2011 Split User Group Meeting Presentations

The 2011 European PQView Users Group Meeting was held in Split on 3-4 October in Split, Croatia.  The meeting was attended by twenty-seven people from Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, Norway, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, and the United States.  Presentations and photos from the meeting and are available on-line.

2011 Boston User Group Meeting Presentations

The 2011 North American PQView Users Group Meeting was held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center on September 15 and was attended by twenty people from Canada and the United States.  Presentations from the meeting and associated workshops are available on-line.

PQView 3.70.0 Released

PQView 3.70.0 is available for download.  Here are some highlights for this release:

Translated User Interface: To complement the Simplified Chinese user interface that has been available since 2008, we added a new Traditional Chinese user interface.

PQView Database Library: The software library used by third-party software engineers to provide data to custom PQView applications was significantly updated.  The new version of the library can return data log samples up to 35% faster, and waveform samples can be returned up to 80% faster.  Examples of third-party applications developed by PQView users in Asia and Europe are posted in the PQView Users Group Meetings Archive.

Point-in-Wave CharacteristicsIEEE P1159.2 Module: We added a new module for analyzing voltage sags using the methods described in drafts of IEEE P1159.2 and in EPRI Report TR-113044.  The rms characteristics defined by IEEE P1159.2 include sag start, sag stop, sag duration, rms minimum, rms average, rms maximum, and three-phase rms imbalance.  The point-in-wave characteristics defined by the draft standard include point of initiation, point of recovery, duration, initial transition angle, phase jump, final phase shift, final transition angle, post event angle, and maximum harmonic rms value.

Data Handler for Dranetz ESS/InfoNode: We completed optimizations in the data handler used to download measurements from Dranetz InfoNode servers that will reduce download time from remote InfoNodes by about 50%. Another improvement will reduce CPU utilization during stored data download by much as 95%.

Data Handler for IEEE PQDIF Files: We increased the limit on the number of samples that could be imported from a single series in an IEEE 1159.3 PQDIF file to one million.   We also updated the PQDIF-to-PQView translation table within the PQDIF Data Handler for PQView to allow import of sliding window long-term flicker perception and real power at the fundamental frequency.

Updates to Other Data Handlers: We updated the data handler used when importing measurements from the SoftSwitching Technologies I-Grid web site, from IEEE COMTRADE files, and from EDMI EziView text files.

Linear Regression Scatter ChartLinear Regression Charts: You can now create scatter charts for data logs that feature linear regression lines and statistics.

X-Axis Annotations: We are no longer using vertical lines to indicate when status values change for digital channels imported from a microprocessor relay.  We now use x-axis annotations, which allow many more digital status changes to be shown very close in time.
 

PQView 3.68.1 Released

PQView 3.68.1 is available for download. 

We completed nearly two hundred changes to PQView in upgrading from version 3.66.0 to 3.68.1.  Here are some highlights:

• PQView Users Group Meetings: During August and September, more than ninety users participated in PQView training sessions in New Zealand, Australia, China, and New York.  This PQView release includes many changes specifically requested at these training sessions.
• Charting Libraries: We upgraded the charting engine used for interactive charts in PQView.  The new charting engine renders charts about 60% faster, which will be most evident when making a chart with hundreds of thousands or millions of data points.  The chart engine now uses modern Windows charting technologies such as GDI+, antialiased text, and antialiased graphics.  The most noticeable enhancement is an optional zoom window that will appear at the bottom of each chart once you zoom in.  The zoom chart shows the entire chart and highlights the area that is currently zoomed.
• Updates to Data Handlers: We updated the data handlers or modules used to import from the following data store formats: IEEE COMTRADE Folders, Dranetz ESS/InfoNode, Schneider Electric ION Enterprise, Unipower PQ Secure databases, SoftSwitching I-Grid, OSISoft PI System, PQView databases, and SEL Report Files.
• Updates to PQView Agent: We modified the way in which PQDM instances shut down when launched from PQView Agent.  As an option, you can have PQDM terminate itself after a data source import initiated by PQView Agent.  This option prevents PQDM instances being left stranded after a Microsoft Access automatic restart.
• RAS Support: We made major improvements in PQDM when used to download Dranetz InfoNodes using dial-up networking (RAS) connections.
• Proxy Server Support: We added support for specifying proxy server settings when downloading measurements from InfoNode and I-Grid servers.
• Fault Viewer: The Fault Viewer in PQDA now features a command button that can export one-line diagrams to applications associated with KML files (e.g., Google Earth)..
• ANEEL Calculations: The derivations for indices required by the Brazilian National Electrical Energy Agency were modified to include monitor availability as part of the precarious and critical voltage ratio.

PQView 3.66.0 Released

PQView 3.66.0 is available for download.

We completed nearly sixty changes to PQView in upgrading from version 3.65.1 to 3.66.0.  Here are some highlights:

• Microsoft Access 2010: This version of PQView includes support for the just released Microsoft Access 2010.  We also posted the free Microsoft Access 2010 runtime edition for download.
• Microsoft Access 2007: Some users reported problems using PQView with Access 2007.  We discovered that there was a defect in the original release of Access 2007 that prevented launching PQView.  Microsoft corrected the problem in Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1).  In PQView 3.66.0, the PQView Launcher and PQView Agent applications will show a warning message if your computer is using the original release of Access 2007, and will advise you to install SP1 or SP2.
• Updates to Data Handlers: The following data handlers were updated: PQView 2.x/3.x Databases, IEEE COMTRADE Folders (No Map), Dranetz-BMI PASS 8010 PQNode Database, and GridSense PowerView Text Files.
• Data Handler for GridSense PowerView Text Files:  The data handler was updated to import waveform samples and rms samples from event files.  Previously, you could import data log measurements only.
• SEL Report Files: We added a new window for importing from report files created by Schweitzer Engineering Labs (SEL).  The only report supported by the window with this release is the Load Profile (LDP) report.  We plan to expand on this window in the future to import other SEL report files, including EVE, CEV, and SSI.  Until then, there is a separate data handler specifically designed to import EVE files.
• Derivation of ANEEL Indices: We revised the module in the PQView PQ Data Manager used to derive indices required by the Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency (ANEEL).
  Fault Analysis Window: We added three new charts: distribution of maximum voltage, maximum voltage per fault event, and maximum voltage per fault event in a time line display.  The fault data for this report is added by the optional Reactance-to-Fault Add-in Module.
• Follow-On Fault Analysis Window: We added a new window that analyzes faults that “follow” other faults measured by a site at the same station.