The following settings are used to configure KioWare to communicate to KioWare Server and to setup statistics uploading, content downloading and remote monitoring.
General Settings
Site Name
The KioWare Server Site name that the kiosk exists in or wants to be created in.
It is very important that this name matches the Site name on the server. The default Site name is Default Site.
Kiosk Name
Name that identifies the kiosk; however, does not need to be unique. Used in conjunction with Kiosk Unit to identify kiosk when uploading statistics and downloading content.
Kiosk Unit
Unit identifier of the kiosk. The combination of Kiosk Name and Kiosk Unit must be unique. Used to identify kiosk when uploading statistics and downloading content.
Dynamic Default Project
(Server Feature) The Kiosk Name and Unit Name can be matched on KioWare Server to place the kiosk in a specific Project when it is first created. See the server docs for more info.
Kiosk Connection Type
Set to:
DUN Connection - if kiosk is connected to the internet via a dial-up networking telephone line
DUN Connection Name
If you select DUN Connection for Kiosk Connection Type, then you need to enter the name of the Dial-up Networking connection that was created to connect to the Internet.
KioWare Server URL
The URL where KioWare Server was installed.
Advanced Server Settings
Server Connection Attempts
The number of times KioWare should try to connect to KioWare Server before giving up. KioWare will resume attempting to connect to KioWare Server at its next scheduled time.
Server SSL Options
If you are using SSL to communicate with KioWare Server, KioWare can be configured to ignore many of the common SSL configuration problems that will prevent reliable tranmission of data.
Test Server Communication
KioWare Server communication can be tested by pressing this button. If successful communication happens, the kiosk will be created on the Server. You will see a dialog (seen below) indicating when communication is being tested. If any errors happen, particularly SSL warnings, a messagebox will be shown with details explaining what happened. Note that SSL warnings can be ignored.
Stats Upload...
KioWare is capable of logging all navigation that takes place by the browser and storing the URL, title tag of the page and the length of time the page was viewed into a database. This database can then automatically be uploaded to KioWare Server, or it can be manually removed from the kiosk for processing. In addition, in cases where you have local data you wish to transfer to KioWare Server (ex, a user survey), KioWare has a special database your application can save the data to, and KioWare will upload the data automatically to KioWare Server. Refer to the KioWare Design Guide for more details.
Stats Upload Schedule
Interval
Stats will be uploaded to the server on an interval basis, not a specific time. If Enable Session End Communication is checked, KioWare will upload stats after entering attract mode.
Daily
Check the day of the week and the time of day you wish usage statistics to be uploaded. It is generally best to upload when the kiosk is not heavily used, such as in the middle of the night; however, the upload process does not interfere with the normal operation of the kiosk, so you can schedule it to occur at any time of the day.
Database Settings
Enable Statistics Logging
If checked, all browser navigation will be stored to a local database.
Statistics Database
The UNC path to the usage statistics database. Should default to KioskStats.mdb in the KioWare installation directory.
Survey Database
The UNC path to the survey database. Should default to UserInfo.mdb in the KioWare installation directory.
Content Update...
On a daily basis, KioWare Kiosk has the capability to update kiosk content downloaded from a central server that is running KioWare Server, and this screen is used to configure when the update occurs. It is best to update when the kiosk will not be heavily used because the update process requires that your application be shutdown. The kiosk screen will display a message stating that the kiosk is currently unavailable and is undergoing maintenance. When the update is complete, your application will automatically restart. It is also recommended to schedule the update process at a different time from the Stats Upload process described above.
The update process is relatively complex. When the kiosk establishes communication with KioWare Server, a query is made of the revision control system on the server to check whether that particular kiosk is scheduled to have new content downloaded. The content can include files related to the application or KioWare updates. If content is to be downloaded, then the files are transferred one at a time. When all of the files have been transferred, and it may take several days depending on the number and size of files, the connection bandwidth, and the setting of Max Daily Update, the various files are then copied into place overwriting any existing files. Depending on the file type, an action may occur. For example, some .dll files need to be registered, or a .reg file needs to be imported. Only after all of the files have been processed will the update be considered to be complete, and the kiosk will report that fact back to KioWare Server.
If a revision is not successfully downloaded before a new revision is downloaded, then KioWare is smart enough to download previous revision's files before the current revision files; however, it won't waste bandwidth to download an earlier revision file, if a newer revision includes a newer version of the file.
Note: if KioWare is set to use attract screens, then updating won't occur until KioWare is in attract screen mode (ie, when the kiosk is not being used). If no attract screens are used, then updating will occur immediately.
Content Update Schedule
Interval
When KioWare enters attract mode, if updates are available, they will be updated at the interval specified.
Daily
Check the day of the week and the time of day you wish content updating to occur.
Max Random Offset
This number of minutes is the max amount of time that KioWare will randomly add to when a content update is scheduled to occur. This is useful to prevent your kiosks from contacting the server simultaneously.
Update Settings
In-Progress URL
A UNC or URL path to a file that will be displayed on the screen while the update occurs. You can replace the default KioWare file with your own custom file.
Update Root
The UNC path to the root directory where the updated files should be placed. Files will be stored in a temporary directory until all new files have been successfully downloaded to the kiosk.
Max Update Time
The maximum time KioWare should spend downloading new content before restarting your application. Any undownloaded files will resume at the next scheduled download time.
File Auditing...
File Auditing can be enabled to check files that have been downloaded to make sure they are both there and have not been modified or altered. Messages are logged to the event log if any file is not ok.
The schedule works exactly like the Content Updating schedule does.
Server Commands...
Server Commands enable the kiosk to ask KioWare Server about whether it should do certain pre-defined actions such as rebooting the kiosk. The Server Command feature is the first client-side server feature where time scheduling is done on the server.
When Server Commands are enabled, KioWare will contact the server one minute after starting. It will ask if there are any commands to do, and how long to wait before contacting the server again to ask for another command. The only exception to this rule is when server communication fails. This is where the Error Retry Interval comes in. It is the number of seconds to try contacting the server again after a communication failure; the default is 60 seconds.
One command to note in particular is the ability to send up a screenshot of the current activity on the kiosk. In order to preserve bandwidth, the screenshots taken can be scaled down. For instance, setting Screenshot Scale to 1/2 will send half size images up.
Note: Screenshots are disabled by default if your server communication is not via HTTPS. We put this restriction in to prevent users from sending up screenshots of bank pages and other sensitive information over an unencrypted connection. Below, there is a registry setting to disable the default. We do not recommend disabling it, but you may do so at your own risk.
To disable the HTTPS requirement for screenshots, open the registry to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\KioWare\Data Transfer\ServerCommand
Create a dword called
ScreenCaptureRequiresSSL
and set it to 0.
Note: When KioWare gets a command, it does not wait until user session end to execute it, like content updating does. Be mindful of this when scheduling commands such as rebooting the kiosk and restarting KioWare.
Remote Monitoring
Remote monitoring enables individual kiosks to report their status in three distinct ways:
Heartbeat - The kiosk will send regular messages to KioWare Server with approximately 30 performance statistics. The arrival of the message indicates that KioWare is running on the kiosk, and the performance statistics indicate its current health. The Heartbeat will be sent based on the Heartbeat Interval set below.
Urgent Log Activity - KioWare actively monitors specified equipment (ex, printers), and when an anomaly is noticed (ex, paper low), a message is sent to KioWare Server and notification emails are sent.
Daily Log Activity - To provide a history of kiosk health, Windows application event log entries are sent to KioWare Server based on the Heartbeat Interval set below.
Send Heartbeat
If checked, heartbeat information will be sent to KioWare Server.
Heartbeat Interval
How often (minutes) KioWare will send heartbeat statistics and Windows Application Log data.
Event Monitoring
Max Logs Per Hour
Sets an upper limit for how many logs can be set per hour. If blank, there is no limit.
Urgent Events
Determines which Windows Event Log data are considered to be urgent and are immediately sent to KioWare Server: Errors, Warnings, or Informational and also which log: KioWare (a subset of the Application log), Application, System or Security.
Errors
If checked, events categorized as an error will be sent as an urgent event to KioWare Server.
Warnings
If checked, events categorized as a warning will be sent as an urgent event to KioWare Server.
Informational
If checked, events categorized as a informational will be sent as an urgent event to KioWare Server. Note: Useful for debugging, but not recommended as a normal course of business due to the high volume of logs generated.
KioWare
If checked, KioWare events from the Application log that meet the Error/Warning/Informational criteria above will be sent.
Application
If checked, all events from the Application log that meet the Error/Warning/Informational criteria above will be sent.
Security
If checked, all events from the Security log that meet the Error/Warning/Informational criteria above will be sent.
System
If checked, all events from the System log that meet the Error/Warning/Informational criteria above will be sent.
Monitored Event Logs
Windows Event Log data can be uploaded to KioWare Server when heartbeats are sent.
KioWare
If checked, all KioWare events from the Application log will be sent.
Application
If checked, all events from the Application log will be sent.
Security
If checked, all events from the Security log will be sent.
System
If checked, all events from the System log will be sent.
Enable Device Monitoring
If checked, KioWare will monitor the devices selected via the Monitored Devices.. button.
Monitored Devices..
Add New
To add a new device, click the Add New button.
Device Type
Select the device to monitor from the list. Don't see your device? Contact our technical support staff.
Device Name
If a printer, enter the device name as known to Windows print spooler. Either select from the list, or type in a name from scratch.
Low Paper Sensor Installed
If a printer and if applicable, then if checked a low paper sensor is installed and KioWare will monitor paper status. Note: this setting only applies to certain printers that have a discrete low paper sensor. Most printers have a built-in sensor, and this setting does not apply.
Poll
How often (seconds) KioWare should check the status of the device.
USB Device
If checked, the device is USB.
Device COM Port
If not USB, the COM port of the device.
Edit Selection
To edit an entry, highlight the row and either doubleclick or click the Edit Selection button.
Remove Selection
To remove an entry, highlight the row and either doubleclick or click the Remove Selection button.
Types
Some devices in the list require explaination.
| .NET Monitored Device | A very specialized kind of device that tells KioWare that this device is handled by a .Net addin. |
| Watchport /H | Normally watchport devices are used as security devices to indicate that someone is using the kiosk. In this case it monitors for ranges of humidity or temp that are outside of the user specified limits. |
| Windows Print Queue | Using this device means that KioWare will monitor the device chosen for print queue times greater than the specified amount. The printer chosen can be left blank, which means KioWare will monitor the default printer. This device was created in order to support monitoring printers that do not have monitoring support, such a a low paper sensor. |
| KioWare Memory Usage | Used to restart KioWare when memory usage gets too high because of memory leaking web applications. Monitors the memory usage taken up by it's own process. If memory usage gets to around 70% of available max (usually max is 2GB), KioWare will send a warning to KioWare Server. When the high point of 90% is reached, KioWare will exit and allow the service to start it again. |
| PJL Printer | You will need to set up the printer for monitoring in Windows using our PJL Tool from the Tools menu. Also keep in mind that printer monitoring will not usually work if the printer is connected via a network cable. | /tr>
| MEI Bill Acceptor | When a MEI bill acceptor is monitored, KioWare will send up status information such as busy, jammed, full, cover open... |