Rivendellaudio/docs/opsguide/rdlibrary.xml
Fred Gleason 1517e5b014 2020-11-16 Fred Gleason <fredg@paravelsystems.com>
* Removed the 'Cart Data Dump (fixed width)' from the
	Operations Guide.

Signed-off-by: Fred Gleason <fredg@paravelsystems.com>
2020-11-16 20:28:24 -05:00

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<chapter xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook" xml:id="chapter.rdlibrary">
<title>Content Management with RDLibrary</title>
<sect1 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.the_rivendell_library_structure_and_rdlibrary">
<title>The Rivendell Library Structure and RDLibrary</title>
<sect2 xml:id="sect2_rdlibrary_carts">
<title>Carts</title>
<para>
The Rivendell Library consists of a set of objects called
<emphasis>carts</emphasis>.
A cart is a data container that holds either one or more pieces
of audio (called an <emphasis>audio cart</emphasis>), or macro
commands to the system
(called a <emphasis>macro cart</emphasis>). The cart is the
fundamental schedule
building block in Rivendell, in that it is the smallest object or
'atom' that the outside world (like a traffic or music scheduler)
can see.
</para>
<para>
RDLibrary, upon startup, will show the current list of all carts
on the system (see below).
</para>
<para>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlibrary.rdlibrary_screenshot.png" scale="43"/>
</imageobject>
<caption>
<para>RDLibrary Main Window</para>
</caption>
</mediaobject>
</para>
<para>
A number of important attributes of carts can be seen from this
illustration. First is the cart's number. Each cart in the Library
gets assigned a unique number when it is created. This number can
range between 000001 and 999999, and is the primary 'handle' by which
both Rivendell and external systems (like traffic or music schedulers)
refer to the cart. Very often, sites have specific rules concerning
which types of audio (commercials, promos, music, etc) and macros get
assigned which numbers. We'll cover this area in some detail when
we discuss groups.
</para>
<para>
Immediately to the left of the cart number is an icon indicating
the type of cart. Just to the right of the cart number is the
average length of the cart. Except in the case of where
timescaling is in use (in which case it will be indicated in
blue numerals), this value is calculated automatically by the system.
</para>
<para>
Next comes various columns showing information from the cart
label Title, Artist, Client and Agency data, etc. This
information can be edited by opening RDLibrary's Edit Cart dialog,
either by double-clicking on the desired cart
entry in the list, or by touching the desired cart entry and then
touching the Edit button. In either case, you should get a dialog
similar to that shown in the illustration.
</para>
<para>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlibrary.edit_cart_dialog.png" scale="50"/>
</imageobject>
<caption>
<para>The Edit Cart Dialog</para>
</caption>
</mediaobject>
</para>
<para>
Near the center of the dialog will be a dropdown box labeled
<computeroutput>Schedule Cuts</computeroutput>. When set to
<computeroutput>By Weight</computeroutput> (the default), this will
allow cut rotation to be managed by means of daypart settings (see
<xref linkend="sect.rdlibrary.cut_dayparting"/>). When set to
<computeroutput>By Specified Order</computeroutput>, the precise
rotation of the cuts within the cart can be set manually.
</para>
<para>
This is how an audio cart looks when loaded into the Edit Cart dialog.
The upper half of the dialog is the cart label data. The meaning
of most of these fields should be fairly self-evident, but a few
call for special comment:
</para>
<para>
<variablelist>
<varlistentry>
<term>Enforce Length</term>
<listitem>
<para>
When checked, this indicates that timescaling should be
applied to this cart when it is played in RDAirPlay,
meaning that the cart will air at the length indicated by
the Forced Length field, rather than the native length of
the audio. Care is needed when implementing timescaling
within a facility, as there are limits to how much the
length can be altered, while only certain types of audio
adapters support it at all. See the Rivendell Technical
Guide for more information.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>Group</term>
<listitem>
<para>
This is a pull down menu by which the group ownership for
the cart can be set. The system administrator configures
the list of available groups for each user in RDAdmin.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>User Defined</term>
<listitem>
<para>
As the name implies, this field has no dedicated meaning
to Rivendell itself, but is provided for each site to use
as is seen fit.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</para>
<para>
The example in the illustration above shows an audio cart. As such,
the bottom half of the dialog displays the lists of cuts contained
within the cart.
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.cuts">
<title>Cuts</title>
<para>
Each audio cart can contain one or more <emphasis>cuts</emphasis>.
A Rivendell cut is
an actual piece of audio, somewhat analogous to a 'track' on a CD.
Up to 999 such cuts can exist within a single cart. Each line in
the cut list contains information about the cut, including:
</para>
<variablelist>
<varlistentry>
<term><computeroutput>WT</computeroutput></term>
<listitem>
<para>
The <emphasis>weighting</emphasis> value for the cut. see
<xref linkend="sect.rdlibrary.cut_dayparting"/> for discussion.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term><computeroutput>ORDER</computeroutput></term>
<listitem>
<para>
The <emphasis>order</emphasis> value for the cut. see
<xref linkend="sect.rdlibrary.cut_dayparting"/> for discussion.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term><computeroutput>DESCRIPTION</computeroutput></term>
<listitem>
<para>
n arbitrary name, assignable by the user as an aid in keeping
track of the content, it is roughly analogous to the 'Title'
field in the cart label.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term><computeroutput>LENGTH</computeroutput></term>
<listitem>
<para>
The actual, measured play out length of the cut audio.
This field is calculated automatically by the system.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term><computeroutput>LAST PLAYED</computeroutput></term>
<listitem>
<para>
he last date and time that the cut was aired by one of the
on-air modules. Useful for keeping track of stale inventory.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term><computeroutput># OF PLAYS</computeroutput></term>
<listitem>
<para>
The total number of times the cut has been aired by the
one of the on-air modules.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term><computeroutput>ORIGIN</computeroutput></term>
<listitem>
<para>
The name of the host upon which the audio in the cut was last
recorded, along with the date and time.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term><computeroutput>OUTCUE</computeroutput></term>
<listitem>
<para>
A user settable field. This line shows up in the RDAirPlay
log when the cut is played.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term><computeroutput>START DATE</computeroutput></term>
<listitem>
<para>
The effective start date/time of the cut.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term><computeroutput>END DATE</computeroutput></term>
<listitem>
<para>
The effective end date/time of the cut.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term><computeroutput>START DAYPART</computeroutput></term>
<listitem>
<para>
The start time of the cut's daypart.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term><computeroutput>END DAYPART</computeroutput></term>
<listitem>
<para>
The start time of the cut's daypart.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term><computeroutput>NAME</computeroutput></term>
<listitem>
<para>
The internal CUTNAME of the cut as used in Rivendell's
database.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term><computeroutput>SHA1</computeroutput></term>
<listitem>
<para>
The SHA-1 hash value of the cut's file in Rivendell's audio
store.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
<sect3 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.multiple_cuts_in_a_cart">
<title>Multiple Cuts in a Cart</title>
<para>
What happens when more than one cut is placed into a cart? The
answer, in a word, is <emphasis>rotation</emphasis>. Rotation is
the ability to
schedule a single cart in a log, but to have that cart play out
different material at different times. This capability has a
myriad of uses. One of the simplest, common in commercial radio
facilities, is to allow multiple versions of a spot to be placed
into the system, while still allowing the traffic department to
have to track and schedule only one cart number. A more
sophisticated use involves use of the cut's
<emphasis>dayparting</emphasis> settings,
forcing different cuts to play based upon certain date/time
criteria, such as day of the week or time of day. Cut dayparting
is a very powerful feature in Rivendell, and is something we
will discuss shortly.
</para>
<para>
To edit the properties of a cut, either double-click its entry
in the cut list, or touch it once to highlight and then touch
the <computeroutput>Cut Info/Record</computeroutput> button.
The Record Dialog will now open up.
</para>
<para>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlibrary.edit_cut_info_dialog.png" scale="50"/>
</imageobject>
<caption>
<para>The Record Dialog</para>
</caption>
</mediaobject>
</para>
<para>
Roughly the upper third of the dialog is for editing the various
cut parameters, the middle section is for configuring the cut's
daypart settings, and the bottom third is a record machine that
can be used both to record new audio into the system and to
audition any recording already made.
</para>
</sect3>
<sect3 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.cut_dayparting">
<title>Cut Dayparting</title>
<para>
For carts for which <computeroutput>Schedule Cuts</computeroutput>
is set to <computeroutput>By Weight</computeroutput>, each cut in
can be dayparted on the basis of these parameters:
</para>
<para>
<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
Weight
</listitem>
<listitem>
Absolute Start and End Date-Time
</listitem>
<listitem>
Relative Start and End Time
</listitem>
<listitem>
Day of the Week
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</para>
<para>
While not strictly a dayparting parameter, the
<computeroutput>WEIGHT</computeroutput> setting of a cut can
strongly influence
the order (and hence placement) of when a particular cut will play.
The weight value of each cut in a cart consistutes the numerator
of a fraction, the denominator of which is the sum of the weight
values of every cut in the cart. Rivendell's cut selection
algorithm will seek to play each cut in like proportion. If it is
important in some cases to be able to specify the precise order
of each cut play-out, consider changing the
<computeroutput>Schedule Cuts</computeroutput> dropdown to
<computeroutput>By Specified Order</computeroutput>.
</para>
<para>
By default, each newly created cut in a
<computeroutput>By Weight</computeroutput> cart starts out with
dayparting
disabled, meaning that it will be 'eligible to play' at all times.
By clicking the <computeroutput>Enabled</computeroutput> radio
button in the <computeroutput>Air Date/Time</computeroutput> box, an
absolute start and end date for the cut can be entered, meaning
that the cut will be prevented from airing in the on-air modules
at any time outside the range of those date-times. Likewise, by
selecting the <computeroutput>Enabled</computeroutput> radio button
in the <computeroutput>Daypart</computeroutput> box, start and end
times (relative to the day the cut is to air) can be entered.
Cuts designated in this way will be allowed to air only within
the specified range of times. Finally, by ticking or clearing
the appropriate boxes in the
<computeroutput>Day of the Week</computeroutput> box, a cut can be
constrained to air only on certain days of the week.
</para>
<para>
All of the dayparting parameters can be used either singly or in
combination with each other. When combined, the resulting
'eligibility' is calculated as the logical AND of the applied
dayparting limits. For example, a cut with the 'Monday' box
cleared will refuse to air on Mondays, regardless of whether
any of the other daypart rules match.
</para>
<para>
It's important to remember that dayparting rules affect audio
play out only within the on-air modules. You will still be
able to audition and play the audio without limitation in the
other Rivendell modules.
</para>
</sect3>
<sect3 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.cart_and_cut_color_coding">
<title>Cart and Cut Color Coding</title>
<para>
Each cart or cut in RDLibrary is assigned a color to indicate
it's 'playability' for air, as follows:
</para>
<para>
<variablelist>
<varlistentry>
<term>NO COLOR</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Event will play normally
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>CYAN</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Event will not play (cut datetime is in the future)
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>RED</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Event will not play (outside of dayparting limits or audio
is not available)
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>GREEN</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Event will play an Evergreen
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</para>
<para>
It's important to remember that the color displayed for each
event indicates playability <emphasis>at the instant that the event
is being viewed</emphasis>.
</para>
</sect3>
<sect3 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.recording_and_auditioning_a_cut_in_the_record_dialog">
<title>Recording and Auditioning a Cut in the Record Dialog</title>
<para>
The lower third of the Record Dialog is used both to audition and
record audio. To audition the cut, simply press the play button
(the one with the triangular symbol). The button will
illuminate, audio will show on the bar meter and start playing
immediately. The audio will play to completion, unless either
the stop button (square symbol) is pressed, or the Record Dialog
is closed.
</para>
<para>
To record new material into a cut, first ensure that the
<computeroutput>Channels</computeroutput>
drop-down menu is set to record the appropriate number of channels,
then touch the <computeroutput>Record</computeroutput> button
(round symbol). If the cut contains
audio that was recorded previously, a warning box will pop up at
this point to inform you of this and to give you a chance to abort
the recording without erasing what was previously recorded. If
<computeroutput>Yes</computeroutput> is selected here, the
previous recording will be overwritten
and no longer accessible.
The <computeroutput>Record</computeroutput> button will now be
illuminated steadily, while the
<computeroutput>Play</computeroutput> button will be flashing,
indicating that the record machine is in 'ready' mode. The bar
meter will also be active to indicate input levels, and this is
the point where you want to verify that your levels are correct,
with peaks just into the yellow area being optimal. Nothing is
actually being recorded just yet.
</para>
<para>
We have two options for actually starting the record machine.
We can start it manually by pressing the
<computeroutput>Play</computeroutput> button, at which
point the machine will immediately begin recording, or we can set
the <computeroutput>Record Mode</computeroutput> drop-down menu
to the <computeroutput>VOX</computeroutput> (short for voice
activated) setting. When in <computeroutput>VOX</computeroutput>
mode, the record machine will
start automatically as soon as it senses the presence of audio
at the input.
</para>
<para>
Once started, recording will continue until either the
<computeroutput>Stop</computeroutput> button
is pushed, or the maximum allowed length for a manual recording
(set by the system administrator) has been reached. Once stopped,
if the <computeroutput>AutoTrim</computeroutput> drop-down menu
has been set to <computeroutput>On</computeroutput>, the Start and
End markers will be automatically set to the beginning and end of
detected audio within the cut. (We will discuss Markers in detail
when we get to the section on the Edit Markers dialog).
</para>
</sect3>
</sect2>
</sect1>
<sect1 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.alternative_methods_of_audio_ingestion">
<title>Alternative Methods of Audio Ingestion</title>
<para>
In addition to manually recording material in realtime, RDLibrary
supports two alternative methods for audio ingestion:
</para>
<para>
<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
Importing from a File
</listitem>
<listitem>
Ripping from a CD
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</para>
<sect2 xml:id="sect2_rdlibrary_importing_audio_from_a_file">
<title>Importing Audio from a File</title>
<para>
To import audio from a file directly into a cut, we start by
opening the cut's parent cart in the Edit Cart Dialog. Next,
touch the cut's entry in the cut list and then touch the
<computeroutput>Import/Export</computeroutput> button to open the
Import/Export Audio Dialog.
</para>
<para>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlibrary.import_export_dialog.png" scale="50"/>
</imageobject>
<caption>
<para>The Import/Export Audio Dialog</para>
</caption>
</mediaobject>
</para>
<para>
Select the file you wish to import, either by entering the path
and filename to it in the <computeroutput>Filename</computeroutput>
field or by clicking the <computeroutput>Select</computeroutput>
button to open a file browsing dialog. Rivendell is capable of
importing the following types of audio files:
</para>
<para>
<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
Microsoft WAV (*.wav) PCM16, PCM24 and MPEG are supported
</listitem>
<listitem>
MPEG (*.mp1, *.mp2, *.mp3)
</listitem>
<listitem>
OggVorbis (*.ogg)
</listitem>
<listitem>
Free Lossless Audio Codec [FLAC] (*.flac)
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</para>
<para>
Next, set the <computeroutput>Channels</computeroutput> drop-down
menu to the appropriate number of
channels. You may also wish to adjust the
<computeroutput>Normalize</computeroutput> or
<computeroutput>Autotrim</computeroutput>
controls, although these will normally be set to reasonable default
values by the system administrator and should seldom have to be
altered. If <computeroutput>Normalize</computeroutput> is selected,
then the imported audio will
be peak normalized to the level indicated. The
<computeroutput>Autotrim</computeroutput> does the
same thing as in the Record Dialog (see section 2.0.1.2, 'Recording
and Auditioning a Cut in the Record Dialog' above for details).
</para>
<para>
Finally, touch the <computeroutput>Import</computeroutput> button.
A progress bar will indicate
percentage completion of the import, followed by a popup box to
announce completion. The Import Audio Dialog will automatically
close after acknowledging completion. The audio is now imported,
and can now be auditioned and otherwise processed in the usual way.
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.importing_audio_from_a_cd_track">
<title>Ripping Audio from a CD Track</title>
<para>
To rip audio directly off of a CD into a cut, we again start by
opening the cut's parent cart in the Edit Cart Dialog. Next,
select the cut's by touching the cut's entry in the cut list,
and then touch the <computeroutput>Rip</computeroutput> button
to open the Rip CD Dialog.
</para>
<para>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlibrary.cd_ripper_dialog.png" scale="50"/>
</imageobject>
<caption>
<para>The Rip CD Dialog</para>
</caption>
</mediaobject>
</para>
<para>
Load a CD into the CD drive. After a few seconds, list of tracks
should appear in the Tracks area. If the system administrator has
enabled the FreeDB CD Lookup Service, the names of the various
tracks may appear as well.
</para>
<para>
Set the <computeroutput>Channels</computeroutput>,
<computeroutput>Normalize</computeroutput> and
<computeroutput>Autotrim</computeroutput> controls appropriately (see
section 2.1.0 for more details on using the
<computeroutput>Normalize</computeroutput> and
<computeroutput>Autotrim</computeroutput>
controls). Next, touch the track you wish to rip and then press
the <computeroutput>Rip Track</computeroutput> button. The track will
now be ripped into the cut,
with a progress bar keeping you informed of progress. When the
rip is complete, a message box will pop up to inform you of this.
</para>
<para>
If FreeDB data was found for the CD, you can have the FreeDB track,
artist and album names be automatically placed on the cart label
for the cart by checking
<computeroutput>Apply FreeDB Values to Cart</computeroutput> before
closing the Dialog.
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.ripping_multiple_cd_tracks_at_a_time">
<title>Ripping Multiple CD Tracks at a Time</title>
<para>
Sometimes, when transferring multiple audio tracks from CD,
it's more convenient to be able to set up the entire transfer at
once and then let the rip run in a 'batch' mode. RDLibrary is
capable of ripping audio in this manner as well. To do this, click
the <computeroutput>Rip CD</computeroutput> button near the bottom of
the main RDLibrary screen, bringing up the Rip Disk Dialog.
</para>
<para>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlibrary.rip_disk_dialog.png" scale="50"/>
</imageobject>
<caption>
<para>The Rip Disk Dialog</para>
</caption>
</mediaobject>
</para>
<para>
This dialog is similar in many ways to the Rip CD Dialog described
above, except that each track can be assigned to transfer to a
different cut by double clicking on its listing, or by touching
the listing and then the Set Cut button, bringing up the Select
Cart/Cut Dialog.
</para>
<para>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlibrary.set_cart_cut_dialog.png" scale="50"/>
</imageobject>
<caption>
<para>The Set Cart/Cut Dialog</para>
</caption>
</mediaobject>
</para>
<para>
The destination cut is selected by first choosing the cart from the
left-hand pane, followed by the desired cut within that cart on the
right-hand pane. The complete set of library filtering tools are
available to you here see section 2.2, 'Navigating the Audio
Library' for details on their function, just as in the main
RDLibrary screen.
</para>
<para>
Once all of the desired tracks have been assigned to cuts, be sure
that the <computeroutput>Normalize</computeroutput>,
<computeroutput>Autotrim</computeroutput>,
<computeroutput>Channels</computeroutput> and
<computeroutput>Apply FreeDB Values to Cart</computeroutput>
controls have been set as desired, then click the
<computeroutput>Rip Disk</computeroutput>
button. A set of progress bars will keep you informed of the
progress of each track, as well as overall progress. When, the
rip is finished, a message box will let you know.
</para>
</sect2>
</sect1>
<sect1 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.macro_carts">
<title>Macro Carts</title>
<para>
A macro cart is a cart that contains one or more commands written in
Rivendell Macro Language (or 'RML' for short). The Edit Cart dialog
for a macro cart is similar in many ways to that for an audio cart
with the exception of the lower half, which contains a list of RML
commands to be executed rather than a list of cuts. (NOTE: for a
complete description of Rivendell Macro Language,
including a breakdown of available commands, see
<xref linkend="chapter.rml"/>).
</para>
<para>
To add a new line of RML, select the desired location in the list
and touch the <computeroutput>Add button</computeroutput>.
Similarly, a line can be deleted by
selecting it and then touching the
<computeroutput>Delete</computeroutput> button, or modified by
touching the <computeroutput>Edit</computeroutput> button. The RML
can be tested, eight line-by-line
or as a whole by touching the <computeroutput>Run Line</computeroutput>
or <computeroutput>Run Cart</computeroutput> button
respectively. It is also possible to
<computeroutput>Copy</computeroutput> and
<computeroutput>Paste</computeroutput> individual
lines both within a given cart or between carts.
</para>
<para>
In addition to RML code, lines can also contain host variables
(see <xref linkend="sect.rdadmin.manage_hosts.configuring_host_variables" />)
and filepath wildcards
(see <xref linkend="appendix.filepath_wildcards" />).
</para>
<para>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlibrary.edit_macro_cart_dialog.png" scale="50"/>
</imageobject>
<caption>
<para>The Edit Macro Cart Dialog</para>
</caption>
</mediaobject>
</para>
</sect1>
<sect1 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.navigating_the_audio_library">
<title>Navigating the Audio Library</title>
<para>
The uppermost section of RDLibrary's main window contains tools
designed to allow for fast searching of the entire audio library,
making locating a particular piece of audio easy even in a library
containing thousands of carts. It's possible to control what carts
are listed, as well as how they are sorted.
</para>
<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.changing_the_cart_sort_order">
<title>Changing the Cart Sort Order</title>
<para>
The order in which carts are displayed in the cart list can be
changed by simply clicking on the header of the column by which
you want them sorted by. By default, the carts are sorted by Cart
Number. To instead sort them alphabetically by Title, simply click
the <computeroutput>TITLE</computeroutput> header once.
To sort them by Title in reverse i.e.
from 'Z' to 'A' click the <computeroutput>TITLE</computeroutput>
header once again. Clicking the
<computeroutput>TITLE</computeroutput> header a third time restores
the sort to normal 'A' to 'Z' again. And so on for all of the columns
in the cart list it's
possible to sort the Library by
<computeroutput>ARTIST</computeroutput>,
<computeroutput>LENGTH</computeroutput>, or any other
parameter shown in the cart list.
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.selecting_carts_by_the_filter_field">
<title>Selecting Carts by the Filter Field</title>
<para>
Very often, one will want to find a cart or set of carts whose
label(s) contains a particular word or phrase. It's possible to
narrow the list of displayed carts to this set by simply entering
the desired word or phrase into the
<computeroutput>Filter</computeroutput> field at the top of the
main RDLibrary screen. The full list can be restored by clearing
the <computeroutput>Filter</computeroutput> field or by clicking
the Clear button.
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.selecting_carts_by_group">
<title>Selecting Carts by Group</title>
<para>
It's possible to limit the list of carts to only those in a
particular group by setting the <computeroutput>Group</computeroutput>
drop-down menu to the
desired group name.
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.selecting_carts_by_type">
<title>Selecting Carts by Type</title>
<para>
You can tell RDLibrary what type of carts to list by checking the
<computeroutput>Show Audio Carts</computeroutput> and
<computeroutput>Show Macro Carts</computeroutput> boxes. Clearing
both boxes
obviously results in no carts at all being displayed.
</para>
<para>
It's also possible to combine all four of the above search and
sorting methods.
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.selecting_and_opening_carts">
<title>Selecting and Opening Carts</title>
<para>
Once the desired cart has been located on the cart list, load it
into the Edit Cart Dialog by either double
clicking its list entry, or by touching its list entry and then
touching the <computeroutput>Edit</computeroutput> button.
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.viewing_and_selecting_cuts">
<title>Viewing and Selecting Cuts</title>
<para>
If a cart contains more than one cut, you can view all the cuts
contained by the cart by clicking the
<computeroutput>+</computeroutput> icon. The cuts can be
hidden by clicking the <computeroutput>-</computeroutput>
icon.
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.playing_carts_and_cuts">
<title>Playing Carts and Cuts</title>
<para>
A selected cart or cut can be played by either pressing the
play button (the one with the triangular symbol) or by
pressing the space bar. If a cart or cut is currently
playing, selecting another cart or cut with the mouse
or arrow keys will automatically play the newly selected
item. To stop a playing cart or cut, press the stop button
(square symbol) or press the space bar again.
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.runnings_macros">
<title>Running Macros</title>
<para>
A selected macro can be run by pressing the
<computeroutput>Run Macro</computeroutput> button.
</para>
</sect2>
</sect1>
<sect1 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.library_maintenance">
<title>Library Maintenance</title>
<sect2 xml:id="rdlibrary.editing_markers">
<title>Editing Markers</title>
<para>
Rivendell uses a system of cue points within audio cuts, referred
to as <emphasis>markers</emphasis>. Markers can be used to specify
a number of
parameters for a piece of audio.
Consult <xref linkend="table.rdlibrary.marker_types"/> to see what
markers are available, their purpose and their corresponding color.
</para>
<para>
Markers are set in the Edit Markers Dialog.
To access the Dialog, open an audio cart, select the cut to open
on the cut list and then touch the
<computeroutput>Edit</computeroutput> button.
</para>
<para>
The Dialog is divided into three areas: the waveform area in the
upper half, consisting of the waveform display and
<computeroutput>Amplitude</computeroutput> and
<computeroutput>Time</computeroutput> buttons; the transport
controls area in the center, consisting
of <computeroutput>Start</computeroutput>,
<computeroutput>Pause</computeroutput>,
<computeroutput>Stop</computeroutput> and
<computeroutput>Loop</computeroutput> buttons along with an
audio meter;
and the marker button area in the lower third of the window,
consisting of controls for selecting and positioning markers.
</para>
<para>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlibrary.edit_marker_dialog.png" scale="50"/>
</imageobject>
<caption>
<para>The Edit Marker Dialog</para>
</caption>
</mediaobject>
</para>
<para>
It's possible to 'zoom-in' on the waveform in various ways by
clicking the <computeroutput>Amplitude</computeroutput>
and <computeroutput>Time</computeroutput> buttons.
By default, the waveform
is displayed fully 'zoomed-out', thus showing the entire length of
the audio cut. The <computeroutput>GoTo</computeroutput> buttons
can be used to jump directly to
the current play out cursor position, start or end of the waveform.
</para>
<para>
Audio can be played one of two ways: either by clicking on the
waveform to indicate where play out should start and then clicking
the left-hand <computeroutput>Play</computeroutput> button,
causing play out to start from the
selected position, or by clicking the right-hand
<computeroutput>Play</computeroutput> button, which
will cause play out to start from the Start Marker (just as it
would in RDAirPlay). Clicking the
<computeroutput>Pause</computeroutput> button while playing will
cause audio to stop and the play out cursor (a thin vertical black
line in the waveform area) to freeze at its current position, while
pressing the <computeroutput>Stop</computeroutput> button will stop
the audio while resetting the
play out cursor to the position it was in when
<computeroutput>Play</computeroutput> was started.
Clicking the <computeroutput>Loop</computeroutput> button will
cause the audio to play out
continuously, looping from end back to start, until either the
<computeroutput>Stop</computeroutput>,
<computeroutput>Pause</computeroutput>,
<computeroutput>Save</computeroutput> or
<computeroutput>Cancel</computeroutput> buttons are clicked.
</para>
<para>
To set a marker, click on the corresponding marker button and then
left-click on the waveform area to indicate where on the audio
the marker should be placed. (NOTE: With the exception of the
FadeUp and FadeDown markers, all markers in Rivendell are assigned
in pairs. For example, placing a TalkStart marker will also cause
a TalkEnd marker to be placed.) Markers that have already been
placed can be moved by selecting the appropriate marker button and
then dragging the marker to the desired location. It's also possible
to specify the position of a marker in the form of hh:mm:ss.s
(relative to time after the Start marker) by entering the desired
value next to a selected marker button. It is also possible to
remove a set of markers that have already been placed, either by
accessing the marker menu by doing a right-click on the waveform
display, or by touching the
<computeroutput>Remove Marker</computeroutput> button and then touch
the marker button corresponding to the marker to be removed.
(NOTE: the exceptions to this are the Start / End markers, which
are always present and hence cannot be removed.)
</para>
<table xml:id="table.rdlibrary.marker_types" frame="all">
<title>Rivendell Marker Types</title>
<tgroup cols="3" align="left" colsep="1" rowsep="1">
<colspec colname="Marker Type" />
<colspec colname="Function" />
<colspec colname="Color" />
<thead>
<row>
<entry>
Marker Type
</entry>
<entry>
Function
</entry>
<entry>
Color
</entry>
</row>
</thead>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
Start / Stop
</entry>
<entry>
Indicates start and end points of audio.
</entry>
<entry>
RED
</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
TalkStart / Talk Stop
</entry>
<entry>
Indicates point to start and stop the Talk Counter in RDAirPlay.
</entry>
<entry>
BLUE
</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
SegueStart / SegueEnd
</entry>
<entry>
Indicates the start and end of the audio overlap during
Segue transitions in RDAirPlay.
</entry>
<entry>
CYAN
</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
HookStart / HookEnd
</entry>
<entry>
Indicates &quot;highlighted&quot; audio, used by button
panels and RDCartSlots when placed in Hook Mode.
</entry>
<entry>
VIOLET
</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
FadeUp
</entry>
<entry>
Indicates the point at which audio should be faded up to
full level after starting in RDAirPlay.
</entry>
<entry>
YELLOW
</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
FadeDown
</entry>
<entry>
Indicates the point at which audio should start fading
down to off before ending in RDAirPlay.
</entry>
<entry>
YELLOW
</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</table>
<para>
As an aid for accurately setting the Start and End markers, it's
possible to use the <computeroutput>Trim Start</computeroutput>
and <computeroutput>Trim End</computeroutput> buttons to automatically
set the markers to the first and last instances of the level
specified by the <computeroutput>Threshold</computeroutput> field,
respectively.
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.copying_and_pasting_audio_from_cut_to_cut">
<title>Copying and Pasting Audio from Cut to Cut</title>
<para>
It's possible to make copies of existing an audio cut on the system
by opening up the cut's parent cart in the Edit Cart Dialog,
selecting it on the cut list and clicking the
<computeroutput>Copy</computeroutput> button. To
paste the copied audio, simply select the desired destination
cut (within the same cart or a different one) and press
<computeroutput>Paste</computeroutput>.
</para>
</sect2>
</sect1>
<sect1 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.generating_library_reports">
<title>Generating Library Reports</title>
<para>
Various Library reports can be generated by touching the
<computeroutput>Reports</computeroutput>
button on the main RDLibrary screen and then selecting the desired
report and touching the <computeroutput>Generate</computeroutput>
button. The following reports are available:
</para>
<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.the_cart_report">
<title>The Cart Report</title>
<para>
The cart report consists of a list of all selected carts on the
system, with their attributes.
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.the_cut_report">
<title>The Cut Report</title>
<para>
The cut report consists of a list of all cuts contained by the
selected carts on the system, with their attributes.
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlibrary.the_cart_data_dump__csv_">
<title>The Cart Data Dump (CSV)</title>
<para>
The CSV cart data dump is a special type of report that
consists of CSV formatted data elements, one line per cut for the
selected
carts on the system. It is intended for use where a 'dump' of
available carts in the system is desired for import into an
external system (such as a music scheduling system).
</para>
</sect2>
</sect1>
</chapter>