Publishing Platform Web Services

Publishing Platform Web Services or Lexmark Publishing Services helps to render signs, batches, and labels by communicating with the PPR engine and database. It can also store and extract data from the PPR database.

This section illustrates how to install this component.

Deployment readiness checklist

You can install the Publishing Platform Web Services on a supported Microsoft SQL Server (2016–2022) that runs on any of the following operating systems:

Before you begin, make sure that Microsoft .NET Framework (4.8 or later) is installed on the server.

Note: You must bind the site to all unassigned IP addresses in the site binding configuration.

Setting up IIS

Make sure that the required server roles and features are installed or enabled.

  1. From the Server Manager dashboard, click Add roles and features, and then click Next.

  2. From the Installation Type section, select Role-based or feature-based installation, and then click Next.

  3. Select a server, and then click Next.

  4. From the Server Roles section, expand Web Server (IIS).

  5. From the Web Server section, do the following:

    A screenshot showing the enabled option in the Web Server section.

    1. Expand Common HTTP Features, and then enable Default Document, Directory Browsing, HTTP Errors, and Static Content.

    2. Expand Health and Diagnostics, and then enable HTTP Logging and Request Monitor.

    3. Expand Performance, and then enable Static Content Compression.

    4. Expand Security, and then enable Request Filtering.

    5. Expand Application Development, and then enable the following options:

      • .NET Extensibility 4.8

      • Application Initialization

      • ASP.NET4.8

      • CGI

      • ISAPI Extensions

      • ISAPI Filters

      • Server Side Includes

      • WebSocket Protocol

      A screenshot showing the list of options that need to be enabled from the Application Development section.

  6. From the Management Tools section, do the following:

    1. Enable IIS Management Console.

    2. Expand IIS 6 Management Compatibility, and then enable all options.

  7. From the Features section, enable HTTP Activation and TCP Port Sharing.

    A screenshot showing the list of options that need to be enabled from the Management Tools section.

Installing Publishing Platform Web Services

  1. Obtain the Publishing Platform Web Services installer.

    Note: We recommend installing the Publishing Platform Web Services on the same server where the Publishing Platform Engine and Publishing Platform Manager are installed.

  2. Run the LexmarkPublishingServices.exe file as an administrator.

  3. Read and accept the End-User License Agreement (EULA), and then click Install.

  4. Provide the fully qualified domain name or IP address of the web services server.

  5. Provide the database server name with the instance.

  6. Provide the database server login ID and password.

  7. Select a database.

    A screenshot showing the applicable database you need to select to install Publishing Platform Web Services.

  8. Provide the link to the Publishing Platform Engine installation.

    Note: Type http://<hostname>/lexmarkpublishing/promos.poc, where <hostname> is the fully qualified domain name or IP address of the engine server.

  9. Browse to a folder where you want to save the web services files.

    Note: We recommend keeping the default directory.
    A screenshot showing the folder where you can store the web services files.

  10. If you use a Redis load-balancing setup, then enable Use Redis.

Notes:

FAQ

  1. How do I print many copies of a sign?

    1. Open the App.Config file located at C:\inetpub\wwwroot\Lexmark_Publishing_Services.

    2. Adjust the value of the timeout of the POC Engine call depending on the size of the sign copies.

  2. How do I enable the SWAGGER document page?

    1. Open the App.Config file located at C:\inetpub\wwwroot\Lexmark_Publishing_Services.

    2. Set the value of the EnableSwaggerUI as true.

  3. How do I change the database connection strings after installation?

    Database connection strings are stored in encrypted form in the Web.Config file located at C:\inetpub\wwwroot\Lexmark_Publishing_Services

    1. Decrypt the connection strings, modify them if required, and then encrypt it back in the Web.Config file.

    2. Type the following commands respectively to decrypt and encrypt the connection strings:

      • C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\aspnet_regiis.exe -pd "connectionStrings" -app "/LexmarkPublishingServices"

      • C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\aspnet_regiis.exe -pe "connectionStrings" -app "/LexmarkPublishingServices"