Some fixtures have features on certain channels that one does not use (or only in rare situations). I am suggesting that there is a method in the fixture set-up in the workspace to to "de-select" certain channels. When this is done, no signal will go out on those channes and they are not shown in the scene editor, the simple desk or the dmx monitor.
This would bring the side benefit of being able to exclude a fixture (or individual channels) from a show when you are about to start and the one fixture is giving problems. Then you can turn off all channels on the one fixture, effectively turning it off.
FIxture setup: ignore channels
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Michael Clements
1) Why not create another version of the fixture definition leaving out the unwanted channels and load that in the fixtures editor instead of the full definition?
2) If you have a dodgy fixture, pulling out its mains plug is a) foolproof and b) safe.
If its starts to play up during a show, you can't effectively edit it out without getting a blackout when you return to operate mode. Hopefully an assistant can find the mains plug or on/off switch without being noticed!
2) If you have a dodgy fixture, pulling out its mains plug is a) foolproof and b) safe.
If its starts to play up during a show, you can't effectively edit it out without getting a blackout when you return to operate mode. Hopefully an assistant can find the mains plug or on/off switch without being noticed!
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Chris Laurie
I have tried leaving out the channels on the fixture definition but have been unable to make it work. The Chauvet slimpars have 7 channels - 1,2,3 = RGB (which I use), 5 = color macros (which I don't), 5 = strobe (which I do, a bit), 6 = mode (which, I don't), and 7=intensity (which, I do).
I have not been able to create the fixture so it uses 1,2,3,5 & 7.
I have not been able to create the fixture so it uses 1,2,3,5 & 7.
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Chris Laurie
Surely removing channels from the output will also give me the blackout functionality but then just on select channels? You may have a show where it normally runs fine, but due to a change on the one night you want to de-activate a fixture or two. You still want it there in all the scenes and cues for the next night, but just for now you want to disable it?
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Chris Laurie
The problem is that a fixture may use (listen) 7 channels but one only wants to use say 4 of them (1,2,3 & 7). I would like the unused 3 not to show up anywhere in the scene definitions, simple desk or dmx monitor. They must however still be reserved in the addressing so that channel 7 goes to 7 and not 4. The next fixture must start at 8 and not 5.
This implies that when adding the fixture it must take up all 7 address slots but only send messages on 4 of the 7 channels.
There are 2 ways QLC+ could accomplish this:
1. Allow me to ignore certain channels when adding the fixture to a workspace. I foresee a checkbox next to each channel in the fixtures list.
2. When creating a new mode for the fixture let me pick just the channels I want but do the addressing for the full number of channels. When I add the fixture, take up the full 7 channels but only have channels 1,2,3 & 7 active.
I suspect option 1 to be a simpler solution. It also allows the fixture definitions to be more like the manufacturer's and not specialised custom ones.
This implies that when adding the fixture it must take up all 7 address slots but only send messages on 4 of the 7 channels.
There are 2 ways QLC+ could accomplish this:
1. Allow me to ignore certain channels when adding the fixture to a workspace. I foresee a checkbox next to each channel in the fixtures list.
2. When creating a new mode for the fixture let me pick just the channels I want but do the addressing for the full number of channels. When I add the fixture, take up the full 7 channels but only have channels 1,2,3 & 7 active.
I suspect option 1 to be a simpler solution. It also allows the fixture definitions to be more like the manufacturer's and not specialised custom ones.
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Michael Clements
In the fixture editor, create 3 extra channels assigned to the "nothing" option (in the drop down menu starting with "intensity").
Create 2 modes, one with all 7 channels, the other with 1,2,3 nothing, nothing, nothing, 7.
The "nothing" channels don't show up in the functions editor and disappear from the simple desk when you switch views.
Create 2 modes, one with all 7 channels, the other with 1,2,3 nothing, nothing, nothing, 7.
The "nothing" channels don't show up in the functions editor and disappear from the simple desk when you switch views.
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Chris Laurie
I have now tried this with partial success. In the fixture editor, you have to create as many separate nothing channels as you need, each with a unique name (nothing1, nothing2 etc). This is because in the mode specification, once a channel is used in the mode it disappears from the drop list. I would suggest a better way is not having to specify a nothing channel at all, it is just always part of the drop down and then internally it signals a channel as nothing.
Once you have done this you can specify "empty", nothing channels in the mode.
If you specify the fixture as using that mode then the nothing channels are not shown in the scene editor. They do however still appear in the simple desk and the dmx monitor.
Once you have done this you can specify "empty", nothing channels in the mode.
If you specify the fixture as using that mode then the nothing channels are not shown in the scene editor. They do however still appear in the simple desk and the dmx monitor.