Installing and Configuring PDS

Introduction

The Personal Discount System — hereinafter PDS — is the program for managing the database of personal payment and discount cards and organizing work with various elements of the loyalty system, such as discounts, bonuses, savings, etc.

As a rule, PDS is installed as an addition to the r_keeper system, but it can also work as standalone software.

System Components

The system includes the following mandatory applications:

• Card server — CARDSERV — the main application of the system, manages the database, and provides interaction with PDS clients
• Card editor — PCARDS — an application for managing system references and obtaining basic reporting

The system also includes the following optional modules:

• Request repeater — FARCARDS — a universal module for organizing various work schemes. In most cases, it is used independently of the main PDS modules to organize communication with third-party systems
• Card servers synchronization — SYNCARD — an application for synchronizing the main and local card servers in a distributed PDS scheme
• Card import — CARDIMP — application for batch cards loading in CSV — standard import format
• Card information — CARDINFO — an application for obtaining information on the card
• Card server database maintenance — DATACUT — an application for reducing the database size by linking old transactions

Licensing

The Card Editor module — PCARDS — requires a specially prepared Guardant Stealth II hardware token.

Additional licensing is not required for either PDS or r_keeper.

Card Server

The card server functions include managing the database and ensuring interaction with clients of the PDS system — cash system or other software, including third-party.

Card Server Components

The card server consists of the following components:

• Database in UDB format — card.udb
• Server executable file — Cardserv.exe
• Server configuration file — CARDSERV.INI
• Link libraries — RTCP.DLL, RLOCAL.DLL, RNBOPEN.DLL, etc.
• Utility for updating the database to the required version — Cardup.exe

Card Server Installation

To install the card server you need:

• Download the complete PDS assembly from FTP ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/r-keeper/versions/PERSCARD/PDS.zip
• Unpack the contents of the archive.

The archive contains a fully working assembly of PDS, you do not need to install anything else.

Card Server Update

To update the card server version, you need to:

• Download the distribution kit of the card server current version from FTP ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/r-keeper/versions/PERSCARD/CARDSERV
• Copy the Cardup.exe utility from the \UPGRADE distribution subdirectory to the working directory of the card server
• Stop the card server
• Make a backup of the card.udb database
• Run the Cardup.exe utility and update the database
• Copy the new version of the card server Cardserv.exe from the \CARDSERV distribution subdirectory to the working directory of the card server.

Card Server Settings

All card server parameters are stored in the CARDSERV.INI configuration file.

By default, CARDSERV.INI contains a minimum set of parameters.
Below is the description of all possible parameters.

[DB] — database parameters section
File = card.udb - card server database file
DayBound = 4:00 - day boundary time - the value that the server takes into account when checking various time limits (card expiration dates, limits, etc.), and also uses it when generating reports

Backup =             - the path to the directory for saving automatic backup of CARD.UDB database. If not specified, the backup files will be saved in the same directory as the working database

Automatic backup is performed once a day, the execution time cannot be edited and is regulated by the server according to internal rules.

BackupCount = 2      - the number of automatic backup files. After reaching the specified value, the files are automatically overwritten
WeekStart = 7        - a parameter indicating the day of the beginning of the week. Used for cards with weekly limits, can take the following values: 1 - Mon 2 - Tue, 3 - Wed, ... 7 - Sun
Bonus =              - if you specify the DISCOUNT value, the number (identifier) ​​of the card's bonus will be equal to the number (identifier) ​​of its discount. Find the details of this parameter below
MinRest =            - if you specify an amount in this parameter, then the balance of the card will be considered zero if it is less than this amount
IgnoreStopDate = No  - if = YES, then the expiration date is unlimited
Log = 2              - Log file level. 0 - rare events. 1 - query facts. 2 - details of some requests

[LinkDLL]            - link library support parameters section
1 = RNetBios         - support for a communication channel through the NetBios protocol
2 = RNBOpen          - support for a special communication channel via the NetBios protocol, used only for the r_keeper v6 cash system
3 = RTcp             - communication channel support via TCP/IP protocol

Following are the individual parameter sections for each link library:

[RNetBios] ; parameter section for NETBIOS communication module
Server = PCSERV ; unique within the local network case-sensitive network NETBIOS name of the card server

[RNBOpen] ; parameter section for RNBOPEN communication module
Server = ASERV ; unique within the local network case-sensitive network NETBIOS name of the card server, used ONLY to connect the r_keeper v6 cash system
[RTcp] ; parameter section for RTCP communication module
Port = - TCP/IP port for incoming connections, any unique free/open network port for communication with the map server through it. Usually between 3000 and 5000.

[RLocal] ; parameter section for RLOCAL communication module
Port = 0 - port for local connections, you can specify any number

Communication Modules Usage Features

• When connecting communication modules using the NetBios protocol — RNBOPEN.DLL and NETBIOS.DLL, keep in mind that the modules will be loaded on all numbers of NetBIOS adapters found in Windows OS. This leads to some delays when starting the card server. If the card server is configured to simultaneously support various communication modules, it is recommended to specify modules with NetBIOS support in the [LinkDLL] section at the end of the list
• When installing the card server on a 64-bit OS, communication modules with NetBIOS support will not work correctly. So, the NETBIOS module can be replaced with RTCP and/or RLOCAL modules. There is no replacement for the RNBOPEN module, but since the cash desk version 6.102, it is possible to configure an alternative connection via the TCP protocol /IP, using the RTCP communication module.

Thus, when installing the card server on a 64-bit version of Windows, it is recommended to use only two communication modules: RTCP for all remote connections, including the cash desk and cash server, and RLOCAL for all local connections.

Card Server Launch

CARDSERV.EXE can be launched both as an application and as a service.

No third-party components, including BDE, are required to run the card server, as well as no security key and/or license.

The launch mode is determined by the key:

• /DESKTOP — to start the server as an application
• /INSTALL — to install the server as a service
• /UNINSTALL — to remove the installed server service

Several servers with different settings and databases can be running simultaneously on one computer.

After launch, an icon of a working card server should appear in the system tray. By double-clicking on it you can open the server graphical interface and check the status of the work:

• Database tab — general information
• Connects tab — list of connected clients
• Protocols tab — list of link libraries with parameters and status. If the server is running as an application, a Shutdown popup menu will be available on this tab

When installing the card server on Windows 7 or later and running it as a service, the icon will not be displayed in the system tray.

Bonus=DISCOUNT Parameter

For a clearer understanding, here is a detailed description of this parameter.

In the PDS system for bonuses, there are no levels depending on the expenses of the cardholder. But such functionality is available for compound discounts. Using the Bonus=DISCOUNT parameter allows enabling the mechanism for supporting compound bonuses.

Sequence of Work:

• In the r_keeper 6 Editor module or in the r/-keeper 7 manager station, the bonuses necessary for the levels formation are created
• In the r_keeper 6 Editor module or in the r/-keeper 7 manager station, virtual or real — depending on the situation — discounts are created with codes corresponding exactly to bonus codes created in the previous step
• In the card editor, compound discounts are created according to the rules by which future compound bonuses should work. Specially created discounts should be used as discounts for each compound discount
• Compound discounts are assigned for cards in the card editor

Usage Features:

• The card server will always return both the discount code and the bonus code, which will be the same when using the Bonus=DISCOUNT parameter. Thus the flexibility of managing discounts is lost
• It is impossible to disable the use of discounts for the card — if the discount is not needed, you need to make it zero

Minimum Server Configuration Example

In case of the minimum configuration — when only the RTCP communication module is supported — CARDSERV.INI looks like this:

[DB]
File=card.udb
DayBound = 4:00
backup=
IgnoreStopDate = No
BackupCount = 2
weekstart = 7
log = 2

[LinkDLL]
1=RTcp

[RTcp]
port=3456

An example of the \CARDSERV directory contents after installation:

CARDSERV.EXE - card server executable file
CARDSERV.INI - map server configuration file
CARD.UDB - card server database
RTCP.DLL - communication module using TCP protocol

Server Configuration Example for Connecting on Different TCP/IP Ports

In some cases, you may need to connect to the card server on several different port numbers.

As far as it is possible to specify only one port value in the Rtcp.dll library parameters, we use a workaround solution: copying the Rtcp.dll library in the required number under different names, for example Rtcp1.dll, Rtcp2.dll and configuring CARDSERV.IN accordingly:

....

[LinkDLL]
1=RTcp1
2=RTcp2
3=RTcp3

[RTcp1]
Port = 1111

[RTcp2]
port=2222

[RTcp3]
port=3333

Card Editor

The card editor, or PCARDS, is the main user module in the PDS software and is designed to create and manage the database of cards (accounts). The module also provides basic reporting on the PDS system.

• Default login: ucs. If doesn't work, try 1
• Default password: ucs. If doesn't work, try 1

Card Editor Installation

The card editor can be installed on the same PC where the card server is located, or on any other PC within the connection with the card server.

Novex Guardant II hardware token is required to run the card editor.

The previously downloaded archive contains the card editor. To run it, open the PCARDS.EXE application

Card Editor Settings

The card editor configuration file is RKEEPER.INI.

Configuration file example:

[Common]              - main section
Alias1 = d:\RK6\DB    - path to reference tables of RK6 manager database
Alias2 = d:\RK6\DB    - path to the RK6 storage database (ARK6.UDB)
EditFRF = YES         - enable/disable the Fast Report print forms
Language=.RUS         - localization. The default language is RUS/ENG

[PCards]              - section of the card editor
CSLinkDLL = RTcp      - specifies the card editor's link library for communication with the card server. The library is specified without the extension
CSLinkGate = 1        - DLL client number. Add this number to the DLL parameters
DBF = ANSI            - encoding in DBF files when exporting data from CARD.UDB. — ANSI or OEM
SaveLogin=YES         - to save the username in the login window of the program
Login=ucs             - default user
Birthday=0            - mode of building a report on birthdays. 0 — the specified year is taken into account. 1 — the specified year is not taken into account
ShowExport=1          - to show Export item in invoices — 1 or not — 0
Font = Antica         - here you can specify the font to use
Guardant = $232D7F11  - here you can specify a key with a license, preceded by a $ sign. If there is - h at the end of the number, then this character usually is not specified

[RTcp]                    ; section of settings of the selected communication module
Client1 = Person_Cards    ; any string that is unique among the server's TCP clients
Server1 = 127.0.0.1       ; Server IP address - can be found by running ipconfig /all on the server from the command line
Port1 = 3456              ; the port number specified on the CARDSERV server in CARDSERV.INI.

An example of configuring the card editor connection to the card server via NETBIOS:

............

[PCards]
CSLinkDLL = RNetbios        ; used communication module
CSLinkGate = 1

[RNetbios]
Server1 = PCSERV            ; NETBIOS name of the card server
Client1 = PCARDS_CLIENT     ; The NETBIOS name of the client, must be unique in the network
Adapter1 = 0                ; if not specified, will take the first existing one.

Cards Import from Text File

In the PCards application, it is possible to import the list of cards from a text file of the CSV format.

To perform the import, go to File > Accounts, right-click in a blank space and select Import cards...

The Text file requirements — CSV format compliance:

• ANSI file encoding
• Every single line corresponds to one card
• Each line has multiple fields separated by commas
• If a comma is required in the content of the field, the field must be enclosed in double quotes, for example, "Baker Street, 221b"
• If quotation marks are required in the contents of the field, then all these quotation marks must be doubled and the entire field must be enclosed in quotation marks. For example, the name of "Romashka" LLC should be indicated as ""Romashka"" LLC"

How the import procedure works:

• If the server doesn't have any information on the card yet, a new account is created for it
• If there is already an account with such a card, its properties are changed

Description of the fields for each file line:

1. The card number
2. The card expiration date — the date in the CURRENT WINDOWS FORMAT. If the OS language is Russian, then the format should be: DD.MM.YYYY, for example: 08/12/2020
3. The discount number — a number from 0 to 99. An optional field
4. The bonus number — a number from 0 to 99. An optional field
5. Birthday — the date in CURRENT WINDOWS FORMAT. An optional field
6. The cardholder name — without any quotes
7. The card type. An optional field, the default value is 0:
   
   • 0 — manual replenishment without payment limits
   • 1 — automatic replenishment without payment limits
   • 2 — automatic replenishment with payment limit for one day
   • 3 — automatic replenishment with payment limit for a week
   • 4 — automatic replenishment with payment limit for a month
   • 5 — manual replenishment with payment limit for one day
   • 6 — manual replenishment with payment limit for a week
   • 7 — manual replenishment with payment limit for a month
8. Payment limit amount. An optional field
9. Phone number one. An optional field
10. Phone number two. An optional field
11. E-mail. An optional field
12. The subdivision name — an optional field. This field is case-sensitive and should not contain quotation marks. The subdivision should exist.
    If the name is not specified or the specified subdivision is not found, a new account is created in the current one. If the account already exists, its subdivision is not changed.
    If the account already exists and is located in another subdivision, it is transferred to the specified subdivision, if it exists
13. The type of discount restriction. An optional field, the default value is 0:
    • 0 — no limits
    • 2 — discount limit for one day
    • 3 — weekly discount limit
    • 4 — monthly discount limit
14. Discount limit amount. An optional field
15. The discount level name. Used if field 3 with a discount number is empty. An optional field
16. The credit amount for cards with manual replenishment. An optional field
17. The Withdraw card checkbox: 0 — to remove, 1 — to set, empty — not to change. An optional field
18. The address. An optional field
19. The card issue date — the date in the CURRENT WINDOWS FORMAT. An optional field, since version 3.27.02

An example of the text file contents for cards import:

1023,31.12.2007,5,10,02.02.2002, Ivanov Ivan Ivanovich
1024.01.01.2008,2,1.05.11.1980, A.B.Sidorov,1
1027,12.03.2007,2,,,Aleksey Alekseev,4,5000,222-22-22,,testmail@test.su,Test
August 2, 17, 2020, March 5, 1970, P.P. Petrov,,,, testmail@mail.ru, My division

Batch Accrual of Funds

The PCards application has the ability to import accrual transactions from a CSV text file.

To perform the import, go to File > Accounts, right-click in a blank space and select Import cards...

The Text file requirements — CSV format compliance:

• ANSI file encoding
• Every single line corresponds to one card
• Each line has multiple fields separated by commas
• If a comma is required in the content of the field, the field must be enclosed in double quotes, for example, "Accrual of grant, November"
• If quotation marks are required in the contents of the field, then all these quotation marks must be doubled and the entire field must be enclosed in quotation marks. For example, "Transfer from ""Romashka"" LLC"

Description of the fields for each file entry:

1. The card number — a number from 1 to 999999999
2. The funds amount, can be negative
3. The operation description. An optional field

An example of the text file contents for cards import:

1023, 550.00
1024, 1745.25, Additional accrual for November
1027, 0.50, Automatic bonus
2, -25, Penalty for broken dishes

Connecting Сard Reader

For more convenient work with cards in PCARDS, you can connect an external reader, for example:

• Magnetic card readers
• Proximity card readers
• Barcode Scanners.

To connect a reader, a special driver is required that supports this reader model.

The general list of drivers can be viewed at FTP ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/r-keeper/versions/COM_READ. Each directory for a particular device has several subdirectories — \CARDREAD, \COMCARD, WINCAS, etc.
The \CARDREAD directory contains drivers to support this reader model in the PCARDS application.

To install the driver:

• Download the required driver from FTP ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/r-keeper/versions/COM_READ
• Unpack the contents of the archive into the PCARDS working directory
• Edit the CardRead.ini configuration file. Find the description of the driver parameters in the README.TXT file.

An example of the CardRead.ini file for the SRC-125 reader, located in /COM_READ/RFIDUCS3/CARDREAD:

[Options]
Port=COM1 — COM port name
Bits=28 — number of used bits from the card number 16..40
Mode=0 — 0- "long" number from the card, 1- "composite" number

The universal driver can be downloaded from FTP: ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/r-keeper/versions/COM_READ/STANDARD/CARDREAD. It supports work with any reader that connects to the COM port — or any other interface whose driver allows emulating work through a virtual COM port — and sends the read data directly to the port.

In the PCARDS card editor, reader support is displayed with a special image:

Card reading is supported in the account editing/creating mode and in the card search mode.

Connection with r_keeper 7

For the PDS and r_keeper 7 connection, it is necessary to add an interface to the cash server through which the cash station will receive information on the client's card.
To do this:

1. In the manager station, go to Service > Stations and Devices
2. Select a required cash server
3. Go to the Drivers tab, right-click in the blank space and select Driver List...
4. Find the PDS interface and drag it to the Drivers tab
5. In the Options block of the driver properties, specify the unique name in the PDS Server name field
   
6. Now, you need to link this interface to a logical one. To do this:
   • Go to Service > Interfaces
   • Make a copy of the preset Personal discount system interface
   • In the DLL Library Files block, select the previously added PDS interface
     
7. To activate a new interface, restart the cash server. After the restart, you may check if the interface is available on the Interfaces tab of the cash server properties, if the server is launched as an application.

MCR Algorithm Settings

If you want to check how the PDS system works, but there is no card to check, you can do it using keyboard input.

1. Go to Service > Device Signals Processing > MCR Algorithms 
2. Create an MCR Algorithm of the Masked Input type
3. In the Object field, specify the previously bound interface. In our case, this is PDS Interface
4. In the Device Types field, select:
   
   1. Keyboard
   2. Magnetic card
5. In the Input Mask field, enter a mask. In our case, these are 4 digits — iiii
6. In the Scope field, select Interface
7. Activate the algorithm and save
8. Launch the cash desk and create an order
9. Tap the Code from keyboard button and enter the number of an existing card according to the Input Mask
10. If the server is running, the card exists and is not expired, information about it will appear on the screen
11. To activate a discount or bonus, tap on the picture in the right part of the screen.

FARCARDS Query Repeater

The FARCARDS application is a repeater — it receives requests from clients (for example, from a cash register) and transfers these requests either to the personal card server (CARDSERV) or to an external (third-party system), and also returns responses to clients from the card server or external system.

A feature of FARCARDS is the absence of any built-in mechanisms for storing information about personal cards.

Interaction with an external system is provided by a special interface library implemented according to the FARCARDS specification.

FARCARDS installation

The installation is performed in the same way as installing the map server:

download from FTP ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/r-keeper/versions/PERSCARD/FARCARDS the distribution kit of the current version of the repeater
create a directory, for example UCS\PDS\FARCARDS and copy the contents of the distribution into it
download the archive with communication libraries from FTP ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/r-keeper/versions/PERSCARD/netdll.7z and unpack the contents of the archive into the FARCARDS working directory

FARCARDS setup

FARCARDS parameters are stored in the FARCARDS.INI configuration file.

General parameters section:

[FarServer]
Type = 0 ; repeater operation mode, see below
DLL=RTcp ; the name of the communication library for connecting to CardServ or the library for communicating with an external system
; Note: in Type=0 mode, the RTcp library cannot be present in the [LinkDLL] section. On startup, FARCARDS checks for this situation and, if necessary, automatically corrects FARCARDS.INI
Log = 0 ; log file detail level (0..3)
Gate = 1 ; parameter number, used in the parameter section of the library specified in the DLL parameter
CloseMins = 5 ; disconnection timeout from CardServ after disconnection of the last client (min), 0 - disconnected immediately.

; Section for listing link libraries

[LinkDLL]
1=RNB Open
2=RLocal
3=pds_netk

; Sections with Link Library Parameters
[RTcp]
Client1 = Remote Resto
Server1 = 127.0.0.1
Port1 = 2222
[RNBOpen]
server=

AServ
[RLocal]
port=1
[pds_netk]
NetServerName=FarCards
ininame=netk.ini

There is a "Sub-accounts" band in print layouts, where you can display all available information on the accounts linked to the card. If there are no costs, then there is no way to see them.
The following parameters are responsible for displaying expenses in the "Customer Information" window:

HasUnitInfo=1
Show_AccountTypes=1

Next, specify in Show_AccountTypes the ID of the expense account, which can be seen in the configurator

FARCARDS operating modes

FARCARDS can work in two modes, which are determined by the value of the Type parameter in the [FarServer] section

Mode Type = 0
In this mode, FARCARDS connects to the CARDSERV card server and sends all client requests (for example, cash servers) to it and returns responses.

In fact, this mode has lost its relevance due to the emergence of a more functional distributed PDS configuration (SYNCARD), as well as the ability of the R-Keeper v6 cash server to connect to the card server via the TCP / IP protocol (starting from version 6.102)

An example of using the Type = 0 mode:

there is a restaurant with a working system of personal PDS cards
there is a second restaurant (locally in a different place) where you need to use the same cards
when providing TCP / IP communication between restaurants, the second restaurant can use FARCARDS in Type = 0 mode
access to FARCARDS for cash servers in the second restaurant will be "transparent", as to a regular CARDSERV, and FARCARDS via TCP / IP will communicate with the card server in the first restaurant and relay all information exchange
thus, FARCARS will act as an intermediate link between the cash servers and the card server:
RKCLIENT ⇔ RKSERVER ⇔ FARCARDS ⇔ LAN\WAN ⇔ CARDSERV
An example of setting FARCARDS.INI for mode Type = 0:

[FarServer]
Type = 0
DLL=RTcp ; library for communication with CARDSERV
log = 0
gate=1
CloseMins = 5

; Section for listing link libraries

[LinkDLL]
1=RNB Open
2=RLocal
3=pds_netk

; Parameters section for communicating with a remote map server:

[RTcp]
Client1 = Far Restaurant ; any unique FARCARDS customer name
Server1 = 192.168.0.99 ; IP address of the remote car server
Port1 = 3456 ; remote map server port for TCP/IP connection

; sections with parameters of communication libraries

[RNBOpen]
Server = AServ

[RLocal]
port=1

[pds_netk]
NetServerName=FarCards (PDS Server name - interface added to the POS server)
ininame=netk.ini

After starting FARCARDS in the Type = 0 mode, the status of the connection to the map server is displayed in the graphical interface on the Server tab:

Rice. Error connecting to map server

Rice. Connection to the map server was established successfully

If FARCARDS is successfully connected to the map server, the connection will be displayed in the graphical interface of the map server on the "Connects" tab (if the CloseMins parameter is non-zero, otherwise the connection will be short-lived):

Rice. FARCARDS connection status to remote map server

Mode Type = 1
In this mode, FARCARDS passes the requests of its clients to the plug-in interface library and returns the result of its work to the clients.

In Type=1 mode, FARCARDS acts as a server (similar to CARDSERV), but the logic for working with personal cards is implemented in the interface library (and/or in an external system accessed by the interface library).

This mode is usually used to connect the R-Keeper cash system with third-party software.

An example of using the Type = 1 mode:

The customer has his own information system for managing personal data of employees and / or guests (this can be either a simple loyalty system or an ERP-class enterprise management system)
The customer needs to use the existing system in conjunction with R-Keeper cash register software.
The specification for the development of the interface library (Extdll.txt) and the FARCARDS distribution kit are transferred to the customer
In the Type=1 mode, only the r_keeper_7 POS system and the CARDINFO utility can be FARCARDS clients.

In addition to communication with third-party systems, FARCARDS in Type=1 mode is used to connect the R-Keeper cash system with other USIES software:

R-Keeper CRM - customer interaction strategy management system
Shelter PDS - discount system based on Shelter software
Subscription - universal management system
Premiere - cinema automation system
An example of setting FARCARDS.INI for mode Type = 1:

[FarServer]
Type = 1
DLL = ExtDLL29.dll ; interface library name
gate=1
log = 3
XMLCP=1251 ; setting the code page for XML data

[LinkDLL]
1=RTCP
2=RNB Open
3=pds_netk


; sections with link libraries parameters:

[RNBOpen]
Server = AServ

[RLocal]
port=1

[pds_netk]
NetServerName=FarCards
ininame=netk.ini

Note: In addition to setting up the FARCARDS.INI configuration file, it may be necessary to set the parameters of the interface library - see the documentation supplied with the library
After 

Starting FARCARDS in Type = 1 mode, the status of the connected interface library is displayed in the graphical interface on the Server tab:

Error loading interface library

Interface library loaded successfully

FARCARDS launch

Running FARCRDS is possible both as an application and as a service. No security key and/or license required to run FARCARDS

Note: When using the Type =1 mode, FARCARDS launch may depend on third-party components - see the requirements for the interface library
The launch mode is determined by the key:

/DESKTOP - launch repeater as an application
/INSTALL - installation of the relay as a service. When installing the card repeater in Windows 7 and higher as a service, the icon will not be displayed in the system tray
/UNINSTALL - remove the installed relay service (service)
Several repeaters with different settings can be running simultaneously on one computer

After launch, the repeater icon should appear in the system tray, by double clicking on it you can open the FARCARDS graphical interface and check the status of the work:

Server tab - general information
"Chanels" tab - list of connected clients
Tab "DLL" - a list of link libraries with parameters and status. If the repeater is launched as an application, a Popup menu will be available to close (Shutdown)
Distributed PDS

general information

Distributed PDS is a configuration option for a standard PDS for the possibility of autonomous operation of map servers and periodic data synchronization between servers.

Possible applications:

chain of restaurants with a single database of personal cards
geographically dispersed network of public catering points within one enterprise
off-site autonomous food outlets with personal card service
Benefits of using:

no permanent connection between the restaurant and the main map server is required
all information is duplicated - in each remote restaurant, a backup copy of the head base is actually created, and quite up-to-date
in the event of a breakdown of any database and restoring it from a backup archive, all changes and transactions created since the creation of the backup archive will go into the database after synchronization
Note: Distributed PDS support has been implemented since the CARDSERV 7.01 card server version

Scheme of work

In a distributed PDS configuration, there is always one master (central) map server and one or more local (slave) servers.

The main server, as a rule, is located in the central office, and the local servers are located at remote sites. Synchronization between servers is carried out via the TCP / IP protocol, and it does not matter how the network channel is implemented - a sufficient condition for synchronization is the ability to connect to the head (or intermediate) server by IP address and port.

Standard scheme of work:

Checkout ⇔ LAN ⇔
Local CARDSERV ⇔ LAN
⇔
SYNCARD ⇔ WAN (INTERNET) ⇔ Head CARDSERV
Additionally, you can include intermediate map servers (in any quantity), for example:

Checkout ⇔ LAN
⇔ Local CARDSERV
⇔LAN
⇔ SYNCARD ⇔ WAN (Mobile 3G INTERNET) ⇔ Intermediate CARDSERV
⇔LAN
⇔ SYNCARD ⇔ WAN (ISP INTERNET) ⇔ Head CARDSERV

Distributed PDS configuration

The distributed PDS configuration includes standard PDS modules (map server, map editor) and an additional SYNCARD utility for synchronizing map servers.

The card server (CARDSERV) can operate in four modes:

Single
Head
Local
Intermediate (local + head).
The server operation mode depends on the label in the CARD.UDB database. The label is put down when the SYNCARD synchronizer is connected for the first time - if SYNCARD is not used, there are no labels in the database (single server).

Important: Once put down the label remains in the database FOREVER!
Label conversion options:

Single server can be made Head (at any time)
A single server can be made Local (slave) only if its database is empty
The local server can be made Intermediate (i.e. local + head)
The head server cannot be made Intermediate.
Thus, you can grow the server tree one by one, connecting it as Local to the running Head, Intermediate or Local (then it will become Intermediate) server.

If necessary, you can connect to any of the servers using the PCARDS map editor.

Important: You can edit data using the PCARDS map editor only on servers in Single or Host mode. On the Local and Intermediate servers, only viewing data and reports is possible.
Note: You can find out what mode the map server is in from the PCARDS application - "Help" \ "About" \ "Access" - Full, Head, Lower, Transit. The server operation mode is also displayed on the map server icon: H - Head, L - Local

Invalid actions

The table below describes illegal actions with the map server database, the consequences 

to which they lead and ways to resolve them:

Action to take Consequence Remedy
Copying the map server database from one local restaurant to another and connecting them to one (shared) Master Server Complete data desynchronization!
If you want to launch a new restaurant, you need to take a clean (empty) database from the distribution
If the database is broken, you need to replace it with an entire archive copy of the same database or with a clean (empty) database from the distribution *
If you try to use a non-empty database in a local restaurant that is not Local, SYNCARD will not work with it
Error message:

"Can't mark [Local] as Local DB because it is not empty" .

If you want to launch a new restaurant, you need to take a clean (empty) database from the distribution
If the database is broken, you need to replace it with an entire archive copy of the same database or with a clean (empty) database from the distribution *
If you copy an empty database of the main server to a local restaurant, SYNCARD will not work with it
Error message:

"Cannot mark [Local] as Local DB because it is Head DB"

If you want to launch a new restaurant, you need to take a clean (empty) database from the distribution
If the database is broken, you need to replace it with an entire archive copy of the same database or with a clean (empty) database from the distribution *
If you copy the Local database from the restaurant to the Head server, SYNCARD will not work with it. In addition, the PCARDS map editor will not allow editing data in this database.
Error message:

"Cannot mark [Head] as Head DB because [Local] DB is not empty"

If the Head database is broken, you need to replace it with an entire archive copy of the same database or with a clean (empty) database from the distribution *
Note: The map server automatically creates archive copies of the CARD.UDB database once a day (see note above).

Installing SYNCARD

Before installing SYNCARD, it is assumed that the following conditions are met:

the working configuration already has a Master or Single map server
between the Local and Head (Single) servers there is a connection via TCP / IP (for example, a VPN with the ability to connect by IP address and port to the computer on which the Head server is running and running)
The installation of the SYNCARD synchronization utility is usually performed on the same PC where the local map server is installed or planned to be installed, or on another PC on the same local network.
To install SYNCARD you need:

install a local map server, if the map server was installed earlier and has already been used, you must install an empty CARD.UDB database
download from FTP ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/r-keeper/versions/PERSCARD/SYNCARD the distribution kit of the current version of SYNCAD (version history can be checked in the HISTORY.TXT file)
unpack the contents of the archive, for example to the \UCS\PDS\SYNCARD directory
copy the communication library RTcp.DLL to the same directory (assembly of the current versions of the communication libraries on FTP ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/r-keeper/versions/PERSCARD/netdll.7z )
Note: Considering the note regarding the RLOCAL.DLL library, only RTcp.DLL must be used to communicate between SYNCARD and the local map server, even if both servers are on the same PC.
Next, you need to configure the main configuration file SYNCARD.INI:

[Options] - General options section
Period = 10 - synchronization period in minutes (how many minutes after a successful exchange will be the next communication session)

[Local] - Section of settings for communication with the Local map server
DLL = RTcp - DLL to communicate with the local map server
Gate = 1 - number of parameters of DLL connection

[Head] - Section of settings for communication with the Head map server
DLL = RTcp - DLL for communication with the Head map server
Gate = 2 - number of parameters of DLL connection
Modem = 0 - use a modem (more precisely, establish a connection through a Windows connection): 0 - do not use, 1 - always use, 2 - use only if there is no direct connection
TryLink = 1 - only works if Modem = 2 - number of unsuccessful direct connection attempts before dialing via modem

[Modem] - Section of modem connection settings
PBEntry = 3GMobile - connection name created in Windows
User = - specifying the user for authentication
Psw = - specify password for authentication
Domain = - specifying the domain for authentication

[Rtcp] - Parameter section for communication library
Client1 = SYNCARD - unique client name to connect to the main map server
Server1 = 192.168.0.1 - IP address to connect to the main map server
Port1 = 5555 - port for connecting to the main map server

Client2 = SYNCARD - unique client name to connect to the local map server
Server2 = 127.0.0.1

IP address to connect to the local map server
Port2 = 4444 - port for connecting to the local map server
SYNCARD.EXE is launched with the keys:
/INSTALL - install as a service (recommended)
/UNINSTALL - remove an installed service
/DESKTOP - launch as an application
After the first launch of SYNCARD, the databases will receive all the necessary tags automatically, and if there is a connection between the servers, the data will be synchronized.

Additional Applications

CARDINFO - card information

The CARDINFO application is used to obtain basic information on a personal card without launching a card editor and/or cash station.

It can be used in conjunction with the PCards card editor or as a standalone application as part of the PDS, no additional license or security key is required.

Note: Since CARDINFO 1.10, work with a card reader is supported (setting is similar to PCARDS)
Use with PCards
To share with the map editor you need:

copy the distribution kit of the current version of the application from ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/r-keeper/versions/PERSCARD/CARDINFO and unpack its contents into the PCards working directory
create a shortcut on the desktop to launch the application
if necessary, connect a card reader, the setting is similar to PCARDS
Note: The CARDINFO card reader application uses the same drivers as PCARDS - if PCARDS is already configured to support the card reader, no additional SYNCARD configuration is required.

Use as standalone application

To be used as a separate application as part of the PDS, you must:

copy from ftp ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/r-keeper/versions/PERSCARD/CARDINFO the distribution kit of the current version of the application
unpack the contents of the archive, for example to the \UCS\PDS\CARDINFO directory
copy the communication library to the working directory of the application - it is recommended to use RTCP.DLL
if it is necessary to display the name of discounts, copy the corresponding PCGET.DLL library and the libraries necessary for its operation to the application working directory (see the description of the PCARDS setting)
create or copy the RKEEPER.INI file and configure the settings (similar to PCARDS):
[PCards]
CSLinkDLL = RTcp - link library name
CSLinkGate = 1 - client number (added to link library parameters)

[RTCP]
Client1 = CARDINFO - unique client name to connect to the card server
Server1 = 127.0.0.1 - map server IP address
Port1 = 3030 - TCP port for connecting to the map server

create a shortcut on the desktop to launch the application
if necessary, connect a card reader, the setting is similar to PCARDS

Import a list of maps

The CARDIMP application is used to upload a list of maps from a text file in the specified format to the map server.

The text file format is exactly the same. file format for importing a list of cards in the PCards application

To install CARDIMP you need:

download from FTP ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/r-keeper/versions/PERSCARD/CARDIMP the distribution kit of the current version of the application
unpack the contents of the archive, for example to the \UCS\PDS\CARDIMP directory
copy the communication library to the working directory of the application - it is recommended to use RTCP.DLL
create a CARDIMP.INI file and configure the settings:
[options]
LinkDLL = RTcp - link library name

[RTcp]
Client1 = - unique name of the client to connect to the map server
Server1 = - map server IP address
Port1 = - TCP port for connecting to the map server

The application does not require a security key and/or additional license to run.

The application does not have a user interface and is launched from the console (command line) with the following parameters:

Cardimp.exe Login Password FileName

where

Login - username for authorization on the map server
Password - user password for authorization on the map server
FileName - name of the imported file with the list of maps

Database Maintenance

If the card server database file (CARD.UDB) is too large, you can use the DATACUT application to build old transactions that do not need detailed reporting.

The principle of the application:

transactions in the deleted period that change the balance of funds will be summarized in one transaction for each account
other transactions of this period will be deleted
all other information in the database will remain unchanged
after creating a new database, the old database is not deleted, but renamed to a BEFORE_CUT_yyyy-mm-dd file, where yyyy-mm-dd is the date before which transactions were deleted

Important: The application does not allow deleting transactions in the database for the last 90 days.
Important: When using a distributed PDS (SYNCARD), before deleting transactions, all databases of the server tree must be synchronized (the last synchronization was no more than 90 days ago).

To use the application you need:

download from FTP ftp://ftp.ucs.ru/r-keeper/versions/PERSCARD/DATACUT the distribution kit of the current version of the application
unpack the contents of the archive into the working directory of the CARDSERV card server
stop the CARDSERV card server
run the application and wait for successful database processing
start the CARDSERV card server and check the operation