Timescale tab of the Layout Options page

Overview

Use the Timescale tab of the Layout Options page to format the timescale, dates, and vertical sight lines that appear in the Gantt or TSLD.

Screen Elements

Primary tab

General area

Start list

The earliest of the time periods that appear in the Gantt or TSLD.

The default start value is Project Start. If multiple projects were selected and you use Project Start, the date used in the Gantt or TSLD is the earliest project start of the selected projects.

The following options are available:

• Project Start
• Project Finish
• Data Date: Shows the earliest data date of all selected project.
• Current Month: Shows the first day of the current month when selected for timescale start.
• Current Week: Shows the first day of the current week when selected for timescale start.
• Current Day
• Custom Date: Selecting Custom Date enables the corresponding date field and calendar button. Enter a start date in the date field or click the calendar button to launch the calendar/date picker dialog box from where you select a start date. The date field shows the start date. If time is displayed, only the date field will allow you to adjust time.

Start spinner

The Start spinner is only available when a date field is selected in the Start list. It is not available when Custom Date is selected in the Start list.

The Start spinner allows you to define the left limit less or more than the Start date.

Start Interval list

Select a unit for the spinner value in Hours, Days, Weeks, Months, Quarters, or Years.

Finish list

The latest of the time periods that appear in the Gantt or TSLD.

The default finish value is Project Finish. If multiple projects were selected and you use Project Finish, the date used in the Gantt or TSLD is the latest project finish of the selected projects.

The following options are available:

• Project Start
• Project Finish
• Data Date: Shows the earliest data date of all selected projects.
• Current Month: Shows the last day of the current month when selected for timescale finish.
• Current Week: Shows the last day of the current week when selected for timescale finish.
• Current Day
• Custom Date: Selecting Custom Date enables the corresponding date field and calendar button. Enter a finish date in the date field or click the calendar button to launch the calendar/date picker dialog box from where you select a finish date. The date field shows the finish date. If time is displayed, only the date field will allow you to adjust time.

Finish spinner

The Finish spinner is only available when a date field is selected in the Finish list. It is not available when Custom Date is selected in the Finish list.

The Finish spinner allows you to define the left limit less or more than the Finish date.

Finish Interval list

Select a unit for the spinner value in Hours, Days, Weeks, Months, Quarters, or Years.

Styling area

Font Family list

Enables you to customize the font of text associated with the timescale.

Font Style list

Enables you to customize the font style of text associated with the timescale.

Size list

Enables you to customize the font size of text associated with the timescale.

Color list

Enables you to customize the color of text associated with the timescale.

Background Color list

The background color of the timescales. Select a background color from the available options.

Background area

Row #

Row 1 appears as the first row in the timescale, Row 2 appears as the second row, and Row 3 appears as the third row.

Top option

Determines whether this row appears on the top of the timescale in the Gantt or TSLD.

Bottom option

Determines whether this rows appears on the bottom of the timescale in the TSLD.

Type list

The date type that appears in the associated selected timescale row. The selected option determines the date intervals available from the Date Interval list.

• Calendar: If selected, all date intervals options are available in the Date Interval list.
• Ordinal: If selected, Day Number, Week, Month are available in the Date Interval list.

Date Interval list

The incremental segments of time that constitute the associated selected timescale row.

For a new template, the default date interval is Year for Timescale Row 1; Month for Timescale Row 2; and Week for Timescale Row 3.

The option selected in the Type list determines the available options.

The following options are available:

• Hour
• Shift
• Day Name: Displays the name of the day, such as Monday.
• Day Number: Displays the number of the day in the month, such as 23 for the twenty-third day of the month.
• Week
• Month
• Quarter
• Year

Shift Calendar list

Determines which shift calendar to use if you have selected Shift as the Date Interval.

Sight Lines option

Determines whether the vertical sight line appears in the Gantt or TSLD for the associated timescale row.

Interval Frequency field

The frequency at which a vertical sight line displays. The interval frequency relates directly to the Date Interval selected. For example, if a Date Interval of "Month" is selected, an Interval Frequency of "3" means that a sight line will display once every 3 months at the beginning of the month.

Style options

Enables you to customize the appearance of vertical sight lines. You can customize the thickness, color, and style of the lines as well as the line start, end, and cap styles. The Gantt or TSLD uses these settings to show sight lines.

Add button

Use to add and format zoomed timescale areas.

Tip

• You can add zoomed timescale areas by clicking Add. Clicking Add creates a new tab called Zoom Area x, where x is the next available number. Select the Show timescale area option. In the General area, select the Zoom Percentage.
• You can create as many zoom areas as needed. Click the to delete a zoom area.
• You can magnify or shrink the custom area when the zoom percentage is less than 100%. For example, if one row is displayed, and the Primary Timescale is set to Week and the Zoom Area is set to Day Name, set the Zoom Percentage to 700% to make one day equal the same width as one week.

Getting Here

From the Create or Open Timescaled Logic Diagram dialog box or the Create or Open Gantt Diagram dialog box, click Options. Then click the Timescale tab.

Options is also available from the Diagram page.