Analytics & Visualization · PI Vision Custom Symbol

How to Add a TimeLap to AVEVA PI Vision

Everything you need to get the PIForge TimeLap 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

Overview

Is Today Good or Bad?

The same tag across time periods, on one clock

A single trend cannot tell you whether today is normal. TimeLap lays today over yesterday and the day before on the same axis, so the comparison is immediate.

• Drop one attribute and the periods build themselves
• Today vs Yesterday, month over month, year over year
• Or pin any fixed window as a manual reference
• Fetches the past periods itself via PI Web API

Transforms

Make the Gap the Signal

Absolute, delta or percent delta

Sometimes the value matters, sometimes only the difference does. Switch the transform and the comparison sharpens.

• None (overlay), delta, or percent delta
• Choose which layer is the baseline
• Shade the band between baseline and any layer
• Summary column follows the transform

Typical Profile

Yesterday Might Have Been Unusual Too

A statistical baseline from the last N periods

Comparing to a single past period is fragile. Learn the typical profile from the last N comparable periods - mean plus or minus k sigma - and judge the current period against normal instead.

• Baseline from the last N days, weeks, months or years
• Band width in sigma, configurable
• Flags every point where the current period breaks out
• Reports the share of the period spent outside normal

Pace to Target

Where Will This Period Finish?

End-of-period projection against your goal

Mid-shift the real question is not what happened - it is where this period will land. TimeLap projects the finish from the pace so far and compares it to your target, while there are still hours left to react.

• Projects end-of-period value or running total
• Set a target for the period
• Shows the gap as a percentage against target
• Works on any calendar period that is still in progress

Worst Period

Which Past Period Was the Worst?

Ranked by deviation, named and overlaid

When you need the evidence, ask which past period deviated most from the typical profile. TimeLap ranks them, names the date, and draws that period on the chart in red.

• Scans the last N periods and surfaces the single worst outlier
• Reports its date and how many sigma it deviated
• Overlays it on the chart for direct comparison
• Jump straight to the abnormal window

Frequently asked questions

Which comparison periods are supported?

Same-day, month-over-month and year-over-year overlays, so daily operations and seasonal comparisons both work on the same symbol.

What is the typical-profile band?

A band built from the historical shape of the same period, so the current trace can be read against what this process usually does at this time.

Does TimeLap 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.

Other Analytics & Visualization symbols

All PI Vision symbol guides · Browse the marketplace