Mainchain Printing Tool

Overview

• Freman is our easy to use online freight management system which allows you to produce and print all transport documentation to accompany your freight in just a few clicks.
• Our Mainchain Printing Tool (MPT) is our easy-to-install print client designed to enable direct printing from your browser.
• It will remember your preferred printers when printing your consignment documentation from Freman.
• Dependent on your internal infrastructure, MPT can be run as a standalone tool or as a service.

This tool can be installed on

• Single computers with locally or network installed printers.
• Single computers with multiple-users logged in (running as a service).
• Windows Terminal Services Environments (an option for Citrix).

System requirements

• System administrator permission.
  
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.7.2 or above installed on your machine.
• MPT includes the installation files for Microsoft .NET Framework 4.7.2 (if required).
• MPT is supported on the following operating systems,
  • Microsoft Windows 7
  • Microsoft Windows 8.1
  • Microsoft Windows 10
  • Microsoft Windows 11
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2008
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2012
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2016
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2019
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2022
• MPT is not currently supported on,
• Microsoft Windows XP
• Microsoft Windows Vista
• Microsoft Windows 8
• Apple macOS (all versions)
• Google Chrome OS
• Linux-based OS
  
  
• Printers connected via USB or via Ethernet. Legacy ports such as LPT and COM are not supported.
• Printers must be assigned locally to your computer/session otherwise Freman may not be able to detect your printers.
• If you use a thermal (label) printer, you need to use OEM drivers as generic/text-only based drivers are not supported.
• NOTE: The MPT Installer includes the .NET 4.7.2 Framework installer if required and will prompt to install if this version or above is not running.
• You may need to contact your system administrator before downloading or installing the Mainchain Printing Tool as downloads and installation may be blocked on your network.

Featured Topics

How can I identify the correct installation mode for MPT?

Mode	Use When
MPT as Standard	This is the default and standard option which caters for a single user per individual PC requiring the ability to print documentation. If you're unsure, select this installation mode.
MPT as Service	The computer with the printers may be shared by multiple logged in users logging on to it, and therefore needs to run as a service in the background. You are on a Terminal Services Environment (for example, Citrix) and need to allow multiple users to access the printing client at the same time.   Remote printing is required.
MPT and MDP as Services	Requires an EDI integration with the application first. Remote printing is required.   Talk to your account manager or contact our IT service desk team for more information.

How do I install Mainchain Printing Tool?

 

Installing as Standard (formerly known as Standalone)

1. Run the installer by double clicking on the [setup.exe] file.

   

2. The installation process is starting up.

3. Click [Next] to continue.

4. Ensure Standard button is ticked. Click [Next] to continue.

5. Specify the destination folder. Otherwise click [Next] to install to the default location.

6. Click [Next] to use the default port of 50515. If however another application on your network already uses this port, please edit the port number before clicking [Next].

7. Click [Install] to begin the installation.

8. The installation has been completed. Ensure that Add to Startup box has been ticked so that MPT automatically starts every time the computer is started. Click [Finish].

9. A confirmation message on the bottom right of your screen indicates that the printing tool is now running and ready to use.

Ensure that you have configured the printer settings in Freman: Freman - Printer Setup

Installing as Service

 1. Run the installer by double clicking on the [setup.exe] file.

• If you do not have .NET Framework 4.7.2 installed, you will need to update this and restart your machine before proceeding

2. After restarting your machine, the install process will resume

3. Click ‘Next’ to proceed to installation mode 

 

5. Run the MPT installer and select ‘MPT as Service’, click ‘Next’

 

6. Specify your required Service Account type:

a. There are four accounts the application can run under as a service. Choose only one from the following:

Account	Description
Local Service	Use this mode when you want to print to local printers or network printers that allow anonymous access, as this account access the network with anonymous credentials.   NOTE: You will need to add the printers you wish to use as local printers for LOCAL SERVICE to be able to see them.
Network Service	Use this mode when you also want to print to local printers or network printers that do not allow anonymous access. Please note that as a password can expire, this solution may require more maintenance. NOTE: You will need to add the printers you wish to use as local printers for NETWORK SERVICE to be able to see them.
Local System	This acts like Network Service, except for the fact that it has elevated privileges. Because of this, we would recommend using Network Service instead unless absolutely necessary.
User (Recommended)	This will use the specified user’s permissions. The user name may have the form: domain\username. Please note that as a password can expire, this solution may require more maintenance.

NOTE: Before you proceed with installation, you need to do two things:

1.  Ensure that the account you want to run the application under has “Full control” permissions on the Mainchain Printing Tool install directory. Otherwise, you may get an access denied error message when you start the service.

2. Ensure that the printers you want to use are all added as local printers. Otherwise LOCAL SERVICE or NETWORK SERVICE will not be able to find the printers. This will not apply if you are installing it as a user.

7. Enter your Domain Username and Password:

a. You may be able to install as a User and then update the account once the tool is running as a Service if required (instructions to follow)

 

8. Specify the Network Port Number if required, then click Next

a. Otherwise click ‘Next’ to use the default port 50515

b. If however another application on your network already uses this port, please edit the port number before clicking ‘Next’

 

9. Complete the installation

10. Check MPT is running as a Service successfully

a. From your 'Start' menu, search for and open ‘Services’

b. Check there is a new service running called ‘Mainchain Printing Tool Service’

c. If you need to change the account that runs this Service, right click and select Service Properties > Log On Tab > This Account.

d. Furthermore, during the setup wizard phase, the domain\user and password are not validated. This means to start this service correctly, checking the Service Properties > Log On Tab > This Account details are correct may need to be checked.

11. Confirm Printers are mapped to Domain/User

a. Now that the service has been installed and the domain\user has been verified with the right password; as stated in Steps 6.2 the user is where the service will point when searching for printers in Freman. If the needed printers have not been mapped to this user, the ability to select the printer is not possible. Therefore it will be of benefit to ensure the domain\user has the printers listed appropriately. 

 

How do I uninstall Mainchain Printing Tool?

 

On a computer running Windows 10

1. Right click on the Mainchain Printing Tool icon, , and click [Close].

2. Click on the Windows start button.

3. Click the settings icon.

 

4. Click [Apps].

5. Select Mainchain Printing Tool form the list and click [Uninstall].

6. Click [Uninstall] again to confirm uninstalling.

On a computer running Windows 8.1

1. Right click on the Mainchain Printing Tool icon, , and click [Close].

2. Click on the Windows start button.


 

3. Type [Control Panel] and click on the item in the search results.

4. Click [Uninstall a program].

 

5. Select Mainchain Printing Tool from the list and click [Uninstall].

6. Click [Yes] to confirm uninstalling.

 

Last Updated: February 28, 2024