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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>G’day All<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I thought I would provide an
update on the development of ideas and to thanks those for feedback.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Firstly, I would like thank
Colin Campbell for the idea of “soft power-on” of the AG machines,
then with auto login and startup scripts, AG can be started. This is a
novel idea, but I am hoping to be able to have the software started with the
machines already running.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>The idea that I am currently
considering is using the AMX system to control the AG software through
RS-323. I was hopping to be able to have some sort of communication over Ethernet,
but from initial investigate it doesn’t seem like that is somewhat
possible and RS-323 might be simpler anyway. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>As was pointed out to me (thanks
Doug), Linux can operate as a serial console and commands can be send to the
system via RS-232. See <a
href="http://www.vanemery.com/Linux/Serial/serial-console.html"><span
style='color:#1F497D;text-decoration:none'>http://www.vanemery.com/Linux/Serial/serial-console.html</span></a>
for “Linux Serial Console HOWTO” for more information.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Additionally it occurred to me
(but thanks to Gabriel who also mentioned it) that you can “export”
the display, thereby having the GUI applications start locally on the machines.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Also, Gabriel mentioned the “</span>—url<span
style='color:#1F497D'>” command that can be used to start the
VenueClient. This will mean that you can start the application in any
Venue you like.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Therefore, I was thinking about
having a script that checks to see if the Venue Client is already running and
if not, export the display and start the Venue Client in a designated Venue.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Of course all of this is in theory
but it seems doable. The hack for shutting down the AG is to execute a “kill”
script that kills all AG services and processes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>So, I have a few additional
questions now:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'><![if !supportLists]><span
style='font-family:Symbol;color:#1F497D'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style='color:#1F497D'>Can the Venue Client
be controlled (via command line – maybe a python script) to do
things.. IE, change Virtual Venues, start a shared app, etc…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'><![if !supportLists]><span
style='font-family:Symbol;color:#1F497D'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style='color:#1F497D'>I see the Venue
Client has the following option:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span style='font-family:"Courier New"'>VenueClient
-h<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span style='font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span style='font-family:"Courier New"'>Options:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span style='font-family:"Courier New"'>
-p PORT, --port=PORT Set the port the venueclient control interface<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span style='font-family:"Courier New"'>
should listen on.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'> What
can this control interface actually do?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>If anyone has done this sort of
thing before, or has some additional items that could be contributed to this
project, I would like to hear from you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Many thanks for your time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Jason.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> ag-tech-bounces@lists.mcs.anl.gov
[mailto:ag-tech-bounces@lists.mcs.anl.gov] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Jason Bell<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, 5 August 2010 09:53 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> ag-tech@mcs.anl.gov<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [AG-TECH] Automating the start-up and shutdown of the Access
Grid<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>G’day All<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I am hoping that there are a number of people out there that
might have experience, or at least be able to provide advice on a few questions
that I have in regards to automating the start-up and shutdown of the
Access Grid, particularly the Venue Client itself.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Note: I am only considering options where the AG computing
systems are run on Linux (particularly Fedora).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>A project that I am currently looking at, is being able to
automate, or at the very least, simplify the process of starting and shutting
down an Access Grid.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Therefore I am looking towards AMX controlling an AG
room. Now I appreciate that controlling cameras, projectors and/or LCD
screens, lighting and general AV gear can be done via the AMX system, but what
I am also wanting to know is how much of the AG software could possibly be
controlled via some sort of remote system.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Therefore, some random question I have include:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span
style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span></span><![endif]>Can the Venue Client be started remotely, say
via ssh (I know that this can be done, but here are the issues)???<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:72.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l1 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:"Courier New"'><span
style='mso-list:Ignore'>o<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span></span><![endif]>The Venue Client needs to be displayed on the AG
system (not using X forwarding), so that local users can start, modify and
change anything within the application;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:72.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l1 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:"Courier New"'><span
style='mso-list:Ignore'>o<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span></span><![endif]>Can you, using command line variables, force the
Venue Client to start within a particular Virtual Venue??? It would be
nice to have a few default Venues presets configured.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:72.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l1 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:"Courier New"'><span
style='mso-list:Ignore'>o<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span></span><![endif]>Are there any API’s or the likes that I
might be able to “Tap in to” to assist with starting and stopping
of the AGTK.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:72.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span
style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span></span><![endif]>Has anyone used AMX equipment (or similar type
of equipment) to not only control AV equipment, but to control the AGTK as
well.. If you have, how and what can you do???<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I guess the reason why I am asking is that the “Access
Grid” is typically considered “too hard” and requires someone
with some AG knowledge to be able to, at the very least, start-up and shutdown
the system. Whether we like it or not, the AG is compared to H.323 video
conferencing and there are many way to have a H.323 system automatically start
and stop, record and the likes. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>What I am hoping to not only investigate, but to implement,
is what can be done so that a user can walk into a room based AG system, press
a button on a touch panel that says “start”... Not only will
all the AV gear power on, etc, but at the very least, have the Venue Client
start... But having this control via a touch panel, I am also hoping to
be able to remotely control the system as well through inbuilt web server
access, which will allow people from a remote location the ability to control
cameras and the ability to remotely start-up and shutdown the system.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I realise that you can remotely control a AG software from
VNC (which I have been doing for years), but I want to extremely simplify
things. Having a big green button which starts things and a Red button to
stop things... I also realise that some additional effort will be
required by the user if any shared applications is in use, but if we can make
it a whole lot easier, that would be a great start. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Additionally, there are things like devilspie (<a
href="http://live.gnome.org/DevilsPie">http://live.gnome.org/DevilsPie</a>)
which might be useful in forcing certain applications to start on particular
screen. Thereby, if things can be automated to start, particular
applications (such as vic, rat, VNC (as in VenueVNC)) can be forced to start on
particular screens.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Anyway, if anyone has any comments and or experience in running
such said systems, I would like to hear from you. Note, if I manage to
get anything remotely working, I will document and post to the Global AG
website.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Many thanks for your time,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Jason.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Courier New"'>--------------------------------------------<br>
Jason Bell, B.I.T. (Honours)<br>
<br>
Video Collaboration Team Leader<br>
Australian Research Collaboration Service<br>
<a href="http://www.arcs.org.au/" target="_blank">http://www.arcs.org.au/</a><br>
<br>
Research Systems Support Officer<br>
Information Technology Division<br>
CQ University Australia<br>
<br>
E-mail : <a href="mailto:j.bell@cqu.edu.au">j.bell@cqu.edu.au</a><br>
<a href="mailto:jason.bell@arcs.org.au">jason.bell@arcs.org.au</a><br>
Work : +61 7 4930 9229<br>
Mobile : 0409 630897<br>
Postal : Building 19<br>
Central Queensland University<br>
Bruce Highway<br>
Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, 4702<br>
--------------------------------------------<br>
Patience is a virtue.<br>
<br>
But if I wanted Patience,<br>
I would have become a Doctor.<br>
--------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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