What’s New in FlexPro 2021
FlexPro 2021 highlights include the redesigned data cursors and cursor markers, the new row table, the new order tracking, as well as control panels and controls for creating forms and dialog boxes. This page provides a detailed description of all the new features. Click on the highlighted items to view more information.
New User Interface and FlexPro Project Database Features
•In the event that FlexPro closes unexpectedly, your last used project database will be automatically recovered when FlexPro is restarted if you had not already saved it. •The dialog box that appears when you open a project database with an existing backup copy now offers you the option to Restore Backup Copy so that you can continue working with the most recent version of the project database. •The personal template database will now be opened with the backup feature if you select the relevant option on the following tab: File > Options > Project Database. In the event that FlexPro closes unexpectedly, when you restart FlexPro, a dialog box appears in which you can restore, discard or save the backup copy. •FlexPro now regularly saves the recovery information of project databases that you have opened with the backup copy depending on the settings on the following tab: File > Options > Project Database. •You can specify the location of backup copies of project databases that you open locally or on the network on the following tab: File > Options > Project Database. |
•File Import General Enhancements
•In the Organizer dialog box you can now import and export channel selection filters not only as XML files, but also as text and CSV files. •Time segments of a long-term measurement that you have imported into several folders can now easily be concatenated using the command Insert > Formula > Concatenation. •Handling of name conflicts that can occur when importing multiple folders or records has been improved. You can specify whether to replace, rename or skip individual items or all items being imported. |
•Text import now accepts numeric data enclosed in quotation marks. •Text import can now also import complex numbers in the format (2,3) or 2+3i. |
•Import multiple Excel worksheets in a single import operation. |
•Data sets that you import from the Data Explorer using drag-and-drop can now also be imported with absolute time. •Data sets that you import from the Data Explorer using drag-and-drop can now also be imported hierarchically. FlexPro then creates a folder with the same name as each file imported where the data will be stored. Additionally, as long as it is supported by the data format selected, subfolders are created that represent the hierarchical structure of the data. |
•Exporting Presentation Objects, Documents and Worksheets
•When exporting multi-page objects, a dialog box now appears where you can select which pages to export. •If you export a multi-page object in a data format that can only accommodate one page, then a file is now created for each page. |
•When indexing a project database, you can now exclude entire folders or individual objects from indexing. •Improved support for hierarchical data formats (such as NI TDMS, HDF Group HDF5) when indexing files. Subfolders and the data sets inside them are displayed correctly in the tree view. |
•When concatenating the result data, you can now separate the concatenated signals by void values. When displayed as a curve, you can then see gaps between the segments. |
•You can use the Hidden attribute to hide objects and folders, such as template folders or formula collections, in the project database. •The Do not index attribute prevents objects from being included in the index. This is useful for data queries, for example. •You can now select the time zone in which FlexPro should display calendar time values under File > Options > Language and Region. |
New Presentation Features
FlexPro offers you a range of controls, such as text fields, buttons, or list boxes, that you can use to create forms or dialog boxes. You can insert these controls either directly into documents, diagrams, or tables, or you can create a control panel on which you position the controls. You can embed the control panel in a worksheet or document, or create it directly in the Object List and then use it as a link in a worksheet or document, if necessary. The controls that allow input can be linked directly to a data set in which FlexPro enters the user's current input. You can therefore include this input in your analyses. Controls can also be linked with VBA macros to fully automate the evaluation. |
•The new options Symmetric scaling and Align zero point with that of the previous axis ensure that the zero point is exactly in the middle of the axis or is aligned with that of the previous axis. •In a 2D graph you can now display floor lines for any curves and not only for columns and fills. Now you can also design the line attributes of the floor lines independently of the axis. •In a 2D graph you can now set the line style for the curve symbols perpendicular, line, vector and span. •When displaying a signal series, you can now use the Z values assigned to the individual series for the axis, legend and curve labels. Here, you use the following new placeholders: %<ZComments>, %<ZValue> and %<ZUnit>, %<[Zunit]> or %<(Zunit)>. •In a 2D graph you can now specify a curve as a template for curves you add later. •The start value and step width for the placement of symbols, data labels and error indicators can now also be defined with relative parameters related to the number of data points in the curve. |
•Extensively Revised Column Table
•Freely adjustable angle for text output. •Line break for longer texts. •Improved text alignment in the cell. •Table wrapping if not all columns fit next to each other. You can set whether the wrapped columns should be displayed further down on the same page or flow to the next page. |
For example, use the new row table instead of the cell table to display scalar results. You can convert a column table into a row table and vice versa by simply changing the orientation. The same design options are also available for the row table as for the column table. In contrast to the cell table, the row table supports the display of vector data, the dynamic display of a variable number of results in list form and the automatic wrapping onto subsequent pages if larger amounts of data are to be displayed. |
•Create Document Collections Easily
• You can now directly create a document that combines existing documents into a collection with the following command: Insert > Document > Collection. |
•You can now set a page color for the individual sections of a document. •You can now turn on header and footers in documents. As a result, any shapes and images you place on the top or bottom of a document page are automatically transferred to the document section header, which means that they are displayed on all pages. •For shapes that you insert into a document, you can now individually specify whether they should be displayed on automatically inserted subsequent pages of the current page or not. |
•Use media to play one or more data sets as an audio signal. |
•Text
•The text object can now wrap the text across multiple pages. Text that can no longer be displayed on the first page automatically flows to the next page. When you embed the object in a document, you can specify the rectangle to be used for the text for each page. |
•You can now set margins for printing worksheets, diagrams, tables and text objects. •When adding columns or rows to a table, the table is now automatically enlarged so that the additional data is displayed on the same page. •To follow a hyperlink in a read-only diagram or document, you do not need to hold down the CTRL key while clicking with your mouse. •Use the new formatters %x, %X and %d to output numeric data in hexadecimal and dual systems. •Shapes that you insert into diagrams or documents can now be protected from unintentional editing. See also: Protecting Shapes. •For shapes that you have inserted in a diagram, you can now specify whether they should be displayed only in the current view of the diagram or in all views. |
New Analysis Features
•New Revolution Synchronous Order Tracking Analysis Object (Order Tracking Option)
The Revolution Synchronous Order Tracking analysis object calculates order tracking analysis for speed-dependent vibrations. First, a sampling rate conversion of the time signal is performed (revolution synchronous resampling) so that the signal is no longer present in temporally equidistant steps, but in equidistant rotation angle steps. This provides an effective method for performing order tracking by calculating the frequency spectrum (i.e. a Fourier Transform) of the signal converted to the revolution domain. For more details see: Revolution Synchronous Order Tracking Analysis Object |
•New Order Filter Analysis Object (Order Tracking Option)
The Order Filter calculates order tracking for speed-dependent oscillations by bandpass filtering individual orders. First, a sampling rate conversion of the time signal is performed (speed synchronous resampling) so that the signal is no longer present in temporally equidistant steps, but in equidistant rotation angle steps. This provides an effective method for performing order tracking by calculating the IIR bandpass filtering of the signal converted to the revolution domain. For more details see: Order Filter Analysis Object |
•New Harmonic Filter Analysis Object (Order Tracking Option)
The Harmonic Filter removes or extracts harmonic components of a selected order from time signals. To do this, the data is converted from the time domain to the revolution domain (revolution synchronous resampling), where cycle averaging and subtraction provides the desired harmonic removal. For more details see: Harmonic Filter Analysis Object |
•New Revolution Synchronous Sampling Analysis Object (Order Tracking Option)
The Revolution Synchronous Sampling analysis object transforms a signal sampled over time into the revolution domain. The signal is then no longer available in temporally equidistant steps, but in equidistant rotation angle steps (i.e. equidistant rotation intervals). For more details see: Revolution Synchronous Sampling Analysis Object |
•New Rosette Transformation Analysis Object (FlexPro Professional and Developer Suite)
With this analysis object, you can use a strain gauge rosette to calculates various quantities, such as principal stresses or principal strains. For more details see: Rosette Transformation Analysis Object |
•Enhanced Count Matrix Analysis Object (Counting Procedures Option)
•You now have another option for how to handle the residual, which is to include the half cycles of the residual in the matrix with half weighting. For more details see: Count Matrix Analysis Object |
•Enhanced Statistical Quantity Analysis Object (Statistics Option)
•The quartile dispersion coefficient has been included as an additional dispersion measure. •The additional option “Concatenate columns before” is available for processing 2D data sets. For more details see: Statistical Quantity Analysis Object |
•For the time-frequency spectrum, the periodogram and the cross-periodogram, you can now specify the spacing of the data segments to be transformed as a gap between the data segments as an alternative to the overlap in % of the segment length. |
•Stable higher order IIR filters and enhanced IIR Filters analysis object (Digital Filters Option)
•FlexPro now uses a filter cascade (each of second order IIR filters) to implement higher order IIR filters. •The Legendre filter has been added to the IIR Filters analysis object. It is steeper than the Butterworth filter but in contrast to the Chebyshev filter is monotonic in the passband. |
•Enhanced Event Isolation Analysis Object
•The functionality of the Time Filter analysis object from FlexPro 2019, which could be used to search for periodic time intervals in calendar time data, has been integrated into the Event Isolation analysis object. The Time Filter analysis object has therefore been omitted. You can now link individual search criteria such as Hour per day or Day of week as you wish and also combine them with other events. •With the added Values in Spikes event, you can search for spikes in signals to interpolate or remove them or set them to void. •The following additional results are available: Event count, Extract segments and Split into segments. For more details see: Event Isolation Analysis Object |
Applying FPScript Function to Multiple Data Sets
If you drag and drop several data sets onto an FPScript function in the Object List, you can now decide whether a single formula should be created that calls up the FPScript function with all data sets as a list, or whether a separate formula should be created for each data set. |
New Presentation Features
•The line attributes and color of the cursors can now be adjusted. •You can make different settings for the two cursors. •You can display custom coordinates directly at the cursor. •Use the new Placemark cursor type for cursoring GPS data in a map display. •Use sideband cursors as an alternative to harmonic cursors for evaluating spectra. •Use the new slope cursor to measure the slope of the curve. •You can now set the Coordinates Window display options directly in the ribbon under Cursor Tools/Cursors[Cursors] > Show Coordinates Window. •When using the cursors in a document, the scrollbars are now only displayed directly on the active diagram if not all diagrams are visible. Otherwise, they will be displayed at the edge of the area with the diagrams to avoid hiding inactive diagrams. •Now you can also display the Coordinates Window in a single column. •When you copy the Coordinates Window to the clipboard, it is now also stored in text format so that you can also paste it into Microsoft Word or Excel, for example. •You can use the new command Copy Coordinates to copy coordinates directly into the Object List. •The Go to Point now remembers the last selected setting so that all you have to do is click in an input field to switch between index and value. |
The new order tracking cursor marks the order in a speed-frequency spectrum or the frequency in an order spectrum. |
•Better Support for the Mouse Wheel
•You can now use the mouse wheel to zoom in or out anywhere in the diagram by turning the mouse wheel while holding down the CTRL key. •To scroll in the Y direction with the mouse wheel, you now have to hold down the SHIFT key instead of the CTRL key. |
•In the menu Cursor Tools/Cursors[Marker] > Place you will now find a wide selection of common markers. To set a marker, select it from the menu. You can set other markers of the same type by pressing the ENTER key. The new marker is displayed in all diagram views if you selected the option Show markers in all views in the menu beforehand. •With the new multi-marker, you mark all curves in one step. If the marker field of the multi-marker is placed at the diagram edge, the coordinates of all curves are combined in one field. Otherwise, a marker field is displayed for each curve, which you can place individually. •You can display the marker cursor as a box, line, crosshair, placemark, slope line, area under curve, order line or frequency hyperbola. You can adjust the line style, color and width separately. •FlexPro can now display the label field of a marker as a speech bubble or rectangle. •You can now reposition markers after they have been set by moving the marker on the curve with the mouse or by using the command Cursor Tools/Cursors[Marker] > Position. •You can change all the design elements of a marker at any time using the ribbon or the Properties window. The common marker settings from the diagram are used only for attributes that you set to Automatic. •Now you can select, align and rotate the markers as well as adjust their plot order like other shapes with cursors turned off. •The curve dimensions, such as tolerance bands, perpendiculars, dimension lines or symbols are now no longer inserted as curves in the diagram, but as special markers. Like other markers, you can reposition or adjust the dimensions afterwards. •The new Delete All Markers command removes the markers of all curves in a single step. •The command Cursor Tools/Cursors[Copy] > Markers now also copies the Z values of the markers for a 3D diagram. If you copy the indices of the markers, 2D indices are now stored for a 2D data set. You can now use cursor binding to specify whether you want to copy the markers bound to a particular curve or all the unbound markers in the diagram. You can now choose whether you want to store the markers as a data set or as a formula that reads them directly from the object in which you use the cursors. Alternatively, you can store the markers sorted by ascending value indices. For a speed-frequency spectrum you have the option to export the orders. •If you use a chart with map display and add an image as an image marker in which the longitude and latitude of the recording are stored, then you can decide whether the image marker should be positioned at this location instead of the current cursor position. |
•If the curve under the cursor contains a 2D data set, the area is now formed as a whole and no longer as individual rows. For example, you can extract any rectangular areas from a surface representation. •The ranges can now also be stored as data sets. |
•New Commands for Editing Data under Cursors
•The command Cursor Tools/Cursors[Edit] > Edit Value > Delete Data Point removes the data point under the active cursor from the underlying data set. •The command Cursor Tools/Cursors[Edit] > Edit Range > Delete Range removes all data points in the range between the two cursors from the underlying data set. •The command Cursor Tools/Cursors[Edit] > Edit Range > Move Range in Y Direction adds an offset to the Y values in the range between the two cursors. •The command Cursor Tools/Cursors[Edit] > Edit Range > Move Range in X Direction adds an offset to the X values in the range between the two cursors. |
New FPScript Programming Language Features
•AbsoluteTime and RelativeTime operators with arbitrary expressions
The two operators now accept arbitrary FPScript expressions and not only data objects as arguments. The expression must simply return a result with associated header information. |
•Improved Percentage Calculation
The option Percentage calculation with % and ppm units now only affects addition and subtraction and calculates a markup or a markdown, e.g. 20 V + 10 % = 22 V. For all other operations, these units are first transformed into the unit 1 even when the percentage calculation is switched off. 20 V * 10 % therefore results in 20 V * 0.1 = 2 V and not 200 V%. |
•Calendar time values with time zone
When entering calendar time values in FPScript code, you can now optionally specify the time zone as well. For example: '1.2.2021 13:14 UTC', '1.2.2021 13:14 UTC-2' or '1.2.2021 13:14 UTC+2:30'. |
Function |
Description |
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Searches a data set with calendar time values for the next value that lies in a periodic time segment. |
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Searches for segment beginnings and/or ends in an index data series. |
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Converts an amplitude or power signal into decibels. |
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Extracts segments of different lengths from a data set and returns them as a list. |
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Converts a one or two dimensional data set into a list whose number of elements corresponds to the number of values or columns in the data set. |
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Splits a data set into segments of different lengths and returns them as a list. |
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Transforms a signal sampled over time into the revolution domain, i.e. the time signal is transformed into an equidistantly sampled rotational speed range by resampling. |
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Shifts the X component of a signal or signal series so that it starts with a given initial value. |
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Determines the time span value of the current time with the accuracy of one second. |
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Corresponds to the concatenation operators (:) and (::) of FPScript, but lists are processed element by element rather than concatenated. |
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Cuts order curves (if necessary by RMS or maximum calculation in a line band) from an order spectrum. |
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Removes harmonic components from time signals (harmonic removal). To do this, the data is converted from the time domain to the revolution domain, where cycle averaging and subtraction provides the desired harmonic removal. |
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Calculates the numerator and denominator coefficients of a second-order IIR peak filter (also called a resonant filter) that can be used to block out frequencies outside a narrow frequency range. |
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Calculates the numerator and denominator coefficients of a second-order IIR notch filter that can be used to filter out frequencies within a narrow frequency range. |
•Enhancements to existing FPScript functions and operators
•The FPScript function ConcatenateList can now concatenate lists of lists. The lists are concatenated element by element and the result is a list with the concatenated elements. Furthermore, you can now separate the concatenated segments by void values. When displayed as a curve, you can then see gaps between the segments. •The FPScript function DataQuery can now also return the data of the parent folders of the found objects. •The FPScript function NonLinearCurveFit now returns the termination condition 13 if the model could not be calculated. •The FPScript function RainflowMatrix can now also include the half cycles of the residual in the matrix with half weighting. •The FPScript function XScale has been renamed to XOffsetScale and now supports lists for all arguments. •The FPScript function TimeFilter has been renamed to TimePeriods. •The FPScript function ListToSeries now treats a scalar value as a list with one element. •The FPScript function RemoveVoidValues now also supports two-dimensional data sets and data sets with complex numbers. •The Overlap argument of the FPScript functions STFTSpectrum, Periodogram and CrossPeriodogram is now called OverlapOrGap and is interpreted as a gap between the data segments if you specify a negative value. •The FPScript functions in the "Calendar Time" category have been extended so that you can specify the time zone for which the result is to be determined. The Date FPScript function from FlexPro 2019 is now called DateTime and the function Time now has a different functionality. It determines time of one or more calendar time values as a time span value or generates a time span value based on the specified elements. FPScript code from previous FlexPro versions is corrected automatically. The Duration function from FlexPro 2019 has been omitted, since its functionality is covered by Time. The DateTime and Time functions now also allow data series as arguments for the date and time elements so that data series of calendar time values or time span values can be created with one function call. •The bitwise operations And (&), Or (|), Exclusive-Or (XOr) and Not (~) now also process Boolean values. Use them, for example, to logically link two data series with Boolean values. •The FPScript data series operator, multiplication operator, index operator, and indexed assignment now also support lists. If at least one argument is a list, then it is processed element by element and the result is also a list. •If you use the Index Operator to take a line from a signal series, then this now supplies a signal instead of a data series in cases where the signal series has a Z component. •The Indexed Assignment now supports indexing via X and Z values analogous to the index operator. •The functions NumberOfColumns, NumberOfRows, Rank and Shape now return as an argument for a list the corresponding result for the individual list elements as list. FPScript code from previous FlexPro versions is corrected automatically. You can enable this behavior for the NumberOfElements function with an optional argument. •The FPScript functions for event isolation now accept lists not only for the data set, but also for the parameters of the event. •For the calculation of 2D data sets, the FPScript functions for calculating statistical parameters offer the option of calculating a global statistical parameter for the complete data set in addition to the row- and column-based calculation. •You can use the FPScript operator Value with the attribute <Flat> to suppress its application to list items. •The FPScript function IIRFilter has been expanded to include the Legendre filter. It is steeper than the Butterworth filter, but in contrast to the Chebyshev filter is monontonic in the passband. •The FPScript function IIRFilter now also returns the filter coefficients of a cascade of second-order IIR filters. This ensures the stability of higher order filters. In this case, the filter coefficients are output as a matrix. Preferably, the filter coefficients should be output in this form. •The FPScript functions Filters, AmplitudeResponse and PhaseResponse now support a cascade of second-order IIR filters as input filter coefficients. •The FPscript function GaussianFilter been expanded to include the calculation mode GAUSSIANFILTERMODE_SYMMETRIC_EXTENSION. This is suitable when the boundary behavior of the input data is not known and usually provides natural smoothing of the edges.
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See Also