Scheduler : Sound Mill User's Guide

Scheduler

Scheduler menu

The Scheduler provides a way to run schedule Scripts at a specified time of day and on configured dates. One primary use is for mixing announcements with a music programming. This is useful for pre-show and intermission music programing as well as businesses like stores or public venues that need to interrupt programming to make announcements at scheduled times. The music (or whatever is playing) is paused until the announcement finishes. You can add silence before and after the announcement to give it separation. By setting different volume levels on the Music and announcement Sound Items, you can make the announcements louder if desired. Scheduler Plan contains a list of all the Scripts and Steps scheduled to run at a given time. The list will change over time.

Announcement examples: "Show begins in 10 minutes. Please take you seats." or "Attention customers, blue light special on isle five.". Real announcements will obviously be longer but you get the idea.

View Scheduler Plan - View all Scripts scheduled to run in the Scheduler.
View Scheduler Log - Views Scheduler Log which shows Scripts that have run and any related error messages.
Reset Scheduler Log - Resets the Scheduler log clearing all old messages.
Stop Scheduler after current play - Scheduler stops after the current playing sound finishes. Allows for a more graceful way to shutdown the Scheduler.
Prompt Warning on Start/Stop - Causes an OK/Cancel prompt warning before starting and stopping the scheduler.
Refresh Scheduler - Syncs the Scheduler with current Sound List. Sometimes required if the scheduler is running when you are making Sound List edits.
Start - Start Scheduler. Builds a schedule list of all Scripts that have a Schedule Time enabled (except Scripts scheduled in the past which are ignored). When the time of day reaches a Script's scheduled time, the Script starts running and it's Steps are executed. If a Script Step has a Schedule Time enabled, it is added to the schedule list.
Stop - Stop Scheduler. Schedule list is cleared.
Pause - Pause Scheduler. All Scripts running in the Scheduler are paused.
Resume - Resume Scheduler. All paused Scripts in the Scheduler are resumed.
Test Schedule Dates - Test Selected Script runs a simulation to test future dates against the Schedule of the selected Script. Each date that satisfies the Schedule criteria is listed (ie dates that the Script will run). Test dates start with today's date and run for the current test Duration (default is 180 days). Set Test Duration allows you to change the number of dates that are tested.

Figure 1. Scheduler toolbar

Scheduler Behavior

The Scheduler must be in 'Started' state (and not paused ) for scheduled Scripts to run at its scheduled time.
When the Scheduler is 'Started' all Scripts scheduled to run at the current time (ie now) or at a future time are added to the Scheduler Plan. When the time is past the scheduled End Time, a Script is ignored.
Scheduled Steps are not put on the Scheduler Plan until the Script that contains the Steps is run. Scheduled Steps can ONLY be run in the Scheduler and are ignored when a Script is run manually.
The Scheduler Plan is cleared when the Scheduler is 'Stopped'.
When the Scheduler is 'Paused', any Offset timed steps that time out (Offset expires) are lost (not executed) and unpredictable results are likely.
If the Scheduler is running, any edits to Scripts or Sound Items, and any program changes made in the Options dialog will not take effect in the Scheduler until it is stopped and restarted.