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P2 Server 4.4 is the engine that powers data retrieval from a variety of disparate sources, with built-in relationship models based on a Data Dictionary. P2 Server is how you get your data, transform it into more useful data, and then serve it up to other applications such as P2 Explorer or P2 Sentinel, for further analysis.
Release 4.4.5 adds significant improvements to the Calculation Editor in P2 Server Management, selective export options, additional tag properties, and support for link parameters.
Calculation Editor Enhancements
Expression Testing
The calculation editor now allows users to check the results of their calculation. This allows users to have confidence in the calculation, beyond simply knowing that the syntax is correct, and enables them to determine whether or not they are getting the data they need from the calculation.
Users can also choose to save the results to a .csv file, or to open the results in a new window. This provides an easy way to compare the effects of using different expressions or parameters for the calculation.
The new ‘Test’ tab below the calculation editor allows you to specify parameters for your calculation test. Parameters include:
- Entity (if required)
- Time Range (calculated from ‘now’)
- Sample Method
- Sample Interval
The ‘Test’ button will become available once the calculation is recognised as being syntactically correct.
The Test Results are displayed below the parameters, after the ‘Test’ button is clicked. The results show not only the returned data, but also a summary of the parameters used, as well as the time taken for the calculation and options to export to .csv or to open the results in a new window.
New Calculations Tab
The Component Selector includes a new Calculations tab. This tab lists all the calculations that have already been created in P2 Server Management, and allows you to add them to a different calculation.
Search Filter Improvements
The search filter has been enhanced so that the list of items is searched to see if they contain the search term. Previously, the list was searched to see if the items only started with the search term.
For example, searching for “ft” in the functions list will now return ShiftStart, ShiftEnd, and ShiftNumber. Previously, no functions would have been returned as there were none that started with “ft”.
Save Calculations in Error
Users are now able to save calculations even when the expression is not syntactically correct, as long as the other required properties (Name and Type) have been completed.
This means that while creating complex calculations, if users need to leave they can now save the calculation to finish later, without losing potentially hours of work.
Tag Descriptions
Descriptions for tags have been reformatted for better legibility. The description now sits to the right of the tag name, and is formatted in grey italic text.
Filter Tags by Datasource
In the Tags tab, you can now filter the tags by selecting a datasource from the drop-down list. This makes it easier to find tags if you know where they have come from.
Tag Properties
Tag pages in P2 Server Management have been updated with several new properties, which can be used by consuming applications for their own purposes. These properties are also available to calculations of type ‘tag’. The new options are:
- Default Timebase: This is the time range that will be used by default when the tag or calculation is displayed in consuming applications, such as being added to a P2 Explorer trend.
- Interpolation: This is the type of interpolation to use for the data returned by this tag or calculation. This affects how the data is displayed on a chart or trend.
- Decimal Places: The number of decimal places to display for the tag or calculation. An example of this being used is when the tag is displayed in the Status Tile of P2 Explorer.
- Scan Rate: The frequency with which the tag or calculation is updated with live values in the data source. Consuming applications will be able to use this to limit the range of a raw fetch on data which has a high scan rate.
Link Parameters
Previously, links created in P2 Server Management that pointed to pages and trends in P2 Explorer, were stored as GUIDs, so query string parameters could not be used because they were not a URI.
In this release, links in P2 Server have been extended to include parameters so that state can be passed to an Explorer page or trend.
All links are now of type URI, and the URI value now accepts a full link from P2 Explorer pages and trends. This means that all page and trend parameters can now be used with the URI, so that state is now passed in to P2 Explorer.
Examples of URIs that can be created include:
https://[ServerName]/P2.Explorer/trends/guid/[TrendIdentifier]/10?timebase=86400 https://[ServerName]/P2.Explorer/pages/guid/[PageIdentifier]/10?selectedEntity=Archer
Export Options
The Export page has been updated to allow users to select the objects they want to export. The objects usually – but not always – correspond with sheets in the workbook.
Along with the ability to select objects, users can ensure that the integrity of the data is maintained during a subsequent import by including dependent objects. When ‘Include Dependencies’ is selected, the selected objects (along with their corresponding worksheets) are also included in the export.
