Polygon Technologies Micro Commander GC0101 User manual

User Manual for GC0101
Applicable to software package Version 7.22and up
Revision: V7.0 Last Edited 7 April 2014
Before Attempting to connect or operate this product, please read these instructions in its entirety
This manual is intended to provide detailed technical specifications and e planations, to the basic
user as well as the more technically-minded person. This manual is a live document, and will be
updated often with new information. Please insure that you have the latest version, by checking our
website at: http://www.gsmcommander.com.
Changelog:
SJD 7 Apr 2014 – Document created.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Features.......................................................................................................3
pecifications................................................................................................4
ystem requirements.......................................................................................4
Dimensions...................................................................................................5
Installation....................................................................................................6
Environment...............................................................................................6
Power Supply...............................................................................................6
USB Port....................................................................................................6
SIM Card....................................................................................................6
Antenna.....................................................................................................7
Software Installation.....................................................................................7
Mounting..................................................................................................10
Optically - Isolated Digital Inputs.....................................................................10
Outputs....................................................................................................12
Battery Input.............................................................................................13
Status LEDs...............................................................................................14
Testing the Micro Commander.........................................................................15
Configuration Via PC......................................................................................15
Configuration via M .....................................................................................18
Set Administrator number..............................................................................19
Clear Administrator number...........................................................................19
Check Administrator number...........................................................................19
Check Airtime............................................................................................19
Add a Number to the list...............................................................................19
Remove a Number from the list.......................................................................20
Enable/Disable statements.............................................................................20
Override GPRS Settings.................................................................................20
Reset GPRS................................................................................................20
Set GPRS logging interval...............................................................................21
Reset Micro Commander................................................................................21
IF-THEN Behaviour statements.........................................................................22
Supported IF Conditions................................................................................22
Supported THEN Actions................................................................................26
Multiple Actions to a Single IF Condition.............................................................28
Message Parameters.......................................................................................28
Timed operations..........................................................................................29
Prepaid Airtime voucher loading.......................................................................29
Firmware Updates.........................................................................................30
Application Examples.....................................................................................31
Troubleshooting............................................................................................33
Guarantee...................................................................................................35
Important Notice / Disclaimer...........................................................................35
Manufacturer Contact Details...........................................................................36
© Polygon Technologies. All rights reserved Page 2

1. FEATURE
* Only able to view the current status of the unit via Airdrive.
© Polygon Technologies. All rights reserved Page 3
Model GPR Enabled Extended Analogs DTMF Decoder IM Card lots
GC0101 1 1 1/1 10 128 16 127 YES* 0 0 YES NO NO Single
GC0321 2 2 12/12 32 250 64 127 YES* 2 1 YES NO NO Single
GC0641 2 2 22/22 64 512 128 127 YES 2 1 YES YES YES Single
GC1281 2 2 32/32 128 512 128 127 YES 2 1 YES YES YES Dual
Matrix Feature Descriptions
Model The code used to define between the various units functionality and capabilities
The number of inputs provided on the base unit itself
The number of outputs provided on the base unit itself
The ma imum total number of phone numbers that can be programmed into the unit
The ma imum total number of messages that can be programmed into the unit
GPR Enabled
The number of temperature probes the base unit can accept
0-10v Analog Inputs The number of analog Inputs available
The ability to detect power failures and monitor a connected battery.
Extended Analogs
DTMF Decoder
IM Card lots
Onboard Inputs Onboard Outputs Expandable Inputs/Outputs Max Number of tatements Max number of Phone Numbers Max number of Messages Max Length of Messages Temp probes upported 0-10v Analog Inputs Battery / Power Monitor
Onboard Inputs
Onboard Outputs
Expandable
Inputs/Outputs
The ma imum total number of Inputs/Outputs that can be e panded to by fitting
e pansion units
Max Number of
tatements
A measure of the amount of comple ity that can be programmed into the unit. Each
statement is of the form IF <ABC happens> THEN <do something>, such as IF Input 1 goes
Active, THEN send “Generator Tripped” to “0831231234”
Max Number of
Phone Numbers
Max Number of
Messages
Max Number of
tatements
The ma imum total number of behaviour statements that can be programmed into the
unit
If yes, the unit is able to be registered onto the AirDrive Platform which can allow it to log
it's status, log it's events,have remote config and remote output control via GPRS.
Temp Probes
upported
Battery / Power
Monitor
Allows the possibility to connect an Analog E pansion unit which will provide an additional
8 analog inputs
If YES, the unit is able to recognize (and respond to) key presses on a remote phone
during a voice call.
If Single, the unit has only a single SIMcard slot. If the SIMcard in that slot becomes faulty
or the associated network goes down, the unit loses communication ability. If Dual, the
unit can switch over to a secondary SIMcard if it detects problems on the primary SIMcard,
thus greatly enhancing reliability.

2. PECIFICATION
Weight 100gram
Dimensions 125,7 71,9 26mm
Power upply 10-14V DC via DC Jack
Power Consumption ~ 2.5W
Current Consumption ~ 50mA at idle (no inputs or outputs active)
Operating Temperature -10°C to +60°C
torage Temperature -20°C to +80°C
Digital Input
Opto-isolated. Inputs draw 2 - 45mA, depending on
voltage. Can accept any DC signals of any type,
including:
➢Dry Contacts
➢Open Collector (NPN)
➢Closed Collector (PNP)
➢DC Voltage (3 - 20V)
Digital Output 1 SPDT Relay Contact rating: 8Amp DC (10 - 48V) or
4amp AC (110 – 400V). E pandable to ma imum of 32*
IO Connector type Pluggable terminals
G M-850/900MHz Output Power Class 4 +33dBm (2W)
G M-850/900MHz ensitivity -107dBm
G M-1800/PC -1900 Output
Power Class 1 +30dBm (1W)
G M-1800/PC -1900 ensitivity -106dBm
3. Y TEM REQUIREMENT
The setup software requires a PC with the following specifications:
Operating system Win2000 / WinXP / Vista / Win7 / Win8
Computer Architecture Pentium 2 or higher IBM compatible PC
Disk space 20MB
Ports 1 free USB port
© Polygon Technologies. All rights reserved Page 4

4. DIMEN ION
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5. IN TALLATION
5.1. Environment
Due to the make-up of the Micro Commander and it's electronics, we TRONGLY advise that it not be
installed in close pro imity to a variable speed drive or any other electrically noisy equipment. DO
NOT install the Micro Commander into a metal enclosure unless an antenna is mounted on the
outside of the enclosure.
5.2. Power upply
The Micro Commander has a 2.1mm DC jack connector where a power supply must be connected.
The power supply should have the following specifications:
•Output Voltage: 14V nominal
•Output Current: 0.5A
•Polarity:
A suitable power supply is supplied with the retail product.
In industrial applications, it is advised that the Micro Commander be installed into its own
metal housing and be powered from a separate power supply with a DC Filter. (As opposed to
sharing one with other e uipment).
Please Note: While the Micro Commander has fairly rugged internal power supply circuitry, no
special provision for lightning protection is made. If the Micro Commander is used in an area that is
prone to thunderstorms, it is advisable to use a commercially available lightning suppressor (The
same applies to inputs or outputs that are connected to wires longer than 2 or 3 meters).
The guarantee does not cover damage resulting from lightning strikes!
5.3. U B Port
The Micro Commander provides a USB port that connects to a PC using the supplied USB cable. This
allows the PC to configure the unit.
5.4. IM Card
The Micro Commander accepts a standard GSM SIM card from any network. The SIM card may be
prepaid or on contract. If the SIM Card is purchased as part of a prepaid plan, ensure than the card
is loaded with sufficient airtime.
WARNING: DO NOT Insert or remove the SIM card while the Micro Commander is powered!!
Note that airtime will decrease with every SMS that is sent from the unit. The unit can
automatically detect if the airtime is running low. It is user's responsibility to make sure than the
airtime is topped up. See your network's documentation on how to purchase and load airtime.
The SIM card is fitted into the back of the unit, as indicated by the legend on the enclosure. The SIM
card will click into place and is removed simply by pressing against it. The card will pop out with a
“click” sound, ready to be completely removed.
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Before you install your IM Card:
•Install the SIM card into a normal cellular phone
•Verify that there is no IM PIN enabled (The phone must not ask for a PIN when switched on with
this SIM card inside) If the phone does request a PIN, you need to enter the correct pin so that
the phone can start, and then disable the SIM Card PIN. See your cellphone documentation on
how this can be done.
•Verify that you are able to send an M message.
The SIM card will now work with the Micro Commander.
Please Note: If you are using a prepaid SIM card, be aware that if the SIM card has not produced a
billable event on the network for a long period of time (typically 3 months), the card will be de-
activated by the network, and the SIM card then becomes useless. It is strongly recommended that
you configure the Micro Commander to send you an SMS every now and then (once or twice a week)
so that your SIM card remains active on the network.
The Micro Commander can ONLY check the airtime of a PREPAID SIM card.
5.5. Antenna
The Micro Commander is supplied with a basic antenna operating in the G M 900MHz and 1800MHz
frequency bands. Screw the antenna to its connector on the unit (only finger-tight). Verify using a
cellphone, that there is sufficient signal at the proposed installation site. On a phone with a 4 or 5-
bar signal strength indicator, you should have at least 1-2 bars of signal.
If the signal is too weak, the Micro Commander may have trouble sending or receiving SMS messages.
In these cases, try and find a better location, or order one of our special antennas.
If you are outside South Africa, you may require a different antenna.
The other frequency bands are:
➢G M 850MHz
➢PC -1900MHz
Your network will be able to tell you which frequency band(s) are in use. Contact your local
electronics supplier about antennas that operate in the 850MHz or 1900MHz bands.
Contact Polygon Technologies with your request for a special antenna.
5.6. oftware Installation
The latest software is supplied on a CD with the product and is also available to download from our
website for free at: http://www.gsmcommander.com/
The setup program will start automatically, or if the autorun feature is not enabled on your PC, you
may run the “setup.e e” e ecutable file on the CD to start the setup process. The software has
been tested to work on Windows XP, Windows Vista, Win7, Win8.
The setup process for Windows 7 has been documented here, but the process is similar in the other
versions of Windows.
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creen 1:
Click
creen 2:
It is recommended that you leave the
install path at the default location.
Click
creen 3:
Click
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creen 4:
Installation is in progress.
creen 5:
Installation has been completed
successfully. Click
creen 6:
Click
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5.7. Mounting
The Micro Commander is housed in a very durable ABS casing which has 4 protruding tabs, which
allows it to be mounted firmly to any surface by means of a screw. There is also a DINrail mounting
kit available separately.
Please note: The Micro Commander is not water- or weatherproof. The Micro Commander must be
mounted indoors, or inside an appropriate IP65-rated weatherproof enclosure. The guarantee does
not cover damage resulting from water ingress! DO NOT mount the Micro Commander inside a steel
cabinet, unless you also mount a separate antenna on the outside of the cabinet.
Suitable antennas can be ordered from Polygon Technologies.
5.8. Optically - Isolated Digital Inputs
The Micro Commander itself provides 1 signal inputs. The input has the following 4 terminals:
+– Internal positive supply (14V)
+IN – Positive input
–IN – Negative input
–– Internal negative supply (Zero volts)
To connect a switch or contact to an input, simply connect the switch between the + and +IN
terminals, and a wire between the – and –IN terminals. The reverse is just as suitable, i.e. that you
connect a wire between + and +IN and place the switch between – and –IN.
You may need an input to activate when power is supplied from some other unit. A good e ample
will be a burglar alarm that applies power to the wires going to the siren. In such a case, it will be a
simple matter of connecting the positive wire to the +IN input, and the negative wire to the –IN
input.
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Please keep in mind that this input is designed for 3V to 20V operation. If you require to connect a
voltage above 20V to these terminals, you should connect a resistor in series with the input, as
shown below.
Input Voltage range Required eries resistor:
20V – 40V DC 1K ohm
The + and – terminals are connected to the input power supply of the Micro Commander, and are
provided to make it easy to connect dry contacts to the Micro Commander.
If the power supply is 14V, the voltage at the + and – terminals will be slightly less at about 13.8V
(due to an internal series diode for reverse polarity protection).
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Here is a schematic of the input circuit used on the Micro Commander:
Drawing power for external hardware from the power terminals on the input:
One should not attempt to draw more than 50-100mA in total from the power terminals at the inputs
on the Micro Commander.
5.9. Outputs
The Micro Commander itself provides 1 8A (DC) Relay outputs. The output has the following 3
terminals:
Each of these inputs each have 3 terminals associated with them:
COM – Common Terminal
N/C – Normally Closed Terminal
N/O – Normally Open Terminal
When the output is off, the COM and N/C terminals will be internally connected to each other.
When the output is on, the COM and N/O terminals will be internally connected to each other.
Note that there are small LED indicators ne t to the output terminals, that will show if the output is
ON or OFF. (if the LED is on, then the output is also on)In the picture below, the output is connected
so that the lamp will light up when the output is on.
This output can be used to control devices and appliances, and is rated for 8A DC. It may be used to
control most types of electrical loads, e cluding AC motors above 500W.
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Here are some e amples of things you CAN directly switch on and off using the output on the Micro
Commander:
•Gate motors and any other motor less than 500W
•Mains Lights (energy savers, incandescents, halogens) (ma imum 750W)
Here are some e amples of things that you can NOT directly switch on and off using the output on
the Micro Commander:
•Ovens, Heaters, kettles
•Pumps and motors above 500W
Please note: Keep in mind that if required, the above loads can easily be switched on and off using
an e ternally connected relay or contactor.
5.10. Battery Input
The Micro Commander provides connections for an e ternal rechargeable 12V battery. Under normal
circumstances, the Micro Commander will trickle-charge the battery at a current of about 60mA. In
the case of a power failure, the Micro Commander then starts drawing power from the battery to
continue operating.
In the case of a power failure, the Micro Commander can continue operating from the e ternal
battery. The unit can be configured to perform certain tasks (like sending a warning SMS) if the
battery voltage falls below a certain point, and can also perform tasks in the case of a power
failure. (Like sending an SMS and switching on emergency lighting)
In cases where the Micro Commander is used in conjunction with a large system with its own battery
(such as UPS systems), the battery terminals of the Micro Commander can be safely connected to
the large (12V) battery, and the Micro Commander can then monitor the battery voltage for you
(only while power is NOT supplied to the power input connector).
Also, in cases where the user may want to connect other hardware directly to the battery, be aware
that this will probably drain the battery, since the charging current from the Micro Commander is so
low. Other hardware should rather be connected to the power terminals provided at the inputs.
(See section 5.8 for more information on this).
Internal to the Micro Commander, the Battery terminal is wired with a 47ohm resistor between the +
Batt terminal and the positive power supplied to the Micro Commander. There is a diode in parallel
with this resistor (cathode facing to the battery) to allow the Micro Commander to draw power from
the battery under power-fail conditions.
A resettable fuse has now also been added to give the Battery terminal added protection against
voltage spikes and short circuits.
Suitable batteries are available from Polygon Technologies.
© Polygon Technologies. All rights reserved Page 13

5.11. tatus LEDs
The Micro Commander has 2 LEDs to show the current status of the Micro Commander. The red LED,
labelled “GSM”, shows the status of the internal GSM cellular engine, while the green LED, labelled
“STATUS”, shows the status of the Micro Commander as a whole.
The following table shows how one can determine the current status:
GREEN LED ( TATU )
➢ Solid On
: Busy Booting
➢ on for 500ms, off for 500ms (slow flash)
: All OK
➢ on for 200ms, off for 200ms (fast flash)
: Airtime running low
➢ on for 10ms, off for 500ms (2 short flashes per second)
: Signal is low
➢ on for 50ms, off for 50ms (very fast flash)
: Problem with GSM engine
➢ on for 100ms, off for 500ms, on for 100ms, off for 500ms,
on for 500ms, off for 500ms (2 short and 1 long flash)
: Setup is corrupt
➢ on for 50ms, off for 100ms, on for 50ms, off for 100ms,
on for 50ms, off for 1000ms (3 short flashes)
: Supply voltage below 9,5V
RED LED (G M)
➢ OFF : GSM engine OFF
➢ on for 600ms, off for 600ms (1 flash per second)
: GSM engine not finding network
➢ on for 75ms, off for 3000ms (1 flash every 3 seconds)
: GSM engine registered OK
➢ on for 600ms, off for 600ms (1 flash per second)
: GSM busy with a voice-call
© Polygon Technologies. All rights reserved Page 14

5.12. Testing the Micro Commander
5.12.1. Status Request
The Micro Commander (even with a blank configuration) has a built-in test feature. If the Micro
Commander receives “TE T G MC” as an SMS message, it will reply to the number that sent the
message, with the following te t:
DT=01/01/2013-12:00:00 < Indicates current date & time of the Micro Commander
ig=68% < Indicates the received signal strength
Airt=35 < Indicates the amount of airtime remaining
FW=7.14 < Indicates the firmware version
N=140101-30225 < Indicates the serial number
PWR=On < Indicates status of mains power
Batt=13.2V < Indicates voltage of battery (if connected)
IN1= 0 < Indicates status of inputs 1 and 2 (0 = active, 1 = inactive)
OUT1 = 0 < Indicates status of outputs1 and 2 (0 = active, 1 = inactive)
Please Note: The airtime remaining will be displayed as “Airt=???” if airtime checking has been
disabled or the incorrect network operator has been chosen in the current setup.
6. CONFIGURATION VIA PC
6.1. Basics
The following is required to configure the Micro Commander:
➢A PC running Windows XP / Vista / Windows 7 / Windows 8
➢Setup utility installed on the PC (A ailable on the CD supplied with the product)
➢USB cable (Pro ided)
➢Power supply (See 5.2)
➢Antenna (See 5.5)
➢SIM card(s) (See 5.4)
Please note: The Micro Commander will eventually startup if no SIM card is inserted, but there
would be no GSM functionality, which means none of the GSM features will work.
© Polygon Technologies. All rights reserved Page 15

Follow these steps:
tep 1:
Insert SIM card into unit
tep 2:
Connect Micro Commander to PC via the supplied USB cable
tep 3:
Connect power to the Micro Commander
tep 4:
Run the Utility (Start > All Programs > GSM Commander V7 0101 > Configure GSM Commander)
The software will show this screen when
started. Here you can select whether you
would prefer opening an e isting setup from
a file on your PC, retrieve the setup
currently on the Micro Commander, just
open to the main screen or launch an older
version of the software.
6.2. oftware Tabs
The mart etup utility software has been designed to make the configuration process of the Micro
Commander as easy and user-friendly as possibly.
With this in mind the software has been divided into the following tabs:
➢Numbers
➢Messages
➢Behaviour Statements
➢Settings
➢IO Names
➢Lock Setup
➢Status
© Polygon Technologies. All rights reserved Page 16

6.2.1. Numbers Tab
This tab allows the user to program the Micro Commander with the numbers they wish the Micro
Commander to communicate with and listen to. The FIRST number in the list is defined as the
ADMINISTRATOR number. Only the Administrator may send configuration SMS messages to the
device.
Please Note: The user should adjust the sliding bar at the bottom of the screen to reserve space
for numbers to be added/removed via SMS. (See sec 7.6)
6.2.2. Messages Tab
This tab allows the user to program the Micro Commander with the messages they wish the Micro
Commander to respond to and respond with either via SMS, serial port or GPRS*.
6.2.3. Behaviour tatements Tab
This tab allows the user to program the Micro Commander with a number of trigger conditions.
(See chapter 8)
6.2.4. ettings Tab
This tab allows the user to configure the following:
➢Network Service and GPRS Settings
➢Enable/Disable Simcard Pin
➢Enable/Disable Periodic Automatic GSM Reset
➢Show Debug Comms
➢Manually send an SMS via the Micro Commander
➢Write Recipient and IO Names to device
➢Change application size (pi el dimensions of software)
6.2.5. IO Names Tab
This tab allows the user to rename the input and output to something that means a little more.
Please Note: These IO Name changes will be stored in the setup that is saved to file, but will ONLY
be stored in the setup that is saved to the Micro Commander if enabled under Settings Tab.
6.2.6. Lock etup
This tab allows the user to password protect tabs from being accessed as well as the option to save
a new setup to the Micro Commander. This feature comes in handy when an installer doesn't want
the end-user to be able to make changes under certain tabs.
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6.2.7. tatus Tab
This tab allows the user to monitor the status of Micro Commander (while connected to PC) with
regards to:
➢Active SIM
➢GSM Status
➢GPRS Status
➢Power Status
➢Current Battery Voltage
➢Signal Strength
➢Airtime Balance Available (provided network settings are correct)
➢Date / Time
➢Status of Behaviour Statements
➢Inputs/Outputs Status
7. CONFIGURATION VIA M
The Micro Commander provides functionality to provide some configuration changes to be done via
SMS message (from the administrator number only). Note that the unit cannot be setup by SMS only.
A PC is still required to perform the initial setup. Thereafter, some simple changes to the setup may
be done using SMS messages.
Please note: The Configuration SMS is NOT case sensitive.
The following operations can be performed via SMS message:
➢Set Administrator number
➢Clear Administrator number
➢Check Administrator number
➢Check Airtime
➢Add a number to the list
➢Remove a number from the list
➢Enable/Disable statements
➢Configure GPRS settings
➢Reset GPRS
➢Set GPRS logging interval
➢Reset Micro Commander
© Polygon Technologies. All rights reserved Page 18

7.1. et Administrator number
This command can ONLY be sent from the administrator number(if one e ists), otherwise it can be
sent from any number .
ADMIN SETADM 0831234567
This will store “0831234567” as the new administrator number. The Micro Commander will reply
with a confirmation message.
7.2. Clear Administrator number
This command can ONLY be sent from the administrator number.
ADMIN CLRADM
This will remove the current administrator number. The Micro Commander will reply with a
confirmation message.
7.3. Check Administrator number
This command can be sent from ANY number, and is useful to determine which number is the correct
administrator number.
ADMIN?
The Micro Commander will reply with the administrator number in the reply message.
7.4. Check Airtime
This command can be sent from ANY number, and is useful to check the amount of airtime remaining
on the unit. To check airtime, you must send:
ATCHECK
The Micro Commander will reply with a message detailing the current airtime.
7.5. Add a Number to the list*
This command can only be sent from the administrator number. To add a number to the list, the
administrator must send:
ADMIN ADDN 0831234567
The Micro Commander will reply with a confirmation message.
*Please Note: The value predefined by the user via the software under the “Numbers Tab” (as
illustrated below), will determine how many numbers are able to be added and removed by means
of SMS.
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7.6. Remove a Number from the list
This command can only be sent from the administrator number. To remove a number
([phone]) from the list, the administrator must send:
ADMIN REMN 0831234567
The Micro Commander will reply with a confirmation message.
7.7. Enable/Disable statements
This command can only be sent from the administrator number. To enable or disable a specific
statement in the setup on the Micro Commander, the administrator must send:
ADMIN STATEMENT 8 ON or ADMIN STATEMENT 8 OFF
This will either enable(ON) or disable(OFF) statement 8 respectively. The Micro Commander will
reply with a confirmation message.
7.8. Override GPR ettings
This set of commands allows you to override the GPRS settings that the Micro Commander may have
been configured with and can only be sent from the administrator number. These override settings
are non-volatile, which means their effect will remain after power has been cycled.
To configure the Micro Commander to connect to server via a South African network you must send:
ADMIN GPRSSETUP PRODUCTION
To turn off GPRS functionality you must send:
ADMIN GPRSSETUP OFF
To disable any override, and go back to whatever settings were specified by the configuration, you
must send:
ADMIN GPRSSETUP SETUP
If you need to specify the username and password of your PN( ccess Point Network) you must send:
ADMIN SETSERVER: "<apn>" "<username>" "<password>" "UCGPBUPGVQZG"
The Micro Commander will reply with a confirmation message for each of the above.
7.9. Reset GPR
This command can only be sent from the administrator number. To re-open GPRS you must send:
RESET GPRS
The Micro Commander will reply with a confirmation message.
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