User Program Status is intended to start or stop a Visual C or Visual Basic program interfacing to WebAccess SCADA node using our User Program API (a library of DLLs).
The User Program status display will show the run status of any 3rd Party or custom programs that are configured to Start when WebAccess Starts. However, 3rd Party Programs must be self-closing. (i.e. not require a local user to confirm a dialog box).
Examples include custom programs, DDE servers, and IO servers. It can be any *.exe program file (NotePad.exe is shown in the example) or batch file (*.bat). This program will run on the SCADA Node (not clients() when the WebAccess "kernel" starts on the SCADA node.
Figure 9-20User Program Status Display: 3rd Party software started by WebAccess
The User
Program Status Display can be viewed from the Toolbar
or Ctrl+F10 function key or a
pushbutton with the <GOTO>USRPRG keymacro. The
Right-Click Menu can also call up the User Program Status
Display (Right Click -> Goto -> User Program).
Only Power Users and the admin account can view the User Program Status Display through a Web Browser. (General Users and Restricted users cannot view the Station Status through a Web Browser). All users can view the Station Status locally on the SCADA node using ViewDAQ.
DISABLE will stop the user program on the SCADA node. The user program must be self closing (i.e. no dialog box asking is data should be saved on the SCADA Node).
For example, Notepad.exe will close remotely if there have been no changes to the text file since the last save. However, if DISABLE is pressed remotely, and Notepad pops up the dialog box asking if changes should be saved, and will hang open, even is the DISABLE command was issued, until someone local to the SCADA node enters Yes of NO.
You should only use a self-closing program as the user program. If you want to start a non self closing program using the User Program feature, (but not be able to monitor or stop it), use a Batch File (*.bat) to start the exe, then have WebAccess start the Windows batch file. Multiple copies of the non-self closing program may open on the SCADA node.