1. Manuals
  2. Brands
  3. Sophisticated Circuits Manuals
  4. Power Strip
  5. PowerKey Pro 600
  6. User manual

Sophisticated Circuits PowerKey Pro 600 User Manual

Hide thumbs
Table of Contents

Advertisement

Quick Links

Download this manual
PowerKey Pro
Model 600
User Manual
by Jamie Green
PowerKey Pro designed by Amar Singh
PowerKey Software by Richard Elmore
User Interface and Graphics by Jamie Green
Balloon Help by Beverlee Heiszler
Moral Support by Alora Dunlap
Copyright ©1995-97 Sophisticated Circuits, Inc. All rights reserved.
1: Introduction
Page 1
MANPKP6-0297

Advertisement

Table of Contents
loading
Need help?

Need help?

Do you have a question about the PowerKey Pro 600 and is the answer not in the manual?

Questions and answers

Subscribe to Our Youtube Channel

Related Manuals for Sophisticated Circuits PowerKey Pro 600

Summary of Contents for Sophisticated Circuits PowerKey Pro 600

  • Page 1 PowerKey Pro designed by Amar Singh PowerKey Software by Richard Elmore User Interface and Graphics by Jamie Green Balloon Help by Beverlee Heiszler Moral Support by Alora Dunlap Copyright ©1995-97 Sophisticated Circuits, Inc. All rights reserved. 1: Introduction Page 1 MANPKP6-0297...

  • Page 2: Important Safety Instructions

    Company or to one of our authorized agents. Service can be obtained at Sophisticated Circuits, Inc., 19017 120th Ave NE, Suite 106, Bothell, WA 98011, 206-485-7979. FCC Statement This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
  • Page 3 The PowerKey Pro manual, program, product design and design concepts are copyrighted, with all rights reserved to Sophisticated Circuits, Inc. Your rights are subject to the copyright laws of the United States of America. Under the copyright laws, this manual may not be copied, in whole or part, including translation to another language or format, without the express written consent of Sophisticated Circuits, Inc.

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    Contents Introduction System Requirements What’s in the Box Using This Manual Installing PowerKey Pro Hardware Installation Preparing for Installation Connecting the Power Cords Connecting the ADB Cables Connecting the Phone Cables Turning On Your System Software Installation Hardware Configuration Using PowerKey Pro Starting Up the System Shutting Down the System Scheduled Events...
  • Page 5 Importing and Exporting Hardware Setup Preferences The Event Editor Event Triggers Time Triggers System Triggers Trigger Qualifiers Event Actions Appendices 1. Using “Classic” PowerKey Installing PowerKey 2. Using Multiple PowerKeys Installing Multiple PowerKey Pros Installing PowerKey Pro and “Classic” PowerKey Using PowerKey Software with Multiple PowerKeys 3.
  • Page 6 Page 6 1: Introduction...

  • Page 7: Introduction

    Chapter 1 Introduction ® Thank you for purchasing PowerKey Pro! PowerKey Pro Model 600 is a “smart” power strip that can ® control an entire Macintosh system. You can start up your computer and all (or just some) of your peripherals with one keystroke.

  • Page 8: System Requirements

    System Requirements PowerKey Pro Model 600 works with any desktop Macintosh ® or compatible except the original Mac and Mac Plus (because they do not have an ADB port). It works with any Apple keyboard, and most third-party keyboards. Its phone ring and tones detection features work with any standard analog phone line (see Appendix 4, Troubleshooting, for more information on phone lines).

  • Page 9: Using This Manual

    Using This Manual We recommend that you read this manual as follows: 1. Carefully follow the instructions in Chapter 2, Installing PowerKey Pro. 2. Skim the first part of Chapter 3, Using PowerKey Pro. If you want to use PowerKey Pro’s advanced Scheduling features: 3.
  • Page 10 Page 10 1: Introduction...

  • Page 11: Installing Powerkey Pro

    Chapter 2 Installing PowerKey Pro PowerKey Pro consists of two primary components, hardware and software. The hardware unit controls the outlets and keeps track of time when the computer is turned off. The software organizes the scheduled events and controls the outlets when the computer is turned on.

  • Page 12: Hardware Installation

    It also has six switches, which you can use to manually switch each outlet. In addition, the large Sophisticated Circuits logo on the front of the unit functions as a “Power On” key to start up your system.

  • Page 13: Preparing For Installation

    Preparing for Installation Determine your computer’s switch type With your computer off, press the “Power On” key (usually found at the top or upper right corner of your keyboard). If your computer starts up it has Soft Power, otherwise it has Hard Power. This informa- tion will be important later when you are configuring the PowerKey software.

  • Page 14: Connecting The Power Cords

    Connecting the Power Cords 1. Plug the power cord for PowerKey Pro into the wall outlet, or if you prefer, a surge protector. If you use an uninterruptable power supply (UPS), you may be able to plug PowerKey Pro into it; check your UPS manual for more information.
  • Page 15 Example This example shows PowerKey Pro connected to a Power Mac 6100, a printer and a modem: We designed PowerKey Pro so that there is room between outlets for many typical “power bricks” such as those used by modems. If you still don’t have enough room, you can use a short extension cord.

  • Page 16: Connecting The Adb Cables

    Connecting the ADB Cables The diagram below shows an example setup: (1) SCI Cable. (2) Branching connector. The cable that comes with PowerKey Pro is not a standard ADB cable. One end of this cable is colored purple, and labelled with our company’s logo (as shown to the right).
  • Page 17 Connect the keyboard to the SCI Cable 3. Plug the keyboard cable into the branching connector on the SCI Cable (see note 2 in the diagram above). If you have other ADB devices, they should be connected in a “chain,” with one end of the chain joining to the branching connector.

  • Page 18: Connecting The Phone Cables

    Connecting the Phone Cables This section is optional. If you do not wish to use PowerKey Pro’s telephone features, you may skip this section. The diagram below shows an example setup: Connect PowerKey Pro to the phone line 1. Plug the cable running from your phone outlet into the Line Port on the back of PowerKey Pro (labelled with the symbol at the right).

  • Page 19: Turning On Your System

    If you wish to connect multiple devices that don’t have “pass through” ports, you may use a phone line splitter (available at any phone or electronics store). Turning On Your System 1. Turn on the power switches on your computer and periph- erals.

  • Page 20: Software Installation

    Software Installation Open the Installer 1. Insert the PowerKey Pro disk into your floppy drive. The disk’s window will appear. 2. Double-click the icon labelled “Installer.” The Installer window will open. Install the software 3. Make sure your startup disk is shown in the Destination Disk panel.

  • Page 21: Hardware Configuration

    Hardware Configuration Open the PowerKey Editor 1. Pull down your Apple menu, and select “PowerKey Editor”. The PowerKey Editor application will open, displaying the Schedule Window for your PowerKey Pro unit. 2. Select “Hardware Setup...” from the Edit menu. The Hardware Setup dialog box will appear.
  • Page 22 See Appendix 2, Using Multiple PowerKey Pro Units, if you have more than one PowerKey Pro connected to your computer. Name your PowerKey Pro unit and outlets 3. If you wish, type a name into the Unit Name field at the top of the Hardware Setup dialog box.

  • Page 23: Using Powerkey Pro

    Chapter 3 Using PowerKey Pro PowerKey Pro is ready to use as soon as you install both the hardware and software. It is pre-configured to act as an “intelligent power strip.” You can easily use it to start up and shut down your entire system.

  • Page 24: Starting Up The System

    Starting Up the System PowerKey Pro watches the “Power On” key on your computer’s keyboard when the computer is off. To start up your computer system, simply press this key. Your computer and all peripherals plugged into your PowerKey Pro will turn on, and your computer will start up normally.

  • Page 25: Scheduled Events

    Scheduled Events PowerKey Pro can do much more than simply start up and shut down your computer. It includes a sophisticated schedule of Events which can automate system startup and shutdown, and control your system in a variety of ways. An Event consists of two parts, the Trigger (when the Event will be executed) and the Actions (what the Event will do).

  • Page 26: The Powerkey Schedule

    The PowerKey Schedule PowerKey Schedules are created using the PowerKey Editor application. If you followed the standard installation instruc- tions, PowerKey Editor can be found in your Apple menu. Select it from this menu, and the following window will appear. You’ll notice that there are already two Events in the Schedule, entitled “User Start Up”...
  • Page 27 When the arrow in an Event is turned down, the Event’s Actions (what the Event will do) are shown. In this case, the only Action is to start up the system. Double-click on the Event named “User Start Up” (or select it and click the Edit...

  • Page 28: Creating An Event

    Creating an Event For our first example, let’s assume that you want to automati- cally turn on your computer before you arrive for work each weekday. To do this, we’ll create a new Event which turns on your computer at 8:55 each weekday morning. Create a new Event 1.
  • Page 29 Select the Trigger type The Trigger type is selected from the pop-up menu below the English descrip- tion of the Trigger. There are several types of Triggers; these are described in detail in the next chapter. 3. We want this Event to be executed every weekday morning, so select “Days of Week”...
  • Page 30 You’ll notice that the English description above the Trigger pop-up menu is updated as you make changes to the Trigger. This helps you make sure the Event will be executed when you intend, and helps you catch mistakes. Create a new Action 6.
  • Page 31 Turn the outlets on The Start Up Computer Action Editor shows one line of information for each outlet on your PowerKey Pro. The computer’s outlet is not selectable, but you can decide which other outlets should turn on with it. 7.

  • Page 32: A Pair Of Hot Key Events

    A Pair of Hot Key Events One of the handy features of PowerKey Pro is the ability to control outlets from the keyboard. Our next example is a pair of Events that turn your outlets on or off when you press option-M and -option-P.
  • Page 33 4. Choose “Toggle” from the pop-up menu for the Modem outlet. 5. Click OK to save the Action, and OK again to save the Event. Duplicate the Event The second Event will be very similar to the first one, so we can take advantage of the Mac’s cutting and pasting abilities.
  • Page 34 9. Click OK to save the Action, and OK again to save the Event. Both Events should now appear in the Schedule Window. Setting up Hot Key Events to toggle your outlets is a good idea before you experiment with your own Events. If you accidentally make an Event which turns off the monitor at the wrong time, you can easily turn it back on with these Events.

  • Page 35: A "Monitor Saver" Event

    A “Monitor Saver” Event Now we’re ready for something a little more powerful. This Event will automatically turn off your monitor when you haven’t used your computer for 20 minutes. When you want to start using it again, simply move the mouse and it will turn your monitor back on.
  • Page 36 3. Click the New Action... button, and select “Switch Outlets” from the list. The Switch Outlets Action Editor will appear. Select “Off” from the Monitor pop-up menu, and click OK. The Action will appear in the Action list. 4. Click the New Action... button again, and select “Wait” from the list.
  • Page 37 You’ll notice that there are several check boxes below the radio buttons. They match the check boxes you saw in the Trigger above. You can check these boxes to select which activity types you wish PowerKey Pro to watch. 6. Since this Action is used with a System Idle Trigger, just check the Same as Trigger box.

  • Page 38: Phone Startup Events

    Phone Startup Events Our final example shows how you can create several Events that work together. These Events will let you turn on your computer with a phone call after entering a “security code”, and automatically shut down when you’re done. For this example, we’ll assume you will be using Apple Remote Access to communicate with your computer.
  • Page 39 For this example, you can ignore the Ring Pattern pop-up menu. This option works with your phone company’s “distinc- tive ringing” feature to respond only to chosen calls. See Chapter 4, Trigger Types, for more information on this feature. Create the Qualifier If you share your phone line between your phone and modem, you may want to keep PowerKey Pro from answering the phone during business hours.
  • Page 40 Create the Start Up Event 7. Click the New... button in the Schedule window, and name the new Event “Remote Access Start Up”. Create the Trigger 8. Select “Phone Tones Heard” from the Trigger menu. Type a security code such as “4242#” into the field. Create the Action 9.
  • Page 41 10. Click OK to save the Action, and again to save the Event. Click the spin triangle to see the whole Event. Create the Shut Down Event 11. Click the New... button in the Schedule window, and name the new Event “Remote Access Shut Down”. Create the Trigger 12.
  • Page 42 Create the Qualifier 13. Click the Qualifiers... button. The Qualifier Editor will appear. Check the How Started box. Check the Phone Tones box, then click OK. Create the Action 14. Click the New Action... button, and select “Shut Down Computer” from the list. The Switch Outlets Action Editor will appear.
  • Page 43 3: Using PowerKey Page 43...
  • Page 44 Page 44 3: Using PowerKey...

  • Page 45: Reference

    Chapter 4 Reference This chapter contains detailed information about the PowerKey software. Software Components PowerKey Editor Schedule Windows PowerKey Editor Menus File Menu Edit Menu Schedule Menu Importing and Exporting Hardware Setup Preferences The Event Editor Event Triggers Time Triggers System Triggers Trigger Qualifiers Event Actions...

  • Page 46: Software Components

    Software Components When you install the PowerKey software, the following items will be placed on your hard disk: PowerKey Extension This extension is located in the Extensions folder in your System Folder. This is the heart of the PowerKey software. It runs in the background, keeping track of your Schedule and communicating with the PowerKey Pro hardware.

  • Page 47: Powerkey Editor

    PowerKey Editor The PowerKey Editor application allows you to configure your PowerKey Pro and create scheduled Events. Normally, this application can be found under the Apple menu, but it may be placed in any location you find convenient. Schedule Windows When you open the PowerKey Editor application, the current Schedule for each PowerKey connected to your computer is displayed in a separate window.
  • Page 48 Event buttons The buttons at the bottom of the Schedule window operate just like the “New Event,” “Edit Event” and “Delete Event” menu items in the Schedule menu. (You can also edit an Event by double-clicking on it.) See the Schedule Menu section later in this chapter for more information.

  • Page 49: Powerkey Editor Menus

    PowerKey Editor Menus File Menu Import Schedule..., Export Schedule... These commands allow you to save Events on your hard disk, and copy them back at a later date. See the Importing and Exporting section later in this chapter for more information. Page Setup...

  • Page 50: Schedule Menu

    Hardware Setup... This command displays the Hardware Setup dialog box. See the Hardware Setup section later in this chapter for more information. Preferences... This command displays the Preferences dialog box. See the Preferences section later in this chapter for more information. Schedule Menu 1 1 1 1 1 New Event...
  • Page 51 Execute Event This command immediately executes the selected Event in the Schedule window. The Trigger and Qualifiers are ignored, and all Actions are performed in sequence. This command is useful for testing Events to make sure they operate as desired. PowerKey units At the bottom of the Schedule menu is a list of all PowerKey units connected to your computer.

  • Page 52: Importing And Exporting

    Importing and Exporting The “Import Schedule...” and “Export Schedule...” commands in the File menu allow you to save Events to a disk file, and copy them back into the Schedule at a later date. It’s a good idea to export your Schedule once you have it set up the way you like it.
  • Page 53 Export Schedule... This command copies the Events in the frontmost Schedule window into a new disk file. A standard Save dialog box will appear, allowing you to name the Schedule file and place it on your disk. If the Selected Events Only box is checked, only the Events you select in the Schedule window will be copied to the file.

  • Page 54: Hardware Setup

    Hardware Setup When you select “Hardware Setup...” from the Edit menu, the Hardware Setup dialog box for the frontmost Schedule win- dow is displayed. Unit Name This field allows you to change the name of your PowerKey. This is the name that is used as the title bar of the unit’s Schedule window and in the Schedule menu.
  • Page 55 PowerKey Pro Model 600 has six outlets, each of which can be named and switched independently. Always On check boxes Each outlet has a check box next to it that will make the outlet “always on.” When an outlet is locked on, you cannot turn it off with Switch Outlets Actions or with the front panel switches.

  • Page 56: Preferences

    Preferences When you select “Preferences...” from the Edit menu, the Preferences dialog box is displayed. Show startup icon If this option is checked, the PowerKey software will display an icon at the bottom of your computer when you start up, to let you know it’s loading.
  • Page 57 The dialog box will count down from one minute. When it reaches 00:00, the Event will shut down the computer. Click Cancel if you do not wish to shut down, or Shut Down Now if you wish to skip the rest of the countdown period. Force Restarts If this option is checked, the PowerKey software will let the crash detection timer (see below) count down when a timed...

  • Page 58: The Event Editor

    The Event Editor When you create a new Event or open an existing one, the Event Editor dialog box is displayed. Event Name The Event Name is simply a description you can give to an Event. It will appear on the top line of the Event’s entry in the Schedule window.
  • Page 59 Trigger Choose an item from this pop-up menu to select the Trigger for an Event. Every PowerKey Event starts when its Trigger activates. There are several different kinds of Trig- gers, in two major categories: Time Triggers and System Triggers. For most Trigger types, some parameters will appear below the pop-up menu;...
  • Page 60 Edit Action... Click this button (or double-click on the Action) to edit a selected Action. The Action Editor for the selected type of Action will open. Delete Action Click this button to delete a selected Action. OK, Cancel Click one of these buttons to close the Event Editor. The OK button will save any changes you’ve made to the Event, and the Cancel button will discard any changes.

  • Page 61: Event Triggers

    Event Triggers There are two major categories of Triggers: Time Triggers and System Triggers. Time Triggers activate at specified times, and are primarily used for creating automatic or repeating Events. System Triggers activate when something happens on the computer or phone line. Time Triggers Once Only This Trigger activates at a specified date and time.
  • Page 62 To set the starting date and time for the Event, click on the numbers in the time and date boxes, and either type in the desired values or change them with the arrow buttons. You can also use the arrow keys on the keyboard to move through and change values.

  • Page 63: System Triggers

    To set the day of the month for the Event, type the desired number into the editing box, and select a day from the pop-up menu. You can choose between “Day” (which means “activate on the 4th of every month”) and the days of the week (which means “activate on the fourth Monday of every month”).
  • Page 64 When Phone Rings This Trigger activates whenever the phone rings, if a phone line is connected to PowerKey Pro. For example, you may use this Trigger to start up your computer to receive a fax or modem call. To select the number of phone rings for a Phone Ring Event, type the desired number of rings into the text box.
  • Page 65 In order for PowerKey Pro to detect tones, the phone must be taken off the hook. This can be done by your modem or answering machine, or by PowerKey Pro itself with the Answer Phone Action. See Event Actions later in this chapter for more information. You can also send code sequences by simply picking up a phone on the same line as PowerKey Pro, even if your computer is turned off.
  • Page 66 To select how long the system must be idle before a System Idle Trigger activates, type the desired number of minutes into the text box. You can customize which types of activities should be moni- tored. For example, you might wish your monitor to be turned off even if the modem is in use.
  • Page 67 At Shut Down This Trigger activates whenever you select “Shut Down” from the Finder’s Special menu, or when another application (such as Retrospect) tells the computer to shut down. It also activates on newer Macs when you shut down by pressing the “Power On”...

  • Page 68: Trigger Qualifiers

    Trigger Qualifiers Qualifiers give you more control over a Trigger, by restricting it to activate only under certain conditions. For example, you can add a Qualifier to a Phone Ring Trigger that will turn on your computer during the day, but not in the evening. A Trigger will only activate if all of its Qualifiers are true.
  • Page 69 You can use one, several or all Qualifiers in any combination. This enables you to set up complex Triggers; for example, you can create an Event which will turn on your computer when the phone rings (with a Phone Ring Trigger), but only during business hours (with a Time Range Qualifier set to 9 AM to 5 PM, and a Days of Week Qualifier set to Monday through Friday).
  • Page 70 If the “is/is not” pop-up menu is set to “is,” the Qualifier is true between the starting and ending dates. If it is set to “is not,” the Qualifier is true before the starting date, and after the ending date. To set the starting and ending dates, click on the numbers in the boxes, and either type in the desired values or change them with the arrow buttons.
  • Page 71 If the “more than/less than” pop-up menu is set to “more than,” the Qualifier is true when activity has not occurred for the chosen period. If it is set to “less than,” the Qualifier is true when activity has occurred in the chosen period. To select the period that is checked for activity, type the desired number of minutes into the text box.
  • Page 72 To choose which types of startup should cause the Qualifier to be true, check the desired boxes. System Running This Qualifier restricts the Trigger to activate only if the computer is (or is not) running normally. If the “is/is not” pop-up menu is set to “is,” the Qualifier is true when the computer is running normally.

  • Page 73: Event Actions

    Event Actions When an Event’s Trigger activates, the Event will execute its list of Actions, as shown in the scrolling list at the bottom part of the Event Editor. Each Action will be executed in the order it appears in the Action List for the Event. If you need to move an Action to execute earlier or later, select it in the list and drag it to the desired position.
  • Page 74 Switch Outlets This Action turns on or off one or more outlets on your PowerKey. Each switchable outlet appears in the Action Editor. The same Action can turn some outlets on and others off. The computer’s outlet, as well as any outlets set to “Always On,” will not be settable in the Switch Outlets Action Editor.
  • Page 75 Start Up Computer This Action is similar to the Switch Outlets Action, but also turns on your computer. Each switchable outlet appears in the Action Editor, and can be controlled as described in the Switch Outlets Action above. Any outlets set to “Always On” will not be settable in the Start Up Computer Action Editor, and the computer’s outlet will be locked “On.”...
  • Page 76 Restart This Action restarts your computer. If the computer is running, this Action operates exactly like the Finder’s “Restart” item in the Special menu. This Action can also restart a crashed computer. If the com- puter is plugged into one of PowerKey Pro’s outlets, this Action will turn off that outlet, wait ten seconds, then turn it back on.
  • Page 77 You can use this Action to automatically put your computer to sleep if you haven’t been using it. To do this, create an Event with a “System Idle” Trigger. Set the idle time to any desired value, and create a “Sleep System” Action. To wake a sleeping computer, press any key on the keyboard.
  • Page 78 Execute a QuicKey™ This Action activates a QuicKey or Sequence created with CE Software’s QuicKeys™. This Action is only available if you have QuicKeys installed in your system. This gives you a simple means to automate many tasks when you don’t need a complex script.
  • Page 79 Wait This Action serves multiple duty. It can wait a specified number of seconds, or it can wait for the user to start or stop using the computer. You can use this Action to delay subse- quent Actions in an Event as desired. When you create a Wait Action, a dialog box appears.
  • Page 80 Open File This Action will open any file, as if you double-clicked on it in the Finder. You can use this Action to run applications (includ- ing AppleScripts saved as applications) or open documents. This is useful if you wish to start an automated procedure when you’re not at your computer.
  • Page 81 Mount SCSI Devices This Action looks at your SCSI bus and mounts all devices it can find. You can use this Action to mount hard disks that need time to “spin up” when they are turned on, and are not ready when the computer first starts up.
  • Page 82 External Actions PowerKey allows you to create your own Action types to perform any special task you need. External Actions appear at the bottom of the list of choices when you click on New Ac- tion... When you create an External Action, a dialog box appears. External Actions can receive one parameter, a line of text.

  • Page 83: Appendices

    Appendices 1. Using “Classic” PowerKey Installing PowerKey 2. Using Multiple PowerKeys Installing Multiple PowerKey Pros Installing PowerKey Pro and “Classic” PowerKey Using PowerKey Software with Multiple PowerKeys 3. Restarting Crashed Servers Automatic Restarts Telephone Control Other Features 4. Default Schedules Creating a Default Schedule File Using a Default Schedule File 5.

  • Page 84: Using "Classic" Powerkey

    Appendix 1 Using “Classic” PowerKey The PowerKey version 3 software is fully compatible with the original PowerKey. If you upgrade from version 1.x or 2.x, you will need to rebuild any scheduled Events you had before. Some of the features of the version 3 software will not be available, as they depend on features of the PowerKey Pro hardware: The “When Phone Rings”...
  • Page 85 Prepare for Installation 1. Disconnect your system, as described in Chapter 2, Prepar- ing for Installation. Plug in your system 2. If your computer has Soft Power as described in Chapter 2, Preparing for Installation, plug it into the wall outlet. If your computer has Hard Power, plug it into one of PowerKey’s outlets.

  • Page 86: Using Multiple Powerkeys

    Appendix 2 Using Multiple PowerKeys If you need more control over your system, you can use multiple PowerKey Pro units with a single computer. Installing Multiple PowerKey Pros PowerKey Pro units will be connected to your computer in a “chain.” The instructions below expand upon the steps de- scribed in Chapter 2.

  • Page 87: Installing Powerkey Pro And "Classic" Powerkey

    Installing PowerKey Pro and “Classic” PowerKey PowerKey Pro also works along with the original PowerKey. To install, follow these steps: 1. Install your PowerKey Pro as described in Chapter 2. If your computer has Hard Power, plug its power cord into your classic PowerKey.

  • Page 88: Using Powerkey Software With Multiple Powerkeys

    Using PowerKey Software with Multiple PowerKeys The PowerKey Editor application will open a Schedule win- dow for each PowerKey unit connected to your computer. To set the Hardware Configuration options for each unit, bring that unit’s Schedule window to the front before selecting “Hardware Setup...”...

  • Page 89: Restarting Crashed Servers

    Appendix 3 Restarting Crashed Servers No computer system is perfect, and crashes are an unfortunate fact of life. But when a computer is used unattended, serving files, web pages or in an interactive kiosk, a crash can be far more than simply annoying. It can mean long downtimes or late-night trips back to the office.

  • Page 90: Telephone Control

    Soft Crashes Sometimes an application will crash, leaving other applica- tions running. Since the PowerKey software is still running, the crash will not be detected. Apple’s “Macsbug” debugger can freeze the system enough so that these crashes will be detected by PowerKey Pro. To use this ability, simply install Macsbug.
  • Page 91 PowerKey Pro also works with the “distinctive ringing” phone service, which can allow you to use the same phone line for remote access and remote restarts. See Chapter 4, System Triggers, for more information. Security Issues You can use the phone tone detection features of PowerKey Pro Model 600 to restart only if you enter the correct control code.

  • Page 92: Other Features

    You can also use this Trigger to create Events that do anything PowerKey Pro can do. You can call in to open applications or run AppleScripts to do any task you can imagine! Other Features Dealing with File Sharing If a user is connected to your computer with File Sharing when an Event is attempting to shut down or restart it, this dialog box will appear: This dialog box will interrupt the shut down process, and...
  • Page 93 Monitoring Custom Applications Custom applications, such as databases or interactive presen- tations, can “ping” the PowerKey software in much the same way that the PowerKey software pings the hardware. You can use the When Timer Expires Trigger to restart the system when your application crashes or otherwise fails to respond.

  • Page 94: Default Schedules

    6. Duplicate this file, and rename it either: “PowerKey Classic Default”, “PowerKey Pro 200 Default”, or “PowerKey Pro 600 Default” depending on the model of PowerKey you created the default Schedule with. Page 94...

  • Page 95: Using A Default Schedule File

    Using a Default Schedule File To set up a “canned” system folder with the PowerKey soft- ware, follow these steps: 1. Place the PowerKey Extension in the Extensions folder of your system. 2. If you wish to allow editing of your Schedule, place the PowerKey Editor in the Apple Menu Items folder.

  • Page 96: Using Applescript

    Appendix 5 Using AppleScript AppleScript offers Mac users a powerful way to automate tasks and share information. PowerKey Pro extends the power of AppleScript in two important ways. You can schedule scripts with PowerKey Events, and you can even control PowerKey Pro itself with scripts.

  • Page 97: Controlling Powerkey Pro With Applescript

    Controlling PowerKey Pro with AppleScript In addition to running scripts from the PowerKey software, you can control PowerKey Pro directly from scripts. To control PowerKey, place a tell block in your script as follows: You can then place PowerKey scripting commands inside this block.
  • Page 98 Reading Current Outlet States To find out if an outlet is on or off, you can get the level property of a unit’s outlet. The result variable will contain 0 (if the outlet is off) or 100 (if the outlet is on). Suspending and Resuming Events You can suspend and resume Events by setting the enabled property of a unit’s event to true or false.
  • Page 99 This feature was designed for use by custom software such as databases or interactive presentations. The software can periodically “ping” the PowerKey software by setting the user timer. If the software crashes or fails, an Event can restart the computer. If you wish to use this feature, but are not running AppleScript, you can send a simple Apple Event to the PowerKey software.

  • Page 100: Troubleshooting

    Appendix 6 Troubleshooting This section answers the most common questions that can arise during installation. Because PowerKey Pro is so flexible, we can’t address all the possible issues in this space. However, we have a technical support database online. If you don’t find a solution here, you can find this database on our site on the World Wide Web, at <http://www.sophisticated.com/>.
  • Page 101 My computer clicks or pauses when I start up. I have to press the “Power On” key twice to start up. My computer’s clock stops when I shut it down. • Your Mac probably has Soft Power, and you haven’t locked its outlet “Always On.”...
  • Page 102 I get an error message when I try to open the PowerKey Editor on my Power Mac. • Make sure that the system file “ObjectSupportLib” is in the Extensions folder of your system, and hasn’t been disabled by a startup controller utility. My monitor and/or other peripherals turn off when I select “Re- start”.
  • Page 103 Apple’s Energy Saver control panel won’t automatically put my computer to sleep. • The Energy Saver control panel looks for system activity at a very low level. It interprets the PowerKey software’s normal communication with the hardware as activity, so it will never automatically put a computer to sleep.
  • Page 104 Appendix 7 How To Reach Us Sophisticated Circuits, Inc. 18618 129th Ave NE PO Box 727 Bothell, WA 98041-0727 Phone: Voice: 425-485-7979 Fax: 425-485-7172 Internet: Web: http://www.sophisticated.com/ FTP: ftp://ftp.sophisticated.com/ e-mail: sales@sophisticated.com, support@sophisticated.com Page 104 Appendices...

  • Page 105: Index

    Index Actions 25, 73 “Classic” PowerKey. See Changing order 37, 59, 73 PowerKey Creating 30, 73 Clock stops 101 Action types CompuServe 104 Add to Log 57, 81 Connection diagrams Answer Phone 81 ADB cables 16 Execute QuicKey 78 Power Cords 15 Execute Script 77, 103 “Classic”...
  • Page 106 Disabling 50 Naming 28, 58 Okey Dokey 92 Extras 46 Outlets Naming 22, 54 Switching 74 File Menu 49 Switching delays 74 File Sharing 92 Force Restarts check box 57 Frontier 77, 96 Phone line 8 Phone ports 12 Power failures. See Trigger Hang up after no tones heard Types: Power Returns check box 57...
  • Page 107 Time Triggers 59, 61 Trigger Menu 59 Replace Existing Schedule check Trigger Qualifiers. See Qualifiers box 52 Trigger types 29 Restarting crashed computers At Shut Down 67, 102 76, 89 Day of Month 62 Retrospect 46 Days of Week 29, 62 Once Only 61 Phone Tones Heard 64, 81, 91 “Power On”...
  • Page 108 1. License. The enclosed system software (the “Software”) and related documentation are licensed to you by Sophisticated Circuits, Inc. (“SCI”). You own the disk on which the Software is recorded but SCI retains title to the Software. This License allows you to use the Software on a single computer and make one copy of the Software in machine-readable form for backup purposes only.
  • Page 109 ONE (1) YEAR from the date of original retail purchase. During this period, if a defect should occur, Sophisticated Circuits will, at its option, repair or replace the unit at no charge to you, provided it is returned during the warranty period to Sophisticated Circuits or one of its authorized dealers.
  • Page 110 Page 110 Appendices...

Table of Contents