@aGlance Client Example: Test the solution
There are a number of ways to verify that the IDX gateway solution is operating correctly. Since the IDX gateway is operating in two logical halves (first half is of the client, or the DM_AAG_CLIENT while the second is the OPC Server), IDX makes provision for checking that the operation of each of these systems is correct.
· Verify from the IDX gateway that the remote @aGlance server can be reached and parsed. This can be done by using the @aGlance/IT Adminstration Tool.
o Open the @aGlance/IT Administratiol tool
o Under the Server Hosts tab, enter the computer name of the @aGlance server in the Server Host field.
o Click on the List Servers button. A SERVER AND SESSION window will be displayed that contains all the @aGlance servers found on the specified server machine. If a server is selected from the list, the sessions on that server can be listed in the Client Session window. This gives an indication that client-server communications can be established. If both windows of the SERVER AND SESSIONS window are empty, then there is a communications problem or no server is currently running on the specified machine.
· Ensure the remote @aGlance server contains the authentication permissions required for IDX clients to interact with the server.
· Start the @aGlance server and IDX gateway @aGlance client. The IDX client-side operation verification is best performed by analysing the IDX log files created for the DM_AAG_CLIENT. These will be located in IDXInstallPath\IDX\db\AAG_GATEWAY\dbg. In this folder, three debug files will have been created once the AAG_GATEWAY service is run: one for each DM and one for the AAG_GATEWAY service itself.
· View the DM_AAG_CLIENT.dbg file using a text editor such as Windows Notepad. The operation and thus the content of every DM debug file vary, but general principles remain. All events in the log are time-stamped and each file is recreated each time the AAG_GATEWAY server is stopped and started. Typically, a connection process can be recognised by analysing the debug file. A successful connection is typically established with either a ‘success’ or ‘failure’ indication while thereafter, tags are shown to be read to the IDX gateway and are periodically updated. Ensure no errors occur and that tags and data are being retrieved from the server.
· @aGlance client diagnostic tags can be added to the current service to monitor the state of the @aGlance client connection.
· For the @aGlance server, ensure the remote @aGlance server contains the authentication permissions required for IDX @aGlance clients to interact with the server.
· OPC Server-side operation verification is preceded by ensuring that the client is delivering values into the gateway slots. On the IDX gateway, connect a local OPC client viewer, such as the IDX OPC client viewer, to the local OPC Server. Ensure the tags/slot data is updating when the data on the OPC Servers is updated. This can be done using the OPC client viewer on the remote OPC servers.
· Verify, using a remote OPC client viewer, that the IDX OPC server is operational. Remember to consider user authentication/network issues.