Automation Interface User Guide

Inscriber Automation Interface
Inscriber Automation Interface User Guide
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Table of Contents
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Automation Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
How Automation Interface Works .................................................................................................... Output ............................................................................................................................................. Hands On/Hands Off Operation ...................................................................................................... Direct Control Option ....................................................................................................................... MOS Option .................................................................................................................................... Connectus Integration ..................................................................................................................... News Feed Simulator ...................................................................................................................... 2 2 3 4 4 4 4
Using a CG with Automation Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Folder/File Structure ........................................................................................................................ 5 Tagged Data Fields ......................................................................................................................... 5 Graphic Resources ......................................................................................................................... 6
Using Chyron CG with Automation Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Chyron / Inscriber Terminology ....................................................................................................... 7 How Chyron Works ......................................................................................................................... 7 RGB Fonts ...................................................................................................................................... 8
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Before You Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
System Requirements ................................................................................................................... 10 Hardware Requirements ............................................................................................................... 10 Determine Connection Settings .................................................................................................... 10
Table of Contents
A ut o m at i o n I n t er f a ce Us er G u i d e
Determine Machine ID .................................................................................................................. 11 Uninstall Content Receiver Application ......................................................................................... 11
Install Automation Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Connect Dongle ............................................................................................................................ 12 Install the Inscriber CG .................................................................................................................. 12 Install Automation Interface ........................................................................................................... 12
Advanced Dual Channel Functionality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Install a Second Automation Interface .......................................................................................... Create Shortcuts ........................................................................................................................... Set Preferences for Both Copies of Automation Interface ............................................................ Advanced Channel Assignment .................................................................................................... Set the Baud Rate ......................................................................................................................... 14 14 14 15 16
Configure Firewall Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Add Automation Interface Software to Exceptions List ................................................................. 17 Add Ports to Exceptions List ......................................................................................................... 18 News Feed Simulator .................................................................................................................... 19
Connect to News Vendor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Serial Port Connection .................................................................................................................. 20 TCP/IP Connection ....................................................................................................................... 20 Initiate Communication .................................................................................................................. 21
Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Automation Interface Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Render Directly to Framebuffer ..................................................................................................... 24 Render to Strata ............................................................................................................................ 24
Set Up Your CG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Configure Inscriber CG Software .................................................................................................. 26 Set Layout Size ............................................................................................................................. 27
Set Automation Interface Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

General Settings ........................................................................................................................... 28 Framebuffer Settings ..................................................................................................................... 30 CII Settings .................................................................................................................................... 32
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Au t o ma t i o n I n t er f ac e Us er G ui de
Resource Settings ......................................................................................................................... 34 Effects Settings ............................................................................................................................. 36 Player Server ................................................................................................................................ 38
Create CG Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Prepare CG Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Identify News Vendor Data ........................................................................................................... 46 Create CG Layouts with Tagged Data Fields ................................................................................ 46
Create CG Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
CG Basics ..................................................................................................................................... Create Text Objects ...................................................................................................................... Text Object Formatting .................................................................................................................. Text Object Properties .................................................................................................................. 47 50 51 52
Add Tags to Your Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Add a Tag ...................................................................................................................................... 54 Delete a Tag .................................................................................................................................. 55
Manage CG Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Change a CG Template Name ...................................................................................................... 56 Assign .scribelist Files to Output Channels ................................................................................... 56 Move Templates Between Systems .............................................................................................. 57
Work with SD and HD Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Conversion Considerations ........................................................................................................... 59 SD to HD Conversion .................................................................................................................... 60 Conversion Limitations .................................................................................................................. 61
Using Automation Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Automation Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Prepare Your CG Templates ......................................................................................................... 64 Fill and Render Your CG Templates ............................................................................................. 64 Edit Your Layouts .......................................................................................................................... 64
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Fill and Render CG Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Use Templates with Automation Interface .................................................................................... Unicode Support ........................................................................................................................... Image Replacement ...................................................................................................................... Change Styles ............................................................................................................................... Last Rendered File ........................................................................................................................ Framebuffer not Required to Render ............................................................................................ View Commands ........................................................................................................................... Hands Off Operation ..................................................................................................................... Direct Control Option ..................................................................................................................... Global Transition Settings ............................................................................................................. 65 66 66 67 67 68 68 69 69 69
Direct Control Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Direct Control Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Connect Dongle ............................................................................................................................ 72 Install Direct Control ...................................................................................................................... 72 Launch Direct Control ................................................................................................................... 72
Direct Control Playlists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Playlist Overview ........................................................................................................................... Create a New Playlist .................................................................................................................... Modify Playlist Sequences ............................................................................................................ Set Viewing Options ...................................................................................................................... 73 74 78 80
Direct Control Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Set Effects ..................................................................................................................................... 82 Create an Effect Group ................................................................................................................. 83 Manage Effects ............................................................................................................................. 85
Edit Tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Edit Tags ....................................................................................................................................... Check Your Layouts ...................................................................................................................... Save Your Edited Playlist .............................................................................................................. Save to a New Location ................................................................................................................ 86 87 87 87
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Table of Contents
Take to Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Modify Channel Assignment ......................................................................................................... Channel Status Indicator ............................................................................................................... Take to Air ..................................................................................................................................... GPI Triggers .................................................................................................................................. 88 88 89 89
Direct Control Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Preference Settings ....................................................................................................................... 92
News Feed Simulator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

News Feed Simulator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Install News Feed Simulator ......................................................................................................... 96 Connect News Feed Simulator to the Automation Interface System ............................................ 97
Test CG Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Test a Previously Created Inscriber CG Template ...................................................................... 100 Test Your Own Inscriber Template ............................................................................................. 101
Test Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Connect to Automation Interface ................................................................................................. 103 Send Commands Using the Test Interface ................................................................................. 103 Create a Log of Commands Received ........................................................................................ 104
Test with Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Connect to Automation Interface ................................................................................................. 105 Send Scripts ................................................................................................................................ 105 Manage Scripts ........................................................................................................................... 106
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Program Problems ...................................................................................................................... 108 Communication Problems ........................................................................................................... 108 Layout Problems ......................................................................................................................... 108
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Inscribe.ini File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Machine ID .................................................................................................................................. Com Port ..................................................................................................................................... Resolution ................................................................................................................................... Data Transfer Rate ...................................................................................................................... Generating Log Files/Debug Messages ...................................................................................... Job Folder ................................................................................................................................... 110 110 110 110 110 110
HyperTerminal Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Set Up HyperTerminal ................................................................................................................. HyperTerminal Preferences ........................................................................................................ Create a Log File ......................................................................................................................... Set Up Automation Interface For Test ......................................................................................... Send Commands ........................................................................................................................ 111 111 112 112 112
Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
List of CII Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Supported CII Commands ........................................................................................................... 114 Unsupported CII Commands ....................................................................................................... 115
Inscriber II Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Inscriber II Commands ................................................................................................................ 117
Infinit Keyboard Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Overview
An introduction to Automation Interface.
Automation Interface
Inscriber Automation Interface fills Inscriber CG templates with live data from News Vendors, renders the resulting layouts, and sends them directly to video. You can also use the Direct Control option to browse through the rendered layouts, edit them, and take the them to video. Automation Interface follows the Chyron Intelligent Interface (CII) message protocol, a broadcast industry standard protocol for passing data and display commands to character generators.
How Automation Interface Works
1 2 3 4 5
News Vendor sends data to Automation Interface, using CII commands. Automation Interface opens the Inscriber CG templates called by the commands. Automation Interface pulls graphic resources from the network or local machine. Automation Interface extracts data from the CII commands. The data is inserted into the tagged data fields of the Inscriber templates. Automation Interface either saves the resulting layouts as editable files or renders the layouts and sends them directly to video output.
Output
You can output layouts directly from Automation Interface or the Direct Control option. Using the Strata Configuration utility, Automation Interface can be configured to control multiple CG layers from a single system. See Automation Interface Output on page 24 for more information about the output options for Automation Interface and the Direct Control option.
Chapter 1 | Overview
HD video feed
Figure 1-1. Automation Interface Workflow
Hands On/Hands Off Operation
Automation Interface can run without an operator (Hands Off) or you can set up Automation Interface to display its activities and accept commands from an operator (Hands On). In Hands Off operation the rendered layouts output directly using controls from the scheduling component of the News Vendor. Automation Interface does not display the incoming CII commands or require an operator. In Hands On operation a CG operator can see the commands coming from the News Vendor and view a thumbnail of the rendered layout. Using the Direct Control option, the operator can open Direct Control (from a remote computer or the Automation Interface machine) and browse, edit and output the layouts.
Note:
You can use the Direct Control application with both Hands On and Hands Off operation.
Direct Control Option
The Direct Control option lets you browse through your layouts after the News Vendor inserts information into the tagged data fields. You can edit the information which appears in the rendered layouts and take edited layouts to air from Automation Interface. See Direct Control Option on page 72 for more information. Inscriber provides MOS plug-in options for Dalet, iNews, ENPS, and OCTOPUS newsroom control systems. These plug-ins integrate with Automation Interface through a MOS Gateway system, allowing instant access to Inscriber CG templates in the newsroom. If you are using the MOS option, see the documentation included with the MOS option software for more information.
MOS Option
Connectus Integration
Automation Interface can be integrated with Connectus software to receive CG templates and media files automatically through a network. To configure Automation Interface to automatically receive templates and media files from Connectus, see Player Server on page 38. Consult the Connectus User Guide for more information about using Connectus.
News Feed Simulator
Automation Interface installs a News Feed Simulator application which contains a variety of pre-created test templates. Use News Feed Simulator to test com port functionality, tag filling, rendering, and framebuffer display. News Feed Simulator comes with a test interface to check the communication setup, and a set of Inscriber templates with tagged data fields. See News Feed Simulator on page 96
Using a CG with Automation Interface

Automation Interface does not create templates or layouts. Templates must be created in an Inscriber CG program like G-Scribe or TitleOne, and Automation Interface requires templates that are created with specific file structures and tag properties. Follow these instructions to create CG templates that Automation Interface can properly open, fill and render.
Note:
To avoid confusion, all tagged CG files are referred to as templates in this document, whether they come from .scribe or .scribelist files. After Automation Interface fills the templates with data they are referred to as layouts. To create CG templates that are compatible with Automation Interface, you must use a specific CG layout folder and file structure that conforms to the CII protocol. You must create and name folders that correspond exactly to folders called by the CII protocol. We recommend users new to Inscriber products use the CII-style names. We also recommend that users new to Inscriber products export their Inscriber templates as .scribe files instead of .scribelist files, and group them in one folder per job. If you use .scribelist files with Automation Interface each folder can contain only one .scribelist file, and the .scribelist files can have any name (eg. weather.scribelist) .scribelist files contain a collection of CG templates, as opposed to .scribe files which contain single CG templates. The CII save command usually saves the resulting data-filled layouts in the same folder as the source files. When Inscriber Automation Interface receives the save command it saves the rendered layout in a sub-folder called Output. You can change this output folder in the Automation Interface Preferences dialog (see Optional Startup Defaults on page 34).
Folder/File Structure
Tagged Data Fields
Automation Interface uses tagged data fields to insert data into CG templates. You must configure the Inscriber CG program to use tagged data fields (RTX tags). See Configure Inscriber CG Software on page 26.
Your Inscriber CG templates must contain tagged data fields. See Add Tags to Your Templates on page 54. You must make sure the tagged data fields occur in the order expected by the News Vendor.
Graphic Resources
Inscriber CG templates and layouts contain references to where various graphic resources (fonts, images, etc.) are stored. These graphic resources must be available on the machine that runs the CG program in order to re-create your templates and layouts. Consider the accessibility of graphic resources when planning and implementing an Automation Interface system, especially if you want a CG operator to access and edit the layouts from a remote machine. If a CG operator requires the ability to edit the templates or rendered layouts, the CG operators machine must have the same graphic resources as the Automation Interface machine. If any of the graphic resources are not available, the CG operator cannot recreate the editable layout on their machine, nor can they preview or edit them.
Using Chyron CG with Automation Interface

Automation Interface follows the Chyron Intelligent Interface (CII) message protocol, a broadcast industry standard protocol for passing data and display commands to character generators. The following topics describe how Chyron works and how to use Chyron CG with Automation Interface. Some of the information in this section is from the Chyron Intelligent Interface Option Handbook, Pub. No. 2A01989 February, 1999, Revision C. 1996 CHYRON Corporation. Please contact Chyron Corporation if you require more information about the Chyron CG or the CII protocol. CHYRON Corporation, 5 Hub Drive Melville, NY 11747, 516-845-2000
Chyron / Inscriber Terminology
Chyron CG and Inscriber CG use different terms for similar concepts.

Table 1-1. Chyron and Inscriber Terms
Chyron Terms
Inscriber Terms
Full page message Tab message Tab data Message directory (all files for one production, for example)
Layout or template Template with tagged data fields Tagged data field .scribelist file (holds descriptions of elements of one or many layouts)
How Chyron Works
The Chyron CG system uses a folder structure with one single Chyron message in each folder. The message uses font resources from an associated machine font directory. CII commands are text strings that contain the required data and a command for a specific Inscriber template. Automation Interface interprets the command, retrieves the required template, extracts the data from the command, and inserts the data into the templates tagged data fields. The CII protocol uses a command syntax based on this folder structure. Each CII command calls for the required template by including a specific folder in the command text string.
For instance, the M command followed by a folder name changes the current folder. All subsequent commands only affect templates in this folder. The W command opens a specific template, fills the templates tags, and saves the rendered layout in an output directory. The A command takes a rendered layout to air. A typical CII command set looks like this:
M\c/news\\ W\2000\1000\Ralph Phelpps\Waterloo\Crime Reporter\\ T\7\2000\A\\
The first command sets the current directory to c:\news. The second command opens the standard news template (#1000) and fills the tags. Tag#1 receives the reporters name (Ralph Phelpps), tag #2 receives the location (Waterloo), and tag #3 receives the reporters title (Crime Reporter). The layout (with the tags filled) is saved in the output directory as layout #2000. The third command takes the generated layout (#2000) to air on Channel A.
CII commands call templates by a number up to 8 digits long. The templates are typically numbered sequentially, and the sequence corresponds to a predefined subject (news, sports, weather, etc.) Your administrator can customize the News Vendor System to alias the 4 digit ID numbers to descriptive text names to easily identify individual templates in the run-down. Automation Interface supports text names for the templates in place of the numbers in the CII commands. For more information on CII Commands, see List of CII Commands on page 114
RGB Fonts
On a Chyron CG system, the keystrokes of particular fonts can be mapped to specific images or logos known as RGB fonts. Automation Interface does not currently support the use of RGB fonts.
Chapter 2
Installation
How to install Automation Interface.
Before You Start

System Requirements Hardware Requirements
You must have Windows Administrator privileges to install Automation Interface. If you are sending commands through a serial port, the computer running the Inscriber CG software with Automation Interface connects to the News Vendor machine using a Windows Standard RS232 null-modem cable. If you are running the News Feed Simulator application, the RS232 null-modem cable connects to the machine running the simulators data-sending software. Make sure you have this cable available before you start the installation.
Figure 2-1. RS232 Pinout Diagram
Unix null-modem cables use different pinning than Windows Standard null-modem cables. You need to change Unix null-modem cables to Windows Standard null-modem cables.
Determine Connection Settings
When you install Automation Interface you need to know how Automation Interface will communicate with News Vendors or the News Feed Simulator. Automation Interface can communicate through the network, a serial cable, or a com port.
10
Chapter 2 | Installation
Determine Machine ID
Your system administrator might configure the News Vendor systems to look for files and save files on specific machines. To help differentiate between different Automation Interface machines, each machine must be given a machine ID. You must specify the machine ID code during installation. Most machines use 1 as their ID. Contact your administrator if you are uncertain about how to proceed. When you need to send CII commands to specific machines, use a lower case letter for the first letter in the CII command, and use the machine code as the first modifier in the command string. The machine code must match an Automation Interface machine on your network.
Uninstall Content Receiver Application
Automation Interface automatically installs an integrated version of the Content Receiver application, which can be set up using the Player Servers tab in the Automation Interface Preferences window. If you are upgrading your version of Automation Interface and you have previously installed the Content Receiver application on your system, be sure to uninstall Content Receiver before installing Automation Interface. Your old Content Receiver settings will be maintained within Automation Interface. To learn how to access the integrated version of Content Receiver within Automation Interface, see Player Server on page 38.
11
Install Automation Interface

Follow these instructions to install Automation Interface and News Feed Simulator. To learn how to install Direct Control, see Install Direct Control on page 72.
Connect Dongle
You must attach a special interlock device (dongle) to the USB port of the computer running Automation Interface. The dongle you attach depends on how you received Automation Interface. If you received Automation Interface with Inscriber G-Scribe or TitleOne, you must attach your G-Scribe or TitleOne dongle to the computer running Automation Interface. If you purchased Automation Interface as a stand-alone product, you must attach your Automation Interface dongle to the computer running Automation Interface. News Feed Simulator does not require a dongle.
Install the Inscriber CG
If you plan to send rendered layouts directly to a G-Scribe Strata utility, the CG must be installed before you install Automation Interface. Follow the instructions in the CGs User Guide to install the CG, then continue installing Automation Interface.
Install Automation Interface
Run the Automation Interface install program on the CD ROM and follow the instructions in the install dialogs.
Select Configuration
You can choose to render layouts to disk or to send them to output. If you are outputting rendered layouts select the System Equipped with Output Channels option, click the Next button, and choose your output hardware in the following dialog.
Hardware Settings
If your system is equipped with output channels and you have not already installed an Inscriber CG, select your output hardware, preview device, and audio settings. For information about setting up VGA preview, see the Hardware Manual that came with your system.
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Video and GPI Settings
During the install, select the video standard you wish to use. If you are triggering Automation Interface with a GPI trigger, choose the com port the trigger is attached to.
Renderer Settings
Set the renderer settings for Automation Interface. Select whether you are communicating to the News Vendor through a network, a serial cable, or a com port. If you have more than one Automation Interface installed on your system, set the renderer names so that each instance can be sent its own commands. Enter your systems Machine ID in the Renderer Code field. See Determine Machine ID on page 11 for more information about this setting.
News Feed Simulator
If you want to communicate with the News Feed Simulator application through an external com port, select the port you will use.
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Advanced Dual Channel Functionality

You can have up to two different automation systems control a single Inscriber system by setting up two Automation Interface applications on one computer, and having each application use one program channel. You need to install a second copy of Automation Interface on your system to set up Automation Interface to act as two channels. Each copy operates as a unique channel. Use these instructions to install and set up a second installation of Automation Interface and then set up dual channel functionality.
Install a Second Automation Interface
Run the Automation Interface install program again and follow the instructions in the install dialogs, with the following changes: 1 2 In the Renderer Settings dialog, change the Renderer Name to Channel2, and change the Renderer Code to 2. Change the install location to something like C:\Automation Interface2 so the second copy of Automation Interface does not overwrite the first copy. Do not add shortcuts to the Start Menu. Do not add shortcuts to the desktop. When prompted to restart the computer, choose Cancel.
3 4 5
Create Shortcuts Set Preferences for Both Copies of Automation Interface
Manually create Start Menu and desktop shortcuts for the second Automation Interface installation. Open the first copy of Automation Interface and configure it as follows: 1 2 3 Click the Preferences button to open the Preferences dialog. Switch to the General tab. In the Receive Commands From section of the dialog, select the Dispatcher radio button.
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In the Name field, enter the name of the com port you will be using for communication. For example, COM2.
Figure 2-2. Set Up a Dispatcher
5 6
7 8 9
In the Machine field, enter the local computer name listed in the titlebar of the Preferences dialog. Switch to the CII Settings tab and confirm or change the settings. See Set Automation Interface Preferences on page 28 for more information about the options in the Preferences tabs. Switch to the Resources tab and confirm or change the settings. Close the first Automation Interface copy. Open the second copy of Automation Interface and configure it in exactly the same way, following steps 1-8 above.
Advanced Channel Assignment
Select Start > Programs > Harris > [CG Product] > Configuration Utilities, and open the Strata Configuration Utility. Use the Strata Configuration to assign specific layers to your Automation renderer.
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Set the Baud Rate
Open the inscribe.ini file in the folder where Automation Interfaces common files are located. By default this is C:\Program Files\Harris\Automation Interface Common Files. Add the following lines to the inscribe.ini file:
[COM2] Baud=19200
The 19200 baud rate for the serial port communication is currently being used by most automation systems.
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Configure Firewall Settings

Use these instructions to configure firewall settings for Automation Interface installed on a Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) system. If you have multiple instances of Automation Interface installed on your system you will require a firewall exception for each application.
Add Automation Interface Software to Exceptions List
For correct operation of Automation Interface on a Windows XP SP2 system, you have to set up Firewall Exceptions to the Automation Interface program services and the ports it communicates on. 1 2 3 Select Start > Settings > Control Panel > Security Center. The Security Center dialog opens. Double-click on the Windows Firewall link. In the Windows Firewall dialog, switch to the Exceptions tab. All of the firewall exceptions for your system are listed in the dialog.
Figure 2-3. Windows Firewall Dialog
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Click the Add Program button. The Add a Program dialog opens, showing you all the programs installed on your system.
Figure 2-4. Add a Program Dialog
5 6 7
Click the Browse button and navigate to the folder where Automation Interface is installed. Click on AutoCG.exe, then click Open to add the Automation Interface software to the exceptions list. Next, click the Browse button and navigate to the folder where Automation Interfaces common files are located. By default this is C:\Program Files\Harris\Inscriber Automation Interface Common Files. Select AutoCG_S and click OK to add the AutoCG_S service software to the exceptions list. The Exceptions list shows a checkmark beside the Automation Interface and the AutoCG_S service software.
Add Ports to Exceptions List
If you are using the Direct Control application, you need to make exceptions for the ports that Automation Interface uses to communicate with Direct Control. 1 On the Exceptions tab in the Windows Firewall dialog, click the Add Port button.
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In the Add a Port dialog, enter a name for the port exception.
Figure 2-5. Add a Port Dialog
3 4
Type in the port number 135 for communication with Direct Control. Click OK to add the port to the exceptions list.
News Feed Simulator
For testing or demonstration purposes, or for communication through TCP/ IP, you can install the News Feed Simulator on a remote machine. News Feed Simulator simulates a News Vendor. It sends CII commands to Automation Interface and also contains pre-made Inscriber demo templates. See News Feed Simulator on page 96 for more information.
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Connect to News Vendor

You can connect Automation Interface to a news vendor through a serial port or TCP/IP connection.
Serial Port Connection
Connect an RS232 null-modem cable between the Automation Interface machine and the News Vendor system (or the machine running the News Feed Simulator application, if applicable).
Verify News Vendor Settings
The News Automation Service Provider must have the correct settings to connect with Automation Interface.
Figure 2-6. Typical Communication Settings
Use the General tab in the Preferences dialog to configure the Automation Interface serial port settings. See General Settings on page 28 for more information.
TCP/IP Connection
The Automation Interface system must be able to connect to the news vendor system through a network. Use the General tab in the Preferences dialog to configure the Automation Interface TCP/IP port settings. See General Settings on page 28 for more information. There are many third party applications capable of sending scripts via TCP/ IP. You can also use the News Feed Simulator application to send scripts. See News Feed Simulator on page 96.
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Initiate Communication
If you are running the News Feed Simulator to simulate News Vendor data you need to open Automation Interface on the other machine. If you are connecting to a News Vendor system, select a run-down from it and call for a template.
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Chapter 3
Setup
Configuring Automation Interface and Inscriber CG.
Automation Interface Output

If you are using Automation Interface or Direct Control to render layouts directly to output, follow these steps to configure your output.
Render Directly to Framebuffer
If you chose the System Equipped with Output Channels option during the Automation Interface install, the drivers for your selected output hardware will already be installed on your system. Automation Interface and Direct Control automatically send layouts to the framebuffer.
Check Output
Follow these steps to ensure that Automation Interface is working with your output hardware. 1 2 Open Automation Interface. Click the Test Page button. Automation Interface sends a test image to the framebuffer. If the test page displays correctly, Automation Interface is working properly with your video hardware. 3 Click on the Clear Screen button to clear the test screen.
Set Up VGA Preview
To use VGA preview, you must select the VGA Preview option during the Automation Interface installation. If the VGA Preview was not selected, you can uninstall and then reinstall the software with the option selected. See the Hardware Manual supplied with your system to learn how to set up VGA preview.
Render to Strata
When you install G-Scribe, the Strata utility is automatically installed. Automation Interface can send output to Strata layers by configuring the layers using the Strata Configuration utility.
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Chapter 3 | Setup
Strata is a utility that controls the output and display of Inscriber applications. Using Strata you can easily assign output from G-Scribe, G-Store, Automation Interface, Direct Control, or Overly applications to layers on one or two channels. Strata automatically detects your Strata-enabled applications and the number of framebuffers on your system. See the Strata section of your Inscriber CGs User Guide for information about configuring Strata to work with Automation Interface.
Check Output
Once you have configured Strata to work with Automation Interface, follow these steps to ensure that Automation Interface is working with the Strata utility. 1 2 3 Open Automation Interface. You will see the number of Strata layers that have been configured. Enter a Strata layer in the FB field. Click the Test Page button. Automation Interface sends a test image to Strata. If the test page displays correctly in Strata, Automation Interface is working properly. Click on the Clear Screen button to clear the test screen.
See Test Page on page 30 to set your own test page in Automation Interface Preferences.
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Set Up Your CG
Before you can work with Automation Interface, you need to enable your Inscriber CG (G-Scribe or TitleOne) to create appropriately-named templates with tagged data fields which your News Vendor can fill with information.
Configure Inscriber CG Software
Automation Interface searches for tagged data fields in your template and replaces them with the data from your news service. You must configure the Inscriber CG software to show tags before you can create templates for Automation Interface.
Show Tags
Use the Display Options menu to show or hide the tag labels in a layout. 1 2 3 Click the Display Options button on the CG toolbar. The Display Options menu appears. Select the News Tags option to show tag labels. Clear the News Tags option to hide tag labels.
Show Filenames in Playlist
Inscriber CG organizes your individual CG templates into ordered playlists. In each playlist Inscriber CG can show either the event number of a template or the templates rendered filename. Chyron CG users might want to see the rendered filename in the playlist, and possibly change the name to use the CII naming protocol. 1 2 3 To show filenames in your playlists, choose File > Preferences in your Inscriber CG. The Preferences dialog opens. Switch to the Project tab. Check the Show Filename in Job Strip checkbox to show the filenames. Click in the checkbox again if you want to have the templates event number appear in the playlist instead. Click OK to finish.
Chyron CG users might want to change the names of their templates to correspond to Chyrons four digit naming convention, which allows for easy keyboarding and shot box operations. See Manage CG Templates on page 56 for details.
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Set Layout Size
If your templates were created in a different resolution than the resolution you will be using for output, you can set how rendered layouts will be scaled in Automation Interface. For example, your CG operator may create templates for High Definition (HD) output but need to output the rendered layouts in Standard Definition (SD). 1 2 Open the inscribe.ini file in the folder where Automation Interface is installed. The default folder is C:\Automation Interface. Look in the [Configuration] section of the file. You will see three different types of scaling: ScaleLetterbox, ScaleCrop, and ScaleSizeToFit. If you dont see these scaling types in the inscribe.ini file, enter them yourself as described in step 3. ScaleLetterbox: Scales the layout to fit to the new screen resolution without any change in aspect ratio. The entire layout will appear onscreen. This option is recommended if you are converting layouts from SD to HD. ScaleCrop: Scales the layout to fill the output screen resolution without any change in aspect ratio. The layout will be centered on screen with the outside edges cropped. This option is recommended if you are converting layouts from HD to SD. ScaleSizeToFit: Adjusts the aspect ratio of the layout to fit the new screen resolution. The layout will fill the entire screen without any cropping, and may be distorted vertically or horizontally. 3 Set the type of scaling you require to 1, and set the others to zero. The default scaling type is letterbox. For example, if you would like your layout to be scaled without a change in the aspect ratio, centered and cropped, you would change or enter the following configuration settings.
[Configuration] ScaleLetterbox=0 ScaleCrop=1 ScaleSizeToFit=0
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Set Automation Interface Preferences

Use the Preference dialogs to make changes to the behavior of Automation Interface or adjust the way CII and Inscriber commands are used. Your preferences are remembered when you close Automation Interface. To open the Preferences dialog click the Preferences button on the main Automation Interface window.
General Settings
The General tab allows you to customize Automation Interface to suit your system. The General tab appears when you first open the Preferences dialog.
Figure 3-1. General Preferences
Renderer
You must name your Automation Interface during the initial install, but you can rename it at any time in Preferences. If you have more than one Automation Interface application installed on your system you may want to
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Chapter 3 | Setup
change the renderer name so that each instance can be sent its own commands.
Receive Commands From
Select the Serial Port option if your News Vendor connects directly to Automation Interface through a serial port. Use the fields in the Serial Port section of the dialog to configure serial port communication. Select the TCP/IP option if your News Vendor connects to Automation Interface through a network. Use the Port field to set the communication port. Select the Dispatcher option if your News Vendor connects to Automation Interface through a dispatcher. This option is useful if you have more than one Automation Interface installed on your system (or if you have multiple instances of Automation Interface on different computers) and you want to connect them to your News Vendor through a single serial port.
Select the Custom Application option if you have created a custom application to simulate a News Vendor. For example, select Custom Application if you are connecting to your News Vendor using the MOS option.
If you select either the Serial Port or Dispatcher option you can still use any custom created application. If you select the Custom Application option you cannot use other automation sources.
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Framebuffer Settings
Set the preferences for your output channels. You can have more than one output channel but your resolution and keying settings remain the same for all of them.
Figure 3-2. Framebuffer Preferences
General Settings
Automation Interface automatically receives General Settings from the output device, so you cannot use Automation Interfaces preferences to set Resolution, Keying Type or Video Format. If you need to change any of the general settings use the configuration utility for your framebuffer hardware.
Framebuffers
If your Automation Interface system contains output hardware and you would like to send rendered layouts to Strata or directly to the hardware, check the Use Frame Buffers checkbox.
Test Page
You can choose any 32 bit image file to use as a test page. When you click the Test Page button on the main Automation Interface screen, this page
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Chapter 3 | Setup
appears in your Last Rendered window and is sent to your hardware or your Automation Interface Strata layer.
Edit Framebuffers.ips
This option is no longer applicable in Automation Interface version 2.0 and later.
XFER Channels
Assign your XFER channels, setting one to be the program channel and one to be the preview channel. If you dont want to set a preview channel you can set the program channel and allow Automation Interface to buffer your output without using a preview channel. To set a program channel and a preview channel, enter [program channel #], [preview channel #] in the XFER field. For example, enter
1, 2
to set channel 1 as the program channel and channel 2 as the preview channel. To set a program channel and use no preview channel, enter [program channel #], 0 in the XFER field. For example, enter
1, 0
to set channel 1 as the program channel and to use no preview channel. Automation Interface will buffer the preview layout but wont send it to output until it is taken to air.
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CII Settings
Use this tab to configure how Automation Interface deals with CII commands.
Figure 3-3. CII Settings Preferences
Reply
A checksum reply verifies the integrity of the communication between Automation Interface and the News Vendor. Check Add Checksum to add a checksum to each set of commands. Select an Error radio button to choose the number of digits that are used for error codes. Error codes follow the existing CII protocol.
Tags
When the Use Space To Skip Tag checkbox is checked Automation Interface does not fill tags when CII commands contain spaces. For example, when Automation Interface receives the following CII command:
W\1000\1001\data1\ \data3\\
it does not fill the second data tag. If you dont check the checkbox the same command fills the second tag with a space.
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Enter the tag ID number Automation Interface uses as your first tag. CII protocol sends data to a tag using the Tag ID in the CII command. Tag IDs can be set directly in the template. You can begin tag IDs at 0. Select a radio button to choose a method for identifying your tags to the News Vendor. We recommend you select the Use TagID As Tag Name option. Tags labelled with numbers in your CG template will be referenced with those numbers in all CII commands. If you select the Use Creation Order option, CII commands will reference the tags in your CG template in the order the tags were created. To use this method you will need to know the order in which tags were added to the template. You cannot find that information if the person who created the template is unavailable.
Special Codes
If your News Vendor uses special CII codes for starting and stopping commands, enter the codes in these fields.
Use Custom Receive-Send
You can create custom send and receive codes by checking the checkbox and entering your own codes.
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Resource Settings
The Resources tab sets preferences for resources that Automation Interface requires for rendering templates. It also sets the location and format of Automation Interfaces output files.
Figure 3-4. Resources Preferences
Resources
The Use RGB Fonts checkbox is not supported in Automation Interface. Check the Auto Update Resource Path checkbox to automatically update changes to the resource file path. Automation Interface can record changes to a resource path only if your resources remain in the job folder. You must update the paths individually if your resource files move outside the job folder.
Optional Startup Defaults
The Default Startup Folder is where you plan to store your templates and/or layouts. You should create this folder on your media drive in case your system drive needs to be restored. If your templates have come from another system this folder also needs to contain all the graphic and font resources for your templates.
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Chapter 3 | Setup
When Automation Interface is part of a Connectus solution, all content sent to Automation Interface from Connectus is stored in the Default Startup Folder. On Chyron systems the CII save command usually saves the resulting rendered layouts in the same folder as the source files. Automation Interface modifies the instruction to save the rendered layout in a subfolder called Output. Change the Default Output Folder to store your rendered layouts in a different location. You can use a relative or absolute file path, but you must use an absolute path if you locate your folder in a shared directory on another machine. On Chyron CG systems the keystrokes of particular fonts can be mapped to specific images or logos known as RGB fonts. The RGB Fonts Folder field is not currently supported in Automation Interface. Inscriber CG templates and layouts contain references to where various graphic resources (fonts, images, etc.) are stored. These graphic resources must be available on the machine that runs the CG program in order to re-create your layouts. If you wish to store your graphic resources in a specific location, set the Materials Folder to the folder where the resources are stored.
Default Input
Select the file format of the CG templates that Automation Interface imports and fills with News Vendor data. We recommend users new to Inscriber CGs create their templates as .scribe files. You can store all your related .scribe files in one single job folder, making organization more like the CII protocol. More experienced users who are familiar with .scribelist files must remember that each job folder can contain only one .scribelist file. If you use the .scribelist file format, you must change the names of the events (.scribelist) to match the filenames called by the News Vendor. See Folder/File Structure on page 5. Some versions of Inscriber CG products include a .ipacked file format. The .ipacked format compiles and compresses into one file all of the
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graphic resources required to create a layout. Automation Interface does not currently support the .ipacked format.
Note:
All of the templates used with Automation Interface must be in the same format.
Default Output
Select the format of the layouts Automation Interface produces after filling the CG template tags with News Vendor data. The Output files are referred to as the rendered files. Rendered files are ready to go to air. Normally you will select the Automation Interface (XML) format. This format tells Automation Interface how to output your rendered files. You also have the choice of outputting .vii (.vir, .vic, .via), .tga, or .scribe files with Automation Interface. If you want an editable layout to be created instead of a rendered file you can select the .scribe option.
Effects Settings
The Effects tab allows you to set defaults for take and CG behaviour.
Figure 3-5. Effects Settings Preferences
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Chapter 3 | Setup
Roll/Crawl Defaults
These options are not applicable in Automation Interface version 2.0 and later.
Active Texture Defaults
The Motion Frame Buffer setting is not applicable in Automation Interface version 2.0 and later.
Take Defaults
Effects usually end automatically, but Active Textures are continuous loops which never end on their own. If you have Active Textures in your layouts you should check the Stop Previous Effect checkbox. You can also stop effects with the clear screen button in Automation Interface. You must check the Stop Previous Effects checkbox to enable this feature.
CG Defaults
Automation Interface supports 32-bit video clips. Automation Interface ignores the embedded alpha channel in all .avi clips when the Ignore AVI Alpha checkbox is checked. In some cases Automation Interface is unable to determine the field dominance of video clips. When this happens, the video jitters during preview or playback. Check the Invert Video Field Order checkbox to invert the field dominance for all video clips played using Automation Interface.
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Player Server
When you are using Automation Interface as part of a Connectus solution, the Player Server tab allows you to enable or disable Automation Interfaces content retrieval options.
Figure 3-6. Player Server Preferences
There are two methods you can choose for retrieving content. Automation Interface can run a player server. Automation Interface can run an integrated version of the Content Receiver application. This is a much more flexible option which allows you greater control over how your incoming content is organized. We especially recommend Content Receiver use for Inscriber MOS users.
Set Up Automation Interface Player Server
Select the Member radio button to enable Automation Interfaces player server. If you wish to stop Automation Interface from behaving as a player select the Not a Member radio button. Click the Set Up Automation Interface Player button to configure your player settings with the Player Settings window. In the Player Identity section of the window, enter the name and physical location of the player, as well as a brief description. By default the description displays the login ID of the individual who installed the player. The players name is used by the Connectus to select the player when sending content. In the Server Name field, enter the name of the system that Connectus is installed on. Enter the port used to communicate with Connectus in the TCP/IP Port field.
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Chapter 3 | Setup
Player systems can provide Connectus with information about the systems operator. Use the Name, Email, and Telephone fields to enter or update the operators contact information. This information is displayed when player systems are selected within Connectus.
Figure 3-7: Player Settings Window
Choose the type of account you will use to connect to the Connectus systems LAN servers. The Local System Account is a built-in default account on all Windows machines. It is designed to allow services to run, but it does not often have permission to access the network.
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You can usually run the Player service with the Local System Account when accessing the Connectus LAN file server, though it is recommended that you use an Administrator account for this service instead. To use the Local System Account, check the Local System Account checkbox. When using the Local System Account, check the Allow Service to Interact with Desktop to allow the Player Server to open windows on the desktop when necessary. This also allows the Player Server to place a monitor icon in the Windows task bar. If you are not using the Local System Account, uncheck the Local System Account checkbox and enter the accounts username, password, and domain information. Do not enter a domain if you are using a workgroup. In the Player Server HTTP Account section of the window, enter the username and password that the Player Server will use when accessing the Connectus systems HTTP file servers.
Click the OK button to return to the Preferences dialog. When Connectus sends content to Automation Interface, the content is stored in Automation Interfaces default startup folder. You can change this folder with the Resources tab of the Preferences dialog. See Resource Settings on page 34 for more information about configuring your resources. To learn how to manage content with Connectus and send content to Automation Interface, see your Connectus User Guide.
Set Up Content Receiver Players
To set up content receiver players on your system, check the Also Run Content Receiver Players checkbox and click the Setup Content Receiver Players button. The window displays all of the content receivers currently set up on the system. Each content receiver will appear as a separate player within Connectus. When content is sent to a content receiver within Connectus,
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Automation Interface downloads the content from the appropriate file server and stores it in the appropriate folder.
Figure 3-8: Content Receiver Players Setup
Set the username and password that the Automation Interface uses when it accesses the Connectus file servers over a LAN connection. The Local System Account is a built-in default account on all Windows machines. It is designed to allow services to run, but it does not often have permission to access the network. You can usually run the Automation Interface with the Local System Account when accessing a Connectus LAN file server, though it is recommended that you use a Power User account for this service instead. To use the Local System Account, check the Local System Account checkbox.
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When using the Local System Account, check the Allow Service to Interact with Desktop to allow the Player Server to open windows on the desktop when necessary. If you are not using the Local System Account, uncheck the Local System Account checkbox and enter the accounts username, password, and domain information. Do not enter a domain if you are using a workgroup. 2 Click the Add New button in the Receivers section of the window to add a new content receiver. The Content Receiver dialog opens.
Figure 3-9. Content Receiver Dialog
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4 5 6
Add information about the content receiver. a Enter the name of the content receiver. This name appears in the player list within Connectus. b Click the Choose button and navigate to the folder where the receiver stores all downloaded content. c Add additional information about the content receiver. This information appears within Connectus when the content receiver is selected. In the Server Name field, enter the name of the system that the Connectus system is installed on. Enter the port used to communicate with Connectus in the TCP/IP Port field. In the HTTP Account section of the window, enter the username and password that the Automation Interface will use when accessing the Connectus HTTP file servers. Click OK. You are returned to the list of content receivers.
To edit a content receivers information or connection settings, select the receiver in the Receivers list and click the Edit button. If you need to remove a content receiver, select it in the list and click the Remove button.
Note:
If you need to set up many similar content receivers, select a content receiver in the list and click the Add Clone button. The Content Receiver dialog opens with all of the information from the selected content receiver. Change the required settings to create a new content receiver and click the OK button. You must update the Name and Folder fields before you can click OK.
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Chapter 4
Create CG Templates
Prepare templates with Inscriber CG.
Prepare CG Templates
Before you create templates for Automation Interface you must be familiar with your News Vendors data requirements.
Identify News Vendor Data
Contact your News Vendor to determine what data they provide and the folders, files, and tags the News Vendor requires to deliver the data properly. When you set up your account with a News Vendor, identify the information you want to receive and inform the News Vendor which templates receive data. If you add new templates you must inform your News Vendor of your new data requirements. For more information about organizing files and folders, see Folder/File Structure on page 5.
Create CG Layouts with Tagged Data Fields
When you create new Inscriber CG templates you must create tagged data fields as well. Depending on how you have configured your Automation Interface, you may need to know the order of the tags your News Vendor expects to find in each layout. If Automation Interface depends on the creation order of the tags we recommend you name your tagged data fields sequentially (1, 2, 3, 4, and so on). It doesnt matter where you assign field numbers, as long as the data fields in your layouts match the ordered tags being sent by the News Vendor. See Tags on page 32 to change the way Automation Interface uses tag names. We recommend you double-check that the names of your tagged data fields agree with the expectations of your News Vendor.
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Chapter 4 | Create CG Templates

Create CG Templates
Use the CG module in your Inscriber CG application (G-Scribe or TitleOne) to create the templates that you will use with Automation Interface. This section provides general information about creating templates that are compatible with Automation Interface. For more detailed information, see the User Guide that came with your CG application.
CG Basics
Within your Inscriber CG, switch to the CG module using one of the following methods: Click the CG button in the Main toolbar. Select Tools > Character Gen. Press the F6 key.
Interface Overview
The CG workspace contains the tools for creating CG templates, as well as the tools for outputting layouts and for transferring resources between layouts and between other modules.
Main Toolbar CG Toolbar
Tools Palette Playlist CG Workspace Library Palette
Scrapbook
Program Channel
Attributes Palette
CG Editor Toolbar

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Table 4-1. The CG Workspace
Workspace Area
Description
CG Toolbar
The CG toolbar allows you to configure your templates and your display. It also helps you navigate between the objects in the CG workspace. Create your template by adding and positioning text, graphic, logo, clock, and Port objects in the CG workspace. You can also add a background to the template. The workspace shows what your template looks like as you work. Use the text, graphic, logo, clock, and Port tools from the Tools palette to draw objects in the CG workspace. The Tools palette also contains the Pointer and Selection tools, which allow you to select and transform objects.
CG Workspace
Tools Palette
CG Editor Toolbar
The CG Editor toolbar contains tools to help you position, transform, and layer the objects in the CG workspace. The tabs in the Attributes palette help you change the attributes and appearance of your objects. To display the contents of a tab, click the tab name. Manage your styles and media with the Library palette. The Style Library helps you maintain a consistent look for your layout objects, and the Media Library stores commonly-used images, clips, clocks, and Port objects.
Attributes palette
Library Palette
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The CG Workspace
Create your template within the CG workspace. The CG workspace displays the template as it will appear on your output, with a grey checkerboard pattern representing the video transparent areas. Templates are made up of objects which you customize and position within the CG workspace.
The Tools Palette
The Tools palette contains tools for adding text and graphic objects to your templates. Some of the buttons in the palette contain multiple tools. If the tool you are looking for is not visible in the Tools palette, hold the left mouse button on the visible tool. When the flyout menu appears, click the tool you want to use. In most cases, add objects to your layout by selecting a tool and either clicking in the CG workspace or drawing boundaries for the object.
Layout Types
The layout type determines how your work displays on video. You can select one of four different layout types, depending on the type of template you are creating. To change the layout type, select a type from the Title Type drop-down list in the CG toolbar.

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Create Text Objects
CG offers a variety of text objects suited to specific needs in your templates. Text objects can be constrained to keep their lengths constant and they can contain multiple lines of text. You can also create text paths and vertical text. Use the appropriate text tool from the Tools palette to add a text object to a template.
Table 4-2. Text Object Tools
Icon
Tool
Description
Text Field
For single lines of text. The field expands as text is entered. Text fields are best used when the tag will be filled with an unknown amount of text that will not exceed one line.
Text Constrained Field
For single lines of text. The field's width is constrained and the text gets smaller to fit the field. Best used when the tag will be filled with a predictable amount of text that will not exceed one line.
Paragraph Field
For multiple lines of text. The field expands as text is entered. Best used when the tag will be filled with an unknown amount of text that may exceed one line.
Fixed-Width Paragraph Field
For multiple lines of text. The field's width is constrained and the text gets smaller to fit the field. Best used when the tag will be filled with a predictable amount of text that may exceed one line.
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Table 4-2. Text Object Tools (Continued)
Icon
Tool
Description
Text Path
For single lines of text on a complex path. For vertical text fields containing characters that are stacked on top of each other.
Vertical Text
To create a new text object in a template: 1 2 Select the appropriate text tool from the Tools palette. Use the tool to add a text object to the CG workspace. When using an unconstrained text tool (like the Text Field or Paragraph Field tool) click the CG workspace to create the text object. When using a constrained text tool (like the Text Constrained Field or Fixed-Width Paragraph Field) click and drag in the CG workspace to place the text object and define its length. The new text object is added to the template. The object contains a blinking text cursor.
Figure 4-1. A New Text Constrained Field
Text Object Formatting
Use the controls in the Attributes tab to change text options such as font style, rotation, text size, alignment, and spacing. You can also customize the way an object behaves when text is added to it. The Attributes tab contains a Paragraph tab and a Text Object Properties tab. Click either tab to display its options.

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Text Alignment
Use the Attributes tab to change the alignment of your text.

Note:
The text within Text Field objects cannot be aligned because the text always fills the object.
1 2 3
Select a text object. Switch to the Attributes tab of the Attributes palette. In the Paragraph section of the tab, click the Alignment buttons to change the way your text lines are aligned.
Table 4-3. Text Alignment
Button
Description
Click the Align Left button to align your text to the left edge of the object. Click the Align Center button to center your text inside the object. Click the Align Right button to align your text to the right edge of the object.
Text Object Properties
Use the Text Object Properties options to customize your text object behavior. 1 2 3 Select a text object. Switch to the Attributes tab in the Attributes toolbar and click the Text Objects Properties section. Change the settings in the Text Object Properties section to customize the behavior of your selected text object.
Lock the Object Height
Select the Lock Object Height checkbox to prevent the text fields height from changing as more text is entered. When checked, new lines of text are added to the text field by shrinking the height of the existing text.
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You can also lock an objects height by right-clicking it and choosing Constrain > Lock Object Height.
Lock the Object Width
Select the Lock Object Width checkbox to prevent the text fields width from changing as more text is entered. When checked, additional controls set how the object behaves when text fills the text object: When the Constrain Text to Width control is checked the text in the field gets narrower to fit new text. Otherwise, any new text is placed outside the field and is not displayed unless the object is enlarged. The Enable Word Wrapping radio button appears when the text objects height is unlocked. When word wrapping is enabled your text is wrapped to a new line when you type beyond the edge of the field.
You can also lock an objects width by right-clicking it and choosing Constrain > Lock Objects Width.

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Add Tags to Your Templates

Use your CG to add tags (also called RTX Tags) to the objects in your templates. Automation Interface fills these tags according to CII commands sent from the News Vendor. In order to add tags in your CG you need to enable it to show tags first. See Configure Inscriber CG Software on page 26.
Add a Tag
Follow this procedure to add a tag to an object in your template. 1 2 3 Select an object in the template. Click the News Edit button in the CG Editor toolbar. News Edit opens. In News Edit, enter a tag label in the Tags text box and then click Add. The tag is applied to the object. The name of the tag automatically appears in a black indicator box just below the tagged object.
Figure 4-2. Add a Tag to a Text Object

Note:
If you are naming a logo or video clip object that you plan to update with Inscriber MOS, start the tag name with image_.
Select another object in the template to add more tags. Do not use duplicate tag names in a single template. Name your tags as your News Vendor requires. Check that your Automation Interface preferences match your tag naming style.
Note:
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Delete a Tag
If you need to delete a tag from an object: 1 2 In News Edit, select the tag name from the list of tags. Click the Delete button. The tag is removed from the object.

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Manage CG Templates
Templates must be named according to the requirements of the News Vendor. This section describes how to rename templates and how to assign templates to specific output channels.
Change a CG Template Name
It is important that the CG template names correspond to the folders called by the News Vendor. Use Inscriber CG to change your template names. 1 2 3 4 In your CG, select the template you want to use with Automation Interface. Press CTRL+J, or choose Playlist > Change Render Filename. The Change Render Filename dialog opens. Enter the new name in the New field. Click on the OK button to change the name.
Each .scribelist file contains many templates in the playlist. Each template can have its own name.
Assign .scribelist Files to Output Channels
Strata lets you output multiple CG layouts simultaneously through one physical output channel. Your layouts can be assigned to different layers or virtual channels. See Render to Strata on page 24 for more information about setting up and using Strata. Using Strata, assign your .scribelist files to different layers in the CG. The Direct Control application will output your layouts on the correct layers. Note that if you are using a News Vendor to output your content, the News Vendor will send its own output channel assignments. 1 Open the Strata Wizard by selecting Start > Programs > Harris > Inscriber Strata Configuration Utility. Use the Strata Wizard to assign your Inscriber applications to virtual output channels and assign virtual channels to layers on a specific output board. You can assign your Inscriber CG application to more than one virtual channel. 2 Assign your layout to a channel in your CG. All layouts in a .scribelist file need to be assigned to the same channel.
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Switch to the Sequencer and select an event. Select a channel by clicking on a Program button on the Event Editor tab. 3 When you open a .scribelist file in Automation Interface you can view the assigned layers in Direct Control and make changes. If the layers are listed by letters then 'A' corresponds to layer one, 'B' corresponds to layer two and so on.
Move Templates Between Systems
These instructions describe how to efficiently move templates from one system to another. Commonly, templates are created on one system but used on another system. If the resource files are not located, your templates can appear to be missing graphic resources, such as logos and video clips.
Search Routine
Inscriber products automatically perform the following search routine to look for resources. 1 2 3 Search for the resources in the location specified in the template. Search for the resources in the project path (location of the .scribelist or .scribe file). In G-Scribe or TitleOne, search for the resources in the samples folder in the directory where the product is installed. This location cannot be changed. In Automation Interface, search for the resources in the Materials folder. The Materials folder is specified on the Resources tab of the Automation Interface Preferences. 4 Search for the resources in the Project Folder and its subfolders as set on the Project tab in the Preferences dialog (File > Preferences).
Move Projects
If you need to move projects between a CG system and a separate Automation Interface system you have several options. 1 Use a drive on a central server for logos and video clips. You should not put .avi and .via files on the network because of bandwidth limitations. The share on the server must be for the entire drive.

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The name of the share on the server must be a single letter matching the name of the drive on the server. To link to the server, you can make a drive mapping to the network drive and call it Z (for example) on each system. You can create your layouts on the CG system, and find them on the Automation Interface system. 2 3 Copy the .scribe file and all the resource files, and paste them all into the same folder (project path) on the Automation Interface system. Copy the .scribe file and paste it into a folder (project path) on the Automation Interface system. Copy all the resource files and paste them into the Materials folder on the Automation Interface system.
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Work with SD and HD Files

Automation Interface and Inscriber CG can output both Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD) video formats. For single channel systems you can operate in one mode at a time, either SD or HD. For dual channel systems you can operate both channels in the same mode. You can also use the HD/SD Down Conversion option in the XD-200 Control Panel to output one channel in SD and output the other channel in HD (Start > All Programs > Harris > [Inscriber CG Name] > Configuration Utilities > Phoenix Control Panel). Since SD and HD templates have different formatting, SD templates cannot be used when working in an HD program output, and vice versa. In order to use SD templates in an HD program, the SD template must be converted to match the HD format prior to creating the program output. The same is true if you want to use HD templates in an SD program output.
Conversion Considerations
Native Resolution and Frame Rate are two important criteria to consider when converting between SD and HD formats. Native Resolution refers to the resolution at which a TV or monitor is designed to display images. Image signals higher or lower than a specified native resolution must be converted to be displayed accurately. For example, the native resolution of an SD image is 720x480 and must be upconverted to display on an HD monitor, which has a native resolution of 1920x1080 or 1280x720. Although Automation Interface and Inscriber CG output SD in both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios, the native resolution is the same; 720x480. When the lower resolution SD image is upconverted to match an HD format (1920x1080 or 1280x720), some of the sharpness of the original image is lost as the pixels are increased in size, not in number, to fit the larger display. In contrast, downconverting from HD to SD results in a sharper image quality as more pixels fill a smaller display. It is good practise to start with a larger 1920x1080 image and scale it down to 720x480, rather than scale up a smaller image. Frame Rate refers to the number of frames per second (fps) that are displayed on a TV or monitor. The frame rate is 30 fps (NTSC) and 25 fps (PAL). There are two output displays available:

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Interlaced - SD 720x480 (480i NTSC), SD 720x576 (576i PAL), and HD 1920x1080 (1080i). Progressive Scan - HD 1280x720 (720p). In Interlaced, a frame is divided into two fields, with each field containing half the number of scanning lines of a complete frame. For NTSC, the second field is scanned 1/60th of a second after the first field; for PAL, the second field is scanned 1/50th of a second after the first field. These two fields are displayed in rapid succession on a TV or monitor. In progressive scan, the complete frame is scanned every 30 fps (NTSC) and 25 fps (PAL). Interlaced is the most common output for HD (1080i), as it has higher native resolution. However, progressive scan (720p) provides better picture quality when editing with filters and effects that affect motion, including rotating a frame or compositing live-action video with special effects.
SD to HD Conversion
You should create archives of all your SD and HD templates before conversion. You might need to edit the templates for aesthetic quality when converting between the 4:3 SD aspect ratio and the 16:9 HD aspect ratio. Select how your graphic elements are scaled when you convert templates from SD to HD. 1 2 3 In your Inscriber HD product, select File > Preferences. Switch to the Character Generator tab. Select one of the following Scale Types: Letterbox, Crop, or Size-To-Fit. Letterbox: SD (4:3) to HD (16:9). Scales and centers the SD image to fill the height of the new workspace without changing the 4:3 aspect ratio. This results in black bars on the left and right of the SD image in the HD frame. Crop: SD (4:3) to HD (16:9). Scales and centers the SD image to fill the width of the new workspace. This results in cropping the top and bottom of the SD image in the HD frame. Size-To-Fit: SD (4:3) to HD (16:9). Scales the SD image to fit the new workspace by pulling or stretching the image to fill the HD frame. This results in a slightly distorted image.
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Size-To-Fit: SD (16:9) to HD (16:9). Scales the SD image to fit the new workspace by zooming the image to fill the HD frame without changing the aspect ratio. This results in a slightly lower quality image as the pixels increase in size to match the larger frame. 4 5 6 Click OK to save your preferences and close the dialog. Open your SD template or playlist. A message indicates that the file will be converted, and then displays the progress. When the conversion is complete, save the new HD template or playlist. If required resave using another name to distinguish the HD file from the SD file.
Conversion Limitations
The template files are editable, and the graphic elements within are scaled individually when converted from the 4:3 SD aspect ratio to the 16:9 HD aspect ratio. Where an element is a vector graphic, the scaling is seamless. Where an element is a raster graphic such as a bitmap, the scaling may be subject to certain limitations imposed by the nature of raster graphics. A playlist file (.scribelist) is composed of raster graphics and may be subject to the same limitations. Some graphic design elements are known to be unsuitable when converted from SD to HD. Rendered video clips (.via files) are not resized on conversion between SD and HD. An SD .via file is too small and is in the wrong position in the HD monitor. An HD .via file is too large and is in the wrong position in the SD monitor. It will only display on the top left corner of the monitor. Active textures used on objects are not resized on conversion from SD to HD. The active texture may not be visible on the object in the HD graphic. SD bitmaps used as backgrounds for HD output are distorted or stretched to fit the monitor. SD bitmaps mapped onto objects are resized to fit the HD monitor, but the results are grainy.

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If you intend to use both SD and HD templates, you should maintain a set in both formats if you use a lot of raster graphics and you find results of conversion unsuitable. If you are working exclusively with SD, consider creating all your templates in the SD 16:9 aspect ratio, as this will make the transition easier should you upgrade to an SD/HD switchable system in the future. Working in SD 16:9 allows you to see how your layouts work in the HD world.
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Chapter 5
Using Automation Interface
Filling templates with Automation Interface.
Automation Workflow
After you have installed and configured your Automation Interface and Inscriber CG software, the workflow for using Automation Interface is broken into three phases.
Prepare Your CG Templates
Use your Inscriber CG software to create templates according to your News Vendors specifications. See Create CG Templates on page 45 for more detailed information. 1 Identify the data that you will receive from your News Vendor, including the precise names of the folders, files, and data fields that the News Vendor expects to find. Create Inscriber templates with your Inscriber CG (G-Scribe or TitleOne). Ensure that your CG templates are correctly named. Add and edit tagged data fields in your templates. Fill the tagged data fields with commands sent to Automation Interface from your News Vendor. If desired, use the Direct Control option to view each resulting rendered layout. You can also output layouts using Direct Control. If desired, use the Direct Control option to edit any of your rendered Automation Interface layouts.
2 3 4
Fill and Render Your CG Templates
5 6
Edit Your Layouts
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Chapter 5 | Using Automation Interface

Fill and Render CG Templates

Automation Interface fills templates with data received from a News Vendor, renders them, and sends the resulting layouts directly to video. You can also use Direct Control to browse through the rendered layouts, edit them for corrections, and save or take them to video. If you are using an Inscriber CG (G-Scribe or TitleOne) an operator on another machine can access the layouts across a network for reviewing, editing, or building a new playlist.
Note:
Do not use Windows Remote Desktop to connect to G-Scribe, TitleOne, or Automation Interface. The drivers used for remote desktop conflict with the drivers required to operate the software. If you need to connect to the system remotely, please use VNC Free which will not conflict with the software. To use your templates with Automation Interface: 1 2 Close the Inscriber CG program. Go to the Automation Interface machine. Ensure your templates are located in the folder that is named to match the News Vendors CII commands. Automation Interface saves rendered layouts in an Output sub-folder as both rendered files (.vii, .vic, .vis, or .via) and editable .scribe files). You should delete old rendered files from the Output sub-folder. You can delete your rendered files easily by creating and running a batch file to delete .vii, .vic, .vis, and .via files. Double-click on the Automation Interface shortcut on the desktop to start Automation Interface. 3 Go to the News Vendor System. Select a run-down. Call for the CG. The number of events in the run-down determines the time that Automation Interface takes to fill and render layouts. If you want to create additional layouts using another News Vendor system, repeat this procedure from step one. You dont have to double-click on the
Use Templates with Automation Interface

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Automation Interface shortcut (step two), unless you closed Automation Interface in the meantime.
Note:
You can also use News Feed Simulator to simulate the News Vendor system. See News Feed Simulator on page 96.
Unicode Support
Automation Interface supports the Unicode standard. Follow these steps to enable Unicode support in Automation Interface. 1 2 Make sure Automation Interface is closed. Using Windows Explorer, locate the inscribe.ini file located in the Automation Interface folder. On a G7 system this is located in C:\Program Files(x86)\Harris\ Inscriber Automation Interface Common Files. On a G3 system this is located in C:\Program Files\Harris\Inscriber Automation Interface Common Files. Open the inscribe.ini file with Windows Notepad. Within the file, find the section labelled [AutoCG]. Within the [AutoCG] section, find the AcceptUnicodeCommands setting and change it to AcceptUnicodeCommands=1. If this setting doesnt appear in your inscribe.ini file, enter it yourself. 6 Save the inscribe.ini file. 7 Choose START > Settings > Control Panel > Regional and Language Options. The Regional and Language Options window opens. 8 Switch to the Advanced tab. 9 Use the drop-down list to select the language you want to use for sending text updates to Automation Interface. 10 Click OK. To disable Unicode support in Automation Interface, change the inscribe.ini setting back to AcceptUnicodeCommands=0. 3 4 5
Image Replacement
To apply new image files to layout objects, include image editing commands in the text you send to the object tags. For logo objects and objects that contain image treatments or Active Texture treatments, enter the full file path to the image you want to apply. For example, C:\Images\ZXYLogo.tga.
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If the object already has an image assigned to it, you can use another image file in the same folder by entering a relative file path. For example, ZXYLogoSmall.tga. If the image file is in the Media Library, reference it by number for logo objects, text objects that contain inserted images, and objects that contain image treatments or Active Texture treatments. The Media Library number follows two number symbols (##). For example, if the image is number five in the Media Library, enter ##5. To insert images by file path within text objects, use the ## command, followed by the image path enclosed in double quotes. For example, ##C:\Images\Flags\Canada.tga Team Canada. For logo objects, you can specify a new image file path using any command that allows you to modify tag contents within a layout. For example, W\4999\1000\D:/SPORTS/Graphics/Ottawa.png\\. Video clips will display as stills if they are applied to logo objects.
Note:
Change Styles
To apply a new style to a layout object, include a style-change command in the text you send to the object tags. The tag data must begin with the @@ command, followed by the layouts style number you want to apply. For example, if you want to display the text Weather in style number six from the Style Library, send @@6Weather to your tag. If you wish to change the tags style multiple times within a single line, use the ^^ command for each style change after the first one. For example, if you want to display Weather in style number six, then Warning in style number eight, and then Special in style number three, send @@6Weather ^^8Warning ^^3Special to your tag.
If you are sending additional text to the tag and the text begins with a number, use an asterisk to separate the number from the style-change command. For example, @@5*20 dollars will output 20 dollars with style five. See your CG programs user guide for more information about creating and managing styles.

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Last Rendered File
To see a thumbnail view of the last file that was rendered by Automation Interface: 1 2 3 Switch to the Last Rendered tab. Right-click anywhere in the blank window. Select Disable or Enable View Last Rendered layout.
Viewing your last rendered layout helps test and monitor Automation Interface. Enabling the Last Rendered window may slow your system as it requires more CPU and network time.
Framebuffer not Required to Render
Automation Interface doesnt require a framebuffer to render CG templates. Templates render to local or network drives. Templates are commonly rendered without a framebuffer in Hands Off operation, when CG operators need to access rendered graphics over a network.
View Commands
You can choose to view the News Vendor commands as Automation Interface receives them, or you can minimize Automation Interface and view no commands. Automation Interface opens with the log window enabled. To disable the log window: 1 Right-click anywhere in either the CII or Inscriber Log Window.
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Select Disable Log Window.
Figure 5-1. Disable the Log Window
Hands Off Operation
Automation Interface can work with a framebuffer to output rendered layouts directly to video without operator intervention. Your CG does not need to connect to the Automation Interface if your layouts do not require editing. The data from your News Vendor will continue to drop into your layouts automatically. If you have enabled the Direct Control option on your system, you can use Direct Control to view each resulting layout and make edits after your News Vendor data goes into the template. See Direct Control Option on page 72. If your News Vendor is unable to send transition settings, or if you wish to override the News Vendors transition settings, specify a global transition which will override all user defined transitions that are sent to Automation Interface. To enable the global transition add the following information to the inscribe.ini file found in your Automation Interface folder. The following example enables a global 15 frame dissolve transition, but these parameters can be modified as described below.
[AutoCG] UseGlobalTransition=1 GlobalTransitionEffect=D GlobalTransitionPattern=A GlobalTransitionDuration=15 GlobalTransitionDirection=0
Global Transition Settings

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After adding these lines to the inscribe.ini you must restart Automation Interface before the global transition is applied. The following are the parameters that can be used for the global transition:
UseGlobalTransition
0 - Disable the global transition 1 - Enable the global transition

GlobalTransitionEffect
D - Dissolve W - Wipe P - Push H - Hide C - Cut

GlobalTransitionPattern
A - Horizontal slide wipe B - Vertical slide wipe C - Horizontal split wipe D - Vertical split wipe E - Box wipe Not all transition patterns are applicable to all transition effects.
GlobalTransitionDuration
This value is the duration of the transition in frames.

GlobalTransitionDirection
0 - Forward 1 - Reverse
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Chapter 6
Check, edit, and take layouts with the Direct Control option.

The Direct Control option adds human intervention to the automation process for confirmation, accuracy, and flexibility of output. You can check, edit, and take rendered layouts from a conveniently located computer connected to your network. To purchase Direct Control, contact your dealer. You can scroll through layouts to check them using any Direct Control computer. You can edit tagged data fields that have been filled either manually, by ODBC, or by a News Vendor. You can also add appropriate display effects and take layouts directly to air, or save changes back over the network to output as scheduled. If your layouts were created in an Inscriber CG and organized into a sequenced .scribelist playlist you can add, delete, or rearrange layouts within the playlist.
Note:
Before you can install and use Direct Control, you must have the Direct Control option enabled on your dongle. Direct Control can run on a computer without a dongle, but it must connect through the local area network to a computer with an Automation Interface dongle. If the Direct Control feature is enabled on the Automation Interface dongle then Direct Control will operate properly. Run the Direct Control install program on the Direct Control CD ROM and follow the instructions in the install dialogs.
GPI Settings
Connect Dongle
Install Direct Control
If you are triggering Direct Control with a GPI trigger, choose the com port the trigger is attached to.
Launch Direct Control
Launch Direct Control using one of these methods. Double-click on the Direct Control icon on your desktop. Click on Start > Programs > Harris > Inscriber Direct Control > Direct Control.
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Chapter 6 | Direct Control Option

Direct Control Playlists

A playlist in Direct Control is a list of rendered CG layouts that are common to a program or program segment. Each playlist is represented by a tab. Use playlists to organize layouts that need to be accessed at the same time and save each playlist with a descriptive name.
Playlist Overview
If you create a playlist from individual layouts (.scribe, .vii, .tga), the files can be collected from one or more Automation Interface machines on the network. If you create a playlist from a sequenced .scribelist file or from a series of images, files can only be collected from one Automation Interface machine.
Sets of Playlists
You can create sets of playlists for different programs that use common layouts and effects, then save the set with an appropriate descriptive name. For instance, if your morning and dinner hour news programs use the same layouts and effects, create a set for those programs. Your late-night news and sports programs, which use different layouts and effects, can go into another set. A set of playlists is saved as an .idc (Inscriber Direct Control) file, which includes: Navigation instructions for the set of playlists. Settings for framebuffers. The effects commonly used in takes.

73
Create a New Playlist
Select File > New to create a playlist. The Setup Playlist dialog opens.
Playlist tab
.idc file tab
Figure 6-1. Create a New Playlist
Enter a name for the playlist in the Playlist Name field. To browse to the Automation Interface machine that you want to monitor, click the Browse button and choose a renderer on a specific machine.
Note:
The Renderer Name ( ) for the framebuffer and Automation Interface hardware/software assembly is chosen during the installation of Automation Interface and cannot be changed with Direct Control. The Machine Name is assigned by network administrators and cannot be changed with Direct Control.
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Set Up Framebuffers for Output
If you intend to take rendered graphics directly to air from Direct Control, you must set up the connection to each available framebuffer on the Automation Interface machine. 1 In the Setup Playlist dialog, type the number of the framebuffer in the Framebuffer # box. You might need the assistance of the Automation Interface machine administrator to determine the correct number. Check the Enable Program checkbox if you want to take directly to air from Direct Control. Check the Enable Preview checkbox if you want to take to preview from Direct Control. You do not need a framebuffer to see the Framebuffer Preview window in Direct Control. However, if you have a preview framebuffer, sending your layouts to the framebuffer before you take them to air decreases rendering delays. Your effects will load into the preview framebuffer, giving you an immediate take. 4 Check the Add View Tab checkbox if you want to see a Program thumbnail in the Direct Controls preview window.
2 3
Add Files to Playlist
When you set up a list of rendered layouts you must select one or more file formats for the layout sources. The source files can be: Unsequenced single image formats such as Automation Interface (.scribe + .xml), .scribe, .vii, .tga, or video clips. Unsequenced multiple image formats such as .scribelist files used as unsequenced templates. A sequenced multiple image format such as an Inscriber .scribelist. A sequence created using multiple images.
The type of source file you use depends on what is available on the Automation Interface machine and whether or not Direct Control can modify the layouts. If the source files are single image formats or unsequenced multiple image formats, the layouts are rendered by the Automation Interface machine and entered into the Direct Control playlist in alphabetical order. You can connect to more than one Automation Interface application and add the

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layouts from each additional application to your playlist. You cannot copy and paste or reorder the playlist. If the source file is a sequenced multiple image format, or you want to use a collection of images in a sequence, the layouts are rendered by the Automation Interface machine and entered into the Direct Control playlist in sequenced order. You can only use the graphics from one Automation Interface application. You can copy, paste, and reorder the sequenced playlist. 1 2 Click on the Add button in the List of Files section to set up a list of rendered layouts that you want to monitor. Select the source of the files. Select Folder if the files are unsequenced single image formats collected in a folder. Select Template File if the files are unsequenced multiple image formats such as .scribelist files. Select Sequencer File if the file is a sequenced multiple-image format such as an Inscriber .scribelist file and you want to maintain the sequence. Setting up a sequenced playlist takes some processing time because an .xml file is generated for the sequence. Select Sequencer Folder if you want to create a sequence using multiple layouts in a folder. 3 Click on the Browse button to select the path to your file or folder. The path must be to the Automation Interface machine currently set as the renderer. If youre using individual files, check the file types you want to include in the playlist. To include other file types, check the Other checkbox and type the file extensions into the field. 5 Click OK to finish adding files to the playlist.
Add More Automation Interface Applications
If your playlist contains unsequenced files or templates you can add the rendered layouts from another Automation Interface application to your playlist. Click on Advanced, then click on New AutoCG Device.
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Each renderer and machine combination appears as a separate tab so you can easily switch between them. Use Advanced > Remove AutoCG Device to remove renderers. If the playlist is sequenced you can only use graphics from a single Automation Interface application.
Finish Playlist Setup
Click on OK to finish setting up your playlist.

Sequenced playlist (.scribelist source file) Indicators for sequence reordering VGA preview window
Framebuffer indicator
Effects list
Swap framebuffers indicator
Figure 6-2. Sequenced Playlist from a .scribelist Source
Apply Familiar Naming and Labelling
Edit the name, label, and comment for any item in the playlist using the Edit menu or the following quick keys. Press ALT + N to edit the name of an item. Press ALT + L to edit the label of an item. Press ALT + C to edit the comment included with an item.

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Add More Playlists
To set up more playlists in a set, select Setup > Add Playlist. You can have as many playlists as you require in one set. You can also use playlists in more than one set.
Save a Set of Playlists
Select File > Save to save a set of playlists, and type a descriptive name for the set. The set is saved as an .idc (Inscriber Direct Control) file with information about file paths, effects, files, and preferences for your playlist.
Add Another Set of Playlists
Select File > New to create another set of playlists. Each set is accessed through a tab on the bottom left of the screen.
Save an .idc Template
You can save your viewing options, window arrangements and display effects to an .idc file for use as a template. Save the file as read-only so that the settings cannot be changed. When you want to use the template open the .idc file, add playlists, and save the file with a new name.
Modify Playlist Sequences
You can copy, paste, and reorder the layouts in sequenced playlists. Flags appear in the Deleted, Moved, Added, and Edited columns in the Direct Control interface to show when a layout has been rearranged or modified.
Select Layouts
Select playlist layouts using the following methods: Click on a single item to select it. Hold down CTRL and click on a number of non-consecutive items to select several for modification. To quickly select an item in a long playlist, press CTRL + G to open the Go To dialog and enter the items number in the Position field.
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Rearrange Layouts
A sequence of layouts can be rearranged in a variety of ways.

Table 6-1. Rearrange Playlist Layouts
Method
Description
Copy and Paste
Click on an item in a playlist and press CTRL + C to copy it. Click on an item in a playlist and press CTRL + V to paste a copy of it below the selected item. If the items are on another system, only stills can be pasted. Copy and paste items to and from the Windows clipboard on the system running Direct Control. Changes are automatically saved after each operation. Press INSERT to select a .scribe file to add to the playlist. Press SHIFT + INSERT to insert a new group into the playlist. Press CTRL + INSERT to insert an image into the playlist. Press CTRL + SHIFT + V to insert an image from the Windows clipboard. Click on an item and press the DELETE key to mark it to be skipped. Click on a deleted item and press SHIFT + DELETE to return it to the sequence. Select Playlist > Show Deleted (F4) to show or hide items. Deleted items remain in the sequence but are marked to be skipped. Deleted items can be easily returned to the sequence if required.
Insert and Delete

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Table 6-1. Rearrange Playlist Layouts (Continued)
Method
Description
Click and Drag
Click and drag an item to move it to another position in the sequence.
Note:
Changes you make to playlists in Direct Control are saved for output as scheduled, but the changes are not saved back to the unrendered playlist source file on the Automation Interface machine. All modifications are lost if the playlist source file on the Automation Interface machine changes and you need to recreate the playlist in Direct Control.
Update Playlist Files
If your source files change or you add images to the Sequencer folder, you can pull the latest versions into Direct Control as you check your line-up. Direct Control retrieves the last version from the usual location, sends it to the renderer, and displays the new files. Display the most recent version of your files using one of the following methods. Select Playlist > Refresh Playlist. Press F5.
Set Viewing Options
You can change the position and size of many of the elements in the Direct Control interface. If you have multiple machines or framebuffers you can see thumbnails and status information for each machine and framebuffer, with a full composite displayed in the large VGA preview window.
Output Tab Appearance
The output tabs include the Status View tab, the Tags View tab, and the machine/framebuffer tabs. You can change the appearance of any of the output tabs so you can see more than one machines output. You can move your tabs anywhere on the Direct Control window. If you need to see information from multiple machines, you can create separate tabs for each machine.
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To move a tab, click and drag the tab name up into the VGA area. Your tab will appear in the upper-left hand corner of the window.
Command status
Tag info
Machines / Framebuffers
Figure 6-3. Output Tabs
Reposition a Tab
You can arrange the tabs in the Direct Control window as needed. Click and drag the edge of the tab to widen or narrow it. The preview and program thumbnails resize and reposition automatically as you resize each tab. Click and drag a corner of the tab to resize both height and width at the same time. Click on the title bar and drag the tab to move it around your screen. Click and drag the tab name down to the bottom-right corner of the screen to return it to the original format.

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Direct Control Effects

Direct Control uses the default take effect when you output to video. You can choose different standard effects or create your own effects by combining a variety of effect elements. If you intend to take rendered layouts directly to air from Direct Control, choose an effects file for output. The available effects files are shown in the Effects List drop-down on the view tab. See Set Up Framebuffers for Output on page 75 if the view tab is not visible. Direct Control keeps effects in groups, with the entire group using a single name. You can add or remove effect elements within your effect group, as well as edit each element of the effect, using the Set Effects dialog.
Set Effects
Select Setup > Set Effects to open the Set Effect dialog. The dialog displays all of the effect groups currently available for your playlist. To view the individual effect elements in a group, click the groups name.
Figure 6-4. Set Effect Dialog
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Create an Effect Group
To design a new effect, create a new effect group in the Set Effect dialog and add one or more effect elements to it. 1 In the Set Effect dialog, select Create Effect > New Effect Group. The Set Effect dialog opens.
Figure 6-5. New Effect Group
2 3 4 5
Enter a name for the effect group in the Effect Name field. Select the Effect radio button and choose an effect from the drop-down menu. Set the effect duration. Click the OK button. Your effect group is added to the Set Effect dialog.
Add an Effect to a Group
Many effect groups consist of several effect elements which are executed in sequence. Adding multiple effects to a group allows you to create complex transitions for your layouts.

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In the Set Effect dialog, select the group you want to add an effect to. Select a group header to add an effect to a single group. Multi-select with CTRL+ALT+CLICK to add an effect to all of the selected items. Press CTRL+SHIFT+1 to CTRL+SHIFT+9 to quickly select any of the first 9 effects in the list.
2 3
Select Create Effect > Add Effect to Group. The Set Effect dialog opens. Select a radio button for the type of effect you want to add.
Table 6-2. Effect Types
Type
Description
Take Effect
This effect type is not used in Automation Interface 5.0. Applies a transition to Direct Controls output. The Base Effect drop-down list contains a list of transitions that you can use. Pauses the effect group before continuing with the next effect element in the group. This effect type is not used in Automation Interface 5.0. This effect type is not used in Automation Interface 5.0.
Pause for a Specific Amount of Time Wait for Next Take Pause AND/OR Wait
Choose a duration for the effect if applicable. Use the Direct Control Preferences to change effect and pause duration measurement from frames to seconds. See Direct Control Preferences on page 92.
Click OK to finish. The effect is added to the effect group.
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Edit an Effect
If you want to edit an effect, double-click on the effect in the Set Effect dialog. Change the effects settings and click the OK button to finish.
Remove an Effect
To remove effect, select it in the Set Effect dialog and choose Create Effect > Remove Effect from Group. The effect is removed.
Manage Effects
To use custom effects in more than one playlist file you can export effects in a .dce (Direct Control Custom Effect) file. This file can be imported into other sessions or to other machines.
Export an Effect Group
Follow these steps to export an effect group. 1 2 3 4 5 In the Set Effect dialog, select the effect group you want to export. Select File > Export. Navigate to where you want to save the file. Name your exported file. Click on Save to finish.
Import an Effect Group
You can choose to import .dce files into your list of current effects. 1 In the Set Effect dialog, select File > Import. To delete the existing effects in your playlist and replace them with the effects in the .dce file, choose Import (Delete Current Effects). To add the effects in the .dce file to the existing effects in your playlist, choose Import (Add to Current Effects). 2 3 4 Navigate to the .dce file. Select the file to import. Click Open to import the file.

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Edit Tags
Direct control allows you to view, edit, and resave the contents of the tagged objects in your rendered CG layouts.
Edit Tags
1 2
Select a layout in your playlist. Press CTRL+E to open the Tag Editor dialog. The Tag Editor displays all of the tags in the layout and the information currently in the tags.
3 4
Select the tag you want to edit. Open the field for editing using one of the following methods. Press the spacebar. Click inside the highlighted tag data. Edit new data in the field and press ENTER.
Note:
See Image Replacement on page 66 to learn how to change images and textures in your tagged objects, and see Change Styles on page 67 to learn how to change object styles.
6 7
Click the Preview button to see your edited tags in the VGA Preview. Save your edits using one of the following methods. Click Save. Press CTRL+S.
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Check Your Layouts
To scroll through your data-filled layouts to check for accuracy: 1 2 3 Click on the playlist tab you want to check. Click on the layout you want to preview. Scroll through the list using the arrow keys on the keyboard. Each layout appears in the VGA Preview window.
Save Your Edited Playlist
To save your edited playlist back to its original location for your system to output automatically, use one of the following methods. Select File > Save. Press CTRL+S.
Save to a New Location
You can save an edited layout to another folder on your machine. 1 Open the Save Event dialog using one of the following methods. Select Playlist > Save Event. Press SHIFT+CTRL+S.
Figure 6-6. Save Event Dialog
2 3 4
Type the file name for your layout. Select a folder from the list. Click the Select New Path button to add a new folder to the folder list. Click on the Save button to finish.
You must save each layout to the machine that will render the layout.

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Take to Air
You can take layouts and playlists to air using Direct Control, and you can control the channels assigned to the layouts.
Modify Channel Assignment
If you have a sequenced playlist, look at the Channel column for the layout to confirm the channel the layout is assigned to. Use the following key combinations to change the channel assignment either temporarily or permanently. Press SHIFT + F1 to take to channel 1 if the layout is assigned to channel 2. The channel assignment is NOT changed in the Channel column. Press SHIFT + F2 to take to channel 2 if the layout is assigned to channel 1. The channel assignment is NOT changed in the Channel column. Press CTRL + F1 to reassign the layout to channel 1. The channel assignment is changed in the Channel column. Press CTRL + F2 to reassign the layout to channel 2. The channel assignment is changed in the Channel column. Press F3 to swap framebuffers. All layouts assigned to channel 1 now take to channel 2, and all layouts assigned to channel 2 now take to channel 1. The channel assignment change is indicated by the red swap indicator under the VGA preview window.
You can also use the right-click menu to make changes.
Channel Status Indicator
The framebuffer status indicator on the view tab shows the status of the assigned channels (see Direct Control Playlists on page 73 if the view tab is not visible). A channel is available when the indicator is green and busy when the indicator is red. A green square indicates that the channel is waiting and will be available when the next take is called. This is useful when multiple display effects are used.
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Take to Air
Take your layouts to air using one of the following methods. Select Playlist > Take. Press the PLUS (+) key on the number pad to take an event. When the event is finished playing, press the PLUS (+) key again for the next take.
To enable the ability to queue several takes in quick succession by pressing the PLUS (+) key several times, add a new line to the inscribe.ini file. Open the file by selecting Start > Programs > Harris > Inscriber Direct Control > Configuration Utilities > inscribe.ini. Add the following line to the file:
CacheTakeNext = 1
You need to restart Direct Control after changing the inscribe.ini file.
Quick Keys for Takes
Quick keys are available to simplify your takes. Press the numpad ENTER key to take the current window straight to the program channel. Press the numpad PLUS (+) key to take the current layout (shown in the VGA preview window) and move to the next layout in the list. Press the numpad MINUS (-) key to take the current layout to the preview channel. Do this if you selected Manual pre-load in your preferences. See Preload Effects Manually or Automatically on page 93 for details. Press CTRL + SHIFT + numpad ENTER to clear the program window. Press the ESCAPE key to abort a take.
You can also use the right-click menu for takes.
GPI Triggers
If you set up a GPI device during the install you can use one of three GPI trigger functions with Automation Interface: trigger events, clear events, or bypass output. By editing the inscribe.ini files for Automation Interface and Direct Control you can set the type of GPI function that you want to use.

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If you choose to use one of the functions, add the line listed below to the appropriate inscribe.ini file, and make sure that the lines for the other two functions are NOT in either file. For instance, to use your GPI trigger to clear the current event, add the following line to Automation Interfaces inscribe.ini file:
ClearOutputGPIDeviceNR=0
and make sure that the following lines are NOT in the Direct Control or Automation Interface inscribe.ini files.
PlaylistTakeGPIDeviceNr=0 BypassOutputGPIDeviceNr=0
Trigger Events
You can trigger events in Direct Control using a GPI trigger. It allows you to take events to air through Direct Control by triggering a GPI device. To use this functionality with Direct Control you must add the following setting to the inscribe.ini file located in your computers Direct Control folder.
[DirectControl] PlaylistTakeGPIDeviceNr=0
The GPI trigger must be attached to the system where Direct Control is installed. The .ini setting must also be set on the same system.
Clear Current Event
Clear the current event in Automation Interface using a GPI trigger. Add the following setting to the inscribe.ini file located in your computers Automation Interface folder.
[AutoCG] ClearOutputGPIDeviceNR=0
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Bypass Output
You can bypass the output channel using the GPI trigger. The bypass function allows you to quickly remove any output on the framebuffers that are currently being used by Automation Interface. The output remains cleared for the entire duration that the GPI trigger is held.
Note:
This feature clears all output on your framebuffer including all Strata layers that are configured to display Inscriber CG output.
To enable this function, add the following setting to Automation Interfaces inscribe.ini file.
[AutoCG] BypassOutputGPIDeviceNr=0

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Direct Control Preferences

You can set a variety of preferences in Direct Control to simplify your work and customize the application. Select File > Preferences to open the Preferences dialog and change the settings.
Figure 6-7: Direct Control Preferences Dialog
Preference Settings
Startup
Check the Autoload Last IDC File On Startup to automatically load your most recent set of playlists when you launch Direct Control.
Durations
Choose whether to time your effects in frames or in seconds.

View IDC Files
You can choose to see your .idc files as Workbook tabs. Each file appears as a tab in the bottom left corner of your Direct Control window. You can open multiple .idc files and easily switch between them.
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If you dont use this option you must select File from the menu and select an .idc from the list.
New IDC File
You can choose an effects file to load automatically whenever you create a new .idc file. 1 2 Check the Autoload Effects checkbox. Click on the Browse button to navigate to the .dce file.
Preload Effects Manually or Automatically
You can manually preload effects when needed or Direct Control can automatically preload them to preview. If you decide to use the manual option, use the MINUS (-) key on the number pad to preload effects to preview. You can preload effects with or without a preview framebuffer. Preloaded effects prevent delays when you take layouts to air.

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Chapter 7
News Feed Simulator
Test your setup and send commands with the News Feed Simulator.
News Feed Simulator

News Feed Simulator acts as a data sending application. It can help you test your Automation system before connecting to a News Vendor, and can also be used to send TCP/IP commands to Automation Interface. You can test com port functionality, tag filling, rendering, and framebuffer display. Three components make up the News Feed Simulator. The News Feed Simulator application. A null-modem cable. Automation Interface. News Feed Simulator contains pre-made Inscriber CG templates tagged to receive data. You can enter the data into the News Feed Simulator screens and transfer it to Automation Interface (with or without a framebuffer). Use the Generic Demo to send data to fill the tags in your own Inscriber templates, and use the Script Demo to send CII commands directly to Automation Interface. Additionally you can use the Test Interface to test communication between Automation Interface and News Feed Simulator systems.
Install News Feed Simulator
News Feed Simulator is automatically installed when you run the Automation Interface install program. If you want to test communication with your Automation Interface computer, use the stand-alone News Feed Simulator installation program to install News Feed Simulator on a separate computer. Connect the News Feed Simulator computer to the Automation Interface computer with the null-modem cable. Copy the complete set of .scribelist and .tga graphic resource files from the News Feed Simulator folder to the Automation Interfaces resource folder. Create a C:\newsdemo folder on the hard drive of the Automation Interface system. When you do a News Vendor run-down and render layouts with automation data, the Automation Interface creates an Output sub-folder. The data-filled rendered output files (.vii) and the editable output files (.scribe) are placed in the Output folder.
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Chapter 7 | News Feed Simulator

Connect News Feed Simulator to the Automation Interface System
Use the Preferences tab to connect News Feed Simulator to the Automation Interface system. You can test communication by connecting to other systems through a serial port or network connection, or you can connect through a local receiver if you dont need to test communication. Switch to the Preferences tab to set up your connection. Use the tab arrows to scroll to the right-end of the tabs if the Preference tab isnt visible.
Figure 7-1. Send CII Commands to a Receiver
Serial Port
If you are connecting to Automation Interface through a serial port, select the Serial Port radio button and click Set. In the Com Port Settings dialog, enter the ports communication settings and press the OK button.
TCP/IP Port
If you are connecting to Automation Interface through a network, select the TCP/IP Port radio button and click Set. Enter the ports communication settings and press the OK button.
Local Receiver
You can run the News Feed Simulator from your Automation Interface machine if you dont need to test communications.

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2 3 4
On the Preferences tab, select the Local Receiver radio button to tell News Feed Simulator to send data through the local computer to Automation Interface. Click the Set button. The Network Settings dialog opens. Click the Browse button and navigate to a local renderer. Click the Connect button. News Feed Simulator connects to the renderer on your computer.
Network Receiver
Follow these instructions if you are connecting to Automation Interface through a Local Area Network. 1 2 Select the Network Receiver radio button. Click the Set button. The Network Settings dialog opens.
Figure 7-2. Network Settings Dialog
Click the Browse button and navigate to the receiver. When you select the receiver and click OK, the receiver name and machine name display in the Network Settings dialog. Set the receiver type. Select the Renderer radio button if the Automation Interface you are connecting to is configured to fill tags and render templates.
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Select the Dispatcher radio button if the Automation Interface is configured to dispatch CII commands to different machines, or to update multiple templates with a single command. See Advanced Dual Channel Functionality on page 14 for more information. 5 6 Click the Connect button to connect News Feed Simulator to the receiver. Click Done.

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Test CG Templates
Use News Feed Simulator to test your automation system with pre-made Inscriber CG templates. You can also test your own templates with the Generic Demo and use the Test Interface window to check communication between your systems. Before you can connect to Automation Interface, set your connection settings as described in Connect News Feed Simulator to the Automation Interface System on page 97
Test a Previously Created Inscriber CG Template
News Feed Simulator contains a number of pre-made templates to help you test Automation Interface. Each template has its own tab. 1 Switch to the tab of the template you want to test with. The News tab appears in this example.
Figure 7-3. Test Pre-Made CG Templates
2 3 4
To change the data that is sent to Automation Interface, enter new text in the data fields. Click the DRAW button to render the resulting layout to preview. View the rendered layout in the Last Rendered tab on your Automation Interface system. See Last Rendered File on page 67.
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6 7
Click the TAKE button to send the rendered layout to your framebuffer for video output. You can do this immediately after clicking on the DRAW button if you want. Repeat steps 1 - 6 to test other pre-made Inscriber CG templates, or use the Generic Demo to create and test your own templates. Click the OK button to close News Feed Simulator.
Test Your Own Inscriber Template
Use the Generic Demo to test one of your own Inscriber CG templates with the Automation Interface. You must use an existing template that contains tagged data fields or create a new Inscriber template with tagged data fields. See Prepare CG Templates on page 46 to learn how to create new templates. 1 Switch to the Generic tab.
Figure 7-4. Test Generic CG Templates
2 3
Type the path of the folder containing the template you want to use with News Feed Simulator. Type the path of the folder you want to use for your output.

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4 5
Use the radio buttons to select the format for the template you are testing. Type the name of the Inscriber template file in the Source field. If you are using a .scribelist file, type the templates name.
Note:
We recommend that users new to Inscriber products use .scribe files in the test.
Type the name of each tagged data field in the Field Name column. Use the name of the tagged data fields from the Inscriber CG template youre testing. 7 Type some data into the Field Data lines. 8 Click the DRAW button to render the file. 9 Click the TAKE button to send the file to the framebuffer. 10 Click Save to save this demo file in your Output folder. To reuse a saved generic demo file, click on the Open button and navigate to your file.
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Test Communication
Use the News Feed Simulators Test Interface to check communication between News Feed Simulator and Automation Interface computers. See List of CII Commands on page 114 for a list of the commands that you can send from the Test Interface.
Line Command Window
List Command Window
Command Reception Window
Figure 7-5: The Test Interface Tab
Connect to Automation Interface Send Commands Using the Test Interface
Before you can connect to Automation Interface, set your connection settings as described in Connect News Feed Simulator to the Automation Interface System on page 97. 1 2 Within News Feed Simulator, switch to the Test Interface tab. Check the CR and LF checkboxes to automatically add carriage return and line feed data to the end of each command line. Automation Interface doesnt respond to spaces or carriage returns in commands. Type your CII command in the Line Command window. Press the Enter key or click on the Send button to send the command to the Automation Interface computer.
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Check the Results
The command appears in the News Feed Simulators Command Reception window.
Send a List of Commands
1 2
Type a list of CII commands in the List Command Window. Double-click in the window or click on the Send button to send the commands to your Automation Interface computer.
Create a Log of Commands Received
You can log the commands that the Automation Interface computer receives to help you troubleshoot connection problems. 1 2 3 4 5 On the Test Interface tab, click the File button to indicate the location you want the log file saved. Click on the Start button to begin logging. Send your commands from the News Feed Simulator. Click on the End button to finish logging. Click OK when you finish your test. The log file is saved automatically.
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Test with Scripts

For longer and more complex communication, use the Script tab to send CII commands directly to Automation Interface.
Figure 7-6: The Scripts Interface
Connect to Automation Interface Send Scripts
Before you can connect to Automation Interface, set your connection settings as described in Connect News Feed Simulator to the Automation Interface System on page 97. Follow these steps to send scripted commands to Automation Interface. 1 2 3 Within News Feed Simulator, switch to the Script tab. Type your CII commands in the command window. Click on the Run Script button to send your commands to Automation Interface.

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Loop Scripts
Check the Loop checkbox before sending a script to loop the script commands.
Edit Scripts
If you want to change a command while a script is looping, edit the command line and click the Use This Script For Next Loop button. The next time the script is looped, News Feed Simulator will send the modified script.
Manage Scripts
Click on the Save button to save this set of CII commands for later use. If you want to reuse this or any other script demo file, click on the Open button and navigate to the saved script file.
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Chapter 8
Troubleshooting
How to troubleshoot program, layout, and communication problems.
Troubleshooting
Follow these instructions if you have problems using Automation Interface, the Direct Control option, or the News Feed Simulator.
Program Problems
Automation Interface Wont Open
Verify that your dongle is connected to your system. If your dongle is properly connected and Automation Interface still wont launch, contact Inscriber Technical Support.
No Layout Names in Inscriber CG Playlist
You need to make sure that the Inscriber CG can show filenames in the Playlist. See Show Filenames in Playlist on page 26.
Communication Problems
Not Receiving Commands
When testing communication between the sender application (iCommTest or HyperTerminal) and Automation Interface, you cannot use a space or carriage return key. Automation Interface does not recognize space or carriage return keystrokes. The CII List in Automation Interface displays the latest commands from the News Vendor. If you can see commands coming from the News Vendor, Automation Interface and the News Vendor are communicating properly. If commands dont appear in your CII List: Check the integrity of the communication cable and connections. Check that your com port settings comply with the News Vendors requirements.
Layout Problems
Layouts Dont Appear on Monitor
Check that the Automation Interface program works properly with your video hardware. 1 2 Open Automation Interface. Click on the Test Page button. Your video monitor displays a test page. If the test page displays correctly, Automation Interface is working properly with your video hardware.
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Chapter 8 | Troubleshooting
Click on the Clear Screen button to clear the test screen.
Layouts Dont Include New Data
Check communication with the News Vendor: The CII List in Automation Interface displays the latest commands from the News Vendor. If you can see commands coming from the News Vendor, Automation Interface and the News Vendor are communicating properly. If commands dont appear in your CII List: Check the integrity of the communication cable and connections. Check that your com port settings comply with the News Vendor requirements. Check that the tags in the Inscriber CG template are properly ordered and named. Ensure that the News Vendor is calling the correct template name.
Layouts Dont Look Right
You might be missing graphic resources (graphics, fonts, etc.) on the machine recreating the template. Your CG needs access to all of the layout resources to properly recreate each layout. If the layout appears incorrect, check to make sure that all graphic resources are available across the network or on your Automation Interface system.
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Inscribe.ini File
If Automation Interface does not work correctly you can check several settings in the inscribe.ini file. This file is located in your Automation Interface folder and can be edited with any text editor. We recommend you make a backup copy of inscribe.ini before making any changes to it.
Machine ID
Check the machine ID. If you have the wrong machine ID the News Vendor system wont be able to communicate with the Automation Interface software. The machine ID is identified on the line MachineID=. The line ComPort=COM# identifies the port used by Automation Interface, where # is the number of your com port. Make sure this is the port you are using for communicate with the News Vendor. If your pages display incorrectly, you may have set the wrong resolution when you installed Automation Interface. You can check and correct the resolution in the HorzResolution= and VertResolution= lines. Check the data transfer rate.The default data transfer rate is 9600 baud, but your system might have different specifications. You can generate log files and debug messages if you want additional information about how Automation Interface is functioning. If you set LogToFile=1, Automation Interface creates a file called parselog.txt which tracks the traffic between the News Vendor and Automation Interface. You can change the folder that contains all the graphic resources for automation jobs. The folder is set on the NewsJobFolder= line. For example, the typical setting NewsJobFolder=C:\news sets the resource folder to C:\news.
Com Port
Resolution
Data Transfer Rate Generating Log Files/Debug Messages
Job Folder
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HyperTerminal Test
You can use HyperTerminal to quickly test your communication connection. Use serial commands to test communication through HyperTerminal. Control characters are not supported. Testing with HyperTerminal may help technical support or your dealer better understand your system.
Set Up HyperTerminal
If this is the first time youve used HyperTerminal, you are asked a series of questions about your system. 1 Select HyperTerminal from your Windows Start Menu (Start > Programs > Accessories > Communications > HyperTerminal). The Default Telnet Program dialog opens. Click the No button. When you are asked about your computers location, the only information you need to enter is your area code. After entering your area code click the OK button. A Phone and Modem Options dialog displays your computers location. Click OK. The Connection Description dialog opens. Chose a name and icon for your setup and click OK. Select the com port your News Vendor uses and click the OK button. In the Port Settings dialog, make sure that your com port settings match your News Vendor settings and click OK. The HyperTerminal application opens.
2 3
4 5 6 7
HyperTerminal Preferences
You need to set the preferences for HyperTerminal so you can see what you type on your monitor. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Select File > Properties and switch to the Settings tab. In the Function, Arrow, and CTRL Keys section of the tab, select the Windows Keys radio button. Select ANSI from the Emulation drop-down list. Click on the ASCII Setup button to open the ASCII Setup dialog. Check the Send Line Ends with Line Feeds checkbox to make your lines easier to read. Check the Echo Typed Characters Locally checkbox. Click OK to go back to HyperTerminal.
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Create a Log File
Before you can log the commands from your News Vendor you need to create a log file. You can create this log file anywhere on your system. 1 2 3 4 Create an empty text file somewhere on your system. Within HyperTerminal, select Transfer > Capture Text. In the Capture Text dialog, choose the log file you created and click the Start button. HyperTerminal begins recording your activity. To stop the capture when you have finished sending commands to Automation Interface, select Transfer > Capture Text > Stop.
Set Up Automation Interface For Test
You need to set up Automation Interface (on another machine) for your test. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 In Automation Interface, click on the Preferences button to open the Preferences dialog. Switch to the Frame Buffers tab. In the Test Page field, select a test page of your own creation or use the default test page. Switch to the CII Settings tab. In the Tags section of the tab, select the Use Creation Order radio button. Switch to the Resources tab. Select SCRIBELIST as the default input format. Select VII as the default output format. Click OK.
Send Commands
You are now prepared to send commands through HyperTerminal to Automation Interface. You can send your own commands or use the ones listed below. 1 2 3 4 Type M\c/automation/demo\\ and press the ENTER key. To add data to the default test template and render it, type W\news\news\data1\data2\\ and press the ENTER key. To send the filled & rendered layout, type T\7\news\A\\ and press the ENTER key. Stop HyperTerminal logging and save the file for your dealer or Inscriber Technical Support.
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Chapter 9
Reference
A list of supported CII, III, and Infinit Keyboard commands.
List of CII Commands

The following is a reference for users who want to know more about the supported and unsupported CII commands.
Supported CII Commands
Select Message Directory (M)

M\[drive letter]/[directory name]\\[checksum]<CR><LF> m\[machine code]\[drive letter]/[directory name]\\[checksum] <CR><LF>
Write to Tab Data message (W)

W\[tab data message ID #]\[tab description message ID #]\[data 1]\[data 2]\ . . . \\[checksum]<CR><LF> w\[machine code]\[tab data message ID #]\[tab description message ID #]\[data 1]\[data 2]\ . . . \\[checksum]<CR><LF>
IMAGESTORE! (T)
T\[command #]\[parameter 1]\ ... \[parameter n]\\[checksum] <CR><LF>
Supported IMAGESTORE! command numbers: 7 - Read Still 14 - Erase Channel

Special Effects (V)
V\[read effects framebuffer code]\1\[effect]\[pattern] \[speed]\[ease]\[reverse]\[row 0 direction]\ ... \[row n direction]\\[checksum]<CR><LF> V\[roll or crawl framebuffer code]\1\[effect]\[roll or crawl ID #]\[duration]\\<CR><LF> V\[read effects framebuffer code]\1\V\[EEFB foreground or background buffer]\[start frame #]\[end frame #]\[absolute path]\ \[checksum]<CR><LF>
Miscellaneous (V\5)
1 - Turn Keyboard Input Off 2 -Turn Keyboard input On
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Chapter 9 | Reference
3 - Prebuild framebuffer 4 -Set Message Compose active buffer 5 -Set Palette 6 - Quick Erase for displaying framebuffer 7 - Quick Erase for non-displaying framebuffer 11 - Disable Prompts Monitor Updates 12 - Enable prompts Monitor Updates 13 - Prebuild
Triggering Effects (V\6)
V\6\[special effects command 1]\...\[special effects command n]\ \[checksum]<CR><LF>
Other Supported CII Commands
Checksum calculation Send packet of keyboard to Primary user (Y) Send packet of keyboard to Secondary user (Z)
Unsupported CII Commands
IMAGESTORE! ( T )
0 - Add Still 1 - Replace Still 2 - Move Entry 3 - Delete Entry 4 - Delete Playlist 5 - Change Current Entry 6 - Read Next 8 - Read Playlist 9 - Query Playlist 10 - Query Entry 11 - Keyboard lock
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12 - Save Playlist 13 - Query Status

Other Unsupported CII Commands
Mix Effects (V\3) Transform and Advanced Transform (V\4) Serial Data (D) Change Time Slicing (Turbo mode) Response To External Update Request Update One Field (U) Resend Previous Transmission (Q)
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Inscriber II Commands
Use these Inscriber commands to extend the CII command set. Inscriber II commands add more functionality to your automation system and some of them change your Automation Interface preferences. Use capital or lower case letters with Inscriber commands as you would for CII commands. Specify the current directory with the CII M command (e.g. M\C/automation/demo\\)
Inscriber II Commands
Set Up a Transition on a Channel
I\1
I\1\[framebuffer #]\[effect]\[pattern]\[duration]\ [ease]\[reverse]\[row direction]\\[CHECKSUM]<CR><LF>
Framebuffer #: Framebuffer 1 = 1, ... Framebuffer n = n Effect: W - Wipe P - Push H - Hide R - Reveal D - Dissolve C Cut Pattern: A Horizontal Slide Wipe B Vertical Slide Wipe C Horizontal Split Wipe D Vertical Split Wipe E Box Wipe F Row Slide / Wipe G Scanline Wipe H Row By Row Scanline Wipe
117
I Screen Scanline Wipe J Pixel Wipe Duration (in frames): 1-300 Ease: Ignored Reverse: 0 Off 1 On Row Direction: 0 Up 1 Down 2 Left 3 Right 4 Static
Exit a G-3D Loop
I\2
I\2\[framebuffer]\\
Exits the current G-3D loop. Framebuffer 1 = 1, ... Framebuffer n = n.

Query .scribelist file for events
I\5\6
I\5\6\[.scribelist file]\\[checksum]<CR><LF>
This command queries the specified .scribelist file in the current directory. Automation Interface returns the following two commands:
*<CR><LF> R\I\5\6\[.scribelist file]\[.scribelist event 1]\[.scribelist event 2]\ ... \[.scribelist event n]\\[checksum]<CR><LF>
118
For example, for the following commands:

M\c:/Automation Interface/Demo\\ I\25\2\SCRIBELIST\ I\5\6\demostills\\
Automation Interface might reply:

*<CR><LF> R\I\5\6\demostills\news\weather\sports\ ... \\
Query event in a .scribelist file
I\5\7
I\5\7\[.scribelist file]\[.scribelist event]\[query type]\\
Returns information about the tags or effects in a .scribelist file event. Besides returning the *<CR><LF> command, Automation Interface also returns a second command based on the number in the [query type] field. 1 returns tag names only.
R\I\5\7\[.scribelist file]\[.scribelist event]\1\[tag 1 name]\[tag 2 name]\ ... \[tag n name]\\
2 returns tag names and their data.

R\I\5\7\[.scribelist file]\[.scribelist event]\2\[tag 1 name]\[tag 1 text]\ ... \[tag n name]\[tag n text]\\
3 returns effect info as defined in the V\0...V\3 CII command.

R\I\5\7\[.scribelist file]\[.scribelist event]\3\ [framebuffer]\[effect]\[pattern]\[duration frames]\[ease]\[reverse]\[row direction]\\
The first framebuffer is 1 (not 0 as in the V\0 command) If the event is a roll, crawl, animation, active texture, or clock the returned effect is empty.
119
Here are some examples of queries and their responses (excluding the *<CR><LF> responses).
I\5\7\demostills\news\1\\ R\I\5\7\demostills\news\1\subheading\headline\\
I\5\7\demostills\news\2\\ R\I\5\7\demostills\news\2\subheading\Home Safely\headline\Space Shuttle\\
I\5\7\demostills\news\3\\ R\I\5\7\demostills\news\3\1\C\A\30\0\0\0\\
Query .scribe file
I\5\7
I\5\7\[.scribe file]\1\[query type]\
Returns information about the tags or effects in a .scribe file event. Besides returning the *<CR><LF> command, Automation Interface will also return a second command based on the number in the [query type] field. 1 returns tag names only. 2 returns tag names and their data. 3 returns effect info as defined in the V\0...V\3 CII command. See Query Event in a .scribelist file above for responses to different query types. Here is an example of a query and a response.
I\5\7\00001.scribe\1\2\ * R\I\5\7\D/Tech/Tract/ICGS/00001.scribe\1\2\
120
Create New Playlist
I\6\2
I\6\2\[playlist filename]\\
Creates a new playlist file in the current directory using the filename given. For example, Automation Interface might create a testplaylist.xml file in the C:\Automation Interface\Demo folder in response to this command.
I\6\2\testplaylist\\
Delete Playlist
I\6\4
Automation Interface deletes the specified playlist.

Load Playlist
I\6\5
Loads the specified playlist and closes the previously loaded playlist without saving it.
Add Event to a Playlist
I\6\8
I\6\8\[playlist filename]\[event number]\[event filename]\ [framebuffer]\[effect]\\
Takes the [event filename] rendered file from the Output subfolder and adds it to [playlist filename] at [event number]. 0 is the first position in the playlist. If you want to work with the current playlist use C instead of the playlist filename.
Note:
If [playlist filename] is not C, the playlist file is saved after adding the event.
[framebuffer] and [effect] are the values as they are returned by the I\5\7\...\3 command.
121
The follow example creates a playlist, activates it, and adds two events to it.
I\6\2\testplaylist\\ I\6\5\testplaylist\\ I\6\8\C\0\news1\1\C\A\30\0\0\0\\ I\6\8\C\1\news2\2\\
Remove Event From Playlist
I\6\9
I\6\9\[playlist filename]\[event number]\\
Removes the event in position [event number] from [playlist filename]. 0 is the first position in the playlist. If you want to work with the current playlist use C instead of the playlist filename.
Save Current Playlist
I\6\11
Saves the current playlist. If no playlist filename is specified, or if the playlist filename is C, the playlist is saved with the same name used in I\6\5\[playlist filename].
Select Event in Active Playlist
I\6\12
I\6\12\[event number]\\
Selects the specified event in the active playlist. 0 is the first position in the playlist.
Select Next Event in Active Playlist
I\6\13
I\6\13\\
Selects the next event in the playlist. This command fails if the current event is the last one in the playlist.
122
Select Previous Event in Active Playlist
I\6\14
I\6\14\\
Selects the previous event in the playlist. This command fails if the current event is the first one in the playlist.
Take Event in Active Playlist
I\6\15
I\6\15\[mode number]\ ...
Automation Interface interprets this command depending on the mode number. Mode number 1 takes the currently selected event to air with the specified effect.
I\6\15\1\[effect]\\
Mode number 2 takes a specific event from the current playlist with the specified effect. 0 is the first position in the playlist.
I\6\15\2\[event number]\[effect]\\
Mode number 3 takes a specific event file from the Output subfolder with the specified event.
I\6\15\3\[event filename]\[effect]\\
For example, the following code will take a rendered file called news2 to air. This file must be located in the proper Output subfolder.
I\6\15\3\news2\\
Specify Tag Name
I\20
I\20\[tab data message]\[tab description message ID]\[tag name 1]\[data 1]\[tag name 2]\[data2]\...\\
123
This corresponds to CIIs W command, but you can specify the tag name, not just the tag data. You can also give tags any name and create them in any order. For example:
I\20\1000\100\tag1\newdata1\tag2\newdata2\tag3\newdata3\\ W\1000\100\newdata1\newdata2\newdata3\\ I\20\TGAfile\SLYtemplate\tag1\newdata1\tag2\newdata2\tag3\ newdata3\\
Template and Tag Control
I\21
I\21\[Mode]
Mode: 0 - Load template

I\21\0\[template name]\\
If no extension is specified, Automation Interface will try to open a template of the type specified in the Default Input Type section of the Resources tab in the Automation Interface Preferences dialog. If you would like to open a .scribe file that is not saved in the current directory, you can specify the complete file path name to the .scribe file. For example I\21\0\file.scribe\\
Note:
This command does not support filenames with spaces in them. If you need to load filenames which contain spaces, see Extended Load Layout Command on page 130.
1 - Update tags
I\21\1\[tag_name1]\[tag_data1]\[tag_name2]\[tag_data2]\ ... \\
2 - Load template, specific to Direct Control.
124
3 - Save template
I\21\3\[filename]\\
The file will be saved to the current output folder. The output folder is the current default output setting specified on the Resources tab of the Automation Interface Preferences dialog. If you would like to save the file to a different location and use a different output format, you must specify the complete path name of the file including the file extension. For example I\21\3\D/ Automation Interface/MyOutput/out.scribe\\ 4: Close currently loaded template
I\21\4\\
Page Recall
I\23
I\23\[framebuffer]\[effect]\[pattern]\[duration]\[ease]\ [reverse]\[row direction]\[message ID]\[mode]\\ [CHECKSUM]<CR><LF>
Framebuffer: Framebuffer 1 = 1, ... Framebuffer n = n Effect: W - Wipe P - Push H - Hide R - Reveal D - Dissolve C Cut Pattern: A Horizontal Slide Wipe B Vertical Slide Wipe C Horizontal Split Wipe D Vertical Split Wipe
125
E Box Wipe F Row Slide / Wipe G Scanline Wipe H Row By Row Scanline Wipe I Screen Scanline Wipe J Pixel Wipe Duration (in frames): 1-300 Ease: Ignored Reverse: 0 Off 1 On Row Direction: 0 Up 1 Down 2 Left 3 Right 4 Static Message ID: The filename and path of the file you want to take. Mode: 0 - Non-displaying (triggered later with a V\6 command) 1 - Displaying (triggered immediately)
Set Input File
I\25\1
I\25\1\[filename]\\
Sets the input file as a .scribelist file. The filename is the name of the file in the current directory. For example
I\25\1\demo.scribelist\\
126
Set Input File Type
I\25\2
I\25\2\[input type]\\
You can use .scribelist or .scribe files with Automation Interface. See Resource Settings on page 34 for details. When using the W or I\20 command, the Tab Description Message ID you use will depend on the input type. For .scribelist files the ID is the event number (rendered name) in the list. For .scribe files the ID is the name of the file in the current directory.
Set Output File Type
I\25\3
I\25\3\[output type]\\
You have the choice of outputting .vii, .tga, or .scribe files with Automation Interface. See Resource Settings on page 34 for details. Use the W or I\20 commands to indicate the format you want to output. For example, this series of commands will look for event 100 in the first .scribelist file in the current directory, use it as a template, update the three specified tags, and save the result as a .tga.
I\25\3\TGA\\ W\1000\100\newdata1\newdata2\newdata3\\
These commands will look for 100.scribe, use it as a template, update three tags and save the result as a .scribe file. If 100.scribe is an animation file, the output files will be 1000.scribe and 1000.via.
I\25\2\SCRIBE\\ I\25\3\SCRIBE\\ W\1000\100\newdata1\newdata2\newdata3\\
127
Set Framebuffers
I\25\4
I\25\4\[use framebuffers]\\
When your framebuffer is enabled you can do takes to air using the current framebuffer. To enable the framebuffer, use framebuffers = 1. To disable the framebuffer, use framebuffers = 0. For example, to enable the framebuffer:
I\25\4\1\\
Set the Output Directory
I\25\6
I\25\6\[output directory]\\
Automation Interface will save rendered layouts in a subfolder that you specify.
Set Auto Update Resource Path
I\25\7
I\25\7\[auto update resource path]\\
Automation Interface can automatically record changes to the paths of your template resources. To enable Automation Interface to automatically update the resource path, use auto update resource path = 1. To disable automatic updating of the resource path, use auto update resource path = 0.
Skip a Tag
I\25\8
I\25\8\[use space to skip tag]\\
When Use Space to Skip Tag is enabled, Automation Interface will not fill tags when CII commands contain spaces. See Tags on page 32 for more information about this feature. To skip tags when CII commands contain spaces, use space to skip tag = 1. To not skip tags, use space to skip tag = 0.
128
Set First Tag
I\25\9
I\25\9\[first tag ID]\\
You can specify the tag ID number that you want Automation Interface to use as the first tag. When sending this command, first tag ID = the first tag number. For instance, to set the first tag as tag number 6:
I\25\9\6\\
Set Tag Name
I\25\10
I\25\10\[use tagID as tagName]\\
Automation Interface can either identify tags by their names (tag IDs) or their creation order. See Tags on page 32 for more information about these settings. To identify tags by their names, use tagID as tagName = 1. To identify tags by their creation order, use tagID as tagName = 0.
Set Template Name
I\25\11
I\25\11\[template name type]\\
To use numeric names for your templates, use template name type = 1. To use character strings instead, use template name type = 2.
Update On-Air Tag
I\30
I\30\[framebuffer]\[tag_name]\[tag_data]\\
Retrieves the current content for the specific framebuffer and attempts to update the specified tag with new data. This command only updates the on-air content. The tag data in the layouts autocg.xml file is not changed.
129
Fire G-3D Trigger
I\31
I\31\[trigger1]\[trigger2]\ ... \\
Fires the specified named G-3D triggers.

Run Script
I\32
I\32\[framebuffer]\[DLL name]\[script name]\[param 1]\ [param 2]\ ... \\
Runs a script on the layout that is currently playing on the specified framebuffer. If no script is playing then the script runs with no layout.
Extended Load Layout Command
I\51
I\51\0\[scribelist]\[event number]\\
or
I\51\0\[scribe]\\
The scribelist and scribe filenames may contain spaces.

Get Automation Interface Version
I\1000
I\1000\0\\
Returns Automation Interfaces version in the form of major.minor.revision.build. For example 3.63.0.800.
130
Infinit Keyboard Commands

The following Infinit Keyboard special keys are recognized. ERASE (0xCD) NEWLINE (0xCE) CNTL (0xD5) CTRROW (0xDC) CHNG (0xF7) READ (0xF8) XFER (0xF9) CNTL D CNTL R CNTL CHNG n Clears the current document Inserts a newline character Control Character prefix Inserts a Center Row command Switch between preview and program Read a file into the current document Swaps preview and program (puts preview on-air) Change directory Ignores next command Change current document to n (1 is program, 2 & 3 are preview)
131
132
Index
Symbols
.avi alpha ..................................................... 37 .dce files ................................................ 85, 93 .idc files ............................... 73, 78, 85, 92, 93 .idc template ................................................ 78 .ipacked files ............................................... 35 .scribe files ........................................ 5, 35, 36 .scribelist files .................................... 5, 35, 76 .tga files ....................................................... 36 .vii files ........................................................ 36 .xml files ...................................................... 36 @@ command ............................................ 67 ## command ............................................... 67 Automation Interface hardware requirements ........................... 10 install ...................................................... 12 launch ..................................................... 65 log window .............................................. 68 machine ID ............................................. 11 overview ................................................... 2 player ...................................................... 38 preferences ............................................. 28 renderer .................................................. 28 renderer name .................................. 28, 74 system requirements .............................. 10 test with HyperTerminal ........................ 112 troubleshooting ..................................... 108 view commands ...................................... 68 automation workflow ................................... 64
Numerics
32-bit .avi files ............................................. 37
B
baud rate ..................................................... 20 BCD Customer Support Portal .................. 139
A
AcceptUnicodeCommands setting .............. 66 Active Texture ............................................. 37 Active Texture treatments (update) ............. 66 align text ...................................................... 52 aspect ratio ................................................. 27 assign output channel ................................. 56 Attributes palette ................................... 48, 52 auto update resource path .......................... 34 autoload effects ........................................... 93 autoload last .idc file ................................... 92 autoload playlists ........................................ 92
C
cable ........................................................... 20 center text ................................................... 52 CG workspace ............................................ 48 change channel assignment ....................... 88 change render file name ............................. 56 change style ................................................ 67 change template name ............................... 56
133
Index
channel change channel ....................................... 88 layers ...................................................... 56 output channel ........................................ 56 preview .................................................... 31 program ................................................... 31 virtual ...................................................... 56 check layouts .............................................. 87 checksum .................................................... 32 Chyron CG folder structure .......................................... 7 RGB fonts ................................................. 8 terminology ............................................... 7 CII log .......................................................... 68 CII protocol CII settings .............................................. 32 command .................................................. 7 error codes .............................................. 32 folder structure .......................................... 5 list of commands ................................... 114 multiple machines ................................... 11 naming .................................................... 26 save commands .................................... 106 supported commands ........................... 114 unsupported commands ....................... 115 Clear Screen ............................................. 109 clear screen ................................................ 37 com port ...................................... 10, 108, 110 command ...................................................... 7 send through serial port .......................... 20 send through TCP/IP .............................. 20 connection serial port ................................................ 20 TCP/IP .................................................... 20 Connectus ................................................... 38 Content Receiver .................................... 40 constrain lock object height .................................... 53 lock object width ...................................... 53 text to width ............................................. 53
Content Receiver set up players ......................................... 40 uninstall .................................................. 11 create tags .................................................. 54 custom application ...................................... 29
D
data bits ...................................................... 20 data transfer rate ...................................... 110 debug messages ...................................... 110 default input ................................................ 35 default output .............................................. 36 default output folder .................................... 35 default startup folder ................................... 34 delete tag .................................................... 55 Direct Control .............................................. 69 add Automation Interface machines ....... 76 change channel ...................................... 88 check layouts .......................................... 87 edit tagged text ....................................... 86 file formats .............................................. 75 framebuffer ............................................. 75 install ...................................................... 72 launch ..................................................... 72 machine name ........................................ 74 overview ................................................. 72 playlist ..................................................... 73 preferences ............................................. 92 queue takes ............................................ 89 rearrange layouts .................................... 79 refresh playlist ........................................ 80 remove Automation Interface machines . 77 renderer name ........................................ 74 reposition tab .......................................... 81 save edited layout ................................... 87 take to air ................................................ 89 using Strata with ..................................... 56 view tab .................................................. 75 dispatcher ................................................... 29
134
Index
display options ............................................ 26 dongle ......................................................... 12 conflict ................................................... 108 DRAW button .................................... 100, 102
E
edit tagged text ........................................... 86 effects ......................................................... 36 autoload .................................................. 93 duration ............................................. 83, 92 export ...................................................... 85 group ....................................................... 84 import ...................................................... 85 name ....................................................... 83 overview .................................................. 82 preload .................................................... 93 set up ...................................................... 83 enable preview ............................................ 75 enable program ........................................... 75 error codes .................................................. 32
output folder ............................................ 35 startup folder ........................................... 34 frame rate ................................................... 59 interlaced output display ......................... 59 progressive scan output display ............. 59 framebuffer ........................................... 30, 68 renderer name ........................................ 74 status indicator ....................................... 88 test output ............................................... 25 use with Direct Control ........................... 75
G
Generic Demo ........................................... 101 global transitions ......................................... 69 G-Scribe ...................................................... 12 channels ................................................. 57 set up ...................................................... 26 See also Inscriber CG
H
hands off operation ........................... 3, 68, 69 hands on operation ....................................... 3 hardware requirements ............................... 10 HD ............................................................... 27 HD/SD overview ................................... 5962 aspect ratio ............................................. 59 conversion considerations ...................... 59 conversion limitations ............................. 61 conversion options .................................. 60 frame rate ............................................... 59 native resolution ..................................... 59 HyperTerminal .......................................... 111
F
field dominance ........................................... 37 file formats .dce ................................................... 85, 93 .idc ........................................ 73, 78, 92, 93 .ipacked ................................................... 35 .scribe ........................................... 5, 35, 36 .scribelist ....................................... 5, 35, 76 .tga .......................................................... 36 .vii ............................................................ 36 .xml ......................................................... 36 32-bit .avi ................................................ 37 in Direct Control ...................................... 75 flyout menu ................................................. 49 folder structure content receiver players .......................... 41 job folder ................................................. 35 materials folder ....................................... 35
I
ignore .avi alpha ......................................... 37 III protocol ................................................. 117 commands ............................................ 117 image editing commands ............................ 66
Index
135
image treatments (update) .......................... 66 Infinit keyboard commands ....................... 131 inscribe.ini file ......................... 27, 66, 89, 110 Inscriber CG set up ...................................................... 26 terminology ............................................... 7 install Automation Interface ............................... 12 Direct Control .......................................... 72 News Feed Simulator .............................. 96 interlaced output display ............................. 59 interlock device ........................................... 12 invert field order .......................................... 37
M
machine ID .......................................... 11, 110 machine name ............................................ 74 materials folder ........................................... 35 Media Library (update images) ................... 67 MOS option ................................................. 29 with Content Receiver ............................ 38
N
new AutoCG device .................................... 76 News Feed Simulator ................................. 66 DRAW button ................................ 100, 102 Generic Demo ...................................... 101 install ...................................................... 96 log received commands ........................ 104 overview ................................................. 96 pre-made templates .............................. 100 resources ................................................ 96 send CII commands .............................. 103 send list of commands .......................... 104 set up TCP/IP connection ....................... 97 TAKE button ................................. 101, 102 News Vendor .............................................. 20 data ................................................. 46, 112 dispatcher ............................................... 29 view commands ...................................... 68 null-modem cable ........................... 10, 20, 96
J
job folder ............................................. 35, 110 justify text .................................................... 52
L
last rendered file ......................................... 67 Last Rendered tab .............................. 67, 100 launch Automation Interface ....................... 65 launch Direct Control .................................. 72 layers .......................................................... 56 layout aspect ratio ............................................. 27 check ....................................................... 87 size .......................................................... 27 take to air ................................................ 89 layout types ................................................. 49 local receiver ............................................... 98 lock object height ............................................ 52 object width ............................................. 53 log files ...................................................... 110 log received commands ............................ 104 log window disable ..................................................... 68 logo objects (update) .................................. 66
O
operator intervention ..................................... 3 output channel ............................................ 56 output folder .......................................... 35, 96 override transitions ..................................... 69 overview Automation Interface ................................ 2 automation workflow ............................... 64 Direct Control .......................................... 72 effects ..................................................... 82
136
Index
Inscriber CG ............................................ 26 News Feed Simulator .............................. 96
P
parity ........................................................... 20 parselog.txt file .......................................... 110 player .......................................................... 38 player server ............................................... 38 playlist, Direct Control ................................. 73 add files ................................................... 76 add playlist .............................................. 78 autoload playlists .................................... 92 rearrange layouts .................................... 79 refresh playlist ......................................... 80 rename item ............................................ 77 set up ...................................................... 73 sets ................................................... 73, 78 take to air ................................................ 89 playlist, Inscriber CG ................................... 26 show filenames ............................... 26, 108 port .............................................................. 10 port settings .................................. 20, 29, 108 preferences ................................................. 28 preload effects ............................................ 93 preview channel .......................................... 31 installation ............................................... 12 set up VGA preview ................................ 24 program channel ......................................... 31 progressive scan output display .................. 59
render templates ......................................... 68 rendered files .............................................. 36 renderer ...................................................... 28 renderer name ............................................ 74 resolution ............................................ 27, 110 resources job folder ............................................... 110 materials folder ....................................... 35 missing ................................................. 109 News Feed Simulator ............................. 96 path ......................................................... 34 RGB fonts ............................................... 8, 35 right justify text ............................................ 52 RS232 cable ......................................... 10, 20 RTX tags, see tags ..................................... 26
S
save edited layout ....................................... 87 ScaleCrop ................................................... 27 ScaleLetterbox ............................................ 27 ScaleSizeToFit ............................................ 27 Script Demo .............................................. 105 SD ............................................................... 27 SD/HD overview ................................... 5962 conversion limitations ............................. 61 conversion options .................................. 60 frame rate ............................................... 59 serial port settings ................................. 20, 29 set of playlists ....................................... 73, 78 create ...................................................... 78 save ........................................................ 78 set up effect ................................................ 83 Setup Playlist dialog ................................... 74 show filenames ................................... 26, 108 show RTX tags ........................................... 26 startup folder ............................................... 34 stop bits ...................................................... 20 stop previous effect ..................................... 37 Strata application ........................................ 56
Q
queue takes ................................................ 89
R
rearrange layouts ........................................ 79 refresh playlist ............................................. 80 remove AutoCG device ............................... 77 rename template ......................................... 56
Index
137
style change ................................................ 67 support ...................................................... 139 switch to CG ................................................ 47 system requirements ................................... 10
T
tag editor dialog .......................................... 86 tagged data fields, see tags ........................ 26 tags ............................................................. 26 create ...................................................... 54 creation order .................................... 33, 46 delete ...................................................... 55 edit tagged text ....................................... 86 first tag .................................................... 33 indicator box ............................................ 54 naming .................................................... 46 show tags ................................................ 26 use space to skip tag .............................. 32 TAKE button ...................................... 101, 102 take to air .................................................... 89 TCP/IP connection ...................................... 20 port .......................................................... 29 set up in News Feed Simulator ............... 97 technical support ....................................... 139 template aspect ratio ............................................. 27 change template name ........................... 56 name ............................................... 56, 102 render ...................................................... 68 resolution .............................................. 110 size .......................................................... 27 Test Page ................................ 24, 25, 30, 108 text align ........................................................ 52 constrained ............................................. 53 Unicode support ...................................... 66 word wrap ............................................... 53
Text Object Properties ................................ 52 text objects .................................................. 50 change styles .......................................... 67 create ...................................................... 51 lock height .............................................. 52 lock width ................................................ 53 update image files .................................. 67 word wrap ............................................... 53 text path ...................................................... 51 TitleOne set up ...................................................... 26 Tools palette (CG) ...................................... 49 transitions ................................................... 69 troubleshooting ................................. 108, 139
U
Unicode support .......................................... 66 use creation order ....................................... 33 use space to skip tag .................................. 32 use TagID as tag name .............................. 33
V
VGA preview ............................................... 24 video clips ................................................... 37 view commands .......................................... 68 view last rendered layout ............................ 68 view tab ....................................................... 75 virtual channel ............................................. 56
W
word wrap ................................................... 53
X
XFER channels ........................................... 31
138
Index
Technical Support
If you require technical support, contact your dealer first. Since your dealer helped you configure your system, your dealer is also the best resource for your system configuration issues. If your dealer is unable to resolve your technical support problems consult the BCD Customer Support Portal at https://support.broadcast.harris.com. The portal provides 24-hour access to technical support for any Harris hardware or software product, allowing you to: Enter service requests and track the progress of those requests online. Access technical information from a vast Knowledge Base. Locate technical solutions and information quickly via the Advanced Search Engine. Request a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) and view status online. Download the latest software updates. Stay current on all the latest service and safety bulletins.
If you cannot find the information you need at the support portal, contact Harris technical support:
Americas (US, Canada, Central America and Latin America) Phone: 1-888-534-8246 (24/7 Technical Support) Email: graphics.support@harris.com
Europe, Middle East and Africa Phone: +44 (0) 118 964 8100 (24/7 English Technical Support) +33 1 3038 3860 (24/7 French Technical Support) Graphics Email: Service.Europe@harris.com RMA Email: RMArequest.Europe@harris.com
Asia, Pacific Rim Phone: +852-2776-0628 After-Hour Hotline: 1-888-534-8246 Email: service.asia@harris.com
Web For the most current technical support information, visit http://www.broadcast.harris.com/support/.
Inscriber Graphics Systems Harris Broadcast Communications Division
Technical Support
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Inscriber Automation Interface

Inscriber Automation Interface User Guide

Using a CG with Automation Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Using Chyron CG with Automation Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Determine Machine ID .................................................................................................................. 11 Uninstall Content Receiver Application ......................................................................................... 11

Install Automation Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Advanced Dual Channel Functionality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Configure Firewall Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Connect to News Vendor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Set Automation Interface Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Add Tags to Your Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Work with SD and HD Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Using Automation Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Fill and Render CG Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Direct Control Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Direct Control Playlists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Direct Control Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Direct Control Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

News Feed Simulator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Test CG Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Test Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Test with Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Inscribe.ini File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

HyperTerminal Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Inscriber II Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Infinit Keyboard Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

An introduction to Automation Interface.

How Automation Interface Works

Figure 1-1. Automation Interface Workflow

Hands On/Hands Off Operation

Direct Control Option

News Feed Simulator

Using a CG with Automation Interface

Tagged Data Fields

Using Chyron CG with Automation Interface

Chyron / Inscriber Terminology

Chyron CG and Inscriber CG use different terms for similar concepts.

How Chyron Works

How to install Automation Interface.

Before You Start

Figure 2-1. RS232 Pinout Diagram

Determine Connection Settings

Uninstall Content Receiver Application

Install Automation Interface

Install the Inscriber CG

Install Automation Interface

Video and GPI Settings

News Feed Simulator

Advanced Dual Channel Functionality

Install a Second Automation Interface

Create Shortcuts Set Preferences for Both Copies of Automation Interface

Figure 2-2. Set Up a Dispatcher

Advanced Channel Assignment

Set the Baud Rate

Configure Firewall Settings

Add Automation Interface Software to Exceptions List

Figure 2-3. Windows Firewall Dialog

Figure 2-4. Add a Program Dialog

Add Ports to Exceptions List

Figure 2-5. Add a Port Dialog

News Feed Simulator

Connect to News Vendor

Serial Port Connection