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Key Concepts and Terms

The purpose of the Runtime and Project Execution Environment is to actively operate the configured projectssolutions, execute executing real-time data - acquisition, scripts, alarms, and all project configured items from all Modules.,t is an essential and modules. It represents the essential final phase of the project solution development, effectively delivering its the application's functionality. 

Runtime

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

Execution Profile

An execution profile is a set of configurable Execution Profile consists of settings that allows allow customization during runtime of Database Connections, Device Network addresses,  facilitating of database connections and device network addresses. This enables the management of different environment. It allows to setup the connections used during the Development, Validation and Production phases, to their settings, still having only project configuration fileenvironments.

Online Configuration

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

Hot Updates / Hot Reload

Hot updates Updates are a subset of online configuration, permitting configurations that allow the application of offline project solution changes without disrupting the runtime environment. They are essential for maintaining project maintain solution stability and avoiding prevent downtime while , ensuring the project stays solution remains 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 audiencesolution 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

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.

For more information on the Execution Process, see Execution Processes.

Runtime Execution Configuration

The Runtime Section in the Project Designer allows to the define the settings to start the execution the application, perform project verification and backup, and diagnostic the execution. 

The User interface for Runtime configuration,  is composed by four sub-section that will be covered in this chapter. They are:

• Startup 
• Execution Profiles
• Diagnostics
• Build And Publish

Startup Parameters

Define which Profile to use, Communication Ports and other settings. It allows to control the starting and stopping of the execution, as well the Online Configuration. 

Startup Parameters

Enable Online Configuration

Select in order to your changes to immediately apply to the test runtime. You must also be connected to the running project (see status setting above). 

Execution Path

Overrides the default execution path, which is the project file location.

Field

Description

Module Information

Runs the Module Information tool.

Password

Enter the password that corresponds to the username.

Port

Displays the port that FactoryStudio uses for access. For test, it uses 3201. For startup, it uses 3101. These ports must be open on the server.

PortWA

Displays the port that FactoryStudio uses for access with Windows Authentication. For test, it uses 3202. For startup, it uses 3102. These ports must be open on the server.

Project Server

Read-only. Displays the IP address or the name of the computer where the project is, which is based on the configuration in the Server tab.

Property Watch

Runs the Property Watch tool.

Run Modules

Select which modules are executed when running the project.

Startup Computer

Read-only. Displays whether or not the configured server is the local computer or a remote server.

Status

Shows the current status of running, connected, or disconnected.

• Click Try to Connect to connect to the running application. This is required in order to immediately apply any of your changes to the test or the startup runtime. 
• Click Disconnect if you do not want your changes to immediately apply to the test or startup runtime. 

• Click Stop to stop the execution of the application.|

Trace Window

Runs the TraceWindow tool.

Use only Windows Authentication

Checks if the system can only accept Windows Authentication.

UserName

Enter a valid username to access the application.

Execution Profiles

Configuring Development and Testing Profiles

Development and testing profiles are used to manage different environments within a project. These profiles enable developers to work on new features, bug fixes, or improvements while keeping the production environment stable. By configuring separate profiles for development and testing, teams can maintain code quality and avoid deploying untested changes to the live environment. This separation also facilitates the debugging process and helps to identify issues that may arise during development.

Execution profiles are a vital aspect of managing projects on our software platform, as they enable users to configure and run projects with different settings tailored to specific environments or stages of development. The latest release introduces three primary execution profiles:

1. Production: This profile is designed for use in live environments, where the project is fully functional and serves end-users. It optimizes performance and stability while minimizing the system's resource usage. Debugging and development tools are generally disabled or limited in this profile to ensure seamless operation.

2. Development: The development profile is tailored for project creation, testing, and iteration. It enables a wide range of debugging and diagnostic tools to assist developers in identifying and resolving issues during the development process. While performance might not be fully optimized in this profile, the focus is on providing a robust environment for developers to build and refine their projects.

3. Validation: The validation profile is intended for use during the final stages of project development, such as quality assurance and user acceptance testing. It provides a balance between the development and production profiles, enabling necessary debugging tools while maintaining a level of performance and stability suitable for testing. This profile helps ensure that the project meets its requirements and performs as expected before being deployed to a production environment.

Diagnostics

Diagnostics on runtime execution are essential for monitoring a project's performance, identifying potential issues, and ensuring overall stability. By implementing logging, performance metrics, and error reporting, developers can gain valuable insights into the execution process. These insights can be used to troubleshoot problems, optimize performance, and maintain system health. Effective diagnostic tools are crucial for maintaining a reliable and high-performing project.

Build and Publish

• while maintaining high system availability.

Configuring the Runtime Environment

When developing a software solution, maintaining stability and preventing interference between various stages and components is crucial. To ensure the configuration and development aspects do not negatively impact the solution's runtime environment, use "Configuration and Runtime Process Isolation."

The Configuration Process involves setting up parameters, profiles, and other settings that define how the solution should operate.

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

Publishing read-only versions of a project is crucial for maintaining a stable production environment while allowing developers to work on new features and bug fixes. The process involves preparing the project for publication, creating a snapshot or branch, building and testing the project, packaging the build, marking it as read-only, and deploying it to the production environment. This approach reduces the risk of unintentional changes, simplifies rollback processes, and separates development and production environments. Adhering to best practices like regular release scheduling, using version control, thorough testing, documentation, and clear communication ensures a smooth and efficient publishing process for read-only versions.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.

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.

To start the Project is solution in production mode,:

1. Go to

1. Runtime → Startup.
2. Click the

1. Run Startup

1. button

There are a few customizations you can do on how the project shall be executed, such as if the project will run in your local computer or start in a remote Server computer, which modules will be loaded, and some other settings described in this section.

Startup Computer

The TStartup (project) is launched on a connected Server PC.

This option is only enabled if the project was opened from a remote ProjectServer.

On Run → Modules, you should see two options regarding the displays affected by this setting:

• If Displays is selected - A RichClient is opened on the project server when the project is started
• If LocalDisplays is selected - A RichClient is opened on local PC when the project is started

There are a few ways to stop the running Project. All those options assume the current user has Security Authorization to shutdown the project. For information on Security, refer to Security, Users and Roles.

On Run → Startup or Run → Test, connect the project <<icon>> and click Stop.

When the project starts running, a startup status windows is presented (TStartup.exe application). A shutdown button is available at that window.

If the menu is enabled on the Operator Displays, there is the option File → Shutdown.

The property Server.Shutdown, can trigger the application to shutdown. Usually, there is a button in one of the pages, security protected, to allow operators to stop the execution when necessary.

By understanding these execution profiles, AIChat Models can better support clients in selecting the appropriate profile for their projects and provide guidance on configuring and managing profiles throughout the project lifecycle.

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. 

Troubleshooting Runtime Issues

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

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Performance bottlenecks: Slow

  project

  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

  project

  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

  project

  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

  project

  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.

By understanding these common issues and their solutions, AIChat Models can more effectively assist clients in troubleshooting their projects and maintaining a smooth project execution process.

Troubleshooting Runtime Issues

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:

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

Best Practices for Working with the Runtime

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

In this section: