Controlling scenes with Cakewalk Sonar

Ole Petter Bjørling · Wed Dec 03, 2014 8:36 pm

Hi guys. More problems in my setup. I have created a lot of scenes, and now it works great. I have connected a midi-interface to the computer, and assigned every scenes to my midi-keyboard. So far, everything is good.I can control my scenes through the midi-keyboard. Second step for me is to pre-record midi in Sonar. I want to use 2 tracks on another computer, one track with audio to my mixer, and one miditrack with pre-recorded controllers who I connect through a second midi-interface to the interface on the qlc-machine. When I start a song on my sonar-machine with pre-recorded midi, the lights works for a couple of seconds, and then my qlc-machine stops recieving midi-messages.

Sonar-machine: win xp, creamware midi-interface
Qlc-machine:win 7, simple USB-interface,
Dmx-adapter: Enttec open
Qlc-version:4.8.2

Massimo Callegari · Wed Dec 03, 2014 9:01 pm

Hello Ole, I invite you to search this forum before posting questions.
Similar issues have been discussed in the past with users using Logic (or Traktor, can't remember)

The answer is most likely: make sure your DAW sends also the OFF message (either of MIDI notes, CC, PC) otherwise QLC+ will not trigger to listen to another ON signal.

Short version, but please dig the forum

Ole Petter Bjørling · Wed Dec 03, 2014 9:13 pm

Thanx, Massimo, I'll try to dig deeper....

Ole Petter Bjørling · Thu Dec 04, 2014 2:37 pm

Yeehaw. Problem allmost solved. In Sonar 7 producer edition, Options - Global - Midi, and uncheck everything but Notes. Now the communication between Sonar and QLC+ Works Perfect. I can create my own lightshows in midi, and on the DMX monitor in QLC+, it Works Perfect. The computer is a Compaq Presario, Pentium Dual CPU T2390, 1,86 Ghz, With 2 GB Ram.

BUT.....
Now the Enttec- Interface (openDMX USB) freezes, and make QLC+ freeze.
Anyone who have ideas? I also have a Soundlight PCMCIA DMX512 Interface, but i can't find any working driver to win7. The computer is a Compaq Presario, Pentium Dual CPU T2390, 1,86 Ghz, With 2 GB Ram.

david garyga · Thu Dec 04, 2014 3:26 pm

It may be a driver issue or a QLC+ issue.

Can you test without the enttec open dmx usb connected ?

And can you share your workspace file ?

Thanks.

Ole Petter Bjørling · Thu Dec 04, 2014 3:47 pm

Hi again David....
Without my Enttec-interface plugged in to the computer, QLC recieves midi signals perfectly. If I only use the Fixture-monitor in QLC+ everything works great. When i connect the Interface it works for a second or 2, and the lights freezes, and qlc, will not recieve midisignals. Then I have to restart my laptop. I use a cheap interface like this

http://www.amazon.com/HDE-Cable-Convert ... +interface

on my laptop with QLC+, and a desktop computer running Sonar with a Creamware PCI midi/Audio-interface.

I have set All scenes to Flash functions (lights on when Sonar plays midi) and all chases andRGBMatrix with Toggle function on/off (would be nice to have flash funktions on these also)
I'll attach the workspace-file, fixturefiles and the input profile for Sonar.
Again thanks for all your trouble.

david garyga · Thu Dec 04, 2014 4:16 pm

So this happens only when you connect your enttec interface while qlc+ is running ?
Does this also happen if you start qlc+ after the enttec interface is connected ?

It look like a driver issue, so I don't think I can help you there.
Appart from "you should give linux a try".

(win7 on a dual core with 2gb ram ? this must be slow !)

Ole Petter Bjørling · Thu Dec 04, 2014 4:23 pm

Hi again-
It doesn't matter when I connect the enttec. Win 7 on this machine actually works very good. I have used it on this mashine since the beta-version came out, so it's been many years. No problem what so ever, but of course, the machine is getting old now. I have never usen linux, so this is new territory for me. Which Linux-version will you recommend? can I import all the setting from Win7?

david garyga · Thu Dec 04, 2014 4:48 pm

> Win 7 on this machine actually works very good. I have used it on this mashine since the beta-version came out, so it's been many years.

You had the same enttec interface years ago, and it didn't crash ?

Have you tried cleaning up the drivers and the QLC+ installation ?

For linux:

Maybe...

http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php

Cinnamon desktop, so it looks like windows.

You can give it a try by installing this in VirtualBox (plenty of tutorials on the net I guess)
This way you can keep your windows installation.

Import the settings:
QLC+ workspaces and fixtures should work OK, the other stuff I don't know

PS: I don't offer any support on going for linux, it's a simple suggestion.

Ole Petter Bjørling · Thu Dec 04, 2014 5:01 pm

Hi
My Enttec interface is brand new, and so am I on DMX-software. I tried another cheap gold-coloured DMX-interface i bought on Ebay, and the same happens with that one. The machine was reformated last night, and there is nothin on it except QLC+ and drivers to the interfaces. Do you know how it is with drivers to these interfaces on Linux?

david garyga · Thu Dec 04, 2014 5:06 pm

I have the Enttec open DMX USB, it works like a charm on Linux.

Cheap DMX interfaces seem to work OK too.

Ole Petter Bjørling · Fri Dec 05, 2014 2:06 pm

I have now installed Linux Mint 17.1, and midi-interface and enttec-interface worked at once. The machine is WAY faster now, and I'm actually starting to fall in love with it. Found out something new here, the midifunction works when i connedt my keyboard, but not with Sonar, with Sonar it only works on the fixture monitor, when the enttec is disabled. Seems like there is a Sonar problem, or maybe a problem with the creamware midi-interface. It sure is the sonar midisignal that creates the trouble here.

david garyga · Fri Dec 05, 2014 2:18 pm

So, it's the same problem as on win7 ?
Works without the enttec attached, does not work with the enttec attached ?

(enjoy your fast computer

)

Massimo Callegari · Fri Dec 05, 2014 2:39 pm

Ohh guys, I just recalled something that has been discussed in this forum before.
Some DAWs install some VCP drivers to handle particular controllers.
Maybe this is the case of Sonar too ? They conflict with QLC+.

In other words, is Sonar trying to take control of your DMX device ?

God bless Linux !

david garyga · Fri Dec 05, 2014 3:09 pm

I think that here sonar is running on a windows machine, and qlc+ is running on the linux machine.

Massimo Callegari · Fri Dec 05, 2014 3:15 pm

Unless Linux is running on a Virtual Machine

Anyway if they're running on different machines, then there is something wrong with the Virtual Console or the MIDI programming (e.g. Sonar not sending OFF signals or signals are too short)

Ole Petter Bjørling · Sat Dec 06, 2014 7:46 pm

Hi guys,I have tried QLC+ on a new installed win 7, and a clean installed (no vitual machine) and the same thing happens no mather what. The midi-interface on the sonar-machine is a socalled ACT midi-interface form creamware. This is a bundle Midi/audio-interface. I have another interface that I will try as fast as I get a hold of a converter from 5-pin Midi-plug male to female. I have come to the conclusion that there must be either sonar or the creamware-interface who f**** things up for me. When the first midi-command is sent from Sonar, the lights come on, and the lights will show according to the first command. Second midi-command is non-responsive. In other words the first command is ok, the second won't work, and the lights will show according to the first command.
David: I simply LOVE Linux Mint, only thing I really hate is that my other Fujitsu-Siemens laptop that was the machine I intended to use with QLC+, has a SIS Mirage 3 graphic card, and there is no support for that in Linux for it, so the resolution is stucked on 600x400.

Ole Petter Bjørling · Wed Dec 10, 2014 2:35 am

Problem solved. Fooled around with a bunch of settings in sonar, and now it works. It was a setting for timecode sync who was wrong.