The AI-Native Device Platform
User Manual

Web-Based SSH Terminal

This page provides a secure, web-based terminal interface for interacting directly with your connected device using SSH commands. It allows you to execute commands, view output, manage sessions, and access advanced terminal functionalities.

Web-Based SSH Terminal

Summary

The Web-Based SSH Terminal offers a powerful way to directly control your connected device using SSH (Secure Shell) commands. This interface allows you to send commands, view real-time output, manage multiple terminal sessions, and access various tools for efficient device interaction, all within your web browser.

Page Access

You can access this page by navigating to: /devices_connect

Page Functionalities

The Web-Based SSH Terminal provides a direct interface to control your connected device. Here are its main features and how you can interact with them:

Terminal Display Area

This is the main window where you will see the output of your commands and messages from the device. When you first connect, you might see an "Initializing terminal" message while the connection is being established.

Command Input Field & Send Button

At the bottom of the page, you'll find a text field labeled "Enter a command." Type your desired Linux commands here. To execute a command, either press the Enter key on your keyboard or click the Send button located next to the input field. While a command is being processed, the Send button will display a spinning circle.

Top Menu Bar

Located at the top of the terminal area, this bar offers various tools for session management:

  • Collapse / Expand Menu Bar: This icon allows you to hide or show the full menu bar. Collapsing it provides more space for the terminal display. When collapsed, it shows the text "SSH Console" with a tooltip.
  • Switch Terminal Window: (For non-shared devices only) This feature allows you to manage up to four separate terminal sessions simultaneously. Click the icon to reveal numbered circles (1-4); clicking a number switches to that terminal window.
  • Activate / Deactivate Administrator User: (For non-shared devices only) Use this icon to elevate or revoke administrative privileges for your current session, allowing you to run commands that require elevated permissions.
  • Copy Selected Text: If you select text within the terminal display, clicking this icon copies it to your computer's clipboard. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+C (macOS).
  • Paste Text: Click this icon to paste text from your computer's clipboard directly into the command input field. The keyboard shortcut Ctrl+V (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+V (macOS) also works. This functionality is generally not available for demo shared devices.
  • Disconnect Terminal Session: Clicking this icon will immediately end your current SSH connection to the device.

Intelligent Chat Button

The Chat button, located on the far right of the top menu bar, allows you to switch from the direct SSH terminal to an intelligent chat-based interface for interacting with your device.

Shared Device Banner

For certain shared devices (e.g., demo devices), an informational blue banner may appear at the top of the terminal area. This banner provides important details about your access. You can close it by clicking the close icon.

Command Sending Error Notification

If there's an issue sending your command, a temporary message "Error sending command - try again (press enter)" will appear at the bottom of the screen. This indicates a temporary communication problem.

Scenario Executions

Possible usage steps within this page

Scenario: Basic Command Execution

  1. Ensure the terminal is initialized and ready (the "Initializing terminal" message is gone).
  2. Type a command, for example, ls -l, into the "Enter a command" field.
  3. Press the Enter key on your keyboard or click the Send button.
  4. Expected Outcome: The terminal display shows the output of the ls -l command, listing files and directories on your device.

Scenario: Copying and Pasting Text

  1. After executing a command, select some of the output text in the terminal display with your mouse.
  2. Click the Copy icon in the top menu bar (or use Ctrl+C / Cmd+C).
  3. Click into the "Enter a command" field.
  4. Click the Paste icon in the top menu bar (or use Ctrl+V / Cmd+V).
  5. Expected Outcome: The copied text appears in the "Enter a command" field. You can then edit or send this text.

Scenario: Switching Terminal Windows (for non-shared devices)

  1. Click the Switch Terminal Window icon in the top menu bar.
  2. Numbered circles (1, 2, 3, 4) will appear below the menu bar.
  3. Click on one of the numbers, for example, "2".
  4. Expected Outcome: The terminal view switches to a new, clean terminal session (window 2). You can repeat to switch back or to other windows.

Scenario: Disconnecting the Session

  1. Click the Disconnect Terminal Session icon in the top menu bar.
  2. Expected Outcome: A temporary message "Disconnecting terminal session" appears, and your connection to the device is terminated. The terminal may become unresponsive or display a disconnection message.

Scenario: Accessing the Intelligent Chat Terminal

  1. Click the Chat button on the far right of the top menu bar.
  2. Expected Outcome: The interface changes from the direct SSH terminal to the intelligent chat terminal, where you can interact with your device using natural language.

Possible errors which may occur on this page

Error: Command Sending Failed

Why it happens: This typically occurs due to a temporary network interruption between your browser and the device, or if the command could not be processed by the device for some reason.

What to do: A message "Error sending command - try again (press enter)" will appear. Simply re-type or re-submit your command. If the issue persists, check your internet connection or the device's status.

Error: Terminal Becomes Unresponsive (Session Expired/Disconnected)

Why it happens: If your session has been inactive for too long, for security reasons, it might automatically expire and disconnect. Alternatively, a network issue might have caused an unexpected disconnection.

What to do: You will notice that commands you type do not produce any output, and the send button might not respond. You will need to refresh the page or navigate back to the device connection screen to establish a new SSH session.

Error: "Permission denied" when executing a command

Why it happens: Some commands require special administrative privileges to run. If your current session does not have these privileges, the device will reject the command.

What to do: (For non-shared devices only) In the top menu bar, click the Activate / Deactivate Administrator User icon to elevate your privileges, then try the command again. Remember to deactivate admin mode when no longer needed for security.

Error: No Paste Option for Shared Demo Devices

Why it happens: For security and demonstration purposes, some shared demo devices are configured to prevent pasting commands directly into the terminal. This ensures users only execute pre-defined or manually typed commands.

What to do: If you are using a shared demo device, the paste icon will be unavailable. You must type commands manually.

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