Local Cluster - Setup

Download the Cluster's config.json from the Flowgear Console, then use the setup tool to create its certificate and start its Windows service.

Prerequisites

• The Flowgear local Cluster is installed.
• The local Cluster is registered in the Flowgear Console.
• You have administrator privileges on the machine.

Step 1: Download config.json

The Cluster's config.json contains all the keys the local Runtime needs, including the Cluster Key, Site Key, and Environment Keys. Downloading it means you do not have to copy each key by hand.

1. Open the local Cluster in the Flowgear Console to view its detail page.
2. Click Download config.json.

3. Copy the downloaded config.json into the installation folder, e.g., C:\Program Files\Flowgear\Flowgear Local Runtime, replacing the existing file.

Step 2: Run the setup tool

Open the Start menu, and then click Flowgear Local Runtime Setup.

Alternatively, run Flowgear.LocalRuntime.Setup.exe directly from the installation folder.

The setup tool opens in a terminal window.

Because you placed the whole config.json in the installation folder in Step 1, the setup tool reads every key from it and presents them as defaults. Press Enter at each prompt to accept them.

Enter the keys manually: If you did not place the config.json file in the installation folder, and instead only have the key values on hand, the tool prompts you for each one. Enter the following values from the Cluster's config.json. If a previous configuration exists, its default values appear in square brackets; press Enter to keep a default, or enter a new value.

Prompt	Description
Host	Your Flowgear tenant hostname, e.g., tenantkey.flowgear.net, where tenantkey is the subdomain that you use to sign in.
Cluster Key	The GUID for the local Cluster.
Site Key	The GUID for your Flowgear Site.
Environment Keys	The GUIDs for the Flowgear Environments that can use the local Cluster.

Note: If a configuration exists, the tool warns you that continuing will overwrite it and restart the service. Enter y to continue.

Step 3: Create and trust the certificate

The tool checks for an existing valid certificate. If one does not exist, it creates a self-signed certificate and installs it in the Windows certificate store.

When prompted, upload the exported certificate to the local Cluster in the Flowgear Console:

Please upload the certificate to your Flowgear Cluster in the console before continuing.
Press any key once you have uploaded the certificate...

1. Locate the exported certificate file that the setup tool created.
2. Open the local Cluster in the Flowgear Console to view its detail page.
3. In the Certificate section, upload the certificate file. See Create a local Cluster - Step 3.
4. Return to the setup terminal, and then press any key.

Step 4: Start the service

The tool saves the configuration and starts or restarts the FlowgearLocalRuntime Windows service.

The following message confirms that setup is complete:

Setup complete.

The local Cluster is now configured and running.

Alternative: apply config.json without running the setup tool

If a trusted certificate already exists for the Cluster, for example when you are updating the keys on a Cluster that you set up before, you can drop in the new config.json and skip the setup tool.

1. Download config.json and copy it into the installation folder, as described in Step 1.
2. Open the Windows Services app, find Flowgear Local Runtime, and then start or restart it to apply the new configuration.

Note: This shortcut only works once a trusted certificate exists. If you have not created one yet, run the setup tool as described above, which creates the certificate and prompts you to trust it.

Troubleshooting

Access is denied

Run the setup tool as an administrator.

The service fails to start

Check Windows Event Viewer for details about the service failure.

The certificate cannot be exported

Export the certificate manually from Windows Certificate Manager, and then upload it to the local Cluster in the Flowgear Console.

The local Cluster does not come online

Check the log files in the installation folder for errors. Restart the FlowgearLocalRuntime service or run the setup tool again.

See also

• Install a local Cluster
• Update a local Cluster