Replicate any Pixotope functionality - API Log tab

The API Log tab lists all occurring API messages of the Pixotope network. You can

listen to and read values from them
(re-)trigger them

This is an advanced feature. Use with caution!

Make a backup of your show file before changing show file parameters through the control panel! Also check Automatic backups

Find the API call to replicate or read from

Start listening

Go to the API Log tab
If not already done, click the Play button to start logging messages
Use the x button to clear the logs
- Use the Keep options to set the maximum amount of messages to keep.

Find the right message

In a Pixotope network there is continuous message traffic, which might make it harder to find the correct message. Filtering on the correct message type will help.

Select one or more message type filters
Trigger an action, in Director for example, which you would like to replicate or read from
- The incoming messages are grouped by Target and Name

Here some options on how to deal with a lot of messages:

Click the Pause button to stop listening
Change how many message to Keep within a group
Choose to listen to less data types using the Data Type filter

Main message types

Type	Details	Used to
Get	Get a state or non-state value from any service	Get value
Set	Request a change of a state or non-state value of any service	Set value
Update	Returned on a Get request when state or non-state variables change	Get continuous updates
Call	Service specific black box RPC function call	Trigger action
CallResult	CallResult - Response to a Call	Get resulting value

Learn more about their details and other message types in Pixotope API - Message Scheme

Double clicking a message in the API Log copies it to the clipboard. Depending on which one you double click, it copies either only the Topic, the Message or both.

Click and drag the red circle onto the canvas
Select a widget based on if you are
- reading a value
- OR setting a value/triggering an action

Suggested widgets based on message type

Type	Default action	Main widgets
Get, Update, Call Result	Read (Get value)	Multiline text Text Number
Set, Call	Send (Set value/Trigger action)	Trigger button Toggle (use ON/OFF click trigger) Tab (use Tab click trigger)

You can change to Send or Read (default action) using the Trigger toggle next to the action.

Update Send action

Click on the action in the action list to open the Code Editor
Change the Topic and Message to fit your needs
- The messages are in a JSON format

Learn more about the Pixotope API - Message Scheme

Update Read action

Message results come in a JSON format. To only get a specific property use the dot notation.

Learn more about → Property accessors in Javascript

Click on the action in the action list to open the Code Editor
Change the Return property path to retrieve a specific value

Example

JSON

{
  "Value": {
    "TJCGWS010-Engine": {
      "FPS": 59.99781,
      "TargetFPS": 59.9,
      "SyncInfo": {
        "IsInSyncMode": true,
        "CurrentTimecode": "00:00:00:00",
        "CurrentFrame": 0,
        "RawTimecodes": [
          "00:00:13:29",
          "00:02:00:00"
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

	Return property	Returns
Return single value	`Value.TJCGWS010-Engine.FPS`	`59.99781`
Return single value in array	`Value.TJCGWS010-Engine.SyncInfo.RawTimecodes[0]`	`00:00:13:29`
Return all values of an array as separate values	`Value.TJCGWS010-Engine.SyncInfo.RawTimecodes.*`	`00:00:13:29` `00:02:00:00`

Use dynamic arguments

To inject dynamic data into the API calls use Dynamic arguments. They can be used in

Topic
Message
Return property

Click "New dynamic argument" and give it a descriptive name
Copy the argument and replace the string you want to dynamically inject
Click Confirm
For each argument, there will be a field in the Action List
- Drag a property into the field
- OR double-click it to input static data

Dynamic arguments are

surrounded by double curly brackets
need to be placed inside quotes (for Topic and Message)

Example usage in Topic or Message