The complete engineering resource for implementing the NIST real-time control systems software library The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) real-time control systems (RCS) library is a highly useful tool for engineers developing and implementing hierarchical and distributed real-time control systems. This book serves as a user's guide for development engineers using the software library in industrial applications. The RCS Handbook is divided into three parts. The first section provides a tutorial introduction to RCS that discusses the RCS design methodology and the Reference Model Architecture (RMA) on which the RCS library is based. The second section serves as an RCS handbook for applications engineers and features two illustrative design examples, coverage of issues in programming in Neutral Message Language (NML), and discussion of code generation and architecture files. The third section provides helpful appendices that provide useful background information on the C++ language, compilers and makefiles, and general operating system concepts. Suitable as a primary text for a course in real-time control or as a professional reference, The RCS Handbook is a one-of-a-kind resource that provides unparalleled coverage of the RCS library and practical solutions in high-tech automation.