autostart WATCHPAX - autostart.txt - script

[Jonas Dannert]

This is the example autostart.txt script text-file from WATCHPAX.

 

It can be used as a starting point for creating an autostart file for stand-alone start of a WATCHOUT Display computer or cluster.

 

Please also see the 5.5.1 Release Notes : http://www.dataton.com/files/watchout/support/Release_Notes_5.5.1.html

 

• A script named autostart.txt, located in the same folder as the WATCHOUT application, will run automatically when the display software is launched. This can contain display computer protocol commands, which will then be applied automatically every time the software is started.
• A new "Edit Startup Script" command has been added to the WATCHOUT display software, accessible locally and from the production software (through the Remote Access command). This provides a shortcut to editing the startup command script file, which can be used to define initial settings for a display computer or cluster. This can be used to load shows automatically, and similar functions available in the WATCHOUT display computer protocol.
• A new "Re-launch" command has been added to the WATCHOUT display software, accessible locally and from the production software (through the Remote Access command). This is useful after editing the startup script in order to see the effect of your changes.

 

/jonas

 

autostart.txt

 

----------------------------------

 

;

; autostart.txt

;

; This is an example script file on how to use different commands to control the

; start-up and other behavior of the WATCHPAX. 

;

; To enable a command simply remove the semicolon sign at the start of the line in front of the command.

; To disable a command just add a semi-colon at the beginning of the line in front of the command.

; Please remember that you can only have one command on each line.

;

; See each individual command in the WATCHOUT User's Guide for more details.

;

;  ------------------------------------------------------------------

;

; This is a small example on a scrip that automatically loads and starts a show named "MyShow"

;

; Note:  If the show contains of more then one computer then this script should only run on

; the computer designated as the cluster master and not on any of the other members of the cluster.

; The cluster master will automatically send the load command to all members of the cluster.

;

; authenticate 1

; setLogoString "The show will begin shortly"

; delay 5000

; load "MyShow"

; wait

; run

;

;  ------------------------------------------------------------------

;

; These are some examples on how to set a fixed IP number on the WATCHOUT computer.

; You only need to run this script once. After that the WATCHOUT computer remember the

; last set fixed IP number. The fixed IP numbers is shown in the start-up screen under

; the WATCHOUT 5 logo. The IP number inside the parentheses is the DHCP/link-local IP number.

; Remember that you always need to authenticate to level 2 before you try to set the IP number.

;

; Example: Set the fixed IP number to 192.168.0.100

;

; authenticate 2

; setIP 192.168.0.100

;

; Example: Set the fixed IP number to 2.0.0.10 with the network mask 255.0.0.0

;

: authenticate 2

; setIP 2.0.0.10 255.0.0.0

;

; Example: Remove the fixed IP number and restore the WATCHOUT computer to use the DHCP/link-local IP number.

;

; authenticate 2

; setIP

;

;  ------------------------------------------------------------------

;

; This is an example on how to enable a serial port for use with the Dataton WIRETAG.

;

; authenticate 1

; serialPort true COM3

;

;  ------------------------------------------------------------------

;

; These are some examples on how to enable the WATCHOUT computer to synchronize

; the main timeline to a external LTC (SMPTE/EBU) timecode source.

;

; Example: Enable timecode format EBU 25 fps (2)

;

; authenticate 1

; timecodeMode 2

;

; Example: Enable timecode format SMPTE 29.97 NDF (3)

;

; authenticate 1

; timecodeMode 3

;

; Example: Enable timecode format SMPTE 29.97 DF (4) with an offset of +1 hour

;

; authenticate 1

; timecodeMode 4 "01:00:00.000"

;

; Example: Disable external timecode control

;

; authenticate 1

; timecodeMode 0

;

;

[songyost kesornsuwan]

hi 

i need to known  WATCHPAX can external control or not,

i mean  use a switch for start  time by time , if it can how to do it and about  the  scrip 

thank 

songyost k.

[ken]

I would plug the Watchpax to a home-use AC power supply timer plug. Set the show to run on cluster. 

[Maxamps]

Is it possible to configure the device to reboot once a day at a specific time? I try through the task scheduler - after reboot the task disappears.

[RBeddig]

Well, you can send a command to yourself from within WATCHOUT to power your device down.

powerDown          to 127.0.0.1:3039     if sent from a player to itself.

If your player supports wake on time in BIOS, it would be easy to wake it up at a certain time again.

 

[Maxamps]

19 hours ago, RBeddig said:

Well, you can send a command to yourself from within WATCHOUT to power your device down.

powerDown          to 127.0.0.1:3039     if sent from a player to itself.

If your player supports wake on time in BIOS, it would be easy to wake it up at a certain time again.

 

The problem is not a manual reboot. I want to do a reboot every day automatically.

[RBeddig]

Does your bios support wake on time? If so, you can set the start time here.

Then you use an autostart.txt script to run a timeline which runs for maybe 23 h 50 m and then sends the command to power the player down. The player will go down and the bios will wake it up again.

[Maxamps]

3 hours ago, RBeddig said:

Does your bios support wake on time? If so, you can set the start time here.

Then you use an autostart.txt script to run a timeline which runs for maybe 23 h 50 m and then sends the command to power the player down. The player will go down and the bios will wake it up again.

Do you mean   "time code Mode 4 " 01:00:00.000""?

[RBeddig]

No.

If you can wake the device through a defined time in your bios, it just takes a timeline with a cue to turn the player off before you restart it from your bios again.

In your autostart.txt file you would write something like:

authenticate 1
setLogoString "The show will begin shortly"     (optional)
delay 5000
load "MyShow"
wait
run "your show timeline"

run "reboot"

The "reboot timeline will then run for 23h 50m until it restarts your player.

The important thing is that your player supports wakeup at time.

 

[Maxamps]

I would not like to use another computer for this purpose , it may be busy with other tasks. Can this be done directly on watchpax?

can this be done by a command over the network     "shutdown -r" ?

[RBeddig]

If you're using a WATCHPAX, the unit's C drive is locked which means that you can't install anything or alter Windows.

From my understanding, to be able to shut down a server from remote you need to be either connected as a user e.g. through ssh or have an application running in the background of your WATCHPAX which listens to incoming commands. This is to protect your computer since otherwise everybody could shut down any computer in a network.

[Maxamps]

1 hour ago, RBeddig said:

If you're using a WATCHPAX, the unit's C drive is locked which means that you can't install anything or alter Windows.

From my understanding, to be able to shut down a server from remote you need to be either connected as a user e.g. through ssh or have an application running in the background of your WATCHPAX which listens to incoming commands. This is to protect your computer since otherwise everybody could shut down any computer in a network.

If you use SSH then what login and password?

[RBeddig]

Actually, if you're using a WATCHPAX, you could just use a timer socket and turn it off and on through by cutting the power supply and turning that on again. WATCHPAX devices are built to be turned on and off like this, though I personally would maybe do it once a week or so.

[RBeddig]

You can't use SSH on a WATCHPAX since this service is not enabled. All WATCHPAX units are stripped from all OS components which are not essential for playback.

[Ana Quintera]

Thanks brou!

[Alex Ramos]

Is  my fist time using a display machine stand alone with am autostart.txt script.

The script only runs if the machine is on a network, need to be connected to a router or other display, is this normal?

Previously I used clusters, so I always included a network by default.

 

Thanks

[jfk]

33 minutes ago, Alex Ramos said:

Is  my fist time using a display machine stand alone with am autostart.txt script.

The script only runs if the machine is on a network, need to be connected to a router or other display, is this normal?

Previously I used clusters, so I always included a network by default.

 

Thanks

I always configured Microsoft’s loop back adaptor when no physical connection is available.  This adds a new NIC to the list that is used instead of the hardware NIC on the motherboard. 

How to install Microsoft Loopback Adapter on windows 10

[Alex Ramos]

Thanks @jfk that solves the problem.

[jfk]

1 hour ago, Alex Ramos said:

Thanks @jfk that solves the problem.

Thank you for taking the time to confirm satisfactory resolution. Helpful to others who may arrive here via search, etc.

[jfk]

BTW The information about no network operation does not apply to WATCHPAX. The no network info would be better suited in its own topic about autostart.txt  (i will check into doing that). This topic is meant to provide the default contents of a factory provided autostart.txt file. The factory file documents script startup in the form of script comments.

WATCHPAX should operate standalone. without setting a loopback nic.

[pedrag]

Hi 

I experienced some times a strange WATCHPAX 4 behavior with the setting of it's network interface

I always keep the setting of my IP address and the network mask like : 

"; Example: Set the fixed IP number to 2.0.0.10 with the network mask 255.0.0.0

 ;

  authenticate 2

  setIP 2.0.0.10 255.0.0.0"

 

But sometimes he will be launched like in DHCP mode, so with a different ip address and not recognizing his computer name, setted up by me previously cause I use to identify a display with the computer name rather than the IP address.

That's mean the project will not run.

we solved with turning off and on again, sometimes we did it twice.

For a complete information about my case, I am using the WATCHPAX 4 with software 6.7.2.

 

If there is some suggestion on where I am wrong, I will be happy to know about.

 

Thanks 

 

 

 

Edited November 7, 2023 by pedrag
complete the information