# Buttons overview

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Bitfocus Buttons is a professional control software designed to enhance live production environments.

Tailored for larger and more complex setups, Buttons offers features such as scrollable sections for efficient navigation, section authentication with PIN and RFID for secure access, and dynamic presets that streamline workflow management by allowing easy creation and updating of preset banks.

Key functionalities include the Automatic XY Routing Crosspoint Module, which automates complex routing tasks, and multi-position handling that supports multiple operators or desks with isolated configurations, ideal for large installations. Buttons is built to scale, managing multiple desks, operators, and devices seamlessly, and supports enterprise-level features like 2110 routing, virtual routing, and SNMP monitoring. It also integrates resource access control, ensuring secure and organized multi-user environments.

Buttons improves workflow through an intuitive variable editor and advanced tagging systems. It bridges the gap between high-end production needs and smaller operations by providing powerful routing and management tools without the high costs of enterprise solutions. The long-term vision for Buttons focuses on scalability and expanding its feature set to meet the evolving demands of professional live production, positioning it as a robust, scalable, and feature-rich solution for complex operational requirements.

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### Before you open  

Connect the hardware and software you want to control to the network.

Have a look at the** [Product updates](https://bitfocus.io/blog/product-updates)**, to keep on top of the changes in Buttons.

There is also a lot of great information on the [Buttons Beta](https://bitfocus.notion.site/Beta-Information-66a37157322e4d8aabfbd4f76edc4909?pvs=25) page. 

### Starting buttons



When you start Buttons, a window pops up displaying all the running processes. From this window, you can restart any processes, that aren’t running. You can also open the Editor UI, and it’s the right place to quit Buttons if needed.

### Reset Admin password

If you for any reason should need to reset your Admin Password. (This is the password you were asked to enter on first install) this is the place to do it, you will need to have access to the desktop of the actual machine either directly or by remote desktop 

### Environment Settings



Under the environment settings you can enable buttons to autostart at login, for mac servers you should enable the user to auto-login and set a screen saver password for the server
 

- The **Editor Listen Address** will let you limit on which network the Buttons management UI will be available.
- You can also change which port the management UI will use for both HTTP and HTTPS.
- The HTTP and HTTPS port will be 4440 and 4443 on a fresh install but if you migrate from an earlier config. your original ports will be retained.
- You can also setup a hostname for the buttons server 
 

### Home screen



On the far left, we have the menu bar. Here you can see the different pages available in buttons:

- **Home Screen:** The current page
- **Position Page:** The Position configuration page
    - **Position:** All the user positions configured on the system
    - **Shared:** The shared positions configured on the system
- **Connect:** The Connect configuration page
    - **Connections:** Where all the Hardware, Software and Services are configured
    - **NMOS:** NMOS, ST2110 Configuration page
    - **Surface:** Where all the control surfaces are connected and configured
- **Workflow:** The Workflow configuration page
- **Cuelist:** The Cuelist Configuration and execution page
- **Tags:** The Tags configuration page
- **Routing:** The Routing configuration page
    - **Route:** The Route UI where you can set up and execute Routes and Create and execute Salvos
    - **Presets:** The Routing preset UI for creating, executing and editing Presets
    - **Labels:** UI for setting user labels for the Routing system
    - **Config:** An overview over all Ports and Bundles can be viewed
- **Auth: T**his is the user-management page
- **Log Out:** Will log you out of the Buttons UI
- **Settings:** The system configuration page


To the right, the center panes shows currently configured and active components, and their status.

- **Positions:** Displays all configured positions
- **Surfaces:** Displays the control surfaces
- **Connections:** Displays all non NMOS connections
- **NMOS:** Displays all NMOS connections
- **Workflows:** Displays all configured Workflows
- **Cuelist:** Displays all configured Cuelists


On the rightmost pane, you'll find version information and support options:

- **Version information**
- **Feedback box:** For sending feedback to Bitfocus. Please do not use this option for support requirements.
- **Slack community:** Chat with developers and users worldwide
- **Email:** Contact [support@bitfocus.io](mailto:support@bitfocus.io) directly
