# contexts.live — Quick Start

Getting from a blank pack to live subtitles on the night.

---

## 1. Log in

Go to `https://contexts.live/cx/tools/cx-login.html` and log in with your client credentials.

Once logged in, open your org dashboard: `https://contexts.live/org/{slug}/`

---

## 2. Create a pack

From the org dashboard, click **Subtitle Editor** under Tools.

Create a new pack and enter your subtitle lines. The simplest pack is just a list of lines:

```
type    en
id      show
title   My Show
text    Welcome to the performance.
text    Please silence your phones.
text    The show begins shortly.
```

For a bilingual pack, add a second language column:

```
type    en              mi
id      show
title   My Show
text    Welcome         Nau mai
text    Please be seated    Kia noho
text    The show begins     Ka tīmata
```

For recorded content (film, pre-recorded audio), add timecode columns:

```
type    cueIn   cueOut  en
id                      show
title                   My Show
text    0       4       Welcome to the performance.
text    5       9       Please silence your phones.
text    12      16      The show begins shortly.
```

The editor imports TSV, CSV, VTT, SRT, and PPTX files and saves directly to the server.

---

## 3. Pick your pages

Back on the org dashboard, select your pack from the dropdown. The page cards update to show links and QR codes for that pack.

**For most shows:**

| Page | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| Simple Display | Full-screen subtitle, one language. Audience devices. |
| Full Display | Subtitle + speaker + offset lines + language menu. Richer display. |
| Operator Monitor | Now/next cue view for the operator. |

**Controller — operator drives from one of these:**

| Page | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| List Controller | Click-to-cue. Simple, reliable. |
| Auto Controller | Click Play — cues fire automatically from timecodes. |
| Programme Controller | Two-pane: programme selector left, current pack list right. |

Display pages are in the **User — Display** section (open access — share with audience).
Control pages are in the **Client — Control** section (login required).

---

## 4. Test

**Live performance** — open the display page and controller, click a line, confirm the display updates.

**Recorded content** — test without a controller using simulation mode. In the param bar at the bottom of the dashboard, set Socket to **Simulate**, then click any display card. The pack plays through automatically using timecodes.

Or add `?socket=false` to any display page URL directly:

```
https://contexts.live/org/{slug}/user/cx-display-simple.html?pack=show&socket=false
```

Speed it up with `?speed=2`, or jump in with `?startCue=10`.

---

## 5. Share with the audience

From the org dashboard, each page card has a QR code thumbnail. Tap it for a full-size scannable code. Share the display page URL or QR code with your audience — they open it on their own devices.

For printing, use the **Print QR sheet →** link at the top of each section — this opens a print-ready page of all QR codes for that section.

---

## 6. On the night

1. **Open the controller** on the operator's device (login required)
2. **Share the display page** — QR code from the dashboard; audience scan it
3. **Click the first line** — display pages update instantly
4. **Advance** with clicks or keyboard (Space / → / ↓)
5. **Blank** with the Blank button or `Escape` between cues if needed

For recorded content with autoplay (Auto Controller): click the line where playback starts, then click Play. Cues fire automatically from timecodes. Nudge ±2s if timing drifts.

---

## Multi-pack shows

Create a programme pack listing each work as a line with a `pack` field:

```json
{ "pack": "grain",  "st": { "text": { "en": "Fauré Requiem" } } }
{ "pack": "RBG",    "st": { "text": { "en": "Beethoven 7" } } }
```

Then open the Programme Controller:

```
cx-control-programme.html?programme=proggy
```

Clicking a line in the left pane switches all display pages to that pack.

---

## Next steps

- [cx-spec.md](cx-spec.md) — all sources, renders, modifiers, and pack format
- [cx-dashboards.md](cx-dashboards.md) — org dashboard, admin dashboard, shell tools
- [cx-folder-structure.md](cx-folder-structure.md) — how files are organised
- [cx-capabilities.md](cx-capabilities.md) — full feature list