Frequently Asked Questions¶
Dashboards¶
How can I convert a Grafana dashboard JSON template to a Guance dashboard JSON template using a Node script?
npm download:
Usage:
$ npm install -g @cloudcare/guance-front-tools
# show usage information
$ grafanaCovertToGuance
# run task
$ grafanaCovertToGuance -d examples/grafana.json -o examples/guance.json
Keywords:
none
Explorer¶
Why can't I use JSON format in the Explorer search bar?
Using JSON search requires meeting the following three conditions:
- The site must be "China Region 1 (Hangzhou)", "China Region 3 (Zhangjiakou)", or "China Region 4 (Guangzhou)"
- The workspace must have been created after
June 23, 2022 - Only available in the Log Explorer
Scheduled Reports¶
Why does the scheduled report email return a 414 error?
The image links in the final scheduled report sent to the target email are generated by concatenating parameters such as view variables corresponding to the charts in the dashboard. If the content of the view variables is too long, it may cause the generated image link to be too long, triggering a 414 error.
Built-in Views¶
Why is the detail page not displayed after binding?
Please check:
- Confirm you are binding a user view (system views need to be cloned first)
- Confirm the field name and
valuematch the data in the Explorer - Check if the
valuematching pattern is correct (wildcard*vs. specific value)
Can one Explorer be bound to multiple views?
Yes. When multiple fields match different views, they are displayed in order of priority. If the same field matches multiple views, only the first one is displayed.
Why does my chart show "No data"?
Possible reasons:
- Incorrect time range selected, try expanding the time range
- Filter conditions are too strict, check if tags and keywords are correct
- Data has not been reported yet, confirm the DataKit collector is running normally
What does "Lock Time" mean in a chart?
Lock Time means the chart is fixed to query data from a specific time period and will not change with the dashboard's top time selector. It is suitable for comparing against historical baseline data.
What is the difference between a composite chart and a single chart?
A composite chart places multiple charts within the same card, viewable by switching tabs, saving space and facilitating correlation analysis. It is suitable for comparing different dimensions of the same metric (e.g., TOP10 containers and TOP10 processes for CPU usage).
How to configure view variables to take effect?
After creating a view variable, you need to reference that variable in the chart query (e.g., host::tag) for the filter dropdown to appear in the top-right corner of the chart.
What to do if others cannot open the shared chart link?
Please check the sharing settings:
- Confirm you selected "Public Share" instead of "Encrypted Share"
- Check if the link is still within its validity period
- Confirm the other party's network can access the console
Explorer¶
Why can't I use JSON format in the Explorer search bar?
Using JSON search requires meeting the following three conditions:
- The site must be "China Region 1 (Hangzhou)", "China Region 3 (Zhangjiakou)", or "China Region 4 (Guangzhou)"
- The workspace must have been created after
June 23, 2022 - Only available in the Log Explorer
What are the use cases for Explorer versus Dashboard?
| Dimension | Dashboard | Explorer |
|---|---|---|
| Data Granularity | Aggregated data (trends, statistical values) | Detailed data (single logs, single traces) |
| Core Purpose | Monitoring overview, trend analysis, reporting, etc. | Troubleshooting, security auditing, data exploration, etc. |
| Interaction Mode | Visual charts, variable filtering, etc. | Search filtering, highlighting, context expansion, etc. |
Why are the filter conditions in Explorer and Dashboard not interconnected?
Filters in Explorer only apply to the current Explorer page, while filters in Dashboard (view variables) apply to all charts within that dashboard. They are independent.
Why does my chart show "No data"?
Possible reasons:
- Incorrect time range selected, try expanding the time range
- Filter conditions are too strict, check if tags and keywords are correct
- Data has not been reported yet, confirm the DataKit collector is running normally
What does "Lock Time" mean in a chart?
Lock Time means the chart is fixed to query data from a specific time period and will not change with the dashboard's top time selector. It is suitable for comparing against historical baseline data.
What is the difference between a composite chart and a single chart?
A composite chart places multiple charts within the same card, viewable by switching tabs, saving space and facilitating correlation analysis. It is suitable for comparing different dimensions of the same metric (e.g., TOP10 containers and TOP10 processes for CPU usage).
How to configure view variables to take effect?
After creating a view variable, you need to reference that variable in the chart query (e.g., host::tag) for the filter dropdown to appear in the top-right corner of the chart.
What to do if others cannot open the shared chart link?
Please check the sharing settings:
- Confirm you selected "Public Share" instead of "Encrypted Share"
- Check if the link is still within its validity period
- Confirm the other party's network can access the console
Explorer¶
Why can't I use JSON format in the Explorer search bar?
Using JSON search requires meeting the following three conditions:
- The site must be "China Region 1 (Hangzhou)", "China Region 3 (Zhangjiakou)", or "China Region 4 (Guangzhou)"
- The workspace must have been created after
June 23, 2022 - Only available in the Log Explorer
What are the use cases for Explorer versus Dashboard?
| Dimension | Dashboard | Explorer |
|---|---|---|
| Data Granularity | Aggregated data (trends, statistical values) | Detailed data (single logs, single traces) |
| Core Purpose | Monitoring overview, trend analysis, reporting, etc. | Troubleshooting, security auditing, data exploration, etc. |
| Interaction Mode | Visual charts, variable filtering, etc. | Search filtering, highlighting, context expansion, etc. |
Why are the filter conditions in Explorer and Dashboard not interconnected?
Filters in Explorer only apply to the current Explorer page, while filters in Dashboard (view variables) apply to all charts within that dashboard. They are independent.
How to quickly find all logs for a specific host?
In the Log Explorer search box, enter host:hostname, or click the "View Logs" shortcut entry in the host list.
Scheduled Reports¶
Why does the scheduled report email return a 414 error?
The image links in the final scheduled report sent to the target email are generated by concatenating parameters such as view variables corresponding to the charts in the dashboard. If the content of the view variables is too long, it may cause the generated image link to be too long, triggering a 414 error.
What to do if I don't receive the email after the report is sent?
Please check:
- Is the notification target's email address correct?
- Has the email been intercepted and sent to the spam folder?
- Does the dashboard contain charts with excessively large data volumes causing generation failure?
Why are charts blank in the report?
This is usually due to the data query time range being too long or the chart calculation being too complex, causing a timeout during generation. It is recommended to narrow the time range or simplify the query conditions.
Built-in Views¶
Why is the detail page not displayed after binding?
Please check:
- Confirm you are binding a user view (system views need to be cloned first)
- Confirm the field name and
valuematch the data in the Explorer - Check if the
valuematching pattern is correct (wildcard*vs. specific value)
Can one Explorer be bound to multiple views?
Yes. When multiple fields match different views, they are displayed in order of priority. If the same field matches multiple views, only the first one is displayed.
Can the time range of a view be adjusted after binding?
The view defaults to showing the "Last 15 minutes", but you can manually adjust the time range within the view. The adjustment only affects the current view and is not saved.
Notes¶
Does the chart data inserted into a note update in real-time?
No. When inserting a chart into a note, the current query result is saved. Subsequent data changes are not automatically synchronized. To get the latest data, you need to re-insert the chart.
Can exported note JSON be used in other workspaces?
Yes. Using the "Import Note JSON" feature, you can migrate notes to other workspaces, but associated data sources need to be reconfigured.
Others¶
Explanation of P99 Peak Calculation Logic
Guance calculates P99 by obtaining all values of a metric over a period, sorting these values from smallest to largest, and then determining the position of the P99 data point based on number of data points * 99%, returning the value at that position. The "all values" mentioned here refer to the original data points stored in the database.
For percentile queries on metric data, Guance's processing method varies depending on the data engine used. If the database itself does not support percentile query functionality, Guance will pull the data locally via code for additional processing to achieve this functionality. For non-metric data (such as logs, APM, RUM, etc.), percentile queries are supported by the database's native functionality.
What is the difference between a snapshot and a screenshot?
A snapshot saves an interactive data state (supports switching time, drill-down analysis), while a screenshot is just a static image. It is recommended to use snapshots when sharing troubleshooting issues.