The Manual switch in the Control Room's top bar decides who runs your graphics. With Manual on, you choose what goes on air and when. Turn Manual off, and your Automated Game Plan runs the graphics automatically, triggered by live match data.
Before you start
Your organisation needs the Graphics module. Automation depends on Graphics.
An Automated Game Plan should be set up and assigned. You build game plans in the Automation tab and assign them to competitions, and to specific theme instances (theme profiles) on a competition. You can also assign or generate one for a theme profile under Automation & Control Room on the DETAILS & SETTINGS tab of the Theme Profile editor. See What are Automated Game Plans?
The match's overlay needs to use the theme instance the game plan is assigned to. A game plan is tied to one theme, so it won't run on an overlay using a different theme. See How game plans connect to themes, competitions and overlays.
Live data needs to be coming in for the match, for example a scorer entering goals, cards and substitutions in the LiveScore app, or data arriving from an external provider.
Manual and Auto at a glance
Manual on: you run the Control Room yourself. Click GFX IN and GFX OUT on each graphic, use the Events tab, and take graphics off air from the chips in the top bar. See Putting graphics on air.
Manual off: the game plan runs graphics automatically. Its playlists and triggers bring graphics in and out as the match data comes in, for example when a goal is recorded or a break such as half time is called. During live play, the Default playlist keeps your scorebug on screen whenever no other playlist is running.
Hand over to your game plan
Open the Control Room for your match, for example Harbour City (HCF) v Ridgeview (RVR) in the LIGR Demo League. On the Matches table, expand the match, open the menu at the far right of the overlay's row and click Open Control Room.
Check what is currently on air. Any live graphic has a red outline and its name appears as a chip in the top bar.
Find the Manual switch in the top bar and turn it off.
Your game plan now runs the graphics automatically, triggered by live data. You don't need to click anything for each event.
Keep the Control Room open and watch the top bar. As the game plan brings graphics on air, their names appear as chips, so you can confirm things are firing as expected.
Take back control
Turn the Manual switch back on.
You're now running the graphics yourself, in the same room, with the same sections and graphics in front of you.
Check the top bar for anything still on air and decide whether to leave it up or take it off. Use the cross on a chip to remove a single graphic, or the control that takes multiple graphics off air at once.
Carry on as normal with GFX IN, GFX OUT and the Events tab.
When to use each mode
Use Manual when
You have an operator watching the match and you want full control over timing.
Something unplanned happens, such as late drama, extra time or a delay. Switch Manual on and you're back in control straight away.
You want to show a graphic your game plan doesn't cover.
Turn Manual off when
A game plan is set up for the match and you want the data to do the work.
You're covering several matches, or you don't have a dedicated graphics operator.
The match is following a predictable pattern and your game plan handles every period.
Tips and common mistakes
Nothing fires with Manual off: check that a game plan is assigned, that the overlay uses the right theme instance, and that live data is arriving. If the scorer isn't entering events, there's nothing to trigger the graphics. Pre-game triggers such as Players Entering and About To Start rely on the scorer pressing those buttons in LiveScore. See Troubleshooting: graphics not showing in Auto mode.
No scorebug during play on a Rive theme: the game plan needs a default scorebug in its Default playlist for in-play automation to work. See The Default playlist: your scorebug during play.
Test before match day: use Preview a playlist in the Automation tab to see what each playlist will show, and Review a match against your game plan to see which triggers fire across a real match.
Switching is not one way: you can move between Manual on and off as often as you need during a match. A common approach is to let the game plan run most of the game and switch Manual on for key moments.
Agree who is in charge: if more than one person has the Control Room open, make sure everyone knows whether Manual is on or off so nobody is caught out.
For more on switching during a match, see Running a game plan: Auto mode vs Manual mode.