How do I create and import a table for a Play File in BrightAuthor?

Last Updated: October 23, 2015

As of BrightAuthor 4.1, you can export Play File tables directly from a Play File state. Play File tables can also be created in either Notepad or Excel and imported into a Play File state. Remember, Play Files can only include files of the same type (videos, images, or audio); do not include a combination of different media file types in a Play File table.

See the Excel files attached to this FAQ for examples.

Creating a Play File Table

Follow the below steps to create a Play File table:

Notepad

1. Open a plain text editor such as Notepad or TextEdit.
2. For every file that you want to add to your Play File list, type the following information:

    "key,filePath,fileName,videoDisplayMode,label,showInApp"

• key: Specify the key for the file.
• filePath: Specify the file directory path for the media file.
• fileName: Specify the name of the file (including the extension).
• videoDisplayMode: Specify "2D" if the file is a 2D video, image, or audio file. If you are displaying 3D video, specify "3D side-by-side" or "3D top-over-bottom". 
• label: Specify the label for the media file.
• showInApp: Specify "True" if you want the media file to be selectable in the BrightSign App. Otherwise, specify "False".

3. Make sure to include no spaces before or after the commas. 
4. Separate each file with a single return ( i.e. each file must be on its own line).
5. When all files are entered, save the file as .csv by appending ".csv" to the end of the desired filename.
6. Once the file is saved, close the file in the text editing application.

Examples:

• 2D video file: 222,C:\BrightSign Content,spain_1280x720.mp4,2D,Spain,True
• 3D video file:  444,C:\BrightSign Content,earth_1280x720.mov,3D side-by-side,Earth,True 

Excel

1. Open Excel.
2. In column A, enter the keys for all of your files, one key per row.
3. In column B, enter the File Path of all your files, one File Path per row.
4. In column C, enter the File Name of all your files, one File Name per row.
5. In column D, enter "2D" if the file is a 2D video, image, or audio file. If you are displaying 3D video, specify "3D side-by-side" or "3D top-over-bottom".
6. In column E, enter the label for the media file.
7. In column F, enter "True" if you want the media file to be selectable in the BrightSign App. Otherwise, enter "False".
8. In Excel save the file as *.csv (Comma Delimited).
9. Once the file is saved, close the file in Excel.

Adding the Play File Table in BrightAuthor

1. In BrightAuthor, double-click your Play File state (or create a new one).
2. Click Import Table and browse to the .csv file that you created in the above steps.
3. The Files section in BrightAuthor should now be populated with the items from your table.

This screenshot shows an example of a table successfully imported into BrightAuthor.