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.
[VIDEO PLACEHOLDER: Control_Room_12_Switch_Manual_and_Auto_v2.0.mp4]
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 you can 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?
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 feed.
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 (Auto): 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 period starts or ends.
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.
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.
The Control Room is now in Auto. Your game plan 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.
Use Auto 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 in Auto: check that a game plan is assigned and that live data is arriving. If the scorer isn't entering events, there's nothing to trigger the graphics. See Troubleshooting: graphics not showing in Auto mode.
Test before match day: use the playlist preview in the Automation tab so you know what the game plan will show and when.
Switching is not one way: you can move between Manual and Auto as often as you need during a match. A common approach is to run Auto for most of the game and switch to Manual for key moments.
Agree who is in charge: if more than one person has the Control Room open, make sure everyone knows which mode you're in so nobody is caught out.
For more on switching during a match, see Running a game plan: Auto mode vs Manual mode.