As a workaround I am trying to script the entire process, although the sheer amount of scripts, and trigger times makes me pull my hair out.
Currently I have 4 PAL scripts in SAM for station ID insertions, promos, etc. one for x:00, x:15, x:30, x:45, so every 15 minutes. I have added a condition into each script:
WHILE NOT FileExists ('stop.txt') DO
Then basically if the file stop.txt exists at the root of C:\ then it stops the PAL, if the stop.txt does not exists it continues as normal.
I set up scheduled tasks in windows to create a blank stop.txt at C:\ about 10 minutes before the start time of each of my live DJ shows, so that when the scripts execute during the show it sees the stop file and turns off, preventing the piling up of ID/PSAs in the queue.
Then I have another task the deletes the stop.txt file 14 minutes before the show ends.
After that I have 4 different events in the SAM event scheduler to Start each PAL again. And each of those events has 9 different trigger times (12 minutes before the end of each show)
So with that the intended result is this:
Show scheduled for 5pm-6pm
4:48 - stop.txt gets created
5:00 - PAL attempts to run, sees stop.txt, turns PAL off
5:00 - show begins
5:46 - stop.txt gets deleted
5:48 - SAM starts PAL again, PAL doesnt see stop.txt and continues
6:00 - show ends, automation back to normal
My next step will be scheduling the starting/stopping of the encoder possibly 10 seconds before and after each scheduled show start time.