Nested Playlists (also known as "Playlists within Playlists") are a powerful method for organising and reusing your content. They enable you to incorporate an entire Playlist as an asset into another, larger "Main" Playlist.
In simple terms, a Nested Playlist is a standard Signagelive Playlist that you incorporate as an item into another Playlist. When the Main Playlist is played, it will go through the entire contents of the Nested Playlist before proceeding to the next asset in the Main Playlist's timeline.
Benefits of Using a Nested Playlist:
Content Reusability: Create a core set of content (e.g., daily announcements, weekly promotions) once, and reuse that entire Playlist across multiple Main Playlists.
Easier Updates: Update content in one Nested Playlist, and those changes will automatically apply wherever that Nested Playlist is used, saving significant time.
Simplified Scheduling: Manage complex content rotations by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable Nested Playlists.
Modular Content: Build a library of content modules that can be easily combined to create diverse Main Playlists.
Have a look at this video showing you how to use a Nested Playlist:
Please Note
It is not possible to embed a local or nested playlist in a playlist that is already being used as a local or nested playlist.
How to Create a Nested Playlist on Your Timeline
To add a Nested Playlist to your Main Playlist:
Log in to your Signagelive Network.
From the top navigation menu, select Content > Playlists > Create/Edit
Open your Main Playlist: Click on the Playlist's name where you want to add the Nested Playlist. This will open the Playlist editor.
Find your Nested Playlist: In the left-hand content library sidebar, use the search bar or navigate through your folders to find the Playlist you want to "nest" (the one you've already created).
Drag to Timeline: Simply drag and drop the desired Playlist from your content library onto the timeline of your Main Playlist. It will appear as a single asset.
Set Duration (Optional): You can set a duration for the Nested Playlist within the Main Playlist's timeline, just like you would for any other asset.
How to Configure a Nested Playlist
When you add a Nested Playlist to a Main Playlist, you can adjust its playback behaviour from within the Main Playlist's editor:
Select the Nested Playlist Asset: In your Main Playlist's timeline, click on the Nested Playlist asset (it will have a distinct icon, often a chain link or folder symbol). This will open its Properties panel.
Adjust Settings: In this panel, you can typically set its duration, apply validity dates, and add conditions (just like any other media asset). These settings apply to the entire duration of the Nested Playlist within this specific instance in the Main Playlist.
What added controls will I have access to?
The additional controls available within a Nested Playlist are:
Name | This is the title assigned to the Nested Playlist which was created and added to your initial Playlist. |
Playlist to Play | Select whether to create a new playlist or to embed an existing one within your initial playlist. This playlist will subsequently be added to your initial playlist. |
Play Mode | Choose to either play all the assets within the Nested Playlist on each rotation of your initial Playlist or to play only one asset each time, sequentially playing the next asset with each rotation of the initial Playlist. |
Play Order | Select to play assets in Normal, Random, Reverse, or to play only Top X (the specified number of assets upon each play of the Nested Playlist). |
Maximum Number of Assets | Dictates the maximum number of assets that can be added to this Nested Playlist. |
After you have made these changes and are happy with your Nested Playlist being added, you must save your Playlist for these changes to be saved.
How to Edit Your Nested Playlist
To change the actual content inside a Nested Playlist:
Navigate to the main "Playlists" section from your Signagelive Network menu.
Locate and click on the name of the Nested Playlist itself (the original Playlist you added as an asset).
This will open its own Playlist editor, allowing you to add, remove, or rearrange its content just like any other Playlist.
Save your changes.
Benefit: Any alterations you make to the original Nested Playlist will automatically update wherever that Nested Playlist is utilised as an asset across all your Main Playlists, once they perform their next content check.
What happens if I want to include multiple instances of the same Nested Playlist within a Main Playlist?
You can do this! Just drag and drop the same Nested Playlist asset onto your Main Playlist timeline multiple times. Each instance is independent within the Main Playlist, meaning you can:
Set different durations for each instance.
Apply different validity dates or conditions to each instance.
Place them in different positions in the timeline.
This is powerful for repeating content blocks throughout a longer schedule.
Adding multiple instances of the same Nested Playlist within a main playlist can present as something like this:
Asset 1 > Nested Asset 1 > Asset 2 > Nested Asset 2
The way to set this up within the Playlist section is:
Open the Control Assets folder.
Drag the Nested Playlist asset into a New Playlist
Double-click the asset to open its Properties.
You can configure your Nested Playlist by adding a name and selecting the Playlist you want to associate with this asset.
Once configured, save your Playlist, leaving just the single Nested Playlist asset inside.
This has created your Nested Playlist as an Asset, which you can search for in your Library. To add multiple instances of the same Nested Playlist within a Main Playlist, you can:
Open the Main Playlist you would like to use.
Search your Asset Library for the Nested Playlist you created with the steps above.
Drag your Nested Playlist asset into your Main Playlist as many times as you wish.
That's it! Save your playlist to automatically update your content, or go to the publish area to schedule something new.
What if I have scheduling on the assets in my Nested Playlist as well as the Nested Playlist itself?
This is an essential point for playback:
Asset Scheduling (inside Nested Playlist): Any validity or recurrence settings applied to individual assets within the Nested Playlist will always be respected first.
Nested Playlist Scheduling (within Main Playlist): The Nested Playlist will only play during its designated slot in the Main Playlist's schedule. If the Main Playlist indicates that the Nested Playlist should play, then the Nested Playlist will assess its own internal assets based on their individual validity and recurrence.
In general, the scheduling on your Nested Playlist will take precedence over the scheduling of the assets within. Therefore, if you set Validity on your Nested Playlist, it will override the Validity you set on the assets within that playlist. However, if there is no conflict, you can use Validity and Recurrence to powerful effect.
You could have, for instance:
A Nested Playlist with Recurrence that shows Monday-Friday between 12 and 2, and Media Assets within that playlist that will expire next week, with other Assets set to begin that week.
A Nested Playlist that is Valid from the beginning of next month, and Media Assets within that will only show on Weekends.
In simple terms, the Main Playlist determines when the Nested Playlist operates. The Nested Playlist, in turn, decides what is played within it based on its own internal asset scheduling. If an asset within a Nested Playlist is valid but the Nested Playlist itself is not scheduled to run by the Main Playlist at that moment, the asset will not be displayed.
How do I preview the contents of a Nested Playlist?
The Nested Playlists you have created can be previewed when you add them to new or existing playlists. You can achieve this by clicking on the small + button on the right-hand side of the asset.
Please Note: You must save the Nested Playlist/Playlist you are currently working on for this button to appear.