Working with Real-time Action Objects

Adding a Real-time Action Object

A new Action Object (AO) can be added by following these steps:

  1. Start the CSense Runtime Manager from the start menu.  

  2. The types of valid Action Objects are listed in the Console Root.

  3. Select the type of Action Object required to be added, and the AO window will open. Each different AO type has a differently configured AO window, customized for that type.

  4. Click [Add] to add a new Real-time AO.

  5. You will be prompted to browse to the correct blueprint file, with a .mgd file extension.

    If the selected blueprints contain sources that were configured to run in real-time, the Configure Realtime Execution dialog is displayed. You can reconfigure the deployment properties of the blueprints as needed and click OK. All the selected blueprints will be deployed.

  6. The AOs will open sequentially, and the deployment state will change from Starting to Started as the blueprints begin executing. The status will change to Executing, and the execution start time will change to the current time when the first execute of the blueprint completes.

Configuring Deployment Properties of Real-time Sources in Blueprint 

You can configure a precise schedule time for the real-time sources in a blueprint. By specifying different schedule times for the deployed blueprints, the load on the CPU can be spread evenly if done correctly. You can configure the schedule time in the Configure Realtime Execution dialog that is displayed when you select blueprints that contain sources to run in real-time while adding a real-time Action Object. You can configure the execution period, first execute, and offset of each real-time source.

The Configure Realtime Execution dialog lists all the selected blueprints and all their real-time sources. The following information is displayed on the grid: 

  • Blueprint Name- for example, Realtime_source.mgd.

    • Source-  Name of the source in the blueprint.

      NOTE: If the source is not in the root superblock, the source name will be the full path of the source along with the name of the source. For example,  SuperBlock1\SuperBlock2\SourceName.

    • Type- the type of the source. For example, OPC Server source.

    • Execution Period (s)- the execution of the source, in seconds.

    • First Execute- the configured first execute option for the source.

    • First Execute Offset- the offset other than "Default" that is specified for the source.

You can update the Execution Period, First Execute, and First Execute Offset properties for a source or multiple sources in a blueprint.

Updating the properties for a single source in a blueprint

  1. In the grid, click the required properties box for a source as needed.
    The box becomes editable.

  2. Edit the value of the property as needed.
    The updated properties are applied to the selected source.

Updating the properties for multiple sources simultaneously

  1. In the grid, select the required sources as needed.

  2. In the right-side panel, enter the values for the properties as needed.

  3. To apply the edited properties to all the selected sources, beneath all the properties that you edited, click Apply.
    The updated properties are applied to all the selected sources.

Reverting the Updated Source to its Original Configuration

You can revert the source's configuration that you edited to its original configuration as needed. When you hover over the properties, you will see the original value of those properties as a tooltip, which you can use to refer.

Reverting a single property of a source to its original configuration

  1. In the grid, click the required properties box for a source as needed.
    The box becomes editable.

  2. Edit the value of the property as needed.
    The updated properties are applied to the selected source.

Reverting all the properties of the source(s) to their original configuration

  1. In the grid, select the sources as needed.

  2. In the right-side pane, click Clear.
    The properties are reverted back to its original value.

Grouping Blueprint Sources

You can use the Group blueprint sources check box to determine how you want to view all the sources and their respective blueprints. If you select the check box, all the sources are grouped under their respective blueprints (this is the default view). This helps you sort multiple sources in the context of their blueprints. The grouped view will be useful when you have many blueprints with multiple sources. If you clear the check box, all the available sources along with their blueprints are listed in a tabular view. In this view, you can sort the sources by their name and not in the context of the blueprint. The tabular view will be useful when there are many blueprints with only one source each. You can determine the view as needed.

Staggering Blueprints

Using the Advanced option, you can stagger the first execute of the blueprints as needed based on the number of blueprints that are grouped. 

NOTE: When you stagger the blueprints with the Advanced option, all the blueprints in the grid will be staggered.

To stagger blueprints first execute, perform the following:

  1. In the grid, select the required blueprints.
  2. Click Advanced.
    The Advanced dialog is displayed.
  3. Updated the following properties as needed:
    • First Execute- what must be set as first execute for all the sources. For more information on First Execute properties, see First Execute

    • Start Offset- the start offset of the sources in the first blueprint.

      NOTE: The First Execute and Offset properties that you specify will be applied for all the sources in a blueprint.

    • Offset Increment- indicates by how many seconds the offset will increase between groups of blueprints.

    • Grouping- the number of blueprints grouped together.

      If the Grouping is 1, then the offset will increase between each blueprint. For example, let us consider deploying three blueprints with the following properties set: First Execute- Start on Hour, Start Offset- 15:00, Offset Increment- 60 seconds, and Grouping- 1. Then the execution happens as follows:

      • The first blueprint will start on the hour, at 15 minutes past the hour.

      • The second blueprint will start one minute later on the hour, which is 16 minutes.

      • The third blueprint will start one minute later on the hour, which is 17 minutes.

       If the Grouping is of value "X", then every 'Xth" blueprint will have the same offset. For example, let us consider deploying four blueprints with the following properties set: First Execute- Start on   Hour,  Start Offset- 15:00, Offset Increment- 60 seconds, and Grouping- 2. Then the execution happens as follows:
      • The first and second blueprints will start on the hour, at 15 minutes past the hour.

      • The third and fourth blueprints will start one minute later on the hour, which is 16 minutes past the hour.

Exporting Real-time Action Object(s)

You can export the Blueprints (.mgd files) for deployed real-time Action Objects.

NOTE:

The connection information in the Source and Sink blocks contained in the Blueprint will NOT be exported.

The Source blocks in the exported Blueprint will contain any updates made to the First Execute options configured during deployment.

To export Real-time Action Object(s), perform the following:

  1. Select the Action Object(s) as needed.
    Alternatively, to multi-select, press and hold ctrl, and then select the Action Objects(s) as needed, or press ctrl+A to select all the listed Action Objects.

  2. Click Export.

    1. If you selected a single Action Object, the Save As dialog box appears.

    2. Select the preferred location to save the exported file.

    3. Click Save.

      -OR-

    1. If you selected multiple Action Objects, the Browse For Folder dialog box appears.

    2. Select the preferred location to save the exported file.

    3. Click OK.

      NOTE: If files with the same name already exist in the location, you will be prompted to confirm whether to replace the existing files with the new files. Click Yes to replace or No to cancel the export.

    The exported Action Object(s) are saved in the selected location.

Restarting Stopped Action Object(s)

You can restart Action Objects that are currently not executing due to an error. When you restart the Action Objects, all the respective process information of the restarted Action objects will be reset, and the PID will change. All the Action Objects that are executing will remain unchanged.

NOTE: For the Start button to get enabled, you must select at least one Action Object that is stopped due to an error.

To restart Real-time Action Object(s), perform the following:

  1. Select the stopped Action Object(s) as needed.
    Alternatively, to multi-select, press and hold ctrl, and then select the Action Objects(s) as needed, or press ctrl+A to select all the listed Action Objects.

  2. Click Start.

Removing a Real-time Action Object

In order to stop an executing Action Object, simply select the correct AO, and click [Remove]. You will be asked to confirm the removal.


Related topics:

  

CSense 2023- Last updated: June 24,2025