App:Rtdba

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The PICS real time database agent, RTDBA replaced both RTDB and RTRemote in PICS III. RTDBA is responsible for distribution of real time data throughout the PICS network (via UDP broadcast messages). RTDBA also distributes real time data to client applications in the same machine using EVI's IPCAPI. Incoming data received through the IPCAPI is broadcast (from the PRIMARY side only) so that all nodes may see it. Incoming data received through UDP broadcasts are distributed to local applications as necessary. RTDBA runs on ALL systems on the PICS display network (WAN customers still use RTClient) .

Synchronization

Starting with version 1.1, RTDBA has the ability to request (and provide) an initial copy of the real time database from (or to) another RTDBA. This should allow nodes that are (re)started in an isolated section to get a copy of the last known values for all of the points in the system that were known before the isolation occurred. Of course, if an entire section is started en masse while isolated, then there will be no last known values.

Proxying

Starting with version 1.1, RTDBA has the ability to proxy points when their provider is missing from the system. Also, there is a new bit in the database (ProxyInitEU, set via MCR2/admin) that, when set, allowed RTDBA to proxy a point's initial value from the database (either the initial EU or manual EU) when the provider is not present. If desired, this would allow RTDBA to proxy values like the gradient when a node is running in an isolated section, ensuring that the last known gradient is available even after the entire isolated section is restarted (if the new ProxyInitEU bit is not set, then the gradient would not be available in an isolated section that was restarted en masse).

RTDBA.INI

The real time database agent has a number of customer-adjustable settings. The sample below shows the names of the settings as well as their default values:

[RTDB Sync]
Sync Enable=True
Min Run Time=1m
Max Data Age=1h
Min Points Known=1000
Search Time=2s
Sync Timeout=5s
Sync Time Range=5s
Sync Retry Limit=5

[Settings]
INI Overrides Command Line=0
Peer as Primary=0
Local Only=0
Source Timing=0
Min Time Step (ms)=200
Proxy Time Step (ms)=999
Stale Multiplier=2
Stale Min Time (sec)=70
Watchdog ms=3000
Watchdog Check Button=0
WatchDog=default
Debug Log=0
Force State=No
System Clock=default
Log Stale Decisions=False
Log CheckPid=False
Log Wrong PICS=False
Log Providers=False
Log Sync Client=False
Log Sync Server=False
Log Debug Details=False
Proxy Missing Providers=True

INI Overrides Command Line when true, any settings specified on the command line that have values specified in the INI file are ignored. Normally, settings from the command line "win" and the same settings from the INI are ignored.
Peer as Primary when true, a PEER node will behave as if it were PRIMARY. Otherwise, PEER nodes act as if they are BACKUPs.
Local Only when true, RTDBA will not transmit any data (except an initial sync request) on the network. It will reflect any data received from local providers directly back to local clients. Any data received from the PICS data network will also be delivered to local clients -- unless the data being received from the network is also being provided locally. In that situation, the locally provided data will be delivered to the local clients.
Source Timing, when true the time tags applied to the incoming data by the source (i.e. 8800, compute task, etc.) are left intact. When false, RTDBA replaces the time tags with the local system time when the values are received.
Min Time Step (ms) set the minimum number of milliseconds that time must advance before RTDBA passes a new time point on to applications.
Proxy Time Step (ms) when only proxied times are available for the PICS Time point, this specifies the minimum number of milliseconds that time must advance before a new time value is selected. Setting this too small may allow the use of proxy times when other, higher quality times are being received.
Stale Min Time (sec) is the absolute minimum number of seconds before RTDBA is allowed to declare a point as being stale. This helps avoid accidental stale events on points with rapid refresh rates.
Stale Multiplier is applied to each point's refresh rate to determine the maximum amount of time that may elapse without a new record before the point is marked stale.
Watchdog ms this sets the number of milliseconds that may elapse between usable PICS Time points before the data flow is declared unavailable.
Watchdog Check Button when true, this enables a button in the Data Unavailable dialog that appears when RTDBA thinks that the data flow has stopped. The button forces RTDBA to re-evaluate the condition.
WatchDog may also be enable or disable
Debug Log when true, this enables additional information in the log. The additional information logged varies by program build and some builds may have no additional debug info.
Force State intended only for debugging purposes, this overrides the node state provided by Task Monitor (if it is even running). Possible values are No, Primary, Backup, Peer, or StandBy.
System Clock may also be setclock or noclock

RTDBA Command Line

LogFile still interpreted by the program, but this setting is no longer used. A similar setting now comes from the standard log settings dialog, available from the program's menu.
Force Peer, Force Primary, Force Backup, or Force Standby intended only for debugging purposes, this overrides the node state provided by Task Monitor (if it is even running).
Force Time is still understood, but the setting is no longer used. When it was used, this setting caused the program to treat any time value received as if it were from the Master Section (i.e. the highest quality time available). This existed only for testing during development.
SetClock or NoClock determines whether or not RTDBA is responsible for keeping the local system clock in sync with PICS. The default is to NOT set the local clock.
NoWatch or Watch Disable or enable the data flow watchdog feature. The default is for the feature to be disabled.