Port numbers...................................................................................................................................................... 4
Upper vs. Lower case.......................................................................................................................................... 5
XSTATUSIO and XSTATUSOI........................................................................................................................ 8
System Information commands........................................................................................................................... 9
VxRouter Port Numbering...................................................................................................................................... 14
Error and Status Codes.......................................................................................................................................... 26
API V3 Commands Removed from Version 4......................................................................................................... 27
Changing from V3 to V4 API commands................................................................................................................ 28
Appendix A: Switch Status Broadcast..................................................................................................................... 29
A) VEL-24DH through a VX80........................................................................................................................... 30
B) VEL-4 and VEL-24 through a VX160............................................................................................................. 31
API Manual Revision History..................................................................................................................................33
Index of Tables
Table 1: Upper vs. Lower case................................................................................................................................. 5
Table 3: V3 vs. V4 commands................................................................................................................................ 28
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Illustration Index
Illustration 1: Vx40 Port Numbering........................................................................................................................15
Illustration 5: Vx320 Port Numbering...................................................................................................................... 19
Illustration 6: Vx320 Port Connections.................................................................................................................... 20
Illustration 7: Vx320-Video Port Numbering............................................................................................................ 21
Illustration 8: Hx80 / Vx80 Port Numbering............................................................................................................. 22
Illustration 9: Hx576 Port Numbering......................................................................................................................23
Illustration 10: Mx48 Port Numbering..................................................................................................................... 24
Illustration 11: VX640 Port Numbering.................................................................................................................... 25
These documents may be found on our ftp site: ftp://ftp.thinklogical.com/VxRouter/Documentation/ or on our web site:
http://www.thinklogical.com/user_manuals.
This symbol is used to mark important information that will be needed to effectively use this API with the
VxRouter matrix switch.
This document (Router-ASCII-API.pdf) is valid for XVERSION V4.X.
If XVERSION returns V3.0, V3.1, or V3.2, you need DCS-ASCII-API-V3.pdf.
If XVERSION returns V3.5, you need Router-ASCII-API-V3.5.pdf.
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Overview
Unless stated otherwise, references to a VxRouter also apply to a MxRouter and a HdxRouter.
This document describes the command set used to control Thinklogical's VxRouter series of matrix switches. The commands
are all ASCII based and are terminated with either a linefeed character or a carriage-return / linefeed pair. Port numbers are all
4 digits in length and filled with leading zeros (Example: port 12 is encoded as 0012).
The VxRouter commands are based on the command set used by our DCS product line. Some DCS commands were removed
because they did not apply to the VxRouter system. New commands were added to accommodate features in the VxRouters
that were not in the DCS.
This release of API version 4.x marks a radical departure in the procedure used to make or break connections. Previously, the
VxRouter was treated as having 'N' number of bidirectional ports. When a connection command was received, in most cases
two connection paths were created. One path allowed information to flow from a transmitter to a receiver, and the second path
allowed information to flow from the receiver to the transmitter. The second path was sometimes referred to as the 'low speed
channel' or the 'back-channel'.
Automatic path creation required only one connection command to create two connection paths. The software took care of
maintaining the second path. The drawback from this feature is that none of the ports used by the second path were available
for any other use. This could lead to half or more of the ports on a VxRouter being unusable.
The API commands have been modified in this version of the interface (Version 4.x). These commands give the user complete
control over every input and output port of the VxRouter switch matrix. The drawback is the need to issue two commands to
connect or disconnect bidirectional data instead of one command. You still need only one command to connect or disconnect
video data.
The ability to make any possible connection means that it is now possible to have one keyboard/mouse connected to multiple
CPU’s. The user can be watching the video from, and interacting with, CPU A while simultaneously sending keystrokes to
CPU’s A, B, C, D,...
HDX switch support.
The HDX series of switches uses the same API as the VxRouters. Because the HDX implements synchronized switching, a
method to cause a sync'd switch event to occur was needed. The HDX API will synchronize switching when it receives a line
feed (LF) at the end of a switch command. These switch commands are: Connect, Disconnect, XPUT and Macro.
MX switch support.
The MX series of switches uses the same API as the VxRouters. The one difference is the XMAXCARDS command. It returns
the actual maximum number of I/O cards allowed, not one-half the total. Refer to the XMAXCARDS section on page 11.
Unless otherwise indicated, references to VxRouters also apply to the HDX and MX models.
XOPTIONS command.
The new command XOPTIONS can be used to determine which command options are available in the api.
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Conventions
Port numbers
▪All port numbers are four places long, start counting at 1 and have leading zeros. For example, port 15 is encoded
as 0015.
▪A port number of 4 zeros is used in response to a status command to signify that no port is in use. A zero port
number is not valid in a command string.
▪A port number of four 9s (9999) in used to signify ALL ports. It is not valid in a response.
For example, if you wanted to encode all output ports, you would use: O9999
▪In the following sections, xxxx is used as a generic input port place holder; yyyy is used as the output port place
holder. Do not use xxxx or yyyy in a command, but replace each with the appropriate input or output port number.
Results
Results from commands are ASCII strings terminated with a newline (linefeed). The first character is an 'R', followed by
a 4 digit, zero-filled length. The length includes the trailing newline. Following the length will be either 'OK', or
'ERnnnn'. OK signifies the command was successful, while ERnnnn is an error code. After the OK or ERnnnn, a
comment may appear giving more detailed information.
In the case of a status command, the OK is followed by the status response.
You must wait for a result response before sending another command.
There are several options to control the output from the API. These options are described in detail in the document
Conguring-the-ASCII-Interface.pdf. Two of the options are:
1.[--CR] Include a carriage return on each line output. (Useful for Windows)
2.[--verbose] Append a comment to each response with more information about an error code, or repeat the
successful command. Comments will start with the '#' character.
Examples of verbose output
Command: CI0004O0007
normal:R0003OK
verbose:R0015OK#CI0004O0007
Command:CI0004O0087
normal:R0007ER0007
verbose:R0072ER0007#Output port number 87 is out of range (1 thru 80):
'CI0004O0087'
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Upper vs. Lower case
The upper case single letter commands (C,D,S) affect the upper shelf of a Vx320, the upstream to downstream paths of a
Vx160, and all the paths on a Vx40, Vx80, Vx320v, Vx640, Hx80, Hx576, Mx48.
The lower case single letter commands (c,d,s) affect the lower shelf of a Vx320, the downstream to upstream paths of a
Vx160, and are NOT valid on a Vx40.
All other commands may be in either case.
Vx40Upper case only
Vx80Upper case only
Vx160Upper and Lower case required
Vx320Upper and Lower case required
Vx320-VideoUpper case only
Hx80Upper case only
Hx576Upper case only
Mx48Upper case only
Vx640Upper case only
Table 1: Upper vs. Lower case
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Commands
Connection commands
Connect
Connect one input port to one or more output ports. Connections are additive.
For example, connecting input 5 to output 7 will result in 7 being added to any existing connections to input 5.
The 'i' and 'o' may be of either case.
Format: CixxxxOyyyyO....
cixxxxoyyyyo....
xxxx of all 9's is illegal.
yyyy of all 9's will connect xxxx to all outputs.
Connections will be made in the order specified.
Example Results:
R0003OK or R0007ERnnnn
When switching keyboard/mouse channels it is now possible to connect one keyboard/mouse to multiple
computers. Unless the appropriate video connections are also made, you will be sending commands to computers that you are not currently viewing.This could have disastrous results!
Disconnect
Disconnect one or more input or output ports. Disconnecting outputs only affects that port, but disconnecting
inputs will affect every output connected to that input. The 'i' and 'o' may be of either case.
Format:Dixxxx...orDoyyyy.....
dixxxx...ordOyyyy.....
This will disconnect all outputs connected to input port xxxx or will disconnect output
port yyyy only.
DI9999 or DO9999 will disconnect all the Upstream/Upper ports.
di9999 or do9999 will disconnect all the Downstream/Lower ports
It is not an error to disconnect a port that is not connected.
Example Results:
R0003OK or R0007ERnnnn
Note: If you want to disconnect ALL the ports (Up and Down), you may use the XPUT command without listing any
ports.
Frame Synchronize
On the HDX family of routers, configure the Sync card to use sync format N. N ranges from 0 to 63. Refer to the HDX
manuals for the correct usage of the command. This command in not allowed in the Vx family of routers and it will
return an error.
Format:F00nn
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Status
Return the connection status of an input or output port.
Format:Sixxxx
sixxxx
Return the list of output ports that are connected to input port xxxx.
If nothing is connected to port xxxx, 0000 will be returned.
Format:Soyyyy
soyyyy
Return the input port number that is connected to output port yyyy.
If nothing is connected to port xxxx, 0000 will be returned.
Example Results (SI):
RnnnnOKIxxxxOyyyyOyyyyOyyyy... or R0007ERnnnn
xxxx is connected to output(s) yyyy.
0000means not connected.
Example Results (SO):
RnnnnOKIxxxxOyyyy or R0007ERnnnn
xxxx is connected to output yyyy.
0000 means not connected.
XGET
Return the entire switch connection state. The output from this command is used by the XPUT command.
Format:XGET
This will return a (very) long string listing every connection. The connection list consists
of a series of input port numbers, followed by output port numbers.
The XPUT command requires all the characters in the response that come after the
'OK'.
Example Results:
R0037OKI00010003I00020004i0010001000110012
R0029OKI00010003I0010001000110012
R0012OKI01230145
R0003OK or R0007ERnnnn
XPUT
Restore the entire switch connection state. The output from XGET is used by this command.
Format: XPUTstr
The XPUT command will turn off all outputs and then make the connections that are
listed in 'str'. 'str' is the response that was returned from a XGET command.
XPUT without any ports is valid and is interpreted as a command to disconnect all
ports.
Example: XPUTI00010003I00020004i0010001000110012
Example Results:
R0003OK or R0007ERnnnn
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Macro
Sends a sequence of connect and disconnect commands as one command line. The syntax of this command is different
from the other commands. This command combines connects and disconnects in one string and also combines upper
and lower case commands. While the connect and disconnect have upper and lower case versions, there is only an upper
case 'M'. The break between the two chassis is done with a semi-colon (;). All commands before the semi-colon affect
the Upstream/Upper ports, and the command after the semi-colon affect the Downstream/Lower ports. If a router only
has one set of ports (such as the Vx40), then the semi-colon may be omitted.
iiii - input port number
oooo - output port number
an input number of 0000 (all zeros) will disconnect the listed output port (same as the
DO command)
an output number of 0000 (all zeros) will disconnect the listed input port from all
connected outputs (same as the DI command)
an output number of 9999 will broadcast the input port to all outputs
unlike the XPUT command, the router is not reset before the command is executed
To turn off all the ports, set the input to all zeros and the output to 9999.
a 'M' without inputs or outputs is valid. This allows external systems to determine if the
API version supports the macro command.
Example: M0000001101230000;00230008
•disconnect (upper) output 11
•disconnect (upper) input 123
•connect (lower) input 23 to output 8
Example: M00009999;00009999
•disconnect all ports (the semi-colon section is not needed if
the router only has one chassis – such as the VX80 or VX320video)
Example Results:
R0003OK or R0007ERnnnn
XSTATUSIO and XSTATUSOI
Similar to the XGET command, these commands return the current switch connection state. The switch state is returned
as pairs of ports, input port and output port for the 'IO' command and output port and input port for the 'OI' command. A
data pair is returned for each active connection. For bi-directional switches (example: Vx160 and Vx320), the upper
chassis pairs are listed first, then a semi-colon (;), then the lower chassis pairs. The semi-colon is always present in an
'OK' response.
The XGET command encodes the port information as hexadecimal values, these commands use four digit, zero filled
decimal values. For example: the value 12 is encoded as: 0012. Unlike the XGET, there is only one 'I' or 'O' in the
response. It is immediately after the 'OK' and is there to identify which port (input or output) appears first in the data
pair.
Format:XSTATUSIO
Format: XSTATUSOI
This will return a (very) long string listing every connection. The connection list consists
of pairs of port numbers.
Example Results:
XSTATUSIO: R0027OKI0010012300120015;00030005
XSTATUSOI: R0027OKO0015001201230010;00050003
XSTATUSOI: R0011OKO;00050003
XSTATUSOI: R0019OKO0015001201230010;
R0005OKI; or R0005OKO; or R0007ERnnnn
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System Information commands
XVERSION
Returns the API program version number.
Format:XVERSION
Example Results:
R0009OKV4.0-3
XINSTALLED
Returns an inventory of installed I/O cards. A zero means the card is not installed and a one means the card is installed.
The number of cards determines the number of zeros and ones returned and the number of cards varies for each
VxRouter model. Some models have I/O cards designated as 'UpStream' or 'DownStream' (Vx40, Vx160) or have two
independent shelves (Vx320). Other models have only one type of I/O card (Vx80, Mx48, Vx320Video). In the
examples below, UpStream cards are highlighted with a green background. No background color will designate either
DownStream cards or the router has only one type of card. The cards are listed from left to right, with the leftmost digit
used for the card that has port 1.
Returns a string containing the VxRouter model. This command is a (DCS) legacy command and the name reflects its
usage as a DCS command though it is still valid for VxRouters.
Format: XDCSTYPE
Example Results:
(Vx40)R0013OKVx40Router
(Vx160) R0014OKVx160Router
(Vx320) R0014OKVx320Router
XMAXPORTS
Returns the maximum number of non-blocking ports in the switch. This may also be interpreted as the maximum port
number allowed in a command.
Format:XMAXPORTS
Example Results:
(Vx40)R0007OK0080
(Vx160) R0007OK0160
(Vx320)R0007OK0320
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XLASTEVENT
Returns a time-stamp string that was set the last time a connection was made or broken. This can be used to determine if
the switch status has changed since the last XLASTEVENT command was issued.
Format:XLASTEVENT
Example Results:
R0027OKThu Jul 1 11:23:52 2010
XPORTCONFIG
Returns a comma delimited list of three numbers: NU, NB, OFF.
The first number (NU) is the maximum number of uni-directional paths in the system. The second (NB) is the maximum
number of bi-directional paths and the third is currently defined as zero.
The return value is a decimal number that represents a bit-map of the actual alarm bits. For example, if 19 is returned,
the binary format will be: 10011. This shows that 3 alarms are active (3 bits are '1'). The leftmost bit in the example is
bit 4, followed by bits 3, 2, 1 and 0 (the rightmost bit). Bit 0 corresponds to alarm 1, bit 1 to alarm 2, etc.
The alarm bits are defined in the VxRouter manual and vary depending on the model.
Format:XALARM
Example Results:
(Vx320)R0007OK0522
Decimal 522 is 1000001010 in binary (bits 9, 3 and 1 are 'on')
XRESET
Resets the internal switch hardware to its power on state.
Format: XRESET
Example Results:
R0003OK or R0007ERnnnn
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