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Key Concepts and Terms

The purpose of the Runtime Environment is to actively operate configured solutions, executing real-time data acquisition, scripts, alarms, and all items from all modules. It represents the essential final phase of solution development, delivering the application's functionality. 

Runtime

The term "Runtime" or "Runtime Environment" refers to the execution environment when the solution is running, distinguishing it from the Configuration (or Engineering, or Development) phase. "Runtime" also denotes the software components and computer processes that are in execution when the solution is started. 

Execution Profile

An Execution Profile consists of settings that allow customization of database connections and device network addresses. This enables the management of different environments.

Online Configuration

This feature allows real-time modifications to a running solution without stopping its execution. Users can adapt the solution to changing requirements, enhancing flexibility and responsiveness.

Hot Updates / Hot Reload

Hot Updates are a subset of online configurations that allow the application of offline solution changes without disrupting the runtime environment. They maintain solution stability and prevent downtime, ensuring the solution remains

Key Concepts and Terminology

Runtime

The runtime refers to the environment where a project operates, actively processing data, performing tasks, and updating displays as configured. It is an essential phase of a project lifecycle, ensuring its functionality is delivered effectively.

Execution Profile

An execution profile is a set of predetermined settings that dictate how a project runs on the software platform. It allows users to customize the project's behavior during runtime, facilitating the management of different environments, such as development, testing, and production.

Online Configuration

This feature enables real-time modifications to be made to a running project without stopping its execution. It allows users to adapt the project to changing requirements, improving flexibility and responsiveness.

Hot Updates

Hot updates are a subset of online configuration, permitting the application of offline project changes without disrupting the runtime environment. They are essential for maintaining project stability and avoiding downtime while ensuring the project stays up-to-date with the latest changes.

Build and Publish

The build and publish Build process involves compiling project code and creating the solution code. The Publish process creates a read-only version of the project, which can be distributed to end-users. This step is critical in ensuring the project is ready for deployment and accessible to the intended audience.

the solution for distribution in regulated sites.

Understanding the Runtime Environment

Real-Time In-Memory Database

When the solution is in execution, variables like Tags, Templates, and Assets are loaded into the memory. These variables act as a central point of reference, allowing other functional modules to request or publish values as they perform their functions. The computer process and executable responsible for maintaining the real-time database is TServer.exe. This application can run as a Windows Service or be deployed to Linux and other supported operating systems.

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Startup Procedure

For details on the startup procedure review the Runtime Startup page.

For details on setting up the execution review the Solution Deployment page.

1. Launching TStartup.exe
• Loads the Solutions
• Reads the Solution Configuration
• Parses Command Line Parameters
• Activates the Main Process TServer.exe

How the Project Execution Works

The project execution process is a crucial aspect of any software development lifecycle, ensuring that the project runs efficiently and delivers the expected results. This section provides an overview of how project execution works:

Configuration and Runtime Process Isolation: The project runtime environment is isolated from the development and configuration processes to maintain stability and prevent interference between the two. This separation allows for smooth operation during runtime and facilitates troubleshooting and modifications during the development process
• .
1. Starting the Real-Time Database and Modules: At the beginning of project execution, the real-time database and necessary modules are initiated. These components are responsible for managing data streams, processing tasks, and interacting with other system elements.

2. Reading Project Configuration and Applying Profiles: The system reads the project configuration and applies the appropriate execution profile. This step ensures that the project operates according to the predetermined settings and adapts to different environments, such as development, testing, or production.

3. • TServer.exe starts by loading solution objects, tags, templates, and assets into the memory. A communication service is established, allowing other modules to start and connect.
4. Modules Startup
• The other modules, such as Historian, Alarms, Devices, Scripts, Datasets, and Reports, then start their execution by reading the solution configuration and establishing a connection with the main process.
5. Applying Execution Profiles
• As the modules start, they behave according to the definitions in the Execution Profiles. For instance, in Development mode, a temporary local SQLite database might be used for alarm records, while in Production mode, the Alarm Database is automatically mapped to a SQL server.
6. Solution Designer Automatic Connection
• The Solution Designer automatically connects to the running solution, enabling
Project Designer Automatic Connection: The project designer automatically connects to the running project, allowing
• users to monitor progress, make adjustments, and troubleshoot issues as needed using the Monitor and Diagnostics pages.
7. Opening Client-Side Displays
• Operations displays, using HTML5 from any browser or high-performance WPF graphics pages, can be opened from any remote computer connected to the server.
8. Applying Online Changes and Hot Updates:
• During execution, the system can apply online configuration changes and hot updates without disrupting the runtime environment. This capability
enables
• allows users to adapt the
project
• solution to changing requirements
and maintain stability.

9. Opening Client-Side Displays: As the project executes, client-side displays are opened to provide visual feedback, control options, and real-time data for end-users. These displays are crucial for effective user interaction and project monitoring.

By following these steps, the project execution process ensures efficient operation and optimal performance, while maintaining flexibility and adaptability for users.

• while maintaining high system availability.

Configuring the Runtime Environment

When developing a software solution, maintaining stability and preventing

Configuration and Runtime Process Isolation

In a software development project, it is essential to maintain stability and prevent interference between various stages and components of the project. Configuration and runtime process isolation is a technique used to achieve this goal, ensuring that is crucial. To ensure the configuration and development aspects of the project do not negatively impact the projectsolution's runtime environment, use "Configuration and Runtime Process Isolation."

The configuration process Configuration Process involves setting up parameters, profiles, and other project settings , which that define how the project solution should operate. On the other hand, the runtime process focuses on executing the project and maintaining optimal performance. By isolating these processes, developers can

Isolating these processes allows developers to modify configurations and test new features without disrupting the running project.

This isolation is achieved through several means:

1. Separate Environments: By using separate environments for development, testing, and production, it is possible to work on project configurations and features without affecting the runtime environment. Any changes made during development are not reflected in the runtime environment until they are thoroughly tested and deployed.

2. Containerization: Containerization technologies, such as Docker, allow developers to create isolated containers for different parts of the project. This approach ensures that modifications made in one container do not impact the runtime environment or other containers.

3. Version Control: Implementing version control helps manage project configurations and code changes. This method allows developers to experiment with configurations, roll back to previous versions, and track changes without affecting the runtime environment.

4. Access Control: By implementing access control mechanisms, it is possible to restrict modifications to the runtime environment and configuration settings. This approach ensures that only authorized personnel can make changes, reducing the risk of accidental disruptions or unauthorized access.

By employing configuration and runtime process isolation, projects can maintain stability, enhance security, and minimize disruptions during the development and execution phases. This practice allows for continuous improvements, troubleshooting, and adjustments without compromising the project's overall performance.

Real-Time Database and Modules

In modern software development projects, real-time databases and modules play a crucial role in ensuring efficient data processing and communication between different components. This section outlines the process of starting the real-time database and modules in a project.

1. Initialization: During the initialization phase, the system sets up the necessary resources and connections for the real-time database and modules. This step involves loading configurations, establishing connections to external systems or services, and preparing the environment for seamless data handling.

2. Launching Modules: Once the real-time database is initialized, the system activates the required modules. Modules represent individual components of the project, each responsible for specific tasks or functionality. These modules can be developed independently and integrated into the main project to achieve a modular architecture.

3. Data Synchronization: After launching the modules, the system synchronizes data between them and the real-time database. This synchronization ensures that modules can access and manipulate up-to-date data, resulting in accurate processing and decision-making. Data synchronization may involve event-driven updates or periodic data refreshes, depending on the project's requirements.

4. Monitoring and Management: With the real-time database and modules up and running, the system continuously monitors their performance, resource usage, and overall health. It also handles error reporting, logging, and recovery procedures, ensuring that any issues are detected and addressed promptly.

5. Scalability and Adaptability: As the project evolves and expands, the real-time database and modules must adapt to changing requirements and scale accordingly. This adaptability involves implementing strategies to handle increased data volumes, module complexity, and user demands.

Starting the real-time database and modules is a critical step in the project execution process, providing a foundation for real-time data processing, communication, and decision-making. By following the steps outlined in this section, projects can ensure a smooth and efficient transition from the development phase to a fully functional runtime environment.

Enhancing Project Functionality and User Experience

In modern software development, it is crucial to deliver projects that offer seamless functionality and a positive user experience. This section aims to discuss three essential aspects that contribute to achieving these objectives: Project Designer Automatic Connection, Applying Online Changes and Hot Updates, and Opening Client-Side Displays. By understanding and implementing these features effectively, developers can create more robust and user-friendly projects, leading to increased customer satisfaction and improved project outcomes.

Project Designer Automatic Connection

The Project Designer Automatic Connection feature facilitates seamless integration between the project designer and the runtime environment. This functionality allows developers to quickly connect to the project's runtime and easily make changes, test functionality, and visualize results in real-time. The automatic connection ensures that developers can efficiently iterate on their projects and rapidly address any issues or implement new features.

Applying Online Changes and Hot Updates

Applying online changes and hot updates is a crucial aspect of software development that ensures minimal downtime and quick deployment of new features or fixes. This section will cover how to implement and manage hot updates in a project, allowing for real-time updates without requiring a complete system restart. Topics covered will include mechanisms for applying changes, version control, and best practices for testing and deploying updates.

Opening Client-Side Displays

Opening client-side displays is an essential step in creating a user-friendly and interactive interface for the project's end-users. This section will discuss various methods for opening and managing client-side displays, including handling multiple display types, optimizing performance, and ensuring compatibility across different devices and platforms. Additionally, this section will provide guidance on user experience (UX) design principles to create visually appealing and intuitive client-side displays.

Each of these sections will be expanded upon, providing detailed information and guidance to help clients understand and implement these features effectively within their projects.

solution, defining how the solution should opportunity depending on the Execution Profile you are running.

Runtime Configurations

Runtime Startup

The Runtime Startup section allows you to Start and Stop the execution of the Solution, specify the Execution Profile you want to use, and customize all settings connected within that execution.

The settings defined here are also applied when the Startup is executed by the StartSolution command line, or starting the solution as a Windows Server. This section focuses on the various settings you have available and starting and stopping manually.

? Read more about Solution Deployment.

Execution Profiles

Execution Profiles enable distinct configurations for a single project, facilitating a seamless and swift transition between devices and databases.

Development, Validation, and Production are the scenarios in which the solution must operate over its lifecycle. Occasionally, these scenarios may overlap, posing risks to the entire operational environment. In this version, we introduce an intuitive method to separate these stages, enhancing both security and reliability.

? Read more about Execution Profiles

Build and Publish

The software platform offers support to manage solution versions, allowing the creation of a read-only version and a published version. The Build feature compiles the solution's displays and scripts for final verification before deployment in production. It ensures complete verification of an application's scripts in preparation for production. The Publish command generates a read-only protected version of a solution ready for field deployment. This command produces a new Solution file (".dbsln") with the chosen version number. The Published Solutions (".dbrun") mirror the current solution but are accessible only in read-only mode, offering a secure backup of published applications.

? Read more about Build and Publish

Runtime Diagnostics

This page provides a comprehensive guide on how to use diagnostic tools for project applications. These tools include the Property Watch, Trace Window, and Module Information, which offer insights into the status and operation of different modules within your application.

Property Watch is a tool designed to access and modify the system's tags and internal properties. With an Intellisense feature, it also provides a list of available objects related to a specific object type.

? Read more about Runtime Diagnostics

Server And Client Namespaces

There are a few runtime objects that provide information about running the solution.

The Info namespace is the main location for the runtime status. The main objects on the namespace are:

Info.Solution: information about the solution that is running
Info.License: information about the license
Info.Module: information and start/stop command to Modules
Info.Trace(): displays a message on the TraceWindow
Info.TestMode: shows if the solution is running in Test Mode

The Server namespace has information about the server computer. The Client namespace has information about each client compute that runs a graphical interface. See Namespaces for the complete programming reference on runtime objects.

Working with the Runtime

Starting and Stopping the Solution Execution

To start the solution

Project Build and Code Compilation

Project build and code compilation is a crucial step in the software development process. It involves converting human-readable source code into machine-executable files, ensuring that the project remains organized, maintainable, and efficient. By automating the build process and using version control, developers can streamline the development cycle and minimize potential errors. This comprehensive guide provides an overview of best practices and techniques for efficient project build and code compilation.

Understanding the Compilation Process

The compilation process involves several stages:Preprocessing: Macros and header files are expanded, and comments are removed.Compilation: Source code is translated into intermediate code or assembly code.Assembly: Assembly code is converted into machine code, generating object files.Linking: Object files are combined with library files to create the final executable file.

Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)

Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment are practices that involve automatically building, testing, and deploying code changes to production. By implementing CI/CD, developers can ensure that new code is always in a releasable state, reducing the risk of introducing bugs or performance issues. Common CI/CD tools include Jenkins, Travis CI, CircleCI, and GitLab CI.

Working with the Runtime

Working with the runtime is a key aspect of software development, as it involves managing the execution of a program while it's running. This includes starting and stopping the execution, switching execution profiles, and applying configuration changes. This comprehensive guide provides an overview of best practices and techniques for efficiently working with the runtime.

Starting and Stopping the Project Execution

To start the project execution, you need to launch the application or server, depending on the project solution type. It 's is essential to monitor the system for any errors or issues during startup, as they may prevent the application from running correctly.

To stop the project solution execution, you can use the appropriate command or interface provided by the runtime environment or the application itself. Make sure to gracefully shut down the application to avoid data loss or corruption.

Switching Execution Profiles

Execution profiles determine the runtime behavior of the application, such as performance optimization, logging, or debugging settings. To switch between execution profiles, follow these steps:

To start the solution in production mode:

1. Go to Runtime → Startup.
2. Click the Run Startup button

Applying Configuration Changes

Configuration changes can be applied to the runtime environment to modify the behavior of the application. These changes can include modifying settings, adding or removing modules, or adjusting resource allocation. To apply configuration changes, follow these steps:

1. Identify the configuration file or settings for your application.
2. Modify the configuration settings as needed.

Restart the application or reload the configuration to apply the changes, depending on the capabilities of the runtime environment.

Best Practices and Troubleshooting

Best Practices for "Runtime Isolation"

1. Use Separate Environments: Using separate environments for development, testing, and production allows working on solution configurations and features without affecting the runtime environment. Changes made during development are not reflected in the runtime environment until they have been tested and deployed.
2. Use Containers: Technologies like Docker enable developers to create isolated containers for different parts of the solution. This approach ensures that modifications in one container do not impact the runtime environment in other containers.
3. Use Version Control: Implementing version control helps manage solution configurations and code changes. This method allows developers to experiment with configurations, roll back to previous versions, and track changes without affecting the runtime environment.
4. Use Access Control: Access control mechanisms restrict modifications to the runtime environment and configuration settings. This ensures that only authorized personnel can make changes, reducing the risk of accidental disruptions or unauthorized access.

Runtime issues can occur during the execution of the application, such as crashes, performance problems, or unexpected behavior. To troubleshoot these issues, follow these steps: 

Troubleshooting Runtime Issues

Use

1. Review the application logs for any error messages or warnings.
2. Use debugging tools to inspect the state of the application at runtime.
3. Monitor system resources, such as CPU, memory, and disk usage, to identify potential bottlenecks or resource constraints.
4. Consult the documentation or support resources for known issues and solutions.

Best Practices for Working with the Runtime

1. Make sure you're using appropriate execution profiles for different stages of the development lifecycle.
2. Apply configuration changes carefully, always testing before deploying to production.
3. Document any custom configurations or modifications for future reference.
4. Keep the runtime environment up to date with security patches and software updates.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Performance bottlenecks: Slow solution execution can be caused by a variety of factors, such as inefficient code or inadequate hardware resources. To resolve this issue, optimize your code, allocate more resources, or employ parallel processing techniques.

• Configuration errors: Incorrect settings in the solution configuration can lead to unexpected behavior or failure. Review your configuration files, verify the parameters, and ensure they adhere to the documentation.

• Runtime environment mismatch: Incompatibilities between development and production environments may cause issues during runtime. To address this, ensure that all dependencies are consistent across environments and use containers or virtual machines for environment isolation.

• Module conflicts: Conflicts between modules can lead to unexpected behavior or crashes. To resolve this, check for duplicate or outdated modules and ensure that your modules are compatible with each other.

• Database connectivity issues: Problems connecting to the real-time database can be caused by network issues, incorrect credentials, or misconfigured database settings. Verify the database connection settings, ensure the database server is accessible, and check the credentials.

• Client-side display errors: Issues with client-side displays can stem from incompatible browser versions, outdated JavaScript libraries, or improperly configured display settings. To fix this, ensure your solution supports the target browser versions, update your libraries, and double-check display settings.

• Hot updates not applied: If hot updates are not being applied correctly, confirm that your solution is configured to accept online changes and verify the update mechanism is functioning as expected.

• Build and publish failures: Errors during build and publish processes may be due to incorrect settings, code issues, or dependency problems. Review the build and publish configuration, fix any code issues, and ensure all dependencies are resolved.

In this section:

By following these best practices, developers can ensure smooth operation of the runtime environment, leading to a more stable and efficient software product.