Groups

A group is one line that holds a block of cues, so that a long list stays readable. You can collapse, move and export the block as a whole. This page explains the levels of structure and everything you can do with a group.

Three levels

The structure is part → group → subgroup → cue. A group can contain cues, and it can also contain one more group, a subgroup, which in turn contains cues. The structure cannot go deeper than that. The top level is a part, which the next page describes.

Use a subgroup for one item with steps of its own inside a larger block, such as the stills of one notice inside a Notices group. The notice is then one line that you can collapse, with its stills below it.

The lines of a group are indented, and bars on the left show where a block starts and ends. When you drag a block, the program counts the levels that it brings along, so a group that contains a subgroup cannot be placed as deep as a group without one.

Collapsing

Click the heading to close a group, and click it again to open it. The heading shows the number of items in the group.

A collapsed group still shows what is happening inside it. If a cue in the group is on air, the heading shows this, so you do not need to open the group to see where you are.

The program can also open groups for you. Under Settings → General, the setting Auto-open groups while playing opens a group by itself when the playout enters it, one or two levels deep. In a long list, this keeps the current block in view.

Creating a group

Click Group in the toolbar to add an empty group at the end of the list. You can then drag lines into the group, or drop files directly onto it.

The quickest way is often to drop a folder from File Explorer onto the list, because the program then creates a group with the contents of that folder.

Splitting

Right-click a line in a group and choose Split above this cue or Split below this cue. The group is split in two at that line, and both halves keep their other settings.

Use this when the two halves of a block need different treatment, for example when one half runs by itself and you step through the other half by hand.

Ungrouping

Right-click the heading and choose Ungroup, keep the contents. The heading disappears, and the lines stay where they are, one level higher.

The icon

Right-click a group heading and choose Group icon. You can choose a folder (the default), a presentation, a scene, a still, media or a hold. In a list with many groups, the icons help you to find the right group quickly.

Giving a group to someone else

You can also save a group as a file. Right-click the heading and choose one of these commands:

• Export group creates a .playoutgroup file. It contains the structure and the settings, and refers to the media where the files are stored now.
• Export group as bundle creates a .playoutbundle file. It contains the same information, and also every media file.

Use the first command in a building where everyone has access to the same server, and the second when the group goes to another location. To load a group, choose File → Import… or the arrow beside Group → Load group, or drag the file onto the list. Part 9 describes this in more detail.