Simcenter Testing Solutions Simcenter Testlab Batch Reporting

2019-08-29T16:35:13.000-0400
Simcenter Testlab

Summary

Details


Direct YouTube link:  https://youtu.be/r-y6P-X4lck

 

printer.png

 

Simcenter Testlab (formerly called LMS Test.Lab) Batch Reporting allows users to generate multi-page reports in an automated fashion.

To use Batch Reporting, it may be helpful to read the Knowledge Base article 'Format Based Printing' first to learn how to make a PowerPoint plot format file and set electronic PowerPoint file as the default print destination.

Turning it on

Batch reporting is included with Advanced Desktop. Turn it on under Tools -> Add-ins (Figure 1).

addins.png
Figure 1: Tools -> Add-ins -> Batch Reporting

Batch reporting does not require tokens and is included standard in Simcenter Testlab Advanced Desktop. No extra license is required. Press OK after selecting Batch Reporting from the list of add-ins.

A new worksheet titled Batch Reporting appears at the bottom of the screen (Figure 2).

batchreportingworksheet.png
Figure 2: Batch Reporting worksheet

Add some data to be plotted to the Input basket and click on the Batch Reporting worksheet to open it.

Getting Started in Batch Reporting

In the batch reporting worksheet, click on the button in the upper left of the screen and select Input Basket (Figure 3).

Add some data to be plotted to the Input basket and click on the Batch Reporting worksheet to open it.

Getting Started in Batch Reporting

In the batch reporting worksheet, click on the button in the upper left of the screen and select Input Basket (Figure 3).

InputBasket.png
Figure 3: Set 'Input Basket' in 'Data Source Selection'

Press Close after selecting Input Basket as the 'Data Source Selection'.

Press the Add to List button to populate the data list area (Figure 4).

DataList.png
Figure 4: Add data to be batch plotted to list on left side of Batch Reporting

Next, select Load a Format button in the upper middle of the screen (Figure 5).

LoadAFormat.png
Figure 5: Select a format using Load a Format button

Don t have a format? Want to create a custom format? A format file can be created in Navigator with the Make Printformat button which as described in the Knowledge Base article on Format Based Printing .

After selecting the format, in the lower left of the Batch Reporting worksheet, switch Reporting from Current Group to All (Figure 6).

ReportingAll.png
Figure 6: Set reporting to All for multi-page report

By selecting the All button, the Print button will create a multi-page will result, instead of a single page.

Grouping and Sorting

To use Batch Reporting, it is important to understand Grouping and Sorting .

  • Grouping All data on a single page of a multiple page report comes from a single group. In other words, the data on each page of a report comes from an individual group.
  • Sorting Data is sorted to control the order in which it appears in the data list

Sorting determines the order in which data is plotted and grouped. For example, the sorting could be used to:

  • Sort all the data into runs, the channels, then functions
  • Sort the data by channel name, then by function, then by run

To start sorting add some columns to the data list area, by right clicking in the column header and selecting Select Columns (Figure 7).

columns.png
Figure 7: Select Columns to enable sorting data

In the Select Columns dialog, possible columns to be shown are selected on the left side and made visible on the left (Figure 8). Some useful columns to add:

  • Origin: Test.Lab -> Type: Run -> Name
  • Origin: Test.Lab -> Type: Block -> Point Id: Measurement location
  • Origin: Test.Lab -> Type: Block -> Absolute direction: X, Y or Z with no + or -
  • Origin: Test.Lab -> Type: Block -> Section Value: Order number, frequency band, etc
  • Origin: Test.Lab -> Type: Block -> Function Class: Autopower, Spectrum, Time, etc

SelectColumnsDialog.png
Figure 8: Select columns to be displayed

Move columns headers from Available on the left side to Selected on the right side using the arrow key. Press OK when finished selecting the columns.

After adding columns, data can be sorted. Just double click on top of the column to sort. The A, B, C indicate the order in which they have been sorted (Figure 9).

DataListSort.png
Figure 9: A, B and C indicate the order in which columns have been sorted

Data can be grouped. Data within a single group will go on one page in the final report.

Alternating light blue and white areas indicate the data groups. The current group is highlighted in bright blue (Figure 10).

group4.png
Figure 10: Group size of 4, can plot Body vs Engine for X and Y directions for a single run for Order 2

Using sorting and grouping, one can control how the data appears in the report. For example, one could overlay data from different runs, for only the Y direction of the data, for different orders (Figure 11).

group6.png
Figure 11: Group size of 6, different runs, different orders, same point

Sorting and grouping could also be used to plot only 2nd order, for different runs, and all directions (Figure 12).

group8.png
Figure 12: Group size of 8, all 2nd order, different runs

Sorting and grouping is used to determine the order in which the data is plotted.

Drag and Drop

Drag and drop data from the data list (left side) into the PowerPoint format (right side) as shown in Figure 13. Make sure to drop and drag from within a single group.

drag_and_drop.png
Figure 13: Drag and drop data from within a group over to plot format.

When printing, the data from each group will be plotted to a separate page in the resulting report. Batch Reporting will go thru the data group by group, plotting the same data positions in each group.

Printing to Powerpoint

Under File -> Printing Options make sure printing to PowerPoint electronic file is enabled. Press the Print button (Figure 14) when ready to make a report.

printing.png
Figure 14: Print button

After pressing Print , a multi-page report will generated. If printing to electronic Powerpoint file, the software will prompt for a destination file name and directory.

Use Save Template before exiting to be able to recall the batch reporting setup later.

 

Questions? Post a reply, email peter.schaldenbrand@siemens.com, or contact Siemens Support Center.

 

Simcenter Testlab:

Simcenter Testlab Displays:

KB Article ID# KB000034414_EN_US

Contents

SummaryDetails

Associated Components

Simcenter Testlab Digital Image Correlation Testlab Environmental Testlab Acoustics Testlab Data Management Testlab Desktop Testlab Durability Testlab General Acquisition Testlab General Processing & Reporting Testlab Rotating Machinery & Engine Testlab Sound Designer Testlab Structural Dynamics Testlab Turbine