Show plays previous version of a sequence file

[RayBurleigh]

11/25/2018 1:37 pm    Raymond Burleigh

I want a push button to play a Song of the Day.  I set up an interactive Show that starts at 7 AM to play a file called c:\LOR\Sequences\SOD\SOD.lms when the button is pressed.  Then I set up a scheduled batch file to load a different sequence into the SOD.lms file each night at midnight. The idea is that I only have to create one show and schedule instead of 37 different ones.  However, even though yesterday's SOD.lms file has been replaced with today's file, when I press the button yesterday's file plays. The log says it is playing sod.lms.lcs.  I tried deleting SOD.lms.lcs, but it still plays yesterday's song. The log says it is playing c:\LOR\Sequences\SOD\SOD.lms, but the sequence it plays is the sequence that was previously in the SOD.lms file, not the new SOD.lms file. If I stop the show from the system tray and then restart it, then the new SOD.lms file plays.  But I want this to work automatically, without manual intervention.  I tried setting the "Load sequences as needed" option in the show editor, but that didn't solve the problem.

Edited November 26, 2018 by RayBurleigh
Indicate that the show starts after the file swap.

[k6ccc]

Either the first time a song play or at the beginning of the show, each song is loaded into memory.  It stays there unless memory space is needed.  To further complicate it, if you are using compressed sequences (highly recommended), the show player actually loads the compressed version of the sequence (the .lms.lcs file).  If there is no .lcs file, it .loads the .lms and then creates the .lms.lcs, then loads it.  That's why it played the sod.lms.lcs from the day before.

One work around I can think of is to set a scheduled task a reboot of the computer every day.  Have the show player set to start automatically.  You may also be able to simplify that by having a scheduled task that shuts down the show player and then restarts it.

 

[TheDucks]

I just Stop the show (bulb turns red), then re enable. the show will start in a dozen seconds or so with the fresh version

[PhilMassey]

Look in the Show player options,  Is (Sequences Loaded Before Any Are Played"  selected. Try " Sequences Are Loaded When They Are Needed"  I think it will recognise the change and rewrite the LCS file.

[k6ccc]

21 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

I just Stop the show (bulb turns red), then re enable. the show will start in a dozen seconds or so with the fresh version

That would do except he is looking for a "no manual intervention" procedure.

14 minutes ago, PhilMassey said:

ook in the Show player options,  Is (Sequences Loaded Before Any Are Played"  selected. Try " Sequences Are Loaded When They Are Needed"  I think it will recognise the change and rewrite the LCS file.

Not sure about that (and I may be all wet here).  As I recall, once a song is loaded into the show player memory, it stays there unless the player runs out of available memory.  If that's the case, then it may not make any difference.  He also said that he tried that option.

 

[PhilMassey]

2 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

Not sure about that (and I may be all wet here).  As I recall, once a song is loaded into the show player memory, it stays there unless the player runs out of available memory.  If that's the case, then it may not make any difference.  He also said that he tried that option.

I copy updated LMS files into my show folder while its running all the time and they always recompress and it plays the updated version. However if they are preloaded into memory the show player may ignore the updated file until it either restarts or runs short of memory. Then again maybe it's an S5 thing as I am still S4.

[PhilMassey]

Upon thinking about it further, I think it is actually MIIP restarting the showfile that causes the updates.

[k6ccc]

Yes, that’s what MIIP does.

 

[RayBurleigh]

Thanks for all the advice.  It appears that the file is loaded into memory the first time it is referenced by any show in the show player and is not reloaded when the show ends and then re-starts the next day.  LOR has advised creating a scheduled job to end and restart the show player after the file update.  I have no problem creating scheduled tasks, but I'm not sure how I would stop and re-start the show player under a scheduled task. A bit tricky to de-bug since the shows are now running.

Edited November 26, 2018 by RayBurleigh
change "start" to "stop"

[RayBurleigh]

I'm not familiar with MIIP. Can you tell me what it is?

 

[k6ccc]

MIIP is a third party add on that allows your visitors to control what songs play next via a web page that is optimized for use on a smartphone.  This thread explains it better than I can.

 

[RayBurleigh]

That is too cool.  After I put in the push buttons several people asked me if there was an app so they wouldn't have to get out of their car to push a button....  Also, if that forces reloading the sequence files it may solve the problem.  The resson I want it to change automatically is that I won't be home several days during the season.

 

Edited November 26, 2018 by RayBurleigh
Added comment

[k6ccc]

Yes, MIIP is cool.  After 5:00 PM Pacific time, point a browser to wfcl.miip.mobi

Of course you won't be able to watch my show (unless you happen to be near me), but you will be able to see what it is doing.  The page does not auto-refresh, but there is a refresh button at the top and bottom of the list of songs.  Also allows the show owner to see what the show is doing remotely.  You can also set up MIIP to send start and end recap text or E-Mail messages so you know what it did.  I also use a scheduled task to have a song list sent to me via E-Mail every day.  Here is an hour excerpt of that log file from last night:

11/25/2018 18:59:59.31 Wizards in Winter 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:03:05.30 Youre a mean one Mr Grinch 2018-11-24a.play
11/25/2018 19:06:04.14 Soldier Silent Night 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:09:51.22 Christmas Canon 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:14:09.43 Online Ann 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:14:40.14 Rudolph 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:17:50.19 Merry Christmas Ann 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:18:01.70 Hark the Herold Angels Sing 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:21:33.23 MIIP Ann 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:22:16.98 Carol of the Bells 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:25:42.45 Neighbors Ann 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:26:29.28 All I want for Christmas 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:30:31.09 Jingle Bells 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:33:10.23 Feliz Navidad 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:36:13.19 Opening Ann 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:37:17.70 Hanukkah Song 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:38:59.84 Merry Christmas Ann 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:39:11.26 Deck the Halls 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:42:54.29 MIIP Ann 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:43:37.97 Youre a mean one Mr Grinch 2018-11-24a.play
11/25/2018 19:46:36.80 Christmas Canon 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:50:54.92 Carol of the Bells 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:54:20.30 Soldier Silent Night 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:58:07.38 Online Ann 2018-11-21a.play
11/25/2018 19:58:38.14 Rudolph 2018-11-21a.play
 

I also use TeamViewer into the show computer, so I can do anything remotely that  could do locally. 

 

[RayBurleigh]

Thanks for all the info.  I don't think MIIP will work for me.  I don't want to change the autoplay order and I don't think it will work with the interactive push buttons.  Passers by can use the push buttons to play 4 specific songs from the autoplay list, 9 songs not on the play list, plus the Song of the Day.  For now I 'bit the bullet' and created two new shows for each day (daytime and evening). The only difference in each show is which file is played when the Song of the Day button is pushed.

But I may play around with MIIP in the future...