.
3. In the PI System field, verify that you are connected to the AF server that contains the AF
element template you want.
4. In the Database field, verify the name of the AF database that contains the AF element
template you want.
5. Select the AF element template from the Element Template list.
6. Optional: To keep the default setting that synchronizes your active display with the updated
assigned AF-based symbols, leave the Re-Sync all Symbols checkbox selected.
7. Click OK to save.
If the AF element template already had an AF-based symbol assigned to it, click OK in the
Overwrite Confirmation window to confirm that you want to overwrite the existing
assignment.
Results
All AF elements based on this AF element template are updated to include the AF-based
symbol assignment within their element definitions, unless the individual AF element has an
AF-based symbol assigned to it. AF element-level assignments take precedence over AF
element template-level assignments.
When you drag and drop elements with this AF-based symbol assigned to them into your PI
ProcessBook display, you see the AF-based symbol in your display.
Procedure
1. Open a display and select the symbol you want to assign to an AF element.
2. Right-click the symbol and then click Assign Symbol to Element.
The Assign Symbol to AFElement window opens.
3. In the PI System field, verify that you are connected to the AF server that contains the AF
element you want.
4. In the Database field, verify the name of the AF database that contains the AF element you
want.
5. Select the AF element from the Element list.
6. Optional: To keep the default setting that synchronizes your active display with the updated
assigned AF-based symbols, leave the Re-Sync all Symbols checkbox selected.
7. Click OK to save.
If the AF element already had an AF-based symbol assigned to it, click OK in the Overwrite
Confirmation window to confirm that you want to overwrite the existing assignment.
Results
The AF element is updated to include the AF-based symbol within its element definition. When
you drag and drop the element into your PI ProcessBook display, you see the AF-based symbol
in your display.
Procedure
1. Open a display in Build mode and locate and select the element in an open display.
To use a search to find AF elements in displays, see Find AF elements and attributes in
displays.
Open the AF Properties pane and click the Extended Properties link in the General tab.
If the AF element is assigned an AF-based symbol, you can view the file path it in the
Extended Properties window. If there is no assigned AF-based symbol, the file path field is
empty.
Drag and drop the AF element into the display to view its AF-based symbol.
If the AF element has no AF-based symbol, you will see an empty square with the name
of the AF element in the display.
Procedure
1. To add an AF element that has an assigned AF-based symbol to a display, open your display
in Build mode and select an AF element from the Elements tab.
You can add multiple AF-based symbols to a display.
2. Drag and drop the AF element into the display.
The AF element is shown as the AF-based symbol in the display.
If the AF element has no assigned AF-based symbol, you will only see a square with the AF
element name in the display.
3. Optional: Create and modify AF-based symbols while you build displays.
Changes made to AF-based symbols within a display are not saved to the AF database when
you save the PI ProcessBook file. To make AF-based symbols available for reuse in displays,
you must assign the AF-based symbols to AF elements or element templates.
4. Optional: Change the sub-element and attribute display and label preferences. Click Tools >
Display Builder Preferences to open the AF Display Builder Preferences window.
Options include:
Procedure
1. Have your display open and in Build mode, and select the symbol you want to use.
2. Right-click the symbol and then click Assign Element to Symbol.
The Assign Element window opens.
3. Locate and select the AF element you want to assign to the symbol.
Hide Sub-Elements and Show Unassigned Elements Only change which AF elements are
listed in the AF Browser.
4. Click OK.
The AF element you assigned to the symbol will now appear as the symbol when you use it
in your display.
You can click Edit > Find Next to find multiple instances of the AF element in the display.
Results
Note:
The AF element is assigned to the symbol within the display, but this assignment does
not apply to the AF element template used by the display element, or other instances
where this AF element is used in other displays.
To assign the symbol to an AF element template, see Assign symbols to AF element templates.
To assign the symbol to an AF element, see Assign symbols to AF elements.
Procedure
1. To search the display for an AF element, open the display and click Edit > Find AF Element.
The Element Search window opens.
a. Enter the search criteria for the AF element and click Search.
b. Select the AF element you want from the search results and click OK.
The display element that uses the AF element is highlighted.
You can click OK again to highlight the next instance of the AF element in the display.
2. To search the display for an AF attribute, open the display and click Edit > Find AF
Attribute.
The Attribute Search window opens.
a. Enter the search criteria for the AF attribute and click Search.
b. Select the AF attribute you want from the search results and click OK.
The display element that uses the AF attribute is highlighted.
You can click OK again to highlight the next instance of the AF attribute in the display.
Procedure
1. In Build mode, double-click a dynamic symbol.
This opens the Define <symbol> window.
2. Click the arrow next to the Tag Search button.
A drop-down menu appears.
Note:
If you plan to work with an element that does not have multiple contexts you can
instead click AF2. This brings up the Select AF Attribute window, and gives you
another way of searching for AF data.
3. Click Element Relative.
The Select Attributes window appears.
The active elements in the Elements of Interest pane on the Element Relative Display
docking window appear in the top pane of this window under Current Element of Interest.
If an element has attributes, those attributes are available to add to a dynamic symbol.
Note:
If there are no active elements in the Elements of Interest pane, the Element Search
window appears instead of the Select Attributes window, allowing you to do a new
search to populate the Elements of Interest pane.
4. Click attribute names to select from the Attributes for the selected element list.
5. Click the button to add the selected attributes to the Selected Attributes list.
PI AF context path
A context path relates a PI AF attribute to a parent element within a PI AF database. An
attribute added as a data item to a dynamic symbol can point to different underlying PI points,
depending on its context path.
Use context paths to drive displays created in PI ProcessBook. Displays that use context paths
in this manner are referred to as element-relative. This means that the data displayed for the
attribute depends, at any time, on the context path that links the attribute to a parent element.
Context paths are used most frequently to change the data displayed by a symbol based on
user selection. For example, based on the selection of PI AF elements or attributes that
represent assets in a plant, a display may present data from similar assets in a single plant or
in different locations.
For example, assume Tanks 1-5 in a plant are all described by the same measurement
attributes of temperature and pressure. Each tank is represented as an element in the PI AF
database with corresponding temperature and pressure attributes. A display that references
the temperature attribute could display data for each tank in turn by allowing the user to
specify the context path to any particular tank element. This allows you to use one display to
view data for any one of the five tanks simply by selecting the desired tank from a list.
Procedure
1. Click View > Element Relative Display.
The Element Relative Display window appears.
2. In the Search Mask text box enter a search query, and click the green arrow, or
a. Click the Element Search button to launch the Element Search window, where you
can use advanced search fields.
b. Enter your search query and click the Search button.
The Search results list is populated with your results.
c. Click any element(s) from the Search results list.
d. Click OK.
Any new items are added to the Elements of Interest list in the Element Relative Display
docking window.
3. Search results appear in the Elements of Interest pane.
Click a column heading to sort results by that heading.
Use the Filter text box to filter out unwanted entries. Access previously used filter
expressions by clicking the small triangle at the end of the text box.
Select the Group by check boxes to group your search results by template.
Hover over an element to display a tooltip that show the element's full path.
4. Click an item from the Elements of Interest pane.
If there is a corresponding attribute in your display, that attribute's data will refresh with
the new element context.
Note:
Use the pin icon to lock the docking window to your screen. Click the pin icon
again to unpin the window and minimize it along the border of your PI ProcessBook
window. When a docking window is unpinned, a button appears along the side of the
screen. Hover over it to re-expand the window.
About PI data
You can retrieve and visualize data from your PI System and other systems that support
different business functions and provide access to diverse information.
You will likely work with PI data stored in:
PI Data Archive
PI Asset Framework (PI AF)
You will typically use these items to specify the information you want to see:
PI AF assets
PI AF assets are the building blocks of PI AF (like modules in MDB) and can represent either
physical or logical entities in your process, such as a physical device, piece of equipment,
storage container, or representative section of a process.
PI AF attributes
PI AF attributes represent data that is associated with an element. They can contain
configuration information for the element, or measured or calculated process data that
provides the information necessary for getting and setting its value to and from a data stream.
Conceptually, a PI AF attribute replaces the PI aliases and PI properties that were used in the
PI Module Database.
PI AF attributes are children of PI AF elements.
Calculated data
Statistical calculations allow you to view Averages, High and Low values, and measures of
variance. These all provide critical information about data events over a period of time.
Contextual data
Contextual data is a method of associating PI points and their properties with their business
use, location, service or role. A content creator can configure contextual data to reflect the
structure of the information, making data and its presentation more logical and accessible. A PI
point tag name is an example of contextual data.
PI points also have various configurable properties associated with the data, called point
attributes. However, this information is presented largely in language relevant to data
processing, not in measurements or standard business terms that are easily accessible to users
outside the Operations department.
PI AF provides a holding place for contextual representations of all data used in your PI
System. Elements and attributes can reference PI points and attributes or data in other
systems, including relational databases and web services.
Future data
Starting with PI Server 2015, you can store data with a timestamp in the future (up to January
2038) in a new type of PI point, called a future PI point.
In some ways, data from future PI points looks and behaves differently than historical data. By
default, future PI points have their step attribute turned on (step=1) and compression turned
off (compression=0). This is because most future PI points store discontinuous signals (for
example, a series of discrete predictions) for which linear interpolation cannot be assumed.
With the step attribute turned on, trends show a staircase pattern.
All dynamic symbols support future data and updating displays continue to update when you
set the display range into the future.
Trends show a dotted vertical now line so that when you pan into the future to see your
forecast data stored in future PI points there is a visual indicator to help you track where you
are in time.
The following example demonstrates some of these features:
Traces for future PI points show a staircase pattern, because the step attribute is turned on.
The historic PI point, CDT158, has no data beyond the now line (which is in the center of the
display).
The trend cursor, set at a time in the future, shows values for both future PI points, but not
for the historic PI point.
PI time
You can use a special syntax, called PI time, to specify inputs for time stamps and time
intervals. PI time uses specific abbreviations, which you combine to create time expressions.
Time-stamp specification
Time-interval specification
PI time abbreviations
When specifying PI time, you can use specific abbreviations that represent time units and
reference times.
Time-unit abbreviations
Abbreviation Time unit
s second
m minute
h hour
d day
mo month
y year
w week
To specify time units, you can specify the abbreviation, the full time unit, or the plural version
of the time unit, such as s, second, or seconds. You must include a valid value with any time
unit. If specifying seconds, minutes, or hours, you can specify a fractional value, such as 1.25h.
You cannot specify fractional values for other time units.
Reference-time abbreviations
Abbreviation Full version Reference time
* Current time
t today 00:00:00 (midnight) of the current day
y yesterday 00:00:00 (midnight) of the previous day
sun1 sunday 00:00:00 (midnight) on the most recent Sunday
jun2 june 00:00:00 (midnight) on the current day in June of the current
year
dec DD december DD 00:00:00 (midnight) on the DDth day of December in the
current year
YYYY 00:00:00 (midnight) on the current day and month in year
YYYY
M-D or M/D 00:00:00 (midnight) on the Dth day of month M in the
current year
DD 00:00:00 (midnight) on the DDth day of the current month
1: Use the first three letters as an abbreviation for any day of the week: sun, mon, tue, wed, thu, fri, or
sat.
2: Use the first three letters as an abbreviation for any month of the year: jan, feb, mar, apr, may, jun,
PI time expressions
PI time expressions can include fixed times, reference-time abbreviations, and time offsets. A
time offset indicates the offset direction (either + or -) and the offset amount (a time-unit
abbreviation with a value). Valid PI time expressions might include:
Only a fixed time, such as 24-aug-2012 09:50:00
Only a reference-time abbreviation, such as t
Only a time offset, such as +3h
A reference-time abbreviation with a time offset, such as t+3h
Include at most one time offset in an expression. Including multiple offsets can lead to
unpredictable results. For example, the following time expressions are not valid:
*+1d+4h
t-1d+12h
Time-stamp specification
To specify inputs for time stamps, you can enter time expressions that contain:
Fixed times
A fixed time always represents the same time, regardless of the current time.
Input Meaning
23-aug-12 15:00:00 3:00 p.m. on August 23, 2012
25-sep-12 00:00:00 (midnight) on September 25, 2012
Reference-time abbreviations
A reference-time abbreviation represents a time relative to the current time.
Input Meaning
* Current time (now)
3-1 or 3/1 00:00:00 (midnight) on March 1 of the current year
2011 00:00:00 (midnight) on the current month and day in the year 2011
25 00:00:00 (midnight) on the 25th of the current month
t 00:00:00 (midnight) on the current date (today)
y 00:00:00 (midnight) on the previous date (yesterday)
tue 00:00:00 (midnight) on the most recent Tuesday
Input Meaning
y-8h 16:00:00 (4:00 p.m.) the day before yesterday
mon+14.5h 14:30:00 (2:30 p.m.) last Monday
sat-1m 23:59:00 (11:59 p.m.) last Friday
Time offsets
Entered alone, time offsets specify a time relative to an implied reference time. The implied
reference time might be the current clock time or another time, depending on where you
enter the expression.
Input Meaning
-1d One day before the current time
+6h Six hours after the current time
Time-interval specification
Time-interval inputs define intervals for collecting or calculating values during a time period.
For example, you might specify a 60-minute interval to compute an hourly average over a 12-
hour period. To specify time-interval inputs, enter a valid value and time unit:
Positive values define intervals that begin at the earlier time in the period and that finish at
or before the later time in the period.
Start time 2:00:00
End time 3:15:00
Time interval 30m
Returned intervals 2:00:00 to 2:30:00
2:30:00 to 3:00:00
Negative values define intervals that finish at the later time in the period and that begin at
or after the earlier time in the period.
Start time 2:00:00
End time 3:15:00
Time interval -30m
Returned intervals 2:15:00 to 2:45:00
2:45:00 to 3:15:00
Updates to PI data
PI Tag Search window
View PI point attributes
PI Data Archive data types
Updates to PI data
You open a display, current values of PI tags are used for dynamic elements other than trends
and XY plots. For trends and XY plots, the time scale is configurable on a plot-by-plot basis.
Displays are updated whenever values change. Every five seconds, PI ProcessBook displays
any new values for tags in open displays from each PI Data Archive server. You can modify the
update rate in the procbook.ini file.
For trends, new values are added to the trend traces. This update by exception algorithm has
two benefits:
Values that do not change are not sent over the network at every update. This can be a
significant efficiency improvement over traditional scanning.
Values that change more than once within five seconds are shown accurately on trends
because all of the changes are delivered to PI ProcessBook.
Values from PI calculations and custom data sets are also updated dynamically.
or
Click the Tag Search button in any of the following windows:
Define Value
Define Bar
Define XYPlot
Multi-State Symbol
Define Trend
The Tag Search window provides three types of searches:
Basic Search allows you to create a tag mask by specifying PI point attributes. The mask is
used to find a list of tags on the server with matching attributes.
Advanced Search provides a query-building interface with access to more point attributes
for complex searches.
Alias Search provides a logical tree view of a PI Data Archive server through the PI Module
Database, which you can use to select tags by their descriptive aliases.
Procedure
1. Click a tab to choose a Basic, Advanced or Alias search.
2. Enter the required search criteria and click Search.
Use '*' or '?' as wildcard characters to search for tag names and attributes. For example, the
tag mask Tem* returns all point names that start with Tem while Tem? returns only points
that start with Tem and end with another single character. All point mask fields are case
insensitive.
You can also click Favorites to access previous searches.
Results
For more information on PI tags, click the Help button from any Tag Search window in PI
ProcessBook to launch the PI SDK Controls and Dialogs user help.
Procedure
1. Using either the Run mode or Build mode pointer, click a dynamic symbol.
2. On the standard toolbar click the Tag Properties button , or
click the Pt. Attr. (Point Attributes) button if you are in the Tag Search window, or
in Run mode, click Tools > Point Attributes.
The Point Attributes window appears.
Note:
You can also view Point Attributes in the Details window.
Results
The tag for which the properties are displayed is shown in the Point Name drop-down list at
the top of the window. If a trend has several tags, select each tag from the drop-down list or
use the up and down arrows on your keyboard to scroll through the tags.
The Point Properties window contains the Categorized tab and the Alphabetic tab.
The Categorized tab displays the attributes categorically. The following categories are always
displayed:
Archive
Classic
Display
Overview
Security
System
These categories include all the attributes from the Base point class. The Base point class
attributes are common to all PI points. If the PI point that is being displayed is not from the
Base point class, there is one additional category. This category is given the name of the point
class to which the displayed PI point belongs. The point class-specific attributes are displayed
in this category.
The Alphabetic tab displays the attributes alphabetically.
PI point attributes
Attribute Explanation
Descriptor 26-character tag descriptor
Exdesc 80-character extended tag descriptor
typicalvalue Typical value
Units Engineering unit string
Zero Zero
Span Span
digstartcode Code for the first digital state string for the tag
dignumber Number of digital states minus 1
pointtype Point type character
pointsource Point source character
location1 Location parameter 1
location2 Location parameter 2
location3 Location parameter 3
location4 Location parameter 4
location5 Location parameter 5
filtercode Filter code
squareroot Square root flag
scan Scan flag
excdev Exception deviation in percent of span
excmin Exception minimum time in seconds
excmax Exception maximum time in seconds
archiving Archiving flag
compressing Compression flag
Res Resolution code
compdev Compression deviation in percent of span
compmin Compression minimum time in seconds
compmax Compression maximum time in seconds
totalcode Totalization code
convers Conversion factor for post-processed points
displaydigits Controls the format of numeric values on terminal-
based PI screens
instrumenttag Tagname for value in another system; used by
some interfaces
Attribute Explanation
sourcept Tagname for output to other systems; used by
some interfaces
taglong Long tagname (up to 80 characters)
tagshort 12 character tagname
creator Creator of the tag
createdate Creation date of the tag
changer User who modified the tag's attributes
changedate Change date of the tag
pointnumber ID number reused upon deletion of a point
pointid Unique internal ID number not reused upon
deletion of a point
Data sets
In PI ProcessBook you can build dynamic symbols using data retrieved from data sets just as
you can from specific points in PI Data Archive.
A data set is basically the set of results of a query that addresses a specific data source. You can
use placeholders to link PI tags and ODBC data within a query.
Data sets are defined at the Book level so that they can be defined once and then shared among
different displays within that ProcessBook. If you create an independent display (a .PDI file),
the data set is defined only for that display. Trends including data sets can be manipulated,
saved, moved, and copied in the same fashion as other trends.
Whenever a display is updated, if a trace or value using a data set is configured using relative
times, then the trace or value is updated. No updates occur if the data set is configured using
absolute times.
You can edit an existing data set, either from the Tools menu or from a symbol that uses the
data set. However, if you have attached the data set to more than one symbol, editing the data
set affects all the symbols. If you move a PI ProcessBook display containing a data set to
another machine, you may need to reconfigure the data set or the machine's connection to the
data source.
PI Calculation data sets (including PI Expression and PI Summary data sets) from PI Data
Archive servers using PI Performance Equation syntax. These expressions provide
summary data, such as averages, minimums, maximums, etc., or calculations such as the
sum of two PI point values.
ODBC data sets (Open Database Connectivity) data sets obtained from a relational database.
Custom data sets built as COM objects supplied by Visual Basic or C++ programs as Add-Ins
to PI ProcessBook.
The AVG function calculates the average of the tag values for each interval.
The Count function is the sum of event count over the time range when calculation basis is
event-weighted, sum of event time duration over the time range when calculation basis is
time-weighted.
The MIN function selects the minimum of the tag values for each interval. A timestamp
associated with the minimum value is also available.
The MAX function selects the maximum of the tag values for each interval. A timestamp
associated with the maximum value is also available.
The PCTGOOD function determines the percentage of time for each interval, when the tags
archived values are good (that is without errors, such as out of range errors or shutdown
flags). It is not applicable for digital tags.
The PSTDEV function calculates the population or sample standard deviation of two or
more values.
The RANGE function calculates the difference between the tags maximum and minimum
values for each interval.
The STDEV function calculates the population Standard Deviation of the tag values for each
interval.
The Total function is the total over the given time range.
These functions are fully described in the "Performance Equations" chapter of the PI Data
Archive Applications User Guide.
Because the AVG, STDEV, and PCTGOOD functions are time-weighted, their calculated values
include the tag value at the lower interval boundary time but exclude the tag value at the upper
interval boundary time. For the example above, the tag value 11 at time 1:10:00 is excluded in
the function calculation; therefore, the calculated value for AVG is 5.5 and the calculated value
for STDEV is 2.872281.
The calculated values for the MIN, MAX and RANGE, which are event-weighted functions,
include the tag values of both the lower and upper interval boundary times. For the example
above, the calculated value for MIN is 1, the calculated value for MAX is 11, and the calculated
value for RANGE is 10.
Procedure
1. In Build mode, double-click on the trend to open the Define Trend window.
2. Click the Tag Search arrow and choose PI Calculation to create a data set based on a tag.
3. Click New to add the data set and specify a Name and Description for the data set that
calculates the moving average.
4. Click Tag Search and select the tag you want to use as the basis for the calculation.
5. In the Interval field, choose the calculation period for the average.
A new average tag value is computed at each interval over the plotted time range.
6. Click Average in the Columns panel to select an average calculation, and click OK.
7. Click OK to close the Define Trend window.
Note:
Click the Help button, if necessary, and follow Microsoft's instructions for completing
the query.
9. Click OK to return to the ODBC Data window.
To verify if the query can be understood by the ODBC data source, click the Check Syntax
button.
10. Click OK.
11. If you want to use placeholders in the query, enter the appropriate WHERE clause, use
question marks (?) to denote the location of placeholders, and click the Placeholders button.
Placeholders are defined in the order in which they are encountered in the SQL statement.
Clicking the Placeholders button causes the syntax of the query to be checked. If the syntax
is not valid, the invalid query message is displayed.
12. Click OK.
Placeholders
A placeholder in an SQL query identifies a value that is to be provided when the query is run.
You can validate a query before the actual values are provided.
The standard SQL placeholder character is (?). Placeholders are numbered in their order of
appearance, from left to right, in the query statement.
For example, the following query statement has two placeholders, one for a text string for a
sample ID and the other for a sample time.
Select value, sample_time from Lab_data where sample_ID=? and sample_time>?
PI ProcessBook allows text, start times, end times, or tag values as substitutes for placeholders.
In this example, the values of the tag in the PI System that records the current product code are
retrieved. The result set of the ODBC query is built by executing the query once for each
placeholder value. In the case of this example, that would be one query execution for each
product code found between the start and end times of the symbol.
Procedure
1. In the Placeholder Name box, select the parameter you want to configure.
The parameters are in the same order as found in the data set query. The list is limited to
the number of parameters found in the query.
2. In the Placeholder Properties group, select the Type for the selected parameter.
There are four possible types, Text, PI Tag, Start Time, and End Time. You can optionally
change the name of the placeholder to make its purpose clear.
3. Selecting a type transforms the window to allow you to enter the settings for the selected
type, if any.
If the query uses:
Text input
Type the replacement text value in the Text field.
Tag values
Type a node ID and tag name or click the Tag Search button to open the Tag Search
window.
Start and/or end times
No additional configuration is used.
4. Click the Set button.
5. To configure another parameter, select it and repeat the previous steps.
6. Click OK.
Procedure
1. Click Tools > Data Sets.
The Data Sets window appears.
2. Under Data Sets, click the data set name, then click the Show Use button.
The Data Set Use window appears and displays where the data set is being used.
Trend Zoom
Scrolling
Trend Cursor
Time Range
Revert Time Ranges
Autorange
Markers
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display.
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click the Trend button .
3. Click in the display where you want to add the trend and drag the pointer to form a
rectangle into which the trend will be placed.
When you release the mouse button, the Define Trend window appears.
4. Click the Tag Search arrow, and then click PI Calculation.
The PI Calculation Data window appears.
Note:
If you want to display the ODBC Data window instead of the PI Calculation Data
window, then click the Tag Search arrow, and then select ODBC.
5. Under Saved Data Sets, click the data set you want to add to the trend.
6. Under Data Set Columns, select a column(s) to be plotted in the trend (use the SHIFT or
CTRL keys to select more than one column).
Value
Value of the expression for the calculation interval and type as of the timestamp. In the
case of summary data sets, this column holds the value of the tag.
Total
The totalized value (time integral) of a tag over a given time, according to values stored
in the archive.
Average
Average value of the expression for the calculation interval and type.
Minimum
Minimum value of the expression for the calculation interval and type.
Maximum
Maximum value of the expression for the calculation interval and type.
PctGood
The time percentage, over a given range, when a tag's archived values are good (not
digital states).
Range
The difference between a tag's maximum and minimum values during a given time,
according to values stored in the archive.
StdDev
The time-weighted standard deviation of a tag over a given time, according to values
stored in the archive.
PStDev
The standard deviation of two or more arguments, where those arguments represent the
whole population.
Count
The number of events for a point over a given time.
7. Click OK.
Until you select a data set and at least one column, the OK button is dimmed.
The selected data set/column(s) is now listed under Tags in Plot in the Define Trend
window.
8. Select tags as desired and format the trend.
If you wish to see or edit the definitions of placeholders, click the Custom Placeholders
button in the Define Trend window.
9. Click OK.
Data displays on the trend.
Note:
If you select the Description check box, on the Display Format tab in the Define Trend
window, then the description of the data set is taken from the PI Calculation Data
window and repeated for each column that is plotted. There are usually no
engineering units for a data set column.
In general, queries can return many rows of results. The Value or Bar uses only the data from
the last row of the results for the column you select; the rest of the results are discarded.
In many cases, you can use an order by clause to control which rows are returned first.
For example, the following query guarantees the most recent sample appears in the
ProcessBook Value field:
Select lab_val from Lab_Data where last_ID = BW
Order by Sample_time asc
Procedure
1. Click Tools > Data Sets.
The Data Sets window appears. See Data sets for details.
2. Under Data Sets, click the data set you want to edit, and then click the Edit button.
3. Either the PI Calculation Data window or the ODBC Data window displays depending upon
the data set you selected.
4. If the PI Calculation Data window displays, then make your changes in the appropriate
fields.
5. If the ODBC Data window displays, then do the following:
Note:
To determine if Microsoft Query is installed, the application checks your MS-DOS path
for the existence of msquery.exe)
An instance of Microsoft Query is started using the current data source and query.
ii. Edit the data set in the MSQuery environment.
iii. Click File > Return to ProcBook when you are finished.
Note:
Microsoft Query cannot edit query statements that contain placeholders.
If the Design button is disabled, then:
If Microsoft Query is not installed, the Design button is disabled; however, you can type
the query in the query text box. You can also copy and paste a query from another query
building tool.
i. Add or edit the appropriate WHERE clause in the query to edit a placeholder data set
or existing placeholders (question marks represent placeholders in the query
statement).
ii. Click the Placeholders button.
This action causes the syntax of the query to be checked.
If the syntax is valid, then the Placeholders window displays with the current
placeholders. If the syntax is invalid, then an invalid query message is displayed.
iii. Click the Check Syntax button, to complete a syntax check of your query.
The status of the query is returned.
iv. When you have finished modifying the data set, click OK.
If the data set is in use in a display, the Confirm Data Set Modification window
displays.
v. If you wish to proceed, click Continue.
The Data Sets window appears.
vi. Select the column(s) to be used and click OK to return to the window.
Procedure
1. Click Tools > Data Sets.
The Data Sets window appears. See Data sets for details.
2. Under Data Sets, click the data set name, and then click the Show Use button to determine
if any display or symbol is using the data set.
3. Close the Data Sets window.
4. Open each display in which a data set is being used and delete the data set from the
appropriate window, such as the Define Trend or Define Value window.
5. Save each display.
Procedure
1. Open the new or target ProcessBook or independent display file.
2. Open the old or source ProcessBook or independent display file.
3. From the Tools menu, select Data Sets.
The Data Sets window appears. See Data sets for details.
4. Under Data Sets, click the data set you want to copy, and then click the Copy button.
The Copy Data Sets window appears.
5. From the To Open Workbook drop-down list, select the correct target, and then click OK.
Procedure
1. Connect to an AF database.
2. Select an AF element.
3. Select an AF attribute from the drop down list or click Search to search in the AF database.
4. Select a unit of measure in which to display the attribute.
ODBC
ODBC client capability means that without writing vendor-specific code, you can access data
from certain relational databases outside the PI System and include that data in your PI
ProcessBook displays. The outside data source must be ODBC-compliant; for example, it must
provide an ODBC Driver. An outside ODBC data source might include laboratory results, cost
tables, or other sets of information that can be obtained through SQL queries. Since access to
ODBC sources is configured on a particular computer, moving a display file that uses an ODBC
data set may require the data source to be configured on the new computer. The data source
has to have the same name on the new computer, or the data set will need to be reconfigured
in the display.
ODBC drivers
Each DBMS (database management system), such as Microsoft SQL Server, requires a specific
ODBC driver, provided by the vendor of the DBMS or a third party. Each driver is a dynamic
link library (.dll) that implements a set of subroutine calls to retrieve data from a particular
database.
A SQL Server database, the server on which it resides, and the network protocol used to
access that server.
An Excel spreadsheet on a file server.
A directory containing a set of dBASE files you want to access.
ODBC data sources have an explicit name, are configured for a particular computer, and may
be used by any ODBC- compliant application installed on that computer.
3. Click the Data Source drop-down list to see what ODBC data sources you have already
configured, if any.
4. Click the Setup button.
The Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator window appears.
Procedure
1. Open ODBC Data Source Administrator.
2. On the User DSN tab, under User Data Sources group, click the name of the ODBC data
source you plan to use and then click the Configure button.
The Setup window for the data source you selected appears.
3. Add the ODBC data source.
Note:
Click the Help button, if necessary, and follow Microsoft's instructions for entering
information onto the window.
4. When you have completed configuring the data source, click OK to return to the Microsoft
ODBC Data Source Administrator window.
Note:
To create data sources for any user of the computer, use the System DSN tab instead
of the User DSN tab. You can set up data sources on the System DSN tab that are
available to all users on the computer, but you must have elevated permissions on the
computer.
If a Tag placeholder is used, then the time will be the time returned by the Tag. This time
will supersede any time stamps returned by the query.
One or more of the columns returned by the query may contain a date and/or time. If more
than one time stamp column is returned, the first one as ordered by the SQL query is used.
An ODBC data set is created with a set of default placeholders. When it is attached to a specific
symbol, the query's placeholders can be customized for that symbol, without affecting the
placeholders defined for other symbols using that data set.
For example, you can create a query for a database of laboratory data using a text placeholder
for the sample name. You can then use a different sample name for every trend, bar, or value,
rather than defining a new data set query for each sample name.
The label changes from Start Tracing Now to Stop Tracing Now, and the Log File Path text
box becomes unavailable.
7. To stop tracing, click the Stop Tracing Now button.
Procedure
1. Open ODBC Data Source Administrator.
2. On the User DSN tab, under User Data Sources, click the name of the ODBC data source you
want to delete and then click the Remove button.
A confirmation message is displayed.
3. Click the Yes button to delete the data source.
4. Click OK to close the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator window, then close the
ODBC Data window.
The data source is removed from under Data Sets in the Data Sets window.
AF elements
You can access AF elements in PI ProcessBook through the AF Browser, which lets you browse
for elements within your PI Asset Framework.
AF-based symbols that are assigned to AF elements are stored in an AF database, as part of the
AF element definition. When you want to work with AF elements and AF-based symbols, you
must be connected to the AF server and AF database where they are saved.
Within PI ProcessBook, you can:
View AF element properties.
Configure how AF elements are displayed in the AF Browser.
Customize your PI ProcessBook window settings for the AF Browser and the AF Property
pane.
Procedure
1. Open a display and select Build mode.
2. Click View > AF Property. The AF Property pane opens.
3. Select an AF element from the AF Browser.
You can view AF element properties in the AF Property pane.
You can right-click the AF element in the AF Browser to open the Element Properties
window. This window has multiple tabs that describe element details.
You can right-click an AF attribute in the AF Property pane and then click Properties to
open the Attribute Properties window. This window has general information about the AF
attribute.
Procedure
1. Open a display and right-click on an element in the AF Browser.
2. Choose one of the enabled options.
Note:
Disabling an option in the AF Browser applies to all displays in PI ProcessBook.
Find
View and change search settings for particular AF objects, if they apply. Available AF
objects are: Parent elements, Models, Layers, Connections, and Analyses.
Refresh
Refresh the values of the AF attributes for the selected AF element.
Show History
Show the history of the AF element.
Security
View the security settings for the selected AF element.
The Permissions window lists the names of the groups or users and their permissions for
that AF element.
Properties
Open a standalone Element Properties window that shows the same AF element
properties information as the AF Browser.
Procedure
1. To toggle the AF Browser, open a display and click View > AF Browser.
2. To toggle the AF Property pane, open a display and click View > AF Property.
Start PI Notifications
Note:
The add-in only loads in PI ProcessBook if the appropriate PI Notifications client
software is already installed separately.
Procedure
1. Click View > Notifications to manually open the Notifications window.
The Notifications window is automatically opened at startup if it was left open when you
previously shutdown PI ProcessBook.
You can also launch PI ProcessBook to view a notification by opening a PDI file attached to
a notification email.
The title bar displays the number of active, open notifications. This number appears in
parentheses to the right of the Notifications window title, for example Notifications(2).
Use the controls at the top of the Notifications window to receive notifications and view
notifications.
A notification rule is a set of conditions that leads to the creation of notifications. Notification
rules and their associated notifications appear in the bottom half of the Notifications window.
For more information on how to create notification rules, see the PI Notifications User Guide.
Note:
Use the pin icon to lock the docking window to your screen. Click the pin icon again to
unpin the window and minimize it along the border of your PI ProcessBook window.
When a docking window is unpinned, a button appears along the side of the screen.
Hover over it to re-expand the window. The size and position of the Notifications window
is saved so that it opens the same way the next time you open PI ProcessBook.
Receive notifications
To receive notifications in PI ProcessBook you need to connect to a PI System where
notification rules are established. To change the default PI System connection in PI
ProcessBook, click File > PI System.
Use the icons at the top of the Notifications window to begin, pause, or resume receipt of
notifications.
Pause icon indicates that you are receiving notifications. Click this icon to stop receiving
new notifications.
For more information on configuring notifications, see the PI Notifications User Guide.
Filter notifications
PI Processbook only shows notifications for which you are subscribed. These are shown in the
Notifications window. You can filter this list with the controls available at the top of this
window.
Procedure
1. In the View Notifications drop-down list, click one of the following options:
Active
Displays all open notifications. You only receive new notifications when this option is
selected.
Timerange
Select either the Start Time or End Time text box and enter a PI time string. Click the
corresponding drop-down arrow to launch a calendar to help you find a specific date.
Recent
Enter a time period to search within the last x-number of seconds, minutes, hours, or
days.
2. Click the Go button to view your list of filtered notifications.
not have all their associated content already open in PI ProcessBook; otherwise it is
disabled.
Contacts window
The Contacts window allows you to view and manage contacts from within PI ProcessBook. It
is split into two panes and provides the following:
Notification contacts
MS Office Communicator contacts
You do not need PI AF or PI Notifications to use most features of Contacts. However, to view
the Contacts window you must have Office Communicator installed and be logged in at the
time you launch PI ProcessBook. See the Microsoft Office Communicator home page for further
information.
Note:
Use the pin icon to lock the docking window to your screen. Click the pin icon again to
unpin the window and minimize it along the border of your PI ProcessBook window.
When a docking window is unpinned, a button appears along the side of the screen.
Hover over it to re-expand the window.
User Status
Displays your full user name and current availability. This field cannot is not editable
from within PI ProcessBook.
Connection button
Displays your connection state to Office Communicator.
Contacts are grouped according to type: Escalation Team, Group, and Individual. The group
heading displays the icon associated with its type in PI AF. This contact list is not sorted, but
appears in the order listed in PI AF to preserve the escalation order for an escalation team. The
first entry in the escalation list has the highest priority.
A contact's presence is shown with an icon to the left of the contact name.
Procedure
1. Enter text in the Contacts Filter text box to search for contacts.
Filter results appear in this panel.
2. Click the Clear button to clear your filter parameters.
No attachments
Creates a blank email.
Display Screen Capture
Attaches a screen capture of the active display. Any changes made to the display while it has
been open are included in the screen capture; you do not need to save the file first.
Note:
You must have Microsoft Outlook XP or greater installed on your machine to send email
to a contact.
Sort contacts
Right click a contact in the Contacts window and click Sort. A submenu provides the following
options:
Alphabetically
By Availability
Sorts contacts by contacts' presence. Selected by default.
Contacts presence
The PI ProcessBook PI Notifications add-in allows you to view personalized presence
attributes from Office Communicator while working in PI ProcessBook.
For more information on presence, see the Microsoft Office Online Help.
ProcessBook displays can be containers for objects from other applications, such as
databases, spreadsheets, or documents.
ProcessBook displays can be used to exhibit dynamic data within other container
applications. In this case, the ProcessBook or display is considered an object.
Embedded objects
Embedded objects are copied from an existing file or created and then stored as an integral
part of the container application, such as PI ProcessBook. Using an embedded object increases
the file size of a ProcessBook significantly.
Formats not natively supported by PI ProcessBook, such as Windows metafiles, can be pasted
from the Windows clipboard as objects in a ProcessBook display. When you paste an object
into a display it becomes embedded.
To change the contents of an embedded file, double-click it. The source application software is
invoked, and you can edit the object with the source application's commands.
PI ProcessBook is a time-based application. When a ProcessBook is used as an embedded
object, it updates dynamically whenever you double-click it.
If you rename a ProcessBook or move it to another directory, drive, or PC, you can still change
any embedded objects in displays as long as your system can locate the appropriate source
application software.
Embed in PI ProcessBook
Objects may be created within a PI ProcessBook display by the source application and then
stored as embedded objects. Alternatively, you may create objects from existing files or parts
of files. In addition, you can embed an object by dragging or pasting it from another
application.
You must be in Build mode in order to insert a new object.
Procedure
Click Insert > Object to open the Insert Object window.
Procedure
1. Open the display.
2. In Build mode, click Insert > Object.
The Insert Object window appears.
3. Select Create from File.
4. Click the Browse button.
The Browse window appears.
5. Browse and locate the file you want to embed and then click the Open button.
The file name is displayed in the File box, or
In the File box, type the path where the file is located.
6. If you want to display an icon rather than a graphic, click the Display as Icon check box.
7. Click OK.
For example, open a spreadsheet and select a cell in which you want to place a ProcessBook
display.
3. In Build mode, click Edit > Select All, and drag the objects in the display into the other
application.
4. Save the file.
Note:
When you activate the dragged contents, the entire original display is drawn,
regardless of which objects were dragged to the new container.
Linked objects
Linked object information is not stored as a part of the destination application. Instead, the
destination file stores only the location of the linked source file. No matter how many links it
has, only one version of the linked file is stored and maintained. Using a linked file increases
the file size of a ProcessBook less than using an embedded object.
In establishing an OLE link, you may update the:
Procedure
1. Open the display.
2. In Build mode, click Insert > Object.
The Insert Object window appears.
3. Select Create from File.
4. Click the Browse button.
The Browse window appears.
5. Browse and locate the file you want to embed and then click the Open button.
The file name appears in the File box, or
In the File box, type the path where the file is located.
Note:
If you want to display an icon rather than a graphic, select the Display as Icon check
box.
6. Select the Link check box.
7. Click OK.
The object appears on your display.
8. Adjust the size and positioning of the object.
You can change this updating frequency to manual through the Links window. Manual updates
are also initiated through this window.
Procedure
1. Open the display.
2. In Build mode, click Edit > Links.
The Links window appears.
3. Click the link you want to change.
Note:
You can select several links at once by pressing the CTRL key and clicking each link.
4. Choose one of the following options:
Select Manual
Updates the linked data manually
Click Update Now
Updates the linked data immediately
Click Open Source
Edits the linked data
Click Break Link
Permanently breaks the link. The object is converted to a picture (metafile).
5. Click OK.
Procedure
1. Open the display.
2. In Build mode, click Edit > Links.
The Links window appears.
3. Click the Change Source button.
The Change Source window appears.
Procedure
1. Click Edit > Links.
The Links window appears.
2. Click the appropriate link.
3. Click the Open Source button to open the source file.
Note:
If you select the Display as Icon check box, then the Object Packager icon is used by
default, rather than the ProcessBook icon.
The equipment parts list is stored with the ProcessBook display. If your PC has an installed
copy of Microsoft Word, you can peruse or modify the list at any time simply by double-
clicking it.
The lab results are stored by the source application, not in the ProcessBook display. The
display can be set to update lab data dynamically whenever the results in the source
application changed, or it can be set to update lab data when you click an Update Now button
on the Edit Links window.
Procedure
1. In Build mode, open a display.
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click the Control button , or
In Run mode, a user could change the month and date. A programmer could incorporate the
calendar into scripts associated with the display.
Procedure
1. Open the display.
2. In Build mode, click the object you want to change.
3. Click Edit > Object (at the bottom of the menu) > Convert.
The Convert window appears.
If you want to return to the default icon, then select Default.
If you want to select a new icon from the available group, select From File and choose a
new icon.
If you want to select a new file to provide the icon, click the Browse button.
If you want to change the name of the label that displays beneath the icon, then type the
new name in the Label box.
7. Click OK to return to the Convert window.
8. On the Convert window, click OK.
Procedure
1. Open the display.
2. In Build mode, double-click the OLE object you want to edit.
3. Refer to the following table:
If Then
The source application permits in-place a. Edit the object.
activation, menus and commands for the source
b. Save it if it is a linked file.
application appear on your screen, temporarily
replacing ProcessBook menus. c. Click elsewhere on the display to return to
ProcessBook or press the ESC key.
The source application does not permit in-place a. Edit the object.
activation, a new window containing the source
b. Save it if it is a linked file.
application appears.
c. Close the window and return to
ProcessBook.
VBA commands
Access VBA through the VBA toolbar, or by clicking Tools > Macro:
Visual Basic Editor Switches to VBA Editor window
ActiveX Automation
ActiveX Automation refers to the technology of placing ActiveX controls (independent software
modules) within applications and using scripts to manipulate the application and/or the
controls.
Automation vocabulary
Understanding OLE Automation requires some technical vocabulary.
Terms used in the PI ProcessBook VBA Language Reference Guide are defined below.
Automation Accessing an object in an application and changing
it or using it without using the user interface.
ActiveX Automation Server The application that provides data. PI ProcessBook
is an OLE Automation Server. It provides access to
its internal objects from other applications.
ActiveX Automation Container The application that initiates changes through
scripts. PI ProcessBook is an Automation
container, as are Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access,
and a few other commercial products.
Object A specific item that may be manipulated by a
script. For example, a ProcessBook, a display, or a
symbol may be the object of a VB or VBA script.
Property An attribute of an object. An object with read-write
properties can have variable information assigned
to it by the script. A read-only property cannot be
changed.
Method An action that can be performed on an object and
may or may not return a value. Sometimes called a
function.
Event A procedure that executes whenever a particular
action occurs, such as a mouse click.
Installation
Detailed information on installing PI ProcessBook is available in the PI ProcessBook Release
Notes, which are available on the OSIsoft Tech Support site.
System requirements
For up-to-date system requirements, go to the OSIsoft Tech Support Products page (https://
techsupport.osisoft.com/Products/). Click the product link to see information about the
product, including the current system requirements.
Silent installation
You can install this software with the Windows silent installation feature. Sometimes called an
unattended installation, silent installation requires no feedback during the setup process.
System administrators with an automated software distribution application might use silent
installation to deploy software automatically to large numbers of corporate desktops.
To launch a silent installation, type:
Setup.exe f silent.ini
The silent.ini file is included in the setup kit. You can make site-specific alterations to the
file as needed. See the silent.ini file for further information and descriptions of available
arguments.
Installation test
You can view the results of the installation process by examining the setup log:
PIPC\DAT\SetupProcessBook.log
This log also contains information pertaining to the directory structure, node, .dlls, user
name, and installation of various PI ProcessBook files. If the log file is not found in the \PIPC
\Dat folder, look in the root directory of your system drive (for example, C:\).
After you install PI ProcessBook, you can see the words PI System on the Windows Start
menu under Programs. At this point, you are ready to use PI ProcessBook.
If you experience problems with your software, contact OSIsoft Technical Support through the
OSIsoft Technical Support website (http://techsupport.osisoft.com).
Installed files
Upon completion, Setup installs PI ProcessBook under the root directory \PIPC.
Setup also installs online help files and Release Notes.
See the Release Notes (readme.htm) for a complete list of files. The Release Notes are
normally installed at:
C:\Program Files\PIPC\procbook\en\ProcessBook.pdf
PreferPrimary
The primary server in the collective is preferred but not required
RequirePrimary
The primary server is required
Any
Any server in the collective is acceptable
Note:
For PI ActiveView, connection preferences are configured in acview.ini.
In general, if the advanced feature requires a primary server to operate correctly, specifying
PreferPrimary connects you to the primary member whenever it is available. When the
primary is unavailable, a secondary server is used and all features of ProcessBook that don't
require the primary server continue to function. If the use of ProcessBook on a workstation
requires access to the primary, then specifying RequirePrimary forces the application to only
connect to a primary member and fail when such a connection cannot be completed.
Dynamic symbols on the display are presented in the same manner as any other symbol
attached to a disconnected server, though there is no recovery unless the primary server
comes back online.
If this occurs after the display is already open, ProcessBook detects the loss of connection, as
described previously, and tries to reconnect to the server. This call fails, generates the same
error as in the previous case (The requested server in not currently available,
Primary), and updates the Status Report window.
MDB to PI AF migration
PI ProcessBook 2012 converts Module Relative Displays (MRD) created with earlier versions
of PI ProcessBook into displays that are compatible with PI AF.
The first time you open an MRD display in PI ProcessBook 2012, it is automatically upgraded
to an Element Relative Display (ERD) in memory. If you save the display, you cannot revert the
display to an MRD.
PI ProcessBook does not migrate data from the Module Database (MDB). The data migration is
a separate process that occurs when you upgrade to PI Server 2010 or later.
OSIsoft recommends that you:
Upgrade to PI Server 2010 or later, which automatically converts your MDB data to PI AF
Back up all of your displays before upgrading to PI ProcessBook 2012
Allow PI ProcessBook 2012 to automatically upgrade MRD displays to use the ERD instead
Pre- PI ProcessBook 3.2 ERD is not available. You can continue to open MRD
displays.
PI Server 2010 supports MRD
though a two-way
synchronization that makes PI
AF elements available as
Modules.
This is not the recommended
path forward. We recommend
that you upgrade to PI AF.
Procedure
1. In PI ProcessBook, open an MRD display.
The display is shown and the migration process occurs at the point where the display would
normally retrieve data. Once the migration process is complete, the ERD docking window
appears with a status icon in the title bar notifying you whether or not the migration
completed successfully.
The display successfully migrated.
Note:
In the case of a partially successful migration, the symbols and/or contexts that could
not be migrated are left the way they were. If you save your display and then reopen
it, the migration is reattempted.
Following a successful migration you might see a dynamic symbol display No Data.
This occurs when the Module database is migrated to a PI AF database, but the
element corresponding to the module cannot be found on the PI AF database.
3. Optional: Click the Save to File button to save the results as a tab-delineated file that can be
exported into a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel.
This file contains additional migration information.
DEP security
Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is a setting introduced with Windows XP SP2 and is available
in subsequent Windows operating systems. The setting prevents malicious code attacks. PI
ProcessBook works correctly when this setting is enabled.
[USERDATABASE]
DEFAULT=PI
[CLIENTACCESS]
DEFAULT=RW
DYAN=R
ERIC=R
JOHN=NONE
The machines named DYAN and ERIC have only read access to PI data.
The machine named JOHN does not have any access to PI data.
All other machines have both read and write access to PI.
The value for the DEFAULT entry is initially set to RW. Otherwise, existing PINet nodes will not
function properly.
If you want to restrict write access from PCs, set the default CLIENTACCESS to R and add
entries to accommodate your PINet Nodes. For example:
[USERDATABASE]
DEFAULT=PI
[CLIENTACCESS]
DEFAULT=R
BRIAN=RW
The preceding entry allows the PINet node BRIAN to read and to write data to the PI System.
All other nodes have read- only access.
TCP/IP node names are case-sensitive. In addition, the values for the entries in the
CLIENTACCESS section (for example, R and W) are also case-sensitive.
Machine address
Because PI ProcessBook is a client/server application, the communication setup is essential.
The machine address, which allows the PI System to recognize your machine, is a key item.
Often, the address can be found as an alias in the TCP host file. The network administrator
should resolve any questions or difficulties regarding the network and addressing.
PROCBOOK.INI
The PROCBOOK.INI file contains configuration and preference settings for PI ProcessBook.
This file generally resides in two places, the user's default location, C:\Documents and
Settings\<user name>\Application Data\PISystem\PI-ProcessBook\<language>,
and the PIPC\DAT\<language> directory (on the local drive where PI ProcessBook is
installed).
When PI ProcessBook is installed on an individual PC using SETUP.EXE, the procbook.ini
file in PIPC\DAT\en is created (for the base, English installation). The file in C:\Documents
and Settings\<user name>\Application Data\PISystem\PI-ProcessBook
\<language> is only created once settings are changed in the PI ProcessBook Preferences
window for the first time. The values in C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>
\Application Data\PISystem\PI-ProcessBook\language override the values in PIPC
\DAT\<language> unless an administrator creates Registry entries to override user-specific
settings.
The following is a list and brief explanation of the most significant sections and keywords in
the PROCBOOK.INI file. The settings used are examples and not necessarily the default values.
Startup section
Initializations for startup of PI ProcessBook
Possible entries:
StartupProcessBook
Specifies file (with full path) to be opened on start of the application. Can be blank.
DefaultFileLocation
By default, clicking File > Open displays the local user's My Documents directory.
Specifying a different directory in this entry changes the File > Open and File > Save
commands to start with a different folder when ProcessBook starts.
ModeBias
R=run-mode, B=build-mode
RetainAspectRatio
1=preserve aspect ratio for displays, 0=do not preserve aspect ratio for displays
Symbol Library
Specifies a workbook that is opened by selecting the Book of Symbols button from a
customized toolbar.
MakeBackupFile
1=make backup files while using ProcessBook, 0=do not make backup files
BackupFileDirectory
If this is not blank, backup files will be created in this directory rather than in the directory
where the original file is saved. This is useful if you want to keep the directory where the
files are saved 'clean'.
Author
Sets the default author for created displays and workbooks
ToolTipsEnabled
Setting this entry equal to Y enables ToolTips on dynamic symbols. Setting equal to N
disables them. The default (if this entry is not in the .ini file) is Y. This setting has no effect
on toolbar tooltips.
PromptForConversion
1=prompt user when opening a file created with an earlier version, asking whether or not
to convert to new format, 0=do not prompt (default)
MaxUndoStackSize
Maximum number of elements in the Undo stack (default is 200)
GridSize
Sets the Grid Size, in lines per screen unit. Default is 12.
FileAccessTimeout
Number of seconds PI ProcessBook attempts to open a locked file (default is 5 seconds)
FileAccessInterval
Number of intervals, in tenths of seconds, between attempts to open a locked file
(default is 1/10 of a second)
COMTimeOut
This is the number of seconds that the ProcessBook container waits before showing a
timeout window. The default is 30 seconds.
RunSelectorColor
Red, Green, Blue, values can range from 0 to 255, sets the color of the selector rectangle in
run mode.
MacroProtectionLevel
Specifies how ProcessBook handles macros per display. Possible settings:
Level 0
No macro protection (default if entry is not defined)
Level 1
Prompts user to disable macros when VBA code is opened
Level 2
Prompts user as in Level 1, except when macros are disabled, VBA code is opened and
locked in design mode
Level 5
Same as Level 1, except that no window appears when display is opened (can toggle
between run and design modes)
Level 6
Same as Level 2, except no window appears when display is opened (locked in design
mode)
TBFilePath
Location and filename that the user's toolbar configuration data will be persisted (this
file must have both read and write access). This will also be the first location looked for
when loading the toolbar configuration.
UserDefaultTB
Read-only location and filename of a toolbar configuration that is searched for, when the
file in TBFilePath is not found. This could be a default company, or group,
configuration.
PBDefaultTB
Read-only location and filename of a toolbar configuration, used only when the two
entries above are not found, and there is no toolbar configuration data persisted in the
Windows registry.
References
Filenames or paths to VBA references, separated by semicolons (;)
URL Home
Specifies the website navigated to when a user clicks the ProcessBook icon in the Help
\About box. Default link is to the OSIsoft Website (http://www.osisoft.com/)
MaxBitmapMB
Maximum file size (in megabytes) that bitmap images may be loaded in displays. If
embedded bitmaps are larger than the specified maximum, ProcessBook scales the images
down to lower resolutions. The current default maximum is 16.0 MB.
ServerTimeZone
1=Show times and time spans based on the time zone of the server where the tags originate,
0=Show times and time spans based on the time zone of the local machine. 1 is the default.
ProcessBook
Setting this value equal to PRIMARY allows users to view ProcessBooks, but not change
them. The user has access to the Standard toolbar, including the trend displays command to
create instant trends, but cannot save an instant display.
EnableScreenSaver
Indicates whether the platform's screen saver should be displayed while ProcessBook is
running. A value of 1 enables the screen saver and is appears if it is defined at the operating
system level. A value of 0 prevents the screen saver from appearing while ProcessBook is
running, even if the screen saver is enabled at the operating system level. The default value
is 1. If this entry is not in acview.ini, the application assumes a value of 1.
ConnectUsingAPI
0 = (default) do not connect on startup using the PI API, only use the PI SDK. 1 = connect
using the PI API (and the PI SDK). This setting is used to support legacy VBA code in
displays/add-ins.
PB2TraceCompatibility
Indicates whether all snapshot values are retained for trend traces or discarded when a
new archive event is received on updating trends.
1 = Yes. Do not replace snapshot values when a new archive event is received. This setting
may result in a jagged trace that gets smoothed when the trend is reverted.
0 = No. Use snapshot value filtering/removal logic so that only archive values and any
snapshot values since the last archive event are shown on the trend.
EnableConnectorAttachments
controls whether symbols drag and dropped on top of a connector are made into connector
attachments
1 = true - allow
0 = false - do not allow
ConnectorsAvoidConnectors
controls whether connectors are treated as obstacles to be avoided when performing object
avoidance
1 = true - connectors are avoided in object avoidance
0 = false - connectors are not avoided in object avoidance
AutoEnableScripting
when set to True, new dynamic symbols are automatically enabled for scripting. If set to
False, new dynamic symbols are not automatically enabled for scripting. The False setting
may improve performance for very complex displays with many symbols.
DisplaySubSeconds
When set to 0, sub-seconds are not displayed on symbols.
SamplesBeforeEnd
controls the default value that appears in the Samples Before End field in the Start Time
combo box on the General tab of the PI-SQC Chart Definition dialog.
Default value is 20.
It can be set to any value between 5 and 1000.
Startup example
[Startup]
Startup ProcessBook=PIDEMO.PIW
DefaultFileLocation="C:\Program Files\PIPC\Procbook"
ModeBias=R
Retain Aspect Ratio=0
Symbol Library=SYMLIBRY.PIW
PromptForConversion=[PB_PROMPTFORCONVERSION]
Show Value Attributes=1
PB2TraceCompatibility=0
MakeBackupFile=0
ToolTipsEnabled=Y
Author=
International Date Format=1
MaxUndoStackSize=20
Build Scroll Mode=1
Run Scroll Mode=1
GridSize=12
FileAccessTimeout=5
FileAccessInterval=1
COMTimeOut=30
RunSelectorColor=0,0,0
MacroProtectionLevel=0
TBFilePath=
UserDefaultTB=
PBDefaultTB=
References=
URL Home="http://www.osisoft.com/"
MaxBitmapMB=16
ServerTimeZone=1
Processbook=PRIMARY
EnableScreenSaver=1
ConnectUsingAPI=0
EnableConnectorAttachments=1
BookView controls the view in which a ProcessBook is displayed when opened (0 = Outline, 1
= Book).
To change the font for the tabs in book view, add a section similar to this example:
[BookTab_Font]
Height=-13
Weight=0
Italic=0
Underline=0
PitchAndFamily=0
FaceName=Arial
Conversion section
The Conversion section of the .INI file identifies resources for importing other file formats
and resembles this example:
[Conversion]
Import0 = PIDisDIFF Files, impd32.dll, dat
Import1 = PI-Graphics Files, impp32.dll, dat
ImportN identifies the file types used when converting VAX-formatted trends or graphics. N
increments by one for each file type.
The second field is the name of the file type to be imported and will appear in the List Files of
Type drop-down box in the Import File window.
The third field is the DLL used to import the file type. No path is necessary, because the files
reside in the same directory as Procbook.exe.
The fourth field is the default extension for the file type. You can have more than one extension
for each import type, separated by semicolons.
TIMER sets the poll timer, in milliseconds, for checking whether PI ProcessBook should
perform any time-related task. Time-related tasks include retrieving exception reports from PI
Data Archive and re-querying sources. (60,000 is the maximum setting; the default is 5000.)
Autoscale
1=yes, 0=no
UpdateTimeRange
Maximum time period, in seconds, to support updates. The default is 604,800 seconds,
equal to 7 days. If the time range is greater than this value, the trend does not update
automatically even when the end time is '*'. Note that the maximum update range is
different from the update rate, which is the frequency with which the computer displays
new data from the server, typically every 5 seconds.
MarkerWarning
ProcessBook has the option of showing a warning whenever a trend has found too many
marker values to display them on the plot. 1=enables this option, 0=disables this option.
Default value is 1.
RequeryThresholdFactor
Base the max values for each trace on a "factor" of the interval
RequeryHoldoffTimeout
Minimum time for re-query since last requery in milliseconds
Max Traces
the maximum number of traces per trend.
Element
These 16 entries are the main drawn properties of trends. For each of 16 trend elements,
you can change the color and shape properties. This is the entry format:
ElementX = Name, Color, LineStyle, MarkerStyle
Color
Decimal conversion of the color to draw the element.
For example, Pen 1 has a color of 65280, which converts to 0x00ff00 in hex.
LineStyle
Line style of the element. Key is as follows:
-1=no line, 0=solid, 1=dashed, 2=dotted, 3=dash-dot, 4=dash-dot-dot
MarkerStyle
Marker style of each trace. Key is as follows:
-1=no marker, 0=closed circle, 1=open circle, 2=closed diamond, 3=open diamond, 4=closed
square, 5=open square, 6=closed triangle, 7=open triangle, 8=cross
Colors section
Defines the 16 colors in the ProcessBook palette.
Parameters: ColorX = Red, Green, Blue, values can range from 0 to 255
Example:
[Colors]
Color1=255,255,255
Color2=255,0,0
Color3=0,255,0
Color4=0,0,255
Color5=0,255,255
Color6=255,0,255
Color7=255,255,0
Color8=0,0,0
Color9=192,192,192
Color10=128,0,0
Color11=0,128,0
Color12=128,128,128
Color13=128,0,128
Color14=0,0,128
Color15=128,128,0
Color16=0,128,128
TimeRangeMin/TimeRangeMax
Sets the minimum/maximum time that can be scrolled using the time range scroll bar (must
be valid PI time strings)
PageScrollNonlinearity
Sets the factor by which clicking on and holding the mouse button down in the page scroll
area will increase the speed that the thumbwheel of the scrollbar moves. A value of 0
indicates no acceleration.
LineScrollNonlinearity
Sets the factor by which clicking on and holding the mouse button down in the line scroll
area will increase the speed that the thumbwheel of the scrollbar moves. A value of 0
indicates no acceleration.
ThumbScrollNonlinearity
Sets the factor by which clicking and holding the thumbwheel of the scrollbar will increase
the speed that the thumbwheel moves
Example:
[Time Range Scroll]
TimeRangeMin=*-100d
TimeRangeMax=*+10d
PageScrollNonlinearity=20
LineScrollNonlinearity=100
ThumbScrollNonlinearity=20
Underline
1=underline, 0=no underline
FaceName
Font for specified level
Height
Height of the font (almost equivalent to font point size)
Weight
Boldness factor of the font
Italic
1=italic, 0=no italic
Example:
[PB Level 1]
Underline=0
FaceName=MS Sans Serif
Height=-16
Weight=700
Italic=0
PitchAndFamily=34
[PB Level 2]
Underline=0
FaceName=MS Sans Serif
Height=-13
Weight=700
Italic=0
PitchAndFamily=34
DisplayBackgroundColor
Red, Green, Blue, values can range from 0 to 255, sets the background color for any newly
created display
SymbolFillColor
Red, Green, Blue, values can range from 0 to 255, sets the fill color for newly created
symbols
SymbolLineColor
Red, Green, Blue, values can range from 0 to 255, sets the line or text color for newly
created symbols
SymbolBackgroundColor
Red, Green, Blue, values can range from 0 to 255, sets the background color for newly
created symbols, for example, the empty portion of a bar symbol takes on this color.
Example:
[Display Colors]
DisplayBackgroundColor=192,192,192
SymbolFillColor = 0,0,255
SymbolLineColor = 255,255,255
SymbolBackgroundColor = 192,192,192
Autoscale
1=yes, 0=no
Background Null
1=sets to have no background color, 0=have background color specified under Elements
Start Time/End Time
Default start and end time range (must be a valid PI string)
UpdateTimeRange
Maximum time period, in seconds, to support updates. The default is 604,800 seconds,
equal to 7 days. If the time range is greater than this value, the trend does not update
automatically even when the end time is '*'. Note that the maximum update range is
different from the update rate, which is the frequency with which the computer displays
new data from the server, typically every 5 seconds.
Element
These 17 entries are the main drawn properties of XYPlots. For each of 17 XYPlot elements,
you can change the color and shape properties. This is the entry format:
ElementX
Name, Color, LineStyle, MarkerStyle
Color
Decimal conversion of the color to draw the element.
LineStyle
Line style of the element. Key is as follows: -1=no line, 0=solid, 1=dashed, 2=dotted, 3=dash-
dot, 4=dash-dot-dot
MarkerStyle
Marker style of each XY pair. Key is as follows: -1=no marker, 0=closed circle, 1=open circle,
2=closed diamond, 3=open diamond, 4=closed square, 5=open square, 6=closed triangle,
7=open triangle, 8=cross
View-only mode
Installations of PI ProcessBook can be configured so that users on a network may only view
ProcessBooks and not change them. The user has access to the Standard toolbar, including the
Trend Display feature, but cannot save an ad hoc display.
To put PI ProcessBook into view-only mode, add the line
ProcessBook=Primary
Macro protection
The primary purpose of the macro protection feature is to prevent misbehaved VBA event code
from executing. Whenever a ProcessBook display (either standalone .pdi file or table of
contents entry) is opened, ProcessBook determines whether the display has any VBA code
present.
MacroProtectionLevel may be set in the [STARTUP] section of Procbook.ini at one of the
following levels:
Value Description
0 Display is opened with macros enabled.
1 User is prompted when display is opened; project is set to
design mode if user selects <Disable Macros>.
2 User is prompted when display is opened; project is
opened with macros disabled if user selects <Disable
Macros>.
5 User is prompted when display is opened; project is
always set to design mode when opened.
6 User is prompted when display is opened; project is
always opened with macros disabled.
The default value for this setting is 0, so that if it is not present at all in the .ini file, then PI
ProcessBook always executes macros.
INI security
You can use your system registry to override many strings or integer values in PROCBOOK.INI:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PISystem\PI - ProcessBook\Security
Under this key there is a key for the INI file section where you can override values. Many string
or integer INI setting can be overwritten this way. The only exceptions are the HA Collective
setting, which cannot be overridden. For example, to override the EnableScreenSaver setting in
the STARTUP section of PROCBOOK.INI, create a DWORD value EnableScreenSaver with a
value of 1 in HKLM\SOFTWARE\PISystem\PI - ProcessBook\Security\Startup.
IMPPIGP.INI
The IMPPIGP.INI file contains configuration settings used by the Import utility in PI
ProcessBook. The file generally resides in the PIPC\DAT directory. As with other .INI files,
SETUP.EXE creates this file with default settings.
When you import VAX-formatted graphics and graphics that include trends, the import utility
uses the settings found in this .INI file to convert items such as color, line style, and fonts. You
can edit the .INI file if you want to change these default settings. Before you edit this file, you
should make a backup copy so you can restore PI ProcessBook to its original settings.
Note:
The settings in this .INI file affect graphics and trends included in graphics only. When
importing trend displays, the format specified in the Trend Preference setting is used.
The following is a list of the keywords in the IMPPIGP.INI file. The values shown are
examples and not necessarily the default settings shipped with PI ProcessBook:
The Color section of the .INI file maps VAX colors to PI ProcessBook colors:
[Color]
Clear=0,0,0
Black=0,0,0
White=255,255,255
Red=255,0,0
Green=0,255,0
Blue=0,0,255
Cyan=0,255,255
Magenta=255,0,255
Yellow=255,255,0
Orange=255,128,0
GreenYellow=128,255,0
GreenCyan=0,255,128
BlueCyan=0,128,128
BlueMagenta=0,0,128
RedMagenta=255,0,128
DarkGray=128,128,128
LightGray=192,192,192
The values shown to the right of the equal sign are the red, green, blue values. Refer to
Creating Your Own Colors in the Windows documentation for more information on changing
these values.
The Line Style section maps the VAX line format to the PI ProcessBook line format:
[Line Style]
Supress=5
Solid=0
XShortDash=2
DotShortDash=3
LongDash=1
XLongDash=1
TwoDotDash=4
LongDotDash=3
ShortDash=1
The Font section maps the VAX supported fonts to PI ProcessBook fonts:
StandardFont=35,400,0,0,34,Arial
SmallVector=-29,400,0,0,34,Arial
MediumVector=-52,400,0,0,34,Arial
LargeVector=-77,400,0,0,34,Arial
Note:
These default values are based on resolutions for VT340 terminals. If you are using a
different terminal, appearances may be different.
The values to the right of the equal sign represent these font characteristics.
Position Font Characteristic Definition
1 Height Specifies the height of the font. If the
value is greater than zero, it specifies
the cell height. If the value is less than
zero, it specifies the character height,
which is the cell height minus the
leading.
2 Weight Specifies the weight of the font (for
example, light, medium, bold). Values
can be from 0 to 900 in increments of
100. 100 equals the lightest; 900 the
darkest.
3 Italic Specifies an italic font if the value is
not zero (for example, 0 = non-italic;
1= italic).
4 Underline Specifies an underlined font if the
value is not zero (for example, 0 =
non-underlined; 1 = underlined).
5 Pitch and Family Specifies the pitch and family of the
font. Pitch can be fixed, variable, or
default. Font families, such as Old
English, describe the look of a font in
a general way. They are intended for
specifying fonts when the exact
typeface desired is not available.
6 Face Name Specifies the typeface name of the
font.
The Marker section of the .INI file maps the VAX trend markers to the markers provided in PI
ProcessBook:
[Markers]
NoMarker=9
Dot=0
SmallPlus=6
LargePlus=7
Asterisk=0
Circle=1
LargeX=8
Box=5
Diamond=3
BoxWithDot=4
DiamondWithDot=2
BoxWithDiamond=4
The values to the right of the equal sign represent these marker types in PI ProcessBook:
0 = filled circle
1 = open circle
2 = filled diamond
3 = open diamond
4 = filled square
5 = open square
6 = filled triangle
7 = open triangle
8 = cross
9 = none
The Display section in the .INI file specifies the supported terminals in PI ProcessBook:
[Display]
Terminal Type=VT340
Keywords for supported terminals are shown below. The horizontal and vertical dimensions
are also shown.
VT340 = 800 x 500
Reflection = 800 x 500
Tektronix = 4095 x 3130
X1024 = 880 x 640
X800 = 560 x 448
If your terminal is not included in the list of keywords, you can create your own. The syntax is:
Terminal Type=Custom,X,Y
where X equals the horizontal dimension and Y equals the vertical dimension.
SETUPProcessBook.LOG
This log tracks the setup of PI ProcessBook on your system and holds information pertaining
to directory structure, user-entered information for Node, .DLL, and User name, and the
installation of the various ProcessBook files.
Is an XYPlot updating?
When an XYPlot is updating, the updating tags are shown with an arrow indicator in the
legend. An XYPlot is updating if the following conditions exist:
The end time for the X tag is indicated as the current time (by using *) or is in the future (*
+N)
At least one of the Y tag end times is indicated as the current time (by using *) or is in the
future (*+N) and is not synchronized or matched with the X tag (if X is not updating).
If both the X tag and the Y tag are updating, an arrow indicator is shown in each legend entry.
Updates for retrieval methods Recorded and Interpolated are received from an event pipe that
provides the application with snapshot values. For this reason, when a tag is using recorded
values, you may see many more values while the plot is updating than are actually recorded.
Once the plot is regenerated or reverted, only recorded values are shown. When using the
interpolated retrieval method, values on the plot are interpolated using the snapshots coming
in through the event pipe.
If the Edit > Links choice is unavailable, the link is permanently broken and your object has
become a picture and cannot update from the source. Re-create the object.
On the Links window, if the file is set to Manual Update, click Update Now, and the file
should update.
On the Links window, if the entry for the file says Unavail, the source file is not where the
application expects to find it. Use the Change Source button to locate the file and re-
establish a path for the link.