Layout Sequences

Multiple layouts can be organized and saved as dynamic sequences, i.e. 'layout slideshows'. Each sequence consists of two or more successive layouts, either local or shared. Each layout can be set to stay on the screen for a certain amount of time.

Saved sequences can be exported into a file via main application menu Tools -> Export Settings and then loaded on other workstations via Tools > Import Settings by selecting the Local Resources option.

To create a sequence, click the button near Layout sequences in the resource explorer on the left.

The Create sequence dialog box will appear.

Double-click layouts or drag and drop them to add/remove layouts to/from the sequence. For each layout, pause time can be specified separately; you can add each layout once or multiple times to appear in the sequence. If necessary, use the Search field in the upper-left-hand corner to find a layout by name. It is possible to use both local and shared layouts.

Enter a name for the new sequence and then click Save. The sequence will appear in the resource explorer under Layout sequences; drag and drop it onto the main view area or double-click the name to activate it for the main application window. The sequence will then start automatically; sequence controls will appear above the viewports, allowing you to switch between layouts manually and play/pause; also, the panel will also show the remaining time for the layout that is currently displayed. If there is no connection to the server and shared layouts cannot be loaded, the message on the panel will say "Retrieving layouts"; as soon as the connection is established, the target layout(s) will be displayed.

Click the |< and >| arrows to switch to the previous/next layout immediately; use the pause button to terminate playing.

To edit a sequence, click the button near the sequence name in the resource explorer and select Edit sequence; to remove it from Macula Monitor configuration, select Delete sequence. Note that if you delete or modify the contents of the sequence currently being played, this will not affect current layout slideshow; in order to start the updated sequence version, simply start it again.

Startup Sequence

Any sequence can be set to start automatically when the Macula Monitor application is launched. There are two available setup options:

• for local displays, the startup sequences are defined in the Multidisplay setup

• for video wall displays in Macula Enterprise, the local startup option is disabled, and the startup sequence should be assigned via video wall management

To assign a startup sequence to a local display: while in Live view, click the Multidisplay setup button in the top right corner, then click Advanced to bring up the settings. Select the target window in the list, then choose your desired sequence from the drop-down list.

Macula Enterprise servers also have a video wall feature. In the same dialog box, you have a possibility to assign any display to be a video wall screen. If you do so, the startup layout/sequence setting will be discarded and disabled; to assign a startup item for the video wall display, switch to the Video Wall tab of the Macula Monitor application.

First, select the video wall from the resources panel either by double-clicking it in the Resources panel, or by dragging it from the list onto the upper frame. The video wall thumbnail will appear: click the display you want to set the startup item for and its current contents will appear below.

Drag and drop your desired layout sequence onto the bottom screen part: the sequence will be placed on the video wall screen immediately and you will see a preview. Then, click the menu icon on the upper right corner of the preview and choose Set current layout sequence as startup.

Next time the Macula Monitor application is started on the target video wall display, your selected sequence will start playing automatically. To stop it, select Stop layout sequence from the same menu.