Configure a trend

Configure the source of the data to display in the Trend object. Add a pen for each data point to draw on the trend chart. When trending historical data from a database, a trend line is drawn between points when the logger is not capturing data.
  1. In Project view, right-click a node to contain the Trend object and select New > Data controls > Trend.
  2. In Properties, in Trend Mode, select either:
    • Normal. The default mode of trend charts. Navigate and zoom the trend chart.
    • Trace. Add time traces to the chart to mark significant data points.
    • Range. Select, move, and resize time ranges on the trend chart.
    Tip: Trend objects expose Clear time traces and Clear time ranges methods. To be able to remove time traces and time ranges from the trend chart, you can associate these methods with button events. For more information, see Add a method to an existing event.
  3. Create a dynamic link between Model and a node or database from which you want to obtain the data.

    For more information about dynamic links, see Create dynamic links.

    Tip: To configure the trend and trend pens for data logger data, from Project view, drop a data logger onto the trend in the editor. You can also drop the data logger onto the trend Model in Properties.
  4. (optional) Configure the trend properties:
    • Query. SQL query that filters the data. For more information about queries, see SQL queries.
    • Refresh time. Sampling time.
    • Reference time zone. Time zone of the date and time on the X-axis.
  5. Under Pens, associate TrendPen# with the pen data source.
    Data type Data source

    Real-time values of a specific variable

    Dynamic link to a variable.

    Real-time values sampled by a data logger

    Dynamic link to the Last value property of a Data logger.

    Historic values of variables stored in a database

    The name of the column of interest in a Database.

    Do not create a dynamic link to the column of interest in the Database. Provide the name of the column instead.
  6. (optional) Configure pen properties:

    • Thickness. Weight of the pen line.

    • Title. Pen title.

    • Color. Color of the pen line.

    • Enabled. Shows or hides the pen.

  7. (optional) To add a threshold to a pen, next to Thresholds, select Add and configure the Threshold# properties:

    • Value. Threshold line position on the Y-axis.

    • Color. Threshold line color.

    • Thickness. Threshold line thickness.

  8. (optional) To add a pen, next to Pens, select Add and repeat 5.
  9. (optional) Add a Y-axis by right-clicking a TrendPen and selecting YAxis.
    Tip: Adding more Y-axes to trend pens is useful for visualizing the same data in different scales. Control the scale by setting Maximum value and Minimum value properties.
  10. (optional) Configure the X-axis properties:
    • Interactive. Make the X-axis interactive at runtime. Applies only to the Normal Trend Mode.
    • Date and time. Date and time that displays in the X-axis at runtime. Defaults to the current time.
    • Snap position. If you specify Date and time, you can set the X-axis position to either:
      • Left. Displays the specified date and time on the left of the X-axis.
      • Right. Displays the specified date and time on the right of the X-axis.
      • Center. Displays the specified date and time in the center of the X-axis.
    • Follow. Scroll the X-axis automatically as time progresses at runtime.
    • Time window. Time interval shown by the trend (in milliseconds).
  11. (optional) Configure the Y-axes properties:
    • Automatic scaling. Scales the Y-axis at runtime based on the minimum and maximum values.
    • Interactive. Makes the Y-axis interactive.
    • Minimum value. Minimum value displayed on the Y-axis.
    • Maximum value. Maximum value displayed on the Y-axis.
  12. (optional) Add the Refresh method of the Trend object to an event.

    For example, associate the Refresh method with the MouseClick event of a Button object.