TXT files can be shown as a Playlist item in mAirList - Simply add the txt extension under Miscellaneous in mAirListConfig, and create a text file with the following format:
#ARTIST News Script for mAirList
#TITLE Breaking News Story 1
#DURATION 0:00:25
Text goes here and appears as the "Comment" text...
You can then add the folder of text files to the Browser view once the txt extension has been enabled… and it looks a bit like this:
Though I presume this technique will only work in mAirList V2.1.x and not in V2.0.x … is that correct, Torben?
If so, then V2.0.x users can still ‘fake it’ by inserting a DUMMY or BREAK Playlist item and editing its Properties page ;). Though I accept this isn’t quite the same as being able to ‘pull in’ a text file.
Questions to Charlie: How would you need to change the contents of the TXT file to have it appear in a Playlist as, say, a BREAK item (which is probably how some people would prefer it—two birds with one stone, yes?). Similarly, is there a way to type a ‘soft’ backtime into the TXT file, to indicate a preferred time when the item should be read out?
I think you’d have to compile the "text " as part of the “Properties” window, then save it to MLP format as M3U won’t handle the extra data… I think TXT support has been around for a while, so you should be able to use my above example, Cad.
If so, then V2.0.x users can still 'fake it' by inserting a DUMMY or BREAK Playlist item and editing its Properties page ;). Though I accept this isn't quite the same as being able to 'pull in' a text file.
.txt files are imported as dummy items when dragged into the playlist, so the result is exactly the same as if you created the dummy manually. The special lines starting with “#” allow you to automatically set artist, title and duration. The remainder of the .txt file is pasted into the Comment field.
If the script/text is long enough to make the item’s row height exceed the Playlist’s height, you cannot use the Playlist’s vertical scroll bar to view the rest of the script, because the scroll bar moves to the next item.
A very minor problem, but worth noting for those who may plan to use this feature a lot.
I suspect that this happens because of the way the Playlist objects work; and I guess it may not happen in V2.1.x, but I’m still using V2.0.x exclusively, since we are still in the throes of going ‘live’ on air (we have a recorded broadcast loop curreently, while we await our STL kit).