updated as of: October 30, 2014
last author: Andy Theuninck
The installation script for IS4C also servers as a configuration
page. It's broken into several sections with tabs along the top.
Necessities, which is the bare minimum to get a lane up and running.
Necessities
- ini.php status. This file is IS4C's configuration. It must be writable
or you can't save changes. On Unix-style systems, the best option is
to change ownership of the file to whichever user is running apache (the install
script will try to determine who that is for you). On Windows, the whole file system
is probably writable.
- OS choices are Windows (for Windows) and *nix (for anything else). If this
isn't set correctly, database connections will likely fail.
- Lane Number transactions logs include a lane number. Having a unique number
for each production lane is probably a good idea.
- Lane Databases connection requires a host, DBMS type, username, and password.
The two lane database are traditionally called opdata and translog, but do not
have to be. Once the correct connection information is entered, the install script will
automatically create any missing databases, tables, and views.
- Server Database connection has similar requirements to the lane database
connection. Again the install script will create missing databases, tables, and views.
If you skip this configuration, the lane will operate in standalone mode. For testing
purposes, that's probably fine. Note: it is highly recommended that the server
database name differ from the lane database names. The default is core_trans.
- Taxes is for sales tax rates. Bear in mind that a given item can only have
one tax rate. If, for example, you have a state sales tax of 5% and a city sales tax
of 3%, you may need to enter tax rates of 3%, 5%, and 8%, depending on how
the rates overlap.
Extras
Extras is a bit of a catch-all. It contains settings related to hardware, membership,
the lane user interface, and tenders.
Receipt
Receipt contains settings for printing and formatting receipts. Using the modular receipt
is highly recommended as it provides the most flexibility for store-specific
customizations.
Scanning
Scanning contains settings related to handling UPCs as well as departments that have
special significance.
Security
Security controls what functionality requires a manager password.
Debug
Debug has some information about logging and a couple developer settings.
DB Updates
DB Updates is exactly what it sounds like. Schema changes can be applied from
this page.
Sample Data
This page lets you load employees, customers (custdata), products, and departments.
Customers and products are the only items strictly necessary to get going.
There is a training login number, 9999, built into IS4C. Departments don't actually
have to exist at the register unless you're doing open rings.
Behind the scenes - Where is this stuff stored?
By default, a small number of settings are saved in ini.php. Everyting else is
stored in a database table named parameters on the lane. This table is in the
operational database (default name opdata). The following settings are always
stored in ini.php and only in ini.php:
- Lane Number
- Store Number
- Lane Database Host
- Lane Database Type
- Lane Database User Name
- Lane Database Password
- Lane Database Operational DB
- Lane Database Transaction DB
- Special Department modules (on the Scanning tab)
The first eight settings are required to connect to the database and access the
paramters table. The other has a convoluted structure that cannot currently be
stored in the database.
When the lane loads, it reads settings in this order:
- ini.php
- parameters table records with lane_id zero
- parameters table records where lane_id matches that specific lane
All settings can be stored in ini.php if preferred, however if the setting is
stored in both ini.php and the parameters table with different values
lane behavior can be unpredictable as the differing values periodically overwrite
one another. The web-based configuration pages will attempt
to update settings that are present in ini.php. The Necessities tab will also
attempt to detect any discrepancies between ini.php and the parameters table.