What is the Stream Deck plugin?
The Cuez Automator Stream Deck plugin lets you control and monitor the Automator directly from an Elgato Stream Deck - triggers, prompter, macros, timers, and any other Automator API endpoint.
Note: Stream Deck app version 7.1 or newer is required (macOS 12+ or Windows 10+), and the Automator must be reachable over the network from the computer running Stream Deck.
Where to get it
The plugin is published on the Elgato Marketplace:
How to install
Open the Stream Deck app.
Go to the 'Plugins' tab (top right, next to 'Keys').
Search for 'Cuez Automator', or open the Marketplace link above and click 'Install' - this opens the Stream Deck app and starts the install.
Once installed, the plugin appears in the action list on the right under a 'Cuez Automator' category, with two actions underneath it: 'Automator Command' and 'Current / Next Block'.
Note: Nothing needs to be installed or configured on the Automator side - the plugin runs alongside Stream Deck and talks to the Automator's existing API.
Keeping it up to date
It's worth checking for plugin updates from time to time: open the 'Plugins' tab in the Stream Deck app and look for an update prompt next to 'Cuez Automator'. New Automator commands and fixes land there as plugin updates, same as any other Stream Deck plugin.
Connecting to the Automator
The Cuez Automator plugin contains two main actions, both actions share the same connection fields. You can drag an action onto a key, then enter the 'Automator IP' (default 'localhost' or '127.0.0.1') and 'Port' (default '7070') once - every Cuez Automator key on that Stream Deck uses the same connection.
You can use the Automator machine's IP instead of 'localhost' if Stream Deck is running on a different computer.
Testing the connection
The 'Test connection' button checks the setup end to end: that the host resolves, that the port is open, that the Automator's HTTP API responds, and that the live WebSocket connection opens. It reports a clear pass/fail ("✓ Connected to the Automator at host:port") plus a diagnostic log - plugin version, Stream Deck version, Node version, platform, and each check's result - useful to copy into a support request if something doesn't connect.
Automator Command
One key, one Automator command. Pick a 'Command' from the dropdown, grouped by category:
Trigger: Next, Previous, Next trigger, Previous trigger, First trigger, Step by index, Trigger block by ID, Trigger shortcut
Cuez deck buttons: Press button, Switch button click, Switch button ON, Switch button OFF
Prompter: Prompter to start, Prompter goto trigger ID, Prompter black ON, Prompter black OFF
Macro: Fire macro
Timers: Start a timer, Stop a timer, Stop all timers
Episode: Load an episode, Unload episode
Configuration: Select a configuration
App: Check API connection
Picking a parameter
Some commands need a 'Parameter'. When the Automator can list the options itself, a dropdown appears, pulled live from the current project - for example, 'Press button' lists the actual CuezDeck button names defined there. The dropdown has its own refresh button next to it.
For an ID that's episode-specific (a block ID or prompter trigger ID), you can enter it as plain text instead - found via the 'blockcontent' endpoint in the API docs.
Macros
'Fire macro' works the same way: its 'Parameter' dropdown lists the actual macros defined in the current project (for example graphics or overlay macros like 'Lower Third', 'All Overlays OFF', or 'Flowics Overlays OUT').
Picking a macro also draws one field per variable it defines, labelled with a * if required:
A checkbox for boolean variables
A dropdown for enum variables
A text field for everything else
Each field shows its default value as a placeholder when it has one. Leaving a field empty uses the macro's own default.
Custom path
For anything not covered by the dropdown, the 'Custom path' field overrides the command entirely - any path from the Automator API docs. Non-GET requests need a PATCH, POST, or DELETE prefix.
The key itself gives feedback: a checkmark when a command lands successfully, a warning icon when it doesn't.
Current / Next Block
This action turns a key into a live display instead of a trigger, kept in sync over a live connection to the Automator rather than refreshing on a timer. You can choose:
Show: 'Block on now' or 'Next block'
Show field: the specific field to display - the options are whatever fields the loaded rundown template defines (for example Block title, Title, Host 1 Name, Studio Monitor, CAM, Lower Third, Bug, and others), not a fixed list. A refresh button next to it reloads the options if we change template.
On the key face:
The on-air block shows with a magenta/pink border and an "ON NOW" badge
The next block shows with a cyan border and a "NEXT" badge
An empty field shows a blank key; a dash means nothing is cued at all
If the Automator becomes unreachable, the key shows a warning icon and "NO LINK"
Troubleshooting
If a key doesn't respond:
Check the warning icon on the key itself
Run 'Test connection' in the Property Inspector and read the diagnostic log it produces
Confirm the Automator is online and reachable at the configured IP and port
Confirm the Stream Deck app is version 7.1 or above, and that the plugin itself is up to date