Focus CommandPost User Manual

User Guide

User Guide

Version 2.0

MANL-0823-01

CommandPost

FOCUS W

• FOCUS Enhancements, Inc. warrants this product against defects in mate­rials and work-manship for a period of ONE (1) YEAR from the date of orig­inal purchase.

• If you discover a defect, FOCUS Enhancements, Inc. will, at its sole option,
repair or exchange the product at no char ge to you, provided you contact
FOCUS Enhancements, Inc. Technical Support to obtain a Return Material
Authorization (RMA) Number and instructions on where and how to
obtain repair. Note that a copy of the bill of sale bearing the FOCUS
Enhancements, Inc. serial numbers as proof of date of original purchase is
required for each product returned for warranty service. Before returning
product, remove all non-FOCUS Enhancements, Inc. RAM, accessories,
and options. FOCUS Enhancements, Inc. cannot be liable for the return or
care of any non-FOCUS Enhancements, Inc. products, nor accept responsi­bility for loss or damage of product in transit.

• This warranty does not apply if the product has been damaged by acci­dent, installation or removal of product, abuse, misuse, misapplication,
accident, neglect, fire, water, lightening, or other acts of nature, failure to
follow supplied instructions; has been modified, repaired or undergone
attempted repair by unauthorized personnel without the written consent
of FOCUS Enhancements, Inc.; has a serial number that has been removed,
modified, or defaced. FOCUS Enhancements, Inc. reserves the right to use
re-manufactured, refurbished, or used parts and components in making
warranty repairs.

• FOCUS Enhancements, Inc. products are designed to work with Window­s

hardware designed for the host system may not be available when used
with this product. Accordingly, FOCUS Enhancements, Inc. does not war­rant or represent that all third-party software or hardware will function
error-free when used in conjunction with this FOCUS Enhancements, Inc.
product.

• THIS WARRANTY IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, WHETHER
ORAL OR WRITTEN, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. ALL EXPRESS AND IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE, ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE WARRANTY PERIOD. NO
WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WILL APPLY AFTER THIS PERIOD.
FOCUS ENHANCE-MENTS, INC. SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOST
PROFITS, DAMAGE TO OTHER PROPERTY CAUSED BY A DEFECT IN THIS
PRODUCT, DAMAGES BASED UPON INCONVENIENCE, LOSS OF USE OF
THE PRODUCT, LOSS OF TIME, COMMERCIAL USE, INCIDENTAL AND/OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES FOR THE BREACH OF ANY EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED WARRANTY, INCLUDING DAMAGE TO PROPERTY AND, TO THE
EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, DAMAGES FOR PERSONAL INJUR Y, EVEN IF
FOCUS ENHANCEMENTS, INC. HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY
OF SUCH DAMAGES. (cont’d)

ARRANTY

TM

and MacOS

TATEMENT

S

TM

computers. Certain features of third-party software or

Focus Enhancements

FOCUS W

• Some states do not allow the inclusion or limitation of incidental or conse­quential damages or limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, so
the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. This warranty
gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other rights which vary
from state to state.

• Product specifications and information are subject to change without
notice.

• To return a CommandPost unit, follow these steps:

R

ETURNING

1. Contact FOCUS Enhancements Technical Support at 1-408-370-9963. A repre­sentative is available from 8AM to 12PM and 1PM to 5PM Pacific Standard Time
(PST) Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). Explain the nature of the
problem and any evidence of damage you may have found. The customer repre­sentative will either assist you with the specific problem or give you a Return
Materials Authorization Number.

repair or return without an RMA number.

2. Pack the CommandPost carefully. If possible, use the original shipping pack­age. Send the package pre-paid and insured via United Parcel Service (UPS) or
US Mail to:

FOCUS Enhancements
ATTN: RMA# (Your RMA Number)
1370 Dell Ave.
Campbell, CA. 95008

ARRANTY

A D

AMAGED

TATEMENT

S

OR

CONT

(

F

AILED

Note:No goods will be accepted for warranty

D

’

C

OMMAND

)

P

U

OST

NIT

FOCUS Enhancements will repair or replace your CommandPost within 5 work­ing days. For units not covered under the 1 year warranty, or where the war­ranty has been voided, a minimum fee of $90.00 must be paid.

O

RDERING

To get information on the r eseller near est to you or to or der r eplacement parts,
contact one of the following:

FOCUS Enhancements
Worldwide headquarters
600 Research Drive
Wilmington, MA 01887
978-988-5888
800-538-6000 (U.S. Only)
On-line
http://www.FOCUSinfo.com
e-mail: [email protected]

I

NFORMATION

CommandPost

MPORTANT

I

AFEGUARDS

S

Installation

Read all instructions. Save them for future reference. Adhere to all warnings
on the serial number label and in the operating instructions. Follow all operat­ing and use instructions.

Power cords should be routed so they are not likely to be pinched by items
placed on them or against them. Pay particular attention to cords near the
plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the appli­ance. Do not overload wall outlets and extension cords as this can result in a
risk of fire or electric shock.

The slots on the top of the unit are provided for necessary ventilation. For
reliable operation and to prevent overheating, never allow the ventilation slots
to be covered. Don’t locate the unit in a confined space such as a bookcase or
entertainment center cabinet, unless there is proper ventilation.

Do not place the unit near heat sources, including radiators and heating
vents, or in direct sunlight.

Use and Care

Do not use attachments not recommended by FOCUS Enhancements as they
might cause hazards. Do not place this video product on an unstable cart,
stand, tripod, bracket, or table. The video product might fall, causing serious
injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the appliance. Use only with a
cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table recommended by the manufacturer or sold
with the video product. Any mounting of the appliance should follow the manu­facturer’s instructions and should use a mounting accessory recommended by
the manufacturer.

Never push objects of any kind into the unit through openings as they might
touch dangerous voltage points or short-circuit parts that could cause electric
shock or fire.

Unplug this video product from the host computer before cleaning. Do not
use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use only a lightly moistened cloth.
Never use solvents of any kind.

Service

Do not attempt to service this video product yourself as opening or remov­ing covers might expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards.

Unplug this video product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to quali­fied service personnel under the following conditions:

• When the power cord or plug is frayed, damaged, or worn

• If liquid is spilled into the unit or objects have fallen inside

• If the unit has been exposed to rain or water

• If the unit has been dropped or the cabinet is damaged

• If the unit exhibits a distinct change in performance

• If the unit does not operate normally by following the operating
instructions

Focus Enhancements

Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions as
improper adjustment of other controls might result in damage and will often
require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the unit to its nor­mal operation.

For repair or warranty service in the United States and Canada, please con­tact FOCUS Enhancements and request a Return Authorization (RA) number.
See “

Returning a Damaged or Failed CommandPost Unit”

document.

About Radio Interference

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruc­tions, might cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installa­tion.

If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the fol­lowing measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help

You might find the following booklet, prepared by the Federal Communica­tions Commission, helpful: “How to Identify and Resolve Radio-TV Interference
Problems.” It is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington,
D.C. 20402. Ask for stock number 004-000-00345-4.

at the beginning of this

R

ADIO

I

NTERFERENCE

DOC Class B Digital Equipment

This digital apparatus does not exceed class B limits for radio noise emis­sions from digital apparatus, as set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of
the Canadian Department of Communications.

Le présent appareil numériqiue n’émet pas de bruits radioélectriques
dépassant les limites applicables aux appareils numériques de classe B, pre­scrites dans le règlement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édicté par le Min­istère des Communications du Canada.

N

OTICE

FOR

C

ANADA

Focus Enhancements

CommandPost

CONTENTS

ETTING

1G

Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Package Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Getting Acquainted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

USB Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Other Controller Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

2U

SING

Basic Controller Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Starting CommandPost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Window Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Keyset Name Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Controller Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Trigger/Functions List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Function Name Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Working with Keysets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Creating New Keysets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Modifying Existing Keysets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Renaming Keysets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Deleting Keysets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Basic Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Single Keystroke Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Multiple Key Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Inserting a Pause in a Multiple Keystroke Sequence . . . . . . .25

Programming the Takebar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Programming the Jog Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Programming the Shuttle Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

TARTED

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C

OMMAND

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

P

OST

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

THER

3O

Setting Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Adjusting System Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Recalibrating the Joystick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

O

PERATIONS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

i

C

HAPTER

1

ETTING

G

Welcome to

CommandPost ™, and thank

you for buying FOCUS

Enhancements products.

CommandPost consists of

controller hardware and soft-

ware that give you unprecedented control while work­ing with multimedia applications. You can create
special keysets for your favorite application, or use one
of the pre-programmed keysets for use with applica­tions such as Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple iMovie, Adobe
Premiere, Adobe Photoshop, Digital Origin EditDV,
Videonics Effetto Pronto, and many others.

To learn more about keysets, read “Keysets” begin­ning on page 5.

CommandPost adapts to your particular needs and
preferences. Once you set up the controller to operate
the way you want, you can easily perform one function
or a series of functions using the controller buttons and
other components.

TARTED

S

1

Chapter 1 Getting Started

REQUIREMENTS

Basic Requirements

• FOCUS Enhancements CommandPost controller
hardware

• Standard USB cable (provided in package)

• Monitor and display card capable of 800 x 600 dpi
resolution

Macintosh Requirements

• PowerPC Macintosh with built in USB port or PCI
USB card

CommandPost does not work with a USB serial
adapter

• Mac OS version 8.6 or later

• Minimum 10 MBs of available system memory to run
the CommandPost application. The CommandPost
extension requires less than 1 MB of RAM.

• Minimum 5 MBs of available hard disk space

Windows Requirements

• Windows 98, Windows 2000 or Windows ME.

• 486/DX66 or higher with built in USB port or PCI USB
card (Windows98)

• Pentium 133 or higher with built in USB port or PCI
USB card (Windows2000)

• Pentium 150 or higher with built in USB port or PCI
USB card (Windows ME)

• Minimum 2 MB RAM for CommandPost application
and 500KB for driver software

2

• Minimum 8MB of hard disk space

CommandPost

CommandPost Package Contents

PACKAGE CONTENTS

Your CommandPost package should contain the follow­ing items. If anything is missing, contact the supplier
where you purchased the unit for replacements.

Qty

Item Description

1 ea CommandPost Controller unit
1 ea USB A/B Cable
1 ea CDROM with CommandPost Installer
1 ea QuickStart document
2 ea CommandPost Plastic Templates
2 ea Sheets of adhesive labels
1 ea Warranty/Registration card

GETTING ACQUAINTED

Your CommandPost controller contains the buttons
and components shown here.

Take bar

Button Cluster

Joystick

User Guide

Shuttle Wheel

Jog Wheel

3

Chapter 1 Getting Started

Button Cluster

You can program any or all of these 15 buttons using
the CommandPost application. A button, when
pressed, can perform one function, or a series of
functions.

Some or all of the buttons may also carry out some cus­tom functions in certain applications. Check the FOCUS
Enhancements website for more information (http://
www.FOCUSinfo.com)

Takebar

The take bar works similar to a take bar on a video
mixer. You can also set it to control the audio volume
(audio fade) on your system.

The T-Bar may also carry out some custom functions in
certain applications. Check the FOCUS Enhancements
website for more information (http://www.FOCUS­info.com)

Joystick

The joystick controls the X and Y position of the
pointer. You can control the pointer on your desktop,
and within any multimedia application.

With the CommandPost controller active on your sys­tem, you can alternate between the joystick and mouse
at any time.

The joystick has a click function. When you press down
on the joystick, it can be set to the equivalent of click­ing or double-clicking a mouse button. This gives you
the option of using the joystick in the same way you
use your computer’s mouse.

The joystick may also carry out some custom functions
in certain applications. Check the FOCUS Enhance­ments website for more information (http://www.vide­onics.com)

4

CommandPost

CommandPost Getting Acquainted

Shuttle Wheel

Perhaps the most common use of a shuttle wheel is to
scroll through video frames. Rotating the shuttle wheel
to the right scrolls the program forward: r otating to the
left scrolls backward. The distance you turn the shuttle
wheel in either direction determines the playback
speed.

The shuttle wheel may also carry out some custom
functions in certain applications. Check the FOCUS
Enhancements website for more information (http://
www.FOCUSinfo.com)

USB C

O

THER

Jog Wheel

The jog wheel is also commonly used in non-linear edit­ing programs to scroll through pages. For example, in
Adobe Acrobat the CommandPost jog wheel scrolls
through the pages of a PDF document.

The jog wheel may also carry out some custom func­tions in certain applications. Check the FOCUS
Enhancements website for more information (http://
www.FOCUSinfo.com)

ONNECTOR

The CommandPost USB connector is located on the
rear panel of the controller. To connect the controller
to your computer’s USB port, use the USB A/B cable
provided in the CommandPost package.

C

ONTROLLER

Keysets

Because you can program the CommandPost compo­nents to perform whatever functions you want, the
function a given button performs might differ from one
application to another. For example, when running
Adobe Photoshop, pressing a particular button might
create a new 640x480 RGB document: pressing the
same button while running Adobe Premiere might
import a movie clip and set its duration to 5 seconds.

F

EATURES

User Guide

5

Chapter 1 Getting Started

To help you get started quickly, CommandPost comes
with a series of pre-programmed keysets for the most
popular multimedia applications. You can use the key­sets as is, or adapt them to your particular needs. In
addition, you can create your own keysets for any
application that uses keyboard shortcuts.

Templates

The CommandPost package contains two plastic tem­plates you can use to overlay the controller compo­nents. It also contains two sheets of adhesive labels—
one pre-printed with command keyboard shortcuts, the
other blank. You can customize the templates to match
any given multimedia application. When you switch
from one application to another, simply swap the tem­plates.

INSTALLATION

Follow these steps to install your CommandPost con­troller and software.

Controller Installation

Examine the two ends of the USB cable. One end has a
rectangular connector, whereas the other end has a
square connector. This helps you connect things in the
proper way.

Tip
We recommend you use CommandPost with your favor­ite applications for a while before preparing the templates
for use with each one.

Note
One of the advantages of the USB technology is
that you can connect and disconnect devices with­out shutting down your computer.

6

CommandPost

1.

2.

1.

2.

a.

b.

CommandPost Installation

Connect the square end of the USB cable to the USB
connector on the rear panel of your CommandPost
controller.

Connect the rectangular end of the USB cable to
your computer’s USB port.

Note
You can use CommandPost with a USB hub so long
as the hub provides power to the controller unit.

Software Installation

The CommandPost CD contains software for both Mac­intosh and Windows. You can install the software on
either or both platforms.

You should deactivate any virus protection software
you might have running prior to installing the software.
Following installation, you can restart the virus protec­tion software.

Insert the CommandPost CD in your CDROM drive.
Do the following to install the software:
On Macintosh , locate the CommandPost 2.0

Installer icon in the CD window, then double-click

the icon to start the installation program.
On Windows , choose Start|Run to display the Run

dialog box.

User Guide

Click Browse .
Locate the CommandPost CD in My Computer.

7

c.

d.

3.

Chapter 1 Getting Started

Open this and select either the CommandPost 2.0

folder (this installs English, French, Spanish and

Italian versions of the CommandPost software)
or CommandPost 2.0 Japanese (this installs the
Japanese version of the CommandPost software).

Once you have selected the version which is rele­vant to your region, select setup.exe , and click
OK.

Follow the on-screen instructions to install your
software.

When you start your system after installing the
CommandPost controller, a message appears stating
that you must calibrate the unit before using it. This is
the same procedure as re-calibrating the unit. (See
recalibrating the joystick on page 36 for more informa­tion) for detailed instructions.

8

CommandPost

Chapter 1 Getting Started

10

CommandPost

C

HAPTER

2

SING

U

This chapter explains how to:

• Use the CommandPost controller hardware.

• Create new keysets and change the functions
assigned to existing ones.

BASIC CONTROLLER OPERATION

When you first start your computer with the controller
attached after installation, CommandPost asks you to
carry out a calibration. Follow the on-screen instruc­tions. This process coordinates the joystick to your
computer’s on-screen pointer as well as the T-Bar.

Tip
If the pointer “crawls” across the screen, it normally
means the controller is not correctly calibrated. This is
usually the result of plugging in a different Command­Post device than was originally calibrated. See “Recali­brating the Joystick” beginning on page 36 for further
instructions.

OMMAND

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P

OST

Once your computer starts and the controller has gone
through the calibration exercise, it is ready to use.
Once set, it is not necessary to carry out a calibration
again unless the controller is switched.

9

Chapter 2 Using CommandPost

With the controller active, use the joystick in much the
same way you use your mouse—that is, move the joy­stick in a particular direction and the pointer tracks the
movement.

STARTING COMMANDPOST

To start CommandPost, locate its folder on your desk­top, open the folder, then double-click the application
icon.(It is not necessary to launch the CommandPost
application to use CommandPost. The application is for
programming purposes only).

You can also launch the program using these methods:

• On Macintosh , select the icon, then choose

File|Open ( Cmmd+O ).

• On Windows , display the Start menu, point to

Programs|CommandPost , then choose
CommandPost from the submenu.

WINDOW COMPONENTS

When the application opens, you see one of the win­dows shown in Figure 1 on page 11. This section con­tains descriptions of the window components.

The application has the standard menu bar. The File
and Edit menus contain commands that affect opera­tion of the software.

CommandPost application icon

10

CommandPost

CommandPost Window Components

Figure 1: Macintosh and Windows Interfaces

Controller

Options

Trigger/

Functions List

Keyset Name Menu

Keyboard

Options

Function Name Box

Keystroke Entry Box

User Guide

The Macintosh and Windows versions have subtle
differences. They are discussed in the following sections.

11

Chapter 2 Using CommandPost

EYSET

K

N

AME

ENU

M

This menu contains the names of all keysets available
on your system. Choose the keyset you want to view
and/or edit from this menu.

Initially, the menu contains only the names of the
keysets provided with the CommandPost package. You
can add keyset names to this list by creating new
keysets.

All keysets are stored in specific location so that the
application can locate them easily.

On Macintosh , the keysets are stored at System

Folder:Preferences:CommandPost:Keysets .

On Windows , the keysets are stored at

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\USBControl­lers\CommandPost (To access, Press Start|Run

then Type RegEdit )

12

If you move the keysets to a different location, the
application cannot find them, so they do not appear in
the Keyset Name menu.

CommandPost

CommandPost Window Components

ONTROLLER

C

PTIONS

O

This part of the window contains a miniature image of
the CommandPost controller. You use these images to
program the various components (buttons, takebar,
and jog/shuttle wheel) to do the functions you want.

To learn about this
component, see
“Adjusting System
Volume” beginning
on page 35. Note
that this component
is not available in
the Windows
version.

Note
The joystick is not programmable.You can change
the image by clicking its various components. For
example, to program the Takebar, click its knob in
the window and the Controller Options area displays

User Guide

13

Chapter 2 Using CommandPost

a picture of the Takebar and its specific options.
Likewise, click the Jog/Shuttle Knob to display its
image.

Windows Takebar

Macintosh Takebar

Return Icon

Windows Jog & Shuttle Controls

Return Icon —Click this icon on any image to return to

the original Controller Options image.

Macintosh Jog & Shuttle Controls

14

CommandPost

CommandPost Window Components

RIGGER

T

UNCTIONS

/F

Contains a list of all controller components (or, trig­gers) and the name of the function assigned to each for
the currently selected keyset.

When you select an item in this list, CommandPost:

• Highlights the corresponding component in the Con-

• Displays the corresponding function name in the

• Displays the keystrokes assigned to this function in

You can also use the objects in the Controller Options
section or the buttons on the Controller hardware to
select the item you want to use.

IST

L

troller Options section.

Function Nam e Box .

the Keystroke Entry Box .

UNCTION

F

User Guide

You cannot edit the information contained in the

ger/Functions List

the list, then edit its details in the

Keystroke Entry Box

N

AME

OX

B

This area displays the name of the item selected in the

Trigger/Functions List or Controller Options area.

This is an editable field. You can enter a name for a
function, or change the name of an existing one.

. You can, however, select any item in

Function Name

es.

Trig-

and

15

Chapter 2 Using CommandPost

WORKING WITH KEYSETS

A keyset is a collection of functions assigned to
CommandPost for use with an application.

CommandPost has a small software component that
loads automatically at system startup and operates in
the background to monitor your activity. This compo­nent checks to see if you have designated
“CommandPost applications” running. If so, the compo­nent automatically selects the CommandPost keyset
that corresponds to that application and loads it for
you. Furthermore, when you switch between applica­tions, this component automatically loads the keyset
that corresponds to that application. For example, sup­pose you launch Adobe Premiere—the CommandPost
component automatically loads the keyset for that
application so you can use it with Premiere. If you then
launch Adobe After Effects, the CommandPost compo­nent loads the keyset for that application. Whenever
you switch between Premiere and After Effects, the
component automatically loads the correct keyset for
whichever multimedia application you are using.

16

This automatic loading and switching depends, of
course, on you having a keyset available for the multi­media applications. In the preceding example, you
would need keysets for both Premiere and After Effects.

Automatic loading of keysets also depends on the name
of the keyset matching, exactly , the name of the appli­cation on your hard disk.

Note
FOCUS Enhancements has named all of the pre-pro­grammed keysets provided in your package with
the most common multimedia application names. If
the provided keyset name does not match the
application stored on your hard disk, you can
rename the keyset (see “Renaming Keysets” begin­ning on page 20), or rename the application to
match the keyset name.

CommandPost

1.

CommandPost Working with Keysets

2.

REATING

C

EW

N

EYSETS

K

To create a new keyset on a Macintosh:

Choose File|New Keyset ( Cmmd+N ) to display the
New Keyset Name dialog

1

2

3

User Guide

Enter a name for the keyset in the New Keyset Name
text box.

The name you enter must match, exactly , the name
of the application with which it is associated. In the
above example, the keyset name is entered as

Adobe Premiere 5.1 because that is the exact name

of the application on the hard disk.

Tip
To ensure that keyset and application names match, copy
the application name on your desktop, then paste it into
the New Keyset Name dialog (including ® and ™)

17

Chapter 2 Using CommandPost

To create a new keyset Windows:

Choose File|New Keyset ( Cntrl+N ) to display the
New Keyset Name dialog

1

1.

2.

3

2

Enter a name for the keyset in the New Keyset Name
text box.

Tip
To ensure that keyset and application names match, copy
the application name as it appears in the Windows tool
bar exactly to the New Keyset Name dialog. It is not
always necessary to type in the word that appears after
the application name such as “-untitled”, “document” or
the name of your saved file. In some cases, if you have
similarly named applications such as “Commotion” and
“Commotion DV”, naming the keyset simply “Commo­tion” will work for both versions.

18

CommandPost

CommandPost Working with Keysets

If the names do not match exactly, CommandPost
cannot locate the keyset when you launch the appli­cation. As a result, the functions defined in the key­set won’t be available when using the application.

If you enter the name of an existing keyset,
CommandPost notifies you that you cannot dupli­cate the name.

After entering a valid name, click Create to create the
new keyset.

Create the functions you want for the keyset. See
“Basic Programming” beginning on page 21 for fur­ther instructions.

3.

4.

M

ODIFYING

E

XISTING

Your CommandPost package contains an assortment of
pre-programmed keysets designed for many of the
most popular multimedia applications. You can use
these keysets as is, or modify them to your own prefer­ences and work style.

K

EYSETS

Tip
Changing keysets is not an undoable operation .
Therefore, before making changes to an existing keyset,
consider renaming that keyset so you can restore it later
if necessary. See “Renaming Keysets” beginning on
page 20.

User Guide

19

Chapter 2 Using CommandPost

When you choose a keyset from the Keyset Name
menu, CommandPost loads that keyset into the applica­tion. You can then view and/or edit the keyset as you
desire.

The Keyset Name menu contains the names of all keysets
currently available to the CommandPost application.

T o save the modifications you make to a keyset, choose

File|Save Keyset (Macintosh Cmmd+S; Windows
Ctrl+S).

R

ENAMING KEYSETS

If you incorrectly name a keyset, or you want to store
an existing keyset under a different name, you can
rename any keyset.

20

To rename an existing keyset:

1. Select the keyset you want to rename in the Keyset
Name menu.

2. Choose File|Rename Keyset (Macintosh Cmmd+R).

The New Keyset dialog appears.

3. Enter the new keyset name in the text box, then
click Rename.

CommandPost

CommandPost Basic Programming

Remember, to use a keyset with a specific application,
the name must match, exactly, the name of the applica-
tion on your hard disk.

D

ELETING KEYSETS

To delete an existing keyset:

1. Select the keyset you want to delete in the Keyset
Name menu.

2. Choose File|Delete Keyset (Windows Ctrl+D).

3. When the confirmation message appears, click

Delete to remove the keyset, or click Cancel.

BASIC PROGRAMMING

This section explains the basic steps to programming
the CommandPost controller. The numbers correspond
to the steps described later in the section.

S

INGLE KEYSTROKE SEQUENCES

User Guide

Perhaps the most common operation with
CommandPost is to create a single key sequence that
includes only a single command, such as Open, Save,
Import, and so forth, and apply it to one of the
CommandPost buttons.

21

Chapter 2 Using CommandPost

1

2

3

4

5

1. Choose the keyset you want to use from the Keyset
Name menu.

2. Select the component you want to program in the

Controller Options section or the Trigger/Function
Name list.

22

To program one of the buttons, click the one you
want to select. CommandPost displays a green glow
around that object.

To program the Takebar or Jog/Shuttle wheel, click
the corresponding image in the Controller Options
section. CommandPost displays a large image of the
component.

CommandPost highlights the selected key (or, trig­ger) in the Trigg er/Functions List. In this case, Key 1 is
selected and highlighted.

3. Click inside the Function Name box and enter a name
for the function you want to program.

CommandPost

CommandPost Basic Programming

If you select an existing function (either in the Con­troller Options area or the Trigger/Functions List), the

name of that function appears in the Function Name
box. You can then edit that function by changing its
name and/or the key sequence assigned to it.

On Macintosh, the name can be up to 32 characters.
On Windows, the name can be up to 255 characters.

You can also
press Tab to
move to the
different boxes
rather than
clicking in
them.

4. Click inside the Keystroke Entry Box. CommandPost
draws a box around the object to show it is selected.

On the Macintosh, you must press Return on
your keyboard to activate the Keystroke Entry Box
and the Keyboard Options.

On Windows, you do not need to press Return or

Enter.

5. Enter the key sequence you want in the Keystroke

Entry Box using, if necessary, the Keyboard Options.
The K eyboard Options let you enter the specified keys

in a key sequence. Without these buttons, if you
were to press Cmmd+N or Alt+N, for example, it
would be the equivalent of choosing New Keyset
from the CommandPost File menu. With the Key-
board Options you can enter any key sequence using
any of the listed keys.

6. Choose File|Save Keyset to save the key sequence
in the keyset if you are immediately returning to the
application you modified the Keyset for. If you do
not have the application open you modified the Key-
set for, it is not necessary to Save the Keyset.

M

ULTIPLE KEY SEQUENCES

User Guide

The following sections of this chapter explain how to
create various key sequences.

A multiple key sequence is similar to a macro. It con­tains two or more individual keystrokes. For example,
you might create a multiple key sequence that includes
a Command+Shift+A (Mac), Cntrl+Shift+A (Win) key-

23

Chapter 2 Using CommandPost

stroke followed by Option+Control+R (Mac),
Alt+Cntl+R (Win). A multiple key sequence has no

practical limit on the number of key sequences it can
contain. You enter a multiple key sequence in much the
same way as a single key sequence (described above)
except you must remain in the Keystroke Entry Box after
entering each sequence—as described below.

To create a multiple keystroke sequence:

1. Select the button you want to program in the Trigger/
Function Name list or Controller Options area—for this

example, Key 6.

2

3

24

451

2. Click inside the Function Name box (or tab to it) and
enter a name for the key sequence. In this example,
the name is Multiple Keystroke Sequence.

3. Click or tab to the Keystr oke Entry Box. CommandPost
draws a box around the object to show it is selected.

On Macintosh, press Return to activate the Key-
stroke Entry Box and the Keyboard Options.

CommandPost

CommandPost Basic Programming

On Windows, you do not need to press Return or
Enter.

4. Click Command (Mac) or Control (Win) then Shift in

the Keyboard Options section.

5. Type the letter A to complete the first keystroke
sequence followed by pressing Return.

6. To enter the next sequence, start by clicking the
Option button, then the Control (Mac) or Alt (Win)but-
ton.

7

8

7. Type the letter R to complete the final sequence.

8. Choose File|Save Keyset to save the key sequence

in the keyset if you are immediately returning to the
application you modified the Keyset for. If you do
not have the application open you modified the Key-
set for, it is not necessary to Save the Keyset.

I

NSERTING A PAUSE IN A MULTIPLE KEYSTROKE SEQUENCE

You can insert a pause of whatever length you require
between sequences in a multiple keystroke sequence.
This gives you the ability to control the timing at which
a sequence occurs—for example, when you need to
provide sufficient time for your system to complete one
command before initiating the next one.

To insert a Pause in a multiple keystroke sequence:

1. Follow steps 1 through 6 in the preceding example
to create the first command in the sequence
(Cmmd+Shift+A Mac, Cntrl + Shift + A Win). Be
sure to press Return at the end of the sequence.

User Guide

25

Chapter 2 Using CommandPost

2. Click Pause in the Keyboard Options section.
CommandPost displays the Pause value dialog.

3

3. Enter the length of time you want for the pause (in
this example, the pause is 3.5 seconds), then click
OK.

4. Press Return.

5. Enter the final keystroke sequence—Option+Con­trol+R (Mac) or Alt+Control+R (Win).

5

6. Click outside the Keystroke Entry Box or press Tab to
finish the multiple keystroke sequence with inserted

3.5 second pause.

7. Choose File|Save Keyset to save the key sequence
in the keyset if you are immediately returning to the
application you modified the Keyset for. If you do
not have the application open you modified the Key-
set for, it is not necessary to Save the Keyset.

PROGRAMMING THE TAKEBAR

The CommandPost Takebar has eight programmable
positions: that is, when you move the Takebar and it
contacts any one of the eight positions, you can pro-

26

CommandPost

CommandPost Programming the Takebar

gram various commands to invoke at a position. The
Takebar may also carry out some custom functions in
certain applications. Check the FOCUS Enhancements
website for more information (http://www.FOCUS­info.com).

To program the Takebar:

1. Click the Takebar button in the Controller Options
section.

CommandPost displays an enlarged view of the
Takebar with its eight programmable key positions.

3

1

2

User Guide

45

2. Select the position (or, button) you want to pro­gram. You can select it in either the Controller
Options area or the Trigger/Functions List.

3. Enter a name for the sequence in the Function Name
box. For this example, the name is Zoom In.

4. Click inside the Keystroke Entry Box. CommandPost
draws a box around the object to show it is selected.

27

Chapter 2 Using CommandPost

On Macintosh, press Return to activate the Key­stroke Entry Box and the Keyboard Options.

On Windows, you do not need to press Return
or Enter.

5. Use the Keyboard Options and your keyboard keys to
construct a keystroke sequence. Refer to “Single
Keystroke Sequences” on page 21 for detailed
instructions.

T o cr eate multiple keystr oke sequences and pauses,
use the procedures described earlier in “Multiple
Key Sequences” on page 23 and “Inserting a Pause in
a Multiple Keystroke Sequence” on page 25.

6. Click outside the Keystroke Entry Box or press Tab to
finish the keystroke sequence.

PROGRAMMING THE JOG WHEEL

To program the Jog Wheel:

1. Click the Jog Wheel button in the Controller Options
section.

28

Jog Wheel
Button

CommandPost displays an enlarged view of the Jog
and Shuttle Wheel with its programmable key posi­tions. The Jog Wheel has two programmable but-

CommandPost

CommandPost Programming the Jog Wheel

tons. The left button controls the wheel in the
counter-clockwise direction: the right button con­trols it in the clockwise direction.

The Jog Wheel
has two
programmable
buttons

2. Program the Jog Wheel using the procedures you
learned in the preceding sections.

T o cr eate multiple keystr oke sequences and pauses,
use the procedures described earlier in “Multiple
Key Sequences” on page 23 and “Inserting a Pause in
a Multiple Keystroke Sequence” on page 25.

User Guide

3. If you are returning to the application you have just
edited a keyset for, it is necessary to choose
File|Save Keyset on Macintosh only. If you are
returning to a different application or another key­set, it is not necessary to save the keyset.

The Jog Wheel may also carry out some custom func­tions in certain applications. Check the FOCUS
Enhancements website for more information (http://
www.FOCUSinfo.com).

29

Chapter 2 Using CommandPost

PROGRAMMING THE SHUTTLE WHEEL

The Macintosh and Windows Shuttle Wheels have the
same set of controls and options.

Figure 2: Programmable Shuttle Options

Macintosh

(Jog Wheel
Controls)

Shuttle Wheel
Controls

Windows

(Jog Wheel
Controls)

30

Shuttle Wheel
Controls

The Shuttle Wheel has eight programmable positions.
Each position has two buttons—an Entry and an Exit
control. You can program these separate from one
another. Each position also has a Repeat check box.

Entry

ExitRepeat

CommandPost

CommandPost Programming the Shuttle Wheel

Entry—actions you program for this position occur
when the shuttle wheel enters that position.

Exit—actions you program for this position occur
when the shuttle wheel leaves that position.

Repeat—when selected, CommandPost repeats the
programming assigned to the Entry button until you
specifically terminate it—that is, you move the shut­tle wheel to some other position.

To program the Shuttle Wheel:

1. Click the Shuttle Wheel button in the Controller
Options section.

User Guide

Shuttle
Wheel
Button

CommandPost displays an enlarged view of the Jog
and Shuttle Wheel with its programmable key posi­tions. See Figure 2 on page 30.

2. Program the Shuttle Wheel position using the proce­dures you learned in the preceding sections.

T o cr eate multiple keystr oke sequences and pauses,
use the procedures described earlier in “Multiple
Key Sequences” on page 23 and “Inserting a Pause in
a Multiple Keystroke Sequence” on page 25.

3. Click outside the Keystroke Entry Box or press Tab to
finish the keystroke sequence.

31

Chapter 2 Using CommandPost

4. If you are returning to the application you have just
edited a keyset for, it is necessary to choose
File|Save Keyset on Macintosh only. If you are
returning to a different application or another key­set, it is not necessary to save the keyset.

The Shuttle Wheel may also carry out some custom
functions in certain applications. Check the FOCUS
Enhancements website for more information (http://
www.FOCUSinfo.com).

32

CommandPost

Chapter 2 Using CommandPost

34

CommandPost

C

HAPTER

3

THER

O

This chapter explains how to perform various opera­tions that you might find necessary from time-to-time,
including:

• Setting Preferences

• Adjusting System Volume

• Recalibrating the Joystick

PERATIONS

O

31

Chapter 3 Other Operations

SETTING PREFERENCES

Use Preferences to control various aspects of the way
CommandPost operates in conjunction with your
system.

To set preferences:

☞

Choose Edit|Preferences to display the following
dialog.

Macintosh Dialog

CommandPost does not
save your preferences
until you click OK.

Windows Dialog

32

CommandPost

1.

2.

3.

a.

b.

Focus CommandPost Setting Preferences

CommandPost Control Active

Select this option to make the CommandPost controller
active. Deselect the option to deactivate the controller
buttons and other components.

If you deactivate the controller, then reactivate it with a

different controller plugged in than originally cali-

brated, you must re-calibrate the unit. To do this, press
the Recalibrate button (located at the bottom of the
Preferences dialog) or the Edit|Recalibrate command
to recalibrate the joystick. See “Recalibrating the Joy­stick and T-BAR.” beginning on page 36 for further
instructions.

Assign mouse click to button

You’ve already learned that you can emulate your
mouse button by pressing down on the joystick. If you
find this cumbersome or difficult to do, you can assign
controller buttons to represent single and/or double
mouse clicks.

To use this feature:

Select the Assign mouse click to button option.
Select the button you want to assign to a mouse

click.
Select a button or action as follows:

On Macintosh , select Single Click to have the but­ton represent a single mouse click, or select Dou-

ble Click to have it represent a double-click.

On Windows , select the mouse button you want
to assign— Left , Middle , or Right . You can assign
only a single click to this action.

The selected button will now feature a circular indica­tor on the Controller Options graphic. Is is not possible
to program the particular button once it is assigned to
a mouse click.

User Guide

33

Chapter 3 Other Operations

Press joystick for mouse

Use this option to specify the result of pressing down
on the joystick. You have slightly different options for
Macintosh and Windows.

On Macintosh :

If you select Single Click , you must press down twice
in succession to enter a double-click action.

If you select Double Click , you cannot enter a single
click action using the joystick—you must use the
mouse button for this action.

On Windows :

Select the mouse button you want to assign to the
mouse click— Left , Middle , or Right . You can assign
only a single click to this action.

Joystick sensitivity

This slider controls the speed at which the mouse
pointer travels on the screen relative to moving the joy­stick. If you select Max , the pointer moves at maximum
speed.

Jog wheel sensitivity

Provides the same functionality as Joystick sensitivity
(described above) but is relative to the Jog wheel.

Recalibrate

Click to recalibrate the joystick. See “Recalibrating the
Joystick and T-BAR.” on page 36 for further
information.

Recalibrating the joystick and T-bar is not normally
necessary during normal use. However, if you replace
your current CommandPost controller with a different
unit you should use this recalibration feature.

34

CommandPost

1.

2.

3.

Focus CommandPost Adjusting System Volume

ADJUSTING SYSTEM VOLUME

Note
This feature is available only on Macintosh .

You can use the Takebar to control the master volume
on your computer system. You can easily turn this fea­ture on and off as your needs require.

To use the system volume controls:

Select the check box immediately below the T akebar
in the CommandPost window.

Increase

Decrease

Select to activate System Volume control—
deselect to deactivate the feature.

Volume

Volume

Move the Takebar up to increase system volume,
and down to decrease system volume.

To deactivate this feature, deselect the check box.
When you deactivate the feature the Takebar

resumes its programmed functions, if applicable.

User Guide

35

1.

2.

3.

Chapter 3 Other Operations

RECALIBRATING THE JOYSTICK AND T-BAR.

You might find it necessary at some time or another to
recalibrate the joystick on the CommandPost control­ler. This must be done when the CommandPost is first
installed on Macintosh and Windows systems.

If the mouse pointer moves erratically or fails to move
at all, it might require recalibration.

To recalibrate the joystick:

Working in the CommandPost application, choose

Edit|Recalibrate , or choose Edit|Preferences and

click the Recalibrate button at the bottom of the Pref­erences dialog. If the CommandPost software exten­sion is properly and currently loaded in memory,
the following dialog appears.

36

Rotate the joystick around its entire perimeter at
least one time. You will then be asked to do the
same with the Take Bar.

Click Done .

Note
When you first load CommandPost, you will be
prompted to calibrate the joystick and T-bar
directly after re-boot.

CommandPost