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PrintVis Link

Introduction

PrintVis Link is a separate software tool that is used for communication outside the BC environment. It must be installed on top of BC and is handling for example:

  • Communication between PrintVis and JDF Workflow partners

  • Communication between PrintVis and the PrintVis DCM/Moxa integration

PrintVis Link was formerly known as PrintVis External Communication Service

The CIM Setup should be done first before even starting to setup the PrintVis Link.

Important fields to setup:
JMF Channel Port
HTTP Listener Port
HTTP Status Port

In case when the field Disable Scheduler in PrintVis Link is enabled then the field:
Regular TCP Binding Port

is also mandatory

On Premise versus Cloud Installations

There are 2 modes for PrintVis Link to work.

The way of working is defined by the PrintVis CIM setup, Field: "Disable Scheduler in PrintVis Link":

PrintVis Link

  1. "Disable Scheduler in PrintVis Link" = FALSE / Switched off

    • PrintVis Link pulls and pushes information from/to BC/PrintVis

    • The is the most secure communication and 

    • The only possible mode when running on a MS Cloud version

  2. "Disable Scheduler in PrintVis Link" = TRUE / Switched on 

    • BC/PrintVis pushes information to PrintVis Link

    • This is only recommended in On Premises installations 

    • Recommended to be protected by a firewall or a VPN

Credential types:

1.Windows - Windows user name and password

2.NAV UserPassword

3.OAuth2 -requires Azure setup in order for this credential type to be used (we strongly advise that this setup should be done by a developer/IT support)

** OAuth2**

Cloud: This is the only credential type that will work in Business Central 20 (new installations) from Business Central 21 it's mandatory for all installations

OnPrem installations can use this Authentication type if they want

The following requires Azure access, potentially also permissions needed to activate the App Registration Setup, which can be read more about in the following documentation by Microsoft. (We strongly advise that this setup should be done by a developer/IT support) 

Please read the following documentation provided by Microsoft before going further,

Quickstart: Register an app in the Microsoft identity platform | Microsoft Docs

Setting up the PrintVis Link to work correctly with OAuthentication needs some additional setup to be able to work properly. 

Access to Azure App Registration is needed, mapping to the PrintVis Link fields will be done after, lastly Setup is needed in BC before starting PrintVis Link is possible.

Fill in the Webservice URL and make sure the OAuthentication has been chosen.

The following fields information requires to be filled out to get the connection to work.

Azure Setup is now needed.

PrintVis Link

Setup of Azure App Registration

Creation of an App registration an name needs to be added, along with who should have access to it.

2 fields in the Overview needs to be filled into PrintVis Link

“Application (client) ID” from the Overview should be filled into the “Client ID” in PrintVis Link.

“Directory (tenant) ID” from the Overview should be filled into the “Azure Tenant” in PrintVis Link.

PrintVis Link

Setting up the proper Authentication is the next step

Navigate to the “Authentication” tab

PrintVis Link

Press the “Add a platform” and select the “Mobile and desktop applications”

PrintVis Link

From there a Redirect URIs setup will pop up,

Select the proper one for your needs, the first one should work fine for general usage,

When an option has been selected, press “confirm”

This can be changed later.

The chosen Redirect URIs should be filled into “Client Redirect URI” in PrintVis Link.

PrintVis Link

PrintVis Link

Now the “Client secret needs to be added,

Navigate to the “Certificates & secrets” tab and press “New client secret”

Upon adding a “Client secret”, copy/write down what is in the “Value” column before leaving this page, since it will be hidden after and not possible to get again. 

This “Client Secret” shown/copied should be filled into the “Client Secret” in PrintVis Link.

PrintVis Link

To finalize the setup of the App Registration, some permissions needs to be allocated,

Go to the “API permissions”,

Press the “Add a permission” and find the Dynamics 365 Business Central 

“Grant admin consent for x” will be referenced last in the Azure Setup

PrintVis Link

select the “Application permissions”, 

select the permission “API.ReadWrite.All” under API

PrintVis Link

To wrap up the App Registration, the App needs to be granted consent by someone who has appropriate permissions in accordance with the Documentation from Microsoft,

PrintVis Link

All fields except the “Scopes” should have been filled out.

PrintVis Link

Scopes for Cloud could be something like this https://api.businesscentral.dynamics.com/.default(example)

PrintVis Link Setup should now have all fields like below filled out.

PrintVis Link

Before the Service can be Started,

Setup in BC is now required so the communication can be mapped with proper permissions,

this will be a new user of type ‘Application’.

Search for “Azure Active Directory Applications” in BC

PrintVis Link

Create a new entry and the Client ID from PrintVis Link can be put into the Client ID,

Description + Contact information can be filled in with some naming (has no impact on the communication.

PrintVis Link

That in the background creates a new User that is mapped to this entry,

The following permission sets needs to be added for PrintVis Link to be able to communicate / start without giving a permission error.

Permission set that needs to be added

  • D365 BASIC

  • PVSPV-BC Link

  • PVS-BC BASIC

  • PVSPV-BC CIM-DEVICE

so it looks similar to below

PrintVis Link

Setup is now done and PrintVis Link should be able to start up.

Installation of PrintVis Link

  1. Download the "PrintVis Link Setup" installer from the JMF-Download page; To be found on the PrintVis Partner Portal under menu "Product Download"--> . (please contact your vendor)

After the installation, open the application.

PrintVis Link

  1. Under "New Instance", type in a name like "JMF-<Company Name>" then click "Create Instance"

PrintVis Link

3. Find the Web Services in the BC365 client and copy the SOAP URL of Object name: PV JMF webservices.

PrintVis Link

The Object ID of the CodeUnit for this web service depends the BC365 type that is used. The reason for this is that the PrintVis CIM Extension/App is a "Per-Tenant Extension (PTE)" for Cloud

  • Object ID for "OnPremise" and "Private Cloud" installations: 

    • CodeUnit 6010920
  • Object ID for Cloud installations: 

    • CodeUnit 75920 

4. Copy the SOAP URL to the "Dynamics NAV Webservice URL"

PrintVis Link

5. Try to connect to the URL by pasting the URL link into an internet browser address field. You will be asked for User/Password. If you get a screen like below, all is fine. If not ask your admin to check the credentials or to make sure that you can connect to the URL through a firewall.

PrintVis Link

6. Select Credential Type (typically NavUserPassword) and enter the user/password/domain(if required) from BC to access the web service.

For the credential type ask you admin.

For cloud installations it is required to create a Webservice Access Key for the BC User

PrintVis Link

Enter Credentials

PrintVis Link

7. For On Premise installations it is possible to use the IP address instead of the server name. The IP address is the from the BC server.

PrintVis Link

8. Click on "Save," before click "Start". Do not forget to click "Save" after every change!

PrintVis Link

Then click "Start".

PrintVis Link

9. Go to Windows "Service" and check if the Service "PrintVis Link [<instance name>]" is running. If it was running before you saved you need to restart it to apply the new settings. PrintVis Link Note: Typically when the service cannot be started the Manufacturing Integration/ CIM setup is incorrect or more than one service is running on the same ports. Please check the Application Log in the Event Viewer for details.

PrintVis Link

Moxa Setup Tab for DCM Integration

On the "Moxa" Tab you have to create a setup for every Moxa device in case the CIM setup is set to "Disable Scheduler in PrintVis Link" = False (Switched off). If it is set to "True" this Moxa Tab will be ignored and the communication is handled in BC/PrintVis (this is not allowed on Cloud and insecure).

PrintVis Link

Moxa Tab on PrintVis Link Setup

PrintVis Link

Available Fields

Field Description
Moxa List This field displays the list of Controller Codes that have been setup.
Controller Code Unique code for every device that is connected. This code must be the same code as setup in the PrintVis CIM Controller for the same Moxa device.
If there are no Moxa Entries on the PrintVis Controller please check thet the code is spelled right. There is no validation between PrintVis and PrintVis Link when setting up PrintVis Link!
IP IP address of the Moxa device.
Port Port for as setup in the PrintVis CIM Controller for the same Moxa device
Password Password if setup in the Moxa configuration. Blank by default
Timeout Time in milliseconds if connection is lost.