Hi Claude !!!
I've been trying to understand the new way of patching since v5.7 but i have to admit that i'm totally lost. Before it was so simple, right click on the channel, imported fixture (by the way, LED with generic ones was very useful) base address and bingo ! Opening the patch, you could see clearly what you just done. I guess I'm missing something. There must be an improvement somewhere but I just can't see it. A couple of time I've tried to figure it out but i gave up and I suspect there's a few users in my case. For what I do, I'm pretty happy with the V6 version and I could stop there. But I'm curious to know what I'm missing...
Thanks a lot for all of what you do !
Pascal
Hard time patching since v5.7
Re: Hard time patching since v5.7
The new patch is largely the same. However, it segregates multiple fixtures into "parts" of a channel. The old patch could mix and match and did not clearly keep different devices separate. The new method does.
To patch a fixture to a channel:
Select the channel either by clicking or typing the number.
Choose Channel->Setup Hilited Channels...
If a part exists,
Select row of the part in the parts table.
If there are no parts (the channel is completely unpatched)
Click the + button to add a part.
Select the row of the new part in the parts table.
To complete setup of the fixture type (with a part selected)
Click the Set Type button.
Select the fixture or import.
Enter the base address in the table.
If you have multiple channels selected you can patch them all at once. It is very similar to patching an individual channel. The only difference is that you enter the base address of the first channel. There is a delta column that allows you to specify how many address slots to skip between channels. So you can, for example, patch a series of channels/fixtures that are 10,20,30 DMX addresses apart ie. 1>10, 2>20, 3>30, or 1>10, 2>30, 3>50 or 1>10, 2>40, 3>70.
To patch a fixture to a channel:
Select the channel either by clicking or typing the number.
Choose Channel->Setup Hilited Channels...
If a part exists,
Select row of the part in the parts table.
If there are no parts (the channel is completely unpatched)
Click the + button to add a part.
Select the row of the new part in the parts table.
To complete setup of the fixture type (with a part selected)
Click the Set Type button.
Select the fixture or import.
Enter the base address in the table.
If you have multiple channels selected you can patch them all at once. It is very similar to patching an individual channel. The only difference is that you enter the base address of the first channel. There is a delta column that allows you to specify how many address slots to skip between channels. So you can, for example, patch a series of channels/fixtures that are 10,20,30 DMX addresses apart ie. 1>10, 2>20, 3>30, or 1>10, 2>30, 3>50 or 1>10, 2>40, 3>70.
Re: Hard time patching since v5.7
Hi Claude !!!
Here we are two years later. From time to time I have tried to use the ''new way of patching" but I always end up messing my patch. So I hesitate using version 6 knowing that the slightest mistake trying to repatch something may end up ruining my patch. Not very funny at a few minutes of doors opening. At the same time I'm really missing the fact that we can send OSC messages from the display window. Could there be a way of choosing between the two ways of patching ? Or maybe add the possibility of sending OSC messages from the display window in version 5.6. ?
Am I the only one not getting along well with that new patch version ?
Thanks one more time !
Pascal
Here we are two years later. From time to time I have tried to use the ''new way of patching" but I always end up messing my patch. So I hesitate using version 6 knowing that the slightest mistake trying to repatch something may end up ruining my patch. Not very funny at a few minutes of doors opening. At the same time I'm really missing the fact that we can send OSC messages from the display window. Could there be a way of choosing between the two ways of patching ? Or maybe add the possibility of sending OSC messages from the display window in version 5.6. ?
Am I the only one not getting along well with that new patch version ?
Thanks one more time !
Pascal
Re: Hard time patching since v5.7
What specifically is happening that causes your patch to become messed up? (What exactly did you do or try to do when this happens?)
Can you identify very specifically what is different about the organization of the patch into parts that makes it more difficult for you?
Can you identify very specifically what is different about the organization of the patch into parts that makes it more difficult for you?
Re: Hard time patching since v5.7
Hi Claude !!!
I'll try to describe my problem when i'm patching later. For now, and still regarding patching, can you attribute a number to a fixture and call this fixture by that number or it has to be by it's DMX address ?
Thanks !
Pascal
I'll try to describe my problem when i'm patching later. For now, and still regarding patching, can you attribute a number to a fixture and call this fixture by that number or it has to be by it's DMX address ?
Thanks !
Pascal
Re: Hard time patching since v5.7
I think it is useful for you to understand the difference between a channel and a dmx address. This link might help:
http://www.stagelightingprimer.com/inde ... ing.html&2
I realize that there are many, many people including lighting manufacturers that refer to DMX addresses as "channels". But in the vast majority of controllers, a channel is an abstraction that removes the necessity of dealing directly with DMX addresses. This is true of LXConsole.
Yes, you can use a single channel number to refer to a fixture. The patch is how you connect the channel number ---the number by which you want to refer to the fixture--- to its address(es) ---the actual dmx number(s) that will talk to the fixture and tell it what to do.
In LXConsole any parameters of a light are referred to subchannels. LXConsole can control devices that are not lights. But, absent that exception, every channel will have at least one subchannel that controls "intensity" or how bright the light is.
The simplest case is a conventional fixture plugged into a dimmer. The patch maps the intensity subchannel to the DMX address of the dimmer that the light is plugged into.
More complicated fixtures may have more than one controllable parameter. Each one of these parameters will have its value set by a corresponding subchannel, grouped under the main channel number. Each subchannel refers to its function. .Red, .Pan, .Tilt, etc. Because almost all channels have at least intensity, you refer to that by just the channel number and the intensity function is implied. So for channel 1, 1.Pan would refer to controlling the pan parameter, 1.Tilt,=the tilt, etc., while just plain channel 1 would imply control of the intensity.
Automated and LED type fixtures have more parameters other than just intensity that you can control. In LXConsole these parameters are controlled by a single channel number with several subchannels. Each subchannel is mapped by the patch to a sequential series of DMX addresses, starting with the base address of the fixture.
Here's a concrete example:
The example fixture is a simple LED type that has a mode that uses 5 DMX addresses. The manufacturer tells you that the order of these addresses is:
Let's assume that you have set the fixture to be controlled starting at DMX 101. That means that the level from the following DMX addresses in the control stream will control the fixture:
Let's say we want to control this fixture in LXConsole using channel 5. In the channel setup for channel 5 there would be a single part for the channel.
In almost all cases for automated fixtures there will be one part to a channel. You can think of a channel part as representing a separate fixture. The reason to have multiple parts is to support controlling more than one fixture or device with a single channel. This is an advanced way of working and until you really understand the basics, your channels should always have one and only one part.
The subchannel table for the only part in channel 5 should have the following entries in the following order:
This single part should be assigned to address 101 in the parts table. You can also set the base address using the "Patch" column of the Inspector's Patch table.
What happens is that channel 5.Red sets the value of slot 101 in the DMX stream. Then, the other parameters follow in order:
Suppose that you have another of these fixtures that you want to assign to channel 6 and DMX address 105. You set up the subchannels exactly like channel 5 above. You assign the base address of the only part of channel 6 to 105. Then the control will look like this:
The problem is that the DMX addresses of the fixture controlled by channel 5 and the fixture controlled by channel 6 overlap. When you patched channel 6 to base address 105, the output was moved from the intensity subchannel of 5 to the red subchannel of 6. You would assume that the fixture on channel 5 would not light up because it has no intensity control. But, that is not the case. It's intensity would be controlled by 6.Red and that might make for confusing results. However, that was what was set up.
http://www.stagelightingprimer.com/inde ... ing.html&2
I realize that there are many, many people including lighting manufacturers that refer to DMX addresses as "channels". But in the vast majority of controllers, a channel is an abstraction that removes the necessity of dealing directly with DMX addresses. This is true of LXConsole.
Yes, you can use a single channel number to refer to a fixture. The patch is how you connect the channel number ---the number by which you want to refer to the fixture--- to its address(es) ---the actual dmx number(s) that will talk to the fixture and tell it what to do.
In LXConsole any parameters of a light are referred to subchannels. LXConsole can control devices that are not lights. But, absent that exception, every channel will have at least one subchannel that controls "intensity" or how bright the light is.
The simplest case is a conventional fixture plugged into a dimmer. The patch maps the intensity subchannel to the DMX address of the dimmer that the light is plugged into.
More complicated fixtures may have more than one controllable parameter. Each one of these parameters will have its value set by a corresponding subchannel, grouped under the main channel number. Each subchannel refers to its function. .Red, .Pan, .Tilt, etc. Because almost all channels have at least intensity, you refer to that by just the channel number and the intensity function is implied. So for channel 1, 1.Pan would refer to controlling the pan parameter, 1.Tilt,=the tilt, etc., while just plain channel 1 would imply control of the intensity.
Automated and LED type fixtures have more parameters other than just intensity that you can control. In LXConsole these parameters are controlled by a single channel number with several subchannels. Each subchannel is mapped by the patch to a sequential series of DMX addresses, starting with the base address of the fixture.
Here's a concrete example:
The example fixture is a simple LED type that has a mode that uses 5 DMX addresses. The manufacturer tells you that the order of these addresses is:
- 1- Red
2- Green
3- Blue
4- White
5- Intensity
Let's assume that you have set the fixture to be controlled starting at DMX 101. That means that the level from the following DMX addresses in the control stream will control the fixture:
- 101- Red
102- Green
103- Blue
104- White
105- Intensity
Let's say we want to control this fixture in LXConsole using channel 5. In the channel setup for channel 5 there would be a single part for the channel.
In almost all cases for automated fixtures there will be one part to a channel. You can think of a channel part as representing a separate fixture. The reason to have multiple parts is to support controlling more than one fixture or device with a single channel. This is an advanced way of working and until you really understand the basics, your channels should always have one and only one part.
The subchannel table for the only part in channel 5 should have the following entries in the following order:
- Red
Green
Blue
White
Intensity
This single part should be assigned to address 101 in the parts table. You can also set the base address using the "Patch" column of the Inspector's Patch table.
What happens is that channel 5.Red sets the value of slot 101 in the DMX stream. Then, the other parameters follow in order:
- 5.Red -> 101
5.Green -> 102
5.Blue -> 103
5.White -> 104
5 -> 105
Suppose that you have another of these fixtures that you want to assign to channel 6 and DMX address 105. You set up the subchannels exactly like channel 5 above. You assign the base address of the only part of channel 6 to 105. Then the control will look like this:
- 5.Red -> 101
5.Green -> 102
5.Blue -> 103
5.White -> 104
5 ->
6.Red -> 105
6.Green -> 106
6.Blue -> 107
6.White -> 108
6 -> 109
The problem is that the DMX addresses of the fixture controlled by channel 5 and the fixture controlled by channel 6 overlap. When you patched channel 6 to base address 105, the output was moved from the intensity subchannel of 5 to the red subchannel of 6. You would assume that the fixture on channel 5 would not light up because it has no intensity control. But, that is not the case. It's intensity would be controlled by 6.Red and that might make for confusing results. However, that was what was set up.
Re: Hard time patching since v5.7
Hi Claude !!!
I know all that. What I meant was... take for example the plot I sent you. There are Colorados which have several parameters and Lekos that have just intensity. That plot has been made by someone that uses an MA board. So he/she has his Colorados name 1 to x
and his Lekos name 1 to x as well. Using LXConsole, redoing the plot, i can't name the colorados 1 to x. I have to use a DMX address out of the range of the lekos no ?
Have a good day and thanks again !
Pascal
I know all that. What I meant was... take for example the plot I sent you. There are Colorados which have several parameters and Lekos that have just intensity. That plot has been made by someone that uses an MA board. So he/she has his Colorados name 1 to x
and his Lekos name 1 to x as well. Using LXConsole, redoing the plot, i can't name the colorados 1 to x. I have to use a DMX address out of the range of the lekos no ?
Have a good day and thanks again !
Pascal
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Re: Hard time patching since v5.7
LXConsole has sequential numeric channels. It does not have an alternate representation or grouping such as fixture IDs or channel pages.
If the front light 1 to 9 has the same fixture ids as the backlight 1-9, you'll need to pick other channels for LXConsole. It makes the most sense to use something like 1-9 for the front light and 101-109 for the backlight. View->Display Options will allow you to show only the patched channels so the empty channels in between should not present a problem.
If the front light 1 to 9 has the same fixture ids as the backlight 1-9, you'll need to pick other channels for LXConsole. It makes the most sense to use something like 1-9 for the front light and 101-109 for the backlight. View->Display Options will allow you to show only the patched channels so the empty channels in between should not present a problem.
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Johan Söderberg
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2022 6:22 pm
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Re: Hard time patching since v5.7
I ran into a strange problem on tour today. Tried to patch channel 1 to control DMX channels 5 and 6.
I wrote 5,6 in the patchcolumn and it split ch 1 in two parts as expected but when I later turned ch 1 to 100% only dimmer 5 was lit, not dimmer 6.
On my way home in the car I tested again on my own computer and found that the split parts only reacted if I clicked them in the patch to refresh the info in the fields.
Am I doing something wrong?
I wrote 5,6 in the patchcolumn and it split ch 1 in two parts as expected but when I later turned ch 1 to 100% only dimmer 5 was lit, not dimmer 6.
On my way home in the car I tested again on my own computer and found that the split parts only reacted if I clicked them in the patch to refresh the info in the fields.
Am I doing something wrong?
Re: Hard time patching since v5.7
I tested several times, starting from a blank file, switching to the Patch tab of the Inspector, entering 5,6 in the "patch" column for channel 1. Then, bringing channel 1 to 100% causes output on both addresses 5 and 6 which was verified using sACNView.
What is the exact version and build of LXConsole where you are experiencing this issue?
The above test used the latest build, Version 6.6.0 (19408.1)
What is the exact version and build of LXConsole where you are experiencing this issue?
The above test used the latest build, Version 6.6.0 (19408.1)