PI ProcessBook, PI DataLink, and RtWebParts

Introduction

In our PI ProcessBook, PI DataLink and RtWebParts class we teach you how to use our smart and thin clients to access and combine your process data with your enterprise data. The vast majority of the course is dedicated to using PI ProcessBook, our tool for creating dynamic, interactive graphical displays featuring real-time PI data, and PI DataLink, our add-in that allows user to access and deliver data to and from Microsoft Excel and create easy-to-read reports.

The class also covers the creation and configuration of a Windows Sharepoint Services (WSS) web part page using RtWebParts, to display process and enterprise data in a web based environment. Much of class time is dedicated to hands-on activities.  

The class is three days long. Class will start promptly at 8:30 a.m. and is scheduled to run until 4:30 p.m. We will break for lunch for one hour each day. This class provides 20 classroom hours of instruction. 

This class teaches the tasks required to use and configure PI ProcessBook, PI DataLink and RtWebParts, our basic Windows-based client applications for a PI System. The class will briefly touch upon the subjects of datasets, PI ActiveView, and the PI Module Database.  Please consult the course list for details on classes that provide detailed training on these subjects.

No PI server management, detailed ActiveX scripting, or API/SDK programming is taught in this class.  While we do discuss many subjects in the class, we do not cover these subjects in great detail.  They are only taught from the perspective of the average user.  For more in-depth coverage of these topics in OSIsoft products, see the System Management, PI Data Access (DA), and PI Data Access Pack (DAP) classes, and the Advanced PI Client ActiveX Scripting CBT.

Audience
This class is for beginning users of PI, and is often an individual’s first look at OSIsoft's products. System managers of the PI system usually take this class as well. Sometimes members of a PI project team take this class to get an “executive overview” of the capabilities of PI software. Also, system integrators who work with OSIsoft customers take this class. 

Students in the past have been engineers, production managers, process operators, instrument technicians, PI project team members, information system analysts and computer support personnel. This is also an excellent class to take if you are considering buying PI and want to eventually implement all of its features.

Prerequisites
This class is taught in a Windows XP / Office 2007 environment, and is designed for students who have a good understanding of that environment.  You will have to open and close files, locate files in different directories, and use menus and toolbars. 

Students will spend almost a whole day using Microsoft Excel 2007, so knowing how to work in Excel is a prerequisite for this class.

No specific knowledge of PI software is required.

Class Outline
Introduction to PI

• Overview of the PI System architecture
• PI point database
• PI system data flow
• Working with time

Common Client Dialogs

• Tag search
• Connecting to a PI server
• Tag attributes 

Using PI ProcessBook

• PI ProcessBook overview
• Using workbooks and displays
• Building workbooks and displays
• Creating trends, static and dynamic elements
• Importing symbol library and external graphic images
• Using command buttons
• Performance Equation (PE) syntax
• Using PI calculation and ODBC data sets      

• PI DataLink overview
• Setting preferences
• Accessing and using PI DataLink functions
• Using filters with PI DataLink functions
• Inserting a PI trend in an Excel spreadsheet 

An Introduction to the PI Module Database

• Introduction to the PI Module Database
• Examples of Module DB structures
• Navigating the PI Module Database structure
• Using the Module DB in PI ProcessBook displays
• Using the Module DB in PI DataLink reports
• Advanced tag and module search functions

Using RtWebParts

• Introduction to Microsoft SharePoint and RtWebParts architecture
• Inserting and configuring basic RtWebParts (RtGauge, RtTrend, RtGraphic, RtValues, RtTimeSeries) to show PI data
• Creating connections between web parts using the RtTimeRange and RtTreeView web parts
• Creating PI graphic files (.svg) using PI ProcessBook
• Creating and managing a SharePoint document library

Using PI ActiveView

• Introduction to PI ActiveView
• Using PI ActiveView web pages
• Creating PI ActiveView web pages
• Inserting and configuring the RtActiveView web part on a portal web page

Objectives
Here is more information on the class. This is a list of tasks the successful student is expected to be able to do after completing the class. Describe what the PI system is

• Draw a diagram of the architecture of a PI system
• Describe how the data flows in PI
• Describe what a point is
• List the basic point attributes and their usage
• Express absolute time in the proper format
• Express relative time in the proper format
• Select proper parameters for the exception test
• Select proper parameters for the compression test
• Create new connections to a PI server using a common dialog window
• Modify existing connections using a common dialog window
• Search for points using a common dialog window
• Look at point attributes using a common dialog window
• Describe the PI Performance Equation (PE) syntax
• Describe the PI Module Database structure
• Access PI ProcessBook 
• Use workbooks
• Navigate workbook files (.piw)
• Open workbook entries
• Create a workbook 
• Create text entries
• Create display entries 
• Create link / OS command entries
• Use displays to read process information
• Create displays
• Create and edit static elements 
• Create and edit dynamic elements
• Create and edit MultiState elements
• Resize and reposition elements on a display
• Create and use PI calculation and ODBC data sets in displays
• Insert command buttons
• Insert Symbol Library images
• Insert external graphics
• Build module relative displays
• Identify invalid elements using the status report
• Install the add-in in Excel
• Describe Excel time format
• Use the context (right-click) menu
• Refresh the data
• Edit an array
• Get a current value
• Get a tag attribute value
• Get an archived value
• Get compressed values
• Get sampled values
• Get calculated values
• Get filtered values
• Get PI expressions values or summaries
• Insert and configure a PI trend
• Build module relative reports
• Write values to PI
• Define RtWebParts/RtBaseline and its relation to the RtPM architecture
• Explain what is a “Portal” (In a sense of enterprise portal)
• Navigate through a SharePoint environment, distinguishing sites, search, web part pages, document libraries and lists.
• Add a new web part page
• Add RtWebParts web parts to a web part page
• Configure RtWebParts web parts to show PI data (RtGauge, RtTrend, RtGraphic, RtValues, RtTimeSeries)
• Create connections between web parts
• Configure the RtTreeView web part to display module-relative data in RtWebParts web parts or navigate to a web page
• Configure the RtTimeRange web part
• Explain the SVG format and how to download the SVG Viewer
• Create .svg files from ProcessBook displays
• Insert ProcessBook .svg files in a SharePoint document library
• Build an PI ActiveView web page
• Use an PI ActiveView web page
• Create a PI ActiveView web page using the export display .pdi file in ProcessBook
• Configure and use the RtActiveView web part

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