Scheduling

FloSync offers two scheduling modes to automatically display different content:

• Time-of-Day Mode — Schedule content based on wall clock time (9am-12pm, 12pm-5pm, etc.)
• Interval Mode — Cycle through content based on duration (5 minutes, 10 minutes, etc.)

Both modes support smooth transitions, per-scene configuration, and drag-to-reorder functionality.

Overview #

Time-of-Day Mode #

Ideal for digital signage that needs to show different content during morning, afternoon, and evening hours, or different content on weekends versus weekdays.

The scheduling system works by dividing the day into time scenes. Each scene can have:

• Its own content loaded on each screen (videos, images, or web pages)
• Its own screen mode (Independent, Mirrored, or Spanned)
• Its own global canvas extension settings (for video walls)

When you "Go Live (Schedule)", FloSync automatically displays the content for the current time scene and transitions to the next scene when the time comes.

Interval Mode #

Ideal for trade shows, rotating product displays, presentations, and live performances (musicians, DJs, keynote speeches, worship services) where you want content to cycle continuously or advance on cue.

Instead of clock-based time scenes, interval mode uses duration-based scenes that cycle sequentially:

• Each scene plays for a set duration (1, 5, 10, 15, 30 minutes, or 1 hour)
• Or, scenes can be Cue scenes, waiting for keyboard input to advance
• After the last scene, playback returns to scene 1
• Keyboard controls let you navigate manually at any time

When you "Go Live (Beginning)", FloSync starts from scene 1 and cycles through your content.

Schedule Panel #

Access the schedule panel by clicking the schedule icon (agenda/list) in the toolbar.

Screenshot: The schedule panel showing mode toggle icons, day selector, time scenes, and action buttons.

Switching Schedule Modes #

At the top of the schedule panel header, two toggle icons let you switch between modes:

• Calendar icon - Time-of-Day mode (highlighted blue when active)
• Timer icon - Interval mode (highlighted blue when active)

Switching modes does not lose your data—both schedules are saved independently.

Panel Layout (Time-of-Day Mode) #

Header

• Day selector dropdown (shows "Every Day", or specific day names)
• Mode toggle icons (calendar for Time-of-Day, timer for Interval)
• Close button (X)

The day selector dropdown also includes a "Clear All Scenes" option at the bottom to reset the schedule.

Action Buttons

• Copy from... - Copy another day's schedule to the current day
• Add Scene (+) - Add a new time scene

Scene List

• Shows all time scenes for the selected day
• Drag to reorder scenes
• Click to select and configure a scene
• Edit button (pencil) to change scene name and times
• Delete button (trash) to remove a scene

Timeline Editor (when multiple scenes exist)

• Opens a visual editor for adjusting scene boundaries

Panel Layout (Interval Mode) #

Header

• "Interval" label dropdown (with "Clear All Scenes" option)
• Mode toggle icons (calendar for Time-of-Day, timer for Interval)
• Close button (X)

Action Buttons

• Add Scene (+) - Add a new scene to the rotation

Scene List

• Shows all scenes in playback order
• Displays duration (e.g., "5m") or "Cue" for manual scenes
• Drag to reorder the playback sequence
• Click to select and configure a scene
• Edit button (pencil) to change scene name and duration
• Delete button (trash) to remove a scene

Working with Time Scenes #

Default Schedule #

When you first use scheduling, there's a single "All Day" scene covering 00:00 to 24:00. This scene contains whatever content and settings you had configured before opening the schedule panel.

Adding a Time Scene #

1. Click Add Scene in the schedule panel
2. The currently selected scene (or the last scene if none selected) is split in half
3. A new scene appears with the name "New Scene"
4. Select the new scene and configure its content

Selecting a Scene #

Click on any scene in the list to select it. The selected scene is highlighted with a blue border.

When a scene is selected:

• The main screen area shows that scene's content
• You can load videos, images, or web pages, change screen mode, etc.
• Changes are automatically saved to the scene

Editing Scene Details #

Click the edit button (pencil icon) on a scene to open the scene editor dialog:

Scene Name: Give your scene a descriptive name (e.g., "Morning Promo", "Lunch Special", "Evening Ambient")

Start Time: When this scene begins (relative to previous scene)

End Time: When this scene ends (relative to next scene)

Note: Scenes are always contiguous - they share boundaries with adjacent scenes. Changing one scene's end time automatically changes the next scene's start time.

Reordering Scenes #

Drag any scene to reorder it in the list:

1. Click and hold anywhere on a scene card (except the edit/delete buttons)
2. Drag up or down to the desired position
3. Release to drop

When you reorder scenes:

• The time durations are preserved
• Time ranges are reassigned based on the new order
• The first scene always starts at 00:00

Example: If you have:

• Morning (00:00-08:00) - 8 hours
• Afternoon (08:00-18:00) - 10 hours
• Evening (18:00-24:00) - 6 hours

And you drag Evening to the top, you get:

• Evening (00:00-06:00) - 6 hours
• Morning (06:00-14:00) - 8 hours
• Afternoon (14:00-24:00) - 10 hours

Deleting a Scene #

Click the delete button (trash icon) on a scene to remove it. The deleted scene's time range is merged into the previous scene (or the next scene if deleting the first one).

Note: You cannot delete the last remaining scene - there must always be at least one scene covering the full day.

Timeline Editor #

When you have multiple scenes, an Edit Timeline button appears at the bottom of the schedule panel. Click it to open the visual timeline editor.

Screenshot: The timeline editor showing scenes as colored bars along a 24-hour timeline.

Using the Timeline Editor #

Viewing the Timeline

• Each scene appears as a colored bar spanning its time range
• The timeline shows 24 hours (00:00 to 24:00)
• Scene names appear within each bar

Adjusting Boundaries

• Drag the boundary between two scenes to adjust their times
• Boundaries snap to 30-minute intervals
• Hold Shift while dragging for finer control (no snapping)
• Minimum scene duration is 30 minutes

Apply or Cancel

• Click Apply to save your changes
• Click Cancel to discard changes

Day-Specific Schedules #

By default, all days use the "Every Day" schedule. You can create different schedules for specific days of the week.

Creating a Day-Specific Schedule #

1. Select a specific day from the Day selector dropdown (e.g., "Saturday")
2. The panel shows "No specific schedule for Saturday. Using 'Every Day' schedule."
3. A new schedule is automatically created when you make any changes
4. Or click Copy from... to start with a copy of another day's schedule

Copy from Another Day #

1. Select the target day (e.g., "Saturday")
2. Click Copy from...
3. Select the source day to copy from (e.g., "Every Day" or "Friday")
4. The source day's scenes are copied to the target day

Removing a Day-Specific Schedule #

If you've created a day-specific schedule but want to revert to the "Every Day" schedule:

1. Select the day in the day selector
2. Click Use Every Day schedule at the bottom of the panel
3. The day-specific schedule is removed and the day will use "Every Day" again

Working with Interval Scenes #

Interval mode provides duration-based content cycling, perfect for trade shows and rotating displays.

Default Schedule #

When you first switch to Interval mode, there's a single "Scene 1" with Cue duration. This acts as a simple, non-cycling playlist that waits for keyboard input.

Adding an Interval Scene #

1. Click the + button in the schedule panel
2. A new scene appears at the end of the list with default Cue duration
3. Select the scene and configure its content
4. Click the edit button to set a name and duration

Selecting a Scene #

Click on any scene to select it. The selected scene is highlighted with a blue border.

When a scene is selected:

• The main screen area shows that scene's content
• You can load videos, images, or web pages, change screen mode, etc.
• Changes are automatically saved to the scene

Editing Scene Details #

Click the edit button (pencil icon) on a scene to open the editor dialog:

Scene Name: Give your scene a descriptive name (e.g., "Product Demo", "Brand Video")

Duration: Choose from preset durations or enter a custom value:

• Preset buttons: 1m, 5m, 10m, 15m, 30m, 1h
• Cue: Scene never auto-advances; requires keyboard input
• Custom: Enter any duration in minutes

Reordering Interval Scenes #

Drag any scene to change its position in the playback sequence:

1. Click and hold anywhere on a scene card (except the edit/delete buttons)
2. Drag up or down to the desired position
3. Release to drop

The playback order matches the visual order in the list.

Deleting an Interval Scene #

Click the delete button (trash icon) on a scene to remove it from the rotation.

Note: You cannot delete the last remaining scene - there must always be at least one scene.

Cue Scenes #

Setting a scene's duration to Cue creates a cue-based scene:

• The scene will display indefinitely until you manually advance
• Use keyboard controls (arrow keys or number keys) to move to the next scene
• Useful for presenter-controlled displays or interactive kiosks
• The edit dialog shows an orange info box explaining cue-based advancement

Going Live with Schedule #

Once your schedule is configured, use the Go Live feature to start playing scheduled content.

Go Live Options (Time-of-Day Mode) #

When you have a configured time-of-day schedule (multiple scenes or day-specific schedules), the Go Live button shows a dropdown:

• Go Live (Current) - Plays the current content in the composer (ignores the schedule)
• Go Live (Schedule) - Plays scheduled content with time-based transitions

Go Live Options (Interval Mode) #

When interval mode is active with multiple scenes, the Go Live button shows a dropdown:

• Go Live (Current) - Plays the current content in the composer (ignores the schedule)
• Go Live (Beginning) - Starts from scene 1 and cycles through all scenes

Go Live (Controller Mode) #

When FloSync is running as a server for network sync, an additional option appears:

• Go Live (Controller) - Broadcasts to network clients without creating local fullscreen windows

Controller mode is designed for scenarios where you're operating a remote video wall from a laptop or control station:

How it works:

• Content plays in the composer's preview boxes instead of fullscreen windows
• Network sync broadcasts are identical - clients can't tell the difference
• All controls remain active: play/pause, scrub, timeline, scene navigation
• For interval mode, scene cards become clickable to switch scenes instantly

When to use Controller mode:

• Operating a trade show video wall from a control booth
• Running remote displays while keeping your laptop screen available
• Testing network sync without creating local fullscreen windows
• Live performances where you need to see and control the show

Visual indicators:

• Status bar shows "Live (Controller)" with an orange indicator
• Stop button shows "Stop Controller" in orange

Note: Controller mode only appears in the Go Live dropdown when FloSync is running as a server.

What Happens During Time-of-Day Live #

1. FloSync determines the current time scene based on the system clock
2. The scene's content (videos, images, web pages, mode, settings) is loaded
3. Fullscreen windows are created on all screens
4. Content displays (videos play, images show, web pages render)
5. A timer is set for the next scene transition

What Happens During Interval Live #

1. FloSync starts with scene 1 (index 0)
2. The scene's content is loaded and displayed on all screens
3. If the scene has a duration, a countdown timer starts
4. When the timer expires, or when you press a navigation key:
   • Content transitions to the next scene
   • After the last scene, playback returns to scene 1
5. Cue scenes wait indefinitely for keyboard input

Keyboard Controls (Interval Mode) #

During interval live mode, you can navigate manually:

These controls work regardless of whether the current scene is timed or a cue.

MIDI Controller Support (Interval Mode) #

FloSync supports MIDI controllers for hands-free scene triggering during live performances. Connect a MIDI controller (Novation Launchpad, Akai APC, Arturia Minilab, Native Instruments Maschine, or any other MIDI device) to trigger scenes from pads or buttons.

Setting Up MIDI Control:

1. Enable MIDI - Open Preferences (⌘, on macOS, Ctrl+, on Windows) and enable "MIDI Controller" in the MIDI section
2. Select Device - Choose your MIDI controller from the device dropdown
3. Map Scenes - In the schedule panel, click the Learn button (antenna icon) on a scene, then press a pad on your controller
4. Set LED Colors - Click the palette icon to choose a color for each scene's LED feedback
5. Go Live - Your controller pads will light up showing which scene is active

During Live Mode:

• Press any mapped pad to instantly switch to that scene
• The active scene's LED lights up brightly; other mapped scenes show dimmer
• MIDI triggers work the same as keyboard controls for cue scenes and timed scenes
• Scene changes triggered by MIDI also sync to network clients (if running as server)

Supported Controllers: FloSync works with any MIDI controller, but provides enhanced LED feedback for:

• Novation Launchpad (X, Mini MK3, Pro MK3, MK2, and legacy models)
• Akai APC (APC40, APC40 MK2, APC Mini, APC Mini MK2)
• Arturia Minilab 3 (full RGB LED support)
• Native Instruments Maschine (MK2, MK3, Mikro, Jam)

For other controllers, FloSync uses velocity-based LED colors which work with most devices that have LED-equipped pads.

Auto-Reconnect: If you disconnect and reconnect your MIDI controller, FloSync automatically reconnects and restores your mappings.

For detailed setup instructions, see Preferences - MIDI Settings.

Automatic Transitions #

When transitioning between scenes (either by timer or keyboard):

1. The screen smoothly fades to black
2. The next scene's content is loaded
3. The screen fades back in with the new content playing
4. The status bar updates to show the new scene name and remaining time

The fade transition takes about 1 second total (fade out, load, fade in), creating a polished, professional look for your digital signage.

Wait for Videos Option #

Each scene has a "Wait for videos" checkbox in the scene editor. When enabled:

1. Videos loop normally during the scene
2. When a transition is triggered (by timer, keyboard, or MIDI), the videos stop looping
3. The current video plays through to its end
4. The fade transition begins just before the video ends
5. The next scene starts

When to use Wait for Videos:

• Videos have important endings that shouldn't be cut off
• You want clean transitions at natural video breakpoints
• Content has closing animations or calls-to-action at the end

How it works with different triggers:

• Timed scenes: When the timer expires, looping stops and videos finish
• Cue scenes: When you press a navigation key, looping stops and videos finish
• Keyboard navigation: Same behavior - videos finish before transitioning

Note: Wait for Videos applies to the scene you're leaving, not the scene you're entering. The checkbox on Scene 1 controls what happens when transitioning away from Scene 1.

Exiting Live Mode #

• Press ESC on any fullscreen window
• Or click Stop in the control panel

Best Practices #

Naming Scenes #

Use descriptive names that indicate:

• Time-of-Day: Time period ("Morning", "Afternoon") or content ("Lunch Menu", "Evening Ambient")
• Interval: Content description ("Product Demo", "Brand Video", "Testimonials")

Choosing a Schedule Mode #

Use Time-of-Day when:

• Content must appear at specific clock times (breakfast menu at 6am)
• Different days need different schedules (weekday vs. weekend)
• You're syncing with business hours or events

Use Interval when:

• Content should cycle continuously regardless of time
• You're at a trade show or event with rotating displays
• A presenter needs manual control over content progression
• You're running visuals for live performances (concerts, DJ sets, worship services, keynotes)
• You want simple rotation without time-based complexity

Planning Transitions #

Time-of-Day:

• Avoid transitions during peak viewing times
• Align transitions with natural breaks (e.g., top of the hour)

Interval:

• Choose durations that let your content finish cleanly
• Use Cue scenes when you need human-controlled pacing
• Consider your audience's attention span

Content Duration #

For smooth looping within each scene:

• Use videos that loop cleanly
• Consider scene duration vs. video duration
• Longer scenes can have longer videos that play multiple times
• Images display indefinitely until the next transition
• Web pages render live and can be configured to auto-refresh

Testing Your Schedule #

Before going live:

1. Verify all scenes have their content loaded
2. Check the status bar for any warnings (missing content, etc.)
3. Time-of-Day: Use the timeline editor to review timing
4. Interval: Test keyboard controls to ensure navigation works
5. Test a short schedule with quick transitions to verify behavior

Summary #

Shared Features #