Newbie question on adding terminal, Message Server and db connections

[WingoLED]

Please correct me if my understanding of the following concepts are wrong.

1)I need one server machine installed with a licensed V5
1a)I need to isntall another copy of the V5 which I do not have to activate with any license
2)Need to know the computer Name of both machine.
3)Install MS SQL Express 2014 (which I think was already installed when first installing the SambaPOS 5) in the server machine
4)Turn on the Message Server in SambaPOS 5(I found a check mark “Auto Start Message Client”, so I check it) in the server machine
5)I clicked the “Start Client Now” as well
6)I need to check the db connection string(my current Data Connection is empty. Does that mean I am not connected to a db Server? But I remember I saw MS SQL Express 2014 installing when I installed SambaPOS. Do I have to start the service or something? What should be the connection string in my case or will it show up in the dialog box after do some kind of db installation/activation?
6a)I have SQL Express 2014 installed when I check the settings under Control Panel but not sure whether is started.
7)Go to the terminal and change the db connection to the same as the one in the server machine. Should I also turn on the Message Server in the terminal?
7a)After connecting to the same db server, will the Menu and Products and Users rights automatically match up with the SambaPOS server without me doing some kind of restoration?

Slightly off the main topic.
A.Where does the rules automation save in - a text file or in the db server?
B.Where does the Products, Menu and such stored in and how to restore them in the new terminal or I even have to?

[QMcKay]

This stuff has been covered multiple times on the Forum. Please use the Search function. This is my favorite

[Solved] Multi-terminal / Message Server woes?

Since I put together the Kitchen Display Tutorial using Task Printer and Custom Entity Screen with Task Editor Widget, I finally went a got a small 10" tablet to use as a Kitchen Display. I was very excited to see it in action, but alas, I am having some issues. This is my first foray into a multi-terminal setup, and I am looking for some guidance - particularly as it pertains to updating the Kitchen Display on the Client. The first problem was getting connected to the server DB. I eventuall…

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@WingoLED

1)I need one server machine installed with a licensed V5
1a)I need to isntall another copy of the V5 which I do not have to activate with any license
2)Need to know the computer Name of both machine.

Yes. You need only 1 license. It is good for unlimited Terminals and a single Database. You may need to Activate the license on all Terminals, but you only need a single license.

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@WingoLED

3)Install MS SQL Express 2014 (which I think was already installed when first install the SambaPOS 5) in the server machine

SQL Express (non-LocalDB version) will not be installed by default. It is a separate download and installation and is required for multi-terminal operation, because it allows more than 1 DB connection. SQL LocalDB might be installed already, but this will not work for multi-terminal because it allows only 1 single connection to the DB.

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@WingoLED

4)Turn on the Message Server in SambaPOS 5(I found a check mark “Auto Start Message Client”, so I check it) in the server machine
5)I clicked the “Start Client Now” as well

Auto-start Message Client needs to be checked on all machines/terminals, including the Server machine.

The Message Server Service should be running on the Server only. It is located here:

C:\Program Files (x86)\SambaPOS5\Samba.MessagingServerServiceTool.exe

When you run that Tool, it will install the Message Server as a Windows Service. Run the Service on the Server machine ONLY.

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@WingoLED

6)I need to check the db connection string(my current Data Connection is empty. Does that mean I am not connected to a db Server? But I remember I saw MS SQL Express 2014 installing when I installed SambaPOS. Do I have to start the service or something? What should be the connection string in my case or will it show up in the dialog box after do some kind of db installation/activation?

You should set the Connection String to connect to the Server machine, on ALL Terminals. If it is blank, that probably indicates you have SQL Express LocalDB version installed, which WILL NOT WORK. You need to download and install the non-LocalDB version separately. Install it on the Server ONLY.

The Connection String should look like this:

Data Source=ServerComputerNameOrIPaddress\INSTANCENAME; User Id=sa; Password=sambapos; Database=SambaPOS5;

For example:

Data Source=SERVER-PC\SQLEXPRESS; User Id=sa; Password=sambapos; Database=SambaPOS5;
Data Source=192.168.1.10\SQLEXPRESS; User Id=sa; Password=sambapos; Database=SambaPOS5;

If you have the non-LocalDB version installed, you should see it in Windows Services. If you do not see it, then you do not have the correct version installed.

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@WingoLED

6a)I have SQL Express 2014 installed when I check the settings under Control Panel but not sure whether is started.

Check Windows Services as shown above. If it is not in the Service list, you have the LocalDB version installed which will not work.

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@WingoLED

7)Go to the terminal and change the db connection to the same as the one in the server machine. Should I also turn on the Message Server in the terminal?

The Connection String should be the same on ALL Terminals. The Message Client should be set to Auto-start on ALL Terminals.

The Message Server Service should be installed and running as a Service on the SERVER ONLY, as previously explained.

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@WingoLED

7a)After connecting to the same db server, will the Menu and Products and Users rights automatically match up with the SambaPOS server without me doing some kind of restoration?

Yes, when properly configured, all Terminals will read DB information from the Server.

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@WingoLED

A.Where does the rules automation save in - a text file or in the db server?

In the DB on the Server.

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@WingoLED

B.Where does the Products, Menu and such stored in and how to restore them in the new terminal or I even have to?

In the DB on the Server. No need to “restore” them or do anything else.

[WingoLED]

Thanks for the DETAILED reply.

I will redo the whole again. With this question and answers, I think the procedures are much clearer and systematic than the others threads I read. I will create a simple to follow tutorial upon my own successful attempt to help others int he same boat.

[QMcKay]

One of the things that most people do not understand at first is that Multi-terminal setups require 2 things to be configured to work properly. These are separate things, and BOTH must be configured correctly for everything to work.

##Database Connection

Connection to the Database on the Server.

All Terminals, including the Server need a connection to the Database.

• the Database (DB) is where everything is stored, including Products, Menus, Automation, etc.

• all Terminals will read all required configuration information from the DB.

• SQL Express 2012, 2014, or 2016 (non-LocalDB version) should be installed and running on the Server ONLY.

• Requires Firewall Inbound Rules on the Server to allow ports TCP 1433 and UDP 1434

• Requires that the DB Engine is configured to Allow remote network connections. This can be configured via SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio) which is a separate application that can be used to configure the DB Engine and run SQL Statements against the DB. More detailed configuration of the Engine (ie. TCP connection details and port selection like 1433) is done via another application (MMC Snapin) called SQL Server Configuration Manager.

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##Messaging Service

Connection to the Messaging Service on the Server.

All Terminals, including the Server need a connection to the Messaging Service.

• this Service is how the Terminals communicate with each other. For example, screen updates like Table Color changes (Entity State updates) are communicated via the Messaging Service.

• the Messaging Server Service should be installed and running on the Server ONLY. The Service is a separate application that you configure and run on the Server ONLY.

• all Terminals including the Server should have “Auto-start Message Client” CHECKED. The “Client” is internal to the SambaPOS application.

• Requires Firewall Inbound Rule on the Server to allow port TCP 9000 (by default)

[ozgurekin87]

@QMcKay

SQL Express 2012, 2014, or 2016 ( non-LocalDB version) should be installed and running on the Server ONLY.

Is this a free download or need to be pruchased? Where it can be downloaded?

[WingoLED]

SQL Express 2017

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/confirmation.aspx?id=55994

[WingoLED]

After you download it from the link provide, you need to update thru windows update, it will take a while to fully update everything

[Jesse]

https://kb.sambapos.com/en/2-1-3-a-sql-express-server-setup/