G'day All
I am hoping that there are a number of people out there that might have experience, or at least be able to provide advice on a few questions that I have in regards to automating the start-up and shutdown of the Access Grid, particularly the Venue Client itself. Note: I am only considering options where the AG computing systems are run on Linux (particularly Fedora). A project that I am currently looking at, is being able to automate, or at the very least, simplify the process of starting and shutting down an Access Grid. Therefore I am looking towards AMX controlling an AG room. Now I appreciate that controlling cameras, projectors and/or LCD screens, lighting and general AV gear can be done via the AMX system, but what I am also wanting to know is how much of the AG software could possibly be controlled via some sort of remote system. Therefore, some random question I have include: · Can the Venue Client be started remotely, say via ssh (I know that this can be done, but here are the issues)??? o The Venue Client needs to be displayed on the AG system (not using X forwarding), so that local users can start, modify and change anything within the application; o Can you, using command line variables, force the Venue Client to start within a particular Virtual Venue??? It would be nice to have a few default Venues presets configured. o Are there any API's or the likes that I might be able to "Tap in to" to assist with starting and stopping of the AGTK. · Has anyone used AMX equipment (or similar type of equipment) to not only control AV equipment, but to control the AGTK as well.. If you have, how and what can you do??? I guess the reason why I am asking is that the "Access Grid" is typically considered "too hard" and requires someone with some AG knowledge to be able to, at the very least, start-up and shutdown the system. Whether we like it or not, the AG is compared to H.323 video conferencing and there are many way to have a H.323 system automatically start and stop, record and the likes. What I am hoping to not only investigate, but to implement, is what can be done so that a user can walk into a room based AG system, press a button on a touch panel that says "start"... Not only will all the AV gear power on, etc, but at the very least, have the Venue Client start... But having this control via a touch panel, I am also hoping to be able to remotely control the system as well through inbuilt web server access, which will allow people from a remote location the ability to control cameras and the ability to remotely start-up and shutdown the system. I realise that you can remotely control a AG software from VNC (which I have been doing for years), but I want to extremely simplify things. Having a big green button which starts things and a Red button to stop things... I also realise that some additional effort will be required by the user if any shared applications is in use, but if we can make it a whole lot easier, that would be a great start. Additionally, there are things like devilspie (http://live.gnome.org/DevilsPie) which might be useful in forcing certain applications to start on particular screen. Thereby, if things can be automated to start, particular applications (such as vic, rat, VNC (as in VenueVNC)) can be forced to start on particular screens. Anyway, if anyone has any comments and or experience in running such said systems, I would like to hear from you. Note, if I manage to get anything remotely working, I will document and post to the Global AG website. Many thanks for your time, Jason. -------------------------------------------- Jason Bell, B.I.T. (Honours) Video Collaboration Team Leader Australian Research Collaboration Service http://www.arcs.org.au/ Research Systems Support Officer Information Technology Division CQ University Australia E-mail : j.b...@cqu.edu.au<mailto:j.b...@cqu.edu.au> jason.b...@arcs.org.au<mailto:jason.b...@arcs.org.au> Work : +61 7 4930 9229 Mobile : 0409 630897 Postal : Building 19 Central Queensland University Bruce Highway Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, 4702 -------------------------------------------- Patience is a virtue. But if I wanted Patience, I would have become a Doctor. --------------------------------------------
