Changes for page Toolbox Basics

Last modified by Alexander Mott on 2024/03/19 21:00
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edited by Alexander Mott
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edited by Alexander Mott
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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 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 or a different USB cable.
32 32  
33 33  Any Toolbox tool which requires connecting to a device has several buttons and fields at the lower left which relate to device connection:
34 34  
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37 37  These elements have various functions:
38 38  
39 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
40 +1. Known Device Dropdown - This drop down menu can also be used to connect to devices in the current Address Book. If the currently connected device is in the Address Book, it's name in the Address Book will be displayed here
41 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 42  1*. [[image:1663625644870-585.png]]
43 43  1. Quick Function Menu (keyboard shortcut: ALT+F) - menu containing a few useful functions
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84 84  1*. If the lighting network is on the building LAN, then you may need to reach out to the building's IT department for instructions on how to access the lighting network or VLAN.
85 85  1. Use a Cat 5a or Cat 6 cable to connect your laptop to the lighting network at an open port
86 86  1*. Most newer laptops will require some sort of adapter in order to connect to a Cat 5a/6 cable
87 -1. Configure your laptop's network settings to be compatible with the lighting network:
87 +1. Configure your laptop's network settings ([[FAQ page>>https://wiki.chiefintegrations.com/FAQ/How%20do%20I%20change%20my%20computer%27s%20network%20settings]]) to be compatible with the lighting network:
88 88  11. Navigate to Control Panel>Network and Internet>Network Connections
89 89  11. Locate the network adapter that is connected to the lighting network
90 90  11. Right click the network adapter and click "Properties"
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106 106  11*1*. You can verify this by opening the Windows Command Line tool and running "ipconfig" command to view your current adapter settings
107 107  1. Open Toolbox and then open the desired tool
108 108  1. Connect to the device:
109 -1*. If you have created an address book, then select the device from the drop down menu
109 +1*. If you have created an address book (see [[Export to Address Book>>doc:SHOWRUNNER™ Setup Guide.SHOWRUNNER™ Installation Guide.Preparation.Toolbox Basics.WebHome||anchor="HExporttoAddressBook"]] below), then select the device from the drop down menu
110 110  1*. If you have not created an address book, then you should click the Pencil Icon to open the Manual Connection Menu:
111 111  1*1. Leave the connection type as "TCP"
112 -1*1. Type in the IP address of the device you wish to connect to
112 +1*1. Type in the IP address or Hostname of the device you wish to connect to
113 113  1*1. Generally, the "Auto Detect" box should be left at "Auto Detect", though if you know what type of connection you need then you can manually change it
114 +1*1*. CEN-GWEXERs with Authentication enabled require manually setting the connection type to "TSL/SSL"
114 114  1*1. Leave Model, Hostname, and Serial fields blank
115 115  1*1. If the device has authentication enabled, expand the Advanced options and input the username and password
116 116  1*1. Click "OK"
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120 120  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
121 121  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
122 122  
124 +== Troubleshooting a Failed Connection ==
125 +
126 +Sometimes, a connection attempt will fail and you will need to do some troubleshooting to figure out why exactly the connection could not be established. Toolbox will give different error messages, though sometimes it can be helpful to attempt to connect with another software such as PuTTY just in case the error message is more informative from the alternate software.
127 +
128 +"Device refused to identify"
129 +
130 +* This message typically means that the device is not online or could not be connected to
131 +* This message may also occur when a device has blocked your username or IP address due to making too many incorrect login attempts
132 +** IP addresses are blocked for 24 hours by default, but you can attempt to circumvent this block by changing your IP address and trying again
133 +** Users are blocked for 30 minutes by default, and it is only possible to circumvent this if another user has already been created, otherwise you must wait for the block to expire before connecting again
134 +** The below commands are useful if you are able to connect to the processor through some other means (specific commands may vary depending on the device):
135 +*** ##listblockedip## and ##remblockedip## commands can be used to view/unblock an IP address
136 +*** ##listlockeduser## and ##remlockeduser## commands can be used to view/unblock specific users
137 +*** ##setloginattempts## and ##setlockouttime## commands can be used to modify how many login attempts are allowed before blocking an IP address and how long an address will be blocked
138 +*** ##setuserloginattempts## and ##setuserlockouttime## commands are used to modify how many login attempts are allowed before blocking a user and how long that user will be blocked
139 +*** ##setlogoffidletime## command can be used to modify how long you can be inactive before the processor automatically logs you out
140 +
141 +"Device not found in database"
142 +
143 +* This message typically means that the version of your device database is out of date and the device being connected to is not in it. Use Crestron's MasterInstaller tool to ensure that Toolbox and all installed Crestron components are up-to-date
144 +
145 +See our FAQ for additional tips:
146 +
147 +* [[I can't connect to my processor via Ethernet?>>https://wiki.chiefintegrations.com/FAQ/I%20can%27t%20connect%20to%20my%20processor%20via%20Ethernet]]
148 +* [[I can't connect to a 4-Series processor via USB?>>https://wiki.chiefintegrations.com/FAQ/I%20can%27t%20connect%20to%204-Series%20processor%20via%20USB]]
149 +
150 += Basic Tool Usage =
151 +
123 123  == Device Discovery Tool ==
124 124  
125 125  Crestron's Device Discovery Tool is used to "discover" any Crestron devices which are connected to your laptop. The most useful feature of the Device Discovery Tool is the ability to export all discovered devices to either a "Device Summary" text file or an Address Book. Discovered devices are listed in a scrollable list on the left side of the menu, and double clicking a discovered device will bring up additional configuration options on the right side. Below is an overview of the Device Discovery Tool UI:
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135 135  1. Discover Devices button - press this to restart the discovery process
136 136  1. Export... button - use this button to export discovered devices to either a Device Summary or Address Book (covered in more detail below)
137 137  
167 +=== Export to Address Book ===
168 +
169 +Address Books provide a convenient way to easily connect to different devices without memorizing all the different IP addresses and credentials for devices on your network. When an Address Book has been created for a job, you are able to connect to specific devices using the dropdown menu on the lower left of the tool instead of manually inputting the IP address or hostname using the Pencil menu. Note that when exporting devices to the Address Book, it is possible to add devices by either Hostname or by IP Address. On systems with a DHCP server, it is recommended to add devices by Hostname, but only after the final hostnames have been set for all devices.
170 +
171 +
172 +To generate an Address Book in Toolbox:
173 +
174 +1. Connect to the lighting network and open Device Discovery Tool in Toolbox
175 +1. The Device Discovery tool will automatically report how many Ethernet devices have been discovered
176 +1. Verify that the expected number of Ethernet devices have been discovered, including any TSWs, GLPACs, DIN-CENCN-2s, etc.
177 +1*. Note that only Crestron devices will appear in Device Discovery; non-Crestron devices (such as Pharos or Enttec DMX controllers) will not appear in Device Discovery Tool
178 +1*. If no devices are discovered, verify that your computer is connected to the network and your IP address is compatible with the network
179 +1*. If some devices are missing and you are not filtering the results, then there may be an issue with your DHCP server settings or the network wiring
180 +1. Click the "Export..." button below the list of discovered devices
181 +1*. If this button says "Address Book", then Toolbox needs to be updated
182 +1*. Ensure that you are not filtering out any devices or that you have only filtered out the devices you want to be filtered out
183 +[[image:export.png]]
184 +1. Click the Write Device Summary button and save the Device Summary to your computer
185 +1*. Though saved as a text file, the Device Summary is actually a table of comma separated values
186 +1*. Renaming DeviceSummary.txt to DeviceSummary.csv will allow it to be opened and manipulated in common spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel or LibreOffice Calc
187 +1**. Note that this .csv will have whitespace, so it may be beneficial to "clean" it using Excel's "=TRIM()" function
188 +
189 +To edit a previously created Address Book:
190 +
138 138  === Export to Device Summary ===
139 139  
140 140  The Device Summary is an important documentation tool provided by Crestron. It is a .txt file containing a comma-separated-values of all networked devices, and is useful to capture which devices are online, what their current IP and hostname settings are, what version of firmware they are on, and their MAC address and serial number.
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146 146  1. Verify that the expected number of Ethernet devices have been discovered, including any TSWs, GLPACs, DIN-CENCN-2s, etc.
147 147  1*. Note that only Crestron devices will appear in Device Discovery; non-Crestron devices (such as Pharos or Enttec DMX controllers) will not appear in Device Discovery Tool
148 148  1*. If no devices are discovered, verify that your computer is connected to the network and your IP address is compatible with the network
149 -1*. If some devices are missing, there may be an issue with your DHCP server settings or the network wiring
202 +1*. If some devices are missing and you are not filtering the results, then there may be an issue with your DHCP server settings or the network wiring
150 150  1. Click the "Export..." button below the list of discovered devices
151 151  1*. If this button says "Address Book", then Toolbox needs to be updated
205 +1*. Ensure that you are not filtering out any devices or that you have only filtered out the devices you want to be filtered out
206 +[[image:export.png]]
152 152  1. Click the Write Device Summary button and save the Device Summary to your computer
153 153  1*. Though saved as a text file, the Device Summary is actually a table of comma separated values
154 154  1*. Renaming DeviceSummary.txt to DeviceSummary.csv will allow it to be opened and manipulated in common spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel or LibreOffice Calc
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161 161  * DeviceSummary.csv:
162 162  [[image:https://wiki.chiefintegrations.com/download/SHOWRUNNER%E2%84%A2%20Setup%20Guide/SHOWRUNNER%E2%84%A2%20Installation%20Guide/SHOWRUNNER%E2%84%A2%20Installation%20and%20Network%20Setup/ZUMNET-JBOX%20Setup/WebHome/1655487132138-904.png?rev=1.1||alt="1655487132138-904.png"]]
163 163  
164 -=== Export to Address Book ===
165 -
166 166  (% class="box warningmessage" %)
167 167  (((
168 -This section is under construction: please check back at a later date for more information on using the Address Book
221 +This section is under construction: please check back at a later date for more information
169 169  )))
170 170  
171 -Address Books are useful ways of managing multiple jobs that each have many devices.
224 +=== Text Console ===
172 172  
173 -Note that when exporting devices to the Address Book, it is possible to add devices by either Hostname or by IP Address. On systems with a DHCP server, it is recommended to add devices by Hostname, but only after the final hostnames have been set for all devices.
226 +== File Manager ==
174 174  
175 -== Troubleshooting a Failed Connection ==
228 +== Network Device Tree View ==
176 176  
177 -"Device refused to identify"
230 +See our [[device addressing>>doc:SHOWRUNNER™ Setup Guide.SHOWRUNNER™ Installation Guide.Device Addressing.Addressing Devices from Toolbox.WebHome||anchor="HNetworkDeviceTreeView"]] page for more specific information on how to use the Network Device Tree View for device addressing purposes.
178 178  
179 -* This message typically means that the device is not online or could not be connected to
180 -* This message may also occur when a device has blocked your username or IP address due to making too many incorrect login attempts
181 -** IP addresses are blocked for 24 hours by default, but you can attempt to circumvent this block by changing your IP address and trying again
182 -** Users are blocked for 30 minutes by default, and it is only possible to circumvent this if another user has already been created, otherwise you must wait for the block to expire before connecting again
183 -** The below commands are useful if you are able to connect to the processor through some other means (specific commands may vary depending on the device):
184 -*** ##listblockedip## and ##remblockedip## commands can be used to view/unblock an IP address
185 -*** ##listlockeduser## and ##remlockeduser## commands can be used to view/unblock specific users
186 -*** ##setloginattempts## and ##setlockouttime## commands can be used to modify how many login attempts are allowed before blocking an IP address and how long an address will be blocked
187 -*** ##setuserloginattempts## and ##setuserlockouttime## commands are used to modify how many login attempts are allowed before blocking a user and how long that user will be blocked
188 -*** ##setlogoffidletime## command can be used to modify how long you can be inactive before the processor automatically logs you out
189 -
190 -"Device not found in database"
191 -
192 -* This message typically means that the version of your device database is out of date and the device being connected to is not in it. Use Crestron's MasterInstaller tool to ensure that Toolbox and all installed Crestron components are up-to-date
193 -
194 -= Basic Tool Usage =
195 -
196 -(% class="box warningmessage" %)
197 -(((
198 -This section is under construction: please check back at alater date for more information on using tools in Toolbox
199 -)))
200 -
201 -== Text Console ==
202 -
203 -== File Manager ==
204 -
205 205  == Script Manager ==
206 206  
207 -== Network Device Tree View ==
208 -
209 209  = Miscellaneous =
210 210  
211 211  == VPT COM Server ==
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212 212  
213 213  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]]
214 214  
215 -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:
240 +Occasionally, something might go wrong with the VPT COM Server process which will prevent Toolbox from functioning correctly. To solve this problem, take the following steps:
216 216  
217 217  1. Close Crestron Toolbox
218 218  1. Press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC to open Windows Task Manager
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