Magic Q, help needed. Cue stacks

[Richard CSL]

OK I have created a cue stack, in normal default mode, my scanners do not have a seperate dimmer channel. (it's the gobo chanel)

 

to activate stack . I raise the fader, no problem. to deactivate I lower the sfader, everything stops and the heads are still illuminated.

 

I know I could create a final blackout cue, but I would like to keep the stack running till I lower the fader.

 

I have tried every fader option to try and release the cue stack .ie return all DMX values to zero. how can I achieve this??

 

Another cue option I want to use. is as I create a cue stack, how can I add my cue timing for each step as I create the stack??

 

also once you have created a cue stack how can you go through it and say edit positions within the cues, ?

 

 

thanks in advance for any help

[mumbles]

What scanners are you using? In the hed file is the dimmer channel an HTP or an LTP attribute? Wouldnt be surprised that if the channel also controls shutter and gobo that it would have been set as LTP. If so, have you set "Fader controls LTP (IPCB) chans" to yes?

[Richard CSL]

The scanners are neo neon diamond scans, or Soundlab colourscans. (same thing).

there is no dimmer channel set as yet because it is the same chanel as the gobo. first 17 DMX values are the shutter opening.

I created the .hed file by modifiying an Abstract 4ch scanner, similar attributes.

I will try setting the fader to IPCB to yes to see if that makes a difference.

[themadhippy]

could try a virtual dimmer work, add a dimmer on an out of the way address( another universe is my usual place) then change the dimmer head number to the same as the scanners head number

[Frisco]

Had the same problem with some scanners last week. In the end I made another cue with beam info as shutter - off and used the GO buttons.

[smalljoshua]

Change the Gobo wheel to HTP in the Personality instead of using Fader Controls LTP. That way, the other attributes won't fade out too.

 

Josh

[Richard CSL]

Solution found. on the forum. in setup . view settings. prog . unused chans return to default.

 

why oh why is this not the default setting I just don't know (yet).

thanks for all the help.

[indyld]

Solution found. on the forum. in setup . view settings. prog . unused chans return to default.

 

why oh why is this not the default setting I just don't know (yet).

thanks for all the help.

 

Because plenty of shows and programmers that use many different lighting desks don't want their console to behave like that. This particular setting may have solved your issue but it's not the reason it was put there.

 

Others have offered credible solutions to the actual problem, which is that people that design a moving light that has all those attribute on a single channel of control are stupid. Putting and HTP attribute on the same control channel as an LTP channel causes the kind of control issues that are being described. The workarounds are various and a few have been suggested. These would all have to be dealt with on a Grand MA 2 or any other other lighting control in the professional realm.

 

I think it's unfair to blame a professional level, highly versatile and complex moving light and media console for a) lack of understanding of it and b) it's inability to suddenly stop a piece of crappy disco kit from being what it is.

[Richard CSL]

Solution found. on the forum. in setup . view settings. prog . unused chans return to default.

 

why oh why is this not the default setting I just don't know (yet).

thanks for all the help.

 

Because plenty of shows and programmers that use many different lighting desks don't want their console to behave like that. This particular setting may have solved your issue but it's not the reason it was put there.

 

Others have offered credible solutions to the actual problem, which is that people that design a moving light that has all those attribute on a single channel of control are stupid. Putting and HTP attribute on the same control channel as an LTP channel causes the kind of control issues that are being described. The workarounds are various and a few have been suggested. These would all have to be dealt with on a Grand MA 2 or any other other lighting control in the professional realm.

 

I think it's unfair to blame a professional level, highly versatile and complex moving light and media console for a) lack of understanding of it and b) it's inability to suddenly stop a piece of crappy disco kit from being what it is.

 

I was not blaming the software, just trying to find a solution to a particular problem. I have the same issue with movers that do have a seperate shutter chanel. when a cue stack is faded out the heads remain in the last position active, My question was how to zero DMX these as well. The cheap crappy disco lights only highlighted the problem to me.

 

Yes I know I could probably use mark cues to solve the problem as well, as we all know there are always more than one way to do things, especially with this software. I was asking for others expertise to help me learn the software and how to overcome the stumbling blocks I keep coming across.

Surely that is what this forum is for.

[Grum]

I think you need to get your head around LTP programming, this is why the lights don't return to their default settings.

 

LTP or Latest Takes Precedence means that once you tell a fixture to go to a certain position/colour/gobo hen it will remain in that state until you tell it to do something else.

 

Most fixtures are set up so that every channel except the dimmer are LTP, this is why when you set the gobo channel to OPEN it stayed in that position when you released the cue stack.

 

I know it can be confusing at first but once you get your head around it LTP can save you loads of programming time and help you create a very flexible set up from just a few faders. You do this by only recording certain information into each cue stack. For example;

 

1. Select your lights then set the gobo channel to the open position and record that on to fader 1 then press clear.

 

2. Select the lights again and select a colour, record that on to fader 2, now change to another colour and record that to fader 2, repeat this a few times so that you have a few cues to choose from then press clear.

 

3. Select your lights again and repeat step two but instead of colour create a cue stack of positions.

 

Now if you push up fader 1 you should see that the lights are in the last colour you selected and in the last position. By working your way through the cue stacks on faders 2 and 3 you are able to change the look on your stage, the cool thing is that (if you label your cues correctly) you can preset your lights before you turn them on so when you know that for the next scene you want the lights to be blue and all pointing to the DSC position you can select the blue colour cue and the DSC position cue before you touch Fader 1.

 

This is the idea of LTP although it has many other uses, have a play and see how you can make LTP work for you.

 

Hope this helps.