Show with dynamic playlist via watched folder
  • Vote Up0Vote Down Grant NelsonGrant Nelson
    Posts: 1Member
    Hey guys,

    Firstly, thanks for an amazing piece of software, truly powerful!

    I'd like to know if the following scenario is possible :

    Automated weekly show that watches a certain directory for content, grabs the newest file (say a single 1 hour continuous mix show) and then inserts it into the pre assigned playlist for that show.

    I know I can set up watched folders, and that I can set up a dynamic smart block to grab the content from that folder. I could be wrong, but the playlist is only populated when you assign it to each show yeah? So this would mean that every show would have to be assigned manually, which wouldn't work for what I'm trying to achieve as new content will being uploaded weekly, which obviously wouldn't be available at the time of dropping the smart block in.

    Is there a way of setting it up automatically?

    Many thanks.
    Post edited by Grant Nelson at 2014-06-06 10:47:54
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  • Vote Up0Vote Down Krypton RadioKrypton Radio
    Posts: 78Member
    Yes there is, and here's how it works:

    1. Create a watched directory for your show.  Give it a file name of 'latest.mp3'.  That's important.  
    2. Create a placeholder audio file that's the maximum length you expect your weekly show to be, with ID3 tags that show the show title and album.
    3. Put this file into your watched folder.  Make sure AirTime is detecting the new file.
    4. Create your weekly scheduled show, making sure the show is linked.  
    5. Insert your previously prepared dummy show file into the scheduled show.  This makes Airtime set the duration of your program as the maximum possible length.
    6. Replace the file in the watched folder each week.  Make certain the new 'latest.mp3' file overwriters the old 'latest.mp3' file.  Airtime will correctly update the title of the show from the ID3 tags.  It will not recalculate the run time, due to a flaw in Airtime's watched folder routine.  
    Using this technique will let you programmatically swap out the contents of your watched folder every week with a new file without having to manually update that scheduled show in the calender.

    I don't know what happens if your new episode is shorter than the long dummy file you do the initial setup with.  I use an auto-DJ to fill dead air.  If you don't use one, you'll have to stick more songs in to pad your scheduled show, but I don't know what happens if you don't happen to be using one.
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