CHAPTER 8: Operation
81
8.2 Keyboard Control
8.2.1 KEYSTROKE NOTATION
Throughout the rest of this chapter, we use some “shorthand” to abbreviate certain keystroke sequences and
variables you can use to control the ServSwitch Multi through console keyboards:
<CM> Enter Command Mode:
1. Press and hold down the keyboard’s [Num Lock] key.
2. Press and release the [–] (minus) key on the numeric keypad.
3. Release the [Num Lock] key.
Note: To choose an alternate hotkey sequence for entering Command Mode, see Section 8.12.
[Enter] Press the keyboard’s Enter or Return key. Doing so will cause the ServSwitch Multi to execute the
command you just typed in and then exit from Command Mode.
Addr The “address” of the computer you’re selecting.
In single-unit ServSwitch Multi systems, this address will correspond to the single letter designation
(“A” through “D” on an MX, “A” through “L” on a Base Unit, “A” through “N” on an EXP or SB) of
the channel port on the Switch that the computer is attached to.
In cascaded systems, this address will correspond to the numeric unit address (1 through 254) of the
ServSwitch Multi that the computer is attached to, followed by the single-letter designation of the
computer’s channel port. For example, to select unit the computer on channel C of unit 9, enter
“9C”.
[Esc] Press the keyboard’s Escape key. Doing so will cause the ServSwitch Multi to abort: It will exit from
Command Mode without executing any instruction.
8.2.2 KEYBOARD-BASED SWITCHING
Any user in a ServSwitch Multi system can issue a short sequence of keystrokes from their console keyboard to
switch between computer channels. This is called “keyboard switching” or “hotkey switching.” To keyboard-
switch channels, take these steps:
1. The first set of keystrokes (see the description of <CM> in Section 8.2.1) places your system in Command
Mode. As long as you are operating in Command Mode, whatever you type will be interpreted as channel-
switching commands until you press the Enter or Escape key to terminate Command Mode. None of the
keystrokes entered will be forwarded to the attached computer until you exit Command Mode.
2. Next, enter the address (“Addr”—see the description in Section 8.2.1) for the channel you wish to select.
3. Press [Enter] to accept the new channel.
All together, the proper format for keyboard switching to a new active channel through the keyboard is
“<CM>Addr[Enter]”. Below is a sample of a keyboard switching session for a single-unit system, with an
accompanying explanation for each step:
1. Type in “<CM>D[Enter]” to select channel D.
2. Type in “<CM>A[Enter]” to select channel A.
3. Typing in “<CM>G[Esc]” gets you out of Command Mode without any channel switch or other instruction
being executed. Channel A remains selected as the active channel.