Espresso Café Client Documentation

Index

• Introduction.
• Starting the client.
• Configuration Dialog.
• Main Screen.

Introduction

Espresso Café server and client is an application for use in an Internet café, library or anywhere you need to regulate peoples time on your computers, in a pre-paid environment.  This software is ideal for Internet access terminals that are not directly monitored, like in a cafe where your main business is selling coffee!

Why is Espresso Café so cheap? We have priced this software according to the amount of work you will need to do. Due to the way java has been built there is little we can do to the client to make it work in a kiosk/cafe environment securely. You have to make sure the terminal is secure so that the client cannot disabled or terminated. We have provided registry files and tools and info to make a Windows and Linux operating system safe.

Why not use linux to reduce the initial cost of setup. No operating system cost. Low price for unlimited clients, 1 year of free email support and software upgrades, or free if you only have 1 or 2 terminals. Try beating that anywhere else!

Espresso Café generates tokens (passwords) at the server, and can be printed off in sheets, or printed individualy as time is sold. You also have the choice to export the token file into a word processor of your choice.  These cards can then be sold over the counter, or out of a vending machine. 

Your customer enters the token into the Espresso Café client terminal and gains the specified amount of time at the computer.  Most commonly used for Internet access, but can be tailored to any need.

Client Features:

• Java Based: Will run on any Java Virtual Machine.
• Hides window from Operating System.
• Launch upto 4 different applications.
• Free option on all applications.
• Combine time from another token.
• Automatic reconnection to server.
• Remebers token information for server if connection lost.
• Windows supported.
• Mac OS X supported.
• Linux supported.

Server Features:

• Java Based: Will run on any Java Virtual Machine.
• Low administrative costs.
• Pre-paid token based operation.
• Generate tokens that can be exported to Excel to generate pre-paid time cards.
• Generate multiple tokens at one time.
• Definable token size.
• Set expire date on each token.
• Edit tokens properties.
• View live token information.
• Automatically purge old cards.
• Automatically purge used tokens.
• Windows supported.
• Mac OS X supported.
• Linux supported.

Starting the client.

Starting the Client can be as easy as putting a shortcut into the Startup folder on a windows operating system.

For others use "javaw -jar client.jar"at a command line.

The first time you start the client you will be prompted with a configuration dialog box.

Note for Mac OS X users: Use the application builder MRJAppBuilder found in /Developer/Applications/ directory to make Espresso Cafe Client a double clickable application.

Note for Windows users: For information on locking down your system, registry scripts to lock down your system and a utility to disable ctrl-alt-del on Win 95/98/ME operating systems, free of charge go to http://www.vectorcomms.com/general.html

Configuration.

Server Information: Enter the IP address or hostname of the server running the Espresso Cafe Server in the Hostname/IP TextBox. Enter the port the Espresso Cafe server is listening to. See the Options menu on the server if you are not sure.

Client Intformation:

Click on the "..." path button to point to the browser you are using.

Note: For MacOS X users use the command open "/Applications/Internet Explorer.app" command.

To make an application free, check the box to the left. This means no token is required to launch the application. A good use for this is to display a local website or sponsored website. For Internet Explorer use with -kiosk command and use a frame with a close button to kill the application.

For the additional labels to appear in the client's main window, change the "Enter Label" to what you decide. By changing it back to "Enter Label" the Button in the client's main window will disappear.

If you decide to change the configuration later, delete the "cfg.dat" file from the directory and re-launch the client.

The cfg.dat file can be copied to other clients, so you only have to go through this process once.

You can also change the title text by replacing it with your own. Test this first as there are size constraints.

Add a banner to your client. This can be an animated gif so you can advertise multiple specials/products etc. Make the size of this banner no larger than w800xh100 pixles. The format can be gif or jpeg, although animation is only possible with a gif file.

Main Screen.

To use the main client screen the user has to enter their purchased/acquired token into the token text field, then click on the desired button. Note: If any buttons are marked as free they will not require a token to be entered. To finish the session you select finish, all open applications are killed and time is saved for next session. If user enters invalid token, one currently in use or expired they will be told their token is invalid.

Combine Time.

To Combine a token with the token being currently used, click the Combine Time button. You will be presented with a Combine Time dialog. Enter the newly acuired token and its time will be transfered to the current token. If user enters invalid token, one currently in use or expired they will be told their token is invalid.