The Process Analyst: An Overview

The Process Analyst control allows Operators to view trend and/or alarm tag data (both real-time and historical) for comparison and analysis during run time through their existing CitectSCADA server architecture.

If you have access to an installation of CitectHistorian, you can also incorporate attributes published on a Historian Web Server.

A typical Process Analyst view might look like the one shown here. Your Process Analyst views will probably look different to this example.

The Process Analyst control interface typically consists of the following components:

1. Main toolbar: Contains commands for performing general operations in the Process Analyst, such as opening views, printing reports, and so on. You can configure this toolbar to contain different items.
2. Pens: A pen draws sample values against time. The Process Analyst supports three types of pen: analog, digital, and alarm.

3. Analog and digital pens are associated with trend tags, as well as time-series items and attributes from a Historian connection. Alarm pens are associated with alarm tags and Historian alarm attributes.

   Each type of pen has its own graphical representation. You can configure many of the pen properties during run time.

3. Panes: Panes are used to group pens visually in the Process Analyst and are stacked vertically on the Process Analyst display. Every pen belongs to a single pane. You can configure chart panes.
4. Chart background (not shown): The panes are drawn over the chart background. Depending on the layout of the pens, the background may be partially visible. You can configure the chart background.
5. Date/time axis: Located at the top of a pane, the date/time (horizontal) axis displays the date or time (or both) of the data for the primary selected pen within a pane. You can configure the axis.
6. Vertical axis: Analog pens have a vertical axis on the left-hand side of the pane to indicate data values. You can configure this axis.
7. Cursor: A cursor allows an Operator to determine value at a given point in time by dragging the cursor line to the point necessary. You can configure the cursor.
8. Cursor labels: Display the value where the cursor intersects the trend value line.
9. Navigation toolbar: Contains commands to allow an Operator to travel forward or backward through trends, as well as other navigation-related tasks. You can configure this toolbar to contain different items.
10. Object View: When displayed, the Object View appears under the navigation toolbar and displays information about your Process Analyst pens, such as name, color, scale, and so on. You can configure the Object View.