Restart vs Stop a row — when to use which
Restart (R) resets the current cue's timer to 0:00 — same cue, fresh clock. Stop marks the cue done but holds the next one in an armed state until you press S.
Showtime has two row-level "undo" actions that look similar but do different things. Knowing which is which keeps your audit trail clean.
Restart row — the circular arrow icon
The Restart icon (a circular counter-clockwise arrow) sits next to the timer on the NOW row. It does exactly one thing: resets the current row's timer back to 0:00 and starts it again immediately.
The row's previous elapsed time is discarded. The cue stays NOW. The next cue is still next. Nothing else moves.
Keyboard shortcut
Press R.
When to use Restart
- You fired the cue button (advanced from the previous row) but the speaker hasn't actually started yet. The timer's been running for 90 seconds of nothing. Press R, reset to zero, start fresh when the speaker does.
- You hit Advance by mistake one row too early. Use the Undo button (curved arrow) to go back, then Restart so the previous cue's clock starts cleanly.
- Pre-show: you've been clicking through cues to test, now the real show is about to start.
Stop row — the square icon
The Stop icon (a small square) sits next to Restart. Stop marks the current row as done immediately — but instead of auto-starting the next row's timer, it leaves the next row in an armed state.
"Armed" means: this row is now NOW, but its timer hasn't started yet. You'll see a big Start button on the row instead of a running timer. Press S (or click the Start button) when you're ready to actually begin that cue.
When to use Stop
- End of a session segment — the next cue is "DOORS OPEN" for the next session and you don't want its 30-minute timer to start running while you take your break.
- A planned hold — you finished the keynote cue, but lunch isn't quite ready yet. Stop holds you between cues.
- Any situation where the current cue is genuinely done but you want a beat before the next one starts.
The difference, side by side
| Restart (R) | Stop (no shortcut) | |
|---|---|---|
| Current row's status | Stays NOW | Becomes done |
| Current row's elapsed time | Reset to 0:00 | Kept (final value) |
| Next row | Untouched | Becomes NOW but armed |
| Timer state after | Running | Stopped, waiting for S |
| Use when | You want a do-over of THIS cue | This cue is done but next isn't ready |
What about Advance?
Advance (the checkbox or →) is the normal "next cue" action — it marks the current row done and immediately starts the next row's timer. Restart is "redo this one." Stop is "done but hold." Advance is "done, next now." Use Advance 95% of the time.