Installing AfiaRx

1. Install Node.jsGo to nodejs.org, download the LTS version (22 or newer) Windows Installer, and run it, clicking Next through the defaults.

   To check: open Command Prompt from the Start menu and type the line below. It should show v22 or higher.

   node --version

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2. Name the computer “afiarx”Settings › System › About › Rename this PC, type afiarx, then Restart now. Your other devices will find AfiaRx at http://afiarx.local.
3. Download and unpack AfiaRxAt afiarx.afiannova.com/download: your code, Windows, Download. Then right-click the afiarx-v….zip file › Extract All… › choose C:\ › Extract. You now have the folder C:\AfiaRx.
4. Try AfiaRxIn C:\AfiaRx, double-click start-afiarx.cmd. A black window opens: keep it open for now.

   Windows asks about the firewall: tick Private networks and click Allow, so your tills and phones can reach AfiaRx.

5. Open AfiaRxIn Chrome or Edge on this computer, go to http://localhost. The Set up your shop page appears: continue with the Next tab.
6. Make AfiaRx start with the computerClose the black window. Then in C:\AfiaRx, right-click install-service.cmd › Run as administrator. AfiaRx becomes a Windows service: it starts as soon as the computer is on, even before anyone signs in (e.g. after a power cut), restarts by itself if it ever stops, and needs no window.

   Set Settings › System › Power › Sleep to Never when plugged in. If the service can’t be installed, autostart-windows.cmd (Run as administrator) starts AfiaRx when you sign in instead.

1. Install Node.jsGo to nodejs.org, download the LTS version (22 or newer) macOS Installer, and run it.

   To check: open Terminal (Applications › Utilities) and type:

   node --version

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2. Name the computer “afiarx”System Settings › General › Sharing, then at the bottom, Local hostname › Edit: type afiarx. Your other devices will find AfiaRx at http://afiarx.local.
3. Download and unpack AfiaRxAt afiarx.afiannova.com/download: your code, Mac or Ubuntu, Download. Double-click the afiarx-v….tar.gz file in Downloads, then drag the AfiaRx folder into your home folder (Finder › Go › Home).
4. Start AfiaRxIn Terminal:

   cd ~/AfiaRx && sh start-afiarx.sh

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   If the Mac asks whether to accept incoming network connections, click Allow.

5. Open AfiaRxIn Safari or Chrome, go to http://localhost. The Set up your shop page appears: continue with the Next tab.
6. Start AfiaRx with the computerIn Terminal, first stop the copy you started (Ctrl+C), then run the line below: AfiaRx starts again, and from now on whenever you sign in.

   sh ~/AfiaRx/autostart-mac.sh

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   Tip: System Settings › Energy (or Battery › Options): prevent automatic sleeping when the display is off.

1. Install Node.jsIn Terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T):

   curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash -
   sudo apt install -y nodejs
   node --version

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2. Name the computer “afiarx”Your other devices will find AfiaRx at http://afiarx.local.

   sudo hostnamectl set-hostname afiarx
   sudo apt install -y avahi-daemon

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3. Download and unpack AfiaRx into /opt/afiarxAt afiarx.afiannova.com/download: your code, Mac or Ubuntu, Download. Then, from the afiarx-v….tar.gz file in Downloads:

   cd /opt && sudo tar -xzf ~/Downloads/afiarx-v*.tar.gz
   sudo mv /opt/AfiaRx /opt/afiarx && sudo chown -R $USER /opt/afiarx

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4. Allow AfiaRx to use the web’s usual portSo the address needs no number at the end. (Again after any Node.js upgrade.)

   sudo setcap 'cap_net_bind_service=+ep' "$(readlink -f "$(command -v node)")"

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5. Start AfiaRx with the computerPut your user name in the service file, then switch it on:

   cd /opt/afiarx && sed -i "s/^User=.*/User=$USER/" afiarx.service
   sudo cp afiarx.service /etc/systemd/system/
   sudo systemctl daemon-reload && sudo systemctl enable --now afiarx

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6. Open AfiaRxIn the browser, go to http://localhost. The Set up your shop page appears: continue with the Next tab.

1. Join the shop’s Wi-FiThe same network as the shop computer.
2. Show the QR codeOn the shop computer: System & Management › Phones and tablets.
3. Scan the Android codeOpen the camera and point it at the code marked Android, then tap the link that appears: AfiaRx opens in Chrome.

   No QR scanning in your camera? Use Google Lens, or type the address shown under the code into Chrome.

4. Add the AfiaRx iconIn Chrome: ⋮ › Add to Home screen (or Install app) › Add. From now on, open AfiaRx from that icon.
5. Sign inWith your own PIN or password. You see the screens your role allows.

1. Join the shop’s Wi-FiThe same network as the shop computer.
2. Show the QR codeOn the shop computer: System & Management › Phones and tablets.
3. Scan the first codeOpen the Camera, point it at the code for iPhone, iPad and computers, and tap the link: AfiaRx opens in Safari.
4. Add the AfiaRx iconIn Safari: Share › Add to Home Screen › Add.
5. Sign inWith your own PIN or password.

Stock counts and price checks on the shelves, approvals (discounts, petty cash), receiving deliveries, the dashboard and reports. For selling, a computer with a USB barcode scanner, receipt printer and cash drawer works best.

They need the shop’s Wi-Fi. Away from the shop, the director sees AfiaRx from their phone through a free private connection that Afiannova sets up with you.

1. The setup pageYour business details, the receipt message, and the director’s account. Then the Getting started checklist on the dashboard guides you through the rest, ticking itself as you go.
2. Your recovery codesMy account › Make my recovery codes: write them down, and keep them at home. With one, you can reset a forgotten password yourself.
3. BackupsSystem Settings › Backups: a passphrase you write down and keep safe, the daily time, and the USB drive. Then Back up now and Check it opens.
4. Your products and opening stockImport from Excel, with the AfiaRx templates: replace the EXAMPLE row; a pack of 12 strips is simply 12.
5. Connect to the AfiaRx cloudSystem & Management › Cloud Sync: enter the code Afiannova gave you, then Sync now. Your records are then kept safe in the cloud as well.

1. This computer as a tillOn it, open http://localhost/pair, then approve it under System & Management › POS Terminals: it becomes TILL-01.
2. An AfiaRx icon on this computerIn Chrome or Edge, open http://localhost, then ⋮ › Cast, save and share › Create shortcut (Edge: … › Apps › Install this site as an app), and tick Open as window. AfiaRx gets an icon on the desktop and in the Start menu or apps list, and opens in its own window, like an app, with no address bar.
3. Other computers as tillsNothing to install: any computer with Chrome on the shop’s Wi-Fi or network. In Chrome, open http://afiarx.local, then ⋮ › Cast, save and share › Create shortcut, tick Open as window: an AfiaRx icon on the desktop. Then open http://afiarx.local/pair and approve it under POS Terminals.
4. At each tillPlug in the barcode scanner and receipt printer (USB), and the cash drawer into the printer. Scan a product into a sale, and print a receipt, to check.
5. Full screen at a till (optional)For a computer used only as a till: AfiaRx fills the whole screen, with nothing else to click on, so staff can’t wander off to other websites or programs. Make one more shortcut, as below (on the shop computer, use http://localhost; on other tills, http://afiarx.local). To leave full screen: Alt+F4 (Mac: Cmd+Q). Receipts print at once, with no print window: make the receipt printer this computer’s default printer first.

   System	The shortcut
   Windows	Right-click the desktop › New › Shortcut, paste the line below, Next, name it AfiaRx till, Finish. To start it with the computer, put a copy in the folder that opens with Win+R, shell:startup. "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --kiosk --kiosk-printing http://localhost Copy
   Mac	In Terminal (once, to try it): open -a "Google Chrome" --args --kiosk --kiosk-printing http://localhost Copy
   Ubuntu	In Terminal, or as the command of a startup application (Startup Applications › Add): google-chrome --kiosk --kiosk-printing http://localhost Copy

Step by step for Android, iPhone and iPad: see the Phones tab above. In short:

Phones and tablets need the shop’s Wi-Fi. They aren’t tills, and don’t count towards your tills.

Away from the shop, the director sees AfiaRx from their phone through a free private connection that Afiannova sets up with you.

1. Download the new version, and stop AfiaRxDownload it at afiarx.afiannova.com/download, with the same code. Then stop AfiaRx. Windows: open Services (search for it), select AfiaRx, Stop (or close its black window, if you start it by hand). Mac: launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.afiannova.afiarx.plist. Ubuntu: sudo systemctl stop afiarx.
2. Unpack the new version over the old oneInto the same place, replacing the files. Your data isn’t in this folder (Windows: C:\AfiaRx-data; Mac and Ubuntu: afiarx-data in your user folder), and your own settings.env, if you made one, is kept.
3. Start AfiaRx againWindows: Services › AfiaRx › Start. Otherwise as at installation, or restart the computer. AfiaRx updates its database by itself when it starts.