Your First Reference Image
This page walks you through the very first end to end run: opening the desktop agent, dropping a reference image into the watch folder, and seeing the resulting entry in the local dashboard.
Before you start
Make sure you have:
- Installed the desktop agent (see Windows or macOS).
- Entered your license key.
- A reference image to test with. Any 360 stills work. The image should include a visible slate card with at least the scene and take.
1. Open the agent
Launch Slate Tracker from the Start Menu (Windows) or Applications (macOS). The main window opens and the tray or menu bar icon turns amber.
The local dashboard is also available in a browser at:
http://localhost:7745
Keep that tab open while you test.
2. Drop in a reference image
Open the folder you configured as the watch folder. Copy or move a single reference image into it.
C:\Users\<you>\Pictures\references\
Within a few seconds the agent picks up the file. You should see:
- A toast notification: "New reference: scene 12, take 4" (or whatever your slate card said).
- A new entry at the top of the local dashboard with a confidence score.
- The original file moved into the output folder, renamed according to your filename pattern.
3. Open the result
Click the entry in the local dashboard. You will see:
- The original image at full resolution.
- The text the recognition engine read from the slate card.
- A confidence score from 0 to 100.
- The full output path on disk.
4. What to do if it gets it wrong
If the slate text is wrong, or the confidence score is below 70, click Correct. Edit any of the fields and click Save and re-file. The agent will:
- Update the dashboard entry.
- Move the file on disk to match the corrected name.
- Use the correction to nudge future reads on similar slates.
For tips on slate cards that read more reliably, see Slate Card Conventions.
5. Bulk test
Once a single image works, drag a folder full of references in. The agent processes them in parallel (by default 3 at a time). You can change that in the configuration reference.
Next steps
- Connect your lighting console: Connecting a grandMA3 Console.
- Customise the folder layout: Customising Your Folder Structure.
- Review and correct low confidence reads: Reviewing and Correcting Low Confidence Reads.