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AutoCast's ShowText Feature
As you may already know, TuneTracker AutoCast lets you assign text files to configurable buttons, so you can rapidly pull up scripts and read them live. What you might not be aware of is that AutoCast can also be used to display scripts automatically!
How does it work? It's painfully SIMPLE. See the two steps below. The filename and path mentioned below are just an example; you can make them whatever you want.
1. Write a script and save it in your home folder with the filename, Script.
2. Add a line to a master log (or directly in a program log) that says:
# ShowText /boot/home/Script
When AutoCast reaches that line in your program log, it will load and display the script in the scrolling textbox.
Why the ShowText feature? Some examples:
1. You want certain scripts to pop up at certain times of the day or week, to assure the announcers notice them and read them on-air. It's a great way to control what gets promoted or announced, when. Example, "KZZZ's Classic Countdown is just a half-hour away; and this week Jacob Alexander is counting down Motown's ten all-time biggest hits. Stick around...it's gonna be a great show tonight!"
2. Reminder notices to announcers, such as: "It's 6 p.m., and time to lower power." or "Time to run the XYZ Contest. This time the prize is a free pizza from Joe's Pizza Parlor." or "Announcer's meeting in the back meeting room at 3 p.m."
3. You want certain sponsored ads to be read live at particular times. As an example, "It's 12-noon, time to enjoy the delicious luncheon daily special at Nancy's Diner."
In addition to being displayed automatically, the ShowText lines in your program log can also be displayed manually, in case the announcer wants to look ahead and pre-read them. Because ShowText lines are visible as entries in AutoCast's scrolling program log list, and each of them has a green Start button, the announcer can just click the green button to pre-display them in the scrolling textbox.
Items displayed in the scrolling textbox always take the place of whatever was previously in the text box. So if a reminder notice takes the place of the current forecast, for example, just click again on the temperature in the WeatherPad area to redisplay the forecast.