Lasernet 10.2

Release date: 18th March 2022

New Features

This section is an overview of the new features included with this version of Lasernet.

System Requirements

Lasernet 10 has the following minimum requirements:

Lasernet 10 requires at least 1GB of available disk space. This is for the installation only. Additional disk space will be required; the amount will vary depending on your configuration.

You can only install Lasernet 10 on 64-bit systems.

A minimum of two cores are required.

A trusted certificate installed on the Lasernet Config Server 10 is recommended.

Supported Operating Systems

• Windows 8.1
• Windows 10
• Windows 11
• Windows Server 2012 R2
• Windows Server 2016
• Windows Server 2019
• Windows Server 2022

Supported Browsers

• Microsoft Edge
• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox

Lasernet x64 Prerequisites

• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8

Please manually download and install Microsoft .NET 4.8 framework, when notified by installer, before installing Lasernet 10.

• Microsoft SQL Server 2017 LocalDB
• Microsoft OLE DB Driver 18 for SQL Server
• Microsoft Visual C++ 2019 Redistributable x64

These components are automatically added by the installer.

• Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime

During the installation, this component is automatically added / downloaded by the installer. If there is no internet connection, please manually download and install the component, before installing Lasernet 10.

Important before upgrading to Lasernet 10.2

New Installers, Connections and Sign in

The installation procedure and the configuration procedure, in several of the client applications, have been changed from Lasernet 10.2; there are now separate installers for Lasernet Server 10 and Lasernet Developer 10.

The sign in and connection options for Lasernet Client, Lasernet OCR, Lasernet Meta and Lasernet Dictionary Server are simplified and upgraded to the highest security level for on-premise and cloud environments.

It is recommended to read the release notes for installing and running this version.

It is important that you uninstall older versions of Lasernet 10 before you install Lasernet 10.2.

1. Open Apps & features in Windows.
2. Search for Lasernet.
3. Select each Lasernet 10 app and click the Uninstall button

Modules developed by Third parties

Lasernet SDK

To increase the security level in the installation process, and to support multiple versions of Lasernet 10 running on the same computer, Formpipe Software must receive a copy of your third-party modules, developed with the Lasernet SDK, before an upgrade to Lasernet 10.2. Please contact us for more detailed information.

This service can only be provided for Lasernet 10 solutions installed on-premise. Formpipe Software does not support third-party modules for Lasernet running in a cloud solution.

Lasernet 10.2 Installation

New Installers

The Lasernet Developer, Client, Meta and OCR installers for your desktop will install a Login app from which you log in to the Lasernet Config Server. 

The first time you log in to a version of the Lasernet Config Server, it will automatically download and install the same version as is installed on the server. This ensures your client and server applications remain synchronized.

The Login apps will support up to five different versions of Lasernet Developer, Printer Service, Client, Meta and OCR apps installed on the same computer at the same time. This guarantees that the same version as the server will start after you have signed in to the Lasernet Config Server from your local application.

Lasernet 10.2 (Server)

The core applications are installed with Windows shortcuts:

• Lasernet Config Service 10 (Config Web Site)
• Lasernet Server License Manager 10
• Lasernet Monitor 10
• Application packages to be downloaded on demand from the desktop app installers

Note: Applications are no longer accessible from the Lasernet Launcher, which is not a part of Lasernet 10.2. They are in the Start menu and you can create desktop shortcuts.

Lasernet Web Client 10.2

• Lasernet Web Client (Client Website)

Lasernet Developer 10.2 (new)

• Lasernet Developer 10
• Lasernet Developer License Manager 10
• Lasernet Monitor 10

The installer will install the Login app with a reference to the Lasernet Developer 10 package stored on the Lasernet Config Server 10. At first login from Lasernet Monitor 10 or Lasernet Developer 10, the software will be synchronized, downloaded and installed on the client so it has the same version as the server package.

Lasernet Printer Service 10.2

The installer will install the Login app with a reference to the Lasernet Printer Service 10 package stored on the Lasernet Config Server 10. At first login, the software will be synchronized, downloaded and installed on the client so it has the same version as the server package.

Lasernet Client 10.2

The installer will install the Login app with a reference to the Lasernet Client 10 package stored on the Lasernet Config Server 10. At first login, the software will be synchronized, downloaded and installed on the client so it has the same version as the server package.

Lasernet Meta 10.2

The installer will install the Login app with a reference to the Lasernet Meta 10 package stored on the Lasernet Config Server 10. At first login, the software will be synchronized, downloaded and installed on the client so it has the same version as the server package.

Lasernet OCR 10.2

The installer will install the Login app with a reference to the Lasernet OCR 10 package stored on the Lasernet Config Server 10. At first login, the software will be synchronized, downloaded and installed on the client so it has the same version as the server package.

Azure AD Authentication

Extended Support for Azure AD Authentication to all Apps 

Lasernet has already support for authenticating users against external authentication providers like Azure Active Directory, enabling two-factor authentication in most applications. This was introduced in Lasernet 10.1

C:\ProgramData\Formpipe Software\Lasernet 10\Config\Default\ ServerSettings.json

by setting the Authentication type to “External” (default is “Local” for local Lasernet users). More information is available in the “Configuring Lasernet Azure AD Authentication” guide.

The matrix shows the compatibility of different authentication methods with Lasernet applications.

The highlighted area indicates the updates since Lasernet 10.1, by adding Azure AD Authentication support to Lasernet Client, Lasernet OCR (including Dictionary Service) and Lasernet Meta.

Connecting to Lasernet

Connect and Sign in to Lasernet

The first time you connect the Lasernet Developer or other Lasernet applications to the server the new Login app will asks for name of the Lasernet Config Server to which it should connect.

Sign in with a local Lasernet account (default) added to the Lasernet Config Server.

Alternatively, sign in with an external organizational account added to Microsoft Azure AD.

This will download the application and synchronize your client software with the server software.

Each you connect to a server, Lasernet installs the identical version of Lasernet Developer to your client, if it is not present.

Lasernet will install up to 5 different versions of Lasernet Developer on the client. When you synchronize with a sixth version, the oldest installed version will automatically be deleted in order to save disk space.

When Lasernet Developer synchronizes with server and the version already exists locally, it will start immediately, without the need to download.

Note: Lasernet Launcher has also been removed with this release. Access is via the Start menu or desktop shortcuts.

Lasernet License Manager 10.2

The Lasernet License Manager has been divided into two applications: Lasernet Server 10.2 (server) and Lasernet Developer 10.2 (client)

Lasernet Server License Manager 10

Installed with Lasernet 10.2 (server) to add and maintain settings for Instance Service, Dictionary Service, Lasernet Config and to add an activation code.

Note: The default port for Dictionary Service has changed from port 8080 to 33443 always running SSL. Must be configured to use the same port number as defined in the server settings for the Lasernet Config Server 10.2 (read more information in the release notes, for Lasernet Config Server, for how to configure the Dictionary Server from Lasernet 10.2)

Lasernet Developer License Manager 10

Installed with Lasernet Developer 10.2 (client) to add an activation code.

Lasernet Launcher 10

Accessing Lasernet applications from Lasernet Launcher is not supported from Lasernet 10.2 because of the new updater system synchronizing the locally installed version of the applications with the Lasernet Server 10.2 (and greater) applications.

Applications must be started via the Lasernet 10.2 application shortcuts created by the Lasernet 10.2 installers.

Applications are accessed in the Start menu or via Desktop shortcuts you create.

Lasernet Documentation

The Lasernet manuals that were previously available in the Lasernet Launcher are no longer included with the installation packages. These are now available online in the Formpipe Support Portal Guides section, where you can view and downloaded the PDFs.

This facility gives us the ability to publish updates more regularly in future. We will develop and improve the content here for future releases.

https://support.formpipe.com/guides/topic/806

Direct links to Lasernet Release Notes and Lasernet Guides have been added to the Help drop-down menu in all Lasernet 10 applications.

Lasernet Client

Sign in with your organizational account and authenticate against external authentication providers like Azure Active Directory, enabling two-factor authentication.

Connection settings required for the Lasernet Client 10 app have been removed. The connection settings from Lasernet 10.2 are automatically retrieved from the Lasernet Config Server 10.

In the Lasernet Client app, select accessible server instances available from the Lasernet Config Server you have signed in to, from the toolbar.

To remove the pane for the Servers list, supported in earlier versions of the Lasernet Client app, click Tools à Options à Reset layout. 

Manually activation of Trust UntrustedRoot is no longer required and is removed from UI. A secure connection is mandatory from Lasernet 10.2 and automatic managed when you sign in to the Lasernet Config Server 10.

Lasernet Config Server

Deployment to Multiple Servers Simultaneously

Support has been added for deployment to multiple servers at once from Lasernet Config Server.

Syntax Check

Syntax check for valid Azure Service Bus and Storage Account connection strings and key/value pairs have been added to the Printer Server properties.

Security Enhanced

Increased security level by optionally maintaining the server list in the C:\ProgramData\Formpipe Software\Lasernet 10\Config\Default\ServerSettings.json configuration file, to mitigate a “server-side request forgery”.

When server list is added to ServerSettings.json settings files, adding, editing and removing server instances are disabled from the UI in the Lasernet Config Server.

Outlook Mail

We are re-introducing support for sending attachments of up to 150 mb, as multiple parts, with the Outlook Mail output module. We have faced several limitations for speed and features in the Microsoft Graph API.

For optimal performance, emails smaller than 4 mb are now sent as a single part via the Microsoft standard mail API, and emails larger than 4 mb are sent as multiple parts via the Graph API.

Automatically deleting emails in the Sent Items folder is only supported for emails with attachments smaller than 4 mb. Deleting emails with attachments larger than 4 mb must be handled manually by adding Exchange Server policy rules as recommended by Microsoft support.

Lasernet Form Editor 10.2

By introducing two new settings to set the font point size and font width scale for rearranges, Lasernet Form Editor and Engine 10 will support more flexible and dynamic ways to design layouts for label prints with limited space for text, while requesting the largest possible font size to improve readability.

Font Point Size

A new setting – Font Point Size for Rearranges à Position to overwrite a fixed font size defined in the Fonts tab.

This feature enables you to insert a text, with the highest possible font size, into a text box. Font Point Size is supported for Rearranges and Conditional Rearranges where Size Type is set to Auto Y or Manual.

Font Width Scale

A new setting – Font Width Scale for Rearranges à Position added as an additional parameter to calculate the scaling width of text. Similar to Font Point Size, the setting will prioritize the scale to insert the most text possible in Rearranges with Position à Size Type set to Auto Y or Manual.

The output result can also work as a combination of the two settings. The highest possible scale is used before highest possible font size.

Override sheet output format

The new Override sheet output format check box, added to Rearrange à Formats tab, will give you full control of whether or not number or date formats should be overwritten with enhanced output format settings.

XML Transformer Editor 10.2

Selecting an action in the XML Transformer Editor 10 will now automatically expand only the associated XML sub-nodes, not the entire XML.

Lasernet Web Client 10.2

With Lasernet Web Client 10.2 you can now easily navigate between web apps and queues with many jobs.

Support for the web app menu allows easy navigation between the other web apps introduced in Lasernet 10.

Clicking the selected Job or Queue will refresh the job list and, for new incoming jobs, numbers of jobs in queues.

Pagination support has been added for the Job list, enabling faster browsing between a long range of Jobs in a similar way to the Lasernet Client app.

Tesseract OCR

Language selection packages in Tesseract OCR, and the embedded packages bundled with the Lasernet Server 10, will automatically be copied to Resources > Tesseract > tessdata in the local configuration.

The Tesseract Languages editor allows further editing of user-words and user-patterns to tessdata stored in resources, without changing the original bundles packages. As a result, the quality of performance of OCR with the Tesseract module is improved.

Lasernet OCR Engine

Connection settings in Lasernet OCR Engine 10 have been removed from the OCR Engine module. The connection settings from Lasernet 10.2 are automatically retrieved from the Lasernet Config Server 10.

The Connection tab in the Setup settings has been replaced with a Forms tab to define the Forms directory. The connection settings are shared with the Lasernet Config Server 10 and are no longer required to be configured in the OCR Engine.

Dictionary Service

The connection settings for the Dictionary Server are moved to a new Dictionary tab 

and the hostname and port number for the Dictionary Server are moved to the Lasernet Config Server 10 in the Dictionary Server tool settings.

Note: When upgrading to Lasernet 10.2 the Dictionary Settings must be re-configured for integration to new configuration format.

“Capture body” is a new setting to force the OCR Engine to include (experimental) or exclude capturing of item lines in documents when AutoCapture is activated.

Lasernet OCR Editor

Sign in with your organizational account and authenticate against external authentication providers like Azure Active Directory, enabling two-factor authentication.

Connection settings required for Lasernet OCR Editor 10 have been removed from the application. The connection settings from Lasernet 10.2 are automatically retrieved from the Lasernet Config Server 10.

The optional settings are simplified and only require the name of the Server instance and OCR Engine.

Note: If the connection, defined in the Config Server, is running without an untrusted self-signed certificate the Misc > Trust UntrustedRoot setting must still be activated before an OCR Engine can be selected.

Manually activation of Trust UntrustedRoot is no longer required and is removed from UI. A secure connection is mandatory from Lasernet 10.2 and automatic managed when you sign in to the Lasernet Config Server 10.