# The control room

Each output has a control room for running it live: put graphics on air, change their data, run timers and play events.

Open it from the output on the **Outputs** page. The top bar shows the composition and version it plays, and whether the control room is connected.

## Take and Clear

The list on the left holds every component and its instances. Select one, then:

- **Take** puts it on air with that instance's data, playing its In. If the component is already on air, it just takes the new data, playing Change where a trigger field moves.
- **Clear** takes everything off air, playing each component's Out.

The **Program** monitor shows what's on air now.

## Instances

An instance is a component with saved data, such as a lower third for each guest, prepared before the show so a take is one press. Choose **+ Instance** to add one.

Every component has a default instance, which you can edit but not remove. Changing the data of an instance that's on air updates the graphic straight away.

Instances belong to the output, so they stay when the output moves to a newer version of its composition. From code, see [instances](https://docs.airframe.tv/api/list-instances).

## Data and timers

Global and layer data, shared by every component that inherits it, can be changed while graphics are on air. Timer fields have start, pause, reset and set controls, and run on the output's own clock so every switcher shows the same time.

## Keyboard shortcuts

| Keys | Does |
| --- | --- |
| ↑ ↓ | Select the previous or next instance |
| Enter | Take the selected instance |
| Shift + Esc | Clear everything. Shift as well, so a stray Escape never clears air. |

Shortcuts don't fire while you're typing in a field.

## When it's offline

If the control room loses its connection, the status says **Offline** and Take and Clear are disabled until it's back. What's on air carries on: outputs keep playing without the control room.