Visual TD Explorer User Manual

User Manual
Visual T&D Explorer

For use with Visual T&D software version 4.3 or later.
All brand and product names appearing in this document are the trademark or registered trademark
of their respective holders.
© 2015 Eaton – All rights reserved.

The information in this document is subject to change without notice.
Eaton’s Cooper Power Systems

Energy Automation Solutions
1990 5th Street
Suite 220
Levis, Quebec
Canada G6W 5M6
Phone: +1.418.830.5800
Fax: +1.514.227.5256
Email: PSMO-sales@eaton.com
Web: http://www.cooperpower.com
Technical Support: eas-support@eaton.com
MN914001EN, version 30
EAS-SA QF-MKT-02 Rev.02
Contents
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Getting Assistance .................................................................................................1
1.1.1 Using the Visual T&D Support Assistant ...............................................1
1.2 Related Documentation .........................................................................................2
2 Configuring Visual T&D 3

2.1 Starting Visual T&D Explorer ...............................................................................3
2.2 Using Visual T&D Explorer to Configure the Site................................................5
2.2.1 The Site Configuration ............................................................................5
2.2.2 Site Configuration Management .............................................................5
2.2.3 The Data Displays ...................................................................................6
2.2.4 The Current Site Configuration ...............................................................6
2.3 Managing the Site Configuration ..........................................................................7
2.3.1 The Configuration Files ..........................................................................7
2.3.2 Creating a New Site ................................................................................7
2.3.2.1 Configuring the Data Sources ................................................. 7
2.3.2.2 Selecting Data Sources .......................................................... 12
2.3.2.3 Loading the New Site Configuration on the Server ............... 13
2.3.2.4 Customizing the New Site Configuration .............................. 13
2.3.3 Loading an Existing Site Configuration on the Server .......................... 13
2.3.4 Manually Updating the Site Configuration on the Server ..................... 14
2.3.5 Automatically Updating the Site Configuration on the Server .............. 14
2.3.6 Managing Connection to the Visual T&D Server ................................. 15
2.3.7 Working While Not Connected to the Server........................................ 15
2.4 Editing the Current Site Configuration ................................................................ 15
2.4.1 Exporting the Site Configuration to a File ............................................ 16
2.4.2 Importing a Site Configuration File ...................................................... 17
2.5 Managing the Data Sources ................................................................................. 18
2.5.1 Adding or Modifying a Data Source ..................................................... 20
2.5.2 Updating the Data Point Settings .......................................................... 20
2.5.3 Timestamping in Visual T&D ............................................................... 21
2.5.3.1 Timestamp Quality ................................................................ 22
Visual T&D Explorer User Manual ●i

2.6 Defining Miscellaneous Categories ..................................................................... 22

2.6.1 Binary Types ......................................................................................... 23
2.6.2 Type Icons ............................................................................................. 24
2.6.3 Units ...................................................................................................... 24
2.6.4 Control Types ........................................................................................ 25
2.6.5 Event Types........................................................................................... 27
2.6.6 Tag Types .............................................................................................. 27
2.6.7 Topological Categories ......................................................................... 28
2.7 Editing Data Points .............................................................................................. 29
2.7.1 Naming Data Points .............................................................................. 30
2.7.2 Grouping Data Points ............................................................................ 31
2.7.3 Alarms and Events ................................................................................ 33
2.7.4 Using the Data Grid .............................................................................. 34
2.7.4.1 Scrolling Through the Grid ................................................... 34
2.7.4.2 Sorting Grid Items by a Particular Column ........................... 34
2.7.4.3 Resizing a Column ................................................................ 34
2.7.4.4 Adding New Points ............................................................... 35
2.7.4.5 Deleting a Point or a Line ...................................................... 35
2.7.4.6 The Fill Area Commands ...................................................... 35
2.7.5 Configuring Binary Points .................................................................... 36
2.7.6 Configuring Analog Points.................................................................... 39
2.7.7 Creating Calculated Data Points ........................................................... 43
2.7.7.1 Data Point Names in Expressions .......................................... 46
2.7.7.2 Comments in Expressions ..................................................... 46
2.7.7.3 Conditional Statements .......................................................... 46
2.7.7.4 Mathematical Functions ........................................................ 47
2.7.7.5 Data Point Functions ............................................................. 47
2.7.7.6 Tag Functions ........................................................................ 49
2.7.7.7 Generators ............................................................................. 49
2.7.7.8 DFR Processing Functions .................................................... 50
2.7.7.9 Arithmetic Operators ............................................................. 51
2.7.7.10 Binary Operators ................................................................... 52
2.7.7.11 Logical Operators .................................................................. 52
2.7.7.12 Relational Operators .............................................................. 53
2.7.7.13 Constants and Variables ........................................................ 53
2.7.8 Editing Datalog-Specific Point Settings ................................................ 53
2.8 Data Point Lists ................................................................................................... 54
ii ● Contents
2.8.1 Data Point List Storage ......................................................................... 55

2.8.2 Point List Manager ................................................................................ 55
2.8.3 Creating a New Point List ..................................................................... 56
2.9 Data Point Auto-Configuration ........................................................................... 56
2.9.1 Concepts ................................................................................................ 57
2.9.1.1 Group..................................................................................... 57
2.9.1.2 Group Key ............................................................................. 57
2.9.1.3 Regular Expression (« regex ») ............................................. 57
2.9.1.4 Template ................................................................................ 57
2.9.2 Prerequisites and Conditions ................................................................. 57
2.9.3 Auto-Configuration Triggering ............................................................. 58
2.9.4 Setting up Auto-Configuration .............................................................. 58
2.9.4.1 Analyzing Data Point Names and Identifying Groups .......... 58
2.9.4.2 Defining Groups .................................................................... 59
2.9.4.3 Specifying Regular Expressions ............................................ 59
2.9.4.4 Defining Templates ............................................................... 60
2.9.4.5 Common Settings between Templates and Data Sources ...... 60
2.10 Alarm Detail Files ............................................................................................... 61
2.10.1 Creating the Detail Files ........................................................................ 61
2.10.2 Assigning Detail Files to Data Points.................................................... 61
2.10.3 Storing Detail Files on a Web Site ........................................................ 61
2.11 Defining the Site Layout ..................................................................................... 62
2.11.1 Sizing the Grid ...................................................................................... 63
2.11.2 Adding a Zone ....................................................................................... 64
2.11.3 Deleting a Zone ..................................................................................... 64
2.11.4 Resizing a Zone ..................................................................................... 64
2.11.5 Moving a Zone ...................................................................................... 64
2.11.6 Saving the Site Layout .......................................................................... 65
2.11.7 Assigning Zones to Data Points ............................................................ 65
2.11.8 Selecting Points to Display in the Site Layouts View ........................... 65
2.11.9 Deleting the Site Layout ........................................................................ 67
2.12 Defining Digital Fault Records............................................................................ 67
2.13 Event Notification ............................................................................................... 69
2.13.1 Configuring Event Notifications ........................................................... 70
2.13.1.1 Alarm and Event Categories .................................................. 71
2.13.1.2 Defining and Editing an Event Notification .......................... 72
2.13.1.3 Activating or Deactivating an Event Notification ................. 78
Visual T&D Explorer User Manual ● iii

2.13.1.4 Defining and Editing a Contact ............................................. 78

2.13.1.5 Enabling or Disabling a Contact............................................ 80
2.13.1.6 E-mail Sequence of Events .................................................... 81
2.13.1.7 SMS Summarized Sequence of Events ................................. 81
2.13.1.8 Multiple event notifications management ............................. 82
2.14 Email Settings...................................................................................................... 82
2.15 Network Connection Options .............................................................................. 83
3 Using Visual T&D Explorer 85

3.1 The Views............................................................................................................ 85
3.2 The Status Bar ..................................................................................................... 86
3.3 Alarms and Events ............................................................................................... 86
3.3.1 Managing Alarms .................................................................................. 88
3.3.1.1 How Visual T&D Explorer Processes the Appearance of
Alarms 88
3.3.1.2 Acknowledging Alarms ......................................................... 88
3.3.1.3 How Visual T&D Explorer Processes the Disappearance
of Alarms............................................................................................... 89
3.3.1.4 Acknowledging the Disappearance of Alarms ...................... 89
3.3.1.5 Multiple Alarm Occurrences ................................................. 90
3.3.2 Alarm Filter Attributes .......................................................................... 90
3.3.2.1 Silent Alarms ......................................................................... 90
3.3.2.2 Blocked Alarms ..................................................................... 90
3.3.2.3 Permanent Alarms ................................................................. 90
3.3.3 User Events ........................................................................................... 90
3.3.3.1 Adding a New User Event to Visual T&D’s Event Log........ 91
3.3.3.2 Modifying an Existing User Event ........................................ 91
3.3.4 The Alarms and Events Toolbar............................................................ 92
3.3.5 The Site Layout Diagram ...................................................................... 94
3.3.6 The All Alarms Page ............................................................................. 95
3.3.7 Colors on the Alarms Pages .................................................................. 96
3.3.8 The All Events Page .............................................................................. 97
3.3.9 Viewing and Adding Notes to Alarms .................................................. 98
3.3.10 Viewing Alarm Details ......................................................................... 98
3.3.11 Viewing Event Properties...................................................................... 98
3.3.12 Customizing the Alarms and Events Display ........................................ 99
3.3.12.1 Configuring the Tabs ........................................................... 100
3.3.12.2 Choosing the Columns to Display for Each Tab ................. 101
iv ● Contents
3.3.13 Printing the Window Contents ............................................................ 103

3.4 Real-Time Data ................................................................................................. 103
3.4.1 The Data Sources View ....................................................................... 104
3.4.1.1 Reconnecting to an SMP Gateway Data Source.................. 104
3.4.2 The Real-Time Trends Folder ............................................................. 105
3.4.2.1 The Trending Toolbar ......................................................... 105
3.4.2.2 Selecting Data Points........................................................... 106
3.4.2.3 Selecting a Time Frame ....................................................... 108
3.4.2.4 Changing the Display Properties ......................................... 108
3.4.2.5 The Chart Legend ................................................................ 109
3.4.3 The Site Layouts Folder ...................................................................... 110
3.4.4 The Table Views Folder ...................................................................... 110
3.4.4.1 Creating a Customized View ............................................... 112
3.4.4.2 Applying a Filter ................................................................. 112
3.4.4.3 Showing and Resetting the Transition Counters ................. 114
3.4.4.4 Choosing the Columns to Display in a Table View............. 114
3.4.4.5 Sorting Data in a Table View .............................................. 116
3.4.5 Viewing Data Point Properties ............................................................ 117
3.4.5.1 General Properties ............................................................... 117
3.4.5.2 Attributes ............................................................................. 118
3.4.5.3 Tags ..................................................................................... 119
3.4.6 Customizing the Real-Time Data Display........................................... 119
3.5 Historical Data ................................................................................................... 121
3.5.1 The Chart View ................................................................................... 121
3.5.1.1 The Chart Display Toolbar .................................................. 121
3.5.1.2 Selecting Data Points........................................................... 122
3.5.1.3 Selecting a Time Frame ....................................................... 123
3.5.1.4 Changing the Display Properties ......................................... 124
3.5.1.5 The Chart Legend ................................................................ 124
3.5.1.6 Zooming In on the Data ....................................................... 126
3.5.1.7 Performing Measurements on the Data ............................... 126
3.5.2 The Query View .................................................................................. 126
3.5.2.1 Executing a Query ............................................................... 127
3.5.2.2 Managing Queries ............................................................... 128
3.5.2.3 Choosing the Columns to Display in the Query View......... 129
3.5.3 The DFR View .................................................................................... 131
Visual T&D Explorer User Manual ●v

3.5.3.1 The Details Pane .................................................................. 132

3.5.4 Exporting Data .................................................................................... 133
3.5.4.1 Exporting Chart Data to a Text File .................................... 133
3.5.4.2 Exporting Query Data to a Text File ................................... 133
3.5.4.3 Creating Reports .................................................................. 137
3.5.5 Customizing the Historical Data Display ............................................ 140
3.6 Task Manager .................................................................................................... 141
3.6.1 Starting the Task Manager .................................................................. 141
3.6.2 Generating a Scheduled Report ........................................................... 142
3.6.3 Generating an Event-Based Report ..................................................... 150
3.6.4 Defining More Actions to Perform at Report Generation Time .......... 154
3.6.5 Starting an Application ....................................................................... 157
3.6.6 Exporting Events to IED Manager Suite ............................................. 158
3.7 Control and Tag Operations .............................................................................. 162
3.7.1 Control Operation Concepts ................................................................ 162
3.7.2 Control Operation Handling ................................................................ 163
3.7.2.1 SMP Gateway and Communication Server ......................... 163
3.7.2.2 OPC Server .......................................................................... 163
3.7.2.3 Control Operations over Multidrop Links ........................... 163
3.7.3 Setting Up Visual T&D Explorer for Control Operations ................... 164
3.7.4 Performing Control Operations ........................................................... 164
3.7.5 Managing Tags .................................................................................... 165
3.7.6 Control and Tag Operation Security ................................................... 167
3.8 Using the SCADA Control Interlock Mechanism ............................................. 167
3.9 Simulation Mode ............................................................................................... 168
3.9.1 Getting into Simulation Mode ............................................................. 168
3.9.2 Changing Data Point Values Dynamically .......................................... 169
4 Appendices 171
Appendix A - System Data Points A-1

Legacy Datalog System Data Points............................................................................................... A-2
vi ● Contents
Figures
Figure 2-1 Data point naming convention example ..................................................................... 30
Visual T&D Explorer User Manual ● vii

Tables
Table 2-1 New Site Configuration window: Data source settings and controls ............................ 8
Table 2-2 SMP Gateway data source properties ......................................................................... 10
Table 2-3 OPC server data source properties .............................................................................. 11
Table 2-4 Communication server data source properties ............................................................ 12
Table 2-5 Load Site Configuration window controls .................................................................. 14
Table 2-6 Site configuration: Data sources tab controls ............................................................. 19
Table 2-7 Binary type settings .................................................................................................... 23
Table 2-8 Type icon settings ....................................................................................................... 24
Table 2-9 Unit settings ................................................................................................................ 25
Table 2-10 Control type settings ................................................................................................... 27
Table 2-11 Event type settings ...................................................................................................... 27
Table 2-12 Tag type settings ......................................................................................................... 28
Table 2-13 Display options: group settings .................................................................................. 33
Table 2-14 Fill Area toolbar buttons ............................................................................................. 35
Table 2-15 Binary input/output point settings .............................................................................. 39
Table 2-16 Analog input/output settings ....................................................................................... 43
Table 2-17 Logic editor window panes ......................................................................................... 45
Table 2-18 Calculated data point properties ................................................................................. 46
Table 2-19 Logic Editor conditional statements ........................................................................... 47
Table 2-20 Logic Editor mathematical functions .......................................................................... 47
Table 2-21 Logic Editor data point functions ............................................................................... 49
Table 2-22 Logic Editor tag functions .......................................................................................... 49
Table 2-23 Logic Editor generator functions ................................................................................ 50
Table 2-24 Logic Editor DFR processing functions ..................................................................... 51
Table 2-25 Logic Editor arithmetic operators ............................................................................... 52
Table 2-26 Logic Editor binary operators ..................................................................................... 52
Table 2-27 Logic Editor logical operators .................................................................................... 52
Table 2-28 Logic Editor relational operators ................................................................................ 53
Table 2-29 Logic Editor constants and variables .......................................................................... 53
Table 2-30 Point List Manager window controls .......................................................................... 56
Table 2-31 Site layout grid properties........................................................................................... 63
Visual T&D Explorer User Manual ● ix

Table 2-32 Zone Properties window controls ............................................................................... 66

Table 2-33 Site configuration: DFR page controls ....................................................................... 69
Table 2-34 Event Notification window controls ........................................................................... 70
Table 2-35 Alarm and event categories ........................................................................................ 72
Table 2-36 Event notification content settings .............................................................................. 77
Table 2-37 Event notification: contact settings ............................................................................. 79
Table 2-38 Mail settings ............................................................................................................... 83
Table 2-39 Network connection options ....................................................................................... 84
Table 3-1 Alarms and Events toolbar commands and indicators ................................................ 94
Table 3-2 All Alarms page columns ........................................................................................... 96
Table 3-3 All Events page columns ............................................................................................ 98
Table 3-4 Display Options window: Alarms and Events tab controls ...................................... 100
Table 3-5 Alarm and Event Tabs Configuration window controls ........................................... 100
Table 3-6 Alarm tab properties ................................................................................................. 101
Table 3-7 Alarms and Event Columns window controls .......................................................... 103
Table 3-8 Trending toolbar controls ......................................................................................... 106
Table 3-9 Add Points to Chart window controls ....................................................................... 108
Table 3-10 Real-time trend chart legend columns ...................................................................... 109
Table 3-11 Table View Columns window controls .................................................................... 116
Table 3-12 Table View Sort window controls ............................................................................ 117
Table 3-13 Data point properties: General tab controls .............................................................. 118
Table 3-14 Data point properties: Attributes tab columns .......................................................... 118
Table 3-15 Data point properties: Tags tab controls ................................................................... 119
Table 3-16 Display Options window: Real-Time Data tab controls ........................................... 120
Table 3-17 Chart Display toolbar controls .................................................................................. 122
Table 3-18 Time Frame toolbar controls .................................................................................... 124
Table 3-19 Historical data chart view legend controls ................................................................ 125
Table 3-20 Queries window (Query Manager) controls ............................................................. 128
Table 3-21 Query View Columns window controls.................................................................... 130
Table 3-22 DFR view window panes .......................................................................................... 132
Table 3-23 DFR view: Details pane fields .................................................................................. 133
Table 3-24 Date formats available for query export ................................................................... 135
Table 3-25 Time formats available for query export .................................................................. 135
Table 3-26 Report window controls............................................................................................ 139
Table 3-27 Data Query window controls .................................................................................... 140
Table 3-28 Display Options window: Historical Data tab controls ............................................ 141
Table 3-29 Task Manager window controls................................................................................ 142
x● Tables
Table 3-30 Breaker Operation window controls ......................................................................... 165

Table 3-31 Tag Operation window controls ............................................................................... 166
Table 3-32 New Tag window controls ........................................................................................ 167
Table 3-33 Simulation Mode settings ......................................................................................... 168
Table A-1 System data points ....................................................................................................A-2
Table A-2 Legacy datalog system data points ...........................................................................A-3
Visual T&D Explorer User Manual ● xi

1 Introduction
The Visual T&D family of products is specially designed to integrate a large variety of data
sources and provide you with a unified view of all the devices in a power substation.
With Visual T&D Explorer, you can easily:
 Configure the Visual T&D Server.
 View alarms and events as they occur at a site.
 View data in real time.
 Analyze historical data.
 Generate reports.
1.1 Getting Assistance

If you have any question regarding the performance, application or testing of any component of
this Cooper Power Systems product, do not hesitate to contact us. Our staff will be pleased to
assist you.
Technical Support
Eaton’s Cooper Power Systems
Energy Automation Solutions
Email: eas-support@eaton.com
Phone: +1.763.595.7775
Toll Free: +1.800.815.2258
Business hours are from 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CST, Monday to Friday.
1.1.1 Using the Visual T&D Support Assistant

The Visual T&D Support Assistant is an application that allows the user to fetch the configuration
and user data, for a given site, from the Visual T&D server, and store it in a ZIP file; this file can
then be transmitted to Cooper Power Systems’ Support Team when you request user assistance, to
help them troubleshoot your issues.
To use the Visual T&D Support Assistant:

 On Windows’ taskbar, click start, then Programs, then Cooper Power Systems, then
Visual T&D, and then Support Assistant.
 In the Visual T&D Support Assistant window:
Visual T&D Explorer User Manual •1

 If the proposed site configuration file is not the one for which you need assistance, click
the Browse button, locate the corresponding site configuration file (MDB), and then click
Open.
 Type the complete path and name of the folder where the ZIP file will be copied, or use
the corresponding Browse button to locate and select that folder.
 Click Fetch to generate the ZIP file at the specified location.
1.2 Related Documentation

The following Cooper Power Systems documents contain additional information on other
Visual T&D components:
 Visual T&D Installation Guide, MN914009EN.
This document contains all the information required to install, configure and perform the
maintenance of a Visual T&D server.
 Visual T&D Diagram Editor User Guide, MN914002EN.
This document presents the Diagram Editor, a Visual T&D application allowing the creation
of interactive diagrams used to monitor and operate a substation or an electric grid.
 Visual T&D Excel Add-In User Guide, MN914006EN.
This document presents the Visual T&D Excel Add-In, a Microsoft Excel add-in that allows
Visual T&D users to access the real-time and historical substation data in Microsoft® Excel®
spreadsheets, create custom reports based on this data, and perform advanced calculations on
it.
 Visual T&D Communication Server User Guide, MN914007EN.
This document explains how to set up the Visual T&D Communication Server, an optional
component of Visual T&D that allows you to connect substation devices to the Visual T&D
server without having to go through an SMP Gateway or an OPC server.
2● Chapter 1: Introduction
2 Configuring Visual T&D
Before you can use Explorer to manage alarms and events, view data in real time and analyze the
historical data related to a site, you must first configure the Visual T&D Server.
Note: To learn how to set up user accounts and define how the server program will
manage the historical data log, refer to the Visual T&D Installation Guide.
Once the server is installed and set up properly, you will define the site configuration. To do this,
you will perform the following steps:
 Create a site configuration database.
 Define units and types.
 Define the topology of your site.
 Add data sources.
 Add and configure data points.
 Define the site layout.
 Load the configuration file on the server.
You will perform all these steps and more advanced configuration operations, which are all
described in the following sections, using the Visual T&D Explorer program.
2.1 Starting Visual T&D Explorer

If you already have a Visual T&D account, you are ready to start Visual T&D Explorer.
Otherwise, contact your Visual T&D system administrator or refer to the Visual T&D Installation
Guide to learn how to create such an account.
To start Visual T&D Explorer:

 On Windows’ taskbar, click start, then Programs, then Cooper Power Systems, then
Visual T&D, and then Explorer.

 In the Server box, enter the address of the Visual T&D server, or select from the list of
recently used servers.
 In the Authentication box, select the authentication mode you want to use. You can
authenticate using the Visual T&D Authentication or the Windows Authentication when both
authentication modes are enabled on the Visual T&D Server.
 If you selected the Visual T& D Authentication mode:
 In the User name and Password boxes, type the user name and password of your
Visual T&D account.
 If you want to change the password right after the logon, select Change password after
logon.
 Click OK.
 If you selected the Windows Authentication mode:
 In the User name box, the currently signed-on account is already displayed (single sign-
on). This account corresponds to the actual Windows account you used to logon to your
Windows session. You don’t have to enter any credentials.
4● Chapter 2: Configuring Visual T&D

Note: To use a different account, you have to use the “Run as a different user”
Windows function to launch Visual T&D Explorer program. Provided credentials
will apply only to this execution of Visual T&D Explorer.
 Select the Connect automatically on startup box if you want to connect automatically,
without having the Connect to Visual T&D server windows asking you to confirm the
login information.
 Click OK.
Note: Remember that Visual T&D Explorer and the server program can be installed on
different computers. All program functions are available whether the server is
installed locally or remotely, unless you restrict the remote access privileges
using the Visual T&D Server Control Panel.
The Explorer and Diagram Editor programs use the same Visual T&D user
account if they are connected to the same Visual T&D server.
2.2 Using Visual T&D Explorer to Configure the

Site
Now that you have set Visual T&D server properties, you are ready to start using the Visual T&D
Explorer program to configure the site.
2.2.1 The Site Configuration

All the functions that the server performs are defined by settings and parameters that you provide
when you configure the system. These settings and parameters are called the site configuration.
Not only is the site configuration used by the server program, it is also required by the client
programs. Many of the configuration settings are used to display information. For instance, each
data point has a description and can be represented by various icons. Each alarm has a description,
and you can attach a document to the alarm to provide detailed instructions to an operator.
The site configuration thus consists of a set of files that contain the information necessary for
Visual T&D to perform its functions. The site configuration files are located on the server.
2.2.2 Site Configuration Management

To provide the most responsive user interface possible, Visual T&D keeps a copy of the site
configuration files available on each of the client workstations. In this manner, the client program
can create a complex display while retrieving a minimum amount of data from the server. The
local copies of the configuration files are managed automatically. Whenever the site configuration
is changed on the server, all client workstations are notified and can be updated automatically.
You will use Visual T&D Explorer to modify the site configuration. However, your changes will
only apply to the local copy of the files. To activate the changes, you will transfer the modified
site configuration to the server.
Whenever a client program connects to the server, it checks whether the local copies of the
configuration files are up-to-date. If they are not, it automatically retrieves updated files from the
server; however, if the program detects that you have modified the files, it prompts you to update
the server files.

2.2.3 The Data Displays

As its name indicates, Visual T&D allows you to view the data related to a power plant or
substation in different ways. You access the various data displays using the tabs at the bottom of
the main program window.
When Explorer starts up, it automatically displays the Alarms and Events view. Use this display
to view and manage the alarms and events that occur in a power plant or substation.
Use the Real-Time Data display to see the current state of the site in real time.
Use the Historical Data display to consult and analyze the historical data accumulated for the site.
2.2.4 The Current Site Configuration

When you open Visual T&D Explorer and connect to the server, the program automatically opens
the current site configuration, that is to say, the site configuration currently loaded on the server.
The name of the configuration, as well as the name of the user account used to contact the server,
is displayed on the title bar.
If you are using the demonstration version of Visual T&D, this will be a site configuration called
Tutorial.
If you are using the complete version of the program and are starting the program for the first
time, the system will automatically open an empty site configuration called Default.
You will probably want to customize the site configuration with your corporate settings. The
sections that follow will guide you through the process of defining a new site for which you will
enter your specific settings.

2.3 Managing the Site Configuration

All the information related to the configuration of a particular site is stored in a set of
configuration files. These files are grouped together in a folder on both the client and server
computers.
When you create a new site configuration, the program creates a new folder with the name that
you provide. The folder is created on the client workstation. When you choose the Update Site
Configuration command from the Site menu, the program copies the folder and all the files to the
server. The server then activates the site configuration.
2.3.1 The Configuration Files

The site configuration consists of a set of files. The most important file is the configuration file.
This file is a standard Microsoft Access file (MDB) that contains all the data that you enter in the
Site and Categories tabs.
The site configuration also contains bitmap files (BMP) that define the icons displayed with the
data points, detail files that are associated with alarms, and template files used to create reports.
The bitmap and detail files are stored in separate folders called Res and Details, respectively.
2.3.2 Creating a New Site

The New Site Configuration wizard is provided to create new sites.
To create a new site:

 From the Site menu, choose New Site.
 Enter the name of the new site, and click Next.

Next configuration steps are presented in the sections that follow.
2.3.2.1 Configuring the Data Sources

Typically, you will define a single data source. Larger sites, however, may have two or more data
sources, since there is a limit to the number of points an SMP Gateway or OPC Server can
monitor. In the example below, we added two SMP Gateway data sources.

Control Description
List of data sources This is the list of data sources you have defined. The list grows whenever you
click the Add button and specify a new data source, and diminishes whenever
you select a data source in the list and click the Delete button.
Name Displays the name of the data source.
Address Displays the machine name or IP address of the data source.
Type Displays the type of data source: SMP Gateway, OPC Server or
Communication Server.
Time Source Displays the data source that will act as the time source for the system. This
data source will be used to synchronize the computer clock at regular intervals.
There can only be one time source.
Add Displays the types of data sources you can add:

 SMP Gateway
 OPC server
 Communication server
Once you make your selection, the corresponding properties window appears,
allowing you to define the data source. When you close the window, the new
data source appears in the list.
Edit Allows you to modify the properties of the selected data source.
Delete Deletes the selected data source from the list.
Table 2-1 New Site Configuration window: Data source settings and controls
To set up an SMP Gateway as a data source:

 Click Add, then SMP Gateway.

Property Description
Name Use this box to assign a name to the SMP Gateway.
First address Specify the machine name or IP address of the SMP Gateway.
Second address If Visual T&D is connected to your SMP Gateway via redundant links, you
have to specify the IP address of the second Ethernet port in this box.
Data points prefix Specifies a prefix to be appended to the name of every data point of the
SMP Gateway. If you have only one data source, you do not need to enter a
prefix. However, if you have more than one data source, we strongly
recommend that you specify a prefix to ensure that all data points are unique
across the entire system. Otherwise, if you add a new data point and Visual
T&D detects that this new data point has the same as an existing data point, it
will disable the new data point.
Login ID Specify the login name used to connect to the SMP Gateway, if required.
Password Specify the password used to connect to the SMP Gateway, if required.
The device is the Put a checkmark if you want the SMP Gateway to be used as the time source for
time source the system. To qualify as a time source, the SMP Gateway has to be
synchronized to an external clock. See “Timestamping in Visual T&D”,
page 21.

Device time is in This box normally has a checkmark, as the SMP Gateway uses UTC time by
UTC (GMT) default.
However, if you have set up your SMP Gateway with local time, remove the
checkmark. The box located below the check box will then become available,
and you can use the drop-down list to specify the time zone. In this case, you
must also indicate if the device’s clock is adjusted for daylight saving changes.
Activate auto- Put a checkmark in this box if you want to use the data point auto-configuration
configuration feature.
For additional information about this feature and to learn how to configure it,
see “Data Point Auto-Configuration”, page 56.
Keep synchronized If you want the auto-configuration feature to apply to all data points, including
those that were already configured during an earlier update of this data source,
put a checkmark in this box.
Note: Only groups for which the Keep synchronized setting was selected will be auto-
configured again; for other data points, this setting has no effect.
Use template values For properties shared between Visual T&D and the data source, put a
checkmark in this box to force the use of template values for the properties
listed at page 60.
Use data source For properties shared between Visual T&D and the data source, put a
values checkmark in this box to force the use of data source values for the properties
listed at page 60.
Table 2-2 SMP Gateway data source properties
 Enter the requested settings, and then click OK.
Note: If version 5.1 or later of the SMP Gateway software is installed on the gateway,
the built-in firewall of the gateway must be configured to allow VPN connections.
Otherwise, Visual T&D will not be able to connect to the real-time database of the
gateway.
To learn how to configure the built-in firewall of an SMP Gateway, refer to the
SMP Gateway User Manual, MN912001EN.
To set up an OPC server as a data source

 Click Add, then OPC server.
10 ● Chapter 2: Configuring Visual T&D

ProgID Use this box to assign a name to the OPC server. Use the COM server name, as
documented by the OPC server manufacturer.
Address Specify the machine name or IP address of the data source.

If the OPC server and the Visual T&D server are both running on the same computer,
enter 127.0.0.1 to indicate that it is the local computer.
Data points Specifies a prefix to be appended to the name of every data point on the OPC server.
prefix Note that it is not necessary to enter a prefix. Prefixes ensure that data point names are
unique across the system.
For additional information about this feature and to learn how to configure it, see “Data
Point Auto-Configuration”, page 56.
Keep If you want the auto-configuration feature to apply to all data points, including those
synchronized that were already configured during an earlier update of this data source, put a
checkmark in this box.
Table 2-3 OPC server data source properties
To set up the communication server as a data source

 Click Add, then Communication server.
Data points Specifies a prefix to be appended to the name of every data point on the
prefix communication server. Note that it is not necessary to enter a prefix. Prefixes ensure
that data point names are unique across the system.
Visual T&D Explorer User Manual • 11

Device time is This box normally has a checkmark, as the communication server uses UTC time by
in UTC default.
(GMT)
However, if you have set up the communication server with local time, remove the
checkmark. The box located below the check box will then become available, and you
can use the drop-down list to specify the time zone. In this case, you must also indicate
if the device’s clock is adjusted for daylight saving changes.
Configure Opens the communication server editor, so that you can configure the protocols and
data points to be acquired from the communication server. The button is available only
if the Communication Server option is installed.
See Visual T&D Communication Server Option, GUI-00115-00035 T, for details.
For additional information about this feature and to learn how to configure it, see “Data
Point Auto-Configuration”, page 56.
Keep If you want the auto-configuration feature to apply to all data points, including those
synchronized that were already configured during an earlier update of this data source, put a
checkmark in this box.
Use template For properties shared between Visual T&D and the data source, put a checkmark in this
values box to force the use of template values for the properties listed at page 60.
Use data For properties shared between Visual T&D and the data source, put a checkmark in this
source values box to force the use of data source values for the properties listed at page 60.
Table 2-4 Communication server data source properties

 When you have finished specifying the data sources, click Next.
2.3.2.2 Selecting Data Sources

You now have to choose the data sources for which you want to retrieve the data point settings.

 Click one or more sources in the list, and then click Next.
2.3.2.3 Loading the New Site Configuration on the Server

Visual T&D will now retrieve all the data point settings for the selected data sources and update
the site configuration accordingly. The site configuration will not be activated until you load it on
the server.
 Click Yes to load and activate the site configuration, and then click Finish.
2.3.2.4 Customizing the New Site Configuration

As soon as you have obtained the data point settings from the data sources, you will want to
customize the site configuration. For example, you will probably want to enter the site layout. As
for the data points, the initial settings are somewhat skeletal; so, you may want to identify which
data points are to trigger an alarm and which are to trigger an event. You may also want to
categorize your equipment so that the data points can be displayed together by region, substation,
IED, bay, and so on.
For details, refer to the following sections:
 “Defining Miscellaneous Categories”, page 22;
 “Editing Data Points”, page 29;
 “Defining the Site Layout”, page 62.
2.3.3 Loading an Existing Site Configuration on the Server

The behavior of the server program is determined by the site configuration. You can create any
number of different site configurations, but only one configuration can be active at any given time
on the server. For instance, you may begin by creating a basic site configuration that only contains
the description of the data sources and the list of active data points. Later on, you may create a
new site configuration in which you define the alarm thresholds for analog data points.
When you create a new configuration, the Visual T&D Explorer program creates the files on the
client workstation. When you load a site configuration on the server, if it’s a new configuration,
the program copies all the configuration files to the server and then activates the configuration. If
it’s not a new configuration, the server simply loads the newly requested configuration.

To load a site configuration on the server:

 From the Site menu, choose Load Site Configuration.
The command displays a window from which you can select the configuration to be loaded.
Control Description
Available site Displays the list of available site configurations.
configurations
The current site configuration is identified by [current].
Site configurations that only exist on the client workstation are identified by
[client]. These site configurations will automatically be copied to the server
before they are activated.
Table 2-5 Load Site Configuration window controls
2.3.4 Manually Updating the Site Configuration on the Server

Just as when you create a new site configuration, all the changes you perform on the current site
configuration remain on the client workstation until they are transferred to the server. You must
transfer your modified site configuration to the server for it to become effective.
To transfer the modified site configuration and update the server:

 From the Site menu, choose Update Site Configuration.
Note: You may choose to terminate the Visual T&D Explorer program without updating
a modified site configuration. The program will detect the changes the next time
you connect to the server and will prompt you to update the server.
2.3.5 Automatically Updating the Site Configuration on the

Server
When Visual T&D Explorer connects to the server, it compares the site configuration stored on the
client computer with the one stored on the server. If they are identical, the program starts as usual.
If the site configurations are different, the program determines which one must be updated
according to the following rules:
 If you have modified the site configuration on the client computer, the program prompts you
to update the server. If you choose not to update the server at this time, the program renames
the site configuration that you have modified and updates the client computer from the server.
 If you have not modified the site configuration, the program assumes that it has been modified
by another user and automatically updates the configuration on the client computer so that it is
identical to the one on the server.

2.3.6 Managing Connection to the Visual T&D Server

When you start Visual T&D Explorer, you are prompted to connect to the server. If you click the
Cancel button, you will not be connected to the server and the program will not be able to access
real-time information.
You can choose to disconnect the program from the server at any time, either to connect to a
different server or to edit a configuration file that is not currently loaded on the server.
To disconnect from the server:

 From the Server menu, choose Disconnect.
To reconnect to the server or to connect to a different server:

 From the Server menu, choose Connect.
To reconnect to the server using a different account:

 When you are still connected to the server, from the Server menu, choose Reconnect.
2.3.7 Working While Not Connected to the Server

Although you usually work with Explorer and the Server connected, you may choose to create a
new site configuration or to edit an existing configuration while not connected to the server. For
example, you may want to modify a site configuration on a portable computer that is not currently
connected to the network.
To edit a site configuration while not connected to the server:

 From the Site menu, choose Edit Configuration File.
When you reconnect to the server, the program will automatically check whether the site
configuration on the server is identical to the one on the client computer. If the configurations
differ, the program will prompt you to update the server, as described previously.
2.4 Editing the Current Site Configuration

Many of the tasks you will perform, such as managing your data sources, identifying topological
categories and defining the site layout, will require that you edit the currently loaded site
configuration.
To edit the current site configuration:

 From the Site menu, choose Edit Site Configuration.
This command activates Edit mode. Two new tabs are added to the main program window:
the Site tab and the Categories tab.
The Site tab is used to specify the data sources from which points are obtained and to define the
various data points. Optionally, you can also define the layout of the power plant or substation.
The Categories tab is used to define the icons that the program will use in the different displays to
identify the type of data points and the status of binary points, to specify the units in which analog
values are to be displayed, to define the types of control operations that can be applied to data
points, and to classify your equipment by region, substation, IED, and so on.

Note: The Edit Site Configuration command is available only to those users who have
been attributed editing privileges.
2.4.1 Exporting the Site Configuration to a File

You can export the current site configuration, or a part of it, to a text file for backup purposes or to
help you configure another similar site.
To export the current site configuration:

 Make sure Edit mode is active. Site configuration export command is only available in that
mode. To activate Edit mode, choose Edit Site Configuration from the Site menu.
 From the Site menu, choose Export Site Configuration to File.
 You may choose from two actions: exporting the entire current site configuration, or a part of
it, or exporting only the expressions associated with the calculated points in the current site
configuration. Make your selection, and then click Next.
 If you chose to export the current site configuration, you must select the fields to export:

 Fields that may be exported are divided in two groups: Site fields, such as the data sources,
the input/output points and the site layout, and Categories fields, such as types, units and
functions. To select the entire site configuration, select the site name check box. Click Next.
 Specify a valid name and path for the destination file.

 Click Finish to perform the export.
The program will display a message when the export will be completed. Click OK.
2.4.2 Importing a Site Configuration File

You can import a site configuration file to help you configure your site faster.
To import a site configuration file:

 Make sure Edit mode is active. Site configuration import command is only available in that
mode. To activate Edit mode, choose Edit Site Configuration from the Site menu.

 From the Site menu, choose Import Configuration File.
 Select the desired configuration file and click Open.
Data found in the file will be merged to the current site configuration. A message box will
appear to remind you that the edited site configuration must be updated to the server to be
effective.
 Click OK.
2.5 Managing the Data Sources

Once you have set up a site, you may want to add new data sources or delete existing data sources.
Or if any data points have been added to, modified or deleted from a data source, you will need to
update the site configuration to reflect the changes.
To manage Visual T&D server data sources:

 From the Site menu, click Edit Site Configuration.
 To display the list of data sources, click on the Data Sources tab of the Site view.

Control Description
List of data sources This is the list of data sources you have defined.
Name Displays the name assigned to the data source.
Address Displays the IP address or machine name of the data source.
Type Specifies the type of data source: SMP Gateway, OPC Server or
Communication Server.
Time Source Indicates whether or not the data source will act as the time source for the
system. The data source that acts as a time source will be used to synchronize
the computer clock at regular intervals. There can only be one time source.
Add Displays the types of data sources you can add:

 SMP Gateway
 OPC server
 Communication server
Once you make your selection, the corresponding properties window appears,
allowing you to define the data source. When you close the window, the new
data source appears in the list.
Edit Allows you to modify the properties of the selected data source.
Delete Deletes the selected data source. All data points associated with the data source
will also be deleted.
Update Queries the active data sources to determine which data point settings have
changed (if any), and updates the site configuration accordingly.
Table 2-6 Site configuration: Data sources tab controls

2.5.1 Adding or Modifying a Data Source

To add a new data source or modify an existing data source:
 In the Data Sources tab of the Site view, click Add, and then choose the type of data source
you want to add: an SMP Gateway, an OPC server or a communication server.
OR
 Click on the data source in a Data Sources tab of the Site view, and then click the Edit
button.
 Enter the new information or make the desired modifications in the window that appears,
which depends on the data source, between the following:
 The SMP Gateway Properties window.
 The OPC Server Properties window.
 The Communication Server Properties window.
For additional information about these data sources properties, see “Configuring the Data
Sources”, page 7.
When you add a new data source, the program asks if you want it to query the data source to
retrieve the description of all the data points. If you accept, the data points will be added to your
site configuration.
2.5.2 Updating the Data Point Settings

Whenever you add, modify or delete data points on the data source, you must update the
Visual T&D site configuration to reflect the changes. Visual T&D can automatically query the
data source to determine which data points have changed.
To update the site configuration to reflect changes to the data sources:

 Click the Update button in the Data Sources tab of the Site view.
 Select the data sources to update, and then click OK.
If there is no difference between the data source and the points defined in the site
configuration, the program displays a message indicating that no changes were detected.
If the points in the data source have been modified, the program displays a window in which
you can select the data points to be added, removed or modified in your site configuration.

 Use the mouse to select the points you want to update, or click All to select all the points in a
list, or click None to select none.
 If there are points that you do not need but that you want to avoid seeing in the list of points to
be added each time you perform an update, click the check box located above the left column.
Visual T&D will add the points to your site configuration, but will mark them as disabled.
If you want to use some of these points later on, you can edit the site configuration and
remove the Disabled checkmarks for the desired data points.
 To force complete deletion of the data points that will be removed from the site configuration,
click the corresponding check box located above the center column.
 Click Update to update the Visual T&D site configuration.
The system displays a message indicating that the site configuration has been updated.
To make sure each data source is started and connected to Visual T&D, use the Data Sources
view in the Real-Time Data display. See “The Data Sources View”, page 104.
Note: Changes to the site configuration are not effective until you update the server by
choosing Update Site Configuration from the Site menu.
2.5.3 Timestamping in Visual T&D

All values and transitions received by Visual T&D are timestamped. The approach to
timestamping differs based on the type of data source.
SMP Gateway
The SMP Gateway polls the device. If the device protocol supports timestamping, the device
provides the SMP Gateway with the time to which the value applies, and the SMP Gateway passes
this timestamp to Visual T&D. If the device does not provide a timestamp, the SMP Gateway sets
the timestamp to the time at which it received the value from the device.
Visual T&D needs to know whether the SMP Gateway is the time source, that is, whether the
SMP Gateway is synchronized with an external time source, such as IRIG-B or GPS. If you have
several SMP Gateways and some of them are synchronized with an external time source, you
identify only one of them as the time source.

Communication Server
As with the SMP Gateway, the Visual T&D Communication Server uses either the device-
supplied time or the time at which it receives the information.
OPC Server
OPC servers provide timestamped data.
2.5.3.1 Timestamp Quality

Timestamps displayed in the Alarms and Events and Historical Data Query views are
considered valid and coming from time sources that are synchronized with the server, with the
following exceptions:
 When the timestamp comes from a non-synchronized time source, an asterisk (*) appears
beside the timestamp.
 An invalid timestamp is replaced by the following text:
-----
2.6 Defining Miscellaneous Categories

The Visual T&D program provides you with a set of default icons and units that are used in the
various views to identify the types of data points involved, the status of binary points, and the
units in which analog values will be displayed. You can add, modify or delete the icons, units and
types to suit your needs. You assign units and types to data points when you configure them.
Visual T&D provides an empty icon that is automatically used if you don’t assign any specific
icon or unit to a data point, or if the associated file is unavailable or in the wrong format.
You can also assign control schemes that can be applied to output data points, such as open/close
or pulse operations.
Lastly, you can classify your equipment by region, substation, IED, and so on, to reflect the
topology of your site.
To categorize your equipment:

 Select the Categories tab at the bottom of the main program window.
The Categories view consists of several tabs:

 Binary Types
 Type Icons
 Units
 Control Types
 Event Types
 Tag Types
 Topological categories, which are: Regions, Substations, IEDs, Functions,
Subfunctions, Voltage Levels, Bays, and Equipment.
You define these categories in the listed order, since these categories become part of a drop-down
list for the following category in the list.

For example, if you define nine bays on the Bays page, they will appear in the drop-down list of
bays on the Equipment page, so that you can assign related equipment to a particular bay within a
substation.
All of this classification will appear in the Topology folder of the server Real-Time Data
views, once you update the server (see “Real-Time Data”, page 103).
2.6.1 Binary Types

Visual T&D Explorer uses binary state labels and icons to indicate the state of a given binary data
point type in the various Visual T&D displays. A pair of labels/symbols can be associated with the
active and inactive state of each binary point, for example: True/False, Local/Remote,
Input/Output.
Setting Description
Name Specifies the name of the binary symbol.
This name is displayed in the list of available Input or Output Types in the
binary point configuration.
Sort Assigns a sorting order to the list of available Input or Output Types in the
binary point configuration.
You can use non-sequential numbers so that you can add binary types in the
future without changing the sorting order.
State 0 Label Specifies the string that will be used to display state 0 for this type of binary
point, in the real-time and historical data views.
State 1 Label Specifies the string that will be used to display state 1 for this type of binary
point, in the real-time and historical data views.
State 0 Icon Specifies the name of a bitmap file that will be used as an icon to display state 0
for this type of binary point, in the real-time and historical views.
State 1 Icon Specifies the name of a bitmap file that will be used as an icon to display state 1
for this type of binary point, in the real-time and historical views.
Table 2-7 Binary type settings

Note: State icon files must be BMP files and must contain a 13 X 13 pixel image. These
files normally reside in the Res folder of your site. If you select an image file in
another folder, Visual T&D automatically copies it to the Res folder when you
retrieve it for the first time.
2.6.2 Type Icons

Visual T&D Explorer uses type icons to identify the type of a data point. For example, you may
choose to display a thermometer for temperature alarms, a pressure indicator for air-pressure
alarms, and so on.
Setting Description
Name Specifies the name of the icon.
This name is displayed in the list of available Icons in the point configuration.
Sort Assigns a sorting order to the list of available Icons in the point configuration.
You can use non-sequential numbers so that you can add type icons in the future
without changing the sorting order.
File Name Specifies the name of the file containing the icon image.
The program automatically adds a BMP extension to the file name.
Table 2-8 Type icon settings
Note: Type icon files must be BMP files and must contain a 13 X 13 pixel image. These
files normally reside in the Res folder of your site. If your image files reside
elsewhere, Visual T&D automatically copies them to the Res folder when you
retrieve them for the first time.
2.6.3 Units
The Units tab contains a list of the units and formats in which analog data points can be displayed
in the different views.

Setting Description
Name Specifies the name of the unit.
This name is displayed in the list of available Units in the point configuration.
Sort Assigns a sorting order to the list of available Units in the point configuration.
You can use non-sequential numbers so that you can add units in the future
without changing the sorting order.
Format Specifies a control character string used by the software to display a value in
units. The format is %X.YfZ, where:
 X is the number of significant digits before the decimal point;
 Y is the number of significant digits after the decimal point;
 Z is the unit abbreviation.
Table 2-9 Unit settings
2.6.4 Control Types

The Control Types tab contains a list of the control schemes that can be applied to output data
points. For instance, open/close and pulse operations are two different types of controls that need
to be configured. Visual T&D supplies default control types for typical uses, but you can modify
the configuration to suit your needs. For example, you may want to set an Open/Close type of
control operation with the label Trip instead of Open, and with a red button rather than with the
default window color.
For a detailed discussion on control operations, refer to “Control and Tag Operations”, page 162.

Setting Description
Name Specifies the name of the control type.
This name is displayed in the Control Type list, in the binary and analog output
point configuration.
Control Sequence Lists the available control sequences: Select Before Operate (SBO), Logical
SBO and Direct Execute.
In a logical SBO sequence, the Select operation is performed logically by the
SMP Gateway rather than physically by the device.
Execution Type Lists the available execution types: Open/Close, Pulse and Analog Setpoint.
Open/Close and Pulse apply only to binary output points, whereas Analog
Setpoint applies only to analog output points.
Open Label Description of the Open button in open/close control operation windows. You
set up the button by entering the following values, separated by commas, as
follows:
Label, BackgroundColor, ForegroundColor
where:
 Label is the text displayed on the button;
 BackgroundColor is the color of the button;
 ForegroundColor is the text color.
You can choose from among the following color mnemonics: black, blue,
cyan, green, magenta, red, yellow, white, darkblue, darkcyan,
darkgreen, darkmagenta, darkred, darkyellow, darkgray,
lightgray. In fact, you can use any of the color mnemonics defined in
HTML.
For example, if you specify an Open Label with TRIP,red,white, your
control operation windows will show a red button with TRIP written in white.
Close Label Description of the Close button in open/close control operation windows.
See the Open Label description for details.
Pulse Label Description of the Pulse button in pulse operation windows.

See the Open Label description for details.
Pulse Duration Default value, in milliseconds, for Pulse Duration in pulse operation windows.
You can change this default value for a specific operation.

Setting Description
Timeout Timeout value, in milliseconds, for the control operation. The system waits the
specified number of milliseconds before issuing a timeout error. A typical value
would be 5000 milliseconds.
Table 2-10 Control type settings
2.6.5 Event Types

The Event Types tab is used to define categories of events that can be applied to data points. The
sole purpose of event types is to help organize and filter data points and their resulting events and
alarms in the various views.
Setting Description
Name Specifies the name of the event type.
Sort Assigns a sorting order to the list of available Event Types in the point
configuration.
You can use non-sequential numbers so that you can add event types in the
future without changing the sorting order.
Description Describes what distinguish events of this type from others.
Table 2-11 Event type settings
2.6.6 Tag Types

The Tag Types tab is used to define up to 32 categories of tags that can be applied to data points.

Setting Description
Index The index of the tag type, ranging from 1 to 32. All indexes must be unique, but
do not have to be consecutive.
Name Specifies the name of the tag type.
Action Indicates the action that is undertaken by the Visual T&D server when a tag of
this type is applied to a data point. The following actions are available:
 All control inhibited.
When a tag of this type is applied to an output point, it becomes inhibited
and control operations can no longer be performed on it.
 Information.
Applying a tag of this type on a data point has no specific effect: it is used
for informative purposes.
There is one tag type defined by default for each of these actions, named after
the action configured for them.
Group The group identifier of the tag type. Used to regroup tags in function of their
type. Must be different than 0. Different tag types can belong to the same group.
Priority The priority level of the tag type, used when multiple tags of different types are
applied simultaneously to the same data point. Must be different than 0, 1 being
the highest priority level.
Maximum The maximum number of tags of this type that can be applied to a given data
point, ranging from 0 to 1000.
When set to 0, there is no limit.
Description Describes what distinguish tags of this type from others.
Symbol Used for tag information display, such as in the real-time data table views. The
symbol is a character string, which cannot be longer than 10 characters.
Table 2-12 Tag type settings
2.6.7 Topological Categories

With Visual T&D, you can identify the various topological components of your site. These
components are represented by the following tabs:
 Regions.
This page contains the list of geographical regions in which the substations are located.

 Substations.
This page contains the list of substations within your defined regions.
 IEDs.
This page contains the list of IEDs within each substation. IEDs include such intelligent
devices as electronic multifunction meters, digital relays and controllers.
 Functions.
This page contains the list of functions within each substation. A function might be an alarm
at an entrance gate, for example.
 Subfunctions.
This page contains the list of sub-functions within each function. If a function consisted of an
alarm at a particular gate, a sub-function might be fire or theft.
 Voltage Levels.
This page contains the list of voltage levels at each substation.
 Bays.
This page contains the list of bays within each voltage level. A bay consists of a subset of
equipment that needs to be protected, such as a transformer and a line end. The control of its
switchgear is crucial; for example, which parts can be switched off at the same time with
minimal impact on the rest of the substation.
 Equipment.
This page contains the list of devices located in each bay, such as protection equipment,
switching equipment, feeders and transformers.
You first define the regions, then the substations, and so on, since these categories become part of
a drop-down list for lower-level items. For example, if you define nine bays on the Bays page,
they will appear in the drop-down list of bays on the Equipment page, so that you can assign
related equipment to a particular bay within a substation. All of this classification will appear in
the Topology folder of the server Real-Time Data views, once you update the server (see “Real-
Time Data”, page 103).
The screenshot below shows the Equipment page.
2.7 Editing Data Points

In contrast to other applications on the market, Visual T&D does not use tags to identify points.
Only physical I/O, and calculated data points derived from physical I/O, count as licensed data
points. Binary points are used to determine the status of power equipment, such as circuit
breakers, and to perform control operations. Analog points are used to measure values such as
voltage or current.

For each type of data point, Visual T&D provides a grid of cells in which you enter point
properties such as the name of the point, its description, the zone to which the point has been
assigned, the data source from which the point is obtained, the scale and offset used to convert raw
data to scaled units, whether or not the point is an alarm and if it is, the priority of the alarm, and
so on.
The list of available data points and their properties is available from the Site view, in which you
can select the following pages:
 Binary inputs
 Binary outputs
 Analog inputs
 Analog outputs
2.7.1 Naming Data Points

It is assumed that you are using a naming convention to identify the data points on your site. Each
data point in the system must be unique. However, you may have several identical devices in the
substation, to which you want to assign the same data point names. In the example below, there
are 3 devices of the same type that each have a data point called TRIP.
Figure 2-1 Data point naming convention example
In order to distinguish the data points, Visual T&D uses the following convention:
<Data source><separator><device master prefix><separator><device signal name>

In our example, the data source is an SMP Gateway we have called Maple Grove, since it is
located in the Maple Grove substation. The device masters have prefixes SEL351_F1, SEL351_F2
and SEL351_F3, to represent Schweitzer SEL351 relays on feeders 1, 2 and 3, respectively.
Presuming that the separator is an underscore, Visual T&D will identify the 3 data points as:
Maple Grove_SEL351_F1_TRIP

2.7.2 Grouping Data Points

Visual T&D can group data points together according to your specifications. This grouping will
help you when you need to select data points in the following instances:
 When you select data points in order to generate calculated data points, using the Expression
Editor (see “Creating Calculated Data Points”, page 43).
 When you select data points for graphs in the Real-Time Trends view of the Real-Time
Data display (see “The Real-Time Trends Folder”, page 105).
 When you select data points for Table Views in the Real-Time Data display (see “The Table
Views Folder”, page 110).
 When you select data points for graphs on the Chart page of the Historical Data view
(see “The Chart View”, page 121).
 When you make a query on selected data points and generate a report (see “The Query View”,
page 126).
When you set the display options for data points, you can request that Visual T&D group together
data points that have names with a common beginning or a common ending. You can specify that
there is a delimiting character in a particular position of the data point name, or that you want to
group the data points by the first or last characters of their names.
For example, suppose the components of your data point names are delimited by underscores.
If you request that Visual T&D group the data points together by their common beginning, you
will obtain a result that looks like this:
If you then open one of the folders, the data points will be listed as follows:
If you repeat the exercise, requesting that Visual T&D group the data points together by their
common ending, you will obtain a result that looks like this:

If you then open one of the folders, the data points will be listed as follows:
To specify how data points are to be grouped together:

 From the Tools menu, choose Display Options.
 Select the Group Settings tab.

Setting Description
Include binary Specifies whether or not binary points are to be made available for display.
points
Group data points Specifies whether or not the data points are to be grouped together.
If you do not select this option, all window items below the check box will
become unavailable.
With a common Specifies that the data points are to be grouped together by the starting
beginning characters of their name.
With a common Specifies that the data points are to be grouped together by the trailing
ending characters of their name.
Are delimited by States that each data point name has the specified delimiting character, and that
the character ... in you are interested in the nth occurrence of the delimiter. If your data point
position ... names contain three separate underscores as delimiters, for example, and you
specify a position of 2, you are referring to the second underscore. Thus,
Visual T&D will group together data points that have a common name
preceding the second underscore or following the second underscore, depending
on whether you asked for grouping by names with a common beginning or a
common ending.
Have a fixed length Specifies that Visual T&D is to look at the specified number of characters. If
of ... characters you enter a value of 7, for example, Visual T&D will group together data points
that have names with the same 7 starting or trailing characters, depending on
whether you asked for grouping by names with a common beginning or a
common ending.
Preview This area displays the list of folders that Visual T&D has created based on your
grouping criteria. If you open the various folders, you will note that binary
points are displayed in blue, while analog points are displayed in green.
Table 2-13 Display options: group settings
2.7.3 Alarms and Events

In Visual T&D, data points can be configured so that a change in their value generates an event or
an alarm.
An alarm can be defined as an abnormal condition. For instance, a switch is open, a line has been
severed or a voltage has exceeded a safe limit. There are also system-related alarm conditions,
such as the fact that a data source clock is out of sync, that Visual T&D has lost contact with a
particular data source, or that the data log is full.
Alarms are first and foremost a safety mechanism. Their unique purpose is to warn the operator
that something has gone wrong. This is separate from taking corrective action or from the issue of
whether or not the alarm condition has returned to normal, which it might do on its own without
external intervention.
When alarms are triggered, unless configured otherwise, they set off a sound warning system,
which must be cleared before they can be acknowledged. For Latched alarms, a return-to-normal
condition is treated in the same way, thereby making sure that the operator is aware of the new
situation. When configured as Unlatched, the alarm is acknowledged and cleared automatically by
the system, upon return to the normal condition.
An event can be defined as any detectible occurrence that you want to be aware of without its
necessarily triggering an alarm. All alarms are events but the reverse is not necessarily true. Like
alarms, events can be triggered when there is a change in the state of a binary data point or when

the value of an analog point exceeds or falls below a certain limit defined in the point
configuration.
An event can also be the result of an operator action such as closing a switch, or uploading
parameters. Visual T&D lists the last 5000 events in the Events view of the Alarms and Events
display.
Whether a data point generates an alarm or an event or neither is defined in its configuration.
Transitions and state changes on those data points that are not configured as being either alarms or
events are logged by the system, but are not shown in the Alarms and Events display. You can
consult them in the Real-Time Data display or in the Chart view of the Historical Data display.
The Query view of the Historical Data display logs only those points that have been configured
as alarms or events. This view is especially useful in determining the sequence of events that
occurred at a particular point in time.
2.7.4 Using the Data Grid

You will enter and edit most of the site configuration values and data point properties in a standard
grid of cells, much as you would in a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft ExcelTM. Since you
are probably familiar with the use of such grids, we will only describe the functions that are
specific to Visual T&D.
2.7.4.1 Scrolling Through the Grid

As in all Windows programs, you will use the scrollbar at the bottom of the grid to scroll through
the display.
When scrolling horizontally, the Source and Name column remains fixed, making it easy for you
to see for which point you are modifying the properties.
2.7.4.2 Sorting Grid Items by a Particular Column

To sort the list of items in a grid by a particular column:
 Double-click on the column heading to sort the data in ascending order, and then double-click
on the column heading again to sort the data in descending order, and so on.
OR
 Click on the column heading to select the column, and then choose Sort Ascending or Sort
Descending from the Edit menu.
2.7.4.3 Resizing a Column

As in all Windows programs, you can resize a column in any grid, to the size of the largest entry
in the column.
To resize a column:
 Double-click on the right border of the heading of the column you want to resize.
OR
 Click on the right border of the heading of the column you want to resize.
 Drag the mouse to the right, until the column expands to the size of the largest entry.

2.7.4.4 Adding New Points

Visual T&D automatically retrieves the definition of all the points in a data source, so you do not
need to add device data points manually. However, you may want to add calculated data points,
the value of which will be derived from physical data points.
To learn how to add calculated data points, see “Creating Calculated Data Points”, page 43.
2.7.4.5 Deleting a Point or a Line

To delete a data point or a line in a grid:
 Select the line to be deleted by clicking in the left margin of the grid.
 Delete the line:
 From the Edit menu, choose Delete.
OR
Press the DEL key.
2.7.4.6 The Fill Area Commands

Whenever you need to copy a value to a number of cells in the grid, you can use the Set Fill Area,
Add to Fill Area, Clear Fill Area and Copy Cell to Fill Area commands from the Edit menu or
on the Fill Area toolbar. Note that these commands can only be used for one column at a time.
The Fill Area toolbar provides a shortcut to the following commands:
Button Description
Set Fill Area button.
Selects the lines you want to include in your fill area. The selection is displayed
in gray.
Add To Fill Area button.

Adds the selected lines to the fill area.
Clear Fill Area button.

Cancels the selection of a fill area.
Copy Cell to Fill Area button.

Propagates the value of the selected cell to all the cells in the same column
within the fill area.
Table 2-14 Fill Area toolbar buttons
To copy the value of one cell to a group of cells in the same column:
 Use the mouse or the keyboard to select the group of lines that contain the cells to which you
want to copy the value.
 Click the Select Fill Area button, or choose the command from the Edit menu.
The selected lines will be displayed in gray.

 Click anywhere in the cell that contains the value you want to copy.

 Click the Copy Cell to Fill Area button or choose the command in the Edit menu.
The cell contents will be copied to all the cells in the same column, within the fill area.
 Click the Clear Fill Area button to remove the selection of the fill area.
To cancel the fill operation before the operation is complete:

 Click the Clear Fill Area button to remove the selection of the fill area.
To add one or more lines to an existing fill area:

 Select the line or lines to be added. If you are adding several lines, use the Shift or Ctrl
key.
 Click the Add to Fill Area button or choose the command in the Edit menu.
The lines you have added are displayed in gray and are now part the fill area.
2.7.5 Configuring Binary Points

Properties that you enter for a point define how Visual T&D processes the data, how it is
displayed, and the alarms and events that can be associated with the point. Some properties are
optional, while others must be entered.
The Binary Inputs and Binary Outputs pages of the Site view define all the binary data points
associated with a site. This includes the name of the point, its description, the type of point it is,
the zone to which the point has been assigned, the data source from which the point is obtained,
whether or not the point is an alarm and if it is, the priority status of the alarm, and so on.
To display a binary input or output page:

 Click on the Site tab at the bottom of the screen.
 Click on the desired tab at the top of the screen.

Setting Description
Source Indicates the name of the data source from which the data point is obtained.
Name Specifies the name (maximum of 120 characters) given to the binary point.
Disabled Put a checkmark in this box if you want Visual T&D to ignore this data point.
You can enable the point later on, since the data point will not be deleted. All
data points are enabled by default.
Binary Type Selects one of the binary symbol/label pairs defined on the Binary Types page
of the Categories view. The program will use the associated symbols to
represent the state of the data point in the Alarms and Events and Real-Time
Data displays.
Description Describes the binary point (maximum of 120 characters), i.e., the type of
information conveyed by the point.
Expression If the source is "internal", this is a calculated data point, the value of which is
determined by an expression (see “Creating Calculated Data Points”, page 43).
Need Log Indicates whether or not the value of the data point is to be logged.
Publish Put a checkmark in this box if you want the communication server to make this
data point available to a slave component. You can use this functionality to send
Visual T&D data points to a control center. The communication server has to be
installed on your computer.
Publish OPC Put a checkmark in this box if you want the OPC data access interface of the
Visual T&D server to make this data point available to an OPC client. The OPC
Data Access option has to be installed on your computer.
Event Specifies whether or not a state change on this data point is to be recorded as an
event by the server.
Select <None> if you do not want to record this point’s state changes, or
<Generic> if you want to record changes as generic events. You can also use
any of the event types defined on the Event Types page of the Categories
view.
Alarm Specifies whether or not a state change on this data point is to be handled as an
alarm by the server.
Alarm State Indicates which state of the binary data point is considered to be an alarm
condition.
Choose State 1 or State 0 if you want to generate an alarm when the data point
is in the specified state. For example, you may want to trigger an alarm when a
breaker is tripped. If the breaker is subsequently closed, the alarm state will
disappear. You can acknowledge this type of alarm, but you cannot clear it.
Note: If you set the Alarm State of a binary data point to State 1 or State 0, and the
point is already in this state, an alarm will be triggered as soon as the new setting
value will be effective, without waiting for a transition.
Choose All transitions if you want to generate an alarm for every transition on
the data point. This option is especially useful for representing transitory states.
An example might be the case where a door would open for a few seconds,
thereby generating an alarm, and then close, generating a second alarm. Another
example might be a notification that a DFR was received. You can both
acknowledge and clear this type of alarm.
Latched Specifies whether or not the alarm remains in list after returning to normal.

Setting Description
Bad Quality Alarm Specifies whether or not a quality change on this data point is to be handled as
an alarm by Visual T&D. The associated alarm is active when the quality of the
data point is bad.
Chime Behavior Indicates the chime behavior for this alarm:

 None.
The alarm never triggers the chime.
 Appearance only.
Alarm triggers the chime only when conditions arise (rising edge).
 On change (default value).
Alarm triggers the chime when conditions change (all transitions).
 Following alarm active state.
Chime stops when alarm condition disappears. The Chime Duration setting
is then set to Permanent and cannot be changed,
Chime Duration Indicates if the chime is Temporary or Permanent. A temporary chime will
automatically stop after the period specified in the server configuration tool,
unless another alarm also triggers the chime.
Alarm Descr. Optional. Describes (maximum of 120 characters) the condition that triggers the
alarm if the alarm check box is selected. This description is displayed in the
Alarms and Events view. If the field is empty, the binary point description is
displayed instead.
Priority Indicates the alarm priority. The priorities are:

 1 (high)
 2 (medium)
 3 (low)
App. Filter Appearance filter. Selects the time that must elapse (in milliseconds) before an
alarm is triggered, once an alarm condition has been detected. A value of zero
cancels the filter.
Dis. Filter Disappearance filter. Selects the time that must elapse (in milliseconds) before
an alarm returns to normal, once a return to normal condition has been detected.
A value of zero cancels the filter.
Detail File Optional. Use this box to specify:

 the name of a detail file located on the server’s computer in the Details
folder, under Server;
OR
 a URL address, i.e. a link to a Web page where you keep detail files.
A detail file contains details or operator instructions for an alarm.
If an alarm is triggered, a "D" will be displayed in the status column of the data
point, on the Alarms page of the Alarms and Events view. If you then select
the data point in the view, and click Details in the View menu, Visual T&D will
open the file or Web page that you have specified here.
Inverted Polarity Specifies whether or not the binary input should be inverted at the server level.
This column exists for input data points only.
Input Type Selects one of the types defined on the Type Icons page of the Categories
Output Type view. The program will use the associated symbols to represent the type of the
data point in the Alarm and Events and Real-Time Data displays.

Setting Description
Control Type Selects the control type associated with the binary output point, for control
operations. Select <Undefined> if you want to disable control operations for
the data point. This column exists for output data points only.
Monitoring Point Indicates the monitored input point which value is displayed in control
operation windows. Select <Undefined> to display the value of the output point
on which a control operation is currently being performed. This column exists
for output data points only.
Zone Identifies the zone in which the data point is located. Zones are defined in the
Site Layout page of the Site view.
Addr-1 Optional. Specifies three addresses that can be associated with the data point for
Addr-2 informational purposes.
Addr-3
Region Each item has a drop-down list that allows you to choose the region, the
Substation substation, the voltage level, etc., to which the data point belongs. This is the
IED topology you established via the Categories view.
Function
Subfunction
Voltage Level
Bay
Equipment
Table 2-15 Binary input/output point settings
2.7.6 Configuring Analog Points

The Analog Inputs and Analog Outputs pages of the Site view contain the configuration of all
analog points associated with a site. This includes the name of the point, the data source from
which the point is obtained, its description, the zone to which the point has been assigned, the
scale and offset used to convert raw data to scaled units, whether or not the point is an alarm and if
it is, the priority of the alarm, and so on.
Note that the analog inputs page includes system points, as shown in the screenshot. You cannot
edit system points. For a description of the system data points, refer to “Appendix A - System
Data Points”, page A-1.
To display an analog input or output page:

 Click on the desired tab at the top of the screen.

Column Description
Source Indicates the name of the data source from which the data point is obtained.
Name Specifies the name (maximum of 120 characters) given to the analog point.
Disabled Specifies whether or not Visual T&D subscribes for transitions on the data
point. A disabled data point does not exist in the Visual T&D real-time
database.
Description Describes the analog point (maximum of 120 characters), i.e., the type of
information conveyed by the point.
Expression If the source is "internal", this is a calculated data point, the value of which is
determined by an expression (see “Creating Calculated Data Points”, page 43).
Data Type Indicates the type of point. An analog point can be floating point, 16-bit signed,
or 32-bit signed. This setting provides the size of the field and is used for data
logging.
Scale Used to scale raw readings of analog data point values, according to the
Offset following formula:
Scaled value (Unit) = (Raw reading x Scale)+ Offset
By default, the scale is 1 and the offset is 0.
Unit Selects one of the units defined in the Categories view. The program uses this
selected unit to format the value of the data point when it is displayed.
Low EGU Specifies the minimum and maximum values the analog data point can attain, in
High EGU engineering units. These values are used to set the operational range of the data
point. Out-of-range values are marked as being of bad quality.

Column Description
Deadband Specifies the minimum change, in engineering units, which must occur on a
data point for the change to be considered significant.
This setting is used in conjunction with the Deadband % and Time Deadband
settings: as soon as one of this condition is met, the transition is reported; it will
also be recorded in the datalog if the Need Log option is selected.
Deadband % Specifies the minimum change, in percentage, which must occur on a data point
for the change to be considered significant.
This setting is used in conjunction with the Deadband and Time Deadband
Time Deadband Specifies the minimum time period, in seconds, which needs to elapse for the
next transition to be considered significant.
This setting is used in conjunction with the Deadband and Deadband %
Need Log Indicates whether or not the value of the data point is to be logged.
Publish Put a checkmark in this box if you want the communication server to make this
data point available to a slave component. You can use this functionality to send
Visual T&D data points to a control center. The communication server has to be
installed on your computer.
Publish OPC Put a checkmark in this box if you want the OPC data access interface of the
Visual T&D server to make this data point available to an OPC client. The OPC
Data Access option has to be installed on your computer.
Event Specifies whether or not a transition on this data point is to be recorded as an

event by the server.
Select <None> if you do not want to record this point’s transitions. Or select
<Generic> if you want to record the transitions as generic events. You can also
use any of the event types defined on the Event Types page of the Categories
view.
Alarm Specifies whether or not a transition on this data point is to be handled as an

alarm by the server.
Latched Specifies whether or not the alarm remains in list after returning to normal.
Bad Quality Alarm Specifies whether or not a quality change on this data point is to be handled as
an alarm by Visual T&D. The associated alarm is active when the quality of the
data point is bad.
Chime Behavior Indicates the chime behavior for this alarm:

 None.
The alarm never triggers the chime.
 Appearance only.
Alarm triggers the chime only when conditions arise (rising edge).
 On change (default value).
Alarm triggers the chime when conditions change (all transitions).
 Following alarm active state.
Chime stops when alarm condition disappears. The Chime Duration setting
is then set to Permanent and cannot be changed,

Column Description
Chime Duration Indicates if the chime is Temporary or Permanent. A temporary chime will
automatically stop after the period specified in the server configuration tool,
unless another alarm also triggers the chime.
Alarm Descr. Describes (maximum of 120 characters) the condition that triggers the alarm if
the alarm check box is selected. This description is displayed in the Alarms and
Events view.
Priority Indicates the alarm priority. The priorities are:

 1 (high)
 2 (medium)
 3 (low)
Lower Threshold Indicates the value of the lower threshold, in engineering units.
An event or alarm condition is generated if the scaled value falls below this
threshold value. A negative value is allowed.
Note: An alarm condition is generated as soon as the new threshold value becomes
effective if the current scaled value is already below this threshold value.
For an event condition to be generated, the scaled value must first return to normal
before falling below this threshold value.
Upper Threshold Indicates the value of the upper threshold, in engineering units.
An event or alarm condition is generated if the scaled value exceeds this
threshold value. A negative value is allowed.
Note: An alarm condition is generated as soon as the new threshold value becomes
effective if the current scaled value currently exceeds this threshold value.
For an event condition to be generated, the scaled value must first return to normal
before exceeding this threshold value.
App. Filter Appearance filter. Selects the time that must elapse (in milliseconds) before an
alarm is triggered, once an alarm condition has been detected. A value of zero
cancels the filter.
Dis. Filter Disappearance filter. Selects the time that must elapse (in milliseconds) before
an alarm returns to normal, once a return to normal condition has been detected.
A value of zero cancels the filter.
Detail File Optional. Use this box to specify:

 the name of a detail file located on the server’s computer in the Details
folder, under Server;
OR
 a URL address, i.e., a link to a Web page where you keep detail files.
A detail file contains details or operator instructions for an alarm.
If an alarm is triggered, a "D" will be displayed in the status column of the data
point, on the Alarms page of the Alarms and Events view. If you then select
the data point in the view, and click Details in the View menu, Visual T&D will
open the file or Web page that you have specified here.
Input Type Selects one of the icons defined in the Type Icons page of the Categories tab.
Output Type The program will use the icon to represent the type of the data point in the
Alarms and Events and Real-Time Data displays.

Column Description
Control Type Selects the control type associated with the analog output point, for control
operations. Select <Undefined> if you want to disable control operations for
the data point. This column exists for output data points only.
Monitoring Point Indicates the monitored input point which value is displayed in control
operation windows. Select <Undefined> to display the value of the output point
on which a control operation is currently being performed. This column exists
for output data points only.
Zone Selects the zone in which the data point is located. Zones are defined in the Site
Layout page of the Site tab.
Addr-1 Optional. Specifies three addresses that can be associated with the data point for
Addr-2 informational purposes.
Addr-3
Region Each item has a drop-down list that allows you to choose the region, the
Substation substation, the voltage level, etc., to which the data point belongs. This is the
IED topology you established via the Categories view.
Function
Subfunction
Voltage Level
Bay
Equipment
Table 2-16 Analog input/output settings
2.7.7 Creating Calculated Data Points

Visual T&D enables you to derive a data point through a mathematical expression that includes
existing data points.
For instance, you may want to set an alarm on the power level but no such data point is available.
If data points are available for voltage and current, you can simply define a new data point that is
calculated as the voltage times the current.
Calculated data points can also be used to set up high-high and low-low alarms. For example, you
want a high-high alarm to be generated if a certain data point exceeds a particular value. You set
up a calculated data point, which you identify as being a high-high alarm. You set up an
expression that evaluates the physical data point you want to measure, and you establish an upper
threshold for the calculated data point. If the value of the physical data point exceeds the
threshold, the expression of the calculated data point evaluates to true, and an alarm is generated.
The expression for deriving a calculated data point can be evaluated in one of two ways:
 By exception.
Whenever there is a transition on the data points included in the expression. If you choose this
option, you also specify whether the evaluation is to be triggered by a specific data point or by
any data point in the expression.
 Periodically.
Every X milliseconds.
You can choose to have the expression evaluated either by exception or periodically, or both. If
you choose both, the expression will be evaluated once every X milliseconds as well as anytime
there is a transition on a data point or signal used in the expression. If you do not choose either
method, the expression will be evaluated only once, on startup of the Visual T&D server.

To create a calculated data point:

 In the Site view, click on the binary or analog page to which you want to add the calculated
data point.
 Scroll down to the last line of the grid, marked by the "*" symbol.
 Enter the data point name, description, and so on.
 Choose <internal> in the Source drop-down list.
 Click in the Expression cell.
The word <Undefined> appears in the cell.

 Click on the arrow, next to the word Undefined>.
Visual T&D displays the Logic Editor window.
The Logic Editor is used to enter the expression that generates the value of the calculated data
point. It is displayed across several windows, which allow you to set the attributes of the
calculated data point and assist you in editing the expression.
Use the toolbar at the top of the window to validate, save and close the expression, or to undo the
last change to the expression.
The table below describes the various window panes:
Window Pane Description

Properties Used to specify the different attributes of the calculated data point. These
attributes are defined in the sections below.


Data Points Used to select and enter existing data points in the expression. You can select
data points from the list of available data points. These are grouped together in
folders, based on grouping criteria that you established with the Group Settings
tab of the Display Options window (see “Grouping Data Points”, page 31).
If you open the various folders, you will note that binary points are displayed in
blue, while analog points are displayed in green.
The list is a memory jogger for selecting I/O points to be used in the expression.
Double-click on an item to insert it at the cursor location in the expression
window.
DFR Displays the list of all the digital fault records and channels defined in
Visual T&D (see “Defining Digital Fault Records”, page 67).
Double-click on an item to insert it at the cursor position in the expression
window.
Functions Displays the list of all the functions that can be inserted in the expression.
Double-click on an item to insert it at the cursor location in the expression
window. The various functions are described in the sections below.
Operators Displays the list of all the operators, constants and variables that can be inserted
in the expression. Double-click on an item to insert it at the cursor location in
the expression window. The various operators are described in the sections
below.
Expression Used to enter and edit the expression to be evaluated. You can enter the
(empty window at expression directly from the keyboard or use the memory-jogging windows
the bottom of the described above.
window)
The result of the evaluation of the expression is assigned as the value of the
calculated data point.
Table 2-17 Logic editor window panes
A calculated data point has the following properties:
Properties Description
Name Name of the calculated data point for which the expression is currently being
edited. This field cannot be edited. To edit an expression for another calculated
data point, close the editor and select another data point in one of the analog or
binary point pages in the Site view.
Timestamp Defines how the calculated data point is to be timestamped.

Specify System if you want the system time to be used as the timestamp.
Specify Triggered point if you want the timestamp to be the time of the point
that triggered the calculation.
By default, the calculated data point is time-stamped by the Visual T&D server.
Quality Specifies whether the quality of the calculated data point will always be good,
or will depend on the quality of its source point(s).
If you select Use source quality, as soon as the quality of one of the source
points is bad, the calculated data point’s quality will also be bad.
Time-based Specifies whether the expression is to be evaluated on a periodic basis. The time
interval is then specified via the Time interval attribute. Normally, expressions
are not evaluated on a periodic basis.

Properties Description
Time interval (ms) Specifies that the expression is to be evaluated every X milliseconds. This time
interval applies only if the Time-based attribute specifies Yes. The minimum
value is 50 milliseconds.
By exception Specifies whether the expression is to be evaluated whenever there is a

transition on one of the data points or signals in the expression.
Specific trigger Specifies whether the evaluation of the expression is to be triggered by a single
data point (Yes) or by any data point (No) in the expression. This attribute is
ignored if By exception is set to No.
Triggered by Used to specify the name of the data point or signal that will trigger the
evaluation of the expression. This attribute is ignored if Specific trigger is set
to No.
Note: Any data point can be used as the trigger, even if it is not used in the expression.
Table 2-18 Calculated data point properties
2.7.7.1 Data Point Names in Expressions

To use a data point in an expression, simply enter the name of the data point. Make sure to include
the prefix, if applicable.
A data point name used in an expression must adhere to the following Visual Basic-like notation:
 It must begin with a letter.
 It can include alphanumeric characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9), the underscore separator " _ "
(without the quotes), and special characters, such as a period.
If the data point name contains a special character, it must be surrounded by the special delimiter
character " ` " (ASCII 096). For example, a physical data point name of T5.APHA must be
declared as `T5.APHA`.
Here are some examples of valid expressions:
 120 + ( CurrentPoint * 0.02 * ( Rand() - 1 ) )
 ( 0.85 * `T5.APHA` * `T5.KVAB` ) / 1000
 `1B17.MA` AND (`120-1.MA` AND NOT `120-1.MB` ) AND `1B1.MA`
 Imbalance(`T5.APHA`, `T5.APHB`, `T5.APHC`)
2.7.7.2 Comments in Expressions

Expressions can span several lines. To insert a comment into an expression, put a single quote at
the beginning of the line.
For example:
' Calculates the imbalance of transformer #5

Imbalance(`T5.APHA`, `T5.APHB`, `T5.APHC`)
2.7.7.3 Conditional Statements

You can use the following conditional statements in expressions:

Statement Description
If <condition> Then Evaluates the specified expression if the logical condition is true.
<expression>
Endif
If <condition> Then Evaluates the expression specified after the Then if the logical condition
<true expression> is true, or evaluates the expression specified after the Else if the logical
Else condition is false.
<false expression>
Endif Note: The expression can contain several embedded If and Else statements, in
which case each Else statement is associated with the If statement
closest to it.
Table 2-19 Logic Editor conditional statements
2.7.7.4 Mathematical Functions

You can use the following built-in mathematical functions in expressions:
Function Description
Abs( x ) Calculates the absolute value of x.
Pow( x, y ) Calculates the value of x to the power of y.
Sqrt( x ) Calculates the square root of x.
Exp( x ) Calculates the value of e raised to the power of x.
Log( x ) Calculates the logarithm of x to the base 10.
Ln( x ) Calculates the logarithm of x to the base e.
Sin( x ) Calculates the sine of angle x, expressed in radians.
Cos( x ) Calculates the cosine of angle x, expressed in radians.
Tan( x ) Calculates the tangent of angle x, expressed in radians.
ArcSin( x ) Calculates the arcsine of angle x.
ArcCos( x ) Calculates the arccosine of angle x.
ArcTan( x ) Calculates the arctangent of angle x.
Min( x, y ) Compares the values of x and y, and retains the lesser of the two.
Max( x, y ) Compares the values of x and y, and retains the greater of the two.
Table 2-20 Logic Editor mathematical functions
2.7.7.5 Data Point Functions

You can use the following built-in data point functions in expressions. The transition functions are
used to perform historical queries on the data log.

Imbalance( point A, point B, Calculates the imbalance among three phases, for the current
point C ) represented by the three data point names.
The calculation is defined as follows for a three-phase current:
((Imax - Imin) / Iavg) * 100

where:
 Iavg = (AI + AB + IC) / 3
 Imax = max (IA, IB, IC)
 Imin = min (IA, IB, IC)
IsEqual( point1, point2, Compares point1 and point2, to the nearest precision significant
precision ) digits.
The expression evaluates to TRUE or FALSE, depending on
whether or not point1 = point2.
IsTrigger( point ) Evaluates to TRUE if the specified point causes the expression
to be reevaluated.
QualityOf( point ) Evaluates to TRUE if the value of the specified data point is
valid.
TimestampOf( point ) Returns the timestamp of a point, as a number of milliseconds

that have elapsed since an internal reference date and time. Use
this function for the sole purpose of comparing timestamps that
were obtained via a previous call to the TimestampOf() or
TransitionTimestamp() function.
Transitions( point, quantity ) Returns a signal consisting of the last quantity transitions on the
specified point. The signal returned by this function may have a
length shorter than that specified by the quantity parameter. Use
the TransitionQuantity() function to obtain the length
of the signal.
TransitionQuality( point, Evaluates to the quality of the data point transition for the
position ) position in historical data and for the point specified. The
position is relative to the current value.
For example, a position of 2 returns the quality of the past 2nd
transition in historical data for the specified data point. If
position is 0, the current quality is returned.
TransitionQuantity( point, Evaluates to the number of transitions in the signal returned by

quantity ) the Transitions() function (see above).
TransitionValue( point, Evaluates to the value of the point at the position in the data
position ) log. The position is relative to the latest value in the data log for
the specified data point.
For example, a position of 2 returns the value of the second-to-
last transition that is recorded in the data log for the specified
data point.

TransitionTimestamp( point, This function is similar to the TimestampOf() function,
position ) except that you specify the position relative to the latest
timestamp in the data log for the specified data point. For
instance, a position of 2 returns the number of milliseconds that
have elapsed, for the second-to-last timestamp of this data point
in the data log, since a reference date and time. Use this
function for the sole purpose of comparing timestamps that
were obtained via a previous call to the TimestampOf() or
TransitionTimestamp() function.
GroupAlarms(point1, point2 This function takes a list of alarm (binary input) points and
[, point3]…) returns a 32-bit bitmask providing the following counters:
 The first byte contains the number of points from the list
whose value is currently set to 1 (TRUE).
 The second byte contains the number of points from the list
whose value is currently set to 0 (FALSE).
 The third byte is a counter that is increased every time the
first byte changes.
 The fourth byte is a counter that is increased every time the
second byte changes.
BAD_QUALITY Sets the quality of a data point to bad. That is, the value of the
data point cannot be assumed to be correct.
Table 2-21 Logic Editor data point functions
2.7.7.6 Tag Functions

You can use the following built-in tag functions in expressions:
ActiveTagCountOf( point ) Calculates the number of tags currently set to TRUE for the
specified data point name.
TagOf( point ) Calculates the integer value of all tag bits for the specified data
point name.
TagOf( point, type ) Evaluates to TRUE if the data point tag is set to the position
specified by type, which can specify:
 0 for an information tag
 1 for an All Control Inhibited tag.
Table 2-22 Logic Editor tag functions
2.7.7.7 Generators
You can use the following built-in generators in expressions. Generators are used to
mathematically generate input values for data points.

Generator Description
Sine( amplitude, frequency, Generates an expression of the form: Sine(A, f, P).
phase )
Calculates the value of a sinusoid with amplitude of A, a
frequency of f Hertz, and an initial phase of P degrees. P is
optional and if you don't specify it, it will be assigned a value of
0.
Pulse( amplitude, frequency, Generates an expression of the form: Pulse(A, f, dc, d ).

duty cycle, delay )
Calculates the value of a pulse stream with amplitude of A, a
frequency of f Hertz, a duty cycle of dc percent, and a delay of d
milliseconds.
d is optional and if you don't specify it, it will be assigned a
value of 0.
Saw( amplitude, frequency, Generates an expression of the form: Saw(A, f, d ).

delay )
Calculates the value of a sawtooth wave with amplitude of A, a
frequency of f Hertz, and a delay of d milliseconds.
d is optional and if you don't specify it, it will be assigned a
value of 0.
Randn( mean, variance ) Generates an expression of the form: Randn( mean, var ).
Calculates a random value with a normal distribution that has a
mean value of mean and a variance of var.
Rand() Generates an expression of the form: Rand().

Calculates a random value with a uniform distribution ranging
between 0.0 and 1.0.
Table 2-23 Logic Editor generator functions
2.7.7.8 DFR Processing Functions

You can use the following functions on channels in digital fault records. All the functions produce
a result in scalar format. DFR processing functions are performed on a user-defined data range. If
you do not specify a data range, the latter will include all data, that is, indexBegin=1 and
indexEnd=length of channel.
Avg( signal, indexBegin=1, Calculates the mathematical average of the specified data range,
indexEnd=qty ) for the specified channel.
AvgRange( signal, percent, Calculates the arithmetic average of the channel data, excluding
indexBegin=1, indexEnd=qty ) the values that are away from the average by the specified
percent.
BestFit( signal, Using the least squares method, calculates slope m of the mx+b
indexBegin=1, indexEnd=qty ) equation line that best fits the specified channel.
Sum( signal, indexBegin=1, Calculates the sum of the data for the specified channel.
indexEnd=qty )
Min( signal, indexBegin=1, Returns the minimum value of the data for the specified channel.
indexEnd=qty )

MinPos ( signal, Returns the position of the minimum value of the data for the
indexBegin=1, indexEnd=qty ) specified channel.
Max( signal, indexBegin=1, Returns the maximum value of the data for the specified channel.
indexEnd=qty )
MaxPos ( signal, Returns the position of the maximum value of the data for the
indexBegin=1, indexEnd=qty ) specified channel.
AbsMax( signal, Returns the maximum value of the data for the specified channel,
indexBegin=1, indexEnd=qty ) expressed as an absolute value.
AbsMaxPos( signal, Returns the position of the absolute maximum value of the data
indexBegin=1, indexEnd=qty ) for the specified channel.
ItemsGreaterThan( signal, Calculates the number of items within the specified channel that
min, indexBegin=1, have a value greater than min.
indexEnd=qty )
ItemsLessThan( signal, Calculates the number of items within the specified channel that
max, indexBegin=1, have a value less than max.
indexEnd=qty )
ItemsBetween( signal, min, Calculates the number of items within the specified channel that
max, indexBegin=1, have a value greater than min and less than max.
indexEnd=qty )
TimeStampOf( signal ) Returns the timestamp of the specified channel as a number of

milliseconds since a reference date and time. Use this function to
compare the timestamps of different channels.
Value( signal, index ) For the specified channel, returns the value of the data located at
the specified index position.
Table 2-24 Logic Editor DFR processing functions
2.7.7.9 Arithmetic Operators

You can use the following arithmetic operators in expressions:
Operator Description
+ [Add] Calculates the sum of the left and right operands.
- [Subtract] Calculates the difference between the left and right operands.
* [Multiply] Calculates the product of the left and right operands.
/ [Divide] Divides the left operand by the right operand.
% [Modulo] Obtains the remainder of the division of the left operand by the right
operand.
( [Opening parenthesis] Expressions are evaluated according to standard operator precedence.

Parentheses are used to group sub-expressions and control the order in
which expressions are evaluated.
For example:

 1 + 2 * 3 evaluates to 7
 (1 + 2) * 3 evaluates to 9
) [Closing parenthesis] Expressions are evaluated according to standard operator precedence.

Parentheses are used to group sub-expressions and control the order in
which expressions are evaluated.
For example:
 1 + 2 * 3 evaluates to 7
 (1 + 2) * 3 evaluates to 9
Table 2-25 Logic Editor arithmetic operators
2.7.7.10 Binary Operators

Binary operators are used to manipulate the individual bits of expressions or data points.
You can use the following binary operators in expressions:
BAND Calculates a bitwise AND between the left and right operands.
For instance, 12 BAND 5 evaluates to 4 (1100 BAND 0101 is 0100).
BOR Calculates a bitwise OR between the left and right operands.

For instance, 12 BOR 5 evaluates to 13 (1100 BAND 0101 is 1101).
BNOT Calculates a bitwise NOT of the value to the right.

For instance, BNOT 0 evaluates to -1 (BNOT …0000 is …1111).
BXOR Calculates a bitwise XOR between the left and right operands.
For instance, 12 BXOR 5 evaluates to 9 (1100 BXOR 0101 is 1001).
BEQV Calculates a bitwise EQV between the left and right operands.
For instance, 12 BEQV 9 evaluates to 6 (1100 BEQV 0101 is 0110).
Table 2-26 Logic Editor binary operators
2.7.7.11 Logical Operators

Logical operators are used to combine the results of logical expressions such as comparisons.
You can use the following logical operators in expressions:
AND Evaluates to TRUE if the left and right operands are both TRUE.
OR Evaluates to TRUE if either the left or right operand is TRUE.
NOT Evaluates to TRUE if the value to the right is FALSE.
XOR Evaluates to TRUE if the left and right operands have different values.
EQV Evaluates to TRUE if the left and right operands have the same value.
Table 2-27 Logic Editor logical operators

2.7.7.12 Relational Operators

You can use the following relational operators in expressions:
< [Less than] Evaluates to TRUE if the left operand is less than the right operand.
> [Greater than] Evaluates to TRUE if the left operand is greater than the right operand.
<= [Less than or equal Evaluates to TRUE if the left operand is less than or equal to the right
to] operand.
>= [Greater than or Evaluates to TRUE if the left operand is greater than or equal to the right
equal to] operand.
= [Equal to] Evaluates to TRUE if the left operand is equal to the right operand.
!= [Not equal to] Evaluates to TRUE if the left operand is different from the right operand.
Table 2-28 Logic Editor relational operators
2.7.7.13 Constants and Variables

You can use the following built-in constants and pseudo-variables in expressions:
CurrentPoint Represents the current value, i.e., the value of the logical point being
[Point value] edited, just prior to its evaluation.
TRUE Represents a logical true value. Any value other than 0 is considered true.
FALSE Represents a logical false value. A value of 0 is considered false.
PI Represents the numeric constant PI (3.141592), which is the ratio of the

circumference of a circle to its diameter.
T [Time (ms) since Represents the time, in milliseconds, since the Visual T&D server was
server startup] started.
dT [Time (ms) since Represents the elapsed time (delta T), in milliseconds, since the last
last evaluation] evaluation of the expression.
Table 2-29 Logic Editor constants and variables
2.7.8 Editing Datalog-Specific Point Settings

Datalog-specific settings can be modified in batch, rather than individually through the grid.
To edit datalog-specific settings of multiple points:

 From the Edit menu, choose Edit Datalog-Specific Point Settings.

 From the Available points list, select all points for which you want to change datalog-specific
settings, and then click Add.
Note: You can also select a pre-defined set of points in the Point list box.
 If you want the transitions of the selected points to be recorded in the datalog:
 Under Point Settings, select Need Log.
 Select the settings that must be modified for all the selected data points, and enter the
value to use for each setting in the corresponding boxes.
 If you no longer want these transitions to be recorded in the datalog, clear the Need Log
check box under Point Settings.
 Click OK.
2.8 Data Point Lists

Data point lists can be created and reused in various Visual T&D graphs and queries.
For example, the same set of data points can be used in historical charts and real-time trend
graphs. By defining a point list for such a set of points, you save configuration time and effort.
Moreover, user-defined point lists can be saved on the Visual T&D server so they can be used by
other users on different client computers.

As point lists are mostly used in graphs, color information is also stored in the list, for each data
point. However, note that a single color is associated with each point of a list, and that the same
color is used for this point in all graphs that use this list. Also, such color information is not
editable in the Point List window, like the name, description and list of points, but directly in the
corresponding graphs that use the list. As a result, if you change the color associated with a point
of a given list in one graph, the change will automatically be applied to other graphs that use the
same point list.
2.8.1 Data Point List Storage

When a new data points list is created, it is saved locally on the computer that hosts the
Visual T&D client.
Using the Point List Manager, it is possible to save a local list to the Visual T&D server; the list
then becomes available to all Visual T&D users.
In the various graphs and windows where point lists are used, the “(L)” suffix is appended to the
name of local point lists; the “(S)” suffix is appended to the name of server point lists.
2.8.2 Point List Manager

The Point List Manager allows users to manage local and server point lists that are currently
available from a Visual T&D client computer.
To open the Point List Manager window:

 In Visual T&D Explorer, from the Tools menu, choose Point List Manager.
Control Description
Name Name of the point list.
Description Short description of the point list.
Location Indicates where the point list is stored, between the following:
 Server: the list is stored on the Visual T&D server
 Local: the list is stored on the local computer that hosts the Visual T&D
Explorer client.
New Creates a new point list.
Edit Allows modification of the properties of the selected point list, except the colors
associated to each data points.

Control Description
Delete Deletes the selected point list.
Copy Creates a copy of the selected point list.
Save to Server Saves the selected local point list to the server.
Table 2-30 Point List Manager window controls
2.8.3 Creating a New Point List

It is possible to create new point lists anywhere in Visual T&D Explorer where point lists are
used, and from the Point List Manager window.
To create a new point list:

 In Visual T&D Explorer, from the Tools menu, choose Point List Manager.
 Click New.
 Type a Name and Description for the new point list.

 Under Available points, select the points to add to the list, and then click Add.
 Click OK to create and save the list.
2.9 Data Point Auto-Configuration

The Auto-Configuration feature allows automatic specification of setting values for data points of
any type of data source. It reduces the amount of time and effort required to configure data sources
that are similar or that contain data from similar equipment.

2.9.1 Concepts
The Auto-Configuration feature is based on the following concepts: groups, group keys, regular
expressions (“regex”), and templates.
2.9.1.1 Group
A group is a set of data points that are generally provided by the same device or physical
equipment, and for which it is possible to assign generic and common settings in advance
(ex. alarm conditions and thresholds, zone information, control type, etc.)
Data points that belong to the same group usually display similarities in their names. Such
similarity is called the group key.
2.9.1.2 Group Key

The group key is the part of a data point name that is common to all data points of a given group.
For example, for the m_CF_J3C9L_J3C9L_BI_Equip1 and
m_CF_J3C9L_J3C9L_BO_Equip1 data points, the group key could be J3C9L_J3C9L (the
central part of the name).
To validate if a data point name contains a given group key, and this way determine if a data point
belongs to a given group or not, Visual T&D use regular expressions.
2.9.1.3 Regular Expression (« regex »)

A regular expression (or « regex ») is a character string that describes itself a set of character
strings that follows a precise syntax. Regular expressions allow Visual T&D to analyze the names
of data points provided by a data source, to separate it into parts, and to determine if a point
belong to a given group (it is the case when one of the name parts matches the group key of the
group).
2.9.1.4 Template
A point template sets the values of generic and common settings for data points of a group of a
given point type. By specifying templates, the configuration user determines:
 the number of data points that a group contains;
 the type of each point of the group;
 the regular expression and the group key to use to determine if a point belongs to the group;
 and of course, the values of the generic settings.
2.9.2 Prerequisites and Conditions

The auto-configuration function is mostly useful when groups of points share some generic
settings. For example, a single type of control can be automatically assigned to multiple points
from a given protection relay; a scaling factor X and offset Y can also be assigned automatically
to all analog data points used for the voltage measurements of a recloser control.
To be able to use the auto-configuration function on a data source, the following conditions must
be met:
 Even if the regular expressions, groups, and templates can be reused with different data
sources, the auto-configuration function does not work on data point groups that extends over
more than one data sources at the time.
 A naming convention must be used at the data source level; using such a convention usually
ensures that names of data points that belong to the same group contain similar parts.

2.9.3 Auto-Configuration Triggering

When it is activated for a data source, the auto-configuration feature is triggered in the following
situations:
 During the manual update of the data source initiated by a user; in this scenario, the auto-
configuration feature use the templates that are available in the site configuration stored
locally, thus the most recent versions of the templates as modified by the user;
 During the automatic update of the data source, when automatic synchronization of the data
points list is activated for this source; in this scenario, the auto-configuration feature use
the templates that are stocked in the site configuration located on the server, regardless
of the location of the server (local or remote).
Auto-configuration is performed on all data points groups of the source that perfectly match the
template groups configured in Visual T&D Explorer (see “Analyzing Data Point Names and
Identifying Groups”, page 58).
To have a perfect match with a given group, the latter must have the same number of data points
as the number of templates configured in Visual T&D Explorer with the same group key and
group name; the type of each point of the group must match the type of the corresponding
template; and finally, for a point to be considered by Visual T&D as being in a given group, its
point name must match the regular expression of the corresponding template.
2.9.4 Setting up Auto-Configuration

Before activating the auto-configuration feature, you must configure it by defining the
corresponding regular expressions, groups and templates.
The configuration process of this function consists of 4 steps:
 The analysis of the data source point list, and its breakdown into data point groups.
 The definition, in the site configuration, of these data point groups.
 The specification, in the site configuration, of the regular expressions that allow the detection
and the distribution by Visual T&D of each point into its corresponding group.
 The definition, in the site configuration, of the templates corresponding to each data point of
each group.
These steps are presented in details in the following sections.
2.9.4.1 Analyzing Data Point Names and Identifying Groups
Note: This step does not require the use of Visual T&D Explorer.
Before proceeding with the definition of regular expressions, groups and templates, it is important
to analyze the data points list of the data source.
You must identify which points must (and can) be auto-configured. Then, you must regroup these
points that display common characteristics: these points can be provided by the same device or
equipment, or can serve the same system function or purpose.
Once these groups are defined, you must identify for each group and in the name of each point:
 name parts that are common to all points, and those which are not (up to 4 name parts);
 the common name part that distinguishes this group from other similar groups; this common
name part is the group key.

Analysis Example
Consider the following data points that are provided from the same equipment ALPHA:
CF_LCLCW_LCLCA_M_COU_A
CF_LCLCW_LCLCA_A_CDO_X
There are two parts in the name of these points: one is common to both points
(CF_LCLCW_LCLCA_); the other is variable (M_COU_A and A_CDO_X). As these points only
have one common part, it is considered the group key.
Then, consider the next two points that are provided by another equipment ALPHA:
CF_LCLCZ_LCLCA_M_COU_A
CF_LCLCZ_LCLCA_A_CDO_X
In this case, the common part is CF_LCLCW_LCLCA_, but the variable parts are the same. It can
be assumed that these points belong to a group of the same type as the previous one, thus a group
designating an equipment ALPHA.
2.9.4.2 Defining Groups

Once you have identified all groups and which points belong to them, you can define these groups
in Visual T&D Explorer.
Note: You only define groups for now; templates will be defined and assigned to these
groups later.
To define a group of data points to auto-configure:

 In Visual T&D Explorer, from the Site menu, choose Edit Site Configuration.
 Select the Categories view, and then the Auto Configuration tab.
 In the first empty row of the upper list, click in the Group Name cell.
 Type a significant name for the group, such as the device model, the equipment type, or the
function to the data points of this group.
 Select Keep Synchronized if you want the data points of this group to be auto-configured at
each update, rather than only during their initial addition to the site configuration.
 If the information provided in the group name is not sufficient, you can type additional
information in the Description cell.
Repeat this procedure for each group.
2.9.4.3 Specifying Regular Expressions

A regular expression must be specified for each point that belongs to a group.
Note: Regular expressions specified in Visual T&D must be compliant with the POSIX
standard; the Perl programming language extensions are also supported.
For additional information on the syntax of regular expressions, refer to the

following URL:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_expression

To specify a regular expression for a given data point name:

 In the Auto Configuration tab of the Categories view, click in the Reg. Expr. Name cell.
 Type a generic name that will designates the point tied to this regular expression. For
example, you can type the variable part of the name that is specific to this point.
 In the Sub Expression X cells, type the regular expression parts as identified during the
analysis process. The regular expression can contains as much as 4 sub-expressions.
 If necessary, type any additional information in the Description cell.
Repeat this procedure for each regular expression (point) of the group.
Note: A single regular expression can be used for two different data points that belong
to two different groups.
2.9.4.4 Defining Templates

The final step is to define a template for each data point that belongs to each group. Groups and
regular expressions that were defined previously will be assigned to these defined templates.
To define a data point template:

 In the Site view, select the Templates tab.
 In the first empty row, click in the Group Name cell, and then select the group the
corresponding point belongs to.
 In the Reg. Expr. Name cell, select the previously defined regular expression that allows
Visual T&D to identify the corresponding data point in the data source point list.
 In the Group By cell, type the numerical identifier (1 to 4) of the regular expression part
(sub-expression) that serves as the group key.
 In the Point Type cell, select the point type between the following: AI (analog input), AO
(analog output), BI (binary input) or BO (binary output).
 In the remaining cells, specify the value of the settings that must be auto-configured.
For additional information about these settings, see “Configuring Binary Points”, page 36, or
“Configuring Analog Points”, page 39.
Repeat this procedure for each point of the group.
2.9.4.5 Common Settings between Templates and Data Sources

While configuring a data source and activating the auto-configuration feature, it is possible, for
some common settings, to force the use of the values taken either from the templates or from the
data sources.
These common settings are the following:
 Addr-1
 Addr-2
 Description
 Region
 Substation
 IED

 Scale
 Offset
 Unit
2.10 Alarm Detail Files

Visual T&D has a number of advanced display features, such as the site layout and type icons,
specially designed to assist operators in rapidly assessing the operational status of the substation.
Detail files are another advanced feature of Visual T&D, which allows you to assign additional
information or operating instructions for each data point that can generate an alarm.
2.10.1 Creating the Detail Files

The information that you will display with the alarms can be stored in a number of different
formats. In the simplest case, you could store the information in a simple text file created with
Notepad. However, Visual T&D can also display most common file formats such as Microsoft
Word® or HTML.
As with all the other site configuration data, detail files are stored on the Visual T&D server
computer.
To create detail files:

 Create your information files using a text editor such as Notepad or Microsoft Word.
 Copy the files to the folder named Details located in the site configuration folder on the
server computer.
Note: When you display a detail file, the contents are transferred from the server to
your computer only if the file is missing locally, or if the contents have changed.
Obviously, the text editor program must be installed on both computers (Word,
for example, if the detail file is a Word file), or you will not be able to read the file.
2.10.2 Assigning Detail Files to Data Points

Next step is to assign the newly-created data files to the corresponding data points.
To assign a detail file to a data point:

 In the Site tab, select the display page that contains the data point.
 Locate the data point in the grid and add the name of the file in the Detail File cell. You must
enter the complete name of the file with the extension, such as alarm01.txt. Do not
provide a path: files are always retrieved from the Details folder, in the site configuration
folder located on the server.
Note: Details files are available for alarms only.
2.10.3 Storing Detail Files on a Web Site

Instead of storing detail files on the server, you can provide a reference to a page on a Web server.
Visual T&D will then display the information in a browser window.

To assign a reference to a Web page:

 From the Site tab, select the display page that contains the data point.
 Locate the data point in the grid and add the Web reference in the Details File cell. You must
enter a complete URL, such as: http://intranet/alarms/pressure.htm.
Note: You must ensure that the client computer can access the Web server and the
specified reference.
2.11 Defining the Site Layout

Although defining a site layout is optional, you will find that this is one of the most useful and
innovative features of Visual T&D. The site layout allows you to graphically represent the power
plant or substation being monitored and to indicate the position of every data point and alarm on
the site. The site layout diagram is used to a large extent in all Visual T&D displays.
To create the site layout, you will define a grid on which you will place rectangular zones that
represent the physical or logical layout of the site, bays, bus bars, or devices such as transformers,
breakers and switches. Once the zones are defined, you will assign data points to each zone. For
instance, you could create three rows, the first row representing the input lines, the second the
transformers, and the third the output lines. Additional zones might represent the relays and
switches.
Visual T&D displays a scaled-down version of the site layout next to each alarm and event in the
Alarms and Events view. To help you locate the data point, Visual T&D displays a black stripe
in the zone that contains the selected data point. It also displays in red, any zones in which alarms
have been triggered, and in green, any zones in which there had been an alarm condition that has
now returned to normal.
You can also assign up to eight data points to each zone. These data points will be shown in real
time, in the Site Layouts Default view of the Real-time Data display.

To define the site layout:

 Select the Site tab at the bottom of the screen, and then select the Site Layout tab.
2.11.1 Sizing the Grid

The grid can contains as much as 10 rows and 100 columns.
To define the size of the site layout grid:

 Select the Site Layout page from the Site tab.
 Click Grid.
Number of rows Selects the number of rows displayed in the grid. This number must be between
1 and 10.
Number of columns Selects the number of columns displayed in the grid. This number must be
between 1 and 100.
Table 2-31 Site layout grid properties
 Enter the numbers of rows and columns, and then click OK.

Note: Since the site layout is scaled down to a height of one line of text, keep the layout
as small as possible in order to obtain the best results.
2.11.2 Adding a Zone

Zones are created by regrouping cells together.
To add a new zone in the site layout:

 Click in an empty cell and drag the mouse to define the size of the zone. The selected area
turns yellow.
 Click Add Zone to add the zone to the site layout.
The area turns red to indicate that it is selected, and a default name of Zx is displayed inside
the zone.
 Click Zone Properties.
 Replace the name in the Name box of the Zone Properties window.
2.11.3 Deleting a Zone

To delete a zone:
 Click in the zone to delete.
The zone turns red.

 Click Delete zone.
2.11.4 Resizing a Zone

Zones can be resized by adding or removing cells to them.
To change the size of a zone:

 Click in the area to resize.
The zone turns red.

 Click any of the four resizing buttons. You can use the buttons to add or remove cells above
or to the right of the selected zone.
2.11.5 Moving a Zone

Zones can be moved to any free area of the grid.
To move a zone:
 Click in the zone to move.
The zone will turn red.

 Use the mouse to drag the zone to a free area of the grid.

2.11.6 Saving the Site Layout

Once you have positioned, sized and named each zone to your satisfaction, you must save these
modifications. The layout must be saved before the new zones can be listed in the Zone column of
the data point configuration pages.
To save the site layout:

 Click Save Layout.
2.11.7 Assigning Zones to Data Points

You must assign zones to data points before the points can be displayed in any zone.
To assign a zone to a point:

 Choose the Edit Site Configuration command in the Site menu.
 Select the appropriate tab (Binary Inputs, Analog Inputs, Binary Outputs, Analog
Outputs), depending on the type of point you are configuring.
 Select the desired point in the list.
 In the Zone cell, select the appropriate zone name in the drop-down list.
Note: If you are assigning a number of data points to the same zone, you can save time
and effort by using the Fill Area toolbar buttons or the corresponding commands
from the Edit menu, as described in “The Fill Area Commands”, page 35.
2.11.8 Selecting Points to Display in the Site Layouts View

You can assign up to 8 display points, to each zone in your site layout. The name and real-time
values of these points will be shown in the Site Layouts Default view of the Real-Time Data
display. Assigning points to a zone is optional but is very useful in that it allows you to see, at a
glance, the states and sampled values of important data points.
To assign display points to a zone:

 Click in the zone, to select it.
The zone turns red.

 Click Zone Properties.
The Zone Properties window displays the list of available data points. You can group them
to customize the display to suit your needs. You choose the data points you want to include in
the selected zone, and you can move the selected data points up or down in the list.

Control Description
Name Displays the name of the zone to which you are assigning data points.
Available points Displays the list of all the data points available on the site. These points are
grouped together in folders, based on grouping criteria that you established with
the Group Settings tab of the Display Options window (see “Grouping Data
Points”, page 31).
Filter Filters the Available points list by name. All data points containing the text
written in the box will appear in the list.
Group Settings Displays the Group Settings tab of the Display Options window, which you
can use to group the data points differently, thereby changing the order in which
the points are presented in the list of available points.
See “Grouping Data Points”, page 31.
Selected points Displays a list of the points that will be displayed in the zone in the Site Layout
page of the Real-Time Data tab.
Add Adds the selected available data point to the list of selected data points.
Remove Removes the selected data point from the list of selected points.
Remove All Removes all the data points from the list of selected points.
Arrow buttons Click these buttons to move the selected data point up or down in the list of
selected points.
Table 2-32 Zone Properties window controls
Note: The only data points that are available for display in a particular zone are those
that you assigned to the zone when you configured the data points.

2.11.9 Deleting the Site Layout

To delete all the zones in the site layout:
 Click Delete Layout.
2.12 Defining Digital Fault Records

Relays and IEDs typically generate standard event reports or digital fault records. A standard
event report typically contains the waveforms, the binary sequence of events, and the relay settings
at the time the event took place. A digital fault record typically contains the waveforms.
A master protocol component on the SMP Gateway, such as SEL Events, Hathaway 1200, Mehta
Tech or IEC-60870-5-103, polls the relay or IED, and generates a text file from the digital fault
information it receives from the device. It stores the text file on the Visual T&D server computer,
in a folder shared by the SMP Gateway and Visual T&D.
Whenever Visual T&D detects a new text file in the shared folder, it copies the file to a backup
folder within the folder being monitored. It then converts the original text file to standard
COMTRADE format, and stores the COMTRADE file in the DFR folder of the current site. If you
look in the DFR folder, you will actually see 3 COMTRADE files:
 a header file (HDR)
 a configuration file (CFG)
 a data file (DAT).
The COMTRADE files are renamed according to the document entitled File Naming Convention
for Time Sequence Data, a report of the IEEE Power System Relaying Committee Working
Group H8.
For example, if the text files put into the shared folder by the SMP Gateway master protocol
component were called Line4Events, then the 3 COMTRADE files in the DFR folder for the
site may be labeled as follows:
 000809,175215183,-4d,sta80,ben717,nyiso.hdr
 000809,175215183,-4d,sta80,ben717,nyiso.cfg
 000809,175215183,-4d,sta80,ben717,nyiso.dat
The procedure required to set up the shared folder on the Visual T&D server computer, and to set
up the SMP Gateway master protocol components to use the shared folders, is described in the
technical note entitled Using Visual T&D to retrieve event files from SEL relays, AUT-00115-
00050 T.
If your license includes the DFR option, you will be able to react immediately when a new digital
fault record arrives in the DFR folder. You can set up the system so that:
 an alarm is generated, which you can see in the Alarms and Events display;
 you receive e-mail notification that a new digital fault record has arrived;
 you can view the waveforms and the details of the digital fault record via the Historical Data
tab (see “The DFR View”, page 131).
You can also create calculated data points based on the channel signals. For example, you could
set up a data point that calculates the mathematical average of the values within a specific range of
a particular channel (see “Creating Calculated Data Points”, page 43).
To access the digital fault records, you need to use the DFR configuration page

To display the DFR configuration page:

 Select the Site tab at the bottom of the screen, and then the DFR tab at the top of the screen.
The DFR page is illustrated below. You use the top window to identify the sources from which
Visual T&D will be receiving the digital fault records. A separate entry is required for each device
that produces disturbance reports. You use the bottom window to specify which channels you
want to extract from the digital fault records originating from the device that is selected in the top
window.
In this example, we have identified 2 devices on an SMP Gateway that we called South
Substation in SMP Config. The 2 devices are polled by master protocol components to which
we assigned the following names in SMP Config: IEC103_1 and SELEvts_SER_F1. We have
assigned the following Visual T&D internal names to the 2 devices: IED103_L3 and
SEL_Events_F1. All disturbance reports from all 3 devices will be put into a shared folder
called ACQ_DFR located on drive D, on the Visual T&D server computer.
Note: We could have used one shared folder per device. To do this, we would have
had to set up 2 shared folders on the Visual T&D server computer and instructed
each master protocol component, in SMP Config, to use its specifically-assigned
folder.
The table below describes the DFR page.
Column Description
Name Specifies an internal name of your choice (maximum of 120 characters) for the
digital fault records originating from the Recording Device. The name must be
unique in Visual T&D. Example: "IED103_L3".

Column Description
Station Name Identifies the SMP Gateway that contains the master protocol components that
will be storing the text files to the shared folder. Enter the name you provided in
the Substation Name field of the Gateway branch in SMP Config
(ex. South Substation).
Recording Device Identifies the specific device that produces the text file. Enter the name that you
assigned, in SMP Config, to the master protocol instance that polls the device.
Example: "IEC103_1".
Description Free-form text that provides a brief description of the digital fault record
(maximum of 120 characters).
Alarm Put a checkmark if you want Visual T&D to trigger an alarm each time it
retrieves a text file from the shared folder.
Priority Specifies the priority of the alarm that will be triggered when Visual T&D
retrieves a text file from the shared folder.
Directory to be Specifies the path to the shared folder from which Visual T&D will retrieve the
monitored text files. You must provide the full path, using the standard directory naming
convention. (ex. D:\ACQ_DFR)
Note: Visual T&D does not support mapped drives.
Signal Name Name of a channel contained in the digital fault record that is selected in the top
window. This name must match the name of a channel defined in the
COMTRADE digital fault record and is the Channel Identifier, per the
COMTRADE standard.
Description Free-form text that provides a brief description of the channel (maximum of 120
characters).
Table 2-33 Site configuration: DFR page controls
2.13 Event Notification

Visual T&D can be set up to send event notifications to the person in charge of the operation or
maintenance of a substation, by e-mail, cellular phone, or pager. Cellular phones and
alphanumeric pagers receive the notification via the Short Message Service (SMS) normally
available for these communication devices. SMS messages are sent via e-mail to the SMS
provider. Bell Mobility in Canada, for example, uses the format:
xxxxxxxxxx@txt.bellmobilite.ca, where xxxxxxxxxx is the cellular phone number,
including the area code. For instance, a notification can be sent via SMS to the alphanumeric pager
of John Smith when the feeder #1 breaker trips. Direct pager (not alphanumeric) is also supported,
that is, a pager that can be contacted directly through a phone number. Numerical information,
rather than an SOE, is sent to the pager.
You can set up which events the recipient is to be notified about and you can choose which
categories of events, subsets of data points, and alarm events (appearance, disappearance,
acknowledge) will trigger a notification.
Visual T&D event notification system was thought and implemented in order to reduce the
number of messages sent to its bare minimum. Therefore, if two notifications are triggered by the
same event, only one message (the one with the shortest waiting time) will be sent to all its
configured contacts. If this is not the behavior you need, please read the “Multiple event
notifications management” section, page 82, for tips on how to work it out.
To set up Visual T&D for event notification, you need to go through the following steps:

 Configure the SMTP (outgoing mail) server information. The SMTP server must be available
to the Visual T&D Server through the network. To learn how to configure the SMTP server
information, refer to “Email Settings”, page 82.
 Configure the event notifications, as explained in this section.
2.13.1 Configuring Event Notifications

Configuring event notifications involves several steps, namely:
 Defining the notifications
 Identifying the persons to be contacted
 Associating the notifications with the contacts
To configure event notifications:

 From the Tools menu, choose Event Notification.
Note: If the Event Notification command is missing from the Tools menu, the event
notification option is not activated for your version of Visual T&D. Contact Cooper
Power Systems to have the option activated.
Control Description
Notifications Lists the event notifications configured in the system.
When you click on a notification in the list, the contacts that are notified,
together with their communication devices, are shown with a checkmark in the
Contacts list.
Contacts Lists the contacts configured for event notification, with their communication
devices.
Add Adds a new notification or contact.
Delete Deletes the currently selected notification or contact.
Edit Edits the currently selected notification or contact.
Table 2-34 Event Notification window controls

2.13.1.1 Alarm and Event Categories

Alarm and events are grouped together by category. These categories will be displayed so that you
can choose specific alarms and events, under the following circumstances:
 When you define or edit an event notification, as discussed in “Defining and Editing an Event
Notification”, below.
 When you customize the Alarms and Events display (see “Customizing the Alarms and
Events Display”, page 99).
 When you define a new historical data query (see “Managing Queries”, page 128).
 When you define a new event-triggered task (see “Task Manager”, page 141).
The following alarm and event categories are currently defined in Visual T&D:
Category Description
Process-Related Events Events and alarms associated with a data point.
<Generic> All data point events, including alarms.

An analog threshold exceeded, or a status change on a binary
point, are examples of alarm events. Alarms are generated for a
data point when the Alarm box contains a checkmark in the
configuration for that point.
User-Initiated Events Events that originate from an operation on the process by a user.
Tag Management Operations Events generated when a tag is set or cleared. Sub-categories
are available for All control inhibited and Information tags.
Control Operations Events generated when a control operation is performed on a

configured data point, such as when a breaker is opened, for
example.
Alarm Management Operations Events generated when an alarm is acknowledged or cleared.
User Log Events generated when an entry is added in the User Log (see
“User Events”, page 90).
Data Simulation Events generated when values are simulated on data points.
Visual T&D Events Events and alarms related to Visual T&D functions.
Information Events generated by the server in certain situations for

information purposes.
Warnings Events and alarms generated by the server in situations that

require user intervention, but where the system is still functional
(ex.: data source out of synchronization with the server).
Errors Events and alarms generated by the server in situations that

require immediate user intervention and where the system is no
longer functional (ex.: data log full).
Security Audit Denials Events generated by the server when the latter refuses user
authentication or operation execution because of improper
privileges.
Authentication Events generated by the server when an user authentication

succeeded and when a user terminated a session.

Category Description
User Accounts Configuration Events generated when actual Visual T&D user accounts or
their related privileges are modified.
Server configuration Events generated when the Visual T&D server configuration is
modified; this includes all parameters affecting the system
behavior, regardless of the loaded site. For example: tasks,
notifications, password complexity.
Site configuration Events generated when a Visual T&D site configuration is

modified. It includes the site parameters update and the site
associated diagram update.
Expert System Events Diagnostic events and alarms, and operation diagnostics
generated by the optional Visual T&D Expert System
component.
Events Diagnostic events generated by the optional Visual T&D Expert

System component.
Diagnostic events do not require immediate attention or
acknowledgement.
Alarms Alarms generated by the optional Visual T&D Expert System

component.
Diagnostics requiring immediate attention generate an alarm of
this category.
Operations Operation diagnostics generated by the optional Visual T&D

Expert System component. Operation diagnostics are generated
by the expert system in order to report unusual operating
conditions that require operator intervention.
Data File Acquisitions Events generated when a data file is acquired by Visual T&D.
Event Records Events generated by the server whenever it receives a data file
that it recognizes as significant to the application
(ex.: a DFR file in COMTRADE format).
External Device Failures Alarms generated by an external device and acquired by

Visual T&D. Reserved for custom applications.
Failures Alarms generated when a failure is reported by a data source.
Table 2-35 Alarm and event categories
2.13.1.2 Defining and Editing an Event Notification

You define event notifications with the help of a step-by-step wizard.
To define or edit an event notification:

 In the Event Notification window:
 If you want to add a notification to the list:
 Click Add below the Notifications list.
 Otherwise, if you want to edit the notification:
 Select the notification.

 Click Edit below the Notifications list.
 Click the event categories you want to include in the notification. You can find a description
of the event categories under “Alarm and Event Categories”, above.
 Click Next to continue.
The following window is displayed only if you chose Process-Related Events in the
preceding window.

 To be notified of events on all possible data points:

 Put a checkmark in the All data points check box.
 To be notified of events on a selection of data points:
 Make sure there is no checkmark in the All data points check box.
 Click on the desired data points in the Available points list.
 Click Add to add the data points to the Selected points list.
The following window is displayed only if you chose Expert System Events in the first
window; it allows you to select the event severity and zones, as defined in the expert
system rule editor.

 Specify the event severity range that will trigger a notification. The event severity can
range from 1 to 3. For example, to trigger a notification on an event of severity 1 only,
specify a severity range of 1 to 1.
 Specify the zones to which an expert system event has to be assigned in order to trigger a
notification. You have to click at least one zone, or the event notification condition will
never be triggered. Select < Undefined > for any data points that are not defined to a
particular zone.

 Choose the events that will trigger an event notification. You have to click at least one event,
or the event notification condition will never be triggered.
 Set a filter on oscillatory events by selecting the maximum number of notifications that
occurred in the last N minutes.

This window defines the information that will be sent to the recipients. A sequence of events is
sent to an e-mail address, a cellular phone or an alphanumeric pager. A numeric code is sent to a
direct pager. The whole sequence of events (SOE) is sent as an e-mail; however the SOE is
summarized as a short message for cellular phones and alphanumeric pagers (SMS).
Setting Description
Include events that The sequence of events provides information about events that took place a
preceded the event specified number of seconds before the event trigger. For example, specify 10
trigger by seconds to send an SOE that starts 10 seconds before the event trigger. Specify
0 to send a sequence of events that starts at the event trigger.
Include events that The sequence of events provides information about events that took place a
followed the event specified number of seconds after the event trigger. The minimum value is 30
trigger by seconds.
Long subject Specifies the email subject field. Typical subject fields include information
(email) about the substation and the event type.
Short subject (SMS) Specifies the Short Message Service (SMS) subject field. Since SMS is limited
in the number of characters (140 to 160), we recommend that you enter as short
a subject field as possible. A typical short subject would only contain
information about the substation (ex. Valley SAS).
Numeric code Specifies the numeric information displayed on a numeric pager (direct paging).
(pager) This code can be a phone number or a substation/alarm code, such as 00200102:
substation 2, alarm number 102.
Table 2-36 Event notification content settings
 Specify the information to be sent to the recipients.


 Specify a unique name for the notification.

 Click Finish to create the new notification or to complete the editing of an existing
notification.
2.13.1.3 Activating or Deactivating an Event Notification

When you first define an event notification, it is automatically activated by the system. You can
temporarily deactivate the notification. Indeed, you can toggle the notification between the active
and inactive state at your discretion.
To deactivate a notification:
 In the Notifications list of the Event Notification window, remove the checkmark from the
check box next to the notification name.
To activate a notification:
 In the Notifications list of the Event Notification window, put a checkmark in the check box
next to the notification name.
2.13.1.4 Defining and Editing a Contact

You create or edit contacts through the Contact window.
To add a new contact to the list:

 In the Event Notification window, click Add below the Contacts list.
To edit an existing contact:

 In the Event Notification window, select the contact you want to modify.

 Click Edit below the Contacts list.
Setting Description
Name Specifies the name of the contact. This name will be listed in the Contacts list
of the Event Notification window and must be unique.
Comments Specifies general information about the contact. This field is optional.
Phone Specifies the phone number at which the contact can be reached. This phone
number is not used by the notification system, and is for information only. The
field is optional.
Communication Lists the communication devices defined for the contact. There are three types
devices of communication devices:
 email.
An e-mail device is the standard electronic mail that can be reached via an
SNMP server (outgoing mail server).
 SMS.
An SMS device is either a cellular phone or an alphanumeric pager
configured to receive a message via the Short Message Service. SMS
messages are sent via e-mail to the SMS provider.
 pager.
A numeric or alphanumeric pager that can be contacted directly through a
phone number. For a numeric pager, numerical information, rather than an
SOE, is sent to the pager.
Add Adds an e-mail, SMS or pager device to the list.
Delete Deletes the selected communication device.
Edit Edits the selected communication device.
Test Sends a test message to the selected communication device.
Table 2-37 Event notification: contact settings
To add a device to which an e-mail is to be sent:

 Click Add, and choose Email in the drop-down list.

An e-mail entry is added to the list of communication devices, and the cursor is positioned for
editing.
 Enter the e-mail address of the device.
To edit an e-mail address:

 Click on the item in the list of communication devices.
 Click Edit.
The item becomes available for editing.

 Modify the e-mail address.
To add a pager device:

 Click Add, and choose Pager in the drop-down list.
A pager entry is added to the list of communication devices, and the cursor is positioned for
editing.
 Enter the phone number of the pager. To call a direct pager, a modem must be installed in the
Visual T&D server computer. The modem is automatically detected.
To edit a pager phone number:

 Click Edit.

 Modify the phone number.
To add a device to which an SMS message is to be sent:

 Click Add, and choose SMS in the drop-down list.
An SMS entry is added to the list of communication devices, and the cursor is positioned for
editing.
 Enter the e-mail address.
Note: To learn how to activate SMS reception via e-mail, and which e-mail address to
use for your device, contact your communication device provider.
To modify an SMS e-mail address:

 Click Edit.

 Modify the e-mail address.
2.13.1.5 Enabling or Disabling a Contact

When you first define a contact, it is automatically disabled by the system. You can manually
enable some or all of its devices for a specific event notification. Indeed, you can toggle the

devices between the enabled and disabled state at your discretion, using the Event Notification
window (see “Configuring Event Notifications”, page 70).
To enable notification of specific communication devices for a particular contact:

 In the Notifications list, click on the notification to be sent.
 In the Contacts list, put a checkmark in the check box next to the communication device or
devices to be notified.
To enable notification of all communication devices for a particular contact:

 In the Notifications list, click on the notification to be sent.
 In the Contacts list, put a checkmark next to the contact name.
To disable a contact for a particular event notification, i.e., to prevent all devices
for that contact from receiving the notification:
 In the Notifications list, click on the notification.
 In the Contacts list, remove the checkmark from the check box next to the contact name.
To disable a particular communication device for a particular event notification,

i.e., to prevent the communication device from receiving the notification:
 In the Notifications list, click on the notification.
 In the Contacts list, remove the checkmark from the check box next to the communication
device.
2.13.1.6 E-mail Sequence of Events

A sequence of events sent by e-mail is received in HTML format and contains all the detailed
information you requested when you defined your event notifications. The information, which is
listed in chronological order, allows you to perform a first-glance analysis of the problem.
What follows is a typical sequence-of-events e-mail message:
2.13.1.7 SMS Summarized Sequence of Events

Small Message Service (SMS) messages are typically limited to 140 or 160 characters. Therefore,
the sequence of events information has to be summarized before it can be sent by SMS.
The SMS message body is:
TimeStart to TimeEnd on PointName (ValueAtTrig, ValueAtSend) 1:NbApp/NbRtn

2:NbApp/NbRtn 3:NbApp/NbRtn EventDescription
where:
 TimeStart is the timestamp at the beginning of the sequence of events. The format is:
hh:mm:ss.

 TimeEnd is the timestamp at the end of the sequence of events. The format is: hh:mm:ss.
 PointName (ValueAtTrig, ValueAtSend) is the name of the data point that triggered the event,
the value of the data point when the event was triggered, and the value of the data point when
the notification was sent (that is, at timestamp TimeEnd). If the event is not on a data point,
this section is not added to the SMS message.
 1:NbApp/NbRtn is the number of appearances and the number of returns to normal for priority
1 events.
2 events.
3 events.
 EventDescription is the description of the trigger event.
Examples:
 13:23:04 to 13:23:46 on VLY_IED07_SEL351_CBF041_STATUS (1,0)
1:1/1 2:0/0 3:0/0 CB F41 STATUS (IN101)
 13:23:04 to 13:23:34 1:1/0 2:0/0 3:0/0 The SMP Gateway and
Visual T&D server clocks are out of sync
2.13.1.8 Multiple event notifications management

As the Visual T&D event notification system was thought and implemented in a way to reduce the
number of messages sent to its bare minimum, it can be tricky to manage multiple event
notifications.
To make managing multiple event notifications much easier:

 Avoid duplication of trigger-contact pairs. If a trigger raises two or more notifications and
a same contact is configured for all concerned notifications, then only one message will be
sent to that contact. We recommend creating an independent notification for all common
triggers and leave only the different triggers in the original notifications.
2.14 Email Settings

Visual T&D has the ability to send electronic mail when predefined situations arise. For instance,
an email can be sent when an event is triggered on selected data points. In order to send event
notifications by email, you must provide Visual T&D with information about the mail server, also
called the SMTP server. You do this by setting up the e-mail settings.
To edit the mail settings:

 From the Tools menu, choose Mail Options.

Setting Description
Address Specifies the name or TCP/IP address of your SMTP server computer. For
information, see your systems administrator.
Port number Specifies the SMTP port number on the server computer. Typically, the port
number is 25. For information, see your system administrator.
Default Restores the default value of 25 in the Port number box.
User name Specifies the account user name for accessing the SMTP server. For
information, see your systems administrator.
Password Specifies the password for accessing the SMTP server. For information, see
your systems administrator.
Reply address Specifies the mailbox address of the Visual T&D administrator. The Test
command available from this window is performed by default on this address.
Delete Clear all fields and restores the default value of 25 in the Port number box.
Test Sends an email to the recipient you specified in the Reply address, in order to
test the SMTP server settings. Use this command to verify the settings before
committing the changes.
Table 2-38 Mail settings
2.15 Network Connection Options

Some functions in Visual T&D need to connect to a service provider through a network
connection. For instance, the event notification function has to connect to an SMTP server to send
an email, and the query scheduler has to connect to an FTP server to send a file on the network.
The local area network (LAN) is used as the default network. If there is no FTP or mail server
available on the LAN, you have to set the network connection options to make use of a phone line,
so that Visual T&D can access the mail server by modem.
To edit the network connection options:

 From the Tools menu, choose Network Connection Options.

Option Description
Connect using my Specifies that the local area network is used to access the SMTP or FTP server.
local area network
(LAN)
Connect using my Specifies that a modem is used to dial a remote network connection.
phone line
The list shows all the configured dial-up connections on the Visual T&D server
computer. Select the dial-up connection to be used. A modem has to be installed
on the Visual T&D server computer, if you want to use a dial-up connection.
User name This box is available only if you specified that you want to use a dial-up
connection. It specifies the user name for authentication on the remote network.
Password This box is available only if you specified that you want to use a dial-up
connection. It specifies the password for authentication on the remote network.
Table 2-39 Network connection options

3 Using Visual T&D Explorer
Once a site is properly configured, you can user Visual T&D Explorer to visualize your real-time
and historical data, manage alarms and events, perform control operations on output data points,
and much more.
3.1 The Views

As its name indicates, Visual T&D Explorer is a viewing tool. Its main function is to display
alarms and events as they occur, view states and measures in real time, and analyze the historical
data related to a power plant or substation.
Visual T&D Explorer provides you with several views of the data available in the substation:
 Use the Alarms and Events display to view analog and binary alarms and events.
 Use the Real-Time Data display to view a site’s states and measures in real time.
 Use the Historical Data display to analyze data over a given period of time.

You will use the tabs at the bottom of the main program window to select the current view.
3.2 The Status Bar

The status bar located at the bottom of the screen displays the status of the various system
components. The panels are described below, from left to right.
 The first panel indicates the status of the connection to the Visual T&D Server, which can be
one of the following:
 Not connected.
Explorer is not connected to the server.
 Connected (on a green background).
Explorer is connected to the server.
 Connecting… (on a red background).
Explorer is connecting to the server. The system may take some time to find the server on
the network, or the server may have stopped functioning, or the network connection may
have been lost.
 The second panel indicates, via the server icon, the status of the connection between the
Visual T&D Server and the data source.
If the icon is green, the server is properly connected to all its data sources.
 If the icon takes on another color, identify which data source is not started or is not connected
to Visual T&D, by looking at the Data Sources view in the Real-Time Data display. See
“The Data Sources View”, page 104.
 The third panel indicates the status of the Visual T&D Explorer program, between the
following:
 Server configuration has changed.
Indicates that another client computer has changed the site configuration. Visual T&D
stops updating the displays when it detects that the configuration has changed. When this
situation occurs, you can use the Get Latest Site Configuration From Server command
from the Site menu to restart the data acquisition and displays in Visual T&D Explorer.
 Overflow.
Indicates that Visual T&D Explorer is unable to process the information provided by the
server fast enough. When this occurs, the program displays are not up-to-date. This may
happen if a large number of data points are changing and Visual T&D Explorer is
connected to the server with a low speed connection.
 The fourth panel indicates the number of new unacknowledged alarms, on a red background.
 The fifth panel indicates your computer's current date and time.
3.3 Alarms and Events

The main function of Visual T&D Explorer is to display and manage the alarms and events that
occur on a site. The design of the Alarm and Events display is based on usability studies
performed with substation operators.
The display provides the following innovative features:
86 ● Chapter 3: Using Visual T&D Explorer

 The Alarms pane provides an ordered list that contains alarm conditions. The appearance and
disappearance of an alarm are indicated on the same display line. This innovative feature
makes it much easier to analyze the display. At a glance, you can determine whether the alarm
condition is still active or how long the condition lasted before returning to normal.
 The Events pane provides an ordered list of all alarms and events occurring in the substation.
Each event is displayed with all the information required to simplify the analysis of the
information and the location of faults.
 You can easily select a data point in the Alarms pane and access the associated notes,
operational details and historical trend data.
When you open Explorer, the program automatically displays the Alarms and Events view. You
can adjust the size of the two panes by using the mouse to drag the splitter bar separating the two
panes. You can choose the order in which the tabs are presented. You can also choose which
columns you want to display, and in which order. Lastly, you can choose which buttons will
appear on the toolbar, and in which order.
By default, the system displays the All Alarms page in the Alarms pane and the All Events page
in the Events pane, but you can display any combination of data pages by clicking on the
appropriate tabs.
For the Alarms pane:

 The All Alarms page shows the current state of the alarms in the site being monitored.
 The Permanent page displays the list of permanent alarms.
 The Blocked page displays the list of blocked alarms.
 The Silent page displays the list of alarms for which the sound has been disabled.
 The Notes page displays the notes associated with the point currently selected in one of the
other pages.

For the Events pane:

 The All Events page is a chronological list of the events that have taken place within the site.
 The Notes page displays the notes associated with the point currently selected in the All
Events page.
All the different pages are synchronized to the selected point. When you select a point by clicking
on it, it is displayed in yellow on a blue background. All other instances of this point are also
automatically selected, in all the other pages and in both panes. Once an alarm is selected, it can
then be acknowledged, blocked, put to silence or set as permanent (see “Managing Alarms”,
below).
In all alarm pages, you can select multiple alarms that are related to different data points, using the
Shift or Ctrl key. You can then manage the selected alarms simultaneously, instead of having
to repeat the same operation for each separate alarm.
Note: A multiple selection of alarms is visible in the event pane, in real-time data’ pages
and even in the site layout diagram, although it is not possible to alter the
selection in these views (the selection cannot be extended or reduced).
3.3.1 Managing Alarms

A data point may be configured to generate an event when it changes states or exceeds a threshold
value. More specifically, it may be configured to generate alarms that require specific user
attention and operations. Visual T&D can also generate system alarms to alert you to the fact that
the data log is full or that it has lost the connection with one of its data sources, for example.
Events are displayed on the All Events page, in their order of appearance. Alarms are displayed on
both the All Alarms and All Events pages, since alarms are also events.
3.3.1.1 How Visual T&D Explorer Processes the Appearance of Alarms

When an alarm condition is detected, Visual T&D performs the following actions:
 A sound warning system is turned on to let you know that an alarm condition has occurred,
unless the Chime Behavior point-specific setting of the alarm is set to None. If your
computer is not equipped with a sound card, the Visual T&D icon at the bottom of the screen
turns orange and starts blinking.
 The alarm condition is added to the All Alarms and All Events pages. A red symbol with the
letter "A" is displayed in the Event Icon column to indicate the appearance of the alarm
condition; for a system alarm, the Event Icon column shows a yellow circle with an
exclamation mark. Unless you have chosen not to display the Active, Ack and Priority
columns, an X appears in the Active column to indicate that the alarm is active, the Priority
column indicates whether the alarm has priority 1, 2 or 3, and the Ack box is empty to show
that you have not yet acknowledged the alarm. The color of the display line indicates the
severity of the alarm, with high priority alarms shown in red, medium priority in orange, and
low priority in yellow.
3.3.1.2 Acknowledging Alarms

When an alarm occurs, you must first clear the sound warning system, if active, before you can
acknowledge the alarm. The sound warning system also acts as an interlock, ensuring that you are
aware of all the alarms that occur.
To acknowledge alarms:
 Click Clear Sound to clear the sound warning system.

 Depending on the Server Management options you have selected, you can:
 Click Ack & Clear All to acknowledge all new alarms and clear the alarm display of all
data points that have returned to their normal condition.
OR
 Click Ack Oldest to individually acknowledge each alarm, beginning with the oldest.
OR
 Select one or more particular alarms and click Acknowledge, in order to acknowledge a
specific alarm. Whenever you acknowledge an alarm, an X is displayed in the ACK box,
to indicate that the alarm has been acknowledged, and the entire line turns a paler shade
of its original color.
The data points that are in an alarm condition remain in the alarm display until the condition
disappears, at which time you can clear them from the display.
3.3.1.3 How Visual T&D Explorer Processes the Disappearance of Alarms

Visual T&D also notifies you when the alarm condition returns to normal.
For Latched alarms:

 The sound warning system is turned on again, unless the Chime Behavior point-specific
setting of the alarm is set to None.
 The red "A" symbol beside the data point is replaced by a green "R" symbol, to let you know
that the alarm condition has returned to normal; for a system alarm, the yellow circle with the
exclamation mark becomes a green circle with an exclamation mark. The entire line also turns
green. Furthermore, the X disappears from the Active column.
For Unlatched alarms:

 The sound warning is unchanged, or turned off if it was the last active alarm triggering the
chime.
 The alarm is acknowledged and cleared automatically.
 An event informs you about the automatic “Ack & Clear”.
3.3.1.4 Acknowledging the Disappearance of Alarms

You must once again clear the sound, if active, before you acknowledge that the alarm condition
has returned to normal. You can then clear the alarm point so that it is no longer displayed in the
All Alarms page.
To acknowledge the disappearance of alarms:

 Click Clear Sound to clear the sound warning system.
 Depending on the Server Management options you have selected, you can:
 Click Ack & Clear All to acknowledge all alarms and clear the alarm display of all data
points that have returned to their normal condition.
OR
 Click Ack Oldest to individually acknowledge each alarm, beginning with the oldest and
click Clear Oldest to individually clear each alarm, beginning with the oldest.
OR

 Select one or more particular alarms and click Acknowledge, in order to acknowledge a
specific alarm; then click Clear in order to clear the alarm display of the data point that
has returned to normal.
Note that some alarms can never be deactivated or never return to normal. You can acknowledge
the alarm, but you cannot clear it from the display. Also, the X never disappears from the ACK
box.
3.3.1.5 Multiple Alarm Occurrences

Alarms are displayed differently on the All Alarms and All Events pages. On the All Alarms
page, alarm appearances and disappearances are displayed on the same line, as are multiple
instances of an alarm. When an alarm appears and disappears more than once without being
cleared, the "A" or the "R" symbol in the column indicating the state of the alarm has an "X" in the
bottom right corner. This makes it easy for you to distinguish between single and multiple alarms,
since multiple appearances and disappearances are always displayed on the same line.
On the All Events page, every alarm appearance, acknowledge and recall is displayed on a new
line.
3.3.2 Alarm Filter Attributes

You can use the Alarm and Events toolbar to assign filter attributes to selected alarms. Alarms
that share the same filter attribute are then displayed in their own page.
Alarm filter attributes are described below.
3.3.2.1 Silent Alarms

Silent alarms are alarms that do not activate a sound warning when triggered, regardless of the
chime behavior. They are displayed on the All Alarms page as well as on the Silent page.
3.3.2.2 Blocked Alarms

You may want to temporarily ignore an alarm for a particular data point. You achieve this by
assigning the Blocked filter attribute to the alarm. The alarm is transferred to the Blocked page
until you unblock the alarm, at which point it is transferred back to the All Alarms page.
3.3.2.3 Permanent Alarms

You usually attribute the Permanent alarm filter attribute to long-lasting alarms that you want to
remove from the Alarms pages. When you attribute the Permanent filter attribute to an alarm, it is
displayed on the Permanent page. If you want it to continue to be displayed on the All Alarms
page while it is displayed on the Permanent page, remove the checkmark from the Exclude
permanent alarms check box on the Alarms and Events toolbar.
A permanent alarm remains active as long as there hasn’t been a return to normal. Once the alarm
returns to normal, it automatically disappears from the Permanent page, and from the All Alarms
page if applicable. The change in state or transition is displayed on the All Events page.
3.3.3 User Events

Users can add their own events to the Visual T&D event log, to log tasks, comments and actions
related to their work. As opposed to events that are automatically generated by Visual T&D, user
events can be modified later.
Only users who have the User can create user events and modify its own events privilege can
create and modify user events. An additional privilege allows users to modify events created by
other users. To learn how to grant user event privilege to user account, refer to the Visual T&D
Installation Guide.

User events can be created and modified through Visual T&D Explorer, but can also be created
via a Visual T&D diagram. To learn how to add user event generation shapes to a diagram, refer to
the Visual T&D Diagram Editor User Guide and the Visual T&D Basic Shapes Library Reference
Manual.
The following sections explain how to add a new user event to the Visual T&D event log, and how
to view and update the details of such an event later.
3.3.3.1 Adding a New User Event to Visual T&D’s Event Log

In Visual T&D Explorer, you can create a new user event through the Alarms and Events view.
To add a new user event to Visual T&D’s event log:

 Select the Alarms and Events view tab.
 From the Tools menu, choose Create User Log Event.
 Type the event description in the main text box.

 If the event occurred in the past, change the event date and time.
Note: The event date and time cannot be modified later. As events cannot be deleted,
make sure you enter the right date and time.
 If required, type a reference number or short description in the Reference box, for quick
reference purposes.
 Click Create.
The new user event is added to Visual T&D’s event log.
3.3.3.2 Modifying an Existing User Event

User events are displayed along other Visual T&D events in the Alarm and Events and
Historical Data Query views, where they can be modified.
Note: Events that are automatically generated by Visual T&D cannot be modified.

To modify an existing user event:

 Select the event to modify in either page of the Alarm and Events view, or in the Query tab
of the Historical Data view.
 From the Tools menu, choose Event Properties.
 In the Events window, click Modify.
The Modify User Log Event window appears, displaying the event’s current description and
reference information, along with the history of all modifications that were made to the event.
 Edit the event description as required.

 If necessary, edit the reference information.
 Click Modify.
3.3.4 The Alarms and Events Toolbar

The Alarms and Events toolbar is located at the top of the screen. It allows you to see at a glance
the zones in which alarms have occurred, how many silent, blocked, permanent, new, and active
alarms there are, and how many points are being monitored in the site.
Note: You can also choose which buttons you want on the toolbar and in which order
(refer to the Visual T&D Installation Guide).

Command / Description
Indicator
Disable Sound Put a checkmark to disable the workstation sound warning system. This setting
does not act on the relay when used on the SMP 16/SP Substation Processor.
Exclude permanent If you put a checkmark, alarms marked as permanent will not be displayed on
alarms the All Alarms page.
Show events If you clear the Show events check box, the Events pane is removed and only
the Alarms pane remains. You can also manage the panes by dragging the
splitter bar with the mouse.
Silent Put a checkmark to disable the sound warning system for the selected alarm(s).
The field to the right indicates, on a red background, how many alarm points
currently have a Silent status. The list of all the silent alarms is displayed on the
Silent page.
Blocked Put a checkmark to assign a blocked status to the selected alarm(s).

currently have a Blocked status. The list of all the blocked alarms is displayed
on the Blocked page.
Permanent Put a checkmark to assign a permanent status to the selected alarm(s).

currently have a Permanent status. The list of all the permanent alarms is
displayed on the Permanent page.
New Indicates, on a red background, how many new unacknowledged alarms are
currently displayed in the All Alarms page.
Active Indicates, on a red background, how many alarms are currently active in the site
being monitored.
Monitored Indicates how many data points in the site are being monitored by Visual T&D,
including all physical data points from all data sources, logical data points
within Visual T&D, and system data points.
Clear Sound Stops the sound warning system that is set off whenever a new alarm is
triggered. Pressing the Clear Sound button stops the sound (or the blinking, if
you do not have a sound card), even if there is more than one new alarm.
The sound must be cleared before you can acknowledge or clear alarms.
Ack & Clear All Globally acknowledges and clears all alarms and "returns to normal" that are
displayed in the Alarms view.
You cannot acknowledge or recall an alarm before you have cleared the sound.
Ack Oldest Acknowledges the oldest unacknowledged alarm in the Alarms view.
You cannot acknowledge an alarm before you have cleared the sound.
Clear Oldest Clears the oldest alarm in the Alarms view that has returned to normal.
You cannot clear an alarm that has returned to normal before you have cleared
the sound.
Acknowledge Acknowledges the selected alarm in the Alarms view.
Clear Clears the selected alarm in the Alarms view. This button is not available
unless you have first acknowledged the alarm.

Table 3-1 Alarms and Events toolbar commands and indicators
To assign a special status to an alarm:

 Click on the alarm in the All Alarms page.
 On the Alarms and Events toolbar, click in the Silent, Blocked or Permanent check box.
The number next to the box on which you clicked is incremented by 1, to show that a new
alarm has been silenced, blocked or made permanent. The alarm appears on the Silent,
Blocked or Permanent page. It also disappears from the All Alarms page, unless it is a
permanent alarm and you have removed the checkmark from the Exclude permanent alarms
check box.
To remove an alarm from a special status page:

 Click on the alarm on the Silent, Blocked or Permanent page.
 On the Alarms and Events toolbar, click in the Silent, Blocked or Permanent check box.
The alarm disappears from the Silent, Blocked or Permanent page, and reappears on the All
Alarms pages. The number of alarms in the corresponding box on the Alarms and Events
toolbar is decremented by 1.
3.3.5 The Site Layout Diagram

The site layout in the top right hand corner of the screen pictorially represents the position of data
points and the status of alarms by zone.
Alarms are displayed in four different colors:

 Red.
Indicates that there is at least one active, unacknowledged alarm in the zone.
 Pink.
Indicates that there is at least one active alarm in the zone, but all of the alarms have been
acknowledged.
 Green.
Indicates that there are no active alarms in the zone, but that some alarms that have returned
to normal have not been acknowledged.
 White.
Indicates that there are no active alarms in the zone and that all alarms and returns to normal
have been acknowledged.
A black line in a zone indicates the zone in which the currently selected point is located.
Note: The zone to the far left of the site layout (surrounded by a dotted line) is the
default zone to which those points not associated with any particular zone in the
site configuration are assigned.

3.3.6 The All Alarms Page

As its name indicates, the All Alarms page lists all the alarms on the site. At a glance, you can:
 see which alarms are currently active and where they are located on the site;
 see which alarms have occurred once and which have had multiple occurrences;
 see which alarms have returned to normal but have not been cleared;
 see the date and time at which the alarm’s state last changed;
(This means that the alarm timestamp is updated when the alarm becomes active, or when it
returns to normal. It is not updated when it is set as blocked, silent or permanent.)
 see the status of an alarm; (Is it silent, does it have a note or a detail file associated with it?)
 see whether the alarm has been acknowledged;
 see whether the alarm is still active.
A specific set of columns is displayed by default. You can change the default display by adding or
removing columns. However, you cannot remove the description, date or time. The procedure for
modifying the display is outlined under “Customizing the Alarms and Events Display”, page 99.
Column Description
Status Indicates the statuses of the alarm:
 P (Permanent alarm; only if Exclude permanent alarms is not selected)
 S (Silent alarm)
 N (There is a note associated with the point)
 D (There is a detail file associated with the alarm)
Event Icon Displays an icon indicating the type of event that caused the alarm, whether the
alarm has appeared or disappeared, and whether the alarm has occurred more
than once without being acknowledged.
Active An X means that the alarm is active. The absence of an X means that the alarm
is inactive.
ACK An X means that the alarm has been acknowledged. The absence of an X means
that the alarm has not been acknowledged.
Priority Displays the priority of the alarm: 1, 2 or 3, where 1 is the highest priority.
Description Displays the description of the alarm. For an analog alarm, the field also shows
the threshold value that has just been exceeded. Bad quality alarms are also
shown for all data point types; that is, the description is replaced with an
indication that the data point quality is bad.
Name Displays the name of the point.

Column Description
Value Displays the value of the data point, such as On, Off, Open or Closed, at the
moment when the alarm last changed states, appeared or disappeared.
Date Specifies the date on which the alarm was activated or has returned to normal.
If the alarm has returned to normal, the date on which the alarm was activated
can be obtained by subtracting the value displayed by the Duration value (see
below) from the Date value.
Time Specifies the precise time, to within a millisecond, at which the alarm was
activated or returned to normal. The time contains an "*" next to the
millisecond field if it does not originate from a precision source that is
synchronized via IRIG-B or GPS.
If the alarm has returned to normal, the time at which the alarm was activated
can be obtained by subtracting the value displayed by the Duration value (see
below) from the Time value.
Duration Indicates the duration of the alarm. This duration value is only valid when the
alarm has returned to normal.
Position Contains a reduced-scale version of the site layout, showing the location of the
point within the site.
A blue bar to the left of the mini-diagram indicates that the point belongs to the
zone currently selected in the site layout at the top of the page.
State Icon Displays an icon representing the current status of the binary data point that
caused an alarm to be generated.
Type Icon Indicates more specifically what caused the alarm, such as the fact that a power
threshold was exceeded.
Table 3-2 All Alarms page columns
Note: Even if an alarm is triggered several times, the time used to sort the alarms on
the All Alarms page is that at which the alarm first appeared.
3.3.7 Colors on the Alarms Pages

Alarms are displayed in several different colors:
 Red.
Indicates that the alarm has top priority (URGENT) and has not yet been acknowledged.
 Orange.
Indicates that the alarm has second priority (NORMAL) and has not yet been acknowledged.
 Yellow.
Indicates that the alarm has third priority (NON-PRIORITY) and has not yet been
acknowledged.
 Green.
Indicates that the alarm has returned to normal.
 Blue.
Indicates that the alarm is currently selected.
A paler shade of the original color indicates that the alarm has been acknowledged.
A gray line is used to separate groups of alarms that occurred more than 1 second apart.

Note: Even if you are in the Real-Time Data or Historical Data display or are in editing
mode, the sound system will still sound as soon as a new alarm is triggered or
there is a return to normal (unless alarms are configured otherwise via the Chime
Behavior point-specific setting). Moreover, the number of new alarms will be
displayed in red in the status bar at the bottom of the screen.
3.3.8 The All Events Page

The All Events page displays a chronological list of the events that have occurred on a site. All
alarms are events.
Each line in the display represents a single state change or transition. All the events associated
with the currently selected data point are displayed in blue.
A gray line is used to separate groups of events that occurred more than one second apart.
A specific set of columns is displayed by default. You can change the default display by adding or
removing columns. However, you cannot remove the description, date or time. The procedure for
modifying the display is outlined under “Customizing the Alarms and Events Display”, page 99.
Column Description
Alarm Icon Displays the icon that represents the type of alarm, if the displayed event is an
alarm.
Event Icon Displays the icon that represents the type of event that took place.
Description Displays the description of the point or alarm. For an analog alarm, the field
also shows the threshold value that has just been exceeded.
Name Displays the name of the point.
Value Displays the state of the data point, such as closed, enabled or false.
Date Indicates the date on which the alarm was activated or returned to normal.
Time Indicates the precise time, to within a millisecond, at which the alarm was
activated or returned to normal. The time contains an "*" if it does not originate
from a precision source that is synchronized via IRIG-B or GPS.
Time Frame Indicates the time interval that separates the event from the previous event on
that point.
Position Contains a reduced scale version of the site layout showing the location of the
point within the site.
A blue bar to the left of the mini-diagram indicates that the point belongs to the
zone currently selected in the site layout at the top of the page.
State Icon Displays an icon representing the current status of the binary data point that
caused an alarm to be generated.

Column Description
Type Icon Indicates more specifically what caused the alarm, such as the fact that a power
threshold was exceeded.
Alarm Icon Displays an image of an alarm if the event generated an alarm.
Table 3-3 All Events page columns
3.3.9 Viewing and Adding Notes to Alarms

You can associate a Note with a data point selected in one of the Alarms and Events pages.
These notes are information messages that the operators and the maintenance staff can exchange
among themselves. Notes are stored on the server and are shared by all the connected clients.
The letter "N" in the Status column of the Alarm display indicates that there is a note associated
with the data point.
To view the note associated with a data point:

 Click on the data point in the one of the Alarms and Events pages to select it.
 Click on the Notes tab to display the notes page.
To edit the note associated with an alarm:

 From the Edit menu, choose Edit Note to activate the Notes page and enable text editing.
The note is automatically saved when you change the display page or the data point.
3.3.10 Viewing Alarm Details

An alarm data point may have an associated description or operating procedure that you can
consult.
The letter "D" in the Status column of the Alarms display indicates that there are additional
details associated with the data point.
To view the details associated with a data point:

 From the View menu, choose Details.
3.3.11 Viewing Event Properties

The description of some events, notably user events, may be too long to be fully displayed in the
various event pages of the Alarms and Events view.
You can view the entire description of an event by displaying its properties in the Events window.
Note: User events can also be modified through the same window. For additional
information, see “Modifying an Existing User Event”, page 91.
To view the properties of an event:

 Click on the event in the one of the Alarms and Events pages to select it.

 From the Tools menu, choose Event Properties.
The Events window appears and displays the event description, along with the date and time
of occurrence of the event.
 If you want to view the properties of other events, use the Previous and Next buttons.
3.3.12 Customizing the Alarms and Events Display

You can modify how the information is displayed in the Alarms and Events panes according to
your preferences:
To customize the Alarms and Events display:

 Click on the pane you want to customize.
 Select the Alarms and Events tab.

Control Description
Modify Used to modify the character font used to display the information.
Automatically Automatically adjusts the column width. The width of the columns will be
adjust column width calculated automatically to occupy the width of the window. If you select this
option, you will be unable to manually adjust the width of the columns.
Table 3-4 Display Options window: Alarms and Events tab controls
3.3.12.1 Configuring the Tabs

The Tab Configuration window displays all the tabs that are currently in either the Alarms or
Events pane.
To display the window:

 Click in either the Alarms or Events pane.
 In the View menu, point to Alarm And Events, and then click Tabs.
Control Description
Tab list Lists the names of the tabs currently displayed in the Alarms or Events pane.
The system tabs are created by default, and cannot be edited or removed.
System tabs are: All Alarms, All Events, Permanent, Disabled, Silent, and
Notes.
Moves the selected tab up in the tab list.
Moves the selected tab down in the tab list.
New Adds a new tab to the selected pane.
Delete Deletes a tab from the selected pane. Note, however, that system tabs cannot be
deleted.
Properties Displays the properties of the selected tab in the list. The button is not available
for system tabs.
Table 3-5 Alarm and Event Tabs Configuration window controls
The Tab Properties window is used to specify the properties of new and existing tabs in the
Alarms and Events view. You can customize a filter such that a particular tab will display only
certain categories of alarms and events.

To display the window:

 Click New or Properties in the Tab Configuration window.
Note that the Properties button is available only for tabs that you add; the button is not
available for the standard tabs.
Name Name of the tab being created or edited.
Filter This tree structure contains alarm and event categories to be displayed on the
current tab.
For the list of alarm and event categories and subcategories available in
Visual T&D, see “Alarm and Event Categories”, page 71.
Table 3-6 Alarm tab properties
3.3.12.2 Choosing the Columns to Display for Each Tab

You can customize any alarm and event tabs by choosing which column of information is
displayed, and in which order you want them. The Columns window displays the columns
configuration for the selected tab.
To modify the column configuration for a given tab:

 Click on a tab in the Alarms and Events view.
 In the View menu, click Alarms and Events, and then click Columns.

Control Description
Available data items Shows the list of data items that are available for display. The data items are
different, depending on whether you click on an Alarms or Events tab.
Select available data Use this drop-down list to choose which data items to include in the list of
items from Available data items.
 All Data Items.
Includes both alarm and event configuration information items, as well as
information that changes in real-time.
 Configuration Information.
Consists of the data items related to alarms and event management, such as
the type icons and the event icons you defined through the various pages in
the Site display when you edited the site configuration.
See “Defining Miscellaneous Categories”, page 22.

 Real-Time Information.
Consists of the data items that change in real time, namely: acknowledged
state (ACK), active, duration, position, state icon and value.
Add Click on an item in the list of Available data items, and then click this button
to add the item to the Show columns in this order list.
Remove Click on an item in the Show columns in this order list, and then click this
button to remove the item from the list.
Note that you cannot remove the description, date or time.
Default Click this button to choose the default group of columns, in the default order.
Show columns in Contains the list of data items that will be included in the Alarms and Events
this order view, and the order in which they will appear.
Move Up Click on an item in the Show columns in this order list, and click one of these
Move Down 2 buttons to move the item up or down in the list, so as to change the order in
which the columns are to be displayed.

Control Description
Lock view settings If you put a checkmark in this box, the view will always show the columns you
selected, in the order you specified. The display will remain the same, even if
you subsequently make a global change to all alarm and event views using the
Apply To All Views button.
Apply To All Views Click this button to apply the current column settings to all your alarm and
event views, except those for which you locked the settings via the Lock view
settings box.
Table 3-7 Alarms and Event Columns window controls
3.3.13 Printing the Window Contents

You can print the contents of the various Alarms and Events views. Only the contents of the
active window are printed. If the window is split in two, you can distinguish the active window by
the dark blue border just below the tabs at the top of the page.
To activate a window and print its contents:

 Click on the tab of the window, in order to activate it.
 From the File menu, choose Print.
To obtain a preview of the window contents before printing:

 From the File menu, choose Print Preview.
3.4 Real-Time Data

The Real-Time Data display allows you to view the state of a site, in real time.

The left pane has a tree structure, which allows you to choose a particular real-time view, while
the right pane displays the view you request via the tree structure. The tree structure includes the
following items and folders:
 The Data Sources view allows you to see the current status of each data source you have
defined: whether the data source is started, whether it is connected to Visual T&D, how many
data points it has, and so on.
 The Real-Time Trends folder allows you to view charts of the states or sampled values of
data points, as they occur.
 The Site Layouts folder displays the various zones in your site and allows you to see, at a
glance, the real-time values of the important data points.
 The Table Views folder contains various views that display your data points in tabular
format.
Contrary to the Alarms and Events view, which displays only those points that generate alarms
and events, the Real-Time Data views display the real-time values of the requested data points,
regardless of whether or not they generate alarms or events.
3.4.1 The Data Sources View

The Data Sources view allows you to see the current status of the data sources you have defined.
This view can be useful in establishing which data source is causing a problem when, for example,
the server icon on the Windows taskbar shows that the server is not connected to all its sources.
To display the Data Sources view:

 In the Real-Time Views List, select the Data Sources branch.
3.4.1.1 Reconnecting to an SMP Gateway Data Source

To access an SMP Gateway data source, the Visual T&D server must authenticate itself using
account credentials that are specified when the SMP Gateway is added to the site configuration as
a data source.
If the SMP Gateway account passwords are changed, the Visual T&D server will no longer be
able to connect to the SMP Gateway, unless the corresponding password is updated in the site
configuration settings.
To prevent the SMP Gateway from locking out the account used the Visual T&D server, the latter
do not automatically try to reconnect to the SMP Gateway when access is denied: a Visual T&D
user must force the reconnection manually.

To manually reconnect to an SMP Gateway data source:

 In the Real-Time Data Sources view, right-click the disconnected SMP Gateway (the one
whose Connection Status is Access Denied), and then click Reconnect.
If the Visual T&D server is still unable to reconnect to the SMP Gateway, make sure you specified
the correct Login ID and Password in the site configuration for this SMP Gateway (see
“Configuring the Data Sources”, page 7).
3.4.2 The Real-Time Trends Folder

The Real-Time Trends folder contains only one entry, labeled Default. You can add other views
if you so choose. Each view allows you to monitor measures and state changes in real time. The
information is displayed in the form of a dynamic chart. You can monitor up to four points
simultaneously, for a specified period of time.
To display the view:

 In the Real-Time Trends folder, select the Default branch.
This displays an empty view, with the trending toolbar, which you will use to choose the data
points you want to plot and the time frame for which you want to chart the data.
3.4.2.1 The Trending Toolbar

The Trending toolbar below the graph contains the following controls that you will use to select
the contents of the display.
Control Description
The Add data points to chart button.
Adds or removes data points from the chart.

Control Description
The Display properties button.
Displays a window in which you can set the display properties,
such as the background color and grid.
The Show or hide legend button.

Displays or hides the chart legend. This button appears on the
toolbar only after you have selected the data points.
Time range text box.

Specifies the width of the display, in time units.
Time units button.

Specifies the type of time units (minutes, hours or days).
Point list selection box.

If the current set of points displayed in this chart corresponds to
a Visual T&D point list, the name of this list is displayed in this
box; otherwise, this box shows <Undefined>.
Users can also use this box to select a new list of points to
display in the chart.
Note: The “(L)” suffix is appended to the name of local point lists; the
“(S)” suffix, to the name of server point lists.
Save Point List button.

Saves the current set of points displayed in the chart as a local
point list; this list must be saved to the Visual T&D server, using
the Point List Manager, before it that can be reused in other
Visual T&D Explorer features.
Edit Point List button.

Allows users to modify the point list currently used in this chart,
by adding or removing data points.
Note: To modify the color assigned to a point in a specific list, simply
change it on the graph; the new color choice will be saved with
the list and will be applied in all graphs that use the same list.
Table 3-8 Trending toolbar controls
3.4.2.2 Selecting Data Points

When you click the Add data points to chart button on the toolbar, the program displays a
window in which you can choose the points you want included in the chart and the colors in which
you want the data plotted.

Control Description
Point List box.
Allows users to select data points from a user-defined point list.
When Point List is set to <Undefined>, it means that the points
that are currently selected do not exactly correspond to the exact
content of an actual user-defined point list.

Saves the current set of points displayed in the graph as a local
point list; this list must be saved to the Visual T&D server, using
the Point List Manager, before it that can be reused in other
Visual T&D Explorer features.
Clicking this button opens the Point List window, where you can
further edit the content of the list, give it a name and a
description, and then save it on the local computer.

Allows users to modify the selected point list.
Available points The list of all the data points available on the site. Binary points
are displayed in blue, while analog points are displayed in
green.
Filter Filters the Available points list by name. All data points
containing the text written in the box will appear in the list.

Control Description
Group settings Displays the Group Settings tab of the Display Options
window, which you can use to group the data points differently,
thereby changing the order in which the points are presented in
the Available points list.
Selected points A list of the data points to be plotted on the chart.
Add Adds the selected point to the list of points to be plotted.
Remove Removes the selected point from the list of points to be plotted.
Remove All Removes all the data points from the list of selected points.
Color Selects the color in which the point to be added will be plotted.
Table 3-9 Add Points to Chart window controls
3.4.2.3 Selecting a Time Frame

To specify the time period for which you want to view your data:
 From the Trending toolbar, click the Time units button to choose Minutes, Hours, or Days,
and then click OK.
 Back on the Trending toolbar, type the width of the display, in the selected time units, in the
Time range text box.
The display is updated automatically.
3.4.2.4 Changing the Display Properties

Visual T&D uses default colors to display the graph background and grid.
To change the display properties:

 Click on the Display properties button on the Trending toolbar.
 To use display colors other than default ones:

 Clear the Use default colors check box.

 Click on the appropriate color box.
The program displays a color chart from which you can select the color in which you
want the chart background and grid displayed.
 To add or remove grid lines:
 Clear or select the Vertical and Horizontal check boxes.
 To use the same scale for data points which values are displayed with the same units:
 Select Use same scale for data point with same units.
3.4.2.5 The Chart Legend

The points that you selected to be plotted in the chart are displayed in a legend at the bottom of the
page. The legend provides additional information on the plotted data and controls that can be used
to set the color and scaling.
Column Description
Point Specifies the name of the point.
Low EGU Specifies the minimum value, in engineering units, that is currently visible on
the chart.
High EGU Specifies the maximum value, in engineering units, that is currently visible on
the chart.
Color Specifies color in which the data is plotted for the point. Click this button to
display a window to change the plot color.
Scaling Specifies the type of scaling used for the vertical axis, between the following:
 Automatic.
The scaling is automatically set to fit the minimum and maximum values
reached.
Note: If Use same scale for data point with the same units is selected, all data points
that have the same unit are considered to set the scale.
 Custom.
You set the scaling of the vertical axis by double-clicking the
Min. Scale and Max. Scale cells and entering the desired values.
Min. Scale Specifies the lower and upper limits of the vertical scale. These limits can be
Max. Scale changed if Scaling is set to Custom, by double-clicking them.
Transitions Indicates the number of transitions in the curve.
R. Scale When selected, displays the vertical scale of the corresponding point on the
right side of the chart.
Table 3-10 Real-time trend chart legend columns
You can select a point in the legend by clicking on it with the mouse. The name of the point and
the units in which it is expressed are displayed in the top left-hand corner of the graph. The
vertical scale on the graph is automatically adjusted to correspond to the selected point. If the Use
the same scale for items with the same units setting is selected, the curves having the same unit
will be updated to comply with the new vertical scale. Other curves are displayed according to
their respective scale.
The bottom left-hand corner of the chart shows the chart start time, while the right-hand corner
shows your PC current time. The horizontal scale shows the time increments between the current

PC time and the chart start time. For example, if you ask for a plot of the last 10 minutes and the
current time on your PC is 4:08 p.m., the left side of the chart will show 15:58:00, the right side
will show 16:08:00, and the horizontal scale will be divided into 10 sections, each showing a 1-
minute increment in time, i.e., 15:58:00, 15:59:00, 16:00:00, and so on. The start time, PC time,
and horizontal scale increments all change dynamically as the time on your PC changes; so you
always see the last 10 minutes relative to your PC time. It is, therefore, important to note that if the
data source is not synchronized, the data display could be erratic, since the start time could be later
than the PC time.
To display or hide the chart legend:

 Click on the Show or hide legend button, on the Trending toolbar.
3.4.3 The Site Layouts Folder

The Site Layouts folder contains only one entry, labeled Default. This view shows the site layout
and displays the names and current values of the points you assigned to each zone.
You can view your site and see, at a glance, the current states and values of the important data
points.
The mini-site layout at the top right-hand corner of the screen pictorially represents the position of
data points and the status of alarms by zone.
To display the default site layout view:

 In the Site Layouts folder, select the Default branch.
3.4.4 The Table Views Folder

The Table Views folder contains three folders:
 The Server Views folder is used to define views that will be stored on the Visual T&D server
and shared by all users. Note that you require site configuration editing privileges to create

server views.
If you are upgrading from a previous version and had defined state pages in that version,
Visual T&D will automatically convert your state pages into server views.
If you are not upgrading from a previous version, the folder will contain the following default
views: All Data Points, Analog Inputs, Analog Outputs, Binary Inputs, and Binary
Outputs.
For additional information, see “Configuring Binary Points”, page 36, and
 The Topology views are created when you define regions, substations, IEDs, and so on, via
the Categories tab, and then assign your binary and analog points to these categories when
you edit your site configuration. There is one view per category. You cannot modify these
views. Each of them lists all the data points that fall into the particular category. Note that
there will be no Topology folder if you have not defined the topology of your site.
For additional information, see “Defining Miscellaneous Categories”, page 22.

 You use the User Views folder to define views that will be stored on your own workstation
and to which only you will have access.
As their name implies, table views show data in tabular format. You can create any number of
customized views. For example, you may want to view all binary output points, and perhaps you
only want to see the name of each data point, its current value, and its binary state icon. Or then
again, you may want to view all the points associated with a distribution line or a transformer.
In the example below, we have created a user view of all analog input points that have a priority
of 2.
Data points are normally listed in black. If the status of a data point is doubtful, the point is
displayed in red. The state of a data point can become uncertain if there is a problem
communicating with the data source or if there is a failure associated with the data point.
The information for a data point is displayed on a white background if the state of a binary point
has not changed since the last transition reset (i.e. when its transition counter was zero). The

background is gray if there was at least one transition on the data point. The exact number of
transitions is shown in the Counter column.
The currently selected data point is displayed in yellow and highlighted in blue.
3.4.4.1 Creating a Customized View

Customized views can be created and either stored on the Visual T&D server or on the local
computer.
To create a customized server or user view:

 In the left pane, select the Server Views or User Views branch, depending on the type of
view you want to create.
 In the View menu, point to Real-Time Views, then to New, and then click Table View.
A table of all the data points on your site automatically appears in the right pane, showing all
known information for every data point, and a new item is added to the tree structure, labeled
New Table View.
 Assign a meaningful name to the table view.
3.4.4.2 Applying a Filter

You probably do not want to see all information for all data points. To identify the information
you want to display, you will use a filter.
To establish a filter for the desired information:

 In the View menu, point to Real-Time Views, and then click Filter.
The Filter box appears above the table view, in the right pane.
 If you want to include only data points that contain certain characters in their name, such as
L3 or 025, type the characters in the Name contains text box, and then click Apply.
The table view appears, showing only the data points with names containing the characters
you specified.
 If you want to specify other selection criteria, click Advanced.
The Advanced Filter box appears, showing the filter criterion you previously applied, i.e.,
data points with certain characters in the name.
 Click Add, to add a new criterion to the list.
The Define Filter window appears, showing the list of available data items, namely:
 All properties and categories that can be assigned to a data point.
See “Configuring Binary Points”, page 36.

See “Configuring Analog Points”, page 39.
 All data items that change in real time: date, time, reading, scaled reading, state, and
transition counter.

 Click on an object in the list, and enter the desired value in the Contains box.
In the example above, we requested data points with a Breaker Operation control type.
 If you want to see the list of data points in order to make a more specific selection, select
<Data point list> and click Data Points.
This displays the Add Data Points to Filter window, which is the same as the data point
selection window of the Real-Time Trends view, and allows predefined point list
selection, except that it offers no color selection (see “Selecting Data Points”, page 106).
 Once you have specified your selection criterion, click OK.
The filter criterion gets added to the active filters. In our example, we have two active
filters.
 If you want to add yet another criterion, click Add again, and repeat the process.
 Once you have finished specifying all selection criteria, click Advanced to make the
Advanced Filter box disappear.
 In the Filter box, click Apply.
The table view appears, showing all the data points that met your selection criteria.

To make the filter disappear from above the table view:

 In the View menu, point to Real-Time Views, and then click Filter.
OR
 Click on the X located at the top right-hand corner of the filter box.
3.4.4.3 Showing and Resetting the Transition Counters

The Counter column is used to display the number of changes that have occurred on the data
points since the counters were last reset. Counting is done locally, in Visual T&D Explorer, and
not on the server. Data points that have undergone changes are displayed on a gray background.
You can control whether or not these transitions will be shown for binary data points.
To toggle on and off, the counting and displaying of state changes for binary data
points:
 In the View menu, point to Real-Time Views, and then click Show Transitions.
To reset the transition counters of all the data points:

 In the View menu, point to Real-Time Views, and then click Reset Transition Counters.
3.4.4.4 Choosing the Columns to Display in a Table View

You decide which data you want to display in a table view, and in what order to position the
columns.
To choose the columns to display in a table view:

 In the left pane, select the view branch.
 In the View menu, point to Real-Time Views, and then click Columns.

Control Description
Available data items Shows the list of data items that are available for display.
 All Data Items.
Includes both data point configuration information and information that
changes in real-time.
 Configuration Information.
Consists of the data items that are available when you configure the data
points.
See “Configuring Binary Points”, page 36.

See “Configuring Analog Points”, page 39.
 Real-Time Information.
Consists of the data items that change in real time, namely: date, time,
reading, scaled reading, quality and state.
Note that you cannot remove the name of the data point or the transition counter
from the list.
Show columns in Contains the list of data items that will be included in the table view.
this order
Move Down two buttons to move the item up or down in the list, so as to change the order in

Control Description
Lock view settings If you put a checkmark in this box, the table view will always show the columns
you selected, in the order you specified. The display will remain the same even
if you subsequently make a global change to all views using the Apply To All
Views button.
Apply To All Views Click this button to apply the current column settings to all your table views,
except those for which you locked the settings via the Lock view settings box.
Table 3-11 Table View Columns window controls
3.4.4.5 Sorting Data in a Table View

There are two ways to sort data in a table view:
 Simple sort (sorting by a single column).
This is the standard way to sort the list of items in a grid (see “Sorting Grid Items by a
Particular Column”, page 34).
 Advanced sort (sorting by up to 3 columns).
To perform advanced sorting:

 In the left pane, click on the name of the view you want to sort.
 In the View menu, point to Real-Time Views, and then click Sort.
Control Description
Sort by Each of these drop-down lists shows the list of data items available for display.
Then by The three lists are identical and consist of the columns currently displayed in the
Then by table view. When you choose an item in a drop-down list, click Ascending or
Descending to sort the data in ascending or descending order.
Default Click this button to have the table view sorted by name only.
Lock view settings If you put a checkmark in this box, the table view will always be sorted in the
order specified, even if you subsequently make a global change to all views
using the Apply To All Views button.

Control Description
Apply To All Views Click this button to apply the current sort settings to all your table views, except
those for which you locked the settings via the Lock view settings box.
Table 3-12 Table View Sort window controls
3.4.5 Viewing Data Point Properties

You can view real-time data point information using the Real-Time Data display, as described in
previous sections. However, some real-time information, such as the current tags assigned to a
data point, or any bad-quality conditions, are not displayed in the table views. You may find it
interesting to view real-time information about a data point listed in a table view or shown on the
site layout or in other displays, such as the Alarms and Events view. The Data Point Properties
window is available for this purpose.
To view the properties of a data point:

 Click on a data point in any display, including the site layout.
 From the View menu, choose Data Point Properties.
Visual T&D displays the Data Point Properties window.

This window contains three tabs, each providing different real-time information on the data point
on which you clicked. While the window is displayed, you can click on another data point, and the
window will be updated on the fly, with the information for the new data point.
The General, Attributes and Tags tabs are described below.
3.4.5.1 General Properties

The General tab displays the most common information about the data point, such as its current
value, the timestamp of the last transition, and its quality.
For physical data points originating from an SMP Gateway, an OPC server or from the
communication server, the Quality box shows a list of the conditions that constitute a bad quality.
If there is a checkmark for at least one of these conditions, the data point quality is bad.
For logical data points, the Quality box contains only one item, labeled Bad. The quality of a
logical data point is bad only if you set its quality to bad, either directly in simulation mode, or
through the evaluation of an expression. For an OPC server data source, if Visual T&D loses the
communication with the OPC server, it sets the quality of all of its data points to bad.

Control Description
Description Description of the data point.
Value Current value of the data point, either in engineering units or as a raw value.
In simulation mode, you can change this value and then click Write to write the
value to the Visual T&D server real-time database; you will see the change
directly in the current display.
Timestamp Date and time of the last transition on the data point.
Quality A list of bad-quality conditions or, for logical data points or data points
originating from an OPC server, the word Bad.
In simulation mode, you can add or remove checkmarks in the list of bad-
quality conditions, and then click Write to write the changes to the Visual T&D
server real-time database; you will see the changes directly in the current
display.
Scaled/Raw Shows whether the value is displayed in engineering units or as a raw value.
Write In simulation mode, writes a new value and quality in the Visual T&D server
real-time database.
For additional information, see “Simulation Mode”, page 168.
Table 3-13 Data point properties: General tab controls
3.4.5.2 Attributes
The Attributes tab displays static information about the data point, such as the data source, the
units, the scale and offset, whether the data point can generate alarms, and so on.
Column Description
Attribute Name of the attribute. The attributes listed are those available on the Site tab for
the data point.
Value Current value of the attribute, as defined in the site configuration.
Table 3-14 Data point properties: Attributes tab columns

3.4.5.3 Tags
The Tags tab displays a list of the current tags assigned to the data point. You cannot manage the
tags from this view; you need to use the Tag Operation window for this purpose (see “Control
and Tag Operations”, page 162).
Control Description
Active tags Lists the names of the tags currently assigned to the data point.
Attribute Name of the tag attribute.
Value Tag attribute value; it cannot be edited.
Table 3-15 Data point properties: Tags tab controls
3.4.6 Customizing the Real-Time Data Display

To modify how the information is displayed in the different Real-Time Data views:
 In the Display Options window, select the Real-Time Data tab.

Control Description
Grid Font Modifies the font used to display the information in the table views.
Modify
Automatically Automatically adjusts the column width of the table views. The width of the
adjust column width columns will automatically be calculated to occupy the width of the window. If
you select this option, you will be unable to manually adjust the width of the
columns.
Site Layout Font Modifies the font used to display the information in the site layout view.
Modify
Fit to window Automatically adjusts the size of the site layout diagram so that you can see the
entire diagram.
Zoom Expands or reduces the size of the diagram to the specified scale.
Table 3-16 Display Options window: Real-Time Data tab controls

You can print the contents of any table view in the Real-Time Data display.
To print the contents of a table view:

 Click anywhere in the view, in order to activate it.
To obtain a preview of the window contents before printing:

Note: You cannot print the contents of the Real-Time Trends or Site Layouts views.

3.5 Historical Data

The Historical Data display is used to consult and analyze the historical data accumulated for a
site.
Visual T&D logs all the state changes and variations in analog measures. It also logs the digital
fault records in COMTRADE format (if the DFR option is installed). You can consult this
information later, through the Chart, Query and DFR views.
3.5.1 The Chart View

The Chart view allows you to graphically display all analog measures and binary states as a
function of time, regardless of whether or not they are events. You can modify the display
attributes to suit your liking, and you can zoom in on a specific section of the graph to view the
enlarged portion at a finer level of detail.
Visually, the Chart view is similar to the Trending view of the Real-Time Data display, except
that the values are not updated in real time.
3.5.1.1 The Chart Display Toolbar

The Chart Display toolbar below the graph contains the following text displays and buttons.
Control Description
Reference Displays the position of the Reference cursor. This field is
automatically updated as you move the Reference cursor.
Measure Displays the position of the Measurement cursor. This field is

automatically updated as you move the Measurement cursor.
Difference Displays the time interval between the two cursors.
The Add data points to chart button. Adds or removes points

from the chart.

Control Description
The Display properties button. Displays a window in which you
can set display attributes.
The Zoom out button. Allows you to return to normal viewing

after you have zoomed in on a certain section of the graph. Note
that zooming out is incremental: if you zoomed in several times,
you will zoom back to each “zoom factor” before returning to
the entire graph display.
If you have not zoomed in on a section of the graph, the button is
unavailable.
The Clear Zoom button. Allows you to return to normal in a

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single click (as opposed to the Zoom out button, whose effect is
incremental) viewing after you have zoomed in on a certain
section of the graph.
If you have not zoomed in on a section of the graph, the button is
unavailable.
The Show or hide legend button. Displays or hides the chart

legend.
Point list selection box.

If the current set of points displayed in this graph corresponds to
a Visual T&D point list, the name of this list is displayed in this
box; otherwise, this box shows <Undefined>.
Users can also use this box to select a new set of points to
display in a graph.

Saves the current set of points displayed in the graph as a point
list; this list must be saved to the Visual T&D server, using the
Point List Manager, before it that can be reused in other Visual
T&D Explorer features.

Allows users to modify the point list currently used in this graph,
by adding or removing data points.
Note: To modify the color assigned to a point in a specific list, simply
change it on the graph; the new color choice will be saved with
the list and will be applied in all graphs that use the same list.
Table 3-17 Chart Display toolbar controls
3.5.1.2 Selecting Data Points

When you click on the Add data points to chart button on the toolbar, the program displays a
window, in which you can choose the points you want included in the graph and the colors in
which the data will be plotted.
This window is the same that is used for the Real-Time Trend View. Refer to the “The Real-
Time Trends Folder” section, page 105, for additional information about this window controls and
settings.

3.5.1.3 Selecting a Time Frame

You use the Time Frame toolbar located above the graph, to specify the time period for which
you want to view the data points on the chart.
You can specify a predefined or custom time period, as shown in the two figures below.
Choosing a predefined time period automatically sets the Begin and End values on the toolbar.
Choosing the <Custom> time period sets the time frame to manual mode. You can enter the
Begin and End values, or you can set the period as a multiple of a time period (5 days, in the
figure).
The Time Frame toolbar contains the following boxes and buttons.
Control Description
Start time boxes.
Used to enter the chart start date and time.
End time boxes.

Used to enter the chart end date and time.
Relative time period button.

Specifies the time span of the display, as a time period relative to
the present time. The predefined time periods are:
 Today
 Yesterday
 This week
 Last week
 This month
 Last month
 This year
 Last year
Number of time units text box.

Specifies the width of the display, in time units. The available time
units are minutes, hours and days.
Scroll left one frame and Scroll right one frame buttons.
Used to modify the time frame by the number of time units selected
(above example, 5 days).
Scroll Left and Scroll Right buttons.

Used to modify the time frame by one time unit (above example, 1
day).

Control Description
Apply button.
Activates the point selection and time frame entered.
Table 3-18 Time Frame toolbar controls
3.5.1.4 Changing the Display Properties

Visual T&D uses default colors to display the graph background, grid, reference cursor and
measurement cursor.
To change the display properties:

 Click on the Display properties button on the Chart Display toolbar.
 To use display colors other than default ones:

 Clear the Use default colors check box.
 Click on the appropriate color box.
The program displays a color chart from which you can select the color in which you
want the chart background and grid displayed.
 To add or remove grid lines:
 Clear or select the Vertical and Horizontal check boxes.
 To use the same scale for data points which values are displayed with the same units:
 Select Use same scale for data point with same units.
3.5.1.5 The Chart Legend

The points you chose to display on the graph are listed in a legend at the bottom of the page. The
legend provides additional information on the plotted data, and you can use the buttons to control
the color and scaling.

Column Description
Point Specifies the name of the data point.
Ref. Value Indicates the minimum and maximum values of the data at the position of the
Reference cursor. These values are dynamically updated as the cursor is moved.
Meas. Value Indicates the minimum and maximum values of the data at the position of the
Measurement cursor. These values are dynamically updated as the cursor is
moved.
Diff. Value Reflects the difference between the Reference and Measurement cursor values.
Low EGU Indicates the minimum value reached, in engineering units, during the specified
time period.
High EGU Indicates the maximum value reached, in engineering units, during the specified
time period.
Color Specifies the color in which the data is plotted for the point. Click this button to
display a window that will allow you to change the plot color.
Type Specifies the type of data display. If there is more than one sampled value to be
displayed for a given pixel, values must be grouped together and displayed as a
single point. This can be done in one of two ways:
 Normal.
The system displays the minimum and maximum values of each group of
sampled values, connected by a vertical line. This results in a graph with
vertical line sections.
 Mean.
The system calculates the average for each group of sampled values and
displays this value as a single point. It results in a graph with data plotted as
a regular curve.
Scaling Specifies the type of scaling used for the vertical axis:
 Automatic.
The scaling is automatically set to fit the minimum and maximum values
reached.
Note: If Use same scale for data point with the same units is selected, all data points
that have the same unit are considered to set the scale.
 Custom.
You set the scaling of the vertical axis by double-clicking on the Min. Scale
and Max. Scale cells and entering the desired values.
Min. Scale Specifies the lower and upper limits of the vertical scale. These limits can be
Max. Scale changed if Scaling is set to Custom, by double-clicking them.
Transitions Indicates the number of transitions in the curve.
R. Scale When selected, displays the vertical scale also on the right side of the chart.
Table 3-19 Historical data chart view legend controls
You can select a point in the legend by clicking on it with the mouse. If you click on an analog
point, its name and the units in which it is expressed are displayed in the top left-hand corner of
the graph. If you select a binary point, only its name is displayed. The vertical scale on the graph is
automatically adjusted to correspond to the selected point. . If the Use the same scale for items
with the same units setting is selected, the curves having the same unit will be updated to comply
with the new vertical scale. Other curves are displayed according to their respective scale.

To display or hide the chart legend:

 Click on the Show or hide legend button, on the Chart Display toolbar.
3.5.1.6 Zooming In on the Data

To zoom in on a particular portion of the graph:
 Select the section you want to zoom in on by holding down the left mouse button and
dragging the mouse.
 Return to normal viewing by clicking on the Zoom out or Clear Zoom button.
3.5.1.7 Performing Measurements on the Data

Visual T&D Explorer displays two vertical cursors in the chart (the Reference cursor in blue and
the Measurement cursor in red), which you can use to perform measurements on the data.
The current position of the cursors is displayed below the chart. The values of the data points at
the position of the cursors are displayed in the legend below the chart. These values are
automatically updated to reflect the current position of the cursors.
To move a cursor:
 Click on the cursor with the left mouse button and drag it to the appropriate location.
3.5.2 The Query View

The Query view is used to analyze the alarms and events logged by the system for a given period
of time. To see data logged for points that have not been configured as alarms or events, consult
the Chart view.
The data shown on the Events page of the Alarms and Events tab, and the data shown in the
Query view of the Historical Data tab, are very similar.
The differences are as follows:
 The Events view displays real-time data, whereas the Query view displays historical data.
 In the Historical Data view, the program displays a red bell for alarm data points in order to
help you distinguish alarms from events.
 Whereas the Alarms and Events display only keeps track of the last 5000 events, the
Historical Data Query view shows all the events logged by the server.
 On the Query page, you can:
 Create and execute a temporary query for on-demand historical data analysis.
 Save a temporary query, in order to make it permanent.
 Execute an existing query and view the resulting data set.

3.5.2.1 Executing a Query

To execute an existing query:
 Select a query in the Query drop-down list located on the toolbar at the top.
The query will be executed automatically.
To define a new query and execute it:

 Define a new query:
 Choose <Undefined> in the drop-down list.
 Use the Edit button to edit the <Undefined> query.
 Use the Save as button to save the <Undefined> query into a named and permanent
query.
 Fine-tune the time frame for the query:
 Select the <Custom> time frame.
 Use the buttons on the Time Frame toolbar to select the desired time period.
 Click Apply to execute the query.
The Time Frame toolbar in the Query view is very similar to the one described in the Chart
view. For details on how to enter the time frame, refer to “Selecting a Time Frame”, page 108.
To manage your queries, use the Query Manager feature, which is described in “Managing
Queries”, below.

3.5.2.2 Managing Queries

Visual T&D uses the concept of queries to retrieve historical data from the database. A query is
what defines the information to be retrieved; executing a query generates data that can be
displayed in the historical data Query view, or exported to a supported file format.
Queries are located either locally or on the server. A query on the server is available to all
Visual T&D users. A local query is available only to your local workstation.
Queries are managed by the Query Manager. With the Query Manager, you can create, edit,
copy, execute and send queries to the Visual T&D server. This feature enables you to create
queries for your own purpose, and to create queries of general interest.
To manage Visual T&D queries:

 From the Tools menu, choose Query Manager.
Control Description
Name Name of the query. This name is listed in the Query drop-down list of the
historical data Query view.
Description Description of the query.
Location Location of the query definition file: either Local or Server.
New Opens the Query wizard, which helps you define a new query.
Edit Opens the Query wizard, which helps you modify an existing query. Only an
administrator can edit queries located on the server.
Delete Deletes the selected query. Only an administrator can delete queries located on
the server.
Copy Copies the selected query to a new query. You can then edit the new query by
clicking the Edit button.
Save to Server Saves a query to the server for the purpose of distribution to other users of the
system. Only an administrator can save queries to the Visual T&D server.
Execute Executes the selected query, and displays the resulting data set in the Query
view of the Historical Data display.
Close Closes the Query Manager.
Table 3-20 Queries window (Query Manager) controls

When you click the New or Edit button of the Queries window, a query wizard takes you through
a step-by-step procedure for defining a query.
 You select the type of data you want to include in the query. You must choose between
Sequence of events and Data point values.
 You select the event categories you want to include in the query. You can find a description
of the event categories in the section entitled “Alarm and Event Categories”, page 71.
 You specify whether the query applies to all the data points in the configuration or to a subset
of data points that interest you; you can also select points from a user-defined list.
 You set the period of time you want to use in your query. You can choose relative time
periods such as today, yesterday, this week, last week, and so on.
 You set the name and description of the query.
3.5.2.3 Choosing the Columns to Display in the Query View

As in real-time data and alarms & events views, the selection and display order of the columns in
the Query view can also be customized.
To choose the columns to display in the query view:

 In the View menu, click Historical Data, and then click Columns.

Control Description
Available data items Shows the list of data items that are available for display.
 All Data Items
Includes both alarm and event configuration information items, as well as
information that changes in real-time.
 Configuration Information
Consists of the data items related to alarms and event management, such as
the type icons and the event icons you defined through the various pages in
the Site display when you edited the site configuration.
See “Defining Miscellaneous Categories”, page 22.

 Real-Time Information
Consists of the data items that change in real time, namely: acknowledged
state (ACK), active, duration, position, state icon and value.
Show columns in Contains the list of data items that will be included in the Query view, and the
this order order in which they will appear.
Move Down 2 buttons to move the item up or down in the list, so as to change the order in
Lock view settings No effect in this context.
Apply To All Views No effect in this context.
Table 3-21 Query View Columns window controls

3.5.3 The DFR View

The DFR (Digital Fault Records) view allows you to graphically display analog and binary
channel data as a function of time, from an event recorded in COMTRADE standard format.
Signals from standard data points can also be viewed along with DFR channel data. You can
modify the display attributes to suit your liking.
Visually, the graph is similar to the Trending view of the Real-Time Data display, except that
values are static and are not updated in real time.
The DFR view is displayed across several windows, which you can use to browse for DFRs on the
server, select channels or data points, view a graph of the signals, or look at the DFR details.
The view includes the following window panes:

Digital Fault Used to browse and select DFR channels to add to the chart.
Records
To browse for DFRs, expand the hierarchical tree as needed. You can list the
records by the devices on which they occurred or by their trigger timestamp.
To browse for available channels in a DFR, expand its folder in the hierarchical
tree.
This pane has a Filter button that you can click to view a list of the digital fault
records for a particular time frame. There is also a Refresh button that you can
click to refresh the information displayed in the window.
Data Points Used to select and add existing data points to the chart. You can select data
points from the list of available data points. The latter are grouped together in
folders, based on grouping criteria that you established with the Group Settings
tab of the Display Options window (see “Grouping Data Points”, page 31).
If you open the various folders, you will note that binary points are displayed in
blue, while analog points are displayed in green.


Signals Displays the selected digital fault record channels and data point signals. The
functionality of this window is similar to that of the Chart view.
Refer to “The Chart View” section for more information on the various fields
and buttons in this window.
Details Displays detailed information about the currently selected DFR and channel in
the Digital Fault Records pane. This information is described below.
Table 3-22 DFR view window panes
To have the waveforms of a particular channel appear on the chart:

 Double-click on the channel in the Digital Fault Records pane.
The waveforms get added to those already displayed on the graph. You can display as many
as 10 channels at a time.
To remove the waveforms of a channel that is currently displayed on the chart:

 Double-click on the channel in the Digital Fault Records window.
3.5.3.1 The Details Pane

The Details pane displays information about the record and channel selected in the Digital Fault
Records window pane. The information is essentially the contents of the DFR’s COMTRADE
configuration file (.CFG).
Field Description
Station The station name of the record.
Recording Device The name of the device that created the original record.
Start Time The timestamp of the first data value of the record.
Trigger Time The timestamp of the trigger point.
Duration (msec) The total duration of the event, in milliseconds.
Description The description of the DFR, as configured on the DFR page of the Site view.
File Location The full path of the COMTRADE file on the server.
Channel The name of the selected channel.
Units The units of the selected channel.
Phase The name of the phase monitored by the selected channel.
Device Monitored The name of the device monitored by the selected channel.
Normal State The normal state (0 or 1) of the status channel, if that type of channel is
selected.
Line Frequency The line frequency, in Hz, that was measured at trigger time.

Field Description
Note A note that was recorded in the COMTRADE file at the time the DFR was
generated. It contains information such as the number of grid faults, the function
type and the status of the fault.
You can double-click on the note in order to see or modify its contents.
Table 3-23 DFR view: Details pane fields
3.5.4 Exporting Data

Visual T&D provides three means by which you can export historical data:
 Use the Export command to write the currently displayed chart data to a text file.
 Use the Export command to write the currently displayed Query View data to a text file.
 Use the Report command to create historical data reports, based on Seagate Crystal Reports
templates.
3.5.4.1 Exporting Chart Data to a Text File

When you export the data in a chart to a text file, the file contains the name of the site, the current
date and time, the point name and the units (if it is an analog point) in which it is expressed, the
start and end times, and the minimum and maximum readings obtained for the time period. The
data is listed separately for each point. The sampling rate is a function of the selected time frame.
To export chart data to a text file:

 Display the chart data to be exported (Chart view or DFR view).
 From the File menu, choose Export.
3.5.4.2 Exporting Query Data to a Text File

The resulting data of a query can also be exported either to a Comma Separated Values (CSV) file
or a Tab Separated Values (TXT) file. Data is stored in the file by columns, in the same order that
is used for display: what you see in the Query view of Visual T&D Explorer is what you get in
the exported file.
Note: To learn how to change the columns’ selection and display order, see “Choosing
the Columns to Display in the Query View”, page 129.
To export the results of the current query:


 Select the destination folder.

 A default file name is offered, based on the current date and time. If required, type the name
of your choice.
 Select the file format. You can select to export data to either a comma-separated values file
(CSV) or a tab-separated values file (TXT). Both formats are also available as compressed
ZIP file.
 Click Export to proceed with the export process.
Some options are available:
 The data and time information of the exported data can be customized. Also, the user can
select to store this information either in the UTC format or according to the client time zone
information (“local time”).
 The export file can be uploaded to an FTP server.
Note: The settings of these options are permanently stored on the workstation. You do
not have to redefine them every time you export data from the Query view.
To customize the data and time information format:

 In the Export as window, click Options.

 Select the Date and Time tab.

 Select the date format. The following formats are available.
Date Format Description

d Day of month, as digits with no leading zero for single-digit days.
dd Day of month, as digits with leading zero for single-digit days.
ddd Day of week, as a three-letter abbreviation.
dddd Day of week, as a full name.
M Month, as digits with no leading zero for single-digit months.
MM Month, as digits with leading zero for single-digit months.
MMM Month, as a three-letter abbreviation.
MMMM Month, as a full name.
y Year, as the last two digits with no leading zero for years less than 10.
yy Year, as the last two digits with leading zero for years less than 10.
yyyy Year, represented by all four digits.
Table 3-24 Date formats available for query export
 Select the time format. The following formats are available.
Time Format Description

h Hours, with no leading zero for single-digit hours; 12-hour clock.
hh Hours, with leading zero for single-digit hours; 12-hour clock.
H Hours, with no leading zero for single-digit hours; 24-hour clock.
HH Hours, with leading zero for single-digit hours; 24-hour clock.
m Minutes, with no leading zero for single-digit minutes.
mm Minutes, with leading zero for single-digit minutes.
s Seconds, with no leading zero for single-digit seconds.
ss Seconds, with leading zero for single-digit seconds.
t One character time-marker string, such as A or P.
tt Multiple-character time-marker string, such as AM or PM.
Table 3-25 Time formats available for query export

 Click OK to close the Export Query Options window.

 Click Cancel to close the Export as window, or proceed with the export process by clicking
Export.
To set up the destination FTP server:

 In the Export as window, click Options.
 In the Export Query Options window, select the FTP tab.
 Enter the required information for the FTP server and account.
 Click OK to close this window and save these settings on the workstation.
 Click Cancel to close the Export as window, or proceed with the export process by clicking
Export.
To upload the export data file to the specified FTP server:

 Follow the instructions presented at the beginning of this section, but put a checkmark in the
Send via FTP check box before clicking Export.
If the FTP settings have been set properly, the file will be created, and then uploaded to the
specified FTP server.

3.5.4.3 Creating Reports

You can also create historical data reports, based on Seagate Crystal Reports templates.
Visual T&D provides you with three built-in report templates created using Seagate Crystal
Reports. You can use this program, available separately, to customize the built-in reports or create
your own report layouts.
The following templates are provided with Visual T&D:
 AnalogReadings.
Generates a report by sampling analog data point values.
You specify the analog points to be sampled, the sampling period, and the reporting time
frame. Binary points are ignored by this report.
 TransitionsByDataPoints.
Generates a report by binary data point, of all transitions that occurred on the data point. You
specify the binary points of interest and the reporting time frame. The Retrieve all binary
transitions option must be set in the query definition.
 TransitionsByTime.
Lists binary point transitions in chronological order. You specify the binary points of interest
and the reporting time frame. The Retrieve all binary transitions option must be set in the
query definition.
To produce a report:
 From the Tools menu, choose Report.
The program displays the Report window in which you can specify the data points, time
frame, and type of report you want to produce.

Control Description
Templates Choose the template on which the report is to be based.
Report templates can be installed either on the server, where they are available
to all users, or on your workstation.
Queries Contains the list of available data queries, and shows whether the query exists
locally or on the server (L or S).
Initially, there is only one data query in the list, called Model.req. This query
resides on the server. Use the Copy button to create a new query locally.
Copy Creates a new data query based on the selected query, and assigns it the same
name as the selected query. You can change the name of the new query by
clicking Edit.
Edit Selects the data points and the sampling period for the report, and assigns a
name to the query.
Remove Deletes the selected data query.
Settings Specifies the time frame for the report:
Start time Specifies the start date and time.
End time Specifies the end date and time.

Control Description
Period Specifies whether the report is to show values for the entire period, daily,
MTD month-to-date, or year-to-date.
Daily
 If you select Period, specify both the start and end dates and times. The
YTD
report will span the entire period.
 If you select Daily, you can only specify the start date and time. The report
will start on the specified start date and time, and will end today.
 If you select MTD, you can only specify the end date and time. The report
will start at the beginning of the current calendar month and end on the
specified end date and time.
 If you select YTD, you can only specify the end date and time. The report
will start at the beginning of the current calendar year and end on the
specified end date and time.
Comments Optional. Allows you to enter a comment that will be added to the report.
Info Select a template in the Local folder, and click the button. Visual T&D displays
a message telling you what type of report will be generated if you use this
template.
The button is not available if you select a template in the Server folder.
Print Preview Displays the report in a window, in the same format as it will be printed.
Print Displays the Print window, which allows modification of print settings, prior to
printing.
Quick Print Sends the report to the default printer.
Table 3-26 Report window controls
To generate a report:
 Click on an item in the Queries list, to choose an existing query to use as a template.
 Click Copy.
Visual T&D Explorer creates a local copy of the data request. You will be able to change the
name later on.
 Click Edit.
The program opens a window, in which you can choose the data points and sampling period,
and assign a meaningful name to the data query.

Control Description
Available points Displays the list of available points. Binary points are displayed in blue, while
analog points are displayed in green.
Filter Filters the Available points list by name. All data points containing the text
written in the box will appear in the list.
Group Settings Displays the Group Settings tab of the Display Options window, which you
can use to group the data points differently, thereby changing the order in which
the points are presented in the Available points list.
Selected points Displays the list of points to be included in the report.
Retrieve all binary For reports that include binary data points, the system will include all
transitions transitions, regardless of the sampling period.
Name Specifies the name of the data request.
Sampling period Specifies when the data is to be sampled. For each selected data point, the report
will include values for each sampling interval during the selected time period.
Table 3-27 Data Query window controls
3.5.5 Customizing the Historical Data Display

You can modify how the information is displayed in the different Historical Data displays.
To customize the Historical Data display:

 In the Display Options window, select the Historical Data tab.

Control Description
Modify Modifies the character font used to display the information.
Show position Displays the column containing the reduced-scale site layout diagram.
Automatically Automatically adjusts the column width.

adjust column width
Table 3-28 Display Options window: Historical Data tab controls

You can print the contents of the Historical Data display.
To print the contents of the Historical Data display:

To obtain a preview of the contents before printing:

3.6 Task Manager

Visual T&D uses the concept of tasks to perform automated actions at a scheduled period of time
or when a specific event occurs. Two types of tasks are supported: starting (launching) an
application and generating a report file.
3.6.1 Starting the Task Manager

Tasks are managed by the Task Manager. With the Task Manager, you can create, edit, delete,
copy and execute tasks on the Visual T&D server.

To start the Task Manager:

 From the Tools, menu, choose Task Manager.
Object Description
List of tasks This is the list of tasks you have defined. The list grows whenever you click
Add to create a new task, and diminishes whenever you select a task in the list
and click Delete.
Name Displays the name of the task.
Type Displays the type of task: either Generate a report or Launch an application.
Trigger Displays the trigger condition of the task.
Add Open the Task Manager Wizard, which helps you create a new task.
Edit Open the Task Manager Wizard, which helps you edit the selected task.
Delete Delete the selected task.
Duplicate Copies the selected task to a new task. You can then edit the new task by
clicking Edit.
Execute Execute the selected task immediately.
Close Close the Task Manager.
Table 3-29 Task Manager window controls
The various types of task that can be created by the Task Manager Wizard will be described in
the sections below.
Note: Task management requires the site configuration edition privilege; refer to the
Visual T&D Installation Guide, to learn how grant privilege to Visual T&D user
accounts). Nevertheless, users that do not have this privilege can consult the list
of configured tasks.
3.6.2 Generating a Scheduled Report

There are many uses for a report containing Visual T&D information. For example, reports based
on schedules are used for monthly, weekly or daily production reports.

To create a scheduled report generation task:

 From the Tools menu, select Task Manager.
 To add a new task, click Add.
 In the Task Manager Wizard, select Generate a report, and then click Next.

 Select Periodically, according to a time schedule, and then click Next.
 Select the time at which you want the report to be generated.

 Select the generation occurrence.

 Click Next.
 Select the query that will be used to generate the data for this report. You can use one of the
pre-defined queries, or define one specific to your needs (see “Managing Queries”, page 128).
 Once the desired query is selected, click Next.

 Select the format of the file the report will be exported to, and then click Next.
 Select the data fields to export.

 Move the data fields up and down the list to change their order in the file.
 To include the column headers in the exported file, select Include column headers.
 Click Next.
 Select a format for the date and time information of the exported data.
 Select the Local time (client) time zone if you want the local time zone modifier to be
applied to all timestamps.
 Click Next.

 Specify the report file name.

 Select Compress file (.zip) to save the file as a ZIP archive.
 Select Prefix with date and time information to add the report generation date and time at
the beginning of the report file name.
 Click Next.
The wizard displays the actions that will be performed with the report. Only one action should
be displayed at this time: Save to disk.

 To change the save directory, select the Save to disk action, and then click Edit.
 To learn how to define more actions, see “Defining More Actions to Perform at Report
Generation Time”, below. Click Next for now.

 Specify a name for the task.

 Click Finish to complete the task creation.
3.6.3 Generating an Event-Based Report

Reports based on events allow you to diagnose an event that might have occurred, such as a failure
in a line phase, by recording information before and after the event and having the report
displayed to analyze it.
To create an event-based report generation task:

 From the Tools menu, choose Task Manager.
 To add a new task, click Add.
 Select Generate a report, and then click Next.

 Select When a specific event occurs, and then click Next.

 The task can be triggered for any type of events that can be generated by a Visual T&D
server. Select the categories of events that should trigger the task. For more information about
event categories, see “Defining and Editing a Contact”, page 78.
 For process-related events, you may restrict the filter to alarms only. To do so, select the
corresponding check box.
 Click Next.
Impossible d’afficher l’image.
 If you selected a category of events that are generated by data points, you must select the data
points for which events will trigger the task. Select All data points if the task should be
triggered on any data point event. Click Next.
If you selected Expert System Events, you must specify the severity range and zones of the
events that will trigger the task.

 Specify at least one zone, and adjust the severity range as required.
 Click Next.
 Choose the events actions that will trigger the task.

 Set a filter on oscillatory events by selecting the maximum number of events that may be
considered in the last N minutes for the trigger. During that time interval, if an event occurs
more than the configured number of occurrences, no task will be triggered. Click Next.
 Remaining steps are the same than for a scheduled report (see “Generating a Scheduled
Report”, above).
3.6.4 Defining More Actions to Perform at Report Generation

Time
The task manager can do more than just saving the generated report on the server’s hard drive. It
can also send the report to a mail recipient or upload it to an FTP server. You can define these
actions in the Task Manager Wizard.
To define more actions to perform at report generation time:

 Select a task and click Edit.
 Click Next as often as required to reach the action definition window:
 Click Add to define a new action.

 Specify the type of action you want the task to perform with the report file.
 Click Next.
The following steps depend on the type of action chosen.
To send the file by email:
 Select an email recipient from your contact list (see “Defining and Editing a Contact”,
page 78). You can also type the e-mail address directly in the To box.
 Type in a generic subject, as the same mail template will be sent every time the task will be
triggered. The same also applies to the mail contents.
 If you have not yet configured your mail settings, you can do it now by clicking Email
settings (see page 82).
 Click Finish to add this action to the currently edited task.

To send the file to an FTP server:
 Specify the host or IP address of the server, and change the port number if needed.
 Specify the username and password of the account that will be used to logon to the server, as
well as the relative path where to upload the file on the server.
 If needed, select the Passive Mode option.
To save a copy of the file to the server:

 Type in the complete path where to save the copy of the report on the server.

3.6.5 Starting an Application

The task manager can also start applications the same way it generates report files. Therefore, you
can schedule an application to start up periodically or you can configure it to start up when one or
more specific events occur.
To create an application startup task:

 To add a new task, click Add on the right.
 Select Start an application, then click Next.
The remaining steps are the same than for report generation tasks (see “Generating a
Scheduled Report” and “Generating an Event-Based Report” above), except for the
application-specific parameters that must be specified.

 Type in the application executable path and file name, and the program arguments. You can
see the resulting operation in the Command line preview box.
 Click Next.
 Type in the name of the task. Click Finish to complete the task creation.
3.6.6 Exporting Events to IED Manager Suite

The Task Manager can also export events to a Yukon IED Manager Suite’s Event Server. This
type of task is neither scheduled nor triggered: when it is configured, it is in constant execution,
waiting for the occurrence of new events to be transferred to IMS.
To create an event export task:

 Click Add.

 Select Export events to IMS, and then click Next.
 Select the type of the events to export, and then click Next.

If any of the selected event types is triggered by data points, the next step consists of the
selection of such points.
 By default, all data points will be considered. To use only some specific points, clear the All
data points check box and select the points.
 Click Next.
If you selected Expert System Events, you must specify the severity range and zones of the
events that will be exported.

 Specify at least one zone, and adjust the severity range as required.
 Click Next.

 Type the complete pathname of the destination folder. This folder must be located on the IED
Manager Suite server computer.
 Click Next.
 Type the name of the task, as it will appear in the list.
Note: There can only be one task of this type. To add additional event types to export
or more triggering data points, go to the Tasks window, select this task and click
Edit.
3.7 Control and Tag Operations

Visual T&D is used not only as a specialized Human-Machine Interface (HMI) and for historical
data archiving of power substations, but also for supervisory control operations.
Both Visual T&D Diagram Editor and Visual T&D Explorer client applications can be configured
to perform control operations, as well as alarm and tag management. Visual T&D Explorer can be
set up to perform operations in a few minutes, whereas Visual T&D Diagram Editor needs a little
bit more engineering, but is more flexible. When engineering cost is a major concern in setting up
a system, Visual T&D Explorer is the preferred solution for control and tag operations.
3.7.1 Control Operation Concepts

There are basically two types of control operations:
 Select Before Operate (SBO)
 Direct Operate
Select Before Operate (SBO)

This type of control operation has a 3-step sequence:
 Device selection
 Operation selection
 Operation execution
This method is used to minimize the possibility of inadvertent operation, so as not to damage
equipment and in order to ensure the safety of human beings who may be near the equipment.
SBO control operations allow the operator to examine the requested action for security.
When the operator selects a device, he waits for confirmation of device selection and if he is
satisfied, he can request its operation. SBO control operations are timed. If the delay between
device selection and device operation is too long, the control sequence is aborted and the selection
is canceled.
SBO control requires the command originator to transmit a Select command to the device,
containing a coded action and data point identity. The device returns an error-free Select response
to the originator, along with the selection codes, if the device was successfully selected. Upon
receipt of the Select response, the originator sends an Execute or Activate command to the device.
Upon receipt of an error-free Execute or Activate command, the device operates its selected
interface, and returns an error-free Execute response to the originator as a signal that control is
activated. Any error in the message stream will cause the device to return an error message. If
there is an error in the process or if the messaging is not completed within a time window, the
control sequence is canceled. Once an end point is selected, it holds in Select Mode for the
originator, and rejects all other select requests until Select Mode self-cancels on a timeout, or is
canceled or executed by the originator.

Direct Operate (Direct Execute)

Direct Operate is a control methodology that uses a single message to initiate a control action by
an automation system control device. The single-message Direct Operate method is more efficient
and responsive than multiple message systems since it requires fewer messages and, therefore, less
communications bandwidth.
In order to minimize inadvertent operations, direct operate message schemes may use multiple
selection codes, encoded in different formats, within the message to reduce the sensitivity to
single- and multiple-bit errors.
3.7.2 Control Operation Handling

Some devices support SBO control operations, whereas others do not. The processing of SBO and
Direct Operate control operations differs, depending on the data source.
3.7.2.1 SMP Gateway and Communication Server

Control operations are handled the same way for an SMP Gateway and the Visual T&D
Communication Server. The processing is as follows:
 If the device requires that an SBO control operation be sent:
 If the master protocol component receives a Direct Operate control operation from
Visual T&D, it simulates an SBO control operation by sending a Select command to the
device, waiting for the acknowledgement, and then sending the Execute command and
waiting for an acknowledgement.
 If the master protocol component receives an SBO control operation, it processes it
normally, i.e., it sends the Select command, waits for an acknowledgement, sends the
Execute command, and waits for an acknowledgement.
 If the device does not support SBO commands:
 If the master protocol component receives a Direct Operate, it sends it to the device and
waits for an acknowledgement.
 If the master protocol component receives an SBO control operation, it acknowledges the
Select, and then sends a Direct Execute command to the device.
3.7.2.2 OPC Server

The SBO concept is not defined in the OPC Data Access standard: the only control operation
allowed is a write operation, which is a Direct Operate command. However, some OPC servers,
such as Cooper Power Systems’ OPC Servers, use two separate data points for control operations:
a command point, used to define the type of command to perform (Select or Execute, for example)
and a value point.
Refer to the corresponding OPC server user manual or online help for details.
3.7.2.3 Control Operations over Multidrop Links

During normal operations, all master protocol instances that share the same communication link
have the same priority. In other words, each instance gets its turn on the link once every X turns,
where X is the number of instances.
When a master protocol instance is ready to send an output control request to its remote device,
the communication link manager provides a special access to the communication link, thereby
ensuring that the request is sent quickly. Thus, this instance is next in line to temporarily own the
communications link, and access is granted immediately after the instance that currently owns the
link completes its operations.

When the master protocol instance completes its output control operation, its priority on the
communication link returns to its initial state.
3.7.3 Setting Up Visual T&D Explorer for Control Operations

To set up Visual T&D Explorer to perform control operations, you need to go through the
following steps, in the order listed:
 Configure the available Control Types to suit your needs.
To learn how to configure the control types, see “Control Types”, page 25.
 For each binary or analog output point that needs to be controlled, associate a control type and
a monitoring point.
To learn how to configure output points for control operations, refer to the following sections:
“Configuring Binary Points”, page 36.

Tag management does not require any configuration; all data points can be tagged.
3.7.4 Performing Control Operations

Once you have set up Visual T&D Explorer for control operations, you need to go through the
following steps to perform a control operation on a data point:
 Click on a data point in any of the Alarms and Events, Real-Time Data or Historical Data
display grids.
 From the Tools menu, click Control Operation.
Note: If the data point on which you clicked is not configured for control operations, the
Control Operation command will not be available.
The control operation window that will be displayed depends on the control type associated with
the data point on which you clicked. There are three types of control operation windows:
 Open/close operation (for a binary output point).
Used to set the state of the specified output point to "0" (off, open) or "1" (on, closed).
 Pulse operation (for a binary output point).
Used to set the state of the specified output point to "1" for a specified amount of time, and
then back to "0".
 Analog setpoint operation (for an analog output point).
A setpoint control operation is a request to change the value of a specified output point. The
setpoint value can be specified as a raw or floating-point value in the control request.
Depending on the master’s specifications, the setpoint value is subject to being converted to
another format, using the output point Scale and Offset settings.
The figure below shows a typical "open/close" window, for a breaker operation. You can modify
the button labels and colors you specified when you configured the control types (see “Control
Types”, page 25).

Control Description
Status Current status (or value, for an analog setpoint control operation) of the
monitoring point.
Active tags Number of tags currently applied to the data point.
Open, Close Click one of these buttons to perform the corresponding control operation. The
button label and color are those configured for the control type associated with
the data point.
Tags Click this button to display the Tag Operation window (see “Managing Tags”,
below).
Table 3-30 Breaker Operation window controls
3.7.5 Managing Tags

You can apply tags to data points in order to attach to a device, a piece of information that is of
interest to other users, or to assign important action attributes to a device. Inhibiting a device from
performing control operations is an example of an action tag that can be applied. All data points
can potentially be tagged.
To tag a data point in Visual T&D Explorer:

 Click on a data point in any of the Alarms and Events, Real-Time Data or Historical Data
display grids, or in the Real-Time Data site layout.
 From the Tools menu, choose Tag Operation.

Control Description
Tags Lists the current tags attached to the data point.
Attribute Name of the attribute for the currently selected tag.
Value Value of the attribute for the currently selected tag.
Comment A description or comment about this tag.
New Displays the New Tag window, which allows you to create a new tag for the
data point.
Delete Deletes the currently selected tag. A tag can be deleted only by its owner or an
administrator.
Edit Allows a user to modify the tag’s comment.
Table 3-31 Tag Operation window controls
Note: You can also manage your tags through control operation windows, as discussed
in "Performing Control Operations", above.
The New Tag window is shown in the next figure.

Control Description
Name Tag name or ID. The name must be unique for each tag. A default name is
provided using date and time information in the following format:
yyyymmdd_HHMMSS
(year, month, day, an underscore, hours, minutes, and seconds)
However, you can specify any name, as long as it is unique.
Type Type of tag.

Two types are supported: Information, and All Control Inhibited.
Comment A free-text comment.
Add Click this button to display the Tag Operation window (above) and see the
new tag added to the list.
Table 3-32 New Tag window controls
3.7.6 Control and Tag Operation Security

Visual T&D uses the concepts of privileges and timeout to ensure a good level of security for
operations.
To perform control operations, you need to have the User can perform control operations
privilege. To manage tags, you need to have the User can manage tags privilege. To learn how to
set or change user privileges, refer to the Visual T&D Installation Guide.
The control operation timeout feature adds another level of security. The timeout inhibits control
and tag operations on a workstation if a user with control privileges remains logged on for a long
time without doing any activity. For instance, if the timeout is set to 15 minutes, all control and tag
operations will be locked if you leave your workstation for a 20-minute coffee break. To learn
how to set the control operation timeout, refer to the Visual T&D Installation Guide.
3.8 Using the SCADA Control Interlock

Mechanism
The SCADA control interlock mechanism is used with an SMP Gateway data source, to allow or
forbid control operations from local substations, that is, from Visual T&D. The SMP Gateway
provides two logical (system) data points that are used by the mechanism.

 The _smp___localControl binary input point indicates the state of the local control lock.
When this point has a value of 1, local control is enabled; when the value is 0, local control is
locked.
 The _smp___setLocalControl binary output point is used to modify the local control lock
state, from Visual T&D or from the SCADA.
To set the control to local mode:

 Set the value of the _smp___setLocalControl point to 1.
To set the control to remote mode:

 Set the value of the _smp___setLocalControl point to 0.
3.9 Simulation Mode

Simulation is used to generate transitions on data points. It can be useful to test a diagram created
with Diagram Editor.
3.9.1 Getting into Simulation Mode

You use the Simulation Mode window to get into simulation mode. You can access the window
only if you have simulation privileges, as assigned to you by your system administrator.
To display the Simulation Mode window:

 From the Tools menu, click Simulation Mode.
The window contains the following settings:
Setting Description
Activate simulation Activates a state in Explorer, whereby data transitions can be simulated. When
mode this state is activated, Simulation Mode appears on the Visual T&D Explorer
status bar, and the Write button of the Data Point Properties window becomes
available (see “Viewing Data Point Properties”, page 117).
Send manually Sends the simulated value and quality to the data source, if the latter is an
written value to SMP Gateway.
SMP Gateway
Table 3-33 Simulation Mode settings

3.9.2 Changing Data Point Values Dynamically

When you are in simulation mode, you can manually change the value and the quality of a data
point via the Data Point Properties window (see “Viewing Data Point Properties”, page 117).
You can see the values change dynamically in the current display. The Data Point Properties
window applies to the currently selected data point. If you select another data point, the properties
of that data point will be displayed in the window. Thus, you can modify the value and quality of a
number of data points without having to close the window.
Furthermore, if you choose the appropriate option in the Simulation Mode window, Visual T&D
will send your modified values to the SMP Gateway (see “Getting into Simulation Mode”, above).

4 Appendices

Appendix A - System Data Points
Visual T&D includes a number of system data points that are used to keep track of significant
information. You cannot edit system data points, as they are internal to the system.
The table below briefly describes these data points.
Data Point Description

_vss___alarmActiveCount Number of active alarms in the current site.
_vss___alarmBlockedCount Number of blocked alarms.
_vss___alarmChimeActive Current status of the alarm chime.
_vss___alarmConfigCount Number of alarm data points in the site configuration.
_vss___alarmLevel1ActiveCount Number of priority 1 active alarms.
_vss___alarmPermanentCount Number of permanent alarms.
_vss___alarmSilentCount Number of silent alarms.
_vss___alarmToAckCount Number of alarms to be acknowledged.
_vss___alarmToClearCount Number of alarms to be cleared.
_vss___cpuServerUsage Current CPU usage by the Visual T&D Server.
_vss___cpuSystemUsage Current CPU usage on the Visual T&D Server computer.
_vss___logAvailableSpaceLeft Amount of free space currently available in the data log.
_vss___logAvgTrPerSec Average number of transitions logged per second.
_vss___logAvgTrFilteredPerSec Average number of transitions that were filtered by deadband

settings, per second.
_vss___logCacheHighSize Number of high-priority transitions in the cache.
_vss___logCacheLowSize Number of low-priority transitions in the cache.
_vss___logCacheMediumSize Number of normal-priority transitions in the cache.
_vss___logCacheSize Number of transitions in the cache.
Visual T&D Explorer User Manual • A-1


_vss___logConnectionStatus Database connection status.
_vss___logDataPointsCount Number of data points logged.
_vss___logPeakTrPerSec Peak number of transitions logged per second.
_vss___logReadErrorCount Number of read errors.
_vss___logSize Current data log size.
_vss___logTrLostCount Number of transitions lost.
_vss___logWriteErrorCount Number of write errors.
_vss___memPhysicalAvailable Free memory currently available on the Visual T&D Server

computer (including the page file).
_vss___memServerUsage Free memory currently available on the Visual T&D Server

_vss___memSystemAvailable Free memory currently available on the Visual T&D Server

_vss___memSystemUsage Current memory usage on the Visual T&D Server computer

(physical memory).
_vss___memSystemUsageRatio Current memory usage ratio on the Visual T&D Server

computer (physical memory).
Table A-1 System data points
Legacy Datalog System Data Points

The following system data points were used for the datalog in versions 3.7 or earlier of the Visual
T&D software; in version 4.0 or later, these points are disabled and no longer used.

_vss___logDiskFreeSpace Current amount of free disk space.
_vss___logDiskUsedSpaceSinceStartup Amount of new disk space used by the data log since startup.
_vss___logFilesCount Number of files in the data log.
_vss___logLowTrLostCount Number of low-priority transitions that were overwritten.
_vss___logNonSeqEventCount Number of non-chronological events.
_vss___logNonSeqTrCount Number of non-chronological transitions.
_vss___logReadPerSec Number of disk-read operations made per second by the data

log.
_vss___logReadSizePerSec Number of kilobytes read on disk per second for the data log.
_vss___logRepairCount Number of repairs performed on data log files.
_vss___logReusedFileCount Number of files that were reused (disk usage policy).
A-2 ● Appendix A - System Data Points


_vss___logSeekErrorCount Number of seek errors.
_vss___logSeekPerSec Number of disk-seek operations per second made by the data

log.
_vss___logWriteSizePerSec Number of kilobytes written on disk per second by the data

log.
_vss___logWritesPerSec Number of diskwrite operation per second made by the data

log.
Table A-2 Legacy datalog system data points
Visual T&D Explorer User Manual • A-3

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Technical Support: eas-support@eaton.com

2 Configuring Visual T&D 3

Visual T&D Explorer User Manual ●i

2.6 Defining Miscellaneous Categories ..................................................................... 22

2.8.1 Data Point List Storage ......................................................................... 55

Visual T&D Explorer User Manual ● iii

2.13.1.4 Defining and Editing a Contact ............................................. 78

3 Using Visual T&D Explorer 85

3.3.13 Printing the Window Contents ............................................................ 103

Visual T&D Explorer User Manual ●v

3.5.3.1 The Details Pane .................................................................. 132

Appendix A - System Data Points A-1

Visual T&D Explorer User Manual ● vii

Visual T&D Explorer User Manual ● ix

Table 2-32 Zone Properties window controls ............................................................................... 66

Table 3-30 Breaker Operation window controls ......................................................................... 165

Visual T&D Explorer User Manual ● xi

1.1 Getting Assistance

1.1.1 Using the Visual T&D Support Assistant

To use the Visual T&D Support Assistant:

Visual T&D Explorer User Manual •1

1.2 Related Documentation

2 Configuring Visual T&D

2.1 Starting Visual T&D Explorer

To start Visual T&D Explorer:

Visual T&D Explorer User Manual •3

4● Chapter 2: Configuring Visual T&D

2.2 Using Visual T&D Explorer to Configure the

2.2.1 The Site Configuration

2.2.2 Site Configuration Management

Visual T&D Explorer User Manual •5

2.2.3 The Data Displays

2.2.4 The Current Site Configuration

6● Chapter 2: Configuring Visual T&D

2.3 Managing the Site Configuration

2.3.1 The Configuration Files

2.3.2 Creating a New Site

To create a new site:

 Enter the name of the new site, and click Next.

2.3.2.1 Configuring the Data Sources

Visual T&D Explorer User Manual •7

Name Displays the name of the data source.

Address Displays the machine name or IP address of the data source.

Add Displays the types of data sources you can add:

Delete Deletes the selected data source from the list.

To set up an SMP Gateway as a data source:

8● Chapter 2: Configuring Visual T&D

Visual T&D Explorer User Manual •9

Table 2-2 SMP Gateway data source properties

 Enter the requested settings, and then click OK.

To set up an OPC server as a data source

10 ● Chapter 2: Configuring Visual T&D

Address Specify the machine name or IP address of the data source.

Table 2-3 OPC server data source properties

 Enter the requested settings, and then click OK.

To set up the communication server as a data source

Visual T&D Explorer User Manual • 11

Table 2-4 Communication server data source properties

 Enter the requested settings, and then click OK.

2.3.2.2 Selecting Data Sources