What is the custom.dat file?

A: "Custom.dat" goes in the same folder as the playlists (*.PLY) or as specified by the "G" line in the "$config.wr" file in your user folder. The default is \wire\users\public\files\.

Specifically, there is a command called CUSTOM (it's in your list) and this is where you create user friendly names that say things like Switch to ABC, Switch to Sound Card, Flip Starguide to this or that. In essence, a CUSTOM is a single line macro that lets you substitute user friendly names for nastier commands like COMTALK (rs-232 strings) and PULSE channel and other technical commands. It makes the logs look nicer to jocks and they offer the benefit of mass substitution. Since if you ever make a wiring
change, just change the custom command and all playlists are automatically updated. The command has an EDIT button that
lets you maintain the commands which generates the binary file.

Never try to edit custom.dat with 3rd party word processors. Always use our software to maintain the file. WARNING: If you overwrite one systems' custom.dat file with another, you will instantly change all those commands in all the playlists run by that user. Sometimes this is useful, sometimes this causes nasty surprises. Remember when you insert custom commands in playlists, the only thing stored really is CUSTOM COMMAND #1, CUSTOMCOMMAND #2, etc, etc. The playlist then looks at the custom.dat file dynamically to instantly substitute the command with the current setting everytime that line is drawn on the screen.

Naturally if you edit playlists on a home machine for another station, be sure to have your user folder (and $config.wr) G line
path pointing to separate folders. That way you can be working on playlists for different stations, each pathing to different custom.dat files.

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