{"id":24823,"date":"2017-02-27T10:13:43","date_gmt":"2017-02-27T02:13:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/help\/?page_id=24823"},"modified":"2025-08-25T18:21:55","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T10:21:55","slug":"creating-a-trend-4-5","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/oihelp.corporate.ifs.com\/help\/p2-explorer\/trends\/creating-a-trend\/creating-a-trend-4-5\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating a Trend (4.5)"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

This article applies to the Trends in versions 4.5 and later of P2 Explorer. For more, see Release History<\/a>. For help on the latest version, see Creating a Trend<\/a><\/p>\n

A trend displays time-series data, such as tags, attribute values and calculations, trended over a selected period of time.<\/p>\n

To create a trend, you can either open a new blank trend (click New Trend<\/strong> on the Home<\/strong> ribbon tab), and add tags, attribute values and calculations to this. Or you can open a trend from an Explorer Page control, such as an embedded trend, a line chart, or a data label, to trend data from the control (right-click on the control and select Open Trend<\/strong>). You can add extra data to this trend as well.<\/p>\n

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Creating a New Trend from the Home ribbon tab<\/p><\/div>

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Opening a trend from an Embedded Trend on an Explorer Page<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Overview<\/span><\/h2>\n

The screenshot below shows a new trend, with four attribute values:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
1.<\/strong><\/td>\nTrend Ribbon Tab<\/strong><\/td>\nThe Trend Tab<\/a> on the ribbon is activated whenever a trend is opened, and is used for managing and sharing the trend, as well as refreshing data or resetting the trend.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2.<\/strong><\/td>\nTrend Controls<\/strong><\/td>\nThe selections you make on the Trend Controls<\/a> affect the time range of the chart, data collection method and interval, Y Scale Type, and number of allowable hairlines.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3.<\/strong><\/td>\nTrace Window<\/strong><\/td>\nData is plotted on the Trace Window<\/a>, along with hairlines and comments.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4.<\/strong><\/td>\nRange Selector<\/strong><\/td>\nThe highlighted section in the range selector matches the start and end of the trend time range<\/em>. Use the range selector as a longer trend, to help identify highs and lows. You can select smaller periods within the range selector, to pick a new time range<\/em>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5.<\/strong><\/td>\nTrace Table<\/strong><\/td>\nThe Trace Table<\/a> lists all items (attributes, tags and calculations) in the trend, along with their descriptions and the value at the latest hairline (if any) or end of trend period.<\/p>\n

Use the functionality here to format each trace line (colour, trace style, visibility), add or remove trace lines, add or edit calculation traces, choose a Left or right Y Axis, and manipulate display minimums and maximums.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Trend Tab<\/span><\/h2>\n

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Use the buttons on this tab to manipulate the trend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Reload<\/strong><\/td>\nReload the trend to what is was since the last Save (or to a blank trend, if you\u2019ve just started a new trend). E.g. If you add two new tags to the trend and then click \u2018Reload\u2019, these disappear.<\/td>\nSave<\/strong><\/td>\nSave the trend. You can also save it as a different trend, by changing its name in the Save Trend<\/strong> dialogue.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Submit<\/strong><\/td>\nSubmit an unpublished trend.<\/td>\nHierarchy<\/strong><\/td>\nToggle button<\/em>: click to show\/hide the Hierarchy Navigator<\/a>. Use this to search for entities, with attributes to drag onto the trend. Hiding the Hierarchy Navigator enlarges the Trace Window.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tags<\/strong><\/td>\nToggle button<\/em>: click to open\/close the Tags Navigator<\/a>. Use this to search for tags to drag onto the trend. Hiding the Tags Navigator enlarges the Trace Window.<\/td>\nControls<\/strong><\/td>\nToggle button<\/em>: click to show\/hide the trend controls (date selectors, data collection method and interval, Y Scale Type, and number of allowable hairlines).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Range Selector<\/strong><\/td>\nToggle button<\/em>: click to show\/hide the Range Selector. Hiding the Range Selector enlarges the Trace Window.<\/td>\nTrace Table<\/strong><\/td>\nToggle button<\/em>: click to show\/hide the Trace Table. Hiding the Trace Table enlarges the Trace Window.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
New Calc<\/strong><\/td>\nShortcut to P2 Server Management to create a new calculation<\/a>. Requires permissions for P2 Server Management.<\/td>\nRefresh<\/strong><\/td>\nRefresh the data on the trend. (Note:<\/em> To refresh current data at a steady rate, select \u2018Now\u2019 and choose a 'Duration' and a 'Refresh Rate', in the Trend Controls<\/a>.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Export CSV<\/strong><\/td>\nExport the trend's data to a .csv file for downloading.<\/td>\nSnapshot<\/strong><\/td>\nSave the current selections of the trend as a snapshot<\/a>. Trend snapshots are accessible in the Trend Details window, in the trend's Workspace.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Share Link<\/strong><\/td>\nClick to open the Share Trend<\/strong> dialogue. You can copy the trend's URL and Share the link<\/a>, if you want another user to view the trend with its current selections.<\/td>\nPrint<\/strong><\/td>\nPrint the trend.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Properties<\/strong><\/td>\nOpen the Trend Properties panel for a summary of trend details.<\/td>\nHelp<\/strong><\/td>\nOpen the Trends<\/a> landing page on the P2 Explorer Help Center.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Maximising the Trace Window<\/span><\/h3>\n

You change the trend view to allow more space for the trace window.<\/p>\n

Click any of the buttons in the View<\/em> group of the Trend<\/strong> ribbon, to hide the respective sections: Controls, Range Selector, Trace Table.<\/p>\n

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This is how the trend looks without the Controls, Range Selector, or Trace Table. Click any of the toggle buttons to show that section again.<\/p>\n

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Trend Controls<\/span><\/h2>\n

The selections you make on the Trend Controls affect the time range of the chart, data collection method and interval, Y Scale Type, and number of allowable hairlines. Read more about how P2 Server fetches the data<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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1.<\/strong><\/td>\nTime Range<\/strong><\/td>\nThis defines the start and end date and time of your trend.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2.<\/strong><\/td>\nNow<\/strong><\/td>\nIf selected, then this replaces Time Range<\/em> with Duration<\/em> and Refresh Rate<\/em> (for example 1 week<\/em> duration, refreshed every 2 minutes<\/em>).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3.<\/strong><\/td>\nSample Method<\/strong><\/td>\nThis is the method (for example, average<\/em>) that P2 Server uses to collect the trend data.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4.<\/strong><\/td>\nSample Interval<\/strong><\/td>\nThis is the interval (for example, 1 week<\/em>) that P2 Server uses to collect the trend data.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5.<\/strong><\/td>\nY Scale Type<\/strong><\/td>\nYou can choose Log (uses logarithmic data points) or Linear (uses actual data points).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6.<\/strong><\/td>\nHairlines<\/strong><\/td>\nChoose the number of hairlines allowable on the trend (single, dual, multiple or none).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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The Trace Table<\/span><\/h2>\n

The controls Auto Range<\/em> and Y-Axis<\/em>, above the trace table, affect the Y-Axes in the trace window.<\/p>\n

The trace table displays the trace items. Configure your trace items by updating the table. Your selections are saved when you save the trend, or you can save your selections to a snapshot of the trend.<\/p>\n

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1. <\/strong><\/td>\nColour<\/strong><\/td>\nTo change the trace colour, click to open the colour wheel, then select a colour or choose a custom colour where you can also set opacity.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2. <\/strong><\/td>\nStyle<\/strong><\/td>\nTo change the trace style, click to open the style wheel, then select from Line, Area, Dot, Step Before, <\/strong> and Step After<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3. <\/strong><\/td>\nShow\/Hide Trace<\/strong><\/td>\nSelect this to hide the trace, and de-select to show it again.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4. <\/strong><\/td>\nName<\/strong><\/td>\nThe trace Name<\/a> is a full display name of the item which is a tag, attribute value, or calculation. An attribute value could have an underlying value of a tag or a calculation.<\/p>\n

You can drag an item onto the trend, and the name will insert into a new row automatically. Or you can type a name in, using Auto-Complete<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Click the calculator icon to edit the item in the Calculation Editor<\/a>; for example, you can edit an attribute value to use the \u2018entity\u2019 keyword to turn this into a templated trace item.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

5. <\/strong><\/td>\nDescription<\/strong><\/td>\nThe description, from the underlying tag or calculation.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6. <\/strong><\/td>\nValue<\/strong><\/td>\nThis shows the values for the respective items in the trace. If the trend has hairlines, then this is the current value from the latest hairline that was added or moved; otherwise, it is the current value from the end-time of the selected time range for the trend.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7. <\/strong><\/td>\nUnits<\/strong><\/td>\nThe units, from the underlying tag or calculation.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8. <\/strong><\/td>\nDisplay Min<\/strong><\/td>\nThe minimum value, from the underlying tag or calculation's Display Range<\/em>. Click in the box to edit the value, or click Auto Range<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9. <\/strong><\/td>\nDisplay Max<\/strong><\/td>\nThe maximum value, from the underlying tag or calculation's Display Range<\/em>. Click in the box to edit the value, or click Auto Range<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10. <\/strong><\/td>\nAxis<\/strong><\/td>\nTrace items get a Left Y-Axis by default. Click L<\/strong> to give an item a Left Y-Axis, and click R<\/strong> to give an item a Right Y-Axis.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11. <\/strong><\/td>\nIndicators<\/strong><\/td>\nAny issues with the data or the data fetch are indicated by an error icon. Hover over the icon to view error details. \"\"<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12. <\/strong><\/td>\nRemove Trace<\/strong><\/td>\nTo remove the trace from the trend, click the X<\/strong> to the right of the trace item.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Trace Name<\/h3>\n

The item\u2019s Name<\/strong> in the trace table has the following features:<\/p>\n