POWER STUDIO

Scheduler

The Scheduler page combines automatic playlist generation defaults, Static Items and macro timing.

Use this page carefully. Scheduler settings can affect future playlists, dynamic content, traffic blocks, syndicated programs and unattended operation.

Scheduler settings should be owned by the people responsible for the broadcast day. A technical administrator can configure the machine behavior, but the music director, program coordinator or traffic administrator should understand the consequences for generated playlists.

Static Items

Static Items are named fixed items that can be used in Clock Formats.

Common examples are:

  • top-of-hour jingles;
  • talk bed items;
  • commercial or program sounders;
  • holiday or event-specific items.

Use clear names that match how programmers talk about the item. If a Static Item is used in a Clock Format, changing or deleting it can affect generated playlists.

See Static Items for daily use.

Static Item Tips

Name Static Items by purpose, not only by file name. For example, TOTH Talk Bed is clearer than bed_01.wav.

Before deleting a Static Item, check whether it is used in Clock Formats, Day Formats or special programming. A missing Static Item can leave a generated playlist incomplete or force a presenter to solve a problem during live operation.

Automatic Playlist Generation

Use Schedule automatic playlist generation on this machine when this computer should generate playlists automatically.

Configure:

  • Start scheduling at: time of day when generation starts.
  • Days in advance: how far ahead playlists are generated.
  • Day formats: default Day Format for Monday through Sunday.

Run automatic generation from one clearly assigned workstation or server. In a multi-computer installation, avoid having several machines generate the same future playlists at the same time.

Generate far enough ahead for weekends, holidays and unattended hours. A station that changes programming late may generate fewer days ahead; a mostly automated station should usually keep more future playlists prepared.

Scheduling Strategy

Use one scheduling machine as the station's normal playlist-generation machine. It should be a machine that is on at the scheduled time, connected to the database and storage, and not routinely shut down by a presenter.

Choose Days in advance based on the station's operating style:

  • 1 day: useful for stations that review tomorrow's playlist daily.
  • 2-3 days: useful for weekends or stations with limited weekend staffing.
  • More days: useful for highly automated stations, but only if music, traffic and program changes are ready that far ahead.

If traffic or syndicated content changes late, avoid generating too far ahead unless the station also has a clear refresh or review workflow.

Day Format Defaults

Number of template lines in new day format controls how many lines a new Day Format starts with.

New day format lines have floating checked controls the default for new Day Format lines.

Floating lines allow songs to finish more naturally. Non-floating lines are better when a station must hit fixed times such as news, traffic, network joins or commercial breaks.

See Format Planner for working with Day Formats and Clock Formats.

Set weekday and weekend defaults deliberately. Many stations have different clocks for weekday daytime, evening, weekend and special programming. The defaults should match the normal broadcast schedule, not a one-off holiday or event.

Macro Timing

Macro pre-request period during playout controls how far ahead Power Studio requests macro content while playing. The default from the application configuration is 300 seconds.

Use enough lead time for downloaded news, commercial blocks, syndicated programs and generated audio to be available before the playlist reaches the item. Increase this value when remote systems are slower or files are large.

Execute macros only on selected machines limits macro execution to specific computers. When enabled, use the machine list to decide which machine name and post fix combinations may execute macros.

New machines execute macros by default controls the default value for newly added machines.

This is important in multi-computer setups. Without a clear rule, two workstations could try to download or render the same dynamic content, or the wrong workstation could perform a task that should happen only on the on-air machine.

Macro timing is especially important for:

  • Power Traffic blocks;
  • syndicated programs downloaded through the Download Item Plugin;
  • generated news or bulletin items;
  • externally rendered promos or commercials;
  • any content that must exist before the playlist reaches it.

Set the pre-request period long enough for the slowest normal provider. If a provider sometimes takes several minutes, do not leave only a few seconds of margin.

Machine List

The machine list contains:

  • Machine name: the Windows computer name.
  • Post fix: the instance-specific configPostFix when multiple instances or transformed configs are used.
  • Execute macros: whether this machine may execute macros when selected-machine execution is enabled.

When a computer runs multiple Power Studio instances, use the post fix to distinguish the instances. This should match the transformed configuration used by that instance.

See Dynamic Content And Macros, Syndicated Programs and Multiple Instances On One Computer.

Use machine restrictions for tasks that must happen exactly once. Typical examples are downloading a syndicated show, resolving a traffic block, rendering a dynamic item or synchronizing content with an external system.

If a machine is replaced, update the machine list before relying on unattended macro execution. The new Windows computer name may not match the old entry.

Operational Checks

After changing Scheduler settings:

  1. Generate a test playlist for a known day.
  2. Check that the expected Day Format is used.
  3. Check Static Items and macro items in the generated playlist.
  4. Confirm only the intended machine executes macros.
  5. Confirm future playlists are not being regenerated unexpectedly by another workstation.
  6. Check a weekend or special-day schedule if those use different Day Formats.

Common Pitfalls

  • Enabling automatic generation on several workstations.
  • Changing weekday Day Format defaults without checking the weekend.
  • Reducing macro pre-request time while using large downloads.
  • Deleting a Static Item that still appears in a Clock Format.
  • Replacing a PC and forgetting to update the machine list.