Content

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Last updated: Dec 11, 2024Version comment
11 min read

Access to the Content tab requires a bsn.Content subscription.

Use the Content tab to add, delete, or move files on your BSN.cloud network. You can also use the Content tab to create BSN.cloud presentation components: Dynamic Playlists, Live Data Feeds (RSS), and Live Media Feeds (MRSS). 

This section has an accompanying tutorial video.

Content Library

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  1. Library: View assets that are part of your BSN.cloud network. The Media directory contains content files (image, video, audio, text) and the Components directory contains other presentation assets (playlists, feeds, plugins, HTML pages).

    1. Click the New folder icon to create a new folder in the specified directory. This option is only available for the Media directory.

  2. Content Tab:

    1. Upload New Media adds new media to your library 

    2. New Component allows you to add a Dynamic Playlist, Tagged Playlist, Live Data Feed, or Live Media Feed; or to upload an HTML site, Node.js app, or script to your library. Note that if you upload an HTML site/Node.js app as a regular website, it will be available in the Presentation tab as media content in the HTML5 widget.

    3. Content Library takes you to the content library

  3. Search: Enter text in the search field to search the folder for a filename

  4. Sort: Use the dropdown list to select a sort criteria. Use the icon to toggle between ascending and descending order.

  5. Properties: Use this pane to view information about a selected item:

    1. Media: Provides information about a media file:

      1. Name: The name of the media file

      2. Media Type: The type of media file ("image", "video", "audio", or "text")

      3. Dimensions: Resolution of the media file

      4. File Size: The size of the file, in kilobytes or megabytes

      5. Upload Date: The date and time the file was uploaded to BSN.cloud

      6. Last Modified: The date and time the file was last modified on the client machine

      7. Thumbnail Image: To enlarge your image or video thumbnail to show more content detail, select the enlarge icon in the top right corner of the thumbnail icon (see the arrow over the thumbnail in the image above).

    2. Component: Provides information about a presentation component:

      1. Name: The name of the component

      2. Type: The type of component ("Dynamic Playlist", "Data Feed", "Media Feed", "Html Site", or "Script")

      3. Size: The size of the component file(s), in kilobytes or megabytes

      4. Creation Date: The date that the component was created on BSN.cloud

      5. Upload Date: The date that the component was uploaded to the BSN.cloud (applicable HTML sites only)

  6. Undock: Select the icon to undock panels from the left or right panes. See Undocking Panels for more information.

  7. Delete: When the lower-right corner of a media file, component, or folder is hovered over, the Delete (trash can) icon will appear. Click the icon to delete that item. A lock icon on an item indicates that it is being used in an active presentation (i.e. a presentation that is assigned to a BSN.cloud group) and cannot be deleted.

Uploading Files

Media Files

To add media files to your BSN.cloud library, navigate to Content > Upload New Media or click the Add Media icon in the Media directory of the Library.

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  1. Choose Files: Select media files from your local machine to upload to BSN.cloud

  2. Properties: View information about the selected media file:

    1. File Name: The name of the media file

    2. File Type: The type of media file ("Image", "Video", "Audio", or "Text")

    3. File Size: The size of the file, in kilobytes or megabytes

    4. Last Modified: The date and time the file was last modified on the client machine

  3. Add content to folder: Change the target BSN.Cloud directory (media file uploads default to the "Media" root-directory folder).

  4. Upload Content: Click this button to upload the selected files.

HTML Site / Node.js App

To upload an HTML site to your BSN.cloud library, navigate to Content > New Component > Upload HTML Site.

All assets for an HTML5 site should be contained in a single folder to ensure that they can be easily selected and uploaded (only include the HTML assets to avoid uploading unrelated items).

  1. Site Name: Enter a name for the HTML site for easy identification in the BSN.cloud library.

  2. Upload as Internal Web Page: Check this box if you want to use the HTML site as a Device Web Page.

  3. Browse to Select Site Index: Select the .html file of the site that you wish to upload.

  4. Upload: Click this button to upload the HTML site (including the index.html file and all assets).

Scripts

To upload a plugin script, navigate to Content > New Component > Upload Script.

 

  1. Browse to Select Script: Select a script file (with a .brs extension) to upload.

  2. Upload: Click this button to upload the HTML site (including the index.html file and all assets).

Dynamic Playlists

Dynamic Playlists allow you to easily update content across multiple presentations on your network. When you modify a Dynamic Playlist, every presentation that includes the Dynamic Playlist receives these changes. This means that a single update can reach numerous presentations. 

Example

You have several groups on your BSN.cloud network playing different presentations based on their location. However, you have a playlist of daily deals you wish to apply to all of your presentations. Instead of updating each presentation individually, you can include a single Dyanmic Playlist in them. When you update the Dynamic Playlist, the changes are broadcast to all your players automatically.

Adding a Dynamic Playlist

To create a Dynamic Playlist, navigate to Content > New Component > Dynamic Playlist or go to the the Components > Dynamic Playlists directory and click the New Dynamic Playlist icon.

When the Create Dynamic Playlist window opens, enter a Name for the Dynamic Playlist and click Create.

Building a Dynamic Playlist

  1. Library: Select a folder containing media files that you wish to add to your Dynamic Playlist.

  2. Assets: Drag and drop media files from the folder into the playlist area to add them to the Dynamic Playlist.

    1. Select All: Click to select all files in the folder. Alternatively, you can hold down shift to select any number of files to drag into the playlist area. Click Clear Selection to clear your multi-selection.

    2. Search: Enter text in the search field to search the folder for a filename.

    3. Sort: Use the dropdown list to select a sort criteria. Use the 

       icon to toggle between ascending and descending order.

    4. Refresh: Click the icon to query the contents of the folder again.

    5. Resize: Use the dropdown menu to change the size of the image thumbnails in the Assets pane.

       

  3. Playlist Area: Edit the playlist order by dragging items to different positions in the playlist. To remove an item from the playlist, hover your cursor over the thumbnail and click the icon when it appears.

  4. Save: Click the icon to save the Dynamic Playlist to your BSN.cloud network or select Save As from the file drop down menu.

  5. Properties: Select a media item to view properties associated with it:

    1. Asset Name: The filename of the media item.

    2. Time On Screen (images only): Specify the amount of time (in seconds) that the image should be displayed before transitioning to the next item.

    3. Volume (videos and audio only): Specify the volume of the media.

    4. Enable Validity Date: Check the box to assign a validity date to the media item. If this box is checked, the file will only be included in the Dynamic Playlist between the specified Start Time/Date and End Time/Date. A playlist item with a validity date will have an icon in the top left to indicate its current status:

      1. The item is not currently included in the Dynamic Playlist because the validity Start Time/Date begins in the future.

      2. The item is currently included in the Dynamic Playlist.

      3. The item is not currently included in the Dynamic Playlist because the validity End Time/Date has passed.

Live Data Feeds

Live Data Feeds allow you to host and update fully functional RSS feeds on BSN.cloud using a simple user interface. You can use Live Data Feeds to populate Live Feed states (as part of a Ticker zone) or modify User Variables. 

Adding a Live Data Feed

To create a Live Data Feed, navigate to Content > New Component > Live Data Feed or go to the Components > Live Data Feeds directory and click the New Live Data Feed icon.

The Create Live Data Feed window will open. Enter a Name for the feed and click Create.

Building a Live Data Feed

  1. Add Item: Click the icon to add an item to the feed.

  2. Move Item: Click and hold the icon to move a feed item to a different position in the feed.

  3. Enter Key: Enter a key for the item.

  4. Enter Value: Enter a value to associate with the key. The Live Feed state displays the value, rather than the key, of each item.

  5. Delete: Click the icon to remove an item from the feed.

  6. Save: Click the icon to save the feed on your BSN.cloud network or select Save As from the file drop down menu.

  7. Properties: Select a feed item to view properties associated with it:

    1. Order: Enter an index number to move the item to a different position in the feed.

    2. Enable Validity Date: Check the box to assign a validity date to the item. If this box is checked, the item will only be included in the Live Data Feed between the specified Start Time/Date and End Time/Date. An item with a validity date will have an icon in the top left to indicate its current status:

      1. The item is not currently included in the Live Data Feed because the validity Start Time/Date begins in the future.

      2. The item is currently included in the Live Data Feed.

      3. The item is not currently included in the Live Data Feed because the validity End Time/Date has passed.

Live Media Feeds

Live Media Feeds allow you to host and update fully functional media RSS (MRSS) feeds using a simple user interface. You can use Live Media feeds to populate Live Feed states or modify User Variables.

Adding A Live Media Feed

To create a Live Media Feed, navigate to Content > New Component > Live Media Feed or go to the Components > Live Media Feeds directory and click the New Live Media Feed icon.

The Create Live Media Feed window will open. Enter a Name for the feed and click Create.

Building a Live Media Feed

  1. Library: Select a folder containing media files that you wish to add to your Live Media Feed.

  2. Assets: Drag and drop media files from the folder into the feed area to add them to the Live Media Feed.

    1. Select All: Click to select all files in the folder. Alternatively, you can hold down shift to select any number of files to drag into the playlist area. Click Clear Selection to clear your multi-selection.

    2. Search: Enter text in the search field to search the folder for a filename.

    3. Sort: Use the dropdown list to select a sort criteria. Use the 

      icon to toggle between ascending and descending order.

    4. Refresh: Click the icon to query the contents of the folder again.

    5. Resize: Use the drop down menu to change the size of the image thumbnails in the Assets pane.

  3. Feed Area: Edit the feed order by dragging items to different positions in the playlist.

  4. Expand: Click the icon to edit information about the feed item:

    1. Title: Enter a key for the item.

    2. Description: Enter a value to associate with the key.

    3. Add Item Data: Click the button to add a custom name/value pair to the item

  5. Move Item: Click and hold the icon to move a feed item to a different position in the feed.

  6. Delete: Click the icon to remove an item from the feed.

  7. Save: Click the icon to save the Live Media Feed to your BSN.cloud network or select Save As from the file drop down menu.

  8. Properties - Media Feed: Displays properties associated with the feed.

    1. Name: The name of the Live Media Feed

    2. TTL: Specify how long the feed will remain on the player (in minutes) before it is refreshed using the source URL.

  9. Properties - Media Feed Item: Displays properties associated with the currently selected media feed item:

    1. Order: Enter an index number to move the item to a different position in the feed. The index begins at 1.

    2. Duration: The amount of time an image is displayed or audio/video file is played. A value of 0 indicates that the image will be displayed continuously.

    3. Enable Validity Date: Check the box to assign a validity date to the item. If this box is checked, the item will only be included in the Live Media Feed between the specified Start Time/Date and End Time/Date. Start Time and End Time assumes the time is entered in UTC timezone (not the local time of the user). An item with a validity date will have an icon in the top left to indicate its current status:

      1. The item is not currently included in the Live Media Feed because the validity Start Time/Date begins in the future.

      2. The item is currently included in the Live Media Feed.

      3. The item is not currently included in the Live Media Feed because the validity End Time/Date has passed.