Advanced Features

Advanced Features

MPSExec
Remote Access of the Martin ProScenium

MPSExec

This application is an interface to ProScenium that allows any external application as an HTML File, or a presentation software as Microsoft® PowerPoint® to run Proscenium MCI Commands.

You run the command on the command line (for example the command "MPSExec.exe Cue 1" will start Cue 1 on ProScenium.
If Martin ProScenium is not active you should give this command : "MPSExec.exe MPS".
You can also associate MPSExec as application to run MPS (Martin ProScenium MCI command macro files). These files are normal text files with an MCI command on every line. You can edit yourself these files with Windows Notepad, and save it with the MPS extension.
The first time you click on an MPS File Windows will ask you the name of the application to open this kind of file. You have to select MPSExec.exe that you find in your MartinPS folder (normally c :\MartinPS\MPSExec.exe).

To associate the MPS extension in Windows later :

In any open folder click on View/Options/File Types, and follow windows instructions.

Now it is possible to execute MPSExec, just clicking on an MPS file.
To run ProScenium through PowerPoint you will need to create a new PowerPoint button, and associate a command to this button as "MPSExec.exe Cue 1".

This action will start Cue 1 in the ProScenium during your presentation.

To make an HTML Sheet you will need any html editor, and make an hyperlink to any MPS Macro files on your computer.

After that you can run ProScenium from your browser.

Remote Access of the Martin ProScenium

To access a ProScenium over a remote connection (either LAN or connected by a dial-up modem) you need to follow these steps:

This section is applicable to both LAN and dial-up connections:

1) Install an updated version of MPS ( Version 8.30 or higher) on the main computer ( the one with the fixtures connected, hereafter called "A" in the following text)

2) Install a file called Apache.exe, this is available for download on request from the Digimedia website. This is an auto extracting archive that installs a Web Server on your PC, with all the files required to run the MPS Remote Access.

3) Install a network with TCP-IP on Windows 98. In The Apache folder you will find an HTML document that explains how to configure a network in Windows
.
This file is called C:\Apache\htdocs\configure your remote access server.htm

You can give any TCP-IP address, but be aware that the free addresses (not used on Internet) start above 190.x.x.x.

A valid TCP-IP address for Computer "A" is 192.168.56.1 (recommended number for local networks).

4) In Windows/System you will find a file called Conagent.exe. Click with the right button on this file and then select Properties.

In the "Program" tab, you have to deselect the check-box Close/prompt to close. This will avoid having a DOS error when you close Apache by shutting down the system (no confirmation is asked from the user)

5) Place a shortcut to C:\Apache\Apache.exe in your Windows\StartUp folder (to automatically start Apache each time you open Windows)

6) From another computer on the same network (hereafter called "B" in the following text) run a browser (Internet Explorer or Netscape)

7) If your network is correctly configured you can type into the browser on computer "B" the URL http://192.168.56.1 and you will see the Martin ProScenium Remote Administration Tool homepage on your browser.

8) The Martin ProScenium Remote Administration Tool is a web-page with 3 frames:

a) The Top Frame is the Status line, where you receive a feedback from Computer "A" (if commands are executed, a configuration of the remote machine...)

b) The Button Panel: from here you can send MCI commands to Computer "A" (you can select commands from a list or type your own MPS MCI Commands)

c) The Webcam. If you have installed a Webcam on Computer A (Creative Technology Video Blaster Webcam II is perfect for this use and has been tested), and the ISpy software that comes with it, you will see a picture of your installation every 10 seconds. To do so, you have to configure ISpy to
load every 10 seconds the captured image on a file called MPSWebcam.jpg in the C:\Apache\htdocs folder.

Section applicable to dial-up connections:

If you need wide-area remote control (Computer "A" and "B" are not on the same LAN, they are geographically distant) and Computer "A" does not have a permanent address on the Internet, you can create a private TCP-IP network using a temporary dial-up connection from Computer "B" to Computer "A". This guarantees total privacy (only the users that are given number and password for dial-up access to Computer "A" will be able to remotely control the MPS site), and this is accomplished as follows.

9) Install a modem in Computer "A" and Computer "B"

Install the Remote Access Server of Windows98 in computer "A":

1. Open My Computer
2. Open Dial-Up Networking. If you don't see this icon in My Computer, then you need to install Dial-Up Networking from the Windows98 distribution CD.
3. At this point Dial-Up Networking is open
4. Click on Connections. You should see an item called Dial-Up Server.

10) Install a Dial-Up Network connection on Computer "B" (like the one you use to connect to your Internet Service Provider to access Internet):

1. Open My Computer
2. Double Click on Dial-Up Networking.
3. Select Make New Connections . Follow the wizard, entering the phone number for the phone line of Computer "A" modem. In this example I have named my new connection "Dial-Up Networking Server".
4. When you've completed the connection wizard, right click on your new connection icon and select Properties. Then click on the Server tab, which should be filled out similarly to the one shown below:

Note that there will be a tab for each modem you have installed in your system.

11) Now you can remotely control MPS on Computer "A" just by calling Computer "A" modem by Computer "B" modem.
When the connection is established, Computer "A" will have the TCP-IP address 192.168.56.1 (standard used by Microsoft for local dial-up network) and so, as explained above for the LAN case, from Computer "B" browser you type the URL http://192.168.56.1 and you will see the Martin ProScenium Remote Administration Tool homepage on your browser.

Note. If you need both LAN and dial-up remote access, then you can use TCP-IP address 192.168.55.xyz on your LAN and leave 192.168.56.xyz available for the Dial-Up private network. Browsers on different computers on LAN and remote dial-up computers will have to issue the appropriate server URL to control MPS.

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