Processbook User Guide: PUBLICATION HSEPB-UM024A-EN-E-June 2012

PROCESSBOOK USER GUIDE
PUBLICATION HSEPB-UM024A-EN-E–June 2012

Supersedes Publication HSEPB-UM023A-EN-E
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Copyright
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Contact Rockwell Automation

Customer Support Telephone — 1.440.646.3434
Online Support — http://www.rockwellautomation.com/support
Copyright Notice
© 2012 Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.
© 2010 OSIsoft, Inc. All rights reserved.
This document and any accompanying Rockwell Software products are copyrighted by Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. Any reproduction and/or distribution
without prior written consent from Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. is strictly prohibited. Please refer to the license agreement for details.
Trademark Notices
FactoryTalk, Rockwell Automation, Rockwell Software, the Rockwell Software logo are registered trademarks of Rockwell Automation, Inc.
The following logos and products are trademarks of Rockwell Automation, Inc.:
FactoryTalk Historian Site Edition (SE), FactoryTalk Historian Machine Edition (ME), RSView, FactoryTalk View, RSView Studio, FactoryTalk ViewStudio, RSView
Machine Edition, RSView ME Station, RSLinx Enterprise, FactoryTalk Services Platform, FactoryTalk Live Data, and FactoryTalk VantagePoint.
The following logos and products are trademarks of OSIsoft, Inc.:

PI System, Sequencia, Sigmafine, gRecipe, sRecipe, and RLINK.
Other Trademarks
ActiveX, Microsoft, Microsoft Access, SQL Server, Visual Basic, Visual C++, Visual SourceSafe, Windows, Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows Server
2003, and Windows XP are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
Adobe, Acrobat, and Reader are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.
ControlNet is a registered trademark of ControlNet International.
DeviceNet is a trademark of the Open DeviceNet Vendor Association, Inc. (ODVA).
Ethernet is a registered trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation, Intel, and Xerox Corporation.
OLE for Process Control (OPC) is a registered trademark of the OPC Foundation.
Oracle, SQL*Net, and SQL*Plus are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders and are hereby acknowledged.
Restricted Rights Legend

Use, duplication, or disclosure by the Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software
clause at DFARS 252.227-7013.
Warranty
This product is warranted in accordance with the product license. The product’s performance may be affected by system configuration, the application being performed,
operator control, maintenance, and other related factors. Rockwell Automation is not responsible for these intervening factors. The instructions in this document do not cover
all the details or variations in the equipment, procedure, or process described, nor do they provide directions for meeting every possible contingency during installation,
operation, or maintenance.
This product’s implementation may vary among users.
This document is current as of the time of release of the product; however, the accompanying software may have changed since the release. Rockwell Automation, Inc.
reserves the right to change any information contained in this document or the software at anytime without prior notice. It is your responsibility to obtain the most current
information available from Rockwell when installing or using this product.
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Contents
Introduction ............................................................ 1
Recent History and Requirements for FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook ....................................................................... 1
What's New in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook 3.2 ............. 1
What's New in This Release ..................................................... 2
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook Essentials ................... 5

What Can You View with FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook ............ 5
Start FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook ..................................... 6
Servers and Connections .................................................... 6
Connect to a FactoryTalk Historian Server .......................... 6
FactoryTalk Historian Security ......................................... 8
Network Errors ............................................................ 8
Displays and Connection Failure ....................................... 9
Node Identifiers for Multiple FactoryTalk Historian Servers ..... 10
Workspace .................................................................... 10
ProcessBook (.piw) ...................................................... 10
Display..................................................................... 11
Create a New ProcessBook or Display ............................... 11
Run Mode and Build Mode ................................................. 12
Add-Ins ............................................................................ 13
Add-In Manager .............................................................. 13
Menus and Toolbars ............................................................. 14
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FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook User Guide
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Command Menus ............................................................. 14

Customize Toolbars ......................................................... 15
Toolbar Buttons .............................................................. 15
Add Buttons to Toolbars ............................................... 16
Browser Toolbar ................................................................. 16
Browse ProcessBooks and Displays ....................................... 16
View Browsing History ...................................................... 17
Set a Home Page ............................................................ 17
Bookmarks and Browser History .......................................... 18
Add/Edit Bookmarks .................................................... 19
Keyboard Shortcuts ............................................................. 20
Assign a Keyboard Shortcut ................................................ 21
Remove a Keyboard Shortcut ............................................. 22
Preference Settings ............................................................. 22
General Preferences ........................................................ 23
Table of Contents Preferences............................................ 26
Display Window .............................................................. 28
Trend Preferences .......................................................... 30
Trend Elements Preferences .............................................. 32
Print ............................................................................... 33
Page Setup for Printing..................................................... 34
Print Preview ................................................................. 35
Printer Setup ................................................................. 35
Change the Language Used for FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook .... 36
About FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook .................................. 36
Work with a ProcessBook ........................................... 39

Basic Steps to Build a ProcessBook........................................... 39
Create a New ProcessBook .................................................... 39
Open an Existing ProcessBook ................................................ 40
Work With Multiple ProcessBooks ........................................ 41
Add ProcessBook Entries ....................................................... 41
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Create a Text or Display Entry ............................................ 43

Linked Display Entry ........................................................ 43
Create a Linked Display Entry ............................................. 44
Linked ProcessBook Entries ................................................ 46
Move Linked Entries ..................................................... 46
Operating System Command Entry ....................................... 46
Create an Operating System Command Entry .......................... 47
Working Directory for Operating System Commands .............. 49
Arrange ProcessBook Entries .................................................. 49
Book View..................................................................... 50
Turn Pages in Book View ............................................... 51
Resize a ProcessBook ................................................... 52
Entries in Book View .................................................... 52
Change the Name of an Entry in Book View ........................ 53
Change the Level of an Entry in Book View ......................... 53
Outline View ................................................................. 53
Collapse or Expand Outline View ..................................... 54
Rearrange Entries in Outline View ................................... 55
Change the Name of an Entry in Outline View ..................... 56
Change the Level of an Entry in Outline View ..................... 56
Copy and Paste an Entry ................................................... 57
Remove an Entry ............................................................ 57
Save a View of Your Displays .............................................. 57
Save and Close a ProcessBook ............................................ 58
Properties ........................................................................ 59
Summary Information in ProcessBook ................................... 59
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook File Properties .................... 60
Modify a ProcessBook Title ............................................ 61
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook Display Properties ............... 62
Import Files to a ProcessBook ................................................. 63
File Sharing Capability ......................................................... 64
Move a ProcessBook to Another PC .......................................... 65
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Work with a Display .................................................. 67

Overview of Display Elements ................................................ 67
Static Symbols ............................................................... 67
Dynamic Symbols ............................................................ 68
Buttons ........................................................................ 68
OLE Objects .................................................................. 68
Manage Displays and Independent Display Files ........................... 69
Open a Display ............................................................... 69
Open Several Displays at One Time .................................. 70
Manage Multiple Open Displays ....................................... 70
Open Independent Display Files ...................................... 71
Browse a Display from Internet Explorer................................ 71
Zoom Display Size ........................................................... 71
Full Screen Mode ............................................................ 72
Search for a Display ......................................................... 73
Reduce a Display to an Icon to Save Space ............................. 74
Save a Display ................................................................ 74
Display Settings .............................................................. 75
Display Scrolling Properties ............................................... 76
Status Bar Indicators ........................................................ 77
Drawing Tools .................................................................... 77
Organizing Symbols ......................................................... 78
Drawing Area ................................................................. 79
Drawing Grid ................................................................. 80
Set Grid Size and Grid Snap ........................................... 80
Formatting........................................................................ 81
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Editable Formatting Attributes ........................................... 81

Font ............................................................................ 82
Line Color ..................................................................... 82
Fill Color ...................................................................... 83
Background Color ............................................................ 84
Line Weight................................................................... 85
Line Style ..................................................................... 85
Line Ends ...................................................................... 86
Formatting Paintbrush ...................................................... 86
ToolTip Statistics ................................................................ 87
Time Range and Playback Toolbar ........................................... 88
Scroll Options Dialog Box .................................................. 91
Scroll Period .................................................................. 92
Scroll Period Constraints ............................................... 92
Scroll Period Time Format ............................................. 92
Change the Scroll Period ............................................... 93
Display Range ................................................................ 93
Change the Display Range ............................................. 93
The Change Display Range Dialog Box ............................... 94
Move the Display Range During Playback ........................... 94
Layers within Displays .......................................................... 95
Create Layers ................................................................ 95
Assign Symbols to Layers ................................................... 98
Layers and Composite Symbols ........................................... 98
Active Layers Status Bar ................................................... 99
Migrate Displays to Another FactoryTalk Historian Server ............. 100
Visualize Data with Symbols ...................................... 103

Trends ........................................................................... 103
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Create a Trend ............................................................. 104

Build a Trend with Multiple Plots ................................... 109
Move a Plot ............................................................. 109
Delete a Plot within a Trend ........................................ 110
Edit a Trend ................................................................ 110
Define Trend Dialog Box ................................................. 110
Display Format Tab ................................................... 112
Trace Format Tab ..................................................... 113
Layout Tab .............................................................. 115
Configure Trend Scale .................................................... 117
Trend Analysis Tools ...................................................... 118
Drag Zoom .............................................................. 119
Trend Zoom 2x In or Out ............................................. 119
Expand a Trend ........................................................ 120
Trend Cursor ........................................................... 120
Add a Trend Cursor ................................................... 121
Remove a Trend Cursor .............................................. 121
Change Time Range ....................................................... 122
How Trends Refresh ...................................................... 122
Trend Appearance......................................................... 123
Grid Lines and Labels ................................................. 123
Grid Lines ............................................................... 123
Grid Line Labels ....................................................... 124
Value Scale Grid Lines ................................................ 124
Single and Multiple Scales for the Vertical Axis ................. 125
Time Scale Grid Lines ................................................ 126
Traces ................................................................... 127
Hide Traces ............................................................. 127
Markers .................................................................. 128
Ad Hoc Trends ............................................................. 129
Create an Ad Hoc Trend .............................................. 130
Save an Ad Hoc Trend Display ....................................... 130
OpenVMS Trends and Graphics .......................................... 131
Convert Trends ........................................................ 132
Convert Graphics ...................................................... 132
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XYPlots .......................................................................... 133

Draw an XYPlot ............................................................ 136
General Tab ............................................................ 137
Configure Pairings ..................................................... 139
Scale Box ................................................................ 141
Plot Time ............................................................... 142
Add a Data Set to an XYPlot ......................................... 142
Display Format Tab ................................................... 143
Plot Format Tab ....................................................... 145
Ad Hoc XYPlots ......................................................... 146
XYPlot Statistics ....................................................... 147
Linear Regression by Least Squares .................................... 150
Correlation Coefficient ................................................... 151
Interpreting an XYPlot .................................................... 152
Zoom/Revert Functions .................................................. 153
Change Time Range Feature ............................................ 156
XYPlot Cursors ............................................................. 156
Move the XYCursor from Point to Point ........................... 157
Bad Status Indicators ..................................................... 158
Out of Range Indicators .................................................. 158
Too Many Points ........................................................... 158
Examples of XYPlots ...................................................... 158
Example 1: Comparing Values for Two FactoryTalk Historian
Tags ...................................................................... 159
Example 2: Comparing Different Tags to Optimize Performance159
Example 3: Lab Comparisons ........................................ 160
Example 4: Comparing a Batch Run to a Standard .............. 161
Example 5: Comparing Two Time Ranges ......................... 161
Additional Dynamic Symbols ................................................ 162
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Values ....................................................................... 162

Add a Dynamic Value ................................................. 162
Button ....................................................................... 165
Add a Button ........................................................... 166
Bars .......................................................................... 168
Add a Dynamic Bar .................................................... 168
Bar Scales ............................................................... 171
Multi-State Symbols ....................................................... 174
Create Dynamic Multi-State Symbols .............................. 175
Static Symbols ................................................................. 177
Text Symbol ................................................................ 177
Add Text to a Display ................................................. 178
Edit a Text Box ........................................................ 178
Move a Text Block ..................................................... 179
Line Symbol ................................................................ 179
Draw a Line ............................................................. 179
Rectangle, Square, Arc, Ellipse, and Circle Symbol ................. 180
Polygon Symbol ............................................................ 181
Polyline Symbol ............................................................ 182
Graphic Symbol ............................................................ 183
Add a Graphic .......................................................... 185
Symbol Library ............................................................. 186
Use a Symbol from the Symbol Library ............................ 187
Symbol Library Options ................................................... 188
Change the Appearance of a Symbol .............................. 189
Symbol Properties ..................................................... 189
Work with Symbols ................................................. 191

Details and Annotations ...................................................... 191
Details Window ............................................................ 191
Open Details Window ................................................. 194
FactoryTalk Historian Annotations Maintenance..................... 195
Add Annotations ....................................................... 196
Data Favorites ................................................................. 196
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Select a Default Symbol for Data Favorites .......................... 197

Search for Data Favorites ................................................ 198
Favorites Panel ............................................................ 199
Use Favorites ........................................................... 199
Import or Export Data Favorites .................................... 200
Process Drags Between FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook and
Outside Applications .................................................. 200
Time Range Toolbar .......................................................... 201
Revert Time Range ........................................................ 201
Change the Time Range .................................................. 202
Use the Scrolling Time Range ........................................... 203
Time Forward and Back .................................................. 204
Set Time Range for Future Trends ..................................... 204
Select and Move a Symbol ................................................... 204
Select Multiple Symbols ...................................................... 205
Rotate a Symbol ............................................................... 206
Flip a Symbol ................................................................... 207
Delete a Symbol ............................................................... 207
Stacking Order ................................................................. 207
Move a Symbol Forward or Backward in the Stack .................. 208
Align Multiple Symbols ....................................................... 209
Group, Ungroup, or Regroup Symbols ..................................... 210
Connect Symbols .............................................................. 211
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Connector Symbol ......................................................... 211

Connect Two Symbols ................................................ 211
Attach a Symbol to a Connector .................................... 212
Connection Points ......................................................... 213
Add Connection Points ............................................... 214
Select Among Multiple Connection Points on One Symbol ..... 214
Delete Connection Points ............................................ 214
Move Connection Points .............................................. 214
Determine the Identifying Number of a Connection Point ..... 215
Connectors Dialog Box .................................................... 216
Connectors Dialog Box, Flow Tab ................................... 216
Configure the Flow Tab .............................................. 218
Connectors Dialog Box, Attachments Tab ......................... 219
Configure the Attachments Tab .................................... 220
Attach a Symbol as an Adjunct to a Connector ...................... 221
Attach a Symbol as an Adjunct to Another Symbol ................. 221
Move Attached Symbols Independently ........................... 223
Detect Connections and Attachments ................................. 223
Reroute a Connector Path ............................................... 224
Item Definition ................................................................ 225
Display or Change Item Definition ...................................... 225
Status Report for Dynamic Symbols ........................................ 226
Status Flags for Data.......................................................... 227
Data Streams ........................................................ 229

About FactoryTalk Historian Data .......................................... 229
FactoryTalk Historian Tags (Points) ........................................ 231
FactoryTalk Historian Tag Search ...................................... 231
View Point Attributes ..................................................... 234
FactoryTalk Historian Server Data Types ............................. 235
Data from a FactoryTalk Historian System ........................... 237
FactoryTalk Historian Data Archive ................................ 237
Updates to FactoryTalk Historian Data ............................ 237
Element Relative Display (ERD) ............................................. 238
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Connect to an AF Database .............................................. 239

Element Search ............................................................ 240
Add Element Relative Data to a Dynamic Symbol ................... 241
Context Path ............................................................... 243
Work with the Element Relative Display Window ................... 244
Data Sets ........................................................................ 246
PI Calculation Data Sets .................................................. 248
Create a PI Calculation Data Set ................................... 250
Intervals and Time Value ............................................ 253
Plot a Moving Average in a Trend .................................. 253
ODBC Data Sets ............................................................ 254
Create an ODBC Data Set ............................................ 255
Custom Data Sets .......................................................... 257
Placeholders................................................................ 257
Processing of Placeholder Queries ................................. 258
Design Placeholder Queries .......................................... 258
Add or Edit Placeholders ............................................. 259
Is a Data Set in Use? ...................................................... 261
Data Set Details ........................................................... 261
Add a Data Set to a Trend ............................................... 262
Time Intervals for Plotting Tags and Data Sets ...................... 264
Refresh a Trend Containing a Data Set ................................ 264
Add Data Sets to Bars or Values in a Display ......................... 265
Run FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook When Data Sets Are
Included ..................................................................... 265
Edit a Data Set ............................................................. 266
Delete a Data Set ......................................................... 268
Copy a Data Set to Another ProcessBook ............................. 268
Loading Custom Data Sets ............................................... 269
Configure a Symbol with an AF Attribute ............................. 269
Configure the AF2.x DataSet ............................................ 271
ODBC ............................................................................ 271
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ODBC Driver Manager ..................................................... 271

ODBC Drivers ............................................................... 271
ODBC Data Sources ........................................................ 272
ODBC Data Access ......................................................... 272
ODBC Data Source Administrator ....................................... 273
Prepare for ODBC ......................................................... 274
Configure the ODBC Data Source ....................................... 275
Use MSQuery to Build Data Sets ........................................ 275
Assumptions About Timestamps and Data Sets ...................... 276
Stored Procedures in Queries ........................................... 276
Troubleshoot ODBC Data Sets ........................................... 277
Trace ODBC Calls .......................................................... 277
Initiate Call Tracing ................................................... 278
Delete an ODBC Driver ................................................... 278
Delete an ODBC Data Source ............................................ 278
Edit an ODBC Data Source ............................................... 279
Embedding and Linking ............................................ 281

Overview of FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook OLE Compound
Documents ...................................................................... 281
OLE Automation in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook ................. 282
Object Linking and Embedding ............................................. 283
Embedded Objects ........................................................ 283
Linked Objects ............................................................. 283
Should You Link or Embed? .............................................. 284
ActiveX Controls ............................................................... 285
Add a Control .............................................................. 285
Example of Embedded and Linked Objects in a ProcessBook Display 286
Icons vs. Graphics ............................................................. 287
Embed in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook ............................ 287
Embed an Existing File in a Display .................................... 288
Embed a New File in a Display .......................................... 289
Windows Drag and Drop ...................................................... 289
Link a File to a Display ....................................................... 290
Dynamic and Manual Updates of a Linked Object ....................... 291
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Edit, Update, or Break Links ................................................ 291

How Links Are Stored ......................................................... 292
Select a New Source Link .................................................... 292
Edit the Appearance of an OLE Object .................................... 292
Commands That Ignore OLE Objects ....................................... 293
Placement of OLE objects ................................................... 293
OLE Object Colors ............................................................. 293
Edit the Contents of OLE objects........................................... 294
Edit the Contents of an Embedded Object ............................... 294
Edit the Contents of a Linked Object ...................................... 294
Edit Contents of OLE Objects ........................................... 295
Delete an OLE Object from a Display ...................................... 295
Display an OLE Object with an Icon ........................................ 295
Convert Objects to Icons ..................................................... 296
Share ProcessBook Displays with Other Applications ................... 297
Embed a New Display in Another OLE Application .................. 298
Embed an Existing Display in Another OLE Application ............. 298
Link a ProcessBook to Another Application ............................... 299
OLE Container/Server ........................................................ 299
Visual Basic for Applications in FactoryTalk Historian

ProcessBook ......................................................... 301
VBA Commands ................................................................ 301
ActiveX Automation ........................................................... 302
What You Can Do with ActiveX Automation in FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook .................................................................... 302
Automation Vocabulary ...................................................... 303
Installation ........................................................... 305

System Requirements......................................................... 305
64-bit Operating Systems .................................................... 305
Upgrade from a Previous Version of FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook306
Other FactoryTalk Historian System Client Products ................... 306
Installation Test ............................................................... 307
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Installed Files .................................................................. 307
System Administrator Notes ...................................... 309

High Availability Configuration Settings................................... 309
Recommended Connection Preference Setting ...................... 310
MDB to AF Migration .......................................................... 311
Module Relative Display Add-in ......................................... 311
Multiple Versions of FactoryTalk Historian Server or FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook .................................................... 312
Playback Toolbar Setting Defaults ......................................... 313
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook Connection to Windows NT Servers313
DEP Security .................................................................... 313
Read/Write Data Access for Users ......................................... 314
Machine Address ............................................................... 315
PROCBOOK.INI ................................................................. 315
Startup Section ............................................................ 316
Startup Example ....................................................... 320
ProcessBook View Section ............................................... 321
Conversion Section ........................................................ 322
Data Manager Section .................................................... 322
Trend Definition Section ................................................. 323
Trend Definition Example ............................................ 325
Colors Section .............................................................. 326
Time Range Scroll Section ............................................... 326
ProcessBook Level Section ............................................... 327
Display Colors Section .................................................... 328
XYPlot Definition Section ................................................ 328
Macro Protection .......................................................... 330
View Only Mode............................................................ 331
IMPPIGP.INI ..................................................................... 332
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Color Section ............................................................... 332

Line Style Section ......................................................... 333
Font Section ................................................................ 334
Marker Section ............................................................. 335
Display Section............................................................. 335
SETUPProcessBook.LOG ...................................................... 336
Supplemental Information ........................................ 337

FactoryTalk Historian Time .................................................. 337
FactoryTalk Historian Time Abbreviations ........................ 337
FactoryTalk Historian Time Expressions ........................... 338
FactoryTalk Historian Time String Examples ..................... 339
Table of Format Values ...................................................... 340
FactoryTalk Historian Point Attributes ................................ 341
Troubleshooting Tips ......................................................... 343
Display Cannot Find Data ................................................ 343
Trend Cursor Does Not Appear .......................................... 344
Trend Legend Does Not Appear ......................................... 344
Cannot Change or Save a Display ....................................... 344
Is an XYPlot Updating? .................................................... 344
Is an OLE Object in a Display Linked or Embedded? ................ 345
Linked Object Data Is Not Updating ................................... 345
ODBC Problems ................................................................ 346
Missing ODBC Trace ....................................................... 346
Missing ODBC Data Sources .............................................. 346
Technical Support and Resources ............................... 349

Technical Support ............................................................. 349
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Knowledgebase ............................................................ 349

Worldwide Support ........................................................ 350
Training Programs ......................................................... 350
Consulting Services ....................................................... 350
TechConnect Support ..................................................... 350
Find the Version and Build Numbers ................................... 351
View Computer Platform Information ................................. 352
Index .................................................................. 353
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Chapter 1
Introduction
As the easy-to-use graphical display interface to the Rockwell Automation
FactoryTalk Historian system, FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook makes
it possible to efficiently display real-time and historical data residing in the
FactoryTalk Historian system and other sources. Process owners use
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook to create interactive graphical displays
that can be saved and shared with others. Users can quickly switch between
run and build modes to create dynamic, interactive displays and populate
them with live data. They also can write scripts that automate displays and
trends by using Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications, which is
seamlessly integrated into FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook. Rockwell
Automation also produces add-ins that perform Batch and other types of
analyses.
Recent History and Requirements for

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook
What's New in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook
3.2
 Enhanced Support for FactoryTalk Historian Asset Framework
Support for Module Relative Displays is discontinued and support for
FactoryTalk Historian Asset Framework (AF) is enhanced.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook 3.2 removes the MRD add-in
when it is installed. Enhanced AF support includes ToolTip statistics
and support for AF data references in the Details window.
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 Enhancements to FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook Display

The Playback toolbar added for v3.2 is enhanced to provide more time
controls and synchronization across multiple displays for time range
changes only. The name of the toolbar is now Time Range and
Playback toolbar to reflect the enhanced functionality.
The Bar symbol now has a scale option.
 Enhanced Language Support
A Language Selection tool is added to the FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook preference page. This tool allows users to switch among
languages installed using the FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook MUI
Pack. This version of FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook has
implemented Unicode and regionalization enhancements. These
features enable you to create displays in one language and use them in
environments with different language and regional settings.
 VBA Enhancements
A newer version of Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is installed,
which addresses some security issues. In addition, support handling
UTC times through automation has been added.
What's New in This Release

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook v3.2 is the last version to deliver MRD
functionality.
New in version 3.2:
 The Element Relative Display (ERD) (page 238) add-in is provided to
replace Module Relative Display. Element relative displays provide a
re-useable display that can be shared across similarly configured
elements.
 Displays can now be played back to review a specific time period
using DVR-like controls.
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 Display navigation is enhanced with browser-based navigation

controls (page 16) that traverse, open, and bookmark displays and
workbooks.
 The FactoryTalk Historian sqc Statistical Quality Control symbol is
now included with FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook.
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Chapter 2

Essentials
What Can You View with FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook
A FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook display entry may contain data
streams (page 229) from any or all of the following sources:
 FactoryTalk Historian servers, including both point data (actual
instrument readings).
 Calculations from FactoryTalk Historian data.
 Other databases with ODBC connectivity.
 Other databases with custom interfaces to FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook.
 Spreadsheets, documents, schematics, graphics, photos, and other
Windows applications through OLE linking and embedding.
 FactoryTalk Historian Asset Framework Servers.
 VBA code.
ProcessBook displays may be linked to other displays within the same
ProcessBook, or to displays in a separate ProcessBook. You can also
include buttons that launch other applications.
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Start FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook

To begin using FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook:
1. Launch the application.
2. Log in to a FactoryTalk Historian Server (page 6).
3. Open a ProcessBook file (page 10) or display (page 11).
Servers and Connections

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is a visualization application designed
for displaying FactoryTalk Historian system data. See the PI SDK Controls
and Dialogs User Help to find comprehensive and up-to-date information
on connecting FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook to a FactoryTalk
Historian server.
Connect to a FactoryTalk Historian Server

Use the Connection Manager to manage connections to FactoryTalk
Historian servers:
 Click File > Connections. The PI Connection Manager dialog box
appears. The dialog box lists the configured servers to which you can
connect. It also shows the server you have chosen as the default server.
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A selected check box next to a server name in the Connections dialog box
indicates an open connection to the FactoryTalk Historian server.
To manage connection settings:

 Click to select a check box and open a connection to a FactoryTalk
Historian server in the list. Clear a check box to close a connection.
 Select a FactoryTalk Historian server in the server pane to access
connection settings.
If you select more than one server, the application tries to connect to each
server using the same user ID and password. If it fails, a new FactoryTalk
Historian Server Login dialog box appears. If you already are logged in to the
server from a different FactoryTalk Historian application, such as FactoryTalk
Historian DataLink, the application uses the user ID and password with which you
logged in. See the PI SDK Controls and Dialogs User Help for more detail.
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FactoryTalk Historian Security

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is designed to support whatever
FactoryTalk Historian Security is configured on the FactoryTalk Historian
server.
1. When attempting to connect to a FactoryTalk Historian server, the
application first attempts to pass your FactoryTalk Security/Windows
log in credentials. The PI SDK will try to use them directly or find a
Trust for the user, domain, application or machine (per Trust
configurations).
2. If all attempts to login to the FactoryTalk Historian server using
FactoryTalk Security/Windows credentials or other machine-related
information fail, then you must have a FactoryTalk Historian ME
native security user account (not FactoryTalk Security/Windows
security-based). In this case, the PI SDK attempts to use the native
FactoryTalk Historian ME user account configured for the server.
3. If the default native FactoryTalk Historian ME user account does not
require a password, then you are automatically logged in. If the default
account does require a password, a login dialog box appears, which
expects the native FactoryTalk Historian ME user account and
password.
For more detailed information on FactoryTalk Historian server security, see

the FactoryTalk Historian SE Installation and Configuration Guide, shipped with the
FactoryTalk Historian server.
Network Errors
Network Errors update the Status Report (page 226) dialog box, rather
than displaying error messages on your monitor. When a display is opened
but the server is not available, only one Select New Node (page 9) dialog
box appears. The dialog box appears once for each server that is not
available.
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Displays and Connection Failure

If the connection to your data is not successful, the display (page 11) is still
drawn, but data in dynamic elements are replaced with indicators
signifying that no data is available.
 Trends are labeled Invalid and no information is plotted.
 Values are replaced with pound signs (###) and the message
Disconnected appears.
 Bar graphs are drawn using hash marks (//////).
 Multi-State symbols show the configured color for bad data.
If a server has been disconnected, and/or cannot be reached, the Select
New Node dialog box appears.
Click Connections to launch the PI Connection Manager dialog box.

From there you can choose a new server from the drop-down list of
connected servers.
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Node Identifiers for Multiple FactoryTalk Historian

Servers
A Node Identifier is stored with each tag name used in a display to point to
the correct server. If you define FactoryTalk Historian server nodes in the
PI Connection Manager dialog box, the identifiers are the same on each
PC on the network as long as the node names for the FactoryTalk Historian
system are the same.
Workspace
When you start FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook, it appears as an open
window or workspace on the desktop. Depending on your settings, you
may initially see an empty workspace, or an open ProcessBook (page 10)
in either Book (page 50) or Outline (page 53) view.
Within the FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook workspace you can open a
ProcessBook (page 10) or independent display (page 11).
ProcessBook (.piw)
In FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook a ProcessBook is the container for
the information and analysis of the process you are monitoring. A
ProcessBook may appear as either a tabbed book - Book view (page 50), or
an outline - Outline view (page 53), and is saved as a separate file with a
.piw extension.
A ProcessBook is a collection of individual displays of data and analysis.
Use a ProcessBook to organize data from the FactoryTalk Historian system
and other sources so that you can analyze the processes you monitor or the
tasks you perform.
A ProcessBook and its displays are stored in a single file.
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Display
The main unit for creating presentations of data in FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook is the display. A display may stand on its own (.pdi or.svg),
or it may be part of a ProcessBook (.piw) (page 10). A display contains all
the symbols used to represent an operational environment using real-time,
production data from FactoryTalk Historian as well as data from other
sources. In addition to containing this collection of data elements, the
display has its own set of features and properties that affect the collection
of data elements.
Displays can show a variety of elements, such as a schematic
representation of a production line, a plot of readings taken from a
production line, or a comparison of lab data and batch specifications.
Displays can also be linked to other ProcessBooks, displays in other
ProcessBooks, or other applications.
Create a New ProcessBook or Display

Use the New dialog box to create a new ProcessBook (page 39), add
ProcessBook entries (page 41), or create an independent display (page 69).
Click File > New to launch the New dialog box.
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Run Mode and Build Mode

When you work with a ProcessBook or an independent display, you work
in one of two operating modes, Run mode or Build mode.
 Build mode.
Most of the functions that you use when you create or modify a
ProcessBook require the Build mode pointer. Use Build mode to add,
remove, or move symbols on a display, to add, remove, or organize
entries in a ProcessBook, and for access to symbol definitions and
formatting tools.
 Run mode.
It is used to open entries and execute commands once a ProcessBook
is built. You can make some changes to a display while in Run mode;
however, working in Run mode keeps you from accidentally making
permanent changes to items in a display.
You switch between modes by clicking the Run mode pointer or the
Build mode pointer , which are located on the Tools menu and the
Drawing toolbar. Your preferred mode of operation is set as a default in
your Preference settings.
You can choose Build or Run mode as your preferred mode of operation by
clearing or selecting the Prefer Run Mode check box in the General tab (page 23)
of the ProcessBook Preferences dialog box. This is a helpful preference if you
spend most of your time building or editing displays.
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Add-Ins
By default, FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook installs with the following
add-in components. You can load or unload these and other add-in
components by using the Add-In Manager (page 13).
 AF 2.x Data Set.
 Browser toolbar (page 16).
 Data Favorites (page 196).
 Details (page 191).
 Element Relative Displays (ERD) (page 238).
 ProcessBook SVG File Converter - enables you to save displays as
SVG files, which can then be used by FactoryTalk Historian
WebParts.
 Time Range and Playback toolbar (page 88).
 ToolTip Statistics (page 87).
 FactoryTalk Historian BatchView.
You can install other add-ins with FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook, but
they don't become available until you add additional applications:
 FactoryTalk Historian BatchView
Add-In Manager
The Add-In Manager lists the Add-Ins (page 13) available in your
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook installation. Use this dialog box to
control whether the add-ins are loaded whenever you use FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook.
1. Click Tools > Add-in Manager. The Add-In Manager dialog box
appears.
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2. Click an available add-in from the Available Add-Ins list.

3. A description of what the add-in does appears in the Description box.
4. Under Load Behavior, select the appropriate check boxes:
 Loaded/Unloaded
Loads or unloads the selected add-in. The add-in's current status
appears in the Load Behavior column at the top.
 Load on Startup
Loads the selected add-in on startup of FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook. The add-in's current status appears in the Load
Behavior column at the top.
 Command Line
Loads the selected add-in when FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook is started from the command prompt or from a
script.
5. Click OK to complete the action and close the dialog box.
If the add-in is unloaded and then reloaded, you must click the Revert
toolbar button to re-synchronize any symbols using the add-in.
Menus and Toolbars

Command Menus
The active components of menu bars change depending on the active
window and current selections. There are five different collections of menu
commands.
Menu Bar Function
Default Displays when no documents are active
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Menu Bar Function
Book Displays when a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook workbook is active
Display Displays when a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook display document

is active
View-Only Book Displays when FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is running in no-edit

mode and a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook workbook is active.
View-Only Display Displays when FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is running in no-edit

mode and a display or workbook document is active.
Customize Toolbars
Toolbars may be displayed or omitted as follows:
1. Click View > Toolbars. The Toolbars tab of the Customize dialog
box appears.
2. Check the toolbars you wish to display, and click OK.
Click the Commands tab to see what buttons appear on each toolbar.
3. To move a toolbar, click the double vertical bar at the left end and
drag to the new location. If the toolbar has no move handle, click the
title bar instead.
4. To reshape a floating toolbar (one without move handles), grab one of
its edges and drag to a new shape.
Toolbar Buttons
Many of the menu commands in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook can
be selected by clicking a button on a toolbar. To determine the use of a
button on a toolbar, hover the mouse pointer over the button to display a
ToolTip.
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You can configure toolbars to display as view-only to omit unnecessary

buttons. View-only toolbars and others can be specified in procbook.ini
(page 315).
Add Buttons to Toolbars

You can change the icons that appear on the toolbars or create your own
custom toolbar.
1. Click View > Toolbars.
2. From the Commands tab of the Toolbars dialog box, you can select a
particular toolbar in the dialog box and drag buttons to existing
toolbars in your FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook window.
3. While the Commands tab is open, you can also drag buttons off of a
toolbar to remove them from your window.
Browser Toolbar
The Browser add-in provides a toolbar that resembles the controls of a

typical web browser. The toolbar is automatically loaded when you install
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook, and allows you to navigate recently-
used ProcessBooks and displays.
Browse ProcessBooks and Displays

1. To use the Browser and Playback toolbar:
2. Click View > Toolbar Manager. The Browser and Playback
toolbars appear.
These toolbars are open by default when you first launch FactoryTalk
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3. From the Browser toolbar (page 16), click either the Forward or
Back buttons to view previously opened ProcessBooks or
displays. Only displays opened during the current session of
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook are included in this navigation.
You can also use the Address box to open ProcessBooks and displays.
1. Click the arrow to the right of the Address box to see the last ten valid
file paths you entered. The last entry in the list is Browse.
2. Click Browse to launch an Open File dialog box where you can
browse for a file. You can also enter a URL to open a file.
View Browsing History

To view the browsing history:
1. Click the small black arrow to the right of the Back or Forward
buttons to see a drop-down box that lists the last ten
ProcessBooks and/or displays that you visited during the current
session.
2. Click an entry to return to that item.
The final entry in the list is History. Click History to open the
History tab of the Organizer window (page 18) from where you can
find an alphabetical list of all ProcessBooks and displays visited
during the current session.
Set a Home Page

The Home Page is the startup file that is defined in FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook preferences. It can be a .pdi (display), .piw (ProcessBook), or
a display entry.
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1. On the Browser toolbar (page 16), click the small arrow next to the
Home button .
2. From the drop-down menu, select one of the following:
1. Use Default to make PIDemo.piw your default file.
2. Use Current to set the start file to the current, active
ProcessBook or display.
Bookmarks and Browser History

The Organizer is a docking window that allows you to organize and use
bookmarks and the current session's history. By default this window is
hidden. Click the Bookmarks button on the Browser toolbar (page 16) to
make it appear.
The Organizer window has two tabs:
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Bookmarks New bookmarks are automatically added to the root level of the
bookmarks tree. You can organize the entries into a hierarchical tree
structure by dragging and dropping entries. Right-click the Bookmarks
tab to select one of the following from the context menu:
 New Folder inserts a new folder at the top level of the tree or as
a subfolder of a selected folder.
 Rename makes the entry name of the selected entry editable.
 Edit opens a dialog box where you can enter a new name and file
path for the selected bookmark.
 Select All selects every entry.
 Deselect All clears every entry.
 Send To File opens a Save File dialog box for the location to
store the list of bookmarks. Bookmarks are saved as XML and can
be subsequently imported. Only files/folders that are selected
(checked) in the tree are exported.
 Send To E-Mail opens a pre-populated Outlook email with the
selected bookmarks ready to be sent as an attachment with the
same format as the Send to File option. Only files/folders that are
selected (checked) in the tree are exported.
Note: The Send To options are only visible if at least one
entry is checked or when right-clicking an item.
 Import opens an Open File dialog box where you can select a
bookmarks file to import.
History The tab contains an alphabetical list of all ProcessBooks and displays
you have visited during the current session. From there you can click
an entry to return to that item.
The icon of the entry indicates its file type. Hover over an entry to see
its full path in a ToolTip.
Add/Edit Bookmarks
1. On the Browser toolbar (page 16) click the Bookmark button to
open the Bookmark tab of the Organizer (page 18) window.
From there you can browse, modify, or delete stored file locations.
2. Click to add a bookmark.
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3. Click to edit a bookmark.

If the active file is already bookmarked, the same icon appears as the Edit
Bookmark icon. Click this button to edit the bookmark's label and file
path.
Keyboard Shortcuts
A keyboard shortcut is a combination of keystrokes to use for frequent
actions. Several of these are already assigned in FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook. They appear to the right of the corresponding menu
command on the drop-down menus.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook lets you assign new combinations of
keystrokes or change existing ones.
For example you can:
 Assign a keyboard shortcut for inserting symbols with one command.
 Assign more than one keyboard shortcut to a specific action.
 Change an existing shortcut, such as Ctrl+S, to another sequence you
prefer.
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Assign a Keyboard Shortcut

To assign a keyboard shortcut:
1. Click View > Assign Shortcuts. The Shortcut Keys dialog box
appears.
2. Under Select a macro, click the appropriate macro (menu item). The
description for that item and its assigned shortcuts, if any, appears.
3. Click Create Shortcut. The Assign Shortcut dialog box appears.
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4. Under Press new shortcut key, type the key you wish to use for the
shortcut.
If you choose a combination already in use, the current assignment

appears in the dialog box. If you click OK, the previous assignment is voided.
5. Click OK.
The new shortcut appears in the Assigned shortcuts box.
If you want to reset all the keyboard shortcuts to their original positions
when FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook was installed, click the Reset All,
and then OK.
Remove a Keyboard Shortcut

To remove a keyboard shortcut:
1. In the Shortcut Keys dialog box, under Select a macro, select the
appropriate macro (menu item command). The description for that
item and its assigned shortcuts, if any, appears.
2. Under Assigned shortcuts, select the shortcut you want to remove,
and then click Remove.
3. Click OK.
Preference Settings
You can reach the ProcessBook Preferences dialog box by clicking Tools
> Preferences. Preference settings determine how the ProcessBook entries
look, what colors are available when you draw, and whether your
ProcessBook opens in Book View (page 50) or Outline View (page 53).
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Preference settings are stored in the file procbook.ini. Before you change the
Preference settings, consider creating a back-up copy of procbook.ini so that you
can restore FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook to the original settings.
General Preferences
Click Tools > Preferences > General tab to configure application-wide
settings. These settings are stored in and retrieved from the [STARTUP]
section of your procbook.ini (page 315) file.
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Review the following for additional information:

Author Determines the name used as the creator of new files and the person
who last edited the file. See Summary Information in ProcessBook
(page 59) for more information. This field is blank by default when
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is first installed on a computer.
Startup File The file name and path in this field determine which, if any, file is
automatically opened when the application is launched. The default
value when FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is first installed is
<installation path>\procbook\pidemo.piw.
Library File The file name and path in this field determine which, if any, file is
opened when the original symbol library command is used. The
default value when FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is first installed
is <installation path>\procbook\symlibry.piw.
Prefer Run Mode Determines whether ProcessBook starts up in Run mode or Build
mode by default. By default, this option is enabled when FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook is first installed on a computer.
Create Backup Determines whether backup files (with a .bak extension) are
Files automatically created when a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook file is
opened. By default, this option is turned off when FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook is first installed on a computer.
Retain snapshot Determines whether the archive event pipe is used for updating
values on updating trends, discarding any snapshot values between stored, archive
plots values. This setting is stored as PB2TraceCompatibility in the
[STARTUP] section of your procbook.ini. By default, this option is
turned off when FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is first installed on
a computer.
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Date and Time Settings in this area determine how time is displayed in FactoryTalk
Format Historian ProcessBook. Previews of each format are shown to help
you select the desired option.
 The Use local Windows format option uses the current Regional
Options settings in the Windows Control Panel on the client
machine to determine how dates and times are displayed. Dates
are shown using the currently configured Short Date format and
Times are shown using the current time format settings.
 The Use FactoryTalk Historian Time Format option displays
timestamps in the default FactoryTalk Historian format of dd-
mmm-yy HH:mm:ss.ssss, where dd is the day of the month, mmm
is a the short text abbreviation of the month name (e.g., Jan for
January), yy is the two digit year, HH is the hour in 24-hour
format, mm is the minute and ss.sss is the second, including sub-
seconds, if present.
Default Time Zone Determines whether timestamps reflect the time zone of the
FactoryTalk Historian server used to retrieve data (FactoryTalk
Historian server time zone), or the time zone of the local
computer (Client machine time zone), when a new display is
created. By default, the FactoryTalk Historian server option is selected
when FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is first installed on a
computer. This setting can also be changed and is stored with each
display.
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Table of Contents Preferences

Click Tools > Preferences > Table of Contents tab to configure the
default view of Table of Contents windows for ProcessBook (PIW) files,
as well as the font applied to each level of entry in those files. These
settings are stored in and retrieved from your procbook.ini (page 315) file.
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Default View Settings in this area determine how ProcessBook entries are displayed
by default. The default is Book view.
Font Settings The controls in this area determine the font settings applied to each
entry level in a ProcessBook. The font settings control the display of
entry names in Table of Contents windows.
 The Entry level field allows you to select the level to configure.
You can only select one level at a time.
 The Font field lists all the fonts installed on the computer running
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook.
 The Size field determines the size of the text. The first time
ProcessBook is installed, the current Windows system font
determines the default font settings to use.
 The Font style group determines whether text is shown in bold or
italic.
Preview This read-only field displays font settings for each level in a
ProcessBook. Each of the 10 possible entry levels is listed and
displayed with its current font name, and style settings.
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Display Window
Click Tools > Preferences > Display Window tab to set options that apply
to display windows. These settings are stored in and retrieved from your
procbook.ini (page 315) file.
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Preserve Aspect Determines whether display element sizes change in proportion to the
Ratio on resize window size when a window is resized. When the check box contains
a check mark (is selected), the aspect ratio is preserved and the
display element sizes change in proportion to the window size.
Show Symbol Determines whether ToolTips are displayed on display symbols.

ToolTips ToolTips appear for toolbar buttons regardless of this setting's value.
By default, this option is turned on when FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook is first installed on a computer.
Show Value Determines whether icons are displayed for Value Attribute flags
Attributes (Questionable, Substituted or Annotated) on FactoryTalk Historian
data. This option is turned on when FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook is first installed on a computer.
Run mode scrolling Determines the scroll bar behavior of display windows in Run mode.
Build mode Determines the scroll bar behavior of display windows in Build mode.
scrolling
On Display contains scroll bars all the time.
Off Scroll bars never appear.
Automatic Scroll bars appear when needed (this is the default setting).
Color Palette These fields present the 16 colors selected for use throughout the
application as the basic colors for the color well control.
 Use the Modify button to launch the Color dialog box, where you
can select additional colors.
 Use the Reset button to return the Color Palette to system
default values.
Default Display Determines the default color used for new displays. The color well
Background Color control is used to select a color. This color is also set when the
Background color of the current display is changed.
Symbol Defaults Contains fields to set the default formatting values for new symbols.
These defaults are also changed when the Formatting controls are
used and no symbols are selected.
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Trend Preferences
Click Tools > Preferences > Trend tab to set default settings for new
trend symbols. These settings also apply to instant trends.
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Display Check or clear these options to configure what information a trend
displays by default.
 AutoScale
Select this check box if you want trends to be scaled as tag values
change over time. If you do not select this check box, then trends
use the Database scale for each tag.
 Plot Title
Select this check box if you want a title to display.
 Value Scale Inside Axis
Select this check box to display the numeric scale inside the axis.
If you do not select this check box the scale displays outside the
axis. Note that the value scale is drawn horizontally when the
trend orientation is vertical.
 Grids
Select to display grid lines (page 123).
 Multiple Scales (page 125)
Add a value scale for each data point when selected. When the
check box is cleared, only a single value scale appears.
 Markers
Select the check box if you want markers to indicate data points
on the trend. If you do not select the Markers check box three
markers display on each line. These markers help you match a line
to a tag.
Legend Select or clear these options to configure what information appears in
the trend legends. The information that can fit in the legend is
determined by the size of the trend. Consequently, not all of the
information in the legend may be visible:
 If the width of the legend is more than the width of the trend the
legend does not appear.
 If the height of the text in the legend is longer than the total
height of the trend, items are removed in this order: engineering
units, tag name, then value.
Options include:
 Tag Name
 Server Name (for FactoryTalk Historian tags)
 Value
 Description
 Eng Units
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Sample Use this display area to view a preview of selected trend preferences.
Trend Elements Preferences

Click Tools > Preferences > Trend Elements tab to set what colors, line
styles, etc. are used in individual traces gridlines, text, or the background.
These settings also apply to instant trends.
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Multi-State on Ad Select this check box to include data from multi-stated symbols when
Hoc creating an ad hoc (instant) trend. When this option is cleared, data
from a multi-state configuration is not included on instant trends.
Traces per Ad Hoc Select the number of traces to have per plot on an ad hoc (instant)
Trend trend. The default is 3, the maximum is 8. Once this number is
reached, additional plots are created to show the remaining tags
selected for the instant trend.
Plot Element Use the drop down list to select from pens, text, grids, and
background.
For each plot element, select a Marker Type, Line Style, Line
Weight, and Color.
Note: You may select one of several line styles for each
trace. You can also specify the line thickness. Select none to
omit a grid line.
Sample See your changes previewed in the Sample area at the bottom of the
dialog box.
Print
When you print from a ProcessBook, you can:

 In Outline view, print a list of the ProcessBook contents or selected
displays.
 In Book view, print a list of the entire book or a selected tab section.
 Print the entire contents of a display or selected items from that
window.
You can also set various printing options, such as the number of copies.
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Each topic in the help file may be printed separately or you can print them
all at once.
The Print command is accessible from the File menu, CTRL+P, or the
print button. You can print the contents of the active window or if you
select items within a display before you open the Print dialog box, then
you can choose to print only those items.
On a non-color printer, symbols are printed in shades of gray, but trends are
printed in black and white.
On some printers, when you print a trend with cursors, the value and time
stamp boxes of the cursor does not hide the information beneath them.
However, other trend cursors and the trend time scale may show through
the trend cursor boxes, making the values hard to read.
Page Setup for Printing

You can select the particular printer, the orientation of the paper, the paper
size, and the source within the printer of the paper. Use the Properties
button to fine-tune the quality of output or the performance of the printer.
The settings you choose in Page Setup become the defaults for all your
printing.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook supports dot matrix, HP PCL (LaserJet),

Postscript, and color printers. However, all Windows print drivers may not be
compatible. If you are not sure if your printer is supported or you observe any
printing problems, contact Rockwell Automation Customer Support.
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Print Preview
Print Preview displays your selection as it will look when it is printed.

Note that the Print Preview shows colors even though you may be using a
black and white printer.
Once you select the item you want to preview, click File > Print Preview.
Zoom in or out of the selection by clicking on the selection with the
magnifier cursor or by clicking the Zoom buttons. To print the selection,
click the Print button.
Printer Setup
Select Print Setup to choose a printer, page orientation, and paper size. In
addition, you can fine-tune the quality of output or the performance of your
printer. The settings you choose in Print Setup become the defaults for all
your printing.
1. Click File > Page Setup. The Print Setup dialog box appears.
2. Select the printer, orientation, and paper size and source.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook supports dot matrix, HP PCL

(LaserJet), Postscript, and color printers. However, all Windows print drivers
may not be compatible. If you are not sure if your printer is supported or you
observe any printing problems, contact Rockwell Automation Customer
Support.
3. Click the Properties button to select printer-specific options. Refer to
your printer documentation for additional information about these
options.
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Change the Language Used for FactoryTalk

Historian ProcessBook
You can change the language for the application on your machine if you
have a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook Language Pack and the desired
language resources installed. The language setting is per user locale, so if
others want to use the application on the same machine under a different
login, they can use different language resources, if they are available.
To change the application language:
1. Run the FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook Language Pack and select
the language resources you want to install, if they are not already
available.
2. Click Tools > Preferences. The ProcessBook Preferences dialog box
appears.
3. On the General tab, click the Language Settings to launch the
language selection tool. This button is only active if you have
language resources installed.
4. Select the target language and click OK.
5. Quit and restart the application.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook now appears in the specified language.
Note that users who log in with the same account see the same language,
but the language does not change for those logging in to the machine with
different accounts.
About FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook

You can launch the About FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook dialog
box by clicking Help > About FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook. The
dialog box provides detailed version and build information.
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 Click Copy Info to copy the contents of the list to your Windows
clipboard where it can be pasted into a spreadsheet or text editor. This
can be useful to share with Rockwell Automation Technical Support
engineers if you have a problem.
 Click System Info to launch the Microsoft System Information
dialog box. This information can also be useful when troubleshooting
issues through Technical Support.
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Chapter 3
Work with a ProcessBook

Basic Steps to Build a ProcessBook
There are five basic steps to creating a ProcessBook (page 39):
1. Create and save a ProcessBook.
2. Add, organize, and edit entry titles.
3. Design a detailed display for each display entry title, using the
drawing tools to create schematics or other drawings with trends, bars,
and values. To import outside data, add OLE objects and values from
data set queries.
4. Format trends and make other adjustments to each display to present
your data in the most useful manner.
5. Save the completed ProcessBook and install it wherever it is needed.
In some installations, the System Administrator may set your FactoryTalk

Historian ProcessBook to View Only (page 331) mode. If so, you cannot create and
save new ProcessBooks.
Create a New ProcessBook

Before you create a ProcessBook, you should consider planning an
organizational structure and a naming convention for the ProcessBook and
the entries within it.
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When you create and save a new ProcessBook, the application initially
gives it the title Book1, where 1 represents the number of ProcessBooks
created during the current session.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook also creates a file name for the new
ProcessBook. It suggests the first word from your title and an extension of
.piw. For example, FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook may suggest
Filtrat1.PIW. If you plan to build an entire set of ProcessBooks, you
might choose to modify it in Windows Explorer to sort your set of
ProcessBooks in some meaningful order, such as 05FiltrP.PIW.
1. In Build mode, click File > New. The New dialog box appears.
2. Select ProcessBook (.piw) File.
3. Under ProcessBook Name, type a name for the new book.
4. Click OK.
A new ProcessBook appears.
If you typed a name in the ProcessBook Name box, then the name appears
on the ProcessBook title bar. If you did not type a name, then the default title
Book1 appears on the title bar.
Open an Existing ProcessBook

To open an existing ProcessBook:
1. Click File > Open, or
On the standard toolbar, click Open. The Open dialog box appears.
2. Click the specific ProcessBook file (.piw) you want to open.
3. Click OK.
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Depending on the settings in the ProcessBook Preferences dialog box, a

default ProcessBook may open automatically when you start FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook keeps track of the four most recently
opened ProcessBooks or independent display files. Instead of using File >
Open, you may select a file name from the bottom of the File menu.
Work With Multiple ProcessBooks

You can work in multiple ProcessBooks and/or independent display files at
the same time. Open additional ProcessBooks using the File menu.
 Use the Windows menu to select the ProcessBook title and switch
among them.
 Click inside a ProcessBook window to make it active.
 Switch among the open windows by pressing CTRL+F6.
Add ProcessBook Entries

After creating a ProcessBook, the next step is to add individual entries. By
arranging and combining displays and other entry types, you can create a
complete working environment for plant personnel.
You can add entry titles to a ProcessBook and then complete the detailed
design of the entries later.
There are five specific types of entries:
 Text (page 43) - provides headings or static information.
 Display (page 43) - opens a display.
 Linked displays (page 43) - links to an independent display file.
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 Linked ProcessBook (page 46) - links to an entry in another

ProcessBook.
 Operating system command (page 46) - opens another application.
When you add entries to a ProcessBook in either Outline or Book View,

the entries are arranged hierarchically. Subentries are indented under main
entries. The name you give each new entry is the name that shows in the
ProcessBook.
When you create a new entry, it is placed in the ProcessBook just before
the selected entry. If no entries are selected, the new entry appears at the
end of the current tab section in Book View or at the end of the Outline
View.
The first entry on a book tab is normally a Level 2 item (Level 1 is used as
the tab label). All Level 3 through 10 items are listed below a level 2 item
and indented the same. In Outline View, all levels are indented according
to their level.
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Create a Text or Display Entry

Use text entries to add labels and clarify text in a ProcessBook table of
contents. Display entries represent a display in a ProcessBook.
1. Click File > New. The New dialog box appears.
2. Under Type, select ProcessBook Entry.
3. Click OK. The Define ProcessBook Entry dialog box appears.
4. In the Label dialog box, type a name.
5. For the Type, select Text or Display.
6. In the Level list, click the level at which you want to position the entry
in the ProcessBook hierarchy of entries, or type a number between 1
and 10.
If you are creating the first entry in the ProcessBook, the level is
automatically set to 1 and cannot be changed. This entry is used as the first
tab label.
7. Click OK. The entry is added to the ProcessBook. If the entry is at
Level 1 and you are in Book view, a tab is created using the name of
the entry.
8. Click the Save button on the toolbar, or click File > Save.
Linked Display Entry

A linked display allows you to use a display name to link to an entry
elsewhere in the ProcessBook or in another ProcessBook or independent
display file. This means that you create and store only one copy of the
display.
You can then access the same entry from several different locations in one
ProcessBook. Or, while you are in one ProcessBook, you can open an entry
from another one without having to close the first ProcessBook.
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The linked entry is not a copy; it is a way of opening the original, similar to
using a Windows shortcut. The Book View or Outline View shows the title
of the linked entry, but the actual display window shows the title of the
original entry.
If you edit the original from any linked entry, the original is updated and
automatically appears updated in all the ProcessBooks that are linked to it.
To prevent unexpected updates, you can restrict access to an entry so that
only the original entry can be edited and all others to which it is linked are
read-only. If the entry resides on a server, you can write-protect the file on
the server. If you need more information on restricting access to files, see
your System Administrator.
Before you create a link to an original entry in a different ProcessBook, the
ProcessBook that contains the original (target) entry must be open. Once
the link is established, you only need to open the ProcessBook with the
Linked Entry.
If you want to link to an entry in a second ProcessBook, open the second
book or use the Display Search dialog box. If you want to link to an entry
in the current ProcessBook, create the original display entry first, save the
file, and then create the linked entry. The target display must be in a file
that has been saved so that its path can be determined.
Create a Linked Display Entry

To create a linked display entry:
4. In the Label dialog box, type a name.
5. For the Type, select Link/OS Command.
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6. Click the Browse button, or click the Browse arrow to see more
search options. The Open dialog box appears.
 To link to an independent display file, locate and select the
display file (.pdi) to which you want to link and then click the
Open button. The display name appears in the Action box.
 To link to another ProcessBook, locate and select the processbook
file (.piw) to which you want to link and click the Open button.
The file name appears in the Action box.
 To link to a display in a ProcessBook, select the Display Search
option from the Browse drop-down and enter criteria to locate the
display you want within the open files. If the display you want is
not in a file that is open, select a different option in the Look in
field. When the display is listed in the Display Search dialog box,
select it and click OK. The name appears in the Action box.
and 10.
automatically set to 1 and cannot be changed.
8. Clear the Options check box if you want the absolute path to the file
checked first.
By default, ProcessBook attempts to open a linked display from its

relative path first. If the relative path fails, then the absolute path is checked.
Clearing the Use relative path check box reverses the order in which the
paths are resolved. For new displays, this option is checked by default.
9. Click OK. A linked display entry icon is added to the outline and book
view of the ProcessBook you are developing.
10. Click Save.
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If you need to move the original entry to another directory or

ProcessBook, you must redefine the link between the ProcessBooks. If you
move both the original and the linked item and the relationship between the
two file paths is unchanged, you do not need to relink.
Linked ProcessBook Entries

Similar to a Linked Display, a Linked ProcessBook entry is a link to a
different ProcessBook. When you open a linked ProcessBook entry,
another ProcessBook is opened. You may open any of the entries in that
ProcessBook. Using a Linked ProcessBook entry is the same as opening a
ProcessBook using the Open command on the File menu.
The same rules apply to Linked ProcessBook entries as to Linked entries.
Move Linked Entries

If you move a linked pair of displays or ProcessBooks to another location
and if this move changes the relationship of the two file paths, you need to
relink the items.
Operating System Command Entry

An operating system command is used to start another application, such as
Microsoft Excel, in addition to FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook.
Essentially, any command that you can successfully execute with the
Windows Run command can be used as an Operating System Command
entry in a ProcessBook.
For example, you can use an operating system command to link to
FactoryTalk Historian DataLink reports or calculations. You can also
create links to CAD drawings, modeling packages, or statistics packages.
Links to displays saved as SVG files are treated as Operating System
Command entries.
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When you have reports created on a different system, you can convert them
to ASCII and, using an operating system command, create a link to
Notepad to read the reports.
If your company has online Help files for certain procedures, you can
create a link to those help files or other documents.
Your computer must have enough memory to run the applications you
want to use in addition to FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook. The
applications also must be installed on your system. If you do not know
whether or not your computer has enough memory, contact your System
Administrator.
Create an Operating System Command Entry

To create an operating system command entry:
4. Under Label, type a name.
5. For the Type, select Link/OS Command.
6. Click Browse to the right of the Action box, or click the Browse
arrow and then click Applications. The Open dialog box appears.
7. Browse and locate the file to which want to link, and then click the
Open button. The application's path/name is displayed in the Action
box.
If you know the name of the .exe file for the application, such as
C:\excel\Excel.exe for Excel or the path and name of a data file, such as
C:\document\report.xls, then you can type the path directly in the Action
box. You can use most commands that execute successfully in the Windows
Start menu Run dialog box.
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8. If you need to specify the location of the executable for the

application, click the Browse button to the right of the Working
folder box. The Browse for Folder dialog box appears.
1. Locate and select the folder that you want to specify for this
operating system command, and click OK.
If you know the name of the working folder for this application,
then you can type it directly in the Working folder box.
and 10.
automatically set to 1 and cannot be changed.
10. If the file specified in the Action box is associated with one
application and you want to open it with another, select the Ignore the
default shell command for recognized file types check box. This
option is normally only used with files such as displays saved as SVG
so that they can be opened in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook
instead of the associated Viewer application.
If the file type is supported by ProcessBook (either natively or through

an add-in), then it is opened directly when this option is selected for a Link or
OS command entry. For example, an .svg file is opened using the .svg File
Converter in ProcessBook, even if you have Adobe SVG Viewer installed.
Clearing this check box disables this behavior, so the default shell command is
used to open the file instead.
11. Click OK. An icon for the program you are launching is added to the
outline and book view of the ProcessBook and the application opens.
Close the application.
12. Click Save.
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If you need to move the original entry to another directory or

ProcessBook, you must redefine the link between the ProcessBooks. If you
move both the original and the linked item and the relationship between the
two file paths is unchanged, you do not need to relink.
Working Directory for Operating System

Commands
The Define ProcessBook Entry dialog box has a text box where you can
enter the working directory. The command line recognizes file extension
associations.
For example, in the past you needed to enter a command like:
C:\EXCEL\EXCEL.EXE C:\MYWORK\MINE.XLS
Now you can use a command like:

C:\MYWORK\MINE.XLS
In other words, if the string works for the Run command under the File
menu of the Program Manager, it will work in FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook.
Some applications that you can access with an operating system command,
such as MS Excel, allow only one copy of the application to open, even if
you execute the command several times.
Arrange ProcessBook Entries

Once you have created your entry titles, it is a good idea to consider how
they are arranged in your ProcessBook. Each ProcessBook gives two
possible views of your entry titles, Book View (page 50) and Outline View
(page 53).
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Whether you are in Outline View or Book View, you can edit and
rearrange entries, or delete entries altogether. Some functions are
performed the same regardless of the view in which you are working.
Book View is a useful organizational tool when your ProcessBook has only
a few dozen displays. If your ProcessBook is large and contains many
displays, Outline View is faster and easier to use.
If there is no ProcessBook or independent display selected in your
Preference settings, click File > Open or File > Create to open or initiate
a file.
Book View
In Book View , the ProcessBook displays as a loose-leaf binder.
Tabs indicate major divisions in the ProcessBook. Each tab section has a
heading, which may be any ProcessBook entry. The entry title is used as
the tab name. A tab section may contain several pages of entries
representing different types of information. There is no limit to the number
of tabs you may have in a Book. However, as you add tabs or reduce the
size of the ProcessBook, the tabs are stacked to the right of the Book. This
might make the ProcessBook difficult to read in Book View.
When you create a first-level entry in Book View, the name becomes the
label for the section tab. If the entry is the first entry you have added to the
ProcessBook, the entry level is automatically set at 1. Subsequent sub-
entries are listed below the main entry. When you select another first level
entry, a new page is created with a new tab. You can have up to 10 levels
of entries in a ProcessBook, but levels 3 to 10 are displayed in Book View
as though they were at the same level.
Displays within a tab section are typically arranged in a hierarchical
fashion. For example, a display that includes a boiler, a condenser, and a
pump may be at the top level of a tab section. The boiler, the condenser,
and the pump may be separate displays that are arranged underneath the
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summary display. Each of these displays can have several displays for their
components.
Turn Pages in Book View

To turn pages in the Book view:
1. Click View > Book to view a ProcessBook in Book View (page 50).
Notice the top right corner of the page is divided into two small
triangles .
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2. Click the upper triangle to move forward one page, or click the lower
triangle to move backward a page.
A dark gray triangle indicates there are no more pages in that
direction.
3. Click the tabs along the right-hand side to move quickly between
sections of a ProcessBook.
Resize a ProcessBook
To resize a ProcessBook:
1. Click and drag on the frame of a ProcessBook until the window is the
size you want.
As you make a window smaller, the ProcessBook is resized so you can
still see all of the tabs. If the window becomes too small to display all
the members of a group of displays, the displays are moved to new
pages.
2. If the ProcessBook window becomes too small, all the tabs behind the
first tab are collapsed into one tab labeled More. Click the More tab
to display a pop-up list of the other tab sections.
Entries in Book View

When you create a first level entry in Book View, the name becomes the
label for the section tab. If the entry is the first entry you have added to the
ProcessBook, the entry level is automatically set at 1. Subsequent sub-
entries are listed below the main entry. When you select another first level
entry, a new page is created with a new tab.
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Change the Name of an Entry in Book View

To change the name of an entry in the Book view:
2. In Build mode, double-click the entry you want to change. The Define
ProcessBook Entry dialog box appears.
3. Under Label, type a new name.
4. Click OK.
Change the Level of an Entry in Book View

To change the level of an entry in the Book view:
2. In Build mode, double-click the entry you want to change. The Define
ProcessBook Entry dialog box appears.
3. Under Level, click the level at which you want to reposition the entry
and 10.
4. Click OK.
Outline View
In Outline View , ProcessBook displays are arranged hierarchically on
a page.
Click View > Outline to display a ProcessBook as an outline. When you
are in Outline View, a set of buttons is added to the active ProcessBook
window to collapse or expand the outline. You may need to resize the
window so all the buttons are visible. Use the horizontal and vertical scroll
bars to see all entries in the outline.
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Hierarchies of entries may be revised by dragging entries from one location

to another, or by promoting and demoting entries.
Collapse or Expand Outline View

You can collapse or expand sections of the outline to view the list of
displays in a meaningful manner.
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1. Click View > Outline to view a ProcessBook in Outline View (page

53).
2. Click the black plus sign to the left of an entry to expand it. This
shows additional displays that are subordinate to the selected display.
Collapsed View:
-or-
Click the transparent plus sign to collapse the list of subordinate
displays.
Expanded View:
You can change the font for each level in Outline View in the
ProcessBook Preferences (page 22) dialog box.
Rearrange Entries in Outline View

In Build mode, click and drag the entry name up or down (not sideways) to
a new location. A dotted line indicates the location of the entry you are
moving.
Alternatively, you can use the four buttons at the top left of the window as
follows:
Promote the highlighted entry.
Demote the highlighted entry.
Move the highlighted entry up.
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Move the highlighted entry down.
Change the Name of an Entry in Outline View

To change the name of an entry in the Outline view:
1. Click View > Outline.
2. In Build mode, click the entry you want to change.
3. Click Edit > Selected Item. The Define ProcessBook Entry dialog
box appears.
4. Under Label, type a new name.
5. Click OK.
Change the Level of an Entry in Outline View

To change the level of an entry in the Outline view:
1. Click View > Outline.
2. In Build mode, click the entry you want to change.
3. Click Edit > Selected Item. The Define ProcessBook Entry dialog
box appears.
4. Under Level, click the level at which you want to reposition the entry
in the ProcessBook hierarchy of entries or type a number between 1
and 10.
5. Click OK.
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Copy and Paste an Entry

To copy and paste an entry:
1. Click the Build mode pointer and select the entry.
2. Click the Copy button. This copies the selection to the clipboard.
3. If it is not already open, open the ProcessBook where you want to
paste the entry.
4. Click the Paste button. This copies the contents of the clipboard to
your ProcessBook. A copy of the original entry is created, not a link to
the original.
If you highlight an entry first, the new entry is placed above the
highlighted entry.
Remove an Entry
To remove an entry:
1. In Build mode, select an entry title in either Book View or Outline
View.
2. Press the DELETE key. The entry is removed from the ProcessBook.
If you accidentally delete the wrong entry choose Edit > Undo.
Save a View of Your Displays

If you frequently work with several specific displays in a ProcessBook,
open the displays and arrange them in the workspace as you would like
them. Save the ProcessBook. When you reopen the displays, they will be in
the same position as when you closed them.
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Save and Close a ProcessBook

After creating a ProcessBook, it is a good idea to name the file and save it
immediately. It is also important to save a ProcessBook periodically while
you are working in it.
When you save a ProcessBook, all changes to all entries and to the
organizational structure are stored permanently. The ProcessBook remains
open in your workspace so you can continue working.
1. To save a ProcessBook for the first time, click File > Save or Save As.
The Save As dialog box appears.
2. Type a name for the ProcessBook file. A .piw extension is
automatically added.
3. Select the drive and directory where you want to save it.
4. Click OK.
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Properties
Summary Information in ProcessBook
Click File > Properties to display the Summary Information dialog box
for a file. The Summary Information dialog box you see is the same for
the ProcessBook as a whole or for the individual displays.

Field Name Description
Author Extracted from the Author field on the General tab in the
ProcessBook Preferences dialog box at the time the ProcessBook
is first saved.
Note: You can change the Author field in either the Summary
Information dialog box or the ProcessBook Preferences dialog
box.
Title Name of the ProcessBook (extracted from the original creation of the
ProcessBook).
Subject May be used to explain the title more fully.
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Keywords May be added at any time.
Comments May be used for any text entry. You can revise this field at any time.
Properties button Clicking the Properties button displays the FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook Properties (page 60) dialog box, which gives
information about the view currently in the active window.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook File

Properties
To view file properties:
1. Click File > Properties to display the Summary Information (page
59) dialog box.
2. Click the Properties button. The Display Properties dialog box
appears.
If you click the Properties button while a display is open, you launch the
Display Properties dialog box.
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Title Extracted from the Summary Information dialog box.
Created Original date and time the ProcessBook was saved.

Note: If the ProcessBook file is moved to another machine,
the original date and time will be preserved, however
Windows Explorer shows the date and time the file arrived on
the present machine.
Created By Extracted from the Author field on the General tab in the
ProcessBook Preferences dialog box. Shows the original author,
unless the author’s name has been modified in the Summary
Information dialog box.
Last Saved Most recent revision date and time.
Last Saved By Name of the person who saved the ProcessBook most recently.
(Extracted from the Author field on the General tab in the
ProcessBook Preferences dialog box.) If this field is blank, the PC
login name of the author is used. This is useful for tracking who made
which revisions.
Revision Number of times the ProcessBook has been revised and saved.
Displays Total number of entries in the ProcessBook.
System Commands Total number of operating system command entries in the

ProcessBook.
Modify a ProcessBook Title

You can change the name of a ProcessBook at any time.
1. In either Build mode or Run mode, click File > Properties. The
Summary Information (page 59) dialog box appears.
2. Under Title, type a new title.
The ProcessBook title is different from the file name established in the
New dialog box when you created the new ProcessBook. The title bar on the
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ProcessBook window displays the file name, which ends in .piw, rather than
the title.
3. Click OK.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook Display

Properties
To view the display properties:
1. With a display window selected, click File > Properties to display the
Summary Information (page 59) dialog box for a display.
2. Click Properties. The Display Properties dialog box appears.

Title Extracted from the Summary Information dialog box.
Created Original date and time the ProcessBook was saved.

Note: If the ProcessBook file is moved to another machine,
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the original date and time will be preserved, however
Windows Explorer shows the date and time the file arrived on
the present machine.
Created By Extracted from the Author field on the General tab in the
ProcessBook Preferences dialog box. Shows the original author,
unless the author’s name has been modified in the Summary
Information dialog box.
Last Saved Most recent revision date and time.
Last Saved By Name of the person who saved the ProcessBook most recently.
(Extracted from the Author field on the General tab in the
ProcessBook Preferences dialog box.) If this field is blank, the PC
login name of the author is used. This is useful for tracking who made
which revisions.
Revision Number of times the ProcessBook has been revised and saved.
Total Symbols Total number of symbols in the display.
Tags Total number of unique FactoryTalk Historian points used in the

display.
Dynamic Symbols The number of display symbols that are dynamic symbols.
Static Symbols The number of display symbols that are static symbols.
Servers Required The number of different FactoryTalk Historian servers referenced in

the display.
Import Files to a ProcessBook

To import PIDisDiff or PI-Graphics files into a ProcessBook:
1. Open a ProcessBook (page 40) into which you want to import the files
or create a new ProcessBook.
2. In Build mode, click File > Import. The Import Files dialog box
appears.
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3. Select the file type.

4. Select the drive and directory where the file resides, or type the path
and file name in the File Name box. You can select more than one file
at a time.
5. Click the Open button.
The status bar displays each file as it is imported. When completed, a
message displays the number of files successfully imported. If errors
occurred during the import process, a message box is displayed at the
end of the import process showing the number of errors. You can
check the message log from the Status Report icon at the bottom of
your display.
Depending on the size, some files may take several minutes to import.
When a trend is successfully imported, a new Text display showing the full
file name is added to the ProcessBook. Each trend is added as a
subordinate display and retains its original trend name. For graphics, the
VAX display name becomes the Display name. Once converted, graphics
and trends can be edited like any other display.
File Sharing Capability

Several users may access the same ProcessBook file at the same time.
However, if one person makes changes to a particular display entry and
saves the changes, then other users are blocked from saving changes in that
display. This protects against accidental saving conflicts.
If a user has already changed a display, the second user who wishes to
make changes to the display receives an error message explaining that
someone else has already edited and saved the display. The second user
then has two options:
 Save the changes under a different ProcessBook name, thus creating
two ProcessBooks,
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-or-
 Close the ProcessBook and reopen it so that the new version of the
display is shown. Then make changes and save again.
Open the Summary Information (page 59) dialog box to view the name
of the person who has made changes and saved the file most recently.
Move a ProcessBook to Another PC

If you decide to move a ProcessBook to another PC, you may experience
some differences in display entry appearance on the new PC:
 When the number of colors is different between the original PC and
new PC, FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook uses the closest color
when drawing an entry. This is true for any graphics you may have
included in an entry.
 If an entry calls for a font that is not available on the new PC,
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook substitutes a similar font.
 If a ProcessBook includes links to other entries, ProcessBooks, or
applications, FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook may not be able to
locate them if the path on the new PC is not the same as the old one.
 Node names (for FactoryTalk Historian servers) must be identical.
 Different monitors have different resolutions, which may distort the
appearance of an existing ProcessBook.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook records both the absolute and relative
paths for Linked displays and Linked ProcessBooks. This means you can
copy ProcessBooks to new directories without breaking links as long as
either all the linked files are placed in a similar directory tree or all the
drive, directory, and file names remain the same.
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Chapter 4
Work with a Display

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook provides tools for manipulating and
analyzing the information shown in a display. For example, you can:
 Display the point attributes of a tag.
 Change the time range that is used for values, bars, trends, XYPlots,
SQC plots, and Multi-State symbols.
 Use a Trend Cursor to see the value of plotted tags at a specific point
in time.
 Create an instant trend.
Overview of Display Elements

Displays contain a variety of individual items, including static elements,
buttons, OLE objects, and dynamic elements.
Static Symbols
Static symbols are symbols that do not automatically change as time
passes, such as an image, process diagram, or descriptive text.
Static symbols include all items in a display that do not connect to the
FactoryTalk Historian server or other application to retrieve data, and do
not start any application. Text labels and flow lines are examples of static
symbols. Other types include rectangles, circles, arcs, and images.
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Dynamic Symbols
Dynamic symbols are values, bars, trends, XYPlots, SQC charts, and
multi-state symbols (such as a pump image tied to temperature data) that
change over time, and are based on the value of a tag in the FactoryTalk
Historian Archive. If you wish to see how a dynamic symbol was defined,
select it and click the Item Definition button on the Drawing toolbar.
 Dynamic symbols may also report data from outside databases through
queries.
 If you rest your mouse on a dynamic symbol, you can see a ToolTip
with the current value, tag name, and time stamp.
 Icons for questionable, substituted, and annotated FactoryTalk
Historian data can also appear on your displays.
 Most point types (page 235) can be used with any dynamic symbol.
There are some restrictions on string and timestamp data.
Buttons
Buttons are elements that create a link to other applications, such as a
calculator or word processor, or other ProcessBooks or displays. You can
also use buttons to execute a script.
For example, if you find you work in a particular display and frequently
need to update a report with the information you are monitoring, you can
add a button that automatically opens a spreadsheet program. You also can
use a button to perform common actions using a script, like printing a
display, or connect to related displays, ProcessBooks, or Web sites.
OLE Objects
OLE objects include information from outside applications, such as text,
spreadsheets, or graphics. This information may be configured to update
dynamically. OLE objects may be either linked (page 290) or embedded
(page 287) into displays.
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Manage Displays and Independent Display

Files
Open a Display
Use any of these procedures to open a display from either Book View (page
50) or Outline View (page 53) of a ProcessBook:
 Click the display title, then on the New button to open the selected
display in a new window.
 Click the display title, then on the Open button to open the display
into the last display window you used. If none are open, a display
window opens.
 With the Run Mode pointer, double-click the display. The display
opens and appears within an existing window, if possible.
 Click and drag the display title to an unused area in the application
workspace and release the mouse. This opens a new display in
addition to already opened displays. If you drag the display on top of
an open display, it closes that display while opening the dragged
display.
 To use the keyboard instead of the mouse, use CTRL+F6, to select the
ProcessBook, then use the up or down arrow keys to select the display
title. Press Enter. If you have more than one display open, it replaces
the open display with the new display. Pressing CTRL+N is the same
as clicking the New button.
If the display is a Display, Linked Display, or Linked ProcessBook, the
display is opened and the contents are displayed on your workspace. If the
display is an Operating System Command, the command is executed or the
application is started.
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If you click an Operating System Command more than once in the same
session, it may run the application repeatedly. This depends on the application and
how it has been set up.
Displays re-open in the same position, size, and shape as when they were
last saved.
Open Several Displays at One Time

In addition to the procedures for opening a display, you can also open
multiple displays simultaneously. Press SHIFT while highlighting the
displays you want to open in Outline view. Click the New button at the
bottom of the list of displays. Each display or linked display is opened in
your workspace.
Manage Multiple Open Displays

Just as you can work with multiple ProcessBooks, you can have multiple
displays open in the work area.
To make a display active, click in the display window or press CTRL+F6
to toggle between open displays.
To improve viewing when there are multiple open displays, choose:
 Window > Cascade
The titles of all open displays and ProcessBooks appear in a cascaded
list down the screen.
 Window > Tile
All open displays and ProcessBooks appear in a tiled view.
 Window > <display title>
The selected display is active.
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Open Independent Display Files

Independent Display Files use a .pdi extension in the file name.
When you double-click a display file in Windows Explorer, a copy of the
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook application installed on your PC
opens, just as it would if you double-clicked on a .piw file. The
independent display appears inside the application.
Browse a Display from Internet Explorer

You can select a .pdi file and look at it in Internet Explorer. FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook menus and toolbars appear in the Internet Explorer
window. This is similar to embedding a display in Excel, except that the
display becomes the entire Internet Explorer document.
The display is updated as it would be within a ProcessBook.
Zoom Display Size

Use the Zoom command to change the size of the drawing within a display
window.
1. Click View > Zoom . The Zoom dialog box appears.

2. Click a percentage, or type a number in the Custom text box to
enlarge or reduce the drawing. The Custom text box displays the
current Scale Factor. Typing a number greater than the current Scale
Factor enlarges the drawing; typing a number less than the current
Scale Factor reduces it.
3. Select Fit all symbols to resize all the symbols in a display to fit
within the window.
If you want only specific symbols to fit within the display window,
select the symbols, and then select Fit Selected Symbols. The items in
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the display resize and take up the entire window. OLE objects are not
included.
4. Click OK.
You must save the display before closing it for your zoom settings to
appear the next time you open it.
To resize the window:
 Use the Maximize and Minimize buttons in the upper right hand
corner of your display window to adjust your display size. When you
maximize a display, all open display windows are maximized. You
can also drag the edge or corner of the window to the desired size.
If you have your Preference setting for Preserve Ascpect Ratio check
box selected, the contents of the display resize as you resize the window. If
this option is not enabled, the size of each element in the display does not
change as you change the window size.
Full Screen Mode

To use the full screen mode:
1. Click the Full Screen button on the Full Screen toolbar . Other
toolbars vanish and the display enlarges to fit the screen.
2. Click the Full Screen button again to restore your toolbars. A default
keyboard shortcut of F11 also toggles between Full Screen and
Normal presentations.
You can customize the Full Screen toolbar to contain other buttons to
use with a Full Screen display.
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Search for a Display

To search for a display:
1. Open the ProcessBooks (page 40) you want to search.
2. Click Tools > Display Search & Run. The Display Search dialog
box appears.
3. Under Name, type one or more of the letters of the display name.
4. In the Look in, click the location you want to search.
-or-
In the drop-down list, click Browse, and then locate the appropriate
folder.
5. Select Look in subfolders (optional).
6. Click Search. The search results are displayed under Results.
7. Under Filename, click the display you want to open and then click
OK.
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Reduce a Display to an Icon to Save Space

If you find your work area cluttered with many open displays, you can
reduce a display to an icon by clicking its Minimize button. Even though
the display is minimized, it continues to be updated with information from
the FactoryTalk Historian server, however the results are not shown until
the window is restored. When you want to use the display, double-click the
icon.
Save a Display
A display may be saved within a ProcessBook or as an independent file
(.pdi).
1. Click File > Save or Save As.
2. From the Save as type drop-down box, select one of the following six
formats. The default is .pdi:
.pdi Display file. If you select this format your display becomes an
independent file that updates under certain circumstances.
.svg SVG file for Web use. If you select this format it becomes the default file
type when saving files later. FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook 3.0 or
higher only supports version 3.0 or higher of the SVG add-in. See the SVG
add-in release notes for more information.
The last four file types are graphics formats and do not update. If you
choose one of the graphic formats, the display in focus is unchanged by
the Save-As operation. The display is left open and remains in the same
mode (Run or Build).
.jpg JPG-JPEG-JFIF compliant.
.bmp 32-bit Bitmap.
.wmf Windows Metafile.
.png CompuServe Portable Network Graphics.
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Display Settings
To edit display properties, click Edit > Display, or double-click the Time
Zone setting in the Status bar. The Display Settings dialog box appears.

Background Color The color applied to the area of the display where there are no
symbols. This field uses a color well control to provide color choices.
The color selected in this field also becomes the default background
color for new displays.
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Time Zone This field determines whether the local computer or FactoryTalk
Historian server time zone is used for interpreting dates and times for
this particular display.
Connectors The Enable Connector Attachments check box allows a symbol

dragged and dropped on a Connector symbol to be attached to that
Connector. Clearing the check box disables this functionality for the
Display. Note that even if this feature is disabled for the Display, you
can still use the Connectors dialog box to attach Symbols to
Connectors.
Enable Scripting When displays have many symbols on them, the performance of
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook may be affected. One way to
improve the situation is to disable the ability to code the majority of
those symbols. In order to disable scripting and improve performance,
you can take the following actions:
 In the Enable Scripting section, clear the Automatically Enable
Scripting check box. This adds new symbols to the display
without the overhead of enabling scripting if it isn't needed.
 If the display already has many enabled symbols on it, click the
Disable Scripting for All Symbols button in the Enable
Scripting section. This button removes the scripting capability for
all existing symbols to help improve performance.
OK Click this button to accept the changes made and closes the dialog
box. These settings are saved as part of the Display object.
Display Scrolling Properties
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Run Mode Determines the scroll bar behavior of display windows in Run mode.
Build Mode Determines the scroll bar behavior of display windows in Build mode.
On Display contains scroll bars all the time.
Off Scroll bars never appear.
Automatic Scroll bars appear when needed (this is the default setting for new
displays).
Status Bar Indicators

The following appear on the FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook status bar:
Time Zone (page 75)
Layers (page 95)
Troubleshooting Icon (page 226)
Keyboard Numeric Lock is on.
Keyboard Scroll Lock is on.
Drawing Tools
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook includes a drawing environment with
features that allow you to create symbols and graphics within an entry.
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You can use the drawing tools to:

 Create ellipses, polygons, rectangles, arcs, lines, and polylines.
 Add dynamic elements such as values, bars, trends, buttons, and
graphic files.
 Add ActiveX controls.
The Drawing toolbar contains a set of buttons used for creating drawings
and the Draw menu contains the corresponding commands.
To use the drawing tools, click the appropriate button.
When you draw a line or other shape, the tool uses the current formatting
attribute (page 81) preferences.
Each of these objects is considered a symbol by FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook. In Build mode, when you select a symbol by clicking it with
your mouse, you see small squares around the bounding rectangle of the
symbol. These are called selection handles and allow you to resize the
symbol. For arcs, polygons, and polylines, there are also reshaping handles
at the intersection of the line segments.
Each symbol has a name, reflecting the order in which it was added to the
display, such as Rectangle1, Rectangle2, etc.
In Build mode (or VBA Design mode), an identifying ToolTip (page 87)
appears whenever your mouse hovers over a symbol.
If you are drawing multiple objects, press the CTRL key while selecting the
drawing tool. This lets you continue to work with that tool until you select a
different tool.
Organizing Symbols
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook provides several tools to help you
organize your drawings. These tools include a drawing grid, flip and rotate
capabilities, and the ability to change the order in which objects overlap
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each other. You can move and resize drawing objects. You can also divide
a display into layers so that you can segregate various elements. For
example, you might separate HVAC elements from Electrical elements in a
display.
Any of these functions can be performed on a single screen element or
group of them. For information on grouping objects, see Grouping Symbols
(page 210).
Make sure you have selected the item or items with the Build Mode
pointer.
OLE objects behave somewhat differently; their behavior is discussed
under Commands that Ignore OLE Objects (page 293).
Drawing Area
The drawing area of a display is actually much larger than your monitor.
There are scroll bars on the display window for moving around this area.
You should plan to set a few options before you begin drawing:
 Consider turning on snap-to grid and setting the grid size, font style,
and default colors of lines, backgrounds, and fills before you begin. It
is usually easier to work with a grid when laying out a display.
Symbols in your drawing automatically align themselves with the grid
lines or the intersections of grid lines. Grid lines not only make it
easier to place objects in the drawing, but it helps keep the objects
proportional. You can start with one grid size and then modify it as
your work gets more detailed.
 Select a font and font size for any values, trends, or text boxes you
might add to the drawing.
 Select colors for lines, fills, and backgrounds that are easy on the eyes.
For example, if you are projecting on a large video screen, a black
background with colored lines is better, but if you are printing, a white
background is better.
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While you are drawing, you can use the zoom feature to zoom in on an
area that requires more attention. Zoom out if the drawing is larger than
your monitor.
Drawing Grid
The grid is a system of vertical and horizontal lines spaced at regular
intervals on the drawing area. Dots are placed at the intersection of the grid
lines. The grid helps you align drawing objects.
When you move an object to a location on the drawing area, the corners or
edges of the object are aligned with the closest grid intersection. This is
called snap-to-grid or grid snap. When you turn off grid snap, you can
move an object to any location within the drawing area.
You determine the interval at which you want the grid lines to be spaced
by setting the grid size.
Set Grid Size and Grid Snap

To set the grid size and the grid snap:
1. In Build mode, open a display.
2. On the Arrange menu, click Grid Size. The Grid Size dialog box
appears.
3. Under Lines per Screen Unit, type or select the number of grid lines
per unit of drawing space.
The size of a unit as displayed on your monitor varies according to the

monitor's resolution and driver software.
4. Select Snap to Grid. Once grid snap is on, any symbols you draw are
automatically aligned to the grid.
The Snap to Grid command also appears on the Arrange menu.
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5. Click OK.
Formatting
Each symbol you draw and place on a display has attributes that determine
how the symbol looks. The fill and line attributes that are currently selected
on the Display Window (page 28) tab of the ProcessBook Preference
dialog box are applied to any new drawing symbol. You may configure
these attributes for individual symbols or for all selected symbols as a
group.
The Symbol Formatting toolbar contains buttons for formatting fonts,
colors, and line styles. FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook also includes
the older Formatting toolbar to support backwards compatibility
Editable Formatting Attributes

The following table shows the editable attributes for each symbol.
Colors Line Styles
Line Fill Background Style Weight Ends
Line X X X X
Rectangle X X X X
Text X X
Ellipse X X X X
Arc X X X X
Value X X
Polygon X X X X
Polyline X X X
Bar X X X X
Trend X X X X
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Font
To determine what type of formatting is applicable for each symbol, refer to

the table of editable formatting attributes (page 81).
To configure fonts:
1. In Build mode, open a display, and click the symbol(s) whose font you
want to change.
2. On the Symbol Formatting toolbar, click a font name in the list
.
When choosing fonts, plan to use fonts that other FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook users are likely to have. If another user does not have the fonts
you used, FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook attempts to match the font to an
existing font. However, the match may make it difficult for another user to
read the entry.
3. Type or click a point size in the Font Size box .
Line Color

To configure line colors:
1. In Build mode, open a display, and click the symbol(s) whose line
color you want to change.
2. On the Symbol Formatting toolbar, click the Line Color button
.
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Depending on the symbol type, the following elements change to the

color displayed on the button.
 Symbols that display text use the line color to determine the color
of the text within the symbol.
 Symbols that have lines (such as ellipses) use the line color to
change lines in the symbol.
3. Click the arrow on the right side of the Line Color button to display
the color palette. Choose from the 16 colors available or click one of
these two buttons:
Custom Color Launches the Color dialog box where you can choose additional
colors from a color well of options.
None Disables line color. Setting the line color to None for Pen
elements on a trend hides the trace and its associated markers.
Fill Color

To configure fill colors:
1. In Build mode, open a display, and click the symbol(s) whose fill
color you want to change.
2. On the Symbol Formatting toolbar, click the Fill Color button

. The interior color of the selected symbol(s) changes.
The Fill Color button is disabled if the selected symbol does not support
this property.
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3. Click the arrow on the right side of the Fill Color button to display the
color palette. Choose from the 16 colors available or click one of these
two buttons:
None Disables fill color. Setting the fill color to None shows the display
background color.
Background Color

To configure background colors:
1. In Build mode, open a display, and click the symbol(s) whose
background color you want to change.
2. On the Symbol Formatting toolbar, click the Background Color
button . The background of the selected symbol changes.
The Background Color button is disabled if the selected symbol does

not support that property.
3. Click the arrow on the right side of the Background Color button to
display the color palette. Choose from the 16 colors available or click
one of these two buttons:
None Disables background color. Setting the background color to None

shows the display background color.
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Line Weight

To configure line weight:
weight you want to change.
2. On the Symbol Formatting toolbar, click the Line Weight button
. A list of six line weight options appears below the button.
3. Select a line weight. The thickness of the selected symbol's line weight
changes.
Line Style

To configure line style:
style you want to change.
2. On the Symbol Formatting toolbar, click the Line Style button .

A list of six line style options appears below the button. Options
include solid, dash, dot, dash-dot, dash-dot-dot, and none. Selecting
None for a trend Pen element hides the trace line, but not the marker.
3. Select a line option. The symbol's line pattern changes.
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Line Ends

To configure line ends:
ends you want to change.
2. On the Symbol Formatting toolbar, click the Line Ends button .

A list of four line ends options appears below the button. These
options determine whether arrows appear at the end of lines.
3. Select a line ends option. The selected symbol's line pattern changes.
Formatting Paintbrush

To configure paintbrush:
1. In Build mode, open a display, and click the symbol(s) whose font,
color, or line formatting you want to replicate.
2. On the Symbol Formatting toolbar, click the Formatting
Paintbrush button .
Double clicking the Formatting Paintbrush button allows you to apply

formatting to more than one symbol. To turn off the Formatting Paintbrush
selection, click the button again or press ESC.
3. Click another symbol. The formatting of the first symbol is copied to
the selected symbol(s).
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ToolTip Statistics
In Run mode, hover your mouse over a point on a dynamic symbol to
display a ToolTip with summary statistics. Engineering units are shown
next to the value followed by the timestamp paired with the value. If you
hover your mouse over a point where there is more than one trace, each
trace's data is shown on a separate line.
Click Tools > ToolTip Statistics to launch the ToolTip Statistics dialog
box, where you can select what type of data you want to see when viewing
ToolTips.
The options under Summary Statistics to Show do not affect ToolTips for
XYPlots.
ToolTip Statistics are shown for any dynamic symbol that has FactoryTalk
Historian data. The effective time range of the display is used to aggregate
the data for these statistics.
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Time Range and Playback Toolbar

The Time Range and Playback toolbar allows you to play, pause, loop,
and manually scroll a display through a pre-set time period. You can move
backwards and forwards in time, alter the display range duration, and
revert to the original symbol definitions.
Playing back a display can be useful for showing the conditions of various
systems and analyzing conditions leading up to a specific time frame or
event.
The Time Range and Playback Toolbar is enabled for the active display
and disabled if there is no active display. You can right-click anywhere in
the FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook toolbar area and show or hide the
toolbar from the context menu.
The toolbar contains a time tracker that shows the display range (page 93),
the scroll period (page 92) that shows the start and end time for the entire
playback session, and the following controls:
Revert Click the button to restore all the active displays to their configured
time ranges.
This button is available only when playback is not active.
Back or Forward Click either button to adjust the display range (page 93) back or
One Time Period forward one time period for the active display or all active displays, if
synchronized.
When you use these buttons to move beyond the start or end time of
the scroll period, the scroll period expands to contain the display
range.
These buttons are available only when playback is not active.
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Time Tracker The time tracker shows the Display range (page 93) and available
Scroll period (page 92).
Go to Current Time Click the button to move the display range so that its end time is the
current time (*).
This action does not change the dimensions of the display range.
Change the Display Click the button or double-click the display range to open the Change
Range Display Range dialog box (page 94).
Synchronize Click the button to enable synchronization when one or more

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook displays are open. When
synchronization is enabled, time-related actions that you perform
through the Time Range and Playback toolbar affect every display
that is currently open and every new display that you open.
Synchronization is disabled by default. Once on, synchronization
remains enabled even if you close all displays.
Time range actions that you make from the FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook Time Range toolbar or a button on the standard toolbar
are not synchronized.
Only symbols that are already on the active display are synchronized.
Symbols that you add to the display are not synchronized until the
next time the display range changes.
Synchronization is temporarily suspended during playback. The
displays are resynchronized when playback is paused or stopped.
Repeat Click the button to make the playback repeat each time it reaches the
end of the scroll period (page 92).
End Playback Click the button to end playback.

This action resets the position of the Time Tracker to the far left and
changes the Pause/Play icon to Play.
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Pause/Play The button drives the playback feature.
The Play button changes to the pause icon when a display is in

playback mode. When playback is paused, the button shows the play
button.
Fast Forward Click the button to accelerate the rate of play back. Each successive
click of Fast Forward doubles the rate at which the display plays back.
The first click doubles playback speed, then advances to 4x, 8x, 16x,
and 32x the playback speed. An additional click returns the playback
to the default playback speed.
Click Play to resume normal speed playback. The playback continues
from the current position rather than starting from the beginning.
Options Click the button to open the Scroll Options (page 91) dialog box.
Calendar Hover at either end of the scroll period to see the Calendar icon.
Click the scroll range while the calendar icon is displayed to open a
calendar to set that end of the scroll period.
The calendar accepts any time string format supported by FactoryTalk
Historian and returns dates and times using Windows time configured
with the current regional settings of the client computer.
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Scroll Options Dialog Box

Use the Scroll Options dialog box to set the default behavior settings for
the Time Range and Playback toolbar. These defaults apply to the active
display or all displays, if synchronization is on. The defaults are retained
when FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is closed and re-opened on a per
user basis.
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Display Range Use any accepted FactoryTalk Historian Time (page 337) input
(page 93) parameter to set the length of the display range.
Scroll Period (page Use the spin box or calendar controls to select start and end dates
92) and times.
Refresh Rate Select the number of seconds between updates of the display that is
being played.
Speed Select the rate at which the display plays back. The speed is
expressed in units per second. Speed can be expressed as
milliseconds, seconds, minutes, hours, days, and months, and must
be smaller than the display range.
Scroll Period
The scroll period marks the earliest and latest time for which you can
manipulate or playback a display.
Scroll Period Constraints

The scroll period must be larger than the display range (page 93).
The scroll period end time must be after the scroll period start time.
An error icon appears to the far right of the time tracker if you violate
either of these conditions.
Scroll Period Time Format

The displayed time format of the scroll period depends on its duration. If
the scroll period is less than 24 hours, then the start and end time is shown
in hours and minutes. If the scroll time is 24 hours or more, then the start
and end time is shown as a date.
The time zone of FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook determines whether
the time is shown in the client time zone or the server time zone.
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Change the Scroll Period

There are several ways to change the scroll period:
 Hover the mouse next to the left or right arrow of the scroll period to
change the mouse icon to a calendar icon. Click the icon to open the
calendar where you can modify the dates.
 Click the Scroll Options button to launch the Scroll Options (page 91)
dialog box.
Display Range
The display range icon represents the time duration
shown on the trend symbols, or for a bar or value, the end time of the
display range is the symbol time.
The display range must be shorter than the scroll period (page 92).
Change the Display Range

There are several ways to change the display range:
 Click or double-click the display range to open the Change

Display Range (page 94) dialog box.
 Double-click anywhere in the display range to open the Change
Display Range (page 94) dialog box.
 Click and drag one of the display range thumbs.
 Click the display range and rotate the mouse wheel.
 Click the Playback Options button to launch the Scroll Options
(page 91) dialog box.
 Click the display range and use the up and down arrow keys to change
the size of the display range.
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A display must be reverted to re-establish any build time configuration

time ranges for individual symbols.
The Change Display Range Dialog Box

Use the Change Display Range dialog box to specify the display range.
Rules for time settings:

 The start and end time boxes support all time string formats
recognized by FactoryTalk Historian.
 You can edit the times manually. The dynamic time strings, such as *-
1h, that you set are added to the drop-down list. .
 Static time strings, such as 1-Jan-2009, are not added to the list.
 Each drop down list saves the ten most recently used values.
 Settings are stored per user.
Move the Display Range During Playback

The location of the display range on the scroll bar tracks the time of the
playback on the display. The display range always advances from left to
right from its initial start position while playing.
There are several ways to move the display range while you play back a
display:
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 Use the Time Tracker arrow keys to move the display range current
position.
 Click the scroll bar on either side of the display range to move the
display range to the position where you click.
 Click anywhere in the display range and use the left and right arrow
keys to move the display range back and forward across the scroll
period.
Layers within Displays

You can divide a display into layers containing one or more symbols. This
feature could be useful in building a complex display with several systems
depicted (electrical, HVAC, etc.). If you separate systems by layer, you can
view any one of the layers by making the other layers invisible.
 A layer can be Visible or Invisible in Run mode. Layers are always
Visible in Build mode.
 You can move symbols between layers or remove them from a layer.
 Add, make visible, restack, and lock layers while ProcessBook is in
either Run mode or Build mode. Delete layers only when
ProcessBook is in Build mode.
Create Layers
To create a layer:
1. Open a display.
2. Click or double-click the Layers icon in the status bar

-or-
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Click View > Layers. The Layers dialog box appears.
3. Review the following for additional information:

Index Specifies the index number of the layer. The index is used in
determining the display order (Z Order) of overlapping
symbols. A layer with a lower index number is lower in the
stack than one with a higher number. Higher layers may
obscure symbols in lower levels.
Count This is a read-only value that contains the number of symbols

on a layer. A composite symbol is counted once and each of
its subordinate individual symbols is also counted.
Up/down arrows Buttons at the right side of the dialog box are used to move
the relative position of one layer to another within a display.
As a layer is moved down the list, its index number becomes
larger, and vice versa. Symbols on layers with higher index
numbers may hide or cover symbols with lower-index
numbers. Locked layers cannot be reordered.
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4. Click New Layer. The New Layer dialog box appears.
A default name comprised of the word Layer prefixed to the layer

number appears. The layer number does not necessarily match the
index number; it is simply the next unused integer in the list.
A new layer is added to the end of the collection. Its index is one
higher than the previous high index number. All symbols added to this
layer are displayed over symbols on lower indexed layers.
5. Click OK to return to the Layers dialog box.
6. Select the appropriate check boxes:
Visible Makes the elements in the layer visible in Run mode. New layers are
visible by default.
Active Accepts all new symbols as you add them to the display. Inactive
prevents symbols from being added automatically. New layers are
Active by default.
Locked Prevents you from adding symbols to a layer. Existing symbols on

locked layers cannot be cut, copied, pasted, deleted, or moved. New
layers are not locked by default.
7. Click OK.
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Assign Symbols to Layers

If you have at least one layer in a display, you can assign symbols to it.
1. Select a symbol, right-click, and select Assign Layers. The Assign
Layers dialog box appears and displays all of your existing layers.
2. Select or clear the check box next to a layer name to add or remove the
selected symbol from a layer. If a layer name is grayed out, the layer is
locked and you cannot add or remove symbols. You may add the same
symbol to more than one layer.
3. Click OK.
Layers and Composite Symbols

To link symbols and create composite symbols click Arrange > Group, or
click on the Layout toolbar. The symbols may be on different layers
when they are grouped.
 Assign a composite symbol to any layer(s) regardless of its component
symbols.
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 You cannot group symbols on locked layers into a composite symbol,

but the layers may be locked after the symbols are grouped.
 You cannot delete a composite symbol that contains symbols on
locked layers, however, you can delete an unlocked layer.
 Normally, a symbol existing only on one layer is deleted if the layer is
deleted, but when the symbol is inside a composite symbol it is not
deleted. It stays in the composite symbol.
 If a composite symbol is hidden, all its parts are hidden. If the
composite symbol is visible its individual parts may still be hidden if
the layers they are assigned to are hidden.
 Since you cannot individually select the parts of a composite symbol
you must first use the Ungroup button to separate them in order
to change their layer assignments individually.
Active Layers Status Bar

The Layers icon on the status bar shows whether or not the display has
more than one layer.
This icon appears in the status bar at the bottom of your application,
indicating one or more layers in the display currently in focus. Double-
clicking the icon displays the Layers dialog box.
No layers defined are indicated by this icon: .
Hovering the mouse over the icon displays a ToolTip with the names of
any active layers, beginning with the top layer.
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Migrate Displays to Another FactoryTalk

Historian Server
When you want to use an existing tag with a different FactoryTalk
Historian server, FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook attempts to locate the
correct tags. Each ProcessBook saves the tag information for all of the
symbols it contains. Beginning with PI SDK 1.3.6, when you use a
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook symbol with a FactoryTalk Historian
server other than the one for which it was created, the FactoryTalk
Historian server is added automatically if it is discoverable on the network.
If the FactoryTalk Historian server is not discoverable, then FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook prompts you to select a new FactoryTalk Historian
server. Once the new FactoryTalk Historian server is selected, FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook searches the database for a matching tag ID.
 If a match is found, FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook retrieves the
tag name associated with the tag ID and compares the tag name with
the saved tag name.
 If the tag names are the same, the value is shown in the entry.
 If the tag names are different, FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook
searches the database for the tag ID of the saved tag name. If a match
is found, the value is shown in the entry.
 If a match is not found, FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook uses the
tag ID saved with the ProcessBook regardless of the different tag
names.
 If no tag ID or tag name is found in the database, FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook displays a message informing you of the
missing tag.
This behavior is governed by the value of PB2TagResolution, located
in the procbook.ini (page 315) file's Data Manager section.
PB2TagResolution can take the following values:
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 0 - [default] the Point ID is used to match a missing tag before the

stored point name.
 1 - uses the tag name before checking Point ID. This mimics behavior
of older version of FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook that are based
on the FactoryTalk Historian API.
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Chapter 5
Visualize Data with Symbols

Symbols are the building blocks of a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook
display.
 Dynamic symbols allow you to view live data streams (page 229) in
your display. These symbols are updated in real time as FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook receives updates from your FactoryTalk
Historian server.
The maximum number of dynamic symbols per display is 278,343.

 Static symbols (page 177) allow you to embed graphics, text, lines, and
other images in a display.
Trends
A trend is a dynamic symbol that lets you view values plotted against time.
Trends can show the value of one or more data streams over a time period.
Trends are typically used to display time series data, though they may also
include non-time series data as well.
Some components of trends include:
Traces Lines drawn on a trend to represent a series of data points from a
data stream (page 229).
Pens Formatting components used to determine the presentation of data
lines (traces) on trends.
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Plot Title The title of the trend being configured. The plot title can be blank, but
a title is supplied by default.
Grid lines Used to mark intervals along the time and value scales.
If the Plot Time continues through the current time, the trend updates as
information changes, unless the length of the overall time period exceeds
the limit set by your System Administrator. The default limit is 7 days.
This value is configurable.
Create a Trend
To create a trend:
1. Open a display.
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click , or click Draw > Trend.
The mouse pointer changes to the Trend pointer .

3. Click in the display where you want to add the trend and drag the
pointer to form a rectangle into which the trend will be placed.
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4. When you release the mouse button, the Define Trend (page 110)
dialog box appears.
5. Under Plot, type a name.

6. (Optional) Click New Plot if you want to build a trend with multiple
plots (page 109).
7. Under Tags in Plot, type the name of the tag,
-or- click Tag Search to locate a tag,
-or- click the Tag Search arrow to see more search options:
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 Tag Search (page 231)

 PI calculation (page 248) (data set)
 ODBC (page 254) (data set)
 AF2 (page 269) - launches the Select AF Attribute dialog box,
from which you can search an AF database for elements and
attributes.
 Element Relative (page 240) - launches the Element Search
dialog box from which you can search an AF database for
elements.
Your selections for tags, data sets, or attributes appear under Tags in
Plot.
8. If you manually enter tag names, select the appropriate FactoryTalk
Historian server from the Server list. Normally, the default
FactoryTalk Historian server is listed.
You can rearrange, add to, or delete the selected tags by clicking one
of the buttons above Tags in Plot .
9. If you have an ODBC dataset column with a FactoryTalk Historian
Tag placeholder or a FactoryTalk Historian Summary dataset column
selected for the plot, the Custom Placeholder button is enabled. Click
the button to change the FactoryTalk Historian Tag used as the
placeholder for the selected trace.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook allows you to create custom

placeholders for a symbol based on a summary Data Set or a FactoryTalk
Historian Tag placeholder in an ODBC data set. Placeholders are not allowed
for expression Data Sets. The Custom Placeholders button in symbol
definition dialog box boxes allows you to specify different FactoryTalk
Historian Tags for a FactoryTalk Historian Summary Data Set or ODBC data
set with a FactoryTalk Historian Tag placeholder. The change applies only to
the configured symbol. See Add or Edit Placeholders (page 259) for details.
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10. Under Scale, select Single Scale or, if you have more than one trace,
you may select Multiple Scales. The multiple scales option shows a
value range for each trace. There is only one time scale.
11. Consider checking the following check boxes:
 Logarithmic
To display the data in a logarithmic scale. If you have multiple
scales, you may set this option differently for each trace. This
option is disabled for digital tags.
You may use logarithmic and non-logarithmic scales for traces in

the same trend when you select the Multiple Scales option. In this case,
the minor grid lines associated with a logarithmic plot may confuse the
plot. You can turn off the minor grid lines by setting the vertical minor
grid color or line style to none.
 Regression Line
Determines whether a regression line is drawn for a selected trace.
12. In the Max and Min lists, select Autorange or Database or type the
values to determine the value scale range.
Min settings:
Autorange The trend displays with the value scale starting at the closest
available major axis. If the minimum is Autorange and the
maximum is not, the scale starts at the lowest data value in
the trace (not on a major axis) and ends on the closest major
axis.
Database The tag's Zero attribute is used to specify the minimum plot
value. This value can be negative is the value of the tag is
negative.
0 (absolute value) The value you type is used as the first value on the value
scale.
Max settings:
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Autorange The trend displays with the value scale ending at the closest
available major axis. If the maximum is Autorange and the
minimum is not, the plot starts on the minimum value and
ends on the largest trace value (neither min nor max will be
on a major axis).
Database The tag's Zero + Span attributes are used to specify the
maximum plot value.
0 (absolute value) The value you type is used as the value scale maximum.
13. From the Format list, select the number format for the scale. Database
is the default format. This number format is also applied to legend,
cursor, and ToolTip numbers.
Database Database format uses the displaydigits FactoryTalk
Historian Point attribute to determine how many decimal
places to show. If the length of the number exceeds the
displaydigits value, scientific notation is used.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook trims trailing zeroes that
follow a decimal point. The Database format option is
intended for use with FactoryTalk Historian Tags only.
General Shows all significant digits for a number except trailing zeros.
If the absolute value of the value is greater than 1e+7 or less
than 1e-5, the format will switch to use scientific notation.
Scientific Most useful with very large numbers. The scientific format
used for trends displays in the format: 0.00E+00.
Custom Allows you to enter your own number format. See the Table
(#,##0.00, 0%) of Format Values (page 340) for examples.
14. Under Plot Time, from the Start and End lists, select a time. An
asterisk (*) represents the current time. You can also type a valid
FactoryTalk Historian Time (page 337) string.
15. In the Style list, select Full time stamp, Partial time stamp, or
Relative time stamp to indicate how time is displayed on the time
axis.
16. Click OK.
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Historian Tag placeholder in an ODBC data set. Placeholders are not allowed
Historian Tags for a FactoryTalk Historian Summary Data Set or ODBC data
set with a FactoryTalk Historian Tag placeholder. The change applies only to
the configured symbol. See Add or Edit Placeholders (page 259) for details.
Build a Trend with Multiple Plots

For new trend symbols, you can add multiple plots at the same time so that
many trends are created, configured and placed on the display without
dragging additional symbols on the display. Once the plots are created they
are no longer associated in any way and are configured, moved, and sized
individually.
1. Follow the steps to create a trend (page 104).
2. To create additional plots, click New Plot and select tags. Repeat as
necessary. To view the tags you have selected, you can select each plot
name in the Plot box.
3. To adjust the arrangement matrix for the plots you are creating, click
the Layout tab (page 115).
These matrix options are available only when you create the trend and
cannot be edited later. However, you can revise the traces and other trend
properties on each plot individually.
Move a Plot
If you have created more than one plot in the trend, you can move each
plot separately.
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In Build mode simply click the plot you want to move. Selection handles
appear around the plot. Use these handles to drag the plot to its new
location.
Delete a Plot within a Trend

To delete a plot within a trend:
1. In the Define Trend dialog box, click the General tab.
2. In the Plot list, select the plot you want to delete, and then click Delete
Plot. This button is only available while the symbol is being created.
Once you have drawn a trend, and you want to delete a plot, you can
select the plot and then press DELETE.
Edit a Trend
Use the Define Trend (page 110) dialog box to edit an existing trend. To
launch this dialog box do one of the following:
 In Build mode, double click a trend.
 Select a trend and click on the toolbar.

 Select a trend and click Edit > Selected Item.
Define Trend Dialog Box

In the Define Trend dialog box, you can specify tags; the colors and line
styles for traces, legends, and backgrounds; and how much tag information
is displayed with a trend. Use the Symbol Formatting (page 81) toolbar to
make color or line formatting or font changes.
Trends are formatted according to certain defaults. Using the Trend
Preference settings (page 30), you can create your own default format for
new trends. You can set options like line colors, background, and marker
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shapes, and you can set the types of point information included with a
trend.
The Define Trend dialog box has a General tab where you create a trend
(page 104), and the following additional tabs for formatting and layout:
 Display Format (page 112)
Options for the elements to be included in the trend.
 Trace Format (page 113)
Provides an alternate way to choose colors and line styles for each
trace (plot line) as well as the axes, background, and text.
 Layout (page 115)
Options determine the arrangement of rows and columns for multiple
plot trends. This tab only appears when you first create a trend symbol.
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Display Format Tab
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Legend Check or clear options in this group box for displaying the tag name,
server name, description, value, and engineering units. Your choices
are reflected in the sample trend at the bottom of the dialog box.
The information that can fit in the legend is determined by the size of
the trend. Consequently, not all of the information in the legend may
be visible.
 If the width of the legend is more than 50 percent of the width of
the trend, the legend does not display.
 If the length of the text in the legend is longer than the total
height of the trend, the items on the bottom are not shown.
Display Check or clear options in this group box. The sample trend reflects
the changes you make.
 Plot Title
 Vertical Scale Inside Axis
Draws the value scale inside the plot area.
 Grids
Shows grid lines (page 123) on the trend.
 Markers
When checked, markers indicate data points on the trend. If the
Markers box is not selected, three markers appear on each line to
help you match a line to a tag.
Trend orientation Choose from the three options at the top of the dialog box to orient
your trend in a horizontal or vertical direction.
 End Time at right (horizontal)
 End Time at top (vertical)
 End Time at bottom (vertical).
Trace Format Tab

Use the buttons on the Symbol Formatting (page 81) toolbar to configure
plot elements such as pens (traces (page 127)), text, and background.
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The Trace Format tab gives you an alternate way to update formatting
changes.
Plot Element drop-down box - select from a list of available traces and
other plot elements.
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Element Format group box - select formatting options for the selected plot
element. Your choices are reflected in the sample trend at the bottom of the
dialog box.
Layout Tab
The plot arrangement in a multi-plot trend is established by setting up the
number of rows and columns of plots in the Layout tab.
The Layout tab only appears when you initially create a trend (page 104).
Once the layout is set, you cannot revise it because the plots are no longer
associated when the symbol is created. However, individual plots can be moved on
the display in Build mode.
To revise the proposed plot arrangement matrix:
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Under Plot Arrangement, select the number of rows and columns you
want. The following example shows four plots, to be arranged in 2 rows of
2 columns each. Tab past the matrix to see the sample of your new
selection display in the Preview area.
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Configure Trend Scale

The Trend Scale dialog box provides easy access to the value scale
settings for each tag in a trend, SQC chart or XYPlot. If the plot uses a data
set, only the Autorange and Absolute options are available for the
Maximum and Minimum scale settings.
To configure a trend scale:

1. In Run mode, double-click the plot's value scale to open the Trend
Scale dialog box.
In FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook you can also click View > Trend
Scale. This menu object is not available in FactoryTalk Historian ActiveView.
2. Select the Single Scale or Multiple Scales option.
3. If you are using multiple scales, then select the tag for which to set the
scale options from the Tags list.
4. Select Autorange, Database, or Absolute options for the Maximum
and Minimum values of the scale.
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Autorange Sets the value scale using the minimum and maximum tag values
between the trend start time and end time.
Database Sets the value scale using the tag attribute values in the Point
Database. Zero is the minimum. Zero + Span is the maximum. See
the FactoryTalk Historian Server Reference Guide for more
information on tag attributes.
Absolute Allows you to enter a custom value for the value scale of a tag. Enter
the value in the adjacent box.
5. If you have selected the Absolute option, then type in the Maximum
and Minimum values of the scale in the adjacent boxes.
6. Click OK.
To return the trend scale to its original settings, click Revert on the
context menu.
Modifications made to a trend through use of this dialog box do not affect
the stored settings of the trend.
Trend Analysis Tools

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook provides a number of tools for
analyzing or monitoring the data in a trend, SQC chart, or XYPlot.
Trend Zoom (page Lets you use the mouse to drag a box around the data you would like
119) to see more detail.
Trend Expand Temporarily expands a trend symbol so that it occupies the entire
(page 120) display window.
Trend Cursor (page Shows the value of the plotted tags at a specific point in time.
120)
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Drag Zoom
Drag Zoom lets you contract the time scale of a trend.
1. With the Run mode pointer, click an area in the trend at which you
want a closer look.
2. Drag the pointer diagonally to create a rectangle.
3. When you release the mouse, the trend displays the data within the
rectangle.
Trend Zoom 2x In or Out
Click the Zoom In or Out button at the bottom of a trend to reduce or

expand the time range of that trend by a factor of 2. In other words, if your
time range is 8 hours, Trend Zoom 2x In divides the time range by 2 and
displays the trend for a 4 hour time period. Trend Zoom 2x Out multiplies
the time range by 2 and displays the trend for a 16 hour time period.
You can remove changes to the time range by clicking the Revert button
.
If a trend is too small these buttons may not appear. Double-click a trend to
expand its size and display hidden buttons.
If there are no trend cursors, the Trend Zoom 2x command zooms in or
out of the last portion of the time period. For example, if the initial time
range is 60 minutes and you select Trend Zoom 2x In, the trend displays
the last 30 minutes. Trend Zoom 2x Out displays 120 minutes adding 60
minutes to the beginning of the trend.
When a trend cursor is displayed, the command uses the trend cursor as the
center of the zoomed trend. If several cursors are used, the last one set is
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used as the center of the zoomed trend. See Trend Cursor (page 120), for
more information on trend cursors.
Expand a Trend
When you double-click a trend in Run mode, the trend is redrawn so that it
occupies the entire display window. Double-click again to reduce the trend
to its original size.
While the trend is expanded, the Drawing toolbar is disabled. If you
switch to another display, the Drawing toolbar will work there.
All descriptive information (title, tag descriptor, tag value) is shown on an
expanded trend.
Trend Cursor
A trend cursor lets you read tag values for a particular time. When you
select a trend cursor, a vertical line indicates the cursor position. The box at
the top of the line indicates the value and status. The box at the bottom
displays the time and date of the value. On vertically-oriented trends the
cursor is horizontally oriented.
You may display several trend cursors at one time.
A trend does not update while trend cursors are visible.

If the trend is too small, the Trend Cursor command is disabled and the
mouse pointer does not change when you move over the left axis. You can
expand the trend by double-clicking it.
Trend cursors may be automated.
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Add a Trend Cursor

To add a trend cursor:
1. Notice whether the time scale appears at the bottom and the time
stamp appears at the upper right. If not, the trend rectangle may be too
small to use Trend Cursor. Enlarge the trend. If the time stamp does
not appear, reformat the display format to show it.
2. With the Run mode pointer, click . A cursor appears at the right
edge of the trend. When the mouse pointer changes to a double-headed
arrow over the trend cursor, click the vertical line and drag left to
position the trend cursor,
-or-
Click View > Trend Cursor. An indented icon in front of the
command indicates that trend cursors are on.
3. Move the mouse pointer over the left axis of the trend. The pointer
changes to a trend cursor symbol. As you drag to the right, a new trend
cursor is added to the trend
4. Move the trend cursor back and forth across the trend by dragging it.
As you move it, the time stamp, status, and value appear in a box at
the top right of the trend.
5. When you release the cursor, the values appear in boxes at the top and
bottom of the cursor. You can add additional cursors by grabbing the
trend cursor icon at the left axis.
Remove a Trend Cursor

To remove a trend cursor:
Click the , or click View > Trend Cursor, or revert the trend.
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To remove one trend cursor but not all of them, click the trend cursor and
drag it to the left or right until it moves off of the trend.
Change Time Range

Scroll time ranges directly on a trend by using the Step Forward or
Backward buttons on the time scale. These time changes are not
saved with the symbol.
Use the Revert button , located next to the time scale, to return the
trend to its configured settings.
If the trend is too small these buttons may not appear. Expand the trend's
size to display hidden buttons.
You can also use buttons on the Time Range (page 201) toolbar to modify
time configurations settings.
How Trends Refresh

If the end time of the trend is current (*) or future (for example, *+1h), and
trend cursors are off, then the trend updates whenever information is sent
from the machine instrumentation to the FactoryTalk Historian Archive at
a configurable update rate (5 seconds by default).
A dashed line on the plot time grid of the trend indicates the current time
and that the plot is updating. If the information has not changed at the
instrumentation sensor, the trend shows a flat line from the last update to
the current time (the dotted line).
You can force a refresh by clicking the Revert button.
If desired, a FactoryTalk Historian System Manager can change the seven-day

updating time range limit to another interval on your computer.
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FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook uses an algorithm to identify the peaks

and valleys of data values so that no information is lost when the trend
time range is large. It ensures that the plot is not under- or over-sampled
and that the correct amount of information is sent from the FactoryTalk
Historian Archive.
Unlike data from a FactoryTalk Historian Archive, data from an ODBC
data set refreshes according to a configured refresh rate.
Trend Appearance
A trend appears according to the format established in the Preference
settings (page 30). You may override this format by selecting the Trend
Formatting (page 112) button .

Typically, the title of the trend appears at the upper left, and the current
time stamp appears at the upper right. The selected tag names, current or
end value, and engineering units appear in the legend opposite the value
scale.
Grid Lines and Labels

Trends are formatted according to certain defaults. Use the Trend
Elements (page 32) tab in the ProcessBook Preferences dialog box to
create default formats for new trends. You can set options like line colors
and marker shapes, and set the types of point information included with a
trend.
Grid Lines
Horizontal and vertical grid lines align with even units (whole numbers) on
the scales. Grid lines for the value scale line up with whole numbers at
intervals of 1, 2, 5, 10, or powers of 10 times those intervals. Grid lines for
the time scale line up with time intervals such as weeks, days, hours,
minutes, etc. The traces then scroll as time passes on an updating trend.
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Grid Line Labels

Configure the labels for the value scale using single or multiple scales. You
can place these labels on either the inside or outside of the value axis:
Single Scale The union of the ranges for all traces appears in the label.
Multiple Scales The range for each trace in the trend appears in the label.
Configure the labels for the time axis using a full time stamp, partial time
stamp, or a relative time stamp:
Full timestamp Displays a complete time stamp for the start and end times. The time
range of the trend is in the middle of the time axis.
Partial timestamp Labels most grid lines in the units of the time range. Displays the full
time stamp for the end time of the trend at the top right edge of the
plot.
Relative timestamp Displays the offset from the end time limit in weeks, days, hours, etc.
and the full time stamp for the end time of the trend at the top right
edge of the plot.
Labels for the grid lines appear unless the trend rectangle is too small.
Value Scale Grid Lines

Grid lines are shown in value scale intervals of 1, 2, 5, 10, or powers of 10
times those intervals.
The value axis minimum and maximum are set one of four methods:
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Autorange scale The value scale is determined by a calculation based on minimum and
maximum values in the trend. As new data are received from the
server, the high and low values may change, and the scale is
recalculated accordingly.
For example, if the original scale ranged from 5 to 100, but the new
data has a high of 103, then the new plot shows a range from 5 to
105 (the nearest number divisible by 5 and larger than the high
value).
If more than one tag is plotted on a single scale, the value scale is
calculated from the highest and lowest values for all the tags.
Database scale If the scale is set to Database, the range is the same as the limits for
the point on the server. The minimum value is termed zero, and the
maximum value is the sum of the zero value plus the span value.
For example, suppose the tag attributes for a point are Zero = 3 and
Span = 6. The plot range therefore is based on making the minimum
and maximum values 3 to 9.
Logarithmic scale If you prefer a logarithmic scale, check this option. This option is
disabled for digital, string, time stamp, or integer tags.
Manually Defined When the scale is configured, an arbitrary minimum and maximum
scale scale value may be entered.
Single and Multiple Scales for the Vertical Axis

Value scales are labeled whenever there is enough room. Configure these
labels with either single or multiple scales.
 For a single scale label, the union of the ranges for all traces appears.
 For multiple scale labels, the range for the first trace appears next to
the value axis. Ranges for the other traces appear in increasing
distance from the axis in the order the tags are listed in the trend
legend.
On a single scale trend, traces that contain only one value (a flat line) or have
no data are governed by special scaling rules. When a trend is composed of only
flat or no data traces, the default value scale range is inflated to prevent showing a
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flat plot area. These default ranges are not applied if the trace in question is on a
single scale trend that contains other visible traces that do not fall into either of the
aforementioned categories.
A single scale trace containing one flat trace with a constant value of 0.
A single scale trend containing a flat trace and a non-flat trace. The
default range for the flat trace is not applied.
Time Scale Grid Lines

Grid lines for the time scale line up with whole units of time, such as days,
hours, minutes, etc. On a trend that receives updates, the grid lines scroll as
time passes. For an updating trend, the current time is indicated by a dotted
vertical line.
Configure labels for the time axis in one of three ways:
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Full Timestamp Labels the start and end time limits with the date and time. When
space permits, the elapsed time between these lines is also shown.
Partial Timestamp Labels each grid line in whole units, such as hours. For example, the
grid lines might be labeled 9:00, 10:00, and 11:00. A full time stamp
showing the plot end time is shown at the upper right.
Relative Labels each grid line with the amount of time preceding the end time
Timestamp limit in days, hours, minutes, or seconds. For example, the grid lines
might be labeled -4, -3, - 2, -1, meaning 4, 3, 2, and 1 hours before
the end time. A full time stamp for the end time is shown at the upper
right.
Traces
A trace is a single line on a trend. When a trace is continuous, a line is
drawn from measurement to measurement. When a trace is discrete, the
value is propagated forward until a new value is recorded in the database.
This results in horizontal and vertical lines for the tag (staircase trace).
Digital points are discrete type measurements, producing staircase traces.
For digital points, the offset from the starting digital state code is plotted.
When the value is shown in a trend cursor, ToolTip, or legend, the text
translation is displayed (for example, ON or OFF).
Staircase traces are used for points from a FactoryTalk Historian server
that have a Step Flag set to TRUE.
ODBC queries may produce either curved or staircase traces, depending on
the Stepped Plot check box setting in the ODBC Data Set dialog box.
Hide Traces
You can hide one or more traces on the trend in Run mode so that an area
of concern is more easily viewed.
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1. Open a trend in Run mode.

2. Hover your mouse pointer over the trend's legend. The mouse pointer changes to a hand
cursor , and the trace in the trend is highlighted.
3. Click the legend item to hide or show the trace on the plot. If the trace has a regression
line configured, the regression line is also hidden. When a trace is hidden:
1. The trace name is dimmed in the legend and the description, value, and engineering units
are hidden (if they were shown before).
2. The space reserved on the legend for the description, value, and
engineering units collapses so that the trace under the hidden trace
is moved. This clearly shows the visible traces on the legend,
especially on a trend with many traces.
3. On a multi-scale trend, the scale associated with the hidden trace
is hidden.
4. On a single scale trend, the minimum and maximum values shown
on the scale may be adjusted.
You can show hidden traces by clicking their names a second time in the
legend, or by clicking the Revert button. All hidden traces are shown in
Build mode.
You can also right click a trend and select Show All or Hide All to make
traces visible or invisible.
Markers
Markers indicate data points and allow you to differentiate between traces
on a trend. There are three types of markers:
Actual data Actual data markers plot each value stored in the database. The color
markers of the trace and of the marker is the same. You can select the shape
of the marker, such as diamonds, circles, squares, or triangles, which
can be helpful for color- blind users and for monochrome monitors.
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Trace markers If there are too many values to plot based on the size of the trend,
the display resolution and the density of the plotted data, actual data
markers do not appear and trace markers are used instead. Trace
markers are also used if the trend configuration does not specify
Markers.
Trace markers help you identify the legend information for each trace;
they do not indicate actual plot values. Up to three trace markers are
used per trace.
X (bad data) When a value is outside the limits defined for the trend, it is plotted
markers as over- or under-range. When a value is out of range or has a bad
value, it is not shown on the plot. An X marker is placed on the trend
at the beginning and end of the time when data are not plotted.
When the data are missing, (for example, not connected to a server)
they are given the value No Data and are not plotted.
At least three markers are shown on a trace, unless the plot is too small.
Ad Hoc Trends
Create a trend on an ad hoc basis for tags represented by dynamic symbols
in a display within a ProcessBook.
Ad hoc trends are like any other trends in that you can scroll the time
forward and backward, view cursors, zoom, view point attributes, use
multiple scales, or change the time range.
To create an ad hoc trend, use either:
 The Trend tool to add a trend to an existing display pre-

configured with data from other symbols on the display.
 The Trend Display tool to create a separate, new display with a

trend preconfigured with data from symbols on the original display.
You can build a trend display before you open any displays.
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If you create an ad hoc trend display and then choose to save it for future
use, it appears on the Book or Outline View as subordinate to the original
display.
Create an Ad Hoc Trend

To create an ad hoc trend for a specific tag or tags:
1. In Run mode, select the dynamic symbol(s) with the data you want to
trend, such as a bar, value, or Multi-State symbol. To select more than
one dynamic symbol, hold down the Shift key while you click them.
2. Click the Trend Display button .

A new display window opens, and a trend is created automatically for
the selected symbols using the default format and time range. It is
given the unique name Trend Display#, where # is a number. The plot
title is Ad Hoc Trend.
- or -
Click the Trend button . The mouse pointer changes to a trend

pointer. Click in the display and drag to create a rectangle. It is given
the name Ad Hoc Trend.
3. The trend appears in the rectangle, using the default format.
4. If you select more tags than the default set in your Preference settings,
usually 3, then you will have more than one plot in your trend or trend
display.
Save an Ad Hoc Trend Display

If you create an ad hoc trend display and wish to save it for future use, then
you must use the Save or Save As command before you close the instant
trend. There are several options:
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 Save an ad hoc trend display as an independent display by clicking it

and using the Save As command with a .pdi filename extension.
 If you had a display entry from a ProcessBook open when the instant
trend was created, the instant trend can be saved as a subordinate of
the display by using the Save command.
 You may save an ad hoc trend as another file type, such as a bitmap
(.bmp) file, using Save As.
You cannot save an ad hoc trend from view-only mode.
OpenVMS Trends and Graphics

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook allows you to convert your existing
OpenVMS trend and graphic files for use within a ProcessBook.
Specifically, the following types of files are supported:
 PIDisDIFF files
Contain trend graphs built using the FactoryTalk Historian data
Trending Package. You can convert horizontal, vertical, composite,
and overview trends.
 PI-GP files
Graphic files built using the PI-GP Graphics Builder.
Before you can convert your trend files (PIDisDIFF), you must convert
them as ASCII text files on the VAX and then download them to your PC.
Once the files are on the PC, you can import them to a ProcessBook.
Trends are formatted based on the settings on the Trend Elements tab in
the ProcessBook Preference dialog box.
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Convert Trends
This process is used to convert VAX graphics for use with a PC.
1. On the VAX or Alpha at the DCL prompt, type $ Run
PISysExe:PIDisDIFF.
2. Select option 1 List Master Display Library from the FactoryTalk
Historian Display Data Interchange File Format Builder.
3. Direct the output to a file.
4. Type a file name. If your file name is more than 8 characters and a 3-
character extension (xxxxxxxx.xxx), the name is truncated during the
download process.
5. Accept the defaults for display mask, group numbers and unit numbers
(*).
6. Select the trend display types you are importing. For optimum
performance select only options 1 (horizontal), 2 (vertical), 3
(composite), and 8 (overview).
7. Quit the PIDisDIFF application (option Q).
8. Transfer the file from the VAX or Alpha to the PC using any ASCII
text file transfer program you have available.
Convert Graphics
This process is used to convert VAX graphics for use with a PC.
On the OpenVMS computer, copy a graphic file to your working directory.
Graphic files are named PISysDat:PIGP_xxxxxxxxxx.dat, where
xxxxxxxxxx is the display name.
1. At the DCL prompt, type $ RUN PISysExe:GPAB.
2. Select option 1 Convert Binary to ASCII from the Graphics Package
ASCII/Binary File Conversion menu.
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3. Type the display name of the graphic you want to convert and press
Enter. Repeat for each file you want to convert.
4. Select option Q to quit the application.
5. Transfer the file from the VAX or Alpha to the PC using any ASCII
text file transfer program you have available.
Your FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook Install disks include an
OpenVMS command file which performs Steps 1 - 5 for all graphics. The
file is named GPPBConv.com.
XYPlots
An XYPlot shows a correlation between one or more paired sets of data.
On an XYPlot (also called a scatter plot), the X scale shows possible
values for one of the items in the pair and the Y scale shows the value of
the other item in the pair. A basic scatter plot looks like the following:
Uncorrelated data.
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This case plotted 10-minute intervals of two points, A and B, for the last
hour. Point A had 12 point values; Point B had 16 point values. The
number of points plotted equals the number of pairs. Since A had fewer
point values, the plot shows only 12 point pairs. The extra data from point
B is ignored. You can configure the method by which pairing occurs.
Correlation is a measure of the strength of the relationship between two
variables. Correlation is indicated graphically by the spread of the data
points around a fitted straight line (for example, a straight line that
indicates the trend of the data). In general, the closer the points are to the
fitted line, the stronger the correlation. The two FactoryTalk Historian tags
shown in figure 1 are not strongly correlated. Another plot shows perfectly
correlated data:
Perfectly correlated.
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A third plot is somewhat correlated:
Somewhat correlated.
In the case of the third plot, a regression line with a slope (M) of 1 and an
offset (B) of 0 drawn diagonally across the plot would show all points
lying close to the line, some above it, some below it. This line formula is
appropriate in this case because both scales are the same and the points
appear to have values very close to each other. In other cases, one value
may be two or three times the other value (for example) and the regression
line would fall on a different slope, depending upon how the scales are
configured. If the scales are the same, the slope of the line determines the
relationship between the points. If the scales are not the same, the slope is
insignificant.
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Draw an XYPlot
To draw an XYPlot:
1. In Build mode, click Draw > XYPlot, or on the Drawing toolbar,
click .
2. Drag a rectangle on the display to create the boundaries.
3. Release the mouse button.
The Define XYPlot dialog box opens with the General tab open. Use
the tabs to:
 General Tab (page 137)
Select tags to be plotted.
 Display Format Tab (page 143)
Choose what to show in the Legend and on the Display.
 Plot Format Tab (page 145)
Select how to color and style the plot elements, such as trace pens
and background.
4. Click OK. The XYPlot appears.
To revise an existing XYPlot, select Build mode and double-click the
XYPlot. The Define XYPlot dialog box appears. Make your changes and
click OK.
Click Undo to restore your original plot.
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General Tab
 Plot Title - Type a plot title. Change it later if you wish.

 Tags in Plot - Select the tags or data sets you want to plot.
 Click the Tag Search button to locate a tag, or click the Tag Search
arrow to see more search options:
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 FactoryTalk Historian calculation (page 248) (data set)

attributes.
elements.
Your selections for tags, data sets, or attributes appear under Tags
in Plot. An Options button appears next to each tag name.
 Select the Options button to choose the X-axis tag. Unselected tags
are Y-axis tags.
If a tag that is selected as the X-axis is deleted, the first tag in the list
becomes the X-axis tag.
Use the four toolbar buttons on the title bar to rearrange this list. They
are, in order, Add, Delete, Up, and Down .
 Server - Type or select a FactoryTalk Historian server name. This
field is only used when a FactoryTalk Historian tag name is typed
directly into the list.

Historian tag placeholder in an ODBC data set. Placeholders are not allowed
Historian tags for a FactoryTalk Historian Summary Data Set or ODBC data set
with a FactoryTalk Historian tag placeholder. The change applies only to the
configured symbol. See Add or Edit Placeholders (page 259) for details.
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Configure Pairings
Once the tags are listed in the Tags in Plot list, configure the method for
pairing values between X and Y in the Data Retrieval Methods box.
X Tag Choose either Recorded or Interpolated for the retrieval method.
 Interpolated
An interval may be entered in the Plot Time section. Interpolated
is the default for tags and is disabled for ODBC and Custom data
sets. This method retrieves interpolated values for the specified
time range in regular intervals. For example, if the time range is *-
1h to * and the Interval is 10m, then six values spaced 10 minutes
apart are returned. This option provides a way to get evenly
sampled data.
 Recorded
Retrieves archive values between the specified start and end time.
Y Tag(s) The Y tag data retrieval method applies to individually selected tags in
the Tags in Plot list (unless the Use for all Y tags check box is
selected). The default data retrieval method for Y tags is
Synchronize.
Y Tags, paired by To use multiple time ranges, select Recorded or Interpolated. In

position in the list this case, data is paired by position in the point list. If Interpolated
is selected for the X tag as well, the interval value for the Y tag
defaults to the one for the X tag.
When Recorded is the retrieval mechanism, the results are not
skewed by minor time stamp differences.
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Y Tags, paired by To pair values by time, rather than by list position, choose one of
timestamps these retrieval methods: Synchronize, Match, Match or Previous, or
Match or Next.
 Synchronize
Synchronizes data found for X with data for Y using the
timestamps for the X data. This may result in interpolated data
values for Y.
 Match
Find the event for Y corresponding to the exact time stamp as X. If
no matching event is found, no match is made for that X value.
 Match or Previous
there is none, find the event that is the closest but earlier in time.
 Match or Next
there is none, find the event that is the closest, but later in time.
Synchronize and Use different PI SDK value retrieval methods. Synchronize uses
Match TimedValues. Match uses RecordedValues and then uses the values
where the timestamps match.
Note: Synchronize is disabled for ODBC and Custom data
sets.
If you select Synchronize or any of the Match options, the start and
end times for that tag are set the same as for the X tag and cannot
be changed.
Note: The XYPlot supports ODBC data sets that don't
contain timestamps. This type of entry must be plotted as a Y-
tag, and data values must be retrieved using the Recorded
retrieval method. If a tag is changed from a Y tag to an X tag
and has a value for Retrieval Method that is only valid for Y
tags, the method is changed to Interpolated. If the tag is a
data set, the method is changed to Recorded.
In all cases, if a pair is not made, the unmatched X or Y events are
ignored.
Use for all Y tags Selecting this box indicates that the Y-tags data retrieval mechanism
applies for all Y-tags. If one of the tags is a Custom or ODBC data set
and the selection mechanism is Interpolated or Synchronize, the
selection mechanism will be Recorded or Match respectively for that
tag only.
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Scale Box
In the Scale Box, set the scale ranges for all tags.
Single Y Scale Combines all Y tag value ranges onto one scale.
Multiple Y Scales Provides a separate scale for each Y tag. This choice does not change
the scale min and max values, but allows them to be configured
independently by selecting each Y tag and making changes.
Regardless of your selection, you may independently configure the X
scale tag.
Max Autorange uses the maximum value plotted. You may enter an
absolute value here as well. Default is Autorange. Database uses the
zero plus span value of the tag in the FactoryTalk Historian Archive to
determine the max. Database with a data set plot uses the maximum
value plotted.
Min Autorange uses the minimum value plotted. You may enter an
absolute value here as well. Default is Autorange. Database uses the
zero value of the tag in the FactoryTalk Historian Archive to determine
the min. Database with a data set plot uses the minimum value
plotted.
Format Selects the number format of the Y scale, legend entries, cursor
values, and ToolTip values:
 Database
Database format uses the displaydigits FactoryTalk Historian point
attribute to determine how many decimal places to show. If the
length of the number exceeds the displaydigits value, scientific
notation is used. FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook trims trailing
zeroes that follow a decimal point. The Database format option is
intended for use with FactoryTalk Historian tags only.
 General
Shows all significant digits for a number except trailing zeros. If
the absolute value of the value is greater than 1e+7 or less than
1e-5, the format will switch to use scientific notation.
 Scientific
Most useful with very large numbers. The scientific format used for
trends displays in the format: 0.00E+00.
 Custom (#,##0.00, 0%)
Allows you to enter your own number format. See the Table of
Format Values (page 340) for examples.
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Plot Time
You can set the time for each tag as it is highlighted in the Tags in Plot
box. If a Y tag is selected and its selection mechanism is not Recorded or
Interpolated, then these boxes are disabled.
Start The start time of the selected tag. The list includes *-1h (minus one
hour), *-4h, *-8h, *-1d, *-7d. The default is *-8h.
End The end time of the selected tag. The list includes *, *-1h, *-4h, *-
8h, *-1d, *-7d.
The default is * (current time).
Interval This field is enabled when the retrieval method is Interpolated. It

provides a sampling interval for data.
When you have completed configuring the fields on the General tab, click
the Display Format (page 143) tab.
Add a Data Set to an XYPlot

To add a data set to an XYPlot:
1. In Build mode, click Draw > XYPlot, or on the Drawing toolbar,
click .
2. Drag a rectangle on the display to create the boundaries.
3. Release the mouse button. The Define XYPlot dialog box appears
with the General tab open.
4. Click the arrow next to the Tag Search button.
5. Select ODBC or PI calculation to see the corresponding Dataset
Details or PI Calculation Data configuration dialog box.
6. When you have completed the configuration, click OK. The data set
name appears in the Tags in Plot box.
7. In the Define XYPlot dialog box, click OK to see the plot.
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Display Format Tab
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Legend Choose the legend elements that appear in the XYPlot.

 Tag Name
Lists the entries in Tags in Plot. Selected by default.
 Srvr Name
Select this check box to prepend the tag name with the server
name. Cleared by default.
 Description
The tag description may be displayed on the legend. Selected by
default.
 Value
The last value of the tag plotted may be displayed. For digital and
string tags, a string value is shown. Selected by default.
 Engineering Units
Selected by default. If the tag does not report units, they are not
shown on the legend for that tag.
 Correlation Coefficient
A check indicates that the correlation coefficient should be
calculated and displayed on the legend. Selected by default.
Display Select the optional elements to be included in the XYPlot.
 Plot Title
Selected by default.
 Vertical Scale Inside Axis
Check this box to show the vertical scale to the right of the Vertical
Axis, inside the plot area. Selected by default.
 Grids
Check this box to include vertical and horizontal grid lines.
Selected by default. On the Plot Format Page, you can configure
the appearance of the major and minor grid lines.
 Linear Correlation Line
Check this to show a linear regression line. The default is cleared,
which does not draw a line.
 Connecting Lines
Check this box to show the paired points connected with straight
lines in the order they are plotted. Selected by default. Clear the
box to configure a scatter plot with points only, no lines.
Sample This area displays a sample XYPlot with the options you have
selected. When you have completed the Display Format page, click
the tab for the Plot Format page.
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Plot Format Tab

In the Plot Format tab of the Define XYPlot dialog box, you can select
colors and styles for the various elements of your plot.

Plot Element A list of the elements you can configure, such as major and minor
gridlines, background colors, text font, etc. Pens correspond to the X-
and Y tags listed in the order in the Tags in Plot box on the General
tab.
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Element Format After you select an element in the Plot Element list, available
formatting options appear. A drop-down arrow is grayed out if the
option is not configurable. For example, text has color but no line
style options.
 Line Style
Determines the line style for the selected element.
 Line Weight
Determines the line weight for the selected element. If the
selected element does not have a line weight property, this field is
disabled.
 Marker Shape
Determines the marker shape for pen elements.
 Color
Determines the color for the selected element. Pen elements apply
the color to the line and marker.
 Last Marker Color
Allows selection of a different color for the last marker for a pen. If
Match Trace is true (selected), this field is disabled. If the selected
element does not have a marker, this field is disabled.
 Next To Last Marker Color
Allows selection of a different color for the second-to-last marker
for a pen. If Match Trace is true (selected), this field is disabled. If
the selected element does not have a marker, this field is disabled.
 Match Trace
Determines whether all marker colors match the trace color (true)
for a pen. If set to false, the Last Marker Color and Next To Last
Marker Color fields are enabled so the marker color can be
changed for those two plotted pairs. By default, this field is
selected (true). If the selected element does not have a marker,
this field is disabled.
Sample Provides a preview of your formatting changes.
Ad Hoc XYPlots
You can draw an XYPlot in Run mode on an ad hoc basis. Click to
begin, and follow the steps described in Drawing an XYPlot (page 136).
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XYPlot Statistics
The XYPlot Statistics dialog box allows you to view and export raw data
values and statistics, such as the mean and standard deviation of each tag’s
data.
You can also view these statistics in the Details (page 191) window in
To open the XYPlot Statistics dialog box:
1. In Run mode, double-click the XYPlot symbol. The Statistics dialog
box appears.
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2. In the Options list, select Raw Data or Statistics.
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To save this data to a text file:

1. Click Save Data to File button. The Save As dialog box appears.
2. Type a file name in the Save As dialog box. The data is saved to the
file in the following format:
Tag, <tag name>
Start Time, <start time>
End Time, <end time>
Count, < number of points paired>
Mean, <mean>
STDEV, <standard deviation>
Data Type, <data type>
Index, Time, Value, Status
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<index>, <time>, <value>, <status>

Tag, <tag name>

Start Time, <start time>
End Time, <end time>
Count, < number of points paired>
Mean, <mean>
STDEV, <standard deviation>
Correlation, <correlation coefficient>
Slope, <slope>
Intercept, <intercept>
Data Type, <data type>
Index, Time, Value, Status
Etc.
Linear Regression by Least Squares

The best-fit linear regression line is a straight line that attempts to
summarize the trend of the plotted pairs. This line may be shown on the
XYPlot.
The best-fit line has the formula:
y = mx +b
Where m is the slope and b is the offset. To calculate m, we use the
following equation:
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To calculate b, the following equation is used:
Once m and b are known, the value of y that intersects the best-fit line can
be calculated.
Correlation Coefficient
The Correlation Coefficient (r) varies between -1 and +1. Positive values
indicate that as X increases, Y also increases. Negative values indicate that
as X increases, Y decreases. A value of zero indicates no correlation in the
way the sets of values vary.
The Correlation Coefficient for a set of points is calculated using the
following formula: (n is the number of points, s is the standard deviation).
You can display the correlation coefficient in the plot legend.
Bad data points are not included in this calculation.
Standard deviation(s) is calculated using the following formula:
The mean is the arithmetic average.
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Interpreting an XYPlot
In FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook the XYPlot is a dynamic symbol. It
has specialized characteristics, such as its statistical calculations, which are
described in the following paragraphs.
Point Properties
Data may be retrieved from FactoryTalk Historian or from independent
data sets. Use the Tag Properties button or the right mouse menu Properties
item to determine the attributes of the points in your XYPlot.
Scroll Feature
Scrolling is available from the ProcessBook toolbar. When time scrolling is
used on an XYPlot symbol, all tags’ time ranges are changed to support the
scroll duration.
Plot Values
In a typical XYPlot, the current name for the X tag appears below the plot.
The current names for the different Y tags appear at the upper right. Below
each one is the correlation coefficient for that XY pair. The dots and lines
on the plot are colored to match the tag names.
Plotted pair values appear in a ToolTip over the plot when the mouse
cursor is hovering over an actual plotted point pair. The following
illustration shows an example.
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In the figure above, if there had been more than one Y tag, each one would
be displayed on a different line. The X tag information is placed at the
bottom. For digital or string tags, the text value is displayed in the ToolTip.
You can also view plot values by double-clicking the title bar and choosing
the Raw Data option, rather than the Statistics option in the Statistics
dialog box.
Zoom/Revert Functions
You can enlarge a portion of an XYPlot by using the Zoom feature.
To enlarge the whole plot to fill the display window:
1. In Run mode, double-click the plot.
2. To reduce the plot to its original size, double-click it again. It does not
update while enlarged.
To enlarge a small area of the plot:
1. Place the mouse cursor on the upper left corner of the area to be
zoomed.
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2. Hold the left mouse button down while dragging a rectangle to cover
the appropriate area. When you release the mouse, this area is enlarged
to the borders of the original plot.
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Original plot
Drag Zoom Completed
The zoom area must be smaller than the plot area and cannot include
the outer 20 percent of the plot. If the mouse is dragged past the plot
boundary, the zoom rectangle stops at the border until the mouse reappears
within the boundary. If the mouse is dragged off the plot symbol boundary,
the zoom is canceled.
To revert the changes:
 Click Undo to return the plot to its state directly before the zoom
occurred.
 Click to return the plot to its configured appearance.
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Change Time Range Feature

To change time range:
1. Click View > Time Range or click on the Time Range toolbar.
The Change Time Range dialog box appears.
2. Type new values in the Time Span box.
All tags are affected when you change the range in this dialog box.
3. Click the Revert (page 201) button to return the plot to its configured
appearance.
XYPlot Cursors
The cursor for an XYPlot includes both a horizontal and a vertical line.
The mouse cursor is at the cross point of both cursor lines. You must be in
Run mode to use the XYPlot cursor.
To create a cursor, place the mouse very close to either the X- or Y-axis.
Drag the cursor onto the plot.
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In the XYPlot below, you can see an XYPlot cursor at the Y axis that is not
yet intersecting any points on the plot.
You can also see an XYPlot cursor that was dropped on a point. The X and
Y values appear in small boxes outside the axes.
Using the mouse, you may position and release the cursor over any pair on
the XYPlot. If the cursor is dropped on an area that contains no points, the
cursor snaps to the nearest pair.
Move the XYCursor from Point to Point

Once you have dropped an XYCursor on a point, use the arrow keys to
move from point to point in time order. For example, pressing the right
arrow key moves the cursor to the pair that is plotted immediately after the
current pair in the same series. The left arrow moves the cursor to the pair
that is plotted immediately before the current pair in the same series. The
up arrow moves the cursor to the first pair in the previous series. The down
arrow moves the cursor to the first pair in the next series. The cursor looks
the same when it is dropped.
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The information on the XYCursor point pair is shown in a box on each

axis. If the tags are digital or string, the text value is shown in the box
rather than a numeric value. Placing the mouse cursor over one of the
cursor boxes shows the time of the event.
Bad Status Indicators

If a single point of a pair contains a bad status, an X appears on the axis of
the good point at its value. If both points of a pair contain bad statuses, an
X appears at the origin of the plot.
The XYPlot symbol supports Questionable, Annotated, and Substituted
indicators.
Out of Range Indicators

When a point on the XYPlot falls above or below the X or Y scale range, it
is not visible. This may be because the plot is zoomed or because the scales
have been set within a certain range that does not cover the actual data.
In order to indicate there is a point outside of the visible area, an X is used.
By default, a straight line connects the points in the order that they are
plotted. This line attempts to connect hidden points as well. An X is placed
at each position where this line crosses the top or bottom of the plot area.
Too Many Points

When an X Tag has too many points to show on the plot, you receive and
error message and no points are shown. The maximum number is 10,000
points.
Examples of XYPlots
For these examples, the X-axis represents one of the values in the pair and
the Y-axis represents the other. The configuration of these axes regarding
minimum and maximum values and interval (or unit) settings is left to you.
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Example 1: Comparing Values for Two FactoryTalk

Historian Tags
In this example we will create an XYPlot on a display in FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook to compare values for two FactoryTalk Historian
tags.
1. On the Drawing toolbar, click the XYPlot button and drag to form the
bounding rectangle for the plot. The Define XYPlot dialog box
appears.
2. Type a title for the plot and select 2 tags to be entered in the Tags in
Plot list.
3. Click an option button to select one tag to be the X tag.
4. Use the default settings for time range, scale, and retrieval method.
5. Click the Display Format tab and check the box for the regression
line.
6. Select the Plot Format tab and accept the default values.
7. Click OK and the plot appears.
Example 2: Comparing Different Tags to Optimize

Performance
In this example we will compare different tags to help optimize equipment
performance.
Suppose an engineer has just completed some optimization work on
Boiler1, one of the four boilers in the plant. He wants to optimize the other
three boilers (Boiler2, Boiler3, and Boiler4) so that they perform at the
same level. After adjusting the three boilers, he wants to see how closely
they perform to the optimized Boiler1.
Assume that all four boilers run identical processes.
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1. Plot the temperature of Boiler1 (the B1Temp tag) on the X-axis of an

XYPlot and the temperatures of the other three boilers (B2Temp,
B3Temp and B4Temp) on the Y-axis.
2. Use the same time range for all four tags.
3. Select a single scale so that the Boilers 2, 3 and 4 are compared
directly against Boiler1.
4. Configure the plot to show the correlation co-efficient for each of the
boilers.
By viewing how far from the regression line each of the boilers falls, you
can determine how closely their performance matches and which boilers
you should continue to adjust. When all three boilers have an acceptable
correlation coefficient, you know the work is complete.
Example 3: Lab Comparisons

An engineer wants to compare lab results from his lab to those of another
lab for the same sample of material.
The plant's quality assurance lab has instituted some new testing
procedures. In order to gauge the validity of the new testing procedures, an
engineer wants to compare results from the new process against data from
an outside lab that is known to have valid testing procedures.
1. Put the results from the in-house lab into a data set.
2. Place the results for the same test from the other lab into another data
set.
3. Selects each data set as a tag in the plot, and select which one to be the
X-axis.
4. Choose Recorded as the retrieval mechanism for each data set so that
the results are not skewed by minor time stamp differences.
If the XYPlot shows the results from the new process are well correlated
with the outside lab's data, the new test procedure is validated.
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Example 4: Comparing a Batch Run to a Standard

An engineer wants to compare sample measurements taken from one Batch
run and compare them to a fixed set of measurements he knows to be
desirable.
1. Select the fixed set of measurements by choosing the appropriate tag
or data set and indicating it is to be used for the X-axis.
2. Select the appropriate tags for the comparison batches, entering their
specific time ranges.
3. Use Recorded values for all retrieval mechanisms.
The data points are paired according to their position in the events list. The
XYPlot shows how closely the results are correlated by how closely the
pairs fall on a linear regression line. Pairs that fall outside this line may
indicate problems with the batch run.
Example 5: Comparing Two Time Ranges

An engineer wants to compare the performance of a Boiler unit over two
time ranges. He needs to determine whether a boiler's performance has
degraded over time or whether there are specific problems with the
equipment. To do this, he creates an XYPlot that compares the temperature
tag data from two different time ranges.
1. Type the tag twice and assign one instance as the X tag.
2. Type separate time ranges for each tag.
3. Set the match mechanism to be recorded or interpolated so that values
are paired by their position in the list.
If the pairs fall close to a linear regression line, you can assume the boiler's
performance is at least steady. If some pairs are far from the line, it may
indicate that the equipment has a specific problem.
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Additional Dynamic Symbols

Values
A value is the reading obtained at the specified end time for a data stream.
It is shown as a number or a digital state string. The tag name and time
stamp may also be shown. The time stamp is the time stamp from the
FactoryTalk Historian system that matches the event value shown.
Add a Dynamic Value

To add a dynamic value:
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click or click Draw > Value. The mouse
pointer changes to the Value pointer.
3. Click in the display where you want the value to be placed.
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When you release the mouse button, the Define Value dialog box is
displayed.
4. In the Server list, select the FactoryTalk Historian server to use. If a

tag name is manually entered in the Tag box, it is expected to be on
the selected server. If both server and tag name are entered in the Tag
box, this field is updated with the entered server name. This field has
no effect for non-FactoryTalk Historian data.
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5. In the Tag box, type the name of the tag you want to display in the
value box.
-or-
Click the Tag Search button to locate a tag,
-or-
Click the Tag Search arrow to see more search options:
attributes.
elements.
The Sample area shows how the value will look.

6. In the Format list, select a number format:
Database Database format uses the displaydigits FactoryTalk Historian
point attribute to determine how many decimal places to show. If the
length of the number exceeds the displaydigits value, scientific
notation is used. FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook trims trailing
zeroes that follow a decimal point. The Database format option is
intended for use with FactoryTalk Historian tags only.
General Shows all significant digits for a number except trailing zeros. If the
absolute value of the value is greater than 1e+7 or less than 1e-5,
the format will switch to use scientific notation.
Scientific Most useful with very large numbers. The scientific format used for
trends displays in the format: 0.00E+00.
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Custom Allows you to enter your own number format. See the Table of
(#,##0.00, Format Values (page 340) for examples.
0%)
7. In the Tag list, select the location of the tag name in the value box
(None, Left, Right, Top, or Bottom).
8. In the Time stamp list, select the location of the time stamp in the
value box (None, Left, Right, Top, or Bottom).
9. Click OK.

for expression Data Sets. The Custom Placeholders button in symbol definition
dialog box boxes allows you to specify different FactoryTalk Historian tags for
a FactoryTalk Historian Summary Data Set or ODBC data set with a
FactoryTalk Historian tag placeholder. The change applies only to the
Button
You can add a button to your For example:

drawing that:
Opens an independent display (.pdi) Create a drawing that shows the first part of a
general process and add a button that opens a more
detailed process in a separate display.
Opens a ProcessBook (.piw) Create a link to a related display in a different

ProcessBook.
Executes an operating system Create a drawing and add a button that opens a
command. FactoryTalk Historian DataLink spreadsheet to show a
report.
Create a drawing and add a button that opens an
independent FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook
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You can add a button to your For example:

drawing that:
display (.pdi file) on a web site.
Note: You need to type the URL (Uniform
Resource Locator) address that points to the
location of the specific .pdi file on a web server.
Executes a VBA script. Create a VBA script called AddTrend that inserts a
trend on a display. Add a button to the display and
configure it to use the AddTrend script (macro) as its
Action.
Add a Button
To add a button:
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click , or click Draw > Button. The

mouse pointer changes to the Button pointer.
3. Click in the display where you want to add the button and drag the
pointer to form a rectangle into which the button will be placed. When
you release the mouse button, the Define Button dialog box appears.
4. In the Text box, type the name of the button.
The name should be no more than one or two words, and should
describe the action the button performs when clicked.
5. Click the Browse button, or click the Browse arrow to see more
options. The Open dialog box appears.
6. Browse and locate the item that you want to be the button action and
then click the Open button.
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If you know the file or macro name, then you can type this directly in
the Action box.
The name of the selected item is displayed in the Action box.
7. Click the Browse button to the right of the Working folder box.
The Working folder box allows you to specify the working folder for
operating system commands. It is ignored if the Action refers to a document
type supported by ProcessBook. If you know the name of the working folder
for this application, then you can type this directly in the Working folder
box.
The Browse for Folder dialog box appears.
8. Browse and locate the folder that you want to specify for the operating
system command, and then click OK.
9. Leave the appropriate Options check box selected if you want to:
 Open a linked display in a new window. This option is selected by
default.
 Use the relative path before the absolute path.
By default, ProcessBook attempts to open a linked display from its

relative path first. If the relative path fails, then the absolute path is
attempted. Clearing this box reverses the order in which the paths are
resolved. For new displays, this option is checked by default.
 Ignore the default shell command for recognized file types (for
example, SVG).
If the file type is supported by ProcessBook (either natively or

through an add-in), then it is opened directly. For example, an .svg file is
opened using the .svg File Converter in ProcessBook, even if you have
Adobe SVG Viewer installed. Clearing this check box disables this
behavior, so the default shell command is always used to open a file.
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10. Click OK. The button is added to your display.
Bars
A Bar shows the current value of a tag as compared to a specified range of

values.
For example, a bar may be used to create the effect of a vessel filling and
emptying, as the value changes.
The range of values can be the maximum and minimum values specified in
the point attributes, or, a bar can be designed to show a specific range of
values.
For example, if a tag’s specified value is between 0 and 100 but it typically
falls between 0 and 30, a bar can designed to show that range. However, if
the value is outside the range of the bar, the bar will appear the same as a
value right at one of the limits of the bar.
The start of the bar may be within the limits of the bar. This lets you
display deviations from a standard or target value. Bad values are shown
with hash marks across the entire bar.
Add a Dynamic Bar

Creating a bar for a value allows you to see how the current value
compares to the possible range of values. Since bars are dynamic, they are
updated as the information changes from the FactoryTalk Historian server.
Bars may also be used to display the result of a data set query. String and
timestamp data is not supported on Bar symbols.
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You can draw a bar using the current line style, line color, and fill
attributes.
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click , or click Draw > Bar. The mouse
pointer changes to the Bar pointer.
3. Click in the display where you want to add the bar and drag the pointer
to form a rectangle into which the bar will be placed.
4. When you release the mouse button, the Define Bar dialog box
appears.
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5. In the Server list, select the server to use for manually entered tags. If
the server and tag name are both entered in the Tag box, this field is
updated to show the new server name. This field is ignored for non-
FactoryTalk Historian data.
6. In the Tag box, type the name of the tag you want to display on the
bar, or
7. Click the Tag Search button to locate a tag, or click the Tag Search
arrow to see more search options:
 FactoryTalk Historian calculation (page 248) (data set)
attributes.
elements.
8. From the Upper and Lower lists, select the maximum and minimum
values you want to use for the bar. Type a constant, or choose Tag
Zero() or TagZero()+TagSpan() for either or both values.
9. If you choose a maximum value that is too small, the bar will be fully
colored but there will be no warning that it has exceeded the maximum.
10. From the Start list, select the point on the bar from which you want to
start drawing the bar. Type a constant, or select TagZero()+TagSpan()
or Tag Zero().
11. Under Orientation, select one of the options to display the bar either
vertically or horizontally.
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The Upper and Lower lists are renamed Right and Left when you
select Horizontal orientation.
The Sample area shows how the bar will look.

12. Under Scales, select Show Scales to show data values and scale tick
marks on the bar symbol.
When you select Scales, the Scales Inside and Number Formats are
enabled. See Bar Scales (page 171) for information on working with
scales.
13. Click OK to add the bar to the display.

for expression Data Sets. The Custom Placeholders button in symbol definition
dialog box boxes allows you to specify different FactoryTalk Historian tags for
a FactoryTalk Historian Summary Data Set or ODBC data set with a
FactoryTalk Historian tag placeholder. The change applies only to the
Bar Scales
The options under Scales control how the bar symbol shows scales.
Defaults
The default is to show scales inside the bar symbol in General number
format for symbol bars created with FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook
3.2 or later. For earlier versions of FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook,
Show Scales is not selected, and scales do not appear on the symbol bar.
The scale values for the bar symbol are the Upper and Lower or Right
and Left values in the Define Bar dialog box for both tags and datasets,
including AF.
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The default font is the font of the display.

Digital tags show the value of the digital state rather than the numeric
value of the state.
Compatibility
Bars created in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook 3.2 are backward
compatible with previous versions of FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook.
When a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook 3.2 file is opened in a previous
version, bar symbols appear as they did in the previous version. If the
display is saved and reopened in a newer version, the scale settings are
retained.
A display created in version 3.2 or earlier of FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook defaults to ShowScales not selected.
Tick Marks
For vertical bars, the tick marks and values are shown on the left hand side
of the symbol. For horizontal bars, the tick marks and values are shown on
the bottom of the symbol. You can draw the scales inside or outside the bar
symbol.
Vertical Bar with scales (outside and inside)
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Horizontal Bar with scales (outside and inside)

The lengths of major and minor tick marks is a percentage of the height or
width of the bar, depending on the bar orientation, as described in the
following table.
Horizontal Vertical
Minor Tick 4% of Height 4% of Width
Major Tick 8% of Height 8% of Width
For vertical bars, the tick marks and values are automatically turned off if
the height of the bar becomes less than two times the height of the text
used to write the scale values, or if the width is less than the width of the
longest text used to write the scale value plus a small offset.
For horizontal bars, the tick marks and values are automatically turned off
if the width of the bar becomes less than two times the width of the longest
text used to write the scale value, or if the height is less than the height of
the text used to write the scale values plus a small offset.
For both bar orientations, given the range of scale values, the scale
increment values are rounded numbers, as close to integers as possible.
The maximum number of major tick marks is nine; eleven counting the
maximum and minimum values. The number of tick marks shown is a
function of the size of the font and the size of the bar symbol. The number
of major tick marks decreases as the size of the bar is decreases.
The minor tick marks are shown at the half way point between major tick
marks.
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There are major tick marks for each digital state, if the string value for the
digital states fits in the width of the bar. There are no minor tick marks for
digital tags.
Format Appearance
To change the appearance of the bar symbol, right-click the bar.
 Click Format Font to change the font for the bar symbol.
 Click Format Color to change the color of the bar symbol.
The color for the tick marks and values is the same as the bar’s line
color.
 Click Format Line Style to change the style of line for the bar
symbol.
Multi-State Symbols
Some symbols support a multi-state configuration, which allows their

colors to be altered based on a dynamic data value. Colors are assigned to
ranges of values to create conditional formatting states. Any symbol except
a trend, XY Plot, graphic, button, or OLE object can have a Multi-State
configuration . String and timestamp data cannot be used to configure
multi-state behavior.
You determine the number of value ranges, the maximum for each range,
and the colors assigned to each range. As the value of the tag changes, the
Multi-State symbol changes color to reflect the current value state. You
can make a symbol seem to disappear by setting a state color to the
background color or to a color of none. For alarms or other purposes, you
can set a state color to blink.
For example, you may have a symbol showing two states. State 1 has a
value range from 0 to 50 and a color of blue assigned to it. State 2 may
have a range from 50 to 100 and have red assigned to it. When the reading
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is 50 or below, the symbol appears blue. Above 50, the symbol appears
red. A color and sometimes a blinking attribute are assigned for data in bad
status (e.g., the interface becomes disconnected). For digital point types, a
different color may be assigned to each digital state.
Create Dynamic Multi-State Symbols

You can create a Multi-State symbol after you have drawn a symbol or
copied one from the Symbol Library dialog box.
2. Click the symbol that you want to use for creating a Multi-State
symbol.
On the Formatting toolbar, click , or click Edit > Multi-State.

The Multi-State Symbol dialog box appears.
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3. In the Server list, select the server to use for entered tags. If a server
and tag are both entered in the Tag box, this field is updated with the
new server name. This box does not apply to non-FactoryTalk
Historian data.
4. In the Tag box, type the name of the tag you want to assign, or
Click the Tag Search button to locate a tag, or
Click the Tag Search arrow to see more search options:
attributes.
elements.
5. In the Number of States box, select the number of states to use. If the
number of states is not entered, the number defaults to 2. (For digital
tags, the number of states is automatically set to the number of defined
states for that tag.)
6. From the Color for Bad Data drop-down color palette, select a color
that will be used when the information is in bad status. You may also
select the Blink check box to call attention to the symbol when data is
bad (optional).
7. In the State box, select 1.
8. In the Values box, type in a new maximum value for the state.
The Values boxes display a range of values for each state. The total
range of the tag is automatically divided by the number of states. For digital
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tags, the state name is displayed in these boxes. For other tag types, an
estimate is made based on the span of values for the tag.
9. From the Color drop-down color palette, select a color that will be
used for the state. You may also select the Blink check box (optional).
10. Repeat the steps 9 and 10 for each state in the symbol. Your choices
and the relative range of values are displayed on the bar at the bottom
of the dialog box.
11. Click OK.
You can remove a Multi-State symbol definition by clicking the Convert

to Static button, which breaks the link between the symbol and the multi-
state configuration.

Static Symbols
Text Symbol
The text symbol allows you to put one line of text on a display. Multiple
lines of text are not supported. When this symbol is first added to the
display, a text box with a blinking text cursor is displayed.
You can add or edit text by double-clicking the Text symbol while in
Build mode, which provides the text cursor. Unlike most other
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ProcessBook symbols, this symbol is not sized by dragging an area on the

display. Instead, the symbol is sized to accommodate the text within. When
text is added, the symbol grows in size and when text is removed the
symbol size shrinks. The size of the font used also affects the size of the
symbol.
You can format the text symbol for font and color. Text symbols have all
the functionality of other static symbols except rotating and flipping.
Add Text to a Display

Use the Text tool to add text to a display.
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click , or click Draw > Text. The mouse
pointer changes to a text pointer.
3. Click in the display where you want to add the text.
4. Type the text in the text block. (You can only type the text on one line.
It will not wrap.)
Text block refers to the text area associated with a shape that appears
when you click the shape with the text tool or select it with the pointer tool.
5. When you finish typing, press ESC or click outside the text block.
Edit a Text Box

To edit a text box:
1. In Build mode, open a display and double-click the text block you
want to edit.
2. Click where you want to add or edit text.
3. Type to add text or edit the text.
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4. When you finish typing, press ESC or click outside the text block.
Move a Text Block

To move a text box:
2. Click the text block you want to move, drag it to the new location, and
then release the mouse button.
Line Symbol
Lines within a drawing can be diagonal, horizontal, or vertical. Attributes

you can change include line color and whether a line is dotted or dashed,
thick or thin, and with or without arrowheads.
Draw a Line
To draw a line:
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click , or click Draw > Line. The mouse
pointer changes to the line pointer.
3. Point to where you want to start the line.
4. Drag to draw the line. Press the SHIFT key while drawing to constrain
the line to a horizontal or vertical line.
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Rectangle, Square, Arc, Ellipse, and Circle

Symbol
Using the drawing tools, you can create these simple shapes: rectangles,
squares, arcs, ellipses, and circles.
To draw a shape:
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click , , or , or click the

appropriate tool.
The mouse pointer changes to a tool pointer. The appearance of the
pointer indicates the type of tool you have chosen.
3. Click the display to place the upper left corner of the shape, and drag
down and to the right to create a shape of the desired size.
Press SHIFT while drawing to constrain the object to a square, circle,
or circular arc.
4. Release the mouse button to complete a rectangle, square, ellipse, or
circle.
-or-
5. If you used the arc tool, one quarter of the shape is drawn. click it and
resize it to the desired shape. Click and drag the end of the arc to
change the angle.
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Press SHIFT to change the angle in 15-degree increments. When the

arc is first drawn, the handle for reshaping the angle is just inside the
resize handle.
Polygon Symbol
The Polygon tool draws irregular shapes. When you select the polygon tool
the mouse pointer changes to a polygon pointer. Polygons are drawn using
the current color and line style attributes.
To draw a polygon:
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click , or choose Draw > Polygon. The

mouse pointer changes to the Polygon pointer.
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3. Click inside the display where you want to start drawing the first point
of the polygon (point "a" in the example below).
4. Drag to create the first side (point "a" to point "b" in the example
below).
5. Release the mouse button to position the second point of the polygon
(point "b" in the example below).
6. Click at each of the remaining points of the polygon (points "c"
through "g" in example below). Lines are drawn between the clicks.
7. To close and fill the polygon, double-click to place the last point in the
polygon (point "g" in the example below). This action draws a line
from the last point to the first point (point "g" to point "a" in the
example below).
Polyline Symbol
A Polyline is a set of line segments that you can draw using the Polyline
tool. It uses the current line style attributes.
Once you add a Polyline symbol, you may edit it in the same manner as the
existing Polygon symbol. You can move or resize the entire symbol, as
well as move the individual endpoints to create any desired arrangement.
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To draw a polyline:
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click . The mouse pointer changes to the

Polyline pointer.
3. Click inside the display where you want the starting point of the first
line segment.
4. Drag to the location of the second point to make the first line.
5. Each time you click the mouse button again, a new line is drawn from
the location of the previously plotted point to the current location of
the mouse pointer.
6. To finish the Polyline drawing, double-click. Press ESC to cancel the
line altogether.
Press the Shift key while you draw to create Right Angle Polylines.
Similarly, pressing Shift during editing manipulates a point
orthogonally in relation to the next endpoint.
Graphic Symbol
In FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook you can:

 Include a graphic file from another application, such as Microsoft
Visio or CorelDRAW.
 Use a drawing or picture as the background for your display, then add
symbols to it. This can reduce the amount of time you take to create a
drawing.
 Rotate or flip a picture.
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 Add an illustration to a display, and store it within the display or link it

to the original graphic file. (Linking means that if the original graphic
is edited or moved, it affects the appearance of the display as well.)
 Load an image in one file format and later save it in a different format.
A drawing is display resolution dependent, which means it may look

different from one monitor to another. Test the drawing on each monitor to
see how it will look.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook supports the following image formats.
Note that FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook draws using raster graphics,
so vector graphic formats may not appear exactly as expected.
BMP Windows Bitmap file; standard, non-compressed bit-mapped graphic.
CUR A file that contains an image that defines the shape of a cursor on the screen.
EMF Enhanced Metafile Format; 32-bit Microsoft Windows Metafile vector format
that also supports raster images.
ICO A file that contains a graphic to be used as an icon.
JPEG Joint Photographic Experts Group - Refers both to the standard for storing
compressed images and a graphic stored in that format. Note that this format
is prone to lose resolution when it is repeatedly saved.
PNG Portable Network Graphics - graphic image format that utilizes lossless
compression.
TIFF, TIF Tag Image File Format graphic image.
WMF The Windows Metafile Format - the original 16-bit native vector file format for
the Microsoft Windows operating environment.
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Add a Graphic
To add a graphic:
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click , or click Draw > Graphic. The

mouse pointer changes to a graphic pointer.
3. Click in the display where you want to add the image and drag the
pointer to form a rectangle into which the graphic will be placed.
When you release the mouse button, the Define Graphic dialog box is
displayed.
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4. Click the Browse button to locate the graphic drawing.

-or-
In the File Name box, type the path and file name of the graphic you
want to insert.
5. Under Image Location, select:
 Embed if you want to update the graphic within the display file.
 Link if you want to store the graphic separately from the display
file.
6. Under Format, select the appropriate option.
Stretching the image to fit the bounding rectangle may distort the
appearance of the graphic.
7. Click OK.
A copy of the graphic is added to the display.
Symbol Library
A large selection of symbols is available in the Symbol Library. Many of

these have characteristics such as color, fill type, orientation, or
background, which you can modify.
On the installation CD, Rockwell Automation provides several other
commonly used symbols in the ProcessBook called SYMLIBRY.PIW.
This is usually installed in This is usually installed in C:\Program
Files\Rockwell Software\FactoryTalk
Historian\Server\PIPC\procbook\SYMLIBRY.PIW. You can cut and paste
these symbols into a display.
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Use a Symbol from the Symbol Library

To add a symbol from the Symbol Library to a display:
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click , or on the Draw menu, click

Symbol Library. The mouse pointer changes to the Symbol Library
pointer.
3. Click in the display where you want to add the symbol and drag the
pointer to form a rectangle into which the symbol will be placed.
When you release the mouse button, the Symbol Library dialog box
appears.
4. Under Categories, click the type of symbols you want to use, such as
Boilers, Controllers, Valves, etc.
5. Click Options (page 188) to modify your symbol.
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6. Click OK to add the symbol to your display.
Symbol Library Options

To configure a symbol options:
1. In the Symbol Library (page 187) dialog box, click a symbol in the
selection of symbols in the right-hand side of the dialog box, and click
Options.
-or-
Right-click the symbol and click Symbol Options. The Symbol
Options dialog box appears.

Fill Mode Controls the way the image is drawn. Options include
Original, Shaded, Solid or Hollow.
Fill Color Click the color box to change the fill color.
Flip Select Horizontal, Vertical, or Both to change the

orientation of the symbol. The default setting is None. This
setting returns the symbol to its original position.
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Rotation Select 90, 180, or 270 to turn the symbol by 90 degree

increments. The default setting is 0. This setting returns the
symbol to its original position.
Transparent Check this box if you want a transparent background.
Background Color If the Transparent check box is not selected, you can click
the color box to change the background color.
You can also change the symbol's fill and background color directly on a
display by using the Fill Color and Background Color

buttons on the Symbol Formatting toolbar if the symbol has a Fill Mode of
shaded or solid.
3. Click the Defaults button if you want to revert to the default settings.
4. Click OK.
Change the Appearance of a Symbol

After you have created a symbol and added it to your display you can
modify its appearance by using the buttons on the Symbol Formatting
(page 81) toolbar.
Symbol Properties
If you right-click a symbol in the Symbol Library, the focus box at the
upper left reflects that symbol. A small dialog box appears; you can choose
either Symbol Options or Properties.
If you choose Properties, you see a Symbol Properties dialog box, which
displays the Symbol description, Data size, Type, and Handle information.
This information could be used in VBA automation of FactoryTalk
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Chapter 6
Work with Symbols

Details and Annotations
The Details docking window is available to show data from dynamic
symbols. The window is only available in Run mode and initially appears
along the right side of your ProcessBook window; however, you can click
and drag it anywhere inside the FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook
application.
The Historian Annotations editor is located at the bottom of the Details
window.
Details Window
To view data in the Details window, click a symbol in your display.
Moving a plot cursor changes the rows highlighted to show the range of
data around the cursor time.
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By default, the window remains open when a different display symbol is

selected. The Details window is hidden when you switch to Build mode.
You cannot open the Details window while in Build mode.

Data Stream This field allows you to choose a data stream, including datasets and
FactoryTalk Historian tags in the selected symbol (by default, the first
trace or main data source for the selected symbol is shown). The
Show All entry shows data for all the data sources in the selected
symbol.
Note: If a dataset or FactoryTalk Historian tag returns more
than 3,500 values the Show All option is not available. In
addition, only the first 3,500 values are displayed. This value
can be increased by adding the registry key
HKCU\Software\PISystem\FactoryTalk Historian -
ProcessBook\DetailsAddin\MaxPoints (type DWORD) and
setting it to the maximum number of points desired.
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Option This field allows you to toggle among three different types of
information about your data source.
 Data
Shows recorded values for a selected symbol's time range. By
default the table is sorted on the time stamp column in descending
order.
 Questionable (Q)
The event value is unreliable or the circumstances under which
it was recorded are suspect.
 Annotated (A)
An annotation has been made to the event to include further
information or commentary. You can add annotations (page
196) to FactoryTalk Historian tags using FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook, if you have permission to write to that tag on the
FactoryTalk Historian server.
 Substituted (S)
The event value has been changed from the original archived
value.
 Statistics
Shows a table of available summary values available, for example,
Average, Minimum, and Maximum. Selecting this option disables
the FactoryTalk Historian Annotation Maintenance controls.
Available statistics vary for each symbol type.
 Point Attributes
Shows an alphabetized list of FactoryTalk Historian point attribute
values (page 341). This option is only available for FactoryTalk
Historian tags. Selecting this option disables the FactoryTalk
Historian Annotation Maintenance controls.
Each view option provides the following controls:
<Symbol Name> The name of the symbol selected on the display is shown above the
data table.
Refresh Refresh data in all tables. Data shown does not automatically change
after a symbol is first selected. You must use refresh to view any
updates in the Details window.
Enlarge/Shrink Makes the text size bigger or smaller. This may reduce the number of
Font visible rows.
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Copy to Clipboard Allows you to copy the data table to your clipboard. You can then
paste this data into another location such as a Microsoft Excel
spreadsheet.
Note: Use the pin icon to lock the docking window to
your screen. Click the pin icon again to unpin the window and
minimize it along the border of your FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook window. When a docking window is unpinned, a
button appears along the side of the screen. Hover over it to
re-expand the window.
Open Details Window

Click View > Details to display the Details window (page 191).
Alternatively, you can select the Show Details and Annotations command
from the Context Display Menu.
The Details window is only available in Run mode.
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FactoryTalk Historian Annotations Maintenance

Annotations allow you to associate related information (such as text
comments and other binary data) with any archive value. The FactoryTalk
Historian Annotation Maintenance group at the bottom of the Details
window (page 191) allows you to easily annotate values on your dynamic
symbols.
Annotations can be added, edited or viewed, provided that:

 The selected data stream points to a FactoryTalk Historian tag.
 The target FactoryTalk Historian server can read and write
annotations.
 You have permission to write annotations on the target FactoryTalk
Historian server.
 A row representing an event is selected in the Data table.
If the target FactoryTalk Historian server (or collective) is unavailable or
cannot accept edits from the current user, the control is disabled. If the
FactoryTalk Historian server becomes unavailable while you are entering
an annotation and you then click the Save button, you will receive an error.
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If you select Show All from the Data Source drop-down box on the Details
(page 191) window, the Value and Value Type fields in the FactoryTalk
Historian Annotation Maintenance group are disabled.
Add Annotations
To add annotations:
1. Open the Details (page 191) window.
2. In Run mode, select a dynamic symbol on your display.
3. Select the event of interest in the Data table.
4. Click inside the Value text box and type the information you wish
displayed in your annotation.
5. Select a value from the Value Type drop-down box.
6. Click at the top of the FactoryTalk Historian Annotations

Maintenance group. An annotation icon appears on the dynamic
symbol if it is showing the annotated event. Hover over this icon to
read your annotation. A record of the annotation also appears on the
Details window when the Data option is selected.
You need to be running a FactoryTalk Historian server 2.0 or higher for

annotations to work correctly. Otherwise, it is possible that an annotated
event will not only be marked as annotated, but will also be marked as
substituted.
Data Favorites
The Data Favorites add-in provides a way to configure symbols by
dragging a FactoryTalk Historian tag name (or other data stream) from a
list onto the symbol.
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The add-in can be unloaded or set not to load at startup by changing the
options in the Add-in Manager (page 13) dialog box. When the Data
Favorites add-in is first loaded, its window appears in the upper left corner
of the FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook application window. The
window is only accessible in Build mode. If the window is closed, in Build
mode, click View > Data Favorites.
There are two panels within the Data Favorites window:
 Search (page 198)
 Favorites (page 199)
Each panel can be collapsed if it is not needed.
Select a Default Symbol for Data Favorites

The Default Symbol button controls which symbol is created when
data streams are dropped on an empty area of the display. To set the default
symbol, click the Default Symbol button and select an option from the
drop-down list.
Available symbols:
 Bar (page 168)
 Trend (page 103)
 Value (page 162)
 XYPlot (page 133)
If the selected symbol type does not support the data type of the
dropped data stream, a value symbol is drawn instead.
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Search for Data Favorites
The Search panel provides controls for searching for FactoryTalk

Historian tags.
To search for data streams, use the Search Mask text box or click to
launch the Tag Search dialog box. Tags selected using the Tag Search
dialog box automatically populate the Data Favorites Search list.
The Search Mask field searches for tags matching the entered string on
your default FactoryTalk Historian server.
To save a data stream to your Favorites, either drag and drop it into your
Favorites list, or right click the data stream in the Search list and click
Add to Favorites.
Use the pin icon to lock the docking window to your screen. Click the pin
icon again to unpin the window and minimize it along the border of your
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FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook window. When a docking window is unpinned, a

button appears along the side of the screen. Hover over it to re-expand the
window.
Favorites Panel
The Favorites panel provides controls for manipulating the list of data
favorites (page 196).
The Favorites list is saved per user, so when a different user opens
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook on the same machine, their list may be
different.
Use Favorites
To use data favorites:
1. In Build mode, click View > Data Favorites to launch the Data
Favorites (page 196) docking window.
2. Select a default symbol for Data Favorites (page 197). Any favorites
dragged onto a display take the form of this symbol.
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3. In the Favorites list (page 199), drag and drop any listed favorite to an
existing trend or XYPlot symbol, or to a blank area of a display. The
data stream is permanently added once the display is saved.
If the dropped selection contains multiple data streams (for example,

multiple tags) and the Bar or Value symbol is selected, a symbol is created for
each one, slightly offset from each other, in cascading layout.
Import or Export Data Favorites

To import data favorites:
1. Right-click in the Datasource list in the Favorites panel, and click
Import Favorites.
2. Select a text file to import.
To export data favorites:
1. Right-click in the Datasource list in the Favorites panel, and click
Export Favorites. The Save as dialog box appears.
2. Name the export file to save.
Process Drags Between FactoryTalk Historian

ProcessBook and Outside Applications
The Data Favorites (page 196) add-in supports dragging a list of tag names
in the following formats:
 One row of tags separated by either a semi-colon or tab delimiter
 Multiple rows (row delimited by a new line) of at least two columns
which are delimited by either a tab or a semi-colon. Only one delimiter
is used, and while there can be more than two columns in the dragged
rows, only the first two columns are used. The first column must be
the tag name, the second column may be an optional tag descriptor.
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Drags can come from any application that supports the text clipboard
format, for example, Microsoft Word or Excel.
Time Range Toolbar
The Time Range toolbar is used for working with dynamic symbols. This
toolbar is hidden by default for new installations of FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook 3.2 and later releases.
In general, the commands on this toolbar affect only the symbols selected
on the display. If no symbols are selected, all symbols are affected. This
toolbar, which must be used in Run mode, contains three buttons:
Revert (page 201) Returns the trend or other dynamic symbol to its original setting.
Change Time Opens a dialog box to set new, temporary start and end times. For
Range (page 202) Bars, Values, and Multi-State symbols you can only set an end time.
Scroll Bar (page Scrolls through time values.

203)
Revert Time Range
To discard any of the changes you have made to the time range of a trend
or the effective time of a Bar, Value, or Multi-State symbol and return it to
its saved setting:
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In Run mode, click View > Revert, or click the Revert button.
Change the Time Range
The Time Range command lets you enter new starting and ending times
for dynamic symbols. When you specify a time range for a single-time
dynamic element, such as a Multi-State symbol, bar or value, only the end
time is used.
The time represented on your display is the time relative to the FactoryTalk
Historian server, unless you have selected the client time zone setting for your
display. If the FactoryTalk Historian server to which you are connected is in a
different time zone, time on your display represents the server time zone, not the
local one.
To change the time range:
1. In Run mode, select the dynamic symbol or symbols for which you
want to change the time range. If no symbols are selected, the time
range change affects all dynamic symbols on the display.
2. Click on the Time Range toolbar, or click View > Time Range.
The Change Time Range dialog box opens, allowing you to change
the time span for a trend or plot, or the effective time for a bar, value,
or Multi-State symbol.
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3. Select new starting and ending times from the drop-down lists or
define your own starting and ending times. Time ranges can be
relative, absolute, or combined.
4. Click OK. The selected elements change to reflect the new time range.
Use the Scrolling Time Range
To use the scrolling time range:

1. In Run mode, select the dynamic symbol or symbols for which you
want to change the time range. If no symbols are selected, the time
range change affects all dynamic symbols in the display.
2. On the Time Range toolbar, click the forward or backward Scroll
Time button, or
Click and drag the Scroll Time slider, or
Click the space on either side of the Scroll Time slider to increment or
decrement by a time span.
If the slider is dragged, a ToolTip is updated with the end time that is
applied when you release the mouse button.
3. Release the mouse button. Selected symbols are refreshed with the
new time range.
You can scroll the time for all items in a display or selected items. If no
trend is included in the selected items, the scroll buttons are disabled.
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Time Forward and Back
Use the time backward and forward buttons to scroll the time range
forward or backward. To do this:
1. Click the desired symbols with the Run Mode pointer.
2. Click the Time Forward or Time Backward button.
Trends scroll by the time range specified in the trend definition. When you
select multiple trends, each trend maintains its time range as it is scrolled.
If you select a trend and a dynamic element such as a value, the non-trend
symbol scrolls by the time range specified in the first trend's definition.
For example, if the trend displays data from 1:00 to 4:00 (three hours) and
the value has a time stamp of 5:00, scrolling backward shows trend data
from 10:00 to 1:00. The value's time stamp also changes by three hours
(2:00).
Set Time Range for Future Trends

To set trends with an end date in the future, enter an end time of the present
(*) plus an amount of time, such as 4 hours or 8 days. These trends update
if they are less than the maximum update time range limit. The default
update time range limit is 7 days, but you can change that setting in the
procbook.ini (page 315) file.
A trend can also be scrolled into the future using the time range buttons,
but then it does not update.
Select and Move a Symbol

Before you can apply commands to display objects you must select them.
You can select single or multiple items on a display.
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2. Click a symbol in your display. Small squares appear around the
bounding rectangle of the symbol.
3. If you want to move the symbol, drag the symbol to the desired
location within your display.
Press the Tab key to toggle among different symbols in your display once a
symbol is selected. When you press the Tab key you deselect the current
object and select the next object in the tabbing order. The tabbing order
follows the stacking order (page 207) on the display (by default, the order
in which objects were added to the display).
To cancel a selection on any one object press SHIFT while clicking the
object to deselect. To cancel selection of all objects on a display, click the
display background (in a spot where there are no symbols).
ActiveX controls on the display do not react to tab order like other
ProcessBook symbols because they are treated as separate windows within the
display.
Select Multiple Symbols

You can perform many of the editing and organizing functions on more
than one symbol at a time. For example, once selected, you can move
multiple symbols to a new location, edit the color of lines and fill for
multiple symbols, or even flip and rotate multiple symbols.
2. Do one of the following:
 To select all of the symbols in a drawing area, click Choose Edit
> Select All.
 To select individual symbols, press SHIFT while clicking each
symbol. Selection handles display around each selected item.
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 To select several symbols at the same time, click near a symbol,

and then drag to create a rectangle that includes all the symbols
you want to select.
 To select symbols that are stacked on top of each other, click the
top symbol. Selection handles appear. Continue clicking the top
symbol to select symbols located under the top symbol.
3. Click the symbols you want to change or move. The selected symbols
display handles.
Rotate a Symbol
You can rotate a drawing symbol in 15 degree or 1 degree increments. You
cannot rotate text, graphics, or OLE objects. Symbol Library images can
only be rotated in 90 degree increments.
1. Select the symbol you want to rotate.
2. Click Arrange > Rotate. A rotation object appears in the center of the
symbol .
3. Click a selection handle and drag in the direction that you want to
rotate the symbol. The symbol is rotated in 1 degree increments.
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Press SHIFT while dragging to rotate in 15 degree increments.
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Flip a Symbol
You can create a mirror image of a symbol by flipping it. You cannot flip
text, graphics, or OLE objects.
1. Select the symbol you want to flip.
2. Click Arrange > Flip > Horizontal to flip the symbol from right to
left or Vertical to flip the symbol from top to bottom.
Delete a Symbol
When you want to delete a drawing symbol or group of symbols:
1. Select a symbol or multiple symbols that you want to delete.
2. Press DELETE, or click Edit > Clear.
Stacking Order
Each symbol you add to a drawing occupies its own space in the drawing.
The layers, and therefore the symbols, are stacked on top of each other. By
default, the first symbol you draw is at the bottom of the stacking order and
the last symbol you draw is at the top of the stacking order.
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Using the stacking commands, you can move a symbol forward or

backward within the stack (page 208). Depending on the number of objects
between top and bottom, you may need to repeat a stacking command
several times (page 95) to move the symbol to the desired location within
the stack.
Move a Symbol Forward or Backward in the

Stack
To move a symbol in the stack:
1. Select the symbol you want to order.
2. On the Arrange menu, choose the direction you want to move the
symbol:
 Click Forward to move it up one level (on top of something else).
 Click Backward to move it down one level (below something
else).
 Click Bring to Front to move it to the top of the stack (on top of
everything).
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 Click Send to Back to move it to the bottom of the stack (below

everything).
Align Multiple Symbols

You can align drawing symbols (page 80) with each other. Use this feature
to align symbols along their tops, bottoms, sides, or centers (either
vertically or horizontally). The first symbol you select is the symbol to
which others are aligned.
When two or more value symbols are aligned, the text justification for each
matches the alignment rule: left, center, or right.
1. Select the symbols you want to align.
2. Click Arrange > Align. The Align menu is displayed.
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3. Click the alignment options you want. All the selected symbols are
aligned to the symbol you first selected, along the axis you specify.
Group, Ungroup, or Regroup Symbols

When creating or manipulating complex shapes, it is sometimes easier to
combine individual symbols into one. You can group two or more symbols
together, or you can group several groups. Once grouped, any commands
that you apply affect the composite symbol as if it were a single symbol.
If you want a group of symbols to remain together, but you need to
continue modifying the components separately, you can attach the symbols
(page 221) instead of grouping them.
Select the symbols you want to group and from the Arrange menu choose
one of the following:
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The symbols combine into one composite symbol with selection

Group handles around the entire group.
The group is disassembled into its component symbols.

Ungroup
You do not need to re-select all the components to regroup a

Regroup previously grouped set of symbols. This command is only enabled
when it applies.
Connect Symbols
Connector Symbol
You can connect two symbols to each other using the Connector symbol.
The Connector symbol remains attached to each of the connected symbols
whenever one or both are moved. The advantage of using a Connector,
rather than a line, is that the Connector remains attached to other symbols
when you move the other symbols and avoids overlapping other symbols.
The Connector is intended for modeling and automation purposes.
Connection Points on each symbol define where the connection occurs.
Connection Points can be added, deleted, or moved on a symbol.
Connectors try to avoid objects as they are being connected between two
symbols.
The Connector symbol is supported by automation within FactoryTalk
Connect Two Symbols

As Connectors are drawn, they are orthogonal to the display, meaning that
they go horizontally or vertically. There are no diagonal connectors.
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Each end of a Connector attaches to a Connection Point on another symbol.

If you have not already created a Connection Point on this symbol, a
Connection Point is built automatically as you draw the Connector across a
bounding line of the symbol.
Connectors and Connection Points have unique numbers to help you
manipulate them in the Connectors dialog box. You can open the
Connectors dialog box once you draw a Connector; even if it is not
attached to any symbols.
Do not manipulate Connectors by dragging and dropping them. Use the
Connectors dialog box to rearrange them.
Follow these steps to connect two existing symbols on a display:
1. Click or click Draw > Connector.

2. Click the first symbol, called the Source, and drag the mouse into the
second symbol, called the Destination. The Connector arrow has a
flow direction from the Source to the Destination. Connection Points
appear on both symbols.
If your mouse does not touch a symbol, you do not see a Connection
Point. Do not adjust the Connector manually. If you do not see Connection
Points on both symbols, delete the Connector and draw it again.
You can use the Undo and Redo commands with Connectors.
Attach a Symbol to a Connector

You can attach a symbol, such as a text box or a meter, to a Connector.
Attaching is different from Connecting. An attached symbol moves with a
connector but does not account for flow direction.
To remove an attached symbol from a connector, click the symbol and drag it
away from the connector.
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Connection Points
Connection points on each symbol define where a Connector may connect.
Connection Points are visible in Build mode only and appear on symbols
as small x marks. When you select one with your cursor, it changes to an x
within a bounding circle.
ProcessBook symbols are originally built without Connection Points. A
Connection Point is created automatically when a Connector is dragged
into a symbol. This Point is created at the midpoint of the nearest edge of
the bounding rectangle of the symbol. The end of the Connector is moved
to the Connection Point. You may add Connection Points and move them
to specific locations.
A Connection Point can be used for either the start of the flow or the end of
a flow. The same Connection Point can be used for both. A flow can be bi-
directional.
If a second Connector is dragged over a symbol, it either moves to the
existing Connection Point or creates a new one.
For irregular figures, Connection Points are placed near the midpoint of the
side of the bounding rectangle of the figure, as shown in the illustration
below, rather than inside the figure itself. You can adjust the position of the
Connection Point to touch the actual figure.
Connector with Connection Point on the Bounding Rectangle.
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If a symbol is placed in front of another, the Connection Points on the hidden

symbol cannot be selected. You can solve this problem by placing the two symbols
on different layers of the display.
Add Connection Points

If you want an additional Connection Point, you can add it as follows:
1. In Build mode, select the symbol.
2. Click Edit > Connection Points > Add. A point appears at the upper
left of the symbol.
3. If you wish, drag the new Connection Point to a different location.
Select Among Multiple Connection Points on One

Symbol
After you select one Connection Point, you can press C on the keyboard to
cycle through any additional Connection Points on that symbol.
Delete Connection Points

To delete a Connection Point from a symbol:
1. Select the Connection Point.
2. Click Edit > Connection Points > Delete.
Move Connection Points

Connection Points may be moved to a new position within a symbol. To do
this, click a Connection Point in Build mode and drag it.
For very fine adjustments, you can move Connection Points on a symbol.
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1. In Build mode, click a connection point.

2. Click Edit > Connection Points > Move. The Connection Point
Placement dialog box appears, where you can edit the width and
height ratios in comparison to the X and Y axes of the symbol.
Determine the Identifying Number of a Connection

Point
In Build mode, if you place your mouse over a Connection Point, a
ToolTip shows you the Connection Point number. The following
illustration refers to Connection Point 2 on Rectangle 1. These Connection
Point numbers are used on the Connectors dialog box Flow tab (page 216).
In other words, Connection Points have identifying names that are derived
from the symbol name. For example, for a rectangle named Rectangle2,
two Connection Points would be named <Rectangle2 : 1> and <Rectangle2
: 2>.
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If you are using a symbol from the Symbol Library, the Connection Point
is named <TBSymbolx : n>, where TBSymbolx represents the specific
name of the symbol.
Connectors Dialog Box
In Build mode, if you wish to adjust a Connector's end point, you might
click and drag the end point. Unfortunately, this action stops the auto-
avoidance capability of the Connector.
Alternatively, you can use the Connectors dialog box to rearrange
connections. To reach this dialog box:
Click the Connectors toolbar button,
-or-
Click Edit > Connectivity,
-or-
On the right-click menu, click Connectivity.
The Connectors dialog box affects Connector symbols only. It cannot be
used to attach one symbol to another symbol without a Connector. The
Connectors dialog box has two tabs, Flow (page 216) and Attachments
(page 219). Each Connector is identified by a unique number, which is
revealed by a ToolTip in your display.
Connectors Dialog Box, Flow Tab

The Connectors dialog box, Flow tab specifies the source and destination
of each Connector from one symbol's Connection Point to another symbol's
Connection Point. The dialog box is available whenever a Connector exists
on a display.
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The Flow tab shows two tree diagrams, Source and Destination, where you
can change the Connection Points for the Connector shown in the
Connector drop-down box. There is also a Flow Direction drop-down box
associated with the Connector that appears in the Connector drop-down
box.
Each Connector and each Connection Point are numbered.
Use the ToolTip on the display to identify the Connector(s) and Connection
Point(s) you wish to rearrange before you open the Connectors dialog box.
The Auto Avoid option is checked as a default, so that Connectors route
around other objects in the display.
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Configure the Flow Tab

To configure the Flow tab:
1. In Build mode, open the Connectors dialog box (page 216). The Flow
tab is in focus.
2. In the Connector drop-down box, select a Connector. Connectors are
numbered; you can find a ToolTip on the display to identify each one.
In the Source and Destination boxes, you will see highlights for the
current Connection Points for that Connector.
3. Modify the Flow Direction if you wish.
4. Click a new Connection Point on the Source tree to change the
Source Connection Point.
5. Click a Connection Point on the Destination tree to change the
Destination Connection Point.
6. Click Apply. This changes the display.
7. Repeat these steps for all Connectors on the display that you wish to
modify.
8. Click OK. If the display is satisfactory, save it.
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Connectors Dialog Box, Attachments Tab

For very complex displays, it may be helpful to attach or arrange
Connector Attachments through the Connectors dialog box, Attachments
tab. The Attachments tab does not include Connectors or symbols
attached to other symbols. If you do not check the Enable Connector
Attachments in the Display Properties dialog box, discussed above, you
can still attach symbols to Connectors by using this dialog box.
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Configure the Attachments Tab

To configure the Attachments tab:
1. In Build mode, create a connector (page 211). Notice its number in
the tooltip.
2. Create the auxiliary symbol to be added to the Connector.
3. Open the Connectors dialog box (page 216), and select the
Attachments tab.
4. Choose a connector from the numbered list in the drop-down box at
the top.
5. After you select a connector, unattached symbols on the display are
listed in the Symbols box. Symbols that are already attached to the
connector appear in the Currently Attached box. Existing Source and
Destination symbols that are connected to Connectors are not listed.
6. Highlight a symbol in the Symbols box that you want to add and click
Add. The symbol now appears in the Currently Attached box.
7. Adjust the position and placement of the attached symbol as needed.
 To move the symbol closer to one end of the connector, double-
click the specified % and change it.
 To move the symbol from the top of the connector to another
placement, double-click the default Top and choose Left, Right,
or Bottom.
8. Click Apply and select another connector to adjust.
9. If you need to remove an attachment, highlight the attachment in the
Currently Attached box and click Remove.
10. When you are finished adjusting, click OK.
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Attach a Symbol as an Adjunct to a Connector

Sometimes it is desirable to attach a symbol, such as a flow meter or a text
label, along a Connector so that the symbol moves as the Connector does.
This subordinate symbol is called a symbol attachment. Note that this is
different from connecting a symbol to either end of a Connector.
To attach a symbol to a Connector, follow these steps:
1. Click Edit > Display to open the Display Properties dialog box.
2. Be sure the Enable Connector Attachments option is checked.
3. Click OK.
4. Create the subordinate symbol and drag and drop it across the
Connector. The subordinate attachment is attached to the Connector.
The placement is snapped either left/right or top/bottom depending
upon the orthogonal direction of the connector at the position where
the attachment has been placed.
5. To attach symbols to Connectors, select the Connector, then choose
Edit > Symbol Attachments.
Attach a Symbol as an Adjunct to Another

Symbol
You may want to attach two or more symbols (not Connector Symbols) so
that they move together but do not become a Composite Symbol. For
example, you might attach a text label symbol to a pump symbol. The text
symbol is subordinate to the pump symbol and follows the pump symbol if
the latter is moved.
The advantage of this method of attachment is that each symbol in the
group retains its identity and can be acted on individually for automation
purposes.
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1. Select at least two symbols. This enables the Symbol Attachments
icon .
2. Click , or click Edit > Symbol Attachments, or

On the right-click menu, click Symbol Attachments.
The Symbol Attachments dialog box appears. The symbols you
selected appear in the Attachments dialog box as possible master or
subordinate symbols.
3. Select the Master Symbol. As you change the Master, the title of the
dialog box changes also.
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4. Place a check mark for the subordinate symbol or symbols and click
OK.
5. Repeat the process for each Master symbol. The Detach All bar at the
top can be used to remove all attachments from the currently selected
symbol in the Master box. To detach only one attachment, clear its
check box.
6. Click OK. When you move a Master symbol, any subordinates move
with it.
There are two other routes to the Symbol Attachments dialog box.
Choose Edit > Symbol Attachments, or, on the right-click menu, click
Symbol Attachments.
Move Attached Symbols Independently

Click and drag an attached symbol that is not the Master Symbol to move
the symbol independently without affecting the position of the Master
Symbol.
Detect Connections and Attachments

You can easily detect which symbols in your display are attached and/or
connected to Connectors, or which symbols are attached to symbols. To
see whether Connectors or attached symbols exist for a particular symbol:
 Click the symbol or connector and hold down the mouse button for
more than one half second.
 If there are existing Connectors, all Connectors with attached
symbols for this symbol are spotlighted and display in a different
color (for example, white for black or yellow for blue).
 If there are no Connectors, nothing happens.
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Reroute a Connector Path

When you move a symbol, its Connectors shift automatically to stay
connected to the moved symbol and avoid overlapping other symbols in
the display. Connectors can overlap each other.
If a drawing becomes complex, you can request that all Connectors be
rerouted by clicking the Reroute button. If you select specific Connectors
and click Reroute, only those Connectors are rerouted. Connectors
crossing each other may be unavoidable but should be minimized. Do not
move Connectors manually.
The object avoidance feature in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook can
either ignore or take Connectors into account when looking for the shortest
path from the source to a destination. This behavior is controlled by the
ConnectorsAvoidConnectors setting in the ProcBook.ini (page
315).
Object avoidance does not occur after you drag and drop a Connector’s line
segment. If you modify the position of a Connector manually, the center point and
end points on the Connector change from green to red, indicating that automatic
object avoidance is turned off and you are responsible for all further updates to
that Connector.
Rerouting can consume significant system resources (CPU and Memory) to
solve complex problems. Factors that can increase complexity include:
 A very large display.
 Large numbers of Connectors on a single display.
 Large numbers of symbols to be avoided.
 A high number of "Lines per Screen Unit" (set in "Arrange", "Grid
Size…", "Lines per Screen Unit" - 1 equals the largest cell size; 30
gives the smallest cell size).
 Routing multiple displays on the same PC.
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Item Definition
Use the Item Definition button in either Build or Run mode when you
want to see what tags and formatting options were used in any symbol that
uses a dialog box for basic configuration. It is the same as double-clicking
on the item with the Build mode pointer. If the symbol does not have a
definition dialog box, the button is dimmed. You can change the selections
and save the new definition. This button does not open any of the
formatting dialog box boxes (for example, Font or Color).
Display or Change Item Definition

To display or change an item definition:
1. In either Build or Run mode, open a display.
2. Double-click the dynamic symbol whose definition you would like to
change (such as a value, bar, trend, or button).
-or-
Click the symbol, then on the Formatting toolbar, click the Item
Definition button. A definition dialog box displays that corresponds to
the symbol you selected:
If the Item Definition button appears dimmed the symbol you selected
may not have a definition dialog box.
3. In the appropriate dialog box, make your changes to the item's
definition, and then click OK. These changes are saved with the
symbol.
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Status Report for Dynamic Symbols

The status bar at the bottom of the FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook
application shows whether dynamic symbols in a display are updating
normally. The Status icon is a green circle when there are no errors. It is a
blue circle containing a question mark (?) if the display shows questionable
data or a yellow arrow for substituted data. It contains an X in a red circle
if a dynamic symbol is reporting bad data (or shutdown status). As you
shift focus from one display to another, the icon may change. If you shift
back to the Table of Contents, the status icon remains from the last display
in focus.
or
The Status Report dialog box appears when you have a display in focus
and double-click the Status icon. This report lists all the symbols in a
display that have data associated with them. You see the tag to which the
symbol is connected and, if there is an issue, the error message appears.
You can sort the list by any of the column headings.
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For troubleshooting purposes, click Message Log to view the SDK Log
file.
You can save this report as a .csv file by using Save to File.
The status bar can be displayed or hidden from the View Status Bar item
on the View menu.
Status Flags for Data

In addition to the Error indicator shown in the Status Bar (page 226),
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook has three types of flags to indicate that
the data is valid but additional information is available. Each dynamic
symbol can display an icon when there is additional status information
available. When you hover the mouse over a flagged symbol, you see a
ToolTip with the status message. In trends, status messages appear to the
right of the tag values in the legend, if the status is associated with the last
value on the plot.
The icons are shown below:
Questionable Indicates that there is some reason to doubt the accuracy of the
value.
Substituted Used to indicate that the value has been changed from its original
value. This value is set only by the FactoryTalk Historian server when
an existing value is changed.
Annotated Indicates that there is a comment about a value. Text annotations are
shown in symbol ToolTips. Use the Details window (page 191) to
view and add annotations.
If a tag has more than one flag, the highest priority status will be shown.
The priority from high to low is: Questionable, Substituted, Annotated. To
view all the flags associated with a FactoryTalk Historian tag on the
display, use the Details window, Data option.
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If you clear the Show Value Attributes check box in your Start
Preferences, you do not see these icons. You might disable the icons to
improve ProcessBook performance if you have very high speed sub-second
data.
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Chapter 7
Data Streams
A data stream is any set of data that you can visualize (page 103). This
data includes, and is not limited to, FactoryTalk Historian tags, AF
attributes, data sets, and ODBC queries.
About FactoryTalk Historian Data

retrieves and helps you visualize data from your FactoryTalk Historian
System infrastructure and other systems that support different business
functions and provide access to diverse information.
You will likely work with FactoryTalk Historian data stored in:
 FactoryTalk Historian server
 AF Server
You will typically use these items to specify the information you want to
see:
FactoryTalk A FactoryTalk Historian point is a stream of real-time data from a
Historian defined source, and is described by a corresponding tag name and
points/tags other attributes. FactoryTalk Historian points are frequently referred
to as FactoryTalk Historian tags, and the terms are used somewhat
interchangeably. However, a tag is simply a name for a FactoryTalk
Historian point. When you retrieve FactoryTalk Historian data into a
dynamic symbol, the tag name is the most commonly-used
FactoryTalk Historian attribute to refer to data from a FactoryTalk
Historian point.
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AF attributes AF Attributes represent data that is associated with an element. They

can contain configuration information for the element, or measured or
calculated process data that provides the information necessary for
getting and setting its value to and from a data stream. Conceptually,
an AF Attribute replaces the FactoryTalk Historian Aliases and
FactoryTalk Historian Properties formerly used in the FactoryTalk
Historian module Database.
AF Attributes are children of AF Elements. A key component of an AF
Attribute is its context path. You can change a context path to allow
data from multiple elements to be viewed in the same context. See AF
2010 User's Guide for more information about FactoryTalk Historian
AF.
AF elements AF Elements are the building blocks of AF (like modules in MDB) and
can represent either physical or logical entities in your process, such
as a physical device, piece of equipment, storage container, or
representative section of a process.
In the larger picture, you can think of the functions different types of data
perform. In FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook, you work with different
types of data:
Time series data FactoryTalk Historian server data is collected and stored in the form
of points, each of which represents a time-series data stream from a
particular source, such as a temperature or pressure sensor. A tag is a
reference name for a FactoryTalk Historian point.
Calculated data Statistical calculations provide another way to view time series data.
Averages, High and Low values and measures of variance all provide
critical information about data events over a period of time.
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Contextual data Contextual data is a method of associating FactoryTalk Historian

points and their properties with their business use, location, service or
role. By configuring this information to reflect the correct structure of
the information, the content creator can make data and its
presentation more logical and accessible to the user community. A
FactoryTalk Historian point tag name is an example of contextual
data.
FactoryTalk Historian points also have various configurable properties
associated with the data stream, called point attributes. However, this
information is presented largely in language relevant to data
processing, not in measurements or standard business terms that are
easily accessible to users outside the Operations department.
FactoryTalk Historian AF provides a holding place for contextual
representations of all data used in your FactoryTalk Historian system.
Elements and attributes can reference FactoryTalk Historian points
and attributes or data in other systems, including relational databases
and web services.
FactoryTalk Historian Tags (Points)

A FactoryTalk Historian point is a stream of real-time data from a defined
source, and is described by a corresponding tag name and other attributes.
FactoryTalk Historian points are frequently referred to as FactoryTalk
Historian tags, and the terms are used somewhat interchangeably.
However, a tag is simply a name for a FactoryTalk Historian point. When
you retrieve FactoryTalk Historian data into a dynamic symbol, the tag
name is the most commonly-used FactoryTalk Historian attribute to refer
to data from a FactoryTalk Historian point.
FactoryTalk Historian Tag Search

The Tag Search dialog box is used to locate FactoryTalk Historian tags
(page 231). To launch this dialog box:
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On the Standard toolbar, click , or click the Tag Search button in any
of the following dialog box boxes:
 Define Value
 Define Bar
 Define XYPlot
 Multi-State Symbol
 Define Trend
The Tag Search dialog box provides three types of searches:
 Basic Search allows you to create a tag mask by specifying
FactoryTalk Historian point attributes. The mask is used to find a list
of tags on the server with matching attributes.
 Advanced Search provides a query-building interface with access to
more point attributes for complex searches.
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 Alias Search provides a logical tree view of a FactoryTalk Historian

server through the FactoryTalk Historian module Database, which you
can use to select tags by their descriptive aliases.
To search for tags:

1. Click a tab to choose a Basic, Advanced or Alias search.
2. Type the required search criteria and click Search.
Use '*' or '?' as wildcard characters to search for tag names and
attributes. For example, the tag mask Tem* returns all point names
that start with Tem while Tem? returns only points that start with Tem
and end with another single character. All point mask fields are case
insensitive.
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You can also click Favorites to access previous searches.

3. Tags returned from a search appear listed in a search results panel.
Select the desired tags in the results panel, and click OK.
4. Click column headers in the search results panel to sort the results.
Ctrl-click or Shift-click to select multiple tags.
For more information on FactoryTalk Historian tags click the Help button
from any Tag Search dialog box in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook to
launch the PI SDK Controls and Dialogs user help.
View Point Attributes

The configuration information for a FactoryTalk Historian point is stored
as a list of attributes. You can display this list of properties for any
dynamic symbol. See FactoryTalk Historian Point Attributes (page 341)
for a complete list of attributes and their descriptions.
The Point Attributes dialog box displays the attributes and snapshot
values of FactoryTalk Historian points.
1. Using either the Run mode or Build mode pointer, click a dynamic
symbol.
2. On the standard toolbar click , or

click the Pt. Attr. (Point Attributes) button if you are in the Tag
Search dialog box, or
in Run mode, click Tools > Point Attributes.
The Point Attributes dialog box appears.
You can also view Point Attributes in the Details Window (page 191).
The tag for which the properties are displayed is shown in the Point Name
drop-down list at the top of the dialog box. If a trend has several tags,
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select each tag from the drop-down list or use the up and down arrows on
your keyboard to scroll through the tags.
The Point Properties dialog box contains the Categorized tab and the
Alphabetic tab.
The Categorized tab displays the attributes categorically. The following
categories are always displayed:
 Archive
 Classic
 Display
 Overview
 Security
 System
These categories include all the attributes from the Base PointClass. The
Base PointClass attributes are common to all FactoryTalk Historian points.
If the FactoryTalk Historian point that is being displayed is not from the
Base PointClass, there is one additional category. This category is given
the name of the PointClass to which the displayed FactoryTalk Historian
point belongs. The PointClass-specific attributes are displayed in this
category.
The Alphabetic tab displays the attributes alphabetically.
FactoryTalk Historian Server Data Types

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook handles a full range of FactoryTalk
Historian server data types, as shown in this table:
Point Type How It Is Used PB Support
Digital Used for points whose value can only be one Supported
of several discrete states, such as ON/OFF or
Red/Green/Yellow.
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Point Type How It Is Used PB Support
Int16 FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook supports Supported

these as integers. Used for points whose
values are 15-bit unsigned integers (0 to
32767).
Int32 Negative integer values are supported. Used Supported for positive and
for points whose values are 32-bit signed negative Integer values
integers (- 2147450880 to 2147483647).
FactoryTalk Historian reserves some values.
Float16 Used for floating point values, scaled. The Supported

accuracy is one part in 32767. Use the displaydigits attribute
to determine the precision to
display.
Float32 Used for single-precision floating- point Supported

values, not scaled. Use the displaydigits attribute
display.
Float64 Used for double-precision floating- point Supported

values, not scaled.
String Each string event represents an ad- hoc state On plots, each string event
in a series. Used to store string data of up to represents an ad-hoc state in
976 characters. a series; not supported on
logarithmic traces, multi-state
configurations, or bar
symbols.
Blob Binary large object - Used to store any type of Not supported
binary data up to 976 bytes. Use the displaydigits attribute
display.
Timestamp Plotted as seconds over a given range. Not Plotted as seconds over a
supported for logarithmic traces. Used to given range. Not supported
store values of type Timestamp. Any for logarithmic traces, multi-
Time/Date in the Range 1-jan-1970 to 1-Jan- states, or bar symbols.
2038
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Data from a FactoryTalk Historian System

Most displays include a number of FactoryTalk Historian tags from one or
more FactoryTalk Historian systems. The connection to a FactoryTalk
Historian server allows you to view process data at the current time or at
other, discrete points in time. Displays update dynamically whenever
values on the FactoryTalk Historian server change.
FactoryTalk Historian Data Archive

The FactoryTalk Historian Archive is a time-series database that collects,
stores, and retrieves numerical and string data. The FactoryTalk Historian
Archive resides on a host computer and is connected to FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook through the FactoryTalk Historian server and your
network.
When you open a display (page 11) containing dynamic symbols,
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook retrieves data from the FactoryTalk
Historian Archive.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook also notifies the FactoryTalk Historian
server that it would like to receive data whenever the readings for the
dynamic symbols change. Each time a reading changes for points in the
display, the information is recorded in the FactoryTalk Historian server.
This new information is sent to your displays and all the new values are
added to trend traces. This is true even if you reduce the display to an icon
(page 74).
Updates to FactoryTalk Historian Data

When a display is opened, current values of FactoryTalk Historian tags
(page 231) are used for dynamic elements other than trends and XY plots.
For trends and XY plots, the time scale is configurable on a plot-by-plot
basis. See Changing the Time Range (page 202) for information on
viewing historical values.
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Displays are updated whenever values change. Every five seconds,

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook displays any new values for tags in
open displays from each FactoryTalk Historian server. You can modify the
update rate. See Procbook.ini (page 315) for more details.
For trends, new values are added to the trend traces. This update by
exception algorithm has two benefits:
 Values that do not change are not sent over the network at every
update. This can be a significant efficiency improvement over
traditional scanning.
 Values that change more than once within five seconds are shown
accurately on trends because all of the changes are delivered to
Values from PI calculations and custom data sets are also updated
dynamically.
Element Relative Display (ERD)

Element Relative Display (ERD) is an add-in (page 13) that replaces the
hierarchical, Module Database (MDB)-based Module Relative Display
add-in from earlier versions of FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook with an
asset store based on FactoryTalk Historian Asset Framework elements and
their associative attributes. This approach allows you to organize and
structure FactoryTalk Historian system and other data according to objects
users are most familiar with, and then visualize that data in a ProcessBook
display.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook allows you to search an AF database
for elements and their attributes. You can then add these data objects to
dynamic symbols to graphically display this data in real-time. For more
information on AF and elements, see About FactoryTalk Historian Data
(page 229), and the FactoryTalk Historian AF User Guide.
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In order to convert a legacy Module Relative Display to an Element Relative

Display you must first migrate modules in the Module Database to elements in the
AF database. MDB to AF migration is handled upon upgrade to FactoryTalk
Historian SE 2.3. See the FactoryTalk Historian MDB to AF Transition Guide for
further details.
Connect to an AF Database
Use the Select Database dialog box to find and connect to AF databases.
1. Click File > PI systems. The Select Database dialog box appears.
2. Use the System list to connect to an AF System that contains an AF

database you wish to use. The button launches the Systems dialog
box, where you can connect to other AF Systems.
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3. Once you select an AF System, search for an AF database using the

Databases search box. Select a database and click OK. The AF
database you select is used by the Element Relative Display (page 238)
add-in, where you can populate symbols with elements from the AF
database you have selected.
Element Search
To search for AF Elements:

1. Connect to an AF System.
2. Specify search criteria for the elements.
3. View the Search Results.
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Add Element Relative Data to a Dynamic Symbol

Use the Select Attributes dialog box to add AF Elements and Attributes as
data streams to dynamic symbols (page 68) on a display.
1. In Build mode, double-click a dynamic symbol.
2. In the dialog box, click the arrow next to the Tag Search button. A
drop-down menu appears.
If you plan to work with an element that does not have multiple contexts
you can instead click AF2. This brings up the Select AF Attribute dialog
box, and gives you another way of searching for AF data.
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3. Click Element Relative. The Select Attributes dialog box appears.
The active elements in the Elements of Interest pane on the Element

Relative Display docking window (page 244) appear in the top pane of
this dialog box under Current Element of Interest. If an element has
attributes, those attributes are available to add to a dynamic symbol.
If there are no active elements in the Elements of Interest pane, the

Element Search dialog box appears instead of the Select Attributes dialog
box, allowing you to do a new search to populate the Elements of Interest
pane.
4. Click attribute names to select from the Attributes for the selected
element list.
5. Click to add the selected attributes to the Selected Attributes

list. Apply the following option if desired:
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 UOM - allows you to select a unit of measure for a given

attribute.
6. [Optional] Click Add Element Name to add the element name of the
current context to the symbol. Select the Use Full Path check box to
show the full path of the current context instead of just the element
name.
7. Click OK to add the selected attribute(s) to your dynamic symbol.
Context Path
A context path relates an AF Attribute to a parent element within an AF
database. An AF Attribute added as a data stream to a dynamic symbol can
point to different underlying FactoryTalk Historian points, depending on
its context path.
Context paths can be used to drive displays created in FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook and other FactoryTalk Historian client applications.
Displays that utilize context paths in this manner are referred to as
element-relative because the data displayed for the attribute at any time
depends on the context path that links the attribute to a parent element.
Context paths are used most frequently to change the data displayed by a
symbol based on user selection. For example, based on the selection of AF
Elements or attributes that represent assets in a plant, a display may present
data from parallel assets in a single plant or in different locations.
For example, assume Tanks 1-5 in a plant are all described by the same
measurement attributes of temperature and pressure. Each tank is
represented as an element in the AF database with corresponding
temperature and pressure attributes. A display that references the
temperature attribute could display data for each tank in turn by allowing
the user to specify the context path to any particular tank element.
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How to Change Element Context

You can dynamically change the context for the selected element on your
symbols by clicking an element name in the Elements of Interest pane on
the Element Relative Display window (page 244). The attribute data that
appears on your dynamic symbol corresponds to the active element you
choose. If the attributes you select are not available for a selected element,
you see No Data on the display when that element is selected.
Work with the Element Relative Display Window

Configure a dynamic symbol with element relative data by adding
attributes from a specific element to a display. You can dynamically
change the context for the selected element on your symbols by clicking an
element name in the Elements of Interest pane on the Element Relative
Display window (page 244). The attribute data that appears on your
dynamic symbol corresponds to the active element you choose. If the
attributes you select are not available for a selected element, you see No
Data on the display when that element is selected.
To use the Element Relative Display window:
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1. Click View > Element Relative Display. The Element Relative

Display window appears.
2. In the Search Mask text box enter a search query, and click the green
arrow, or
1. Click to launch the Element Search dialog box, where you

can use advanced search fields.
2. Type your search query and click the Search button. The Search
results list is populated with your results.
3. Click any element(s) from the Search results list.
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4. Click OK. Any new items are added to the Elements of Interest
list in the Element Relative Display docking window.
3. Search results appear in the Elements of Interest pane.
1. Click a column heading to sort results by that heading.
2. Use the Filter text box to filter out unwanted entries. Access
previously used filter expressions by clicking the small triangle at
the end of the text box.
3. Select the Group by check boxes to group your search results by
template.
4. Hover over an element to display a ToolTip that show the
element's full path.
4. Click an item from the Elements of Interest pane. If there is a
corresponding attribute in your display, that attribute's data will refresh
with the new element context.
Use the pin icon to lock the docking window to your screen. Click the
pin icon again to unpin the window and minimize it along the border of your
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook window. When a docking window is
unpinned, a button appears along the side of the screen. Hover over it to re-
expand the window.
Data Sets
In FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook you can build dynamic symbols
using data retrieved from data sets just as you can from specific points in
the FactoryTalk Historian Data Archive.
A data set is basically the set of results of a query that addresses a specific
data source. You can use placeholders to link FactoryTalk Historian tags
and ODBC data within a query.
Data sets are defined at the Book level so that they can be defined once and
then shared among different displays within that ProcessBook. If you
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create an independent display (a .PDI file), the data set is defined only for
that display. Trends including data sets can be manipulated, saved, moved,
and copied in the same fashion as other trends.
Whenever a display is updated, if a trace or value using a data set is
configured using relative times, then the trace or value is updated. No
updates occur if the data set is configured using absolute times.
You can edit an existing data set, either from the Tools menu or from a
symbol that uses the data set. However, if you have attached the data set to
more than one symbol, editing the data set affects all the symbols. If you
move a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook display containing a data set to
another machine, you may need to reconfigure the data set or the machine's
connection to the data source.
Three types of data sets are available to provide data to displays:
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 PI calculation (page 248) data sets (including FactoryTalk Historian

expression and FactoryTalk Historian Summary data sets) from
FactoryTalk Historian Universal Data Server equations.
 ODBC (page 254) (Open Database Connectivity) data sets obtained
from a relational database. ODBC client capability means that without
writing vendor-specific code, you can access data from certain
relational databases outside the FactoryTalk Historian system and
include that data in your FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook displays.
The outside data source must be ODBC-compliant; for example, it
must provide an ODBC Driver. An outside ODBC data source might
include laboratory results, cost tables, or other sets of information that
can be obtained through SQL queries. Since access to ODBC sources
is configured on a particular computer, moving a display file that uses
an ODBC data set may require the data source to be configured on the
new computer. The data source has to have the same name on the new
computer, or the data set will need to be reconfigured in the display.
 Custom (page 257) data sets built as COM objects supplied by Visual
Basic or C++ programs as Add-Ins to FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook. Custom data sets exist at the FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook application level, so they don't need to be defined for
each processbook or display. However, they do need to be installed on
any client machine where they are used.
PI Calculation Data Sets

PI Calculation Data Sets include FactoryTalk Historian Summary Data
Sets and FactoryTalk Historian expression Data Sets. These are drawn
from the FactoryTalk Historian server and plotted dynamically.
Use the PI Calculation dialog box to create, edit, or delete data sets. You
can select predetermined calculations or create your own expressions. A
similar dialog box is used to configure ODBC data sets (page 254).
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 FactoryTalk Historian Summary Data Sets

FactoryTalk Historian Summary Data Sets enable you to use pre-
determined functions to retrieve aggregated FactoryTalk Historian
data for a tag.
 The AVG function calculates the average of the tag values for
each interval.
 The Count function is the sum of event count over the time range
when calculation basis is event-weighted, sum of event time
duration over the time range when calculation basis is time-
weighted.
 The MIN function selects the minimum of the tag values for each
interval. A timestamp associated with the minimum value is also
available.
 The MAX function selects the maximum of the tag values for
each interval. A timestamp associated with the maximum value is
also available.
 The PCTGOOD function determines the percentage of time for
each interval, when the tag’s archived values are good (that is
without errors, such as out of range errors or shutdown flags). It is
not applicable for digital tags.
 The PSTDEV function calculates the population or sample
standard deviation of two or more values.
 The RANGE function calculates the difference between the tag’s
maximum and minimum values for each interval.
 The STDEV function calculates the population Standard
Deviation of the tag values for each interval.
 The Total function is the total over the given time range.
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These functions are fully described in the Performance Equations

chapter of the FactoryTalk Historian Server Applications User
Guide.
 FactoryTalk Historian Expression Data Sets
FactoryTalk Historian Expression Data Sets enable you to create your
own function or expression in FactoryTalk Historian Performance
Equation syntax. These expressions can include tag variables with
mathematical and logical operations as described in the Performance
Equations chapter of the FactoryTalk Historian Server Applications
User Guide.
Create a PI Calculation Data Set

To create a calculation data set:
1. Click Tools > Data Sets. The Data Sets (page 246) dialog box
appears.
You can also create a PI calculation data set by clicking the drop-down
arrow next to the Tag Search button in the Define dynamic symbol dialog
box boxes. By accessing the FactoryTalk Historian calculation Data dialog box
this way, you have the additional option of selecting a previously created PI
Calculation Data set, as well as the ability to create a new one as outlined
below.
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2. Click New > PI calculation. The PI Calculation Data dialog box

appears.
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PI Server Select a FactoryTalk Historian server.
Name Enter a name for your data set. The name must be unique for
the current .piw or .pdi file.
PI tag or Enter a tag name or a FactoryTalk Historian expression. Use

Expression the Tag Search (page 231) button to search for FactoryTalk
Historian tags. If you choose to type an expression, be sure to
use FactoryTalk Historian performance Equations syntax, such
as one of these:
’r;sinusoid’ * 2
(’r;cdt158’+’r;sinusoid’)/2
log(’r;cdt158’)
(’r;sinusoid’))/tagspan(’r;sinusoid’)
Description This description appears on trends of this data set in the tag
descriptors area.
Calculation The interval (minutes, hours, days) for the calculation.

Interval
Interval Sync Time This is the absolute time of day at which the periodic
calculations are done. For example, if the Interval Sync Time
box is set to 12:00:24 PM and the time in the Refresh Interval
box is set to ten minutes, then the calculation for each period
is executed at the following times: 12:10:24, 12:20:24,
12:30:34, etc.
Value Column The name that represents the value column of the calculated
Name data rather than the time stamp column.
Refresh Interval The interval at which you want to automatically update the
data set. You can also type a number between 0 and 999. If
you select 0, data is not automatically updated.
Stepped Plot Selected by default. Clear the check box if you want a point-
to-point plot.
4. Click OK to save your changes.

 The data set name must be unique for the current .piw or .pdi file.
 The node name and tag name must be valid.
 The interval must be a valid FactoryTalk Historian Time.
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 The sync time must be a valid FactoryTalk Historian Time.

Your new data set appears in the Data Sets dialog box.
Intervals and Time Value

The calculated value for each interval is plotted at the start of the interval.
For example, if the tag "t_min" has the following time-value pairs in a 10
minute interval, then the calculated value for this interval would be plotted
at time 1:00:00.
1:00:00 1
1:01:00 2
1:02:00 3
1:03:00 4
1:04:00 5
1:05:00 6
1:06:00 7
1:07:00 8
1:08:00 9
1:09:00 10
1:10:00 11
The calculated value for the AVG, STDEV, and PCTGOOD functions
includes the tag value at the lower interval boundary time and excludes the
tag value at the upper interval boundary time. For the example above, the
tag value "10" at time 1:09:00 is excluded in the function calculation,
therefore the calculated value for AVG is 4.5 and the calculated value for
STDEV is 2.872281.
The calculated value for the MIN, MAX and RANGE functions includes
the tag value of both the lower and upper interval boundary times. For the
example above, the calculated value for MIN is 1, the calculated value for
MAX is 11 and the calculated value for RANGE is 12.
Plot a Moving Average in a Trend

You can plot additional statistics in a trend using data sets derived from
FactoryTalk Historian tags. For example, you can plot both a tag and its
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moving average to show a smoothed version of the same curve. The

moving average is built from the source tag using a data set that
recalculates an average point value over recurring intervals.
To create a moving average in a trend:
1. In Build mode, double-click the trend to open the Define Trend
dialog box.
2. Click the Tag Search arrow and choose FactoryTalk Historian
calculation to create a data set based on a tag.
3. Click New to add the data set and specify a Name and Description for
the data set that calculates the moving average.
4. Click Tag Search and select the tag you want to use as the basis for
the calculation.
5. In the Interval field, choose the calculation period for the average. A
new average tag value is computed at each interval over the plotted
time range.
6. Click Average in the Columns panel to select an average calculation,
and click OK.
7. Click OK to close the Define Trend dialog box.
ODBC Data Sets

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook uses the term ODBC data set for the
concept of an ODBC query that retrieves data from a relational database to
produce a group of data values organized into rows and columns and used
to build a trend or other element in a ProcessBook display. A data set is
identified within a ProcessBook by a unique name.
The data set name refers to the combination of an SQL query statement and
an ODBC Data Source with which to execute the query. The results of the
SQL query are organized into rows and columns. You may select any
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column of the results for a display. For example, in a trend, each column in
the data set that you select appears as a different trace.
A SQL query statement may be written so that it executes based on other
data in a display, such as FactoryTalk Historian tags or the start or end
time. This is done using SQL placeholders (parameters); a tag, time, or text
string is then substituted for each placeholder at run time.
For more information on ODBC, see ODBC (page 271).
Create an ODBC Data Set

To create an ODBC data set:
appears.
2. Click New, then select ODBC. The ODBC Data dialog box appears.
3. Under Name, type a name for the data set.
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4. Under Description, type a description if you like. This text is

displayed in the Description legend for the trace, if configured.
5. Under Refresh Interval, type the interval at which you want to
automatically update the data set, between 0 and 999.
The default for the Refresh Interval is zero minutes. This means the
data set only refreshes when the trace is first drawn or when you click the
Revert Time Ranges button on the standard toolbar. If a tag placeholder is
used, the Refresh Interval box list is disabled and the data is refreshed
whenever the FactoryTalk Historian tag value changes.
6. From the Data Source list, click the appropriate ODBC data source. If
you do not already have an ODBC Data Source configured on your
computer (using the Control Panel), click Setup to create or modify
one.
7. Click Design. The Microsoft Query application is displayed.
If Microsoft Query is not installed, then the Design button is disabled.

You can key in the query manually. You can also copy and paste a query from
another query building tool.
8. Choose your ODBC data source and design your query.
Click the Help button, if necessary, and follow Microsoft's instructions

for completing the query.
9. Click OK to return to the ODBC Data dialog box.
10. To verify if the query can be understood by the ODBC data source,
click Check Syntax.
11. Click OK.
12. If you want to use placeholders in the query, type the appropriate
WHERE clause, use question marks (?) to denote the location of
placeholders, and click the Placeholders button. Placeholders are
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defined in the order in which they are encountered in the SQL

statement.
13. Click Placeholders to check the syntax of the query. If the syntax is
not valid, the invalid query message is displayed.
14. Click OK.
Custom Data Sets

A custom data set is one provided through a VBA add-in to FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook. It is a COM object or a .NET object with a COM
wrapper that acts as an interface between FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook and the custom data provider. The source of data could be a
data store (like MS SQL Server) or a data calculation engine. FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook requests updates to the data every few seconds and
adjusts its display accordingly.
Before you can access custom data sets in a display, the Data Set add-in
must be installed and loaded through the Add-In Manager (page 13)
dialog box. Later, as you build a display, you select the data set and
column to be used for a symbol on a display through the symbol definition
dialog box boxes. Once a custom dataset is loaded, it is available
throughout the application. These data sets are not display or ProcessBook
specific.
Information on building a custom data set is beyond the scope of this
online help. It is discussed in Creating a Custom Data Set, a white paper
supplied with the FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook software CD.
Placeholders
A Placeholder in an SQL query identifies a value that is to be provided
when the query is run. You can validate a query before the actual values
are provided.
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The standard SQL placeholder character is (?). Placeholders are numbered

in their order of appearance, from left to right, in the query statement.
For example, the following query statement has two placeholders, one for a
text string for a sample ID and the other for a sample time.
Select value, sample_time from Lab_data where sample_ID=? and
sample_time>?
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook allows text, start times, end times, or

tag values as substitutes for placeholders.
Processing of Placeholder Queries

Text placeholder values are substituted into a query when it is run. Start
and End times are determined when a display is opened and are substituted
into queries at execution.
Tag values can also be used as placeholders. With a Tag placeholder, a join
is processed between the ODBC data source and the FactoryTalk Historian
data source. When a display is opened, FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook
obtains tag values between the start and end time and substitutes these
values into the SQL query, one at a time (in effect, executing the query for
each FactoryTalk Historian tag value returned). The use of a tag
placeholder is shown in the SQL query statement below:
Select target from specs where product_code=?
In this example, the values of the tag in the FactoryTalk Historian system
that records the current product code are retrieved. The result set of the
ODBC query is built by executing the query once for each placeholder
value. In the case of this example, that would be one query execution for
each product code found between the start and end times of the symbol.
Design Placeholder Queries

Placeholders can be customized for a symbol. You can create an ODBC
data set with a set of default placeholders. When that data set is attached to
a specific symbol, the query’s placeholders can be customized for that
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symbol without affecting the placeholders defined for any other symbol
using that data set.
Add or Edit Placeholders

To add or edit placeholders:
1. To open the Placeholders dialog box, click Placeholders in the
ODBC Data Sets (page 255) dialog box, or click the Custom
Placeholders button on a symbol definition dialog box.
In this dialog box, you can rename placeholders, change their type or
specify values.

configured symbol.
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2. Under Placeholder Name, select the parameter you want to configure.

The parameters are in the same order as found in the data set query.
The list is limited to the number of parameters found in the query.
3. Under Placeholder Properties, select the Type for the selected
parameter. There are four possible types: Text, FactoryTalk
Historian tag, Start Time, and End Time. You can optionally
change the name of the placeholder to make its purpose clear.
4. Selecting a type transforms the dialog box to allow you to enter the
settings for the selected type, if any.
If the query uses:
 Text input, type the replacement text value in the Text field.
 Tag values, type a node ID and tag name or click Tag Search to
open the Tag Search dialog box.
 Start and/or end times - No additional configuration is used.
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5. Click Set.
6. To configure another parameter, select it and repeat the previous steps.
7. Click OK.
Is a Data Set in Use?

Before you modify a data source or data set, it is important to determine
whether it is being used in another display or symbol. FactoryTalk
Historian calculation data sets and ODBC data sets are established for an
entire ProcessBook (or an independent display). Custom data sets are
installed with the FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook application and are
available to any display that you open.
1. Click Tools > Data Sets. The Data Sets dialog box appears.
2. Under Data Sets, click the data set name, then click Show Use. The
Data Set Use dialog box appears and displays where the data set is
being used.
Data Set Details

Each Data Set is initially determined from a Data Source that must already
be configured. If the Data Source you need is not listed, click Setup to add
it.
Once the Data Source is selected, add the query. If the Design button is
unavailable you must type in the query. If MS Query is installed correctly,
the Design button will not be unavailable. Click it to design the query.
You can check syntax after you add the query. Including question marks
(?) in the query allows placeholders to be defined.
If you wish to use placeholders from FactoryTalk Historian in your query,
establish them by clicking the Placeholder button and completing the
process on the Placeholder dialog box.
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Add a Data Set to a Trend

Just as you would add tags in defining a trend, you can add columns
chosen from a data set. Each column is plotted as a separate trace,
however, the data set columns that appear on your trend do not appear in
the Point Properties dialog box.
If the query returns a null value, the trace displays the discontinuity.
Information from more than one data set, or more than one column from
the same data set may be plotted on the same trend. The trend assumes the
first time column found in the data set provides the time stamps for the
column(s) selected for trending.
You can manipulate trends containing data from data sets just as you
would other trends, by using functions such as:
 Trend Zoom
 Scrolling
 Trend Cursor
 Time Range
 Revert Time Ranges
 Autorange
 Markers
To add a data set to a trend:
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click .

3. Click in the display where you want to add the trend and drag the
pointer to form a rectangle into which the trend will be placed.
When you release the mouse button, the Define Trend (page 110)
dialog box appears.
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4. Click the Tag Search arrow, and then click PI calculation. The PI
Calculation Data dialog box appears.
If you want to display the ODBC Data dialog box instead of the PI
Calculation Data dialog box, then click the Tag Search arrow, and then
select ODBC.
5. Under Saved Data Sets, click the data set you want to add to the
trend.
6. Under Data Set Columns, select a column(s) to be plotted in the trend
(use the SHIFT or CTRL keys to select more than one column).
Value Value of the expression for the calculation interval and type as of the
time stamp. In the case of summary data sets, this column holds the
value of the tag.
Total The totalized value (time integral) of a tag over a given time,
according to values stored in the archive.
Average Average value of the expression for the calculation interval and type.
Minimum Minimum value of the expression for the calculation interval and type.
Maximum Maximum value of the expression for the calculation interval and type.
PctGood The time percentage, over a given range, when a tag's archived
values are good (not digital states).
Range The difference between a tag's maximum and minimum values during
a given time, according to values stored in the archive.
StdDev The time-weighted standard deviation of a tag over a given time,

according to values stored in the archive.
PStDev The standard deviation of two or more arguments, where those

arguments represent the whole population.
Count The number of events for a point over a given time.
7. Click OK.
Until you select a data set and at least one column, the OK button is
dimmed.
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The selected data set/column(s) is now listed under Tags in Plot in the
Define Trend dialog box.
8. Select tags as desired and format the trend. If you wish to see or edit
the definitions of placeholders, click Custom Placeholders in the
Define Trend dialog box.
9. Click OK. Data is displayed on the trend.
If you select the Description check box, on the Display Format tab in
the Define Trend dialog box, then the description of the data set is taken
from the PI Calculation Data dialog box and repeated for each column that
is plotted. There are usually no engineering units for a data set column.
Time Intervals for Plotting Tags and Data Sets

The Start and End plot times on the Define Trend (page 110) dialog box
are used to determine the time range for plotting tags. However, a data set
may have different time boundaries than the plot time start and end for the
tags. If the time range for the data set starts later than the time range for the
tags, the data set traces begin with X marks.
Refresh a Trend Containing a Data Set

In a display containing only data from data sets, the data is refreshed based
on the Data Set Refresh Interval, which is configured in the data set. The
trend does not update again until the Data Set Refresh Interval has expired,
at which time it requests another set of values and redraws itself. A
FactoryTalk Historian tag in a display, on the other hand, receives
exception notifications from the FactoryTalk Historian system and is
updated on the display whenever the polling period elapses (every five
seconds by default).
If both FactoryTalk Historian and data set data are to be plotted on the
same trend, then the latest data set value is continued toward the end time
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axis with changing FactoryTalk Historian exception data points until the
refresh interval expires and new data are received from the data set.
If a data set has a FactoryTalk Historian tag placeholder, then the data set
is refreshed every time a new value is received for the FactoryTalk
Historian tag placeholder.
Add Data Sets to Bars or Values in a Display

A single value from a data set may be added to a display as either a Value
or a Bar.
In general, queries can return many rows of results. The Value or Bar uses
only the data from the last row of the results for the column you select; the
rest of the results are discarded.
In many cases, you can use an ”r;order by” clause to control which rows
are returned first.
For example, the following query guarantees the most recent sample
appears in the ProcessBook Value field:
Select lab_val from Lab_Data where last_ID = ”r;BW”
Order by Sample_time asc
Run FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook When

Data Sets Are Included
When you start FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook and open an updating
display, it connects to your FactoryTalk Historian system and remains
connected until you close FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook.
If you have configured data sets in a ProcessBook, FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook connects to a data source as soon as you open a display using
data set results.
The first time you use a particular data source, the external database may
ask you for login information through a login dialog box. After a
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successful connection, FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook retains this

information for use throughout the session. When you close the session,
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook does not store your password locally
because it would be a security risk to store a password locally. If your data
source is configured to use Windows Authentication, then your network
credentials are used to gain access to the data and you are unlikely to be
prompted.
Edit a Data Set

You may change the Data Source, the Data Set Refresh Interval, the
Description, or the query. However, when you change a data set, you may
affect other queries that use the same data set.
appears.
2. Under Data Sets, click the data set you want to edit, and then click
Edit.
3. Either the FactoryTalk Historian calculation Data dialog box or the
ODBC Data dialog box appears depending upon the data set you
selected.
4. If the FactoryTalk Historian calculation Data dialog box appears,
then make your changes in the appropriate fields.
5. If the ODBC Data dialog box appears, then do the following:
To determine if Microsoft Query is installed, the application checks your

MS-DOS path for the existence of msquery.exe)
If the Design button is enabled, then:
1. Click Design. An instance of Microsoft Query is started using the
current data source and query.
2. Edit the data set in the MS Query environment.
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3. Click File > Return to ProcBook when you are finished.
Microsoft Query cannot edit query statements that contain

placeholders.
If the Design button is disabled, then:
If Microsoft Query is not installed, the Design button is disabled;
however, you can type the query in the query text box. You can also
copy and paste a query from another query building tool.
6. Add or edit the appropriate WHERE clause in the query to edit a
placeholder data set or existing placeholders (question marks represent
placeholders in the query statement).
7. Click Placeholders. This action causes the syntax of the query to be
checked.
If the syntax is valid, then the Placeholders dialog box displays with
the current placeholders. If the syntax is invalid, then an invalid query
message is displayed.
8. Click Check Syntax, to complete a syntax check of your query. The
status of the query is returned.
9. When you have finished modifying the data set, click OK.
If the data set is in use in a display, the Confirm Data Set
Modification dialog box displays.
10. If you wish to proceed, click Continue. The Data Sets dialog box
appears.
11. Select the column(s) to be used and click OK to return to the dialog
box.
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Delete a Data Set

Before you can remove a data set from the FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook list, you must remove it from any symbols that use it. If the
Data Set is a custom data set, which is a COM object, remove it through
Add-in Manager dialog box. Otherwise, use the following steps to delete
a data set first from all displays in which it is used and then from the
ProcessBook altogether.
appears.
2. Under Data Sets, click the data set name, and then click Show Use to
determine if any display or symbol is using the data set.
3. Close the Data Sets dialog box.
4. Open each display in which a data set is being used and delete the data
set from the appropriate dialog box, such as the Define Trend or
Define Value dialog box.
5. Save each display.
6. Reopen the Data Sets dialog box.
7. Under Data Sets, click the data set you want to delete, and then click
Delete.
The data set is removed from under Data Sets in the Data Sets dialog
box. If the data set is in use, then the Can't Delete Data Set dialog
box appears.
Copy a Data Set to Another ProcessBook

While data sources are configured for a computer, data sets are established
for only one ProcessBook or independent display file.
1. Open the new or target ProcessBook or independent display file.
2. Open the old or source ProcessBook or independent display file.
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3. From the Tools menu, select Data Sets. The Data Sets (page 246)
dialog box appears.
4. Under Data Sets, click the data set you want to copy, and then click
Copy. The Copy Data Sets dialog box appears.
5. Under To Open Workbook, select the correct target, and then click
OK.
Loading Custom Data Sets

Before you can access a custom data set in a display, you must create a
data set add-in and install it on your computer. Then you must select it
through the FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook Add-In Manager (page
13) dialog box.
Configure a Symbol with an AF Attribute

The AF2.x dataset provides access to the AF database allowing you to
configure a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook symbol with an AF
attribute.
From any symbol definition dialog box, click the Tag Search button and
select AF2 to open the Select AF Attribute dialog box.
If AF2 is not in the drop down list, it might not be loaded. Load it from
Tools > Add-In Manger.
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To select an AF Attribute:
1. Connect to an AF database.
2. Select an AF Element.
3. Select an AF Attribute from the drop down list or click Search to
search in the AF database.
4. Select a unit of measure in which to display the attribute.
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Configure the AF2.x DataSet

To configure an AF dataset:
1. Click Tools > Datasets to open the Data Sets dialog box.
2. Select AF2 dataset from the list.
3. Click Edit to open the AF 2.x DataSet Configuration dialog box.
4. Type a Refresh Interval.
5. Select Do not retrieve AF Data in Build Mode to prevent data
refresh while in build mode.
Retrieving data might have a negative impact on performance while
you are configuring a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook symbol.
ODBC
ODBC Driver Manager
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook sends queries to a standardized
interface from Microsoft called the ODBC Driver Manager. The Driver
Manager forwards ODBC queries to appropriate vendor-provided drivers,
which access the outside databases and return the requested data to your
ProcessBook display.
ODBC Drivers
Each DBMS (database management system), such as Microsoft SQL
Server, requires a specific ODBC Driver, provided by the vendor of the
DBMS or a third party. Each driver is a Dynamic Link Library (.dll) that
implements a set of subroutine calls to retrieve data from a particular
database.
The Microsoft ODBC Driver Manager is included as a part of FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook installation.
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ODBC Data Sources

An ODBC data source identifies a database a user wants to access and the
information needed to connect to that data. Examples of ODBC data
sources are:
 A SQL Server database, the server on which it resides, and the
network protocol used to access that server.
 An Excel spreadsheet on a file server.
 A directory containing a set of dBASE files you want to access.
ODBC data sources have an explicit name, are configured for a particular
computer, and may be used by any ODBC- compliant application installed
on that computer.
ODBC Data Access

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook stores relational queries in data sets
within ProcessBook files. The data sets are created, stored, and accessed by
name. FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook symbols can then access the
data sets. The columns in the data set make up the items that can be
assigned to the trend, value, or bar. The SQL needed to retrieve data for
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook can be configured once and used by
many displays and symbols.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook must return a time and value pair(s)
for display within a symbol (trend, value, or bar). Placeholders act as
parameters to an SQL function call. They are evaluated at run time.
Placeholders can take three forms: text, start/end times, or a FactoryTalk
Historian tag name. Use the start and end time placeholders when the time
limits of the query should be determined from the trend symbol where the
query is used. The FactoryTalk Historian tag name placeholder can be used
to join FactoryTalk Historian data with relational database data. A
FactoryTalk Historian Value is retrieved for the FactoryTalk Historian tag
and then substituted into the query.
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Using ODBC requires that you install the Microsoft ODBC Driver
Manager and drivers (most operating systems already have the Driver
Manager and some standard drivers installed). You must then configure
data sources (page 275) for ProcessBook and define individual queries,
called data sets.
ODBC Data Source Administrator

To access ODBC data source administrative tools from the Windows Start
menu:
1. On the Windows Start menu, point to Settings, click Control Panel,
double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Data
Sources (ODBC). The Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator
dialog box appears.
To access ODBC data source administrative tools from FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook:
Click Tools > Data Sets. The Data Sets (page 246) dialog box
appears.
1. Click New, and then click ODBC. The ODBC Data Sets dialog box
appears.
2. Click the Data Source list to see what ODBC data sources you have
already configured, if any.
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3. Click Setup. The Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator

dialog box appears.
Prepare for ODBC

In order to use ODBC within your ProcessBook, you must install an
ODBC driver and configure the corresponding ODBC data source on your
computer. Open the ODBC Data Source Administrator (page 273) and
click the Drivers tab to view the ODBC drivers that are already installed
on your system. See your System Administrator if you require additional
ODBC drivers.
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Configure the ODBC Data Source

Once any necessary ODBC drivers are installed, you need to configure the
ODBC data sources available to the computer.
1. Open the ODBC Data Source Administrator (page 273) dialog box.
2. In the User DSN tab, under User Data Sources, click the name of the
ODBC data source you plan to use and then click Configure. The
Setup dialog box for the data source you selected appears.
3. Add the ODBC data source.
Click the Help button, if necessary, and follow Microsoft's instructions

for completing the dialog box.
4. When you have completed configuring the data source, click OK to
return to the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator dialog
box.
To create data sources for any user of the computer, use the System
DSN tab instead of the User DSN tab. You can set up data sources on the
System DSN tab that are available to all users on the computer, but you must
have elevated permissions on the computer.
Use MSQuery to Build Data Sets

You can use Microsoft Query (MS Query) for writing queries. It is not
distributed with FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook, but if you click the
Design button in the ODBC Data dialog box, then FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook searches the registry in your computer to locate
MSQry32.exe when the ODBC data sets dialog box is opened.
The MS Query application does not work with an ODBC query that includes
placeholders. Consequently, the Design button in the ODBC Data dialog box may
be disabled.
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Assumptions About Timestamps and Data Sets

When a trend receives data from an ODBC data source, it receives the data
as a Time / Value pair. The Value is generated by the query. The Time,
however, may be obtained in one of two ways:
 If a Tag placeholder is used, then the time will be the time returned by
the Tag. This time will supersede any timestamps returned by the
query.
 One or more of the columns returned by the query may contain a date
and/or time. If more than one timestamp column is returned, the first
one as ordered by the SQL query is used.
Stored Procedures in Queries

Stored procedures can be used in ODBC data sets. They may contain
placeholders as long as your database accepts the stored procedures call as
a text string. The common syntax for this is:
execute procname ('arg', 22, ?)
Check the documentation of your database management system for details.

Stored procedures generally return results in rows and columns, just as a
normal SQL query does.
The only way to determine the columns returned by a stored procedure is
to perform a test execution. When you are building the data set, because
ProcessBook needs to know the columns returned, it executes the
procedure. If the procedure call includes placeholders, the following
defaults are used:
Text Actual text placeholder string
StartTime Current time
EndTime Current time
Tag 0
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An ODBC data set is created with a set of default placeholders. When it is

attached to a specific symbol, the query's placeholders can be customized
for that symbol, without affecting the placeholders defined for other
symbols using that data set.
For example, you can create a query for a database of laboratory data using
a text placeholder for the sample name. You can then use a different
sample name for every trend, bar, or value, rather than defining a new data
set query for each sample name.
Troubleshoot ODBC Data Sets

Data sets may be added, deleted, copied, or edited by selecting the New,
Delete, Edit, or Copy buttons in the Data Sets dialog box.
Columns are defined by the data set query. To see the columns returned by
the query, select the dataset when configuring a symbol to use it. The
dialog box shown from the Data Sets dialog box opened from the Tools
menu does not show the columns.
The Show Use button opens a dialog box that indicates what displays and
symbols include data from this data set.
Trace ODBC Calls

The ODBC Driver Manger provides an option for recording a log of all
calls to the Driver Manager from all ODBC clients. The default options for
ODBC are set to omit tracing and logging ODBC calls
If you choose to trace ODBC calls, you may suffer some degradation in
system performance.
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Initiate Call Tracing

To initiate call tracing:
1. Click Tools > Data Sets. The Data Sets dialog box appears.
2. Click New. Click ODBC. The ODBC Data dialog box appears.
3. Click Setup. The ODBC Data Source Administrator dialog box
appears.
4. Select the Tracing tab.
5. To change the file where tracing is logged, choose a new file path in
the Log File Path text box. Use the Browse button to search for files.
6. To initiate tracing, click Start Tracing Now. The label changes from
Start Tracing Now to Stop Tracing Now, and the Log File Path text
box becomes unavailable.
7. To stop tracing, click Stop Tracing Now.
Delete an ODBC Driver

If you have deleted all data sources using a particular driver, you may
uninstall it from your system. To do this, you must use the setup program
for the ODBC driver.
If you delete the wrong driver you need to reload it from the vendor.
Delete an ODBC Data Source

If you remove data sources while they are in use, displays that use them
fail to retrieve data. Consequently, before you remove a data source,
remove all data sets in which it is being used. FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook cannot prevent users from removing a needed data source
from the computer.
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1. Open the ODBC Data Source Administrator (page 273) dialog box.
2. In the User DSN tab, under User Data Sources, click the name of the
ODBC data source you want to delete and then click Remove.
A confirmation message is displayed.
3. Click Yes to delete the data source.
4. Click OK to close the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator
dialog box, then close the ODBC Data dialog box.
The data source is removed from under Data Sets in the Data Sets
dialog box.
Edit an ODBC Data Source

Occasionally you may want to use a different computer to access an
existing ProcessBook display.
If the display contains data from a PI Calculation Data Set, the display
works correctly unless the new machine does not point to the same
FactoryTalk Historian server as the previous one.
If this display contains data from an ODBC data set, you will need to
reconfigure the correct ODBC data source on the new computer.
Essentially this means establishing the same ODBC data source name that
was used on the original computer. Follow the steps under Installing
ODBC Drivers, and Configuring the ODBC Data Source (page 275).
If the display contains data from a custom data set, then you must install
that FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook add-in on the new machine.
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Chapter 8
Embedding and Linking

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook provides the capability to use OLE
linking and embedding (page 283). You can embed or link OLE objects
from other Windows applications into a ProcessBook display. The data
might be derived from a wide variety of OLE-compliant applications, such
as spreadsheets, documents, graphics objects, etc.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is an OLE Automation server.
Programmers can write scripts that manipulate and retrieve FactoryTalk
Historian data.
Overview of FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook

OLE Compound Documents
ActiveX is Microsoft technology used for developing reusable object
oriented software components. Container applications are those that can
contain ActiveX objects.
Compound Documents are documents that contain parts from more than
one application. The parts may be spreadsheets, word processing
documents, ProcessBook displays, etc. A compound document consists of
a container document plus sub-documents that are 'served' by other
applications
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook compound document functionality has
two aspects:
 ProcessBook displays can be containers for objects from other
applications, such as databases, spreadsheets, or documents.
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 ProcessBook displays may be used to exhibit dynamic data within

other container applications. In this case, the ProcessBook or display is
considered an object.
OLE Automation in FactoryTalk Historian

ProcessBook
OLE Automation of FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook means that an
application or program outside FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook can
manipulate FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook objects such as displays or
symbols. Currently, applications with OLE capability include Microsoft
Excel, Access, and Visual Basic (VB), among others. A specific set of
properties and methods are associated with each object type.
Data from FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook can be retrieved or
manipulated according to scripts originating outside FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook. For example, with the proper scripts in place, you could:
 Obtain a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook object, such as a display,
from FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook and print it in an Excel
spreadsheet. In fact, you can write the script to retrieve the display
only when certain tag values or other conditions are met.
 Write a Visual Basic program to start FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook, assess a particular display, and then alter it in some way.
 Click a button in ProcessBook to make an Excel spreadsheet show the
average and raw data of the current trend in ProcessBook. Then you
could change the time range of the ProcessBook, click the button
again, and see the Excel spreadsheet update with the new time range.
Although Automation scripts are not required to use a dialect of Visual
Basic, at the present time, that is the most common approach. Rockwell
Automation is using Visual Basic as the standard testing language for OLE
Automation.
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For more information on how to write Visual Basic scripts for use with
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook, click Help > FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook VBA Language Reference.
Object Linking and Embedding

An object application may be connected to a container application by either
embedding (page 283) or linking (page 283). The distinctions between the
two have to do with the ways in which the object is stored and updated.
Embedded Objects
Embedded objects are copied from an existing file or created and then
stored as an integral part of the container application, such as FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook. Using an embedded object increases the file size of
a ProcessBook significantly.
Formats not natively supported by FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook,
such as Windows metafiles, can now be pasted from the Windows
clipboard as objects in a ProcessBook display.
To change the contents of an embedded file, double-click it. The source
application software is invoked, and you can edit the object with the source
application's commands.
ProcessBook is a time-based application. When ProcessBook is used as an
embedded object, it updates dynamically whenever you double-click it.
If you rename a ProcessBook or move it to another directory, drive, or PC,
any embedded objects in displays can still be changed as long as your
system can locate the appropriate source application software.
Linked Objects
Linked object information is not stored as a part of the destination
application. Instead, the destination file stores only the location of the
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linked source file. No matter how many links it has, only one version of the
linked file is stored and maintained. Using a linked file increases the file
size of a ProcessBook less than using an embedded object.
In establishing an OLE link, you may update the:
 Contents of the object dynamically whenever the source file changes
 Update the object only by manual command
To change the data in a linked file, such as which tags you have selected,
you switch to the source application and open the file. Changes are then
reflected in the container display according to the update method you
selected.
Alternatively, if you double-click the object, the source application and the
actual file open, allowing you to edit the object. If the source application
supports in-place activation, you can edit within the container window;
otherwise a source application window opens.
If you rename a ProcessBook or move it to another directory, drive, or PC,
any links from displays to source files can break. These broken links need
to be re-established if you wish to continue using them.
Should You Link or Embed?

 Embed, if you want to update the object data within the target
document or if you want to store all the source data within the
container application. This option is also better if you plan to link files
to different locations.
 Link, if you want the data to update dynamically or when you need to
minimize file size. The source application and linked files must
continue to be available.
When you link to a ProcessBook container, there is a risk of accidentally

changing the source file.
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ActiveX Controls
You can insert ActiveX controls that are installed on your PC into
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook displays. If you move the displays to
other machines, then you must also install the controls there.
Some ActiveX controls are self-contained and will work without further
scripting. Most require additional VBA code before they function
correctly.
Add a Control
To add a control:
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click , or click Draw > Control.

The mouse pointer changes to a control pointer.
3. Click in the display where you want to add the control and drag the
pointer to form a rectangle into which the control will be placed.
When you release the mouse button, the Insert Control dialog box
appears.
4. Under Controls, click the appropriate control, and then click OK. For
example, if you add a calendar control to a display, it might look like
this:
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In Run mode, a user could change the month and date. A programmer
could incorporate the calendar into scripts associated with the display.
Example of Embedded and Linked Objects in a

ProcessBook Display
In the example below, a ProcessBook display includes a process schematic,
an embedded list of equipment parts, and a link to lab results.
The equipment parts list is stored with the ProcessBook display. If your PC
has an installed copy of MSWord, you can peruse or modify the list at any
time simply by double-clicking it.
The lab results are stored by the source application, not in the ProcessBook
display. The display can be set to update lab data dynamically whenever
the results in the source application changed, or it can be set to update lab
data when you click Update Now in the Edit Links dialog box.
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Icons vs. Graphics

You may choose to have embedded or linked objects displayed either as
graphic representations or as icons. An icon uses the minimum area of your
display and would be appropriate for reference material, such as
definitions.
The icon for the source application appears unless you select another one.
Choosing an icon to represent a linked file results in a slightly smaller
ProcessBook file size. Choosing icons for embedded objects does not
reduce ProcessBook file size.
Embed in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook

Objects may be created within a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook
display by the source application and then stored as embedded objects.
Alternatively, you may create objects from existing files or parts of files. In
addition, you can embed an object by dragging or pasting it from another
application.
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You must be in Build mode in order to insert a new object. Click Insert >
Object to launch the Insert Object dialog box.
Embed an Existing File in a Display

To embed an existing file in a display:
1. Open the display.
2. In Build mode, click Insert > Object. The Insert Object dialog box
appears.
3. Select Create from File.
4. Click Browse. The Browse dialog box appears.
5. Browse and locate the file you want to embed and then click Open.
The file name is displayed in the File box.
6. If you want to display an icon rather than a graphic, select Display as
Icon.
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7. Click OK. The object appears on your display.
Embed a New File in a Display

To embed a new file in a display:
appears.
3. Leave Create New selected (the default position).
4. Under Object Type, click the type of object you want to embed.
If you want to display an icon rather than a graphic, select the Display
as Icon check box.
6. Adjust the size and positioning of the object.
7. Commands for the source application are available on the menus.
Create the contents of the new object and click elsewhere on the
display to return to ProcessBook.
8. Save the display.
Windows Drag and Drop

Use the Windows drag and drop feature to move or copy an object from
another OLE application or display into a ProcessBook display or vice
versa. To move an object, simply drag it. To copy an object, press CTRL
and drag it. FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook must be in Build mode to
successfully have an object dragged or dropped.
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If you open a display and drag an object elsewhere, the display is

permanently changed, regardless of whether you save it or simply close it.
Link a File to a Display

You can create a link from a ProcessBook display to an existing file. The
linked object appears in a rectangle within your display. It is updated
whenever the source file changes, unless you change the link setting from
Automatic to Manual.
You must be in Build mode to insert a linked object, however you may
move or resize linked objects in either Build or Run mode. You may also
edit the contents of a linked object, but you are actually editing the original
source file, not simply the image in the ProcessBook display.
appears.
3. Select Create from File.
4. Click Browse. The Browse dialog box appears.
5. Browse and locate the file you want to embed and then click Open.
The file name appears in the File box.
as Icon check box.
6. Select the Link check box.
8. Adjust the size and positioning of the object.
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Dynamic and Manual Updates of a Linked

Object
The default setting for a link is automatic updates, meaning that whenever
the source data are changed, the data in your display changes.
You can change this updating frequency to manual through the Links
dialog box. Manual updates are also initiated through this dialog box.
Edit, Update, or Break Links

If you have created an automatic link to another object, it updates
whenever you open the entry. If you have created a manually updated link,
use the Update Now button on the Links dialog box to update your linked
object.
When you move a display, you may need to change the sources for linked
objects by breaking the links and re-establishing them.
2. In Build mode, click Edit > Links. The Links dialog box appears.
3. Click the link you want to change.
You can select several links at once by pressing the CTRL key and
clicking each link.
4. Choose one of the following options:
Select Manual Updates the linked data manually.
Click Update Now Updates the linked data immediately.
Click Open Source Edits the linked data.
Click Break Link Permanently breaks the link. The object is converted to a
picture (metafile).
5. Click OK.
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How Links Are Stored

When you establish a link between a ProcessBook display and a source
file, the link is stored in two ways, the relative path for the link, and the
absolute path for the link. The relative path is the relationship between the
location of the source file and the location of the target file in the directory
tree. The absolute path includes the drive, directory, and file name of the
source file.
Select a New Source Link

When you move a ProcessBook or display that contains links to source
files, if both the absolute and the relative paths change, you need to
reestablish the links.
To reestablish these links:
2. In Build mode, click Edit > Links. The Links dialog box appears.
3. Click Change Source. The Change Source dialog box appears.
Edit the Appearance of an OLE Object

Once an OLE object appears in a display, you can resize it, move it around
on the display, or copy it. There are, however, a few differences in how
OLE objects respond to ProcessBook commands, compared to native
objects such as symbols.
Although you must be in Build mode to insert an OLE object or edit links,
you can edit OLE objects from either Run mode or Build mode. When you
select an OLE object, switching modes does not cancel the selection.
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Commands That Ignore OLE Objects

The following commands ignore OLE objects:
Command Location Action
Select All Edit menu Does not include OLE objects.
Zoom/Fit All Symbols View menu Ignores OLE objects.
Align Arrange menu Does not work because you cannot select
more than one OLE object at a time.
Forward Arrange menu Does not work because you cannot select
Backward Arrange menu Does not work because you cannot select
Group Arrange menu Does not work because you cannot select
Rotate Arrange menu Does not work with OLE objects.
Flip Arrange menu Does not work with OLE objects.
Placement of OLE objects

OLE objects appear to obscure other elements of the display, such as text
or symbols, if the OLE objects were created before the native symbols. The
most recently created OLE object appears on top of older OLE objects and
native symbols.
OLE Object Colors

You may wish to use a background within an OLE object in a contrasting
color to the display. To change the colors used in an OLE object, go to the
source application. ProcessBook Color Preferences do not apply to OLE
objects.
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Edit the Contents of OLE objects

Some source applications permit in-place activation, which means that if
you double-click the OLE object, the source application opens, displays its
menus and commands through the ProcessBook menu bar, and permits you
to edit the object in place within FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook. Other
source applications open a new window for editing when you double-click
the OLE object.
You can edit OLE object contents in either Run or Build mode.
Edit the Contents of an Embedded Object

You cannot edit an embedded object by opening the source application first
because the embedded object is not a separate file. Instead, open the source
application from within the embedded object in the ProcessBook display.
Edit the Contents of a Linked Object

To edit the contents of a linked object, either double-click the object or
open the source application and make changes. These are immediately
reflected in the ProcessBook display if it is open; otherwise the changes
appear the next time you open the ProcessBook display.
When editing a linked object file, remember that the file may also be an
object in other applications besides FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook.
In addition, you can reach the source application through the Links dialog
box.
1. Click Edit > Links. The Links dialog box appears.
2. Click the appropriate link.
3. Click Open Source to open the source file.
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Edit Contents of OLE Objects

To edit contents of OLE objects:
2. In Build mode, double-click the OLE object you want to edit.
If Then
The source application permits in-place Edit the object.

activation, menus and commands for the Save it if it is a linked file.
source application appear on your screen,
temporarily replacing ProcessBook menus. Click elsewhere on the display to
return to ProcessBook or press the
ESC key.
The source application does not permit in- Edit the object.
place activation, a new window containing the Save it if it is a linked file.
source application appears.
Close the window and return to
ProcessBook.
Delete an OLE Object from a Display

To delete an OLE object from a display:
1. In Build mode, click the OLE object you want to delete.
2. Click Edit > Clear.
Display an OLE Object with an Icon

To save space on a ProcessBook display for a linked object use an icon,
rather than a graphic representation of the data.
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You may select to display an icon when you are creating the object by
selecting the Display as Icon check box in the Insert Object dialog box.
Later, you can switch between an icon and a graphic representation of the
object, as described below. If you have made the graphic representation
other than a square shape, the icon may be distorted.
Convert Objects to Icons

To convert objects to icons:
2. In Build mode, click the object you want to change.
3. Click Edit > Object > Convert. The Convert dialog box appears.
4. Select Display As Icon.

5. Click OK. The object switches from a graphic to an icon.
To switch from an icon to a graphic, clear the Display as Icon check

box.
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6. To select the icon to use, click Change Icon. The Change Icon dialog
box appears.

 If you want to return to the default icon, then select Default.
 If you want to select a new icon from the available group, select
From File and choose a new icon.
 If you want to select a new file to provide the icon, click Browse.
 If you want to change the name of the label that displays beneath
the icon, then type the new name in the Label box.
8. Click OK.
Share ProcessBook Displays with Other

Applications
You can embed a ProcessBook display within another OLE application, or
you can link an entire ProcessBook. In embedding, the display is called a
Display Document.
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Although applications with OLE functionality use similar commands, they

are not exactly alike. The following general procedure uses examples from
an Excel spreadsheet. The procedures for linking are similar to those for
linking objects to ProcessBook displays.
Embed a New Display in Another OLE Application

To embed a new display in another OLE application:
1. Open the container application. For example, open a spreadsheet and
select a cell in which you want to place a display.
2. Click Insert > Object. The Object dialog box appears.
3. In the Create New tab, under Object type, click PI Display
Document.
as icon check box.
4. Click OK.
The display is embedded in the container application.
Embed an Existing Display in Another OLE

Application
To embed an existing display in another OLE application:
1. Open the display you want to embed.
select a cell in which you want to place a ProcessBook display.
3. In Build mode, click Edit > Select All, and drag the objects in the
display into the other application.
4. Save the file.
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When you activate the dragged contents, the entire original display is
drawn, regardless of which objects were dragged to the new container.
Link a ProcessBook to Another Application

To link a ProcessBook to another application:
select a cell in which you want to place a display.
2. Click Insert > Object. The Object dialog box appears.
3. Click the Create from File tab.
4. In the File name box, type the path.
-or-
Click Browse and locate the ProcessBook file (.piw) that you want to
link to.
5. Select Link to File.
6. Click OK. The ProcessBook icon is displayed in your application.
If you select the Display as Icon check box, then the Object
Packager icon is used by default, rather than the ProcessBook icon.
OLE Container/Server
A ProcessBook display may be shown in another application. For example,
you could include an updating trend in an incident report produced in a
word processing application such as Microsoft Word. Or, you could
prepare a presentation for a group by using Microsoft PowerPoint to
prepare slides and including embedded displays from FactoryTalk
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Historian ProcessBook. To do this, use the Insert Object command in the

second application and insert an object of type PI Display Document.
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Chapter 9
Visual Basic for Applications in

Rockwell Automation licenses Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) from
Microsoft in order to provide an integrated development environment. This
is the same VBA that is used in Microsoft Office, Visio, AutoCAD, Great
Plains Dynamics, and many other applications.
In FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook, each display has a VBA project
associated with it. You can write scripts that execute in response to events
in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook, either from user actions or data
updates. Also use VBA to automate routine tasks or to cause changes in a
display when data changes.
The Visual Basic toolbar includes three command buttons (page 301):
Visual Basic Editor, Run Macro, and Design Mode.
Use of VBA in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is documented in the
VBA language reference. You can reach the two FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook type libraries through the Visual Basic Editor.
VBA Commands
Access VBA through the VBA toolbar, or by clicking Tools > Macro:
Visual Basic Editor Switches to VBA Editor window.
Run Macros Opens the Macros dialog box, which provides a way to select, debug,
and run existing VBA scripts.
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Design Mode Stops any scripts that may be running or may start running. Useful for
debugging.
ActiveX Automation
ActiveX Automation refers to the technology of placing ActiveX controls
(independent software modules) within applications and using scripts to
manipulate the application and/or the controls.
What You Can Do with ActiveX Automation in

Data from FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook can be retrieved or
manipulated according to scripts originating either within or outside
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook. For example, with the proper scripts
in place, you could:
 Obtain a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook object, such as a display,
from FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook and print it in an Excel
spreadsheet. In fact, you can write the script to retrieve the display if
and only if certain tag values or other conditions are met.
 Write a VB program to start FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook,
access a particular display, and then alter it in some way.
 Click a command button in ProcessBook to make an Excel spreadsheet
show the average and raw data of the current trend in ProcessBook.
Then you change the time range of the ProcessBook, click the button
again, and see the Excel spreadsheet update with the new time range.
 Use a mouse click within a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook
display to initiate updates or adjustments in the display.
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 Update a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook display by typing new

tag names into a spreadsheet.
Although Automation scripts are not required to use a dialect of Visual
Basic, at the present time, that is the most common approach.
Automation Vocabulary
Understanding OLE automation requires some technical vocabulary.
Terms used in the FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook VBA Language
Reference Guide are defined below.
Automation Accessing an object in an application and changing it or
using it without using the user interface.
ActiveX Automation Server The application that provides data. FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook is an OLE Automation Server. It provides
access to its internal objects from other applications.
ActiveX Automation Container The application that initiates changes through scripts.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is an Automation
container, as are Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, and a
few other commercial products.
Object A specific item that may be manipulated by a script. For

example, a ProcessBook, a display, or a symbol may be
the object of a VB or VBA script.
Property An attribute of an object. An object with read-write

properties can have variable information assigned to it by
the script. A read-only property cannot be changed.
Method An action that can be performed on an object and may or

may not return a value. Sometimes called a function.
Event A procedure that executes whenever a particular action

occurs, such as a mouse click.
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Chapter 10
Installation
A self-extracting zip file is supplied as the distribution kit for FactoryTalk
To install FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook:
1. Log on to a user's PC with an account that has administrative
privileges.
2. Unzip the file into a temporary directory.
3. Run Setup.exe from the temp directory and follow the directions
displayed in the installation wizard.
After the installation, you will be prompted to restart your computer.
System Requirements
For up to date system requirements, see the KB article 42682
(https://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/42682)
at the Rockwell Automation Support Center.
64-bit Operating Systems

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is a 32-bit Windows application that
runs on either 32- or 64-bit Windows operating systems.
For 64-bit operating systems please note the following:
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 The default install location for Rockwell Software 32-bit applications:

C:\Program Files (x86).
 Registry settings are located under the Wow6432Node branch. For
example references to:
...\SOFTWARE\PISystem\PI - ProcessBook\...
 will be found under:
...\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\PISystem\PI -
ProcessBook\...
Upgrade from a Previous Version of

To upgrade FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook to a newer version,
remove the current version of the product from the computer and install the
new one.
If you have created or edited displays and ProcessBooks with other
versions of FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook, those files will still work.
If your existing version is significantly older, you may need to migrate the
displays through intermediate versions to ensure successful migration.
Other FactoryTalk Historian System Client

Products
If you have other client products, such as FactoryTalk Historian DataLink,
the same root path is used for installation, often Program Files
(x86)\Rockwell Software\FactoryTalk Historian\PIPC.
Otherwise, incompatibilities in the .dll files shared by the applications
could occur.
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If you have FactoryTalk Historian BatchView installed on your system,

Setup installs a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook Batch group symbol
that is compatible with the current version of FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook. You can also install FactoryTalk Historian BatchView after
installing FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook, and the correct Batch Trend
symbol is loaded.
FactoryTalk Historian sqc is installed with FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook.
Installation Test
You can view the results of the installation process by examining the setup
log, fth_installer.log, saved under the following location:
C:\Program Files\Rockwell Software\FactoryTalk
Historian\Installation Manager\<Name of the Historian
suite>\FTHInstallerLogs\<Date and Time of the Installation>.
This log also contains information pertaining to the directory structure,

node, .dlls, user name, and installation of various FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook files. If the log file is not found in the \PIPC\Dat folder,
look in the root directory of your system drive (e.g., C:\).
Once you install FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook, you can see the
words Rockwell software on the Windows Start menu under Programs. At
this point, you are ready to use FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook.
Call Rockwell Automation (page 349) if you experience problems with
your software.
Installed Files
Upon completion, Setup installs FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook under
the root directory \PIPC.
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Setup also installs online help files and Release Notes. See the Release
Notes for a complete list of files.
You can look at SetupProcessBook.log in the Dat directory of your
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook installation to see a list of files
installed by FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook's Setup on your computer.
SetupProcessBook.log does not show the files installed by VBA.
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Chapter 11
System Administrator Notes

High Availability Configuration Settings
On workstations where FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is used to write
data or access data that is not available on secondary members of a
collective, a configuration setting has been provided that modifies the
default connection preference.
By editing the procbook.ini file you can configure the preference for
a particular collective. Entries of the form <collective
name>=<preference> in the [COLLECTIVE PREFERENCE]
section of the procbook.ini file control how ProcessBook establishes
a connection to a server in a particular collective. The value represented
above by <collective name> represents the name listed for the
collective in the PI Connection Manager. The value represented above by
<preference> must be one of the following values:
PreferPrimary The primary server in the collective is preferred but not required.
RequirePrimary The primary server is required.
Any Any server in the collective is acceptable.
For FactoryTalk Historian ActiveView, connection preferences are configured

in acview.ini.
In general, if the advanced feature requires a primary server to operate
correctly, specifying PreferPrimary connects you to the primary member
whenever it is available. When the primary is unavailable, a secondary
server is used and all features of ProcessBook that don't require the
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primary server continue to function. If the use of ProcessBook on a

workstation requires access to the primary, then specifying
RequirePrimary forces the application to only connect to a primary
member and fail when such a connection cannot be completed.
Recommended Connection Preference Setting

Most ProcessBook displays do not write data to the FactoryTalk Historian
server and therefore work equally well against primary and secondary
member servers. A setting of Any is sufficient and supports the static load
balancing configured in the FactoryTalk Historian sdk.
A setting of PreferPrimary also works well but does not allow the
workstation to participate in load balancing when running ProcessBook.
If you use RequirePrimary, and the primary is unavailable, the
application behaves as it did without High Availability when the server is
unreachable. When this occurs during the opening of a display, the error
returned by the connection attempt is displayed in the Status Report
dialog box for each tag on the server. Typically, the message reads:
The requested server in not currently available. Primary.
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Dynamic symbols on the display are presented in the same manner as any
other symbol attached to a disconnected server, though there is no recovery
unless the primary server comes back online.
If this occurs after the display is already open, ProcessBook detects the loss
of connection, as described previously, and tries to reconnect to the server.
This call fails, generates the same error as in the previous case (The
requested server in not currently available, Primary), and updates the
Status Report dialog box.
MDB to AF Migration
Module Relative Display Add-in
The Module Relative Display (MRD) Add-in, included in ProcessBook
v3.2 and earlier, allows you to show data from a Module Database module
on dynamic symbols in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook. This feature
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does not support FactoryTalk Historian AF data and is discontinued in

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook 3.2.
Installing FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook 3.2 uninstalls MRD add-in.
You must use an earlier release of FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook or
download and install the MRD add-in from the Technical Support Web site
to view the following:
 MDB data from earlier versions of FactoryTalk Historian server.
 Batch displays.
 MRD displays.
Multiple Versions of FactoryTalk Historian Server

or FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook
You must take special precautions when your FactoryTalk Historian
system includes more than one version of FactoryTalk Historian server or
more than one version of FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook. Consider
that:
 FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook 3.2 does not automatically support
MRD displays.
 You must download and install the MRD add-in to access data in
MRD displays from FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook 3.2 even if
you have earlier versions of the FactoryTalk Historian server.
 When you attempt to open an MRD display that references an older
server with FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook 3.2, you get an
upgrade error and no data is displayed.
 You can use FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook 3.2 or earlier to view
MRD displays from earlier versions of FactoryTalk Historian server
and FactoryTalk Historian SE 2.3. FactoryTalk Historian SE 2.3
(scheduled to be released end of 2011) has a synchronization feature
that allows you to view data with MDB-based tools.
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 After you upgrade a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook display from

MRD to ERD, the display will only show data in FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook 3.2 or later.
Playback Toolbar Setting Defaults

The values for Scroll Period, Display Range, and Speed default to the
settings they had when you closed FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook.
Default settings do not change from display to display.
Start time, end time, and display range values default based on the user and
locale. This avoids issues when a user enters a locale dependent dynamic
time string such as *-8 stunde that would only be recognized by
FactoryTalk Historian when running under the same locale. Units for speed
in the Playback Options window are localized for region.
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook Connection

to Windows NT Servers
Each FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook user creates a new connection to
a single PINETMGR process on the FactoryTalk Historian node.
FactoryTalk Historian server connections are managed through the PI SDK
on the machine running FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook. See
FactoryTalk Historian server documentation for information on security
and troubleshooting.
DEP Security
Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is a setting, introduced with Windows
XP SP2, and available in subsequent Windows operating systems. The
setting prevents malicious code attacks. FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook works correctly when this setting is enabled.
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Read/Write Data Access for Users

Although most data features in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook require
read-only access (writing annotations (page 195) from the Details add-in
being one notable exception), the FactoryTalk Historian system
Administrator can configure a user's setup for read-only, read/write, or no
access. For more information, refer to PIBuild:PIServer.txt on
your FactoryTalk Historian server node.
If you want to restrict read and/or write access to FactoryTalk Historian
data, make changes in the CLIENTACCESS section of the file
pisysdat:piserver.dat. For example:
[USERDATABASE]
DEFAULT=PI
[CLIENTACCESS]
DEFAULT=RW
DYAN=R
ERIC=R
JOHN=NONE
The above entries in piserver.dat result in:

 The machines named DYAN and ERIC have only read access to
FactoryTalk Historian data.
 The machine named JOHN does not have any access to FactoryTalk
Historian data.
 All other machines have both read and write access to FactoryTalk
Historian.
The value for the DEFAULT entry is initially set to RW. Otherwise,
existing PINet nodes will not function properly.
If you want to restrict write access from PCs, set the default
CLIENTACCESS to R and add entries to accommodate your PINet
Nodes. For example:
[USERDATABASE]
DEFAULT=PI
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CLIENTACCESS
DEFAULT=R
BRIAN=RW
The preceding entry allows the PINet node BRIAN to read and to write
data to the FactoryTalk Historian system. All other nodes have read- only
access.
TCP/IP node names are case-sensitive. In addition, the values for the
entries in the CLIENTACCESS section (for example, R and W) are also
case-sensitive.
Machine Address
Because FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is a client/server application,
the communication setup is essential. The machine address, which allows
the FactoryTalk Historian system to recognize your machine, is a key item.
Often, the address may be found as an alias in the TCP host file. The
Network Administrator should resolve any questions or difficulties
regarding the network and addressing.
PROCBOOK.INI
The PROCBOOK.INI file contains configuration and preference settings
for FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook. This file generally resides in two
places, the user's default location, C:\Documents and Settings\<user
name>\Application Data\PISystem\PI-ProcessBook\<language>, and the
PIPC\DAT\<language> directory (on the local drive where FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook is installed).
When FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is installed on an individual PC
using SETUP.EXE, the procbook.ini file in PIPC\DAT\en is created (for
the base, English installation). The file in C:\Documents and Settings\<user
name>\Application Data\PISystem\PI-ProcessBook\<language> is only
created once settings are changed in the FactoryTalk Historian
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ProcessBook Preferences dialog box for the first time. The values in
C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>\Application Data\PISystem\PI-
ProcessBook\language override the values in PIPC\DAT\<language>
unless an administrator creates Registry entries to override user-specific
settings.
The following is a list and brief explanation of the most significant sections
and keywords in the PROCBOOK.INI file. The settings used are examples
and not necessarily the default values.
Startup Section
Initializations for startup of FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook
Possible entries:
StartupProcessBook Specifies file (with full path) to be opened on start of the
application. May be blank.
DefaultFileLocation By default, clicking File > Open displays the local user's My
Documents directory. Specifying a different directory in this entry
changes the File > Open and File > Save commands to start with
a different folder when ProcessBook starts.
ModeBias  R=run-mode.
 B=build-mode.
RetainAspectRatio  1=preserve aspect ratio for displays.

 0=do not.
Symbol Library Specifies a workbook that is opened by selecting the Book of

Symbols button from a customized toolbar.
MakeBackupFile  1=make backup files while using ProcessBook.

 0=do not make backup files.
Author Sets the default author for created displays and workbooks
ToolTipsEnabled Setting this entry equal to Y enables ToolTips on dynamic

symbols. Setting equal to N disables them. The default (if this
entry is not in the .ini file) is Y. This setting has no effect on
toolbar ToolTips.
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International Date Specifies date/time format.

Format  1=Windows format.
 0=FactoryTalk Historian Time format.
PromptForConversion  1=prompt user when opening a file created with an earlier

version, asking whether or not to convert to new format.
 0=do not prompt (default).
MaxUndoStackSize Maximum number of elements in the Undo stack (default is 200)
Build/Run Scroll Mode For each mode, set the scrolling:

 0=off.
 1=on.
 2=automatic.
GridSize Sets the Grid Size, in lines per screen unit. Default is 12.
File Access Entries FileAccessTimeout and FileAccessInterval entries, described

below, the common INI file (in \PIPC\Dat) is checked first for
these settings as opposed to the private INI files.
FileAccessTimeout Number of seconds FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook attempts to

open a locked file (default is 5 seconds)
FileAccessInterval Number of intervals, in tenths of seconds, between attempts to

open a locked file (default is 1/10 of a second)
COMTimeOut This is the number of seconds that the ProcessBook container

waits before showing a timeout dialog box. The default is 30
seconds.
RunSelectorColor Red, Green, Blue, values can range from 0 to 255, sets the color
of the selector rectangle in run mode.
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MacroProtectionLevel Specifies how ProcessBook handles macros per display. Possible

settings:
 Level 0
No macro protection (default if entry is not defined).
 Level 1
Prompts user to disable macros when VBA code is opened.
 Level 2
Prompts user as in Level 1, except when macros are disabled,
VBA code is opened and locked in design mode.
 Level 5
Same as Level 1, except no dialog box appears when display is
opened (can toggle between run and design modes).
 Level 6
Same as Level 2, except no dialog box appears when display is
opened (locked in design mode).
Toolbar Configuration Typically the toolbar INI file (PBToolbarConfig.ini) is generated by
Entries ProcessBook in the same folder as the private PROCBOOK.INI file,
and is persisted there. However, you can assign toolbar
configurations to other INI files by setting the entries below (in
order of precedence, from first to last):
 TBFilePath
Location and filename that the user's toolbar configuration
data will be persisted (this file must have both read and write
access). This will also be the first location looked for when
loading the toolbar configuration.
 UserDefaultTB
Read-only location and filename of a toolbar configuration that
is searched for, when the file in TBFilePath is not found. This
could be a default company, or group, configuration.
 PBDefaultTB
Read-only location and filename of a toolbar configuration,
used only when the two entries above are not found, and
there is no toolbar configuration data persisted in the Windows
registry.
SymbolDLLs Filenames of additional add-in libraries to load when starting
ProcessBook (such as SQC.DLL or BTREND32.DLL). These entries
are automatically added when separate components are installed.
References Filenames or paths to VBA references, separated by semicolons

(;)
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URL Home Specifies the website navigated to when a user clicks the
ProcessBook icon in the Help\About box.
MaxBitmapMB Maximum file size (in megabytes) that bitmap images may be
loaded in displays. If embedded bitmaps are larger than the
specified maximum, ProcessBook scales the images down to lower
resolutions. The current default maximum is 16.0 MB.
ServerTimeZone  1=Show times and time spans based on the time zone of the
server where the tags originate.
 0=Show times and time spans based on the time zone of the
local machine. 1 is the default.
ProcessBook Setting this value equal to PRIMARY allows users to view
ProcessBooks, but not change them. The user has access to the
Standard toolbar, including the trend displays command to create
ad hoc trends, but cannot save an ad hoc display.
EnableScreenSaver Indicates whether the platform's screen saver should be displayed

while ProcessBook is running. A value of 1 enables the screen
saver and is appears if it is defined at the operating system level.
A value of 0 prevents the screen saver from appearing while
ProcessBook is running, even if the screen saver is enabled at the
operating system level. The default value is 1. If this entry is not
in procbook.ini, the application assumes a value of 1.
ConnectUsingAPI  0 = (default) do not connect on startup using the FactoryTalk

Historian API, only use the PI SDK.
 1 = connect using the FactoryTalk Historian API (and the PI
SDK). This setting is used to support legacy VBA code in
displays/add-ins.
Show Value Attributes Indicates whether value attribute flags (substituted, questionable,
annotations) are shown for tags.
 1 = Yes (default setting)
 0 = No
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PB2TraceCompatibility Indicates whether all snapshot values are retained for trend
traces or discarded when a new archive event is received on
updating trends.
 1 = Yes. Do not replace snapshot values when a new archive
event is received. This setting may result in a jagged trace that
gets smoothed when the trend is reverted.
 0 = No. Use snapshot value filtering/removal logic so that only
archive values and any snapshot values since the last archive
event are shown on the trend.
EnableConnector Controls whether symbols drag and dropped on top of a
Attachments connector are made into connector attachments.
 1 = true - allow.
 0 = false - do not allow.
ConnectorsAvoid Controls whether connectors are treated as obstacles to be

Connectors avoided when performing object avoidance.
 1 = true - connectors are avoided in object avoidance.
 0 = false - connectors are not avoided in object avoidance.
AutoEnableScripting When set to True, new dynamic symbols are automatically

enabled for scripting. If set to False, new dynamic symbols are
not automatically enabled for scripting. The False setting may
improve performance for very complex displays with many
symbols.
Startup Example
[Startup]
Startup ProcessBook=PIDEMO.PIW
DefaultFileLocation="C:\Program Files (x86)\Rockwell
Software\FactoryTalk Historian\PIPC\Procbook"
ModeBias=R
Retain Aspect Ratio=0
Symbol Library=SYMLIBRY.PIW
PromptForConversion=[PB_PROMPTFORCONVERSION]
Show Value Attributes=1
PB2TraceCompatibility=0
MakeBackupFile=0
ToolTipsEnabled=Y
Author=
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International Date Format=1

MaxUndoStackSize=20
Build Scroll Mode=1
Run Scroll Mode=1
GridSize=12
FileAccessTimeout=5
FileAccessInterval=1
COMTimeOut=30
RunSelectorColor=0,0,0
MacroProtectionLevel=0
TBFilePath=
UserDefaultTB=
PBDefaultTB=
References=
URL Home="http://www.rockwellautomation.com/"
MaxBitmapMB=16
ServerTimeZone=1
Processbook=PRIMARY
EnableScreenSaver=1
ConnectUsingAPI=0
EnableConnectorAttachments=1
ProcessBook View Section

The ProcessBook View section of the .INI file should be modified
through the Tools > Preferences dialog box and should resemble this
example:
[ProcessBook View]
BookView = 1
BookView controls the view in which a ProcessBook is displayed when

opened (0 = Outline, 1 = Book).
To change the font for the tabs in book view, add a section similar to this
example:
[BookTab_Font]
Height=-13
Weight=0
Italic=0
Underline=0
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PitchAndFamily=0
FaceName=Arial
The FaceName should be a True-Type font so that it can be rotated.
Conversion Section
The Conversion section of the .INI file identifies resources for
importing other file formats and resembles this example:
[Conversion]
Import0 = PIDisDIFF Files, impd32.dll, dat
Import1 = PI-Graphics Files, impp32.dll, dat
ImportN identifies the file types used when converting VAX-formatted

trends or graphics. N increments by one for each file type.
The second field is the name of the file type to be imported and will appear
in the List Files of Type drop-down box in the Import File dialog box.
The third field is the DLL used to import the file type. No path is
necessary, since the files reside in the same directory as Procbook.exe.
The fourth field is the default extension for the file type. You may have
more than one extension for each import type, separated by semicolons.
Data Manager Section

The Data Manager section of the .INI file should be added by the
System Manager and should resemble this example.
[Data Manager]
TIMER = 5000
TIMER sets the poll timer, in milliseconds, for checking whether

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook should perform any time-related task.
Time-related tasks include retrieving exception reports from FactoryTalk
Historian and re-querying sources. (60,000 is the maximum setting; the
default is 5000.)
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Trend Definition Section

Trend initializations. Possible entries:
Autoscale  1=yes
 0=no
Value/Description/Plot  1=enable feature

Title/Grids/Scale Inside  0=disable feature
Axis/Tag Name/Eng
Units/Correlation
Coefficient/Linear
Correlation/Connecting
Lines
Background Null  1=sets to have no background color.

 0=have background color specified under Elements.
Start Time/End Time Default start and end time range (must be a valid FactoryTalk
Historian string)
UpdateTimeRange Maximum time period, in seconds, to support updates. The

default is 604,800 seconds, equal to 7 days. If the time range
is greater than this value, the trend does not update
automatically even when the end time is '*'. Note that the
maximum update range is different from the update rate,
which is the frequency with which the computer displays new
data from the server, typically every 5 seconds.
MarkerWarning ProcessBook has the option of showing a warning dialog box

whenever a trend has found too many marker values to
display them on the plot.
 1=enables this option (default).
 0=disables this option.
RequeryThresholdFactor Base the max values for each trace on a "factor" of the
interval.
RequeryHoldoffTimeout Minimum time for re-query since last requery in milliseconds.
Max Traces The maximum number of traces per trend.
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Element These 16 entries are the main drawn properties of trends. For
each of 16 trend elements, you can change the color and
shape properties. This is the entry format:
ElementX = Name, Color, LineStyle,
MarkerStyle
Color Decimal conversion of the color to draw the element.

ex. Pen 1 has a color of 65280, this converts to 0x00ff00 in
hex
-->00ff00 = 0 red, 255 green, 0 blue ==>
Green
LineStyle Line style of the element. Key is as follows:

 -1=no line
 0=solid
 1=dashed
 2=dotted
 3=dash-dot
 4=dash-dot-dot
MarkerStyle Marker style of each trace. Key is as follows:

 -1=no marker
 0=closed circle
 1=open circle
 2=closed diamond
 3=open diamond
 4=closed square
 5=open square
 6=closed triangle
 7=open triangle
 8=cross
Tag Name/Server Name  1=show on legend by default.

 0=do not show on legend by default.
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Trend Definition Example

[Trend Definition]
Autoscale=1
Value=1
Description=0
Markers=0
Plot Title=1
Grids=1
Scale Inside Axis=1
Tag Name=1
Server Name=0
Eng Units=1
Background Null=0
Start Time=*-8 Hour
End Time=*
MarkerWarning=1
UpdateTimeRange=604800
;MaxValues=2000
RequeryThresholdFactor=6
RequeryHoldoffTimeout=300000
Max Traces=50
Element1=Horz. Axis,0,0,-1
Element2=Background,8421504,-1,-1
Element3=Horz. Major Grid,0,0,-1
Element4=Horz. Minor Grid,0,0,-1
Element5=Pen 1,65280,0,0
Element6=Pen 2,16776960,0,1
Element8=Pen 4,16711935,0,3
Element10=Pen 6,16777215,0,5
Element11=Pen 7,16711680,0,6
Element13=Text,16777215,-1,-1
Element14=Vert. Axis,0,0,-1
Element15=Vert. Major Grid,0,0,-1
Element16=Vert. Minor Grid,0,0,-1
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Colors Section
Defines the 16 colors in the ProcessBook palette.
Parameters: ColorX = Red, Green, Blue, values can range from 0 to 255
Example:
[Colors]
Color1=255,255,255
Color2=255,0,0
Color3=0,255,0
Color4=0,0,255
Color5=0,255,255
Color6=255,0,255
Color7=255,255,0
Color8=0,0,0
Color9=192,192,192
Color10=128,0,0
Color11=0,128,0
Color12=128,128,128
Color13=128,0,128
Color14=0,0,128
Color15=128,128,0
Color16=0,128,128
Time Range Scroll Section

Possible entries:
TimeRangeMin/TimeRangeMax Sets the minimum/maximum time that can be scrolled
using the time range scroll bar (must be valid
FactoryTalk Historian Time strings)
PageScrollNonlinearity Sets the factor by which clicking on and holding the

mouse button down in the page scroll area will
increase the speed that the thumbwheel of the
scrollbar moves. A value of 0 indicates no
acceleration.
LineScrollNonlinearity Sets the factor by which clicking on and holding the

mouse button down in the line scroll area will increase
the speed that the thumbwheel of the scrollbar
moves. A value of 0 indicates no acceleration.
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ThumbScrollNonlinearity Sets the factor by which clicking and holding the

thumbwheel of the scrollbar will increase the speed
that the thumbwheel moves
Example:
[Time Range Scroll]
TimeRangeMin=*-100d
TimeRangeMax=*+10d
PageScrollNonlinearity=20
LineScrollNonlinearity=100
ThumbScrollNonlinearity=20
ProcessBook Level Section

Font settings for book levels in outline view. Possible entries:
Underline  1=underline.
 0=no underline.
FaceName Font for specified level.
Height Height of the font (almost equivalent to font point size).
Weight Boldness factor of the font.
Italic  1=italic.
 0=no italic.
Example:
[PB Level 1]
Underline=0
FaceName=MS Sans Serif
Height=-16
Weight=700
Italic=0
PitchAndFamily=34
[PB Level 2]
Underline=0
FaceName=MS Sans Serif
Height=-13
Weight=700
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Italic=0
PitchAndFamily=34
Display Colors Section

Possible entries:
DisplayBackgroundColor Red, Green, Blue, values can range from 0 to 255, sets the
background color for any newly created display.
SymbolFillColor Red, Green, Blue, values can range from 0 to 255, sets the fill
color for newly created symbols.
SymbolLineColor Red, Green, Blue, values can range from 0 to 255, sets the
line or text color for newly created symbols.
SymbolBackgroundColor Red, Green, Blue, values can range from 0 to 255, sets the
background color for newly created symbols, for example, the
empty portion of a bar symbol takes on this color.
Example:
[Display Colors]
DisplayBackgroundColor=192,192,192
SymbolFillColor = 0,0,255
SymbolLineColor = 255,255,255
SymbolBackgroundColor = 192,192,192
XYPlot Definition Section

Modify this section to determine the default formatting of an XYPlot.
Possible entries:
Autoscale  1=yes.
 0=no.
Value/Description/Plot  1=enable feature.

Title/Grids/Scale Inside Axis/Tag  0=disable feature.
Name/Eng Units/Correlation
Coefficient/Linear
Correlation/Connecting Lines
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Background Null  1=sets to have no background color.

 0=have background color specified under
Elements.
Start Time/End Time Default start and end time range (must be a valid
FactoryTalk Historian string).
UpdateTimeRange Maximum time period, in seconds, to support

updates. The default is 604,800 seconds, equal to 7
days. If the time range is greater than this value, the
trend does not update automatically even when the
end time is '*'. Note that the maximum update range
is different from the update rate, which is the
frequency with which the computer displays new data
from the server, typically every 5 seconds.
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Element These 17 entries are the main drawn properties of

XYPlots. For each of 17 XYPlot elements, you can
change the color and shape properties. This is the
entry format:
 ElementX
Name, Color, LineStyle, MarkerStyle
 Color
Decimal conversion of the color to draw the
element.
 LineStyle
Line style of the element. Key is as follows:
 -1=no line.
 0=solid.
 1=dashed.
 2=dotted.
 3=dash-dot.
 4=dash-dot-dot.
 MarkerStyle
Marker style of each XY pair. Key is as follows:
 -1=no marker.
 0=closed circle.
 1=open circle.
 2=closed diamond.
 3=open diamond.
 4=closed square.
 5=open square.
 6=closed triangle.
 7=open triangle.
 8=cross.
Macro Protection
The primary purpose of the macro protection feature is to prevent
misbehaved VBA event code from executing. Whenever a ProcessBook
display (either standalone .pdi file or table of contents entry) is opened,
ProcessBook determines whether the display has any VBA code present.
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MacroProtectionLevel may be set in the [STARTUP] section of

Procbook.ini at one of the following levels:
Value Description
0 Display is opened with macros enabled.
1 User is prompted when display is opened; project is set to design mode if user
selects <Disable Macros>.
2 User is prompted when display is opened; project is opened with macros disabled
if user selects <Disable Macros>.
5 User is prompted when display is opened; project is always set to design mode
when opened.
6 User is prompted when display is opened; project is always opened with macros
disabled.
The default value for this setting is 0, so that if it is not present at all in the
.ini file, then FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook always executes macros.
View Only Mode

Installations of FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook can be configured so
that users on a network may only view ProcessBooks and not change them.
The user has access to the Standard toolbar, including the Trend Display
feature, but cannot save an ad hoc display.
To put FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook into view-only mode, add the
line
ProcessBook=Primary
to the Startup section of your ProcBook.ini file.

Alternatively, if you use Windows Authentication security, you could set
the file permissions to read-only for those users who should not modify
ProcessBooks. Those users could make a copy of the file locally and
modify it.
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IMPPIGP.INI
The IMPPIGP.INI file contains configuration settings used by the
Import utility in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook. The file generally
resides in the PIPC\DAT directory. As with other .INI files, SETUP.EXE
creates this file with default settings.
When you import VAX-formatted graphics and graphics that include
trends, the import utility uses the settings found in this .INI file to convert
items such as color, line style, and fonts. You can edit the .INI file if you
want to change these default settings. Before you edit this file, you should
make a backup copy so you can restore FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook to its original settings.
The settings in this .INI file affect graphics and trends included in graphics
only. When importing trend displays, the format specified in the Trend Preference
setting is used.
The following is a list of the keywords in the IMPPIGP.INI file. The values
shown are examples and not necessarily the default settings shipped with
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook:
 Color Section (page 332)
 Line Style Section (page 333)
 Font Section (page 334)
 Marker Section (page 335)
 Display Section (page 335)
Color Section
The Color section of the .INI file maps VAX colors to FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook colors:
[Color]
Clear=0,0,0
Black=0,0,0
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White=255,255,255
Red=255,0,0
Green=0,255,0
Blue=0,0,255
Cyan=0,255,255
Magenta=255,0,255
Yellow=255,255,0
Orange=255,128,0
GreenYellow=128,255,0
GreenCyan=0,255,128
BlueCyan=0,128,128
BlueMagenta=0,0,128
RedMagenta=255,0,128
DarkGray=128,128,128
LightGray=192,192,192
The values shown to the right of the equal sign are the red, green, blue
values. Refer to "Creating Your Own Colors" in the Windows
documentation for more information on changing these values.
Line Style Section

The Line Style section maps the VAX line format to the FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook line format:
[Line Style]
Supress=5
Solid=0
XShortDash=2
DotShortDash=3
LongDash=1
XLongDash=1
TwoDotDash=4
LongDotDash=3
ShortDash=1
The FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook values to the right of the equal

sign represent:
0 = solid
1 = dash
2 = dot
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3 = dash dot
4 = dash dot dot
5 = suppress
Font Section
The Font section maps the VAX supported fonts to FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook fonts:
StandardFont=35,400,0,0,34,Arial
SmallVector=-29,400,0,0,34,Arial
MediumVector=-52,400,0,0,34,Arial
LargeVector=-77,400,0,0,34,Arial
These default values are based on resolutions for VT340 terminals. If you are
using a terminal other than these, appearances may be different.
The values to the right of the equal sign represent these font characteristics.
Position Font Characteristic Definition
1 Height Specifies the height of the font. If the value is greater

than zero, it specifies the cell height. If the value is less
than zero, it specifies the character height, which is the
cell height minus the leading.
2 Weight Specifies the weight of the font (for example, light,

medium, bold). Values can be from 0 to 900 in increments
of 100. 100 equals the lightest; 900 the darkest.
3 Italic Specifies an italic font if the value is not zero (for

example, 0 = non-italic; 1 = italic).
4 Underline Specifies an underlined font if the value is not zero (for

example, 0 = non-underlined; 1 = underlined).
5 Pitch and Family Specifies the pitch and family of the font. Pitch can be
fixed, variable, or default. Font families, such as Old
English, describe the look of a font in a general way. They
are intended for specifying fonts when the exact typeface
desired is not available.
6 Face Name Specifies the typeface name of the font.
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Marker Section
The Marker section of the .INI file maps the VAX trend markers to the
markers provided in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook:
[Markers]
NoMarker=9
Dot=0
SmallPlus=6
LargePlus=7
Asterisk=0
Circle=1
LargeX=8
Box=5
Diamond=3
BoxWithDot=4
DiamondWithDot=2
BoxWithDiamond=4
The values to the right of the equal sign represent these marker types in
0 = filled circle
1 = open circle
2 = filled diamond
3 = open diamond
4 = filled square
5 = open square
6 = filled triangle
7 = open triangle
8 = cross
9 = none
Display Section
The Display section in the .INI file specifies the supported terminals in
[Display]
Terminal Type=VT340
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Keywords for supported terminals are shown below. The horizontal and
vertical dimensions are also shown.
VT340 = 800 x 500
Reflection = 800 x 500
Tektronix = 4095 x 3130
X1024 = 880 x 640
X800 = 560 x 448
If your terminal is not included in the list of keywords, you can create your
own. The syntax is:
Terminal Type=Custom,X,Y
where X equals the horizontal dimension and Y equals the vertical

dimension.
SETUPProcessBook.LOG
This log tracks the setup of FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook on your
system and holds information pertaining to directory structure, user-entered
information for Node, .DLL, and User name, and the installation of
the various ProcessBook files.
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Chapter 12
Supplemental Information
FactoryTalk Historian Time
FactoryTalk Historian Time abbreviations and FactoryTalk Historian Time
expressions allow you to specify times and time ranges for data using
constants, variables, and short expressions.
FactoryTalk Historian Time Abbreviations

An interval is a unit of time that can be used in time entries. Intervals that
support fractional values are listed below. For intervals where the Fractions
column indicates No, fractional amounts cannot be used in time strings.
Name Short name Plural name Member names Fractions
second s seconds no yes
minute m minutes no yes
hour h hours no yes
day d days no no
month mo months yes (for example, December) no
year y years no no
week w weeks no no
weekday wd weekdays yes (for example, Tuesday) no
yearday yd yeardays no no
You can spell out month and weekday names, or type the first three letters
(for example, Dec, Tue).
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PI Times can also be expressed using certain constants:

Constant Result
* The current time.
Today or t 12:00 am of the current day.
Yesterday or y 12:00 am of the previous day.
Sunday or sun 00:00:00 (midnight) on the most recent past Sunday (in reference to the
Historian Server).
FactoryTalk Historian Time Expressions

FactoryTalk Historian allows three types of time expressions: relative time,
combined time, and absolute time. These time expression types are defined
in the following table.
Expression Description Examples
Relative Time Relative time expressions specify a number of days, hours, +1d
minutes, or seconds with either a leading plus sign or a -24h
leading minus sign.
-3m
The reference time, or starting time, for the relative time
expression is the current time if both start and end times are +24s
relative.
Combined A combined time expression is a specific reference time *+8h

Time followed by a relative time expression. 18-dec-02 -
3m
t+32s
Absolute Time An absolute time expression is any time expression that is *

neither a relative nor a combined time expression. 14-Dec-97
11-Nov-96
2:00:00.0001
t
y
When using FactoryTalk Historian times, follow these guidelines:
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 Use absolute or combined time expressions. Avoid using relative time

expressions. Multiple relative time expressions in a time range may
cause an incorrect start time or an error message, depending on the
context of the expression.
 Relative and combined time expressions contain only a single
operator: either a single plus sign (+) or a single minus sign (-).
Additional operators can lead to unpredictable results. For example,
the following are not valid time expressions:
*+1d+4h
T-1d+12h
 The name or short name for an interval used to denote FactoryTalk
Historian time is not case-sensitive.
FactoryTalk Historian Time String Examples
Time Syntax Examples

PI Time String Meaning
06-dec-91 15:00:00 3:00:00 pm on December 6, 1991
* Current time (now)
25 00:00:00 (midnight) on the 25th of the

current month
25-aug-92 00:00:00 (midnight) on August 25th, 1992
8: 08:00:00 on the current date
25 8: 08:00:00 on the 25th of the current month
t 00:00:00 on the current date (today)
y 00:00:00 on the previous date (yesterday)
sun, mon, tue, wed, thu, fri, sat 00:00:00 on the most recent Sunday,
Monday, ... Saturday
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*-1h One hour ago
t+8h 8:00:00 am today
y-8h 4:00:00 pm on the day before yesterday
mon+14.5h 2:30:00 pm last Monday
sat-1m 11:59:00 pm last Friday
Time Interval Examples

In interval expressions, a positive or unmarked interval is based on the start
time, and a negative interval is based on the end time of a time expression.
For example, if the start time is y, the end time is t, and the interval is +5h
for a Sampled Data function, then interpolated values are generated at y,
y+5h, y+10h, y+15h, and y+20h. If the interval is -5h, the interpolated
values are generated at y+4h, y+9h, y+14h, y+19h and t.
1.5h One and one-half hours
32m Thirty-two minutes
49s Forty-nine seconds
+5h Five hours added to the time beginning with

the start time.
-5h Five hours subtracted from the time

beginning with the end time.
Table of Format Values

The following number formats are available in FactoryTalk Historian
ProcessBook. The characters used for the decimal and grouping are based
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on the Regional Settings on the computer where FactoryTalk Historian

ProcessBook is installed.
Format Value Result
General -25.434 -25.434
0 25.59 26
0.00 17.246 17.25
#,##0 -1732.87 -1,733
#,##0.00 -1732.87 -1,732.87
(#,##0) -1732.87 (1,733)
(#,##0.00) -1732.87 (1,732.87)
0% 3.25 325%
0.00% 3.25 325.00%
Scientific 3.25 3.25000E+00
Database Uses the Display Digits attribute for the tag from the FactoryTalk Historian
system.
The following table describes how to create a custom number format mask.
Symbol Explanation
# Placeholder for a digit. Leading and decimal zeros are not displayed
0 Placeholder for a digit. Leading and decimal zeros are displayed.
FactoryTalk Historian Point Attributes
Attribute Explanation
Descriptor 26-character tag descriptor.
Exdesc 80-character extended tag descriptor.
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typicalvalue Typical value.
Units Engineering unit string.
Zero Zero.
Span Span.
digstartcode Code for the first digital state string for the tag.
dignumber Number of digital states minus 1.
pointtype Point type character.
pointsource Point source character.
location1 Location parameter 1.
filtercode Filter code.
squareroot Square root flag.
scan Scan flag.
excdev Exception deviation in percent of span.
excmin Exception minimum time in seconds.
excmax Exception maximum time in seconds.
archiving Archiving flag.
compressing Compression flag.
Res Resolution code.
compdev Compression deviation in percent of span.
compmin Compression minimum time in seconds.
compmax Compression maximum time in seconds.
totalcode Totalization code.
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convers Conversion factor for postprocessed points.
displaydigits Controls the format of numeric values on terminal-based FactoryTalk

Historian screens.
instrumenttag Tagname for value in another system; used by some interfaces.
sourcept Tagname for output to other systems; used by some interfaces.
taglong Long tagname (up to 80 characters).
tagshort 12 character tagname.
creator Creator of the tag.
createdate Creation date of the tag.
changer User who modified the tag's attributes.
changedate Change date of the tag.
pointnumber ID number reused upon deletion of a point.
pointid Unique internal ID number not reused upon deletion of a point.
Troubleshooting Tips
Display Cannot Find Data
When a display does not receive data, the problem may be one of the
following:
 The network is down.
 A display has been moved from one PC to another and Node
Identifiers to the Server(s) need to be re-established through the
Connections dialog box (page 6).
 An ODBC Data Source may have been altered, causing the dataset to
fail to return data.
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 An ODBC database might have been restructured, invalidating your

dataset.
Trend Cursor Does Not Appear

If the trend is part of a display, select it. If that doesn't enable the Trend
Cursor (page 120), the trend is probably too small. Double-click to make
the trend larger.
Trend Legend Does Not Appear

Make the trend larger. If that doesn't help, check the default Trend Format
settings.
Cannot Change or Save a Display

If your FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook is part of a View-only
installation, you are unable to save any ad hoc trends or alter displays or
ProcessBooks.
If you cannot alter a display or ProcessBook, you may be in either View
mode or Run mode. If you are in View mode, you have only one toolbar.
If you are in Run mode, the Run mode button on the Drawing toolbar
is depressed. Switch to Build mode .
Is an XYPlot Updating?
When an XYPlot is updating, the updating tags are shown with an arrow
indicator in the legend. An XYPlot is updating if the following conditions
exist:
 The end time for the X tag is indicated as the current time (by using *)
or is in the future (*+N).
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 At least one of the Y tag end times is indicated as the current time (by
using *) or is in the future (*+N) and is not synchronized or matched
with the X tag (if X is not updating).
If both the X tag and the Y tag are updating, an arrow indicator is shown in
each legend entry.
Updates for retrieval methods Recorded and Interpolated are received from
an event pipe that provides the application with snapshot values. For this
reason, when a tag is using recorded values, you may see many more
values while the plot is updating than are actually recorded. Once the plot
is regenerated or reverted, only recorded values are shown. When using the
interpolated retrieval method, values on the plot are interpolated using the
snapshots coming in through the event pipe.
Is an OLE Object in a Display Linked or

Embedded?
To determine if an object is linked or embedded, look at the border around
it. Linked objects are surrounded with dashed lines; embedded objects are
surrounded with solid lines.
Depending on the colors used, sometimes the border of an object is
difficult to see. If so, select the object and click the Edit menu. The last
entry in the menu appears as:
xx object for embedded objects
or
Linked xx object for linked objects
where xx is the object type such as document, spreadsheet, etc.
Linked Object Data Is Not Updating

If your linked data doesn't update when you open a display, click Edit >
Links.
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 If the Edit > Links choice is unavailable, the link is permanently

broken and your object has become a picture. It can't update from the
source. Re-create the object.
 In the Links dialog box, if the file is set to Manual Update, click
Update Now, and the file should update.
 In the Links dialog box, if the entry for the file says Unavail, the
source file is not where the application expects to find it. Use Change
Source to locate the file and re-establish a path for the link.
ODBC Problems
Missing ODBC Trace
If no values are found for one of the selected columns in a query, the trace
will not be drawn and the value in the legend reads No Data.
If the necessary time value is not defined in the query, either by a date/time
column or by a placeholder tag, the trace is drawn as a straight line using
one value.
Missing ODBC Data Sources

Occasionally, an ODBC data source cannot be found. This can occur
because the data source was deleted or because the ProcessBook .piw file
has been moved to a machine that does not have the same data source
defined.
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To resolve the problem, re-define the data source. The following figure
shows what happens when a Trend attempts to display a trace for which the
data source no longer exists.
Trend Display after a Data Set failure
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Chapter 13
Technical Support and Resources

Rockwell provides dedicated technical support internationally, 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week.
You can read complete information about technical support options, and
access all of the following resources at the Rockwell Automation Support
Web site (http://www.rockwellautomation.com/support/).
Technical Support
Please visit Rockwell Automation Customer Support Center
(http://www.rockwellautomation.com/support/) for access to user forums,
sample code, software and firmware updates, product manuals, and other
downloads.
Knowledgebase
The Customer Support Center offers an extensive online knowledgebase
that includes frequently asked questions (FAQs) and the latest patches.
Please visit the support site
(http://www.rockwellautomation.com/resources/support.html) and select
the Knowledgebase link located under Tools & Resources to:
 View technical and application notes.
 Obtain software patches and firmware updates.
 Subscribe to product and service e-mail notifications.
 Ask questions.
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Worldwide Support
If you are not located in North America and want to contact Rockwell
Automation Support, use the Worldwide Locator
(http://www.rockwellautomation.com/locations/) for worldwide contact
information.
Training Programs
Rockwell Automation offers a wide range of training programs that include
e-learning, regularly scheduled and custom-tailored classes, self-paced
training, and certificate programs. If you would like more information on
training, visit the Rockwell Automation Training site
(http://www.rockwellautomation.com/services/training/) or call
1.440.646.3434.
information.
Consulting Services
information.
TechConnect Support
With TechConnect Support, your site has unlimited, real-time access to
Rockwell Automation's global network of Customer Support Centers and
technical resources. TechConnect service levels are provided at the
TechConnect site
(http://www.rockwellautomation.com/services/onlinephone/techconnect/).
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13 ● Technical Support and Resources ●
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When you contact Rockwell Technical Support, please provide:

 Product name, version, and/or build numbers.
 Computer platform (CPU type, operating system, and version
number).
 Exact wording of any messages that appeared on your screen.
 The message log(s) at that time.
 Descriptions of:
 What happened and what you were doing when the problem
occurred.
 How you tried to solve the problem.
Find the Version and Build Numbers

To find version and build numbers for each Historian Server subsystem
(which vary depending on installed upgrades, updates or patches), use
either of the following methods:
To check the numbers with System Management Tools (SMT):
1. Go to Start > All Programs > Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk
Historian SE > System Management Tools. The <STM> dialog box
appears.
2. Under Collectives and Servers, select the name of the server you
want to check.
3. Under System Management Tools, select Operation > PI Version.
The Version in Memory and Version on Disk columns display
information on versions of all the server subsystems.
If you do not have System Management Tools installed, open a command
prompt, change to the pi\adm directory, and type piversion -v. To see
individual version numbers for each subsystem, change to the pi\bin
351
●
●
●
●
●
directory and type the subsystem name followed by the option -v (for
example, piarchss.exe -v).
View Computer Platform Information

To view platform specifications, right-click My Computer and select
Properties. For more detailed information, choose Start > Run, and type
msinfo32.exe.
352
Index
Index
Add-Ins • 13
6 Additional Dynamic Symbols • 162
Align Multiple Symbols • 209
64-bit Operating Systems • 305 Arrange ProcessBook Entries • 49
Assign a Keyboard Shortcut • 21
A Assign Symbols to Layers • 98
About FactoryTalk Historian Data • 229 Assumptions About Timestamps and Data Sets
About FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook • 36 • 276
Active Layers Status Bar • 99 Attach a Symbol as an Adjunct to a Connector
ActiveX Automation • 302 • 221
ActiveX Controls • 285 Attach a Symbol as an Adjunct to Another
Ad Hoc Trends • 129 Symbol • 221
Ad Hoc XYPlots • 146 Attach a Symbol to a Connector • 212
Add a Button • 166 Automation Vocabulary • 303
Add a Control • 285
Add a Data Set to a Trend • 262 B
Add a Data Set to an XYPlot • 142 Background Color • 84
Add a Dynamic Bar • 168 Bad Status Indicators • 158
Add a Dynamic Value • 162 Bar Scales • 171
Add a Graphic • 185 Bars • 168
Add a Trend Cursor • 121 Basic Steps to Build a ProcessBook • 39
Add Annotations • 196 Book View • 50
Add Buttons to Toolbars • 16 Bookmarks and Browser History • 18
Add Connection Points • 214 Browse a Display from Internet Explorer • 71
Add Data Sets to Bars or Values in a Display • Browse ProcessBooks and Displays • 16
265 Browser Toolbar • 16
Add Element Relative Data to a Dynamic Build a Trend with Multiple Plots • 109
Symbol • 241 Button • 165
Add or Edit Placeholders • 259 Buttons • 68
Add ProcessBook Entries • 41
Add Text to a Display • 178
C
Add/Edit Bookmarks • 19
Add-In Manager • 13 Cannot Change or Save a Display • 344
Change the Appearance of a Symbol • 189
353
●
●
●
●
●
Change the Display Range • 93 Context Path • 243

Change the Language Used for FactoryTalk Conversion Section • 322
Historian ProcessBook • 36 Convert Graphics • 132
Change the Level of an Entry in Book View • Convert Objects to Icons • 296
53 Convert Trends • 132
Change the Level of an Entry in Outline View • Copy a Data Set to Another ProcessBook • 268
56 Copy and Paste an Entry • 57
Change the Name of an Entry in Book View • Correlation Coefficient • 151
53 Create a Linked Display Entry • 44
Change the Name of an Entry in Outline View Create a New ProcessBook • 39
• 56 Create a New ProcessBook or Display • 11
Change the Scroll Period • 93 Create a PI Calculation Data Set • 250
Change the Time Range • 202 Create a Text or Display Entry • 43
Change Time Range • 122 Create a Trend • 104
Change Time Range Feature • 156 Create an Ad Hoc Trend • 130
Collapse or Expand Outline View • 54 Create an ODBC Data Set • 255
Color Section • 332 Create an Operating System Command Entry •
Colors Section • 326 47
Command Menus • 14 Create Dynamic Multi-State Symbols • 175
Commands That Ignore OLE Objects • 293 Create Layers • 95
Configure a Symbol with an AF Attribute • 269 Custom Data Sets • 257
Configure Pairings • 139 Customize Toolbars • 15
Configure the AF2.x DataSet • 271
Configure the Attachments Tab • 220 D
Configure the Flow Tab • 218
Configure the ODBC Data Source • 275 Data Favorites • 196
Configure Trend Scale • 117 Data from a FactoryTalk Historian System •
Connect Symbols • 211 237
Connect to a FactoryTalk Historian Server • 6 Data Manager Section • 322
Connect to an AF Database • 239 Data Set Details • 261
Connect Two Symbols • 211 Data Sets • 246
Connection Points • 213 Data Streams • 229
Connector Symbol • 211 Define Trend Dialog Box • 110
Connectors Dialog Box • 216 Delete a Data Set • 268
Connectors Dialog Box, Attachments Tab • Delete a Plot within a Trend • 110
219 Delete a Symbol • 207
Connectors Dialog Box, Flow Tab • 216 Delete an ODBC Data Source • 278
Consulting Services • 350 Delete an ODBC Driver • 278
Delete an OLE Object from a Display • 295
354
●
●
● Index
●
●
●
Delete Connection Points • 214 Edit the Contents of a Linked Object • 294
DEP Security • 313 Edit the Contents of an Embedded Object • 294
Design Placeholder Queries • 258 Edit the Contents of OLE objects • 294
Details and Annotations • 191 Edit, Update, or Break Links • 291
Details Window • 191 Editable Formatting Attributes • 81
Detect Connections and Attachments • 223 Element Relative Display (ERD) • 238
Determine the Identifying Number of a Element Search • 240
Connection Point • 215 Embed a New Display in Another OLE
Display • 11 Application • 298
Display an OLE Object with an Icon • 295 Embed a New File in a Display • 289
Display Cannot Find Data • 343 Embed an Existing Display in Another OLE
Display Colors Section • 328 Application • 298
Display Format Tab • 112, 143 Embed an Existing File in a Display • 288
Display or Change Item Definition • 225 Embed in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook •
Display Range • 93 287
Display Scrolling Properties • 76 Embedded Objects • 283
Display Section • 335 Embedding and Linking • 281
Display Settings • 75 Entries in Book View • 52
Display Window • 28 Example 1
Displays and Connection Failure • 9 Comparing Values for Two FactoryTalk
Drag Zoom • 119 Historian Tags • 159
Draw a Line • 179 Example 2
Draw an XYPlot • 136 Comparing Different Tags to Optimize
Drawing Area • 79 Performance • 159
Drawing Grid • 80 Example 3
Drawing Tools • 77 Lab Comparisons • 160
Dynamic and Manual Updates of a Linked Example 4
Object • 291 Comparing a Batch Run to a Standard • 161
Dynamic Symbols • 68 Example 5
Comparing Two Time Ranges • 161
E Example of Embedded and Linked Objects in a
ProcessBook Display • 286
Edit a Data Set • 266 Examples of XYPlots • 158
Edit a Text Box • 178 Expand a Trend • 120
Edit a Trend • 110
Edit an ODBC Data Source • 279
Edit Contents of OLE Objects • 295
Edit the Appearance of an OLE Object • 292
355
●
●
●
●
●
F Graphic Symbol • 183

Grid Line Labels • 124
FactoryTalk Historian Annotations
Grid Lines • 123
Maintenance • 195
Grid Lines and Labels • 123
FactoryTalk Historian Data Archive • 237
Group, Ungroup, or Regroup Symbols • 210
FactoryTalk Historian Point Attributes • 341
Connection to Windows NT Servers • 313 H
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook Display Hide Traces • 127
Properties • 62 High Availability Configuration Settings • 309
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook Essentials How Links Are Stored • 292
•5 How Trends Refresh • 122
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook File
Properties • 60 I
FactoryTalk Historian Security • 8
FactoryTalk Historian Server Data Types • 235 Icons vs. Graphics • 287
FactoryTalk Historian Tag Search • 231 Import Files to a ProcessBook • 63
FactoryTalk Historian Tags (Points) • 231 Import or Export Data Favorites • 200
FactoryTalk Historian Time • 337 IMPPIGP.INI • 332
FactoryTalk Historian Time Abbreviations • Initiate Call Tracing • 278
337 Installation • 305
FactoryTalk Historian Time Expressions • 338 Installation Test • 307
FactoryTalk Historian Time String Examples • Installed Files • 307
339 Interpreting an XYPlot • 152
Favorites Panel • 199 Intervals and Time Value • 253
File Sharing Capability • 64 Introduction • 1
Fill Color • 83 Is a Data Set in Use? • 261
Find the Version and Build Numbers • 351 Is an OLE Object in a Display Linked or
Flip a Symbol • 207 Embedded? • 345
Font • 82 Is an XYPlot Updating? • 344
Font Section • 334 Item Definition • 225
Formatting • 81
Formatting Paintbrush • 86 K
Full Screen Mode • 72 Keyboard Shortcuts • 20
Knowledgebase • 349
G
General Preferences • 23 L
General Tab • 137 Layers and Composite Symbols • 98
356
●
●
● Index
●
●
●
Layers within Displays • 95 Move a Symbol Forward or Backward in the

Layout Tab • 115 Stack • 208
Line Color • 82 Move a Text Block • 179
Line Ends • 86 Move Attached Symbols Independently • 223
Line Style • 85 Move Connection Points • 214
Line Style Section • 333 Move Linked Entries • 46
Line Symbol • 179 Move the Display Range During Playback • 94
Line Weight • 85 Move the XYCursor from Point to Point • 157
Linear Regression by Least Squares • 150 Multiple Versions of FactoryTalk Historian
Link a File to a Display • 290 Server or FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook •
Link a ProcessBook to Another Application • 312
299 Multi-State Symbols • 174
Linked Display Entry • 43
Linked Object Data Is Not Updating • 345 N
Linked Objects • 283
Linked ProcessBook Entries • 46 Network Errors • 8
Loading Custom Data Sets • 269 Node Identifiers for Multiple FactoryTalk
Historian Servers • 10
M
O
Machine Address • 315
Macro Protection • 330 Object Linking and Embedding • 283
Manage Displays and Independent Display ODBC • 271
Files • 69 ODBC Data Access • 272
Manage Multiple Open Displays • 70 ODBC Data Sets • 254
Marker Section • 335 ODBC Data Source Administrator • 273
Markers • 128 ODBC Data Sources • 272
MDB to AF Migration • 311 ODBC Driver Manager • 271
Menus and Toolbars • 14 ODBC Drivers • 271
Migrate Displays to Another FactoryTalk ODBC Problems • 346
Historian Server • 100 OLE Automation in FactoryTalk Historian
Missing ODBC Data Sources • 346 ProcessBook • 282
Missing ODBC Trace • 346 OLE Container/Server • 299
Modify a ProcessBook Title • 61 OLE Object Colors • 293
Module Relative Display Add-in • 311 OLE Objects • 68
Move a Plot • 109 Open a Display • 69
Move a ProcessBook to Another PC • 65 Open an Existing ProcessBook • 40
Open Details Window • 194
357
●
●
●
●
●
Open Independent Display Files • 71 R

Open Several Displays at One Time • 70
Read/Write Data Access for Users • 314
OpenVMS Trends and Graphics • 131
Rearrange Entries in Outline View • 55
Operating System Command Entry • 46
Recent History and Requirements for
Organizing Symbols • 78
FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook • 1
Other FactoryTalk Historian System Client
Recommended Connection Preference Setting •
Products • 306
310
Out of Range Indicators • 158
Rectangle, Square, Arc, Ellipse, and Circle
Outline View • 53
Symbol • 180
Overview of Display Elements • 67
Reduce a Display to an Icon to Save Space • 74
Overview of FactoryTalk Historian
Refresh a Trend Containing a Data Set • 264
ProcessBook OLE Compound Documents •
Remove a Keyboard Shortcut • 22
281
Remove a Trend Cursor • 121
Remove an Entry • 57
P Reroute a Connector Path • 224
Page Setup for Printing • 34 Resize a ProcessBook • 52
PI Calculation Data Sets • 248 Revert Time Range • 201
Placeholders • 257 Rotate a Symbol • 206
Placement of OLE objects • 293 Run FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook When
Playback Toolbar Setting Defaults • 313 Data Sets Are Included • 265
Plot a Moving Average in a Trend • 253 Run Mode and Build Mode • 12
Plot Format Tab • 145
Plot Time • 142 S
Polygon Symbol • 181
Save a Display • 74
Polyline Symbol • 182
Save a View of Your Displays • 57
Preference Settings • 22
Save an Ad Hoc Trend Display • 130
Prepare for ODBC • 274
Save and Close a ProcessBook • 58
Print • 33
Scale Box • 141
Print Preview • 35
Scroll Options Dialog Box • 91
Printer Setup • 35
Scroll Period • 92
PROCBOOK.INI • 315
Scroll Period Constraints • 92
Process Drags Between FactoryTalk Historian
Scroll Period Time Format • 92
ProcessBook and Outside Applications • 200
Search for a Display • 73
ProcessBook (.piw) • 10
Search for Data Favorites • 198
ProcessBook Level Section • 327
Select a Default Symbol for Data Favorites •
ProcessBook View Section • 321
197
Processing of Placeholder Queries • 258
Select a New Source Link • 292
Properties • 59
358
●
●
● Index
●
●
●
Select Among Multiple Connection Points on Text Symbol • 177

One Symbol • 214 The Change Display Range Dialog Box • 94
Select and Move a Symbol • 204 Time Forward and Back • 204
Select Multiple Symbols • 205 Time Intervals for Plotting Tags and Data Sets
Servers and Connections • 6 • 264
Set a Home Page • 17 Time Range and Playback Toolbar • 88
Set Grid Size and Grid Snap • 80 Time Range Scroll Section • 326
Set Time Range for Future Trends • 204 Time Range Toolbar • 201
SETUPProcessBook.LOG • 336 Time Scale Grid Lines • 126
Share ProcessBook Displays with Other Too Many Points • 158
Applications • 297 Toolbar Buttons • 15
Should You Link or Embed? • 284 ToolTip Statistics • 87
Single and Multiple Scales for the Vertical Trace Format Tab • 113
Axis • 125 Trace ODBC Calls • 277
Stacking Order • 207 Traces • 127
Start FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook • 6 Training Programs • 350
Startup Example • 320 Trend Analysis Tools • 118
Startup Section • 316 Trend Appearance • 123
Static Symbols • 67, 177 Trend Cursor • 120
Status Bar Indicators • 77 Trend Cursor Does Not Appear • 344
Status Flags for Data • 227 Trend Definition Example • 325
Status Report for Dynamic Symbols • 226 Trend Definition Section • 323
Stored Procedures in Queries • 276 Trend Elements Preferences • 32
Summary Information in ProcessBook • 59 Trend Legend Does Not Appear • 344
Supplemental Information • 337 Trend Preferences • 30
Symbol Library • 186 Trend Zoom 2x In or Out • 119
Symbol Library Options • 188 Trends • 103
Symbol Properties • 189 Troubleshoot ODBC Data Sets • 277
System Administrator Notes • 309 Troubleshooting Tips • 343
System Requirements • 305 Turn Pages in Book View • 51
T U
Table of Contents Preferences • 26 Updates to FactoryTalk Historian Data • 237
Table of Format Values • 340 Upgrade from a Previous Version of
TechConnect Support • 350 FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook • 306
Technical Support • 349 Use a Symbol from the Symbol Library • 187
Technical Support and Resources • 349 Use Favorites • 199
359
●
●
●
●
●
Use MSQuery to Build Data Sets • 275 XYPlot Statistics • 147

Use the Scrolling Time Range • 203 XYPlots • 133
V Z
Value Scale Grid Lines • 124 Zoom Display Size • 71
Values • 162 Zoom/Revert Functions • 153
VBA Commands • 301
View Browsing History • 17
View Computer Platform Information • 352
View Only Mode • 331
View Point Attributes • 234
Visual Basic for Applications in FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook • 301
Visualize Data with Symbols • 103
W
What Can You View with FactoryTalk
Historian ProcessBook • 5
What You Can Do with ActiveX Automation
in FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook • 302
What's New in This Release • 2
Windows Drag and Drop • 289
Work with a Display • 67
Work with a ProcessBook • 39
Work With Multiple ProcessBooks • 41
Work with Symbols • 191
Work with the Element Relative Display
Window • 244
Working Directory for Operating System
Commands • 49
Workspace • 10
Worldwide Support • 350
X
XYPlot Cursors • 156
XYPlot Definition Section • 328
360

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PROCESSBOOK USER GUIDE

PUBLICATION HSEPB-UM024A-EN-E–June 2012

Contact Rockwell Automation

The following logos and products are trademarks of OSIsoft, Inc.:

ControlNet is a registered trademark of ControlNet International.

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Oracle, SQL*Net, and SQL*Plus are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation.

Restricted Rights Legend

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook Essentials ................... 5

Command Menus ............................................................. 14

Work with a ProcessBook ........................................... 39

Create a Text or Display Entry ............................................ 43

Work with a Display .................................................. 67

Editable Formatting Attributes ........................................... 81

Visualize Data with Symbols ...................................... 103

Create a Trend ............................................................. 104

XYPlots .......................................................................... 133

Values ....................................................................... 162

Work with Symbols ................................................. 191

Select a Default Symbol for Data Favorites .......................... 197

Connector Symbol ......................................................... 211

Data Streams ........................................................ 229

Connect to an AF Database .............................................. 239

ODBC Driver Manager ..................................................... 271

Embedding and Linking ............................................ 281

Edit, Update, or Break Links ................................................ 291

Visual Basic for Applications in FactoryTalk Historian

Installation ........................................................... 305

Installed Files .................................................................. 307

System Administrator Notes ...................................... 309

Color Section ............................................................... 332

Supplemental Information ........................................ 337

Technical Support and Resources ............................... 349

Knowledgebase ............................................................ 349

Index .................................................................. 353

Recent History and Requirements for

 Enhancements to FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook Display

What's New in This Release

 Display navigation is enhanced with browser-based navigation

FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook

Start FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook

Servers and Connections

Connect to a FactoryTalk Historian Server

To manage connection settings:

FactoryTalk Historian Security

For more detailed information on FactoryTalk Historian server security, see

Displays and Connection Failure

Click Connections to launch the PI Connection Manager dialog box.

Node Identifiers for Multiple FactoryTalk Historian

Create a New ProcessBook or Display

Run Mode and Build Mode

2. Click an available add-in from the Available Add-Ins list.

toolbar button to re-synchronize any symbols using the add-in.

Menus and Toolbars

Default Displays when no documents are active

Menu Bar Function

Book Displays when a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook workbook is active

Display Displays when a FactoryTalk Historian ProcessBook display document

Oracle, SQLNet, and SQLPlus are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation.