8.4. Events
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## 8.4. Events

An RDLogManager event is a set of rules that define a series of log elements (audio carts, macro carts, markers, etc) that should be inserted into a log, along with the appropriate log event parameters (transition type, time type, etc) that should be associated with them. The actual elements to be inserted can be specified directly within the event itself, or imported from a data file generated by an external scheduling system. Up to two such external scheduling sources can be defined for each service. While for convenience sake these are designated as 'Traffic' and 'Music' within RDLogManager, they can each be used anywhere a means of importing external scheduling data into the system is needed, regardless of whether such data actually references commercial or musical material or not.

To see the list of available RDLogManager events, touch the `Edit Events` button on the RDLogManager Main Menu to open the Log Events dialog. It is possible to filter the list of available events to only those used for a particular service by selecting the service in the `Filter` control. To add a new event, touch the `Add` button, or to edit an event's parameters, click on it and touch the `Edit` button. In each case, the Edit Event dialog will open. Events can also be deleted by touching the `Delete` button or renamed by touching the `Rename` button.

The Log Events Dialog

The Editing Event Dialog

The Edit Event dialog consists of two main parts: a Library cart picker widget on the left side, and an area showing the various event parameters on the right. Audio contained within audio carts can be sampled by selecting the desired cart and then touching the `Play` button. Programming an event basically consists of specifying four things: its log parameters (transition and time types), the list of `Pre-Import` events, the event import (if any) and the list of `Post-Import` events. The first matter to be decided is if the event should have a hard start time: if so, then the `Use hard start time` check box in the TIMED START section should be ticked. Ticking this box will enable all of the usual hard start parameters to be specified. If an automatic timed start is not desired, then it is possible to check the `Cue to this event` checkbox in the `PREPOSITION LOG` section. This will cause RDLogManager to place a hard time with a 'Make Next' attribute on the first item of the event – effectively, causing the event to be automatically “cued up” at the scheduled time – something that can be particularly handy for keeping spot breaks in sync when "overscheduling" music.

Next, if it is desired to have RDLogManager try to insert material automatically from the Autofill List to ensure that the event has the length indicated by its parent clock, the `Use Autofill` box in the `ENFORCING LENGTH` section should be checked. (Configuring the Autofill List is covered in detail in the Rivendell Technical and Administration Guide). If Autofill is enabled, it is also possible to tick the `Warn if fill is under or over` checkbox to have RDLogManager generate a warning if it was unable to properly fill the event when the log was generated.

Next, the list of log events (if any) to be inserted before the data import should be placed in the `PRE-IMPORT CARTS` list. For audio or macro carts, these can be simply dragged and dropped from the Library cart list on the left-hand side of the dialog. Meta events can be inserted by right-clicking on the list and selecting the desired element. It is also possible to edit or delete elements and set the transition type of each element through the right-click menu.

The `IMPORT` section then defines which (if any) source will be used for importing external scheduling events into the log. Either `Music`, `Traffic` or `None` can be selected. If `Music` or `Traffic` is selected, then RDLogManager will import any events from those sources that fall within the start and end times of the event (as supplied by the parent clock). These start and end times can be further broadened by means of 'slop factors' entered into the Import carts scheduled controls (this is sometimes necessary to get the import to work properly with certain external scheduler systems). The transition types to be used for the first and subsequent imported elements can be specified with the `First cart has a` and `Imported carts have a` controls. If `Music` has been selected as the import source, it is also possible to specify the event to use to import traffic breaks embedded in the music log with the `Import inline traffic` with the control. (Configuration of the actual parser parameters for data importation is covered in the Rivendell Technical and Administration Guide).

Finally, the list of log events (if any) to be inserted after the data import should be placed in the `POST-IMPORT CARTS` list. Configuration of the events works very similarly to that of the `PRE-IMPORT CARTS` list.

The color of the event (as seen in the Edit Clock dialog) can be set by touching the `Color` button. The list of services for which this event is valid can be edited by touching the `Services List` button. To save the event without exiting the dialog, touch the `Save` or `Save As` buttons.

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