TRACE Optional Values

Specify any optional TRACE values after the TRACE Mandatory Values, and make sure that they are outside of the SOURCE section, but within the TRACE section in a TrendSpec definition. (You can place TRACE optional values before or after the SOURCE section, as long as they appear after the TRACE Mandatory Values (see Optional Values).) Remember to include a comma before listing any optional values. Include a comma between each optional value’s definition.

Many of the optional TRACE values are equivalent to the properties that you can specify using the Edit Trace window on a Pre-Configured Trend. For further information on these properties, see Configure a Trace.

The optional values that you can specify within the TRACE section are:

TRACE Optional Values

Identifier

Value Type

Comments

Label

(Use as an alternative to the TRACE LabelExpr identifier.)

String

Use to define the text that identifies the trace in the Trend Key.

Example:

Label = 'Zone1.Sensor1'

Also see Use TrendSpec to Define a Multiple Trace Ad Hoc Trend.

To use an expression to define the value of the trace’s key label, use the TRACE LabelExpr identifier instead of the Label identifier.

LabelExpr

(Use as an alternative to the TRACE Label identifier.)

String

Use to define the text that identifies the trace in the Trend Key.

Example:

LabelExpr = '""Zone2.Reservoir.FullName""'

Also see Use TrendSpec to Define an Ad Hoc Trend’s Text Attributes.

To specify a string, rather than an expression, use the TRACE Label identifier instead of the LabelExpr identifier.

TraceStyle

Identifier value

Use to define the type of trace. Specify one of these values:

TraceLine, TraceStepFirst, TraceStepLast, TraceBarLine, or TraceBarFill.

Example:

TraceStyle = TraceLine

Depending on the chosen TraceStyle, you might also want to specify the BarWidth or LineWidth.

Interval

Integer, string, or Identifier value

Use to specify the amount of time between each value shown on the trace.

If the TRACE’s <Data Mode> is Current, either specify the Interval as an integer, whereby the value has to be in seconds

Example:

Interval = 15

or as a string, whereby the value has to be specified in the OPC Time Format.

Example:

Interval = '15S'

If the TRACE’s <Data Mode> is ProcessedHistoric, you can specify the required Interval using either of the above value types. Alternatively, you can have Geo SCADA Expert dynamically determine the Interval from the time period that is represented by each pixel on the x-axis. To do this, specify the identifier value PerPixel in this format:

Example:

Interval = PerPixel

If the TRACE’s <Data Mode> is ProcessedHistoric, use the corresponding SOURCE section’s AggregateId identifier to specify the algorithm that Geo SCADA Expert uses to process the historic data. The trace depicts the resulting value for each resample Interval. Be aware that the AggregateId values are limited when the Interval is set to PerPixel (see Supported AggregateId Values).

BarWidth

(Only applicable if the TraceStyle is TraceBarLine, or TraceBarFill.)

Integer or string

Use to specify the amount of time that each bar represents.

Either specify the BarWidth as an integer, whereby the value has to be in seconds

Example:

BarWidth = 300
(for the BarWidth to be 300 seconds, or 5 minutes)

or as a string, whereby the value has to be specified in the OPC Time Format

Example:

BarWidth = '5M'

The BarWidth should not be greater than the Interval.

GapInterval

(Only applicable if the TraceStyle is TraceLine, TraceStepFirst, or TraceStepLast.)

Integer or string

Use to specify the maximum acceptable amount of time for a gap in the data. If no values were retrieved or calculated for a time period that exceeds this value, the trace will include a gap to indicate the lack of data at that time.

Either specify the GapInterval as an integer, whereby the value has to be in seconds

Example:

GapInterval = 2

or as a string, whereby the value has to be specified in the OPC Time Format

Example:

GapInterval = '2S'

RawOverlay

(Only applicable if the TRACE’s <Data Mode> is ProcessedHistoric.)

Boolean

Use to specify whether raw data markers are displayed on the Trend, in addition to the trace that indicates the processed data.

Example:

RawOverlay = True

Also see Use TrendSpec to Define a Multiple Trace Ad Hoc Trend.

If a trace has multiple sources (see Multiple Source Traces), the RawOverlay has to be set to False.

PointLimit

(Only applicable if the TRACE’s <Data Mode> is RawHistoric.)

Integer

Use to specify the maximum number of values that can be shown on the Trend.

Example:

PointLimit = 2500

ExtendToNow

Boolean

Use to specify whether the trace line is extended from the last reported value to the current time (‘now’).

Example:

ExtendToNow = True

UpdateMode

(Only applicable if the TRACE’s <Data Mode> is Current.)

Identifier value

Use to specify when the trace is updated.

Specify one of these values:

Interval, Change, or IntervalAndChange.

Example:

UpdateMode = Interval

(If a trace has multiple sources (see Multiple Source Traces), the UpdateMode has to be set to Interval.)

System

(Only required on Geo SCADA Expert systems that have Multiple Databases)

String

Use to specify which Geo SCADA Expert database supplies the trace’s source.

Example:

System = 'Main'

A trace’s System identifier has to contain the same value as the corresponding YAXIS StateSystem identifier (see YAXIS Optional Values).

LineColour

RGB

Use to specify the RGB color of the trace line.

Example:

LineColour = RGB(0,0,0)

Also see Use TrendSpec to Define an Ad Hoc Trend’s Colors.

LineStyle

(Only applicable if the TraceStyle is TraceLine, TraceStepFirst, or TraceStepLast.)

Identifier value

Use to specify the appearance of the trace line.

Specify one of these values:

DashSolid, DashDash, DashDot, DashDashDot, or DashDashDotDot.

Example:

LineStyle = DashSolid

Also see Use TrendSpec to Define a Multiple Trace Ad Hoc Trend.

LineWidth

(Only applicable if the TraceStyle is TraceLine, TraceStepFirst, or TraceStepLast.)

Real

Use to specify the thickness of the trace line, in points.

Example:

LineWidth = 0.250000

MarkerLimit

Integer

Use to specify the maximum number of value markers that can be shown on the trace.

Example:

MarkerLimit = 250

MarkerSize

Integer

Use to specify the size of the trace’s value markers. Specify a size from 1 to 5, inclusive.

Example:

MarkerSize = 2

MarkerStyle

Identifier value

Use to specify the appearance of the trace’s value markers. Specify one of these values:

Diamond, Square, or Cross.

Example:

MarkerStyle = Diamond

Also see Enable Users to Specify Which Traces to Include on an Ad Hoc Trend.

ShowMarkers

Boolean

Use to specify whether Trend Markers are shown on the trace.

Example:

ShowMarkers = False
(to hide the markers)

Geo SCADA Expert only takes into account the values of any other Marker identifiers if ShowMarkers = True (and in the case of ProcessedHistoric traces, when RawOverlay = True).

ShowTrace

Boolean

Use to specify whether the Trend Trace is shown on an ad hoc Trend.

Example:

ShowTrace = True

ShowAnnotations

(Only applicable if <Data Mode> is RawHistoric or ProcessedHistoric.)

Boolean

Use to specify whether Trend Annotations are shown on the trace.

Example:

ShowAnnotations = True

Also see Use TrendSpec to Define an Ad Hoc Trend’s Text Attributes.

Geo SCADA Expert only takes into account the values of any other Annotation identifiers if ShowAnnotations = True.

ShowAlarmLimits Boolean

Use to specify whether alarm limits are displayed on a Trend, in addition to the trace that indicates the processed data. By default alarm limits are not displayed.

Example:

ShowAlarmLimits = True

If a trace has multiple sources, (see Multiple Source Traces) it is advisable to set the alarm limits to False.

Also see Use TrendSpec to Show/Hide Alarm Limits.

AnnotationStyle

(Only applicable if <Data Mode> is RawHistoric or ProcessedHistoric.)

Identifier value

Use to specify the appearance of any annotation markers.

Specify one of these values:

Diamond, Square, or Cross.

Example:

AnnotationStyle = Square

AnnotationSize

(Only applicable if <Data Mode> is RawHistoric or ProcessedHistoric.)

Integer

Use to specify the size of any annotation markers on the trace. Specify a size from 1 to 5, inclusive.

Example:

AnnotationSize = 3

IncludeGoodQualityData

(Only applicable if <Data Mode> is RawHistoric or ProcessedHistoric).

Boolean

Use to specify whether Good quality values are used for the trace. By default, Good quality values are used (IncludeGoodQualityData is True).

If you want to exclude Good quality values so that the trace only represents Uncertain and/or Bad quality values, you should set IncludeGoodQualityData to False.

Example:

IncludeGoodQualityData = False

IncludeUncertainQualityData

(Only applicable if <Data Mode> is RawHistoric or ProcessedHistoric).

Boolean

Use to specify whether values of Uncertain quality are used for the trace. By default, Uncertain quality values are used (IncludeUncertainQualityData is True).

If you want to exclude Uncertain quality values so that the trace only represents Good and/or Bad quality values, you should set IncludeUncertainQualityData to False.

Example:

IncludeUncertainQualityData = False

IncludeBadQualityData

(Only applicable if <Data Mode> is RawHistoric or ProcessedHistoric).

Boolean

Use to specify whether Bad quality values are used for the trace. By default, Bad quality values are used (IncludeBadQualityData is True).

If you want to exclude Bad quality values so that the trace only represents Good and/or Uncertain quality values, you should set IncludeBadQualityData to False.

Example:

IncludeBadQualityData = False

We recommend that you set IncludeBadQualityData to False if your system has advanced drivers that use the Log Historic Value on Communication Failure feature. This is because Log Historic Value on Failure can cause ‘extra’ historic values to be logged, and these ‘extra’ values can cause undesirable results when viewing historic data. For more information, see Quality Filter for Historic Views.

Further Information

Quality values: see Quality.

Data Mode: see TRACE Mandatory Values.


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Geo SCADA Expert 2020