Signal Analyzer

This section describes the Signal Analyzer tool.

Real-time only: This document is valid only for real-time/VHIL simulation.

Signal Analyzer is a tool used for visualization and analysis of signal data exported within Typhoon HIL software or dynamically imported from HIL SCADA. It shares the same visualization and signal analysis functionality with the Capture/Scope HIL SCADA widget.

After Signal Analyzer is opened, you will notice the similar start-up screen as is the case in HIL SCADA and Schematic Editor: the screen shows recently imported signal data files (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Start screen with recent list of imported signal data files

Each time you open a signal data file (Figure 2) or import data from HIL SCADA (Figure 3), a new tab with all visualized signals will be opened.

After a signals data file is imported, Signal Analyzer will automatically look for a Signals View Configuration file (.svc file) with the same file name as the opened signals data file in the same directory where the signals data file is located. The Signals View Configuration file contains all viewport settings (background color, legend visibility, viewport display type...) and plotted signal settings (color, line type, etc.) for some or all of the signals found in the imported signals data file.

Note: Only signals that are plotted on a viewport before they are exported to the signals data file, have corresponding signal settings in the Signals View Configuration file. Therefore, only signals that are found in the Signals View Configuration file will be configured and automatically plotted on corresponding viewports in Signal Analyzer (Figure 4). All other signals need to be manually selected to be plotted on the desired viewport(s). If the Signals View Configuration file is not found, all signals from the imported signals data file will be plotted on the first viewport (Figure 2).

Signal Analyzer can save the current Signals View configuration by clicking on the toolbar action or by manually loading the .svc file by clicking on . In this way, you can have multiple Signals View Configuration files for one loaded signals data file.

Figure 2. Tab with visualized signal data imported from a file

Figure 3. Tab with visualized signal data imported from HIL SCADA

Note: Signal Analyzer can only open signal data files exported from Typhoon HIL software, which includes CSV (*.csv), HDF5 (*.h5), MATLAB mat (*.mat), NI TMDS (*.tmds), ASAM MDF4 (*.mf4), and COMTRADE file formats (*.cff. Additionally, *.dat and *.cfg files are supported provided that the name (*) is the same for all imported files). If you try to open the same file format generated from another tool, there is a possibility that they will not be opened because of a specific internal file format structure used in Typhoon HIL’s software.

As mentioned above, visualization and data analysis part is identical to the same functionality found in Capture/Scope. Therefore, for detailed explanation how to use various visualization options and data analysis functionality, please consult Capture/Scope documentation (Capture/Scope plotting options)

The Signal Analyzer application can also be started from the command line:

usage: typhoon_hil sa [--data_file DATA_FILE]

required arguments:
  --data_file DATA_FILE
                        Load specified signals data file (HDF5 (*.h5); CSV
                        (*.csv); MATLAB MAT (*.mat); NI TDMS (*.tdms); ASAM
                        MDF (*.mf4); COMTRADE CFG (*.cfg); COMTRADE DAT
                        (*.dat); COMTRADE CFF (*.cff)).

The "sa" option stands for "Signal Analyzer".

If for some reason you don't have typhoon_hil in path by default, you can execute commands directly on the Typhoon HIL Control Center executable. For example:

C:\>cd "C:\Program Files\Typhoon HIL Control Center 2019.4\"
C:\Program Files\Typhoon HIL Control Center 2019.4>typhoon_hil.exe sa <<commands>>