Tit bits on how Smart Blocks really work
  • Vote Up0Vote Down SamuellSamuell
    Posts: 4Member
    I am new to airtime and must express my appreciation to all the developers and contributing community for making this great tool available. I am on the move quite a lot and having the ability to manage my station on the go is incredibly exciting. 

    Could you please provide me information about how the dynamic smart block actually works? I have read a lot of information about the development towards true automation to allow the smart block to be dynamically updated, etc. None of the threads however, indicates that this update is currently fixed or I could have missed it. I will be glad to update any documentation that shows step by step feature how this feature actually works. It's a key feature of airtime and having a comprehensive doc about the different ways it can be used to automate with examples will be very helpful. 

    For now, I am trying to figure out if the current state of the smart block dev (currently using v.2.5.1) in a linked show will 1) allow automatic update of tracks based on the set criteria so that each show playing that smart block does not repeat the same set of tracks especially when they are linked. 2) allow update by adding a new track or even yet allow edits to change the criteria originally set for the block, more so in a linked show. 
    Hope I'm clear. Thanks
    Post edited by Samuell at 2014-09-28 01:46:25
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  • Vote Up1Vote Down John ChewterJohn Chewter
    Posts: 899Member
    A smartbock makes a playlist according to rules. Example: a randomised list of tracks 2 hours long with a genre of (say) Rock. NOTE: The list is generated when you add the smartblock to the show content.
    It is a common misconception among beginners that if you repeat a smart block, in a linked show, then it will give you a new random list on each show repeat. IT DOESN'T. YOU WILL GE THE SAME SHOW and it drives people mad.

    But you CAN do it by adding another step.

    Make a new empty STATIC PLAYLIST
    Add the previously created Smartbock as an item inside the new playlist. Save
    Add the new playlist to a linked repeating show and each show will have different content.
    Yes it will. ;)
    No longer using Airtime or Libretime.
  • Vote Up0Vote Down SamuellSamuell
    Posts: 4Member
    cool. thanks for the clear and concise explanation. Very much appreciated.
  • Vote Up0Vote Down Lisa ForbesLisa Forbes
    Posts: 123Member
    Great tip, thanks!

  • Vote Up0Vote Down Holly HallHolly Hall
    Posts: 18Member
    you mean static Smartblock?
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