How Do I...

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Search for Tags

Generally, the first thing any user will want to do is find a tag and put it in a trend chart.

Displaying All Tags

  1. Click on the Tags Editor.
  2. Click the + Search icon (on the right) to display the Tags Search display.
  3. Click on without entering any keywords in the search field.
    Your Historian tag names appear in alphanumeric order. If there are more tags available than can be displayed on one page, pagination options show at the bottom of the display.

Displaying Specific Tags

  1. Click on the Tags Editor.
  2. Click the + Search icon (on the right) to display the Tags Search display.
  3. Enter any string of text that will help limit the search results. You can also use wildcards * and ?
    This will help you to filter the search query more precisely. If wildcard characters are not used, then the search will result in all the tags containing the given search string.
    Note: Supported wildcard characters in search are * and ?
    Example for using wildcard characters in search strings:
    Search String Result
    W* All tags starting with letter W
    *e All tags ending with letter e
    W*e All tags starting and ending with W and e respectively
    Tag? All four letter named tags, where the last letter can be anything
    W*0000? All tag names staring with W and ending with 0000 followed by any single letter
    The relevant tag names appear in alpha-numeric order. If there are more tags available than can be displayed on one page, pagination options show at the bottom of the display.

Selecting Tags for Use in Displays

  1. To select a single tag, select it by clicking on it in your search list, and click OK.
  2. To select a range of tags, select the first tag by clicking on it, hold down the Shift key and click on the last tag in the range to select the whole range, and click OK.
  3. To select specific tags, click each tag you want to use once, and click OK.
  4. To reverse your selection of a specific tag in the list, click on that tag again to un-highlight that tag, and click OK.
    After clicking OK, the Tag Search display will disappear, and your selected tags will appear in the Active Tag listing.

Work With Tags

Clicking the Tag tab provides a list of the active tags, or tags you have dragged into a display, Clicking on the Information icon to the right of any tag provides information about an active tag.

Important: Clicking on the Delete icon removes the tag from the Tag list with NO warning or confirmation messages.

Displaying Details for Specific Tags

  1. Display tags in the Analysis tab.
  2. Click on the Information icon to the right of the tag.
    A blue circle appears to the left of the Tag name if you have used the tag in a display. In the following example, the NewProperty1 tag is used in an analysis element so it has a blue dot in front of it.

    This information includes the Name, Tag, Source, and UoM as follows:

    • Name: Historian tag name
    • Description: Historian tag description
    • Source: Source Address from the Collector
    • UoM: EGU Description from Historian

Create a Display

You can create and export various elements using the Editor options to create a display. You can use standard trend charts, tables, value cards, and text.

For more information on building a chart, refer to Build a Trend Chart.

Adding a New Trend Chart

  1. Search for a tag or tags from the Tags menu.
  2. To initially add a trend chart and provide data for the trend chart, you can do one of the following:
    • Click, drag, and drop a tag from the listing to the Chart icon.

      A blue dot appears before that tag to indicate that the tag is rendered in the new chart.

    • Click the Add an Empty Chart icon to open a display area, and then click, drag, and drop a tag from the tag list or search results list into the trend chart.
    Note:
    • You need to click the name to drag a tag to a chart or any other object.
    • Charts are named sequentially (Chart 0, Chart 1, Chart 2) until you change the title.
  3. Continue by applying time, modes, or filter limits or modify this chart.

Adding a Value Card

  1. From the Toolbar, click the Add an Empty Value Card icon.
    An empty value card appears.
  2. Click and drag a task to the Value Card area.
    Important: Clicking on the X (in the top right corner) deletes the value card with no warning. You do NOT receive any warning or confirmation messages.

Adding Text

  1. From the Toolbar, click the Add Empty Text Box icon.
    An empty text box displays with a formatting toolbar.
  2. Enter text as it relates to the item. Use the icons in the toolbar to format text as appropriate.

Adding a Current Value Table

  1. From the Toolbar, click the Add Empty Current Value Table icon.
    An empty current value table appears.
  2. To add data to the table, drag and drop a tag in the table.
    The current value of the tag displays in the table.
  3. Continue to add tags as appropriate.

Removing an Item

  1. In the analysis area, select the item you want to delete.
  2. Click the Remove icon.
    Important: This action removes the item from the analysis session WITHOUT a warning or confirmation message box.

Creating or Modifying the Title

Note: The analysis title remains unchanged until manually overwritten.
  1. Create or open your main display.
  2. Click the title at the top of the display area.
    A text box opens.
  3. If a name exists, delete the name and enter the new name for the title.
    Note: Commas are not permitted in the analysis title.
  4. Click outside the dialog box or press Enter to save the new title.

Build a Trend Chart

You can create standard trend charts.

Creating a New Trend Chart

  1. Search for a tag or tags from the Tags menu.
  2. To initially add a chart and provide data for the chart, you can do one of the following:
    • Click, drag, and drop a tag from the listing to the Chart icon.

      A blue dot appears before that tag to indicate that the tag is rendered in the new chart.

    • Click the Add an Empty Chart icon to open a display area. Then click, drag, and drop a tag from the tag list or search results list into the chart.
    Note:
    • You need to click the name to drag a tag to a chart or any other object.
    • Charts are named sequentially (Chart 0, Chart 1, Chart 2) until you change the title.
  3. Continue by applying time, modes, or filter limits or modify this chart.

Changing a Trend Chart Title

Note: The chart title remains unchanged until manually overwritten.
  1. Create or select an active trend chart.
  2. Click the title in the upper left corner of the chart (for example, Chart 1).
    A text box opens.
  3. Delete the existing name and enter the new name.
  4. Click outside the dialog box or press Enter to save the new title.

Displaying the Y Axis on the Alternative Side of a Trend Chart

  1. Create or select an active trend chart.

    Typically, the Y-axis displays on the left side of the chart. As you add tags to charts, it continues to alternate sides so that your data becomes enclosed by two Y-axes.

  2. To switch the Y-axis to the other side, from the legend that is used for the Y-axis, click the down-arrow.
    A drop-down menu appears.
  3. From the drop-down menu, click Switch Y-Axis.
    The Y-axis appears on the alternate side of the chart.

Changing the X Axis on a Trend Chart

  1. Create or select an active trend chart.
    By default, the X-axis displays on the bottom of your chart as Time.
  2. Select the tag you want to use to replace Time on the X-axis and click on the down-arrow of the tag to display a drop-down menu.
  3. From the drop-down menu, click Use as X-Axis.
    The tag becomes the X-axis in the chart and an Undo icon appears in the top right corner of the chart.
  4. Click the Undo icon.
    The new tag is removed from the X-axis and returned to the Y-axis. Also, the X-axis reverts back to a time-based axis.

Changing Trend Chart Tag Format

  1. Create or select an active chart.
  2. Click the down arrow on the legend.
    A drop-down menu appears and allows you to select Edit, Switch Y-Axis, Use as X-Axis, and Remove.
  3. Click Edit.
    The Chart Editor dialog box appears.
  4. Select the format to change:
    • Select Series: Highlights your currently selected tag, which means that all additional changes in this editor will apply to this tag.
    • Type: Changes the way the Historian information for this tag is displayed in this chart as either: Line (default), Area, Scatter, or Statistics. The Statistics chart changes the line to a box and whisker plot and provides the minimum, maximum, average, standard deviation, and data sample counts within the interval as determined by the Historian Sampling Mode for the chart as you hover your cursor over the tag.
    • Color: Lets you choose from a drop-down menu of 18 pre-existing colors.
  5. Click OK when you are finished.

Applying a Quick Time to a Trend Chart

Note: When you have two charts open and use the Quick Time Picker to change the time in the first chart and then attempt to use the Quick Time Picker to change the time in the second chart, the second chart does not reflect the duration you selected.
  1. Create or select an active chart.
  2. To quickly select a time range, click one of the Quick Start times: 1h. 8h, 1d, 1w. and 1m.
    The new time range loads and displays in the X-axis of the chart.

Inserting a Chart Below an Existing Object

  1. From the Analysis Toolbar, click the Add an Empty Chart icon.
    An empty chart appears.
  2. Drag and drop the tags into the chart area.
  3. Edit the title as appropriate.

Viewing Statistics for a Trend Chart

  • From an opened trend chart, click the Statistics arrow in the bottom left corner of the chart.

    Information for that chart displays.

Changing the Sampling Mode for Trend Charts

  1. After you have added a chart(s), click Mode at the top of the screen.
  2. Select your Historian Sampling Mode from the drop-down menu.
    • If your selection for Sampling Mode is Calculated, chose your calculation from the drop-down menu.
  3. Select the Sample Increment from the drop-down menu as either By Size or By Time.
    Note: Number of samples by size must be equal to or less than the limit defined by your System Administrator; otherwise, a warning message informs you that the data will NOT be retrieved.
  4. Select Apply to apply to a specific chart, or select Apply to All to apply to all the charts in this analysis session.

Configure Time

The Time button allows you to configure the time range for which you want view data within a chart by entering a start and end time. The Time screen also displays the Time Zone, and Fixed or Relative time.

Configuring the Start and End Time

  1. Select the Time button.
    The Time screen appears.
  2. Place your cursor in the first Start date cell to view a calendar from which you can select the start date.
    The current month's calendar appears.

    You can use the << or >> arrows (at the top of the calendar) to move to another month.

  3. Select the Start date.
    The date appears in the Start date cell.
  4. Place the cursor in the Start time cell.
    The Time Selector appears.

    You can use the up and down arrows to select the Start time.

  5. Select the Start time.
    The Start time appears in the cell.
  6. Place the cursor on the End date cell and select the end date.
  7. Place the cursor on the End time and select the time to end the data collection.
    Note: When an error occurs, the error icon appears. Check to make sure the Start date is earlier than the End date.
  8. Click the Apply (or Apply to All) button to apply the new time selection.

Configuring the Time Zone

  1. Navigate to the System Config tag by selecting Administration under the Admin drop-down menu. Then select the System Configuration tab.
    The System Configuration screen appears.
  2. Click the Time Zone drop-down menu to select either Local or UTC time.
    A message box informs you of the status of this configuration change. If successful, the Sample Date/Time reflects this change.
    Note: You must log out and log in again for the new time zone to become effective.

Choose a Mode

The Mode button allows you to specify how Historian returns the data as you analyze your tags. The default mode for all initial trends is Interpolated, 1000 samples, over the last hour.
Note:
  • Calculation options are not selectable until the Calculated Sampling Mode is chosen.
  • If you enter a number in the sample increment by a size that is greater than the default set by your System Administrator, an error message appears that says Error Warning <number> samples - No data will be returned. If you get this error message, you can clear it by clicking the X in the top right corner of the message and re-enter a number equal to or less than the default as displayed in the message.
  • You must apply a query for it to persist. For example, if you have multiple charts open and you create a query but do not apply it to that chart, and then switch to another chart, and then return to the chart for which you created the query, your query will be cleared.

Changing a Mode

  1. Navigate to the Analysis tab.
  2. Select the Mode button.
    The Sampling Mode and Sampling Increment appear.
  3. From the Sampling Mode drop-down menu, select a sampling mode to specify how the data will be retrieved.
    • If you select Calculated, the Calculation and Sample Increment selections appear with drop-down menus. Select the Calculation you wish to use for this mode. Then, continue with the next step.
    • If you select Interpolated, Trend, Trend to Raw, Interpolated to Raw, Lab, or Lab to Raw, continue with the next step.
  4. From the Sample Increment drop-down menu, select the increment you want to use in this mode.
    • If you select By Time, you must enter the time value and define the unit of time you want to use in this mode.
    • If you select By Size, you must enter the number of samples. The maximum number is defined by your System Administrator.
  5. When you are satisfied with your changes, click the Apply (or Apply to All) button to activate them.

Work With Favorites

You can view, add, delete, load, export, and import Favorites as follows.

Adding a Favorite

  1. Use the Search function to find and select the tag(s) of interest.
  2. Set the time period for the chart by clicking the Time button.
  3. Drag-and-drop the tag(s) to create a chart, table, or value card. You can multi-select several tags using the Ctrl or Shift keys.
  4. Enter a meaningful title for this display by clicking on the title to open the Session Title field.
    Note: The Historian Trend Client uses relative time. When the favorite is restored, it will use the time duration that was configured in the favorite such that the End time is NOW and the Start time is the time duration from the saved favorite. For example, if you set the time period to be 9am to 9pm, the system always displays the last 12 hours from the time that is NOW. The time is set relative to now and displays in UTC time.
  5. Continue the session by building charts, tables, or value cards and adding tags.
  6. When done with your session, click the Save button.
    The Favorite Information dialog box appears.
  7. Keep the Session title as the default name of your Favorite, or enter a meaningful name and optional description.
  8. Click Create to save the Favorite.
    The Favorites pane displays the new Favorite.
  9. Enter a meaningful title for this display by clicking on the title to open the title field.

Deleting a Favorite

  1. Click on the Favorite to be deleted.
    Note: All users with the same log-in name will share the same Favorites and have create/delete rights.
  2. Click the down arrow beside the favorite and from the drop-down menu, select Delete.
    The Delete confirmation message box appears and asks Are you sure you want to delete this Favorite?
  3. Select Yes to delete the favorite.
    Note: If you have deleted a Favorite and have not yet logged out and back into the application or refreshed your browser, you will not be able to use the same Favorite name until you do so.

Restoring a Favorite

  1. Navigate to Favorites view.
  2. Restore the favorite to a chart by using one of the following methods:
    Note: All of these methods replace your current Main Display area.
    • Click once on the name of the Favorite you want to restore.
    • Click Open.
    The favorite displays in the main display.

Updating a Favorite

  1. Select Clear Analysis and Reset Editors.
  2. Click once on the Favorite you want to update.
  3. Make the appropriate changes to the Favorite.
  4. Click Save to save the updated Favorite.

Exporting All Favorites

  • Click on Export Favorites.

    Your JSON file will be saved in your Downloads folder.

    Note: The maximum number of supported Favorites is 100.

Exporting a Single Favorite

  • Open the Action menu for a single favorite and click on Export.

    Your JSON file will be saved in your Downloads folder.

Importing Favorites

  1. To import your favorites for a new user using the same Historian Trend Client but with different login credentials:
    1. Copy (if necessary) the desired JSON file to that computer.
    2. Login to the Historian Trend Client with that users credentials.
    3. Click on Import Favorites, and browse to the location where the JSON file is stored.
    4. Select the file by clicking on it and select Open > OK.
    5. If the Import Favorites dialog box pops up prompting you to select either Overwrite existing Favorites, or Import conflicting Favorites with new names, select your desired option and click Continue (or Clear to end the operation).
  2. To import your favorites to a different Historian, you will need to edit the JSON file in your favorite editor (Notepad, for example) before importing it so that the tag names match those on the new Historian.
    If you use the Historian machine name in the prefix but have a common naming convention for all similar tags, this can be a simple global search and replace operation. Once that is complete, follow the same steps as above.

Export Data to a Spreadsheet

Note:
  • You cannot export data for time periods exceeding 30 days (43200 minutes) or 100,000 points, whichever limit is reached first. If any element in your display exceeds either limit, you will see a dialog box indicating the export limit has been exceeded.
  • If the export fails, a box displays Failed to export, please check error log for more details. You can check the log file, fix the issues causing the failure, and then try to export again.
  • Historian Trend Client provides a configuration in the System Config screen to set a specific delimiter to be used during exporting of data. Only characters that are not reserved characters for XML can be used. The application will not load or it will crash if reserved characters like (<, >, &, etc.) are set as the delimiter.
  • To view the CSV files in the proper format, Microsoft Excel 2007 or Excel 2010 is required.
  • Raw data is exported and limited to 30 days or 100,000 points, whichever limit is reached first.
  • The number of tags per query is determined by the entry in the Query settings.

Exporting Raw Data to a Microsoft Excel File

  1. From your main display, select one or all chart(s) with the tag data you want to export.
  2. Navigate to the Action drop-down menu.
  3. From this drop-down menu, select Export Raw Data.
    The system automatically names the file and you see the download and an automatic save occurs.
  4. Locate the file on your system to open.

Exporting Trended Data to a Microsoft Excel File

  1. From main display, select a tag that you want to export.
  2. Navigate to the Action drop-down menu.
  3. From this drop-down menu, select Export Trended Data.
    The system automatically names the file and you see the download and an automatic save occurs.
  4. Locate the file on your system to open.

Work With Filters

Clicking Filter (at the top of the screen) allows you to specify conditions by which to filter data from Proficy Historian for display in your session.

Note: Filtering with tags from multiple Historians is not supported.

Specifying a Filtering Condition

  1. Navigate to the Analysis tab.
  2. Click Filter from the top of the screen.
  3. Click the Add Condition link on the right side of the screen.
    Three cells appear for you to enter condition criteria:
    • The first cell contains a list of tags used for your analysis session. To select a tag, place the cursor in the cell and select a tag from the drop-down menu.
    • The second cell contains available operations. To select an operation, place the cursor in the cell and select a tag from the drop-down menu.
    • The third cell allows you to enter a value for the tag you selected to filter.
  4. To further refine filtering, specify another condition by clicking Add Condition.
    Another condition row appears allowing for additional filter criteria. Enter the information appropriate for that condition. Continue to add conditions as appropriate.
  5. When you are satisfied with the condition(s) for this filter click the Apply (or Apply to All) button to begin to filter the data.
    The filtered data is loaded into the Analysis session.

Perform Administration Tasks

The System Configuration screen allows you to set both overall system preferences and Historian Trend Client preferences.

Setting the Content Refresh Interval

  1. From the main screen, click the Admin button, and then System Config.
  2. In the Content Refresh Interval field, enter a number.
    By default, the limit is set to 30 seconds.
  3. Press Enter or click outside the field.
    A message box indicates the item was successfully updated.

Changing the Default Time Zone

  1. From the main screen, click the Admin button, and then System Config.
  2. From the drop-down menu, select the Time Zone as either Local or UTC.
    A message box indicates the item was successfully updated. The Sample date/time changes to conform to the new time zone.
Note: Changes made in the System Config require you to login again for the changes to take effect.

Changing the Analysis Sample Size Limit

  1. From the main screen, click the Admin button, and then System Config.
  2. In the Analysis Sample Size Limit field, enter a number.
    By default, the limit is set to 2000.
  3. Press Enter or click outside the field.
    A message box indicates the item was successfully updated.

Changing the CSV Delimiter

  1. From the main screen, click the Admin button, and then System Config.
  2. In the CSV Delimiter field, enter a symbol that you want to use as a delimiter.
    For example, you can enter a period or a comma.
  3. Press Enter or click outside the field.
    A message box indicates the item was successfully updated.

Changing the Download Limit

  1. From the main screen, click the Admin button, and then System Config.
  2. In the Download Limit field, enter a number up to 100,000 that reflects the maximum number of data points you want to export.
  3. Press Enter or click outside the field.
    A message box indicates the item was successfully updated.

Changing the Maximum Number of Days for Export

  1. From the main screen, click the Admin button, and then System Config.
  2. In the Download Window field, enter a number up to 30 that reflects the maximum number of days to export data.
  3. Press Enter or click outside the field.
    A message box indicates the item was successfully updated.