Event frame templates

Using event frame templates, you can define and standardize the related data (event frame attributes) associated with different types of events. For consistency, it is recommended to create event frame objects from templates. To learn more, see Base and derived templates. You can use event frame attributes to provide additional context around the event that are useful for searches and reports. For example, downtime events often have a reason code that users want to search for or filter on during analysis of their downtime events.

Note: Event frames cannot be created directly from templates marked Base Template Only (BTO). You create a derived template from the BTO template and then create event frames from the derived template. When you create an event frame based on a derived template, it inherits all the attributes of the derived template and the BTO template.

You can also configure event frame attributes to reference process data in the context of the event. For example, a temperature excursion event is likely to have an attribute for the maximum temperature. You can configure event frames to record those values for you. Additionally, for each event type, you can configure an index for the most frequently searched attributes. This approach enables faster and easier searches on the PI AF server when you track several event types or millions of events.

Data references in event frame templates

When you create event frames dynamically with event frame templates, you typically need to reference elements, attributes, templates or other related objects based on those event frame templates. Because each individual event frame occurs in a slightly different context, you can use substitution parameters to reference other PI AF objects dynamically, rather than static, absolute references. For example, you can use a downtime event frame template for any number of assets, such as a pump, motor, boiler, compressor, and so on.

In PI point data references, substitution parameters are useful for:

• Building tag name references based on hierarchy or other attribute values.

• Referencing other PI point attributes, such as from an event frame to the primary referenced element.

The main limitation of PI point data references is that the element attribute must also be a PI point data reference.

In String Builder data references, substitution parameters are useful for:

• Obtaining numeric values or string values when referenced element attributes do not have a PI point data reference.

• Creating a string by concatenating multiple values from referenced element attributes and other text.

• Passing a time context, including the end time of the event frame.

• Obtaining the name of referenced elements or their parents.

The limitation of String Builder data references is that they do not perform unit of measure conversions or perform aggregations or calculations.

A specific syntax is required to reference attributes from event frame templates, as described in Data attribute references to primary elements and Data attribute references to other elements.

Video

For information on how to set up event frame templates, watch this video: