LeaderPlus v5.x Election Night Checklist
§ IS THE SERVER APPLICATION STARTED ?
§ Reboot the server so SQL gives back RAM to the OS.
§ Are users signed on with the NAME OF THE SERVER showing on the LeaderPlus client main screen?
- Have all the testing vote totals been deleted? (Clear Results/Winners)
§ Start the wire?
§ CHARACTER GENERATOR
1. Is the right port selected?
2. Are you using the correct script? (the file, inf.tab must be in the same directory as the CG script!)
3. Make sure the CG script is being run locally, not over the network.
4. Is the CG# different from your web output client or the cg client dedicated to lower thirds? All CGs ought to have a different CG# !!
5. Is the main CG selected as CG#1 so the talent screen defaults to it and the preview screen sees the pending race?
6. Is Set Air time checked only on the main CG? (#1)
§ WEB INGEST INTERFACE
1. Is the 'election night URL' the same as the test/setup URL? Contact the website webmaster before the election and make sure you have the correct site information.
2. Have you created a list of web files (file drop-down-menu "save web list")
3. Is the web Wire List selected under wire management on the web-polling machine?
4. Is the null modem cable connected and tested?
5. Start the Web wire, making sure the web polling app is sending out one COM port, and wire management is receiving on the other COM port.
§ WEB OUTPUT INTERFACE
1. Does the web interface cg screen have a unique cg#?
2. Have you aired races (air races/cg setupàair races-f10) with zero votes to the web page, to replace the pages you used for testing? ( use htm_race.wir, or the one you modified for your own use)
3. Using htm_race.wir, turn on OUTPUT UPDATES and dedicate that machine to updating the web page with all the races on that screen. The screen can hold 1500 races total.
§ WIRE MANAGEMENT
1. Is the correct wire list specified by the drop-down-menu WIRE LIST?
2. have you made a new Capture File, and clicked the selection for Log Wire? This allows you to create an election night CAP file, and allows you to View Live Wire on election night.
3. Start the wire, dedicating that machine to wire ingest for the entire evening.
**NOTE:Do not monitor wires during the election, it will stop them from being ingested to the database.
4. Is any information being received through the COM port? NOTE that monitoring the port through Port Setup/Monitor On disables wire ingest. Do not monitor wires during the election, unless you believe they are not coming in-it is better to log the wire, and View Live Wire.
5. Have the results been cleared from previous wire testing? (clear results/winners)
§ OTHER HELPFUL HINTS
1. Copy the database elsewhere on the system so you have a fallback.
2. Copy your CG scripts elsewhere on the system so you have a fallback, and copies for the next election.
3. Run the Pre-Election-Analysis. Yes and No candidates may be the same candidate.
4. Create excellent lists. Useful and pertinent lists can be a big help for vote entry, Web output, airing races, touch screen airing races, and viewing races.
5. Use Print Reports to create printouts of: vote entry tally sheets, race titles, race lists, etc.
6. Do extensive CG testing before the night of the election. Test every type of race and every template page to make absolutely sure that the information is flowing to where it needs to be. Errors have occurred from less than adequate testing.
7. Double check that the on-air URL of the web site is the same as the URL you tested with to set up web polling.
8. Train the manual entry people well (keyboard use on RACE RESULTS screen). Change their screen resolution if they need the RACE RESULTS screen to be larger.
9. Remove the talent's ability to update talent notes (Election SetupàUser Profile Setup)
10. If you are using the touch screen option (which does not require a touch screen, a mouse will work) it uses Producer-type lists: make one that meets your needs.
Download this file below...