# Pathfinder Panels for Bitfocus Companion — Installation

Control Lawo/Axia PathfinderCore PRO user panels and Lawo Quasar console
faders from any Companion surface (Stream Deck, X-keys, web buttons, …).

## Requirements

- **Bitfocus Companion 5.0 or newer** (Windows, macOS, or Linux x64/arm64)
- **.NET 8 Runtime** on the Companion machine (needed by the licensing
  library). Download the ".NET Runtime 8.0.x" installer matching your OS and
  CPU from https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/8.0
- A **Cloudcast Systems licence serial** (supplied with this package), and
  outbound HTTPS from the Companion machine for the one-time activation
- Network access from the Companion machine to your PathfinderCore PRO server

## Install

1. Open the Companion admin UI → **Modules** page.
2. Click **Import module package** and select
   `ccs-pathfindercore-panels-<version>.tgz`.
3. Go to **Connections** → **Add connection** → search "Pathfinder" →
   add **Lawo / Axia: PathfinderCore PRO; Quasar**.

## Configure

1. **Panel URL** — paste the user-panel URL exactly as the web client opens
   it, e.g. `https://your-pfcore/userpanelframemin.php?panel=MyPanel&page=index`.
2. **Username / Password** — panel login (defaults `panels` / `panels`).
3. **Licence serial** — enter the serial supplied by Cloudcast Systems and
   **Save**. Activation takes a few seconds; the connection status turns
   green **OK** when licensed. The licence binds to the Companion machine
   and covers every Pathfinder connection on it.

Until licensed the module runs **read-only**: button colours, text and
variables mirror the panel live, but presses and fader moves are blocked and
the connection shows a yellow warning with the reason.

## Use

- **Presets** (Buttons page → Presets → Pathfinder Panels) give you
  ready-made buttons for every control discovered on the panel — painted
  with the panel's own colours, with live text and indicator behaviour.
  Drag them onto the grid.
- Or build buttons by hand: add the **Panel button: press** action, then the
  **Panel control: use styling from panel** feedback to mirror the panel's
  look.
- Panel edits made in the Pathfinder panel designer (text, colours, new
  controls) are picked up automatically within ~15 seconds.

The full reference (all actions, feedbacks, variables, console fader
control, troubleshooting) is in the module's built-in help — click the
question mark on the connection.

## Support

Cloudcast Systems — https://github.com/cloudcastsystemsau/pathfinder-deck/issues