load Watchout Display load command "aborted"

[Bryan]

Hi all,

I'm getting an error message from Watchout when trying to load a show. I start from an unloaded display, and when the load command is sent, I get a quarter second of "verifying" which is then replaced with "aborted". The display then sits there until I try again or go online with the production software.

My message being sent (from packet sender) is:

authenticate 1\rload "COMPNAME" true true\r

I've tried loading following the unload command, loading following a reboot, and loading following being previously online from the production machine. I've changed which machine I am trying to conduct the show from.

I have 3 machines in this cluster, with 4 video outputs each.

Any thoughts from the group?

 

Thanks,

Bryan

[Bryan]

Followup: I forgot to define the computers as a cluster in the network window. This has led me to a new problem, however: now every computer is running EXCEPT the computer I am sending the message to. the conductor machine, whichever one I choose, still displays an "aborted" message but then turns its outputs black. This leads me to a question I am dreading: does Watchout require the conductor display within a cluster to ONLY operate as a conductor? If so, this is nothing that I found documented anywhere. If not, does anyone know what might be causing this?

[jfk]

3 hours ago, Bryan said:

Followup: I forgot to define the computers as a cluster in the network window.

That is not a requirement. Cluster is an optional patameter. If you do change this parameter in the WATCHOUT Network window, you must then update the show from production without errors before the load command will function correctly. Of course, you must add the new cluster name in File - Preferences - General - Cluster to successfully update the show. 

3 hours ago, Bryan said:

This has led me to a new problem, however: now every computer is running EXCEPT the computer I am sending the message to. the conductor machine, whichever one I choose, still displays an "aborted" message but then turns its outputs black. This leads me to a question I am dreading: does Watchout require the conductor display within a cluster to ONLY operate as a conductor?

No. The WATCHOUT Display computer that successfully executes a ‘load’ command is the cluster master. Single computer clusters are the most common type and of course they work under IP control. The cluster master still functions as a normal display computer.

3 hours ago, Bryan said:

If so, this is nothing that I found documented anywhere. If not, does anyone know what might be causing this?

Not really, have not observed load commands abort.

[RBeddig]

If you want to control the display cluster over IP, the display computers should run under an IP address.

Step one: upload the show from the production computer to the display computers and test from the production computer that everything works as expected.

Step two: go OFFLINE !!!!

Step three: open a connection to one of the display computers on port 3039 (I would actually rather use PuTTY, which does not need to be installed, just run the exe).
The benefit is that you have to type the strings one after the other which will give the cluster enough time to process and answer
You can also use PacketSender but I would first isolate the various bits a bit. When you send the "authenticate 1", WATCHOUT will open the connection and confirm.
When you then send "load "YOURSHOWNAME"", the cluster primary will connect to the other members and wait for their confirmation before giving you an ok.

Your string looks a bit strange too. It should be:  (<ENTER> depends on which software you use, for PuTTY it is just pressing the enter key, for PacketSender it is \r)

authenticate 1 <ENTER>

load "YOURSHOWNAME" <ENTER>    - no ending like .watch or so!

I'm using this feature very often and it works almost the same since WATCHOUT 1, only that you can run auxiliary timlines today with "run "YOURTIMELINE"". Those didn't exist 20 years back.

If the communication doesn't work with PuTTY, then check your firewall settings or other network issues which might block the communication.

Important: turn all NICs off on your production computer except the one you're using to control the cluster.

[Bryan]

35 minutes ago, RBeddig said:

I would actually rather use PuTTY, which does not need to be installed, just run the exe).

The benefit is that you have to type the strings one after the other which will give the cluster enough time to process and answer

Thank you! While I still have some problems to solve (Packet Sender was just being used for testing in place of a custom PLC show controller), it did allow me to narrow down the problem, as I was able to successfully control it through PuTTY. It's strange to me that other commands and single-machine shows don't cause a problem with being run as one message from packet sender. None the less, I will be looking into getting the controller to hold open the socket for these messages.

-Bryan

[RBeddig]

The loading command is something which takes a moment on each computer. The master has to analyze how many other computers are involved in this show and inform those to also load the show file. They then all load and report back to the master. On "normal" controls, like run, halt,... the master just fires it off to the rest of the then already established cluster. If it is only one computer, the master is on it's own and doesn't have to wait for responses.