Queue system

Queue System

The Queue system allows you to manage and play multiple broadcast files in sequence, creating playlists for automatic playback. This is particularly useful for continuous broadcasting without manual intervention.

Note

The Queue system works in both server and local instances, with slight differences in behavior.

Overview

Think of the Queue system as a playlist manager for your broadcasts:

• Add files to a queue in the order you want them to play
• Start playback and files will broadcast sequentially
• Each file plays once, then automatically advances to the next
• Pause and resume playback at any time
• In server mode, each client independently tracks its position in the queue

Key Differences: Server vs Local Mode

Feature	Server Instance	Local Instance
Client tracking	Each client has independent queue position	Single position tracker
File validation	Checks all clients have the files	Checks local upload directory
Target specification	Requires target clients (all, pi1, etc.)	No targets needed
Playback	Multiple clients play simultaneously	Single client playback

Queue Command Structure

All queue operations use a single command with different prefixes:

queue <action><arguments>

The action is indicated by a single character prefix:

Action	Symbol	Description
Add files	+	Add files to the queue
Remove files	-	Remove files from the queue
Show queue	*	Display current queue contents
Help	?	Show queue command help
Toggle play/pause	!	Start or pause queue playback

1. Adding Files to Queue (+)

Add files to your queue in the order you want them to play.

Basic Syntax

queue +<files>

Examples

Add a single file:

queue +song.wav

Add multiple files (comma-separated):

queue +intro.wav,song1.wav,song2.wav,outro.wav

Add all files matching a pattern:

queue +music_*.wav

Add all available files:

queue +*

Force Add Mode

In server mode, BotWave checks that all clients have the files before adding them to the queue. If some clients are missing files, the add operation will fail. To bypass this check and add files anyway, use the ! suffix:

queue +song.wav!

Warning

Force-adding files that don't exist on all clients will cause playback errors when those clients try to broadcast the missing files, that will also cause delays between clients.

Example: Adding files in server mode

botwave> queue +intro.wav,track1.wav,track2.wav
[QUEUE] Added 3 file(s) to queue
[QUEUE] Current queue (3 files):
  1. intro.wav
  2. track1.wav
  3. track2.wav

Example: Using wildcards

botwave> queue +music_*
[QUEUE] Added 5 file(s) to queue
[QUEUE] Current queue (5 files):
  1. music_acoustic.wav
  2. music_electronic.wav
  3. music_jazz.wav
  4. music_rock.wav
  5. music_techno.wav

2. Removing Files from Queue (-)

Remove files from the queue by index or filename.

Basic Syntax

queue -<files>

Examples

Usage is the exact same as the add.

Example: Removing files

botwave> queue -*
[QUEUE] Removed 2 file(s) from queue
[QUEUE] Queue is empty

3. Viewing the Queue (*)

Display the current queue contents and playback status.

Syntax

queue *

Or simply:

queue

Example: Viewing queue

[QUEUE] Queue (3 files) - PAUSED:
> 1. empty_1.wav (> indicates the file being played)
  2. empty_2.wav
  3. empty_3.wav

4. Queue Help (?)

Display queue command help and syntax.

Syntax

queue ?

Example output

botwave>queue ?
[QUEUE] Queue Commands:
  queue +file                       - Add file to queue
  queue +file1,file2                - Add multiple files
  queue +pattern_*                  - Add files matching pattern
  queue +*                          - Add all files
  queue +file!                      - Force add (skip availability checks)
  queue -file                       - Remove file from queue
  queue -*                          - Clear queue
  queue *                           - Show queue
  queue !                           - Toggle play/pause with defaults
  queue !freq,loop,ps,rt,pi         - Toggle with custom settings
    Example: queue !100.5,false"My Radio","Live",ABCD

5. Toggle Play/Pause (!)

Start or pause queue playback with optional broadcast settings.

Basic Syntax

Server mode:

queue ![targets],[frequency],[loop],[ps],[rt],[pi]

Local mode:

queue ![frequency],[loop],[ps],[rt],[pi]

Tip

All arguments are optional. If not provided, defaults are used:

• Targets (server): all
• Frequency: 90.0 MHz
• Loop: false (queue plays once then stops)
• PS: BotWave
• RT: Broadcasting
• PI: FFFF

Examples

Start queue with defaults:

queue !

Server mode, specify targets and frequency:

queue !all,88.5

Server mode, full settings:

queue !pi1,pi2,95.0,false,MyRadio,"Hit Parade",AAAA

Local mode, frequency and loop:

queue !88.5,true

Pause playback:

queue !

Note

The queue ! command toggles between play and pause. If the queue is playing, it pauses. If paused, it resumes, but with default settings.

Example: Starting queue playback

botwave> queue !all,88.5,false,MyRadio,"Queue Mix"
[QUEUE] Queue playing on all
[QUEUE] raspberry: Playing [1/5] intro.wav
[OK]   raspberry (raspberry_192.168.1.96): START command sent
[OK]   raspberry (raspberry_192.168.1.96): Broadcasting started

Queue Behavior

Automatic Advancement

When a file finishes broadcasting:

1. The queue automatically advances to the next file
2. Broadcasting continues without major interruption
3. When the queue reaches the end:
   • Loop disabled (false): Queue stops and returns to position 0
   • Loop enabled (true): Queue restarts from the beginning

Manual Actions Auto-Pause

If you manually start a broadcast using the start command while the queue is playing, the queue will automatically pause. This prevents conflicts between manual broadcasts and queued playback.

botwave ›  start all live.wav 100.0
[QUEUE] Auto-pausing queue due to manual action
[BCAST] Starting broadcast on 1 client(s)...

Multi-Client Independence (Server Mode)

In server mode, each client tracks its own position in the queue:

• Clients can be at different positions in the same queue
• If a client is slower or faster, it won't affect others
• Each client will finish the queue at its own pace

Example scenario:

Client 1: Playing track 3 of 5
Client 2: Playing track 2 of 5
Client 3: Playing track 4 of 5

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TL;DR

The Queue system is your tool for automated, sequential broadcasting:

Command	Purpose	Example
queue +	Add files	queue +intro.wav,song.wav
queue -	Remove files	queue -*
queue *	Show queue	queue *
queue ?	Get help	queue ?
queue !	Play/pause	queue !all,88.5,false,Radio,Mix

Remember:

• Add files before playing
• Queue advances automatically after each file
• Manual actions pause the queue
• Each client tracks its own position (server mode)
• Use loop mode for continuous broadcasting