Run the transient stability simulation once. Results are stored globally.
In Plot Manager, select all 12 plots → right-click Refresh from Latest Results . All plots populate simultaneously.
From the ETAP Automation API (via Python or VBA), you can control Plot Manager without opening the interface. Example pseudo-code: etap plot manager
| Tier | Component | Example | Persistence | |------|-----------|---------|--------------| | | Project / Study Case | "MyPlant_BaseCase", "MyPlant_2025_Expansion" | Saved in .etap project | | 2 | Plot Definition | "Gen1_Rotor_Speed_During_Fault" | Saved as XML inside the project | | 3 | Result Snapshot | The actual time-series array from a simulation run | Stored in .rps (results) files |
Instead of the basic "run → view plot" cycle, a deep user does this: Run the transient stability simulation once
When you double-click a plot in Plot Manager, the property sheet reveals non-obvious controls:
| Tab | Parameter | What it actually does | |------|-----------|------------------------| | | "Interpolation method" | For unequal time steps (e.g., variable-step TS solver), chooses linear (fast) vs. cubic spline (smooth but may overshoot). | | Axes | "Synchronize X-axis across all plots" | Locks pan/zoom so that when you scroll time on one rotor angle plot, all other plots move identically – essential for fault analysis. | | Legend | "Show at cursor position" | Floating legend that follows mouse – saves screen space. | | Annotations | "Add stability margin line" | For voltage stability, draws a horizontal line at 0.8 p.u. with a label "Undervoltage threshold". | | Export | "Batch to PDF – one plot per page" vs. "N-up" | Creates report-ready compilations. | All plots populate simultaneously
At its simplest, the ETAP Plot Manager is a centralized output management module. But conceptually, it is far more: it is a that decouples result computation from result presentation . Unlike traditional tools where you re-run a study to see updated graphs, Plot Manager stores plot definitions (metadata: what data, on what element, for which study, with what axes) separately from the raw simulation results.