TRCS Hiroba IT Setup Guide

TRCS Hiroba is a self-contained server application that runs on one always-on Windows computer inside your network. Employees use it from a web browser — nothing is installed on their devices. This guide covers installation, network access, licensing, backups, and updates. Total setup time is typically under 30 minutes.

1. What you're installing

A single signed Windows installer places one application and registers it as a Windows service that starts automatically. It contains everything it needs — there are no external runtimes, databases, or dependencies to install. It listens on one TCP port (default 3000) for browser connections on your LAN.

2. System requirements

3. Install

1. Copy TRCS-Hiroba-Setup-x.x.x.exe to the host machine.
2. Right-click → Run as administrator. Accept the default location (C:\Program Files\TRCS Consulting Group LLC).
3. The installer registers and starts the TRCS Hiroba Windows service and adds a firewall rule for the app port. It then opens http://localhost:3000 to confirm it's running.

4. Network access for employees

Employees connect to http://<host>:3000. Use the host's name or static IP, e.g. http://plantools:3000 or http://192.168.1.50:3000. We recommend a static IP or DHCP reservation so the address never changes. The installer opens TCP 3000–3005 on the host's firewall; if you run additional segmentation, allow that range inbound from the user VLAN.

If port 3000 is already in use, TRCS Hiroba automatically uses the next free port (3001–3005) and records the active port in C:\ProgramData\TRCS Consulting Group LLC\runtime.json (also shown on the admin System status panel). Point users at that port.

Encrypted transport (optional): by default TRCS Hiroba serves plain HTTP on the trusted LAN. For sensitive sites you can enable HTTPS by providing a certificate and key (set PT_TLS_CERT and PT_TLS_KEY in the service environment — contact TRCS for the recipe). Login passwords then travel encrypted and the session cookie is marked Secure.

System status / diagnostics: the admin facility home page has a System status panel showing the active port, license state, database integrity and size, DXF-converter health, and object counts — useful for a support call.

5. Data & backups

All facility data — layouts, equipment library, users, uploaded plans — lives in C:\ProgramData\TRCS Consulting Group LLC\, which is never modified by upgrades or uninstall. TRCS has no access to it. The recommended backup workflow uses the in-app tools (admin Backup & data panel):

• ⬇ Download backup (.db) produces a single, consistent snapshot file. Schedule a copy of it to off-machine storage (a network share or backup system) — e.g. a daily Task Scheduler job, or have an admin download it on a routine.
• ⤓ Restore database… uploads a .db backup; TRCS Hiroba verifies it, stages it, and applies it on the next service restart (auto-backing-up the current data first).

6. Licensing

An administrator activates TRCS Hiroba in-app (License screen) with the product key TRCS provides:

• Online: enter the key and click Activate; the host contacts the TRCS license server once to register, then periodically to re-verify.
• Offline / air-gapped: if your network blocks outbound access, use Download activation request, email the file to TRCS, and load the activation file we return. No connectivity required.

If you restrict outbound traffic but want online activation, allow HTTPS to license.trcsconsulting.com. If the license can't be re-verified within its grace period, or the subscription lapses, TRCS Hiroba becomes read-only (view and print only) until reactivated — existing data is never lost.

7. Updates

To update, run the newer installer as administrator. It stops the service, replaces the application, and restarts it. The ProgramData folder (your data) is untouched and the database migrates automatically. No reconfiguration needed.

8. Service management

TRCS Hiroba appears in Services as TRCS Hiroba (starts automatically, restarts on failure). Logs are in C:\ProgramData\TRCS Consulting Group LLC\logs. To change the port or settings, contact TRCS.

9. Administrator recovery (lost admin password)

Best practice: keep at least two administrator accounts so this is rarely needed — any admin can reset another user’s password from the Users panel in the app.

If all administrator access is lost, you can recover it locally on the host; TRCS is not required, because your own IT controls the machine. On the Hiroba computer, in an elevated (Administrator) Command Prompt:

rem  1) Stop the service
"C:\Program Files\TRCS Consulting Group LLC\plantools-service.exe" stop

rem  2) Reset the built-in admin account (choose a strong password)
set "PT_DATA_DIR=C:\ProgramData\TRCS Consulting Group LLC"
"C:\Program Files\TRCS Consulting Group LLC\runtime\node.exe" ^
  "C:\Program Files\TRCS Consulting Group LLC\app\tools\reset-admin.js" "YourStrongPassword"

rem  3) Start the service again
"C:\Program Files\TRCS Consulting Group LLC\plantools-service.exe" start

Then sign in as admin with the new password, change it immediately, and re-create a second administrator.

10. Support

TRCS Consulting Group · [email protected]. Have your facility name and product key ready.