SlideShow-Client
Description
The SlideShow-Client allows you to load images for presentation on the signature device’s display that were configured beforehand using the SlideShow-Manager and stored centrally on a server. By using the SlideShow-Client, the slide show does not have to be transferred manually to the attached signature devices using SlideShow-Manager; rather, the procedure can be carried out fully automatically. You might want to use this option to minimize the amount of effort required if you have a lot of signature devices in use and the slide show frequently changes.
Transfer configuration
First, you need to copy the file “ClientSettings.xml” from the configuration that you loaded to the server with SlideShow-Manager and use it to overwrite the local ClientSettings.xml from the installation directory “…\SlideShow\SlideShowClient\.”
Then you should create a link to “SlideShowClient_x86.cmd” or “SlideShowClient_x64.cmd” (depending on the operating system) from the installation directory “…\SlideShow\SlideShowClient\” and save it in autostart. This file contains the call for “SlideShowClient.exe,” which does not have a UI. The shortcut in the “Startup” folder ensures that a check is performed on user login, to determine whether the configuration must be transferred to the signature devices. Alternatively, you can start this process at any other time by running the SlideShowClient.exe file.
When the SlideShow-Client is run, it checks whether the file “UserSettings.xml” is present in the directory %APPDATA%\signotec\SlideShowClient.
If the file is not present, the SlideShow-Client uses the data stored in the ClientSettings.xml file to connect to the server, from where it loads the configuration and images and transfers them to the attached signature devices.
If the file is present, the SlideShow-Client checks whether the timestamp in the UserSettings.xml file matches that in the RemoteSettings.xml file on the server, and whether the serial numbers in the UserSettings.xml file match those of the attached signature devices.
If the timestamp or serial numbers do not match, the configuration on the server was changed or the attached signature devices have changed. As a result, the SlideShow-Client connects to the server and transfers the configuration and images to the attached signature devices.
If the timestamp and serial numbers match, the configuration on the server was not changed, nor have the attached signature devices changed. There is no action on the part of the SlideShow-Client.
If the transfer was successfully completed, the UserSettings.xml is created or changed in the directory specified above, and receives the timestamp of the RemoteSettings.xml file from the server.
Please note that the advanced settings (custom display duration and the options Once and Exit) are only supported in Omega from version M or M-N onwards. Alpha does not support the advanced settings. During transfer, these settings are ignored and the option “continuous” and the general display duration are used.
If the directory on the server or the access data changes, you must upload the configuration again using SlideShow-Manager and then distribute the ClientSettings.xml file to the local computers.
If the configuration or the images change, you merely have to upload the configuration again using SlideShow-Manager. As a result, the timestamp in the RemoteSettings.xml file is changed and the transfer is started when the next check is carried out by the SlideShow-Client. Should a configuration and images already exist on the signature device, they are overwritten.
SlideShowClient.ini
“SlideShowClient.ini” in the installation directory “…\SlideShow\SlideShowClient\” gives you two configuration options.
If any problems occur in the transfer with SlideShowClient, you can use the entry “Logging=YES“ to activate the log where detailed information is stored. The log can then be accessed in the directory “%USERPROFILE%” with the name “SlideShowClient-Datum.log.”
You can also use the entry “SearchAllFTDIAgain=YES” to define whether the SlideShow-Client should search for available signature devices at all COM ports or only for those saved in UserSettings.xml. If the COM ports of the signature devices have changed or further ones have been added, a search for all COM ports should be carried out, as otherwise signature devices will be omitted. However, the transfer will then take longer, as all COM ports are checked first, to determine whether a signature device is attached.