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 Documentation\Configuration\Miscellaneous\System Tray Applet

    Domain Time II System Tray Applet The Domain Time Server, Full Client, Thin Client, and Ultra Thin Client services have the option of displaying a handy application (DTTray) in the Windows System Tray on the Start Bar.

    Note: The Start Bar is not available on Windows Server Core, so the DTTray program is inaccessible on those versions of the operating system.

    DTTray gives you quick access to common tasks (such as manually triggering the machine to sync with its time source) as well as a quick way to launch Domain Time applications. It also gives you visual and audible alerts to your current time sync status, traffic monitoring displays, drift analysis graphs, and a warm fuzzy feeling in your tummy.

    Starting the Applet
    When you double-click the system tray icon, you'll be shown the current client time statistics for this machine. Right-clicking the icon will present you the DTTray context menu.

      Note: Although the Domain Time services are installed and removed without requiring a reboot, some of the items on the DTTray context menu (such as the Domain Time programs available to launch) will not be visible until the user logs off or the system is restarted.

    Showing or Hiding the System Tray Applet
    You can control whether the system tray application is displayed by using the Advanced Settings tab of the control panel applet (Server or Full Client only) or by setting a registry value.

      When the "Show system tray Icon" is checked on the Advanced Settings tab of Server or Full Client, (or the value of the registry key HKLM\Software\Greyware\Domain Time Client\Parameters\SystemTrayIcon is True) the Domain Time icon will appear in the system tray. You can hide the system tray applet by unchecking this box, by selecting Hide System Tray Icon from the DTTray context menu, or by setting the registry value to SystemTrayIcon=False.

      If you are rolling out Domain Time to a number of systems and you don't want users to have access to the System Tray Applet, you can have the system tray icon hidden by default during installation. You change the INI defaults file to do this. Find the SystemTrayIcon=True lines in the Server, Full Client, Thin Client, and/or Ultra Thin Clients sections of the file and change them to SystemTrayIcon=False.

    Command Functions

    Quick access to other Domain Time II applications and actions.

      Launching Domain Time II Components
      The DTTray applet menu provides a quick way to start the various Domain Time programs and utilities.

        You can pull up the Control Panel Applet for the service that's running on this machine (Server or Full Client) by selecting Control Panel Applet... from the DTTray menu. If the Management Tools are installed on this system, you'll also have Manager and its associated utilities listed on the menu. Also, any additional services (like the Update Server or Monitor Service) will appear if they are installed.

      Triggering a Time Sync
      You can trigger the time service to synchronize with its time source by double-clicking the DTTray icon and then clicking the Sync Now button on the Statistics screen. You can also select Synchronize Now from the right-click menu.

    Alert Functions

    The System Tray Applet has a number of features that provide visual or audible feedback on the status of your clock synchronization.

        Animate Clock During Timeset
      While Domain Time is synchronizing the clock, the system tray icon will show a running clock icon. When the clock is successfully sychronized the icon will change to the standard Domain Time icon. You can turn off this feature by unchecking the option from the right-click context menu.

        The "Time Not Synchronized" Alert (The Flashing Clock)
      This alert flashes a clock in the system tray to indicate the time is not synchronized.

        If Domain Time is unable to synchronize its time with a time source, it will alert you to the problem by changing the Domain Time icon in the system tray to a flashing clock icon. Once you have resolved the cause (usually due to a network issue preventing Domain Time from contacting its time source) and re-synchronized, the icon will return to the normal Domain Time icon.

      Timeset Chime
      The System Tray Applet can indicate a successful time synchronization with an audible signal.

        Selecting the Timeset Chime

        Timeset Chimes are off by default. You can enable them by pulling up the context menu and selecting the sound device you wish to use to play the chimes. The Timeset Chimes will play whether or not there is a logged-in user.

        Choose Chime Off if you do not want the signal to play.

      Time of Day Chimes
      The Time of Day Chimes feature is a special function that plays sound files at particular times of the day (on-the-hour, and at 15, 30, 45 minutes past the hour) to emulate a chiming clock. You may download selected chime packs from our site or create your own. See the Chimes page for details.

        Selecting the Time of Day Chimes

        The Time of Day Chimes are off by default. You can enable them by pulling up the context menu and selecting the chime pack you want to use for the chimes. Note: You must have downloaded and installed at least one chime pack before this feature will be available. See the Chimes page to download chime packs. There must be a user logged in and the System Tray Applet must be active in that user's System Tray in order for the chimes to play.

        Choose None if you do not want the chimes to play.

      Activity Monitor
      This window displays all Domain Time-related network traffic sent or received by this machine.

        The Activity Monitor provides a visual indicator of when the various types of protocol and control messages are sent or received. Besides being a great deal of fun to watch, it is a useful diagnostic tool you can use to verify that your server or client is receiving and responding to time sync requests and cascade signals.

        For example, click the Synchronize Now option from the DTTray context menu to watch how your system performs a sync request.

        Click the Always on top box if you wish the Activity Monitor to always be visible on your screen.

    Statistical Functions

    View detailed statistics and view drift graphs

    Viewing System Statistics
    You may view the current time statistics on this machine by double-clicking the system tray icon, or by right-clicking the icon and choosing Client (and/or Server) Statistics from the menu. Note that Domain Time II Server acts as both a time client and a time server, so there are two statistical displays available on Server.

    Stats Display
    The DTTray Client Statistics Screen (showing client stats on a DT II Server)

    Server Stats Display
    The DTTray Server Statistics Screen (This display is only available on DT II Servers)

    Drift Graphs
    In addition to detailed summary statistics, DTTray can show you a graphical representation of the accuracy of the clock on your machine sampled at the time it synchronized with it's time source. You may scroll through the entire drift data to see how your clock has been performing over time.

    Drift Graph Display
    The DTTray Drift Data graph (reduced size), showing an extremely
    well-synchronized system (>1 millisecond worst case)

    See many other interesting graphs on the Graphs page.

     

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