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What is an Interface? An interface is what allows a Front End Program to communicate with the Loftware Print Server. The Front End makes decisions as to what labels to print based on various criteria. Once this information is known, it is communicated through the LPS Interface to the Back End, where it is processed. |
As described earlier, the LPS incorporates some very useful interfaces:
· The File Interface allows Front End applications to make requests to the LPS via a file Drop to a shared network drive. LPS detects this request and responds by printing the label. Any program in any language can use this interface.
· The TCP/IP Socket Interface allows Front End applications to have bi-directional communications directly with the LPS through a socket without the need for file transfer, or shared drives. Many aspects of the LPS configuration are available to the front end program through the socket, such as Label List, Field List, Device Configs, etc. Device status and EPC data pass back are also available in this interface. This interface is for advanced programmers only and is only available in the LPS Premier product. This interface is usually used by UNIX programmers, but can be used by C++ or C# programmers as well.
· The Direct Socket interface is similar to the TCP/IP interface mentioned above. The difference is it is much easier to code to because it is unidirectional. Print Requests are assembled in an XML file and ‘shot’ though the socket. No status is available other than the fact that if you can’t open the socket, the LPS probably is not running. This interface is usually used by UNIX programmers, but can be used by C++ or C# programmers as well.
· The Connector interface is a Java Bean used to ‘abstract’ the socket communication layer from Java programmers. This makes it very easy for Java applications written on other platforms to initiate print requests to the LPS
· The ActiveX interface, the.NET interface, and the Reader Control interface allow programming languages to send requests to the LPS from anywhere on the LAN, WAN, or Internet. Under the covers, these tools actually use a socket connection for speed and reliability. These tools are available to Windows applications. See Chapters 5 and 6 for detailed information on the ActiveX and the .Net interfaces. (The Reader Control is discussed in a separate Guide.)
· The On Demand Print Thin Client and the Web Client allow label requests to be made from any client PC on the network, or across the Internet by prompting the operator for keyboard or database key information. No programming is required to use these client programs. See Chapters 2 and 3 for detailed information on these.
