This page covers:
Viewing and using dashboards
The charts generated by stream views are presented in dashboards. Certain kinds of chart can also be generated ad-hoc, for example, to view the contents of a stream set from a stream set form, a Data Grid is produced.
Chart type: Data Grid
A Data Grid is a simple chart type, displaying the data in a table format.
Details for an individual Stream Item can be viewed by double clicking on a row. This bring up the Stream Item Form with details of the Stream Item selected.
Chart buttons
Charts provides the standard grid icons.
They also provides the following icons:
 | Shows a list of any Stream Actions associated with the Stream View. The user may select one of these actions e.g. to update specific data on the grid. |
 | Refresh the chart. |
 | Select an existing (or predefined) Filter or create, delete and modify Filters. This causes the chart to refresh and display only those entries which match the selected Filter. |
 | Select an existing (or predefined) multi-column Sort Order or create, delete and modify Sort Orders. Note that data is ordered across all records which are implied by the Filter, not just the current page of data. |
 | Pressing this icon toggles the display of other standard icons and the additional icons below. |
 | Displays summary details of the Stream View. |
 | Displays detail common to Dashboard Elements. This icon is only displayed when a Stream View is added to a Dashboard. |
 | Modifies selected items displayed in the Chart. When this button is pressed, a form containing all fields in the Chart will appear. If a value is entered into any of these fields, the value will be applied to all items displayed. |
 | Exports the data currently being viewed in the grid using a Database Exporter or a File Exporter. The user can select an exporter from the list of Database and File Exporters attached to the underlying stream. Note that this will export all data, not just the current paged result. However, any filters on the pipe connecting the stream to the Database or File Exporter selected will be applied, so not all records displayed in the Chart may be exported - some may be filtered out in the pipe. |
 | Shows Alarms associated with this Chart. |
 | Shows the configuration of the underlying Stream. |
 | Opens the download data form allowing the user to export just the selected items or all data on the chart as either an Excel file, a CSV (comma separated) file or as an HTML document. |
 | Shows the list of Stream Views. |
Configuring dashboards
A dashboard allows a User to gather into a single view a set of charts.
This grouping of related reports and statistics provides the User with preconfigured overviews of selected areas, making all the data that is required to view and monitor the health of the system both accessible and easy to read.
Any number of dashboards can be constructed by dragging predefined Stream Views onto a dashboard pane.
Things added to the dashboard in this way are known as dashboard elements. Dashboard elements are given short names which can then be used in expressions to refer to items selected in those Stream Views.
Dashboards can be created as either 'public' or 'private' - a private dashboard is only visible to the owner. Users may also specify a personal 'default' dashboard which is opened automatically each time PhixFlow is started.
Form: Dashboard Details
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | The name of the dashboard. |
| Public | If ticked, all users can view and edit the dashboard. If not ticked, only the owner can view or edit the dashboard. |
| All Users Can View Data | If checked, this specifies that all users can view this dashboard by default (provided they have the basic privilege to view dashboards). If this field is not checked, then access to the dashboard is controlled by dropping user groups onto the stream's "User Groups" tab. |
| Open Maximised | If ticked, the dashboard opens fills the whole screen when it is opened. |
| Show Toolbar | Show the toolbar on the dashboard. |
| Always On Top | Always keep the dashboard on top. |
| Dashboard Elements | |
| A list of the dashboard elements on this dashboard. | |
| User Groups | |
| A list of the user groups which can view this dashboard. This tab is only shown if All Users Can View Data is not selected. | |
| Description | |
| Description | Description of the dashboard. |
Form Icons
The form provides the standard form icons, as well as:
| Display the dashboard. |
Configuration
Splitter Bars
The Dashboard area can be divided into multiple, resizing panes by adding vertical or horizontal splitter bars. Right click the pane or any element on the pane to:
- Add Vertical Bar
- Add Horizontal Bar
Splitter bars can be removed by right clicking on an empty pane and selecting Delete Pane.
Layout Options
Right click any pane or element and select Layout Options to configure the following options:
- Maximize contents
- Set a fixed width
- Set a fixed height
Add Element
An element can be added to a dashboard by dragging predefined Stream Views onto the dashboard pane.
Remove Element
You can remove an element from the dashboard by selecting from the element icon bar. This removes the object from the Dashboard view but will not delete the object from PhixFlow.
Link Dashboard Elements
You can link Dashboard views together so that the contents of one view are filtered based on items selected in a "Driver" view.
A grid view (grids only) will be automatically made a "Driver", if any of the filter expressions in any of the dashboard elements reference the view by name. Any views that are drivers can be identified by the existence of the icon appearing in the top right of the view. Clicking on this icon will cause any dependent views and charts to refresh themselves.
To make a Dashboard element dependent upon the Driver view, set it up with a Filter which uses at least one condition with an expression containing the drivers view name. i.e ACCTS. When the Filter is evaluated, the view name ACCTS notation will contain the rows selected on the Driver view. An example condition expression is:
AccountNum equals ACCTS.AccountNumber
Where AccountNumber is an Attribute on the Driver view.
Dashboard Pane Toolbar
This is found in the top, right-hand corner of the dashboard pane. This provides the following options:
Toggles the ability for the Dashboard owner to modify layout of the Dashboard. By default, the layout is locked, i.e. elements cannot be moved or resized. Note, however, elements may still be maximised in this mode. Pressing this icon enables layouts to be changed. Pressing the button again locks the layout. | |
Refresh will update the dashboard in line with changes made elsewhere in PhixFlow. |
Forms: Dashboard Element
Stream views on a Dashboard have parameters like short names (aliases) which can be used in expressions when referring to items selected on those views, data range and filter which can be used to control the list of records shown by the Dashboard Chart. This form allows you to change those parameters from their default values, which are taken from the original view.
The following fields are configured on the form:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Name of the dashboard element. |
| Name of target | Name of the view underlying this dashboard element. |
| Data Retrieval Options | |
| Use Custom Data Range | Ticking the field allows to choose the different data range than is selected on the original view. |
| Data Range | Range of Stream Sets which will be shown on the chart. The user can choose Latest Stream Set or All Stream Sets. |
| Use Custom Default Filter | If you tick the checkbox, you can choose a default filter. This will override the default filter set in the original view, if one has been set. |
| Default Filter | The default filter applies to this dashboard element. |
| Background Filter | The background filter of this dashboard element. This will be applied in addition to the background filter of the original view, if one has been set. A default filter, if set, or user selected filters are applied on top of this background filter, and the view background filter. |
| Refresh When Dashboard Refreshes? | Select one of:
|
HELPDEVTODO not yet added Apply Selections Mode | Auto - Linked Views linked with the Driving View will refresh automatically after selecting a row. Manual - Linked Views linked with the Driving View will refresh after clicking on a Update the dashboard using the selected rows green button. |
| Header Options | |
| Display Export Button | Toggle the export button on the view in the dashboard |
| Display Filter Button | Toggle the filter button on the view in the dashboard |
| Display Paging Button | Toggle the paging button on the view in the dashboard |
| Display Refresh Button | Toggle the refresh button on the view in the dashboard |
| Display Sort Order Button | Toggle the sort order button on the view in the dashboard |
Form Icons
The form provides the standard form icons.