Strand 300/500 series desks

[lightning8oy]

I have heard there is a way to set the 500 series desks so that when they boot up they ask which mode you want them to be in i.e. remote backup or main.

 

I have two questions...

 

Is this true?

 

If so how do you achieve this?

 

I have read all manuals I can get my hands on and discovered nothing that helps.

 

If anyone has any insight into this it would be very helpful.

[gareth]

The way I do it is to create a DOS batch file called USEREXEC.BAT which runs on startup and asks the question as to which kind of console you want the desk to be. In my particular example, there are three choices - a main desk, or a remote to one of two other desks. I put three different versions of the 220node.cfg file (each called different things, and with the settings customised to one of the three possible modes) onto the system, and depending on the anwer given to the question asked by the batch file the relevant version is copied across to become the 'active' 220node.cfg file before the OS starts.

 

That might be a slightly long-winded way of doing it, but it does the job reasonably easily. If there's a better way, I'd be interested to hear it.

[Liam FitzG]

That is the way to do it, however, please please please, make copies of any files that you intend to edit, and save them as different names. Especially files that are called by the system on start up. If you muck up files that are called on start up, and you cannot break out of them on boot; you may be faced with having to have your desk rebuilt from the DOS up.

Having a 3.5" DOS disk is always a good idea if your going to edit start up files. This will get you into the system before the start up files if there is a problem.

 

Liam

[lightning8oy]

Thanks for your help, I will have to do it that way for now.

 

had hoped there was another way but it would seem that was just wishful thinking.

 

If I come across one I will post it

 

Let the search continue...

[JohnG]

The way I do it is to create a DOS batch file called USEREXEC.BAT which runs on startup and asks the question as to which kind of console you want the desk to be.

 

That is a really cool way to set up config options. Would it be possible for him to "enable the admin screen" in the 220node.cfg and select Main, backup or remote (and show to load) at login?

 

John G

[gareth]

Would it be possible for him to "enable the admin screen" in the 220node.cfg and select Main, backup or remote (and show to load) at login?

I believe (not 100% sure, though) that's only possible if you're running Server software.

[JohnG]

I believe (not 100% sure, though) that's only possible if you're running Server software.

 

Thank you. That is it. We run server software on all our desks and that is where I've seen it. Only the Remote desk for running rehearsals has the admin feature enabled. The Main console in each theater loads the current show by default.