Communication & Control (C)



The Communication & Control command opens the mobile communication dialog box.

This dialog allows you to send commands and other information to compatible vehicle modems. By selecting the vehicle of interest from the list box and choosing an action to be performed, RASTRAC commands the mobile unit to perform the action. At any time during the process, you may click on "Abort Timeout" to stop the process. The "Close" button will close the dialog box.

Get Position will initiate an immediate poll for position and state (status) information from the selected vehicle. The timeout and retry values for this poll sequence can be specified through the Settings button. If your RASTRAC is communicating with a RASTRAC Server instead of directly to a RASTRAC IOP, the ‘Get Position’ command will cause the RASTRAC Server to respond with the latest available state information for the selected vehicle (if your RASTRAC does not have direct access control of the RASTRAC Server IOP).

Get History will initiate an immediate request for logged history position and state information from the selected vehicle. This option only works with vehicles equipped with data logging storage capabilities (or a RASTRAC Server). The vehicle will continue to respond with a sequence of data buffers until all logged history has been reported. You can abort the ‘Get History’ command by typing "STOP DOWNLOAD" in the Output Message box and pressing the "Send Message" button or by pressing the "Abort Timeout" or "Log Off" buttons. If your RASTRAC Client is communicating with a RASTRAC Server instead of directly to a RASTRAC IOP, the ‘Get History’ command will cause the RASTRAC Server to respond with the latest available state information for the selected vehicle. If your RASTRAC is communicating with a RASTRAC Server instead of directly to a RASTRAC IOP, the ‘Get History’ command will cause an additional ‘Get History From Server’ dialog to open.




Settings for the ‘Get History From Server’ dialog:

Date: You can select a specific date or you can use the date of the latest available update (with this option you can not select start/stop times.

Start: You can select timed updates, number of updates, or all updates for the day. If you select timed updates, choose the desired start time. If you select number of updates, enter the number of state updates you would like returned from the server. If you select all updates for the day, all state updates for the selected date will be returned by the server.

Stop: You must enter a Start time to be able to select any Stop settings. You can select timed updates, number of updates, or all updates following the start time. If you select timed updates, choose the desired stop time. The server will send all valid state reports between the start and stop times for the date selected. If you select number of updates, enter the number of state updates you would like returned from the server following the selected start time. If you select all updates following the start time, all state reports following the start time will be returned by the server.

Note: The RASTRAC Server has full control of how many vehicle state updates are sent to a RASTRAC Client. If you request more data than is allowed by the server, some of the data will not be sent.

Note: You can clear a vehicle’s logged history buffer (if available) by typing "CLEAR HISTORY" in the Output Message box and pressing the "Send Message" button.


Abort Timeout cancels the pending communication with the selected vehicle’s modem.

Send Message will transmit any text typed in the Output Message box to the vehicle modem. This feature can be used to provide messaging functionality to mobile units equipped with appropriate mobile data display equipment. Not all modems support this option. You can select an option to include the User Name (e.g. 'Supervisor'), Date (e.g. 25JAN2004), Time (e.g. 12:04:56), and/or Registration Information (e.g. Manning NavComp) with the outgoing text message (e.g. you type in the following message: 'Call the office' and the following gets sent: 'Manning NavComp_Supervisor 25JAN2004 12:04:56:Call the office').

In-Vehicle Controls are used to effect control on any special vehicle instrumentation or automation installed in the vehicle (typically referred to as outputs). These can include devices such as warning lights, engine kill switches, or automatic door locks. The name that appears on the switch buttons is defined in the Tools...Options...System...Format 'In-Vehicle Control (output) Labels...' button.

Configuration will open the Vehicle Configuration dialog box. This will allow you to configure modem settings over-the-air. See Vehicle Configuration

Log Off will log the selected vehicle off from the currently connected I/O Processor (IOP). The IOP will no longer be locked in use. This will also cause an ‘Abort Timeout’.

Settings will open the vehicle settings dialog box. See Vehicle Settings

Help will open the RASTRAC help file and display the help section for Vehicle Communication & Control.

Quick Tip: The Communication & Control command can also be executed from the toolbar menu.