Alcorn Mcbride ShowTouch User's Guide

ShowTouch

with software

User Guide

Every effort has been made to assure the accuracy of the information contained in this manual, and the reliability of the Alcorn McBride ShowTouch hardware and software. Errors can sometimes go undetected, however. If you find one, please bring it to our attention so that we can correct it for others. Alcorn McBride welcomes comments and suggestions on the content and layout of its documentation.

Applications described herein are for illustrative purposes only. Alcorn McBride Inc. assumes no responsibility or liability for the use of these products, and makes no representation or warranty that the use of these products for specific applications will be suitable without further testing or modification. Alcorn McBride products are not intended for use in applications where a malfunction can reasonably be expected to result in personal injury. Customers using or selling Alcorn McBride products for use in such applications do so at their own risk, and agree to fully indemnify Alcorn McBride for any damages resulting from such improper use or sale. Alcorn McBride Inc. reserves the right to make changes to these products, without notice, in order to improve their design or performance.

Alcorn McBride Inc. 3300 S Hiawassee Rd, Bldg 105 Orlando, Florida 32835 TEL: (407) 296-5800 FAX: (407) 296-5801 info@alcorn.com www.alcorn.com

Table of Contents............................................................................................................................1

Welcome...........................................................................................................................................3

What is ShowTouch? ...................................................................................................................3

Important Information..................................................................................................................3

Getting Started................................................................................................................................5

What’s In The Box.......................................................................................................................5

Hardware Setup............................................................................................................................5

Control Panel................................................................................................................................6

System Settings................................................................................................................................9

Changing the Network Settings....................................................................................................9

Changing the Admin Password..................................................................................................10

Displaying the Log.....................................................................................................................10

Updating the Firmware...............................................................................................................10

Additional Options........................................................................................................................11

Changing the Unlock Code........................................................................................................11

Changing the Startup Interface File............................................................................................11

Changing Screen Saver Settings.................................................................................................12

Changing Action Delay..............................................................................................................12

Changing Unlock Delay.............................................................................................................12

Changing Ignore Right Mouse Button .......................................................................................12

Run and Edit Modes.....................................................................................................................13

Run Mode ...................................................................................................................................13

Exiting Run Mode ................................................................................................................................13

Edit Mode...................................................................................................................................14

Switching to Run Mode........................................................................................................................14

Creating a New Interface..............................................................................................................15

Getting the Touch Software.......................................................................................................15

Entering a New Unlock Code.....................................................................................................15

Editing the Interface...................................................................................................................16

Workspace and Full Screen Modes.......................................................................................................17

Pages.....................................................................................................................................................17

Adjusting the Grid Snap .......................................................................................................................19

Popup Menus..............................................................................................................................20

New Item and Options Menu................................................................................................................ 20

More Items Menu ................................................................................................................................. 20

Settings Menu.......................................................................................................................................21

Items...........................................................................................................................................21

Item Types............................................................................................................................................ 21

Changing Item Appearance .................................................................................................................. 23

Changing Item Action...........................................................................................................................24

Testing the Interface...................................................................................................................25

Connecting to the Show Controller.......................................................................................................25

Searching for Show Controllers............................................................................................................26

Saving Your Work .....................................................................................................................26

Working with Remote Servers.....................................................................................................27

Table of Contents Page 1

Opening a Remote File ..............................................................................................................27

Saving a Remote File.................................................................................................................28

FTP Access....................................................................................................................................29

Connecting to ShowTouch using FTP.......................................................................................29

Changing Screen Saver Images .................................................................................................29

Maintenance..................................................................................................................................30

Cleaning the Touch Screen........................................................................................................30

Quick Reference............................................................................................................................31

Specifications.................................................................................................................................32

Ethernet Ports.............................................................................................................................32

Ethernet Cables.....................................................................................................................................32

Serial Port ..................................................................................................................................33

Mechanical Drawings................................................................................................................34

Table of Contents Page 2

Welcome

Figure 1 ShowTouch

What is ShowTouch?

ShowTouch is a complete touch panel controller with preloaded design and interface software. It is easy to use and ready-to-go straight out of box. It can be used to control and monitor any Alcorn McBride Ethernet-enabled show controller such as the V16Pro. You can even connect multiple ShowTouch panels to the same network and use them to interface with the show controller from throughout your facility. Show Touch is the most powerful and flexible interface available that integrates seamlessly with our show control products. Like all Alcorn McBride products, ShowTouch is designed to run 24/7. There are no moving parts to wear-out so it can be mounted just about anywhere while still providing a reliable and stable interface.

Important Information

Congratulations! You have purchased an extremely fine product. Before reading this user guide, please make sure to read the important information in your show controller user guide. If you do not read the show controller user guide, you may not understand some, or all of the information presented here.

Please do not break this product. It is pretty heavy for its size and that means it was probably expensive. That said, it is not easy to break this touch panel, and that is probably one of the reasons you are using it (that’s what your boss told us, not our words). There are no plastic par ts

Welcome Page 3

to snap or crack, the housing is made completely out of metal, and the display is an armored resistive touch screen that can withstand a lot of punishment. This product was designed to work twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, through fingers coated with pop corn butter , ball-po in t pens used as pointing devices, and any thing else you were thinking about doing.

Now that you know how tough this product is, we would like to share with you just a few of the ideas we did think of if you wanted to break this product. Th e first idea we had is to insert the Compact Flash card and then ship or transport the whole thing in a relatively unprotected container. This will undoubtedly cause the Compact Flash card to be jammed into the sock et so hard that it breaks the socket itself rendering the prod uct useless (not that we did something like that, because we didn’t, but if we did, that is what happened).

Another idea we had was to use the armored touch screen with water spilled on it. That idea failed and the touch screen just continued to work as usual. We gave it some more thought and came up with an even better idea; operate the touch screen outside during a torrential rainstorm! Not that we tried it, because we didn’t, but if we had, there may have been some smoke and irrevocable damage to the internal circuitry.

The easiest way to break this product is to drop it. No, we aren’t talking about six inches from the bottom of your step stool to the floor, we mean off the side of a two-story build ing (again, it is no t that we actually tried it). It is interesting to note that in this scenario the surv ival of the product does depend slightly on what stops the fall. A pile of leaves didn’t seem to help, that is, we do not think it would help, but perhaps a couple of soft mattresses would do the trick. Also, please be careful of the objects (and people) below when throwing this product from high places.

In conclusion, it takes a lot of effort and brainstorming to come up with ways to break this product. We know that the faster you break it, the smarter you must be. That is why we ask that you contact us immediately if this product is not working for you, so that we can learn from you and include more Important Information on how to break this th ing in the future. Also, if you have an idea about something that you think might break it, contact us first, we’d love to hear about it and then you don’t actually have to break it.

Thank you for taking the time to read this important in formation! We hope you enjo y using your new ShowTouch as much as we enjoyed designing it. Oh, and tell your boss we think you should get a raise for reading this manual.

Welcome Page 4

Getting Started

What’s In The Box

Please make sure the following items were received in the box:

 ShowTouch hardware  Power supply  Compact Flash card  This user guide  Ethernet crossover cable  Wall-mount hardware kit

Hardware Setup

1. Compact Flash

The Compact Flash card is shipped along with ShowTouch but is not installed during shipping in order to protect the card socket. Install the Compact Flash card by aligning the slots on the side of the card with the guides on the card socket. The card should slide smoothly into place. If the card does not go into the socket or it is difficult to install, check the alignment of the card.

2. Ethernet

ShowTouch must be connected via Ethernet to your show controller or show control network. The Ethernet connectors are located on the side of the panel under the Compact Flash socket. You may use either Ethernet connector and then configure the connection settings from within the ShowTouch interface (see “Changing the Network Settings”). You may also choose to connect the second Ethernet jack to an external network, which can be used for uploading new content from a remote location.

3. Power

Make sure that the power switch on the far side of the panel is in the off position indicated by a white circle. Plug in the power adapter included with your ShowTouch, and then connect the barrel connector of th e adapter to the locatio n

Figure 2 Connections

Getting Started Page 5

labeled “DC In”. Turn on ShowTouch by switching to the power switch to the On position indicated by the white line.

This completes the setup of the ShowTouch hardware. After the hardware completes its startup routine, you will be presented with an on-screen tutorial. You may step through the tutorial now or proceed immediately to the Control Panel by touching the button labeled “Finish”

Control Panel

The Control Panel provides access to all aspects of the ShowTouch product. General instructions on how to use ShowTouch while in Edit or Run mode are shown as quick reminders and access to the Tutorial is also available in case more information is needed. This user guide will provide detailed information on all of the Control Panel options and on how to use ShowTouch, but the basic information needed to use this product is always available directly from the Control Panel.

Figure 3 Control Panel

New

Creates a new interface. A new unlock code will be requested. The unlock code is a four-digit number that you select, which is required when changing from the Run mode to any other mode. When in the Run mode, the user can only interact with the interface you design and cannot edit the interface or any ShowTouch settings.

Open

Open an existing interface. The interface can be located on the local ShowTouch Compact Flash card or on any remote device that is compatible with ShowTouch. This includes all Ethernet-enabled Alcorn McBride show controllers and other ShowTouch products. There are two types of interface

Getting Started Page 6

files, those ending with .tch and those ending with .tca. Files ending with .tch are Touch interface files that define the interface only. Files ending with .tca are Touch interface archives that contain all resources used by the interface as well as the Touch interface file.

Figure 4 Open

Save

Save changes to the interface. Select “Quick Save” or “Save As” to save only changes to the Touch interface file. This file ends with .tch. This will not save resource files such as images. Select “Archive All Files” to save an archive on the Compact Flash card. Archives include the interface, all resources, and end with .tca. Use “Save To Remote Server” to create and immediately transfer an archive to a remote server (See “Working with Remote Servers”).

Figure 5 Save

Getting Started Page 7

Options

Change options related to the interface only. This includes which interface file to load at startup, whether or not to display a pointer on the screen, how long to delay before switching to the screen saver, and changing the unlock code that is used for switching between Run mode and any other mode. This is also where information about the software, including the version number, can be found. See “Additional Options” for details.

Edit

Edit the interface. This is where all of the work is done to create the user interface. Edit mode allows the user to create buttons, toggle, sliders, text displays, additional pages, and everything else necessary to build a complete interface.

Run

Run the interface. This requires that a connection to the show controller can be established. If the script from the show controller has not been received, it will be transferred during the loading process.

It is not possible to exit Run mode without the unlock code. See “Exiting Run Mode” for more information.

Tutorial

Display the tutorial.

System

Change settings related to the ShowTouch hardware. This is where network settings can be viewed and changed, the administrator password can be changed (which is used only for things like access to the ShowTouch FTP server), and the system can be shutdown. See “System Settings” for additional information.

Exit

Exit the system. This is used to access the ShowTouch launcher, which can be used to restart the system, restore defaults, and update firmware.

Getting Started Page 8

System Settings

To connect ShowTouch to your show control network , it is most likely that you will need to change one or more of the settings. System settings include the network addresses for both Ethernet ports and the administrator password used primarily for the FTP server. It is also possible to shutdown the ShowTouch hardware so that the power can be safely disconnected.

Touch “System” from the Control Panel to display these settings.

Figure 6 System

Changing the Network Settings

1. Select the network connection you wish to change.

2. Adjust the network settings manually or select “Use DHCP” if you are

connected to a network with a DHCP server.

3. Touch “Apply” when done so that the changes can be saved.

System Settings Page 9

Changing the Admin Password

1. Touch “Change Admin Password” to display the password entry fields.

Figure 7 Change Admin Password

2. Enter the new password and then confirm the password. Passwords are

case-sensitive. Note: The default password is “password”. The admin user name is “admin” and cannot be changed.

3. Touch “OK” when done so that the changes can be saved.

Displaying the Log

1. Touch “Display Log” to display the activity log.

Figure 8 Log

The date and time of the last 256 actions are shown in the activity log. The two small circle indicators on the left of the screen are used to

monitor network traffic to and from ShowTouch. The first circle blinks green to indicate when data is received. The circle to the right of the first circle blinks red to indicate when data is sent.

Updating the Firmware

If necessary, the ShowTouch firmware can be updated to the latest version by visiting the Alcorn McBride website (www.alcorn.com) and browsing to the support firmware web page. Once there, download the firmware update for your ShowTouch and follow the included instructions.

System Settings Page 10

Additional Options

The majority of the interface is designed in the edit mode. Some of the options available that are related to the interface, but not directly part of it, are provided from the Control Panel by touching “Options”

Figure 9 Options

Changing the Unlock Code

1. Touch “Change Unlock Code”

2. Enter the current unlock code by pressing the numbered buttons.

3. If correct, you can now enter and confirm a new unlock code just as

when the interface was first created.

Note: There is no way to change the unlock code of an interface where the current unlock code is unknown. To recover a lost or forgotten unlock code, the interface file ending with .tch must be opened in a text editor. If the file was not encrypted, the unlock code will be visible in the section labeled “security”. For example: <security unlock_code="1234" />

Changing the Startup Interface File

1. Check the “Load File on Startup” setting

2. Enter a file name or select one using the “Browse…” button

Additional Options Page 11

Changing Screen Saver Settings

1. Touch “Screen Saver”

Figure 10 Screen Saver

2. Check or uncheck the “Enabled” setting

3. Enter the number of minutes to wait before automatically

switching to the screen saver

Note: The screen saver is an image slide show. You can add or remove images from the screen saver by changing the files in the Touch Screensaver directory. See the section on “FTP Access” for more information.

Changing Action Delay

When editing an interface, the normal action of buttons, toggles, and other interactive items is delayed to allow time to edit the item without triggering an action. Change this value only if you feel more comfortable with a different speed. You must restart ShowTouch to use the new value.

Changing Unlock Delay

To access the Control Panel from a running interface, see “Exiting Run Mode.” This delay value indicates the number of seconds the user must touch and hold on the screen in an empty location before the unlock code will be requested.

Changing Ignore Right Mouse Button

There is no right mouse button when using ShowTouch unless a USB mouse is connected. If a mouse is connected, and you would like to use the right mouse button, uncheck this option.

Additional Options Page 12

Run and Edit Modes

Before you begin using ShowTouch, it is important to understand the differences between Run and Edit modes.

Run Mode

When an interface file is opened, the system immediately switches to Run mode. This means that if the option to “Load File on Startup” is set, the Run mode will be entered immediately when ShowTouch is powered on. It is also possible to enter Run mode manually using the “Run” button on the Control Panel.

While in Run mode, the user can only interact with the currently loaded interface. It is not possible to access popup menus or switch to secure pages without entering an unlock code. When in Run mode, the system is essentially “Locked.”

In order for the user to interact with the interface, a connection to the show controller must be established. If the show controller is unavailable when Run mode is entered, an error message will be displayed and the interface unlock code will be requested. If the unlock code is not entered within a reasonable amount of time, ShowTouch will try to connect to the show controller again. This cycle will continue until the show controller can be reached or the unlock code is entered.

Exiting Run Mode

To exit Run mode, touch and hold in any empty locatio n on the screen until the interface unlock code is requested. Enter the interface unlock code to exit Run mode and display the Control Panel.

Figure 11 Enter Interface Unlock Code

Run and Edit Modes Page 13

Edit Mode

If the system is not in Run mode, then it is in Edit mode. In Edit mode it is possible to create new interfaces, edit an existing interface, change system settings, and adjust options. When in Edit mode, the system is “Unlocked,” which means all secure pages can be accessed without entering an unlock code.

Switching to Run Mode

To exit Edit mode, and switch to Run mode, touch “Run” from the Control Panel. A loading message will be displayed while the show controller script is retrieved (if it has not been loaded previously) and the interface will be displayed when the loading process is complete.

Run and Edit Modes Page 14

Creating a New Interface

There are two ways to create a new interface: directly on the ShowTouch panel or using the Touch software on a PC. The Touch software for the PC is based on the same software that runs on ShowTouch so you will find that there are many similarities between the two.

The information in this guide assumes you will create the interface using the Touch software on a PC and then transf er the completed interface to the show controller or directly to your ShowTo uch hardware.

Getting the Touch Software

To get the latest Touch software, visit the Alcorn McBride website at http://www.alcorn.com/ and download the software from the support software page.

Install the Touch software and run it from the Alcorn McBrid e Inc folder on your Start menu.

The first time the program runs, the tutorial is automatically displayed. You may choose to step through the tutorial now, or click “Finish” to continue with the steps presented here.

Entering a New Unlock Code

To start a new interface file, select “File”->”New” from the menu bar. This will display the page where you will enter the unlock code for this interface. The unlock code is a four-digit number that is required to edit the interface.

Figure 12 New Interface

Unlike ShowTouch, the PC does not know what resolution to use for your new interface. After the unlock code has been entered and confirmed, enter the

Creating a New Interface Page 15

resolution of your ShowTouch and click “OK.” You can also connect to the show controller to retrieve the current script but this guide assumes you will do this at a later time.

Editing the Interface

There are two things to consider while editing the interface: design and function. The Touch software comes with a library of graphics that can be used to design your interface. It is also possible to create your own graphics and import from standard image formats such as jpg and png. This allows ShowTouch to be used as a simple status monitor or a beautiful interactive kiosk.

The function of the interface will be different for every project. The great thing about the Touch software is that you can design the interface before, during, or after the show controller scripting is complete. Touch reads the script files created by WinScript Live (the PC software used with our show controllers such as the V16 Pro). When it is time to bring function to your design, it is easy to link buttons to show controller sequences, and text to variables, all with a just a few clicks.

Figure 13 New Options

Creating a New Interface Page 16

Workspace and Full Screen Modes

There are two modes used for editing the interface: workspace and full screen. Workspace mode is the preferred mode to begin editing. It provides access to settings through the menu bar, page navigation through a list of thu mbnails, and the ability to monitor operations using the log windo w. You can add items to any page and because of the show controller’s powerful “Live” mode you can test everything as you build the interface.

Pages

Figure 14 Workspace

Workspace mode also allows you to change the number of physical screens that will be available. For example, if you plan on using the Touch software on a PC with multiple monitors, you could create an interface that makes use of all of the monitors by increasing the number of screens. This option is available on the menu bar by selecting “Touch”->”Screens”.

Full screen mode is designed to closely simulate all aspects of ShowTouch. It is possible to edit pages, test items, and access the Control Panel using full screen mode. If a new interface is created while in Full-screen mode, it will automatically detect the number of physical monitors and the resolution of each.

You can switch between Workspace and Full screen mode at any time by pressing F11 on the keyboard.

Every physical screen has its own Home Page. The Home Page cannot be deleted or renamed and no other pages may be called “Home Page.” Each Home Page can only be displayed on the screen it belongs to, indicated by the number after its name. Pages create by the user can be displayed on any screen, but only on one screen at a time. For example, if a page is already displayed on Screen 1 but is requested on Screen 2, Screen 2 will steal the page and Screen 1 will be forced to display its Home Page instead.

Creating a New Interface Page 17

Creating a New Page

You can add additional pages by selecting “Touch”->”Pages” from the menu bar. A window with the list of pages will be shown along with op tions to create new pages and rename or delete existing pages. If an existing page is renamed, all buttons that are instructed to display that page will be updated with the new page name.

Figure 15 Pages

Selecting a Connection

Each page can be assigned to a connection. This allows ShowTouch to communicate with multiple show controllers. When a page is created, the Default connection is selected. The name of the default connection is shown to the side for reference. The default connection can be changed from the Show Controllers dialog.

To use a connection other than the default, select it from the drop-down list. When a new connection name is selected, all items on the page will communicate with the show controller with that name. If the connection is renamed, all pages using that connection will use the new connection name. If the selected connection is deleted, any page that uses that connection will use th e default instead.

Please see the section on “Connecting to the Show Controller” for more information about connections.

Interacting with Pages

Most of the work to create an interface will be done on pages using popup menus. The popup menus are used to access settings and add items. Once items have been added, they can be moved individually or as a group. Items can also be tested immediately when created. Unless specified otherwise, all mouse clicks are left mouse button and can also be executed on ShowTouch by touching the screen.

 Displaying a Popup Menu

Right-click or double-click anywhere on the page. When in a blank area of the page, the “New Item and Options Menu” will appear. When over an item, the menu for that item will appear.

Creating a New Interface Page 18

 Selecting a Popup Menu Option

With a popup menu displayed, click the option you would like to use. Each option is described in the menu definitions below.

 Selecting Multiple Items

Click-and-hold in a blank area of the page, then drag a selection box around the items you would like to select.

 Moving Items

Click-and-drag a static portion of the item to a new location. For simple items such as buttons or text, the entire item is static. For items such as sliders, only the base of the item is static so the slide portion cannot be used to move the item (if you were to try moving the slider by dragging the slide, only the slide would move as this would actually test the behavior of the slider). If the item is part of the current selection, all items in the selection will move the same distance. If any item falls outside of the page when the mouse button is released, it will be forced back to the nearest position within the page.

Adjusting the Grid Snap

To make it easy to line-up items while moving them, a grid is displayed. You can change the grid spacing or remove it completely if desired. When the grid is displayed, all items that you move will snap to the nearest grid location.

Select “Touch”->”Grid Snap” from the menu bar to change this setting. Set the value to the number of pixels between each grid line or zero to turn off the grid snap feature entirely.

Figure 16 Grid Snap

Creating a New Interface Page 19

Popup Menus

Menus that appear on the page when a right-click or double-click occurs are called popup menus. These menus are used to create items and adjust page and interface settings.

New Item and Options Menu

This menu is used to add the most common items to the page and to access options for the page and for the interface.

 Text

add a text item to the page

 Button

add a button item to the page

 Toggle

add a toggle item to the page

 More Items

display the More Items menu

 Settings

display the Settings menu

 Control Panel

switch to Full screen mode and display the Control Panel

More Items Menu

This menu is used to add items that may not be used as often.

 Indicator

add an indicator item to the page

 Image

add an image item to the page

 Slider

add a slider item to the page

Creating a New Interface Page 20

Settings Menu

This menu is used to change page and interface settings

 Background

change the background of the current page

 Pages

add and remove pages from the interface

 Grid Snap

adjust the grid snap

 Show Controller

set show controller connection settings and load or unload the scrip

Items

Items are added to the page when they are selected from a popup menu. Each item type has its own appearance and action on the page. The appearance can change images, text color, position, and other display elements. An action could start a sequence on the show controller, display the value of a variable, or just display a different page.

Item Types

Type Appearance Actions

Buttons have a pushed and a notpushed state. Each state can have its own image, text position, and text color. The button action occurs only after the button has been clicked and released

Images have no action. Valid image formats include jpg, png, bmp, and gif

Indicators are not interactive. They are used for display only. Each action of an indicator is used to determine when the indicator is on or off.

 Start Sequence  Change Page  Set Variable  Toggle Output

None

 Boolean Variable  Output  Input

Creating a New Interface Page 21

Type Appearance Actions

The slider item consists of a base and a slide. The base remains still while the slide can move freely along the base.

 Integer Variable

The slider is used to display and change values. Options include min value, max value, desired number of steps within the value range, and whether the slider will continuously change the value while in motion or wait till the slide is released before updating the value.

Text can be used just to present information on the page or can be linked to variable data from the show

 Any Variable

controller. Text actions only indicate which variable to display and will not change the value of the variable.

A toggle can change the state of an output or Boolean variable, which makes it an interactive version of the previously mentioned Indicator type.

 Boolean Variable  Output

Creating a New Interface Page 22

Changing Item Appearance

The item appearance can include images, text, color, and position. To change the appearance of an item, right-click the item to display the edit menu. Each item type has its own edit menu.

Figure 17 Edit Button Item Menu

Each item will have different appearance options. For example, buttons have appearance options for both their pressed and not pressed states.

All items have a default appearance. Checking the box on the appearance window that says “Use As Default Appearance” will change the default. Once changed, all new items of the same type will use the appearance options that were selected.

When changing the item appearance, a sample is provided to show what the item will look like. It is even possible to interact with the sample as if it were a real item.

Figure 18 Edit Button Appearance

Creating a New Interface Page 23

Changing Item Action

The item action will determine how the item behaves. When an item is first created, it has no action. Most items will need the show controller script before their action can be set (See “Connecting to the Show Controller”). One exception to this is the button item. Although th e button requires a script for some actions, the action to display a different page is always available. The script provides information to the interface such as sequence and variable names.

Figure 19 Edit Button Action

Some actions have an option to set the text of the item automatically. This makes it fast and easy to change the item appearance so that it describes the action.

Creating a New Interface Page 24

Testing the Interface

The interface can be tested as it is being designed. There is no need to switch between the secure Run mode and the Edit mode just to test whether a toggle will turn on the correct output. Once a script is loaded and the Touch program is connected to the show controller, the interface is ready for testing.

Connecting to the Show Controller

1. Select “Touch”->”Show Controller” from the menu bar.

Figure 20 Show Controller Connections

2. Enter the IP Address of the show controller then click “Connect”

3. If the connection is successful, the show controller script can be

downloaded immediately by clicking “Yes” that you would like to retrieve the script now

Figure 21 Request to Retrieve Script

4. When the script is received, the item action windows will be filled with the

available sequences, variables, and other show controller resources.

Handling Multiple Connections

It is possible to create more than one connection so that multiple show controllers can be controlled and monitored from a single ShowTouch. To add a new connection, click “New” at the bottom of the Show Controller dialog. You can view the settings and current state for each connection by clicking the “Prev” and “Next” buttons. Each connection can be named to make it easy to remember where the controller is or what it does. When multiple connections exist, it is important to name them well and to select a default connection. All pages that have not been assigned to a specific connection by name will us e the default connection. See the section on “Pages” for more information.

Creating a New Interface Page 25

Searching for Show Controllers

If you do not know the IP address of the show controller you are trying to connect to, you can search for the show controller from the Show Controller connections dialog by clicking “Search…”

All show controllers found by the search can be added as new connections. When a new connection is added, a connection name is automatically assigned. The name can be changed later from the Show Controller connections dialog.

If the “Serial #” column displays “No Response” it means that there is only partial connectivity with the show controller. This is caused by incorrect network settings (such as incorrect Gateway address), which must be corrected to communicate with the show controller using the Touch software.

Saving Your Work

Save the interface by selecting “File”->”Save” from the menu bar. This will create a .tch interface file. It is a good idea to do this after a new interface is created and as you make progress with the design.

To save a file that includes all of the resources used in the interface, choose “File”->”Archive All Files” from the menu bar. This will create a .tca archive file that you can then store in a safe place, email to a coworker, or transfer to the show controller or ShowTouch.

To quickly create an archive and transfer it over the network, you can select to open a file from or save a file to a remote server. See the section on “Working with Remote Servers” for more details on doing this from your ShowTouch controller or your PC.

Creating a New Interface Page 26

Working with Remote Servers

ShowTouch can open and save interface archives using remote servers. Such servers include Ethernet-enabled show controllers and other ShowTouch products.

Opening a Remote File

1. Touch “Open” from the Control Panel

2. Touch “Open From Remote Server”

Figure 22 Open From Remote Server

3. Enter the IP address of the server

4. Enter the user name and password

5. Enter the name of the remote file. If you are unsure of the remote file

name, touch “Request File Names” to fill the drop-down list with the names of all Touch archive files found on the remote server. The request may take a minute or two, but if it takes longer, cancel the request and check the connection settings.

6. Touch “Retrieve” to get the archive from the remote server. A progress

bar will display transfer progress as data is received. It is often not possible to determine the file size of the transfer so the progress bar will quickly travel from 0 to 100% many times until the data transfer is complete.

7. A message will be displayed when the transfer is complete and then a

location for the archived files must be selected.

Working with Remote Servers Page 27

Figure 23 Storage Directory for Archived Data

8. Once a location has been selected, the archive will be extracted and will

load immediately.

Note: Any existing files in the location where the archive is to be extracted will be overwritten without warning.

Saving a Remote File

1. Touch “Save” from the Control Panel

2. Touch “Save To Remote Server”

Figure 24 Save To Remote Server

3. Enter the IP address of the server

4. Enter the user name and password

5. Enter a name for the remote file

6. Touch “Send” to send the archive to the remote server. A progress bar will

display transfer progress as data is sent. Note: Any existing file on the server with the same name will be

overwritten without warning.

Working with Remote Servers Page 28

FTP Access

ShowTouch relies on FTP to transfer interface archive files to and from the show controller. This is covered in the section on “Working with Remote Servers.” It is also possible to transfer files directly to ShowTouch. This is only necessary for updating firmware and changing screen saver images, but can also be useful for transferring interface archives from the PC Touch software directly to ShowTouch.

Connecting to ShowTouch using FTP

1. Identify the IP address of the ShowTouch you wan t to connect to. The

IP address is located on the Control Panel and also on the System settings page. See the section on “Changing Network Settings” for information on changing the IP address.

2. The user name is “admin” and the default password is “password”

Note: if the default password has been changed, the new password cannot be recovered but it can be reset if forgotten. To change the admin password, see the section on “Changing the Admin Password”

3. Use the IP address and login information with your FTP client or with

any Touch/ShowTouch to connect to ShowTouch and transfer files.

Changing Screen Saver Images

When connected to ShowTouch using an FTP client, it is possible to change the images used for the screen saver (See “Changing Screen Saver Settings). The “Screensaver” directory is a special directory created by ShowTouch that is used for storing these images. You may upload new images for the screen saver to this directory. You may also download or delete any of the images in this directory. When the screen saver is activated, it will use any images that are currently in this directory. Changes to any of the files in this directory while the screen saver is active may not be displayed until the next time the screen saver is activated.

FTP Access Page 29

Maintenance

ShowTouch is designed to run continuously under normal conditions with no maintenance. If ShowTouch is installed in an environment with a high concentration of smoke or dust, it is recommended that the unit be dusted using compressed air as often as necessary to keep the air vents free of any debris that may build-up over time.

Cleaning the Touch Screen

The armored resistive touch screen and front bezel can be cleaned with rubbing alcohol or any glass cleaner such as Windex using a clean rag or paper towel. We suggest that you apply the cleaning solution to the towel (not d irectly to the screen) to prevent over-spray or potential spills.

Maintenance Page 30

Quick Reference

File Types

Image Formats Supported

Admin User Name and Default Password

Forgotten Admin Password

Forgotten Unlock Code

Switch Between Fullscreen and Workspace mode

(PC Touch software only)

Enter Test mode while editing F9 on the keyboard

 .tch – Touch Interface File

Describes the interface

 .tca – Touch Archive File

Contains the .tch file and all resources used within the interface

 .png – Portable Network Graphics  .jpg – JPEG  .bmp – Bitmap  .gif – Graphics Interchange Format

 User: admin  Password: password

See “Changing the Admin Password”

See “Changing the Unlock Code”

F11 on the keyboard

Quick Reference Page 31

Specifications

Part Number Size

SHOWTOUCH10

11.5"W x 8.9"H x 2.17 "D

Weight Power

Environment

Screen

Ethernet Serial

Memory

8 lbs 12 VDC at 5 Amps

An external power supply is included with ShowTouch and will provide the required input power. The power supply rating is 100 to 240 VAC, 50 to 60 Hz, 60-watts maximum. UL listed power adapter

0°C (32°F) to 45 °C (113°F), free air circulation 0 to 90% relative humidity, non-condensing

10.4” TFT, Armored Resistive Touch Panel 800 x 600 pixels

Dual 10/100 Ethernet – For Control and FTP (1) RS-232C – Unused

4GB Compact Flash

Ethernet Ports

Two Ethernet ports are available on ShowTouch. One of these ports must be connected to the show controller or to the same network as the show controller. This connection will be used to send and receive control data as well as for transferring script data and interface files that have been stored on the show controller.

The other Ethernet port may be connected to a different network and can be used for transferring files to and from the FTP server on ShowTouch.

Ethernet Cables

There are two types of Ethernet cables known as patch cables and crossover cables.

Patch cables are wired straight thru end-to-end. This type of cable can be used to connect ShowTouch to devices such as hubs, switches and routers.

Crossover cables are used for point-to-point connections between units. This is the type of cable needed to connect ShowTouch directly to a PC.

ShowTouch can be connected to the V16 Pro show controller using either type of cable because the V16 Pro is able to detect which type of cable is in use.

Below are wiring diagrams for the cable types, including standard wire color codes and connector orientation.

Specifications Page 32

Serial Port

ShowTouch provides one serial port, which is unused at this time.

Pin COM

2 RS-232 RXD 3 RS-232 TXD 5 GND

Specifications Page 33

Mechanical Drawings