ProppFrexx ONAIR User-Forum

Hi,

I have got some difficulties to understand the programming engine in PFOA.
I already read all topics about this subject but, however, i've got some questions.

How I work?
I created 1 script per show.
Each day, I generate all playlists and I schedule them (with the template assistant).
I've got some media libraries organised with different folders (one folder by category of music or show).
The history setting of each media library is set to 0.

In the "Media Libraries" settings, the song history setting is set to 50
In the "Script Libraries" settings, the song history setting is set to 50.
The global song history setting is set to 50 (or 3 hours)...the same setting is set for album, artist or song.
The "add to global history" setting is set to "only at scripting".

On the scripts...
For each script created the max history setting is set to 0 and the clear history is unchecked.
For each script generated by PFOA, the max history is set to 0 and the clear history is checked.

I don't understand why there is so much "History" parameters and the difference between them.
With my configuration, i have sometimes duplicate entries in the playlist...what's wrong?

What is the best practice?

Thank you.

Amaury

Thank you Bernd.
So it means that, if I only don't want to play the same track during three hours, I have to use the Global history (and only it) and put enough tracks in the media libraries (more than 3 hours of music).

Is that true?

Is the "Clear History" checkbox have to be checked in my script? in the script automatically generated by PFOA?

Yes.

The "Clear History" checkbox only relates to the media resp. script library history - but never to the global history!
As such you do not need to touch this when using the global history.
(there are anyhow only a very few special scenarios when/where to use the media resp. script library history)

There are 2 settings for each the media lib history and the script lib history.
One is call 'Song History' and can directly be configured in the general settings (section 'Folders/Libraries' resp. 'Scripts/Scheduler').
This is only used/relevant for the 'Auto Playlist Path' resp. the 'Script Library Path'.

The other one is called '(Max.) History' when directly editing an 'Additional Media/Script Library'.
This value is the one taken for manually defined media or script libraries.

Thank you (again).
And, so, each values have to be set to 0...

Ok...
I'll try this!

Here is a link which explains the different histories:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=620

In general:
A history is simply a collection of tracks.
When querying/scheduling a track (from within a script-line), that 'picked' track might be checked, if it exists in a history...and if...it might be skipped and a new track might be picked instead.
There are 3 histories available:
(1) a Media Library related history
(2) a Script related history
(3) a Global history

(1) and (2) are working purely on 'filenames' - meaning they use a quick and fast check by simply comparing the filename! A such, a track is skipped, if the exact same track (file) is picked again.
The global history (3) works on much more attributes (see the general settings for details), i.e. the filename, title, artist and album optionally using a relaxed or strict matching check.

Also note this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=675

By default if the "Global Song History" check can not be satisfied for a certain script-line, this returns the last found track anyway! Meaning a duplicate entry is finally allowed...
However, it all also depends on the number of media entries present within your media libraries.
E.g. there must be more entries present within your media lib than you specified as number of history items - else it might be the case, that all your media lib entries are present within a history and as such no 'free' track could be found anymore...