Elements not triggering graphics

If elements are firing but nothing appears on screen, work down this list. Most of it is answered in one press by the Pre-flight button, so start there.

1. No screen is connected

Symptom: everything looks like it is running, the logs show elements executing, and nothing reaches the picture.

This is the most common cause and the easiest to miss. The engine sends commands to output screens; if none is listening, they go nowhere.

Fix: open the Pre-flight. If it says "It would NOT go to air", use Copy the output link or Open the output and get the output page open on the playout machine. If a screen is open but not answering, press Wake the screens.

2. The graphic is no longer in the published package

Symptom: the element executes, reports success, and does nothing. No error anywhere.

The element points at a subcomposition that was removed or renamed in the graphics package since the rundown was built.

Fix: the Rundown contents section of the pre-flight catches exactly this, and it runs whether or not the show is armed. Re-point the element, or republish the package.

3. No integration or target selected

Symptom: the element executes but nothing happens.

Fix: open the element in the inspector and check that both an integration and a target (overlay, subcomposition, scene, source) are selected. If the integration list is empty, set the integration up first in Connect.

4. Wrong resource ID

Symptom: the logs show a 400, "Overlay not found" or similar.

Fix: the ID on the element does not match anything in the graphics engine. Verify the overlay exists in Flowics or Helmo Graphics and re-select it on the element.

5. The integration is offline

Symptom: API calls time out or return connection errors.

Fix: check the integration in Connect. For OBS and vMix routed through middleware, make sure Helmo Middleware is running and connected. The pre-flight probes these directly and will tell you.

6. The element airs for zero seconds

Symptom: it fires and is gone, or never visibly appears.

The element enters at the exact instant its block ends. The rundown flags this on the row: "it never reaches the screen".

Fix: give the block a set length, or give the element a duration of its own.

7. The clip was not downloaded in time

Symptom: a video starts late, or shows a fraction of itself.

Fix: mark the rundown Ready early enough for the screens to download the media, and check Media cached in the pre-flight before going live. If files gave up, press Fetch the files again; this is safe with the show on air.

8. Your changes never reached the engine

Symptom: you fixed the element, and it still misbehaves on air.

The engine holds the rundown as it was when you armed it.

Fix: press Push changes to active rundown. See Editing a rundown that is Ready or on air.

Checking the logs

Open the Logs tab for the actual requests and responses. Look for error status codes (400, 401, 500) and read the response body. An entry with missing OUT, or an air that was never confirmed by a screen, tells you where to look next.