All overlays -> Gone

[radio42]

Any news?

[andrerotgans]

Hi Bernd,

Had to work yesterday, so no time to figure it out. This morning I've checked my HD's thoroughly (both, server and workstation running PFOA, both are virtual), nothing found. I'll send you the .calendar file by PM !

[radio42]

Ohh yes, your .calendar file contains thousands of duplicate entries - in total over 10.000 !

Most of them have been incorrectly created by the Advert Pattern Wizard...
It looks like you misunderstood the repeat pattern given in the Wizard...so press the '?' on the Wizard to get the full details.

I am not sure, if I can repair that file...

[andrerotgans]

Huh ? I always use it the same way,without any problems over the last 1 1/2 year or so. Are these created over a longer periode of time, so that I've been doing it 'wrong' since the beginning ? Or can't you see that.
Please don't bother repairing the file, since it's a test system. I can just delete it and start from scratch.

[andrerotgans]

But I do admin that the recurrence/repeat pattern part of the advert wizard is not my best part

[radio42]

The .calendar entries are typically cleaned up (if possible) - see the 'Keep Days' settings in the general settings.
However, this of course only applies to entries having an end recurring date - if unlimited they can not be cleaned...

[andrerotgans]

Bernd,

Just one question regarding the Advert wizard. What I normally do to plan a commercial overlay 'after the news'
- Pick an start and end date. Time : 00:01:00 (will be a 'soft start' later on in the dialog, to let it start after the news)
- Tick Hour, every 1 hour
-> Next
- Check none for overlay recurrence definition. As far as I understand, that way each overlay will be on it's own. So, no repeats, no double ones.

Correct ?
I don't understand why I would pick another recurrence definition, but maybe it's better to pick something else ? I can understand all parts of PFOA, but the overlay recurrence definition is somehow a mystery. Even when reading everything there is about it on the forum. Maybe I just think in another way

[radio42]

That sounds totally correct !
But when looking at your file there had been a lot of exactly the same entries for exactly the same date/times. Are you sure you did not used the same date/time range on the first wizard page multiple times?
Just one question - why don't you use a recurring pattern? Are your advert slots/overlays changing every day (I mean the time not the content)?

Anyhow, here is a little sequence creating new entries manually (non-recurring).
Note, that the initial start and date/time range (Starting at/Ending at) spans exactly one day and within that day every hour a new entry is created...

AdvertPatternWizard-1.jpg (68.13 KiB) Viewed 8108 times

But it is non-recurring:

AdvertPatternWizard-2.jpg (46.48 KiB) Viewed 8108 times

AdvertPatternWizard-3.jpg (77.18 KiB) Viewed 8108 times

AdvertPatternWizard-4.jpg (79.96 KiB) Viewed 8108 times

AdvertPatternWizard-5.jpg (100.54 KiB) Viewed 8108 times

Finally the calendar might look like this:

AdvertPatternWizard-6.jpg (188.58 KiB) Viewed 8108 times

Note, that I ran the same sequence as above twice:
1. Starting at/Ending at: 16.04.2014 00:01:00 / 17.04.2014 00:01:00
2. Starting at/Ending at: 17.04.2014 00:01:00 / 18.04.2014 00:01:00
For each day 24 entries (one per hour) have been created!
Note the (ok/ok) in the final screen - there would have been 'conflict' entries in case of overlapping/duplicate entries - but if you overlook this and still click FINISH - duplicate conflicts might get created!

[andrerotgans]

Hi Bernd,
Yep, I'm sure I didn't use the same data twice (or more), as I didn't see any conflicts in the final screen (had that once, long time ago, so I'm focussed on that part when using the Advert wizard.

Why I don't use a recurrence. Hmm, not sure, probably because as I told you I don't get that part very good. The content of the overlays change, but the time is always the same. Every hour, every day. So, I maybe I could pick 'day' for a recurrence ? Don't exactly know what the benefit of using a recurrence is. Does it generate less overlays ?

[radio42]

Yes that is the benefit.
There are 24 daily recurring entries needed to cover it (if you have one overlay per hour).
If you create every day a new set of 24 entries (non recurring) that is after 50 days already 1200 entries.
And after 100 days that's 2400 entries...
As said I am not sure why, but your calendar file contained over 10000 entries...
Instead of just 24.