what would keep a file from being selected at random?

[derek]

For holiday related segments, I am finding that some of the files are never picked at random no matter what I try. Separation rules change nothing, and these files play if actively selected. The files are mostly tagged, although some of the ones frequently selected are not. Do you have any thoughts on what I could do to insure that every file gets played? I'm creating hourly playlists, not having scheduled events pick randomly due to time considerations.

 

[djsoft]

How do you select the music, do you use the Playlist Generator? Please also specify what RadioBOSS version do you use.

 

[derek]

How do you select the music, do you use the Playlist Generator? Please also specify what RadioBOSS version do you use.

Yes, running RadioBOSS Standard 7.0.8.0, I make hourly playlists with the playlist generator.

 

[djsoft]

Yes, running RadioBOSS Standard 7.0.8.0, I make hourly playlists with the playlist generator.

Playlist Generator selects tracks according to the rules configured in the category. If you find that some tracks are not selected this may happen due to improperly configured filters or priority rules. If you have only created 1-2 playlists, it may be simply a chance. Those tracks simply didn't roll. It's random selection.

 

[derek]

Playlist Generator selects tracks according to the rules configured in the category. If you find that some tracks are not selected this may happen due to improperly configured filters or priority rules. If you have only created 1-2 playlists, it may be simply a chance. Those tracks simply didn't roll. It's random selection.

I thought this as well, but I've had radioboss pull from this content for the last 3 weeks, creating hourly playlists by doing nothing more than insuring that the artist and/or track title wouldn't repeat for an hour. During 2 days of this I ignored all separation rules, but content was repeating before everything had played once. At one point, I even tried instructing radioboss to not repeat a track for 10080 minutes, the number of minutes in a week. This should have created a scenario where I should have seen errors by the end of day 3, but that wasn't the case.

The bottom line is this; If I can create playlists over the span of several days which would have the cumulative effect of repeating tracks only after everything in a given category has been played, nothing will be left out.

 

[djsoft]

but content was repeating before everything had played once

It's not guaranteed that all tracks will be selected before it starts selecting the tracks for the 2nd time. It's random selection. The Playlist Generator does put some effort to select tracks in a more diverse way (it's way much more that a simple rand() call) but still there are no guarantees.

At one point, I even tried instructing radioboss to not repeat a track for 10080 minutes, the number of minutes in a week. This should have created a scenario where I should have seen errors by the end of day 3, but that wasn't the case.

If those generated playlists actually played, and you don't have enough tracks to cover a week with no repeats, the errors will occur. You have to have the "Check last played tag" option enabled in the Playlist Generator settings for this to work.

The bottom line is this; If I can create playlists over the span of several days which would have the cumulative effect of repeating tracks only after everything in a given category has been played, nothing will be left out.

It doesn't work like this. It selects tracks randomly, the only thing that's guaranteed is that all the rules that you have specified in category or general settings, will be followed.

 

[derek]

It's not guaranteed that all tracks will be selected before it starts selecting the tracks for the 2nd time. It's random selection. The Playlist Generator does put some effort to select tracks in a more diverse way (it's way much more that a simple rand() call) but still there are no guarantees.

Knowing that, i changed 2 things and everything is working. First, I moved my separation rules to each category, instead of using the options in the playlist settings tab. Then, I started using "track," not "track title" for the separation, and all of the missing content began appearing in the playlist.