EntireX Version 9.7
 —  EntireX Micro Focus COBOL RPC Server  —

Running an EntireX RPC Server as a Windows Service

This page covers the following topics:


Introduction

Any EntireX RPC server can be run as a Windows service. This has the following advantages:

To run an RPC server as a Windows service, a batch script (.bat) that can start the RPC server is required. Sample batch scripts are provided in the EntireX bin folder:

To install RPC server as windows services, use the EntireX RPC Service Tool. Multiple services can be installed if more than one RPC server is required.

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Sample Installation

Note:
The steps below use the C RPC Server as an example, but the information applies to all RPC servers.

Start of instruction setTo install an RPC Server as a Windows Service

  1. Enter the EntireX installation directory and copy file EntireX\bin\RPCService.bat. Save the file under a different name, for example EntireX\bin\RPCService_C.bat.

    The EntireX installation directory is specified during installation. Later on when registering the service, the argument value of parameter –ext of rpcservice.exe must correspond with this extension, for example –ext C.

    The extension _C will later correspond with the argument in parameter –ext when registering the service using rpcservice.exe. Also the name of the service will be extended by this value. This is needed to distinguish multiple server instances.

  2. Modify batch file RPCService_C.bat and uncomment the line where the C RPC server batch file is referenced.

    cserver.bat %*

    The file contains entries for all the different types of RPC servers. The C RPC server is already uncommented, it is the default.

  3. Adapt the corresponding configuration file, for example \EntireX\config\cserver.cfg, to your needs.

  4. Optionally test whether the server is configured correctly before registering it as a Windows service by entering the following from a command prompt:

    RPCService_C.bat
  5. Register the Server as a Windows service. Enter:

    rpcservice.exe -install -ext C -serverlog c:\serverlog.txt -trace c:\servertrace.txt -script c:\SoftwareAG\EntireX\bin\RPCservice_C.bat
    where c:\SoftwareAG is the installation directory,
      -ext must correspond with the extension specified in step 1
      -serverlog is optional
      -trace is optional
      -script must point to file RPCservice_C.bat created in step 1

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EntireX RPC Service Tool

The EntireX RPC Service Tool is provided to install, remove, start and stop RPC services. An overview screen "Software AG EntireX RPC Service" lists the available arguments and options.

Displaying the available Arguments and Options

Start of instruction setTo display the overview screen

Explanation of Options

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Customizing the Service

You can set the service to start the RPC server automatically or manually.

Start of instruction setTo customize the service

  1. Go to Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services and select the service and then Properties.

  2. Set the Startup type as desired or

  3. Start/stop the service as desired.

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Removing the Service

Start of instruction setTo remove the service

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Tracing for the Windows Service

Use the -trace option with the individual commands.

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Starting an RPC Server Using the Service

If the startup type for the service is set to automatic, the server will be started when the PC is booted.

Start of instruction setTo start the server manually

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Stopping an RPC Server Using the Service

If you selected startup type automatic in the service properties, the server will be stopped by the operating system when the PC is shut down.

Start of instruction setTo stop the server manually

If you choose to stop the server using the EntireX utilities, the Windows service will change the status from "running" to "stopped" and writes a warning message in the event log that the EntireX server has stopped for an unknown reason.

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Running with EntireX Security

Starting an RPC Server running under EntireX Security

To start an RPC server, supply a valid user ID and password to log on to the broker. The ID and password are applied to the configuration of the individual RPC server(s).

Stopping an RPC Server running under EntireX Security;

When you stop an RPC server, the RPC service uses the user ID/password from the credentials provided by the new RPC server(s), if applied. Otherwise user ID and password may be taken from the RPC service installation options (see above).

Note:
Broker command service etbcmd is used to stop the broker. See Broker Command and Information Services. This means that users who can start RPC servers to certain broker services also need access rights to Class=SAG, Server=ETBCIS, Service=*.

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Windows-specific Folders

Folder for Application Data

The file system directory that serves as a common repository for application-specific data.

A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data.

Under Windows 7, this path for the SYSTEM user might resolve to:
"C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local".

Folder for Local (Non-roaming) Application Data

The file system directory that serves as a data repository for local (non-roaming) applications.

A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data.

Folder for User Documents

The file system directory used to physically store a user's common repository of documents.

A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents.

See MSDN Library.

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