Analytics & Visualization · PI Vision Custom Symbol

How to Add a Sankey to AVEVA PI Vision

Everything you need to get the PIForge Sankey 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

Live Flows

Flow Widths That Breathe With Your Process

Every link is bound to a tag, AF attribute or fixed value

Each ribbon’s thickness is driven by live data — drag a tag onto the symbol or bind an AF attribute and the diagram breathes with your process. Values, percentages and gradient coloring are all built in.

• Link width = live flow value
• Bind tags, AF attributes or fixed values per link
• Value & percentage labels on every flow
• Gradient, source or target link coloring

Flow Tracing

Click a Node — See Everything It Touches

Upstream & downstream paths highlight, the rest fades away

One click on any node highlights its complete upstream and downstream path and dims everything else. Trace where the loss really comes from, or what a single source actually feeds — instantly.

• One-click upstream/downstream tracing
• Non-related flows fade automatically
• Trace banner with one-click reset
• Perfect for loss & leak investigations

Mass Balance

Leaks Flag Themselves

Inflow ≠ outflow triggers an automatic warning triangle

PIForge Sankey continuously checks every pass-through node: if inflow and outflow diverge beyond your tolerance, a warning triangle appears with the exact imbalance percentage on hover.

• Automatic in-vs-out check on every node
• Warning triangle + exact Δ % on hover
• Configurable tolerance
• Spot unaccounted losses at a glance

Build from AF

Your AF Model Becomes a Diagram — One Click

Browse AF, pick a root element, press Build

Skip the manual drawing entirely. Browse your AF database inside the Format panel, pick a root element, and Build creates every node and link — each one already bound to its element’s Flow attribute and polling live values.

• AF browser with drill-down inside the panel
• One click builds nodes + links + data binding
• Attribute name candidates (Flow, Power, …)
• Values poll live via PI Web API — no drag & drop

No-Code Editor

Add Nodes & Links Without Touching Code

The canvas updates as you type

Add nodes, name them, wire links between any two nodes and choose their data source — the layout engine re-flows the diagram live. Reorder with arrows, delete with one click.

• Add / rename / reorder / delete nodes
• Wire links with source-target dropdowns
• Fixed value, dragged tag or AF attribute per link
• Automatic layered layout — no coordinates

Styling

Make It Match Your Dashboard

Coloring modes, opacity, node width, labels

Three link-coloring modes, adjustable opacity and node width, value / percentage / name labels with auto-contrast text that stays readable on light or dark displays.

• Gradient · source · target coloring
• Link opacity & node width sliders
• Value, % and name labels
• Auto-contrast text for any background

Frequently asked questions

Can it build the diagram from my AF hierarchy automatically?

Yes. Point it at an element and it walks the AF structure to lay out the nodes and links, so a change to the hierarchy is reflected without redrawing anything.

Does it show losses and unaccounted flow?

Yes — anything that enters a node and does not leave it through a defined link is drawn as loss, which is usually the number the balance is being run to find.

Does Sankey 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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