Macros.

[SLM-285]

This will sound like a stupid question.

 

What are Macros? What do they do? and when do you use them?

 

I do not know whether this is the same for other boards but there you go.

 

Thanks guys

SLM-285

[tom_the_LD]

A macro, not just referring to lighting desks here, is effectively a mini program which when executed will perform a set of actions as defined by the user.

 

For example, on an ETC Express you can set up a macro to set all levels to 100. You would program the macro into the desk, then whenever you press the macro button to execute it the actions one programmed will be executed and the levels will be at 100.

 

Has that helped or just made you more confused!?

[SLM-285]

Has that helped or just made you more confused!?

 

Kind of helped (ish) ** laughs out loud **,

 

So its just basically a little program that executes an action? (completely different to chases?)

 

SO can you set a Macro to (for example) loop e.g. Channel 1 + 10 @ 100% 0.5 seconds later those channels off and channel 2+9 @ 100% and keep on doing that over and over again or does that have to be a chase,

 

I'm on a zero 88 illusion 120 if that helps

[Zombais]

I don't know on that board how things work.

 

But when I set macros its to run chases. So instead of having to type in the chase I can make a marco like Load fx 1 go, and then link that marco into a cue so it runs the chase in the cue. Or Set up marcos for saving to disk. And setting that button handy so I don't need to wade through menu's to get there.

 

I havn't tried to use marcos to adjust channel levels before. It sounds like it could be done.. but I've always just used cues and chases to do everything and used marcos to trigger them.

[GridGirl]

I've always viewed macros as a single key-press which executes a whole lot more keystrokes for you, saving you time. For instance, I usually set up a macro which strikes my movers, to save me a load of button pressing. I have another one set up to lamp the movers off. But you can use them for anything you like - to load a chase, to bring channels to a certain level, to bring your units up one at a time for a few seconds so you can stand on the stage checking them all while the desk cycles through them. In the days when I used to attempt to busk 4 Goldenscans on a Strand 550 (relatively successfully!), I used to have macros set up so I could send all the movers to a gobo or a colour with one button press rather than wheel through them all on the attribute wheels.

[Joe Bleasdale]

I've always viewed macros as a single key-press which executes a whole lot more keystrokes for you, saving you time.

 

That’s about right. Any time of macros (on a computer or a Lighting Console) is essentially a way of automating a function or group of functions.

 

They exist in different formats on different desks. There are comment macros and keystroke macros. They are the two main one I come across being a Hog guy.

Comment Macro -

 

A comment macro can also be referred to as a "link" (it depends which console you are on, the terminology differs). A good example on a Hog would be GM1/3 - This means "GO MASTER 1, CUE 3".

 

Keystroke Macro

 

Now a keystroke macro was a little different. It would execute certain specific command line instructions for the console. For example a keystroke macro could be a recording of information in order to change a Playback Master's button layouts without you having to go into the settings of the console. But that is one example.

 

Now Macros and what they do vary depending on console. They can also exist in the same format on a number of consoles, but be called different things. A comment macro is a Hog thing, but the equivalent on a Strand 500 series or a Grand MA is called a "link".

 

Which console are you using?

 

Best Regards,

[gareth]

To cut to the chase, at its most simple a macro is a way of condensing a long frequently-used sequence of commands or key-presses into a shorter command or even a single key-press.

[Jamtastic3]

So what about macros on moving lights, as some have extra channels as macros. How do those work in conjuction with a desk?

[tom_the_LD]

So what about macros on moving lights, as some have extra channels as macros. How do those work in conjuction with a desk?

Some movers already have macros programmed for them within the personality of the mover. For example instead of having to manually find the reset point on a mover on the channel with the correct value, there may already be a macro to reset the light. In this case you select the fixture and then execute the macro - for example on a Pearl you select the fixture, ML menu, Macro then hit softkey A to reset (in the case of a Robe Colorspot 170).

 

Does that make ANY sense?!

[Big Jay]

So what about macros on moving lights, as some have extra channels as macros. How do those work in conjuction with a desk?

Some movers already have macros programmed for them within the personality of the mover. For example instead of having to manually find the reset point on a mover on the channel with the correct value, there may already be a macro to reset the light. In this case you select the fixture and then execute the macro - for example on a Pearl you select the fixture, ML menu, Macro then hit softkey A to reset (in the case of a Robe Colorspot 170).

 

Does that make ANY sense?!

 

Hmmm, partly right, in the case of a macro on the unit itself, the desk is irelevent, the macro's which can be trigered on the actual unit is the same pricible of what a macro is on a desk, a shortcut to a series of command(s).

 

Gobo/color macros

Channel 11 (16 in extended mode) provides pre-programmed variable-speed macros that use different combinations of color and gobos.

 

So this if for a MAC700 Profile, What is it saying is that by going to a DMX value, you can do pre-programmed things on the unit such as a combination of gobo changes along with colour changes without going to these attributes through all the menue's. Or a comman one which can be triggered on the acutal unit is a full test which tests all of the attributes without going through each one.

[Darker Than Black]

The above post by "tom the LD" is both correct and incorrect at the same time. If I am wrong then ignore me but I just wish to clarify a few things from it.

 

Firstly he is correct in saying that some movers have macros prebuilt into them but his example of the "fixture reset" is a bit misleading. On most movers, as he suggests and I am sure your aware off there is the possibility to remotely reset the fixture from a desk. This is done by setting either one or multiple channels of the mover to set values via the desk. This triggers the fixture to "reset".

 

Now, Tom says here that:

 

For example instead of having to manually find the reset point on a mover on the channel with the correct value, there may already be a macro to reset the light.

 

This is incorrect. It is true that instead of using the remote reset there are other ways to reset the fixture. One example is with a button in the fixtures menu structure that will do the same thing. This is not however an "instead of" as Tom suggests. If the fixture is rigged this would be inaccessible meaning you would need the remote reset. Also, they are both triggering exactly the same thing within the fixture but in different ways.

 

N.B. You might call the act of a "fixture reset" a complex macro in itself as the fixture is doing a complex routine from the triggering of a single command. As I am not a programmer or fixture manufacture I’m not to sure if this is software programming that is different to a macro.

 

He also states that:

 

In this case you select the fixture and then execute the macro - for example on a Pearl you select the fixture, ML menu, Macro then hit softkey A to reset (in the case of a Robe Colorspot 170).

 

Again, not entirely correct. This process is not triggering a macro within the fixture. This is what has already been described previously in the post, a desk based macro. Instead of you selecting the fixture and then wheeling up the channel to the correct percentage to trigger a "fixture reset" you instead select the reset command button on the desk (the Pearl as he suggests) and it does all this for you.

 

There are however, examples of fixture based macros. Some of these include gobo macros. Usually gobo wheel 1, gobo wheel 2, the prism and other beam type parameters are all on different channels. To make a beam look you are after you have to set each channel to a certain percentage to achieve a complex look. On some fixtures some complex looks have already been created and stored as macros in the fixture itself. To access them all you have to do is increase the percentage of whichever channel it is that has the macro trigger stored on it. This means that you can create a complex look with one channel rather than lots.

 

Hope that helps.

 

P.s Toms post was a little difficult to understand. If I have misunderstood it or any of my post does not make sense please reply and I will try to clarify.

[Big Jay]

And you say Toms post was difficult to understand? :D Blimey I didnt really understand anything you said, you basicly repeated what I said but made it slightly confusing?

 

 

QUOTE (tom_the_LD @ 9 Aug 2009, 4:27 PM)

For example instead of having to manually find the reset point on a mover on the channel with the correct value, there may already be a macro to reset the light.

 

This is something in relation to the desk not the fixture.

 

There are however, examples of fixture based macros. Some of these include gobo macros. Usually gobo wheel 1, gobo wheel 2, the prism and other beam type parameters are all on different channels. To make a beam look you are after you have to set each channel to a certain percentage to achieve a complex look. On some fixtures some complex looks have already been created and stored as macros in the fixture itself. To access them all you have to do is increase the percentage of whichever channel it is that has the macro trigger stored on it. This means that you can create a complex look with one channel rather than lots.

 

Bassicly what I just said?

 

To sum this up, macros built into fixtures are the same as macros built into control desks, just fixture macros are trigured by a DMX value on a certain channel rather than you creating the macro.

[Darker Than Black]

Sorry ToshiBoy, indeed I did just repeat most of your stuff.

 

"Tom the LD" had the last post when I started writing mine but when I sent mine out yours had appeared. I should have followed that old acronym "KISS".

 

Ah well.

[SLM-285]

Thanks guys, that helped alot.

 

Never let me down!

 

SLM-285