Using drop-down lists on Panels to control Routing

Scope

This document applies to Pathfinder Core PRO only. It contains the steps and explanation required to build a panel using a List Selector to control a route to some pre-defined destination.

Description

In our example, we have a panel that controls the output of a node that then feeds an Analog mixer at a news Desk. It includes a meter that shows the audio level routed to the node output and a selector list of sources the news editor picks from. We use a Pathfinder Virtual Router to define the node output and what sources the user can choose from.

You could point this panel at the main Pathfinder router, but even in small systems, there could be hundreds of available sources. The virutal router makes it easier to find what you are looking for.

This Virtual Router is unique in the function of the panel. That is to say that the News Mixer Virtual router contains all sources and destinations for all the News Mixers. You might have a separate Virtual Router for Production rooms. Or one for engineering to use as an air chain monitor selector. Each has its list of sources. Add a source to the News Mixer Virtual Router, and the router's panels will get an updated list. There is no need to make a list for each panel.

Configuration

Build the Virtual Router

Virtual routers are well-defined in the Pathfinder manuals so that we won’t cover that here. The name of your router is not critical, but knowing the router number is. Here you can see my router, which is called My Router, and it’s router #3

It has eight sources that two News Mixer positions can select.

Build the panel

This is not a graphic design tutorial, but using the controls in the Panel Designer, you can make the panel look any way you want. The panel size, color scheme, position of components, etc., are this way because I created them that way.

For example, labels, list selectors, and meters all look like this without some customization.

The controls used in this example are a gradient meter (you could use a segmented meter) and a List Selector. Drag them to your new panel and position them as desired.

Configure the Meter

The meter is the one component on this panel that will reference the main Axia Audio router. Virtual routers can not supply metering data.

1. Click on the Meter to select it (a magenta box will show you what is selected)

2. Click the IO property in the property section on the right.

3. Find the destination for this panel.  In our example, it is Destination 5 on node 114-0 called News Mixer 1

4. Click to select your destination (line will turn yellow)

   

5. Click Select

6. Click Save to save your work on the panel

Configure the List Selector properties

There are a number of properties that need to be set for the List Selector to behave properly.

listsearchpath

This is the internal path to the Virtual Router creaeted in the previous steps.

Copy and pate the following text into your listsearchpath property. Change the VirtualRouter#3 to match your virutal router number. In our example it’s 3. The sapobjecttype tells it to dispaly only Virtual Sources.

Routers#0.VirtualRouter#3 sapobjecttype=VirtualSource

listsearchdepth

This tells the panel how deep in the Virtual router tree to go to get our sources. Set this to 1.

itemdisplayproperty

This Tells Pathfinder what property we want to display in the list. In our case we display the Name propery. Type Name in this field.

itemselectproperty

This defines what property is retreived once selcted. In our example we want the Id property so type “Id” in this field.

currentvalue

This property gets bound to the CurrentSouce properyt of your Virual Router.

When you click on the curentvalue property, it’s logic flow options display at the bottom.

Double click the input of the logic flow and select the CurrentSource value of the source controlled by the panel. In our example, News Mixer 2.

Next, click on the transaltor portrion of the flow and make sure that “* = *” is the first and only rule in the translator. We want to pass the Id property with NO changes.

hiddenvalues

This is comma separted list where;

• 0 is None.

• -1 is Previous (would select what ever was there last, before this change)

• -3 is OTHER (this woud be displayd if the destination was set manually to somethign not in the virtual router.

sortby

Leave this set to None to have is display in the order listed in teh virtual router.

event/change

This is the property that sends the change when you pick something from the list.

Click the output portion of the logic flow. Select the SAME destination that you did in the currentvalue step from above.

Leave the translator as =* (again, same as current value)

Check your work

Any time you pick something from the list the selected property (the Id) is passed to the currentvalue of the destination in the Virtual Router.