From the ETAP Automation API (via Python or VBA), you can control Plot Manager without opening the interface. Example pseudo-code:
Crucial insight: If you delete the result file but keep the plot definition, Plot Manager shows an empty graph with a "Missing Data" overlay—it does not crash. You can later re-link to a new .rps file. 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 | From the ETAP Automation API (via Python or
When you double-click a plot in Plot Manager, the property sheet reveals non-obvious controls: | Tier | Component | Example | Persistence
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.
Instead of the basic "run → view plot" cycle, a deep user does this: