Application Director view (platDaemon-ApplicationDirector)

The Application Director view interfaces to each station whether it is running or not.

Figure 1. Application Director view for a controller


The Application Director is split into three main areas:

  • Installed applications— at top

  • Application output— main area

    Related are log levels defined for the station.

  • Application and output controls— right-side check boxes and buttons

In the Application Director for any controller, the installed applications area should show (at most) only one station. However, the Application Director for a Windows platform (Supervisor, or engineering workstation) may show more than one station.

Columns

The top area of the Application Director shows a table of installed applications (stations).

ColumnDescription
NameDisplays the name of the station directory.
TypeIdentifies the station as belonging to theNiagara family.
StatusIndicates the condition of the station at last polling.
Details

  • fox= TCP/IP port monitored for regular (unencrypted) Fox connections to Workbench and other stations. Shows n/a if station is not running, or if Fox Enabled is set to false.

  • foxs= TCP/IP port monitored for secure Fox connections to Workbench and other stations if so configured. Shows n/a if the host does not support a secure connection, or if the station is not running, or if Foxs Enabled is set to false.

  • foxwss= HTTPS (WebService) port monitored for a secure Fox Over WebSocket connection from Workbench and other stations if so configured. Shows n/a if the host does not support a Fox Over WebSocket connection, or if the station is not running, or if the station's FoxService's "Fox Over WebSocket Enabled" property is set to false, or if the station's WebService's "Https Enabled" property is set to false.

  • http= HTTP port that the station’s WebService monitors for regular (unencrypted) browser connections to the station. Shows “n/a” if station is not running, or if it does not have a running WebService, or if Http Enabled is set to false.

  • https= HTTP port that the station’s WebService monitors for secure browser connections to the station, if so configured. Shows “n/a” if host does not support (or is enabled) for a secure connection, or if the station is not running, or if Https Enabled is set to false, or if the station does not have a running WebService.

Auto-StartDisplays the currently configured Auto-Start property for the station.
Restart on FailureDisplays the currently configured Restart on Failure property for the station.

Buttons

Unlike in most Workbench views, where changes are entered first and then applied with a Save button, in the Application Director when you click check boxes and buttons, changes are applied immediately to the selected station.

Figure 2. Application Director start-up options and buttons


  • Auto-Start Specifies whether the station starts following platform daemon startup. A station restart occurs:

    • Following a host reboot, such as after a power cycle

    • As the result of a Reboot command

    • Following the installation of any dist file(s)

    • Following any TCP/IP-related changes

    • When changing any existing module (upgrading or downgrading)

  • Restart on Failure specifies whether the platform daemon restarts the station if its process exits with a non-zero return code (for example, the engine watchdog had killed the station because of a deadlock condition). In Niagara 4, controllers can have a station restart without a reboot. Therefore, if this option is enabled, and the station fails (terminates with error), the station is restarted. If a controller has three automatic restarts within 10 minutes (or however many specified in the station’s PlatformService Failure Reboot Limit property, the station remains in a failed state, regardless of the setting above.

  • Start when pressed, the host’s platform daemon immediately starts the station, clears the text in the station output, and displays messages for the new station.

  • Stop when pressed, opens a confirmation window. If you confirm, the host’s platform daemon shuts the station down (saving configuration to its config.bog file, and potentially saving history data)

  • Restart when pressed, opens a confirmation window. If you confirm, the host’s platform daemon shuts the station down gracefully, then restarts it.

  • Reboot when pressed, opens a confirmation window. If you confirm, reboots the selected host. This is considered a drastic action.

  • Kill when pressed, opens a confirmation window. If you confirm, the host’s platform daemon terminates the station process immediately.

  • Dump Threads when pressed, the host’s platform daemon has the station send a VM thread dump to its station output.

  • Save Bog when pressed, the host’s platform daemon has the station locally save its configuration to config.bog.

  • Verify Software when pressed, Workbench parses the station’s config.bog and the host’s platform.bog files, looking for module references. It then checks to see if those modules (and any other software upon which they depend) are installed.

  • Clear Output when pressed clears the output

  • Pause Output when pressed, the output is freeze from updating further (no longer in real time). When you freeze the output, the button changes to Load Output.

  • Output Dialog when pressed, it produces a separate non-modal output window displaying the same output text as in the Application Director’s standard output area. Included are buttons to Dump Threads, Pause Output, Clear Output, and Close the window.

  • Stream To File opens a window for assigning a file name. Once open, the system saves all application output to this file.

  • Output Settings opens a window for specifying how the platform daemon buffers the output from the station.