User Manual

WatView ■ 24 ■
Data Logging and Graphing Data
WatView records process values and events in three ways, with
Data Logging, a Trend Plot Database and an Event Log.
WatView can store process data two ways. Data can be stored in
data log files for use outside WatView or in the trend plot data-
base for review on the trend plot graph screen within WatView.
Data log files are only created if you enable data logging and
then only the data you select is logged. When data logging is
enabled, the log files are updated as data is collected at the rate you
specify. Once this data is stored in a file WatView does not use it
again. Logged data can be viewed with third-party programs such as
Microsoft Excel
®
or Notepad
®
, but not with WatView.
The trend plot database automatically collects data for the
trend plot feature whether or not you enable data logging. This data
is collected at a rate you can specify, and records the values of all
parameters that may be graphed in all controllers that are commu-
nicating. This data is saved for a user-defined period of time. If you
forgot to enable data logging, you can export data from the trend plot
database in to a file formatted the same as the data log.
Help topics: Export Data from the Trend Plot Database proce-
dure
Event Log
The Event Log contains a record of user actions, alarms, recipe
downloads and other events that occur while WatView is running.
You can view this text file in WatView or a text editor ( Logs menu
> View).
Editions: The Event Log is not available in the
Configurator edition.
Help Topics: Using the Event Log
Data Logging
Data logs are files in which the values of the parameters you
select can be saved as they are read from the controllers on the net-
work. You can create any number of data logging sets, but often a
single data logging set will do the job ( File menu > Data Log
Setup). For example, logging all the process temperatures every 10
minutes may meet your requirements. However, if more detail is