Deploy to a Web Client from Within Citect SCADA

The Web Client architecture lets you deploy a project from within the Citect SCADA configuration environment, avoiding the need to use the Web Client interface to setup a system.

This process requires you to adjust two parameters in the Citect.ini file:

• [WebServer]WebClientCab
• [WebServer]DeployRoot

These parameters identify the client component used with the project and the location of the deployment root directory. When the project is compiled and prepared for deployment, it is placed directly on the Web Server.

Notes:

• When implementing this option, consider to your Citect.ini file configuration, as any errors with these parameters are difficult to diagnose. To avoid input errors, use the Web Deployment Tool in the Projects activity | Home | Prepare Web Deployment.
• If the project name contains non-ASCII characters, deploying from within Citect SCADA might be unsuccessful and raise errors. Under these circumstances, use the Web Server interface to create the deployment.

1. Confirm that your Citect SCADA system is configured to use TCP/IP. If you run the Setup Wizard, the Networking page will identify which communications protocol is being used.
2. Adjust the [WebServer]DeployRoot parameter within the Citect.ini file. This parameter represents the directory where the deployment will be located on the WebServer.

If you have set up an IIS-based Web Server, the default location will be the Deploy directory within the installed directories. For example:

[WebServer]
DeployRoot=C:\inetpub\wwwroot\Citect\deploy

Note: When setting the [WebServer]DeployRoot ini parameter, the path needs to contain "deploy" as the last subfolder name, otherwise the deployment will be unsuccessful. Use a mapped drive instead of a UNC address if deploying to a network destination from a Windows 2000 system. Do not map a drive directly to the deployment location, as the path needs to finish with a "deploy" subfolder.

3. Adjust the [WebServer]WebClientCab parameter within the Citect.ini file. This parameter represents the directory path and client component to use when a deployment is run, in relation to the installed Client directory. For example:

[webserver]
WebClientCab=700/Citect SCADAWebClient_7_0_176.cab

Note the use of a forward slash in the defined path.

4. Compile your project and then prepare it for deployment. Go to the Citect Explorer Tools menu and select Web Deployment Preparation or select the following icon on the Explorer toolbar.



Your project will now appear as a deployment within the Web Client home page next time you log in. Each project that is deployed is given a dedicated deployment name and project path.

Note: You can run the Web Deployment Preparation process automatically when you compile a project. To do this, go to the Project activity. Select Home | Prepare Web Deployment. Be aware, however, that this might increase the time necessary for a project to compile.

5. Determine if any of the I/O, Alarms, Reports or Trends Servers associated with the project are running behind a firewall. If they are, you need to confirm with the firewall administrator if the Citect SCADA ports have been opened to allow direct access, or if the firewall is using port forwarding.

If port forwarding is being used, you will need to log in to the Web Client as an Administrator, select the project, and then the Edit Deployment button:



This will take you to the deployment configuration page.

Note: A project is considered as being directly deployed If deployed from within Citect SCADA. The project name and the project path of a direct deployment cannot be changed using 'Edit Deployment'. To redeploy the project Run "Web Deployment Preparation" again. Other deployment configurations such as IP address and port number can be changed using the 'Edit Deployment' option. This is in contrast to deployments that are added from within the Web Server homepage.

6. Identify each server that port forwarding is being used for by typing the name in the Server field, using the following format:

   <ClusterName>.<ServerName>

   For Alarm Servers which have an additional Database Port, you can redirect it using the following syntax:

   <ClusterName>.<AlarmServerName>_AlarmDBPort

   For example:

   ClusterOne.AlarmServerOne_AlarmDBPort

7. Type in the Address and Port for each server, as supplied by the firewall administrator.

Note: The Web Client will automatically add any servers that are redirected in this way to the [AddressForwarding] section of the local Citect.ini file. See Using address forwarding for more information.

You can add additional servers to the list by selecting the Add New Server icon.

See Also

Published June 2018