A part is a section of the show, such as “Welcome” or “Notices”, and it holds the items of that section. On screen, a part looks much like a group, because both are one line that holds other lines. They mean something different, however, and the list treats them differently.
The difference in one sentence
A group holds the steps of one item, while a part holds separate items of the running order.
Eight stills that belong to one notice are one item with eight steps, so they belong in a group. A block called “Welcome”, with four things that happen one after another during the welcome, is a part.
The list shows the difference as well. The lines of a group are steps of one item and have a black background. The lines of a part keep the normal colour of the list, because each of them is a separate cue.
Creating a part
Click the arrow beside the Group button in the toolbar and choose Part. The part appears at the top level, because a part cannot be inside another container.
Separate or continued numbering
A part can number its items in two ways. Right-click the heading of the part to choose:
| Choice | What the numbers do |
|---|---|
| Separate numbering, starting at 1 | The part has a number, and its items start again at 1. The lines show only their own number, because the number of the part is already on the line of the part. |
| Continue the list’s numbering | The part has no number, and its items continue the numbering of the rest of the list. |
Use the first choice for a programme of named blocks, where people refer to “item 3 of part 2”. Use the second choice when the part is only a heading and the running order must be numbered 1 … 40 without a break.
When to use which
| Situation | Use |
|---|---|
| One item that consists of several lines | A group |
| The sections of a service or programme | A part |
| A block that you want to collapse | Either; both can be collapsed |
| A block that you want to send to another location as a file | A group, because a part is a heading and cannot be exported |
If you are not sure, look at the lines inside. If they are steps of one item, use a group, and if they are separate items, use a part.