Operations & Data Entry · PI Vision Custom Symbol

How to Add a DateTime Picker to AVEVA PI Vision

Everything you need to get the PIForge DateTime Picker symbol running on your AVEVA PI Vision server — installation, license activation, and a tour of every feature with live video.

What this solves

Installation — 5 steps, about 10 minutes

1. 1

   Download the package

   Purchase the symbol at piforge.app and download the ZIP from your profile. It contains four files: the symbol script (.js), two templates (.html) and an icon (.svg).

2. 2

   Copy the files to the PI Vision server

   Extract all four files into the PI Vision extension folder on the server: %PIHOME64%\PIVision\Scripts\app\editor\symbols\ext\ (create the ext folder if it does not exist yet). Use %PIHOME64%, not %PIHOME% — on a PI server those are different trees and PI Vision is only in the 64-bit one.

3. 3

   Restart the PI Vision application

   Recycle the PI Vision application pool in IIS (or run iisreset), then hard-refresh the browser (Ctrl+F5) so the new symbol script is loaded.

4. 4

   Add the symbol to a display

   Open a display in edit mode. The new symbol appears in the symbol palette on the left. Select it, then drag a tag or AF attribute onto the canvas.

5. 5

   Activate the license

   Open Format Symbol, paste the license key from your purchase email into the License field, and save. The watermark disappears immediately — no restart needed.

What you can do with it

One-Click Ranges

Time Navigation Built for Operators

Preset buttons, window stepping, instant LIVE

Today, Yesterday, Last 8 h — one click each. Step the whole window backward or forward, and snap back to live with the LIVE button. The current range is always visible.

• Preset range buttons (PI time syntax)
• Step ◂ ▸ by window or fixed interval
• LIVE button returns to now
• Buttons · dropdown · calendar display modes

Calendar

Exact Windows Without Typing Timestamps

Click start, click end, set times, Apply

A real month-grid calendar: click the start day, click the end day, optionally set hh:mm boundaries, Apply. The whole display jumps to exactly that window.

• Month grid with range highlighting
• Click-click range selection
• Optional hh:mm start / end times
• Today marker & month navigation

Event Jump

Jump the Display to Any Event Frame

Pick from a searchable list — or page through events

The Events popup lists recent event frames with times and durations. Pick one and the display time becomes exactly that event. Skip buttons page through events one by one — batch review made trivial.

• Searchable recent-events popup
• Display time = the event’s start–end
• Prev / next event stepping
• Filter by name, lookback configurable

Bookmarks

Pin the Moment That Matters

Save the current range as a named chip

Found the trip? Save the exact window as a named bookmark chip. It persists with the display, and one click brings every symbol on screen back to that moment.

• Name & save the current range
• Chips persist with the display
• One-click return, ✕ to remove
• Great for investigations & handovers

Share & Compare

Send a Colleague to the Exact Same View

Deep links with the time range baked in — plus -1 d / -1 w

The share button copies the display URL with StartTime/EndTime embedded — paste it in chat and the recipient lands on the identical view. Compare buttons jump the same window back a day or a week.

• One-click deep link to this exact range
• Clipboard with visual confirmation
• Compare: same window, -1 day / -1 week
• Perfect for shift handover threads

Configuration

Your Plant’s Time Vocabulary

Custom buttons and production shifts in the Format panel

Define the buttons your operators actually need with PI time syntax, and describe your shift pattern once (start hour + length) to get This Shift / Prev Shift buttons — plus cross-display sync groups.

• Add / reorder / rename buttons
• PI time syntax: *-8h, t, y, absolute…
• Shift buttons from start-hour + length
• Sync Group: pickers follow each other across displays

Frequently asked questions

Does it keep multiple displays on the same time range?

Yes — it drives the standard PI Vision time context, so anything else on the display follows it, and the range can be synchronised rather than set per symbol.

Can I jump straight to an event frame?

Yes. Events can be listed and selected, and the display time range moves to the one you pick.

Does DateTime Picker work with my PI Vision version?

Yes — PI Vision 2019 R2 through 2023+ are supported. The symbol uses the standard PI Vision extensibility model, so regular version upgrades do not break it, and one year of compatibility updates is included.

Do I need to install anything on client PCs?

No. The symbol is installed once on the PI Vision server; every browser client gets it automatically from there.

How is it licensed?

One license covers one PI Vision server, with unlimited displays and unlimited users on that server. The key is delivered instantly by email after purchase.

Can I try it before buying?

Every feature is demonstrated in live video on the product page, and a free symbol (Combo Chart Free Edition) is available on GitHub to validate the install workflow end to end. If you need a formal quotation or have to go through procurement, use the Request a Quote button on the product page.

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