PLBSERVE

Server Command Line

PLBSERVE is a PL/B language runtime that can be executed on Windows or supported Linux platforms. This runtime is a multi-threaded application that allows a program execution on the server and user I/O on a client workstation. The client workstation must be running the PLBCLIENT interface. The connection between the client workstation and the server can be any TCP/IP connection that is an intranet or Internet type of network.

PLBSERVE may execute as a Windows service. This requires the use of the SUNWSRV.DLL file that must be placed in the same location as the PLBSERVE.EXE file.

The command line format is as follows:

plbserve [inifile] -option

Note the following:

1. When using the Application Server runtime, the runtime options are specified on the client's command line.

Example: PLBCLIENT -d7 progname

2. If the configuration file name is not specified on the command line, PLBSERVE.INI is used.

3. One of the following options is required:

Option	Meaning
c	Allows the server logon process to continue from a paused state. When the server is executing as a service, the '-c' command line option, the services control panel, or the SC.EXE command may be used. For stand-alone servers, only the '-c' command line option may be used.
d	Deletes or uninstalls the PLBSERVE Windows service.
d7	This option can be used to invoke the PLBSERVE profile data collection for a PLB program using an extended profiler data format. The extended profiler data format includes information for the number of sockets that have been sent to a client and information about the current data size that is buffered for instructions to be sent to a client. Since this option is being sent to PLBSERVE via a PLBCLIENT command line, there is no profiler startup message that is presented to the end-user.
d8	This option invokes PLBSERVE profile data collection for a program using an extended profiler data format. The extended profiler data format includes information for the number of sockets that have been sent to a client and information about the current data size that is buffered for instructions to be sent to a client. The '-d8' option executes without presenting any startup message.
e	Displays expiration date information.
f	Forces termination of the server.
g{nnnnnnn]	allocate memory for global data area (Default is 65535). The value is specified in bytes
i	Installs PLBSERVE as a Windows service using a combination of the server name and the user serial number for identification. This identification allows multiple servers on the same computer. The PLBSERVE Windows Service is installed in an automatic running state. This running state can be changed using the services control panel. The logon user account is the Windows OS 'Local System' account.
il	Installs PLBSERVE as a Windows service using a combination of the server name and the user serial number for identification. This identification allows multiple servers on the same computer. The PLBSERVE Windows Service is installed in an automatic running state. This running state can be changed using the services control panel. The logon user account is the Windows OS 'Local Service' account.
in	Installs PLBSERVE as a Windows service using a combination of the server name and the user serial number for identification. This identification allows multiple servers on the same computer. The PLBSERVE Windows Service is installed in an automatic running state. This running state can be changed using the services control panel. The logon user account is the Windows OS 'Network Service' account.
i=UserName;Password	Installs PLBSERVE as a Windows service using a combination of the server name and the user serial number for identification. This identification allows multiple servers on the same computer. The PLBSERVE Windows Service is installed in an automatic running state. This running state can be changed using the services control panel. The logon user account is a current user logon and password that has been created for the system where the server NT Service is created. The username and password is authenticated. If they are bad or do not exist, the NT Service is not created. An appropriate Windows Error Code is provided when an error occurs.
i	Installs PLBSERVE as a Windows service using a combination of the server name and the user serial number for identification. This identification allows multiple servers on the same computer. The PLBSERVE Windows Service is installed in an automatic running state. This running state can be changed using the services control panel. The logon user account is the Windows OS 'Local System' account.
p	Pauses the main server logon process. When in a paused state, no new child or administrative tasks are created by the main logon process. All existing users continue to run. This option pauses the server when executing as a Windows service or as a stand-alone server. When the server is executing as a service, the '-p' command line option, the services control panel, or the SC.EXE command may pause the server.
r	Reloads the authorization number without restarting the server. Use this option after modifying the configuration file to increase the connection count.
s	Starts the server as a stand-alone process.
t	Normal termination of the server.
ver	Displays the version, serial number, and license information.
w[n]	Identifies the number of seconds to wait before exiting the Application Server. The '-w' option must be specified after an INI file if it is used and before other command options. If the [n] wait value is not specified, the '-w' command waits three (3) seconds as the default. (9.6)
z {path}	Use the specified {path} as the current working directory.
?	Display command line syntax.

4. If no command line option is specified, a help message is displayed.

5. The "r" option resets the license information within the server task. This eliminates the need to bring the server down and restart it to change the supported number of connections. Note that no more than five reset errors are allowed. After five reset errors have been detected, the server must be restarted to reset an authorization license.

6. When a PL/B program is executed, individual language statements that require user interface operations will communicate with the client. These statements include GUI, KEYIN, DISPLAY, PRINT, and advanced PRTPAGE operations. All file I/O operations execute and associated data must exist on the server.

7. A CREATE of an AUTOMATION object may be executed either at the server (default) or at the client. When the CLASS property string starts with an exclamation mark (!), the AUTOMATION object is created at the client workstation. Otherwise, it is created by the server.

8. The WINAPI statement can be executed either at the server or at the client. If the DLLNAME in a PROFILE begins with an exclamation mark (!), the operation is performed at the client. Otherwise, the default action is to perform the statement at the server.

9. If a filename used in the creation of an ICON or PICT object begins with an exclamation character (!), the file is opened on the client.

10. All commands that interface the client with server are automatically compressed and encrypted using default keys. User unique encryption keys may be used as specified by keywords in the configuration files.

11. The server task has an INI file named 'PLBSERVE.INI' where keywords can be specified. Normal runtime keywords such as PLB_TERM, PLB_SYSTEM, and PLB_PATH should be declared in this file like other runtimes.

12. Program execution is optimized to minimize the network message traffic when possible. As a program executes, the runtime is detecting what instructions can be buffered and what instructions require immediate action. Instructions may be buffered either until the message buffer is full or until a non-buffered instruction is encountered. At that time, a single message is sent to the client for processing. This technique provides the best means to minimize the number of messages sent between the server and a client. The following instructions are buffered:

DISPLAY

CREATE

SETMODE

WINHIDE

WINSHOW

WINERASE

WINREFRESH

SETWTITLE

EVENTREG ;Except for COLLECTION objects

ACTIVATE

CHECKITEM

DEACTIVATE

DELETEITEM

DISABLEITEM

DRAGITEM

ENABLEITEM

INSERTITEM ;Except for COLLECTION objects

SETITEM ;Except for COLLECTION objects

SETPROP ;Except for COLLECTION objects

DESTROY

OBJECT METHODS with no result returned.

13. The GETITEM and GETPROP statements are also optimized to allow buffering. When multiple groups of GETITEM and GETPROP statements are found, the statements are buffered and sent as a single message. The returned results are processed to minimize the number of messages sent between the server and client.

14. The PLBSERVE runtime is designed to execute most PL/B programs with minimal or possibly no changes. However, PL/B program techniques that appear to work well while using PLBWIN on a single workstation may not provide the best performance for PLBSERVE. Avoid creating unnecessary objects and preloading large amounts of object data that may only be used occasionally. Be aware that using PLFORM and FORMLOAD objects can also be more efficient than using individual CREATE statements.

15. If individual CREATE statements are required, grouping these instructions together can allow buffering to minimize the number of messages sent to the client.

16. Be aware the CONTROL objects are only created and used at the PLBCLIENT workstation. Any resources and data required for the third CONTROL must be available at the client.

17. If the PLBWIN_ICON={iconfile} keyword is used in the PLBSERVE.INI file, the client main window will use the specified icon. If the {iconfile} name begins with an '!' character, the icon file must exist on the client.

18. The number of client users that can connect to the server is determined by the authorization number specified during installation.

19. The forced shutdown command (f option) waits a maximum of sixty (60) seconds before terminating the main process.

20. A server service can be started by one of 3 ways: automatically, using the services control panel, or using the SC.EXE (Service Control) utility.

21. A server service can be stopped using the 't' or 'f' command line option, the services control panel, or the sc.exe command.

22. The 'Local System' logon account is a Windows OS built-in service logon that is global to all users on a workstation. Any mapped drives added for the 'Local System' logon are visible to any users that are logged on to the workstation. However, any mapped UNC network drives added under the 'Local System' can not be managed by any logged on users. In addition, a mapped UNC network drive can cause possible conflicts. This is documented as expected behavior by the Windows OS documentation.

23. The 'Local Service' logon account is a Windows OS built-in service account. This logon account restricts privileges to provide access to the local system. Any mapped drives using this logon account are not visible to any normal users logged on to the server system.

24. The 'Network Service' logon account is a Windows OS built-in service account. This logon account allows privileges that allow process to access a network beyond the scope of the local server system. Any mapped drives using this logon account are not visible to any normal users logged on to the server system.

25. Normal user logon accounts can be used for an NT Server and any mapped drives are not visible to any other users logged on to the server system.

26. Any of the install service command line options must appear as the last option on the command line.

27. When the PL/B Application Server is installed and loaded by the Windows Services Manager, there is an internal runtime option '-l' that must be used in the service command line. This '-l' option cannot be used directly by an end-user in an Application Server command line to start the Windows service.