Proficy* HMI/SCADA - iFIX

DRIVER SERVER HELP

Version 5.0
August 2008
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 Table of Contents
About this Guide ...............................................................................................................................1 
Driver Server Overview ................................................................................................................1 
Menus and Toolbar Buttons .............................................................................................................3 
File Menu ......................................................................................................................................3 
Save As Dialog Box Options ....................................................................................................4 
View Menu ....................................................................................................................................4 
Server Menu .................................................................................................................................5 
Help Menu ....................................................................................................................................6 
Toolbar Buttons ............................................................................................................................6 
Using the Driver Server ....................................................................................................................7 
Server Event Log Dialog Box .......................................................................................................7 
Server Event Log ......................................................................................................................7 
Server Event Window ...................................................................................................................7 
Logon Account for Running as a Service .........................................................................................9 
User Name....................................................................................................................................9 
Password ......................................................................................................................................9 

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About this Guide

Driver Server Overview

The following sections provide details on using the Driver Server.
• Menus and Toolbar Buttons
• Using the Driver Server
• Logon Account for Running as a Service

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Menus and Toolbar Buttons
The following sections provide details on using the menus and toolbar buttons.
• File Menu
• View Menu
• Server Menu
• Help Menu
• Toolbar Buttons

File Menu
The following commands appear on the File menu.

Command Description

New Lets you make a new driver configuration file. Keyboard shortcut: CTRL+N.

Open Displays the Open dialog box that lets you open an existing driver
configuration file. You can select the driver configuration file type (the
driver’s three letter acronym), .CSV file types (Comma Separated Value), or
.TXT (text) file types. The .TXT file type is used for opening a Log File and
is available only when you are working with the OPC Client driver.
Keyboard shortcut: CTRL+O.

Save Saves the current driver configuration file to the default path for
configuration files with the name you specify. If you save a new driver
configuration file, the Save As dialog box appears prompting you to enter a
name for your driver configuration file.

Save As Displays the Save As dialog box letting you enter a new name and file type
for the current driver configuration.

Exit Exits the I/O Server. The Exit command is disabled when FIX is connected to
the server.

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Driver Server Help

Save As Dialog Box Options

Command Description

Save In Field Lets you select the directory that you want to store the file in.

File Name To save a file with a new name, or in a different location, type a new file
Field name in the File Name field or select a new directory in the Save In list. To
save a file with an existing file name, select the name in the list or type the
current name.

Save as Type Lets you specify the type of file you want to save the configuration as:
Field
A Configuration File – The file that the driver uses to communicate with the
process hardware.
A Comma Separated Value File (.CSV) – The driver configuration file in text
format. You can open these files in a text editor and use them to document
your driver configurations. You can also modify .CSV files in a text editor,
open them in the Power Tool, and save them as configuration files. The
delimiters for .CSV files conform to national standards. For example, if you
are in the US, .CSV file delimiters are commas. If you are in France, .CSV
file delimiters are semicolons.
A Text File (.TXT) – This lets you print the debug window.

Save Button Saves the file under the specified name.

Cancel Button Closes the dialog box without saving the file.

View Menu

Command Description

Toolbar Displays or hides the toolbar.

Status Bar Displays or hides the status bar. The status bar displays information about
the currently selected item. A check mark appears next to the menu item
when it is enabled.

Errors Enables or disables the dispatching of server error messages to the server
window. A check mark appears next to the menu item when error messages
are enabled.

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 Driver Server Help

Command Description

Warnings Enables or disables the dispatching of server warning messages to the server
window. A check mark appears next to the menu item when warning
messages are enabled.

Information Enables or disables the dispatching of server information messages to the

server window. A check mark appears next to the menu item when
information messages are enabled.

Debug1 Enables or disables the dispatching of server debug level 1 messages to the
server window. A check mark appears next to the menu item when debug
level 1 messages are enabled. These are first priority debug messages.

Debug2 Enables or disables the dispatching of server debug level 2 messages to the
server window. A check mark appears next to the menu item when debug
level 2 messages are enabled. These are second priority debug messages.

Debug3 Enables or disables the dispatching of server debug level 3 messages to the
server window. A check mark appears next to the menu item when debug
level 3 messages are enabled. These are third priority debug messages.

Server Menu

Command Description

Start Starts the server’s polling process. A check mark appears next to the menu
item when the server polling process is running.

Stop Stops the server’s polling process. A check mark appears next to the menu
item when the server polling process is stopped.

Clear Log Clears the messages from the server window.

SaveOnFIXExit Notifies the server to save any changes to the active configuration file upon
FIX exit. A check mark appears next to the menu item when this option is
enabled.

Max Messages Displays the Server Event Log dialog box. This dialog box lets you
configure the number of messages stored in the event log.

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Driver Server Help

Help Menu

Command Description

Help Topics Displays the Contents of the server help.

About Server Displays information about the server including its version number and
copyright date.

Toolbar Buttons

Button Description

Lets you make a new driver configuration file. Keyboard shortcut: CTRL+N.

Displays the Open dialog box that lets you open an existing driver configuration file.
You can select the driver configuration file type (the driver’s three letter acronym),
.CSV file types (Comma Separated Value), or .TXT (text) file types. The .TXT file
type is used for opening a Log File and is available only when you are working with
the OPC Client driver.
Keyboard shortcut: CTRL+O.

Saves the current driver configuration file to the default path for configuration files
with the name you specify. If you save a new driver configuration file, the Save As
dialog box appears prompting you to enter a name for your driver configuration file.

Starts the I/O driver.

Stops the I/O driver.

Clears the I/O Server window.

Displays information about the server including its version number and copyright
date.

Displays help for the item you select.

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Using the Driver Server
The following sections provide details on using the Driver Server.
• Server Event Log Dialog Box
• Server Event Window

Server Event Log Dialog Box

Server Event Log

Lets you enter the maximum number of messages stored in the Server’s event log. By default, the
server stores 250 messages.

Valid Entries

0 to 2147483647

Server Event Window

The server window displays messages relative to the operation of the server. There are seven types of
messages that can be displayed in order of decreasing severity:

Icon Meaning Description

Fatal Error Internal server fatal errors which require the server to be
restarted.

Error Internal server errors which may be the result of invalid

configuration data or invalid OLE Automation calls.

Warning Internal server warnings which may be the result of invalid

configuration data or invalid OLE Automation calls.

Information General server informational or status messages.

Debug1 General server debug messages in levels of relevancy as

determined by the I/O server developer.

Debug2 General server debug messages in levels of relevancy as

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Driver Server Help

Icon Meaning Description

determined by the I/O server developer.

Debug3 General server debug messages in levels of relevancy as

determined by the I/O server developer.

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Logon Account for Running as a Service
The Logon Account for Running As A Service dialog box appears after you enter xxxDRV
REGSERVICE (where xxx is the three-letter driver acronym) at a command line or from the Run
dialog box off the Start menu. This dialog box provides you with three options when registering the
driver to run as a service. You can direct the I/O Server to log on with:The FixIOUser account.
• The local system account.
• An account you specify.
The account you select is retained as the selected account the next time you register the driver:
Use FixIOUser Account – lets the I/O Server run as a service using the FixIOUser Account, which is
created by the driver’s Setup program. If this account does not exist, you must select one of the other
two options.
Use System Account – lets the I/O Server run as a service using the local system account. This pre-
defined account is useful when your local IT department’s security policy requires password
expiration. This account cannot be used to access remote OPC servers.
Use This Account – lets the I/O Server run as a service using the account you specify using the User
Name and Password fields. This account is useful if you need to specify a domain account.

User Name
The user name for the account you specify. Use this format if you specify a domain account:
DomainName\UserName

The user name you enter is retained and appears in this field the next time you register the driver.

Password
The password for the account you specify. As you enter the password, it appears as a series of asterisks
(*). Unlike the name you provide in the User Name field, the password you enter is neither retained
nor displayed in this field the next time you register the driver.
Refer to the topic Feature: Running as a Windows Service in the Power Tool help for more
information.

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Index
.  I 
.CSV files ........................................................... 3 Information ........................................................ 7
C  L 
configuration files............................................... 3 logging on as a service....................................... 9
creating new files................................................ 3 M 
D  messages ............................................................ 7
Debug1 ............................................................... 7 O 
Debug2 ............................................................... 7 opening files ...................................................... 3
Debug3 ............................................................... 7 S 
E  saving files ......................................................... 3
Error ................................................................... 7 Server Menu ...................................................... 5
error messages .................................................... 7 Server window ................................................... 7
exiting the I/O Server ......................................... 3 V 
F  View Menu ........................................................ 4
Fatal Error .......................................................... 7 W 
File Menu ........................................................... 3 Warning ............................................................. 7

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