The NK Switchboard enables users to locally or remotely control an entire NK system. If required, it is also possible to control multiple systems, alternating between each as needed. Each system, defined by the IPS that devices are configured to, may be configured independently of other IPS devices on the network.
Once the NK Series Plugin has been installed, the NK Switchboard may be accessed by clicking on the NK Switchboard button from the toolbar. If the Switchboard has already been opened in the work area, activating it from either the menu or the toolbar will make it the active document.
The Input (Source),
Output (Destination), and
Level buttons displayed on the NK Switchboard can be edited individually on-the-fly as required by right-clicking on the desired button and editing the fields. The button edit menu enables users to define text labels for the buttons display (
Edit Text), the relative input, output or level value (
Edit Value), as well as
Add or
Delete buttons.
The Level buttons, when selected, enable switching on the required levels. The total number of Level buttons shown is reliant on the number entered in the NK Switchboard Options dialogue box.
The Input buttons select the source or sources to be switched on the levels previously selected. The total number of Input buttons shown is reliant on the number entered in the NK Switchboard Options dialogue box.
The Output buttons select the destination for the source to be switched on the levels previously selected. The total number of Output buttons shown is reliant on the number entered in the NK Switchboard Options dialogue box.
The NK Switchboard function keys provide Machine Control switching (the MC button) and protecting of selected inputs (the
Protect button). For the Protect and Machine Control buttons to be active, they must be enabled from the NK Switchboard options.
The NK Switchboard is designed to emulate basic behaviour of the RCP-NK1. Switches are performed by first selecting the Level(s) required to be switched, then by selecting the Output, and finally selecting the Input.
The NK Switchboard displays protected outputs by either a yellow highlight, or a pink highlight. Outputs that are highlighted yellow are protected by that computer and outputs that are highlighted pink are protected by another user or another panel in the system.