The Output Window

In addition to results presented in the Single Line Graphics and / or Data Manager, the Output Window displays other textual output, such as error messages, warnings, command messages, device docu-mentation, result of calculations, and generated reports, etc. This section describes Output Window use and functionality.

Sizing and Positioning the Output Window

The default location of the Output Window is “docked" (fixed) at the bottom of the main window, as shown in Figure4.8.1It can be minimized, but not closed. When right-clicking the mouse button with the cursor in the output windows area, the context sensitive menu of the output window appears. The output window can then be undocked by deselecting the Dock Output Window. The undocked output window is still confined to the main window, but now as a free floating window. This can occur unintentionally when the user left clicks the tool bar for the output window and drags the mouse (keeping the mouse button down) to somewhere outside of the output window boundaries. To rectify this simply left-click in the title bar of the undocked window and drag it down to the bottom of the screen where it will dock once more (if you have right-clicked and unticked “Docking View" then right click and select “Docking View"

once more).

The upper edge of the output window shows a splitter bar which is used to change the size of the output window. The “drag" cursor appears automatically when the cursor is placed on the splitter bar. The left mouse button can be pressed when the “drag" cursor is visible. This will turn the splitter bar to grey and the output window can now be resized by holding down the mouse button and moving the mouse up or down.

The output window may be moved and resized by:

• Dragging the splitter bar (grey bar at the upper edge of the output window) when the output window is in “docking mode".

• Double-clicking the frame of the output window to dock/undock it from the main window.

• Pressing the Maximize Graphic Window icon ( ) on the main toolbar to enlarge the graphics board by hiding the output window.

• Pressing the Maximize Output Window icon ( ) icons on the main toolbar to enlarge the output window.

Output Window Options The contents of the output window may be stored, edited, redirected, etc., using the icons shown on the right-hand pane of the output window. Some commands are also available from the context sensitive menu by right-clicking the mouse in the output window pane.

Opens an editor. The user can copy and paste text from the output window to the editor, and manually type data in the editor.

Opens a previously saved output file.

Saves the selected text to an ASCII file, or the complete contents of the output window if no selection was made.

Copies the selected text to the Windows Clipboard. Text may then be pasted in other programs.

Clears the output window by deleting all messages. Note that when the user scrolls through previous messages in the output window, the output window will no longer automatically scroll with new output messages. The Clear All icon will “reset" scrolling of the output window.

Searches the text in the output window for the occurrences of a given text.

Changes the font used in the output window.

Redirects the output window to a file. The output window will not display messages while this icon is depressed.

Redirects the output window to be printed directly.

Redirects the output window to be printed directly.

Using the Output Window

The Output Window facilitates preparation of data for calculations, and identification of network data errors. Objects listed in the output window (with a folder name and object name) can be double-clicked with the left mouse button to open an edit dialogue for the object. Alternatively, the object can be right-clicked and then Edit, Edit and Browse Object, or Mark in Graphic selected. For example, if a Synchronous Machine Element does not have a Type defined, the load-flow will not solve and a message will be reported. (see Figure4.8.4). This simplifies the task of locating objects in the Single Line Graphic.

Figure 4.8.4: Output Window Context Sensitive Menu Output Window Context Sensitive Menu

As mentioned in the previous section, to show the Output Windows context sensitive menu, right-click the mouse button whilst pointing at the object name. The available option are as follows:

4.8. USER INTERFACE

• Edit Object: Opens the edit dialogue of the selected object.

• Edit and Browse Object: Opens a Data Manager and displays the Element and its parameters.

• Mark in Graphic: Marks the selected element in the Single Line Graphic and zooms into the region it is placed.

Output Window Legend

The Output Window uses colours and other formatting to distinguish between different types of mes-sages, and for bar graph results. Used text message formats are as follows:

DIgSI/err - ... Error messages. Format: red coloured.

DIgSI/info - .... Information messages. Format: green coloured.

DIgSI/wrng - ... Warning message. Format: brown coloured.

DIgSI/pcl - ...’ Protocol message. Format: blue coloured.

Text only Output text. Format: black coloured.

Output Window Graphical Results

Reports of calculation results may contain bar graphical information. The “voltage profiles" report after a load-flow command, for instance, produces bar graphs of the per-unit voltages of busbars. These bars will be coloured blue, green or red if the “Verification" option in the load-flow command dialogue has been enabled. They will be hatch-crossed if the bars are too large to display.

Part of a bar graph output is shown in Figure4.8.5The following formatting is visible:

Figure 4.8.5: Output window bar diagram

• Green Solid Bar: Used when the value is in the tolerated range.

• Blue Solid Bar: Used when the value is below a limit.

• Red Solid Bar: Used when the value is above a limit.

• Hatch-crossed Bar: Used when the value is outside the range.

Copying from the Output Window

The contents of the Output Window, or parts of its contents, may be copied to the built-in editor of PowerFactory , or to other programs. Normally, not all selected lines will be copied and the format of the copied text may undergo changes. The latter is caused by the fact that the PowerFactory output window uses special formatting “escape sequences", which other programs may not support.

The lines that are to be copied is determined by the Output Window settings. When text from the output window is copied, an info message will be displayed, informing the user about the current settings (see Figure 4.8.6). From this dialogue, the Output Window User Settings may be modified, and the Info message may be disabled.

Figure 4.8.6: The output window Info Message