Configuring transactions

If you want to disable the transaction source, clear this check box. The stream of transaction data stops, but the data already imported remains on the event server. You can still view transactions from a disabled transaction source in XProtect Smart Client during its retention period.

Even a disabled transaction source requires a transaction source license.

If you want to change the name, enter a new name here.

You cannot change the connector you selected when you created the transaction source. To select a different connector, you need to create a new transaction source, and during the wizard, select the connector you want.

You can select a different transaction definition that defines how to transform the transaction data received into transactions and transaction lines. This includes defining:

• When a transaction begins and ends
• How transactions are displayed in XProtect Smart Client

Specify, in days, for how long transaction data is maintained on the event server. The default retention period is 30 days. When the retention period expires, automatically the data is deleted. This is to avoid the situation, where the storage capacity of the database is exceeded.

The minimum value is 1 day, whereas the maximum value is 1000 days.

If you selected TCP client connector, specify these settings:

• Host name: enter the host name of the TCP server associated with the transaction source
• Port: enter the port name on the TCP server associated with the transaction source

If you selected Serial port connector, specify these settings and make sure that they match the settings on the transaction source:

• Serial port: select the COM port
• Baud rate: specify the number of bits transmitted per second
• Parity: specify the method for detecting errors in the transmissions. By default, None is selected
• Data bits: specify the number of bits used to represent one character of data
• Stop bits: specify the number of bits to indicate when a byte has been transmitted. Most devices need 1 bit
• Handshake: specify the handshaking method determining the communication protocol between the transaction source and event server

Enter a name.

Select the character set used by the transaction source, for example the cash register. This helps XProtect Transact convert the transaction data to understandable text that you can work with when configuring the definition.

If you select the wrong encoding, the data may appear as non-sense text.

Collect transaction data from the connected transaction source. You can use the data to configure a transaction definition.

Wait for at least one, but preferably more, transactions to complete.

When you have collected sufficient data to configure the definition, click this button.

If you want to import data from an already existing file, click this button. Typically this is a file that you have created previously in the file format .capture. It can be other file formats. What is important here is that the encoding of the import file matches the encoding selected for the current definition.

If you want to save the collected raw data to a file, click this button. You can reuse it later.

Select the match type to use to search for the start pattern and the stop pattern in the collected raw data:

• Use exact match: The search identifies strings that contain exactly what you have entered in the Start pattern and Stop pattern fields
• Use wildcards: The search identifies strings that contain what you have entered in the Start pattern and Stop pattern fields in combination with a wild card symbol (*, #, ?)
  * matches any number of characters. For example, if you have entered "Start tra*tion", the search identifies strings that contain "Start transaction".
  # matches exactly 1 digit. For example, if you have entered "# watermelon", the search identifies strings that contain, for example, "1 watermelon".
  ? matches exactly 1 character. For example, you may use the search expression "Start trans?ction" to identify strings that contain "Start transaction"
• Use regular expression: Use this match type to identify strings that contain specific notation methods or conventions, for example a date format or credit card number. For more information, see the Microsoft website (https://docs.microsoft.com/dotnet/standard/base-types/regular-expression-language-quick-reference/)

Transaction data strings from the connected transaction source are displayed in this section.

Specify a start pattern to indicate where a transaction begins. Horizontal lines are inserted in the Preview field to visualize where the transaction starts and ends, and will help to keep individual transactions separated.

Specify a stop pattern to indicate where a transaction ends. A stop pattern is not mandatory, but is useful if the received data contains irrelevant information, such as information about opening hours or special offers, between actual transactions.

If you do not specify a stop pattern, the end of the receipt is defined in terms of where the next receipt starts. The start is determined by what is entered in the Start pattern field.

Use the Add filters button to point out the characters that you want to be omitted in XProtect Smart Client or replaced by other characters or a line break.

Replacing characters is useful when the transaction source string contains control characters for non-printing purposes. Adding line breaks is necessary to make receipts in XProtect Smart Client resemble the original receipts.

Displays the characters currently selected in the Raw data section. If you are aware of characters that you want to be omitted or replaced, but they do not occur in the collected raw data string, you can enter the characters manually in the Character field.

If the character is a control character, you need to enter its hexadecimal byte value. Use this format for the byte value: {XX} and {XX, XX,...} if a characters consists of more bytes.

For each filter you add, you should specify how the characters you have selected are handled:

• Omit: the characters you select are filtered out
• Substitute: the characters you select are replaced with the characters you specify
• Add line break: the characters you select are replaced by a line break

Enter the text to replace the characters selected. Only relevant if you have selected the action Substitute.

Remove non-printing characters that were not already removed after adding filters.

In the Raw data pane and the Preview section, see how the transaction data strings change when you enable or disable this setting.

Use the Preview section to verify that you have identified and filtered out unwanted characters. The output you see here resembles what the real-life receipt looks like in XProtect Smart Client.