Supporting Aloha

Contents
2. Getting to know Aloha
3. How does it work?
4. Aloha equipment
5. Database Errors
5. Other Errors
6. Network Errors
7. EOD and Grind Errors
7. End of Day
8. Marker Files
9. How to Manual Grind
9. How to ReGrind in Aloha Manager
9. Why is my store not Grinding?
9. When do I need to “Make Fileserver”
10. My DSL is not down, why is EDC not processing?
10. Date of Business (DOB)
10. FOH Time
10. Downtime.ini
10. Verify Errors
11. Printer Troubleshooting
11. Terminal Troubleshooting
 Getting to know aloha
Aloha is an easy to learn point-of-sale program with a very simple file structure. The Aloha file
server is used to hold and manage the databases and files. Front-of-house (FOH) terminals are used to enter
and monitor transactions. The file structure for what is called the Aloha server or back-of-house (BOH) will
vary between versions but the basic file structures you will have to deal with are shown below along with
the more important files in each.

C:\ALOHA
\BIN All of the executables and dlls. The meat of Aloha. **
Iber.exe – Executable that runs FOH

\BMP All of the bitmap images used on the BOH and FOH. **
Icons for clock-ins, buttons and tenders

\CRW Crystal Reports created for the program.

\DATA All current database files. **

Aloha.ini – Contains store information and Date of Business (DOB)
EOD - Marker that lets Aloha know EOD is still in progress
OK - Market that lets Aloha FOH know that the server is ready
Mirror.log - Copy of trans.log, updated the same time as trans.log
Trans.log - Contains ALL transaction information for the entire day
(Clock-ins, Checks, Edits, Clock-outs, Check-outs, etc,.)

\EDC All current and past credit card transactions.

Edc.ini - Contains store merchant information and processor settings

\HTML Contains the current logo bitmap used on the FOH and BOH.
Logo.bmp - Logo used for BOH load screen and FOH screen savers

\NEWBIN Used during the update process to replace and “update” files in BIN.

\NEWDATA All newly modified databases. Modified in the BOH Aloha Manager.
Aloha.ini - Contains store information and Date of Business (DOB)

\POLLING Log and setting files used by corporate and RLP programs

\PROFILES Contains settings for users Aloha Manager profile. Shortcuts, etc.

\RECIPE Holds recipe information for versions and concepts that use it. **

\RPTSET Contains settings for all Aloha reports.

\TMP Temp and log files used for troubleshooting and basic functions

\20060101 Dated sub-folders contain historical sales and labor information

** These folders are required to be present for Aloha FOH to synchronize with BOH
 How does it work?
The flow of information

Aloha file server When you Refresh Data:

Newdata folder Aloha stops the FOH by placing

Data folder
an ‘exiting’ file in the TMP
Databases are Databases that folder
edited from the FOH reads
Aloha manager Refresh Data and works from. Files are copied from the
Newdata folder to the Data
folder on the server.

The current data is then copied

from the Data folder on the
server to the Data folders on the
terminals.

Any If the Aloha removes the exiting file

interruption master from the TMP folder
to the Terminal 1 goes
master offline the Once the Master terminal has
interrupts The Master terminal next started the remaining terminals
the will normally be the available will start
remaining lowest available terminal
terminals numbered terminal will take
over

Terminal 2 Terminal 3 Terminal 4

Whenever you start Aloha Manager,

Refresh Data or run End-of-day (EOD),
Aloha checks to see if the Aloha Security
Key is in place on the back of the Aloha
server. If it is not, you will get a message
that the “Security Key is not found”.
It is either on the LPT port or in a USB
port.
 Aloha Equipment
Aloha Server – Houses Aloha executables and databases

Network Hub – Maintains connection between terminals and server

Master Terminal – Acts as foreman for managing FOH terminals

Acts as print server for its receipt and remote printers

Receipt Printer – For printing local receipts and reports

Connects to terminal COM port
LPT or CAT5 cabling with adapters for serial

Remote Printer – For printing kitchen or bar tickets

Connects to terminal COM port
Wired to remote location
CAT5 cabling with adapters for serial

Remaining Terminals
Acts as print server for its receipt and remote printers

Receipt Printer – For printing local receipts and reports

Connects to terminal COM port
LPT or CAT5 cabling with adapters for serial

Cash Drawer – Connects to receipt printer cash drawer port

Remote Printer – For printing kitchen or bar tickets

Connects to terminal COM port
Wired to remote location
CAT5 cabling with adapters for serial

Router – Allows Aloha EDC to process credit cards through TCP/IP

 Database Errors
“Synchronization of Files Failed”
BIN, BMP, DATA, RECIPE folders not all present on terminal(s)
BIN, BMP, DATA, RECIPE folders have rtf or pdf files that they should not have
BIN, BMP, DATA, RECIPE folders have a subfolder that they should not have

“Item not Assigned to a Sales or Retail Category”

Issues with itm.dbf contact corporate support

“Employee is locked on a terminal”

Employee is logged into another screen or a manager is editing one of his tables
If the employee is not logged on or being edited the issue could be that the Server is low on
disk space or resources
Stop the FOH from Utilities, delete *.LCK files from the DATA folder, and restart
the FOH from Utilities
Restart server if still needed and able to

Other Errors
“Security Key Not Found”
The security key is loose or missing from the back of the Aloha server

“Numterms Indicates # but # are defined”

Usually you will only see this when installing a new terminal and is caused by the ibercfg.bat file
being incorrect. The ibercfg.bat file on the terminal indicates X numterm but in Aloha Manager
under terminal maintenance there is a different number of terminals defined. Edit the ibercfg.bat file
to match another terminal
 Network Errors
“Terminal (s) Can Not Find Fileserver”
Is it one terminal or all?
If it is one terminal the issue is usually local to that terminal
If it is all the terminals the issue is usually the server or hub connection
If all terminals are looking for file server but all are still able to browse the server and each other try
turning them all off and bringing back on the master terminal alone. Once it comes up and sees the
file server you can start the remaining terminals. It is possible that if the server has not been
rebooted recently that it needs a reboot. We recommend restarting the aloha server twice weekly.

“Failed to register station name”

Usually seen when installing a new terminal. Indicates that the terminal is not recognizing that an
Aloha server is on the network.

Check the terminals IP address, subnet, gateway and DNS settings

Check to make sure it is in the ibertech workgroup
Check to make sure it has the correct windows name as indicated in the ibercfg file
If ibercfg indicates termstr=TERM, then the windows name must be TERM#
If the termstr=GNLV for the terminals and the terminal is term4, the windows name
on that terminal must be GNLV4

The ibercfg.bat sections that are important for naming look like:
SET EDCPATH=\\alohaservername\BOOTDRV\Aloha\EDC
SET TERMSTR=computername (usually)
SET TERM=#
SET NUMTERMS=#
SET SERVER=alohaservername

If the Set Server in ibercfg is pointing to the wrong server, the terminal will not start.
 EOD & Grind Errors
“Waiting for EOD to Complete”
EOD file is still in Data folder

“Waiting for 2003#### to grind”

Done30 file is not in the Dated folder

***Regardless of error or cause of EOD, always go through the step-by-step EOD troubleshooting to check
all points of the EOD process. EOD can hang at one spot or it can appear to complete but skip over other
steps***

End of Day
During the End Of Day (EOD) Aloha goes through some basic steps. Sometimes these steps get
interrupted. Things that could interrupt the EOD might be;
1. The master terminal was turned off
2. The aloha server was low on resources due to not being rebooted x2 weekly
3. An external labor or tip share program was left open on the aloha computer. Only EDC or
Aloha Manager can be left open during EOD.
4. Someone was running reports as EOD tried to start

What Aloha EOD basically does:

1. Stop the FOH with the Exiting maker in TMP folder
2. Create dated folder
3. Copy Aloha.ini, CFG, CDX and DBF files from Data to Dated folder
4. Copy trans.log from Data to Dated folder
5. Delete GND, mirror.log and trans.log files from Data folder
6. Edit Aloha.ini in Newdata with correct DOB
7. Copy Aloha.ini from Newdata to Data
8. Run Grind on Dated folder to create GND files
9. Copy Done30 marker from Data to Dated folder
10. Delete EOD marker from Data folder
11. Delete Exiting marker from TMP folder
 Marker Files
DONE30
Must be in dated sub-directories for Aloha to recognize a day has finished its grind and EOD
processes

GNDDBF30.XXX
Gets placed in dated folder upon successful grind
If a date is caught in a grind loop, copy one of these files from another dated sub-folder into the
folder you are trying to grind to stop it from trying to grind again

EOD
Gets placed in Data folder during EOD process and deleted upon completion of EOD

OK
When FOH displays 'Waiting for system configuration files to complete' for an extended period,
check for the existence of an OK file in the DATA folder on the file server.
If an OK file does not exist, create an OK file by typing the following from a command prompt on
the file server:
ECHO 1 > %IBERDIR%\DATA\OK

EXITING
Gets created in the TMP folder during a Refresh or when Stop FOH is initiated from Utilities
If an EXITING file exists on the file server (or a terminal acting as the file server), the FOH
terminals continuously reboot until the file is removed
 How to Manual Grind
Mainly performed from a dos prompt
The command to fire grind:
c:\Aloha\bin\grind /date (dated subdirectory folder)
Ex: c:\aloha\bin\grind /date 20020527

How to ReGrind in AlohaMgr

Under Aloha Manager Utilites/Regrind Subdirectories
Mark Active On
Change the Numgrinds to at least 1
Mark the dated subdirectory and hit done
Message should display turn CTLSVR off and on

Why is my store not grinding?

Not enough hard drive space available
Control Service is not started on the fileserver
Trans.log or database file is corrupted
Winhook file is defined but batch file (s) do not reside in BIN
Ecomhook.bat

When do I need to “Make Fileserver”

Only when the server is completely offline or unavailable. If you can not get it back online within 20 to 30
minutes you need to bring the FOH up with the Master as File Server. The master will have a button to
“Make Fileserver”. Tap the button and add the numbers together at the bottom. Type the total in as the
password.

When running on FOH, BOH reports will not be available. They can not and should not try to batch the
credit cards unless the server was on and EDC was working. Most times you would not have to Make
Fileserver unless it was completely down. EOD will run normally while running on FOH. The dated
folders get created on the Master terminal. EDC transactions get saved as spl files on the Master terminal in
the EDC folder. Fileserver Recovery will need to be run from the new server once it is connected. This
process can take some time.
 My DSL is not down, why is EDC not processing?
EDC RESET
Sometimes EDC gets stuck. If the DSL connection is up but credit cards are not processing, go to the Aloha
Server and in the EDC. Go to File and Stop POS processing. Click yes to confirm. Close the EDC. Click
yes to confirm. Re-open the EDC and log back in. Go back to File and Start POS processing. Usually
credit cards will start processing again. To test you can go to EDC Functions and Authorize. Enter a credit
card number, expiration date and at least $1 for the amount. Click okay and if the connection is processing
you will get an approval code. If you do, go to Functions and Voids. At the bottom you will see the test
you just entered. Select it and click okay. Confirm void and okay.

Date of Business (DOB)

The date of business is determined by the Aloha.ini in the Data folder on the server. Towards the top of the
file is an entry DOB=01 01 2006, for example. It must be in this format, with a space after month and a
space after day.

FOH Time
The time on the FOH is determined by the time on the Aloha server in the Windows system tray. When a
terminal loads into windows it checks its time against the server time. Having the wrong time zone or
daylight savings settings will throw the time off by one to three hours. When in doubt match the terminal
with the settings on a terminal with the correct time. The master terminal plays a big role in the FOH time.
The remaining FOH terminals look to the master terminal for direction. Even each terminal checks its own
time with the server the master terminal being off in time can throw off the others.

Downtime.ini
This file holds information about which terminal was last the master and which computer was last the
server. After a refresh the terminals reference this file first and wait for that terminal to become master
rather than the next available taking over. After a minute or two if the last master mentioned in the ini does
not come up another will take over.

Verify Errors
When closing Aloha Manager Aloha checks for errors that could affect the front of house. If any are found a
verify error will pop up from notepad detailing the issues.
 Terminal Troubleshooting
“Terminal # is down”
Seen on all other terminals. That terminal is off or has bad network connection

“Looking for File Server”

Seen on terminal that can not determine a file server on the network. Many times it is just
that CAT5 connection to the terminal

“Failed to open COM Port # status #”

Usually seen when installing a new terminal that replaced a terminal with different COM port
configurations. For instance the previous terminal was configured with COM 1 and COM 2.
The replacement terminal is configured with COM 1, COM 3 and COM 4. The FRY printer
was configured to run off of that terminal on COM 2. The error would be:
“Failed to open COM Port 2 status #”. Settings in Aloha manager are specifying that the
FRY should be on COM 2 on that terminal but there is no COM 2 there. To resolve this, log
in to Aloha Manager and go to Hardware and Printers and change the FRY printer to run
from that terminal on COM 3 or 4

“Master is Down”
This is usually just a status message as the terminals are coming up after a refresh. If a
terminal that was not the master comes online before the one that was the master, this
message with display at the bottom of the Aloha touchpad until the master finishes loading

Printer Troubleshooting
“Terminal # Printer # is offline”
The named printer is disconnected or not seen on the network or is needing replaced.

“Terminal # Printer # is Not Communicating”

The printer is seen on the network but the connection is faulty. This can be a loose or bad
CAT5 or adaptor. Sometimes it can be a bad printer.

“Terminal # Printer # is Out of Paper or Cover is open”

Most times it refers to exactly what it reads as. Some times if the connection is very poor
this error will display.

“Printer Log is full”

The printer is offline and is not routing somewhere else. The chits are not going anywhere so
the terminal creates a log file on itself which can fill up quick and use up disk space. From
FOH manager functions route the down printer to another location.

For more detailed information, see the document “Terminal and Printer Troubleshooting”