Author Topic: Restart of terminal  (Read 14802 times)

CafeCuppio

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Restart of terminal
« on: March 20, 2012, 01:22:29 am »
Hi

Just a small something I picked up. I came in this morning and started the work day on the server. The terminals were left in logged out state over night. About 45min after I started the work day on the server I went to log in on terminal and the work day was not active on it, I had to exit SambaPOS and start it up again.

It is not a big issue, I just don't want my staff stop and start the POS every day.

Thanks
SambaPOS - POS'n the World, one Terminal at a time.
Even in Namibia, Africa!

JohnS

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Re: Restart of terminal
« Reply #1 on: March 20, 2012, 07:37:31 am »
Do your terminals go to sleep after a period of time? If they do then its lost connection to the server.
SambaPOS - POS'n the World, one Terminal at a time.

CafeCuppio

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Re: Restart of terminal
« Reply #2 on: March 20, 2012, 07:59:47 am »
Nope, no sleep, just screen saver ... just the boss trying to get some sleep ;)
SambaPOS - POS'n the World, one Terminal at a time.
Even in Namibia, Africa!

JohnS

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Re: Restart of terminal
« Reply #3 on: March 20, 2012, 08:11:54 am »
Does your server get turned off or go to sleep?

It sounds like a loss in connectivity between your terminals and the server, and when the terminals log back in, they are using the last cache of the database which is hours old.
I find this more when staff leave terminals logged in, and an Administrator ends the work period (which is a forced end). I tell the staff to logoff and exit each terminal every night to avoid this problem.
SambaPOS - POS'n the World, one Terminal at a time.

CafeCuppio

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Re: Restart of terminal
« Reply #4 on: March 20, 2012, 09:32:54 am »
Nothing goes in sleep or hibernation mode, but I guess the best is to have a new start every day.

thanks
SambaPOS - POS'n the World, one Terminal at a time.
Even in Namibia, Africa!

pecanhouse

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Re: Restart of terminal
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2012, 10:30:05 am »
a quick note even if your on a desktop the power setings in device manager for network cards is default to alow computer to sleep.

emre

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Re: Restart of terminal
« Reply #6 on: March 21, 2012, 11:25:13 am »
Hello CafeCuppio

When autologout feature active SambaPOS does not refresh cache for speeding up logins. So if you keep terminals at that state your terminals won't know work period refreshed. You have two options.
  • You can totally logoff by clicking to "Main Menu" button after logging in
  • By using messagingserver application you can refresh terminals when workperiod restarted on server.
Messagingserver is basically a chat server :) We use it for sending messages to terminals.

First of all you need to start messagingserver.exe on server and enable Autostart setting. If you receive a firewall warning please allow messagingserver application. Generally there is no need to change default Port Number (8080) but if you change it you should change it on terminals too.

Start sambapos on server, navigate to Manage > LocalSettings and enable "Auto Start Message Client". Save settings and restart SambaPOS. Now you should see green "Connected" on status bar. Do the same local setting on all terminals but enter "Message Server Name" as Server's Network Name. When you see "Connected" on all terminals that means your terminals are ready to talk.

If everything works fine when you create a ticket for a table all table views will automatically update.

Now we should configure SambaPOS to send a message to all terminals when workperiod starts and ends. On server:
  • Navigate to Management > Actions
  • Create a new action and name it as "Send Refresh Message"
  • Action Type will be "Broadcast Message"
  • Command parameter will be REFRESH
SambaPOS should send this mesasge to terminals on work period start and work period end. Let's configure it.
  • Navigate to Rules, create a new rule and name it as "Send WPStart Message"
  • Event Name will be "Work Period Started"
  • Click "Select Actions" and choose "Send Refresh Message" action that you created.
  • Save it.
  • Create a new Rule, Name it as "Send WPEnd Message", select "Work Period Ended" event and choose "Send Refresh Message" action
OK. Now SambaPOS will send "REFRESH" message to all terminals when work period starts and ends. But what will terminals do when they receive "REFRESH" message? Now we'll configure that.
  • Navigate to Actions, Create a new action and name it as "Refresh Cache"
  • Select Action Type as "Refresh Cache" and Save it
Now we'll tell terminals to "Refresh Cache" when they receive "REFRESH" message
  • Navigate to Rules, create new rule and name it as "Process Refresh Message"
  • Event Name will be "Message Received"
  • On "Conditions" group Command will be equal to REFRESH (Command = REFRESH)
  • Click Select actions and Choose "Refresh Cache"
Now all terminals will understand work period ended on server.

CafeCuppio

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Re: Restart of terminal
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2012, 12:40:32 am »
Awesome .... Had the Message server functioning already, was hoping to use it to send important info to terminal like when there is a stock shortage, etc.

One day when I am grownup I will completely understand there rules and action and write my own ;) But it is making more and more sense everyday ;)
SambaPOS - POS'n the World, one Terminal at a time.
Even in Namibia, Africa!