Explore events with child events

You can use the Explore Events function to analyze events with child events by examining them in a hierarchical format. For example, suppose you want to analyze the startup phases of turbines, and you have configured each phase as a child event of an overall startup event. You can retrieve all the turbine startup events along with their child events (the phase events) into Microsoft Excel, and then analyze that data. In this case, you might retrieve events by event template.

1. Select a cell in the worksheet where you want PI DataLink to start inserting the function array that contains the events.

2. On the PI DataLink tab, in the Events group, select Explore to open the Explore Events task pane.

3. Specify the criteria to find events.

   As you enter criteria, the Preview list updates to show the events that match the entered criteria.

   1. In the Database field, enter the PI AF database that stores the events.

      Specify in the format \\ServerName\DatabaseName. Select the field to open a list of databases that contain event templates in connected PI AF servers.

   2. In the Search start and Search end fields specify the time period that you want to search for active events.

      Enter a PI time expression. For example, to retrieve events that were active during the last month, enter *-1mo in the Search start field and * in the Search end field.

      Tip: To find events with a more specific relationship to this time period, such as events that started or ended during this time period, expand More search options and select an alternative method from the Search mode list.

   3. As necessary, specify additional criteria to refine the events that the function returns (shown in the Preview list).

      See Explore Events task-pane reference for a complete list of available fields.

      For example, use the Event template list to limit returned events to those based on a particular event template. You might select the template named TurbineStartUp to analyze turbine startup events.

4. Specify the worksheet output:

   1. From the Columns to display list, select the columns to include in the function array and set the column order. The list contains the names of attributes. By default, the list includes the virtual attributes generated for all events and the event attributes from the selected event template. You can:

      • Select the Select all check box to include all the listed attributes as columns in the returned function array.

      • Select a check box to include the attribute, or clear a check box to exclude an attribute as a column in the returned function array.

      • Select to open the Add Attributes window where you can select additional attributes to include as columns in the function array. See Add attribute columns to the Explore Events task pane.

      • Type the name of an event attribute next to the blank check box at the bottom of the list.

      • Right-click an attribute, select Insert attribute to insert a blank attribute above the selected attribute, and then type the name of an event attribute.

      • Select an attribute and select to move the attribute up in the list.

      • Select an attribute and select to move the attribute down in the list.

      • Select an attribute and select to remove the attribute from the list.

      • Right-click an attribute and then select Delete attribute to remove the attribute from the list.

      If the length of the selected column names exceeds 759 characters, the function cannot process columns individually. In this case, the task pane prompts you to specify all columns as a group. With columns specified as a group, the list says All event attributes and template attributes, and the returned function array includes all the default attributes and their children attributes, but no additional attributes that you specified.

   2. From the Number of child event levels list, select the number of child-event levels to include in the function array.

      Select 0 to retrieve no child events, select 1 to retrieve child events from the first level (that is, events immediately below the matched events), and so on. You can identify events with child events in the Preview list by a + next to the event name. Child events do not need to match the specified criteria.

      The function adds a column for each level retrieved. When retrieving child events, the function inserts each child event into a separate row. In rows containing child events, the added column contains the child event name.

   3. Verify that the Output cell field contains the worksheet cell where you want to insert the top-left corner of the function array.

      If you selected a cell before opening the task pane, PI DataLink automatically inserts that cell into this field.

5. Select OK to insert the function array into the worksheet.