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Connect a PLOSSYS 4 System

Install the node-p4rest service on the PLOSSYS 4 server. In SEAL Operator, the PLOSSYS 4 (p4) connector is active by default. You still need to specify some connection keys in Consul and connect the PLOSSYS 4 panel.

Caution - breaking change

SEAL Operator as of version 1.10.0 requires node-p4rest version 6.28.0 or higher.

Caution - access to the directories of PLOSSYS 4

The service account running the node-p4rest service needs write access to the gate directories of PLOSSYS 4.

Install the node-p4rest Service

At the PLOSSYS 4 server, install the node-p4rest service:

  1. In a browser, log on to the SEAL Systems delivery platform with your logon data:

    https://delivery.sealsystems.de

    Hint - logon data

    You receive the logon data from your Technical Project Manager at SEAL Systems.

  2. Download the node-p4rest-6.28.0.990.msi file from the SEAL Systems delivery platform. The downloaded file has the name node-p4rest-6.28.0.990.msi.

  3. Execute node-p4rest-6.28.0.990.msi. This installs the node-p4rest service.

  4. Open the Windows System dialog and select Advanced System Settings.

  5. In the System Properties dialog, select Environment Variables.

  6. Specify the following mandatory keys in System Variables:

    Example - set system variables

    AUTH_ISSUER_URL=https://localhost:32769/realms/SEAL
ID_PROVIDER_NAME=https://localhost:32769/realms/SEAL

    Hint - changed URLs as of Keycloak 21.0.1

    As of SEAL-specific Keycloak version 21.0.1, the URLs needed for AUTH_ISSUER_URL and ID_PROVIDER_NAME have changed. For the old and new values, refer to the key descriptions.

  7. Specify the following optional keys in System Variables unless the respective default fits:

    • ID_PROVIDER_CERT: optional, path and file name of the certificate generated by the OIDC identity provider. You need this key only if the automatic request of the certificate from the OIDC identity provider fails.

    • INFOSERVER_URL: optional, URL of PLOSSYS Infoserver, default socket://localhost:7125

    • PLSHOST: optional, server name of PLOSSYS Infoserver, default localhost

    • PLSPORT: optional, port number of PLOSSYS Infoserver, default 7125

    • PLSROOT: optional, PLOSSYS 4 installation directory, default c:\SEAL\applications

    • PGHOST: optional, server name of the PLOSSYS 4 PostgreSQL database used for the job reply, default localhost

    • PGPORT: optional, port number of the PLOSSYS 4 PostgreSQL database used for the job reply, default 7128

    • RLIGATE: optional, name of the target directory for the rli and rlist repro list files, default rlipdmgate

    • SERVICE_URL: optional, URL under which the service can be accessed

    Literature - PLOSSYS 4 system variables

    For further information about the PLOSSYS 4 system variables, refer to the PLOSSYS 4 System Description.

  8. Start the node-p4rest service:

    1. Open the Windows Services dialog, for example by executing services.msc.

    2. Select the node-p4rest service.

    3. Select Start the service.

Configure the Connector

In SEAL Operator, activate the connector and specify the keys for the connection:

  1. Open a Command Prompt or PowerShell.

  2. Export the complete configuration of SEAL Operator from Consul to a YAML file. This ensures that you edit the current configuration.

    operator config export <filename>.yml --insecure

  3. Edit the exported file <filename>.yml.

  4. In the section of the PLOSSYS 4 (p4) connector, make sure that cstatus is set to on. This is the default. The same applies to the Fileupload (scratch) connector.

    operator:
  connectors:
    ...
    p4:
      cstatus: 'on'
      serviceName: operator-p4
      url: 'https://localhost:3010'
    scratch:
      cstatus: 'on'
      serviceName: operator-fileupload
      url: 'https://localhost:3009'
    ...

    Caution - do not turn off

    Do not deactivate the Fileupload (scratch) connector. Otherwise, the PLOSSYS 4 (p4) connector does not work!

Single PLOSSYS 4 Backend

  1. In the env section, specify the following keys for the seal-operator-p4 service in the operator-p4 section:

    • ACTION_EXECUTOR: mandatory, backend system, here P4

    • PLOSSYS_URL: mandatory, URL of the PLOSSYS 4 system to which SEAL Operator has to connect

    env:
  service:
  ...
    operator-p4:
      tag:
        any:
          ACTION_EXECUTOR: P4
          PLOSSYS_URL: 'https://<plossys_4_server_name>:3011'
  ...

    Literature - keys

    For further information about available keys, refer to the Key Reference.

  2. Specify the following optional keys if required:

    • APW_URL: optional, URL of the APW REST server

    • JWT_USERNAME: optional, user name set in the JSON Web Token (JWT)

    • PLOSSYS_TIMEOUT: optional, timeout for connecting and retrieving data from the PLOSSYS 4 system

    • STAMP_META: optional, flag if additional sheets are stamped as well

    • TARGET_CONTENT_TYPE: optional, PLOSSYS 4-specific job format, repro list or set collation

    • TARGET_FILE_KEY: optional, key where to put the names of local files when exporting to a repro list

    • USER_NAME_KEY: optional, key where to put the name of the logged-in user when exporting to a repro list

  3. Save the <filename>.yml file.

  4. Re-import the file to Consul.

    operator config import <filename>.yml --insecure

  5. Check the imported value for PLOSSYS_URL:

    operator config get PLOSSYS_URL --service operator-p4 --insecure

Multiple PLOSSYS 4 Backends

For multiple PLOSSYS 4 backends, define them in the SYSTEMS subsection of the operator-p4 environment. The recommended way is to export the existing configuration to a YAML file, add the entries, and re-import the configuration. For details on how to make those changes in Consul, refer to the hint below.

  1. In the env section, specify the following keys for the seal-operator-p4 service in the operator-p4 section:

    • ACTION_EXECUTOR: mandatory, backend system, here P4

    • SYSTEMS: mandatory, section containing a list of PLOSSYS 4 systems. Every list entry stands for a P4 system. In YAML format every list entry starts with a dash (-). When you make these changes in Consul, you need another indexed subsection for every system. For more details, refer to the hint in the next step.

  2. Below the SYSTEMS section specify the following keys:

    • PLOSSYS_URL: mandatory, URL of the PLOSSYS 4 system to which SEAL Operator has to connect

    • PLOSSYS_NAME: optional, arbitrary unique name for backend system, default is host name in PLOSSYS_URL

    • TARGET_CONTENT_TYPE: optional, PLOSSYS 4-specific job format, repro list or set collation

    • TARGET_FILE_KEY: optional, key where to put the names of local files when exporting to a repro list

    • USER_NAME_KEY: optional, key where to put the name of the logged-in user when exporting to a repro list

    Example - configuration in YAML format

    env:
  service:
  ...
    operator-p4:
      tag:
        any:
          ACTION_EXECUTOR: P4
          SYSTEMS:
            - PLOSSYS_NAME: <system_1_name>
              PLOSSYS_URL: 'https://<plossys_4_server_1_name>:3011'
            - PLOSSYS_NAME: <system_2_name>
              PLOSSYS_URL: 'https://<plossys_4_server_2_name>:3011'
  ...

    Hint - structure in Consul

    When you set the key via Consul, you need another indexed subsection. Consul does not support enumerations.

    The same configuration as above transformed to Consul structure:

    env:
  service:
    operator-p4:
      tag:
        any:
          SYSTEMS:
            0:
              PLOSSYS_NAME: <system_1_name>
              PLOSSYS_URL: 'https://<plossys_4_server_1_name>:3011'
            1:
              PLOSSYS_NAME: <system_2_name>
              PLOSSYS_URL: 'https://<plossys_4_server_2_name>:3011'

    The PLOSSYS_URL for the first system in Consul UI. Take notice of the emphasized breadcrumb line on top:

    Consul UI

  3. In the env section, specify the following connector-specific keys for the seal-operator-p4 service in the operator-p4 section if required.

    • APW_URL: optional, URL of the APW REST server

    • JWT_USERNAME: optional, user name set in the JSON Web Token (JWT)

    • PLOSSYS_TIMEOUT: optional, timeout for connecting and retrieving data from the PLOSSYS 4 system

    • STAMP_META: optional, flag if additional sheets are stamped as well

    Literature - keys

    For further information about available keys, refer to the Key Reference.

  4. Save the <filename>.yml file.

  5. Re-import the file to Consul.

    operator config import <filename>.yml --insecure

  6. Check the imported value, for example for ACTION_EXECUTOR:

    operator config get ACTION_EXECUTOR --service operator-p4 --insecure

  7. Make sure every PLOSSYS 4 backend system has a node-p4rest service installed and running.

Connect PLOSSYS 4 Panel

To connect the PLOSSYS 4 panel, you need to specify the logon data for PLOSSYS 4 in the user interface:

  1. In a browser, call the following URL to open the user interface and log on to it.

    https://<operator_server>:3000

  2. Open the Server Settings by selecting Settings in the user menu.

    Open server settings

  3. In the PLOSSYS 4 section of the server settings, switch to change mode, specify user name and password and save the settings.

    Logon data for PLOSSYS 4

Configure the Panel (Optional)

The PLOSSYS 4 panel pre-configuration comes with some standard parameters already set. But it is normally not sufficient to replace an existing P2P or PAD installation. For how to customize the panel, refer to PLOSSYS 4 Panel Customization.

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