The distribution kit is available at FTP: ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/rk7/INSTALL/RK7_MenuBoard/
We also recommend getting familiar with the user manual: ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/books/menuboard_RK7_user_manual.pdf
Video card — VGA Matrox M9140 512MB or compatible, with 4 video outputs
CPU — Intel Core i5
RAM — 8 GB
HDD — 250 GB
OS — Windows 7 Pro
M\B — enough free PCI-E ports intended for video cards connection. Calculated as 1 card (4 monitors) per 1 port. An extended desktop is used.
Output panels (TV): LCD panel, width 1920x1080 FullHD, DisplayPort, HDMI
Some details of the hardware requirements are described on the tracker: http://tracker.ucs.ru:8080/redmine/issues/36015?tab=history_comments.
The MenuBoard technology is supported starting from version 7.5.2.3XX for local use, i.e. when a reference server is available for connections locally at the restaurant.
In the case of a chain restaurant, if only the reports server is available for connections, MenuBoards operate with version 7.5.3.ХХХ.
In the base powered by MS SQL server, tables and procedures are created with the use of the MenuboardCreate_1.0.7.sql script. Do not forget to specify the name of your base: USE [DB_name], e.g., USE [rk7]. The script can be executed in the SQL Server Management Studio environment. Execute the script on the current RK7 database, used by the restaurant directories/reports server!
Note: the option of upgrading from version 1.0.7.0+ to 1.0.9.0+ has not been implemented so far; the possible solution is the deletion of sQL tables with prefix "MB_" and their re-creation with the use of the "MenuBoardCreate 1.0.9.0.sql" script, available at the following address:ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/rk7/INSTALL/RK7_MenuBoard/MenuBoard 1.0.9/. Notice that the previous plugin configurations will be lost.
Get the distribution package (ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/rk7/other/UCS_CS/CSSetup.exe) and install Common Server.
The address and port, requested when installing the Common Server, should be available on the PCs running the Feature Server. Later, you will be able to change the server port in its INI file (CS_Service.ini in the Common Server installation folder).
Required for the plugin operation at the manager station.
The server working directory is FS_high_level (located in the archive MenuboardFS_1.0.7.2.zip).
In this folder, edit the files FS_high_level.ini and MSSQL_FS.udl , and only after that launch the FS_high_level.exe file.
1.3.1. Edit the FS_high_level.ini file.
FS_high_level.ini file sample:
[FS_CONNECTION]url = http://127.0.0.1:8890/soap/IStructuresInfourlSSL =
start_port = 8890
DB_Connect_Count = 2[CS_CONNECTION]
url = http://192.168.1.1:7007/soap/UCSCommonWS
urlSSL =
FS_high_level.ini parameters description:
[FS_CONNECTION]section, parameter URL or URLSSL — here, you specify the high-level Feature Server address, which will beregistered at the Common Server depending on the selected connection type.
[FS_CONNECTION] section, parameter start_port — here, you specify the port, which will be used for the Feature Server operation.
[CS_CONNECTION] section, parameter URL or URLSSL — here, you specify the Common Server address.
If the Feature Server is installed on another PC as compared to the Common Server, this address should be visible to the Common Server.
In the MSSQL_FS.udl file, you configure the connection to the RK7 capture database for the SQL Server.
Double-click or use Notepad to open this file and set the following parameters:
User ID=(user_name); Password=(password); Initial Catalog=(database); Data Source=(server_IP_address), (server_port)\(server_name).
You can find these parameters at the manager station under Service -> Data export -> External DB settings.
1.3.3. FS_high_level.exe should be launched only after FS_high_level.ini and MSSQL_FS.udl have been edited!
1.4. Configuring and launching FS_Low_Level.exe (low-level Feature Server)
The server working directory is FS_low_level (located in the archive MenuboardFS_1.0.7.2.zip).
FS_low_level.ini file sample:
[FS_CONNECTION]
url = http://127.0.0.1:8891/soap/IStructuresInfourlSSL =
start_port = 8891
FSGuid={7BF6D21E-1D1D-4DB2-A877-DB047028B212}
[CS_CONNECTION]
RemoteURL = http://192.168.1.1:7007/soap/UCSCommonWS
RemoteURLSSL =
LocalURL = http://192.168.1.1:7007/soap/UCSCommonWS
LocalURLSSL =
[XMLInt]
RefServAddress = 127.0.0.1:18881
CashServAddress = 127.0.0.1:17771
CashServPassword=
RestaurantCode=39
StationCode = 1
ImageForMissing = image_for_missing.png
FS_low_level.ini parameters description:
[FS_CONNECTION] section
url=http://127.0.0.1:8891/soap/IStructuresInfo (or URLSSL) — the address, which will be used for the selected Feature Server registration at the local Common Server.
start_port=8891 — the port, which will be used for the selected Feature Server operation.
If the Feature Server is installed on another PC as compared to the Common Server, this address should be visible to the Common Server.
FSGuid — the unique identifier of the selected server intended for client requests.
[CS_CONNECTION] section
RemoteURL=http://192.168.1.1:7007/soap/UCSCommonWS (or RemoteURLSSL) — the address of the Common Server at the head office, where the low-level server will connect to in order to retrieve settings (if the high-level and low-level servers are running on different PCs).
LocalURL=http://192.168.1.1:7007/soap/UCSCommonWS (or LocalURLSSL) — the address of the Common Server at the local restaurant, where the selected Feature Server should register. For a single restaurant with one CS, it matches the previous RemoteURL.
Example: the PC, where the MenuBoard application is launched, can have no access beyond the restaurant network. MenuBoard requests the settings from the local CS via LocalURL, where the LowFS is functioning, and the LowFS, in turn, requests the settings from the remote CS via RemoteURL, where the High_FS is running. Technically, if such access separation is not required, LocalURL and RemoteURL can be identical, i.e. you can use a single general CS.
[XMLInt] section
RefServAddress=127.0.0.1:18881 — here, you specify the "address:port of the directories server XML interface" (you can check the XML interface functionality with the untility available on FTP: /rk7/ForDealers/XMLInterface/); the port is the same as in 1.6.2. Starting from version 7.5.3.214, you can specify the cash server address:port for this parameter instead of the address and port of the directories/reports server.
CashServAddress=127.0.0.1:17771 — here, you specify the "address:port of the cash server XML interface" (you can check the XML interface functionality with the untility available on FTP: /rk7/ForDealers/XMLInterface/); the port is the same as in 1.6.1.
RestaurantCode=39 — here, you specify the code of the restaurant (the "Code" property from the RK7 manager station; not to be confused with the full code), for which FS will have to retrieve settings from the head office and the cash server.
StationCode=1 — here, you specify the code of the station (the "Code" property from the RK7 manager station), for which you will retrieve the list of dishes, prices, current business period, etc. via the XML interface.
ImageForMissing=image_for_missing.png — here, you specify the inage that will be used for dishes with missing images. The file should be in the folder containing dish pictures, specified at the manager station (see 1.6.3).
1.4.2. Launch FS_Low_Level.exe.
Before the server startup, make sure that the directories server and the cash server have been launched!
Copy the plugin to the manager station. In the manager station directory, create the folder \plugins\ and copy theMenuboardPlugin_1.0.Х.zip archive contents there, keeping the file structure.
In the menuboard_settings.ini file, under the [CS_CONNECTION] section, specify the Common Server address (see 1.2) for the WSDLparameter, e.g.: WSDL=http://192.168.1.1:7007/soap/UCSCommonWS.
menuboard_settings.ini should be located in the plugins\menuboard_settings\ folder, menuboard_settings.dll — in the plugins\ folder.
1.6.1. Add the XML interface to the "Devices" tab for the cash server, and specify the port (see Fig. 1). Then, link this interface to the logical interface.
It is recommended to create the new interface for MenuBoard as a copy of the pre-installed XML interface in the "Service -> Interfaces" directory.
After the changes made to the "Service -> Interfaces" directory, do not forget to restart the cash server!
1.6.2. Specify the port for the directories server XML interface.
1.6.3. Specify the path to the images folder in RK7 parameters ("-Settings – Parameters – Installation – Path to images folder). Place the dish images (*.png) and the image_for_missing.png file (for those dishes without an image) into this folder.
1.6.4. Enable the following parameter: "Settings – Parameters – Options usage – Self-service/online orders".
1.6.5. Create business periods (Settings – Head office – Business periods). Configure the use of business periods.
Important! Prior to performing the following operations, make sure that the Common Server and both Feature Servers (HIGH and LOW) have been launched!
1.6.6. At the manager station (Extensions – MenuBoard configuration), configure the desired MenuBoard display variants in the plugin.
In the plugin, a new setting is added to the configuration tree (right-click the left-most plugin tree – "Add setting").
On the "Main properties" tab, in the created setting properties, specify the coordinates of the desktop point, from which the screens with dishes will be drawn. By default, the setting is created with a single screen. You can create additional screens (right-click the configuration tree – "Add screen"). For each screen, coordinates, height and width should be set. Each screen corresponds to a separate monitor connected to the video card.
1.6.7. Configure the use of these variants for restaurants according to business periods (Extensions – MenuBoard using).
For detailed information about the MenuBoard configuration via the plugin, see the user manual:ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/books/menuboard_RK7_user_manual.pdf
MenuBoard is an Adobe AIR application. Therefore, before the launch, you need to install Active-X components for Windows.
Unzip the contents of the MenuboardApp_1.0.7.6.zip archive and edit the Settings.xml file:
Important! In the paths, use the forward slash — "/".
<Application>
<Settings
WSDLServer = "http://192.168.1.1:7007/wsdl/UCSCommonWS"
ServiceName = "UCSCommonWSservice"
ServicePort = "UCSCommonWSPort"
FSGuid = "{7BF6D21E-1D1D-4DB2-A877-DB047028B212}"
RequestInterval = "10000"AssetsDirectory = "D:/UCS/RK7_MenuBoard/MenuboardApp/assets/">
</Settings>
<Log
Enable = "0"
Size = "25000000"
Name = "log"Dir = "D:/UCS/RK7_MenuBoard/MenuboardApp/Log">
</Log>
</Application>
WSDLServer — the path to the local Common Server. The Common Server address should be available from your PC.
AssetsDirectory — the path to the folder containing design files. Usually, it is as follows: "[the folder, where the archive contents have been unzipped]/assets/"
RequestInterval — the frequency of the settings update request, ms.
FSGuid — GUID of the required FS_low_level (could have been empty in early versions).
Launch MenuBoard.exe.
In this case, when you select an image (video) for advertisement and gallery design at the manager station, these files are automatically copied to the Advert subfolder.
Note: the implementation of MenuBoard operation in chain restaurants is possible only for RKeeper version 7.5.3.ХХХ and higher.
At the head office, the Common Server and FS_High_Level.exe should be installed and always launched. Moreover, you should correctly configure the MenuBoard usage variants for restaurants according to business periods.
The local restaurant should have a local Common Server and FS_Low_Level.exe installed and launched. Configure the reports server and the cash server XML interface. The head office Common Server address should be available on the PC running the FS_low_level.
Upon the MenuBoard (menuboard.exe) launch:
- the application requests the display data from the local Common Server (specified in settings.xml), and it redirects the request to FS_low_level;
- FS_low_level, based on the settings from the INI file and the current business period, forwards the settings retrieval request to the head office Common Server;
- the head office Common Server forwards the request to FS_high_level;
- FS_high_level selects the design matching the specified restaurant and business period, and returns the result to the head office Common Server;
- the head office Common Server returns the obtained result to FS_low_level;
- FS_low_level complements the received setting with current prices and dish images, acquired via the XML interface, and transmits the response to the local Common Server;
- the local Common Server returns the relevant design setting to the MenuBoard, which displays it on the panel;
- after a given interval (set in settings.xml), the chain of actions repeats, since the settings might have changed.
After each request, FS_low_level saves the settings received from the head office along with the data acquired via the XML interface. Therefore, if the communication between it and the head office Common Server is interrupted, FS_low_level will provide the AIR application with cahed data.
If graphical design files change at the head office, a synchronization of the "assets" folder at the head office and at every restaurant is required.
Note: in case of a single PC configuration, there can be one Common Server, but the Feature Server ports should not match.
RK7 should be configured for online sales data collection for the purpose of discount calculation.