Integration Guide

Software Description
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WaveWorks PSS, Integration Guide, 1.10 Page 101
© 2000, Symbol Technologies, Inc. February 1, 2000
8.8.6 Item Record File Processing
PSS maintains a database of items on the store shelves and their prices. This database is
maintained by downloading the item information from the store’s POS system. These
downloads can be achieved as either full item database downloads or as item information
updates.
The POSItemFile system settings are used to control the functioning of these operations. Either
or both download types can be used to update the PSS item database. Since a download of a full
item file requires a high level of computer system resources it is recommended that full item
database downloads be performed when shopping activity is low. However, shopping trip
activities may continue during Item File processing and full downloads or updates can occur at
any time. Early benchmarks indicate approximately 1500-4000 records per minute can be loaded
depending on other PSS system activities, load on the POS system, overall traffic load on the
PSS-POS network segment, machine configuration (CPU speed and amount of memory) and on
the database size.
There is one primary distinction between item update and full item file processing, item deletion.
During full item file processing PSS tags all items in the database that were also in the item file
and after finishing its update pass it deletes all untagged items. Since item update processing
does not include an item delete function, this is the only way to purge PSS of items that have
been deleted from the POS database.
8.8.6.1 File-Based Interface
The transfer directory is polled by the PSSFileMonitor service. When a Full Item File or
Item/Price Update file arrives in the transfer directory, the Item File processing is initiated. File
processing takes the data contained in each Item File record and loads that data into the
PSS_Shopping_Item table in the PSS Database.
8.8.6.2 4690 Interface
The PssPosService creates an Item update or full Item file from the information maintained on
the 4690 controller. On startup, the PSSFileMonitor service sends a WaveWorks transaction to
the PssPosService requesting that it initiate Item/Price update processing. The PosService then
begins polling the POS controller at the rate specified by the configuration item
POSItemFile/MonitorInterval for changes. The PSSFileMonitor uses the configuration item
POSItemFile/TransferTime to control when to request download of a full item file to the PSS
system. When that time arrives, the PSSFileMonitor sends a pair of WaveWorks transactions to
the PosService, one to disable item/price update polling and one to request creation of the full
item file. On arrival of the item file in the transfer directory the PSSFileMonitor triggers the
WaveWorks ItemFile load transaction. Upon completion of loading the file, the ItemFile load
module sends a WaveWorks transaction to the PosService to tell it to resume polling the POS
system for updates.