Best ways of doing...

[hdradio]

I have some scripts that have to run several times everyday at fixed times.
An example script is "Today in history"
Each script has will play every day with no end day.
Is there any other way to schedule them instead of creating multiple overlays for each one (eg. 5 overlays if I want to play 5 times a day) ?

[hdradio]

My files have name "Today-mm-dd.mp3" where mm and dd are month and day.
Can I use the adv manager and add a new campaign with end date eg. 2015.
Then assign the slots for the hours I want this file to play.
If I want to extend the date I simply change the end date.
Is that possible ?

Tried and couldn't find a solution.
Unfortunately the file should exist, so I can not use ${MM} and ${dd} variables.

[hdradio]

What I am trying to do is to avoid using overlays to schedule this.
I don't like the idea to create 5 or more overlays for every script like this.
Ok. It's a one time process. But I am looking for a more easy way.

[radio42]

Guess there is nothing more easy...and I can not even think of anything more easy and clear to understand being honest...

[hdradio]

This might look easy to you.
But I have some files playing for example International observance that are different files that are not scheduled for every day.
I am so confused how to program them.

[hdradio]

Bernd. Sorry for confusing you.
Your first answer lead me to my next question and so on.
So to make things more simple I 'll give you an example.
There are some files that need to be scheduled to play. Those files are different for each day.
Their format is FileName-mm-dd.mp3 where mm=month and dd=day.
Some files have to play everyday with no end date and some other at fixed days (not fixed weekdays).

a) Suppose I have a file TodayInHistory-mm-dd.mp3
I have to play this file every day without end date at hours:
08:15, 10:15, 12:15, 14:15, 16:15, 18:15
According to your answer there is no other way than creating 6 overlays for the above hours playing a script with a line :
LoadTrack TodayInHistory-${start_MM}-${start_dd}.mp3

b) Suppose I have another file WorldDay-mm-dd.mp3 that plays at specific days each month for example:
January: 1,3,4,5,8,9,18,24 February 10,18,21,28 March 8,14,15,16,20,30 and so on.
That file has to play at times: 08:45, 10:45:12:45, 14:45, 16:45, 18:45.
I have many of that kind of files that use the b) option.

My question is how to schedule the b) option files.
If I could use the adv manager, I think I would just set the first day and then copy that day to the next days I need.

[radio42]

to a) if you want to play them via the Overlay Player - then yes, that is correct.
6 entries within the Overlay Scheduler are needed - all might use the same single-line script as you outlined.

The related overlay entries might get a recurrence pattern of 'daily, every 1 day'.

As an alternative you might 'plan' those elements as FixTimeElements (FTE) within the related Scripts of the regular Program playing at that hour.
E.g. if you have a dedicated program running each hour of the say anyhow, you might just add those FTEs accordingly. 6 FTEs are needed.
If that is feasible depends on your regular Program Scheduler and the Scripts you are using.
E.g. if you only have one Program/Script running all day long - the solution using the Overlay Scheduler might work much easier.


to b) Here you have 2 options (one not being really useful I guess, which would be scheduling via various overlay entries for each day and time):
But before that just let me point out, that the filename "WorldDay-mm-dd.mp3" doesn't have any real 'meaning' here.
The "mm-dd" part of the filename can not be used by any means, as the effective play out date and time doesn't relate to it at all - as for option a).
As such, the use of any macros would make much sense.
So here the effectively useful option would in deed be the use of either the Advert Management.
E.g. you might create a 'Partner' (lets call it 'Dummy') and a 'Campaign' (lets call that 'WorldDay'),
Now you can import the file "WorldDay-mm-dd.mp3" to your partners campaign - so that the campaign only has this single track assigned.

Now you still need to create respective Advert Slots of course.
I assume at least one Advert Slot per time is needed, lets call them 'Slot_0845', 'Slot_1045', 'Slot_1245', 'Slot_1445', 'Slot_1645' and 'Slot_1845'.
And create related Overlay Scheduler entries using these Advert Slots!

Once this is done (a one time configuration job), you can dynamically assign the Campaign (or in the future even other of such campaigns) to your Advert Slots as needed.
This can be done in the respective Campaign Edit dialog where you can assign this campaign to your defined slots - either dynamically, automatic/fixed or manually per date.

Meaning, you define the Advert Slots and Overlay Entries once - but use them according to the campaign assignment.
I guess this was what you are looking for?!

[hdradio]

Bernd,
"WorldDay-mm-dd.mp3" is the format of the filename not the real filename.
Real filenames are: "WorldDay-01-15.mp3", WorldDay-02-28.mp3", "WorldDay-03-19.mp3"

[radio42]

When you said, that this file should be played like this:
January: 1,3,4,5,8,9,18,24 February 10,18,21,28 March 8,14,15,16,20,30 and so on.
That file has to play at times: 08:45, 10:45:12:45, 14:45, 16:45, 18:45.

Did you mean, that at these days and times it is always the same physical file playing or should at each date and time a different file play?
And if, which one...the one matching the month and day given in the filename? But always the same file for all time slots of that day?

[hdradio]

As I said there are different files. One for each day.
So for 1 of January I have to play file "WorldDay-01-01.mp3" at times 08:45, 10:45:12:45, 14:45, 16:45, 18:45.
3 of January play the file "WorldDay-01-03.mp3" at same times 08:45, 10:45:12:45, 14:45, 16:45, 18:45.
...
18 of February play "WorldDay-02-18.mp3" at same times 08:45, 10:45:12:45, 14:45, 16:45, 18:45.
and so on.

If I could use as a campaign file : "WorldDay-${start_MM}-${start_dd}.mp3" the problem would be solved.
But I can not.