{"id":33669,"date":"2017-12-07T10:17:41","date_gmt":"2017-12-07T02:17:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/help\/?page_id=33669"},"modified":"2026-08-13T22:33:59","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T14:33:59","slug":"explorer-release-4-5-4","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/oihelp.corporate.ifs.com\/help\/p2-explorer\/explorer-releases\/explorer-release-4-5-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Explorer Release 4.5.4"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"P2_RGB<\/p>\n

P2 Explorer 4.5 addresses the need for users to build their own Explorer pages and trends. With the addition of two critical components, the Performance Curve and the Embedded Trend, Studio\u2019s Toolbox has a comprehensive set of controls, enabling you to create the pages that you need, in order to optimise the way you display your data.<\/p>\n

Explorer 4.5 offers a more usable Design Mode, and a Display Mode that makes it simpler for users to navigate through the displays, and easier to understand data and trends.\u00a0Navigation has been streamlined to give a better user experience, allowing users to link to pages, trends or related information on external URLs through hyperlinks or drill-down charts on pages, as well as view a trend or point details of data displayed on pages. Workspaces are easier to work with than before, and the ribbon tabs have been consolidated.<\/p>\n

Patch Release 4.5.4 provides dozens of fixes, as well as changes to several components, making them easier to work with. Studio has had some improvements to navigation, making it easier to work with pages while editing. Notable features are the wildcard search on tags and attributes, the new \u2018relative time\u2019 trigger type, the Save As feature that\u2019s now available in Display Mode, and the ability to drag tags and attributes from the Navigators onto any open page or trend, or from a page to any other page or trend (in Design and Display modes).<\/p>\n

Note: P2 Server 4.5.4 is a prerequisite for P2 Explorer 4.5.4.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Searching with Wildcard Filtering<\/h2>\n

All Search functions in Explorer now have Wildcard filtering capabilities for tags and entities, allowing you to search for patterns, as an alternative to the regular simple text match available since earlier versions.<\/p>\n

Using Asterisks<\/strong><\/p>\n

Use an asterisk (*) at the beginning, middle and\/or end of the search text, to search for patterns that contain one or more alpha-numeric values.<\/p>\n

Search results match the search term for all text before or after the asterisks. Any number of alpha-numerical characters can replace the asterisks in the search term. For example, the search term \u2018*900\u2019 will return search results ending in \u2018900\u2019 (such as 12350900<\/strong>, \u2018ABC900<\/strong>\u2019, \u2018989hhh900<\/strong>\u2019, etc.), while the search term \u2018*.pump*rate\u2019 returns results that contain alpha-numeric values before and after \u2018.pump\u2019, and end with \u2018rate\u2019 (such as \u2018Abes.Pump<\/strong>FlowRate<\/strong>\u2019, \u2018Alligator.Pump<\/strong>FlowRate<\/strong>\u2019, etc.).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Using Question Marks<\/strong><\/p>\n

Use one or more question mark characters (?), to limit replacement text to one alpha-numeric character per question mark symbol.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Examples Using One or Both Symbols<\/strong><\/p>\n

You can also use a combination of asterisks and question marks, as shown in the table below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Search String<\/strong><\/td>\nValid Search Results<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
RT??MN<\/td>\nRT<\/strong>ABMN<\/strong>
\n RT<\/strong>W1MN<\/strong>
\n RT<\/strong>12MN<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*99?2?4<\/td>\nHello99<\/strong>12<\/strong>34<\/strong>
\n ABCDEFG99<\/strong>H2<\/strong>I4<\/strong>
\n A99<\/strong>Z2<\/strong>S4<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pump*8?<\/td>\nPump<\/strong>00098<\/strong>1
\n Pump<\/strong>XYZ1238<\/strong>3
\n Pump<\/strong>888888<\/strong>0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Note: <\/strong>When searching for page names or trend names, do not use wildcard symbols.<\/p>\n

Saving a Page from Display Mode<\/h2>\n

Now you can save a page without being a page editor. This means you can copy a page to another workspace, or to the same workspace using a different page name, without making any changes to the page.<\/p>\n

You can click Save As<\/strong> either from a workspace detail for a page, or from the page itself, in Display mode.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\n Clicking Save As<\/strong> in the Workspace Detail panel, for a page<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\n Clicking Save As<\/strong> from the Page ribbon, for a page in Display mode<\/em><\/p>\n

The Save Display As<\/strong> window appears, so that you can select a name and workspace to save the page to.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Dragging Data between Display Tabs<\/h2>\n

In Explorer, there are various ways to move data (tags and attribute values) to a page or a trend. For example, you can drag a tag from the Tags Navigator onto an embedded trend on a page (in Display mode), or you can drag it onto a trend. Also in Display mode, you can drag a data label to an Embedded Trend on the same page.<\/p>\n

In Studio mode, you can drag a Tag from the Tags Navigator onto a page, or into a component\u2019s editor, or you can drag an Attribute Value from the Attributes Panel onto a page.<\/p>\n

In this version of Explorer, you have the same functionality available, except now you can choose which page or trend to add to, from any open display. Drag the data item, then hover over a page or trend tab to give it focus, before dropping it onto that page or trend.<\/p>\n

Note<\/strong> that if you are dragging a data label from a page, the original data label remains on the page.<\/p>\n

The example below demonstrates how you can add a label to an embedded trend on Page 3<\/strong>, from a data label on Page 1<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

1. Drag a data label to the tab of an open page or trend.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

2. The page\/trend gets focus. Drag over the embedded trend on the page.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Drop the data label onto the embedded trend.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Trend Updates<\/h2>\n

New Adaptive Raw Sample Method<\/h3>\n

This version of P2 Explorer introduces a new Trend sample method, called \u2018Adaptive Raw\u2019. Adaptive Raw fetches far fewer data points from P2 Server (a maximum of 2000 points), yet renders a trend that is virtually identical to that produced when using the \u2018Raw\u2019 sample method (you may need to adjust the Sample Interval for Raw, to notice this).<\/p>\n

The Adaptive Raw method renders the trend much faster than the \u2018Raw\u2019 method does. The Sample Interval cannot be selected for this method; it is called \u2018Auto\u2019, and is determined automatically to deliver the optimal number of data points. Server fetches the raw data points from the Historian, then uses an algorithm within its calculation engine to reduce the number of points, before sending these on to Explorer for trending.<\/p>\n

Using the Adaptive Raw method, you can now view granular trends over a much longer period than before (up to two years, rather than up to eight hours).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sample Intervals<\/h3>\n

The trend Sample Intervals, which are limited depending on the selected Time Range and Sample Method used, have had these limitations relaxed.<\/p>\n

The trend durations allow for smaller sample intervals, and the default sample method for each duration is more granular than in earlier versions. For example, a 3 months duration now defaults to a 4 hours sample interval (previously, the default was a 12 hours sample interval), and it has 1 hour as its smallest sample interval (previously it was 2 hours).<\/p>\n

New Save As Button<\/h3>\n

There are now two buttons on the Trend ribbon, for saving trends. The Save As<\/strong> button is used for saving the trend to a specified name and workspace. This is what the Save<\/strong> button used to do. The Save<\/strong> button is now used to save to the current trend name and workspace; there is no longer a confirmation dialog for the Save<\/strong> button.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\n The dialog that appears when you click Save As<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Ribbon Updates<\/h2>\n

There is a new ribbon tab, called Details, that is activated when the Point Detail page is opened, for a tag or an attribute value. The Details ribbon tab was introduced in the previous release, 4.5.3.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\n Details Ribbon tab<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Studio Updates<\/h2>\n

Component Focus in Studio<\/h3>\n

In Studio, in Design mode, as soon as you click on a component on the page, the Component editor opens. If you have any of the other Configuration panels open (for Default Values, Triggers, or Properties) this will toggle to the Component editor panel as soon as you click on a component on the page, or drag a new component onto the page.<\/p>\n

This saves you from having to click the Component<\/strong> button on the Studio ribbon, each time you want to edit a component.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\n Clicking on a component opens the Component editor panel<\/em><\/p>\n

New Trigger Type for Relative Time<\/h3>\n

Explorer has a new trigger type, called Relative Time<\/strong>. This trigger is used to set an output Datetime<\/em> variable to a time that is relative to an input Datetime<\/em> variable.<\/p>\n

The new output variable can be used elsewhere on the page, effectively allowing you to have a relative time that keeps pace with the date and time that you are selecting.<\/p>\n

In the example below, a Relative Time\u2019s output time variable is used as the end time for an embedded trend, while its input time variable is the page\u2019s startTime.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

For the above example, this is how the relative time was configured:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
a. Click Add,<\/strong> to add a new Relative Time<\/strong> Trigger<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
b. Optionally add a Trigger Title.<\/strong> We type in RelativeTime1.<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
c. The Input<\/strong> Time<\/strong> is the time that the relative time trigger relates to. We select startTime<\/strong>, which is a page variable.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
d. The Time Difference<\/strong> can be any number of Days, hours, minutes and seconds (Days, Hours, Mins, and Secs). We type in 60<\/strong> for Days,<\/strong> and leave the other fields as zero.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
e. Choose to have the relative time Before or After the Input Time. We select After.<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
f. The Output Time is a variable, and requires a name. We type in twoMonthsLater.<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Note: <\/strong>The different triggers now each have a Trigger Title, which can be used to help organise them.<\/p>\n

Changes to Default Values<\/h3>\n

The Default Values<\/strong> startTime, when configured to use the Relative Datetime<\/em> option, has had a format change, matching the new Relative Time Trigger Type. It is easier to configure, and the smallest duration can be measured in seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\u00a0\"\"<\/td>\n\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The new formatting for Relative Datetime <\/em><\/td>\nPrevious versions used a Minutes-only format<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Dropping Tags and Attribute Values in Preview Mode<\/h3>\n

Previously, there was no change to a page when a tag or an attribute value was dragged from one of the navigators onto a Studio page that was in Preview<\/em> mode.<\/p>\n

With this release, a page that is in Preview<\/em> mode automatically switches to Design<\/em> mode when a user tries to drag a tag or an attribute value onto the page, or into the property editor of a component, so that it can be added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1. The page is in Preview<\/strong> mode.<\/em><\/td>\n2. As you hover over the page, it changes to Design<\/strong> mode, so that you can drop the tag onto the page.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Dropping Components in Preview Mode<\/h3>\n

In Studio, a page that is in Preview<\/em> mode automatically switches to Design<\/em> mode when a user tries to drag a component from the Toolbox onto the page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1. The Studio page is in Preview<\/strong> mode.<\/em><\/td>\n2. As you hover over the page, it changes to Design<\/strong> mode, so that you can drop the component onto the page.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Component Changes<\/h2>\n

Changes to the Hyperlink<\/h3>\n

The hyperlink component now has all three Tab Type options for any of the hyperlink types. These options are: New Explorer Tab, Same Explorer Tab,<\/em> and New Browser Tab<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Note: <\/strong>Unsecured (HTTP) URLs will always open in a new browser tab, when opened from a secured Explorer (HTTPS) site, regardless of the selected tab type.<\/p>\n

Embedded Trend with Adhoc Calcs<\/h3>\n

Previously you could drag and drop a data label onto an embedded trend to show an attribute value or a tag. In this version of Explorer, ad hoc calculation data labels can also be dragged onto an embedded trend.<\/p>\n

Changes to the Bullet Graph<\/h3>\n

The bullet graph has several small updates, as part of the work addressing isses that were raised.<\/p>\n

The two bullet charts shown below share the same style properties, and are also configured to use the same values (Actual = 10, Target = 20, Measure 1 = 10, Measure 2=15<\/em> and Measure 3=18<\/em>).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\n A bullet chart in version 4.5.4<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\n The same bullet chart in earlier versions<\/em><\/p>\n

In version 4.5.4, the changes in appearance for the bullet chart are as follows:<\/p>\n