Devices Panel

The Devices Panel is a floating, draggable panel that provides quick access to all cameras and devices in your project. It allows you to search, filter, and quickly select any camera or device from a convenient list view. The panel can be minimized, repositioned anywhere on the screen, and remembers its position and state between sessions. This is particularly useful when working with large projects where you need to quickly navigate between different cameras and devices.

When to use this

• When you need quick access to all cameras and devices in your project
• When working with large projects and need to quickly find and select specific items
• When you want to filter devices by type (cameras vs. devices) or by floor
• When you need a persistent, always-accessible list of project items
• When you want to quickly navigate between different cameras and devices without using the main canvas

Opening Devices Panel

The Devices Panel can be opened from:

1. Layers button – Click the Layers button in the toolbar and enable the Devices Panel option

Once opened, the panel appears as a floating window that can be moved anywhere on the screen.

Panel interface

Header

The panel header contains:

• Title – "Devices" label
• Minimize button (▴/▽) – Collapse or expand the panel
• Close button (×) – Close the panel completely

The header is also the drag handle—click and drag it to reposition the panel anywhere on the screen.

Search functionality

The search input at the top allows you to quickly find devices and cameras by:

• Display name – The custom name assigned to the device/camera
• Model – The device model name
• Manufacturer – The manufacturer name
• IP address – The IP address assigned to the device/camera

The search is case-insensitive and filters results in real-time as you type.

Filters

Three filter checkboxes allow you to control what appears in the list:

• Cameras – Show or hide cameras in the list (checked by default)
• Devices – Show or hide non-camera devices in the list (checked by default)
• This floor – Show only items from the currently selected floor

You can combine filters—for example, show only cameras on the current floor, or show only devices (excluding cameras).

Device list

The main list displays all items matching your search query and filter settings. Each item shows:

• Display name – The primary identifier (display name, model, or ID)
• IP address – In parentheses, if available

Items are clickable—clicking on an item selects it in the main canvas and opens its corresponding sidebar (Camera Sidebar or Device Sidebar).

Selected item

The currently selected device or camera is highlighted with a blue background, making it easy to see which item is active.

No results message

If no items match your search and filter criteria, the panel displays "No devices found" message.

Interacting with the panel

Dragging and repositioning

1. Click and hold the panel header (the title bar)
2. Drag the panel to your desired position
3. Release to drop the panel in the new location

The panel position is automatically saved to your browser's local storage, so it will remember where you placed it the next time you open it.

Minimizing and expanding

• Click the minimize button (▴) to collapse the panel to just the header
• Click again (▽) to expand it back to full size

The minimized state is also saved, so the panel will remember whether it was minimized or expanded.

Closing the panel

Click the Close button (×) in the header to completely close the panel. You can reopen it using the same method you used to open it initially.

Selecting items

1. Click on any item in the list
2. The item is immediately selected in the main canvas
3. The corresponding sidebar (Camera Sidebar or Device Sidebar) opens automatically
4. The selected item is highlighted in blue in the panel

Search tips

The search functionality searches across multiple fields simultaneously:

• Type part of a device name to find it quickly
• Search by IP address to find devices with specific network configurations
• Use manufacturer or model names to find all devices of a specific type
• The search updates in real-time as you type

Example searches:

• 192.168 – Finds all devices with IP addresses starting with 192.168
• hikvision – Finds all Hikvision cameras and devices
• entrance – Finds devices with "entrance" in their display name

Filter combinations

You can use filters in combination to create specific views:

• Cameras only – Uncheck "Devices", keep "Cameras" checked
• Devices only – Uncheck "Cameras", keep "Devices" checked
• Current floor only – Check "This floor" to see only items on the active floor
• Cameras on current floor – Check "This floor" and "Cameras", uncheck "Devices"

Panel persistence

The Device Panel remembers:

• Position – Where you placed it on the screen
• Minimized state – Whether it was collapsed or expanded
• Filter states – Note: Filter states are not saved between sessions

This means you can position the panel in a convenient location and it will stay there for future use.

Tips

• Position the panel in a corner or side of the screen where it won't obstruct your main work area
• Use the search function to quickly jump to specific devices in large projects
• Combine the "This floor" filter with search to quickly find items on specific floors
• Minimize the panel when you don't need it but want to keep it accessible
• The panel works well alongside the Layers panel for comprehensive project navigation
• Use keyboard shortcuts if available to quickly toggle the panel visibility
• Search by IP address ranges to find devices in specific network segments
• The panel automatically updates when you add or remove devices from your project
• Selected items are highlighted in both the panel and the main canvas for easy identification
• Keep the panel open while working to quickly switch between different cameras and devices

Related topics

• Layers
• Camera Sidebar
• Device Sidebar
• Adding Cameras
• Adding Devices