Alexander Silva-Sadder's dashboard

Simple Version: There seems to be a bug where Cablecast will assign two DVDs to playback from the same device, at the same time, even though this is not physically possible.

Details: Cablecast 4.8.2 appears to allow 2 DVDs to be assigned to playback at the same time from the same device (impossible). I noticed this when it scheduled one show (playing on one channel) to play at 6pm and also scheduled another show (supposed to be on another channel) to also play at 6pm. The DVDs were to be loaded into the same player but different slots. Since the player can only play one disc at a time it would not have been able to playback both discs at 6pm. Furthermore it seems to have output whichever show it did pick to both channels since the router was instructed to pick up the same player's signal for each channel. (This output to both channels is how I discovered the problem. I have a printout that shows the schedule conflict.)

I checked the Dispositions and noted one show was set to the default of -None- while the other show was properly assigned to a custom disposition (which allowed assignment). I corrected the issue by assigning a disposition to the DVD that had -None- and resending Autopilot. Typically we set dispositions for everything but I bring this up because it seems to point to an underlying flaw in Cablecast if you aren't using custom dispositions.

We allow cablecast to choose the playback devices and auto-assign slots (based on Formats). When every show has a Disposition that is NOT -None- and allows assignment there is never any conflict (that it doesn't detect :)).

There is no way to set Disposition -None- assignable or not (that I have discovered). My guess is that by default it is assignable, but that there is no check for conflicts. That would be what I consider the flaw.

I can imagine a situation where you might want the same show to go out over two or more channels, but I cannot see why two different shows, on different DVDs, would be allowed to be assigned to playback simultaneously from the same player device. There are no DVD players I know of that allow playback of two separate DVDs at once (which would also require two outputs). We use changers but even they can only playback one disc at a time.

Perhaps this is leftover/spillover code from the two channel capability of the SX device?

Related Post: http://getsatisfaction.com/trms/topic...

1) Is there a way to set Disposition -None- to non-assignable to prevent accidental conflicts?

2) Could that be made an option if it doesn't exist?

3) Could a conflict check be enabled/extended for DVD players to make sure that two discs are never scheduled to playback on the same device at the same time (instead of above two)? or perhaps an option that simply notifies when a conflict happens?

This makes me curious as to whether Cablecast detects that the SAME show (i.e. same media record DVD/VHS, etc.) is scheduled at two different but overlapping times on two different channels? I assume so.

BTW, a tool/interface page to mass edit the dispositions, dates, titles, etc. of multiple show records at once (with ability to filter/select the set displayed) would be a real time saver. It would be helpful massaging record imports, but especially when you decide that you want to revise and revamp your show records to better suit your needs. It seems like right now you can only edit one show record at a time. Is there such a tool already? If not I would make this my number one feature request :). (A web interface based one I mean. Call it Backdoor.)

Error using Blocks. (Edit: Is this fixed in 4.8.1? I just found out we haven't updated yet.)

I tried to block copy a show, using a block I had set up. The block is set to copy run type and lock status. I have tried using block copy with the source show locked (first try) and unlocked (second try) but it generated an error. I had set a run type in details before trying to block copy.

Earlier I was able to copy a different show, using a different block, but which had the same block settings. However, in that case I had not set the show locked or a runtype first.

Here is the error message (if that helps):

Server Error in '/Cablecast' Application. Invalid object name 'stChannelRunTypes'. Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code. Exception Details: System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException: Invalid object name 'stChannelRunTypes'.Source Error: An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below.
Stack Trace: [SqlException (0x80131904): Invalid object name 'stChannelRunTypes'.] System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.OnError(SqlException exception, Boolean breakConnection) +925466 System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnection.OnError(SqlException exception, Boolean breakConnection) +800118 System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.ThrowExceptionAndWarning(TdsParserStateObject stateObj) +186 System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.Run(RunBehavior runBehavior, SqlCommand cmdHandler, SqlDataReader dataStream, BulkCopySimpleResultSet bulkCopyHandler, TdsParserStateObject stateObj) +1932 System.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataReader.ConsumeMetaData() +31 System.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataReader.get_MetaData() +62 System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.FinishExecuteReader(SqlDataReader ds, RunBehavior runBehavior, String resetOptionsString) +297 System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteReaderTds(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream, Boolean async) +1005 System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteReader(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream, String method, DbAsyncResult result) +132 System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteReader(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream, String method) +32 System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.ExecuteScalar() +137 TRMS.Web.Cablecast.DAToolbox.GetScalarBoolean(String SqlQuery) in d:\src\cablecast\Web\Cablecast\Classes\DAToolbox.cs:253 TRMS.Web.Cablecast.Schedule_Ajax.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) in d:\src\cablecast\Web\Cablecast\Schedule.Ajax.aspx.cs:465 System.Web.Util.CalliHelper.EventArgFunctionCaller(IntPtr fp, Object o, Object t, EventArgs e) +15 System.Web.Util.CalliEventHandlerDelegateProxy.Callback(Object sender, EventArgs e) +33 System.Web.UI.Control.OnLoad(EventArgs e) +99 System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +47 System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) +1436
Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:2.0.50727.1433; ASP.NET Version:2.0.50727.1433