Overview

This topic describes how to start and operate INtime software.

You can treat the RT kernel and associated INtime applications as Windows services and start them automatically when Windows initializes.

In the event of a Windows blue screen crash, INtime software keeps running until a graceful shutdown occurs. To start INtime software again, you must first restart Windows.

Starting INtime for Windows nodes and related services

1. Open the Windows Service Manager (services.msc).

   The Windows Services table lists these INtime services:

   Service	Default startup setting	Description
   INtime Kernel Manager	Automatic	Loads the RT kernel binary image into memory and starts it. Uses loadrtk.exe.
   INtime Clock Synchronization service	Automatic	A Windows service that synchronizes RT client time-of-day clock with the Windows host's time-of-day clock.
   INtime Event Log service	Automatic	A Windows service that provides access to the Windows Event Log from real-time applications. The service also consumes syslog messages send from INtime Distributed RTOS hosts.
   INtime I/O service	Automatic	A Windows service that acts as a server to INtime for Windows nodes to provide a console window for real-time applications. This service also provides Windows file system support to the nodes.
   INtime Database service	Automatic
   INtime Node Detection service	Automatic	A Windows service that detects RT clients, both local and remote. This program checks for and registers RT clients that exist in both of these locations: Nodes configured locally in the INtime Configuration program (INconfCpl.cpl). INtime Distributed RTOS clients.
   INtime Remote Connection manager	Automatic	A Windows service that detects and manages connections between the Windows host and other INtime hosts. The manager includes NtxRemote2.exe, which is required for a Windows host to communicate with other INtime hosts.
   INtime Registry service	Automatic	A Windows service that provides Windows registry access to RT processes via the RT application library.
   INtime mDNS service	Manual	A Windows service that uses the mDNS protocol to provide alternate name services (supported by INtime Distributed RTOS). Note: This service requires Bonjour for Windows from Apple Corp.
   INtime Debug service	Manual	Manages the console window on behalf of the INtime system Debug Monitor.

2. Start each INtime software service as desired. By default all services except the INtime mDNS service and INtime Debug services start automatically. You can start an INtime Kernel using these methods:
   • Click the INtime icon in the system tray and selecting a kernel name from the menu that displays.
   • Open a command window and enter this command:

     nodemgr start NodeA
     

   • Call the ntxStartLocalRtNode API from a Windows application.

After you start an INtime node

• Use Microsoft Visual Studio to develop your INtime application.
• Use a debugger to load and debug your RT applications.
• Use the INtime Loader to load and run your RT applications. You can start this program by selecting Start>All Programs>INtime>RT Application Loader. You can also load your application by double-clicking the .rta file in an Explorer window, or by right-clicking the .rta file to open the RT Application Loader.
• INtime tools available from the Start>Programs>INtime software menu include:
  

  Note:   One or more of these tools are installed, depending on which INtime Environment option you selected when you installed INtime software.

  Tool	Description
  INtime Configuration (inconfig.exe)	A Windows program that configures INtime software.
  RT Application Loader (ldrta.exe)	A Windows program that loads/starts the RT portion of INtime applications.
  INtime Explorer (intex.exe)	A Windows program that uses NTX calls to communicate with its self-loaded RT counterpart to display objects inside an INtime node.
  INscope Real-time Performance Analyzer	A Windows program that uses NTX calls to communicate with its self-loaded RT counterpart to trace execution of INtime applications.
  INtime Status Monitor	A program that provides control of INtime functions via the system tray.
  Spider Debugger	A Windows program that communicates using NTX calls, with the INtime debug server to provide dynamic source level, multitasking debug capabilities for RT applications. Note: For detailed information about using Spider, see Spider's Help file.

Also available from the Start>All Programs>INtime software menu are these resources:

• INtime Release Notes: Lists features and issues that arose too late to include in other documentation.
• Sample Code and Projects: Menu of Visual Studio projects that demonstrate various aspects of INtime application programming.
• Quick Start Projects: Menu of projects described in the Quick Start Guide.