Micros 3700 Interface - "interface not active"

[jd11111]

I am trying to develop a service application to be interfaced with Micros via SIM. When we have our service running and attempt to send a test message from Micros, we get "interface not active". If I remove the "outgoing message name" field in the devices>interfaces configuration for the interface, we receive "Receive Timeout" (instantly). We have the correct port number and TCP server name configured. The service we have running is a simple test service that accepts any messages and returns the message - just to prove the communication is working.

My question: How should the interface be configured in the interface_def table? And...how is "outgoing message name" used?

Any pointers from anyone who has done this before is appreciated.

 

[jd11111]

update...after a reboot we are now getting "no response to message".

Perhaps the better questions is: Are there requirements for developing an interface/pms host service application to work with Micros?

 

[Moregelen]

If you are developing a SIM that communicates with any outside service, you have to have a license for PMS/SIM. If you're on a development server and have everything in DEMO Mode it should be working.

 

[jd11111]

Thanks, Moregelen. I actually know about SIM and licensing. My question is more related to the host TCP/IP service application and how it needs to be written to accept the messages coming from Micros SIM. I'm not using the Micros SVC interface as it does not accommodate our requirements. I am using my system in demo mode and have already written the SIM (other SIMS on the system are working fine). The problem appears to be that the SIM is not actually sending messages to our service.

 

[Moregelen]

Ok, well, it took me a little while to get around to testing this, but I just tossed up a basic server. Just standard TCP Socket; it just reads the raw data into a textbox so I could get a look at how the data is coming in. I'm not having any issues; how are you binding to the port? Do you make sure that windows isn't giving the service a smack-down?

 

[Moregelen]

You guys ARE formatting your response using the correct format, right?

 

[Moregelen]

I suppose I wasn't clear on that, but are you running the message in ISL format? Especially the SOH and EOT? If you are getting timeouts but think you have the data formatted properly, you should know that if you don't include an EOT that the SIM will continue to try and read from the connection endlessly (well, until it times out that is).

 

[Moregelen]

ooh. Bit off topic but... I was browsing through some old posts having to do with DLL's and saw that you were posting about it. I haven't actually made an attempt to write a custom DLL yet for a SIM; did you ever figure out what kind of structure you had to use?

 

[jd11111]

Hi Moregelen - sorry for the delay and thanks for your help. We got the service up and running. It was just an issue with the IP address used to create the TCPListener.

To answer your question about DLLs, I haven't actually written one, but I know it can be done. I have often used the Micros DLL mdsutilsproxy.dll for database access to both Micros and other SQL databases.