Channel Level Activation

This page describes channel level activation for the assets used in Channels.

The following topics are covered in this section:

• Overview
• Activation Window
• Using Channel Level Activation as a Single Event Playback
• Handling Recurrence for Assets in a Channel
  • DayParting
  • WeekParting
  • MonthParting
  • Combination of Partings
• Using Channel Level Activation as a Single Event Playback

Overview

Channel Level Activation allows the channels to switch after a particular set schedule. The single event channel replaces the main channel after a set schedule and plays for a particular time, until the main channel plays its content again.

The following example provides a solution by focusing on the following key terms:

• a main sequence channel for the global sequence
• a single event channel that runs only once at a set time
• a set schedule and priority for the single playback event that occurs inside the main sequence channel

Activation Window

The following section explains the creation of a single event playback inside a channel for an AEM Screens project.

Prerequisites

Before you start implementing this functionality, please make sure you have the following prerequisites ready to start implementing channel level activation:

• Create an AEM Screens project, in this example, Channel Level Activation

• Create a channel as MainAdChannel under Channels folder

• Create another channel as TargetedSinglePlay under Channels folder

• Add relevant assets to both the channels

The following image shows the Channel Level Activation project with MainAdChannel and TargetedSinglePlay channels in Channels folder.

Implementation

Implementing Channel Level Activation in an AEM Screens project involves three major tasks:

1. Setting up Project taxonomy including Channels, Locations, and Displays
2. Assigning Channels to Display
3. Setting up a Schedule and Priority

Follow the steps below to implement the functionality:

1. Create a Location

   Navigate to your Locations folder in your AEM Screens project and create a location as Region.

   

   NOTE

   To learn how to create a location, please refer to Creating and Managing Locations.

2. Create Display under Location

   1. Navigate to Channel Level Activation > Locations > Region.
   2. Select Region and click + Create from the action bar.
   3. Select Display from the wizard and create a display titled as RegionDisplay.

   

3. Assign Channels to Display

   For MainAdChannel:

   1. Navigate to Channel Level Activation > Locations > Region > RegionDisplay and click Assign Channel from the action bar.
   2. Channel Assignment dialog box opens.
   3. Select Reference Channel… by path.
   4. Select the Channel Path as Channel Level Activation --> Channels --> MainAdChannel.
   5. The Channel Role is populated as mainadchannel.
   6. Select the Priority as 1.
   7. Select the Supported Events as Initial Load and Idle Screen.
   8. Click Save.

   

   NOTE

   You can also assign channel from the display dashboard by navigating to Channel Level Activation --> Locations --> Region --> RegionDisplay and clicking Dashboard from the action bar. Click + Assign Channel from the ASSIGNED CHANNELS & SCHEDULES panel.

   Similarly, assign channel TargetedSinglePlay for display**:

   1. Navigate to Channel Level Activation --> Locations --> Region --> RegionDisplay and click Assign Channel from the action bar.
   2. Channel Assignment dialog box opens.
   3. Select Reference Channel… by path.
   4. Select the Channel Path as Channel Level Activation* --> Channels --> TargetedSinglePlay.
   5. The Channel Role is populated as targetedsingleplay.
   6. Set the Priority as 2.
   7. Select the Supported Events as Initial Load, Idle Screen and Timer, *as shown in the figure below.
   8. Choose the date in active from as November 27, 2018 11:59 pm and in active until as November 28, 2018 12:05 am.
   9. Click Save.
   CAUTION

   You must set the priority for TargetedSinglePlay channel higher than the MainAdSegment channel.

   

   NOTE

   To choose the same day, you have to select the next day and the manually edit the date to the same day but for a later time. This restricts the user from selecting a past date. Please refer to the example below:

   

Viewing the Results

Once you have the set up for channels and display complete, please launch the AEM Screens player to view the content.

The player displays the content of MainAdChannel and exactly at 11:59 pm (as set in the schedule), the TargetedSinglePlay channel will display its content until 12:05 am and then the MainAdChannel will resume playing its content again.

Handling Recurrence for Assets in a Channel

You can schedule assets in a channel to recur at certain intervals on daily, weekly, or monthly basis too as per your requirement.

Suppose you want to display contents of a channel only on Fridays from 1:00 pm until 10:00 pm. You can use the Activation tab to set the desired recurring interval for your asset.

Day Parting

1. Select the channel and click on Dashboard from the action bar to open the channel dashboard.

2. After entering the start date/time and end/date time from the Channel Assignment dialog box, you can use an expression or a natural text version to specify your recurrence schedule.

   NOTE

   You can skip or include the Active from and Active Until fields and add the expression to the Schedules field, as per your requirement.

3. Enter the expression into the Schedule and your asset will display for the particular interval of day and time.

Example Expressions for Day Parting

The following table summarizes few example expressions that you can add to the schedule while assigning channel to a display.

WeekParting

1. Select the channel and click on Dashboard from the action bar to open the channel dashboard.

2. After entering the start date/time and end/date time from the Channel Assignment dialog box, you can use an expression or a natural text version to specify your recurrence schedule.

   NOTE

   You can skip or include the Active from and Active Until fields and add the expression to the Schedules field, as per your requirement.

3. Enter the expression into the Schedule and your asset will display for the particular interval of day and time.

Example Expressions for WeekParting

The following table summarizes few example expressions that you can add to the schedule while assigning channel to a display.

MonthParting

1. Select the channel and click on Dashboard from the action bar to open the channel dashboard.

2. After entering the start date/time and end/date time from the Channel Assignment dialog box, you can use an expression or a natural text version to specify your recurrence schedule.

   NOTE

   You can skip or include the Active from and Active Until fields and add the expression to the Schedules field, as per your requirement.

3. Enter the expression into the Schedule and your asset will display for the particular interval of day and time.

Example Expressions for MonthParting

The following table summarizes few example expressions that you can add to the schedule while assigning channel to a display.

Combination of Partings

1. Select the channel and click on Dashboard from the action bar to open the channel dashboard.

2. After entering the start date/time and end/date time from the Channel Assignment dialog box, you can use an expression or a natural text version to specify your recurrence schedule.

   NOTE

   You can skip or include the Active from and Active Until fields and add the expression to the Schedules field, as per your requirement.

3. Enter the expression into the Schedule and your asset will display for the particular interval of day and time.

Example Expressions for Combination of Partings

The following table summarizes few example expressions that you can add to the schedule while assigning channel to a display.