The Command Functionality in Xibo can be used to configure a set of predefined Commands that a User can select to execute via XMR, in a Schedule or include in a Layout.
{tip}Predefined Commands can have a different Command String per Player which is particularly useful if the network of Players is mixed, connected to different Displays or have slightly different Player hardware.
{/tip}
A Command record is created with a Name, Description and unique Command Code, which allows for a “generic command” to be created which can be used across Display Profiles, Scheduled Events and the Shell Command Widget.
{tip}Commands provide easy access to functionality such as RS232, Android Intents, etc.
{/tip}
Configuring a Command for a Display Profile
Step 1 Create Command
Navigate to Commands under the Displays section of the menu.
Click on the Add Command button and complete the presented form fields.
Edit,Delete and Permission options can be accessed using the row menu for the selected Command.
{tip}Please note: Permissions can be applied from v2.3 and later!
{/tip}
Step 2 Configure Command on the Display Profile
This is administered from Display Settings under the Displays section of the menu. Click on the row menu for the selected profile and Edit.
For each Command, a Command and Validation can be specified.
Command
The Command String represents the final executed Command and can be a direct call to the shell or can have a helper specified, see below.
Validation
The Validation String is used as a comparison to the Command output and if it matches then the Command is considered a success. This string can be a regular expression.
This could be useful for a network of mixed Windows and Android Players with a command called ‘Reboot’. The Command String for ‘Reboot’ on Windows being shutdown /r /t 0, and on Android, it is reboot.
{tip}The same can also be useful with a non-mixed network - imagine a network of Windows players with different monitors connected over HDMI/RS232. A single Command called ‘Monitor On’ can be created with the different brands of monitor represented by different Display Settings Profiles, each can have a different Command String to turn the monitor on/off.
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Send Command
Commands can be executed via XMR from Display/Display Groups.
Scheduling Commands
Commands can be Scheduled to execute on a specific date/time by using the Schedule Page. Select the Command using the drop-down menu for Event Type when adding/editing a Schedule.
{tip}Schedule Commands such as ‘turn on’ to be executed at set times.
{/tip}
Scheduled commands are executed once on the Player and only require a “Start date and time”. The Command can be executed up to 10 seconds after the time selected.
Shell Commands
The Shell Command Widget is used to run external Commands based on the Layouts activity.
Commands can be selected by adding the Shell Command Widget to a Layout. Shell Commands with a Command as their source act in the same fashion as normal shell commands. The Command is executed when the Widget is shown on the Layout.
{tip}They should be used in a Region on their own so they are executed only once each time the Layout is shown.
{/tip}
A Shell Command can also be a Command String with options for Windows and Linux provided. This allows Users to add Commands ‘ad-hoc’ for one-time use. We recommend that Administrators create predefined commands where possible.
Helpers
Command Helpers are prefixes that can be added to the Command String in order to take a more advanced action. Commands without a prefix are executed in the shell of the operating system which runs the Player. cmd.exe on Windows and shell on Android.
Take a look at the Helper Command that can be used to change time zone on Android: Helper Command to change Time zone
RS232
RS232 commands can be executed on Players by using the rs232 prefix in the Command String. The format of the command is rs232|<connection string>|<command>.
The connection string should be provided in the following format on Windows:
<COM#>,<Baud Rate>,<Data Bits>,<Parity|None,Odd,Even,Mark,Space>,<StopBits|None,One,Two,OnePointFive>,<Handshake|None,XOnXOff,RequestToSend,RequestToSendXOnXOff>,<HexSupport|0,1,default 0>
Please note: If you need to send your Command in HEX format, you should specify the byte string in the Command String, for example: 7E 00 00 FF 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 FF , this will be converted to a byte stream by the player. You will need to set the HexSupport element of the connection string to 1.
The connection string should be provided in the following format on Android:
<DeviceName>,<Baud Rate>,<Data Bits>,<Parity>,<StopBits>,<FlowControl>
Each setting is represented by a corresponding number:
DATA_BITS_5 = 5;
DATA_BITS_6 = 6;
DATA_BITS_7 = 7;
DATA_BITS_8 = 8;
PARITY_NONE = 0;
PARITY_ODD = 1;
PARITY_EVEN = 2;
PARITY_MARK = 3;
PARITY_SPACE = 4;
STOP_BITS_1 = 1;
STOP_BITS_15 = 3;
STOP_BITS_2 = 2;
FLOW_CONTROL_OFF = 0;
FLOW_CONTROL_RTS_CTS = 1;
FLOW_CONTROL_DSR_DTR = 2;
FLOW_CONTROL_XON_XOFF = 3;
The Command itself is a string which gets sent over RS232 using the connection details.
Android Intents
Android display profiles can use the intent helper to specify an intent that should be called when the Command executes. The format of the Command is intent|<type|activity,service,broadcast>|<activity>|[<extras>] .
[<extras>] is an optional parameter available from Xibo for Android v2 R206 used to provide additional data to the Intent. This must be a JSON formatted string containing an array with at least one object. The object format is below and must be on one line.
{
"name": "<extra name>",
"type": "<type|string,int,bool,intArray>",
"value": <the value of the above type>
}
For example, on some devices you can program the firmware to set on/off times.
[{
"name": "timeon",
"type": "intArray",
"value": [2018, 7, 28, 8, 40]
}, {
"name": "timeoff",
"type": "intArray",
"value": [2018, 7, 28, 21, 40]
}]
This would be set on the command as:
intent|broadcast|activity|[{ "name": "timeon", "type": "intArray", "value": [2018, 7, 28, 8, 40] }, { "name": "timeoff", "type": "intArray", "value": [2018, 7, 28, 21, 40] }]
{tip}Commands containing an intent helper are ignored in the Windows Player.
{/tip}
Monitor ON/OFF
HDMI-CEC
HDMI-CEC is a bus that is implemented on nearly all new large-screen TVs that have HDMI connectors. This bus (which is physically connected within normal HDMI cables) supports control signals that can perform power-on, power off, volume adjusts, selection of video source and many of the features that are accessible via the TV’s remote control. It can also control most other hardware on the HDMI bus.
Xibo doesn’t provide a direct interface to HDMI-CEC as there are many different manufacturer specifications, however, it is possible to control HDMI-CEC via a batch file.
Serial/RS232
Industry grade monitors often have a serial interface for turning the monitor panel on and off. Xibo can use the RS232 Command helper to send these Commands to the monitor - usually in HEX mode.
The following monitors and Commands have been tested:
NEC E464
- Power On -
rs232|COM1,9600,8,None,One,None,1|01 30 41 30 41 30 43 02 43 32 30 33 44 36 30 30 30 31 03 73 0d - Power Off -
rs232|COM1,9600,8,None,One,None,1|01 30 41 30 41 30 43 02 43 32 30 33 44 36 30 30 30 34 03 76 0d
Sharp LC-42D69U
- Power On -
rs232|COM1,9600,8,None,One,None,1|50 4F 57 52 31 20 20 20 0D - Power Off -
rs232|COM1,9600,8,None,One,None,1|50 4F 57 52 00 20 20 20 0D
LG 55LK520
- Power On -
rs232|COM1,9600,8,None,One,None,1|6B 61 20 30 30 20 30 31 0D - Power Off -
rs232|COM1,9600,8,None,One,None,1|6B 61 20 30 30 20 30 30 0D
{tip}It should be noted that other models of each brand should also use the same Commands.
{/tip}
Philips Commercial Displays
Phillips integration is available from Xibo for Android v2 R200.
The following commands can be used to control LED’s located on the sides of some commercial Phillips Displays:
tpv_led|off
tpv_led|red
tpv_led|green
tpv_led|blue
tpv_led|white
From Xibo for Android v2 R215, integration has been added to power on/off the screen backlight by using the following commands:
tpv|screenon
tpv|screenoff
tpv|backlighton
tpv|backlightoff
Mute/unmute commands have also been added from this version:
tpv|mute
tpv|unmute
Take a look at our guide that will take you through How to set up a Reboot Command on Xibo for Android!