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Test External Controls over Telnet

When the controls within Q-sys have been selected and named (see Making Controls Available for External Control) you can test their functionality over a Telnet connection. This topic describes how to do this.

Note: An External Control client must communicate with the Q-SYS Core at least once every 60 seconds, or the socket connection will be closed by the Core. This is a form of "keep-alive" to make sure that abandoned connections get reclaimed by the Core. Most client programs poll a Change Group at a much higher rate which serves as a keep-alive. If not, the client program can issue a "Status Get" command periodically, or a "Control Set Value" on an unused control if no return response is desired.

Telnet to Local Host

1. In Q-SYS Designer, open the design file with the controls set up for external control. (see Making Controls Available for External Control)
2. Press F6 to enter Emulate mode. If you are not in Emulate mode, you can't open the localhost port.
3. Open a Command Prompt window.
4. At the command prompt type:
   telnet
open localhost 1702
5. Type the desired commands according to the Q-SYS External Control Protocol. For example, using a Gain control named "gain1":

Note: Control IDs are case sensitive, and if there is a space in the name you must enclose the entire name in double quotes — "My Control".

1. Type:
   get gain1

   Returns:
   cv "gain1" "-20.0dB" -20 0.444444"
2. Type:
   csv gain1 5
   
   Returns:
cv "gain1" "5.00dB" 5 0.75
6. If everything is working, the control addressed changes to the new value, position, etc.

Telnet to a Live Core

1. In Q-SYS Designer, load the design with the controls set up for external control.
2. Press F5 to enter Run mode.
3. Open a Command Prompt window.
4. At the command prompt type:
   telnet
open <hostname of Core>.local 1702
   OR
   open <IP address> 1702
   
5. Type the desired commands according to the Q-SYS External Control Protocol. For example, using a Gain control named "gain1":
   1. Type:
      get gain1

      Returns:
      cv "gain1" "-20.0dB" -20 0.444444"
   2. Type:
      csv gain1 5
      
      Returns:
cv "gain1" "5.00dB" 5 0.75
6. If everything is working, the control addressed changes to the new value, position, etc.