We know that Zetta’s Log module is an extremely productive everyday module that allows uses to drag and drop elements, voice track, adjust the log, and more. But did you know about some of the more specific workflows, like the Search or Filter tool? How about right clicking and enabling the Expand Spot Blocks setting? We covered those topics and more on this week’s deeper dive into Zetta’s Log module.
Let’s begin with some of the basics. The Log module is where users can view and edit their log or playlist. It’s important to note the progress bar of the current element playing because you don’t necessarily need access to the On-Air module to see what’s playing on the air. Of course, as an enterprise solution, we can access multiple stations and there’s no limitation on how far into the future we can schedule or how far in the past we can see what played. There’s the hour-by-hour navigation and customizable column headers, but let’s dig a little deeper into the Log module.
Starting with the row of icons on the top left, we have the refresh icon, which simply refreshes the log below. Most likely you won’t need to refresh the log, as it instantly refreshes with any log change from another Zetta computer, but just in case, there’s a refresh option. Speaking of options, the “Advanced” gear icon will open some additional settings like Log Utilities, Revolve Tags / Rotation / Imaging, GSelector Integration and Print Log. Log Utilities allows the user to regenerate the log, delete a log or copy a log. Resolve Tags / Rotations / Imaging will take the individual placeholder position and plot the next tag, rotation, or imaging piece so that users can scroll into the future and specifically see what’s going to play. GSelector Integration is a troubleshooting tool so that in case you lose access to GSelector, users can push Zetta logs back to GSelector. Finally, we have the Print Log, which will allow users to print the log, like a physical copy of a PDF export.
As we continue the row of icons, we have the audition options, as well as the option to manually reimport or reconcile any flat file assignment. Some users may see additional icons for manual Site Replication or Z-Cast, followed by the Filter dropdown. This is a powerful tool as it allows users to granularly isolate specific elements. For example, if you’re a voice tracker, you may want to remove anything but Songs and Empty Voice Tracks. That way you can quickly view what work needs to be done. Just be careful because filtering doesn’t remove the elements, so if you have a Filter enabled in the Log, a user may see a discrepancy because the proper log is playing out in the On-Air module.
Up next, we have the Search icon, which is a handy tool when you’re trying to quickly find specific elements. For example, if a client is asking when their spots are going to air today, a user could search by the client’s name and see all the instances where the spot will play throughout the day. Finally, we have the Publish icon, an additional paid feature, that allows users to automatically or manually export audio from Zetta, like a podcast.
Moving on from the icons, let’s review the right click Log behaviors. From the top, we have the audition options, followed by the Replace, Juggle and Insert functions. Insert will allow the user to select different elements to insert into the log and note the dockable windows. Up next, we have options to expand or collapse Spot Blocks, Shows, and Macros, followed by the Missing Audio Report, Synchronize to Selection and Edit Audio features. The final right click sections pertain to the log view. One final note, don’t forget to customize your Log columns by right clicking to add or remove any desired metadata. As a general rule of thumb, if you need the field displayed, most likely it’s available from one of the extensive lists.
Don’t forget to check our past Zetta videos and more on our RCS Live Archive . Otherwise, we’re always looking for Beta users to test out the latest and greatest RCS features. We’re also back on the road for 2023. If you’re going to attend one of the radio conferences, reach out to your local RCS contract to schedule some time with our RCS Academy team! We’ll catch you next Thursday at 11am ET on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter or Twitch for another RCS Live!