<type>documentation</type>
<domain>proj</domain>
<id>containers-tool</id>
<title>Containers Tool</title>
<date>$Date: 2010-05-14 11:53:19 -0400 (Fri, 14 May 2010) $</date>
<version>$Revision: 22093 $</version>
<product>pro+</product>

The `Containers <script:show_panel_containers>`__ tool, accessed from the ``Tools`` menu
can be used to view and manage the status of container instances and clusters. The popup
selector at the top of this tool provides access to container and/or cluster
configurations, as defined for the currently open project.

Individual Containers
---------------------

When individual container configurations exist, as created with ``Containers`` in the
``Project`` menu, the ``Containers`` tool displays a list of these configurations and
their status.

Note that when working with individual containers, Wing manages a single container
instance for each container configuration and starts and restarts the instance as needed
for debugging, running tests, the ``Python Shell``, and OS commands.

Right-click on the list to force a container instance to restart, to rebuild the
container image, or to edit the container's configuration.

Clusters
--------

When cluster configurations exist, Wing adds one item to the selector at the top of the
``Containers`` tool for each cluster. The cluster view provides buttons for rebuilding the
cluster, starting the cluster as a whole, either with or without debug, or stopping the
cluster if it is running.

The services in the cluster are shown in the cluster view, along with the image being used
by the service and its status. Use the checkboxes in the services list to select which
ones should be debugged when the whole cluster is started with debug enabled.

When a cluster view is shown in the ``Containers`` tool, the ``Options`` menu includes
the option ``Show Synthesized Containers``.  When enabled, the services list will
include out-of-cluster container instances that Wing has synthesized to run processes
for the ``Python Shell``, or any debug, testing, or OS command configured to run
out-of-cluster.  These synthesized containers are hidden by default.

Consoles
--------

To show a console of container and cluster activity, select ``Show Console`` from
the container tool's ``Options`` menu.  The console may be resized and will update
to display the activity for the container or cluster selected in the  ``Containers``
tool.
