# Shell Command

Use Shell Command to instruct the Display to execute a command outside of the OTS Signs Command Center environment, using the operating system shell.

> Add the Shell Command Widget to Layouts to execute external commands, such as ‘volume up’ for a Layout with an Audio Widget that is set to play, and ‘volume down’ when the Layout finishes.

## Overview

- The command is executed when a Layout/Playlist containing the Shell Command Widget plays at its scheduled time.
- Select a preconfigured stored command.
- Create a command string using the command builder to pass directly to the shell, further information can be found here.
- Enter a command string using free text.
- Global commands allow for compatible commands to work with all Player types.
- Android and Linux Players require root access to use Shell Commands.
- Enable launching created commands via Windows Command Line (cmd.exe)
- Run a command for a fixed period by setting a duration, for example where your command shows something on the screen for a time and cannot close itself.

> On ticking the Set a duration box and entering a time in seconds on the Advanced tab, options will be made available on the Configuration tab to instruct OTS Signs Command Center to terminate the command it started running.

> In most cases, commands that are run from a Layout / Playlist tend to be background commands which trigger something to happen like screen on/off or restart the device etc. In such cases, the Set a duration box can be left unticked.

> For commands that are executed on a specific date/time, such as ‘reboots’, ‘turn on/off’ on opening/closing times for example, then please see the Add Event in the Scheduling section and Send Command in the Displays section.

#### Next…

Command Functionality