Select random cues from list, have ONLY them play & auto-follow or "shuffle"

[Myers]

I have a big list of break music, and I need the ability to QUICKLY select random songs from that list, and have ONLY the selected songs play in sequence or random during the break. I'm not seeing a fast/quick/obvious way to do this in Qlab, despite its capability, and it's very frustrating. 

I know plenty of simple apps allow this, but Qlab's ability to run pro plugins PER-SONG is perfect for my needs. I just need to get a "select-random-list-and-play-it" functionality happening. 

My beginner brains tells me I need to:

1. select those random songs (by command clicking each one) until I have 15-20 minutes of music quickly selected from that long list.
   
2. click something in Qlab that lets me play ONLY that selected list of cues
3. Then click something in Qlab that allows ONLY those selected cues to play either in a auto-follow sequence (top-to-bottom sequence) or in a shuffle (random) sequence

Qlab is amazing - I assume there must be a quick/fast way to do this very common thing?? 

[micpool]

There are many ways this could be programmed in QLab. Rather than me detailing  all the ways you could achieve this  ,could you give an example of  one the ‘simple programs’  you cite that you want to emulate in QLab.  In any program I can think of, creating playlists would be the usual method of playing a selection of songs in sequence. If there is a program that works the way you describe, selecting songs to sequence, in order or randomly,  without putting them in a playlist, then it may be possible to base a QLab workflow that emulates that, but I can’t think of one.

Mic

[micpool]

On 13 Feb 2023, at 22:18, Myers wrote:

Thanks! The program I want to emulate is Apple Music. The function I want to emulate is selecting a list of songs and only those songs play, with the option of shuffling that list or not. 

I think this may be the simplest/fastest Qlab emulation without a macro or script:

One-time setup: create a permanent playlist folder with option to shuffle and/or loop 

1. Click "group" (square) button to create an empty group. Place that at the top of the cue list
   1. click "mode" tab > select "playlist" radio button to turn the group into a playlist
   2. Optional: click "playlist" tab > select "auto-shuffle" and/or "loop until stop"

Create & execute break music setlist: Create, play and "clear" a list of randomly selected songs:

1. From the big list of song/cues, randomly select enough songs to cover break time
2. Drag those songs into the playlist folder
3. Select the playlist and click go
4. When done, drag the songs out of the playlist

[micpool]

Because you will want to preserve your Catalog structure, it would be far simpler  to copy the cues you want into a playlist group (having deleted) the previous contents of the group.

This script will clear the current cues and copy selected cues into the playlist group cue numbered "BREAKLIST" and start it.

tell application id "com.figure53.QLab.5" to tell front workspace
    set theSelected to (selected as list)
    --Check there is a valid selection (at leat one audio cue)
    if the (count of theSelected) is 0 then
        display dialog "No cues selected"
        return
    end if
    repeat with eachcue in theSelected
        if the q type of eachcue is not "audio" then
            display dialog "non audio cue selected"
            return
        end if
    end repeat
    --clear cues of cue BREAKLIST
    set theClear to cues of cue "BREAKLIST" whose q type is not "memo"
    repeat with eachcue in theClear
        set eachCueID to uniqueID of eachcue
        delete cue id eachCueID of parent of eachcue
    end repeat
    --copy and paste selected cues
    tell application "System Events" to tell application process "QLab" to keystroke "c" using command down
    delay 0.5
    set the selected to cue "PASTEHERE"
    delay 0.5
    tell application "System Events" to tell application process "QLab" to keystroke "v" using command down
    delay 0.5
    --play
    start cue "BREAKLIST"
end tell



Screen Recording attached

Mic

[micpool]

And the  demo workspace (no content)

Mic