If an AutoTimer rule finds an event by title but drops it after adding a required short-description filter, inspect the event’s actual description fields. Each text inclusion must match, and a missing short description cannot satisfy a requirement on that field. Compare the same EPG events in Preview after one filter change at a time.
Use the exact fields the rule will see
Suppose a viewer wants a local series called Harbour Walk. The label in the AutoTimer overview is Coastal evenings. Its Match title is Harbour Walk and the search type is exact. The rule is scoped to the intended service and an evening window. An EPG detail view shows a description that mentions the harbour, yet the expected event disappears when the viewer adds a required filter.
This example uses the text-filter behaviour documented in OpenATV’s AutoTimer revision 20859d7ae9. Check the installed revision and current EPG first. Copy the event title, service, start time and both description fields into a private note. The rule’s Description field labels the rule. The short description and full description belong to the event.
Predict the result before you preview
In this fictional guide all four events are on the intended service and within the allowed time window. The rule requires a short description containing harbour and a full description containing coast. Use equivalent case-insensitive text filters if testing that comparison on the documented version.
| Event | Short description | Full description | Expected result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18:00 Harbour Walk | Harbour lights | A walk along the coast | Matches both fields and the exact title. |
| 18:30 Harbour Walk | Absent | A harbour walk along the coast | Excluded by the required short-description field. |
| 19:00 Harbour Walk | Harbour archive | A route through the hills | Excluded by the required full-description field. |
| 19:30 Harbour Walk Extra | Harbour paths | A look at the coast | Excluded by the exact title choice. |
Use a controlled preview to isolate the missing field
- Open the rule’s editor and record the current title search, service, time window and extra filters.
- Use Preview from the overview after checking the title and scope with both example inclusion filters removed. The first three events should qualify for this comparison.
- Restore only the full-description condition and preview again. The first and second events should qualify.
- Restore the required short-description condition and preview again. Only the first event should qualify.
- Compare these results with the actual EPG entries before accepting the intended rule.
Keep the criterion that reflects the intended programme
If the missing event is one the viewer wants, base the rule on a field that the provider fills reliably. For the fictional events, keeping the full-description filter would allow the 18:30 edition. If none appear even without those filters, recheck the title mode, actual service and event time. If two required rows were meant as alternatives, use a supported alternative expression in one appropriate field or intentionally separate the rules.
Once the preview reflects the desired events, save only the intended rule and verify the ordinary recording timer list after processing. If the 18:30 example returns in preview and still produces no enabled timer, investigate scheduling from that stage. The extra-filter comparison already answered which EPG field excluded it.