Scalable Commander User Manual

Overview

This document provides a comprehensive guide for the setup and utilization of Scalable Commander.

Setting up Scalable Software

Scalable Commander is intended to be used in conjunction with an existing auto-calibrating Scalable software application, which includes Scalable Display Manager (SDM), Scalable Desktop, Atlas, and Scalable Panel Assembly (SPA).

1. Install Scalable Display Software.
2. Perform a basic calibration.
3. Verify that the perspective panel is configured and is set to generate the mesh file "per-projector".
4. Navigate to the 'Export Options' panel and make sure that 'Enable display management' is selected.
5. Click on the update calibration button.

Licensing

If all the options on the dashboard screen are displayed as disabled, this indicates a licensing issue. Moreover, a license error message will be displayed at the top of the panel. Please follow the steps below to resolve this matter.

1. Navigate to the "licensing" menu located on the top left corner of the graphical user interface (GUI).
   
2. Click "Open License Helper".
   
3. Click “Install License File”
4. This will open a file explorer where you should navigate to the folder where you saved the license file provided by a Scalable representative.
5. Select the license file, and open it.

Scalable Menu Options

CONFIGURATION MENU

This menu allows the current configuration to be exported, and previously exported configurations to be imported.

• Import Configuration: A file explorer window will open, allowing you to choose a .cmdrconfig file to import configuration settings from. Importing a configuration will replace the currently active configuration.
• Export Configuration: A file explorer window will open, allowing you to save a .cmdrconfig file containing all of your current configuration settings.

LICENSING MENU

• Open License Helper: Allows you to view details of your current license or install a new license file.

Settings Menu

UI Scaling

This menu allows the size of the elements within the Scalable Commander user interface to be adjusted for greater legibility. It is useful if you are using Scalable Commander on a particularity high, or low, resolution display.

• UI Scale: Use the slider to adjust the scaling of the user interface elements as desired.
• Auto: Adjust scale to match current monitor resolution.
• Reset: Revert to the default scaling.

Help Menu

• Help Guide: Opens the Scalable Commander Manual.
• About Scalable Commander: Opens a window identifying Scalable Commander’s Version and Product information.
• Projector Metrics: Opens a window displaying the projector's current uptime.

Dashboard

System Selector: On the left side of the screen, you will find a list of systems currently linked to Commander.

The currently connected system will be highlighted in green, and also be displayed in the top right corner of the GUI.

Click on the hide/expand icon in the top right corner of the system list to hide or expand the system list.

Click on the connect icon to the right of a system's name to establish a connection with it.

Manage System List: Opens a new window allowing you to discover a list of systems and configurations available to manage, and edit the list of systems currently linked to Commander.

Recalibrate Display: Allows users to recalibrate their systems, providing the same functionality as the recalibrate icon found on Scalable's GUI homepage.

Recalibrate Color: Allows users to recalibrate their color for the systems, providing the same functionality as the recalibrate color icon found on Scalable's GUI homepage.

Reload Mesh Files: This will cause the Scalable SDK to reload the warp and blend files from disk while the Scalable integrated application (IG, video player, etc) is running. Useful if you updated or swapped the calibration files and don't want to fully restart your application to apply the change.

Macro Actions: Allows users to conveniently execute a wide range of macros that has been created within the designated macro tab.

Hardware Status: Utilize the Hardware Status feature to closely monitor the operational status of the display clients, cameras, and projectors (availability may vary depending on projector model) integrated into the system.

Manage System List

This window displays all the available systems detected on the network that have enabled the Scalable Commander integration.

Discovered Hosts: Displays all host computers found on the local network that have the Commander integration enabled. The integration can be enabled/disabled using a control on the Management page of the Scalable application on each host PC.

Discovered Systems: Displays all configurations found on the selected host computer. Host computers will only have multiple configurations if using Enterprise Manager to calibrate several displays from the same host.

Managed Systems: Displays all systems currently linked to Scalable Commander.

Add System: Selecting this will add the Discovered System to become a Managed System.

The up and down arrows allow you to re order your list of systems.

The 'X' icon will remove a system from the Managed Systems list.

Software Control

This tab allows for the management of the display corrections currently being applied within a running application that is integrated with the Scalable EasyBlendSDK.

Display Correction: Allows you to toggle various display corrections on or off, including:

• Warp
• Blend
• Color
• Black level
• Image Masking

Test Pattern: Allows you to visualize different test patterns and modify them according to their preferences. To select a test pattern, simply use the dot options located beside its name. You can apply the pattern to all projectors or a single projector. The current test patterns available include:

• IG Scene: While this is selected Test Images are disabled and you will see the IG scene rendered by your application.
• 2D Line Pattern: Displays a configurable 2D striped or checkered pattern. Useful to to verify that the blend zones do not have any misalignment.
• Warp Strength Pattern: Provides a visual indicator of how far the warp is moving pixels between the pre-warp and post-warp image at each point on the screen
• Perspective Pattern: Displays a 3D rendered a sphere with grid lines on it. It uses the same eyepoint and projector frusta as your IG. It is useful for assessing the perspective warp during testing
• 3D Planar Target Pattern: Displays a configurable black and white line pair test to check effective resolution. Can adjust location, distance, and size of the pattern and save them as presets. Can import your own custom pattern as a bitmap. Automatically calculates angular resolution (arc-minutes per line pair) of current settings as you adjust the pattern. We recommend using the distance of the floating pattern to the viewer as the main adjustment knob during testing rather than adjusting it's size directly.

Eyepoint: Allows you to switch between different perspective eyepoints that have been created in SDM. The warp currently being applied in your IG will immediately change to match the new eyepoint selection. You can apply the change to all projectors or a single projector.

Hardware Control

This tab presents the network connectivity status of the hardware and software employed by the system.

Display Clients: Displays current network connectivity status of all display clients utilized by the system.

Projectors: Displays current network connectivity status of all projectors utilized by the system. Also allows you to turn projectors on/off.

Projector Control: Displays current projector settings. Also allows you to adjust those settings.

Projector Profiles: Allows you to apply preconfigured groups of projector settings.

Cameras: Displays current network connectivity status of all cameras utilized by the system.

Macros

This tab allows you to configure macros that can adjust both hardware and software settings simultaneously. For instance, you can deactivate the black level while activating image masking.

To create a new macro

1. Click on the "New Macro" button.
2. Give the new macro a unique name.
3. The third column contains a list of commands. To add a command, simply press the "+ " icon.
4. In the middle column, you can customize the command to turn the feature on or off. Click the pencil icon to edit which projectors the command should apply to.
5. Once all the desired macro adjustments have been made, click the green arrow button to activate and test the macro.

Further Information

• To select a different macro to edit, click the pencil icon next to the macros name in the left column.
• The star icon allows the macro to be added to the Dashboard menu for easy one-click access, instead of having to go to the Macros tab and execute it there.

Scalable Commander Supported Projectors

Supported Projector Models

The list of supported projectors is currently limited. Communication interfaces and APIs for different models and manufacturers vary substantially and often require custom drivers to be written. If you would like to use a projector that we do not currently support, please contact us to discuss it.

The specific settings available will vary depending on projector model. If there is a setting important to you that is not shown please contact your Scalable Display representative to inquire about including it in a future version of the software.

Supported Projector Models

• Barco Pulse
  Barco Pulse is used on newer F series projectors (F70, F80, F90, F40, F400), UDX and UDM projectors, and a few others.
• Barco F50
  An older projector that does not use Pulse.
• Norxe Unify
  Norxe Unify is used on all current and future Norxe projectors. Older models, specifically the P1, P1+, and P2 do not support it.

Supported Features

Feature	Norxe	Bacro
LED Power	Yes	Yes
Shutter	Yes	Yes
Input Source	Yes	Yes
Red Gain	Yes	No
Green Gain	Yes	No
Blue Gain	Yes	No
Enable Iris	Yes	Yes
Iris Control	Yes	Yes
Enable Blacklevel	No	Yes
Blacklevel Intensity	No	Yes
Blacklevel Red Gain	No	Yes
Blaclevel Green Gain	No	Yes
Blacklevel Blue Gain	No	Yes
Enable IR	Yes	No
IR Power	Yes	Yes
IR Red Gain	Yes	Yes
IR Green Gain	Yes	Yes
IR Blue Gain	Yes	Yes
Trigger Port 1	No	Yes
Trigger Port 2	No	Yes
Enable Optical Blends	Yes	No
Enable CLO	Yes	No
Enable WPT	Yes	No
Enable Pixel Shift	Yes	No

 

 

This feature allows you to access Scalable Commander features through a command line interface, eliminating the need to open the graphical user interface (GUI).

Navigating Scalable Commander command line

To Access the Help Menu Within the Command Prompt (cmd)

Input SDMSCommandLine.exe -h

This will also list all macros, and all currently available action, individual, and state combinations (see below).

To Run a Macro

Input SDMSCommandLine.exe -m “[MacroName]”

Example: SDMSCommandLine.exe -m “Example Macro”

Macros need to be preconfigured using the Scalable Commander user interface.

Running the -h help command will list out the names of all macros currently configured in the UI.

To Perfom an Action

Input SDMSCommandLine.exe -a “[ActionName] [Individual] [State]”

Example: SDMSCommandLine.exe -a “Blend All Off”

ActionName: Choose from the list below. (case insensitive)

• Warp
• Blend
• BlackLevel
• Color
• ImageMasking
• Eyepoint
• ProjectorPower
• LEDPower
• OpticalBlends

Individual: List of projector numbers using commas and/or dashes. Do not add spaces. Can also use "All". (case insensitive)

• 1,2,3
• 1,3-5 (= 1,3,4,5)
• All

State: Choose from the listed states. (case insensitive)

• On
• Off
• Name of Eyepoint

(Eyepoints need to be preconfigured in Scalable Display Manager)

To Retrieve the Status of a Specific Action

Input SDMSCommandLine.exe -g “[ActionName] [Individual]”

Example: SDMSCommandLine.exe -g “Blend All”

ActionName: Choose from the list below. (case insensitive)

• Warp
• Blend
• BlackLevel
• Color
• ImageMasking
• Eyepoint
• ProjectorPower
• LEDPower
• OpticalBlends

Individual: List of projector numbers using commas and/or dashes. Do not add spaces. Can also use "All". (case insensitive)

• 1,2,3
• 1,3-5 (= 1,3,4,5)
• All

Setting up Scalable Commander command line on host PC

1. Open the Command Prompt (CMD).
2. Input cd “C:\Program Files\Scalable Display\ScalableCommander\release”
3. Input SDMSCommandLine.exe followed by the desired command line action.

Examples of Scalable Commander command line

SDMSCommandLine -m “Example Macro”

This command line will activate the macro you have created.

SDMSCommandLine -a “BlackLevel All On”

This command line will activate the black level adjustment for each projector.

SDMSCommandLine -a “Color 1 On”

This command line will activate the color calibration settings for projector 1.

SDMSCommandLine -a “Color 1 Off”

This command line will deactivate the color calibration settings for projector 1.

SDMSCommandLine -g “ImageMasking All”

This command line will display the status of the Image Masking for all projectors within the system.

SDMSCommandLine -g “ImageMasking 1”

This command line will display the current status of the Image Masking for just Projector 1.

SDMSCommandLine -host "HostName SDMSCommandLine -s "SystemName" SDMSCommandLine -rg

SDMSCommandLine -rc

Example: To recalibrate the geometry of the "DefaultSystem config on host 192.168.6.123, use: SDMSCommandLine.exe -host "192.168.6.123" -s "DefaultSystem" rg

Testing Scalable Commander Software Control

We have a sample application called the OpenGLSphere that can be used as a stand in for any IG with a Scalable SDK integration for testing purposes. It only draws a sphere with grid lines on it, but functionally it works the same as an SDK integrated IG.

Running the OpenGLSphere sample application on any PC

The zip below includes a set of calibration files for a 1080p projector. Warp, blend, black level, color, and masking are all applied in the sample file. It also includes a bat file configured to run the application using the sample files. It will work on any PC.

1. Download the OpenGLSphere sample application:
   https://scalabledisplay.com/downloads/OpenGLSphere_ScalableSDK10.0.zip
2. Extract the zip.
3. Run OpenGLSphere.bat

You can now use the Scalable Commander GUI or Command Line to turn on and off features being applied to the OpenGLSphere application by the Scalable SDK.

While the OpenGLSphere application will run on any PC, you may need to contact us for a temporary license for Scalable Commander if you wish to install it on a new PC to run tests like this.

Running the OpenGLSphere sample application on a Scalable calibrated display

Follow the instructions below if you have a Scalable calibrated display and wish to test Scalable Commander using the OpenGLSphere sample instead of your real IG. This can be helpful while troubleshooting since

it removes the real IG software as a potential source of error. Also, the OpenGLSphere application opens almost instantly, while real IG's often take quite a while to load.

1. Download the OpenGLSphere sample application: https://scalabledisplay.com/downloads/OpenGLSphere_ScalableSDK10.0.zip
2. Extract the zip.
3. Edit OpenGLSphere.bat to use the system's real ol files.
   1. Right click on the OpenGLSphere.bat file and select Edit.
   2. Change: “LocalCalibration/ScalableData.ol”
      To: “C:\Program Files\Scalable Display\DEI\LocalCalibration\ScalableData.ol”
   3. Change: 1920 1080
      To match your projector resolution.
   4. Save the bat file.
4. Copy the OpenGLSphere folder including your edited bat file to each of your IGs.
5. Run your edited version of OpenGLSphere.bat on each IG.
6. Return to the Scalable Calibration PC (with both SDM and Scalable Commander installed on it).

You can now use the Scalable Commander GUI or Command Line to turn on and off features being applied to the OpenGLSphere application by the Scalable SDK.

Further Information

• OpenGLSphere.ece can be run from the command line with these parameters:
  OpenGLSphere.exe [Location of .ol or .polfiles] [X-Window Offset] [Y-Window Offset] [Resolution Width] [Resolution Height]
• If a PC has more than one projector, and is configured to have one frustum/warp file per projector, the ol file names will increment like this:
  • Projector 1: ScalableData.ol
  • Projector 2: ScalableData.ol_1
  • Projector 3: ScalableData.ol_2
  • etc
• You can run multiple instances of OpenGLSphere.exe by carefully specifying the parameters. For example, a PC with two 1080p projectors arranges side by side on the windows desktop would use these commands:
  OpenGLSphere.exe "C:\Program Files\Scalable Display\DEI\LocalCalibration\ScalableData.ol" 0 0 1920 1080
  OpenGLSphere.exe "C:\Program Files\Scalable Display\DEI\LocalCalibration\ScalableData.ol_1" 1920 0 1920 1080