LiveSupport Window description for GUI application
General window description
Popup Window
Individual screens in order of (possible appearance)
1.a. Starting the application: opening the Master Panel
Always visible in Mater Panel (independent from status):
Status sensitive (on-air vs. off-air, logged in vs. logged out, etc.)
Status 1: Launch application, off-air nobody logged in
Status 2: Launch application, on-air nobody logged in
Status 3: Launch application, on-air after successful login
Status 4: Launch application, off-air after successful login
Close down LiveSupport
Starting other panels from main panel
1.b. Roberts additions: Master panel Live Mode
contains the following informations :
2. Loging in: the login popup
This window pops up when
The window contains
The function of the items
Additional functions
3. Uploading files panel
The window opens when
The window contains
The function of items
Additional functions:
12. Add web stream panel
The window opens when
The window contains
The function of items
Additional functions:
13. Edit file information panel
The window opens when
The window contains
Default status
The function of items
Additional functions:
4. DJ Bag window
Window opens when
The window contains
The function of items
Additional functions
6. Scheduler window
The window opens when
The window contains
The function of the items
Additional functions
Scheduler popup window to schedule playlist
5. Playlist management window (simple)
The window opens when
The window contains
The function of the items
Additional functions
10. Playlist management window (advanced)
7. Library / Search
When starting the application
Search form
Search - Advanced mode
How does it work :
Example:
Player (??? Robert what do you mean by this???)
Form field with the Search results
How does it work :
Play list
User’s idea :
9. Live Mode
Description, recommendations:
Starting  Live Mode
Live assistant mode
Mix Time
Commands:
General issues
General link of our design so far :
On-Air Off-air definition
Right mouse sensitive for files and playlists
Information formats (date, names, etc.)
Date format
Station information

LiveSupport Window description for GUI application

(Version: 2004-12-14)

The following document describes the 

•	items (buttons,  information, visuals) and
•	functions (of these items)
•	the interface feedback (e.g. login error, what next?)

for each individual screen of LiveSupport. It does not describe their position. And it raises a number of questions – you will see as you go along.

This document is used by the 

•	programmers to implement the functionality on the screen and the
•	designers to design the screen according to the functionality

General window description
Popup Window
The Popup window is new. It is used for example when login in or signing over the application to another user. Other than that it is mainly used for feedback, such as “you can not delete this file” or “do you want to upload another file?”.

Design requirements:
•	Can contain a form (e.g. login screen)
•	Can contain a feedback message (e.g. “sure you want to close LiveSupport?”)

Programming requirements
•	Pops up when clicking on certain features (e.g. “Log in”)
•	Pops up for confirmation at some functions (e.g. “Sure you want to...”)
•	Pops up as error or warning message (e.g. “Closing this window will...”)

Individual screens in order of (possible appearance)
1.a. Starting the application: opening the Master Panel
Current screen design:
http://a.parsons.edu/~livesupport/designs/images/master.jpg

When starting the application it will open the Master Panel which contains the following items:
•	Time at broadcast station (big)
•	Time at client (? If remote ?)
•	LiveSupport logo
•	Station information (frequency, station name, station logo,...) (see end of document for details)
•	Playing next (metadata to be specified)
•	Playing now (metadata info to be specified)
•	VU-meter
•	Login OR Logout / Signover
•	User information (if logged in)
•	Language pulldown (if nobody is logged in)
•	On-Air / Off-Air Lamp (indicating if the system is broadcasting)
•	Launching different functions / panels (liveassist vs scheduler, search, playlist management etc.) 
•	Close down LiveSupport (depending on user rights)

Always visible in Mater Panel (independent from status):
•	Time at broadcast station (big)
•	Time at client (? If remote ?)
•	LiveSupport logo
•	Station information (frequency, station name, station logo,...) 
•	On-Air / Off-Air Lamp (indicating if the system is broadcasting)

Status sensitive (on-air vs. off-air, logged in vs. logged out, etc.)
•	Playing next 
•	Playing now 
•	VU-meter
•	Login OR Logout / Signover
•	User information 
•	Language pulldown 
•	Launching different functions / panels (liveassist vs scheduler, search, playlist management etc.)
•	Close down LiveSupport (depending on user rights)

Status 1: Launch application, off-air nobody logged in
ITEM	SHOWING	
Time at broadcast station	big	
Time at client	Optional: if remote admin	
LiveSupport logo	yes	
Station information	frequency, station name, station logo	
Playing next	place holder empty	
Playing now	place holder empty	
VU-meter	place holder empty	
Login OR Logout / Signover	Login option	
User information	none	
Language pulldown	yes	
On-Air / Off-Air Lamp	Off-Air	
Launching different functions / panels	None	
Close down LiveSupport 	No	
Status 2: Launch application, on-air nobody logged in
ITEM	SHOWING	
Time at broadcast station	big	
Time at client	Optional: if remote admin	
LiveSupport logo	yes	
Station information	frequency, station name, station logo	
Playing next	Showing metadata	
Playing now	Showing metadata	
VU-meter	Showing meter values	
Login OR Logout / Signover	Login option	
User information	none	
Language pulldown	yes	
On-Air / Off-Air Lamp	On-Air	
Launching different functions / panels	None	
Close down LiveSupport 	No	
Status 3: Launch application, on-air after successful login
ITEM	SHOWING	
Time at broadcast station	big	
Time at client	Optional: if remote admin	
LiveSupport logo	yes	
Station information	frequency, station name, station logo	
Playing next	Showing metadata	
Playing now	Showing metadata	
VU-meter	Showing meter values	
Login OR Logout / Signover	Logut / Signover option	
User information	Name	
Language pulldown	No	
On-Air / Off-Air Lamp	On-Air	
Launching different functions / panels	yes	
Close down LiveSupport 	Depending on user rights	
Status 4: Launch application, off-air after successful login
ITEM	SHOWING	
Time at broadcast station	big	
Time at client	Optional: if remote admin	
LiveSupport logo	yes	
Station information	frequency, station name, station logo	
Playing next	place holder empty	
Playing now	place holder empty	
VU-meter	place holder empty	
Login OR Logout / Signover	Logut / Signover option	
User information	Name	
Language pulldown	No	
On-Air / Off-Air Lamp	Off-Air	
Launching different functions / panels	Yes	
Close down LiveSupport 	Depending on user rights	

Close down LiveSupport
•	Displayed only if user has the rights to close down the application
•	If decided to close down: popup
o	“Sure you want to close down the application?”
o	Button OK (->close down)
o	Button Cancel (-> return to main panel in previous status)
Starting other panels from main panel
•	Possibly more than one way to open additional panels (pulldown AND buttons/tabs?)
•	Available depending on user rights
•	Clicking on *open ???* will open a floating window or an attached panel, to be decided
•	More on additional panels see below
1.b. Roberts additions: Master panel Live Mode
contains the following informations : 
•	Login,  
•	Time at broadcast station ,24h time format , 
•	remaining time of the  current on air file, that blinks and flashes for the last 15 seconds,   
•	Peak meter ( PPM / VU ) ,
•	On-Air / Off-Air Lamp (indicating if the system is broadcasting)
•	one button for choosing audio files one by one waiting for the manual activation, or for choosing automatically song by song, by the shedule we have already prepared, 
•	Starting different functions (live assist, sheduler, playlist managment, search library). For the design , it is good for this item to be on the lower part of the main screen (taskbar),
•	„Playing now“ form field with audio files that are currently in program,  
•	„Playing next“ form field that shows what next is going on-air (design: very small kind of announcment, contains only short name of the file)  
•	Closing the window, minimising 
 
  Audio file name, total time, remaining time- the same button commands as on the playlist. 
   Commands (and that goes for all play slots): 1. Play / Fw and play button, 1 buttonKomande ( vaze za sve play slotove )  1  dugme za Play / Fw and play , 1 Pause / Stop  button and 1 CUE/Play CUE  function button u dugme za     Pause / Stop  , i 1 dugme za CUE/Play CUE  funkciju – when the audio file is listening on the special sound card, and the separate panel for CUE listening and setup of the new start position is opened (if it is not from the beginning of audio file), mix time, fade out, fade in
 
Below the Master panel is master playlist of files that are waiting to be broadcasted, whether automatically one after another, or file by file. 
2. Loging in: the login popup
This window pops up when
•	User clicks on ‘log in’
•	User clicks on ‘sign over’
The window contains
•	Text: Login
•	Form field (text): login
•	Text: password
•	Form field (text / password): password
•	Text: language
•	Form field (pulldown): available languages
•	Form field (button): OK
•	Form field (button): Cancel
The function of the items
•	OK button: check valid login
o	Valid login
•	Close login window
•	Change Main panel to status logged in / on or off air (see above)
o	Invalid login
•	Change content of popup:
•	Text: Login invalid, please try again
•	Form field: Button OK
•	OK returns to login window
•	Cancel button
o	close popup window
o	return to main panel in previous state
Additional functions
•	When pressing ‘sign over’ or ‘logout’
o	Open popup information window with: “sure you want to logout user ‘username’”
o	Button OK (logs out)
o	Button Cancel (returns to main panel at previous status)
•	When pressing ‘sign over’
o	After confirming to log out user:
•	Open Login window in popup
•	Change status of main panel to logged out (on or off air)
3. Uploading files panel
The window opens when
•	The user selects this from the main panel
The window contains
•	File browser
•	Metadata form
•	Upload button
•	Cancel button
•	Close window button (possibly two: one top right X, the other underneath input form)
•	Information bar to be used for status / error / upload progress
The function of items
•	File browser: standard ‘open explorer style window to find file’ 
•	Metadata form: a mix of text, pulldown, multiple select, radio buttons and check boxes, depending on the metadata specs
•	Upload button: posts data and starts uploading file (to local storage system)
•	Cancel button: interrupts the upload and/or clears the fields in the form
o	If upload started: open popup to check if really interrupt upload
•	Close window:
o	open popup to check if really interrupt upload 
o	if yes:close window
Additional functions:
•	Error checking:
o	Errors when filling in the form will not launch a popup, but display in the status bar (probably at the bottom of the window)
o	One error at a time will be displayed (one line only)
•	Progress bar: when starting the upload, the status bar will be used as the progress bar similar to safari page loading.
•	Metadata language pulldown:
o	There will be the option to select in what language you add the metadata. 
o	This pulldown functions like a filter: if changed, it will display the metadata of this language set
o	If ‘upload’ is pressed, all language sets where there is at least one item filled in, will be saved in the metadata.
•	Uploading file
o	The form will be inactive, displaying the information but making it impossible to change.
•	After upload: success
o	After the successful upload, the form remains inactive
o	The buttons change to display possible options (e.g. upload another, add uploaded to playlist, create new playlist with uploaded, close window)
o	The file will be added to the DJ bag (working title)

12. Add web stream panel
The window opens when
•	The user selects this from the main panel
The window contains
•	Form field for stream URL
•	Metadata form
•	Add button
•	Cancel button
•	Close window button (possibly two: one top right X, the other underneath input form)
•	Information bar to be used for status / error 
The function of items
•	Form field for stream URL used to add full URL of webstream
•	Metadata form: a mix of text, pulldown, multiple select, radio buttons and check boxes, depending on the metadata specs
•	Add button: posts data 
•	Cancel button: clears form after confirmation popup “sure you want to...?”
•	Close window:
o	If information added, open popup to check if really interrupt upload 
o	if no information added, close without popup confirmation
Additional functions:
•	Metadata: adding length of file: the user will ener the length of the file here in 00:00:00 format. For live streams, leave set to zero
•	Error checking:
o	Errors when filling in the form will not launch a popup, but display in the status bar (probably at the bottom of the window)
•	One error at a time will be displayed (one line only)
•	Metadata language pulldown:
o	There will be the option to select in what language you add the metadata. 
o	This pulldown functions like a filter: if changed, it will display the metadata of this language set
o	If ‘upload’ is pressed, all language sets where there is at least one item filled in, will be saved in the metadata.
•	After successful adding
o	the form remains inactive
o	The buttons change to display possible options (e.g. add another stream, add stream to playlist, create new playlist with stream, close window)
o	The file will be added to the DJ bag (working title)

13. Edit file information panel
The window opens when
•	The user selects aq file (from DJ bag or search or otherwise?) and selects ‘edit file’ (right mouse click or button?)
The window contains
•	File browser
•	Metadata form
•	Save changes button
•	Delete file button
•	Cancel button
•	Close window button (possibly two: one top right X, the other underneath input form)
•	Information bar to be used for status / error / upload progress

Default status
Shows information about the file in the form
The function of items
•	File browser: standard ‘open explorer style window to find file’ 
o	Additional information: leave empty to keep file
o	To change file in storage, browse file on hard disk
•	Metadata form: a mix of text, pulldown, multiple select, radio buttons and check boxes, depending on the metadata specs
•	Save changes button: posts data and starts uploading file (no upload if no file selected)
o	Confirm popup before starting process: are you sure you want to change file and/or information? (Yes Cancel -> cancel returns to window with information as changed before, not uploaded)
•	Delete file -> popup confirmation: Are you sure you want to delete the file? (Yes Cancel -> cancel returns to window with information as edited before pressing delete)
•	Reset button: sets the value to default 
o	If upload started: open popup to check if really interrupt upload
o	If upload started but file not fully transferred, reset values to values before starting save changes
•	Close window:
o	open popup to check if really interrupt upload 
o	if yes:close window
Additional functions:
•	Error checking:
o	If delete file: check if used in playlists. If yes, what do we do? Not allo delete or remove from playlist after confirmation???
o	Errors when filling in the form will not launch a popup, but display in the status bar (probably at the bottom of the window)
o	One error at a time will be displayed (one line only)
•	Progress bar: when starting the upload, the status bar will be used as the progress bar similar to safari page loading.
•	Metadata language pulldown:
o	There will be the option to select in what language you add the metadata. 
o	This pulldown functions like a filter: if changed, it will display the metadata of this language set
o	If ‘upload’ is pressed, all language sets where there is at least one item filled in, will be saved in the metadata.
•	Uploading file
o	The form will be inactive, displaying the information but making it impossible to change.
•	After upload: success
o	After the successful upload, the form remains inactive
o	The buttons change to display possible options (e.g. upload another, add uploaded to playlist, create new playlist with uploaded, close window)
o	The file will be added to the DJ bag (working title)
4. DJ Bag window
•	Window with resize handle and scroll bars
•	Contains a list of files and/or playlists added by system or user
•	Right mouse senstive on items in list
•	Single and multi select of items in list (C++ with STRG / Shift, HTML with checkboxes)
•	Right mouse sensitive to multiple selection (different if only files or playlists from flises AND playlists)
Window opens when
•	Probably always open
The window contains
•	List of files and or playlists
•	Icons to separate between items and playlists
•	Minimal metadata info
•	Table headers on top with name of metadata category
•	Button: clear list
•	Button clear selected items from list
•	Preview start and stop button
The function of items
•	List of files and or playlists
o	Right mouse click shows list of actions for selected item(s)
o	Icons for files and playlists have no function but to indicate
•	Table headers can be clicked and will order alphanumerlically, toggling ascending and descending
•	Clear list button removes all items from list: Confirmation pop up: are you sure...?
•	Clear selected items from list removes selected items. Confirmation pop up: are you sure...?
•	Preview start and stop buton is one button.
o	Default: play button and silence
o	If clicked, play button turns into stop buton
o	If playling, file / playlist is played on the preview sound card
o	(for more precise previewing it would have to be opened in the cue window -> right mouse click)
Additional functions
•	New items are inserted at the top of the list
•	DJ Bag behaves different for individual users (length, display period -> version 1.x)
•	List length set in system defaults (V.1.x -> user can alter the preset)
•	Display period set in system defaults (V.1.x -> user can alter the preset)
•	If list is getting too long, bottom items are cleared from list
•	If items are over their display period, they are removed from the list
•	Content of DJ Bag is saved for each user (item id, rank in list, added to list date)
•	Content of DJ Bag is displayed after successfull login

6. Scheduler window
The window opens when
•	Button or pulldown in main panel is selected
•	Right mouse activated from playlist
The window contains
•	Small calendar month
•	Pulldown to select month
•	Previous next button to change month
•	Larger calendar week 
•	Previous next button to change week
•	Large day with times
•	Previous next button to change week
•	Scrollbars to go up and down inside the day
•	Plus and minus to zoom in and out of day view (change scale)
•	Scale bar between plus and minus
•	Button to go to ‘today’
•	Button Add playlist
•	Button remove playlist
•	Button edit selected playlist
•	Button to stop / start scheduler

The function of the items
•	Small calendar month
•	Each day can be clicked and will change the week and day display to contain the selected day
•	The month will be displayed in lines of weeks, starting with Sunday or Monday (system preset)
•	Left to each week in the month overview is the calendar week as a number, this can be clicked and will change the week display to display this calendar week
•	If something is scheduled for the calendar day, the number is bold
•	Days within week one or last week from previous or next month are of a greyer colour but can be clicked and are bold, if scheduled
•	Pulldown to select month will change the calendar view to this month
•	Previous next button to change month will change the month to display previous or next
•	Calendar week 
•	Displays each day of the week starting with Sunday or Monday (system preset)
•	The display starts from midnight to midnight
•	Playlists are displayed according to their start and stop time
•	Minimal metadata is displayed if there is room in the display
•	If the scheduled playlist is too small to display metadata it will be only a bar
•	Each bar (i.e. scheduled playlist) is mouse over sensitive and displays metadata information of the playlist and the start time, stop time and duration of the playlist. This display is attached to the mouse pointer and disappears when leaving the playlist bar
•	The day names on top of each week are clickable and change the day display to show that day
•	Playlists on the week view are right mouse click sensitive
•	Previous next button to change week
•	Changes the week display to show that week, if the week runs into next or prev month, the month display changes too (only if the full week is in next or prev, not if half of it is still the same month)
•	Large day with times
•	Displays the date at the top
•	Displays the time of day on the left
•	Displays the playlists scheduled as fields
•	The playlist fields act as described for the week in terms of metadata display, mouse over sensitivity and right mouse click
•	Previous next button to change week
•	Changes to next and previous day in the day display
•	If the day is in the prev or next week, the week display changes
•	If the day is in the next or prev month, the month display changes
•	Scrollbars to go up and down inside the day 
•	start with midnight on the top and finish with midnight at the bottom
•	you can not scroll into previous and next days
•	Plus and minus to zoom in and out of day view (change scale)
•	The scale works with presets, the smallest unit representing seconds, minutes, five minutes, ten minutes, 30 minutes (that should accommodate the whole day)
•	The current scale is displayed it a bar between plus and minus
•	Button to go to ‘today’ Sets month, week and day to today
•	Button Add playlist
•	Opens popup window to add playlist
•	Required fields: date, time and playlist name/id
•	Button remove playlist
•	Only acitve if playlist selected (one mouse click on playlist in week or day overview)
•	Opens popup for confirmation: sure you want to...?
•	If confirmation is cancelled, return to scheduler window with playlist still selected
•	Button edit selected playlist
•	Only active if playlist is selected (one mouse click on playlist in week or day view)
•	Button to stop / start scheduler
•	Button toggles: default STOP, then START
•	If scheduler is stopped, main panel shows information: Scheduler is stopped in very alarming and vibrant letters
Additional functions
•	Playlist can be selected with single mouse click in week or day view
•	Multiple playlists can be selected (Strg or Shift or checkbox?)
•	Display of length of playlist always with hours: minutes: seconds 00:00:00
•	If playlist larger than 100 hours(-1 second), display goes to day... 00:00:00:00
•	Gaps between playlists also show data: start, stop, length of gap
•	After last scheduled entry, metadata only displays start time
•	Gap display follows same rules as Playlist display of time (hh:mm:ss or dd:hh:mm:ss)
•	Gaps can also be selected with single mouse click
•	Selected gaps are right mouse sensitive (select playlist here) -> opens pop up with preset date and time from gap (start time of gap as default value)
•	Today is marked differently in month, day and week view
•	Currently playing playlist is locked and marked differently in week and day view
Scheduler popup window to schedule playlist
•	If coming from right mouse click on playlist with : add playlist to scheduler, this playlist is added as default in the popup form but can be deleted or overwritten with different playlist
•	Button OK -> assigns values and changes the display containing newly added playlist
•	Button Cancel
o	If nothing selected, close popup
o	If information typed in or selected, confirmation window Are you sure...?
•	Requires date time and playlist
•	If launched from scheduler, playlist can be entered in the following ways:
o	By ID of playlist
o	With additional button: Select Playlist...
•	Button Select Playlist... if pressed:
o	Button toggles and is pressed in (pressing again deactivates Select Playlist feature) 
o	Changes mouse into playlist icon
o	Mouse becomes right mouse click insensitive
o	If mouse clicks on Playlist in DJ bag or Search window, this playlist is added to scheduler
o	Mouse can only click playlists and ok buton at scheduler popup window
•	Error checking in popup window
o	No playlist selected
o	Overlap (length too big for gap, start time inside scheduled playlist)

5. Playlist management window (simple)
•	Resizable window
•	Contains scrollbars and resize handlers
•	Playlist item are listed vertially with first on top
•	All items have the same size in the list
The window opens when
•	Selected from the main panel
o	When opened from main panel, the playlist editor opens with a new playlist
•	Actived with right mouse click on playlist or file
The window contains
•	List of items in playlist
•	Metadata for items in list
•	Buttons to move items
•	Buttons to change transition between items
•	Button Add item to playlist
•	Button Remove item from playlist
•	Button Save playlist
•	Button Create new playlist
•	Button to Delete playlist
•	Icons for files and playlists in list
•	Icon for each item “set IN and OUT points”
The function of the items
•	List of items in playlist displays the Metadata for items in list
•	Buttons to move items
o	Inside the item info list, moving up down top and bottom
•	Buttons to change transition between items
o	Clicking here opens the Advanced playlist editing with transitions and shows the two files active
•	Button Add item to playlist
o	This changes the mouse to become the ‘select item’ icon and items can be selected fromn search or DJ bag with single click
o	New items are added to the bottom of the list
•	Button Remove item from playlist
o	Active only if one or more items are selected
o	Popup confirmation “are you sure...?”
•	Button Save playlist
o	If editing existing playlist: 
•	confirm popup Overwrite changes...?
•	display current metadata available for editing
o	If saving new playlist, ask for name and metadata
•	Button Create new playlist
o	If no playlist in playlist editor, create empty playlist
o	If playlist in editor, but not changed, create new playlist
o	If playlist in editor and changed but not saved, popup confirm: “Discard changes to current playlist?”
•	Icons for files and playlists in list show if item is a playlist or a file
•	Icon for each item “set IN and OUT points” opens Cue window to set IN and OUT points
•	Button to delete playlist 
o	Only active if playlist in playlist editor window (not if new playlist was created and nothing added, not if playlist editor contains no playlist)
o	open confirmation popup “do you want to delete this playlist?”
o	Deleted playlists are removed from the DJ bag and search results
o	Delete process checks if playlist is used by other playlists or inside scheduler???
Additional functions
•	Version 1.x expand and close sub playlists
•	If attemtping to add playlist which is locked because played in scheduler, popup: Can not be edited, because this is currently playling

10. Playlist management window (advanced)
ROBERT
7. Library / Search 
Current proposition of screen appearance: 
http://a.parsons.edu/~livesupport/designs/images/library_search.jpg

Function : basically for searching audio files, 
optionally , (?)  for search,  playlist arrangment of files , subplaylist , mails ..etc .... 

It can be called and started from the other programs or separately 

When starting the application
 it will open the panel which contains the following items:

•	Search part  , with the option of choosing the way of searching the entered item 
•	Player for preview of music tracks and fast rewind 
•	Field with the results of searching files 
•	Button or commands  for choosing, creating, rewinding playlist 
•	Field with playlist and all its informations 

Details (function) of the items  :
Search form
•	contains the form field  where we enter the wanted item (name, track..) and the confirmation button GO (enter)  
•	Button for starting the additional more precise advanced mode
Search - Advanced mode
Opens up the advanced possibilities for searching the entered item „SEARCH BY“ in the dropdown menu, searching by the name of the artist, song, album, Bpm , energy description , tempo,   and other relevant informations that contains metadata of the file. I hope we will use small selector .

Useful link for that info 
http://www.rcsworks.com/products/selector/radio101.asp
How does it work :
We enter the word or the phrase that we want to find in our library of audio files, into the matching field, then we choose whether it is going to search it by the whole name  or by the word or a phrase that is in the file name.

With the combination of the dropdown menus and by choosing the search options / name of the group / name of the song / energy / bpm / the publishing year of the album / description of the audio material’s content /  we can get the precisely wanted or  approximate results.
 
I personally like when I can see also the percent of sucessfullness next to the list of the results, in some search engines.
Can this be performed in this version  and how would that look like in our program? This  piece of information is not so important for the work , it simply gives us the report about the sucessfullness of our result.

 selection button ,   that contains full name   plus button GO    

-	selection button , where the item is searched for, on the local net, on server, on the internet....
Example:
Just example of screen design and precise tools for search   :
http://www.rcsworks.com/products/selector/tour/slide_02.asp
Player (??? Robert what do you mean by this???)
•	Contains the informations about the file we are listening (name, performer, complete time and remaining time), that means the informations from the metadata 
•	Commands are:play button, stop/pause button, slider line with play position that shows us on which part of the song we are. By clicking the seek cursor, we can move the listening positions forward or backward, like doing the Rew or FFwd 
•	It is also good to have the button for importing on the playlist of the player (after the listening of radio material and evaluation) 

Audio signal from this kind of the material searching and CUE listening on „off the records“ way, it is important to get it on the alternative sound card that is not connected to the current broadcast audio system.
Form field with the Search results
This field gives us the list of the found audio files, also contains the informations from metadata. It is  desirable to have the option of variable displaying of the search results number (5,15,20) or the possibillity of scrolling. 
This is wide and easy to be surveyed. 

2 buttons with the functions of  where to go with the founded audio file
In list – when we double click on it (because of the more simple operations)
•	add to playlist        or
•	add to cue ( preview ) listening .  
How does it work :
By simple clicking on the audio file in the form field with the search results, file goes either in the playlist automatically on the last place, or right into the play mode where we start with listening. Rewinding back and forward  can be done by clicking on the cursor and by its moving on the line that represents the whole audio file.   
Play list 
Field that shows us the queue of the audio files in the created playlist 

Crucial question :
•	Is it right to set the option „creating the playlist“ as the part of the search library engine (that is not bad) or to  set it separately? 
•	Depending on the connection with the other programes, are they in thet moment on the same screen (playlist and search library), or are they separated?

Contains the functions: „import“ (open, bew), „export“ (save to...) and „send to“ (mail, hard disc, to relevant program...)
User’s idea :
I woul be so happy, if this search-library engine could fill in (with its size) the screen in the Live mode - where we have (by the Master palette and the playlist) the empty space on the „desktop“ and where we should have  various tools that assist us in making radio program. More about this  in the part about Live mode. 
9. Live Mode   
Description, recommendations:
The main window for making the radio program. Functionally, it is very sensitive because it is located on the exit and one step before going on-air. Because of this technical detail, it is very important for Live mode to be easilly surveyed and logical on the first sight, in case of an error during the broadcast. This must be clear  even to the worse trained user, how to correct those errors. 

Recommendations for the design: no additional creations, curves, and complex parts of the screen, that can disturb the users during the work. 

It is very desirable for every function on the screen to have its own shortcuts on the keyboards. The selection of those functions and their disporition will be described separately.
Starting  Live Mode  
When starting the Live Mode,  
we get to the login screen that gives us the opportunity of presenting the user
 Login name, and
 password

we also have the option of 2 live mode functioning:

•	fully automatic
•	live assistant mode

There are no big differences between the functioning of these two  modes, this is only about  predefined setups and already opened aplicationsm connected with the specific way of work. 

Hardware’s demand: it is necessary to have two sound cards, one with more quality  for the radio program only, and one regular (hmmm...?) for off-air listening of audio material. Their predefining and setup (level, balance) should be in the special system setup. 

The whole idea of live mode consists of Master  panel in the upper part of the screen  (horisontal position) and the list of files (vertically) that are waiting to be broadcasted. The logic of functioning is up from below, and in the Master palette there is file that is currently on air.
Live assistant mode 
After logging and starting the program, the user loads the special arrangement’s file (file with playlist that is already set up)-that he already prepared on its computer in the redaction. Files are importing by classical „open files“, or by  „import playlist“ during the program (this option is not yet implemented in the current screen design)

After the loading of this „arrangement’s file for playlist“, we load the music, interviews, jingles, headlines, and then we visually fill the playlist below the master panel- with already predefined setups, mix team, telephone number eventually, calls... The user can also immediately load mini playlist, that was prepared by the marketing redaction in the special block of the commercials, and on that way he can prepare the hour of his program and calculate how much time does he have for the live talk show.

Playlist, although it is arranged in line,  it can be broadcasted one by one or without any order.
Mix Time 
Every pressure on the play button of the audio file- is making  mix (fade out) of the file that is already on air and starts the next audio file (from full level).

If the user that works in live assistant mode doesn’t manually play the audio file, the next file is automatically played.

       This volume minimizing in time from the full level  to the level of 0 db, I will call Fade out. Actuall time for the end of the song is 0,5-10 sec. The same goes for the Fade in-except it is in the opposite direction, and the actual time is about 0,1 sec. In this version of Live Support, I wouldn’t go further in the „fade in“ philosophy, that very rarely goes up to the 10 sec, deoending on the musical situation.

It is good to leave these values of fade- out on some default value, somewhere in the preferences of Live support, and leave the instant changes of fade-out mix to the people that are working on creative music mixing in the program, making their own mix time, fade-out time, or their music set. Of course, after the broadcasting this music file, everything goes back to the default values of mixing.                 

Informations about the slot that contains audio file ready for broadcasting:
Play list – visually it is positioned along the right side of the screen and it should have the size of 1/3 of the whole screen length. It consists informations: audio file name, song name, performer’s name (if it is the music file), total time, and the exact time of its broadcast in case of automated mode.

Commands:

•	Play/ Pause button
•	Stop button
•	CUE button

Play/ Pause button has two functiones, first click is Play, second click is Pause.
CUE button is starting the CUE function (with the popup window, or maybe it should be some special module...it is on you to decide... functionally, popup window is quite enough)
Recommended disposition starting from the left:

Play button / CUE button / audio file info (name, time, program time), and on the right side of the slot is Stop button!

As you can see, CUE button and Stop button changed their places. I think this is the better solution  to avoid the accidentally pressing the stop button in the middle of the program.
It would be good for the functions to be connected with shortcuts on the keyboard. This is more convenient then using the mouse, if we don’t have option of touch screen. 
On that way, we move through the playlist with the arrows on the keyboard  up and down, and we erase the audio file from the playlist with the delete button- with always necessary popup  „are you sure you  want to delete?“ yes / no .....:)
General issues 
General link of our design so far :
http://a.parsons.edu/~livesupport/designs/
7. Library/Search (Robert)
http://a.parsons.edu/~livesupport/designs/images/library_search.jpg
9. Live Mode (Robert)
http://a.parsons.edu/~livesupport/designs/images/livemode.gif
On-Air Off-air definition
The system is on-air when either the server or the client or both soundcards are playing
Right mouse sensitive for files and playlists

Information formats (date, names, etc.)
Date format
 (until system configure individually for all users individually): 2004-12-24 18:56:12
Station information
-	will be added at install procedure
-	station name is a text Unicode string
-	additional information can be added
-	a station logo can be uploaded as JPEG or PNG file