Showport Author ?

[TWilkie]

Hi All,

Does anyone know the author of Strand's Showport ? I understand that the consoles and .ssf file format was a "black art" in Strand development.

On the same note can anyone tell me what the .ssf file format really is... ? The consoles are DOS based but beyond that I have no further information.

 

Regards,

 

Terry Wilkie

[gareth]

I reckon if anyone's going to be able to tell you more about the .ssf file format, it'll be either Andy Syposz, Bill Richards or John Wright. The frist two of those are lurkers on this forum, and the third now works for Stage Electrics. Having said that, the .ssf format was/is a proprietary Strand thing - I don't know where that particular bit of intellectual property ended up in the big Genlyte vacuuming-up of the Strand brand, so there's a possibility that you might not be able to get hold of the info you need if someone within Genlyte still thinks there's some mileage to be had from it.

[JMC]

Will be very interesting when we eventually find how it's done, it's always intrigued me! I've had a bit of a poke around with them, but it's certainly nothing obvious.

 

And FYI, there is a whole bit about reverse engineering the software in the Strand EULA if I remember correctly! Wonder if it still applies, as it is with Strand Lighting Limited, not Strand Lighting Inc!

[goochr96]

What happens if you try and open a .ssf file in notepad on a pc. You may just end up with nonsense, or there may be something desipherable in there?

[gareth]

What happens if you try and open a .ssf file in notepad on a pc

This :

http://www.ghughes.plus.com/ssf.jpg

So not really much good.

 

Moderation: Image changed to link for your browsing pleasure

[dave_m]

And FYI, there is a whole bit about reverse engineering the software in the Strand EULA if I remember correctly! Wonder if it still applies, as it is with Strand Lighting Limited, not Strand Lighting Inc!

If I'm thinking correctly, when Genlyte acquired Strand, they would also have acquired all of strands intellectual property, meaning that the EULA still stands.

 

Readingabout showport, you can convert the .ssf files to ASCII light cue format if you want to read it.

Link

 

Hope that helped

[Bryson]

What happens if you try and open a .ssf file in notepad on a pc

This :

snip

So not really much good.

 

I can read that perfectly. What's wrong with you people? :D

[JMC]

If I'm thinking correctly, when Genlyte acquired Strand, they would also have acquired all of strands intellectual property, meaning that the EULA still stands.

 

Readingabout showport, you can convert the .ssf files to ASCII light cue format if you want to read it.

Link

 

Hope that helped

 

They only acquired *certain* IP rights, although it makes sense that 300/500 software & SSF's would be one of them.

 

ASCII only gives you basic channel/que data.. you loose a lot or information!

 

There are times when I have wanted to generate large numbers of automods in a spreadsheet, then import them into the desk to run them. If we were able to read and fully edit the contents of SSF this would be possible. Unfortunately it's not. Oh well.

[Tomo]

On the same note can anyone tell me what the .ssf file format really is... ?

If you find out, can you tell us?

The internal workings of .SSF is a closely guarded secret - don't you think that every console manufacturer would love to be able to read them natively?

 

The .ALQ result of a Showport conversion is still rather strange...