Applies To:
  • CitectSCADA 1.x, 2.x, 3.x, 4.x
Summary:
What is the best way to keep operators out of the Windows program manager? I don't want them playing games or changing anything on the computer. 

Solution:
The best way to keep operators out of the Program Manager is not to have a program manager. This also works with Windows 95 by not having the Windows Explorer.

You may have assumed that the Program Manager (or Explorer) was part of the Windows Environment, and Windows cannot run without it. In fact the Program Manager (or Explorer) is just another Windows Program that Windows automatically starts up when it boots. So you can start windows without starting the Program Manager but starting Citect instead. In this way, Citect will be the only Windows program running, and the operators cannot access the Program Manager because it is not there. You can still start the Program Manager from Citect if you want to use if for Engineers or Supervisor level with the Exec() Cicode function, eg Exec("PROGMAN.EXE") in Windows 3.x or Exec("EXPLORER.EXE") in Windows 95.

To stop Windows loading the Program Manager and startup Citect instead, change the SYSTEM.INI file in your Windows directory as follows:

[boot]
shell=citect.exe

With Windows 3.x and if you configure Windows to startup Citect instead of the program manager, when Citect shuts down, Windows will also shutdown. If you want Windows to restart then add a loop in you AUTOEXEC.BAT file to run WIN again. Eg:

REM restart windows after Citect shutdown
:loop
WIN
GOTO loop  
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