THIS MANUAL IS FOR FPP v1.x AND IS NOW OUTDATED.

Please follow the link below to go to the current version of the FPP manual.

https://falconchristmas.github.io/FPP_Manual.pdf

The manual is also available by clicking the 'Manual' link at the top of the 'Help' menu in FPP.

Playlists

A Playlist defines an ordered collection (aka a list) of videos or sequences with or without sequences that are to be played in a particular order. A Playlist consists of Playlist in the sequence in which they are to play, with the option of playing the first entry only once and the last entry only once.

The hierarchy of entities is as follows:

Schedule 1 (Scheduled date range, days of the week and start and end times)

• Playlist 1
  • Playlist entry 1 (Play this once only)
  • Playlist entry 2
  • Playlist entry 3
  • Playlist entry 4 (Play this once only)
• Playlist 2
  • Playlist entry 1
  • Playlist entry 2
  • Playlist entry 3

Schedule 2 (Scheduled date range, days of the week and start and end times)

• Playlist 2
  • Playlist entry 1
  • Playlist entry 2
  • Playlist entry 3
• Playlist 3
  • Playlist entry 1
  • Playlist entry 2
  • Playlist entry 3

Playlists are capable of having up to 128 entries. You can intermix videos and music files and have them playing with or without sequences and have sequences without video or music.

In order to access the Playlist screen, click on the Content tab and then the Playlist option. The following screen will be displayed.

The top part of the screen provides a list of the existing Playlists.

To create a new Playlist, enter the name of the Playlist in the box “Enter Playlist Name” and then click Add.

The Playlist name will be copied to the box under the Playlist Details.

Within the Playlist, specify the list of ‘items’ that are to be played via the ‘New Playlist Entry’ dialogue.

For each playlist entry, specify the Type as ‘Media’, ‘Media and Sequence’ or ‘Sequence’.

Then select the Media filename

If ‘Media and Sequence’ is specified, then by ticking the ‘Auto-Select Matching Media and Sequence’, FPP will attempt to find and default in a matching fseq ; else scroll for and select the matching sequence.

Repeat this process for each playlist entry. Each entry gets added to the end of the list. In order to re-order, highlight the required entry to the required position and release the mouse.

Ensure that you click on Save to save changes.

Tip: If adding multiple entries, click on Save as you go to save the changes up to that point.

To remove an entry, highlight the entry, click on the Remove button and then save changes.

In order to change the position of an entry, highlight the required entry to the required position and release the mouse.

Save changes after that.

Play first entry only once

If this option is selected, then the first entry in the playlist will only play once per schedule.

All the other entries will be played in a loop (the loop is controlled in the schedule). The last entry can also have a special treatment.

Play last entry only once

If this option is selected, then the last entry in the playlist will only play once, at the end of the schedule.

If either option is not selected, than that entry will be included in the list that will play in a loop (the loop is controlled in the schedule).

Tip: First and last have to do with the start and end of the schedule not the playlist. They are listed in the playlist but only work based on the schedule. Repeat is everything between first and last if you have them checked.

Note: Only one playlist can be active at any point in time.

Running events from a playlist

When you run an event script, the script executes in the background and the playlist continues on.

The event executes until whatever it is executing completes. So if it runs a 1 min sequence, then it will end after 1 minute, if it runs a process that loops indefinitely (such as some of the examples such as turning static lights on), then another events needs to be triggered to kill the running process.

If you start a playlist from an event script within another playlist, the first playlist is stopped by FPP and the new one is started. If the event is the last item in the first playlist, then the first playlist is probably stopped already by the time that FPP goes to start the new one.