Define the Time Line Settings

You can use the Edit Trace window to define the settings for the Time Line on an X-Y Plot. The settings allow you to define:

• The default start time for the Time Line
• The amount of time shown on the Time Line by default
• The maximum number of values that can be shown
• The shape, color, and size of marker.
  

To define the Time Line settings:

1. Display the X-Y Plot in Design mode (see Display an X-Y Plot in Design Mode).
2. Right-click just to the right of the Y-Axis or just above the X-Axis.
   A context-sensitive menu is displayed.
3. Select the Edit Trace Settings option.
   The Edit Trace window is displayed.
4. Use the settings at the bottom of the window to define the Time Line configuration:

   

   • Start—Define whether the default start of the Time Line is a specific time or is relative to the current time. Choose:
     • Relative Time—The Time Line will begin at a data and time that is relative to the current time. You can use the adjacent field to define the start offset (enter the offset in the OPC Time format or select the browse button and use the Configure Start Offset window to define the start offset). For more information, see see Using OPC Time Formats in the ClearSCADA Guide to Core Configuration.
     • Specific Time—The Time Line will begin at a date and time that you specify. Use the adjacent combo-box to select the required start time and date.
   • Duration—Define the amount of time that is shown on the Time Line by default. The amount of time that you define is the interval for the X-Y Plot, for example, if you set the Duration to 1D, the Time Line can only show 1 day’s worth of data at a time. The Duration defines the default amount of time shown on the Time Line—the Time Line can be set to show different intervals by using the Go To Time option (see Move to a Specific Time on an X-Y Plot).

     Enter the amount of time in the OPC Time format or select the browse button and use the Configure Duration window to define the interval. For more information, see see Using OPC Time Formats in the ClearSCADA Guide to Core Configuration.

     NOTE: You can view the previous day’s data or the next day’s data by using the Previous Interval, Next Interval, and Pan tools (see Moving Between Intervals on an X-Y Plot).

   • Data Points—Define the number of values that will be shown on the X-Y Plot (where a single value consists of an X value and a Y value). You can choose between 1 and 5000.

     Increasing the Data Points number will cause the X-Y Plot to display more values and so the X-Y Plot will provide greater detail. While this is often beneficiary, it can also cause slow performance if multiple users are accessing the X-Y Plot simultaneously and are navigating through the available intervals. This is because the server will need to recalculate the values for each interval. Conversely, decreasing the Data Points number will reduce the potential demand on system resources but will also provide less detailed information.