Overview
This guide explains how to configure and manage the server startup process for the platform. It covers different startup modes, the use of TStartup.exe, running the application as a Windows Service, and all available startup parameters.
On this page:
Supported Startup Modes
Manual launch (from Solution Manager or shortcut)
Shortcut or batch file (executed at Windows startup)
Windows Service (runs automatically at system boot, even without user login)
Starting the Server Application
Launching with TStartup.exe
TStartup.exe is the executable responsible for running a solution. It can be launched directly with command-line parameters.
Example:
C:\Program Files (x86)\<CompanyName>\<ProductName>\<ProductVersion>\TStartup.exe /Solution:"<SolutionPath>\MySolution.dbsln"
Creating a Shortcut
Locate
TStartup.exein the installation folder.Right-click and choose Create Shortcut.
Edit the shortcut Properties → Target field to include the required parameters.
Using a Batch File
A batch file is a script file in DOS and Microsoft Windows. It consists of a series of commands that are executed by the command-line interpreter and are stored in a plain text file.
The following steps describe how to launch a customizable TStartup application with a .bat file:
- Create a text file (extension .txt)
- Write the full command line that will launch the application, as seen below
cd "<ProductPath>" start "<ProductPath>\TStartup.exe" /Solution:"C:\Solutions\MyNewSolution.dbsln"
- Add the desired additional parameters (see examples in the next sections)
- Save and close the file
- Right-click the icon and change its extension name form .tex to .bat. A warning message will popup on the screen. Click Yes.
- Double-click the newly created file to launch the TStartup application.
Required Parameters
The most important parameter for launching your application is related to the Solution file. It is the only thing that is really necessary for the command line.
The syntax for this parameter is presented below.
/Solution:"C:\Solutions\Solution4.dbsln"
After that parameter, you can add any of the remaining available parameters.
Solution AutoStart Options
You can run the solution in any of the following ways:
Manual start:
Solutions are started manually:
- From the Solution Management Tool list. To do this, Select a Solution and click the Runtime Startup button or right-click the Solution and select Run Solution.
- When you are configuring the Solution. To do this, go to Runtime → Startup and click Run Startup.
- Creating a windows shortcut to start the Solution.
Service: Application run as a Windows Service and starts when the computer powers up. Setup Windows Service at the Runtime → Startup page
Shortcut in Startup folder:
Place the shortcut created in the last section in Start → All Programs → Startup to launch on any machine login.
Check the "Automatically Starting Windows Clients" Section in the Remote Clients Setup to have more information
Auto-Start the Solution as a Windows Service
When you select the option Auto-Start as a Windows Service, the Solution will automatically start as soon as the computer powers on and the Windows Operating System is loaded, even if no user has logged in.
This mode is recommended for production servers where:
The runtime components must remain active at all times.
Different Windows users may log in and out without interrupting the Solution.
The server is not being used as an engineering workstation.
Running as a Windows Service ensures that the application operates independently of the logged-in user, providing continuous availability and stability for server-side operations.
Client Displays
When running as a Windows Service, you cannot start the Client Displays, as the service server side components run independently from any user logged in. Refer to Running Displays Clients section of the manual for information on starting client side applications.
Running the Solution as a Windows Service
This Setup is automated by the Designer software
On the Designer tool, navigate to Runtime → Startup.
At that page, you find the option to setup the solution to run as a Service, that is only the configuration you need to do!
The entire section that follows, just explain in details the process that was executed when giving that command, and present the details in case there is a scenario you need to setup manually the Windows Services.
When running the application as a Windows Service, you need to take four actions:
- Setup the Run-time startup: By using the software platform configuration tools or directly editing the Windows Service system, you define a software platform Solution to start as a Windows Service that will run the “server” components of the Solution. The graphical user interface always runs in a Windows User Mode in the same computer or started in a remote computer.
- Setup a Web Server: If you want remote access to this Solution for Solution configuration or to access the displays in runtime, you need to setup a Web Server. This is accomplished with the built-in TWebServer software or with the Microsoft IIS (Internet Information Services). Refer to the TWebServices page about installing a Web Server.Verify the security settings: Verify the security settings of the Windows Service and the security settings of the Solution
1) A Command line, based on the Solution configuration is created. The whole command line should look something like this:
"<ProductInstallationPath> tStartup.exe" /Solution:"<Solution Path>\<Solution_name>.dbsln" /username:<username>
2) A command at the <.NET Framework Install Path> is executed:
installutil <InstallPath>\<fs-version>\TStartupAsService.exe Example: C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727>installutil <ProductPath>\TStartupAsService.exe
3) In the Windows Registry, the following entry is added
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\TStartup\ImagePath" Example: "<ProductPath>\TStartupAsService.exe" /Solution:"<SolutionPath>\<SolutionProj>.dbsln"
4) In the Windows Service (Administrative Tools), the "TStartup Service" is set to automatic, so the selected Solution will start when the computer starts.
Check the Windows Service Security Settings
Check the Windows Security settings for Log On.
When you setup the Solution to run as a Windows Service, it will run by default under the built-in “Local System” Window Credentials. For some Solutions, especially if accessing external databases or folders, you may need to run under a specific user's Windows Security Log On credentials. The configuration is executed in the Windows Service Configuration directly. For most scenarios, the default configuration will suffice.
Optionally, you can delay the start of the service
If the application is using external resources, services, or applications, you may want to delay the start of the Solution to allow the other services to start first. This is also executed in the Windows Service configuration.
Setup the Security in the Solution Configuration Solution
When the application is running as a service, the server components will run under the credentials of the “Solution user” defined in Runtime → Startup. By default, the user is a “guest”. For most Solutions, that user will be changed to Administrator, which will allow the user to make changes to the Solution with online configuration or have access to all application objects.
Startup Parameters
Main Parameters
/Solution:"<Path>\SolutionX.tproj"→ Path to the solution file (required)./ip1:<IP>→ Primary server IP or hostname./port1:<Port>→ Port for the primary server (default: 3101).
Redundancy Parameters
/redundancy→ Enables redundancy mode./autoswitch→ If the secondary is active, the primary takes over automatically when available./timeautoswitch:<seconds>→ Delay before primary node auto-switch (default: 60s)./ip2:<IP>→ Secondary server IP or hostname./port2:<Port>→ Port for the secondary server (default: 3101)./connectiontimeout:<seconds>→ Watchdog timeout for redundancy connection./connectionretry:<n>→ Number of retry attempts (default: 1)./SolutionIPPath:<IP;Path>→ Used to sync solutions in redundancy mode (e.g.,/SolutionIPPath:192.168.0.1;C:\Solutions\test.tproj).
Advanced Parameters
/username:<user>→ Runtime user that logs in./password:<password>→ Password for the runtime user./wa:true|false→ Enable/disable Windows Authentication./port1WA:<Port>→ Port number for Windows Authentication connections./NumberOfDevicesAtSameTime:<n>→ Max number of devices online simultaneously (default: 3)./TimeBetweenModules:<seconds>→ Delay between loading modules./nocache:true|false→ Enable/disable local cache (SmartClient only)./AutoCheckWatchDog→ Restarts channel automatically if no activity for 3 minutes.
Diagnostic & Logging Parameters
/SaveLog:<level>→ Creates logs underC:\Users\Public\Documents\<ProductName>\TraceLogs.0= Disabled3= Debug (most detailed)
/AutoRunDiagnostics:<minutes>→ Interval for automatic diagnostics logging. Logs stored inC:\ProgramData\<ProductName>./LogDeviceWriteStartup→ Creates logs underC:\ProgramData\<ProductName>\Device, recording device writes at startup.
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