documentation/manual/source/configure.rst

Configuring OpenLP

OpenLP has many options you can configure to suit your needs. Most options are self-explanatory and we will quickly review them.

To configure OpenLP, click on Settings --> Configure OpenLP...

The plugins you have activated will have configure options. If all the plugins are activated there will be 14 items down the left side you can configure.

General

Application Startup

Show blank screen warning

When this box is selected, you will get a warning when opening OpenLP that the output display has been blanked. You may have blanked it and shut down the program and this will warn you it is still blanked.

Automatically open the previous service

When this box is selected, OpenLP will remember the last service you were working on when you closed the program.

Show the splash screen

The OpenLP logo is displayed while OpenLP loads when this checkbox is checked. This is useful to give some indication that the program is loading.

Check for updates to OpenLP

OpenLP will check to see if there is a newer version available on a regular basis when this checkbox is checked. Please note that this requires Internet access.

Logo

Logo file:

Select an image file to be displayed when OpenLP is started. Using an image file will override a background color.

Browse for an image file to display

Revert to the default OpenLP logo

Background color:

You can choose the background color that will be displayed when you start OpenLP.

Don't show logo on startup

With this box is checked the OpenLP log will not be displayed on startup.

CCLI Details

CCLI number:

If you subscribe to CCLI, this box is for your License number. This number is also displayed in the Song Footer box.

UI Settings (user interface)

Number of recent files to display

Set this number for OpenLP to remember your last files open. These will show under File --> Recent Files.

Open the last used Library tab on startup

With this box selected OpenLP library will open on the same tab that it was closed on.

Hide mouse cursor when over display window

With this box selected your mouse cursor will not be visible if you move it from Display 1 onto Display 2.

Double-click to send items straight to live

With this box selected, double-clicking on anything in the library will immediately send it live instead of to Preview.

Preview items when clicked in Library

With this box selected, clicking any item in the library will immediately display it in the Preview pane.

Preview items when clicked in Service

With this box selected, clicking any item in the creating_service will immediately display it in the Preview pane.

Expand new service items on creation

With this box selected, everything you add to the creating_service will be expanded so you can see all the verses, lyrics and presentations, line by line. When you open OpenLP, everything will automatically be expanded in the creating_service.

Max height for non-text slides in slide controller

With this box selected, on closing OpenLP you will be presented with a dialog box to confirm closing the program.

When changing slides

This dropdown controls how the Live and Preview controllers scroll the verses displayed as you progress through the item slides.

Enable search as you type

With this box selected, as you type into text boxes suggestions will be shown.

Enable application exit confirmation

With this box selected, you will be asked if you really want to close OpenLP.

Service

Default service name

The default service name gives you the ability to have a preset name, date and time when saving your service file.

Enable default service name:

Checking this box will activate the use of the default service name.

Date and Time:

You can choose the regular day of the week and time of the service or choose Now from the dropdown for the immediate date and time to save your service file.

Name:

You can change "Service" to a default name of your choosing. The year, month day, hour and minute will default to what you have set for Date and Time above or if you chose Now the saved file will have the time and date that you save it.

Revert:

Clicking this button will erase your changes and revert to the default service name.

Example:

The example shows how the name, date and time will be displayed for the file name when saving the file.

Note: If the date and time format does not suit your needs and you are technically inclined, there is more information at Python.org.

Slide Controller

Unblank display when sending items to Live

When using the blank to button with this checkbox checked, on going live with the next item, the screen will be automatically re-enabled. If this checkbox is not checked you will need to click the blank to button again to reverse the action.

Unblank display when changing slide in live

Automatically preview next item in service:

When this box is selected, the next item in the creating_service will be displayed in the Preview pane.

Timed slide interval:

This setting is the time delay in seconds. This is used to continuously loop a group of images, verses, or the lyrics in a song. This control timer is also accessible on the using_timer

Service Item Wrapping

End Slide:

Up and down arrow keys stop at the top and bottom slides of each Service item. You will need to use the Right Arrow key or the mouse to move to the next Service Item.

Wrap Slide:

Up and down arrow keys wrap around at the top and bottom slides of each Service item, eg: When you reach the last slide of a song or verse and Down Arrow you will be back on the first slide. Likewise if you are on the first slide and Up Arrow you will wrap-around to the last slide of the song, images or Bible verses.

Next Slide:

Up and down arrow keys advance to the next or previous Service Item from the top and bottom slides of each Service Item. As long as you have your songs and verses in order, you can use the Down Arrow to move through your service from start to finish. Using this setting makes it possible to use a presentation remote controller.

Advanced

Data Location

If you wish to change the default location of where OpenLP stores its data, you can enter a custom location here.

Browse for a custom data location

Clicking this button will open the open file dialog and allow you to select ability new location for the Data directory.

Revert:

Clicking this button will erase your changes and revert to the default data location.

Display Workarounds

Ignore Aspect Ratio

Selecting this option will allow service items to be displayed as it was originally formated without regard for how the screen is formated.

Bypass X11 Window Manager:

Linux and other X users may need to try toggling this flag if the main display window is causing them problems. For example with this unset, KDE users may find the main display window disappears if they switch windows. Ubuntu users using the Unity interface may find the main screen is corrupted if set. GNOME Shell users may find the window doesn't fill the whole screen if unset. As it appears to affect different versions and distributions differently, this setting has been added, rather than try and work it out programmatically.

Use alternating row colors in lists:

Using alternating row colors in most cases makes it easier for the human eye to overview a list of items. Uncheck to disable.

Disable display transparency

Selecting this option prevents the Live display from being transparent.

Proxy Server Settings

You can select a proxy server if needed. Your network administrator will know if this is necessary. In most cases this will not be needed.

No proxy

Select this option if you do not want to use a Proxy Server.

Use system proxy

Select this option if you want to use your computers default Proxy Server.

Manual proxy configuration

Select this option if you want to setup the Proxy Server manually. The remaining options are only active if you select the Manual proxy configuration.

HTTP:

Enter the HTTP: address for your proxy server followed by the port to be used on your proxy server. Please use the 120.002.168.064:4000 format.

HTTPS:

Enter the HTTP: address for your proxy server followed by the port to be used on your proxy server. Please use the 120.002.168.064:4000 format.

Username:

Please enter your username if a username is required by you proxy server. Leave this blank if your proxy server does not require user authenication.

Password:

Please enter your password if a username and password is required by you proxy server. Leave this blank if your proxy server does not require user authenication.

Screens

To choose which monitor you want OpenLP's Live display on, select the appropriate monitor. If only one screen is displayed your system has determined you only have one display it can output to. If you are unsure about what display to use for you Live display select the Identify Screens button.

Use this screen as display

This box needs to be checked for one display.

Full Screen

Select this option if you want to use the full screen area.

Custom geometry

This setting overrides the exact position on your screen where the display output appears. If you have a custom projector setup, click the Override display position checkbox, and manually set the position of the display output using the X, Y, Width and Height values.

This setting often comes in useful when you only have a single display, and you want to be able to make the display smaller so that it does not cover your entire screen.

Generic Screen Settings

Display if a Single Screen

Checking this checkbox will show the display output in a separate window when you only have a single monitor. To close the display window, click on it and press the Esc key.

Themes

Global Theme

Choose the theme you would like to use as your default global theme from the drop down box. The theme selected appears below unless the theme is a movie theme. The global theme use is determined by the Theme Level you have selected.

Theme Level

Choose from one of three options for the default use of your theme.

Song Level:

With this level selected, your theme is associated with the song. The theme is controlled by adding or editing a song in the Song editor and your song theme takes priority. If your song does not have a theme associated with it, OpenLP will use the theme set in the creating_service.

Service Level:

With this level selected, your theme is controlled at the top of the creating_service. Select your default service theme there. This setting will override your Song theme.

Global Level:

With this level selected, all songs and verses will use the theme selected on the left in the Global Theme drop down.

Universal Settings

Transition between service items

Checking this option will force the theme to use it's transition between items in the service (so when you change from a song to a Bible verse you'll get a transition)

Reload live theme when changed

Check this option if you want the theme reloaded when you edit it while it is currently being used in the current live item.

Media

Live Media

Start Live items automatically:

With this option selected songs and videos will start to play automatically when sent live.

VLC (requires restart)

Extra arguments:

If needed you can add command line arguments to be used with VLC.

Projectors

Communication Options

The following options available are:

Connect to projectors on startup:

Check if you want to attempt to connect to all projectors when OpenLP starts.

Socket timeout (seconds):

Time in seconds to wait for the projector connection. Available options are 2 to 10 seconds.

Poll timeout (seconds):

How often to poll the projector for status information. Available options are 2 to 60 seconds. For quicker response on the status icons, set to a lower value. If you have network congestion, you may need to use a higher value.

Source select dialog interface:

Select whether you want all video source options on one dialog page or to use tabs to consolidate the inputs based on video group.

Enable listening for PJLink2 broadcast messages*

Select this option to Enable listening on UDP ports for PJLink2 broadcasts.

Convert to projector when LINKUP received

Select this option so a projector can be enabled when the LINKUP signal is received from the projector.

Remote Interface

OpenLP gives you the ability to control the creating_service or send an alerts from a remote computer through a web browser. This could be useful for a nursery or daycare to display an alerts message or, use it as an interface to control the whole service remotely by a visiting missionary or worship team leader.

Stage view gives you the opportunity to set up a remote computer, netbook or smartphone to view the service being displayed in an easy to read font with a black background. Stage view is a text only viewer.

The remote feature will work in any web browser that has network access whether it is another computer, a netbook or a smartphone. You can find more information about this feature here: web_remote.

Note: To use either of these features, your computers will need to be on the same network, wired or wireless.

Server Settings - Non Secure

IP address:

Put your projection computer's IP address here or use 0.0.0.0 which will display your IP address links below.

Display stage time in 12h format:

This setting displays the time in stage view in 12h or 24h format.

Show Thumbnails of non-text slides in remote and stage views.

Check this option if you want to see thumbnails of non-text slides on the Stage and Remote Views.

Port Number:

You can use the default port number or change it to another number. If you do not understand this setting you should leave it as is.

Remote URL:

Using the remote URL, you have the ability to control the live service from another computer, netbook or smartphone that has a browser.

Note: This URL and port number are also used to map the value for OpenLP's Android app.

Stage view URL:

Using stage view gives you the ability, using a remote computer, netbook or smartphone, to view the live service display in a basic black and white format. This URL shows the address you will use in the remote browser for stage view.

Chord view URL:

Using the chord view adds chords to the Stage view lyrics. This can be helpful when the stage view is used for the musicians that play the cords.

Live view URL:

Using the live view, you can display the Live output on multiple devices.

User Authentication

This option allows the additional security for update functions via the web or android interfaces. Once the userid and password have been accepted then updates will be possible for duration of the web session. This option can be changed without the need to restart OpenLP.

Web Remote

Current version:

The current version of the remote interface is displayed here. If the current version is different from the latest version, press the Upgrade button.

Latest Version

The latest version of the remote interface is displayed here after you press the check for Updates button.

Remote App

You can quickly find and download the OpenLP Android or iOS remote apps using your barcode scanner or by clicking on the download link. See the sections on the android-remote and ios-remote for more details on how to install and use them.

Finding your IP address

If the Remote or Stage view URL are not showing you can manually find these settings. To find your projection computer's IP address use these steps below.

Windows:

Open Command Prompt and type:

C:\Documents and Settings\user>ipconfig

Press the Enter key and the output of your command will display the adapter IP address. The IP address will always have a format of xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx where x is one to three digits long.

Linux:

Open Terminal and type:

linux@user:~$ifconfig

Some Linux systems will require the full path:

linux@user:~$/sbin/ifconfig 

Press the Enter key. This will display a fair amount of technical information about your network cards. On most computers, the network card is named "eth0". The IP address for your network card is just after "inet addr:" in the section with your network card's name. The IP address will always have a format of xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx where x is one to three digits long.

OS X 10.6 or 10.5

From the Apple menu, select System Preferences --> View --> Network. In the Network preference window, click a network port (e.g., Ethernet, AirPort, modem). If you are connected, you'll see its IP address under "Status:".

With these two settings written down, open a web browser in the remote computer and enter the IP address followed by a colon and then the port number, ie: 192.168.1.104:4316 then press enter. You should now have access to the OpenLP Controller. If it does not come up, you either entered the wrong IP address, port number or one or both computers are not connected to the network.

Songs

Song related settings

Enable `Go to verse` button in Live panel

With this box selected, a Go To drop down box is available on the live toolbar to select any part of the song. You can also type you the part of the song you want displayed on live display.

Update service from song edit:

With this box selected and you edit a song in the library, the results will also change the song if it is added to the creating_service. If this box is not selected, your song edit changes will only be available in the creating_service if you add it again.

Import missing songs from service files:

With this box selected, when you open a service file created on another computer, or if one of the songs are no longer in your library, it will automatically enter the song in your Songs Media Manager. If this box is not checked, the song is available in the service but will not be added to the library.

Add Songbooks as first slide

With this box selected the songbook name for songs (if available) will be shown as an introduction slide for the song. This option is implemented as songs are added to the Service. If you already have a song in the service, you will need to remove the song and re-add the song to the service for the songbook name slide to be added to the song.

Chords

Enabling this option allows songs with chords to show the chords on the Stage views. Any text in the song that is between "[" and "]" will be regarded as chords.

Ignore chords when importing songs

This option will allow the song importer to ignore cords in the imported song.

Chord notation to use:

Select the English, German or Neo-Latin notation to match your location or need.

SongSelect Login

You must have a valid SongSelect account to use this option. Type in your username and password to enable automatic login when importing SongSelect songs.

Footer

This is a list of the Placeholders that can be used in the Footer Template.

Footer Template

You can cutomize the Footer information for a song. To make changes click into the text box and type your changes. If you need to reset the template, press the Reset Template button.

Bibles

Verse Display

Show verse numbers:

With this box selected verse numbers are always shown, deselect to hide verse numbers.

Only show new chapter numbers:

With this box selected, the live display of the verse will only show the chapter number and verse for the first verse, and just the verse numbers after that. If the chapter changes, the new chapter number will be displayed with the verse number for the first line, and only the verse number displayed thereafter.

Display style:

This option will put brackets around the chapter and verse numbers. You may select No Brackets or your bracket style from the drop down menu.

Layout style:

There are three options to determine how your Bible verses are displayed.

• Verse Per Slide: Will display one verse per slide.
• Verse Per Line: Will start each verse on a new line until the slide is full.
• Continuous: Will run all verses together, separated by verse number and chapter, if chapter is selected to show above. This will only add the next verse if it wholly fits on the slide. If it does not fit, it will begin a new slide.

Note: Changes do not affect verses already in the service.

Display second Bible verses:

OpenLP has the ability to display the same verse in two different Bible versions for comparison. With this option selected, there will be a Second choice in the Bible Media Manager to use this option. Verses will display with one verse per slide with the second Bible verse below.

Bible theme:

You may select your default Bible theme from this drop down box. This selected theme will only be used if your Theme Level is set at Song Level.

Note: Changes do not affect verses already in the service.

Custom Scripture References

Here you can change the default separators used in the scripture references. The default values are shown in gray when the custom separators has not be enabled and nothing has been entered. Note that the default separators can change if the language of OpenLP is changed.

Verse Separators: Enable to enter a custom verse separator.

Range Separators: Enable to enter a custom range separator.

List Separators: Enable to enter a custom list separator.

End Mark: Enable to enter a custom end marker.

Default Bible Language

Choose the language of the bible books. The options are:

Bible Language:

The language of the books will be determined by the language of the bible.

Application Language:

The language of the books will be determined by the language set for OpenLP.

English:

The language of the books will be set to English.

Quick Search Settings

Reset search type to `Text or Scripture Reference` on Startup

Select this option if you want the bible search type to be Text or scripture Reference when OpenLP is started.

Don't show error if nothing is found in `Text or Scripture Reference`

Select this option to remove the error message when there are no results for your text or scripture reference search.

Seach automatically while typing

Select this option if you want a display of possible results to appear as you type in your search criteria. The list will appear after 8 charactors are entered or a space is entered.

Presentations

Available Controllers

OpenLP has the ability to import OpenOffice Impress or Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, and use Impress, PowerPoint, or PowerPoint Viewer to display and control them from within OpenLP. Please remember that in order to use this feature you will need to have one of the above-mentioned applications installed, due to the fact that OpenLP uses these application to open and run the presentation.

Support of PDF is bundled with OpenLP on macOS and Windows. On Linux you will need to install mupdf (recommended) or ghostscript.

Advanced

Allow presentation application to be overridden:

With this option selected, you will see Present using area with a dropdown box on the Presentations toolbar in the Library library-presentations which gives you the option to select the presentation program you want to use.

PowerPoint options

These options are only available if PowerPoint has been detected.

Clicking on a selected slide in the slidecontroller advances to next effect:

When this is enabled it is possible to go to the next effect of a slide by clicking the slide in the slidecontroller. The default behavior is to restart the slide.

Let PowerPoint control the size and position of the presentation window (workaround for Windows 8 scaling issue):

Windows 8 and 10 can on computers with multiple monitors use scaling to make windows look the same size on different monitors. Unfortunately this can cause issues with how OpenLP places and resizes the PowerPoint presentation window. Check this box to enable the workaround which let PowerPoint control the presentation window. When you enable this you must setup PowerPoint to present to the correct monitor.

Images

Provides border where an image is not the correct dimensions for the screen when it is resized.

Image Background

Use Blank Theme

Select this option to place the image on a blank background. If the image is smaller than the screen, the area around the imabe will be black.

Custom Theme

Select this option and use the dropdown box to use one of the current themes as a background for the imate.

Custom Slides

Custom Display

Display Footer:

With this option selected, your Custom slide Title will be displayed in the footer.

Note: If you have an entry in the Credits box of your custom slide, title and credits will always be displayed.

Import missing custom slides from service files:

With this box selected, when you open a service file created on another computer, or if one of the custom slides are no longer in your library, it will automatically enter the custom slide in your Custom Slide Media Manager. If this box is not checked, the custom slide is available in the service but will not be added to the library.

Alerts

Font Settings

Font name:

Choose your desired font from the drop down menu

Font color:

Choose your font color here.

Background color:

Choose the background color the font will be displayed on.

Font size:

This will adjust the size of the font.

Background Settings

Background Color

Select the color box and you can select the background color for the alert.

Enable Scrolling

Select this option and the alert text will scroll across the screen.

Repeat(no. of times)

If Enable Scrolling has been selected this sets the number of times the alert will scroll across the screen.

Other Settings

Alert timeout:

This setting will determine how long your alerts will be displayed on the screen, in seconds.

Vertical Align:

Choose the location where you want the alert displayed on the screen, Top, Middle or Bottom.

Preview

Your choices will be displayed here.