documentation/manual/source/creating_service.rst

Creating a service

Now that you have OpenLP set up the way you want, it is time to put it to use.

Everything you need to display will be in the left panel called the g-media-manager, under their respective categories. Using the g-media-manager you can add new media, songs, images, Bibles or create a custom slide as discussed earlier in the media-manager section.

On the right side of your screen at the top is the Service Manager.

Anything you want to display should be in the Service Manager and preferably in the order you want to display it. To add your media you can click on an item in the Media Manager hold and drag your selection from the Media Manager over to the Service Manager or, after clicking the media or verse you want to use, click the + sign icon above. This will add your media to the service side at the bottom. Once it is in the Service Manager you can click on your item and drag and drop it in the order you want or, click the item and use the arrow icons below to move it up or down in the order you want. Note: You always have the option to send any media live direct from the Media Manager. Please see the media-manager section for more details.

Displaying an Item

When you have all of your items needed for the service in your Service Manager there are a few ways to get them to display on the screen. You can double-click the item, click it once with the mouse and push the Enter key on your keyboard, right click the item and left click Show Live or click it once with the mouse and click on the projector at the bottom of the Service Manager.

Any of these methods will display your item on the screen. When your item is displayed, it will appear in the Live windows just to the left of the Service Manager.

To Preview an item in the left Preview panes, right click the item and left click Show Preview.

Changing a Service theme

When you get your Service file set up and you are previewing a slide or sending it Live and you notice you don't have the correct theme for it, you can right click the item and mouseover Change Item Theme and select the theme you want to use.

Moving through a Service

Once you have your first item displayed live you can move through the service in a couple of ways. You can double-click on each item you need displayed, or click it once and press enter. If your songs, verses, etc. are in the order you will be displaying them, you can use the Right Arrow key on your keyboard to move down through your service. Pressing the Left Arrow key will move up through the service. Every time you press the Left Arrow or Right Arrow key the next item in your Service will be displayed.

Moving through a Song or Bible verses

When you display a song or Bible verse with multiple verses you will need to move through them. When a song or verse is being displayed you will see the lyrics in the top Live window and how it actually appears on your display in the bottom Live window. To change slides you can use your mouse to click on each slide in the top Live window, use the Left Arrow and Right Arrow icons under the top Live window.

You can also use the Down Arrow key to move down through the song or verses. Using the Up Arrow key will move you from bottom to top. Page Up and Page Down keys will do the same thing.

Adding a group of Images

At some point you may have a group of images to display together. It may be pictures from a youth group adventure, bulletin announcements, or some other reason. Once you add your images to the Media Manager hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard and click each image you want to add as a group. As you click the images they will remain highlighted. When you are done with your selections you can either click the + icon above the images or, click on one of the highlighted images, hold the mouse button and drag them over to the Service Manager side and place them where you need them.

Sorting a group of Images

If you do not like the order the images are in, right click Images.

Left click Reorder Item.

From this box you will be able to rearrange the order of your images by clicking on one and using the Up and Down arrows to move it to where you want it. If there is an image you do not want in your order, click on it and then click the Delete button. When you are done arranging your images click Save.

If you need to add another image from the Media Manager to your group of images, left click the image you want to add and hold the mouse button and drag it over your group of Images and release the mouse button. You will be given two options, Add New Item and Add to Selected Item.

If you click Add New Item your image will be separate from your group of images as another item at the bottom of the Service. If you click Add to Selected Item your image will be added to your group of images.

Adding a service Note

You have the option to leave yourself or the next tech a service note. This is done by right clicking on an item in your service and left clicking Notes.

You can type your note in the box and click Save. If you change your mind you can click Cancel. Your note will appear as a yellow note on your item.

If you need to change your Note or delete it, open it again, delete your text and click Save

Using the Service Timer

The Service Timer is available for any media item with multiple slides. This includes Bible verses, Songs, or a group of images. The Service Timer is accessed in the Live Controller Bar between the Live panes.

The time delay increment is in seconds. Use the up or down arrow on the right of the timer to change the number of seconds or type in the number of seconds you want to use. This number determines how many seconds will lapse before your media item will automatically change to the next slide.

Immediately to the left of the second counter is a down arrow. Clicking on this arrow will give you two options for the use of the timer.

Play Slides in Loop

Selecting this option will continuously loop your slides from beginning to end, and back to the beginning again. The slide loop will continue until you click the timer start and stop button again or move to the next service item.

Play Slides to End

Selecting this option will display your slides through once and stop at the end.

Timer start and stop

Click this button to start or stop the timer function. You can also use the keyboard shortcut L to start and stop the continuous loop.

Using the "Blank to" Control

On the Live Controller Bar in between the Live windows are three options to Blank your screen. Clicking on the down arrow next to the blank button will show you your three options.

Blank Screen

Choosing this option will blank your projector to black as if it were shut off. The shortcut for this option is . (fullstop/period on your keyboard).

Blank to Theme

Choosing this option will show your blank theme only, without lyrics or verses. If you are blanking a song with an assigned theme it will blank to that theme. If no theme is assigned or you are blanking a presentation or image, it will blank to the global theme. The shortcut for this option is T.

Blank to Desktop

Choosing this option will show your desktop wallpaper or a program that you have open on the extended monitor or projector. You can seamlessly switch between one program and OpenLP by Blank to Desktop. The shortcut for this option is D.

You can change or add to the keyboard shortcuts here Settings --> Configure Shortcuts.

New, Open and Saving the service

These three icons at the top of the Service Manager will do the following: The first icon will create a New Service. The second icon will Open an already created service file. The third icon will Save the service you created, added to or rearranged.

Now that you created your service, tested it and are ready for your worship service, you will want to save your service file. OpenLP will remind you to do this when you close the program or you can click the save button at the top of your service file. Choose the location you want to save your file and click Ok.