Hydrocontrol, I like "passed on to the driver with a LED" = maybe for future, but for basic simple 1st step, I want to get the bat file kick off button working.
"...be more elegant...", I've tried to work with programmers for years to produce a self-healing Vips, their reply, or I should say they point their finger back to me, the physical layer installer, an unresponsive Vips is the result of a break in connectivity, or some physical connection failure. Could be, however I've seen Vips become unresponsive on office machines sharing the same 48 port switch as the SQL server. My scan stations might have 2, or 3 daisy changed switches in the mix, or airbridges between the production 48 port switch and my scan station, yes there is a greater chance for a connectivity break, but I like the thought of a self healing vips.
Instead of pointing fingers at each other I've decided to chase this physical button option.
I had thought about a sentinel bar-code that could be scanned to kick off the bat file, let it hang on a chain and the driver would simply grab and place under the scan beam to kick off bat file, but I'd have to have extra software running in the background to read the scan.
I can VPN/VNC to any of the scan stations remotely and when the Vips software freezes, I've always been able to bounce it back open & drivers can continue scanning. If there were a connection problem, then I would not be able to VPN/VNC to the scan station. You state..."Is there some life sign from Vips...", honestly, I don't know, I'd have to discuss with the programmers, and I'm trying to solve the problem w/o going to them at the moment, however you've given me intelligent questions to ask.
"...include a watchdog, broadcast a regular life sign..." = you've given me lingo I can talk with the programmers intelligently = thanks! I do setup ping watchdogs frequently for routers.
Btw, we are a new vehicle processor at car & truck plants. We maintain the new product that rolls off the assembly line out in open storage where Vips assigns the parking location, then days/weeks later the units/new product will be loaded for over rail, road, or water to reach the dealer near you.
"How does the driver actually realize that Vips has crashed?" = The driver scans the Vin17 barcode and a "bad vin" messages pops up on the PC's flat panel driver confirmation monitor, sometimes the message is "dbprocess dead", but when the driver sees "bad vin" driver knows to get with the shuttle van driver, van driver gets on the 2-way radio and calls someone in the office to VNC to the scan station PC & bounce Vips back to life so the drivers can continue scanning. On a good scan the display monitor will say "A-B-023", the driver needs to park the unit in yard A, row B, bay 23, By pressing the button the driver can bounce Vips himself/herself saving incredible amounts of time.
Robin2, I appreciate your reply, we're not spying, we are a business trying to make a fair profit by staying efficient.