Simple automation commands, included in your format clocks, are used to tell the TuneTracker™ automation program what to do, and when to do it. All TuneTracker™ commands must begin with a single # (pound sign). TuneTracker™ commands are "case insensitive," though when they specify a path and a filename, you must use the same upper and lowercase letters as actually exist in the path and filename.
The quickest way to access information about any TuneTracker command is to click on the item in our "Jumplist" on the right. You will note that some commands are only available with certain versions of TuneTracker, and those exceptions are noted in each command's description.
Where offered, be sure to click "Read More" for more detailed information on commands, including lots of really helpful hints and examples. If you don't read them, you'll miss a lot of what these features can do for you!
For full, in-context examples of these commands "in action," be sure to view the format clock and master log template files and the sample program log, found in your TuneTracker System's "Templates" folder, or in the "Logs" folders found inside your "Station" folder.
# Hour is a marker that must be included at the top of each hour in your program day, including at the start of each of your format clocks and at the start of every hour in your 24-hour master logs. The # Hour statement tells TuneTracker™ that all the entries following it should occur in the hour specified. The # Hour command is expressed in 24-hour "military" time format, where hour 13 is 1 p.m., hour 14 is 2 p.m., etc. The first hour of the day, from midnight to 1 a.m., is expressed as "# Hour 0".
The "# Live-For" command is an automated method of opening a live connection to whatever is audio source is plugged into your sound card. In Command Center, you specify the period of time for the live event right in the same line, so no Pause-For line is necessary.
Example 1:
# Live-For 00:05:00
Example 2:
# Live-For 99:00:00 # Interrupt@:18:00
In the second example, Live-For uses an "infinite pause" which will keep your live event active until it is taken off the air by an # Interrupt.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The # Live-For and # Live On/Off automation events are NOT intended for frequent, day-in, day-out, satellite-based automation. For that kind of broadcasting, use Command Center and a ChannelCaster switcher package.
# Run /boot/home/config/bin/GetWeather.sh & # Run /boot/home/config/bin/shutdown -r & # Run /boot/home/config/bin/SendPlaylist.sh & # Run /boot/home/config/bin/DownloadNews.sh &
To assure they are not skipped-over, # Run commands are normally best placed right after a Time-Correct.
In addition to being automated, # Run commands can also be assigned to configurable buttons and given labels matching their purpose, such as "Do Backups," "Make Logs," etc.
The example above will result in Command Center playing a station ID at the top of the 8 p.m. hour. If more than one audio file with the Comment, "StationID" is found, Command Center will rotate through them, playing the next one in the rotation each time that particular type of Overlay is required.
There's lots more information available on this feature...
We feel every element of this command is so important that we aren't going to risk moving any of it to a "read more" page. The full explanation is covered right here.
Important facts about VT:
# VT can cause a voice-track to be played over the ramp of a song, timed to assure the voice-track ends just as the singing begins.
# VT can be used to find and add a "talkbed" under any voice audio.
# VT can do both in one shot, placing a talkbed beneath a voice-track, then segueing into the ramp of a song
The item immediately following a voice-track does not need a ramp assigned to it in order to take advantage of just the talkbed feature. Thus, # VT is great as a way of placing music beneath information like bulletins and headlines, weather, traffic reports, sports, PSAs, etc.
# VT identifies the event just beneath it as a voice-track, so TuneTracker™ knows to overlap it with the tracks preceding and following it if those tracks have their ramp times marked. # VT can also be used to add a talkbed (background music) behind a voice-track or other audio file.
# VT will ONLY overlap an audio file with a song by the number of seconds assigned to that song's OnRamp or OffRamp. If no ramp time is assigned, overlap will be no different than any other normal transition
The song's ramp will be ducked (reduced) in volume until the voice-track is finished. The amount of ducking is based on the number you have entered in the "Voice track" text box in Command Center System Preferences. A value of around .3 (3/10th volume) works well.
In Example 1 above, Command Center will start playing the voice-track file, and will overlap as much of it with the song as will fit, based on how long the song's ramp time is.
# VT WITH TALKBED (don't miss this feature!!)
The talkbed capabilities in # VT are extremely useful as a means of putting music beneath voice-tracks, news or sports headlines, weather forecasts, and any other item that is improved by the addition of a background track. To use it, just specify an attribute and value (such as "Comment TalkBed" or "Gender Instrumental") that corresponds to at least one file in your library that's marked that way. If there's more than one match, Command Center will rotate through the available music beds, using a different one each time.
# VT plays the talk bed at a ducked (reduced) volume, based a number value you have entered in the Overlap text box in Command Center System Preferences. A value of around .3 (3/10th volume) works well.
In Example 2 above, Command Center will find an audio file with the Comment, "MusicBkg" and play that music underneath the voice-track, until it's time to overlap the voice-track with the song, "Never Alone." At that point, the talkbed music will go away and the song's ramp will take its place. If your ramp time is accurate, the voice-track will conclude just as the singing or main theme begins. If the song has no ramp marked, the talkbed will play beneath the entire voice-track.
Staying with the example above, if there are multiple tracks matching the criteria, "Comment MusicBkg," then Command Center will rotate through them, always using the next one in the list. If there's only one track matching the criteria, that track will be used every time.
In Example 3 above, rather than a voice-track, we have a weather forecast. Command Center will find an audio file with the Comment, "WeatherBed" and play that music underneath the weather forecast. After the forecast is over, the jingle will play. You could just as easily do # VT Comment SportsBed or NewsBed, or anything you like, to enhance the sound of your reports.
Especially when coupled with our Temperature Announcement Package, TimeAnnounce can be customized and personalized in many exciting ways, and be turned into a sellable feature that can generate nice ongoing income for your station.
Temperature announcements, a purchasable add-on to Command Center™, are intended to play immediately following a time announcement. Always use the temperature announcements right after a time announcement, because the temperature announcements are worded to follow them, as shown in the example below.
Example:
# TimeAnnounce # TempAnnounce Play /boot/Station/Commercials/ttsponsor_1stnationalbank.mp3
As you can see in the example above, the syntax is almost identical to TimeAnnounce. Not only do temperature announcements give your station a great new service and a more "live" sound, they're also easily profitable. The announcement of time and temperature is a very a sellable commodity. Many stations offer a "time and temp" package to advertisers such as banks and other institutions. In the example above, the listeners might hear something like:
"It's 7:35 and 46 degrees. A time and temperature check from your friends at 1st National Bank...the friendly bank, downtown Spotsville. Open your account today!"
LiveAssist command toggles Live-Assist Mode on and off. Normally only the "Off" feature is required, at the end of a section of program log, as a precaution against the possibility a show host might walk away and forget to turn Live-Assist Mode off manually.
Examples:
# LiveAssist On
# Live Assist Off
It is worthwhile reading the additional information on this feature if you wish to use it, to assure you make the best use of it for your situation...
Loads and displays whichever customized set of ButtonPad buttons you specify. This allows Command Center to load the proper set of buttons for each time of day automatically.
Use the exact name you gave the set when you created it in the button layout editor. To assure accuracy, you can copy and paste it directly from the editor to the line in your log, using CTRL-C for copy, and CTRL-V for paste.