BreakPoint Technical Newsletter #203

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203 - BreakPoint/GasLink 2000 Interface

The GasLink 2000 is a technologically advanced gas pump controller that offers a highly effective touch-screen user interface and RS232 communications capability for integrating to other computer-based products. The GasLink 2000 provides a diverse range of gas pump management controls and supports virtually all gas pump manufacturers.

The BreakPoint / GasLink 2000 Interface is a simple serial / RS232 interface that permits the gas pump transactions to be electronically transmitted from the GasLink 2000 workstation to a BreakPoint cashier workstation. These transactions are sent by the GasLink 2000 operator and automatically processed by BreakPoint as a PLU Item Sale exactly as a scanner transmission would be processed.

The GasLink 2000 provides a variey of operator functions, such as authorizing pump usage, reading and tranmitting pump totals, and clearing the pump totals after payment. At the time of payment, the operator can send the payment transaction to BreakPoint by simply pressing the PAYMENT indicator on the GasLink workstation. The transaction which is sent to BreakPoint includes the following information:

Type of gas sold, as indicated by individual PLU Item Code.
Dollar amount of the gas sale.
Quantity of gas sold, precise to three decimal digits.

The transmission is automatically processed by BreakPoint the instant that it is transmitted. The GasLink transmission is treated as a price-override quantity entry PLU Item sale, quite similar to how a price-embedded bar code would be processed. The PLU Item sale is processed according to the dollar amount and quantity indicated in the Gas Link transmission.

Installation and Setup of the GasLink 2000 Interface

The GasLink 2000 Interface is a standard component of the BreakPoint Professional product. There are no additional modules or components that are required.

To implement the Gas Link 2000 Interface, there are two programming considerations:

Hardware Configuration, as programmed through the HARDWARE SETUPS option.
System Flag Programming, to establish certain operating conditions required for the GasLink interface.

The HARDWARE SETUPS option of the BreakPoint Configuration Menu is used to set the communication parameters for the GasLink 2000 device. The Hardware Setup Screen may be requested through the BreakPoint Configuration Menu. To access the Hardware Setup Screen, press the key or press when the HARDWARE SETUP option is highlighted on the menu.

The Hardware Setup Screen will first position the cursor to the Rear display: field. Press the key to move to the Gas Pump Link: field. This field permits you to enter the operating parameters of the Gas Pump Interface being used with BreakPoint, including Location, Model, IRQ, Baud Rate, Data Bits, Stop Bits, and Parity. Use and keys to move from field to field and use and keys to modify the field values. The settings for the Gas Link 2000 should be as follows:

LOCATION:Usually Set to COM1 or COM2
MODEL:Set to GasLink 2000
IRQ:Usually Set to 4 for COM1 or 3 for COM2
BAUD RATE:Set to 9600
DATA BITS:Set to 7
STOP BITS:Set to 1
PARITY:Set to EVEN

Enter the correct parameters according to how your the GasLink 2000 workstation is programmed. When all settings have been entered correctly, press to save and exit. All information is recorded instantly when you press .

Once the HARDWARE SETUP programming has been completed, the GasLink 2000 is ready to be used with BreakPoint. The physical connection between the GasLink 2000 and the BreakPoint workstation will be made through a simple serial cable which should be provided with the GasLink 2000. There are no other hardware connections or settings that should be required. However, certain System Flags will need to be programmed.

PLU Item Programming Required for GasLink 2000 Interface

The GasLink 2000 Interface requires that each gasoline item transmitted by the GasLink workstation has been created in BreakPoint as a specific PLU Item. Usually the first PLU Item required for the GasLink 2000 Interface is PLU Number 1, although this is a programmable feature of the GasLink 2000, so that you will need to know what PLU Numbers have been programmed for the gasoline items.

Each individual gasoline item must be entered as its own unique PLU Item. All price entries should be left at zero and the per unit gasoline price should be entered into the Price Description field. This is a non-calculating price description that will be displayed on all receipt and journal output. The PLU Department and Taxable Status fields may be set as required.

System Flags Required for GasLink 2000 Interface

The following BreakPoint System Flag(s) are applicable to GasLink 2000 Interface operation:

PLU System Flag 53 - Price Override Not Multiplied By Quantity Entry.

Under normal processing of a PLU Item sales entry, the Price Override amount entered is multiplied by the Quantity Entry to derive the sales dollar amount. In the case of the GasLink transmission, the sales entry includes both a Price Override and a Quantity Entry. However, the Price Override provided by the GasLink transmission is a total entry price, not a per unit price, such that you not wish to have the Price Override multiplied by the Quantity Entry as you would in a normal PLU Item sales entry. This PLU System Flag must be set to YES so that the Price Override and the Quantity Entry provided by the GasLink transmission are not multiplied.

Implementing the GasLink 2000 Interface

To implement the GasLink 2000 Interface, you must first logon to BreakPoint as a cashier. Once logged on, you may invoke a GasLink 2000 transmission at any time from the GasLink workstation, just as you would scan or enter any other PLU Item sale.

The GasLink transmission is invoked when you press the PAYMENT indicator on the GasLink workstation. This operation will cause the PLU Item sales entry to be sent to BreakPoint for automatic processing. The gasoline sale will appear on the BreakPoint screen and will be treated as a standard PLU Item sales entry. Reporting of thePLU Item sales totals, the Department sales total, and any applicable Tax totals are performed as with any PLU Item sale.

Preparing a GasLink 2000 / BreakPoint Demonstration

The GasLink 2000 System is available with a Gas Pump Emulator program called GASEMUL that can be run on any standard computer.

This Gas Pump Emulator is ideal for dealers who wish to demonstrate the GasLink 2000 / BreakPoint interface. In order to use the Gas Pump Emulator with BreakPoint, you will require two computers, one for running the GASEMUL program and one for running BreakPoint.

The following instructions explain how to prepare a GasLink 2000 / BreakPoint inteface demonstration.

Unpack the GasLink 2000 Unit. Connect the cable marked RS232 to the COM1 port of your GASEMUL computer. Connect the cable marked AUX to the COM1 port of your BreakPoint computer.
Locate the diskette marked GASEMUL. Create a directory on the GASEMUL computer called GASEMUL and copy the files from the diskette into the GASEMUL directory using the following commands:

CD \
MD GASEMUL
CD GASEMUL
COPY A:*.*
Run the Gas Pump Emulator by typing the command GASEMUL and pressing ENTER.
Turn on the GasLink 2000 Unit. Set the gas prices by entering the following keystrokes on fhe GasLink Unit:
- Press EMPL.
- Type 2442 and press RPTS.
- Press MORE three time until you see MANAGER SCREEN 4.
- Press PPU PROGRAMMING.
- Review and/or Change the price shown.
- Press DONE.
- Press EXIT.
Turn on BreakPoint. Ensure all required BreakPoint programming is complete for GasLink 2000 intefacing. Enter a valid Clerk Code in preparation for entering a gasoline sale.
Press F1 on the GASEMUL computer to take Pump 1 OFF HOOK and to request Pump1 to be AUTHORIZED. Press F1 again to being pumping gas on Pump 1. Permit Pump 1 to pump until the required amount of gasoline has pumped and press F1 to STOP Pump 1 and press F1 again to set Pump 1 to IDLE.
On the GasLink 2000 Unit, press the indicate for Pump 1. Now press PAYMENT and you will see the PAYMENT screen. Press the Dollar Amount shown that is correct for Pump 1. This should cause a gasoline sale to process on the BreakPoint screen, displaying the proper gasoline quantity and sale amount.
Repeat operations 6 and 7 as many times as desired.