M-PS 8.0 Installation Guide for Windows (English)

Presentation/Objectives

The objective of this guide is to explain how to install, update or uninstall M-Processing Server 8.0 on a Windows system. Please note that other software modules of the Mapping Suite must be updated accordingly in order to avoid any incompatibility issues. Part of this guide also deals with the procedure for duplicating a Mapping instance when:

Changing servers
Installing a backup server
Installing a High Availability architecture

Requirements

Operating System

M-Processing Server 8.0 is compatible with the following Windows operating systems:

Windows Server 2008
Windows Server 2012

To ensure the proper functioning of M-PS, the host system must have the recommended hardware configuration and the latest updates provided by the publisher of the operating system. 2 GB of free disk space is required ti install M-PS. And 10GB more for temporary work files and for current and saved jobs.

M-PS is compiled in a 32-bit version but is fully compatible with 64-bit operating systems.

Web Server

Apache Web server (v2.2 or v2.4 recommended) is required and must be installed prior to installing M-PS. The access paths to the Apache binaries and the Apache configuration file will be requested during installation.

Ports

M-PS uses three ports for internal (between processes) or external (web interface) communications. The ports used by default are:

8002 (Web port)
515 (LPD port)
2005 (internal port of the Mapping Spooler).

These ports should be checked to ensure that they are open and available.

As a result, the LPD/LPR server from Microsoft must be stopped in order to free up port 515.

Security

Administrator permissions are required in order to install the software.

Installation Procedure

The software installation package is available for download from the technical Mapping server at https://server.mappingsuite.com. It is called "MappingWindows_setup_autogenbuild_v8.xxxxx.exe".

Launch the installation executable file.

After extracting the installation files, click Next to start the installation.

Accept the License Agreement.
The note on the requirements covers the key points that should be checked to ensure that the software works properly.
You will then be asked to choose the installation directory. Click on the Browse button in order to change the default installation path.

Important advice: It is strongly advised to not install the software in the directory suggested by default (C:\Program Files (x86)\MappingWindows) because of the very high security restrictions implemented by Microsoft. We recommend installing in a custom folder such as C:\MAPPING\MappingWindows.

Then, choose the type of installation.

Note: It is strongly advised to keep the default settings. However, you may change each setting separately to fit your needs.

Locate the configuration file as well as the binary directory of the Apache Web Server.

By default:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Apache Software Foundation\Apache2.2\conf for httpd.conf

C:\Program Files (x86)\Apache Software Foundation\Apache2.2\bin for the binaries

During installation, you will also be asked to enter the name of the company (Company), the name given to the server (Server) and its IP address (Server IP):

Leave the installation running until the end and then click Finish to complete the installation.

The installation program creates two shortcuts in the Start menu:

Software activation application: All Programs > MappingSuite > Software Activation
Web GUI of the Mapping server: All Programs > MappingSuite > M-Processing Server

Entries are also added to the Windows registry.

Windows Registry

A number of values are saved in the Windows registry during installation under "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mapping\MAPPING".

Most of the values are only for information purposes and do not have any real functional use although some will be recovered during future updates or when uninstalling.

Only "MAPPING_PATH" is really important and used as it points to the main M-PS configuration file.

In all cases, it is strongly recommended not to make any changes to the Windows registry without any guidance from Technical Support or an Administrator.

Software Activation

After installing M-Processing Server, the different modules and options need to be activated using hardware dependent license keys. To obtain the license keys:

Retrieve the required server information
Then, contact Technical Support or log on to https://server.mappingsuite.com.

Server Information

In Console mode, run the mapkey.exe command in the directory where the Mapping binaries are installed. This command also shows the server information required to create the license keys:

C:\>cd "Mapping\M-Processing Server\Applications" C:\ Mapping\M-Processing Server\Applications>mapkey.exe System identifier: 3367712

In Graphical mode, the license key application (Mapping\M-Processing Server\Applications\MapKeyDlg.exe) also shows the server identifier.

Entering License Keys

Each license key provided by Mapping is identified by means of a product number (1 to 5, or 250 to 254) and a key value (44 hexadecimal characters, separated or not by formatting dashes).

In Console mode, entering the license keys looks like this:

C:\>cd "Mapping\M-Processing Server\Applications"

C:\ Mapping\M-Processing Server\Applications>mapkey.exe

The identifier of your machine: 3367712

Enter the product number: 1

Enter the key: CD83C9-80CC80-CDB2FD-B2FDB2-01E7D9-CC02B2-FDB3FD-B2

C:\ Mapping\M-Processing Server\Applications>

Note: If the key you have entered is correct, the command will hand control over back to you without any message displayed. Otherwise, the key will be highlighted meaning it failed and you need to enter it again.

In Graphical mode, simply select Software Key and then enter the Product Number and Key Value.

Update Procedure

Before any update, make sure all Mapping Services . Then, launch the new Setup, authorize the additional permissions if needed, and select the 'Repair' option.

The program updates all the binaries used by the application (Applications and MapHTTPServer\cgi-bin directories) as well as the description and display files of the Web GUI (MapHTTPServer\JS_Common and Settings\menu directories). However, no change will be made to the configuration files of the M-PS Server nor to the status of the different Mapping objects (templates, robots, queues, workflows, etc.).

Uninstall Procedure

To uninstall the software from the server, simply run the Setup and select the 'Remove' option:

Once it has finished, the program deletes:

All the files from the installation directory
The two shortcuts in the Start menu of the server
The entries in the registry.

Important: Make sure all Mapping services are stopped before uninstalling.

Initial Troubleshooting

Installation problem / incomplete Mapping configuration file

After the installation, error messages indicating missing variables in the mapping.conf appear during the execution of the Mapping commands. Explanation: At the end of Setup, Mapping commands are executed by InstallShield in order to build the Mapping configuration file (mapping.conf). All of these commands are entered in a log file, located in the Settings directory of Mapping: install.log. Solution: Once the request errors of these commands have been identified and corrected (examples: missing argument or missing value, a path is completed by a final backslash, etc.), you can restart them in an MS-DOS command window in order to properly reconstruct the Mapping configuration file.

Web interface: Error loading the page

After the installation or update of the software, the M-PROCESSING SERVER Web interface is not displayed. The browser displays a message: "Internet Explorer cannot display this web page" (or "The connection has failed" in Firefox) without asking for any connection ID. Solution: After the installation or the update of M-PROCESSING SERVER, restart the Apache server, given that its configuration file has been modified.

Web interface: After authentication > display of a white page

At the launch of the M-PROCESSING SERVER Web interface, the Apache server requests the login details and then displays a blank page. Solution: Check the security settings for the internet browser and add the IP address of the server (or 127.0.0.1 locally) in the trusted sites. If this does not resolve the problem, it will then be necessary to check the log files of the Apache server ("error.log" and "access.log") for more information and do not hesitate to contact the Mapping support for assistance if needed.

Web interface: After authentication > display of a download pop-up

At the launch of the M-PROCESSING SERVER Web interface, the Apache server requests the login details and then a window opens up to offer the download of the mapweb_secure.exe file. Explanation: This Mapping program is run in order to display the various menus of the M-PROCESSING SERVER Web Interface and in order to browse these menus. The Apache server must support and authorise the execution of such programs, which generate dynamic external content (called CGI programs).

Solution: Check the configuration of the Apache server (httpd.conf file) and, more precisely, that the LoadModule directive that performs the CGI scripts has not received any comments. A correct directive should look like this: LoadModule cgi_module modules/mod_cgi.so If the configuration of Apache has to be amended to enable this module, you will have to restart the Apache service. If this does not resolve the problem, it will then be necessary to check the log files of the Apache server (error.log and access.log) for more information and do not hesitate to contact the Mapping support for assistance if needed.

Duplication Procedure

Context

This part of the documentation will guide an experienced user of the software to make an identical duplicate copy of an M-PROCESSING SERVER functional instance (A) on another server (B). The needs addressed by this procedure can be:

change of server
installation of a backup server
installation of a High Availability architecture

Specifications

The M-PROCESSING SERVER software must be installed correctly on the server A. All the settings of the solution must be perfectly known and identified. The OS version must be the same on both servers as well as the version of the Apache Web server. If this is not the case, it is preferable to contact the Mapping Technical Support to ensure that the software is compatible with its new environment. If databases or external applications are used with M-PROCESSING SERVER, their access paths must be identical, e.g. request for a *.bat script in a workflow or a scheduled task on the server.

Procedure

In M-PROCESSING SERVER, the entire configuration is stored on files (no database is required for the use of M-PROCESSING SERVER). The migration procedure from one server to another is therefore relatively simple and essentially involves copying files. Nevertheless, the following steps should be respected:

Installation of the server B

·Install M-PROCESSING SERVER on the new server B (identical installation) using the same installation setup which was used for the server A. Ideally, it is preferable to choose the same installation path

and keep the same folder structure in order to facilitate copies and subsequent use. Of course, the information built into the server must be different (IP address, etc.) This information can be found on the server A, in the M-PROCESSING SERVER configuration file (mapping.conf).

·On server B, successively apply all the patches and any updates which have been applied on server A. In most cases, it is probably easier to begin by updating M-PROCESSING SERVER on server A, with a more recent version basically including all these patches and then install the same version on the server B.

•Activate the software on the server B (software keys and page reload possibly).

·Then retrieve all the M-PROCESSING SERVER configuration and settings. The paths listed here are those proposed by default for an installation of the software in the basic C:\Mapping\MappingWindows directory (PATH_BASE_mapping variable of the configuration file).

Duplication of the Configuration

Please note: The following configuration files located in the Settings directory of M-PROCESSING SERVER, should not be copied from server A to server B:

mapping.conf : configuration file of M-PROCESSING SERVER. The changes made in this file must be retrieved one by one by comparing the two files.
mapkey.txt and ucinfo.txt : software key files that depend on each server.

declaration of the queues in the Mapping Spooler (required)

C:\Mapping\MappingWindows\Settings\queues\*

declaration of all the M-PROCESSING SERVER processing workflows (required - except the backup sub-directory)

C:\Mapping\MappingWindows\Settings\rules\workflow\*

declarations of the conversion profiles of XPS documents, including for printing (required)

C:\Mapping\MappingWindows\Settings\XPSConfig.conf

declarations of the M-PROCESSING SERVER 'Scanfolder' robots (if changed)

C:\Mapping\MappingWindows\Settings\robot.conf

declarations of the M-PROCESSING SERVER 'listen server' robots (if changed)

C:\Mapping\MappingWindows\Settings\maprawd.conf

declarations of the M-PROCESSING SERVER user groups (if changed)

C:\Mapping\MappingWindows\Settings\GROUPS.conf

declarations of the M-PROCESSING SERVER users (if changed)

C:\Mapping\MappingWindows\Settings\USERS.conf

declarations of the various methods of viewing spools in the M-PROCESSING SERVER Spooler (if changed)

C:\Mapping\MappingWindows\Settings\viewSettings.conf

methods of deployment from one server to another (if changed)

C:\Mapping\MappingWindows\Settings\exportSettings.conf

Duplication of the M-DESIGNER / M-CONNECT Formats

Mapping objects describing all the M-CONNECT and M-DESIGNER formats in production (required)

C:\Mapping\MappingWindows\map400\*

Please note: Most importantly, the Key sub-directory in map400 should not be copied from server A to Server B. It contains the page reload files that depend on each server.

external resources (images, XPS, translations) used in the M-DESIGNER formats (required if used)

C:\Mapping\MappingWindows\Import\lgobitmap\*

external resources (translations) used in the M-CONNECT formats (required if used)

C:\Mapping\MappingWindows\Import\lang\*

Other Duplications

Source files of the M-CONNECT / M-DESIGNER projects (if backed up on the M-PROCESSING SERVER)

C:\Mapping\MappingWindows\Import\docpc\*

Archive directory (if used by M-STORAGE)

C:\Mapping\MappingWindows\Archive\*

Log directory of the Mapping Spooler (optional because they can be regarded as specific to each server)

C:\Mapping\MappingWindows\Spooler\logs\*

Work directory of the Mapping Spooler (optional because they can be regarded as specific to each server)

C:\Mapping\MappingWindows\Spooler\global\*

Depending on the overall use of the solution, other elements can be duplicated including scripts requested in the M-PROCESSING SERVER processing workflows, scheduled M-PROCESSING SERVER cleansing or triggering tasks, etc. Given that these elements are specific to each client, they may not be listed here and must be identified by the user.