Named CGs is a functionality allowing CGs (or overlay graphics) to be fired from within a template or via a control command (keyboard shortcut). All named CGs are placed within the file NamedOverlayGraphics.xml.

This section contains:

Named CGs (Named Overlay Graphics)

Use of Named CGs

Named CGs is a functionality allowing CGs (or overlay graphics) to be fired from within a template or via a control command (keyboard shortcut). These CGs are to be treated as constants but has the ability to extract information from the current rundown.

Prerequisites

All named CGs must be placed within a single XML file named NamedOverlayGraphics.xml. This file must be placed as part of the configuration files for the system, for example C:\ChannelTemplates.

NamedOverlayGraphics.xml contains all CGs to be accessible from templates.

The CGs within this file have the following properties:

• The “slug” attribute is used as the ‘name’ of the CG (i.e. used in templates to refer to the CG).

• The content of each CG shall be identical to the CG representation in Manus Administrator files. In most circumstances only a small set of the attributes and elements are necessary.

• The “templatetype” attribute is used to identify the behaviour of the CG and should be according to the lowerthird mapping found in newsroomtags.xml. Default mapping is AUTOOUT.

• Setting “templatetype” to “STORYSTART” takes the corresponding CG on story transitions (i.e. when the first item or background of the story is taken). Only one CG could be used for this purpose.

NamedOverlayGraphics.xml Example

Below is an example showing two named CGs. One to be fired at every story transition (MosartStoryStart) and one that could be triggered from a template (StrapsOff).

This example is created for BIGVIZ which makes use only of the <objParams> field.

NCS Placeholders

Named CGs supports placeholders for NCS information. The following example shows a modified “MosartStoryStart” Named CG making use of placeholders:

Syntax: {[story|item]:[story_value|item_value|xpath]}

Where:

• story: Obtains information from the current story:

  • roid: MOS rundown identity.

  • id: MOS story identity.

  • slug: MOS story slug.

  • xpath: Arbitrary xpath from Manus Administrator story element.

• item: Obtains information from the current story item:

  • roid: MOS rundown identity.

  • id: MOS story identity.

  • slug: MOS story slug.

  • type: Viz Mosart type.

  • variant: Viz Mosart variant.

  • template: Viz Mosart type + Viz Mosart variant.

  • xpath: Arbitrary xpath from Manus Administrator story item element.

Examples of valid placeholders

• {story:roid}: The rundown identity.

• {story:id}: MOS story identity.

• {story:slug}: MOS story slug.

• {item:type}: MOS story item, Viz Mosart template type.

• {item:variant}: MOS story item, Viz Mosart template variant.

• {item:template}: MOS story item, Viz Mosart template type+variant.

• {item:@templatetype}: xpath, Viz Mosart template variant.

• {item:item[@type=100][1]/*/storyItem/objParams}: xpath, pics legend from first lowerthird object within a story item.

Named CG Actions

It is possible to trigger defined actions within Overlay Graphics Interface when taking a Named CG. The actions are specified within an action list of the CG. A typical reason for using such actions is when the graphics systems require special graphics to be sent for taking out items.

A sample action list is defined in the XML as follows:

The following actions are available:

• takeout: Takes out any stored On Air graphics matching the criteria specified in the value field:

  • last: Takes the last taken graphics out.

  • lastLocator: Takes the last locator graphics out.

  • lastManual: Takes the last manual graphics out.

• clear: Takes out all On Air graphics.

Required Fields in XML

Example of complete lower third graphics XML

Below is an example graphics XML extracted from a running order:

Required fields: slug, templatetype, in, dur, use_graphics_id, graphics_id, handler_name, graphics_out_on, description.

Extracted XML example

The required fields extracted look like this, please note that the slug and description have changed:

For the above example the name used to recall the Named CG is “LIVE ON”.

Adding the Named CG to a Template

SLUG is where we name the overlay for our use – and we can now recall the super from a template as shown below:

Obtaining a valid overlay graphics as a Named Overlay Candidate

A tip to obtain candidates for named overlays is as follows:

1. Forward the graphics you want to be part of named overlay as ordinary overlay graphics (i.e. by assigning them in the NRCS). Mosart now reads these as part of overlays in a rundown.

2. Verify that the named overlay candidates appear in OverlayGraphics in the left column. All active overlay graphics in the rundown appears here.

3. Select a named overlay candidate in the OverlayGraphics left column and press the Info button below.

4. Now you see the XML representation of that particular overlay candidate. Copy this XML to the clipboard.

5. Paste the content of the clipboard into the named overlay XML file, C:\ChannelTemplates\NamedOverlayGraphics.xml.

6. Optionally, remove not required fields as described in the former section Required fields in XML.