After you configure the requirements mentioned in this guide, and perform a refresh, you must configure an Aloha Kitchen terminal environment. This syncs Aloha Kitchen with the POS and launches Aloha Kitchen at the appropriate time. You must have all the requirements in this chapter complete, particularly the Aloha Kitchen terminal, before you can configure an Aloha Kitchen terminal environment.

You can configure the terminal environment either manually, or using Radiant Application Loader (RAL) v14.1, or later. This is supported with all versions of Aloha Kitchen, and is recommended. All OS requirements on the device are the same as the POS terminal and Aloha Kitchen is required on the BOH server machine. RAL finds the AlohaKitchen.xml file in the Aloha Kitchen\Data folder to automatically configure the RAL interface with kitchen devices. Additionally, RAL creates an AKStart.bat file needed to launch Aloha Kitchen.

Manually configuring an Aloha Kitchen terminal environment

If you want to manually configure an Aloha Kitchen environment, you must configure a batch file called AKStart.bat to launch the terminals.

To manually configure an Aloha Kitchen terminal environment:

• Ensure the time zone of each terminal is set correctly to match the POS server.
• Set Computer Name: The networking setup should be similar to the Aloha POS terminals. The machine name is not important, but for ease of troubleshooting, we recommend you set the machine name to AKCONTROLLERx, where "x" is the device ID (for example AKCONTROLLER1, AKCONTROLLER2, etc.).
• Set WORKGROUP. Use the WORKGROUP the Aloha BOH file server uses (typically IBERTECH).
• Set the IP Address. Set the IP address compatible to the Aloha BOH file server and POS terminals.
• Copy the Aloha Kitchen folder and its contents from the Aloha BOH file server to the Bootdrv folder on the AK Terminal.
• Edit the StartAK.bat batch file and place a shortcut of it in the startup folder of the device. You need four startup parameters for the Aloha Kitchen executable: TERM, TERMSTR, KITCHENFOLDER, and SERVER and IBERROOT (if applicable), and IBERDIR, if using the temporary Command Center installation.
  
  • TERM is the identifier of the terminal as set in Configuration Center. Example: TERM=81
    
  • TERMSTR should be set to the same value used by the POS system, i.e. the same TERMSTR you have set on your Aloha BOH file server and POS terminals. This setting is used to determine which terminal messages the Aloha Kitchen system should act on.
    
  • KITCHENFOLDER is the local AlohaKitchen folder on the device and is the path for config and storing logs. Example: KITCHENFOLDER=C:\BOOTDRV\ALOHAKITCHEN.
    
  • SERVER is the computer name of the file server.
    
  • If the POS is installed in an ALOHA folder, you do not need to set the IBERROOT variable, but if it is installed elsewhere (ex. ALOHAQS), set the IBERROOT variable.
• Repeat this procedure for each Aloha Kitchen terminal.

An example batch file:

:: ---- These are required ----
:: (Determines which Term Id this is and MUST be the term ID in CFC — Also used for temp CMC Install)
SET TERM=81
:: (Filters POS transactions and connection, only transactions from this TERMSTR will be used - MUST be the POS TERMSTR)
SET TERMSTR=ALOHATERMS
:: (Path for config and storing log - must point to local kitchen folder)
SET KITCHENFOLDER=C:\BOOTDRV\ALOHAKITCHEN
:: (SERVER variable must match the computer name of your POS and AK file server - Also used for temporary CMC install)
SET SERVER=ALOHABOH
:: (Used for temporary CMC Install - should match your KITCHENFOLDER variable)
SET IBERDIR=C:\BOOTDRV\ALOHAKITCHEN
:: (Override default of 'ALOHA' - needed to read DOB from BOH, should be IBERROOT at BOH)
:: SET IBERROOT=ALOHAQS
:: -----------------------------
:: ---- Optional Settings ----
:: (Use to dump local machines ENVIROMENT and startup args into debout)
SET SHOWKITCHENENVIRONMENT=TRUE
:: -----------------------------
:: ---- Load Aloha Kitchen and Loop ----
:RESTART
::
:: ---- Sync time with server ----
:: (Use to sync local time - make sure WINDOWS Time Zone settings match, this is a temporary workaround)
NET TIME \\%SERVER% /SET /Y
::
:: ---- copy local NEWBIN files to local BIN
COPY %KITCHENFOLDER%\NEWBIN\*.* %KITCHENFOLDER%\BIN\ /Y
DEL %KITCHENFOLDER%\NEWBIN\*.* /Q
::
:: ---- Start a Aloha Kitchen instance ----
:: (switch '/TOUCH' will turn on the CommandBar even if a Bumpbar is defined for controller)
START /WAIT %KITCHENFOLDER%\BIN\ALOHAKITCHEN.EXE /CONTROLLER %TERM% /TOUCH
::
:: ---- Loop to restart ----
GOTO RESTART
EXIT

Troubleshooting your terminal environment

Use the following helpful tips to troubleshoot your Aloha Kitchen terminal environment:

Aloha Kitchen device does not start up and is in a continuous loop

Check the Aloha Kitchen terminal debout for the following lines and ensure the IP address (in parenthesis) is your internal POS network or an external network IP address: 10:53:04, Detected instance AlohaKitchen_9999 on network (10.100.9.2) 10:53:04, Detected instance AlohaKitchenService_9098 on network (10.100.9.2)

If the IP address is the external network, change the binder order:

• Right-click My Network Places and select Properties.
• Click Advanced and select Advanced Settings.
• Using the arrows on the right, change the binding order so your POS network is listed first.
• Click OK and exit the Advanced Properties dialog box.
• Reboot the file server. You must reboot the file server for these changes to take effect.
• If the debout is referencing the correct network, verify you have the correct ports open on your firewall for the server.

'NO POS' message appears in the upper-right of the screen

The POS terminal install usually requires only a refresh once AK has been installed on the server. Updating AK on the server adds the proper files to the Bin directory. If this does not happen, verify the following.

• If using the POS SynchInclusionList feature, ensure Aloha.ini has a CLSID entry for the AK POS interface, such as 'ActivityCLSID1=Aloha POSKitchenInterface.AlohaPOSKitchenInterface.'

  Tip: It is necessary to add this setting in Configuration Center or Aloha Manager v7.0, or higher. Do not place it directly into Aloha.ini.

• If the CLSID entry is correct, then check the POS terminal debout. If the line, 'AlohaActivity: Failed to create CLSIDAlohaPOSKitchenInterface.AlohaPOsKitchen Interface' appears, the interface did not automatically register. You must manually register the interface on each POS terminal (and also the server, if you are running an instance of Iber on the file server).

To manually register the interface on each POS terminal:

• Open a Command prompt on the terminal and navigate to the POS Bin folder.
• Type %windir%\Microsoft.Net\Framework\v2.0.50727\Regasm.exe /Verbose %LocalDir%\Bin\AlohaPOSKitchenInterface.dll /Codebase, where %LocalDir% is the actual path of your LocalDir, if your LocalDir is not defined in your environment variables on the POS terminal.
• Reboot the terminal after registering the command.