The TIM API is the standard application interface for ECR integration using SIX Payment Services terminals.

TIM API provides a comprehensive feature set to support the requirements of several different markets. This guideline is intended to be used by ECR integrators that need to implement the TIM API functionality in their products.

The following document contains an overview structure, description of the TIM API modes synchronous/asynchronous and describes the corresponding functions, notifiers and data elements that can be used with the TIM API. Furthermore implementation examples are provided. Nevertheless always the corresponding description of a function or data element is authoritative, not the examples.

The TIM API is available for multiple platforms. Due to such diversity the support for the TIM API is limited to certain standards. Those are the minimal system requirements:

• iOS 10
• Swift 4.2

Once a Terminal-instance has been created with a TerminalSettings-instance, the settings can not be changed anymore. Changes to the TerminalSettings-instance will be ignored.

The network and guides configuration are explained in the following chapters. For further information refer toTerminalSettings.

Follow these basic steps for using the TIM API:

1. Create TerminalSettings and initialize connection parameters (see Setup Configuration)
2. Create Terminal instance using the created TerminalSettings
3. Set some properties where required:
   • Define a POS ID
   • create mandatory list of EcrInfo and add with addEcrData
   • create list of PrintOptions and set with .printOptions
   • addListeners
4. Connect and Login. This can be done automatically, when the first terminal operation is called or manually using the login method.
5. Use terminal operation functions.

The TIM API uses two different types of automatisms:

• Pre-Automatisms: This means that all actions that need to be done before a function can be called. E.g. a transaction can be called in disconnected state without having called connect, login and activate in advance. These are called automatically by the TIM API before the transaction is performed. The Pre-Automatisms are enabled by default.

• Post-Automatisms: These automatisms can be enabled or disabled using the members autoCommit and fetchBrands. A Post-Automatism is triggered after an action has been performed. E.g. if a connect has been called and fetchBrands is activated, an applicationInformation request is called automatically after the connect. Or if autoCommit is activated a commit is performed automatically after a transaction has been made. AutoCommit and fetchBrands are enabled by default.

The following diagramsshow the principle of the Pre-Automatisms and Post-Automatisms. Pre-Automatisms are enabled by default and cannot be disabled. If an error occurs the started request from the ECR is returned with an error.

Synchronous flow

Asynchronous flow

This chapter describes various guides and their use cases.

Hint: if no content visible, try to select a guide under "Guide Selection" on the left.

The basic operation modes of terminal method calls are:

1. Synchronous
   Method calls are blocking and return after the operation is finished successfully or throw a TimException otherwise. Please not that it is highly discouraged to use synchronous method calls on mobile platforms like iOS because the main thread will be blocked by a synchronous call which may not be tolerated by the platform, as they are quite strict regarding blocking calls. This may result in a crash of the mobile App.

2. Asynchronous
   Method returns immediately after the operation has started or throws a TimException otherwise. A listener-event-method will be called after the operation is finished successfully. All listener-event-methods contain a TimEvent. In case of failure a TimException is included. User-implemented listener-handlers can be added to the Terminal-instance with addListener.

If asynchronous functions are used there are two ways to handle the callbacks:

• Either the protocol TerminalListener can be used directly. Which means that all defined protocol function must be implemented.
• Or the prepared default protocol implementation DefaultTerminalListener can be used and only the necessary protocol function must be overwritten.

Code example for adding a terminal listener:

//
// Handle asynchronous terminal events.
//
class TerminalHandler: DefaultTerminalListener {

    //
    // The status of the terminal changed. This includes processing status and display content
    //
    override func terminalStatusChanged(terminal: Terminal) {
        // Events usually originate from a different thread than the main thread.
        // Always use DispatchQueue.main.async to be safe
        DispatchQueue.main.async {
            // handle terminal status change
        }
    }

    //
    // A call to Terminal.transactionAsync finished.
    //
    override func transactionCompleted(event: TimEvent, data: TransactionResponse?) {
        // Events usually originate from a different thread than the main thread.
        // Always use DispatchQueue.main.async to be safe
        DispatchQueue.main.async {
            // handle transaction finished using data
        }
    }
}

class ExampleECR {    
    func createTerminal(settings: terminalSettings) {
        // create terminal from terminal settings
        guard let terminal = Terminal(settings: terminalSettings) else {
            // throw error, since creating terminal from settings failed
            return
        }

        // add listener (can be done at sany time, not just during init)
        terminal.addListener(listener: TerminalHandler())
    }
}

This chapter describes various flows for specific guides.

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The TIM API is able to log an extensive set of events and actions within the TIM API. It's key that logs are created and stored properly. Logging enables support and makes bug-tracking much easier.