Changes for page Toolbox Basics

Last modified by Alexander Mott on 2024/03/19 21:00
From version 26.8
edited by Alexander Mott
on 2022/10/10 22:07
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To version 22.1
edited by Alexander Mott
on 2022/09/19 22:13
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2 2  {{toc/}}
3 3  {{/box}}
4 4  
5 -[[Crestron's Toolbox>>url:https://www.crestron.com/Products/Control-Hardware-Software/Software/Development-Software/SW-TB]] software is vital to being able to startup any Crestron lighting control job. The intent of this article is to familiarize a new lighting control tech with the very basics of the various Tools available within the Crestron Toolbox software; detailed information can be access anytime from within Toolbox by pressing the F1 function key to open the Crestron Toolbox Help Menu. If a tool window is the active window, pressing F1 will open the Crestron Toolbox Help Menu to the specific page for that tool.
5 +[[Crestron's Toolbox>>url:https://www.crestron.com/Products/Control-Hardware-Software/Software/Development-Software/SW-TB]] software is vital to being able to startup any Crestron lighting control job. The intent of this article is to familiarize a new lighting control tech with the very basics of the various Tools available within the Crestron Toolbox software.
6 6  
7 7  = Initial Toolbox Configuration =
8 8  
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28 28  
29 29  = Connecting to Devices =
30 30  
31 -In order to connect to any lighting devices, your computer must be physically connected to the lighting device or the lighting network. Typically, this is achieved via TCP (i.e. Ethernet or WiFi) or USB (usually a USB-A to USB-B cable), though some older devices may require an RS-232 serial connection.
31 +In order to connect to any lighting devices, your computer must be physically connected to the lighting device or the lighting network. Typically, this is achieved with either a USB-A to USB-B cable or an Ethernet cable, though some devices use different types of USB or have wireless adapters.
32 32  
33 -Any Toolbox tool which requires connecting to a device has several buttons and fields at the lower left which relate to device connection:
33 +(% class="box infomessage" %)
34 +(((
35 +Note: It is not recommended to use Toolbox with multiple types of connections simultaneously as Toolbox may behave unexpectedly. If changing the connection method (e.g. switching to an Ethernet connection after using a USB connection), then you should unplug the first cable before plugging in the second one.
36 +)))
34 34  
35 -[[image:Untitled.png]]
36 -
37 -These elements have various functions:
38 -
39 -1. Address Book Menu - Used to view and edit the current address book, or to change the active Address Book to a different Address Book
40 -1. Current Connected Device - If the currently connected device is in the Address Book, it's name in the Address Book will be displayed here. This drop down menu can also be used to connect to a different device within the current Address Book
41 -1. Manual Connection Menu - This menu is used to manually connect to a device that is not in the current Address Book. It can be used regardless of the connection type or device being connected to:
42 -1*. [[image:1663625644870-585.png]]
43 -1. Quick Function Menu (keyboard shortcut: ALT+F) - menu containing a few useful functions
44 -1*. Firmware (keyboard shortcut: ALT+O) - menu for loading firmware
45 -1*. SIMPL Program (keyboard shortcut: ALT+P) - menu for loading a SIMPL or SIMPL# Program
46 -1*. Project (keyboard shortcut: ALT+T) - menu for loading an XPanel UI
47 -1. Current connection status ("Connecting", "Connected", "Disconnected", or "Unknown")
48 -1. Current connection type and address (e.g. "usb" or "ssh 10.44.5.71")
49 -
50 50  == USB Connection ==
51 51  
52 -Connecting to a device via USB is only recommended during initial configuration of the device's IP settings or if there is an issue with connecting via Ethernet/TCP. The data transfer rate over USB is very low relative to Ethernet, and so any activities that require data transfer (such as updating firmware, updating showrunner™, or loading a UI) will take much longer than necessary. Additionally, when connecting via USB, only the device you are plugged in to will be connectable in Toolbox, rather than being able to connect to any device on the lighting network as would be possible when connected by Ethernet.
40 +To connect via USB, simply plug the appropriate USB cable into your computer and the device and then open the desired tool. When connected via USB, only the device you are connected to will appear:
53 53  
54 -To connect via USB:
55 55  
56 -1. Determine the necessary USB cable
57 -1*. Most devices (DIN-AP3, DIN-AP4, DIN-CENCN-2, etc.) will require a USB-B connection, but some devices may require a Mini USB-B or Micro USB-B connection
58 -1. Plug the USB cable in to both the device and your computer
59 -1. Open Toolbox and then open the desired tool
60 -1. Connect to the device
61 -1*. If you are using the Default Address Book, there is already an entry for "Local-USB"
62 -1*. If you are not using an Address Book, then you should click the Pencil Icon to open the Manual Connection Menu:
63 -1*1. Change the connection type from "TCP" to "USB"
64 -1*1. Leave Model, Hostname, and Serial fields blank
65 -1*1. If the device has authentication enabled, expand the Advanced options and input the username and password
66 -1*1. Click "OK"
67 -1. The current connection status field should change from "Unknown" to "Connecting"
68 -1. After a brief period, the connection status field should change from "Connecting" to "Connected"
69 -1*. Some devices may take longer than others to connect
70 -1*. If the device has just recently powered up, it may take a few minutes to completely wake up before it can be connected to
71 -1*. If you have issues connecting, see [[Troubleshooting a Failed Connection>>doc:SHOWRUNNER™ Setup Guide.SHOWRUNNER™ Installation Guide.Preparation.Toolbox Basics.WebHome||anchor="HTroubleshootingaFailedConnection"]] below
72 -
73 73  == Ethernet Connection ==
74 74  
75 -Plugging in to the lighting network and connecting to devices via Ethernet is the most useful way to connect to lighting control hardware. When your laptop is connected to the lighting network, you are able to connect to any device that is on the network, as well as connect to multiple devices simultaneously. Unlike with a USB connection, connecting to a device via Ethernet does not require physical proximity to the device. Wireless connection to the lighting network is possible if the lighting network has properly configured a wireless router on it.
76 -
77 -To connect to a device via Ethernet, your laptop must first be connected
78 -
79 79  == Device Discovery Tool and Address Book ==
80 80  
81 -== Troubleshooting a Failed Connection ==
82 -
83 -"Device refused to identify"
84 -
85 -"Device not found in database"
86 -
87 87  = Basic Tool Usage =
88 88  
89 89  == Text Console ==
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96 96  
97 97  == VPT COM Server ==
98 98  
99 -Whenever Toolbox is open, Toolbox also starts a separate process called the Crestron Toolbox VPT COM server. This process appears in the system tray with the following icon when active: [[image:1663630447432-699.png]]
100 -
101 -Occasionally, something goes wrong with the VPT COM Server process which will prevent Toolbox from functioning correctly. To solve this problem, take the following steps:
102 -
103 -1. Close Crestron Toolbox
104 -1. Press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC to open Windows Task Manager
105 -1. Click the "More Details" button to see all processes
106 -1. Sort processes alphabetically and look for "VptCOMServer Module (32 bit)" under the "Background Processes" section
107 -1*. If you do not see the VptCOMServer process in Task Manager and the icon is not in the system tray, then it is not running
108 -1*. If the VptCOMServer process is still running after Toolbox has closed, select it in Task Manager and press End Process to stop it
109 -1. Once VptCOMServer is stopped, open Toolbox and see if your issues have been resolved
110 -
111 111  == Text Console Alternatives ==
112 112  
113 113  == File Management Alternatives ==
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