Remote Operations & Devices
This page covers two things: what you can do to a classroom machine, and how the switch on that machine works.
What you can do remotely
On a device's page you can:
| Operation | Minimum role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lock / unlock drawing | Operator | Applies even while the device is offline and converges when it reconnects; a locked machine cannot draw locally either |
| Draw now | Operator | Makes that machine draw once — see below |
| Reset round | Operator | Clears this round's progress so it starts over |
| Announce | Operator | Spoken by that machine's own speech engine |
| Change settings | Admin | Only the items the device allows remotely |
| Read / push rosters | Admin | Both roll-call rosters and prize pools |
"Do it once" actions are never executed late
Draw now, announce and reset round carry an expiry time: while the device is offline they queue up and are delivered on reconnect — but if they have expired by then, they are dropped.
If you change your mind, a queued command can be revoked (two clicks on "Revoke"), so it will not run when the device reconnects; once delivered to the device it can no longer be recalled. The Draw now and Reset round buttons also require two clicks before they are sent.
Three ways to draw
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Quick draw | No conditions: the device draws 1 from its own default roster |
| Roll call | Specify roster, gender, group and count |
| Prize pool | Draw N prizes from a chosen pool; lottery does not filter by gender or group |
- Roster and pool options come from data you read back from the device, so you never type names;
- The drawable count is bounded by matching members in a roster, and by the remaining stock in a prize pool; exceeding it is refused with the actual range;
- The result comes back to the console: who was drawn, or how many prizes.
Reset round
Use it when a round should start over — for example at the end of a lesson.
- It clears only this round's progress (who has already been drawn, which prizes are gone); history is untouched;
- The previous result on the classroom machine's screen is cleared too, back to "nothing drawn yet";
- You can target roll call (default), quick draw or lottery, and optionally a single roster;
- It needs one confirmation (two taps on the phone); the device refuses it while it is drawing, so wait for the round to finish.
Announce
- Spoken by that machine's own speech engine, up to 200 characters;
- Optionally show the quick-draw window and temporarily adjust system or announcement volume; volumes are restored afterwards — note that "do not change" and "set to 0 (mute)" are different things;
- If the device's voice master switch is off there will be no sound, and the interface offers a way to turn voice on.
Change settings
- You must read from the device first; changes take effect immediately, with no device restart;
- Security, Control's own settings, desktop integration (autostart, protocol registration), updates, backup and proof retention can never be changed remotely — they are marked "not remotely writable";
- If any single item in a batch is invalid, the whole batch is not applied.
Rosters and prize pools
- Reading rosters requires admin or above, because they contain student names;
- Edit rows in the console, import a spreadsheet (
.xlsx,.xls,.csv, …) or export CSV; - Importing only changes the console-side draft; click push to write it to the device;
- Two push modes: merge (default) deletes nobody, while replace all deletes everyone not included — for large rosters the interface tells you not to use it;
- Pushing does not switch the roster the device is currently using, and does not interrupt a class in progress.
When a request is refused
Even with a sufficient role, a device may refuse; the interface explains why:
- Local switch is off — only the machine itself can turn it back on;
- Drawing is locked — unlock it first;
- The device is drawing — wait for the round to end;
- Local verification required — that machine uses password / TOTP / USB protection, and a remote command cannot raise the prompt;
- Class-time restriction — the device has course linkage enabled;
- Unsupported — for example lottery is switched off, or there is no speech;
- Command expired — simply send it again;
- Too many commands — wait a moment.
Every refusal explains itself, and some messages carry an error code; passing that code on when you report a problem makes it much faster to diagnose.
The switch on the device
On the classroom machine: Settings → General → Control.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Allow remote control | The master switch. When off, the device does not connect and executes nothing, and the console cannot turn it on for you |
| Group ID | Copied from the console. The account signed in on this machine must be a member of that group (your own group or one you were invited into); machines do not need to share one account |
| Node channel URL | Usually leave the default |
| Node ID | Generated at install time and stable; read-only |
| Display name | The name shown in the console; empty uses the host name |
| Connection status | Connected / waiting to retry / stopped retrying, with a Reconnect now button |
- Changes apply immediately — there is no "Save" button;
- After a network drop the device reconnects on its own;
- Turning the switch off is the same as leaving Control: the connection closes and any previously pushed "lock drawing" no longer applies;
- The switch and the applied lock state are stored separately, so importing settings or restoring a backup never turns remote control on;
- Phones do not show this page; tablets support both roles (managed and remote).
Phones and tablets
| Device | What it can do |
|---|---|
| Phone | Remote only: pick a device and roster in Remote draw at the bottom of the navigation, switch between roll call / lottery, then draw or reset the round |
| Tablet | Both: remote draw from the main interface, and managed remotely (it has a Control page in Settings) |
Phone permissions match the console: reading rosters needs admin or above, sending a draw needs operator or above. The draw itself happens on the classroom machine, and the result is sent back to the phone.
Contributors
陈晋瑭Changelog
c13ca-on
Copyright
Copyright Ownership:SECTL
License under:CC BY-NC-SA 4.0