VLink COMMANDbatch® Interface

Setup Guide
COMMANDbatch V1.8.7.0 & Later
5/6/14

Command Alkon Inc.

5168 Blazer Parkway
Dublin, Ohio 43017
1.800.624.1872
Fax: 614.793.0608
Part Number: 26300
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www.commandalkon.com

Command Alkon Incorporated

1800 International Park Drive, Suite 400
Birmingham, AL 35243-4232
(205) 879-3282

5168 Blazer Parkway

Dublin, OH 43017-1339
(614) 799-6650
For a list of all Command Alkon locations, go to:
http://www.commandalkon.com/locations.asp
COMMANDseries (and the names of its components, such as COMMANDconcrete and
COMMANDnetwork), Spectrum, Eagle, and COMMANDbatch are registered trademarks of
Command Alkon Incorporated. All rights reserved.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and
other countries.
Hydro-Control is a registered trademark of Hydronix Limited, United Kingdom.
Verifi is a registered trademark of RS Solutions, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.

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 Contents

Contents ........................................................................................ 3

Introduction .................................................................................. 4
Purpose ................................................................................................ 4
Audience ............................................................................................... 4
Revision Summary ................................................................................. 4

VLink COMMANDbatch Interface .................................................... 6

Prerequisite Software .............................................................................. 7
EDX Server Installation ........................................................................... 8
EDX Gateway Configuration ................................................................... 11
EDX Client Installation on COMMANDbatch PC .......................................... 13
COMMANDbatch Configuration ............................................................... 15
Troubleshooting ................................................................................... 18
No Messages in EDX Log Viewer .......................................................... 18
No Transaction Profile ......................................................................... 18
Database Connectivity Issues .............................................................. 20
Error Codes ...................................................................................... 21

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 Introduction

Topics in This Section

Purpose
Audience
Revision Summary

Purpose
This guide explains how to configure COMMANDbatch and the EDX Gateway
so that mix data can be extracted from batching systems for use by third
party systems (such as the Verifi® system).

Audience
This guide should only be used by Command Alkon installation and service
personnel, or plant/management personnel specifically authorized to
configure COMMANDbatch.

Revision Summary
CMDbatch
Date Version Revision
Apr. 3, 2013 1.8.5.3 Document created.
Apr. 25, 2013 1.8.5.3 Minor revisions per QA review.
Apr. 30, 2013 1.8.5.3 • Added samples of XML packest for
ShipmentSummary and
ProductionPerformance.
• Added a Troubleshooting section.
May 23, 2013 1.8.5.3 Removed XML samples from the document.
Jun. 3, 2013 1.8.5.3 Minor revision to overview.
Jul. 2, 2013 1.8.5.3 Revised EDX installation sections.
Jul. 16, 2013 1.8.6.2 • Changed name of manual to “VLink
COMMANDbatch Interface Setup Guide”.
• Removed all instances of “Verifi” except for
those used in screen shots and folder paths.
Aug. 6, 2013 1.8.6.2 Revised procedures for configuring the EDX
Gateway for EDX V3.2.7.0.
Sep. 10, 2013 18.6.2 Added a table of error codes to Troubleshooting
section.

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 Sep. 23, 2013 1.8.7.0 • Removed section on configuring the
COMMANDbatch Plugin because the “Publish
Scope” functionality now takes care of this.
• Added notes to the “Prerequisite Software”
section regarding software requirements when
the VLink interface is installed on systems
that are currently running CPM.
Feb. 3, 2014 1.8.8.0 • Corrected screen example of COMMANDedx
Configuration form to show fewer Outbound
Data options.
• Added a note stating that the “Publish Scope”
box should not be checked for systems
currently receiving tickets via CPM.
May 6, 2014 1.8.8.2 Added section on troubleshooting database
connectivity issues.

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 VLink COMMANDbatch Interface

The VLink COMMANDbatch® Interface extracts ticket and mix design data
from dispatch and local tickets and transmits this data over a secure
connection (via Command Alkon's EDX Gateway) to a cloud server which
makes the data available to third party systems (such as the Verifi® system
which uses the data to calculate slump for mixes in concrete trucks).

Data Flow

Refer to the diagram above.

• Whenever a load is started, ticket and mix design data is sent in a
ShipmentSchedule XML message. Additional ShipmentSchedule
messages can be sent to communicate truck change information and the
actual ticket number. The truck code can be changed until the ticket is
printed.
• The third party system receives and processes the ShipmentSchedule
message and returns a 204 response code if there are no issues with the
message. If there is an issue processing the message, a 200 response
code is sent, along with a BOD Response message providing details of the
issue.

Refer to the diagram above.

• A ProductionPerformance message is sent to the third party system
whenever a load is completed or cancelled. The message contains data
for the Max Water Allowed calculation, along with relevant status
information that the third party system needs to complete the request
sent in the associated ShipmentSchedule message.
• The third party system receives and processes the
ProductionPerformance message and returns a 204 response code if
there are no issues with the message. If there is an issue processing the

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 message, a 200 response code is sent, along with a BOD Response
message providing details of the issue.

Prerequisite Software
• COMMANDbatch 1.8.5.3 or later
• Microsoft .NET 4.0
• EDX 3.2.5.0 or later
• COMMANDbatch Plugin 1.8.5.3 SP4 or later

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ!!

If the VLink interface is being installed on a system that is currently running
CPM, the following software must be upgraded (or left alone) as described:
— The current EDX Server must be upgraded to 3.2.7 (installs the new
Protocol Bridge / Gateway functionality).
— COMMANDbatch must be upgraded to the latest GA version.
— The COMMANDbatch CPM Plugin must be upgraded to latest GA
version.
— The EDX Client on the COMMANDbatch PC must be upgraded to
version 3.2.7.
— COMMANDseries, the COMMANDseries Plugin, and the EDX Client
versions can remain at their current versions.

COMMANDseries Notes:
• The COMMANDseries V2 Plugin does not support EDX 3.2.7, so
its EDX Client version needs to remain at 3.1.4 (or whichever
version is currently installed).
• The EDX Server is backward compatible so that older EDX Client
versions can still communicate with newer Server versions.
• EXCEPTION: When the COMMANDseries Plugin, EDX Client, and
EDX Server are all running on the same machine, the EDX
Server should be moved to another machine.

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 EDX Server Installation
If an EDX Server is not currently installed, perform the following procedure.

Note: The EDX Server should reside on a separate machine from the
COMMANDbatch PC.

The EDX Server, Client, and Protocol Bridge are installed on the EDX Server.

1. Verify that the full version of .NET 4.0 is installed.

Note: The .NET 4.0 installer (dotNetFx40_Full_x86_x64.exe) is available

on the install media under the EDX Integration folder.

2. Run the COMMANDedx installer program.

3. On the Installation Directory window, choose a destination
directory. The default destination is:
Windows XP:

Windows 7:

4. On the Auto Update Selection window, leave “Server” and

“Client” unchecked.

5. On the Component Selection window, select “Server and Client”

and “Install Protocol Bridge”.

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 6. When prompted to “Select Gateway Template”, browse the install
media and choose the Gateway.xml template file (under the EDX
Integration directory) for the proper partner and click Next.

7. On the Client Architecture Selection window, check “Force bit

(x86)”.

8. On the Server, History, and Client Database Options windows,

select the database and enter the username, password, server
name, and database name (IP Address or Computer Name).
Server Database Options

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 History Database Options

Client Database Options

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 EDX Gateway Configuration
The third party will supply each customer with URI's and a unique set of User
Credentials for posting messages. As explained next, you will need to add
these URI's and Credentials for that Partner using the Gateway Configuration
utility.

1. Run the Gateway Configuration utility by selecting Start > All

Programs > COMMANDedx > Gateway Configuration.

2. From the “Partners” tab, select the Partner created from the
Gateway Template that was selected during EDX installation and
click on the “Edit” button as shown next.

3. When the Partner editor opens, select the “Protocol Bridge” tab
and enter the Username / Password Credentials provided by the
third party.

4. If needed, the URI can be modified in the REST Adapter section of

the Partner editor. (Default URI’s are defined from the Gateway
Template that was selected during installation.)

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 5. After all changes have been made, click OK.
6. Restart the EDX Client Service so that your changes take effect.

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 EDX Client Installation on COMMANDbatch PC
Only the EDX Client is installed on the COMMANDbatch PC.

1. Verify that the full version of .NET 4.0 is installed.

Note: The .NET 4.0 installer (dotNetFx40_Full_x86_x64.exe) is available

on the install media under the EDX Integration folder.

2. Run the COMMANDedx installer program.

3. On the Installation Directory window, choose a destination
directory. The default destination is:
Windows XP:

Windows 7:

4. On the Auto Update Selection window, leave “Server” and

“Client” unchecked.

5. On the Component Selection window, select “Client Only”.

6. On the Client Architecture Selection window, check “Force bit

(x86)”.

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 7. On the EDX Server Address Selection window, enter the EDX
Server Address or host name. (This address is not validated
during the installation.)

8. On the Client Database Options window, select the client

database (MS SQL or Oracle) and then enter the username,
password, and server name for the Client database (either the IP
Address or the Computer Name).
Client Database Options

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 COMMANDbatch Configuration
1. Log in to COMMANDbatch and open the COMMANDedx
Configuration form.

2. On the Configuration tab.

a) Check the “Enabled” box.
b) Set all Inbound Data values to Ignore.

3. On the Interfaces tab, check the “Publish Scope” option.

Note: When using the "Publish Scope" feature, the Plant Code in the
Plants form must be set to the correct Unique Plant Code prior to
Plugin Installation.

Important!
If the system currently receives tickets via CPM, DO NOT check
the Publish Scope box.

4. On the Behavior tab, check the “Enable Alerts” box to allow error
messages to be presented to the Batch Operator.

5/6/14 15
 Optional:
To filter which error messages will be presented to the operator, open the
COMMANDbatchPluginCPM.dll.config file and in the "ErrorFilter" section
un-comment out the errors that you DO NOT want displayed. By default,
all Error Codes are commented out as shown below and will be displayed.
<ErrorFilter>
<!--
<ErrorCode key="NotAuthorized" value="401" />
<ErrorCode key="NotFound" value="404" />
<ErrorCode key="BadRequest" value="400" />
<ErrorCode key="ServerError" value="500" />
<ErrorCode key="UnknownError" value="2901" />
<ErrorCode key="ItemNotFound" value="2902" />
<ErrorCode key="ItemAlreadyExists" value="2904" />
<ErrorCode key="UOMError" value="2908" />
<ErrorCode key="InvalidXML" value="2909" />
-->
</ErrorFilter>

5. Save your changes to the COMMANDedx Configuration form.

6. Once EDX is enabled, “Require Reconciliation” is automatically
turned on. Unless the customer wants to use this feature, go to
the Rules tab of the System Parameters form and disable it.

7. Save your changes on the System Parameters form.

8. On the Plants form, set the Plant Code to a unique plant-specific
number that matches what the third party will use for the site.

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 a) Right click on the Plant field and select “Rename”. The Plant field
becomes editable.
b) Enter the correct Plant Code and save your changes.
c) Restart COMMANDbatch so your changes will take effect.
9. IMPORTANT!
Check the time zone settings in Windows and configure for the
proper time zone setting and daylight savings time options.
10. Install the COMMANDbatch Plugin:
a) Run the COMMANDbatchPluginCPM executable file from the
COMMANDbatch install CD.
b) Click Next at the Welcome window.
c) Select or change the destination and click Install.
d) When installation is complete, click Next and then Finish.
11. Restart the EDX Client Service in order to publish the Scope to the
EDX Server.

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 Troubleshooting
No Messages in EDX Log Viewer
No Transaction Profile
Database Connectivity Issues
Error Codes

No Messages in EDX Log Viewer

If you do not see messages in the EDX Log Viewer, check the
following items:
• If no data is being sent to the third party, but the Plugin is initializing
within EDX:
— Verify that CPM is enabled in the COMMANDbatch license file.
— Verify that the third party Interface is enabled on the COMMANDedx
Configuration form.
• Verify that the COMMANDbatch Plugin Transaction Profile was created on
the EDX Server:
— Select Start > All Programs > COMMANDedx > Server Maintenance.
— Click on the Transaction Profiles tab and click the Refresh button.
You should see an entry similar to the one outlined below for each
COMMANDbatch Plant that is brought online.

No Transaction Profile
If you do not see the Plugin's Transaction Profile:
• Restart the CommandEDXClient Service on the COMMANDbatch PC and
check the Transaction Profiles tab again.

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 • Verify that the ShipmentSchedule and ProductionPerformance messages
are being sent to the third party and accepted. The following two screen
examples show what to look for in the EDX Client Log on the EDX Server:
ShipmentSchedule

ProductionPerformance

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 Database Connectivity Issues
Errors in the EDX Log Viewer that are related to “Selecting Data” from the
EDX Database may indicate problems with the EDX Database connections.
Here is an example.

To confirm that there are database connectivity issues, open the EDX
Configuration Editor Utility (select Start > All Programs > CommandEDX >
Configuration Editor).
Navigate to the “Databases” section, select the database in question, and click
“Test Connection” to see if a Success or Failure message is returned.

If a Failure message is returned, then further troubleshooting needs to be

performed.

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 Error Codes
Error
Type Code Reason Description
Rejected 3701 No Ticket Number in Ticket number not found. The ticket
ShipmentSchedule number was not provided in the
ShipmentSchedule message.
Rejected 3702 No Production Request ID in Production Request ID is missing or
ShipmentSchedule or invalid. Cannot process message
ProductionPerformance without primary key.
Rejected 3703 No PlantCode in Invalid plant code received. The
ShipmentSchedule plant code was not provided or was
not found in the VLink system.
Rejected 3704 Load size or target slump unit in Invalid Unit of Measure received for
ShipmentSchedule or Load size and/or Target Slump. The
ProductionPerformance not Unit of Measure was not provided or
recognized as a supported unit is not defined in the VLink system.
type (unless
ProductionPerformance is a
cancel message)
Rejected 3705 Load size or target slump unit is Load size or Target Slump not
missing, when the value is set (if received in ShipmentSchedule
a load size or load size unit is not message.
sent, the message is not
rejected; it is only rejected if a
load size is sent without a unit)
Rejected 3706 Load Size and/or load size unit Invalid Load size received in
are missing from ProductionPerformance message.
ProductionPerformance (unless
ProductionPerformance is a
cancel message)
Rejected 3707 Unrecognized max water unit in Invalid Unit of Measure received for
ProductionPerformance (unless Water to Add field. The Unit of
ProductionPerformance is a Measure was not provided or is not
cancel message) defined in the VLink system.
Rejected 3708 No Actual load start or end times Actual Load Start / Load End times
in ProductionPerformance not received in
(unless ProductionPerformance ProductionPerformance message.
is a cancel message)
Rejected 3709 Truck number not found. There Invalid truck number received. The
currently is no way to tell if the truck number was not provided or
ticket was sent for a truck that was not found in the VLink system.
doesn’t have slump measuring
equipment installed, or if the
truck name doesn’t match
between systems. So this error
will be sent in both cases
Rejected 3710 Driver not found Invalid driver name/code received.
The driver information was not
provided or was not found in the
VLink system.

5/6/14 21
 Error
Type Code Reason Description
Rejected 3711 PlantCode in ShipmentSchedule Invalid plant code received. The
is not found in VLink system plant code was not provided or was
not found in the VLink system.
Rejected 3712 ShipmentSchedule has not Data transfer messages were
already been received and saved received out of order.
before ProductionPerformance ProductionPerformance message
has been received received prior to ShipmentSchedule.

Type Description
Rejected Message could not be saved in the VLink system due to missing
data or malformed XML.
Protocol Protocol error has prevented the message from being
transmitted to the VLink system. The error code and a brief
description will be displayed for the error.

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