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Simple File Networking Mechanics

How Simple File Networking (SFN) publishing works in BrightAuthor:connected and BrightAuthor:

  1. The set of files/folders that the player will need in order to play the published presentation schedule is generated when the presentation is authored. It includes a sync spec (current-sync.xml or current-sync.json), which is a manifest of the files and their download URLs on the SFN server.  These URLs are based on the URL for web folder (that is, Base URL) set in the SFN parameters.
  2. The user is expected to make the generated file/folder set available on the web server so the player can download them. If you are transferring the files using your own FTP client or the BrightAuthor:connected FTP client, binary transfer is required. This is because the assets in the pool folder have no file extension, so some FTP clients will assume that they are 7-bit text and corrupt the files on upload.
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  1. The player periodically downloads the sync spec from the SFN server at the URL for web folder (that is, Base URL) with /current-sync.xml or /current-sync.json appended:
    • The downloaded spec does not immediately replace the sync spec currently in use. The sync spec download interval and URL for web folder (aka Base URL) are initially set on the player when it is configured for SFN usage, then is (re)set by the retrieved sync spec upon application of a new schedule.
    • If the sync spec retrieved from the SFN server does not match the sync spec currently in use, the current presentation continues to play while the player goes through the sync spec, downloading files that do not already exist on the player's storage.
  2. Once all files from the new sync spec are downloaded successfully (file size and file hashes must match what is specified in the sync spec), the player will activate the new presentation schedule. It will only reboot if there is a new autorun or plugin script. If the Delay Schedule Change Until Current Media Completes Playback option is enabled for the currently-running presentation in BrightAuthor or BrightAuthor:connected, the schedule change and reboot will not occur until current video finishes.
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The SFN server will be impacted as follows:

  • One sync spec download request per player at the configured update interval.
  • One sync spec download request when a player (re)boots.
  • Up to four simultaneous download requests per player.
  • Storage is needed for published presentation content. Note that BrightSign tools do not manage the server's storage, so old/unused content is not removed automatically. The SFN folder(s) should should be periodically cleared just before a new published file/folder set is copied in.

Adding an FTP location in BrightAuthor:connected

Server Requirements

Your SFN server must support:

  • Configured MIME types (in addition to default HTML/Javascript types)
  • . (no file extension): application/octet-stream
  • .bsfw: application/octet-stream
  • .rok: application/octet-stream
  • .brs: text/plain
  • .json: application/json
  • .xml: text/xml
Note that directory browsing on the server is not required because the player will directly download all files via the download URLs in the sync spec.