Start the AnywhereUSB Manager: Linux
After installation is complete, you can run the stand-alone Manager. Within the Manager you can monitor, configure, control the connected AnywhereUSB Hubs, connected groups and the USB devices in each.
Linux considerations
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Any normal (non-root) user that wants to run the Manager needs to be in the awusb group. For more information see /usr/share/doc/awusbmanager/README.
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Certain Linux distributions provide a limited number of virtual USB devices. See the release notes for more information.
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Both the root user and every normal (non-root) user has an individual AnywhereUSB configuration. Headless and stand-alone mode share the same configuration for each user.
Stand-alone
The simplest way to start the AnywhereUSB Manager is to run the stand-alone Manager .
Run this command to launch the stand-alone Manager:
$ awusbmanager
Notes
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You should run the stand-alone Manager as a normal (non-root) user, and not as root.
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The stand-alone client Managercan be used to control and monitor the headless Manager.
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USB devices connected through AnywhereUSB will be available to all users who have appropriate access permissions.
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Only one user can open the AnywhereUSB Manager at a time. The Manager cannot be opened simultaneously by multiple users. In addition, a single user cannot run multiple instances of the Manager.
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When it is monitoring the headless Manager, the stand-alone Manager displays "HEADLESS" in the AnywhereUSB Manager title bar and in the Status pane.
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If you run both the stand-alone and the headless Managers, the first Manager started determines if it is running in headless or stand-alone mode.
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All other Managers must be stopped before you start the headless Manager.
- When the user logs in and runs the stand-alone Manager, the Manager automatically connects to groups that have Enable Auto Connect enabled. The USB devices in those groups are connected to the PC. If auto-connect is not enabled for the group, you can manually connect to a group.
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When the Manager is iconized, the USB devices will still be available to users on the PC.
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When the Manager is stopped with File > Exit, or the user logs off, the USB devices will no longer be available to the PC.
Headless
Note The headless package is intended for advanced Linux users.
The standard awusbmanager package and the headless package provide a headless version of the AnywhereUSB Manager. The awusbmanager-headless does not provide a window for AnywhereUSB management, and is appropriate for server VMs without a display.
Run this command to launch the headless manager:
$ awusbmanager-headless
Notes
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You cannot run the awusbmanager binary as a GUI client manger.
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All other Managers must be stopped before you start the headless Manager.
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The awusbmanager-headless binary can be controlled via the cmdline using either the awusbmanager or awusbmanager-headless binary. It can also be controlled by running a client awusbmanager if the system has a graphical display.
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Only root or the same user can run the awusbmanager binary to configure the service.
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Once running, USB devices connected through the Hub are available to all users who have appropriate access permissions.
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USB devices are available to users on the PC, even if the user that started the headless Manager logs off. The headless agent runs until the PC is shut down.
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To start the awusbmanager-headless at boot, you will need to create and add a systemd startup script.
- To ensure that all USB devices are connected to your computer at boot time, you must select Enable Auto Connect for each group assigned to the client ID for the computer. The USB devices in the groups connected to the computer are available to the users, and the users can see and access the devices for which they have permission.
- USB devices connected through AnywhereUSB will be available to all users who have appropriate access permissions.
- Only the user that initially started the Manager or the root user is allowed to monitor and control the running Manager.
Command line
AnywhereUSB provides a cmdline to control and monitor the Hub. The stand-alone Manager or the headless Manager needs to be running to use the cmdline.
Either Manager binary can be used to send commands to the running Manager. For example:
$ awusbmanager LIST
$ awusbmanager-headless LIST
Notes
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The same user or root can send cmdline commands to that running Manager.
Script: Initial configuration
The cmdline also enables scripting of AnywhereUSB for configuration and monitoring after the installation is complete.
Example: Configuration
#!/bin/bash -e
# Example script to configure Digi awusbmanager-headless
# Configure headless awusbmanager (once after install)
awusbmanager-headless KNOWN HUB ADD,AW24-010000
awusbmanager-headless AUTOCONNECT GROUP,AW24-010000.1
awusbmanager-headless AUTOCONNECT GROUP,AW24-010000.2
awusbmanager-headless AUTOCONNECT GROUP,AW24-010000.3
awusbmanager-headless AUTOFIND,OFF
awusbmanager-headless SET KEEPALIVES,3,120
Example: Monitoring
#!/bin/bash -e # Check status of AnywhereUSB Manager devices
awusbmanager-headless LIST FULL
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