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Layout
This section describes DATRAN Trending in detail i.e. how the windows interlink to the basic usage of this application. For a more in depth explanation on
how to perform certain tasks please refer to the How To section.
First Start Up
Settings
Analogue Change Range
Switch Database
Graph Area
Legend and Legend Pop Up Menu
Main Window
Navigation Control Bar
Pen Properties
Plot Window
Select Pen Points
Plot Properties
Time Cursor
Y-axis
Print Dialogue
Enter License Dialogue
Edit Draw Order Dialogue
Export Dialogue
View Pens Statistics
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
First Start Up
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This section is only for users that have not had DATRAN Trending on their computer before. If the following does not occur and an error appears - the
DATRAN database has not been set up correctly - please contact QTech Data Systems Ltd for advice.
DATRAN database is the main database which DATRAN logs onto and that DATRAN Trending application links into to for its plots. A correct connection
string needs to be entered for this database otherwise the application will not start up.
The very first time that DATRAN Trending is run from your computer it will ask you for the connection details to your DATRAN database.
After entering your specific connection details and clicking OK, it will ask you to set up the very first plot if no plot is available in the DATRAN database.
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When this dialogue appears you need to enter in the new plot's name and the default values.
Default start time – The start point of the x-axis displayed each time the plot is opened. This value cannot be setup if the 'Default time span' is
set to Today, Yesterday, This week, etc.
Private - Check this box if the new plot is only to be accessible by you.
Default time span – The width of the X Axis displayed each time the plot is opened.
Default stop time – The stop point of the x-axis displayed each time the plot is opened. The value cannot be setup if the 'Default time span' is
not Custom.
Max time span – The maximum allowable span of the X Axis when using the zoom out button.
Background colour – The background colour of the plot. Choose an appropriate colour so that the pen lines are clearly visible.
Gradient - By default, the plot will have an constant background colour. If you want to have a changing background colour, ranging initially
between the background colour (chosen above) and white, check this box.
After you have set up these settings you need to click OK. At this point the plot will be set up, and the Select Pen Points dialogue will display:
Set up the pens that you require:
Active Pens – The data is stored into the pen for the currently selected point.
Point Name – Scroll through or click on the name of the point to select one.
Show – The data will be displayed on the graph.
Selected - The currently selected pen can be moved up/down in the order.
Click OK when completed and the plot will appear with all the settings you requested.
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
Settings
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To access the General Settings dialogue, select Options from the main menu and then select General Settings.
The following dialogue will display:
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The General Settings dialogue allows you to change the following options:
Data Load Amount: How much data the application will load from the database each time a plot is displayed. If this is set to unlimited it may take a quite a
few seconds to display a graph. If you would like to specify your own data load amount, click on the Custom and click OK. Use the years, months and days
spin edit boxes to specify your custom data load amount.
Program Start - Plot End Time: If the Always Load on Today checkbox is ticked then the Start Time Changes gets set to Global and each time a Plot is
loaded it will open with today's date being close to the right most part of the screen.
Start Time Changes: Allows you to decide if the Start Date and Time will be Global (across all plots) or if each plot will have their own default start time. If
Plot By Plot is selected, the Always Load on Today option gets unchecked as these are mutually exclusive.
Time Line Width: Allows you to change the width of the time lines (time cursors). The default width is 4 pixels.
Time Line Colour: Allows you to change the colour of the time line 1 and time line 2 (time cursor 1 and time cursor 2). The default colour is Red / Lime.
You usually change this when you encounter a plot where its background colour is too close to the colour of the time line.
Default Pen Settings: Change the default settings of a newly added pen. Specify the default analogue pen style (stepped line or straight line), width and
also number of decimal places in an analogue pen.
Pen Colours: Allows you to change the global pen colours and pen text colours. Use the Preview labels to get a feel of how the changes in colour will
affect the plots. This will not take effect until any open plots are closed and reopened. The following dialogue will display on clicking the Pen Colours button:
Colour Whole Legend Area: This check box will cause active pens to colour the whole of their legend box instead of having two coloured bars as shown
below.
Default button: The default button will set the factory default colours which are displayed above.
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OK button: This will save the colour selections you made. The next time you open a plot these changes will be displayed. This is saved and each time the
application is opened these colours will be used.
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
Analogue Change Range
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Analogue pens have a Min to Max range. DATRAN sets this to a default when the point is first set up. On the display of the analogue pen, it scales the
actual logged data between the Min and Max values. What is actually displayed can be changed. Change the Min and Max of the pen by using the Change
Range menu item in the legend menu.
Any analogue pen can have their current viewable range changed. You need to use the legend pop up menu (right click on the legend box of the current
pen) and select Change Range. The following dialogue will display:
This will show the currently set range on the left. If this is the first time you change the range in this session it will show the DATRAN default values. These
values can only be changed using DATRAN Browser. The New Range is on the right. To reset the values back to the DATRAN defaults, click on the Reset
button.
The Max of a point is set by DATRAN. This is the maximum amount that the point will log into the database. The Max of a pen however, is the maximum
shown on the actual graph. This can be changed by using the Change Range dialogue from the legend menu.
The Min of a point is set by DATRAN as well. This is the minimum amount that the point will log into the database. The Min of a pen however, is the
minimum shown on the actual graph. This can be changed by using the Change Range dialogue from the legend menu.
Change the range in the Min and Max text boxes of the New Range section and click the Set button. This will close the Change Range dialogue and
change the range of the pen in the plot. It will redraw the entire pen and ignore any values that lie outside this range. The Min becomes the 0 line of the Y
axis and the Max becomes the upper most value.
This new range will only be shown for the current session of this plot. Once the plot is closed or the application is closed, these range settings will be lost
and the DATRAN default values are displayed.
To permanently change the Min and Max values you will need to use DATRAN Browser.
Tick the 'Auto scale' check box if you would like DATRAN Trending to automatically determine the best range for you.
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
Switch Database
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There are a few items that are very important with regards to the database used in DATRAN Trending.
Firstly, it is crucial that there is at least one DATRAN database set up for this application. It is recommended that this is named DATRANdatabase. It should
be the actual database for which DATRAN VI logs all data. A second database named DATRANarchive can be setup to point to a dummy database or an
archived DATRAN database.
Each of these will ensure proper functionality of starting the application and then the actual switching of database to use an archived DATRAN database.
If you have more than one DATRAN database, use the Data Link Properties dialog box to point the application to a particular DATRAN database. You can
access this dialog box via the main menu Database | Switch Database.
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Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
Graph Area
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The graph is the actual plotting area of the plot screen:
The graph is the area of the plot which displays the information in a linear format. All the active and enabled pens with point data will be displayed in this
area. Each pen has its own colour shown in the legend and the line of this pen will be drawn in this colour. A dotted straight line will be drawn from the last
known value to the current time. If there is any data logged with timestamps that are greater than the DATRAN Trending computer's current date and time,
as in the case of a DATRAN VI computer that has a faster clock than the DATRAN Trending computer, they will also be displayed. The date and times at
the bottom of the graph show the x-axis. If no data is displayed it could be that a change of value has not occurred or there is no data stored for this period.
Use the navigation tool bar to scroll to other areas of the actual logged data.
Any inactive or disabled pens will not be shown on this graph.
A disabled pen is an active pen which is hidden. The data is stored in the pen but not displayed on the graph. You can disable a pen by using the legend
menu (right click on the legend and select Disable) or by using the Pen Properties dialogue.
An enabled pen is one which is active and shown on the graph. You can set a pen to enabled by using the legend menu or by using the show command in
the Pen Properties or Select Pen Points dialogue.
To find out what the actual value a particular part of the trend represents, hover your mouse over the trend and a yellow tool tip will appear showing the pen
number, point name, value and date time.
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
Legend and Legend Pop Up Menu
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The entire legend area is usually positioned on the left of the graph. There are eight legend areas, one for each pen. This holds the general information
about the pen such as the point name, point current value and pen colour. It also shows clearly other pen properties such as active/inactive (information
showing or not) and enabled/disabled (information clear or greyed out). Right clicking on the legend gives the user a legend menu which allows the
manipulation of the current pen.
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The legend is made up of 8 separate areas, one area for each pen on the plot.
An entire legend area corresponds to one of the eight pens allowable on a plot. There are eight pens on a
plot. A pen holds one point from the database which displays the information in a line format on the graph.
A pen can be active or inactive. When active a pen can be enabled (shown) or disabled (hidden). There are
3 different types of pens - analogue, event and alarm and each one is shown a little differently on the
screen.
Each legend area contains the legend colour and the point name (made up of station, equipment and point
name).
When the time cursor is active the value of where
the time cursor crosses the line is displayed under
the name of the point*.
When the time cursor is active and no values are
found for the data load amount specified the text
"NO DATA" is displayed under the name of the point.
"Retrieving Data..." is displayed if the data is still
being loaded from the DATRAN database.
If a pen is active but disabled the name of the point
is greyed out.
If the pen is inactive the whole legend area for that
pen is grey.
If you right click on one of the legends the following pop up menu will appear:
This pop up menu allows you to manage and change the properties and status of a pen. If it is an analogue pen it also allows you to change the range (the
minimum and maximum of the y-axis of this pen).
This menu also gives you the opportunity to cut, copy and paste pens around the entire session of this application.
If you left click on one of the legends of a pen with an analogue point, the y-axis will appear for that pen. If the point is digital (alarm or event), two horizontal
Y Lines will appear corresponding to the ALM/ON and RTN/OFF of the current pen.
* If the pen value you are viewing is a digital (alarm or event) point or analogue point and no line is shown on the graph the last known value will be
displayed in the pen legend. Please see the How To Change Data Load Amount topic if no value is displayed.
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
Main Window
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The main window contains the main menu and holds the actual plot windows:
The main menu has the following selections:
File - Contains the main plot handling features.
Open Plot - Allows you to select a plot to open and then display on the screen. For any one session the maximum number of plots that can be
open is 1000 or until the application runs out of memory.
Close Plot - Closes the current active plot.
Create New Plot - Allows you to set up a new plot.
Save Plot - Saves the current plot, pens and notes into the DATRAN database.
Load From Template File... - Load a plot that was saved as a plot template file (*.ptm) into the DATRAN database .
Save To Template File... - Save the current viewed plot as a plot template file (*.ptm).
Export Plot... - Allows you to export the current viewed plot data to a CSV file or a JPEG file.
Print Plot... - Allows you to print the current viewed plot to any printer.
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Exit - Exits out of the application and saves each open plot details.
Current Plot
Hide/Show Legend - Displays or hides the currently viewed plots legend area.
Show Y Lines - Displays the Y lines across the graph area of the current plot in 5 intervals.
Plot Properties - Allows you to change the default start time, default time span, maximum time span and background colour.
Plot Pens - Allows you to change all these pen properties i.e. active status, shown/hidden status and point used.
Edit Draw Order - Allows you to change the draw order of the pens.
View Pens Statistics - Allows you to view the minimum, average, maximum, standard deviation of the pens data.
Rename Plot - Allows you to rename the current plot.
Select Plot - Allows you to select another plot to be viewed in the current plot window.
Delete Plot - Allows you to delete the currently viewed plot from record.
Default Size - Sizes the current viewed plot for perfect viewing on an 800 x 600 screen resolution.
Line Graph - Sets the graph to only show the lines of the data.
Point Graph - Sets the graph to show the lines and the actual plotted data points.
View
Basic Mode - Reduces the number of buttons displayed on the toolbars by hiding them so the most commonly used buttons are displayed.
Expert Mode - Shows all available buttons on the toolbars.
Realign Toolbars - Moves the toolbars to their default positions which is useful if you find that you have accidentally hidden one or more
toolbars and cannot find it/them.
Database - Contains the database setup.
Set Database - Allows you to change the database you are pointing to as well as restore an archived DATRAN database.
Switch Database - Allows you to change the database you are pointing to.
Repair Database - Make all plots editable.
Import Plots From Template Files... - Load plot template files (*.ptm) into the DATRAN database.
Export Plots To Template Files... - Save the plot/s in the DATRAN database as plot template files (*.ptm).
Options
General Settings – Sets the amount of data loaded from the database.
Pen Colours - Sets the pen legend, pen line and pen text colours.
Window
Tile - Tiles the currently opened plots across the screen.
Cascade - Scatters the current open plots across the screen.
Arrange Icons - Arranges any minimized plots neatly down the bottom of the screen.
List of plot windows - This menu lists all the open plots to easily navigate between them.
Help
Contents - Opens up the help for this application.
Enter License - Opens up the dialogue box to view and to enter a license for this application.
About - Opens up the 'About' dialogue box.
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
Navigation Control Bar
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The navigation control bar has many toolbars. Each toolbar has many buttons and combo boxes.
To change the position of the navigation control bar from the bottom to the top, double click on any clear space on the navigation control bar.
Date time pickers toolbar
Plot start date & plot start time
: The plot start date and plot start time picker allows you to change the
starting position of the x-axis - where it crosses the y-axis. The plot start date picker pops open a calendar display where you can enter the
date or click and select the date. The plot start time picker lets you scroll through time or type in the required time. Changing the plot start date
and plot start time pickers preserve the span of the plot. Because of this, plot stop date and plot stop time picker change when plot start date or
plot start time picker is changed.
Default plot time span
: The default plot time span combo box let you change the default time span without having to open the
Plot Properties dialogue box. Any change made will be remembered by saving to DATRAN database immediately. It also lets you quickly
navigate to today 24 hours, yesterday 24 hours, this week, last week, etc.
Plot stop date & plot stop time
: The plot stop date and plot stop time pickers allow you to change the
stopping position of the x-axis - right edge of the plot. The stop date picker pops open a calendar display where you can enter the date or click
and select the date. The stop time picker lets you scroll through time or type in the required time. Changing the stop date and stop time pickers
changes the time span of the plot. Because of this, start date and start time pickers do not change when stop date or stop time picker is
changed.
Apply start and stop date time on the plot
displayed.
Plot toolbar:
: Click this plot to adjust the x-axis of the plot using the current start/stop date time values as
Update plot from DATRAN database
: This button allows the user to update the data that is displayed on the screen with what is currently
stored in the database. If you are trying to view what is happening currently use this button to view the newly logged data. This button is very
different to the revert settings from DATRAN database button because this button updates all the data in the plot. This will change the entire
plot back to the saved settings in the database including enabled/disabled pens and active/inactive pens depending on how they were last
saved to the DATRAN database.
Cancel plot update
: This button allows the user to cancel the process of retrieving data from the DATRAN database. Use this button if
you think it is taking too long to get the data. Reduce the data load amount for a faster plot update. Click here to find out how to do this.
View pens statistics
: This button opens up the View Pens Statistics dialogue which allows you to see the minimum, average, maximum,
standard deviation, etc of the pen data.
Change Pens Draw Order
pen.
Change the pens in the current plot
: This button opens up the Select Pen Points dialogue which allows you to change the status of each
pen (active and enabled). It also allows you to choose the point for each of the pens.
Save changes made to plot into DATRAN database
Revert settings from DATRAN database
: After having played around with the graph making many changes to its start date and span it is
sometimes necessary to just change back to how it used to be. This button will change the current plot back to the database settings when the
plot was first opened. If you would like the settings shown on the screen saved as the default use the Plot Properties screen to set them
appropriately. This can cause confusion for read-only plots if the original gets changed dramatically. If that happens then the read-only plot will
pick up these changes on the refresh. This will only revert back to the settings - not the actual data display, making it a quick function to
perform.
: This button opens up the Edit Draw Order dialogue which allows you to change the draw sequence of each
: This button saves the current plot, pens and notes into the DATRAN database.
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Change plot properties
: This button opens up the Plot Properties dialogue where you can change the settings such as default time span,
start time and maximum time span.
Change plot background colour
: This button let you change the plot background colour without opening the Plot Properties dialogue.
The colour of the rectangle icon will correspond with the colour of the plot background.
Change plot gradient
: This button let you change the plot gradient. The gradient of the rectangle icon in this button will correspond with
the gradient of the plot background. Using a gradient on a plot can slow down plot drawing.
Print the current plot
Export the current plot data
Change the current plot
: This button opens up the Printing Plot dialogue allowing you to print the currently viewed plot.
: This button exports the data that you can currently see in the plot into CSV or JPEG file format.
: This button opens up the Select Plot dialogue allowing you to change the plot you are currently viewing.
Display the previous/next plot
: These two buttons allow you to scroll through the plots in the alphabetical order in which they are
stored in the DATRAN database. Each click of these buttons can take some time to draw the new plot. If you scroll to a plot that is already
opened in another window, the current window will be closed and that window be brought to front.
X-axis or time axis toolbar
: This moves the time cursor one point/event to the left or right respectively depending
Click here to move to the previous/next point
on which pen has the following change in value.
Scroll screen left & scroll screen right
: This moves the entire graph screen one graph time span or width left or right respectively.
You cannot scroll past any dates before January 1, 1753 or after December 31, 9999.
Scroll screen 20% left & scroll screen 20% right
: This moves the entire graph screen 20% of its current time span left or right
respectively. You cannot scroll past any dates before January 1, 1753 or after December 31, 9999.
Start or stop automatic scrolling
: This turns on automatic scrolling which will set the plot to automatically get the latest data
at the set interval and scroll so that the right of the plot is today's current time. Be wary of setting an interval that is too frequent as this will
affect the performance of your computer.
Zoom out/in 50% & on the time axis
: These two buttons increase and decrease the time span of the graph by 50%. The minimum
span allowed is around 6 minutes and the zoom in button will become disabled when it reaches this. The maximum span is set in the Plot
Properties. However, this mostly has no maximum allowing an unlimited span. To ensure that this does not occur set the maximum time span
in the Plot Properties to the required amount. The keyboard alternative for the zoom-out button is Ctrl + Left click on the graph. Similarly, the
keyboard alternative for the zoom-in button is Ctrl + Right click on the graph.
Show or hide the time cursor
: The time cursor of the graph is an essential element. This button allows you to show and hide the time line
and time value. This will also display the values of the closest logged data for each of the active and enabled analogue pens using the straightline style. For analogue pens using the step-line style and digital pens, the latest value before the time value of the time line is displayed.
Y-axis toolbar
Revert the plot to the original/default scaling
: This button will rescale the graph's y-axis to its maximum and minimum values before the
zoom. It also restores any runtime scrolling i.e. zoom via dragging the left mouse button or zoom via spinning the mouse wheel.
Zoom out/in on the Y axis
: These two buttons increase and decrease the y-axis span of the graph by 20 screen pixels. There is no
constraint on the minimum or maximum span.
Plot notes toolbar
Add a plot note
: This button will add a plot note in the middle of a plot.
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
Pen Properties
Layout ››
The Pen Properties window is accessed by right clicking on one of the legend panels and selecting Properties.
Pen Properties dialogue
This dialogue allows you to change the point, width, shown status and style of the current pen. It also shows the information about the current selected
point - domain, minimum value, maximum value and the units of the values.
Each analogue pen can have a unit assigned to it. This ensures that the values displayed are clear as to what they represent. This can be seen beside the
actual value in the legend when the time cursor is active, or in the Pen Properties dialogue.
The domain of the point sets the type of the pen. There are three different types of points i.e. alarm, analogue and event. Alarm and event points are
actually digital points.
To change the point, press the '...' button on the right side of the point name box, or single click in the point name, and the 'Select Point' dialogue will
display.
The width property of a pen can be changed from 1 to 5 (1 being thin and 5 being thick) depending on what you prefer. This can be helpful to clearly
distinguish between each of the pens on the graph. Another way to distinguish one pen from another is to use the Edit Draw Order dialogue box. The
smaller the width, the faster this pen will be drawn. If draw speed is important, setting the width to 1 is the best.
You can change the status of the pen from this screen as well. There are 3 states that a pen can be in:
Not active - The Active check box is not ticked and the entire Pen Properties dialogue is greyed out.
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Active and shown - The Active check box is ticked and the Show check box is ticked. This will show the pen on the graph.
Active and not shown - The Active check box is ticked and the Show check box is not ticked. This will not show the pen on the graph and it will
be greyed out in the legend.
An active pen is one where the data of the pen has been stored by the application. An active pen can be enabled (shown) or disabled (hidden). If an active
pen is enabled it will show its data on the graph of the plot.
A hidden pen is one that is active but disabled. To hide a pen either use the Disable menu option in the legend menu or use the Pen Properties or Select
Pen Points dialogue to hide the pens (ensure the Show check box is not ticked).
You can change the style of the pen provided it has an analogue point. Select one of the radio buttons in the style panel.
Step-line style pen
Straight-line style pen
After you have set the properties you require for this pen, click OK and this will load the new details on to the plot.
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Also, for pens of analogue points, their interval can be changed. A value of 1 means all the points will be included when the plot is exported to a CSV file. 2
means that every other point will be included. 3 means that one in every 3 points will be included and so on. This is especially useful if you have a point that
is logged periodically. For example, you can get data at intervals of 15-minutes from an analogue point that is logged every minute by setting the interval to
15.
Analogue pens can have the number of decimal places displayed in the legend changed using this dialogue. Just use the decimal up and down buttons to
increase of decrease the number of decimal places.
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
Plot Window
Layout ››
This is the most important window to get used to. This is the window where everything happens. A window is the current screen or form that is active inside
the current session of the DATRAN Trending application.
An entire screen of information is called a plot - this contains the graph, legend and the navigation control bar. The word 'plot' can also refer to the actual
graph area.
There are many sections to this window and each is explained in subsequent topics:
Legend and legend pop up menu
Navigation control bar
Graph area
Y-axis
Time cursor
The plot window
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
Select Pen Points
Layout ››
The Select Pen Points dialogue allows you to change all of the pens status and the points that they hold.
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Pen Point Window
Active Pens - Allows you to make pens active or inactive. The screenshot above shows the first 6 pens are active and the last two pens are inactive.
Show - Allows you to make the pen visible on the graph. The screenshot above shows the first three pens are visible and the rest are not.
Selected - Allows you to select a point and move it up or down the list of pens. This will change the colour that represents the point because pens at
different position in the list have different colours. Use the up and down buttons to move the point.
OK button - Will save the changes made and return you to the plot window.
A point refers to an actual node in DATRAN. This is one data source that gets logged by DATRAN. These points have much information stored in them
including their raw data, name and type. A pen holds a point and displays the point data.
To select a point for the pen either use the '...' button, or click in the point area. This can only occur when the pen is active. Clicking the point area will open
the following dialogue which will allow you to select a pen by either filtering it by station name or scrolling through all the point names.
Select Point dialogue
When you tick 'Filter by station' the list of point names will automatically filter on the current station selected which is the first part of the point name.
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Select Point dialogue - Filter by station
You can select a different station by either scrolling through the station names using the up and down keys or by left mouse clicking on the current station
name. Click on the station required.
Select Point dialogue - Station names displayed
You can search the point names by using the wildcard character asterisk *. For example, to show all points with the word 'comm' and followed by 'retries',
type 'comm*retries'. Note that the match is not case-sensitive.
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Select Point Window - Wildcard Filter
The use of the wildcard character is not compulsory. Typing in "comms retries" will show all points that have the word "Comms" immediately followed by the
word "Retries".
Select Point Window - Filter with No Wildcard Character
This dialogue can be resized and it remembers its size and position when it was last opened.
Use the Refresh button if you cannot see a point that has just been created in the DATRAN database after DATRAN Trending was started.
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
Plot Properties
Layout ››
There are four default Plot Properties that can be set by this dialogue.
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Plot Properties dialogue
As can be seen by the above screenshot, you have the option of setting the default start time, the default time span, the default stop time, the maximum
time span, the background colour, and the background gradient.
Default start time - The starting point of the x-axis each time this plot is reloaded or opened. It gets used each time the plot is refreshed.
Default time span - The visible width of the x-axis each time this plot is reloaded. The default span is set in the Plot Properties dialogue or the
default time span combo box on the navigation control bar. This is what gets used when the plot is first opened to set the width of the actual
graph. As for the 'Default start time', every time the plot is refreshed this value is taken from the DATRAN database and the span is reset to it.
Default stop time - The stopping point of the x-axis each time this plot is reloaded or opened. It gets used each time the plot is refreshed. This
can only be changed when the 'Default time span' is set to Custom.
Max time span - The maximum allowable zoom-out setting for this plot. The max time span is set in the Plot Properties dialogue. This sets the
maximum span allowed across the screen when using the zoom out of the current plot.
Background colour - The colour of the plot background. Try to avoid dark colours as this makes the lines difficult to see the trends.
Background gradient - The gradient of the plot background. Try to avoid dark colors as this makes the lines difficult to see the trends.
Private - Tick this check box if you want to be the only one that can view this plot in this DATRAN database. To make it public again (other
users can view this plot), remove the tick from the check box.
To save the plot properties just click OK. To revert the plot back to what it was click Cancel.
From this screen you can also change the plot you are using by clicking on the [...] button. You can also change all the pen points and their status by using
the Set Pens button.
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
Time Cursor
Layout ››
The Time Cursor is a line that appears on the graph by either:
Left mouse clicking on the graph which puts the time cursor where the cursor is.
Using the show or hide the time cursor buttons
on the navigation control bar which centres the Time Cursors.
Time Cursor displayed
Once the Time Cursor has been displayed a line will appear vertically through the graph and a time and date value will appear at the bottom of the line
graph. This value is the exact time and date where the middle of the Time Cursor line crosses the x-axis. The time format follows the long time format of the
Windows regional settings.
As well as the x-axis value, each of the active pens has their closest point value or latest value to the left of the Time Cursor appear in their corresponding
legend.
For analogue pens on straight line style: This calculates the interpolated value using the points on either site of where the Time Cursor crosses the pen
data line. The unit of measurement for the analogue point is shown in the legend area.
For analogue pens on step-line style: This finds the closest actual plotted data to the left of where the Time Cursor line crosses the pen data line. The unit
of measurement for the analogue point is shown in the legend area.
Digital pens: This shows the current status of the point data when the time cursor crosses the line. It is either ON/OFF for events or ALM/RTN for alarms.
An alarm is a digital point which has two value types - ALM (alarm) and RTN (return to normal). An event is a digital point that has two value types - ON and
OFF.
When the Time Cursor is displayed it can be moved around by holding down the Shift key and moving the mouse.
To hide the Time Cursor line and legend values again, click on the show or hide the time cursor button
on the navigation control bar.
The time cursor is moved to where the cursor is located (where the graph was left mouse clicked) when the user zooms in or out of the graph using the Ctrl
+ Right mouse click or Ctrl + Left mouse click shortcuts.
You can make the time cursor/s stationary by clicking on the pin/s. This is useful when used together with auto scroll.
Place a second time cursor by clicking
Analogue average value
Analogue difference value
Analogue maximum value
Analogue minimum value
to find out what the following data summaries between the two time cursors:
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Analogue total value
Digital average OFF/RTN time
Digital average ON/ALM time
Digital maximum OFF/RTN time
Digital maximum ON/ALM time
Digital minimum OFF/RTN time
Digital minimum ON/ALM time
Digital total OFF/RTN time
Digital total ON/ALM time
Sample count
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
Y-axis
Layout ››
The y-axis refers to the axis that runs up the sides of the graph (left or right). To make the y-axis visible for an analogue point left click on the corresponding
legend. The data for the y-axis is taken from the current point for each pen displayed.
The y-axis is displayed for each analogue pen when the legend of that pen is left mouse clicked.
The colour of the y-axis is clearly shown in the y-axis.
The scale of the y-axis is set firstly by the minimum and maximum values which DATRAN VI sets for each point. The scale is changed when the user
changes these when using the Change Range dialogue for the analogue points.
Click on the y-axis to change its position from the left side of the plot to the right side or vice versa.
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
Print Dialogue
Layout ››
The print dialogue allows you to print to any printer that your computer is already setup to connect to.
To get to this dialogue either use the navigation control bar print button
option Print Plot....
, the shortcut key Ctrl + P or use the File menu of the main menu and select the
This dialogue allows you to select whether you want the point names displayed on the graph of the plot. You can select a printer other than your default
printer and the number of copies to print. Click the 'Setup...' button to change the printer setup such as paper size, paper source, orientation, etc.
If you decide not to print after all just click the Cancel or the X button.
To print the plot to the selected printer, click the OK button.
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
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Enter License Dialogue
Layout ››
If your license has expired or you have purchased a new license then you will need to select Enter License from the Help menu.
Once your new license key has been entered you will be allowed to use the application until the license expires.
Obtain the license from QTech Data Systems Ltd. You will need to provide the product serial number as displayed in the dialog box.
If there is no license entered or this is the first time you are entering the license the edit box should be blank.
If you have entered an invalid license, check that you have entered the correct numbers. Also, check that you have been given the correct numbers.
If you have an expired license the dialog box will display when the license expires. Please re-new your license by getting a new one from QTech Data
Systems Ltd.
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
Edit Draw Order Dialogue
Layout ››
The Edit Draw Order dialogue allows you to change the draw order of all the pens in a plot. Only active pens i.e. those that have points assigned to them,
will be listed.
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Edit Draw Order dialogue
Use this dialogue to arrange the sequence in which the pens are drawn. Pens at the top of the list cover the pens at the bottom of the list. The draw order of
the pens is important especially in plots where you have more than one analogue pen and you want certain pens to be more visible than other pens.
Up - Click this to make a pen more visible by making it being drawn later than (on top of) the other pens.
Down - Click this to make a pen less visible by making it being drawn earlier than (beneath) the other pens.
OK - Click this button to save the draw order into the DATRAN database.
Cancel - Click this button to close the dialogue box without making any changes to the draw order.
The above example produced the following plot. Notice Pen 1 and Pen 7 are drawn on top of all the other pens.
Pen Draw Order example
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
Export Dialogue
Layout ››
The export dialogue allows you to export as a CSV file or as a JPEG file.
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Get to this dialogue via the File menu of the main menu, and select 'Export Plot...'.
This dialogue allows you to select what kind of exporting you would like to do. The JPEG file option allows you to select whether you want the point names
displayed on the graph of the plot. For both the CSV file and JPEG file options you can select the folder where the file will be saved and the name of the file
- which is automatically set by the application to show the plot name and the current date and time. Plots with names that have invalid filename characters
will have them stripped out to prevent causing an invalid filename character error with the operating system. The dialogue remembers the folder where you
last saved a file.
For the CSV file option only, you can select the date time format of the time stamp values. You can also choose to have the data arranged side by side.
When this format is chosen, the sample rate cannot be zero. The following shows an example of how the data is arranged for a plot with 3 enabled pens (2
analogue pens and 1 digital pen). The sample rate was set for 1 day (24 hours). When there is no data within a sample rate, an interpolated value is used
instead.
15BlackHills Levels
Black Hills Reservoir,
Reservoir, Level
01/03/09 00:00
02/03/09 00:00
03/03/09 00:00
04/03/09 00:00
05/03/09 00:00
06/03/09 00:00
07/03/09 00:00
Time
01/03/09 00:00
08/03/09 00:00
Black Hills Pumps, Pump 1, Daily Run
Ridge Road, Site, Suction Pressure
Hours
Switch Monitor
90.3
20.39
RTN
83.9
18.69
RTN
84.1
19.59
ALM
82.5
19.89
RTN
71.8
22.1
ALM
58.8
21.3
RTN
65.5
23.92
ALM
If you decide not to export after all, just click the Cancel button or the X button.
To export the plot data to a file in its selected location, click on the OK button.
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
View Pens Statistics
Layout ››
The View Pen Statistics window allows you to view the statistics of all the pens in a plot. Only active and enabled pens i.e. those that have points assigned
to them, will be listed.
View Pens Statistics window
From the main menu, select File | Save As... to save the statistics to a comma delimited file (*.CSV file). Click on the header of a column to sort the
statistics according to that particular column.
Copyright © 2004 - 2012, QTech Data Systems Ltd
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