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Variables hold the values your visuals read at playout: a show name, a sponsor logo, a headline, live data from an API. Every variable has a scope, Station or Visual. The scope decides where the variable can be used and how its value reaches your outputs.
You can learn the basics in the video guide: How to Use Simple Variables in Visual Radio Graphics

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Scope

  • Station - defined once for your station and usable in every visual. Change the value in one place and every output follows, live. Use it for data that applies across the station, like branding, show names or election results.
  • Visual - part of one visual, and saved with that graphic. Use it for show-specific visuals and lower thirds whose value is set per rundown item or in playout.
Broadcast managers can make a station variable Broadcaster-wide. It is then available to every station in the broadcaster, marked with a Broadcaster-wide badge, and only managers can edit it.

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Create a variable

Go to Settings → Outputs → Variables and click Add new → New variable. Pick the Scope first. A visual variable also asks for the Visual it belongs to.
  • Name - the display name operators see.
  • Reference - a unique reference, generated from the name. You can adjust it.
  • Variable type - where the value comes from, see below.
  • Data type - what kind of value it holds, for user input and database variables.
  • Playout access - without playout access the variable is hidden in the Output Playout and on the Variables page under Outputs.
Media variables can set an Upload folder, so newly uploaded media for this variable lands in a specific Media Hub folder instead of the root. You can also create a visual variable straight from the Visual Designer: open the Variables panel, click + and choose Create variable. The scope is set to Visual for you. The scope is fixed once the variable exists.

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Variable types

  • User Input - a value you set manually, in the editor or live on the Variables page.
  • Database - like user input, but values are stored and searchable. Useful for recurring data such as reporter names, where you want to pick from earlier entries.
  • Api Data Source - the value is fed by an API Data Source, like an RSS feed. You link the data source and optionally cap the item count.
  • Music Track Meta - song details from your radio automation, such as artist and title.
Which types and data types are available depends on your plan and enabled features.

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Data types

User input and database variables pick a data type: Text, Long Text, Number, Boolean, Options with a predefined list of choices, and the Media Image and Media Video families for selecting or uploading media. Most types can set a default value.

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Organize station variables with groups

With the Station scope selected, use Add new → New group to organize related variables under a named group, like “Show branding” or “Election night”. Drag variables in and out of groups and reorder them. The same order shows up on the Variables page under Outputs. Deleting a group never deletes its variables, they just become ungrouped.

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Use a variable in a visual

In the Visual Designer:
  • Text layers - type / in the text field or open the data selector, then pick from the Station variables or Visual variables section.
  • Dynamic media and other layers - select the variable in the layer’s variable dropdown. Variables are listed under Station variables and Visual variables.
Image Media layers don’t accept variables. Use the Dynamic Media layer instead.

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Use a visual variable in more visuals

In the Visual Designer’s Variables panel, click + and choose Link variable to use a visual variable from another visual in this one as well. Each visual keeps its own value, so changing it in one visual does not change it in the others.

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Change station values live

The Variables page under Outputs is the live control surface for station variables. It lists every station variable with playout access, grouped and ordered like the settings page. Select a variable or a whole group, edit the values, and click Apply to all visuals to push the changes to every output at once. The right column shows live previews of visuals, so you see the impact of a change before and after applying it. Which visuals appear there is up to you: pick them under Visual previews on the Variables settings page.