Scheduler does not 'shuffle' folders correctly

Archive mAirList 3.x (English)
1

If you use the scheduler to generate (say) ad breaks from a folder with only four items in it, and the hour template contains four entries for that folder, then the four items are generated in the SAME sequence for every hour.

In other words, after the four entries are taken from it for the first generated hour, the folder is NOT ‘shuffled’ before files are taken from it for the NEXT hour. The same four files show in the same order each hour—EVERY hour!

BFN
CAD

2

Did I mention that the Mini Scheduler is not meant as a replacement for a real music scheduling software?

The “bug” you’re reporting can actually be solved pretty easily (just pick a new permutation when the old one is wrapping), but I’m sure you will spot the next shortcoming within minutes.

I repeat: The Mini Scheduler is not a professional music scheduling software, and it is not supposed to be one (at least not at this time). It’s rather some sort of “advanced random playlist function”. The algorithms are far too simple, and I could spend endless hours on improving them. But then I wouldn’t spend those hours on improving what mAirList is all about, that is, the playout system. And there are many improvements to come!

So for the moment, let’s concentrate on how to connect mAirListDB to the various real scheduling systems around.

3

Once or twice, yes! :smiley:

I do understand what you mean about it not being ‘real’ scheduling software, but a ‘random generator’ given a folder containing four tracks, and asked to create four items per hour using that folder (to ‘mix up’ an ad. break) should not (IMHO) generate exactly the same order of the four tracks for each hour it generates.

If it’s not possible to create a truly random order and to ‘shuffle’ the order when one has played all the tracks in the specified folder, then I don’t think you should offer the ability to create more than a single one hour playlist at the same time. Put another way: if you provide a function to create (for example) a whole week’s worth of playlists using templates, it is unfair to tell the user the tracks will be selected randomly from the folders when in fact the tracks will be selected in the same order each time the folder is ‘used up.’

I don’t know … it just looks like the MiniScheduler promises so much, but then doesn’t deliver. To make it a truly useful tool, but still not a ‘professional’ scheduler, all you would need to add would be:

  • VERY simple Artist Separation
  • ability to select individual audio items, and
  • ability to select system-generated nodes (e.g. Year: 1967).

It seems crazy to me to have a decent database and then have to import all your music AGAIN into ANOTHER system (like RCS or Music1 or SPC) just to be able to generate a simple playlist, or make ‘randomised’ ad. breaks. And in our case, even SPC would be complete overkill for what we would want to do, which is:

  1. ‘Randomise’ ad. breaks.
  2. Create overnight playout playlist easily and simply.
  3. Ability to quickly produce a Playlist when sitting in for another presenter in an ‘emergency’ situation.

shrug< Just my opinion!
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BFN
CAD