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Chapter 8: Command Blocks

Command Blocks let you run programs on your PC or send web requests by tapping a button on your panel. This chapter covers everything you can do with Command Blocks.

What Is a Command Block?

A Command Block is a button that, when pressed, executes a command instead of sending a joystick input. You can use it to:

  • Launch games or applications
  • Control system settings (volume, brightness)
  • Send data to other programs
  • Trigger web services
  • Run scripts

Two Modes

Command Blocks work in two modes:

Shell Mode

Runs a command directly on your PC, just like typing it in a terminal or command prompt.

Examples:

  • notepad — opens Notepad on Windows
  • echo Hello — prints "Hello" to the console
  • ls -la — lists files on Linux
  • volume set 50 — sets system volume (if you have a volume control tool)

HTTP Mode

Sends a web request to a server or API.

Examples:

  • Send a GET request to check a server status
  • Send a POST request to control a smart home device
  • Send data to a web application

Creating a Command Block

  1. Drag a Command Block from the library onto your workspace
  2. Click the gear icon to open settings
  3. Choose the command type: Shell or HTTP

Shell Mode Settings

Setting What It Does Example Values
Label Text shown on the button "Launch Game", "Screenshot"
Icon URL Path to an icon image (optional) helldivers2/Reinforce_Stratagem_Icon.svg
Layout How to display icon and text image-text, image-only, text-only
Text Position Where the label appears relative to the icon bottom, top, left, right
Command Type Set to "Shell" Shell
Command The command to run notepad, echo Hello, calc
Button Color Button fill color Any color
Button Color Active Color when button is pressed Any color
Label Color Label text color Any color
Border Color Button outline color Any color
Hold Repeat Enable hold-to-repeat (see below) On or Off
Repeat Interval How often to repeat (in milliseconds) 500, 1000, 2000

Command Examples

Windows:

notepad          - Opens Notepad
calc             - Opens Calculator
mspaint          - Opens Paint
explorer .       - Opens File Explorer in current folder

Linux:

gedit            - Opens Gedit text editor
gnome-calculator - Opens Calculator
xdg-open .       - Opens file manager in current folder

HTTP Mode Settings

Setting What It Does Example Values
Label Text shown on the button "Toggle Light", "Send Data"
Icon URL Path to an icon image (optional) helldivers2/Reinforce_Stratagem_Icon.svg
Layout How to display icon and text image-text, image-only, text-only
Text Position Where the label appears relative to the icon bottom, top, left, right
Command Type Set to "HTTP" HTTP
Method HTTP request type GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH
URL The web address to send the request to http://192.168.1.50/api/light
Body Data to send with the request (for POST/PUT) {"on": true}
Button Color Button fill color Any color
Button Color Active Color when button is pressed Any color
Label Color Label text color Any color
Border Color Button outline color Any color
Hold Repeat Enable hold-to-repeat On or Off
Repeat Interval How often to repeat (in milliseconds) 500, 1000, 2000

HTTP Method Types

Method When to Use Example
GET Request data from a server Get server status
POST Send new data to a server Create a new record
PUT Update existing data Change a setting
DELETE Remove data Delete a file
PATCH Partially update data Modify one field

HTTP Body

For POST, PUT, and PATCH requests, you can include a body with the request. This is typically JSON data:

{"action": "turn_on", "brightness": 75}

Parameters: Making Commands Adjustable

Parameters let you add adjustable inputs above your Command Block button. Instead of hardcoding values in your command, you can use parameters to change them on the fly.

Adding Parameters

  1. In the Command Block settings, find the Parameters section
  2. Click Add Parameter
  3. Configure the parameter:
Setting What It Does Example Values
Name The parameter name (used in the command) volume, brightness
Type Input type Number, Text, Toggle
Default Value Starting value 50, "hello", false
Min/Max For number type: allowed range 0 to 100
Step For number type: increment size 1, 5, 10

Using Parameters in Commands

In your command, use {name} where you want the parameter value to appear.

Shell Example:

echo Volume is set to {volume}

If the volume parameter is set to 75, the command becomes:

echo Volume is set to 75

HTTP Example:

{"brightness": {brightness}, "color": "{color}"}

If brightness is 80 and color is "red", the body becomes:

{"brightness": 80, "color": "red"}

Parameter Types

Number:

  • Shows a number input with up/down arrows
  • Set min, max, and step values
  • Good for: volume levels, brightness, counts

Text:

  • Shows a text input field
  • Good for: names, messages, file paths

Toggle:

  • Shows an on/off switch
  • Sends true or false
  • Good for: enable/disable flags

Hold-to-Repeat

Hold-to-repeat lets you hold down the Command Block button to repeatedly execute the command at set intervals.

When to Use Hold-to-Repeat

  • Volume control — hold to continuously increase/decrease volume
  • Scrolling — hold to keep scrolling
  • Rapid commands — any command you want to fire repeatedly

Settings

Setting What It Does Example Values
Hold Repeat Enable or disable repeat On or Off
Repeat Interval Time between repeats (milliseconds) 100, 500, 1000

Repeat Interval Guide

  • 100ms — very fast repeat (10 times per second)
  • 500ms — medium repeat (2 times per second)
  • 1000ms — slow repeat (once per second)
  • 2000ms — very slow repeat (once every 2 seconds)

Visual Feedback

Command Blocks provide visual feedback so you know what's happening:

While Executing

The button shows a glowing animation while the command is running.

On Success

The button border flashes green briefly.

On Error

The button border flashes red briefly.

Toast Notification

A message appears showing the command output. This message:

  • Shows what the command returned
  • Auto-dismisses after 5 seconds
  • Appears at the top of the panel

Practical Examples

Example 1: Volume Control

Goal: Create buttons to increase and decrease system volume.

Increase Volume Button:

  • Label: "Volume Up"
  • Command Type: Shell
  • Command: pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ +5% (Linux) or a Windows volume utility command
  • Hold Repeat: On
  • Repeat Interval: 200

Decrease Volume Button:

  • Label: "Volume Down"
  • Command Type: Shell
  • Command: pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ -5% (Linux)
  • Hold Repeat: On
  • Repeat Interval: 200

Example 2: Launch Game

Goal: A button to launch your favorite game.

Button Settings:

  • Label: "Launch Star Citizen"
  • Command Type: Shell
  • Command: C:\Program Files\Roberts Space Industries\StarCitizen\LIVE\StarCitizen.exe (Windows)

Example 3: Smart Home Control

Goal: Turn on a smart light from your panel.

Button Settings:

  • Label: "Living Room Light"
  • Command Type: HTTP
  • Method: POST
  • URL: http://192.168.1.100/api/lights/1
  • Body: {"on": true}

Example 4: Screenshot Button

Goal: Take a screenshot with one tap.

Button Settings:

  • Label: "Screenshot"
  • Command Type: Shell
  • Command: gnome-screenshot (Linux) or a Windows screenshot utility

Tips for Command Blocks

Security Note

Shell commands run with the same permissions as OmniPanel-go. Be careful with commands that:

  • Delete files
  • Modify system settings
  • Run with administrator/root privileges

Testing Commands

Before adding a command to your panel, test it in a terminal or command prompt first. This ensures the command works and helps you see what output to expect.

Error Handling

If a command fails:

  1. Check the red flash and error toast notification
  2. Read the error message
  3. Test the command in a terminal to see the full error
  4. Fix the command and try again

Path Issues

On Windows, if your command includes spaces in the path, wrap it in quotes:

"C:\Program Files\My App\app.exe"

What's Next?

Learn how to organize complex panels with Pages, Tabs, and Sections.