D Customizing the DecisioNet System Overview Many features of the DecisioNet System can be customized to meet site-specific requirements. Feature availability depends on which software packages are installed. The features listed below can be used with the system default settings, or the settings can be modified. The system defaults provide basic functionality for all features except Status Tag Manager which requires the set up of site-specific files.
D-2 Customizing the DecisioNet System Default Directories In a default DecisioNet installation, the home directory is \epl for a Windows NT system and /appl/epl for an NCR UNIX or SCO UNIX system. The location of files, scripts, applications, etc. in this appendix references the default directories. Reference the ESCONFIGDIR environment variable to identify the home directory for your system.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-3 Windows NT UNIX Function s55extdi.bat S55extdi Start Extended Data Interface S55fda.bat S55fda Start Failure Detection & Analysis S60lm.bat S60lm Start Log Monitor S90prcchk.bat S90prcchk Start Price Checker S90prcvrf.bat S90prcvrf Start Price Verifier S90sprcvrf.bat S90sprcvrf Start Sale Price Verifier S90promovrf.bat S90promovrf Start Promotion Verifier K05ldmmgr.bat K05ldmmgr Stop Label Data Manager K07fda.
D-4 Customizing the DecisioNet System Label Data Manager The Label Data Manager tracks changes to the selected EPL Table record fields (Label Data Maintenance Configuration screen - PLU Number, Price Level, Serial Number, Measure, Unit of Measure, and/or Package Size) and PLU file description field changes. It uses this information to create an ASCII, comma-separated, print files that can be used to print SmarTalker labels.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-5 The second parameter specifies the maximum number of records LDM reads at one time when checking for description field changes. The larger this number the faster LDM performs the checks. However, LDM reads this number of records into memory, so more memory is required for larger values. LDM Parameters in the Application Configuration File The parameters set using the Label Data Manager configuration screen in EPL Administration are in the esappl.cfg file.
D-6 Customizing the DecisioNet System Prescript and Postscript Files The following two shell script files, prescript.sh and postscript.sh, are default entries in a DecisioNet UNIX system. They are both in the /appl/epl/bin/ directory. These files can be modified for systemspecific printing requirements. prescript.sh #!/usr/bin/ksh echo "Pre-Prosessing Script" postscript.sh #!/usr/bin/ksh #NOTE: This script now supports synchronous USER input/output control - 4/18/96.
Customizing the DecisioNet System Field Symbol Type Size Case Size CASE alphanumeric 8 Brand BRAND alphanumeric 5 D-7 Note: The header identifies the LDM print type, date, time, and number of records in the file.
D-8 Customizing the DecisioNet System Promotional Message Verifier When the optional EPL Information Messaging System package is installed, the Promotional Message Verifier starts with the other EPL applications. The Promotional Message Verifier ensures that the SmarTalkers accurately display promotions by comparing the promotion information in the EPL Item table against the promotion information in the PLU table. In a default system, a comparison is made every 60 minutes.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-9 The syntax and options for espromovrf are as follows: Syntax espromovrf [-fv?] [-s] [-r] where: -? Displays release information and available options -v Verbose mode: displays messages to standard output -f Forces promotion updates to all tags regardless of mismatch status -s Sets rate of promotion verification in seconds -r Sets rate of promotion verification in minutes Examples: • Start promotion verifications every 30 seconds es
D-10 Customizing the DecisioNet System External Data Interface (with AMS) When the optional EPL Information Messaging System package is installed, the External Data Interface starts with the other EPL applications.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-11 The syntax and options for esextdi are as follows: Syntax esextdi [-?v] [-d] [-f] [-k] [-i] [-s] [-n] where: -? Displays release information and available options -v Verbose mode: displays messages to standard output -d Directory to read EDIMOD files from -f Name of message configuration file (default = AMSCFG.
D-12 Customizing the DecisioNet System Automated Messaging System When the optional EPL Information Messaging System package is installed, the Automated Messaging Program (esams) is available to automatically build any number of EDIMOD files that contain information based on user supplied parameters. These EDIMOD files can then be processed by the External Data Interface which applies the PROMO data contained in the EDIMOD files to the SmarTalkers.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-13 (default = determine indexes automatically) (999 = OVERRIDE all other indexes) (911 = match on LOCATION in EPL table) Date and time (YYYYMMDDHHMM) to apply promo data to EPLs (default = apply promo data immediately) -t Examples: • Use a configuration file other then the default file esams –fAMSCFGNEW.TXT • Process only selected items in user file • Use a message IDX other then the default index esams –pBOGOPLUS.
D-14 Customizing the DecisioNet System Price Verifier When the optional EPL Price Redundancy package is installed, the Price Verifier starts with the other EPL applications. The Price Verifier ensures that the SmarTalkers accurately display prices by comparing the price information in the EPL Item table against the price information in the PLU table. In a default system, a comparison is made every 60 minutes.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-15 -? Displays release information and available options -v Verbose mode: displays messages to standard output (similar to –d) -i Enables IPC tracing: prints out debugging information from the IPC layer -d Enables debug tracing: prints miscellaneous debugging information to the standard output -f Forces price updates to all tags regardless of mismatch status -p Permits the Data Scheduler to purge send requests upon completion.
D-16 Customizing the DecisioNet System Sale Price Verifier When the optional EPL Price Redundancy package is installed, the Sale Price Verifier starts with the other EPL applications. The Sale Price Verifier ensures that the SmarTalkers accurately display sale prices by comparing sale price information in the EPL Item table against sale price information in the PLU table. In a default system, a comparison is made every 60 minutes.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-17 The syntax and options for essprcvrf are as follows: Syntax essprcvrf [-vdifp?] [-r] [-s] where: -? Displays release information and available options -v Verbose mode: displays messages to standard output (similar to –d) -f Forces sale price updates to all tags regardless of mismatch status -i Enables IPC tracing: prints out debugging information from the IPC layer -d Enables debug tracing: prints miscellaneous debugging information to the
D-18 Customizing the DecisioNet System Log Monitor The Log Monitor is designed to continuously monitor the DecisioNet error logs, and alert a user to error conditions that require DecisioNet System maintenance. How often the Log Monitor checks the System Error Log is configurable by changing the default time option of 30 minutes in the logmon script. Log Monitor software can be configured to issue alerts for specific error conditions and specify corrective actions to eliminate the problem.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-19 report consists of three sections: a summary section, a recommendations section, and a detail section. The summary section contains information about the severity of the errors that have occurred, and indicates the urgency with which the user must act to correct the problem. The summary section should also contain support contact information.
D-20 Customizing the DecisioNet System Unconfigured CBS detect good communication link error message indicates that a CBS was improperly configured or the BASESW.CFG file was modified incorrectly. Stop and restart the CBS Manager to correct the problem. Power supply error message may indicate that a power supply is turned off or that a power cable integrity problem exists. The error may also occur when too many CBSs are attached to the power supply.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-21 Log Monitor basesw.cfg File Options The following Log Monitor options are configurable in the Log Monitor section of basesw.cfg file. Log Monitor Editor #Configure the Log Monitor to use the following editor #"LOGMON_EDITOR", "editor" The LOGMON_EDITOR parameter identifies the editor used by Log Monitor. The editor specified must permit an argument that identifies the file the user wishes to view.
D-22 Customizing the DecisioNet System Changing the Log Monitor Time Interval The default time is 30 minutes in the S60lm.bat file in the Windows NT \epl\bin\scripts directory. Edit the batch file and set the time frame to the desired length by changing the -m option. @echo off echo Starting Log Monitor if "%1" == "startservice" goto startservice start /min ..\eslogmon -m30 –h10 goto finish :startservice ..\startsrv svlogmon :finish The default time is 30 minutes in the S60lm script in the UNIX /epl/bin/s
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-23 Examples: • Execute at 30-minute intervals and run in verbose mode. eslogmon -m30 –v • Execute at 60-minute intervals and maintain history of 10 reports. • Execute only once. eslogmon –m60 -h10 eslogmon An alert may be generated if the Log Monitor is started as a service on Windows NT; however, the service must be configured as interactive. DecisioNet applications are set to start as manual services at install time.
D-24 Customizing the DecisioNet System Log Monitor Configuration File The Log Monitor configuration file, logmon.cfg, is stored in the Windows NT \epl\data directory and in the UNIX /appl/epl/data directory in a default system. The default file is shown in Appendix C. This file contains user-defined recommendations, and identifies which errors cause an alert to be generated. Two sections of data may appear in the logmon.cfg file: an alert criteria section and a corrective action message section.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-25 Orphan Tag Report In a Windows NT environment, this report is initiated from the EPL Applications Program Group. In either UNIX environment, the report must be initiated from the command line. The Orphan Tag Report provides information about SmarTalkers that have become disassociated from their PLU items. This can be the result of the following situation: • Removing a PLU from the PLU table and not removing or purging the associated SmarTalker tag from the EPL table.
D-26 Customizing the DecisioNet System PLU number (this option is mutually exclusive with ‘-remove’) -R1 Displays current orphan EPL report -R2 Displays current de-assigned EPL report -m Sends a promotional message to the EPL. The format of is reg1/reg2/reg3 where regX is the text that should be displayed in promotional register X. If there are any spaces in any of the messages, then enclose the entire message in quotations (“”).
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-27 Unattended EPL Backup This feature can be implemented to automatically backup the EPL file and the EPL Table to its pre-EPL file format at a specified interval. To accomplish this, an AT job must be set up on a Windows NT system and a CRON job must be set up on a UNIX system. Refer to your Windows NT or UNIX system documentation for information about setting up AT and CRON jobs.
D-28 Customizing the DecisioNet System Backup File List This file (eplbackup.ini) is located in the following directories: Windows NT \epl\data\ NCR UNIX and SCO UNIX /appl/epl/data/ Edit this file to add any new files associated with your environment. Backup File Location for Windows NT When you start EPL File Backup from the EPL Applications Programs group in Windows NT or use eplbackup at a DOS prompt, the posteplbackup.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-29 Backup File Location for UNIX When you use eplbackup to start EPL File Backup at a UNIX prompt, the posteplbackup script is executed to determine where to copy the backed up files after eplbackup places the backup files in the /appl/epl/data/backup/mmddyyyy directory. In a UNIX system, modify the posteplbackup script file in the /appl/epl/bin/ to identify where to copy the backed up files.
D-30 Customizing the DecisioNet System Failure Detection and Analysis The Failure Detection and Analysis (FDA) software can be used as a background service to report on the condition of DecisioNet System hardware. FDA is one of the applications on the optional EPL System Information Package. When the FDA is installed, it starts along with the other EPL applications, runs continuously, and logs errors as they occur. Reports are sent to the console and placed in the EPL System Error Log.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-31 The syntax and options for esfda are as follows: Syntax esfda [-?v][-m minutes][-s seconds] [-r] [-x] [-y] [-f filepath] where: -? Displays release information and available options -v Verbose mode: displays messages to standard output -m Continuous mode interval time <0 - 360 minutes> -s Continuous mode interval time <0 - 360 seconds> -r Reports on both hardware and software -x Reports on hardware only -y Reports on software only -f Saves re
D-32 Customizing the DecisioNet System Status Tag Manager The DecisioNet Status Tag Manager is designed to report the status of the DecisioNet System or any other retail store system by displaying system status information on a group of SmarTalker tags. Status tags may be placed strategically within the retail establishment so that key personnel are aware when system maintenance is necessary. Status tags must be within communication range of the DecisioNet System.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-33 Auto Mode (A): A status tag displays messages upon demand. The SmarTalker displays the message for a configurable period of time and then displays a default message when the specified time expires. The default message is sent to the status tag before the time expires, and it retains this information even when the DecisioNet System is turned off.
D-34 Customizing the DecisioNet System Status Tag Configuration File Parameters The Status Tag Manager configuration file, status.cfg, is in the following directories on a default system. Refer to Appendix C for a listing of the default status.cfg file. Windows NT \epl\data\ NCR UNIX and SCO UNIX /appl/epl/data/ This file identifies which SmarTalkers are used to display system status information, identifies the filenames of the status files, mode of operation, and defines default system status messages
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-35 Parameter (Keyword) Description (Refer to the “Status Tag Manager” introduction section for details.) FILENAME The name of the application’s Status file. Each application must specify its own Status file filename in the status.cfg file. FILENAME is case sensitive in UNIX . If FILENAME is not specified, a default file, STATMOD.XXX (where XXX = status file name), must be used to update the status tag.
D-36 Customizing the DecisioNet System Parameter (Keyword) Description DEFAULT_DOWNMSG keyword specifies the default message to display when the target system is in an error state. If the DEFAULT_DOWNMSG keyword is not specified, the Status Tag Manager uses “SYS DOWN” as the default error message. DEFAULT_DOWNMSG must be 8 alphanumeric characters or less. DEFAULT_UPMSG A status tag is initialized with DEFAULT_UPMSG text. Status tag initialization only occurs when the Status Tag Manager starts up.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-37 Since REGSTAT.001 and REGSTAT.002 messages are always the same, it is not necessary for the application to generate these files. Status tags display REGSTAT.003 contents unless the specified IDLETIME expires before REGSTAT.003 contents are refreshed. Refreshing the contents of REGSTAT.003 restarts the timer. If the IDLETIME expires before REGSTAT.003 is refreshed, the status tags display “POS SYSTEM DOWN”.
D-38 Customizing the DecisioNet System DEFAULT_MSG, “NO MSG”
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-39 Starting the Status Tag Manager The Start Status Tag Manager batch file (S52stat.bat) is in Windows NT \epl\bin\scripts directory. @echo off echo Starting Status Tag Manager if "%1" == "startservice" goto startservice start /min ..\esstat goto finish :startservice ..\startsrv svstat :finish The Start Status Tag Manager script file (S52stat) is in the UNIX /appl/epl/bin directory. echo Starting Status Tag Manager esstat > $ESCONFIGDIR/esstat.
D-40 Customizing the DecisioNet System Symbol Description Value | / / Vertical bar Slash at right/bottom side Slash at left/top side Triangle (or up arrow) 1 2 3 4 ■ Square Cents 5 C Down arrow D Euro E Horizontal bar H Left arrow L The following status files are the same files used in the sample status.cfg file described in the “Sample Status File” section. When the back office application is notified that POS system Register 2 has failed, it writes the following data to the REGSTAT.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-41 Windows NT Automatic Services All DecisioNet non-user interface applications can be started as services, either manually or automatically, as described in the section “Configuring Windows NT Services” in Chapter 8. When started manually at a DOS prompt or within the Windows NT Control Panel Services dialog, command line options may be specified. The available options are described in previous sections of this appendix.
D-42 Customizing the DecisioNet System The following table lists the applications and options that are typically used as automatic services. To view the complete list of options for a specific application, enter es -? at the DOS or UNIX command line.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-43 Application External Data Interface Application Name EXTDI Options Description -s Sleep time in seconds -d Directory where EDIMOD files are read -f Filename = name of message configuration file (default = AMSCFG.
D-44 Customizing the DecisioNet System UNIX Automatic Restart The DecisioNet System in the UNIX environment has a script file located in the /appl/epl/bin/ directory that runs every 30 minutes via CRON and starts the following EPL applications that may have been stopped. • Logger • CBS Manager • EPL Scheduler • Table Manager Edit this file to add or delete EPL applications for your system-specific requirements.
Customizing the DecisioNet System D-45 su - $epluser -c "cd $epldir/bin;umask 007;scripts/S15sched &" fi pid=`ps -e | awk ' $4 == "estblmgr" { print $1 }'` if [ -z "$pid" ] then su - $epluser -c "cd $epldir/bin;umask 007;scripts/S05tblmgr &" fi
