Flow Tool
Visualize and document signal flow across your production — statically as a diagram, or live as a network topology.
The Flow Tool has two modes: Signal Flow, where you author a diagram of every device, cable, and port in your production; and Live Topology, where you watch every PRISMATIK machine on the LAN in real time.
Overview
Flow Tool is built on top of React Flow. The Signal Flow mode is freeform — you place devices on a canvas, drag connections between their ports, and the result is a node graph you can export and print. The Live Topology mode is not a freeform canvas — it’s a live read of the network, redrawn on every mDNS update.
Use the view-mode toggle at the top of the page to switch between the two.
Layers
Signal Flow supports multiple layers per show — typically Video, Audio, Lighting, Network, Power — so you can author the diagram for each signal type independently and toggle them on/off as needed. The Layers dropdown in the toolbar controls visibility.
Diagrams
You can author multiple flow diagrams per show — one for the main stage, one for FOH, one for the production office, etc. Diagrams are saved with the show and travel with it across machines.
When to Use
Use Signal Flow mode when:
- Documenting a production for handover or compliance
- Planning a build before site arrival
- Tracing a signal path during troubleshooting
- Exporting a PDF for the production binder
Use Live Topology mode when:
- Running a multi-machine venue
- Commissioning a fresh installation
- Confirming peers see each other on the LAN
- Identifying a machine that dropped mid-show
See the dedicated Live Topology page for the network view in detail.
Step-by-Step — Signal Flow
- Open Flow Tool from the home screen.
- Confirm you’re in Signal Flow mode (default).
- Click + Add Device in the toolbar (or right-click the canvas) to add a device from your Show Elements.
- Choose a layer to draw on from the Layers dropdown — start with Video if you’re building a video signal flow.
- Drag from one device’s output port to another device’s input port to create a connection.
- Click any connection and press Delete to remove it.
- Use the zoom controls to navigate (or scroll wheel to zoom, click-drag to pan).
- Save the show — the diagram persists with it.
Step-by-Step — Live Topology
See Live Topology for the full walkthrough.
Common Workflows
Authoring a video signal flow
- Make sure your media servers, switchers, and displays are in your Show Elements (Manifest).
- Add them to the canvas one by one.
- Connect outputs → inputs along the path the signal takes (media server → matrix → distribution → wall).
- If you have redundant paths (primary/secondary chains), use a second layer.
- Export to PDF for the production binder.
Multi-diagram production
For a large multi-stage festival, create one diagram per stage. The Diagram dropdown switches between them, and each diagram has its own layer state.
Documenting after the fact
If your devices are already in Manifest with port specs, the Device Selector dialog will offer them with their correct port counts pre-populated. This is the fastest way to document a build that already exists.
Tips & Shortcuts
- Right-click the canvas to add a device at the cursor position.
- Click and drag between port handles to draw a connection.
- Delete key removes the selected connection or node.
- Layers are independent — you can have a fully-connected video graph and a sparse lighting graph in the same diagram.
- Print Flow Node is a special node type that renders cleanly to paper — use it for production binder exports.
- The Custom Flow Node type lets you add free-form annotations (room labels, rack locations, notes).
Troubleshooting
My connections aren’t sticking.
- You need to drag from a port handle (the small circle on a device card), not from the card body. Hover over the device until the port handles appear.
The device I want isn’t in the selector.
- It needs to exist in your Show Elements first. Open Manifest and add it there, then come back.
Nothing shows up when I switch to Live Topology.
- See Live Topology troubleshooting. Most often mDNS is blocked on the network.
Diagram exports look squashed.
- Use Fit View before exporting. The PDF renders at the current viewport, so you want everything visible first.
Related Tools
- Live Topology — the live-network counterpart to Signal Flow.
- Manifest — the source of truth for every device that appears in Flow Tool. Port counts and specs come from here.
- Pixel Map Generator — frequently authored alongside video flow to plan output canvases.
- Signal Flow Report — printable report version of the flow diagram (use this for production binders).
Source
Component: FlowTool