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Playlists

This configuration section contains all settings related to the playlist(s) in the playout app.

This section is only available in the standalone configuration app. not the live configuration.

On the Playlists page, specify the desired number of playlists you want in the playout app. mAirList supports any number of playlists (also zero for cartwall-only setups), but most users will have one playlist.

For each playlist, a Playlist (number) item will appear in the menu on the left.

Playlist

This page contains the following tabs:

General

  • Player count: Specify the number of players to be used with this playlist (at least 1, typically 2 or 3 for most setups). For each player, a menu item Player (number) will appear (see below).
  • Number of played/skipped items to keep in history: Specify the number of played or skipped items that should remain (grayed out) in the playlist before they are moved to Recycle Bin (if the corresponding option Move played/skipped items to Recycle bin is enabled on the Options page).
  • Number of prebuffered items: Specify the number of upcoming items that mAirList should open (and thereby check for errors) in advance. Successfully rebuffered items are identified by a small green checkmark next to the item icon.

Options

This tab contains options related to the behavior and operation of the playlist:

  • Allow automation mode: Uncheck to force the playlist being in ASSIST mode all the time.
  • Use only a single player in automation mode: If enabled, mAirList will play all audio files through a single player (and thus, soundcard) in automation mode. The benefit is that you don’t have to remember to open all faders when switching from ASSIST to AUTO. The player used for automation will be the one that was active when the switch to AUTO was made, or the first player, in case no player was active at that time. In any case, it must/will be a player for which Use in automation is enabled in its options.
  • Move played/skipped items to Recycle Bin: If enabled, all played and skipped items are automatically deleted from the playlist and moved to the Recycle Bin browser.
  • Only move items at the top of the playlist to Recycle Bin: By default, only items from the top of the list will be moved to the Recycle Bin, not those played out-of-order in ASSIST mode. By enabling this option, the latter will be moved to the Recycle Bin as well.
  • Automatically mark non-playable items as played in assist mode: If enabled, any non-playable item (e.g. Dummy) will be marked as played as soon as any playable item below it is started in ASSIST mode. (In AUTO mode, this will always be the case.)
  • Keep non-playable items in automation mode if playlist would run empty otherwise: This option refers to the situation when the playlist is in AUTO mode, and only non-playable items remain in the rundown. If enabled, these items will not be marked as played (and possibly move to Recycle Bin) before at least one playable item is added to the playlist again.
  • Include non-playable items in logging: If enabled, non-playable items (e.g. Dummy items) that are automatically marked as played (in AUTO mode, or in ASSIST mode if the corresponding option is enabled, see above) will be injected into to the Logging subsystem, e.g. for stream title update and database reporting.
  • Move deleted items into Recycle Bin: If enabled, items that are manually deleted by the user will be moved into the Recycle Bin.
  • Automatically unpack embedded playlists: If enabled, Embedded Playlist items will automatically unpacked (content items copied into playlist) when added to the playlist.
  • Keep Embedded Playlist as Dummy after unpacking: If enabled, the Embedded Playlist item will be converted into a Dummy and remains in the playlist after unpacking; otherwise it will be deleted.
  • Automatically jump to fixed time items in automation mode: This option controls the processing of (hard or soft) fixed times in playlist items. Uncheck to disable fixed times altogether – items with timing set to Hard or Soft will be treated as Normal.
  • Wait for hard fixed time items: This option controls the behavior of the playlist if an item with Hard timing is reached too early in AUTO mode. If disabled, the item will be played immediately, even if the set time has not been reached. If enabled (the default), the automation will wait for that time to be reached, playing silence (an Infinite Silence) item until then. Additionally, the When playlist runs empty in automation mode action is triggered in order to execute any “emergency” actions.
  • Wait for soft fixed time items: The same as above, but for Soft timing items. Disabled by default.
  • Update backtiming with current time when idle: This option is related to the Time column in the playlist, in a situation where all players are idle. If disabled, the start time relative to the beginning of the playlist (00:00:00) will be displayed for all items. If enabled, the start time relative to the current date/time will be displayed, updated every second, assuming that the first item is started in this very moment.
  • Auto float: If enabled, the Auto Float feature will automatically move Normal timing items around fixed time items so that no underruns or overflows occur in the playlist.
  • Repeat mode: If enabled, all played items are automatically recycled and moved to the end of the playlist again. This is meant for demo setups.

GUI Options

This tab contains options related to the user interface of the playlist:

  • Show save confirmation: If enabled, a confirmation dialog is displayed if there are unsaved changes when you close a playlist.
  • Show ramp countdown overlay: If enabled, a large countdown is displayed as an overlay in the playlist while the ramp/intro of an item is playing.
  • Show only nearest ramp: For items with more than one ramp set, this option controls whether only one ramp (the nearest from the current playback position) or all of them (separated by a / sign) will be displayed in the Ramp column and the ramp overlay.
  • Show EOF warning countdown overlay: If enabled, a countdown overlay will be displayed during the last few seconds.
  • Click on playlist icon toggles Extra PFL: If enabled, clicking the icon on an item in the playlist will open its Properties dialog, switch to the PFL tab and start PFL playback.
  • Always show duration: If enabled, 0:00 will be displayed for items with unknown duration.
  • Always show ramp: If enabled, 0 will be displayed for items that don’t have any ramp set.
  • Auto-truncate time: If enabled, leading zeroes will be removed from all duration and ramp strings.
  • Automatically scroll to playing item: If enabled, and an item is started, the playlist will automatically scroll so that that item becomes visible (if it hasn’t been before).
  • Spacebar triggers AUTOMATION NEXT: As the spacebar cannot be used in Hotkey remote control due to limitations imposed by Windows, this option allows you to hardwire it with the AUTOMATION NEXT command.
  • Escape triggers AUTOMATION BREAK: If enabled, the Escape key will trigger the AUTOMATION BREAK command.
  • Escape triggers AUTOMATION STOP: If enabled, the Escape key will trigger the AUTOMATION STOP command.
  • Show color ribbon: If enabled, a colored ribbon is displayed in the playlist, representing the color or other properties of the item (based on the skin).
  • Use item colors for color ribbon: Check this option to use the item color (if set) for the color ribbon, rather than the color defined in the skin.
  • Use item colors for row color: Check this option to use the item color (if set) for the entire row background, rather than the color defined in the skin.
  • Item-specific colors have priority over skin.ini: If enabled, item colors will always have priority over those defined in the skin.
  • Show break duration: If enabled, Automation Break playlist items will display the duration of the preceding block instead of their own duration.
  • Show album art: If enabled, mAirList will try to extract album art from the file tag, and display it instead of the default item icon. Album art is kept in a cache file to speed up loading when the item is used again.
  • Show player state: Enable this option to display the player state (ON AIR, NEXT, etc.) next to the player name in the playlist.
  • Show player progress as row background: If enabled, the row background of playing items will be used as some kind of progress bar, displaying elapsed/remaining time in different colors.
  • Auto recycle items on move/drop: When enabled, every played/skipped item that is moved with the mouse will automatically be recycled (marked as unplayed).

Control Bar

The options on this tab refer to the control bar (toolbar) displayed above or below the playlist.

  • Show control bar: Uncheck to hide the control bar altogether.
  • Position at bottom (default is at top): Check this option to move the control bar below the playlist, rather than above the playlist (the default).
  • Separate ASSIST/AUTO buttons: By default, there will be two separate buttons to switch between ASSIST and AUTO mode. Check this option to merge them into a common button that toggles between ASSIST and AUTO.
  • Show NEXT button in assist mode: If enabled, a NEXT button will be displayed also in ASSIST mode, that simulates commands to fade out the current player and start the next loaded player.
  • Alwayse use automation for NEXT button: If enabled, the aforementioned NEXT button will briefly enable AUTO mode to carry out the NEXT command.
  • AUTO button flashes while playing: If enabled, the AUTO button will flash when automation is engaged and playback is started.
  • Show next event time box: Check this option to enable a button that displays the time of the next planned event, and opens the Event Scheduler when you click it.
  • Show item count and duration boxes: This option toggles this display of a button that displays the number and total or remaining duration of the items in the playlist.
  • Show Edit button: If enabled, an “Edit” button is displayed that expands the inline editor which allows you to quickly edit some common properties of the selected playlist items, including cue markers.
  • Always show move up/down buttons: If enabled, a separate pair of “move up/down” buttons will be displayed in the main control bar, rather than only in the inline editor.

Progress Bar

This tab provides options related to the “inline” progress bar displayed in the playlist rows for playing items.

See the Common Settings section for a description of the available options.

Display

Time Formats

Here you can adjust the time format strings used for duration, ramp, ramp overlay and EOF warning overlay.

Auto Comment

Any text entered here will be concatenated with the item comment and displayed when the item is expanded by clicking the corresponding button in the item row.

It is possible to use Logging Variables here that access properties of the item, e.g. attributes. For example, %u{Album} will insert the value of the Album attribute (album name extracted from file tag).

Player

For each player of each playlist, a menu item is created in the menu tree on the left hand side of the configuration dialogs, which provides access to the settings for that particular player.

General

On the first tabe, the following general settings are available:

  • Caption: Choose a caption (typically a single character) that is used to identify the player in the GUI. It is displayed in the player, as well as in the playlist next to the item that is loaded into that player.
  • Color: Each player is associated with a color that helps the DJ to identify the player in the GUI. It is used as the background for the player indication in the playlist, and also for the background of the player object while it is active (unless overriden by skin).
  • Default time display mode: Select the default mode for the time display: remaining time, elapsed time or backtiming (the time at which the item will finish playing). You can toggle between remaining and elapsed by clicking the time label in the player object, or double-click it to switch to backtiming mode. If a Command when clicked is specified (see below), the Shift key must be hold down while clicking the time label.
  • EOF warning: Specify the number of seconds before EOF when the player should stat flashing and trigger the OnPlayerEOFWarning procedure in background scripts.
  • Command when clicked: Choose an optional command that is executed when the user clicks anywhere in the player object with the mouse. This is useful for touchscreen operation.
  • Fade duration: Enter the duration, in seconds, that the audio should fade out when a FADEOUT command is issued, or the Fade Out button is clicked. The value 0 means that the default fade duration from the Misc. Settings page will be used.
  • Time formats: Specify the time format strings for the remaining and elapsed time and the ramp display.

Options

This tab contains options related to the behavior and operation of the playlist:

  • Auto load in assist mode: If enabled, the player will automatically be loaded with the next available item in ASSIST mode. If disabled, the user must load the player manually by dragging an item into it, or using remote control commands.
  • Auto load on demand: If enabled, the player will not be auto-loaded until a START command is issued, or the START button is clicked.
  • Only auto-load if all other players are empty: By enabling this option for all (auto-loading) players, only a single player will be loaded at a time. This may help the DJ to identify the next player to start mor easily.
  • Auto close on STOP in assist mode: If enabled, the player will unload itself when a STOP command is issued in ASSIST mode.
  • Auto close on ERROR in assist mode: If enabled, the player will unload itself if an item failed to load in ASSIST mode.
  • Auto close at EOF in assist mode: If enabled, the player will unload itself when playback stops at end of file in ASSIST mode. This overrides the Auto rewind at EOF option below.
  • Auto rewind at EOF in assist mode: If enabled, the player will rewind and return to LOADED state when reaching EOF in ASSIST mode. The Auto close at EOF option above must not be enabled.
  • Auto release PAUSE when other player is playing or started: This option can be used together with the PAUSE/STOP commands for remote control. When the DJ closes the fader, the player will initially go into PAUSE state. At this point, the DJ can either choose to open the fader again - then the player will continue to play from that position. Or the DJ can start another player, and then this player will simulate a STOP command and unload itself (depending on the options above).
  • Auto PFL OFF on START: If enabled, PFL mode will be canceled when on air playback is started in ASSIST mode.
  • Auto close PFL at EOF: If enabled, PFL mode will be canceled when playback reaches EOF in ASSIST mode. Allow simultaneous playback and PFL (see below) must be enabled as well.
  • Auto fadeout at Fade Out marker in assist mode: If enabled, playback will automatically fade out at the Fade Out marker even in ASSIST mode, similar to AUTO mode. If disabled, audio will never fade automatically in ASSIST mode, but the DJ is responsible to execute all crossfades manually.
  • Use in automation mode: Uncheck this option to prevent this player from being used in AUTO mode. Note: There must be at least one player for which this option is enabled, otherwise all players will be used in AUTO mode.
  • Move item to history when closing paused/EOF player: If enabled, items will be marked as played when it they are ejected from this player after playback.
  • Move item to history when closing loaded player: If enabled, items will be marked as skipped when it they are ejected from this player without having been played.
  • Include in logging: If enabled, items played from this player will be injected into the logging subsystem.
  • Allow simultaneous playback and PFL: Usually, each player can only be playing on air, or playing in PFL mode, but not both at the same time. This is because on air and PFL audio is typically routed to the same mixing console channel. Depending on your setup, you may be using a separate audio channel for PFL operations. In this case, you can enable this option, and PFL mode can be engaged even when the player is currently playing on air.
  • Only use PFL audio device while player is playing: This option can be used together with the Allow simultaneous playback and PFL option above. It controls which device is used for PFL mode while on air playback is not active. If disabled, PFL mode will always use the player’s PFL device set in Audio Routing. If enabled, PFL mode will use the On Air device when there is no simultaneous on air playback, and the PFL device if both on air and PFL are playing at the same time. This way, you can use the regular mixing console channel for non-simultaneous PFL mode, and a separate channel only for simultaneous PFL.
  • PFL during playback starts End Mon: If enabled, PFL playback will automatically jump to the last few seconds of the item when you enabled PFL mode during on air playback. This option only has effect if Allow simultaneous playback and PFL is enabled as well.
  • Loop audio: If enabled, the player will loop between Loop In (or Cue In) and Loop Out (or EOF). Loop mode can be toggled at runtime by using the Loop button the player.
  • Switch off loop mode when player is closed: If enabled, Loop mode is disabled automatically when the item is ejected.

GUI Options

  • Auto-truncate time: If enabled, leading zeroes will be removed from all duration and ramp strings.
  • Show cue editor during PFL: If enabled, the Cue Editor will be displayed in a popup window as long as PFL is active.
  • Show save buttons in PFL cue dialog: Check this box to add buttons to the Cue Editor to save the item metadata to the database, file tag, or MMD file.
  • Flash during EOF warning: If enabled, the player will flash during the last few seconds before EOF, according to the setting on the General page.
  • Show ramp: If enabled, the duration label will turn into a ramp countdown while the ramp part of the item is playing.
  • Show ramp when idle: If enabled, the ramp countdown will already be displayed in Loaded state, not only after playback was started.
  • Show only nearest ramp: If enabled, only the next ramp marker from the current playback position (for items with more than one ramp set) will be considered in the countdown.
  • Swap artist and title: Check this option to swap the artist and title labels in the player object (artist will be on top, title below).
  • Use item color when idle: If enabled, the color set for the item in the Properties dialog will be used for the player background while it is in Loade state.
  • Use “stutter” mode while cueing:
  • Allow dragging: This option will make it possible to drag a loaded item out of the player with the mouse. The Command when clicked setting will not have any effect anymore.
  • Show volume slider: Check this to enable the volume slider on the right hand side of the player object.
  • Transparent buttons: This option will make the background of the buttons transparent.

Buttons

On this tab, select the buttons that should be displayed in the player. Deselecting all buttons will hide the button toolbar completely.

Progress Bar

The options on this tab control the progress bar displayed in the player. See the Common Settings section for a description of the available options.

Waveform

These options refer to the waveform display in the player object. See the Common Settings section for a description of the various options.

Peakmeter

These options refer to the peakmeter in the player object. See the Common Settings section for a description.

Item Types

On this tab, select the item types that should be included in the Auto Load function by default. Hint: The right-click menu allows you to select all/no items at once.