Manual Step

[simon9220]

Hello together,

yesterday I found QLC+ after searching for a lighting software which has the ability to set dynamic fade times. The software is quite perfect, but I'm searching for a "Step Button".
I'd like to stop the normal timer and do manual steps through all active chasers.
Is there any possibility to achieve this function?

Thanks in advance

Simon

[janosvitok]

These are some ways how to achieve common next button:

- create vc cue list for every chaser; assign the same key for the next cue button in all cue lists
I'm not sure if that will start all cue lists/chasers or only active ones

- if you want a button that you can push with a mouse, use loopback plugin: add new universe, loop its output back to input, add a dimmer channel to the universe,
create scene for that channel (@100%), create button that will flash that scene; finally set external input to that channel in the loopback universe.

[simon9220]

Thanks for your reply.

I've tried the first solution already, the chaser will become active if I press the "next-button".

I don't understand how I could achieve a next-button with the loopback. Could you please explain it more detailed for me? Is there a possibility to step a chaser through loopback?

Thanks!

[janosvitok]

The loopback thing was extension of the first approach - using loopback you could have "normal" button for all the chasers, but if the first doesn't work, this won't help either.

[simon9220]

I've got a little Idea:
If I would mdify "vccuelist.cpp" and recompile it, I think it should work.
I'm no C++ programmer, if I would, I would set a Checkbox in the cuelist-settings if it should start when the next-button is pressed.
I'll try to just uncomment the "startChaser();" command in the prev and next events - hope this will work.

Can someone tell me what IDE is used to develop qlc+? Maybe I'll learn a little bit c++ to make some changes...

[mcallegari]

1- I think you need chaser steps with infinite duration
2- when you map the "next step" command, a Cue List widget plays automatically
3- Qt Creator is the best tool to develop Qt applications: https://www.qt.io/download-open-source/#section-2

[EDIT #2]

[simon9220]

Thanks for your reply!

I want to change from normal step durations (set via speeddial) to manual steps.

The perfect solution would be an additional button in the speeddialcontrol to produce manual beats when the Time is set to Infinite - just to let the chasers jump in the next step.

[simon9220]

Hello again,

I made a little fix for my applications:

I just changed the code in "vccuelist.cpp" to this:

Code: Select all

void VCCueList::slotNextCue()
{
    if (mode() != Doc::Operate)
        return;

    Chaser* ch = chaser();
    if (ch == NULL)
        return;

    /* Create the runner only when the first/last cue is engaged. */
    if (ch->isRunning())
    {
        ch->next();
    }
    else
    {
        //startChaser();
        //Do nothing!
    }
}

void VCCueList::slotPreviousCue()
{
    if (mode() != Doc::Operate)
        return;

    Chaser* ch = chaser();
    if (ch == NULL)
        return;

    /* Create the runner only when the first/last cue is engaged. */
    if (ch->isRunning())
    {
        ch->previous();
    }
    else
    {
        //startChaser(m_tree->topLevelItemCount() - 1);
        //Do nothing!
    }
}

This allows me to step manually with a single key through the active chasers when mapped to cuelist widgets! I know that this isn't a good solution, but it worked for me.

I want to request a better implementation, or the option in the menu to enable/disable the automatic start behaviour for the cuelist. The best way would be, if the speeddialwidget would have the ability to make manual steps - this would affect any linked chasers.

Greetings
Simon

[plugz]

Hi,

With your change, when the chaser is not running, pressing Prev or Next has no action at all, is does not select another cue.
Is this what you want, or do you want to select the next cue without running it ?

[simon9220]

Yes, that's right!
I want to step the chasers only if they are active. So the changed code does exactly what I need, but it's a little bit dirty
I have many chasers for the same devices, which are enabled via my Lighting console.
Normally every lighting console has a manual step mode, I need this when i make light for music bands.

[plugz]

Checkbox in the vccuelist properties to enable/disable the feature:

https://github.com/plugz/qlcplus/tree/c ... vrunchaser

[simon9220]

Nice! Thanks!
Will this be part of newer versions, too?

Edit: I've tried to compile it. It stopped with this error:

FAIL! : MasterTimer_Test::functionInitiatedStop() Received a fatal error.
Loc: [Unknown file(0)]
Totals: 5 passed, 2 failed, 0 skipped
********* Finished testing of MasterTimer_Test *********
Aborted

[plugz]

Unit test did not pass, but it was not this error.

Are you sure unit test pass on your side on the master branch ?

[plugz]

https://github.com/mcallegari/qlcplus/pull/529

[simon9220]

I found the problem - i tried to create a deb-package out of the code, normal compiling works.

Just to ask my old question again: Will this change be part of new versions of the master branch? Maybe this feature is useful for other people, too.

[plugz]

This is now integrated in QLC+ main branch, so yes, it will be available in future releases of QLC+.

[simon9220]

Thank you! You're awesome!