Channels
Store data in channels.
A channel is a collection of time-ordered data in Synnax. Channels are commonly used to store data from sources such as sensors, but can also be used to store data as disparate as actuator commands, post-processed analysis results, or any other time-ordered data.
Creating Channels
You can create a channel using the “Create Channel” command in the Command Palette. To
open the palette, click on the search bar at the top and type ”>”. You can also open the
palette by pressing Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows) / Cmd+Shift+P (MacOS).
Channel Creation Parameters
When creating a channel, you will be prompted to fill in the following fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | A name for the channel. |
| Virtual | If true, the channel will be virtual, meaning no data will be permanently stored. |
| Is Index | If true, the channel will be an index channel. Otherwise, the channel will be a data channel. |
| Data Type | What data type the channel stores. If the channel is an index channel, then the data type must be a timestamp. |
| Index | For data channels, the index channel used to store timestamps for the data channels. |
Index vs. Data Channels
Index channels are used to store timestamps for data channels. When creating a data channel, it must be associated with an index channel. When a data channel records a data point, that index channel will then store the timestamp for that data point. The difference between the two types of channels is explained more in the channel concepts page.
Aliasing Channels
Channels can be aliased under a particular range. This is useful for naming a channel to something specific for that range. For example, a channel might represent a port on a specific data acquisition computer and be called “digital_input_1”. However, for a certain test, the channel is used to store pressure readings, so the name “pressure_01” is more appropriate. To alias a channel, open the resources toolbar and right-click on the channel you want to alias.
Now, the alias will be shown when the active range matches the one the channel is aliased for, and the normal channel name will be shown otherwise.