Device Actions

Where to find it: Manage → Devices → select a device

A device action is a command you send from the dashboard to a screen. Actions are how every change on a device happens, from updating its content to rebooting it or adjusting a setting. Each command goes to one device, and the dashboard keeps a record of it so you can see whether it worked.

The actions available depend on the kind of device. Different hardware supports different commands, so the buttons you see on one device may differ from those on another.

Note This article is the full reference for device actions. For the device page as a whole (status, live preview, notes), see the Managing a Device article.

Before You Begin

Before sending actions:

• Make sure you have permission to manage the device.

• Check the device is online, since an offline device can’t receive a command.

• Have ready anything an action needs, such as the playlist or layout you want to send.

The Actions Bar

The actions bar runs along the top of a device’s page, showing the commands available for that device as a row of buttons. If there are more than fit on screen, arrows let you scroll along the row.

Common Actions by Device Type

The commands available vary by device type. The most common ones are:

Device type	Typical actions
Media player (simpleCTRL, tvCTRL)	Power on, Power off, Update Playlist.
ShowCTRL	Power on, Power off, Update Layout.
ShowCTRL MP	Update Canvas, Reboot, Load Custom Modules, Update Assets, Customize Video Wall.
SelfCTRL	Update Application Container, Update Assets, Reboot, Load Custom Modules.

Note Some commands exist behind the scenes and don’t appear as buttons. These can be run automatically or on a schedule. See the Scheduled Actions article.

Action Statuses

Each action shows a status so you can follow its progress from the moment you send it to the moment the device confirms it’s done:

Status	Meaning
Building	The system is preparing the content before sending it (used for content updates such as Update Canvas).
Pending	The command has been sent and is waiting for the device to pick it up.
Accepted	The device has received the command and is working on it.
Success	The device confirmed the command finished successfully.
Error	The command failed. The details column explains why.

Important If a device is offline when you send a command, the command fails straight away with a note that the device wasn’t connected. Bring the device online, then send it again.

Note If a command sits in Accepted for a long time without finishing, the device may have gone offline after receiving it. Checking the device’s status will usually explain what happened.

The Action History

Below the actions bar, the History section lists the device’s past and pending commands, updating on its own as commands are sent and as their status changes. Each entry shows:

Column	Description
Action	The command’s name.
Arguments	What it was sent with, such as a playlist name.
Status	A colour-coded tag: pending, accepted, success, or error.
Details	Error messages or progress notes.
Sent at	When the command was created.
Updated at	When its status last changed.
Sent by	Who sent it, or “System” for automated commands.

Beside the History heading is a Scheduled Actions button, which lists the commands scheduled to run on this device. See the Scheduled Actions article for how those work.

How Actions Connect to Content

Content commands keep the dashboard in step with what’s actually on a device. When you send Update Playlist, Update Layout, or Update Canvas and the device confirms success, the dashboard updates its record of what that device is showing. That way the device page reflects what’s really on screen.

Best Practices

• Check the device is online first. Commands to an offline device fail immediately rather than waiting.

• Watch the status. Following an action from Pending through to Success confirms it actually landed.

• Read the details on an error. The details column usually explains why a command failed.

• Use the history to confirm changes. After a content update, the history shows whether the device accepted it.