FAQ: Run a Collector as a Service

The following list is frequently asked questions about running a collector as a service.

Can all collectors be run as a Windows service? If not, which ones cannot?

The OPC Collector, Simulation collector, and Server-to- Server collector can be run as services. The iFIX collector run as a background task and cannot be run as a service.

Can all collectors be run as an application? If not, which ones cannot?

All collectors can run as applications (console programs). This includes the Simulation Collector. To make a collector run as a console program, pass a RUNASDOS command line parameter.

What does "running as a service" mean?

It means that the collector appears in the Control Panel list of services. It can run at system boot or be run with a different username and password from the currently logged-in user.

How can the iFIX collector be set up to run when no one is logged in?

It can be set up to run without a user login by adding it to the iFIX SCU task list as a background task and by configuring iFIX to continue running after logging off in local startup.

How do you shut down a collector running as console application?

Collectors started as console applications should be shut down by typing S at the command prompt in the DOS window and pressing Enter.

Can a collector be run as a Windows service and then stopped and restarted?

Yes. Collectors that can run as a service can be stopped and started in Control Panel Services. They can be paused/resumed through Historian Administrator.

What is the difference between running a collector to start as a service on boot up using the Services applet in Control Panel versus running iFIX as a service, which starts the collector through the startup task configuration in the SCU?

The collectors that can run as a service would not be started from iFIX. They can be started from the Control Panel start at system boot. Although you cannot run an iFIX collector as a service, you can log off and on while it is running.