Trender: Instruction Guide

GEI-100795T
Trender
Instruction Guide
These instructions do not purport to cover all details or variations in equipment, nor to provide for every possible
contingency to be met during installation, operation, and maintenance. The information is supplied for informational
purposes only, and GE makes no warranty as to the accuracy of the information included herein. Changes, modifications,
and/or improvements to equipment and specifications are made periodically and these changes may or may not be reflected
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Revised: Dec 2019

Issued: Nov 2011
© 2011 – 2019 General Electric Company.

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Document Updates
Revision Location Description
Eliminated the section Display Features and moved the content to this
Overview section
Updated the figure Trender Features
Moved the figure Trender Toolbar to the section Overview and updated
Retrieve Data
the figure to include the Preset Time Ranges button
T
Live Auto-range Trace New section to describe Live auto-range Trace
Removed reference to Proficy Machine Editon (PME) as this is no
longer a GE application
Throughout document
Updated all figures to include Log tab and Preset Time Ranges toolbar
button
R Expand Traces List on Mouse Hover New section to describe a new Trace setting
Updated the Trender Toolbar figure, and other graphics throughout the
document, to include the Select Chapter button, which allows the user
Q Retrieve Data
to jump to a specific chapter in the Trender.
Added the procedure To display a specific chapter.
Added the section Stored Capture Buffer Data to provide the
P Capture Buffer/Dynamic Data Recorder Trend
procedure to access stored capture buffer data after a loss of power
Acronyms and Abbreviations

CDM Combustion Dynamics Monitoring
CSV Comma Separated Value
FFT Fast Fourier Transform
HMI Human-machine Interface
OPC DA OPC Data Access
OPC UA OPC Unified Architecture
2 GEI-100795T GEI-100795 Trender

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Contents
1 Overview ....................................................................................................................................................4
2 Data Sources................................................................................................................................................7
2.1 Live Trend.............................................................................................................................................9
2.2 Historical Trend.................................................................................................................................... 16
2.3 Capture Buffer/Dynamic Data Recorder Trend ........................................................................................... 17
2.4 Static File Trend ................................................................................................................................... 26
2.5 CDM On Demand ................................................................................................................................. 27
2.6 Retrieve Data ....................................................................................................................................... 27
2.7 Variable Status ..................................................................................................................................... 28
3 Concepts ................................................................................................................................................... 29
3.1 Chapters.............................................................................................................................................. 29
3.2 Cursor Values....................................................................................................................................... 29
3.3 Events ................................................................................................................................................ 31
3.4 Historical Fill ...................................................................................................................................... 32
4 X-Y Trending ............................................................................................................................................ 33
5 Graph View ............................................................................................................................................... 35
5.1 Sample Markers.................................................................................................................................... 39
5.2 Time Axis ........................................................................................................................................... 40
6 Trace Settings ............................................................................................................................................ 42
6.1 Auto-range Trace .................................................................................................................................. 42
6.2 Live Auto-range Trace ........................................................................................................................... 42
6.3 Manual Range Adjustment...................................................................................................................... 42
6.4 Colors................................................................................................................................................. 42
6.5 Hide or Show Traces ............................................................................................................................. 43
6.6 Statistical Calculations........................................................................................................................... 43
6.7 Expand Traces List on Mouse Hover ........................................................................................................ 44
7 Command Line Arguments ........................................................................................................................... 45
8 Print and Export Data .................................................................................................................................. 46
9 Spectral Analysis ........................................................................................................................................ 47
Instruction Guide GEI-100795T 3

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1 Overview
Trender captures and displays trend graphs of variables in a configured system and can collect and display values in real time
from controllers and other data sources. It can also display data collected by high-speed coherent data collection systems,
such as Capture Buffers and Dynamic Data Recorders (DDR). Trender can also display previously captured data and traces
from a saved data file. Users can create as many Trenders as necessary.
Trender is installed with the ControlST* Software Suite and can be opened from the Windows® Start menu or the ToolboxST*
application. When Trender is opened from the Start menu, users can select a location on their computer to which to save the
trend file. When Trender is opened from ToolboxST, the trend file is automatically saved in the Tools folder or in the system
component folder. The following table provides the locations from which Trender may be opened, opening instructions, and
how to add variables from this location.
Trender can also be installed with the WorkstationST* application with limited available data sources.
Trender Opening
Action to Start Trender Trace Data Source
Location
From the Start menu, select All Programs, GE
Start Menu
ControlST, ToolboxST, and Trender.
From the Tree View, right-click the component Select variables using Add Trace Wizard.
ToolboxST System Editor and select Insert New, Tool, and Trender.
From the Tree View, double-click Trender.
Select variables using Add Trace Wizard
ToolboxST Component Editor From the View menu, select Trenders.
(typically the Live data source).
Block Diagram Editor Right-click a block and select Add to Trend. Add variables to the Trend as live traces.
Variables tied to object in focus on CimView

Right-click a graphic object and select
window added to trend as live trace, other
CIMPLICITY* CimView Go To Trend to launch WorkstationST
variables can be added from local
Human-machine Interface (HMI) Trender.
WorkstationST
Right-click a variable and select Add to Select variables from ToolboxST component
Watch Window
Trender. or using Add Trace Wizard as live traces.

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Historical Variable Trace Data
Live Variable Trace Data
ToolboxST
OPC DA
1
Server
8
Proficy / PI
Trender Historian
2
3 7
WorkstationST 4 Recorder
6
5
Live data: Third-party

- Mark VIe Dynamic Data
- EX2100e OPC DA/UA
- LS2100e Server Process Recorders (DDRs)
- WorkstationST Model Turbine trip logs
- Third-party sources DCA trend files
Unit Data Highway (UDH)
Legend
Data Source of Trend Data When Variable Browsing
Mark VIe Mark VIe Variables tied to system component
Controller Controller 1 Live ToolboxST component
the ToolboxST application has open
Local WorkstationST Variables configured in local

2 Live application WorkstationST application
Status
Capture Variables configured in Capture
Var 1
3 Capture Buffer in
Buffer Historical Buffer
Var 2 Mark VIe controller
Var n
Variables from third-party OPC
4 Live OPC DA/UA Server DA or UA Servers
System component, such Variables tied to system

5 Live
as Mark VIe controller component selected
Variables configured in local

6 Live Local Process Model process model
Select DDR, turbine trip log, or

7 Historical Recorder other archived trend file
8 Historical Historian Variables logged by Historian
Trender Data Flow Diagram
Note When live trending is occurring, changes made to a controller configuration are not reflected until Trender is restarted.

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The following figure illustrates and identifies the Trender features.
Trender Features
The Graph View displays trend values represented by each configured trace.
The Property Editor allows users to change settings that affect the capture and data display.
The Trender toolbar provides buttons used to perform Trend commends and retrieve captured data.
Trender Toolbar
Note If Trender is opened from ToolboxST, the Trender toolbar may have fewer buttons than shown in this figure.
The Auxiliary View provides the following tabs that display information about the current data:
• Traces tab displays all trending variables

• User Note tab allows the user to save comments, instructions, or notes about the current chapter
• Sources tab displays the sources from which data is collected
• Events tab lists all events that have occurred during the current chapter
• Log tab displays any errors, warnings, and messages that occurred during Trending. A .log file that reflects these items is
also available in the ToolboxST Component folder.

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2 Data Sources
Variables can be added to Trender from several different data sources that can provide live or historical data. A historical data
source (such as Historian and WorkstationST Recorder) can have thousands of variables with data values that were sampled
every second and span the previous year. Other historical data sources (capture buffers, trip logs, and such) may have few
variables with values that were sampled every ms over a short period of time. While any number of variables can be added to
Trender, all must come from the same type of data source. (For example, you cannot display both live and static file variables
simultaneously.)
Trender represents each variable with a trace. A trace is similar to a digital storage oscilloscope, which displays data by
tracing a line across the screen as values are acquired. Traces added to a trend display in the Traces tab. Variables are added
using the Add Trace Wizard.
Note When a system component providing data source signals to a Trender is replicated, the Trender is replicated, as well.
However, previously traced data is not available in the replicated Trender.
➢ To add traces and select a data source

1. From the Edit menu, select Add Traces to open the Add Trace Wizard.
2. When the Welcome window displays, click Next.
3. Select the trend type and click Next.
Add Trace Wizard
Note HMI Trender supports Live data trending from local WorkstationST applications and third-party OPC DA/UA servers,
Historical data from Recorder or Historian configured WorkstationST applications, and static data file types.

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a. If Live is selected, the next window in the Wizard allows you to select the live data source of the variables. Refer to
the section Live Trend.
The available Live data sources are as follows:
i. System Component provides specific data from a ToolboxST system component. Not applicable to HMI
Trender.
ii. Local WorkstationST provides data from the WorkstationST application running on the same computer as
Trender.
iii. OPC DA Server provides data from any OPC DA server, including third-party servers, even if the server is not
part of the ControlST system. Select this to obtain data from the WorkstationST OPC DA server if it runs on a
different computer, or to test OPC DA capabilities of the local WorkstationST application.
iv. OPC UA Server provides data from any OPC UA server, even if the server is not part of the ControlST system.
Refer to the section OPC UA as Data Source.
v. Model provides data from a simulation running either an Easy5 or a Dynsim model.
b. If Historical is selected, the next window allows you to select the historical data source. Refer to the section
Historical Trend.
c. If Capture Buffer / Dynamic Data Recorder is selected, the next window allows you to select the system file
containing the capture buffer or DDR. Refer to the section Capture Buffer/Dynamic Data Recorder Trend.
d. When Static is selected, the next window allows you to select the type of file containing the static data source.
Refer to the section Static File Trend.
File types include:
i. COMTRADE files
ii. CSV files
iii. D04 files
iv. DCA/DcaST files
v. TRN files
e. If CDM On Demand is selected, the next window allows you to browse to the .tcw file that contains a controller
with a configured WorkstationST component and an AM Gateway. Refer to the section CDM On Demand.

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2.1 Live Trend
Live trends are useful for monitoring systems in continuous operation. Trender displays live trends as incoming data in real
time.
➢ To add traces from a Live data source

1. From the Edit menu, select Add Traces.
2. When the Welcome Wizard displays, click Next.
3. Select Live and click Next.
4. Select the data source of the variables and click Next.
Note The following steps assume System Component was selected as the Live data source. The other Live data sources
will open dialogs to connect to the correct source.
5. Select the component with the variables to trend and click Next. When running Trender from the Start menu, the next
window requires you to first select the system, then the component.
6. Select the time period to trend the data and click Next. For controller data, this must be a multiple of the controller frame
rate.
7. Click Add to display the Select a Variable dialog box.
8. Select the variables to trend, then click OK.
Note If there are already traces in Trender, you can add additional traces from the same data source or component.
Variables Selected for Trending
9. Click Finish to start the trend.

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ToolboxST System Component Frame Period
The default frame period for a trend in ToolboxST is the frame rate set in the system component. The frame period can be
changed in the Property Editor from the Sources tab or from the Add Trace Wizard. For more information about frame rate
configuration in a ToolboxST system component, refer to the ToolboxST User Guide for Mark Controls Platforms (GEH-6700
or GEH-6703), the section General Tab.
➢ To select a frame rate: from the Sources tab, select the controller, then select the frame rate from the Property Editor
Period property drop-down menu.
Default Trender Frame Period

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2.1.1 OPC UA as Data Source
➢ To obtain data from an OPC UA server used with ToolboxST
2. When the welcome wizard displays, click Next.
3. Leave the default trend type as Live and click Next.
4. Select OPC-UA Server as the data source for the variables and click Next.
OPC UA Sever Selected as Data Source
To connect to an OPC UA server, you must have that server’s Security Certificate in
your certificate store. For further details, refer to ToolboxST User Guide for Mark
Controls Platform (GEH-6700 or GEH-6703), the section Security Certificate/User
Association.
Attention

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5. Configure the OPC UA server from which to trend variables.
OPC UA Client Server Connection Configuration
Provide the OPC UA server configuration settings as follows:

Discovery URL: allows the user interface to browse registered OPC UA servers at the selected URL. The default URL opc.
tcp://localhost:4840 allows the Endpoint URL drop-down menu to display registered OPC UA servers on the local computer.
Endpoint URL: defines the OPC UA server’s endpoint and optional security settings. Select one of the servers available from
the Discovery server listed in the drop-down menu, or enter a known URL. Example URLs (provided hyperlinks) are
displayed for known GE OPC UA servers.
Security Settings: the client can be configured to use a specific security profile using the Security Policy and Message
Security Mode drop-down menus, or the client can be made to use the most secure endpoint exposed by the server by
selecting the Use Best Security check box. To use no security and avoid exchanging application certificates, select a Security
Policy of None and a Message Security Mode of None (the server must support the None security profile).
Authentication settings: the client can be configured to use an anonymous user or a user name and password.

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2.1.2 Add Additional Traces
➢ To add additional traces
1. from the Edit menu, select Add Traces. The Select a Variable dialog box displays available variables for that
component.
Or click the Add Traces button on the Trender toolbar at the bottom of the Trender window.
2. Click the Add drop-down arrow and select Add using Add Trace Wizard to add variables from a different
component.
The selected variable displays in the Traces tab in the Auxiliary View.
➢ To remove traces: from the Edit menu, select Remove Selected Traces.

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2.1.3 Triggered Trend
Trends from a Live data source can optionally be configured to collect incoming data when a specific triggered event occurs
in the control system. A triggered event can capture data for a predetermined period before and after the event occurs.
Note These options apply to the current trend only.
➢ To configure a triggered trend

1. Add a Live trend.
2. From the File menu, select Properties or click the Trender Properties button.
3. Enter the Triggered Recording values for each option.
From the Non

Triggered drop-
down list, select
Edge or Level.
Options for
triggered
trends display.
Triggered Trend Recording Properties

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Options for the Triggered Recording include:
• Max Captures is the maximum number of chapters to collect due to a recurring trigger.
• Post-trigger Time is the time to capture values after the trigger occurs.
• Pre-trigger Time is the time to capture values before the trigger occurs.
• Trigger Compare is how the trigger trace value is compared to the trigger value to determine when the value is
captured (for example, greater than).
• Trigger Mode can be either edge or level.
− Edge collects pre-trigger and post-trigger samples.
− Level collects pre-trigger and post-trigger samples, and also continues to
collect samples until the signal goes False.
• Trigger Trace is the trace whose value is compared against the trigger value.
• Trigger Value is the value to which the trigger trace value is compared.
While Trender is waiting for the trigger to

occur, Pre-Trigger displays in the status bar.
While Trender is collecting data after the

trigger occurs, Post-Trigger displays.

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2.2 Historical Trend
➢ To add traces from a Historical data source
1. From the Edit menu, select Add Traces. When the welcome wizard window displays, click Next.
2. Select Historical as the trend type and click Next.
3. Select the Computer name of the workstation configured with the Recorder or Historian feature.
• Data Source automatically populates to identify the type of historical data (Recorder or Historian).
• Server and Collection is the source of the data.
− Server (Historian) specifies the OPC HDA server to use.
− Collection (Recorder) specifies the live data collection to use.
4. Click Next to continue.
5. Click Add to display the Select a Variable dialog box and select variables to trend.
6. Click OK, then click Finish.
Historical Trend Window
Note The Zoom to Data command in the View menu does not apply to either Historical trends or to the Historical Fill
feature.

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2.3 Capture Buffer/Dynamic Data Recorder Trend
Many components use different methods of high-speed synchronous data capture. While each method addresses different
needs, all methods are accessed as capture buffers in Trender because they have similar underlying data collection
mechanisms.
Note When running Trender from the Start menu, an extra wizard window displays for the system selection before the
component window displays.
➢ To add traces from a capture buffer data source

2. When the Welcome wizard window displays, click Next.
3. Select Capture Buffer / Dynamic Data Recorder and click Next.
4. Select the component and click Next to display a list of all available capture buffers.
5. Select one capture buffer and click Finish.
Capture Buffer Trend List

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Stored Capture Buffer Data
Capture Buffer data that was saved immediately before the loss of control power is accessible from ToolboxST. A new
Capture Buffer must be created using the Trender Wizard, but instead of creating an empty Capture Buffer, access the
time-and-date stamped Capture Buffer containing the stored data.
➢ To access stored Capture Buffer data

1. From the ToolboxST Component Editor toolbar, select View, then select Trenders.
2. Click Add, enter a name for the Trender, and click OK.

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3. From the blank Trend Edit menu, select Add Traces....

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4. When the Add Trace Wizard Welcome window displays, click Next.

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5. Select Capture Buffer / Dynamic Data Recorder and click Next.

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6. Select the appropriate component (device) from the drop-down menu for which the Capture Buffer was created (defaults
to last device you worked in), and click Next.

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7. Select the Capture Buffer with the last date and time in the system (not saved to flash). The most current one should be
the last one created before power loss.
Note Capture Buffers without dates are currently active in the system.
8. Click Finish to load the trend variables.

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9. Click the Upload icon to upload the saved Capture Buffer data for the variables.

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Stored Capture Buffer Data Retrieved

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2.4 Static File Trend
In addition to acquiring data from a component, Trender can also display data from a static file stored on a hard disk. There
are five static file formats:
• COMTRADE, Comma Separated Value (.csv)

• Static (D04)
• Data Collection and Analysis (.dca/.dcaST)
• GE Control System Toolbox Trend (.trn)
Note The procedure to add a trace is identical for all static files.
➢ To add trace(s) from a Static File data source

2. Select Static as the trend type and click Next.
3. Select the type of data source to import from and click Next.
Static File Data Source List
4. From your computer, select the appropriate file and click Open.
5. From the Select Variables wizard, click Add.
6. From the Select Variables dialog box, select one or more variables.
7. Click OK, then click Finish.

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2.5 CDM On Demand
If you select the Skip opening system configuration file check box, the next window allows you to manually enter the name of
the WorkstationST component running the AM Gateway and the controller that contains the PAMC I/O module for
Combustion Dynamics Monitoring (CDM). You can also select them from the provided drop-down lists.
Note For more information, refer to the ToolboxST User Guide for Mark Controls Platform (GEH-6700 or 6703), the
chapter Special I/O Functions, and the section Configure PAMC I/O Module.
2.6 Retrieve Data

Live and Capture Buffer traces do not initially contain any data because they depend on the presence of a controller. Once
connected to the controller, the procedure for obtaining data depends on the type of traces present. Data from Live traces is
captured in a way similar to the way a video recorder operates (using Record and Pause buttons). Data from a Capture Buffer
is uploaded from the controller in a single operation. When data from a Static file source is imported, it automatically displays
in the trace.
Capture buffer data is uploaded either On Demand or at Capture Completed. On Demand uploads the data currently in the
capture buffer. Capture Completed uploads the data only when the capture buffer is in a complete state. The default is On
Demand.
➢ To change the upload mode: from the File menu, select Properties and enter the Upload Mode value.
Note If any of the source controllers are redundant, Trender prompts you to select a redundant channel before opening the
connection.
➢ To capture, pause, or retrieve data

1. Click the Online icon.
2. From the Trender toolbar, click the Record Data icon to change Trender to Live mode. The Graph View continuously
scrolls the time axis to display the latest incoming data while recording.
Note The Trender toolbar buttons may vary according to the data source of the current trace. For example, if Capture
Buffer data is being retrieved, the Record button changes to Upload. If historical data is being retrieved, the Record
button changes to Refresh.
For more information on the Trender toolbar, refer to the section Overview.
3. Click Pause to pause recording. The data continues to be collected but Trender switches to Replay mode until Pause is
selected again.
4. Click Record Data again and Trender returns to Replay mode.
➢ To navigate between chapters: click Previous Chapter or Next Chapter. For more information, refer to the
section Chapters.
Note If these options are grayed, there are no other chapters available.

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➢ To display a specific chapter
1. From the Trender toolbar, click the Select Chapter drop-down arrow to display a list of available chapters. (Refer to
the figure Trender Toolbar.)
2. Select a chapter from the list to display that specific chapter in the Trender. The Chapter page number displays in the
lower right corner of the Trender.
Note The Select Chapter feature can be used as an alternative to using the Next Chapter and Previous Chapter buttons,
which move through chapters one at a time.
2.7 Variable Status

The Auxiliary View displays the trending variables. Healthy variables display in green. If the variable is unhealthy, the value
displays in red and it is followed by the letter U.
Variable Status Letters

Letter Description
U Unhealthy
F Forced
A Alarmed
K Alarm acknowledged
S Simulated

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3 Concepts
3.1 Chapters
Trender can record more than one set of data. The basic unit of data capture in Trender is a chapter. A chapter represents one
session, which is either a single upload for a Capture Buffer trend or a single period between clicks of the Record Data button
for a Live trend. Chapters are organized chronologically, so the first session is always the first chapter and the most recent
session is always the last chapter.
Trender only displays one chapter of information at a time. The user can navigate between chapters. Each chapter maintains
its own traces and events. The Events tab only displays events applicable to the currently displayed data. Similarly, the User
Note tab is unique to each chapter so comments about a data set are stored alongside each chapter.
3.2 Cursor Values

In the Graph View replay mode, two cursors individually select values of time and together select ranges of time. The cursors
are used by a number of functions in Trender, such as trace statistics, user events, and data export. The time represented by
each cursor is displayed in the status bar in the bottom of the Trender window.
Cursor Active cursor Click cursor

to activate
Graph View Cursor Values

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➢ To select a range of time: click and drag each cursor to the desired left and right boundaries.
Cursor values are defined as follows
• Min Value is the minimum sample value between the left and right cursors.
• Max Value is the maximum sample value between the left and right cursors.
• Left Value is the value at the left cursor.
• Right Value is the value at the right cursor.
Time Range Values
Tip � When selecting a range of values, there is no left or right cursor – you may arrange the cursors in whichever way is
most convenient. Trender automatically identifies the left-most and right-most cursors.
While there are always two cursors on the Graph View, it can appear that there is only one cursor if both are set to the same
time value.
Additional tips once the cursor is activated:
• The left or right arrow keys can be used to fine position the cursor.
• Ctrl+right arrow and Ctrl+left arrow can be used to jump to exact data samples on the top trace.
If you rest the pointer over an

axis or a trace in the Graph
View, Trender displays the
exact value in a screen tip.

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3.3 Events
The Events tab displays the time and description of all events in the current chapter. The Number column displays the alarm
ID. This number is assigned by the system to each event. Alarm IDs are unique within the system, but can change within a
component during a Build. They identify a particular alarm instance from a list of alarms with the same text or variable name.
➢ To retrieve events: from the Properties dialog box, set the Enable Events property to True.
Note Alarms and events will not be logged to Trender if it is connected to a non-designated controller.
During real-time monitoring of the controller,

alarms and diagnostics display in the Trender
Graph View as a small triangle on the time axis.
➢ To jump to an event: from the Event tab, double-click the description.
Note In addition to events added by the controller, you can add your own user events. If added during Live mode, the user
event is placed at the time of the most recently received sample at the instant the Add User Event command is selected.
During replay mode, new user events are added at the time indicated by the active cursor. (For more information, refer to the
section Cursors Values.)
➢ To add a user event

1. Select an active cursor.
2. From the Edit menu, select Add User Event.
3. Enter a name and click OK.

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3.4 Historical Fill
The Historical Fill option allows you to capture historical data while recording live trends.
➢ From the File menu, select Properties.
The Enable
Historical Fill
property is set to
True by default.
Historical data is retrieved when Trender starts recording the live data. Trender retrieves three times the trend duration worth
of historical data. For example, if the trend duration is one minute, three minutes of historical data is retrieved.
Note Historical data for a variable can only be retrieved if the variable is being collected by the Recorder in the
ContinuousLive collection or by the Historian.
When in Replay mode, scrolling backward past the last collected data in the Graph View starts a historical fill.

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4 X-Y Trending
The X-Y Trending feature allows you to plot one variable against another.
➢ To plot two variables

1. Set the X variable.
From the Traces

tab, right-click the
variable and select
Set as X Variable.
2. Set the X-Y plot.
From the View menu,

select X-Y Plot.

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Sine and Cosine Wave Example

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5 Graph View
The Graph View can display data on either a single graph or a set of stacked graphs. Single Trace mode displays all traces on
the same graph, while Stacked Trace mode displays each trace on an individual graph. In both modes, all traces share the
same time axis, but each trace maintains its own vertical axis.
Note When a trend is first opened in Single Graph mode, the vertical axis corresponds to the first trace listed on the Traces
tab. Each trace is drawn according to its own scale. Traces other than the first trace may not correspond to the displayed
vertical axes.
If there are too many traces to display stacked graphs effectively in the available space, Trender may revert to Single Trace
mode even if you have selected Stacked Trace mode.
➢ To display additional vertical axes

1. From the File menu, select Properties.
2. From the [name] Properties dialog box, set the Left Axes to the desired value.

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3. From the Select Axis for Trace dialog box, select the vertical axis to attach the selected trace to and click OK.

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In this example, the
selected trace
(cyan) displays over
the selected vertical
axis (green)
Stacked Trace Mode, Single Trace Mode

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➢ To turn Stacked Trace mode on or off: from the View menu, select Stacked Traces.
Trender can display grid lines that correspond to major axis divisions on the Graph View. These lines, which only display
when Trender is in Replay mode, can be useful when the exact trace values are important.
Grid Lines On, Grid Lines Off
➢ To enable or disable grid lines

1. From the Options menu, select Settings.
2. From the Grid Lines category, set the values for Horizontal and Vertical to either True or False.
3. Click OK.

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5.1 Sample Markers
When exact values at each sample reading are important, Trender can display Sample Markers at each collection point. By
default, Sample Markers display when the current Graph View contains ten or fewer samples. If desired, you can set the
Sample Marker threshold.
Sample Markers Graph View
➢ To set the Sample Marker threshold

2. From the General category, enter a value for Sample Markers.
3. Click OK.
When a cursor is positioned on the exact sample value on a trace, the value displayed in the Traces tab is marked with an
asterisk (*) (even if sample markers are not displayed on the trend).

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5.2 Time Axis
The time axis controls the range of samples that display in the Graph View. All traces share a single time axis, even when
Stacked Trace mode is enabled. Time axis adjustments are made from the Trender toolbar.
➢ To change the range displayed on the Time Axis: click Reverse or Forward.
➢ To display a shorter or longer period of time: click Zoom In (to reduce the duration) or Zoom Out.
Note You can also click the time axis and, from the Property Editor, edit the Duration property.
The Zoom In and Zoom Out commands perform differently depending on the mode. In Live mode, Zoom In sets the duration
to one third of the current value, and Zoom Out sets the duration to three times the current value. In replay mode, Zoom Out
still sets the duration to three times the current value, but Zoom In sets the duration to the exact region selected by the two
cursors. For more information on selecting a range, refer to the section Cursor Values.
Tip � To quickly change the axis range, click any point on the axis and drag it to a new location. This works for both the
value and time axes, and is frequently the most effective way to change the displayed set of data.
Horizontal Axes
Each trace can have a horizontal axis or a single axis can be used for multiple traces.
Horizontal axes are

locked by default

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Example of locked
horizontal axis (one
axis for three traces)
Example of unlocked
horizontal axis (one
axis for each trace)
Unlocked axes are

individually scrollable

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6 Trace Settings
Trender maintains separate settings for each trace. These settings, which include trace color, precision, and pen width, are
accessed through the Property Editor when a trace is selected on the Trace tab. Additionally, range properties allow an
appropriate scale to be set for the value (vertical) axis for each trace.
6.1 Auto-range Trace

To display a set of collected samples in the Graph View, an appropriate value axis range must be selected. For most data sets,
an optimal range displays all collected samples in the selected time range with minimal wasted space. The Auto-range feature
sets the range of the value axis for the currently selected trace(s) to the optimal values. Even if you decide to further refine the
range of the trace, the Auto-range feature provides a convenient starting point.
➢ To auto-range a trace: from the Traces tab, select one or more traces and from the Trender toolboar, click
Auto-Range Selected Traces. (Refer to the figure Trender Toolbar.)
6.2 Live Auto-range Trace

Traces may be configured to perform live auto-ranging, which means that during live trending the Trender will automatically
re-adjust the range of the value axis any time the value of the trace goes above or below the displayed range for the trace.
➢ To enable live auto-ranging for a trace: from the Traces tab, select one or more traces and, from the Property
Editor, set the Live Auto Range property to True.
6.3 Manual Range Adjustment

When Auto-Range Selected Traces selects an inappropriate range, or if you want precise control over the range, you can
provide a minimum and maximum value for the value (vertical) axis.
➢ To manually adjust the range for a trace: from the Traces tab, select one or more traces and, from the Property
Editor, set the Bottom Value and Top Value.
6.4 Colors
The Trender assigns each new trace a color from a set of eight stored in the Settings dialog box. After eight traces are created,
these colors are reused.
➢ To change an assigned color

1. From the Traces tab, select a trace.
2. From the Property Editor, select the Color property.
3. From the drop-down list, select a color and click OK.
➢ To modify default trace colors

2. From the Property Editor, select the trace to be changed.
3. From the drop-down list, select the desired trace color and click OK.

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6.5 Hide or Show Traces
Trender can contain more traces than can be monitored at once such as with capture buffers. Traces that are hidden still collect
data, but they do not display in the Graph View or the Trace tab.
➢ To hide or show traces

1. From the Traces tab, select one or more traces.
2. From the Edit menu, select Hide Selected Traces or Show Traces.
6.6 Statistical Calculations

In Replay mode, Trender can calculate a set of basic one-variable statistics for the collected data. These statistics, which are
calculated only on the data in the time range selected by the two cursors, include Difference, Average, Maximum, Minimum,
and Standard Deviation (calculated as final – initial). The calculated values display as columns on the Traces tab.
➢ To display statistical calculations

2. From the Tree View, select Replay Columns.
3. From the Available list, select one or more columns and click either Add or Add All to move the statistics to the
Selected list.
4. Click OK.

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6.7 Expand Traces List on Mouse Hover
If the Trender Trace items detail splitter bar is collapsed all the way to the bottom, when the Expand the traces list on mouse
hover option is set to True (enabled), the traces list will automatically unhide when the mouse hovers over the toolbar.
The following figure displays the toolbar and slider fully collapsed.
Trender Toolbar and Slider Collapsed
The following figure displays the toolbar and slider on mouse hover when this option is enabled.
Trender Toolbar and Slider Expanded

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7 Command Line Arguments
Command line arguments are used for variable configuration and functionality. For example, a command line argument used
to change the trend time duration is Trender.exe /Duration:00:02:01 c:\site\MyTrend.trend.
The following table describes the possible command line arguments used in Trender.
Command Line Argument Description

Used to provide a path to a .Trend file or .tcw file.
A .Trend file is a previously saved trend configuration file created by the Trender (for
File Path
example, C:\site\Startup.Trend).
A .tcw file is a ToolboxST project configuration file.
/AddLocalVar:VarName,DataType,
For Live type trends, a comma-separated argument list can be provided. The
[DisplayHigh],[DisplayLow], [Units],
variable name and data type are required; the remaining arguments are optional.
[Description],
Multiple variables can be added by repeating the argument for each variable. The
[SecondLanguageDescription],
data source is expected to be the Local WorkstationST source.
[FormatSpecification]
For Live type trends, a comma-separated argument list can be provided. The source
name must be a valid source in the trend configuration, so the File Path argument
/AddVariable:SourceName, VarName, should be specified as either a .Trend file or a .tcw file.
DataType, [DisplayHigh],[DisplayLow], Valid source names are:
[Units],[Description],
• A device name from a .tcw file or a saved trend of a component in a .tcw file.
[SecondLanguageDescription],
• Local WorkstationST
[FormatSpecification]
The variable name and data type are required; the remaining arguments are
optional.
The source name must be a valid source in the trend configuration, so the File Path
argument should be specified as either a .Trend file or a .tcw file.
Valid source names are:
/DeleteVariable:SourceName, VarName
• A device name from a .tcw file or a saved trend of a component in a .tcw file.
• Local WorkstationST
The variable name is a required argument.
/Record When specified, data recording will begin after Trender initialization.
/Pause When specified, automatic live scrolling is paused.
Exports all data from the Trender to a .csv file. The File Path argument should be
/Export:FilePath
specified as a .Trend file.
/DisableBackFill When specified, the Trender will not attempt to backfill from historical data sources.
Changes the duration of the trend from 1 minute (default) to the specified duration in
/Duration:hh:mm:ss hh (hours), mm (minutes), and ss (seconds). For example /Duration:00:10:00 would
yield a time axis of 10 minutes.

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8 Print and Export Data
Trender can print the currently displayed graph to any printer attached to the system. Printed graphs reflect the current display
of the Graph View, including displayed traces, colors, and axis boundaries. Use the File menu and select either Print Preview
or Print.
All traces in a trend, including ones currently hidden, can be exported to an external file for analysis.
➢ To export traces
1. From the File menu, select Export Data.
2. In the Trender Export Data Options dialog box, select options described in the following figure and save to the
desired format. The default options produce a standard .csv file.
3. Click OK and save the file.
Enter the character used to

separate values in the
Select for the first exported file (as, or, and such).
line of the exported
file to contain
header information
for each column. Enter a value
Select for a to use for a
column data field if
containing no data is
time stamps. available.
Select for a
column to
contain Select the
increasing precision of
numbers. the exported
time stamps.
Select for the
time range set
by the cursors.
Select to include
more information,
such as
descriptions,
units, and data
Select to use the value
types.
of the previous sample
for missing samples.

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9 Spectral Analysis
Trender can perform a spectral analysis on a data set. The spectral analysis of this data quickly isolates the most common
varying frequencies. A spectral analysis of a waveform changes this time domain data into frequency domain data, also called
a frequency spectrum of the data set. This is also referred to as a fast Fourier transform (FFT).
The effect of an FFT on a sample data set is displayed in the following procedure. The first is an input data set displaying
actual generator speed (RPM) and PWA accelerometer Y/Z direction data (force in Gs).
➢ To perform a spectral analysis
From the View

menu, select
Spectral Analysis
In the following example, analyzing the input waveform (top) produces the frequency spectrum below it, where one distinct
grouping displays at a frequency centered on 0.
Spectral Analysis Example

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➢ To access FFT settings: from the File menu, select Properties or click the Trender Properties icon.
Settings include:
• Between Cursors, if set to True, applies an FFT on the data between the left and right cursors.
• Padding Factor provides a way to interpolate between real points with copies of the same data, which enhances the
spectrum resolution.
• Remove Mean, if set to True, improves the ability to scale the data for visualization.
• Windowing Mode affects the equations used by the FFT as follows:
− None
− Hann
− Hamming
− Bartlett
− Welch
Note For information on these mathematical terms, refer to any textbook on numerical methods.
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GEI-100795T

Revised: Dec 2019

© 2011 – 2019 General Electric Company.

We would appreciate your feedback about our documentation.

Acronyms and Abbreviations

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Instruction Guide GEI-100795T 3

Variables tied to object in focus on CimView

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Live Variable Trace Data

Live data: Third-party

Unit Data Highway (UDH)

Local WorkstationST Variables configured in local

System component, such Variables tied to system

Variables configured in local

Select DDR, turbine trip log, or

8 Historical Historian Variables logged by Historian

Trender Data Flow Diagram

Instruction Guide GEI-100795T 5

• Traces tab displays all trending variables

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➢ To add traces and select a data source

Add Trace Wizard

Instruction Guide GEI-100795T 7

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➢ To add traces from a Live data source

Variables Selected for Trending

9. Click Finish to start the trend.

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Default Trender Frame Period

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OPC UA Sever Selected as Data Source

Instruction Guide GEI-100795T 11

OPC UA Client Server Connection Configuration

Provide the OPC UA server configuration settings as follows:

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Instruction Guide GEI-100795T 13

Note These options apply to the current trend only.

➢ To configure a triggered trend

From the Non

Triggered Trend Recording Properties

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While Trender is waiting for the trigger to

While Trender is collecting data after the

Instruction Guide GEI-100795T 15

Historical Trend Window

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➢ To add traces from a capture buffer data source

Capture Buffer Trend List

Instruction Guide GEI-100795T 17

➢ To access stored Capture Buffer data

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Instruction Guide GEI-100795T 19

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Instruction Guide GEI-100795T 21

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8. Click Finish to load the trend variables.

Instruction Guide GEI-100795T 23

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Instruction Guide GEI-100795T 25

• COMTRADE, Comma Separated Value (.csv)

➢ To add trace(s) from a Static File data source

Static File Data Source List