Inside the Kernel

When displayed, the Plant SCADA Kernel consists of a top-level window that contains several child windows:

• A Main window that displays diagnostic messages

• A Shell window for executing commands

• Additional windows opened in response to entered commands.

At startup, the Main window displays information about your Plant SCADA startup processes. The Main window also displays runtime system messages, providing a continuous operational history of your Plant SCADA system.

The Shell window contains a command line interface (similar to the Command prompt) where you can type in Kernel commands to perform a Kernel operation or to display other child windows.

Note: Access to the Cache and Cicode Kernel commands is restricted to specific users for security. For details, see the section Access to Cicode and Cache Commands in the topic The Kernel.

If Plant SCADA runtime is configured to use multiple client or server processes, each process will have a separate Kernel window that displays specific system messages. For example, system messages related to a trend server process will appear in the Trend window in the Kernel.

For a default configuration, the Main window displays the following messages:

• Initializing Sub Systems - The primary parts of Plant SCADA are getting started.

• Initializing Font System - Creating fonts that have been defined within Plant SCADA. These are fonts used for displaying items such as alarms, and pre-V5.0 dynamic text.

• Initializing Client System.

• Starting IO Server - Only visible if the Plant SCADA computer is an I/O Server. If the computer is an I/O Server and this message does not display, the computer is improperly set up: run the Setup Wizard to check your configuration. IO Server Started - The server has started and is functioning correctly.

  • Initializing I/O Server - Starting to check what is necessary for the I/O Server to work, and initializing any cards that are necessary.

  • On a Client, these messages will be replaced with Calling '<I/O Server>' Connected.

• Initializing Cicode System - Cicode has been loaded into memory, and is prepared to run.

• Initializing com System - Checking that ports and hardware are responding and functioning correctly.

• Initializing Request System - The system that handles requests from the Client part of Plant SCADA to the Server parts of Plant SCADA.

• Initializing Trend Client System - The Trend Client is slightly different than the normal client, so it needs separate initialization.

• Starting Trends Server - You will only see these messages if the Plant SCADA computer is a Trends Server. If the computer is a Trends Server, and these messages do not display, most likely the computer is improperly set up. run the Setup Wizard to check your configuration.

  • Trend Startup - Plant SCADA is checking for the trend files, and making new ones if they can't be found.

  • Initializing Trend Acq System - Every trend you define has its own sample rate. Here Plant SCADA is setting up the system so it can poll the data at the correct rate for each trend pen.

    On a Client, these messages will be replaced with Calling '<Trends Server>' Connected.

• Initializing Alarm System.

• Loading Alarm Databases - You will only see these messages if the Plant SCADA computer is an alarms server. This is loading alarm data into memory. If the computer is an alarms server, and these messages do not display, most likely the computer is improperly set up. run the Setup Wizard to check your configuration.

• Open Alarm Save File

  Loading Alarm Save File

  Alarm Save File Loaded - Plant SCADA gets the alarm save file (that was created in the specified directory), and examines it in order to see the status of existing alarms. If you have a redundant alarms server, then this alarms server will interrogate the other instead of using the alarm save file - since the information on the other server will be newer than any file.

  Starting Alarm Processing - The server is now processing (and serving) alarm data.

  On a Client, these messages will be replaced with Calling '<Alarm Server>' Connected.

• Initializing Report System.

• Starting Reports Server - You will only see this message if the Plant SCADA computer is a reports server. If the computer is a reports server, and this message does not display, most likely the computer is improperly set up. run the Setup Wizard to check your configuration. On a Client, this message will be replaced with Calling '<Reports Server>' Connected.

• Initializing Page System - Plant SCADA will now display the Startup Page. At this time Plant SCADA will cover up the Kernel if it is displayed.

• Initializing Functions - Executing any Cicode functions that have been defined as running at start up.

The next line of information is the start up time and Plant SCADA version number.

• Channel PORT# is Online

  Channel PORT# is Online

  Channel PORT# is Online - You will only see these messages if the Plant SCADA computer is an I/O Server. These are messages telling you that any ports you have defined in the I/O Server have come online. If you get a messages saying that the port is not online, or could not be opened, check the configuration of your project. PORT# is the Port Name specified in the Ports form.

• Unit 'UNIT#' Port PORT# is Online

  Unit 'UNIT#' Port PORT# is Online

  Unit 'UNIT#' Port PORT# is Online - Only visible if the Plant SCADA computer is an I/O Server. This indicates that the I/O Device with the Unit Number of UNIT# (as defined in the I/O Devices form), is connected to port PORT# .

• Communication System Online - Plant SCADA has completed startup operations and is now fully operational (running).

See Also

Use the Kernel to Commission a System