Non-inverted crossfaders in cue list
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 1:26 pm
I've run my first small show last weekend using QLC+ 4, and liked it very much. Setting up scenes took a bit getting used to, but after that running with cue lists (one for audio and one for light) was a breeze.
One thing that would make this even better, would be if it was possible to *not* invert the right fader in the crossfader area of the cue list. I have been using these crossfaders a lot, first fading out the old scene, and then fading in the next scene (or sometimes fading the old scene back in). I did this especially for the audio cue list. Right now, before any fading is done, both faders will be in the same physical position (up or down), with the current scene at 100% and the next one at 0%. To start a fade, I have to carefully check the screen to see whether the current scene is on the left or right fader, and I found that in the heat of the moment, I used the wrong fader a few times.
A simple solution for this would be to *not* invert the right fader. Then, the current scene will be at 100% and up, while the next scene will be at 0% and down, which makes it easy to do the fade by just looking at the faders, and not the screen. As a matter of preference, I also like crossfading light like this (moving faders in opposite directions, rather than the same), since it feels more natural (possibly because I learned to do lighting on a simple two-preset desk without inverted faders).
Since this is obviously a matter of taste, it makes sense to make this an option for the cue list widget. For consistency, I would tend to add inversion options for *both* faders (with only the right fader inverted by default), though I do not have any personal usecase for inverting the left fader, so I would be content with an option just for the right fader.
Here's how this could look (based on the regular slider invert setting):
I've looked a bit at the code, and it seems it is a matter of disabling the inverted appearance of the fader (here). Things *probably* are a bit more complicated than that (looking at the inverted regular slider, it also sets "inverted controls" to true and does some inverting of values in the VCSlider code, possibly to make things work with external controls as well?
I was planning to prepare a pull request right away, but since things seem a bit more complicated than I expected, I'll need to dig in a bit deeper. Before I invest that time: What do people think of this feature? Would it be acceptable for mering?
One thing that would make this even better, would be if it was possible to *not* invert the right fader in the crossfader area of the cue list. I have been using these crossfaders a lot, first fading out the old scene, and then fading in the next scene (or sometimes fading the old scene back in). I did this especially for the audio cue list. Right now, before any fading is done, both faders will be in the same physical position (up or down), with the current scene at 100% and the next one at 0%. To start a fade, I have to carefully check the screen to see whether the current scene is on the left or right fader, and I found that in the heat of the moment, I used the wrong fader a few times.
A simple solution for this would be to *not* invert the right fader. Then, the current scene will be at 100% and up, while the next scene will be at 0% and down, which makes it easy to do the fade by just looking at the faders, and not the screen. As a matter of preference, I also like crossfading light like this (moving faders in opposite directions, rather than the same), since it feels more natural (possibly because I learned to do lighting on a simple two-preset desk without inverted faders).
Since this is obviously a matter of taste, it makes sense to make this an option for the cue list widget. For consistency, I would tend to add inversion options for *both* faders (with only the right fader inverted by default), though I do not have any personal usecase for inverting the left fader, so I would be content with an option just for the right fader.
Here's how this could look (based on the regular slider invert setting):
I was planning to prepare a pull request right away, but since things seem a bit more complicated than I expected, I'll need to dig in a bit deeper. Before I invest that time: What do people think of this feature? Would it be acceptable for mering?