Creating a Trend (4.5)

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

A trend displays time-series data, such as tags, attribute values and calculations, trended over a selected period of time.

To create a trend, you can either open a new blank trend (click New Trend on the Home 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). You can add extra data to this trend as well.

Overview

The screenshot below shows a new trend, with four attribute values:

1.	Trend Ribbon Tab	The Trend Tab 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.
2.	Trend Controls	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.
3.	Trace Window	Data is plotted on the Trace Window, along with hairlines and comments.
4.	Range Selector	The highlighted section in the range selector matches the start and end of the trend time range. 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.
5.	Trace Table	The Trace Table 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. 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.

---

Trend Tab

Use the buttons on this tab to manipulate the trend.

Reload	Reload the trend to what is was since the last Save (or to a blank trend, if you’ve just started a new trend). E.g. If you add two new tags to the trend and then click ‘Reload’, these disappear.	Save	Save the trend. You can also save it as a different trend, by changing its name in the Save Trend dialogue.
Submit	Submit an unpublished trend.	Hierarchy	Toggle button: click to show/hide the Hierarchy Navigator. Use this to search for entities, with attributes to drag onto the trend. Hiding the Hierarchy Navigator enlarges the Trace Window.
Tags	Toggle button: click to open/close the Tags Navigator. Use this to search for tags to drag onto the trend. Hiding the Tags Navigator enlarges the Trace Window.	Controls	Toggle button: click to show/hide the trend controls (date selectors, data collection method and interval, Y Scale Type, and number of allowable hairlines).
Range Selector	Toggle button: click to show/hide the Range Selector. Hiding the Range Selector enlarges the Trace Window.	Trace Table	Toggle button: click to show/hide the Trace Table. Hiding the Trace Table enlarges the Trace Window.
New Calc	Shortcut to P2 Server Management to create a new calculation. Requires permissions for P2 Server Management.	Refresh	Refresh the data on the trend. (Note: To refresh current data at a steady rate, select ‘Now’ and choose a 'Duration' and a 'Refresh Rate', in the Trend Controls.)
Export CSV	Export the trend's data to a .csv file for downloading.	Snapshot	Save the current selections of the trend as a snapshot. Trend snapshots are accessible in the Trend Details window, in the trend's Workspace.
Share Link	Click to open the Share Trend dialogue. You can copy the trend's URL and Share the link, if you want another user to view the trend with its current selections.	Print	Print the trend.
Properties	Open the Trend Properties panel for a summary of trend details.	Help	Open the Trends landing page on the P2 Explorer Help Center.

Maximising the Trace Window

You change the trend view to allow more space for the trace window.

Click any of the buttons in the View group of the Trend ribbon, to hide the respective sections: Controls, Range Selector, Trace Table.

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.

 

---

Trend Controls

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.

1.	Time Range	This defines the start and end date and time of your trend.
2.	Now	If selected, then this replaces Time Range with Duration and Refresh Rate (for example 1 week duration, refreshed every 2 minutes).
3.	Sample Method	This is the method (for example, average) that P2 Server uses to collect the trend data.
4.	Sample Interval	This is the interval (for example, 1 week) that P2 Server uses to collect the trend data.
5.	Y Scale Type	You can choose Log (uses logarithmic data points) or Linear (uses actual data points).
6.	Hairlines	Choose the number of hairlines allowable on the trend (single, dual, multiple or none).

---

The Trace Table

The controls Auto Range and Y-Axis, above the trace table, affect the Y-Axes in the trace window.

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.

1.	Colour	To 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.
2.	Style	To change the trace style, click to open the style wheel, then select from Line, Area, Dot, Step Before, and Step After.
3.	Show/Hide Trace	Select this to hide the trace, and de-select to show it again.
4.	Name	The trace Name 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. 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. Click the calculator icon to edit the item in the Calculation Editor; for example, you can edit an attribute value to use the ‘entity’ keyword to turn this into a templated trace item.
5.	Description	The description, from the underlying tag or calculation.
6.	Value	This 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.
7.	Units	The units, from the underlying tag or calculation.
8.	Display Min	The minimum value, from the underlying tag or calculation's Display Range. Click in the box to edit the value, or click Auto Range.
9.	Display Max	The maximum value, from the underlying tag or calculation's Display Range. Click in the box to edit the value, or click Auto Range.
10.	Axis	Trace items get a Left Y-Axis by default. Click L to give an item a Left Y-Axis, and click R to give an item a Right Y-Axis.
11.	Indicators	Any issues with the data or the data fetch are indicated by an error icon. Hover over the icon to view error details.
12.	Remove Trace	To remove the trace from the trend, click the X to the right of the trace item.

Trace Name

The item’s Name in the trace table has the following features:

• The name is preceded by an icon, indicating what it is.
• There is a button linking to the Calculation Editor.
• The Name edit box has auto-complete functionality for tags and attributes.
• The name for an attribute value is displayed as: Entity -> Attribute -> Attribute value

The following icons provide information regarding the trace item:

Icon	Item	Icon	Item
	Tag		An invalid definition, for example an incomplete attribute definition
	Calculation		Templated attribute
	Attribute: this is the icon for the entity’s primary template, and varies, for example		OR Attribute (where the entity’s primary template does not have an icon)

Auto-Complete Trace Name

When you start typing a name directly into the Name column for a new item in the trace table, a list of tags, calculations and entities appears, where the name or description matches the search text.

If you are adding an attribute value, you can do this using auto-complete, starting with the entity name, and qualifying until you have the attribute value, as shown in this table:

1. Type in part of the entity name, then select an entity (TWell 1) from the list of entities and tags.	2. Select a template from the list of templates for that entity.
3. Select an attribute from the selected template’s list of attributes.	4. Select an attribute value from the selected attribute’s list of attribute values.
The fully-qualified display name appears in the Name column of the trace table.

Calculation Editor

Each item in the trace table has a calculator icon in the Name column, linking to the Calculation Editor.

Click the calculator icon, or double-click in the Name column, to open the Calculation Editor.

Use the Calculation Editor to build expressions with the Component Selector, and to validate these expressions as you build them, as well as preview calculation results.

1. Edit Box: Drag and drop components from the Components Selector to build your calculation.

2. Component Selector: Tab through Functions and Keywords, Entities, Templates, Tags and Calculations. Search, drag and drop into the edit box.

3. Details/Errors/Test Tabbed Panels: View and select the details of each component, go through the list of errors, and finally test the calculation.

Read more: Using the Calculation Editor

Watch the video below, to see some of the trace table functionality in action.

---

Trace Window

Data is plotted in the trace window, along an X and a Y-Axis (or two Y-Axes).

You can place one or more hairlines on the trace window, to see the trace data in more detail a particular point in time; you can also add comments from a hairline's information box.

Determining the Y-Axis

Use the trace table, and the controls directly above it, to manipulate the Y-Axes, as described:

Manual Adjustments to Display Minimums and Maximums

Minimum and maximum display values for items in the trace table can be edited, and saved with the trend. The minimum and maximum values help to determine the Y-Axes.

Select Separate from the Y-Axis drop-down list, then edit individual Display Min and Display Max values in the Trace Table.

Note that this does not alter the tag's stored minimum and maximum.

Separate or Shared Y-Axis

You have the option of plotting each trace item against its own axis (Left or Right). Note that even if you choose separate Y-Axes, there is still only one rendered Y-Axis for Left, and one for Right.

Separate Y-Axis

If you want each trace to be plotted against its own axis, select Separate from the Y-Axis drop-down list.

Selecting the Left and Right Y-Axes from the Trace Table

You can control the rendered Left and Right Y-Axes by clicking on one of each of these. If there are no selections, the first of each (Left/Right) is rendered.

Each Y-Axis (Left/Right) is rendered in the colours of its selected item.

Shared Y-Axis

If you select Shared from the Y-Axis drop-down list, then all traces on the Left Y-Axis (L) are plotted against a single, shared Left Y-Axis, while all traces on the Right Y-Axis (R) are plotted against a single, shared Right Y-Axis.

Auto Range

Auto Range is a fast way for you to reset your display minimum and maximum values, so that all of your trace data points are visible on the trend.

Auto Range is only available when Y-Axis is selected as Separate.

To set auto range, click Auto Range.

Auto Range calculates a new Display Min and Display Max for each item, based on the individual items’ data values for the selected time range, and plots the separate trace lines using the new minimums and maximums.

Note that shared traces (where Y-Axis is set to Shared) have the Y-Range automatically set using data values from all of the trace items.

Note that the new Minimum and Maximum display values for items in the trace table are saved with the trend.

Hairlines

Depending on your selection in the Controls, you can add single, dual, multiple or no hairlines to the trace window.

Click on an area in the trace window to add a hairline.

To move a hairline left or right, click the hairline and drag it to the left or right.

The position of your mouse as you click determines the horizontal position of the hairline, and also the vertical position of the hairline information panel.

You can reposition a hairline information panel by clicking on a hairline, and then moving your mouse up or down the hairline. Release the mouse button when you have achieved the desired position.

 

---

Comments

Comments can be added to tags and attribute values on a trend.

You can reply to comments, locate comments on a trace, and search for comments within a period, for a particular tag or attribute value. All tag or attribute comments within the range are listed in the comments window, with comments that apply to later start times listed at the top.

You can edit the comment text, for your own comments.

Comments Window Overview

	1.	Comment Header	This includes the name of the tag or attribute value.
	2.	Comment Edit Box	Type a comment in the edit box, then press Enter to add it. You can edit your own comments after adding them.
	3.	Search Range	Search for any comments for the tag or attribute value, that apply to periods between Start and End times.
	4.	Comment Details	Comments for the tag or attribute value for the search range are listed here. Details for each comment are:
			a. User Name The name of the person who added the comment b. Tag or Attribute Value The Tag or Attribute Value that the comment was added to c. Comment Added When the comment was added, in relation to the current time d. Comment Text This text can be edited by the user who added the comment e. Comment Start and End Times The start and end times that the comment applies to. This can be a single point (where start and end time are the same), or it can be for a period. f. Edit or Reply You can reply to any comment, or to another reply. You can edit your own comment.

Adding Comments

Click the comment icon alongside a tag or attribute value, in a hairline's Information Box.

The Comments Window opens for the tag or attribute value, with a search range for either a single date (12:00AM of the hairline on the Trace Window, if it is a single hairline), or for a period defined by 12:00AM of the dates of the first and last hairline, if there is more than one hairline in the Trace Window.

Type a comment in the Comment edit box then press Enter.

The comment is added for the period marked by the first and last hairline on the Trace Window.

Editing Comments

You can edit the comment text, for your own comments. Comments cannot be deleted.

1. Click Edit, alongside the comment you want to edit.

2. Overtype the comment in the comment edit box, and press Enter or click Save.

Replying to Comments

1. Click Reply, next to the comment.

2. Type a reply in the reply text box, and press Enter.

Searching for Comments

Click the comment icon for a tag or attribute value, in a hairline's Information Box.

	1. If the hairline's time falls within a comment's period, then the comment icon is solid. 2. If the hairline's time does not fall within a comment's period, then the comment icon is outlined.

The search range for the comment is either for a single date (12:00AM of the hairline on the Trace Window, if it is a single hairline), or it is for a period defined by 12:00AM of the dates of the first and last hairline if there is more than one hairline in the Trace Window.

1. In this example, the search range is for a period. You can adjust the period by selecting new dates from the date pickers. 2. This comment is for a single point of time (13/04/2017 at 5:07AM), that falls within the Search times (10/04/2014 to 13/04/2017). 3. This comment is for a period (11/04/2017 at 7:25AM to 12/04/2017 at 1:53AM), that falls within the Search times (10/04/2014 to 13/04/2017).

Locating Comments

Comments are marked on the Trace Window (and also in the Range Selector) by a dashed vertical line with a solid comment icon. Click the icon to open the comment.

Trend FAQs

If you still have questions, read through the Trend FAQs article.

 

---

Tutorial

In this tutorial we’ll add a new trend, and then drop some attributes into the Trace Window, to create trace lines. Next, we'll experiment with features of the resulting trend.

Follow the step-by-step instructions, below.

---

Step by Step: Adding a New Trend

First we'll open a new trend and put some data on there. Next, we'll experiment with changing selections and using the range selector, and then we'll add a hairline with comments. Next, we'll save the trend. And finally, we'll locate and open the saved trend.

You will need to search for attributes or tags within your own environment, to follow this exercise.

Step 1. Adding a New Trend

Open the Home tab on the Explorer ribbon, and click New Trend.

The Explorer ribbon tab appears, with a new blank trend in the main window. The Trend Controls have the following defaults:

• Time Range: From 1 week To {current date and time}
• Now: Not selected
• Sample Method: Average
• Sample Interval: 1 day
• Y Scale Type: Linear
• Hairlines: Single

 

Step 2. Adding a Trace

Related: The Tags and Hierarchy Navigators

To trend an attribute or tag, you can either drag it onto the trace window, or click Add Trace above the Trace Table, and add the item into the Name column using Auto-Complete or the Calculation Editor.

Dragging an Attribute onto the Trend

To add an attribute to the Trace Window: Open the Hierarchy Navigator, select a hierarchy, then drag and drop an attribute value onto the Trace Window.

In our example tutorial, we select the Test Time Series Hierarchy, and navigate to the TWell10 entity: TOrganisation 1>TRegion 1>TArea 1>TField 2>TWell 10.

1. Click Hierarchy on the Trend ribbon tab.

2. Select a hierarchy from the drop-down list (Test Time Series Hierarchy in our example).

3. Navigate through the hierarchy to find your entity, or type the entity name in the search box and press enter, then click the entity.

4. Click Show Attributes to open the Attributes Panel.

5. Select an attribute from one of the templates, and drag it onto the Trace Window (TWell 10[Water Producing Well]:Casing Pressure!Actual, in our example).

6. Now add another one in the same way (TWell 10[Water Producing Well]:Tubing Head Pressure!Actual, in our example).

7. Click Hide Attributes to close the Attributes Panel.

Dragging a Tag onto the Trend

1. Click Tags on the Trend tab.

2. Search for tags in the Tags Navigator that appears on a panel on the left.

3. Drag and drop a tag (%Percent%.7, in our example) onto the Trace Window .

Adding Trace Items Directly into the Trace Table

You can add an attribute value, tag, calculation, or templated attribute directly into the Trace Table.

Click the Add Trace button above the Trace Table, or click in the Name column in a new row in the Trace Table.

Typing in the name

If you know a tag or attribute name, you can type this directly into the name column, always surrounding the tag or attribute name in {curly brackets }. You can also type in a calculation, with the tag or attribute also surrounded by curly brackets{}, for example: {TWell 1:Tubing Head Pressure} + 20, or add a calculation to to an attribute or tag that you dragged onto the trend, by editing the value in the Trace Table. Here are some examples:

Tag	{Silver}
Calculation with a tag	{Silver} * 2
Fully qualified attribute value	{TWell 1[Oil Producing Well]:Age!Actual}
Partially qualified attribute value	{TWell 1:Age}	The primary template (Oil Producing well) and the default attribute value (Actual) are supplied by P2 Server.
Templated attribute value	{entity[Oil Producing Well]:Age!Actual}	Read more about templated attributes, below.

Read more: Attribute Values.

Using Auto-Complete

You can add a new item with Auto-Complete.

Using the Calculation Editor

You can add a new item, or edit an existing one, using the Calculation Editor.

Templated Attributes

This variation of an Attribute definition uses the entity keyword. The entity keyword gets replaced by the entity clicked on the hierarchy navigator (although not updated in the definition).

For example, if you add a templated attribute {entity[Oil Producing Well]:Age!Actual}, then the attribute values for TWell 1 are retrieved and traced when you click TWell 1 in the Hierarchy Navigator.

Syntax: In the Calculation Editor, subsitute the actual entity name with the keyword entity.

As with other attribute definitions that can form part of a calculation, you can use a templated attribute within a calculation, for example: {entity[Oil Producing Well]:Age!Actual} * 3.

Step 3. Using the Trend Controls

In this step, we'll experiment with changing the Time Range, we'll select Now, we'll update the Sample Method and Sample Interval, the Y Scale Type and the number of Hairlines. Note that the selections affect how much data is returned, thus affecting the time taken to render the trend.

Watch the video below to see how the changing controls affect the trend.

 

Step 3.1. Changing the Time Range

The defaults are: From 1 week to current date and time

Select 3 months from the Time Range drop-down list. Note how the trend range now extends for three months.

Note: If you select a long time range (such as three months or longer) there will be a lot of data returned, which will take longer than if you select a short range, such as 1 week.

Step 3.2. Selecting Now

By default Now is not selected.

Select the Now checkbox.

Duration is the time leading up to current date and time. Select a Refresh Rate; this sets the rate at which Explorer refreshes the data as time moves forward, each time getting the current date and time for 'Now'.

Note: The time range is replaced by Duration and Refresh Rate.

Step 3.3. Changing the Sample Method

The default is: Average.

Select Linear Interpolate from the Sample Method drop-down list.

Note: Raw sample method will usually return the highest number of data points, potentially affecting performance.

Step 3.4. Changing the Sample Interval

The default is: 1 day.

Select 30 minutes from the Sample Interval drop-down list.

Note: The shorter your interval (for example 5 seconds) the more data required, potentially affecting performance.

Step 3.5. Changing the Y Scale Type

The default is: Linear.

Select Log from the Y Scale Type drop-down list.

Note: Negative values cannot render in the logarithmic scale type. If a trend includes data points of zero, then instead of showing an error for the Log Scale Type, Explorer plots a point that is close to zero, and displays this as zero.

Step 3.6. Changing the Hairlines

The default is: Single.

Select Dual from the Hairlines drop-down list.

Note: You can now add two hairlines to the trend.

Note: Other options are None and Multiple (which allows you to add up to five hairlines).

Step 4. Changing your Time Selection with the Range Selector

The Range Selector, located below the Trace Window, works together with the Time Range trend controls to set your trend time range. By default, the range selector has a highlighted section that matches the time range set by the date pickers, with an equal amount of time shown before and after.

Resizing the highlighted section

1. Hover the mouse over the left or right edge of the highlighted section, until you see the mouse horizontal resize pointer .

2. Now click and drag to left or right. Note how the trend start and end time changes.

Moving the highlighted section

1. Hover the mouse over the central portion of the highlighted section, until you see the mouse move pointer .

2. Now click and drag the whole highlighted section to left (earlier) or right (later). Note how the trend start and end time changes.

Changing the Range Selector start and end dates

Click the left or right arrow to move the start and end date of the range selector. Note that the dates on the highlighted section do not change; the highlighted section just moves across (to left or right) in relation to the changing start and end dates of the range selector.

 

 

Step 5. Adding a Hairline and Comments

Add a hairline to view values (if any) for all trended tags at a particular point in time. You can leave a comment for a trended tag at the hairline point, or view and reply to other comments.

New Hairline

Click a point on the trace to get a hairline, a vertical line marking out this time, with an information box to the side.

To remove the hairline, close the information box (click X on the top right corner).

To move the hairline, either drag it along the trace, or add a click another point on the trace.

To reposition a hairline information box, click on the hairline, then move your mouse up or down the hairline.

Hairline Information

The Date and Time is displayed at the top of the information box.

Each trace item is identified by its trace legend and its full name. The trace item's value (if any) is displayed to the right, followed by a comment icon.

Adding a Comment

To add or view comments, click the comment icon for a tag or attribute value. See below for more on comments.

Step 6. Adding, Viewing and Replying to Comments on a Trend Tag

Read about Comments in the outline above.

Step 6.1. Adding a Comment

1. Click the comment icon on the hairline information box, to open the Comments Window.

2. In the Comments Window, type in a comment, then press Enter.

Step 6.2. Replying to Comment

Comments are indicated on the trace by a vertical, dotted line. In a hairline's information box, the comment icon is filled in, if there is a comment for the item for the hairline time.

1. Click the comment icon to open the Comments Window.

2. In the Comments Window, click Reply.

3. Type in a reply, then press Enter.

Step 7. Saving Your Trend

Saving a Blank Trend

On the Trend ribbon tab, click Save.

The Save Trend window opens. Type in a Name for your trend, and save to My Workspace or select a Workspace from the drop-down list. Or click Create new workspace, to save the trend to a new workspace.

Saving a Named Trend

The trend you just saved now has a name. You can save this trend to a new name.

On the Trend ribbon tab, click Save.

The Save Trend window opens. Type in a Name for your trend, and save to a workspace.

There are now three trends: the original Blank Trend, and your two new saved trends.

When you close all three, only the saved trends can be reopened.

Note: You can also take a snapshot of your trend.

Step 8. Search for a Trend

Now that you have created and saved your trends, here is how you can find them again:

Searching for a Trend in a Search Page

1. Click Search on the Home ribbon tab.

2. In the open Search page, select the Trends tab.

3. Type the search filter into the search box.

4. Click the Search button, or press enter.

Click on a trend in the list, to open it.

See also: Search for Trends

 

Searching for a Trend in a Workspace

1. Open the Home tab on the Explorer ribbon, and click Workspaces.

2. Click the workspace that contains the trend (in this example, My Workspace).

3. Click Trends in the main area.

4. Type part of the trend name in the Filter Trends search box.

5. Click the trend thumbnail to open it.

 

---

Release History

• Creating a Trend (this release, 4.5):
  • Trace name showing display name.
  • Auto-complete tags and attributes for the trace name.
  • In-line link to the Calculation Editor.
  • Hairline information box positioning.
• Creating a Trend 4.4.6:
  • Trace Table layout and column changes (single trace table, value column, display min and max).
  • Determining the Y-Axis (manual adjustments to display min and max, separate Y-Axes, Auto Range).
  • Zero in Log Scale Plots.
• Creating a Trend 4.4.5:
  • You can add a templated attribute to the trace table.
• Creating a Trend 4.4.4:
  • The trace table now includes a description for tags and attribute values.
  • Hover over a name or description in the trace table to see the full name/description in a tooltip.
• Creating a Trend 4.3.2:
  • Auto-refresh to 'Now'
  • Show/Hide Trend controls
  • Trace Table split into Left Y Axis and Right Y Axis
  • Multiple hairlines available
• Creating a Trend 4.3.1