Skip to main content

Upgrade to Typefi Workgroup 8.14 or later

Karl J.
  • Updated

This article provides a step-by-step guide for system administrators and IT professionals who are currently running Typefi Workgroup 8.13 or earlier and want to upgrade to 8.14 or later.

There are two ways to upgrade Typefi Workgroup:

  1. Self-service. To complete the upgrade process yourself, please follow the steps in this article. If you have any questions or concerns about this upgrade, please contact your Solutions Consultant.
  2. Full-service. If you want us to complete the upgrade process, please contact your Solutions Consultant to schedule a time.

In this guide

This documentation provides instructions to perform an upgrade to Typefi Workgroup 8.14 or later. Please allow for 1.5 to 2 hours to complete the upgrade, especially if you are also upgrading other components, for example, Adobe InDesign Server.

The information in this guide is organised as follows:

  1. Compatibility changes: This section provides some background on major changes introduced in Typefi Workgroup 8.14.
  2. Prep: This section describes the preliminary steps and system requirements before starting the upgrade process.
  3. Download files: This section details how to access files needed for the upgrade.
  4. Remove existing components: This section describes the required steps for removing existing plug-ins before performing the upgrade to 8.14.
  5. Stop Typefi Workgroup Server: This section details how to locate and stop the current Typefi Workgroup service.
  6. Install new components: This section describes how to install Typefi Workgroup, update or upgrade Adobe InDesign server (optional), install new plug-ins, and verify your Typefi Workgroup services account is set.
  7. Verify things are running: This section explains how to verify the installation is successful.
  8. Upgrade client machines: This section explains how to install components on client machines.

Typefi Server 8.14 or later compatibility changes ↩

Upgrading all workflow plug-ins

Typefi released Server v8.14 on 19 April 2024, which runs on Java21 and Tomcat 10.1. This means that workflow plug-ins used with Typefi Server v8.13 and earlier won't work with Server v8.14 or later. As part of the preparation to upgrade, you will need to remove old plug-ins before upgrading Typefi Workgroup.

For a list of compatible workflow plug-ins for Typefi Workgroup v8.14 or later, refer to Typefi Workgroup v8.14 system requirements.

Retired PDFtk-based actions

The legacy PDFtk plug-in, discontinued on 01 January 2019, won't work with Typefi Server v8.14 or later. The recommended alternative is our PDF Utilities plug-in.

If your workflows still use the legacy PDFtk-based actions, please migrate to PDF Utilities v2.0.91 before upgrading to Typefi Server v8.14 to keep things running smoothly. See this help article for a complete guide.

Retired compatibility with macOS

Typefi Workgroup is no longer compatible with macOS. Please use Typefi Server v8.13 or earlier for macOS compatibility. For more information, see the Typefi Server system requirements.

2. Prep ↩

2.1 Server

Task Description
Make sure you have admin privileges. You'll need admin privileges to perform the upgrade. If you don't have admin privileges, make sure you have access to credentials of a username and password with admin privileges to fill in during the install.
Check the system requirements and Product support matrix. Check whether the system requirements differ from those of the current environment running Typefi Workgroup.
Local or service account? Open the Services application and find 'Typefi Workgroup Server' in the list of services.

If Log on as states Local System you don't need to do anything else.

If Log on as states something else, make note of the service account and ensure you obtain the password for this account.
Adobe InDesign Server

Typefi Workgroup 8.14 supports Adobe InDesign Server 2024, 2023 and 2022.

There's not a requirement to run the latest full version of Adobe InDesign Server unless your current version is no longer supported. However, we strongly recommend keeping your installation updated with the latest dot-version of Adobe InDesign Server.

Please review the following help articles to determine if you need to Update or Upgrade Adobe InDesign Server.

Note: Follow the Adobe InDesign Server preparation steps outlined in these articles.
Verify use of PDFtk

The PDFtk plug-in won't work with Typefi Server v8.14 or later.

If your workflows still use the legacy PDFtk-based actions, please migrate to PDF Utilities v2.0.91 before upgrading to Typefi Server v8.14 to keep things running smoothly. See this help article for a complete guide.
Superuser credentials

 Updating, adding, or removing Typefi workflow plug-ins requires signing into Typefi Server with Superuser credentials. 

The default username is admin and the default password is admin.

If the password has been changed, make sure you obtain the password.
Backup Backup your server as a snapshot or a full system backup before upgrading.

2.2 Typefi Writer (if used)

 

Task Description
Typefi Writer client Check the Typefi Writer release notes for the latest versions and review the Typefi Writer system requirements for any changes.
Microsoft Word customisations (.dotm) Check for any customisations, especially those we created for you, as they may need updates for compatibility with the latest version of Word. 

If you're unsure, please contact your Solutions Consultant.

3. Download files ↩

First:

  1. Sign in to the Typefi FTP and download the Typefi Workgroup installer located in the Typefi__Server for Workgroup.
  2. While signed in to the Typefi FTP, navigate to the Typefi__Server Plugins folder and download workflow plug-ins (.war) files licensed to you. For a list of workflow plug-ins and filenames on the FTP, see Typefi latest releases.

Next, download the following optional files (if applicable)

4. Remove existing components ↩

4.1 Remove plug-ins

In this step, you will uninstall all existing plug-ins.

  1. Open the browser and navigate to your Typefi Server using the URL http://localhost:8080. If your organisation modified the URL, use the updated address.
  2. Sign in with Superuser credentials (see Prep).
  3. Click Admin → Plug-ins.
  4. Click Uninstall next to the name of the plug-ins you wish to remove. 
  5. Repeat steps 1-4 until all plug-ins have been removed.

4.2 Remove old licenses

In this step, you will verify if there is only one Typefi Workgroup license present. If there are multiple licenses, delete all but the most recent license.

67-delete-server-licenses.png

  1. Open the browser and navigate to your Typefi Server using the URL http://localhost:8080. If your organisation modified the URL, use the updated address.
  2. Sign in with Superuser credentials (see Prep).
  3. Click Admin → License.
  4. Check if there is only a single license.
    1. If so, close the browser and proceed to step 5.
    2. If there are multiple, click Delete—only keeping the most current license—then close the browser and proceed to step 5.

5. Stop Typefi Workgroup Server ↩

  1. Use Windows search to launch the Services app.
  2. Locate Typefi Workgroup Server.
  3. Right-click and choose Stop.

6. Install new components ↩

First, run the installers downloaded from the Typefi FTP and any third-party plug-ins.

6.1 Run the Typefi Workgroup installer

  1. Double-click to open the Typefi Workgroup installer.
  2. Follow the steps in the installer.

6.2 Verify Log on As

During Prep, you determined how Typefi Workgroup is running. Now, verify things are still the same after the upgrade.

  1. Use Windows search to launch the Services app.
  2. Locate Typefi Workgroup Server and check if the value under the column Log on as is the same as you noted in your prep.

If it was previously configured as a Local account:

  1. Right-click Typefi Workgroup Server and choose Properties.
  2. Make sure Allow service to interact with desktop is checked.InDesignServerlocal.png
  3. Click OK.
  4. Change the startup from Manual to Automatic (if needed).

To change from a Local account to a Service account

  1. Right-click and choose Properties.
  2. Switch to the Log On tab.
  3. Change the setting from Local System account to This account.
  4. Click Browse to find the account that you made note of in your Prep.
  5. Enter the password for this account that you made note of in your Prep.
  6. Click OK.
  7. Change the startup from Manual to Automatic (if needed).

6.3 Install Adobe InDesign Server (optional)

If you have determined in your Prep that Adobe InDesign Server will be updated or upgraded, this is a good time to proceed, as the installation requires you to restart the system.

After completing the Adobe InDesign Server installation, return to this guide to continue with the remaining steps.

6.4 Restart

Restart the computer if you did not do so during the Adobe InDesign Server installation in step 6.3.

6.5 Install plug-ins

  1. Open the browser and navigate to your Typefi Server using the URL http://localhost:8080. If your organisation modified the URL, use the updated address.
  2. Sign in with the superuser credentials (see Prep).
  3. Click Admin → Plug-ins.
  4. Click Add plug-in at the bottom of the window.
  5. Navigate to the location where you downloaded the plug-ins with the .war extension.
    • Please be patient; the installation process may take several minutes, especially when installing larger plug-ins. The screen will eventually refresh and display the plug-in along with all available actions.
  6. Repeat steps 1-4 for all other plug-ins licensed to you.

Troubleshooting

If you do not see the WAR files uploading, a local security setting on the server might be affecting the system.

As a workaround:

  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Typefi\Server\webapps
  3. Drag and drop (or cut and paste) the .war files into this folder. The files will unpack, creating folders with matching names.

Plug-ins are now installed. If you want to add plug-ins from the browser, adjust your local security settings to allow uploads.

6.6 Update InDesign engines (if needed)

This step is only required if you performed an Adobe InDesign Server upgrade (minor version updates are not affected) and if one or more of the following conditions applies:

  • used different port numbers when performing the upgrade 
  • need to change the name of the InDesign engine

Update InDesign engines:

  1. Open the browser and navigate to your Typefi Server using the URL http://localhost:8080. If your organisation modified the URL, use the updated address.
  2. Sign in with the superuser credentials (see Prep).
  3. Click Admin → Add-ins → InDesign.
  4. Update the port number and/or the name of your InDesign engines.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Restart Typefi Workgroup.
    1. Use Windows search to launch the Services app.
    2. Find Typefi Workgroup Server in the list.
    3. Right-click and choose Restart.
    4. Wait until the status shows Running.
    5. Close the Services app.

7. Verify things are running ↩

7.1 Verify InDesign Server is running

  1. Use Windows search to launch the Services app.
  2. Verify InDesignServerService x64 is shown as Running.
  3. Close Services.
  4. Use Windows search to launch the Task Manager. You may need to set it to Advanced.
  5. There should be two processes running:
    1. One or more variations of InDesignServer if you are running multi-instance InDesign.
      indesignserverservice.png
    2. InDesignServerService

7.2 Verify Typefi Server is running

  1. Use Windows search to launch the Services app.
  2. Verify Typefi Workgroup Server is shown as Running.
  3. Close Services.
  4. Open a browser and navigate to the Typefi Server using the URL http://localhost:8080. If your organisation modified the URL, use the updated address. 
  5. Sign in using your Typefi credentials and verify the version number (bottom left) matches the installed version of Typefi Workgroup.

7.3 Run a test job

Run your test workflow. If you don't have one, we recommend building a test workflow to make sure your Typefi Server is configured correctly.

7.4 Additional details

If a workflow action has an orange Update badge update-badge@2x.png in the top right corner, a newer version is available. Click the badge to update the action. For more information, see Update an action.

8. Upgrade client machines ↩

  1. If needed, install Typefi Designer or Typefi Writer on your client machines, (downloaded during Prep).
  2. Run the installer on each machine, or use the instructions for unattended installation.

If you run into issues upgrading Typefi Workgroup, please contact us. We're here to help.

Otherwise, congratulations, you are all done! 

Related articles

Comments

0 comments

Please sign in to leave a comment.