Use at gigs - simple operation/nested chases

[flattop]

Hi
We've outgrown our homebuilt Arduino based lighting controller for gigs, I'm looking to move to QLC plus which has all the features we need but I'm a little stumped how to control it.
The lighting has to be controlled while playing and singing, the mechanics of USB foot-switches aren't a problem - it's how those key presses direct QLC+ that has em stumped.

The current system has a keypad to select a 'patch' to use for a song and 2 foot-switches.
Each 'patch' will define the scenes/chases that are available for the 2 switches to select.

The 2 switches behave as follows:
SW 1) Each press will step to the next scene, at the end of the sequence it either stops or jumps back to an earlier step and moves forward again
This allow a song to build, each press can bring in more lights for example
SW 2) A single press breaks out of the sequence to a predefined alternative scene or chase, another press returns to the place you left in the step sequence run by SW 1
This allows a change for a chorus, or lead break, and then return to the lighting for the verse.

Selecting the patch should be easy and reliable, little time to fiddle between songs.
This simple keypad and 2 switch interface has proved reliable for many gigs, even if you miss some steps on SW1 you can hit SW2 when the guitarist decides it's time to 'do their thing'

I've looked at cue sheets with multiple pages for the patches and SW1 operation but there doesn't seem to be a clear UI and I'm still left wondering how to offer SW2 functionality

I've considered a large foot-switch panel that has access to all possible scenes and chases, but is would be physically to large and also error prone (accidentally triggering the bright flashes in a quiet acoustic number wouldn't be good).

Has anyone done this ?
Thoughts/ideas appreciated.
Thanks

[plugz]

Hello,

There is no built-in way to do this, but it's possible by getting creative.

I think I managed to do button #1, with the help of the loopback plugin.


See the attached workspace "loopback_magic_chaser1_chaser2.qxw"


Load the workspace, go to the virtual console, go to Operate mode, activate the frame containing a cue list if it's not activated.

The "D" key of your keyboard acts like your button #1.

Press the "D" key again and again, the scenes will go like this:

sc 1 -> sc 2 -> sc3 -> sc4 -> sc5 -> sc3 -> sc4 -> sc5 -> sc3 -> sc4 -> sc5....



How does it work ?
chaser1 contains:
sc1, sc2, gotochaser2
chaser2 contains:
sc3, sc4, sc5


When gotochaser2 is activated, it raises ch1 of universe2 to 100%.

This universe has its input and output set to loopback1. This means you can use the values that go OUT in this universe as INPUT values.

If you check the properties of the left cue list(attached to chaser1), the frame, and the right cue list(attached to chaser2), you'll see that universe2,ch1 has some effects on them.

So, when chaser1 gets to its last scene, it will raise ch1 of universe2, which will send an input signal to the widgets, and:
- disable the left cue list
- disable the left frame so the cue list can not be activated again
- start the right cue list

[flattop]

Ooh, nice thinking - I like it
The sample workspace did exactly as described, I follow the concept, still getting my head around how exactly QLC+ has been convinced to work that way.

Thanks, that idea has been tucked away as another useful tool in the toolbox

....still looking for a way to do nested those chases (SW2), if possible ....

[plugz]

The sample workspace did exactly as described, I follow the concept, still getting my head around how exactly QLC+ has been convinced to work that way.

I'll explain in detail the properties of each widget.

....still looking for a way to do nested those chases (SW2), if possible ....

This may be a little trickier

[plugz]

This is a more detailed explanation of the workspace I uploaded:

Input/Output tab:
Universe 1 is the OUTPUT universe. This is where your actual fixtures will go
Universe 2 is the LOOPBACK universe. This is where the magic happens.

Fixtures tab:
Fixtures in the OUTPUT universe are the actual fixtures.
Fixtures in the LOOPBACK universe are here to help us describe which loopback channel does what. Here, we have only one important fixture: gotochaser2_ch (as in "go-to-chaser2 channel")

Functions tab:
Some simple scenes (dim1, dim2...) to control the actual fixtures
A gotochaser2_sc to control the loopback channel gotochaser2_ch
chaser1: the first part
chaser2: the second part


Virtual Console:

Frame properties: loopback channel 1 is set as 'enable/disable frame' input. This way, when we get to the end of chaser1, the
frame is disabled and chaser1 cannot be activated again.

Cue list for chaser1 (the cue list in the frame) properties:
first page: the Next/Prev behavior is set as "start chaser from first step"
enable/disable input: loopback channel 1
"next" input: the D key
-> when pressing the D key, the cue list will start, and when getting to the last scene, it will get disabled.

Cue list for chaser2:
first page: the Next/Prev behavior is set as "do nothing", this way the D key will not start the cue list.
enable/disable input: loopback channel 1
"next" input: the D key
-> when pressing the D key, the cue list will not start, but when we get to the end of chaser1, it will start. Once it's started, the D key acts like a normal "Next" key.




Hope this helps. The main thing to remember is : you can trigger widgets in the virtual console with the loopback plugin.

I may find something for "button 2"

[flattop]

ah ha !
I get it now - still getting my head around the virtual console, quite a powerful tool

Thanks for taking the time to explain, greatly appreaciated