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The APM Tray Application runs in your Windows system tray, providing quick access to start, stop, and monitor the WorkerService and UI application.

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What is the Tray Application?

The tray app is a lightweight Windows application that:
  • Displays the WorkerService status in real-time
  • Allows starting and stopping the WorkerService process
  • Provides quick access to the APM UI
  • Runs on Windows startup (optional)
  • Lives in the system tray (notification area)
APM Tray Icon

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Starting the Tray Application

1

Launch TrayApp.exe

Navigate to your APM installation directory and run TrayApp.exe.Default location: C:\Program Files\AppsielPrintManager\trayapp\TrayApp.exe
2

Find the Tray Icon

Look for the APM icon in your Windows system tray (bottom-right corner of screen).If hidden, click the ^ arrow to show hidden icons.
3

Access the Menu

Right-click the tray icon to open the context menu.

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Tray Menu Options

Right-click the tray icon to access:
Menu ItemDescription
Abrir UIOpens the APM user interface application
Estado: [Status]Displays current WorkerService status (read-only)
Iniciar WorkerServiceStarts the WorkerService process
Detener WorkerServiceStops the WorkerService process
SalirExits the tray app and stops WorkerService

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WorkerService Status Indicators

The status menu item shows the current state:
Status: Running ✓
Icon: Green indicatorThe WorkerService is active and processing print jobs.Available actions:
  • Detener WorkerService (enabled)
  • Iniciar WorkerService (disabled)
The status updates automatically every 1 second to reflect the current state.

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Using the Tray Application

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Opening the UI

1

Right-click Tray Icon

Right-click the APM tray icon in the system tray.
2

Select Abrir UI

Click Abrir UI from the menu.
3

Wait for UI Launch

The MAUI UI application will launch in a new window.A confirmation message appears when the UI starts successfully.
If the UI is already running, you’ll see a message: “La UI de Appsiel Print Manager ya está en ejecución.”

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Starting the WorkerService

1

Check Status

Ensure the status shows Detenido (stopped).
2

Click Iniciar WorkerService

Select Iniciar WorkerService from the menu.
3

Verify Started

Wait for the confirmation message and check that status changes to En Ejecución.
The WorkerService will:
  • Start as a background process
  • Begin listening for print jobs
  • Connect to configured printers and scales
  • Run without a visible window

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Stopping the WorkerService

1

Check Status

Ensure the status shows En Ejecución (running).
2

Click Detener WorkerService

Select Detener WorkerService from the menu.
3

Verify Stopped

The process will terminate and status will change to Detenido.
Stopping the WorkerService will interrupt any in-progress print jobs.

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Exiting the Tray Application

1

Select Salir

Right-click the tray icon and select Salir.
2

Automatic Cleanup

The tray app will automatically:
  1. Stop the WorkerService if running
  2. Close the UI if open
  3. Remove the tray icon
  4. Exit completely
Exiting the tray app does NOT uninstall APM - it simply stops the current session.

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Automatic Startup

To run the tray app automatically when Windows starts:
1

Open Startup Folder

Press Win + R, type shell:startup, and press Enter.
2

Create Shortcut

Right-click in the Startup folder and select New > Shortcut.
3

Set Target

Browse to TrayApp.exe in your APM installation directory.Example: C:\Program Files\AppsielPrintManager\trayapp\TrayApp.exe
4

Name Shortcut

Name it “Appsiel Print Manager” and click Finish.
5

Restart to Test

Restart Windows and verify the tray icon appears automatically.

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How the Tray App Works

The tray application uses the following logic to manage services:

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WorkerService Discovery

The app searches for WorkerService.exe in:
  1. Production path: ../worker/WorkerService.exe (relative to tray app)
  2. Development paths: Various bin/Debug and bin/Release folders

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UI Discovery

The app searches for UI.exe in:
  1. Production path: ../UI.exe (relative to tray app)
  2. Development paths: Various bin/Debug and bin/Release folders

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Status Monitoring

Every 1 second, the tray app:
  • Checks if WorkerService.exe process is running
  • Optionally checks Windows Service status (if installed as service)
  • Updates menu status and icon
  • Enables/disables menu items accordingly

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Troubleshooting

  • Check if TrayApp.exe is running in Task Manager
  • Look in hidden icons (click ^ in system tray)
  • Restart TrayApp.exe with administrator privileges
  • Check Windows notification settings allow tray icons
  • Verify WorkerService.exe exists in the expected path
  • Check for error messages in the tray app popup
  • Ensure no other instance is already running (check Task Manager)
  • Try running WorkerService.exe directly to see detailed errors
  • Verify UI.exe exists in the expected path
  • Check if UI is already running (only one instance allowed)
  • Ensure .NET runtime is installed for MAUI applications
  • Check Windows Event Viewer for application errors
  • The tray app may not have permission to query process status
  • Run TrayApp.exe as administrator
  • Check if Windows Service controller is accessible
  • Check for error dialogs that appear briefly
  • Run from Command Prompt to see console errors
  • Verify all required DLLs are present
  • Check Application Event Log for crash details

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Files and Locations

FilePurposeDefault Location
TrayApp.exeMain tray applicationC:\Program Files\AppsielPrintManager\trayapp\
apmtrayicon.icoTray icon graphicC:\Program Files\AppsielPrintManager\trayapp\Resources\
WorkerService.exeBackground serviceC:\Program Files\AppsielPrintManager\worker\
UI.exeMAUI user interfaceC:\Program Files\AppsielPrintManager\

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Technical Details

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Implementation

  • Platform: .NET 10 WPF (Windows-only)
  • Tray Framework: System.Windows.Forms.NotifyIcon
  • Process Management: System.Diagnostics.Process
  • Service Control: System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController
  • Update Frequency: 1 second polling timer

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Process Lifecycle

Installation Guide

Installing APM on Windows

Printer Configuration

Configure printers and devices

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