Powergold NXT Release Notes

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Powergold NXT v25.00.001 (July 15, 2024)

  • Research mapping – You can now automatically map research scores, such as weekly callouts, during imports so that research can be considered for rule-based scheduling. The field-level function code that supports this can be used for other custom mapping purposes too.
  • Song copy from source – Two new features have been added to the Library’s mass change menu that allow you to easily copy data from one song to another. You can select what data is to be copied.  The primary purpose of this handy feature is to make it faster and easier to maintain different versions of the same song.  You can even have Powergold automatically copy to related (history linked) songs.
  • Directive command position lock – Directive commands in the schedule editor can now optionally be locked so they remain in their original position when flipping songs. The new directive command lock options are located in the Flip options in the schedule editor.
  • Suggest just got even smarter – The Powergold NXT Suggest tool now supports filtering by priority/severity. This means you can now control the maximum allowed priority the Suggest tool will recommend.
  • The custom song field editor has been redesigned and supports the new “song copy from source” feature
  • The property editor in Format Control has been upgraded to support the new “song copy from source” feature.
  • Added a new performance report called “Australia – APRA Specific Dates”. This APRA report supports the use of a user-defined date range.
  • Added a new maintenance code that allows a reset of all song play counts based on history currently stored in the database.
  • Powergold NXT’s Master Replace now supports triggering the digital audio player using the middle mouse button. If you need this functionality, your Powergold support representative can enable this feature for you.
  • Upgraded both “Germany – GEMA” performance reports to always use exact duration when available.
  • Fixed a bug where the link to Powergold NXT release notes was not working from within the Powergold Help menu.
  • The Powergold NXT Suggest tool now supports sorting on the song Total Plays field.
  • Added a new schedule replace option called “Replace by SAME artist”. This is available as a direct menu link and also as an option in Master Replace.
  • The scheduler “unschedule position” feature now supports multi-select.
  • The spin report is, by default, sorted by spins. However, you can now sort spin reports by title, which is useful for title analysis reports.
  • Fixed a bug when creating a new song via the song copy tool, when also using auto-generate Map1 number, where a CoNX API notification was not generated for the new song.
  • Fixed a bug when exporting to automation using a delimited or CSV format when using a NEWLINE where it would output an extra delimiter before and/or after the NEWLINE.

Powergold NXT v24.02.000 (October 6, 2023)

  • Master Replace! –All replace and insert tools have been replaced with a powerful new concept that lets you perform any of the replace/insert types more easily.
    • All replaces/inserts now use a single window for consistency and ease of use.
    • Two additional new tools are available: Auto-Suggest Replacement, and Auto-Suggest Insert.
    • You can change the replace/insert type on-the-fly, without having to close the window to trigger a different type.
    • All replace/insert tools support every option. This means unprecedented control over the way you wish to view your data, including various sort options, etc.
    • All replace/insert types can now suggest replacements, organize the results by perfect, violating, or all, and can even sort by severity.
    • You can open the new replace/insert window and choose the type of replace from there (and it will remember the last type used). Or you can use a direct link (or a shortcut) to jump directly to the type of replace you wish.  For example, shortcut A still takes you directly to artist replace.
  • Introducing Powergold Beacon! – Powergold Beacon is a powerful new feature that provides real-time communication between different users’ scheduling sessions in a multi-user environment. Beacon lets users immediately know when other users are making changes and even provides alerts against titles and artists scheduled by other users.  Beacon is fully integrated into Powergold.  Powergold Beacon is available at no additional charge to all Powergold users…ask your Powergold representative for Powergold Beacon today!
  • Schedule Live Save! – The scheduler now has live save. This means the scheduler now immediately saves editing changes and immediately releases any locks.  This is great in a multi-user environment and it also enables better integration with the CoNX API.
  • Impact Analysis! – You can now add a brand-new workspace window to your schedule editor called “Violation Summary/Impact Analysis”. This new tool provides a real-time view of your violation summary for the whole day, and it also can be used to see the immediate impact of changes you are making on the rest of the day.  It also shows Beacon Alerts and indicates hours with unbreakable violations (those hours are in red).
  • New schedule display columns! – Added a bunch of new schedule display columns, all of which are live (meaning they change dynamically as you edit your schedule).
    • Beacon Alerts – Visually indicates if the item has Beacon Alerts.
    • Unscheduled Position – Visually indicates if the position is unscheduled.
    • Indicator Graphics – Visually indicates if a position has been modified (replaced/inserted/moved) and/or if a position is recycled, is a fallback, or is a forced song position from your clock. The original “Flags” column has been renamed to “Indicator Colors” to better indicate its function and to match the naming convention used for the new column.
    • Violation – All – Shows a graphical representation of all of the violations for a position.
    • Violation – Highest Priority – Visually indicates this highest priority violation of a position.
    • Violation – Highest Priority/Total Count – Visually indicates if positions have violations by showing the highest priority violation, its severity, and a total count of all violations.
    • Violation – Priorities – Shows all of the priorities of any violations for the position.
    • Violation – Summary – Summarizes all of the violations of a position by priority and count per priority.
  • Schedule Workspaces! – New schedule editor workspace defaults and options are now available. The old workspace defaults are now replaced by new workspaces that take better advantage of modern resolution displays.  If you have any custom workspaces they will not be affected, but you should still check out the new workspace defaults and new workspace windows/tools that are now available.  All workspaces are now completely user-customizable, including default workspaces.  Check out the new workspaces and tools!
  • You can now optionally associate a schedule display with a workspace. This way the display will automatically switch when you switch workspaces.  This is very handy if you have different layouts for different tasks.
  • The scheduler violation summary has been upgraded with more functionality and better graphics. It now shows Beacon Alerts and also indicates hours that have unbreakable violations (those hours are red).
  • The background color choices for schedule display columns are no longer limited, you can set any color you like.
  • Implemented many user interface improvements in the schedule editor and related tools. Colors and graphics are updated and are used consistently throughout the user interface.  Many toolbars and menus have been improved.  When display columns display graphics, it used to be that if the row height was too small (because the font was too small) that the graphic would not draw since it would not fit.  Now graphics scale to fit and draw regardless of the font size/row height.  The schedule display column defaults are updated and are now consistent across all columns and fields.  And more…
  • The schedule editor move/relocate tool now indicates visually when in move mode and makes it clear the button can be clicked to cancel the move.
  • The schedule display editor default font settings were still global, they are now set per-user.
  • Event Packages used to share a window with Peek. Event Packages now has its own tab so it is easier to locate.  Also, the Event Package toolbar has been reordered a bit to make it more intuitive.
  • Peek, Event Package, and history grid toolbars now automatically wrap to a new line if there is not enough horizontal space for it to fit all buttons/controls.
  • When triggering the digital audio player in the scheduler, there is no longer a progress screen with a progress bar. It is so fast it is not necessary.
  • Fixed a bug with the replace by clipboard tool. It would incorrectly be disabled if the only items in the clipboard were non-music events.
  • Added a prompt when the user tries to copy from a song list into the shared schedule clipboard. The prompt lets the user know this is not allowed rather than silently doing nothing.
  • Improved schedule display performance, as well performance while drag/drop reordering schedule positions.
  • Fixed a few bugs.
  • Fixed an issue where the schedule editor paste-replace options were disabled when in single-select mode.
  • Fixed a bug when paste-replacing from the clipboard when multiple items are selected.
  • Fixed an old bug where when an unschedule operation is cancelled, the locks were not visibly updated.
  • Fixed an old bug where you could not flip two positions that were the exact same song.
  • Fixed an issue where when creating a schedule and using fallbacks, the new schedule would open to a position other than the top of the 12am hour.
  • Fixed an obscure bug in the Library. If the history grid was showing and you selected a song that has no history (no plays), it would take a long time for the history grid to update.  This has been corrected and it is now instantaneous.
  • Fixed some old bugs in the schedule editor that would occasionally be reported.
  • Added some user interface improvements.
  • Updated our soft and hard minimum display resolutions. This allows Powergold more room for more intuitive and efficient user-interface layouts.
  • Fixed a bug that causes some date range based FlexNotes to not print when printing a log.
  • Fixed some very old elusive bugs that could cause some errors in the schedule editor when there are multiple users.
  • Added some new function codes to automation for even more flexible customizations.

Powergold NXT v23.00.000 (June 30, 2023)

  • Introducing Automatic Burn! – Powergold has replaced the Folder kicks functionality with a new, and much more powerful, feature called Automatic Burn. Automatic Burn is a 24/7 grid that allows you to specify when, and how many, songs to burn to achieve your perfect rotation pattern.  Automatic Burn also lets you specify different burn for each clock grid/folder.
  • New Layout Analysis! – The Powergold Layout Analysis tool has been completely rewritten and is better than ever. It is faster, smarter, more intuitive, supports multi-select, has interactive rotation alerts, and has brand new tools to help make analysis easier.
  • The scheduler now supports multi-select! – The Powergold Scheduler now supports multi-select. This makes editing operations such as deletes, copy/paste moves, etc. much easier.  Try new multi-select support by turning it on via the switch at the top of the Scheduler.
  • The Scheduler and Library copy/paste menus have been completely redone and include new options to take advantage of new multi-select capabilities. The clipboard menus in the Scheduler and Library now feature similar functionality and use the same keyboard shortcuts.  Some of the keyboard shortcuts for copy/paste operations were changed to match standard Windows behavior, so be sure to check those out.  The copy/paste operations are now more logical and easier to use.
  • The Scheduler clipboard is now the Schedule/Library clipboard. Support has been extended across both areas as a shared clipboard.  The clipboard viewer/editor has lots of new functionality.  Be sure to check it out.
  • The new copy menu in the Library has additional new functionality that was not available in the Library before.
  • Removed the basket feature because it became redundant with the new clipboard functionality. The new clipboard does everything that basket could do, and more.
  • The Scheduler and Library have a new display column called “History Link Master Version” that indicates if the item is a master version.
  • The “History Link” column in the Scheduler and Library now visually indicates if the item is a master version.
  • The Library has a new display column called “Date Added To Folder” that shows the date the song was most recently added to the folder.
  • The Library display editor has been upgraded, improved, and now also includes a filter/search to help you quickly locate fields for display.
  • When you edit a Library display, you no longer lose your column widths.
  • When you edit a Scheduler display, you no longer lose your column widths.
  • Commands now have much longer length title and hard disk location fields.
  • Traffic commands now have much longer length description and file number fields. This means you no longer have to worry about those values truncating while doing a traffic merge when your traffic items have unusually long descriptions and file numbers.
  • The traffic command editor user interface received several upgrades.
  • The database create/connection tool now has options to search for available SQL Servers and databases.
  • Added three more automation special function codes that allow transformations of your automation output.
  • Improved the hour jump tool at the bottom of the log editor. It can now jump to the hour even if the tool already shows that hour as the current one.  This is useful in multi-select mode because it allows you to navigate away from your item selection(s) and return to the hour.
  • Fixed a bug with the Song Movement History when a user has been deleted from the database.
  • Fixed a bug in the replace by clipboard feature where the clipboard items would not appear in the replace screen.
  • Improved the special codes user interface in Powergold settings.
  • Fixed a bug in schedule merge setup where the plug-in path would not save under certain circumstances.
  • Fixed some bugs when inserting traffic and time indicator commands into a schedule from clipboard, event packages, and schedule peek.
  • Fixed an old issue where occasionally Library keyboard shortcuts could fail to work properly.
  • Lots of user-interface improvements.
  • The database was upgraded to support the latest version of the Powergold CoNX API.
  • Powergold can now notify external systems of song additions, edits, and deletes via the Powergold CoNX API.
  • Powergold can now notify external systems of schedule changes via the Powergold CoNX API.
  • Fixed a minor issue in the folder editor where the Analysis button was not automatically opening to the selected folder.
  • Fixed a minor issue where a couple of search screens would sometimes not remember their search/filter operator selection.
  • Fixed an error message that would appear if you tried to add a property exclusion to a category when the property exclusion already exists.
  • Improved the performance when adding lots of property exclusions to a category.
  • Added an automatic purge for CoNX API change notifications that were never consumed.
  • You now must change the reconcile and merge formats in their respective editors. The ability to change them on-the-fly sometimes caused users to accidentally change the formats unintentionally.
  • Fixed a bug in the artist editor separation control where it was not drawing the severity indicators correctly.
  • Fixed an old bug where sometimes the folder recycle grid did not save correctly.
  • The database create tool is now smarter, and also it drops the newly created database automatically if there were problems during the creation.

Powergold NXT v22.12.002 (May 22, 2023)

  • Powergold can now ignore playout substitution fields when using the song copier tool.
  • It is now possible to rename a database connection from the Powergold logon screen. This works for both local and shared connections.
  • Automatic import now supports multiple templates. This means you can now configure Powergold to synchronize with multiple third-party sources automatically.
  • The reconcile feature can now automatically fix incoming reconcile data that is not in the correct time-based chronological order.
  • Fixed a bug with property assignments after performing a music exchange import.
  • Fixed a problem with the schedule merge report when there are failed merge positions.
  • Fixed a bug with the user interface for install-level special codes.
  • Fixed a bug when deleting a clock group.
  • Optimized the schedule replace tool. It now opens faster for regular replaces, and it opens up to twice as fast for Suggest operations.
  • Some user interface clean-up and improvements.
  • Cloud-licensing now logs the event if there is a connection failure.
  • Added a maintenance code to allow admins to purge all schedules from the database.
  • Added a new feature called user-level special codes. This allows the customization of Powergold behavior on a per-user basis.
  • Added a user-level special code that allows specific admins to change a song’s Map1 number from within Powergold.
  • Admin users who have the ability to modify Map1 numbers get a notification if performing a mass change that affects Map1 numbers.
  • The license expire date is now displayed in the Powergold About screen.
  • When a song is modified, Powergold NXT can now notify external systems via the Powergold CoNX API.
  • Made several database updates to support the latest version of the Powergold CoNX API.
  • The Powergold installer has been updated with the latest drivers.

Powergold NXT v22.11.001 (July 22, 2022)

  • The library sorting functionality has been completely rewritten to focus on better performance and more intelligent sorting. Sort functionality is now even faster and it handles columns with mixed data types (like numbers and text) intelligently and intuitively.  It also corrects some very old sorting bugs that a handful of fields (columns) occasionally encountered.  Even more advanced sorting functionality is coming in upcoming releases so keep an eye out for more good stuff.
  • The schedule editor and printed music logs now support a new field/column called “Music Numbering”. This provides a music position count within each hour.
  • When playout substitution is enabled for schedule reconciling, the playout substitution directive command is now optionally retained after the reconcile.
  • When disabling automatic generation of schedule rule statistics in the schedule editor, it now offers to purge all existing schedule rule statistics data. This can be useful if the data is no longer needed and you want to remove it immediately, rather than waiting for automated maintenance to eventually purge it.
  • Microsoft updated some of the SQL Server 2019 installer components. This caused the Powergold NXT Configurator to require some manual intervention to install SQL Server.  This is now resolved.
  • Added support for edit notifications so that Powergold NXT can now notify external systems via the CoNX API when changes are made within Powergold.
  • Fixed a bug that prevented setting of custom colors to the workflow manager’s user-defined statuses.
  • Added a new “Music Stop Limit” feature that can stop the automatic scheduler from scheduling more music items in an hour once a user-defined threshold has been met. This is useful in several different scenarios.  For example, it can be used to limit a clock (an hour) to 45 minutes of music, regardless of the category call count, to ensure that a top 500 countdown never has positions dropped in an hour.
  • Some automation/clock setups require DHHN substitution to reduce user workload. Previously this was supported via a Powergold plug-in.  This is now natively supported in automation outputs using a new function code.
  • The Powergold NXT Configurator has received major updates to make it even more flexible. For example, it now supports SQL Server static ports natively.  It also no longer requires a reboot after installing and configuring SQL Server.  Collation defaults (server and database) are now automated and smarter, and you can override and specify a collation should the need arise (rare).  Collations are mostly an advanced topic that normal users never have to think about, much less modify.  But the advanced functionality is now there if needed.  Lots of other improvements were made too.
  • Fixed an old bug in the library display code dealing with the display column header.

Powergold NXT v22.10.002 (February 24, 2022)

  • Added a new feature called Powergold Exchange (PEX). This cool new feature is used to transfer data from one Powergold NXT database to another using PEX files.  With subsequent releases, more and more areas will support Powergold Exchange.  This version includes the following exchanges:
    • Import templates can now be shared across different databases using Powergold Exchange.
    • Automation templates can now be shared across different databases using Powergold Exchange.
  • Made some updates to the tool used to convert the older generation of Powergold to Powergold NXT.
  • Added some updates to support new Powergold CoNX API functionality.
  • Upgraded the create new database tool.
  • The backup tool now has backup compression options that can be adjusted on the “backup to user-specified location” screen. This new setting lets you override the default compression setting used elsewhere in Powergold.
  • Added some automated tests to ensure that certain SQL Server settings are correct.
  • Added additional useful information to the database connection properties screen. Also added some additional details to the logon and about screens.
  • Changed the way that very old versions of Powergold upgrade.
  • Network Optimized Mode is now enabled by default, and there are now user-accessible settings for it in the main Powergold settings screen.
  • Any commands that have invalid characters in the description (from a very old bug fixed long ago) are now automatically corrected during the upgrade.
  • Upgraded the Powergold NXT Configurator to support more environments. Removed the requirement to reboot after running the Configurator.
  • Fixed a minor bug where an automation header or footer could sometimes end up with an extra blank line at the end.

Powergold NXT v22.08.002 (February 3, 2022)

  • Upgraded the Powergold NXT Configurator to support more environments.

Powergold NXT v22.08.001 (January 28, 2022)

  • Added versioning details to the connection properties screen.
  • Improved the accuracy when Powergold is determining if SQL Server is local or remote. This makes some tools, such as the backup tool, easier to use.

Powergold NXT v22.08.000 (January 25, 2022)

  • Added support for automatically importing audio XML data from Omniplayer.
  • Fixed a bug where the case sensitive flags for two of the new import function codes were reversed.
  • Added a new group/type of import function code that supports file headers.
  • Added a new import function code that supports customized source data, such as custom XML source data.
  • The import template editor has always had overlay mode, which makes it easier to do field mapping by using an actual import data sample. Overlay is now even smarter because:
    • In the past, template-level function codes were not supported in overlay. Now overlay mode fully supports template-level function codes.  This means you can now see the results of plug-ins and other function codes right there in the template editor overlay.
    • The overlay knows to clear itself (so the user can reload it) when function codes or number of header lines change. This is important since a change to a function code, for example, can now actually be reflected in overlay mode.
  • The Powergold NXT Configurator can now be used in an environment where downloading install files over the internet is not an option.

Powergold NXT v22.07.000 (January 14, 2022)

  • Added two more automation template output field choices to add support for 12-hour format start times in automation data. This is not common, but a few automation systems support 12-hour formats.
  • Added two powerful new function codes to import templates. These add advanced customizable replacements to be performed on incoming data so that it can be transformed or reformatted.  For example, you can use this so artist separation created during an import can automatically separate incoming artists for more accurate separations.  For example, you can tell it to automatically treat incoming artists separated by “feat.”, “featuring”, and “ft.” as separate artists for artist separation purposes.  Or you can perform any replacement operations on any import line or even just parts of import lines.
  • Added a new function code to import templates that allows you to specify which incoming lines to ignore and which incoming lines to import, based on user-defined criteria.
  • Fixed a bug that was introduced in the last release that would cause all fields (even non-applicable ones) to show up in the automation template output field selection screen.
  • Updated the wording of the dialog that is presented when importing a schedule snapshot from another database.

Powergold NXT v22.06.002 (December 21, 2021)

  • The clock note editor now has the ability to save and load print settings for individual notes via print settings templates.
  • Optimized the history grid that is used in places such as the Library. It is now even faster than before.
  • Made some improvements to the tools used to convert data from the prior generation of Powergold to Powergold NXT.
  • The automation interface template designer now has advanced searching and filtering on all field selection screens. This makes it much faster to locate the specific field you need to add to the template.
  • Fixed a minor bug where the number of clocks counter temporarily did not update after adding or removing a clock in the clock editor.
  • Added a special function to allow duplication of all clocks. This is useful for reformatting or experimentation purposes, for example.
  • Fixed a very old, obscure bug where if an automation command description field had multiple blank lines in a row it could cause issues loading schedule snapshots.
  • Upgraded schedule snapshots so that they are more portable. This means that they can still be imported as “from this database” even if you move the database or rename it.  Also, there is no longer any need to distinguish between snapshot files “from this database” or “not from this database” because Powergold now automatically detects this and reacts accordingly.

Powergold NXT v22.05.001 (December 1, 2021)

  • Added the APRA Summary performance report.
  • Saved schedule highlights can now be copied to other Powergold users in your database. Also made some user interface improvements to some of the schedule highlight screens.
  • Library displays can now be copied to other Powergold users in your database.
  • Schedule editor displays can now be copied to other Powergold users in your database.
  • The library display editor now has a “save as” option.
  • The schedule editor display editor now has a “save as” option.
  • Upgraded the OmniPlayer XML output to the new specification.
  • Saved schedule highlights are now converted to Powergold NXT when a database is converted from the prior generation of Powergold.
  • Added a new special mode to the mass changer to aid with system migrations or customizations when changes to the Map1 field must be performed.
  • Some back-end improvements to better support the Powergold API.
  • Added a new option to reconcile setup that allows Powergold to compensate for reconcile streams that contain data from the prior date.
  • Added support to the text import to allow song entry date to be updated on existing songs (previously the text import only supported entry date import for new songs).

Powergold NXT v22.03.000 (October 13, 2021)

  • The text import and automatic import templates now have a new milliseconds mask option to support incoming song durations in milliseconds.
  • Fixed a bug that could cause some replace searches to return some incorrect results.

Powergold NXT v22.02.001 (September 16, 2021)

  • For well over two years now, Powergold SQL has been powering some of the world’s most premier stations. During this time it has been battle-tested in some of the most challenging conditions, such as heavy multi-user environments, and remote working as people transitioned to working from home.  Powergold SQL has become the undisputed performance and reliability leader in all networking conditions.  We are happy to announce that now Powergold SQL (in the newly released Powergold NXT) is available to the most important station around…YOURS!  Now you can experience the fastest, most intuitive music scheduling system available, with unparalleled reliability and uptime.  Contact your Powergold representative today to schedule your upgrade.
  • Powergold NXT can now optionally zip (compress) your backup files to make sharing or transporting them much easier. Note that if your SQL Server supports backup compression natively then there is no need for Powergold’s zip compression.  Express editions of SQL Server do not support backup compression natively, so this new Powergold option is ideal for those users.  But even SQL Servers that support native backup compression may have it disabled by network administrators.  In such a case the Powergold zip option is very useful.
  • You can now open your backup location directly from the Powergold NXT logon screen. This makes it even easier to locate a backup for sharing with a colleague, consultant, or your Powergold representative.
  • Millisecond precision fields were previously displayed as milliseconds. This means that 5 seconds would be displayed (and entered) as 5000 milliseconds.  Many users liked millisecond precision, but did not care for entering or viewing the data that way.  So now these fields are displayed (and entered) in s.zzz format.  That means that 5 seconds is entered as 5, and 3 seconds and 45 milliseconds is entered as 3.045.  The following fields use this new format:
    • Intro 1
    • Intro 2
    • Intro 3
    • Cue in
    • Fade
  • Visual changes and improvements to coordinate with the new Powergold NXT branding.
  • Royalty reporting can now exclude tracks that are over a certain age at the time of play. This is useful to save costs since in some regions music over a certain number of years in age are out of copyright.  This is now enabled in the “Australia – APRA Quarterly” report.
  • You can now control how FlexNotes are output to automation (either before or after the position).
  • Added scrollbars to the automation command editor description field.
  • You can now include directive commands in printed music logs.
  • You can now include exact duration in printed music logs.
  • Song lists now can be viewed in schedule peek, which means you have all of the peek features available (drag/drop into your schedule, etc.). You can easily add a song list to an existing event package, or you can open a song list as an event package.
  • Improved the performance of several areas when dealing with large song lists, large event packages, or when the number of matches on a search is large:
    • Schedule replace by song list
    • Schedule replace by saved library filter
    • Schedule replace by title
    • Schedule replaces by artist and artist display text
    • Schedule replace by composer
    • Schedule replace by property
    • Schedule replace by history link
    • Schedule replace by history
    • Schedule replace by new music
    • Schedule replace by keyword
    • Schedule replace by clipboard
    • Schedule replace by basket
    • Displaying of large event packages
  • The clock editor can now open the directive command screen with less mouse clicks.
  • Changes to song lists in the Library will now automatically trigger the schedule editor to update itself to reflect the changes.
  • When you are in the saved library filter editor, you can now automatically create a song list directly from the matches of the filter.
  • You can now choose to display a voice tracking column in the Schedule Editor and Library. This column indicates if the song has an intro or outro, or both, if intro or outro rotation/random is enabled for the song.  In other words, it indicates if the song is eligible for voice tracking on automation output.
  • Upgraded the Powergold NXT Configurator so that it works properly on a domain-based network.
  • The help system now takes the user directly to the online Powergold Knowledge Base.
  • In the Library, the move up/down and flip options now correctly disabled if multiple items are selected.
  • Updated the EULA.
  • Fixed a minor bug in the library when reordering items that would cause the status bar to not update sometimes.
  • Fixed a bug where customized colors in a color selection dialog were not saved.

v21.08.002 (August 3, 2021)

  • Powergold NXT now supports restoring a backup directly from the logon screen.
  • Powergold NXT now comes with a powerful new tool called Powergold NXT Configurator. This automates the initial setup of Powergold’s database engine (SQL Server) and server environment.  For example, it can install Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Express (which is free), configure it, create your database, configure your connection, and it can even enable network access to your SQL Server if required.
  • Powergold NXT now supports single sign-on (SSO). If enabled, this means users no longer have to enter their username and password to enter a Powergold database.  Powergold will know who the user is based on their Windows Authentication.
  • Added a powerful new feature called Playout Substitution. This allows you to easily direct (both in clocks and schedules) that the playout system should instead play a specific alternate version of a track, such as an edit version.  The real power of this new feature is that the alternate versions do not have to exist in the Powergold database.  This makes data entry easier and makes library management much simpler.  Powergold also understands how to handle these substitutions when it is time to reconcile so that you don’t lose what happened on-air, and your reporting remains accurate.
  • The directive command editor (in the schedule editor and clock editor) has been rebuilt and upgraded. It is now easier to use and is compatible with the new playout substitution feature.
  • The directive command editor (in the clock and schedule editors) and the exact duration editor (in the schedule editor) both no longer auto-advance to the next position after clicking OK and closing the editor. That behavior was confusing sometimes, so now it just stays on the selected position.
  • Fixed an issue where the schedule editor was not automatically saving when choosing the main toolbar option to send the current hour or day to automation. It now saves first so that the user does not have remember to manually save.
  • It is now possible to create a new database from the logon screen.
  • Powergold’s database connection tool now supports a new authentication method called Powergold Authentication. If this is configured on your SQL Server, then this can be used to more easily configure your connections without the need for knowing the connection username/password.
  • Updated/improved the migration tool used when moving from the prior generation of Powergold to Powergold NXT.
  • Updated some components of the logon screen.
  • Improved the automation special function code “FC006_API_RADIOMAX” and renamed it to “FC006_API_PG_SCHEDREADY”. Also added new functionality and a new parameter format.  These changes better support the Powergold API when interfacing with different systems since they allow Powergold to notify external systems that schedules are ready for import via HTTP POST.
  • Fixed a bug with one of the Powergold API functions.
  • Fixed some minor typos in some captions.
  • Powergold’s powerful and unique VPN/WAN Optimized Mode has been renamed to Network Optimized Mode.
  • Improved the performance and functionality of deleting a large selection of songs from the library. It is now a little faster and, more importantly, if the user presses cancel then it will stop the process and undo all of the deletes performed up to that point.
  • On the Powergold settings screen there is a new option to automatically populate the “Server-accessible backup location” setting based on the SQL Server’s default backup location. This makes setting up backup and restore capability that much easier.

v21.05.003 (June 10, 2021)

  • Spin reports have been greatly enhanced with the ability to now work from saved library filters. This offers an incredible amount of flexibility.
  • Powergold now has API support for the MusicTrace research system. This means Powergold now offers built-in native support for automatically receiving research updates for music from MusicTrace via the internet.
  • Fixed a bug with several command editors that could allow an invalid character to enter the command description (which could cause issues with things like schedule snapshots).
  • Fixed a minor bug where the graphic used to indicate a schedule position type might be temporarily incorrect after inserting a non-music position.
  • Added more options to the importer to better support various API operations.
  • Added the Australian APRA report to the list of built-in performance reports.
  • When adding or removing a large number of property ignores to a category it was very slow. It is now very fast.
  • The priority sliders on all rule editors were only mouse accessible. Now they are also keyboard accessible.
  • Fixed a bug where some unused rules, if enabled, could cause an error message in the schedule editor.
  • Fixed an issue with several command editor description fields that could allow an invalid character to be used.
  • Added a dedicated reconcile option for PlayoutONE.
  • Fixed a bug in the NexGen special function code used in automation templates.
  • Added new functionality to, and fixed several bugs with, Powergold API functionality.
  • Optimized some more areas for improved speed, such as when deleting a song.
  • Spin reports now indicate when a user chooses to limit the report to the current selection in the Library.

v21.04.002 (November 9, 2020)

21.04.002 – 2020-11-09

  • Improved the performance of the automated purge/maintenance routines that occur weekly in the schedule editor.
  • Improved the performance of automated quick notes maintenance.
  • Improved the performance of automated traffic maintenance.
  • Fixed a bug in the clock element selector where the traffic item list would show the traffic ID in addition to the traffic title.
  • Improved the performance of automated song title maintenance.
  • Fixed a very rare bug that could allow traffic still used in a clock layer to be purged. This was likely never encountered since traffic is generally not hard-coded into clocks.
  • Improved the performance of the scheduler option that resets schedule positions in the currently selected date to current folder assignments.

21.04.001 – 2020-11-06

  • Added a new screen that allows a user to view performance monitor results.
  • Fixed an issue that could sometimes cause a folder to have to automatically reorder itself after scheduling or unscheduling when the folder has packets when percent back is used.
  • Fixed an issue that might cause the system log purge screen to say no selection has been made.
  • Fixed an issue that might cause the interface to not properly disable during certain non-modal operations.
  • The automatic schedule merge and automatic reconcile screens now sort dates in ascending order.

21.04.000 – 2020-10-28

  • Added a powerful new feature called Schedule Merge. This replaces the older history merge feature in legacy versions of Powergold, but Schedule Merge offers much more functionality and is also easier to use.  Schedule Merge is powerful feature that allows a user to merge items (music and non-music) into a Powergold schedule.  The merge items can be from a variety of sources and can be shared with one or more Powergold stations.  Schedule Merge is very flexible and offers a range of different merge types and configurations.
  • Fixed a rare bug when scheduling a packet.
  • Various minor user interface updates and useability improvements.
  • Simplified some of the main menu options. Reconcile and schedule merge now always open to the date loaded in the schedule editor (if applicable).  Also, after running a reconcile or schedule merge the currently loaded schedule now always automatically updates itself to show any changes.
  • Improved areas where a date must be selected from a calendar component so that they are more accessible to users with different accessibility requirements. Areas include:
    • Schedule create screen
    • Preschedule screen
    • Schedule status screen
    • Schedule snapshot manager (snapshot date selection and purge feature)
    • Extension report date prompt
    • Schedule peek date selection
    • Schedule duration report
    • Reconcile date selection
    • Reconcile report date selection
    • Schedule rule statistics screen
    • Schedule merge date selection
  • The default dynamic web links for Spotify were updated to the new format implemented by Spotify. The new defaults only apply when creating new web links.  Existing web links need to be modified manually to the new format.  This is very simple to do.  If you need assistance please contact your Powergold support representative.
  • Fixed a bug with schedule rule statistics not loading if there is a language locale settings mismatch between the OS and SQL Server.

v21.03.000 (October 5, 2020)

  • Added a powerful history mass change tool to the schedule editor. This allows a user to perform widespread replacements, unschedules, or deletes very quickly and easily.
  • Quadrupled the length of the dira! store strings in the dira! interface setup.
  • Improved the accuracy of millisecond calculations when synchronizing take data using the dira! interface.

v21.02.003 (September 27, 2020)

  • Various minor user interface updates.
  • The dira! interface now has automatic triggering of music synchronization.
  • The dira! interface initialization procedures now participate in the performance monitor.

v21.02.002 (September 23, 2020)

  • Lots of updates to schedule snapshots. You can now restore schedule snapshots much easier than before with new “restore snapshot” options.
  • You can now view a schedule snapshot on-the-fly in the schedule snapshot manager.
  • Fixed a bug when saving some history grids to file that would cause an error message to appear.
  • The schedule rule statistics calendar has been updated to a new look with new functionality.
  • Added more reports and analysis to Report Central.
  • The date selection dialog now uses the new calendar style. It can also indicate which dates have been scheduled.
  • Various minor fixes and improvements.

v21.02.001 (September 14, 2020)

21.02.001 – 2020-09-14

  • Various minor fixes and improvements.
  • Music exchange now offers complete control over matching logic.  A new dropdown lets the user choose how and when automatic and manual matching should occur.
  • Several areas were upgraded and now offer the same standardized set of schedule view/preview options as well as date selection calendars/lists:
    • Schedule load screen
    • Music log printing screen
    • Snapshot database manager
    • Reconcile activity reporting
    • Automatic reconcile screen
    • Reconcile screen
  • Powergold can now optionally create a snapshot of the schedule before each reconcile operation.  This snapshot can be used for reference or even for undoing reconcile changes.

21.02.000 – 2020-09-08

  • Various minor fixes and improvements.
  • Even more items now log to the system log:
    • Powergold now keeps a history or user logins/logouts
    • Database upgrades
    • Program upgrades
    • Manual system log purges
    • Generation of admin codes
    • Session flags
    • Detailed song deletion reports
  • Powergold SQL used to require a shared working directory for each database.  This is no longer the case as Powergold now stores in the database all items that used to be written to the working directory.  This greatly simplifies setup, is more reliable, makes databases more portable, allows the data to be backed up with the database, and prevents files from becoming out of sync due to a database restore.  It also ensures that all system reports are available to all users from a centralized location.
    • There are now several new reports added to Report Central:  Import/update reports, traffic reports, history merge reports, and export reports.
    • When a user, or the system, chooses to save data to file, Powergold now defaults to saving to a dedicated “Powergold SQL\User Files” directory on each local computer (located in a Powergold directory in My Documents).
    • Many areas that used to require a separate defined reporting directory now use the database for storage.  This means there is no longer a need to define a shared report directory in setup.  This applies to areas such as:  The dira! interface setup, D’accord interface setup, Radiomax interface setup, reconciling, snapshots.
  • Reconcile activity reports are now stored within the database so the reconcile activity reports screen has been updated accordingly.
  • Snapshots now store in the database by default.  But there is still an option to create a snapshot to file on demand if desired, and it is possible to save any snapshot stored in the database to file if needed.  Also, snapshot setup has been simplified, and the snapshot database manager has been updated to take advantage of the new storage architecture.
  • Updated some of the functions in the database used by the API.
  • Fixed a bug with the system log purge screen.
  • More improvements to the performance monitor.  Also, toggling of the performance monitor is now done in the Powergold settings screen (a special database code is no longer required).
  • Lots of improvements to the text import.
  • Updated the schedule rule statistics calendar so that the week starts on Monday to better match other areas that are schedule editor related.
  • Added a new built-in schedule reconcile format.
  • Text import preview improvements:
    • The preview no longer prompts for confirmation.
    • The text import preview now processes both file-level and field-level function codes.
  • Many different report screens in Powergold have an option for master version substitution.  This option has been reworded to be easier to understand.
  • The system log now stores timestamps in UTC format for better interoperability across regions within an organization.  All older system log entry timestamps may be off by a small amount (depending on your region/locale) since they cannot be converted.  But all timestamps from this point forward will be stored in UTC and presented to you in your own locale format.
  • The reconcile activity reports now store report create timestamps in UTC format for better interoperability across regions within an organization.  All older report create timestamps may be off by a small amount (depending on your region/locale) since they cannot be converted.  But all timestamps from this point forward will be stored in UTC and presented to you in your own locale format.
  • The edit/movement history reports now store report create timestamps in UTC format for better interoperability across regions within an organization.  All older report create timestamps may be off by a small amount (depending on your region/locale) since they cannot be converted.  But all timestamps from this point forward will be stored in UTC and presented to you in your own locale format.
  • Powergold Clock Notes can now be up to 1000 characters in length (previously they were limited to 255 characters).
  • Text import templates now offer complete control over matching logic.  A new dropdown lets the user choose how and when automatic and manual matching should occur.

21.01.001 – 2020-08-21

  • Various minor fixes and improvements.
  • Renamed the options to reset sticky form settings to be easier to understand.
  • Upgraded the Powergold database backup functions so that they no longer require sysadmin level permissions.  This was preventing some customers from being able to use our backup tool.
  • Powergold error handling routines have been upgraded.  They are now more comprehensive and also log error messages.  This makes troubleshooting much easier in the event of program, network, database, or system errors.  This data can be accessed and interpreted by your Powergold representative.  In a future release there will be an option to automatically package this data and email it to your Powergold representative.
  • Some Powergold system message routines have been upgraded.  They are now more comprehensive and can be logged (similar to error handling).  This data can be accessed and interpreted by your Powergold representative.  In a future release there will be an option to automatically package this data and email it to your Powergold representative.
  • A brand new performance monitoring mode has been added.  This optional mode will log how long major operations take to complete.  This is useful for troubleshooting or for performance tuning, and is also a handy way to verify that the system is performing at peak performance over your network.  Performance data can be accessed and interpreted by your Powergold representative.  In a future release there will be an option to automatically package this data and email it to your Powergold representative.
  • The import routines have been upgraded so that more date formats are supported.
  • More major performance optimizations have been made.  Powergold is now even faster in the following areas:
    • All of the different options to reset schedule order in the Library are faster.  In some cases the performance is many times faster, especially if the database is large/complex and the user is connected over a slow or limited VPN connection.
    • Schedules and Format Control load even faster than before thanks to performance improvements in keywords, artist rules, category and folder rules and settings, property rules, and more.  Users with a huge number of keywords will really see some major performance improvements.
  • Removed a field from the text import that was not needed.
  • Fixed a bug with the new separation and performance reports that prevented history linking from being considered.
  • Deleting a song from the library now creates a entry in the system log for auditing purposes.
  • Activating or deactivating a user account now creates a system log entry for auditing purposes.
  • Upgraded the database with more components needed for API support, as well as some other changes to some field lengths, etc.
  • Updated the import engine to enforce some of the same field constraints as the song card.
  • Added an optional setting to allow the new VPN/WAN Optimize Mode to be silent (not prompt the user when entering the mode).
  • Removed some components/options in the Powergold installer that were not commonly used.

21.01.000 – 2020-07-31

  • Miscellaneous user interface improvements and minor bug fixes.
  • Major performance optimizations.  Users who are networked or working remotely over VPN/WAN will enjoy some significant speed increases for scheduling operations such as saves, loads, etc.
  • In addition to the new performance optimizations, Powergold SQL can now automatically detect poor networking performance, especially a slow or high-latency VPN/WAN connection, and can automatically compensate and deliver a no-compromise and snappy user experience.  This new automatic network performance gauging can be easily enabled for you by your Powergold representative (it is not enabled by default).
  • The different progress indicators in the schedule editor have been updated and are now much cleaner and more accurate.
  • New Powergold SQL databases now default to simple database recovery model.  In the past this was not the default, but we have found that most users prefer to use a simple recovery model.  So in most cases there is a disk space advantage to switching to a simple model.  Feel free to contact your Powergold support representative if you would like to review your existing database settings to see if your recovery model is currently set to the most optimal settings for your organization.  Of course, Powergold SQL supports all SQL Server recovery models and the choice is ultimately up to each individual customer.
  • New Powergold SQL databases now default with some different settings.  None of these settings are critical and, of course, the settings can be changed by the customer as needed.  Feel free to contact your Powergold support representative if you would like to review your existing database configurations to ensure they are optimal for your organization.
  • Fixed a bug where sending a schedule to automation was not setting the automation sent timestamp in the Workflow Manager and schedule status screen.
  • It is now possible to hide columns in the schedule status screen.
  • Powergold SQL now has unparalleled file import capabilities, both manually triggered and automatic.  The new text file import is a completely new approach to file importing.  There is way too much to mention it all here.  Some highlights:
    • Create an unlimited number of custom import templates and easily switch between them as needed.
    • Tons of import and update options let you specify exactly how you want incoming and existing data treated.
    • Overlay mode works in parallel with the field mapping list to make creating your templates easy and accurate.  You can work from a specification, or directly from a sample import file, or both.
    • Function codes and plug-in support mean an unlimited number of customizations and data transforms are possible, both at the file level and the individual field level.
    • When importing research, you can specify a survey to always use for the import template, or you can direct Powergold to prompt you at each import time for the survey you wish to use at that moment (you can even create a survey on-the-fly).
    • Preview the results of the import before committing to it.
    • In addition to importing of a single file, it is also possible to batch import multiple files in a single-click operation.
    • Automatic importing is possible – Enable automatic importing and tell Powergold what import template to use and it can automatically monitor a location of your choice for new imports/updates and automatically import them into your database.
  • Fixed a very rare timing bug that could cause an admin-level session notification message to appear when closing Powergold.
  • Fixed a bug with the history grid in the Library and song card.  When on the “Title” tab of the grid it would give an error.
  • Fixed a few bugs where a new, empty database did not create some of the default records.
  • Fixed a bug where flow lists, if in a clock layer, were not assigned a plot number when automatic scheduling a new date.  This means flow lists in a clock layer were left unscheduled when creating a new date.  So the user would then have to use the finish schedule option to schedule the flow lists (or manually schedule them).
  • Fixed a bug where a Powergold user account could not be deleted in some cases.
  • Fixed a bug where when sending an admin message to multiple users at a time, if the cancel button on the user selection screen was pressed then the message entry screen would still appear.
  • The user account editor was upgraded in some major ways.  The goal of these improvements was to make it unnecessary to delete a user when an employee should no longer have access, or when a user account change is needed.  Details:
    • The editor’s user interface has been upgraded and improved.
    • When a user account should no longer have access to a database it is now possible to deactivate that user account.  It is also possible to later reactivate a user account.  In the past it was common for an administrator to just delete a user account when it is no longer needed.  That is certainly still an option.  But the disadvantage of deleting a user account is that any activity auditing history, for example, is also removed.  Deactivating a user accomplishes the goal of preventing access with that user account, but still preserves all user-related data and logging.
    • It is now possible to change a username (rename a user).  In the past this was not possible so the only way to change a username was to create a new account and then delete the original one.  Doing that would create a brand new user account and remove the old account, which means all user-related data and logging for the deleted user is lost and reset.  Renaming a user is a much better alternative.  Of course, reusing accounts for different people is still not recommended.  For example, if John leaves the company and is replaced by Susan, a new account should be created for Susan and John’s should be deactivated.  Do not rename the John account to Susan.  Basically, user accounts in Powergold work like user accounts in Windows and other systems so standard user account best practices apply.
    • It is now possible for an administrator-level user to reset the password for any user without having to know the existing user’s account password.
    • All major user account operations are now logged in the system log for auditing purposes.  This includes actions such as creating a new user account, deleting a user account, and resetting a password.
    • API account:  Added support for a new type of user account that is used for API access.  These types of accounts are not able to log in to Powergold at the logon screen like a normal user.  They are used internally for API interactions and session management.
  • Fixed a bug where sometimes it was not possible to manually add a new song to a database that has no songs.
  • All unschedule operations are now logged in the system log.  This can be useful for troubleshooting or auditing purposes.
  • All schedule hour delete operations are now logged in the system log.  This can be useful for troubleshooting or auditing purposes.
  • Some specific error/optimization messages are now logged in the system log.  This can be useful for troubleshooting or auditing purposes.
  • Added the Schedule Rule Statistics report to Powergold SQL.  This report allows the user to deep-dive into the scheduling process for rule optimization purposes.
  • In the prior generation of Powergold there was a rarely used “quick replace by any field” option in the schedule editor.  It is now possible to get similar functionality (but much more flexible) in Powergold SQL using the “replace by saved library filter”.  That replace has existed for some time now in Powergold SQL, but it has been upgraded with some options that allow it to prompt for criteria on-the-fly that can be applied against any Powergold saved library filter.
  • Added the following new performance reports:
    • Germany – GEMA (EMI)
    • Germany – GEMA/GVL
    • Holland – BUMA
    • Holland – SENA
    • SoundExchange
    • Southern Africa – SAMRO
    • USA – BMI / ASCAP
    • USA – EMR
  • It is now possible to call automation directly (without having to use the automation user interface).  This is an important upgrade because:
    • It means automation can now be called from lots of new places.
    • A user can now easily generate automation updates directly from the scheduler (no need to use the automation UI).  So you can now send the current hour or the current day directly to the automation system.  This option in the schedule editor uses whatever is your default automation template and is located in the main toolbar.
    • It allows a user to send schedule changes directly to the automation system via the API (using the same options as described above in the scheduler).
  • When sending schedule updates directly to automation via the API, Powergold now displays a status screen that shows as each hour is processed by the automation system.  This lets the user confirm that everything was properly accepted and processed by the automation system.
  • There is a new schedule status screen.  Currently it is called from automation, the schedule editor (via a new workflow menu and via the reports menu), and from the workflow manager.  It is expected that several other areas will be extended with this new functionality.
  • There is a new schedule duration summary screen.  This new screen can be called from several logical places within Powergold SQL.  Currently it is called from automation and the schedule editor (via the reports menu, clicking the schedule Log Editor status bar total day time, or right-clicking the schedule Log Editor status bar).  It is expected that several other areas will be extended with this new functionality.
  • Made some of the already existing reports easier to find in the schedule editor.
  • Added additional reporting options to Report Central.
  • Television clients sometimes have a need to perform some scheduler timing calculations using milliseconds.  This is now possible and can be enabled via a special database code provided by your Powergold support representative.
  • The song card, song card setup screen, and workflow manager all now have sticky screen position/size settings.
  • Behavior when switching between different locations with differing monitor/display configurations was sometimes quirky in the past.  Prior versions of Powergold dealt with it using a special multi-monitor mode.  But this was sometimes confusing and still sometimes a screen could end up invisible when it was set to open on a monitor that was no longer present.  Part of the quirky behavior was in Powergold’s handling of multi-monitor setups, but part of it was also caused by how Windows manages such situations.  Powergold SQL has completely redesigned how it manages such monitor configuration changes to overcome both the prior Powergold limitations and improve upon the Windows implementation.  This is especially useful in the current environment where users working remotely (such as from home) is common.  Changes/fixes include:
    • When there are multiple monitors, the default opening position for some sticky screens (sticky means remembering what monitor it is on, its position, and its size) would be the primary display, even if the Powergold main window was on a different monitor.  In other words, sometimes a window (like an editor) would open on a monitor other than the one that Powergold is running on for seemingly no good reason.  This was annoying.  This has been corrected.
    • When a sticky screen was placed on a different monitor by a user, sometimes it would not reopen on that monitor.  This was annoying.  This has been corrected.
    • When a sticky screen was placed on a different monitor by a user, and then if the monitor was removed, then when that screen was reopened it could end up not visible to the user because it went to where it would be if the monitor was still there (which is off screen somewhere).  This was not only annoying, but it could make a user think Powergold was frozen when it was not at all.  This has been corrected.
    • The Powergold main screen was sticky, but it was quirky sometimes.  The sticky settings now work properly.
    • The Powergold main screen would remember it was supposed to be on another monitor if it was not maximized.  But if it was on another monitor and maximized, then when reopened it would not return to that monitor and instead it would just maximize itself on the primary display.  This has been corrected.
    • Sticky screen settings now gracefully handle changes to the computer display configuration (number of monitors, arrangement of monitors, and resolutions of the monitors).  Now anytime Powergold saves a screen’s sticky settings it will accurately recall them later when the screen is reopened.  If when the screen is later reopened and the display configuration has changed, then Powergold automatically resets that screen to its default position and size and opens on the same monitor as Powergold.  This means if you add a monitor, remove a monitor, rearrange monitors, change resolutions, or even change the monitor on which the main Powergold screen resides then Powergold knows how to handle it and properly display your screen, thus ensuring continuity and screen visibility.
    • The confusing option called multi-monitor mode has been removed as it is no longer necessary.  This also means that confusing prompt about multi-monitor mode is gone.
    • There is now an option that can be used to manually clear the sticky screen settings for the current user, or for all users.  This would rarely be needed, but might be useful in some cases.
    • Screen sticky settings are now stored in the database rather than on each computer.  This has several advantages and also fixes a bug.
  • Added a new separation report to Powergold SQL.


For information on older versions please contact your Powergold representative.