Explorer Release 4.5.5

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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’s 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.

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. Navigation 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.

Patch Release 4.5.5 introduces XY Mode in the Trend, as well as several minor usability enhancements for the Chart components. Hairlines, tooltips, and comment markers have received a facelift, following feedback from customers, and the current timestamp is now available on Point Detail pages for tags and attributes.

 

XY Mode in Trend

The Trend now includes an option to display time series data using either Time Series Mode or XY Mode. Time Series Mode, which is the default, displays time series data as values in time along the x-axis in the trace window. XY Mode is used to display a relationship or model between the traces, with one tag representing the range of values on the x-axis, and the other tags plotted along the Y Axis.

XY Mode allows you to easily represent relationships or models rather than time series trends, such as PQ curves or pressure temperature relationships. XY Mode is very powerful for process analysis, as the calculation engine can be used to calculate regressions, correlation coefficients, residuals, and so on, and plot these on the same axis.

You can set the data item you want to display on the x-axis by selecting a radio button against one of the rows in the trace table.

When XY Mode is selected, you can still choose to have separate or shared y-axes, as well as a linear or log scale, and you can still choose to auto range the data; however, the raw sample methods and hairlines are not available.


Trend Autorange

The way Autorange is calculated on a trend has changed to make more use of available space and to include more data.

In this release, Autorange includes all data points within 5 standard deviations of the mean. The trend also uses the maximum and minimum values within that range to determine the range along the Y Axis. This means that the trend will now show more of the data, with fewer gaps.

Autorange on the Trend in version 4.5.5

In previous versions, when Autorange was selected, data points within 3 standard deviations of the mean were re-distributed along the Y Axis. Data points that occurred out of this range would be excluded, and a gap would appear in the trace line.

Autorange on the Trend in version 4.5.4

 


Trend Range Selector

The Range Selector in the Trend now displays average values, with Autorange applied. This makes it easier to see changes to the trace line when the values in the trace window are similar.

Range Selector autorange on the Trend in version 4.5.5

In previous versions, it would display average values without Autorange applied. The Range Selector would only display autoranged values when it was applied to the whole trend.

Range Selector on the Trend in version 4.5.4

 


Updated Hairline

Following customer feedback, the hairline available for both charts and trends has received a facelift with a sleeker design which makes it easier to interpret at a glance. This addresses customer request SF373348.

The timestamp has been split from the information box, and is now available at the top of the hairline.

When you move hairlines so that they approach each other, the information box flips so that the values are not obscured.

Data point values and other information is now available in separate information boxes, which are coloured to match the colour of the trace/series.

The Value Difference when using Dual or Multiple hairlines has also returned, and is displayed in brackets in the middle of the information box.

Initially, the information box shows only 3 items: the data value, the value difference, and the comment icon. When you hover over the box, it expands to show the name of the data item.

Hairline Behaviour Changes

  • For dot series, interpolation for values in hairlines has changed to Last Known Value. Previously, it used the nearest value.
  • If a series/trace contains no value (or a null value), the information box will not appear. Previously, the box would display with a blank value.
  • When both Y Axes are enabled, hovering over one of the axes causes the hairline on the non-selected axis to fade. Previously, only the series/trace would fade.

This release (4.5.5):

Previous version (4.5.4):


Chart Grid

In previous versions of the chart and trend, the distribution of ticks along the Y Axis was calculated automatically, starting from the number at the base of the Y Axis and finishing at the top of the Y Axis. This meant that the numbers that were displayed were sometimes decimal numbers, rather than whole numbers.

In this release, a new algorithm is used to calculate the ticks so that they will, depending on the range, display whole numbers along the Y Axis. However, this means that the first gridline may not occur at the base of the Y Axis, and similarly there may not be a gridline at the top of the Y Axis. This can be mitigated by specifying min/max values for the Y Axis. This addresses customer request SF396583.

This release (4.5.5):

Previous version (4.5.4):

Top and bottom padding has also been slightly reduced so that the trace can make better use of the available space.

 


Updated Chart Editor

The Chart Editor has received several tweaks to improve usability.

Series Configuration

This release includes some minor improvements to usability when configuring a series.

Column Names

When configuring a series, the Show Column Name has been renamed to Label Option, and now shows options in a drop-down list. This setting affects the label for the series in the legend and hairlines.

This release (4.5.5):

Previous version (4.5.4):

Line Series

In previous releases, a number of interpolation options were provided. Customer feedback indicated that there were too many options and they were confusing. The interpolation options have been rationalised to provide 4 simple options.

  • Linear: Connects the data points using a straight line. This is the default.
  • Curve: Connects the data points using a cubic Cardinal spline with a tension of 0, and control point duplication on the ends.
  • Step Before: Connects the data points using alternating horizontal and vertical lines. The y-value changes before the x-value.
  • Step After: Connects the data points using alternating horizontal and vertical lines. The y-value changes after the x-value.

Stacked Bar Series

Configuration of the Stacked Bar series has been simplified, and segments for a Log Y Scale are more accurately calculated. The series now consists of a parent Stacked Bar Series, which has 4 configuration options common to all series within the stack. Each stack segment is added as a child series. In previous versions, you would add individual Bar Series, in their entirety, to the Stacked Bar Series, which resulted in unnecessary repetition.

The parent Stacked Bar Series has the following configuration options. All required options have defaults, so you don’t need to configure anything further here unless desired. Click the Add button to add a child series.

For each child series, you need to select the Y Column that will be used in the stack.

Removed Settings

The following options have been removed:

  • Colour Matcher
  • Bar Padding (for Bar series)
  • Opacity (for Area series, this functionality is available in the colour picker)

X Axis Configuration

In the X Axis configuration, two changes have been made.

  • When specifying a column, the Data Type now defaults to Time, meaning that charts are now continuous by default. Previously, it would default to String, which meant that charts were discrete by default. This means that the Legend Options will initially show settings for Range Selector and Hairline, rather than Tooltip. To show the Tooltip option, Data Type must be set to String.
  • Configuration of the ticks and gridlines on the X Axis have been simplified in this release. Previously, there were separate options for ticks (a Visible checkbox) and gridlines (Enable Gridlines checkbox). Now, a single Visibility option provides a drop-down list that enables you to select if you want to display ticks, gridlines, or both.

This release (4.5.5):

Previous version (4.5.4):

Y Axis Configuration

As with the X Axis, configuration of the ticks and gridlines on the Y Axis has been simplified in this release. Previously, there were separate options for ticks (a Visible checkbox) and gridlines (Enable Gridlines checkbox).

Now, a single Visibility option provides a drop-down list that enables you to select if you want to display ticks, gridlines, or both.

This release (4.5.5):

Previous version (4.5.4):

Other Configuration

The Legend, Range Selector, and Hairline configuration options have changed slightly in this release.

Legend

In this release, Legend is a single option that allows you to select the position of the legend, if any. To hide the legend, select None. You may now also choose to position the legend on the Left, and the Top-Inside position has been renamed to Inner.

In previous releases, the Legend option was a checkbox which, when selected, added another option that allowed you to choose the position of the legend.

This release (4.5.5):

Previous version (4.5.4):

Range Selector

A range selector is a continuous chart that allows the user to highlight data points on a different, linked chart by dragging a mouse to select a time or number range.

In this release, the Range Selector and Range Selector Update options have been combined into a single Range Selector drop-down list. By default, the range selector is turned off (None).

To enable the range selector, choose how the linked chart is to be updated, from the drop-down list. The linked chart is updated either as the user is actively dragging on the range selector chart (Update On Drag), or after the user has finished dragging (Update On Mouseup).

When the range selector is enabled, the Range Start and Range End variables also become available.

This release (4.5.5):

Previous version (4.5.4):

Hairline

A hairline shows the value of a data point at the x-axis position where a user clicks. The hairline mode determines how many hairlines can be shown at one time.

In this release, when a hairline is enabled, the additional hairline options become available, including a new Hairline Update Mode.

The Hairline Update Mode options are the same as those for the Range Selector – the hairline is updated either as the user is actively dragging the hairline (Update On Drag), or after the user has finished dragging (Update On Mouseup). Update on Mouseup is useful when a large amount of data is being returned.

This release (4.5.5):

Previous version (4.5.4):

 


Visual Changes in Charts

Minor visual changes may be apparent in some charts.

Bar Charts

The Bar Padding setting for Bar Charts has been removed, and bars now have a default Bar Size of 80px. If a bar size was not previously set, the width of the bars will appear to be different in this version.

This release (4.5.5):

Previous version (4.5.4):

Stacked Bar Log Series

In this version, the segments for the Stacked Bar Chart with a Log Y Scale are more accurately calculated. These charts will now appear visually different in this version, compared to the previous one.

This release (4.5.5):

Previous version (4.5.4):

Dot Series

In this version, the grid on a dot series chart has been expanded to fill the available space, and does not change. Previously, the grid would be resized to account for a large dot size.

This release (4.5.5):

Previous version (4.5.4):

Updated Tooltip Format

The tooltip formatting has undergone some minor updates. The heading is now bold, numbers are aligned to the right, and the position of the tooltip now follows the cursor.

This release (4.5.5):

Previous version (4.5.4):


Visual Changes in Charts and Trends

Comment Marker

Comment markers on trends and charts are now colour-coded with the trace or series colour. The shape has also been changed to make the colours stand out more.

The functionality has not changed – click the marker to open the comments window for the corresponding tag or attribute.

This release (4.5.5):

Previous version (4.5.4):


Point Detail

The Point Detail of a tag or attribute value now shows the current timestamp, below the current value.

 


Previous Releases

For a complete list of P2 Explorer release notes, see Explorer Releases.

 

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