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* Rewrote and expanded the 'Events' section of the 'RDLogManager' chapter of the Operations Guide. Signed-off-by: Fred Gleason <fredg@paravelsystems.com>
733 lines
31 KiB
XML
733 lines
31 KiB
XML
<chapter xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xml:id="chapter.rdlogmanager">
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||
<title>Generating Logs and Reports with RDLogManager</title>
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<sect1 xml:id="sect.rdlogmanager.generating_logs_and_reports_with_rdlogmanager">
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||
<note>
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||
This chapter covers the graphical user interface for RDLogManager.
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||
For information regarding the command-line interface, see the
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<command>rdlogmanager</command><manvolnum>1</manvolnum> man page.
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</note>
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||
<title>Overview</title>
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||
<para>
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RDLogManager is a tool for generating Rivendell logs. It is different
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from RDLogEdit in that, instead of building logs line-by-line,
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it allows log structures to be defined by a series of rules (called
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<emphasis>events</emphasis> and <emphasis>clocks</emphasis>) that
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are then plugged into a time framework
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(called a <emphasis>grid</emphasis>). This grid is then used to
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generate logs automatically
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on an as-needed basis. Each Rivendell service has its own,
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separately defined grid, thus allowing for separate log generation
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rules for each service. This system of rules allows for very
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powerful, modular features, including the ability to import and use
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scheduling data from various external third party systems, such as
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music schedulers and traffic and billing systems.
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</para>
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<para>
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RDLogManager also includes facilities for generating
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<emphasis>reports</emphasis>. Reports
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are data outputs that detail whether certain events aired as
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scheduled, and under what circumstances. Reports are available in
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various formats. Some are intended to be read by humans, while
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others are intended for use by other, external software systems as a
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means of reconciling exported schedules.
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</para>
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<para>
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When RDLogManager is started, it displays its main menu.
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</para>
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||
<para>
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||
<mediaobject>
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||
<imageobject>
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||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.rdlogmanager_screenshot.png" width="36mm" depth="70mm" />
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||
</imageobject>
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||
<caption><para>The RDLogManager Main Menu</para></caption>
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||
</mediaobject>
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||
</para>
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</sect1>
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<sect1 xml:id="sect.rdlogmanager.grids">
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<title>Grids</title>
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<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlogmanager.rdlogmanager.grids.bypassing_grid_processing">
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<title>Bypassing Grid Processing</title>
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<para>
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Certain third-party music scheduler systems support the ability to
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compose the entire schedule for a service (including placement of
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traffic breaks) within its own native user interface, thus potentially
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centralizing and simplifying log template maintenance. To facilitate
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this mode of operation, it is possible to configure RDLogManager to
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bypass its native grid/clock/event template system entirely on a
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service by service basis,
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instead passing the schedule generated by the music scheduler system
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through to Rivendell logs unchanged.
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For information on configuring this mode of operation, see
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the <computeroutput>Bypass Grid Processing</computeroutput> dropdown
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and related discussion in
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<xref linkend="sect.rdadmin.manage_services" />.
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</para>
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<para>
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If a service has been configured to bypass grid processing, then
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it will not have a grid. Skip forward to
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<xref linkend="sect.rdlogmanager.generating_logs" />.
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</para>
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</sect2>
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<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlogmanager.grids.configuring_grids">
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<title>Configuring Grids</title>
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<para>
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Each Rivendell service has an RDLogManager grid. To see the list of
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available grids, touch the <computeroutput>Edit Grids</computeroutput>
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button to open the Log Grids dialog.
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</para>
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<para>
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<mediaobject>
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<imageobject>
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<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.log_grids_dialog.png" width="65mm" />
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</imageobject>
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<caption><para>The Log Grids Dialog</para></caption>
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</mediaobject>
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</para>
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<para>
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To open a particular grid, select its service name and touch the
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<computeroutput>Edit</computeroutput>
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button.
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</para>
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<para>
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<mediaobject>
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||
<imageobject>
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<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.edit_grid_dialog.png" width="145mm" depth="95mm" />
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</imageobject>
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<caption><para>The Edit Grid Dialog</para></caption>
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</mediaobject>
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</para>
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<para>
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Each grid has slots for every hour of every day of the broadcast week
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– 168 slots in all. By specifying a particular clock to go into each
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of these slots, a set of rules that RDLogManager can use to generate
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a log for any given day of the week is built up. To specify a clock,
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simply touch the particular hour of interest to open up the
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<computeroutput>Select Log Clock</computeroutput> dialog.
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</para>
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<para>
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<mediaobject>
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||
<imageobject>
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<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.log_clocks.png" width="96mm" depth="68mm" />
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</imageobject>
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<caption><para>The Log Clocks Dialog</para></caption>
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</mediaobject>
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</para>
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<para>
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Click the desired clock, then touch the
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<computeroutput>OK</computeroutput> button. To clear the
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assignment of any clock to the selected hour, touch the
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<computeroutput>Clear</computeroutput> button,
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then <computeroutput>OK</computeroutput>.
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</para>
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<para>
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It is possible to 'drill down' directly to the underlying
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configuration of a clock (to be covered shortly) by right-clicking on
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the relevant hour in a grid and selecting
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<computeroutput> Edit Clock</computeroutput>.
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</para>
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||
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</sect2>
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||
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</sect1>
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<sect1 xml:id="sect.rdlogmanager.clocks">
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<title>Clocks</title>
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<para>
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An RDLogManager clock is a collection of RDLogManager events,
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arranged in terms of their start time (relative to the beginning of
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the hour) and length. It basically can be thought of as the
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"schedule" of an hour – <emphasis>any</emphasis> hour.
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Once defined, a clock
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can be plugged into any hour of a grid of any service, thus making
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for easy modularization and changes to a service's schedule.
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</para>
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<para>
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To see the list of available clocks, touch the
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<computeroutput>Edit Clocks</computeroutput> button in
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RDLogManager's Main Menu to open the Log Clocks dialog.
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Each RDLogManager clock can be assigned a
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three-letter code and color, as an aid in identifying it when
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assigned to grids. To add a new clock, touch the
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<computeroutput>Add</computeroutput> button, or to
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edit a clock's parameters, click on it and touch the
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<computeroutput>Edit</computeroutput> button.
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In each case, the Edit Clock dialog will open.
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Clocks can also be deleted by touching the
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<computeroutput>Delete</computeroutput> button or renamed
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by touching the <computeroutput>Rename</computeroutput> button.
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</para>
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<para>
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||
<mediaobject>
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||
<imageobject>
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||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.log_clock_list.png" width="97mm" />
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||
</imageobject>
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<caption><para>The Log Clock List Dialog</para></caption>
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</mediaobject>
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</para>
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<para>
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<mediaobject>
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<imageobject>
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||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.edit_clock_dialog.png" width="145mm" />
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</imageobject>
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<caption><para>The Edit Clock Dialog</para></caption>
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</mediaobject>
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</para>
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<para>
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The Edit Clock dialog consists of three main sections: a tabular
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list of events in chronological order, a graphical depiction of the
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clock in the traditional “broadcast clock” format, and a series of
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action buttons across the bottom. The clock's three-letter code is
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set by means of the <computeroutput>Code</computeroutput> field
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in the upper right-hand corner of the
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table area. Its color can be set by touching the
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<computeroutput>Color</computeroutput> button. To
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save the clock without exiting the dialog, touch the
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<computeroutput>Save</computeroutput>
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or <computeroutput>Save As</computeroutput>
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buttons. To add a new event to the clock, touch the
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<computeroutput>Add</computeroutput> button, or
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to edit an existing entry touch the
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<computeroutput>Edit</computeroutput> button. In either case,
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the Edit Event Assignment dialog will open. To
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delete an entry, touch the <computeroutput>Delete</computeroutput>
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button. As in the case of grids,
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it is possible to 'drill down' into the underlying RDLogManager
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event by right-clicking on the respective entry in the clock event
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table and selecting <computeroutput>Edit Event</computeroutput>.
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||
</para>
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<para>
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||
<mediaobject>
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||
<imageobject>
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||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.edit_event_assignment_dialog.png" width="88mm" depth="26mm" />
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||
</imageobject>
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||
<caption><para>The Edit Event Assignment Dialog</para></caption>
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</mediaobject>
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</para>
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<para>
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The Edit Event Assignment dialog simply consists of an
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<computeroutput>Event</computeroutput> field
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for the name of the RDLogManager event and
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<computeroutput>Start Time</computeroutput> and
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<computeroutput>End Time</computeroutput>
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fields for the start and end times relative to the start of the
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hour. A list of available events can be brought up by touching the
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<computeroutput>Select</computeroutput> button to bring up the
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Log Events dialog.
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</para>
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<para>
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Each clock can be designated as being associated with one or more
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services. This can make finding the correct clock for a given
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service much faster, as the
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<computeroutput>Filter</computeroutput> control on the List Clocks
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dialog can then be used. To program these associations, touch the
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<computeroutput>Services List</computeroutput> button in the Edit
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Clock dialog to bring up the Service
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Associations dialog.
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||
</para>
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||
<para>
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||
<mediaobject>
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||
<imageobject>
|
||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.service_association_dialog.png" width="65mm" depth="39mm" />
|
||
</imageobject>
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||
<caption><para>The Service Association Dialog</para></caption>
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||
</mediaobject>
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||
</para>
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||
<para>
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To designate a service as being valid for this clock, select the
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services name in the <computeroutput>Available Services</computeroutput>
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list and then touch the <computeroutput>Add >></computeroutput>
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button. Likewise, to deselect a service, select its name in the
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<computeroutput>Enabled Services</computeroutput> list and then touch
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the <computeroutput><< Remove</computeroutput> button.
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||
</para>
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||
</sect1>
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||
<sect1 xml:id="sect.rdlogmanager.events">
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<title>Events</title>
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<para>
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An RDLogManager event is a set of rules that define a series of zero
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or more log
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elements (audio carts, macro carts, markers, etc) that should be
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inserted into a log, along with the appropriate log event parameters
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(transition type, time type, etc) to be associated with them.
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The actual elements to be inserted can be specified directly within
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the event itself, or imported from a data file generated by an
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external scheduling system. Up to two such external scheduling
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sources can be defined for each service. While for convenience sake
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these are designated as 'Traffic' and 'Music' within RDLogManager,
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they can each be used anywhere a means of importing external
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scheduling data into the system is needed, regardless of whether such
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data actually references commercial or musical material or not.
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</para>
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<para>
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To see the list of available RDLogManager events, touch the
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<computeroutput>Edit Events</computeroutput> button on the
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RDLogManager Main Menu to open the Log Events
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dialog. It is possible to filter the list of
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available events to only those used for a particular service by
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selecting the service in the <computeroutput>Filter</computeroutput>
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control. To add a new event,
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touch the <computeroutput>Add</computeroutput> button, or to edit
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||
an event's parameters, click on it
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and touch the <computeroutput>Edit</computeroutput> button.
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In each case, the Edit Event dialog will open.
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Events can also be deleted by touching
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the <computeroutput>Delete</computeroutput> button or renamed by
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touching the <computeroutput>Rename</computeroutput> button.
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||
</para>
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||
<para>
|
||
<mediaobject>
|
||
<imageobject>
|
||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.log_events_dialog.png" width="96mm" depth="69mm" />
|
||
</imageobject>
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||
<caption><para>The Log Events Dialog</para></caption>
|
||
</mediaobject>
|
||
</para>
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||
<para>
|
||
<mediaobject>
|
||
<imageobject>
|
||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.editing_event.png" width="145mm" />
|
||
</imageobject>
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||
<caption><para>The Editing Event Dialog</para></caption>
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||
</mediaobject>
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||
</para>
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||
<para>
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||
The Editing Event dialog consists of two main parts: a Library cart
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picker widget on the left side, and an area showing the various event
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parameters on the right. Audio contained within audio carts can be
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auditioned by selecting the desired cart and then touching the
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<computeroutput>Play</computeroutput> button.
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||
</para>
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||
<para>
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Programming an event basically consists of specifying four
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things:
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||
</para>
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||
<itemizedlist mark="opencircle">
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<listitem>
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||
<para>
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||
Scheduling parameters (transition and time types)
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</para>
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||
</listitem>
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<listitem>
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||
<para>
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Pre-import events
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||
</para>
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||
</listitem>
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||
<listitem>
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||
<para>
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||
Importation parameters
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||
</para>
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||
</listitem>
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||
<listitem>
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||
<para>
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||
Post-import events
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||
</para>
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||
</listitem>
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||
</itemizedlist>
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||
<sect4 xml:id="sect.rdlogmanager.events.scheduling_parameters">
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||
<title>Scheduling Parameters</title>
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||
<para>
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||
Scheduling parameters are set in the
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<computeroutput>PRE-POSITION LOG</computeroutput>,
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<computeroutput>TIMED START</computeroutput>,
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<computeroutput>TRANSITIONS</computeroutput> and
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||
<computeroutput>ENFORCING LENGTH</computeroutput> sections of the
|
||
dialog.
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||
</para>
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||
<para>
|
||
<mediaobject>
|
||
<imageobject>
|
||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.events.scheduling_parameters.png" width="100mm" />
|
||
</imageobject>
|
||
<caption><para>Scheduling Parameters</para></caption>
|
||
</mediaobject>
|
||
</para>
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||
<para>
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||
If the event is to have a hard start time, then the
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<computeroutput>Use hard start time</computeroutput>
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||
check box in the <computeroutput>TIMED START</computeroutput>
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||
section should be ticked; enabling
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||
all of the usual hard start parameters to be specified.
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||
(For details on hard start time parameters see
|
||
<xref linkend="sect.rdlogedit.time_and_time_types"/>).
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||
</para>
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||
<para>
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||
If an automatic timed start is not desired, then it is possible to
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check the <computeroutput>Cue to this event</computeroutput> checkbox
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||
in the <computeroutput>PRE-POSITION LOG</computeroutput> section;
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||
thus causing RDLogManager to place a hard time with a 'Make Next'
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attribute on the first item of the event – effectively, causing the
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event to be automatically “cued up” at the scheduled time – something
|
||
that can be particularly handy for keeping spot breaks in sync when
|
||
"overscheduling" music.
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
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||
If it is desired to have RDLogManager try to insert
|
||
material automatically from the Autofill List to ensure that the event
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||
has the length indicated by its parent clock, the
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||
<computeroutput>Use Autofill</computeroutput> box in
|
||
the <computeroutput>ENFORCING LENGTH</computeroutput> section
|
||
should be checked. (See
|
||
<xref linkend="sect.rdadmin.manage_services.general.configure_autofill_carts"/>
|
||
for details).
|
||
If the <computeroutput>Use Autofill</computeroutput> checkbox is
|
||
ticked, then it is also possible to tick the
|
||
<computeroutput>Warn if fill is under or over</computeroutput> checkbox
|
||
to have RDLogManager generate a warning if it was unable to properly
|
||
fill the event when the log was merged.
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
Autofill is for cases where one wants to generate an event insertion in
|
||
the log (typically spots from the traffic system) of a given fixed
|
||
length. The classic use is for filling a break in a satellite-fed
|
||
program. One way to do that is to ensure that the traffic system always
|
||
provides events that add up to the correct duration, but that can be
|
||
tedious to do in certain traffic systems, so ‘Autofill’ is a way to
|
||
have Rivendell automatically make up any shortfall when filling breaks.
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
There are a few basic caveats:
|
||
</para>
|
||
<itemizedlist mark="opencircle">
|
||
<listitem>
|
||
<para>
|
||
Each Rivendell Service has a list of carts to be used for autofill
|
||
purposes (see
|
||
<xref linkend="sect.rdadmin.manage_services.general.configure_autofill_carts"/>
|
||
for details). The algorithm used to do the autofill is fairly
|
||
basic (essentially, "use the
|
||
longest cart in the list that will fit until no more will
|
||
fit"), so a good strategy is to create <emphasis>one</emphasis>
|
||
cart for each ’standard’ length (:60, :30, :10, :05, :02, etc) and
|
||
load up each with lots of "filler" material of the
|
||
appropriate length.
|
||
</para>
|
||
</listitem>
|
||
<listitem>
|
||
<para>
|
||
If the traffic system provides <emphasis>too many</emphasis> spots
|
||
in a break, it will overflow and the break will run long. This is
|
||
where the ‘Warn if fill is over/under…’ checkbox becomes especially
|
||
useful. Ticking that will cause a warning to be generated in the
|
||
Exception Report generated when importing the schedule.
|
||
</para>
|
||
</listitem>
|
||
<listitem>
|
||
<para>
|
||
The autofill happens <emphasis>when the log import happens</emphasis>,
|
||
not at log play-out time! Once a log is fully produced (generated,
|
||
merged and voice-tracked), autofill is done; “baked in” as it were.
|
||
</para>
|
||
</listitem>
|
||
</itemizedlist>
|
||
</sect4>
|
||
<sect4 xml:id="sect.rdlogmanager.events.pre_import_events">
|
||
<title>Pre-Import Events</title>
|
||
<para>
|
||
Pre-import event parameters are set in the
|
||
<computeroutput>PRE-IMPORT EVENTS</computeroutput> section of the
|
||
dialog.
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
<mediaobject>
|
||
<imageobject>
|
||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.events.pre_import_events.png" width="100mm" />
|
||
</imageobject>
|
||
<caption><para>Pre-Import Event List</para></caption>
|
||
</mediaobject>
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
Pre-import events are a list of log events to be inserted
|
||
before any events are imported from an external schedule. For audio or
|
||
macro carts, these can be simply dragged and dropped from the Library
|
||
cart list on the left-hand side of the dialog. Meta events
|
||
(such as log notes or voice tracker markers) can be
|
||
inserted by right-clicking on the list and selecting the desired
|
||
type of element. It is also possible to edit or delete elements and
|
||
set the transition type of each element by doing a right-click on the
|
||
respective item in the list.
|
||
</para>
|
||
</sect4>
|
||
<sect4 xml:id="sect.rdlogmanager.events.importation_parameters">
|
||
<title>Importation Parameters</title>
|
||
<para>
|
||
Importation parameters are set in the
|
||
<computeroutput>IMPORT</computeroutput> section of the dialog.
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
<mediaobject>
|
||
<imageobject>
|
||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.events.importation_parameters.png" width="100mm" />
|
||
</imageobject>
|
||
<caption><para>Importation Parameters</para></caption>
|
||
</mediaobject>
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
This section is used to specify which (if any) source will be used
|
||
for importing external scheduling events into the log. Either
|
||
<computeroutput>None</computeroutput>,
|
||
<computeroutput>From Traffic</computeroutput>,
|
||
<computeroutput>From Music</computeroutput> or
|
||
<computeroutput>Select from</computeroutput> can be selected.
|
||
If <computeroutput>Traffic</computeroutput> or
|
||
<computeroutput>Music</computeroutput> is selected,
|
||
then RDLogManager will import any events from those sources that fall
|
||
within the start and end times of the event (as supplied by the
|
||
parent clock) inclusive. These start and end times can be further
|
||
broadened by
|
||
means of 'slop factors' entered into the
|
||
<computeroutput>
|
||
Import carts scheduled <X> prior to the start of this event.
|
||
</computeroutput>
|
||
and
|
||
<computeroutput>
|
||
Import carts scheduled <X> after the end of this event.
|
||
</computeroutput>
|
||
controls (this is sometimes necessary to get the import to work
|
||
properly with certain external scheduler systems). The transition
|
||
types to be used for the first and subsequent imported elements can
|
||
be specified with the <computeroutput>First cart has a</computeroutput>
|
||
and <computeroutput>Imported carts have a</computeroutput>
|
||
controls. If <computeroutput>Music</computeroutput> has been selected
|
||
as the import source, it is
|
||
also possible to specify the event to use to import traffic breaks
|
||
embedded in the music log with the
|
||
<computeroutput>Import inline traffic</computeroutput> with the
|
||
control. (For details on configuring inline traffic breaks, see
|
||
<xref linkend="sect.rdadmin.manage_services.general.inline_event_scheduling_parameters"/>).
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
Selecting <computeroutput>Select from</computeroutput> will cause
|
||
RDLogManager to use Rivendell's built-in music scheduler to
|
||
import one cart, in accordance with the Group, separations and
|
||
Schedule Codes configured.
|
||
</para>
|
||
</sect4>
|
||
<sect4 xml:id="sect.rdlogmanager.events.post_import_events">
|
||
<title>Post-Import Events</title>
|
||
<para>
|
||
Post-import event parameters are set in the
|
||
<computeroutput>POST-IMPORT EVENTS</computeroutput> section of the
|
||
dialog.
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
<mediaobject>
|
||
<imageobject>
|
||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.events.post_import_events.png" width="100mm" />
|
||
</imageobject>
|
||
<caption><para>Post-Import Event List</para></caption>
|
||
</mediaobject>
|
||
</para>
|
||
</sect4>
|
||
<para>
|
||
The color of the event (as seen in the Edit Clock dialog) can be set
|
||
by touching the <computeroutput>Color</computeroutput> button.
|
||
The list of services for which this
|
||
event is valid can be edited by touching the
|
||
<computeroutput>Services List</computeroutput> button.
|
||
To save the event without exiting the dialog, touch the
|
||
<computeroutput>Save</computeroutput> or
|
||
<computeroutput>Save As</computeroutput> buttons.
|
||
</para>
|
||
</sect1>
|
||
<sect1 xml:id="sect.rdlogmanager.generating_logs">
|
||
<title>Generating Logs</title>
|
||
<para>
|
||
After all of the appropriate hours have been populated in a service's
|
||
grid, it's time to start generating logs. To do this, touch the
|
||
<computeroutput>Generate Logs</computeroutput> button in
|
||
RDLogManager's Main Menu to open the Generate Log dialog.
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
Depending upon how many external scheduling sources are involved,
|
||
generating a log involves one, two or three steps. Before performing
|
||
any of the steps, it is first necessary to select the relevant
|
||
service for which to generate the log (using the
|
||
<computeroutput>Service</computeroutput> control)
|
||
and the log date (either by entering the date in the
|
||
<computeroutput>Date</computeroutput> control
|
||
or by touching the <computeroutput>Select</computeroutput> button
|
||
and picking it off of the calendar).
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
<mediaobject>
|
||
<imageobject>
|
||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.generate_log_dialog.png" width="39mm" depth="48mm" />
|
||
</imageobject>
|
||
<caption><para>The Generate Log Dialog</para></caption>
|
||
</mediaobject>
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
In all cases, a new log is initially generated by touching the
|
||
<computeroutput>Create New Log</computeroutput> button.
|
||
If the log for the selected date and service does not
|
||
already exist, it will be created at this point (becoming visible in
|
||
RDLogEdit). It the log already exists, it will be overwritten.
|
||
(NOTE: if completed voicetracks exist in the old log, they will be
|
||
deleted when the log is overwritten!)
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
When generating a log, RDLogManager will look for possible problems
|
||
(such as scheduled carts that are missing in the Library) and
|
||
generate an exception report if it finds any.
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
Once generated, the status lights in the Generate Log dialog indicate
|
||
which (if any) additional import data are needed to complete the log.
|
||
Two types of status light exist:
|
||
<computeroutput>Available</computeroutput>, which indicates if the
|
||
required data file is available to RDLogManager, and
|
||
<computeroutput>Merged</computeroutput>,
|
||
indicating whether the data has been merged into the log as yet.
|
||
Each light can show one of three different colors: GREEN, meaning
|
||
"yes", RED, meaning "no" and WHITE, meaning
|
||
"not required".
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
<mediaobject>
|
||
<imageobject>
|
||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.generate_log_dialog_music_merge_required.png" width="39mm" depth="48mm" />
|
||
</imageobject>
|
||
<caption><para>The Generate Log Dialog (music merge required)</para></caption>
|
||
</mediaobject>
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
For an example, see the figure above. This is showing a log that has
|
||
been generated and has music data available but not yet merged. To
|
||
perform the merge, touch the
|
||
<computeroutput>Merge Music</computeroutput> button. The dialog now
|
||
changes to that shown below, indicating that Music data
|
||
has been merged but that traffic data is still needed.
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
<mediaobject>
|
||
<imageobject>
|
||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.generate_log_dialog_traffic_merge_required.png" width="39mm" depth="48mm" />
|
||
</imageobject>
|
||
<caption><para>The Generate Log Dialog (traffic merge required)</para></caption>
|
||
</mediaobject>
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
Once a log
|
||
has reached this state – that of having any necessary music data
|
||
merged – it can be voicetracked without having to wait for traffic
|
||
data to become available. Traffic data can be merged at any time
|
||
before, during or after the generation of voicetracks. The actual
|
||
traffic merge is performed by touching the
|
||
<computeroutput>Merge Traffic</computeroutput> button,
|
||
resulting in a dialog as illustrated. (NOTE:
|
||
the configuration of the various data file names and parser parameters
|
||
needed for data import is done in the RDAdmin module and is covered
|
||
in the Rivendell Technical and Administration Guide).
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
It is important to note that the sequence of operations from the
|
||
example above is typical, but may vary depending upon how the system
|
||
administrator has configured RDLogManager at each site. Some services,
|
||
for example, will have no music data, only traffic, so the music
|
||
indicator lights will be "whited out" accordingly.
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
<mediaobject>
|
||
<imageobject>
|
||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.generate_log_dialog_fully_merged.png" width="39mm" depth="48mm" />
|
||
</imageobject>
|
||
<caption><para>The Generate Log Dialog (fully merged)</para></caption>
|
||
</mediaobject>
|
||
</para>
|
||
</sect1>
|
||
<sect1 xml:id="sect.rdlogmanager.generating_reports">
|
||
<title>Generating Reports</title>
|
||
<para>
|
||
A Rivendell report is a data output that details whether certain
|
||
events aired as scheduled, and under what circumstances. Reports are
|
||
available in various formats. Some are intended to be directly read
|
||
by humans, while others are intended for use by other, external
|
||
software systems as a means of reconciling exported schedules.
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
Rivendell has the ability to filter the data that go into any
|
||
particular report on the basis of the type of material played (traffic
|
||
spots, music or all), the playing service(s) and the originating
|
||
host(s). The configuration of reports is done in the RDAdmin module
|
||
and is covered in the Rivendell Technical and Administration Guide.
|
||
Once configured however, reports are actually generated by the
|
||
RDLogManager module.
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
To generate a report, touch the
|
||
<computeroutput>Manage Reports</computeroutput> button on the
|
||
RDLogManager Main Menu to open the Select Service dialog.
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
<mediaobject>
|
||
<imageobject>
|
||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.rivendell_services_dialog.png" width="64mm" depth="54mm" />
|
||
</imageobject>
|
||
<caption><para>The Rivendell Services Dialog</para></caption>
|
||
</mediaobject>
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
The dialog will show each service on the system.
|
||
Touch the <computeroutput>Generate Reports</computeroutput>
|
||
button to open the Select Report Dates dialog.
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
<mediaobject>
|
||
<imageobject>
|
||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.select_report_dates_dialog.png" width="64mm" depth="30mm" />
|
||
</imageobject>
|
||
<caption><para>The Select Report Dates Dialog</para></caption>
|
||
</mediaobject>
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
The desired report can be
|
||
selected with the <computeroutput>Report</computeroutput> control,
|
||
and the start and end dates of the
|
||
report specified with the
|
||
<computeroutput>Start Date</computeroutput> and
|
||
<computeroutput>End Date</computeroutput> controls,
|
||
respectively (NOTE: not all reports are capable of being generated so
|
||
as to span more than one day).
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
<mediaobject>
|
||
<imageobject>
|
||
<imagedata align="center" fileref="rdlogmanager.select_date_dialog.png" width="39mm" depth="43mm" />
|
||
</imageobject>
|
||
<caption><para>The Select Date Dialog</para></caption>
|
||
</mediaobject>
|
||
</para>
|
||
<para>
|
||
Once the parameters are set, touch the
|
||
<computeroutput>Generate Report</computeroutput> button to write out
|
||
the report.
|
||
</para>
|
||
<sect2 xml:id="sect.rdlogmanager.purging_old_report_data">
|
||
<title>Manually Purging Old Report Data</title>
|
||
<para>
|
||
Rivendell keeps the raw data used to generate reports indefinitely
|
||
until purged out of the system. Periodic purging of old
|
||
data is a good idea from the standpoint of minimizing the amount of
|
||
system resources utilized, and can be done manually by selecting the
|
||
desired service and then touching the
|
||
<computeroutput>Purge Data</computeroutput> button in the Select
|
||
Service dialog, opening up a calendar dialog.
|
||
Each date that has data eligible for purging will be shown in bold.
|
||
To purge a particular day, select it and the touch the
|
||
<computeroutput>Purge Data</computeroutput>
|
||
button.
|
||
</para>
|
||
<warning>
|
||
Once ELR data for a particular service and date are purged it will
|
||
be impossible to generate reports for that service/date.
|
||
Be sure that all required reports have been produced before purging!
|
||
</warning>
|
||
<note>
|
||
It is recommended that the system be configured to purge report data
|
||
automatically after it reaches a certain age (30 days is typical).
|
||
See <xref linkend="sect.rdadmin.manage_services.general.purging_log_and_elr_data_automatically"/>
|
||
for information on configuring automatic data purging in RDAdmin.
|
||
</note>
|
||
</sect2>
|
||
</sect1>
|
||
</chapter>
|