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H2. Analysing a Past Point in Time — Changing the Period

Diátaxis: How-to · Audience: operators ← Back to contents

Charts show real time (now) by default. This document sets out, by goal, how to query a past interval -- "what happened at that hour yesterday", for example.

For how to narrow the target (group, instance), see H1. Narrowing the Monitored Target; for the other common tools, see R4. Common UI Elements.

Where the Time Mode and Period Picker Are​

At the top of the main area, beside the target selector, are the time mode tabs and the period picker. Below is the WAS › JVM › Overview screen as an example, with the time mode tabs (real time, history) and the period picker (active in history mode) at the top right.

The WAS › JVM › Overview screen -- the time mode tabs and period picker at the top right

Some of the following time modes appear, depending on the screen.

ModeWhat it shows
Real timeThis moment (refreshes automatically about every 5 seconds)
HistoryThe past interval you specify
DailyBy the day

The modes provided differ by screen (most have real time and history). A mode that is not shown is not supported on that screen. The daily mode is currently provided only on the WAS › Application › Transaction Map (T-Map) tab (see goal 4).

Goal 1 — Switching to a Past Interval​

  1. Press the History tab in the time mode.
  2. The period picker beside it becomes active.
History tab selected -- the period picker beside it is active (last 2 days)

Result -- you are now seeing the data of the specified past interval rather than real time. To go back to the present, press the Real time tab.

Goal 2 — Choosing a Quick Range​

Opening the period picker lets you choose a predefined range in one step.

  • Last 1 hour · last 1 day · last 2 days · last 3 days
  • Last 1 week · last 2 weeks · last 1 month · last 3 months
  1. Click the period picker.
  2. Choose the range you want from the list above.
The period picker dropdown -- the quick ranges from the last 1 hour to the last 3 months, with the period selection item at the bottom

Result -- the charts are redrawn with the data of that range.

Note Hovering over an item shows the actual start and end time of that range.

Goal 3 — Specifying the Start and End Yourself (Period Selection)​

Use this when you want an exact interval such as "2026-06-07 09:00 to 11:00".

  1. Choose Period selection (custom) in the period picker.
  2. Enter the start and end date and time. (Date plus time fields, to the minute.)
  3. Press the Search button.
Period selection (custom) -- the start and end date-time fields and the Search button

Result -- only the data of the interval you entered is shown.

Goal 4 — Seeing It by the Day (Daily)​

To see it against a single date, use the daily mode. The Daily tab is currently provided only on the WAS › Application › Transaction Map (T-Map) tab -- the time modes on the other screens (JVM, dashboard, and so on) are real time and history.

  1. Open WAS › Application and go to the Transaction Map (T-Map) tab.
  2. Press the Daily tab in the time mode.
  3. Choose a date in the date picker beside it. (The ◀ ▶ buttons also move a day at a time.)
Daily tab selected -- the date picker and the day-step buttons appear beside it

Result -- the data for that one day is shown. Below is an example of the T-Map seen in daily mode.

WAS › Application › Transaction Map (T-Map) -- a day's response time distribution shown in daily mode

What You Must Know — Dates Are Based on the Profile Time Zone Plus Server Time​

The dates and times the period picker deals with are shown in the user profile's time zone, and the basis for "today/now" is the server time, not the PC clock.

  • That is why the date does not go a day out even when your PC clock differs from the server.
  • If you look at the screen together with an overseas office, it is worth aligning the profile time zone (user menu at the top right ▸ Profile).

This behaviour applies consistently across the statistics, the event list, and the comparison charts.

When It Does Not Work​

SymptomWhat to check
Switched to history but it is emptyWhether data actually exists for that interval (it may be a period when the agent was not connected)
The date looks a day outCheck the profile time zone. If it still looks wrong it may be a server time setting, so ask an administrator
It will not go back to the presentChange the time mode to the Real time tab