Topic Doc: Skylogix Lighting Interface
RecTrac 3.1
Table of Contents
Document Summary
Skylogix provides switching and monitoring solutions for remote-controlled lighting. The Skylogix ARC-10 system is a wireless, state-of-the-art remote control system that is specifically designed for sports and recreational facilities lighting and other electrical equipment. This system uses Remote Control Units (RCUs), the TeleDirect Operating System, and ControlStation software. Their goal is to bring the highest quality and most flexible implementations of their technology to your Department.
How Does RecTrac work with Skylogix?
In RecTrac you make facility reservations as usual; whether you’re making reservations for your Leagues, such as Softball or Basketball; reserving the tennis courts for evening ladder play; or etc…. You then run the Facility Reservation Interface to create an export file. You can run the Interface manually ("on demand") or it can be scheduled to run at regular intervals. Reservation information is compiled into an export file and uploaded to Skylogix as a byproduct of the interface. The Skylogix ARC-10 system then controls your lighting remotely.
Data in the export file can include some or all of the following data:
- The Skylogix Remote Control Unit (RCU) ID and General Area Code (GAC) number for your Facilities that require lighting.
- RecTrac Location Code and Contact Name
- RecTrac Facility Code
- Start/End Times
- Event Type (Scheduled Programs, League Games, etc…)
Note: Facility Reservation status in RecTrac must be Firm. This interface does NOT export 'Tentative' or 'Hold' reservations.
License – Maintenance Agreement
The Skylogix Interface is free. Use of the interface requires a Vermont Systems license and annual maintenance agreement for RecTrac and the component modules discussed in this document. Prior to implementing any process outlined in this document, please contact the Vermont Systems Sales department at 1-877-883-8757 to verify that you are authorized to use the modules discussed in this document and if not, to obtain a quote and/or approval.
Setup Steps
This document provides instructions for using the Facility Reservation Interface program along with limited information for ensuring your Facilities are properly identified within the Skylogix software. This document does NOT provide operational instructions for the Skylogix software, as Skylogix is a third-party product.
If you have additional questions about the RecTrac Facility Reservation Interface program after reading this document, please contact Vermont Systems Customer Service by phone at 887-883-8757 or generate a Support Case through the Customer portal of the Vermont Systems website using your Customer ID and password.
Before You Begin
This document is written with the following assumptions. If any of the items listed below is NOT true, contact Vermont Systems Support prior to continuing, as the steps in this document may prove difficult to complete and unexpected results may occur.
- Your organization is running RecTrac 3.1.05.00 or greater.
- You have established a user account with Skylogix and can maneuver through their software.
- When establishing your account with Skylogix, you informed them which IP Address(es) in your Department will be used to transmit data to them. Skylogix needs to "whitelist" these IP Addresses on their end.
- Port 80 is open on your Firewall. Skylogix uses Port 80.
- You have completed the setup of your Facilities, Activities, Leagues, etc… (as applicable) in RecTrac File Management
- You have provided a list of the facilities at your Department which require remote lighting and have received, in turn, from Skylogix the RCU ID and GAC number for them.
- You have processed Facility Reservations for your patrons, Activities, Leagues, etc… in RecTrac so that you have data for the upload file.
Add the Skylogix RCU ID and GAC Number to your RecTrac Facilities
Note: All file paths and screen/tab locations in this document refer to file paths and screen/tab locations as they appear in the standard, default Vermont Systems Design. Your setup and Design may vary.
After you have established your account with Skylogix, you need to provide them with a list of the facilities at your Department which require remote lighting. Skylogix, in turn, will give you the RCU ID and GAC number for them. These numbers need to be entered and included in the File Management record for your Facilities.
- In RecTrac, go to Management Ribbon • Facility Management • Facility Management.
- Highlight/select the first Facility Code for which remote lighting is required and click Change. You will continue to the Facility Update screen.
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- Expand the Light Interface Settings group on the right-hand column.
- Enable the Light Interface Facility? option.
- In the Light Interface Code 1 field, input the Remote Control Unit ID (RCU ID) for this Facility as given to you by Skylogix. This should be a 4-character entry. For Example: 1238.
- In the Light Interface Code 2 field, input the General Area Code (GAC) number for this Facility as given to you by Skylogix. This should be a two-character entry. For Example: B1.
- Click Save. You will return to the Facility Management DataGrid.
- Repeat steps 2-7 for each Facility Code for which remote lighting is required.
Note: These values must be entered one Facility Code at a time. While it is possible to use the Bulk Change program to enable the Light Interface Facility? option for multiple Facility Codes in bulk, the Bulk Change program does not provide an option for inputting unique values to individual Codes in a bulk manner.
Run the Facility Reservation Interface
Once you've completed the setup of your Facilities in the Skylogix software, and once you've entered the RCU ID and GAC Numbers on your RecTrac Facility Codes, you will be ready to run the Facility Reservation Interface to upload the reservations for which you require lighting to Skylogix.
For best results, this program should be run on a daily basis to upload the evening’s reservations. Skylogix requires the information at least 15 minutes before sunset each day. Vermont Systems recommends scheduling this program to run (and send the export file to Skylogix) daily about an hour before sunset. Vermont Systems further recommends employing a Department-wide “cutoff time” for any new reservations or reservation changes and ensuring the Reservation Interface is run after that time has passed. This will help ensure only valid lighting reservations are uploaded to Skylogix.
For Example: "Sunset" is around 5:30pm Your cutoff time for reservations is 4:15pm, meaning your will not accept any new reservations for "today" after 4:15pm and no changes can be made to existing reservations for "today." The Facility Reservation Interface is scheduled to run at 4:30pm (about an hour before sunset). When it runs, all applicable reservation information is uploaded to Skylogix. Changes to "today's" reservations made after the export is run will not be uploaded, unless you re-run the interface manually. This, obviously, would be contrary to the purpose of having a cutoff time and scheduled event.
Note: As a general rule, Skylogix advises a daily upload at a minimum to keep your information as current as possible. Based on your organization's needs, you may opt to upload your lighting reservation information on a more aggressive schedule.
To Run the Facility Reservation Interface
- Make Facility Reservations in RecTrac. Facility Reservation status in RecTrac must be Firm. This interface does NOT export 'Tentative' or 'Hold' reservations
- In RecTrac, go to Management Ribbon • Facility Management • Facility Reservation Interface.
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- Accept the default settings (the last settings under which the program was run) for your Facilities.
OR
Make alternate selections from the DataGrid, the Facility Range or both, if needed.
Note: RecTrac Process and Reporting screens offer numerous fields and widgets that allow you to filter the data which for your process or report being run. RecTrac Widgets provides definitions and examples to show you how these work.
- Expand the Drop-down list and select your Begin and End Reservation Dates option.
THEN
Take appropriate action in the right-hand column to specify the actual date you wish to select. Facility Reservations made within the Date Range selected will be included on your export file.
Refer to RecTrac Date Select Fields for a listing of selection definitions and examples.
Note: If opting to Schedule this program to run on a daily basis, consider using "Today" and "Today" in your Beginning and Ending Date fields.
- Ensure Skylogix is selected as your Format Option.
- Make other selections in the Additional Criteria group as needed. Use the "i" and "?" Help icons for field definitions, if needed.
Note: The Export File Name field is skipped when running the Facility Reservation Interface for Skylogix. When you run the Export, a copy of the SkyLogic.xml will be sent to the Document Center • -- All Document Types --
- Skip the FTP Settings group, unless you have a reason for wanting to place the Skylogix.xml on an FTP site.
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- Fill out the fields in the Skylogix Settings group with the account information given to you by Skylogix.
Note: Passwords are masked in RecTrac. All Passwords are encrypted in the database and appear either as a series of "pipes" or dots in password fields (i.e. | | | | | or •••••). There is no Permission that allows you see an actual password. There is no Report in RecTrac that will display a password.
- Click Process to run the export "On Demand."
THEN
Click Schedule, if desired, to continue to the Schedule Generator program to run the program on a regular basis using its current settings.