Configuring AlohaSpy for BOH connection

I am asked quite often how to configure the AlohaSpy service on the Aloha POS system. One of the challenges I believe most people have is that the original documentation that was available was incorrect.

Below is my quick guide on configuring AlohaSpy to operate on your POS system. The method I describe below is for configuring all text information from all cameras defined to be outputted to the BOH on a single serial port.

Some DVR security applications may be quite lame in their ability to translate the TVS coding, and cannot accept a single stream for all cameras. In that case, you would need to configure alohaspy output for each individual FOH terminal, then connect a text encoder to each terminal (Or the DVR needs to use a serial port for each text input). If you are stuck with either of those conditions, then your DVR system sucks. You should have purchased a proper DVR system, because the added expense could have more than covered purchasing a better DVR system. There, I said it!

If you are using Radiant Configuration Center to manage your sites, then steps 1, 4, and 5 must be done via the configuration center interface and not directly on the BOH.

Step 1

Make sure the following line exists in your ALOHA.INI file. If it doesn't, then add it.
DEBOUTALOHASPY=TRUE

Step 2

Now lets update the environment settings on the BOH computer.

Add the following line into the environment settings on the BOH computer. Add this setting to the system area, not the current user area. This setting defines the TCP port number to use. The default port to use is 3999. You can use something else, but I have yet to see an issue with using this port number.

Step 3

The AlohaSpy components need to be registered on the BOH computer. Run the following commands from the %IBERDIR%\BIN directory:
regsvr32 aspyps.dll
alohaspy /service /debug

 

 

Step 4

From the Aloha Manager or Configuration Center, enable Alohaspy in the Maintenance / Store Settings / Security section.

Step 5

From the Aloha Manager or Configuration Center, go into the Terminal Maintenance / Other section, and make the following adjustments for each terminal you wish to monitor with AlohaSpy. In the Aloha Spy Server section, enter the same port number you configured in the BOH environment (typically 3999) in the Port box.

In the IP box, you can either specify the machine name of the BOH computer (The SERVER value set on each FOH terminal), or you can specify the IP address of the BOH computer. Either way works fine.

Step 6

There is a file called ALOHASPY.INI that needs to reside at: %IBERDIR%\ALOHASPY.INI. This file must be created if it does not exist. Use the format shown below to create the file.

In the section COMM5, Change the numeric value to match the serial port you wish to use on the BOH computer that will connect to your DVR. (ie, if you wish to use COM4, then change this section name to COMM4, etc)

In the DEVICE1 section, change the value for DEVICETYPEIP to the same serial port on the BOH you will be connecting to your DVR. (ie, if you wish to use COM5, then the line will be DEVICETYPEID=5).

Add a section for each FOH terminal you wish to capture AlohaSpy output from. (ie, if you only want to have AlohaSpy text genrated for FOH terminals 1, 2, and 4, then create sections [TERM1], [TERM2], and [TERM3]).

The below example of AlohaSpy.ini shows AlohaSpy configured for BOH com5 and to be active on terminals 1, 2, and 4 only.

Step 7

Go into the windows services applet (services.msc), and make sure the AlohaSpy service startup is set for Automatic, and then start the service if it is not already.

AlohaSpy should now be configured and running on your Aloha POS system. You can check the AlohaSpy log file at %IBERDIR%\tmp\DEBOUT.SPY to ensure that the output is being generated and your settings are what you want them to be.

Help me out

If you have found the information in this quick guide useful, could you do me a favor and click on one or more of the ads that appear on this page/site? It would be greatly appreciated. I put this information up as I love working with this stuff, and enjoy the exchange of information with others. If you have a question or would like to have me post something, let me know.