ci-server-engineer/knowledge/manuals/IM36K10G10-01EN.md

manual	title	edition	version	status
IM 36K10G10-01EN	CI Server Tutorial	5th Edition, Feb. 2026 (first written from the 3rd Edition, Sep. 2023)	R1.05 (first written for R1.03)	from docs; item, sub-item, blocking, trigger group, class and object steps verified with dssqld/itmval on CI-Eng-Sample (R1.03, 2026-09-30); sections, items, sub-items, trigger group, classes and objects of the reduced sample load verified on the R1.05 test server (2026-10-08); ch. 14–15 not tested (no CENTUM VP)

CI Server Tutorial (R1.05)

A guided tour of the main engineering tasks in the Engineering Module and Edit Module. Each chapter points to the full manual for its area; the table shows where this repo covers it.

Chapter	Topic	Covered in detail by
1	Engineering Module window: menu, configuration tree, work area (properties sheets), message area, edit history (undo/redo)	IM 36K10C10 (phase 5)
2	Authorization groups and users	IM 36K10C10 (phase 5)
3	Sections, items, sub-items, blocking, value updates, item statuses	IM 36K10C10, L35/L36 (phase 5)
4	Displays in the Edit Module; HTML displays	IM 36K10C50, R30 (phase 10)
5	Trigger groups, classes, objects, symbols linked to objects	IM 36K10L10, P10 (phase 6), C50 (phase 10)
6	I/O: lines, stations, scan types, points	IM 36K10L40/L41 (phase 5)
7	Item alarms	IM 36K10L15, C20 (phase 8)
8	Reports and printers	IM 36K10P20, R40, C30 (phase 11)
9	Audit trail	IM 36K10L25 (phase 12)
10	RDBMS data exposure (dbc.sup)	IM 36K10L45 (phase 7)
11	Item search	IM 36K10C10 (phase 5)
12	Excel Add-in	IM 36K10E10 (phase 11)
13	History: storage groups, units, collection types, aggregation, archiving	IM 36K10L20, C40 (phase 9)
14	Virtual test with the CENTUM VP test function (FCS simulator) — new in R1.04, extended in R1.05	IM 36K10L55, IM 36K01C10; not covered by a skill
15	CENTUM VP HIS-TSE connection (RDP Connect, RD gateway) — new in R1.05	IM 36K10C50 §2.31, IM 36K10L55 §2.7; skill graphics

Key points

Users (ch. 2): create an authorization group (the set of allowed functions, e.g. ALL with every function), then a user assigned to it. A user is needed to log on to the Edit Module and Operator Interface.

Items (ch. 3)

• Full name Section.Sub-section.Item (max 255 bytes; no : or . inside a name; case insensitive). Sections can be blocked as a whole, e.g. for maintenance.
• Types: Boolean, Integer, Real, String. String length (§3.2.2): default 80, maximum 200 bytes in the R1.05 edition (the R1.03 edition said 168 without audit, ISS-019). The software allows STRING_LENGTH 1–200 with or without audit and holds length − 1 characters (verified R1.03; same limit in the R1.05 data dictionary, ISS-124).
• Four limits (LL, L, H, HH) plus a deadband set the status LOWLOW…HIGHHIGH; the deadband sits on the normal side of each limit. Scale high/low give OVERRANGED / UNDERRANGED. Booleans set status TRUE/FALSE.
• An item is connected to an I/O point on the Equipment tab; the station must exist first.
• Sub-items: Integrator, Pulse counter, Min-Max, Rate-of-Change (with time unit), Typeless. Sub-items cannot connect to equipment or have sub-items, and are not blocked with their main item.
• Blocked items and offline items are not updated. Update value (Engineering Module) or itmval -p changes value/status/quality; Overwrite blocked (-o) is needed for a blocked item. New items are NOT INIT until a value is written.
• Item statuses are system-wide; add your own with numbers 100–127 (1–99 and above 127 are reserved), with mnemonic, alarm priority (0–15), alarm state (Normal, Alarm 1–3), colour and shelving.

Displays (ch. 4): a display is built of frames defined by a layout. Edit Module parts: sheets, component bar, Visualizations tree, Symbols palette, menus, toolbars, drawing area. Display names must be unique and without spaces. HTML display mode shows only components and properties supported in HTML; switching it off keeps unsupported values.

Classes and objects (ch. 5)

• Trigger group: e.g. ONE_SECOND, a permanent 1-second trigger. A class can also be triggered by item changes.
• Class (traditional language): CLASS <name>; PROLOG … SIGNAL <var> := "<item>"; BODY METHOD <m>; BODY … ENDMETHOD <m>; ENDCLASS <name>;. After Compile, check the Listing tab for errors. ATTRIBUTE and PROMPT lines define values asked when an object is created.
• Object: created in a section, from a class, with values for the prompted attributes.
• Symbol linked to a class (PROCESS Service class); on a display set the symbol's object property to the object. Properties are linked to items/signals on the Connection sheet, with a transformation (e.g. Linear); buttons use Update item/parameter actions.
• Test in the Operator Interface by typing the display name in the title bar.

I/O (ch. 6): define in order line → station → (scan type) → point, then connect items to points. Example: Modbus LINE1 / STATION1 / scan type FAST / POINT1.

Alarms (ch. 7): current, historical and shelved alarm overviews. Item status → alarm state (Normal, Alarm 1–3) system-wide, or per item (overrides). Acknowledgement types are matrices of state transitions (automatic/manual). Delay time, repeat time (after delay), first-out groups, collection groups, alarm selection areas (ASA, filter expressions), areas of interest (AOI), notification by e-mail/SMS (users with schedules, destinations tied to an ASA).

Reports (ch. 8): defined with a name, destination, RQL query and layout; generated ad hoc, on a schedule, or on an item event (with delay). Destinations: DEFAULT, PRINTER_1, NONE (keep on disk), ALARMS, AUDIT_TRAIL, MESSAGES, SCREEN_CAPTURE; only DEFAULT and PRINTER_1 print by default. Destinations use primary/secondary devices with a policy (automatic, both, none).

Audit trail (ch. 9): stored in dataset AUDIT_TRAIL, storage group ADT; events are named <subject group>.<attribute>.<action>.<source>, e.g. ITEM.VALUE.MODIFY.HMI; records cannot be deleted except by deleting storage units. On R1.03.00 configuration and DSS changes are recorded per dataset (e.g. ITEM_DF.HIGH_LIMIT.MODIFY); details in IM36K10L25-01EN.md, skill audit-trail. R1.04 added to §9.2 a column for the approver and reason: who approved a change of a critical process parameter, or who acknowledged an alarm and with what comment (from docs).

RDBMS exposure (ch. 10): copies CI Server data (ITEM_VALUES aggregated per interval, ITEM_HISTORY with a mandatory filter, ITEM_INPUTS for writes back, or any dataset on change) into SQL tables. Configure the connection string or system DSN in dbc.sup; with Windows authentication add CIX_PROCESS to SQL Server (db_owner). Deleting an exposure drops its target table. Tested in R1.05 only for ITEM_VALUES (skill data-access, task rdbms-exposure.md): the manual's filter example with a quoted field name ("NAME" like "ABC*") fails (ISS-057); the installed dbc.sup change log says ITEM_HISTORY support was removed (ISS-058); with the local .\CIX_PROCESS a remote SQL Server needs a SQL login (ISS-059).

CENTUM VP virtual test (ch. 14, R1.04, extended R1.05): CI Server graphics and alarms can be tested against the FCS simulator of the CENTUM VP test function running on another PC. Preparation: CENTUM VP project data and tags in CI Server (CI Exchange for CENTUM VP or by hand; later VP project changes are not picked up), the optional CENTUM VP Expanded Test Function started on the VP PC (clear No Connect to Other PC; R7.01 or later can allow multiple projects), optionally Exaopc as an OPC AE station with Broadcast Equalize Message. Start order: (on a virtual machine) set Vnet/IP domain and station number to 0 in the Vnet/IP Interface Management Tool and reboot; stop VAGW and CI Server; start the control bus communication emulation as a CIX_MAINTENANCE member in an elevated prompt (%TLS_ROOT_PATH%\tls\vagw\program(x64)\Controlbusemulation.exe -s <domain> <station> -p <VP project DB path> -h <simulator host>; tray icon while it runs); start VAGW (if used) and CI Server. End in reverse: stop CI Server, stop VAGW, run the emulation with -e (or use the tray icon). Test with field devices disconnected and restart the CI Server PC whenever you switch between real and virtual mode. With HAC set both servers to manual mode first, build the test environment on each, then back to automatic. Not tested: the tls\vagw folder is not installed on the R1.05 test server (no Vnet/IP option), and there is no CENTUM VP (ISS-127).

HIS-TSE connection (ch. 15, R1.05): CI Server (CI Portal / CI View) acts as a client of the CENTUM VP HIS-TSE (remote operation and monitoring) server over remote desktop, so operators can open VP graphic, trend, faceplate and tuning views (also for block types CI Server does not render). Needs CENTUM VP R6.07.10 or later; not for HTML displays; CI Server cannot be installed on the HIS-TSE server.

• Edit Module: a Generic Functions component with function RDP Connect: Text Input 1 = remote host, 2 = RemoteApp alias/program (BKHBos for HIS-TSE), 3 = its command line (-D desktop mode; -P O <tag or view> panel mode, e.g. a faceplate or tuning view; @<project ID> after the tag for a lower project with duplicate tag names), 4 = RD gateway host[:port] (default 443). A parameter (e.g. isButtonClicked) triggers it.
• CI Exchange for CENTUM VP: project option Display from HIS-TSE Server (server name, optional RD gateway) adds an RDP connection button to generated faceplates (RGS and RGS with EAL projects; older projects via project properties, then regenerate).
• The generated .rdp file should be signed: each user creates a self-signed code-signing certificate once (PowerShell script given in §15.3, valid one year by default).
• Limits: 4 or 8 sessions per HIS-TSE server; the number of VP windows per client is limited per mode (table 15.4-1; panel mode one window); panel mode runs as RemoteApp and cannot reset the buzzer, so some alarm buzzers do not sound; closed sessions linger 20 s, and a disconnect can block reconnecting for about a minute unless the RemoteApp logoff delay policy on the server is set to Immediately. End the session with User Out (Ctrl+Alt+Backspace).
• §15.5: RD gateway in the DMZ (may share the CI Portal machine), Windows Server, SSL certificate (CA or self-signed), IT security settings.
• On the R1.05 test server only the launcher tls\com\ConnectRDP.cmd was found (2026-10-08). Not tested (no HIS-TSE server, ISS-127).

Other: Item search (wildcards, copy/drag to Excel or Trend); Excel Add-in reports; history storage groups and archiving (phase 9).

R1.05 edition: other changes (from docs)

Found by the full text diff (2026-10-08); the revision table lists only §9.2 (R1.04) and ch. 14–15:

• §3.2.2: string length now in bytes, maximum 200 (see Items).
• §8.10.2 / §8.11 (printer device): device status item and output-type parameters reworded, same meaning (status item can be any type except Boolean, the device has more than three states).
• §13.7.2 (storage group item, Event collection): conditions reworded; the sentence saying a PIT filter can be set per item was dropped (the Pass PIT condition remains).
• §13 cross-reference corrected (13.9 → 13.7).

Verified on CI-Eng-Sample (command-line equivalents, R1.03 2026-09-30)

On the R1.05 test server (2026-10-08) the reduced sample load created the same sections, items, sub-items, trigger group, classes and objects with 0 errors; DEMO.COUNTER counted and TANK1.LEVEL.MAX followed the level. Blocking was not repeated there (shared server).

Tutorial step	Done with	Result
Sections and items (3.2)	dssqld -i SECTION_DF, ITEM_DF	loaded
Sub-items (3.2.3)	SUB_ITEM_DF	Min-Max keeps the maximum; Integrator adds value × integration granule (itm_int_secs in itm.sup, default 1 s, system-wide); TIME_UNIT has no effect (ISS-010)
Block item (3.3)	dssqld -m ITEM_DF BLOCKED 1/0	option flag blk (status stays 9); writes without -o are silently ignored; after unblocking the flag ublk appears
Trigger group (5.1)	TRIGGER_DF (TRIGGER_INTERVAL "1 seconds")	loaded
Class (5.2)	CLASS_DF with METHOD memo and COMPILE 1	compiled on load
Object (5.3)	OBJECT_DF (NAME, CLASS)	runs: DEMO.COUNTER counts 1…100 every second