Restrictions on viewing time series data

PI point data reference configuration types

Although many configurations are possible with PI point data references, support differs for each data function. PI point data references can be grouped into the following types for time method configurations:

• Simply configured PI point

  All data functions are supported and there is no additional configuration. Time method is Automatic, Interpolated, or AtOrBefore.

• Archive retrieval of specified PI point

  Only functions in the interpolated values group (listed in the following table) are supported. Time method is Before, Exact, AtOrAfter, or After.

• Relative time PI point

  Simply configured PI point with relative time configured. Time method is Automatic, Interpolated, or AtOrBefore.

• Time range only

  Time method is not supported.

• Time range with relative time

  Time method is TimeRange or TimeRangeOverride.

  The following table details which data functions are supported by the PI point data reference configurations listed above. These restrictions also apply to other client tools, such as PI DataLink, PI Vision, PI ProcessBook and PI WebParts.

  Data function	Simply configured	Archive retrieval	Relative time	Time range only	Time range with relative time
  InterpolatedValue
  InterpolatedValues
  InterpolatedValuesAtTimes
  RecordedValue
  RecordedValues
  RecordedValuesAtTimes
  RecordedValuesByCount
  Async
  PlotValues
  Summary
  Summaries
  FilteredSummaries
  UpdateValue
  UpdateValues
  Annotations
  Filters
  AFDataPipe

Non-PI point data reference configuration types

Non-PI point data references can be grouped into the following types for time method configurations:

• No data reference

  Data reference is set to None.

• Calculation-based data reference with time-series inputs

  Calculation-based data references with time-series inputs, such as Analysis, Formula, String Builder, Table Lookup, and URI Builder support the base data functions. However, filtering and annotations functions are not supported. Calculation-based data references use recorded values of their inputs to generate timestamps for their own recorded values. If calculation-based data references contain no time-series inputs, they behave like the No-data-reference configuration type, except that they cannot be written to.

  Note: Table Lookup data references that are configured with a time column, as described in Table provided time series data, support the same data functions as the configuration type: Custom data reference generating its own time-series data.

• Custom calculation-based data reference

  Custom calculation-based data references are required to "opt-in" to gain access to base data functions.

• Custom data reference generating its own time-series data

  Custom data references that generate their own time-series data require code to be implemented for each data function call.

  The following table details which data functions are supported by the non-PI point data reference configurations listed above. These restrictions also apply to other client tools, such as PI DataLink, PI Vision, PI ProcessBook and PI WebParts.

  Data function	No data reference	Calculation-based data reference with time-series inputs	Custom calculation-based data reference	Custom data reference with its own time-series data
  InterpolatedValue			OptIn1	Code2
  InterpolatedValues			OptIn1	Code2
  InterpolatedValuesAtTimes			OptIn1	Code2
  RecordedValue			OptIn1	Code2
  RecordedValues			OptIn1	Code2
  RecordedValuesAtTimes			OptIn1	Code2
  RecordedValuesByCount			OptIn1	Code2
  Async			OptIn1	Code2
  PlotValues			OptIn1	Code2
  Summary			OptIn1	Code2
  Summaries			OptIn1	Code2
  FilteredSummaries				Code2
  UpdateValue				Code2
  UpdateValues				Code2
  Annotations				Code2
  Filters				Code2
  AFDataPipe			OptIn1	Code2

1Indicates that a custom data reference can be written with one method to declare which attributes it uses as inputs, and another method that transforms inputs to outputs. With input support, the AF SDK uses these methods to emulate the others, using a time series generated from input data.

2Indicates that code is needed for each method, if the time series comes from the system of record that is being connected to.