Q Light Controller+

I have just finished running a couple of drama productions with qlcplus 4.2.2 using 100+ fixtures. I'm very impressed with the programme and version 4.3.0 has adressed most of the issues I'd considered raising in regard to control of colour scrollers.

I would like to suggest:

1) some enhancements to improve the efficiency of programming and editing scenes with many different fixtures

2) Fixtures in function mode

3) the addition of a wait time parameter to scenes.

4) a possible way of performing live editing on running scenes

I am using the virtual console strictly as a playback console and advocating that editing and recording of functions happens only in fuctions mode.


CHANNELS GROUPS

1.1 Arranging DMX channels into channels groups – often described in other lighting controllers as patching DMX addresses to control channels – is fundamental to efficient scene editing.

Enhancements:

1.2 After channels groups are created in fixtures mode it should be possible to change the order in which they are listed (as with chaser steps) – enabling late additions to be placed logically. The final order for the channels groups here is the order in which they are listed for selection in functions mode.

1.3 The channels groups should appear in the channels group tab in functions mode in the order in which they were selected for the scene (as appears to be the case at present).

1.4 The last values set on the channels groups sliders in a scene should reappear when the scene is reselected for editing. The individual channel sliders would have their latest values as at present.

1.5 Improved labelling of channel group sliders without increasing their width - it would good to permit 2 or 3 rows of characters and also to be able to choose a background colour for the slider to aid identification.

1.6 Multiple selection of channels group sliders or fixture sliders, all selected sliders can then be set simultaneously to the same value - shift plus clicks to select.

1.7 Multiple selection of DMX value boxes, all selected boxes can then be set simultaneously to the same value - shift plus clicks to select.

1.8 Short cuts to move directly from one DMX value box to the boxes immediately to the left and right - shift plus left / right arrow perhaps.

1.9 Short cuts to move directly to the corresponding DMX value box of the previous / next fixture - control plus left / right arrow perhaps.



FIXTURES IN FUNCTIONS MODE

2.1 The copy values to all fixtures widget should only copy values to all fixtures that share the same fixture definition and mode.

2.2 Values copied from a fixture should be able to be pasted into individual similar fixtures or all similar fixtures in a different scene.

2.3 The widgets used to scroll left and right across the general / channels groups / fixtures tabs a somewhat small and fiddly and slow the process of locating the correct tab to open. A better alternative would be to start a second (third etc.) row of fixtures tabs when the screen width is exceeded.


SCENES – WAIT TIMES

3.1 The scene function should have wait times (in addition to fade in / out times). The wait time would delay the start of the fade in or fade out after the next cue is initiated.

This is often useful when actors move from one part of the stage to another representing a different location.

3.2 I'm not convinced that fade in / fade out / duration is the best way to organise times. Fade in / hold / fade out seems easier conceptually.

3.3 With wait times the structure becomes wait / fade in / hold / fade out or fade in / hold / wait / fade out.




EDITING RUNNING SCENES

4.1 In operate mode, it should be possible to quickly open a live edit for a running scene attached to a virtual console widget by, for example, right clicking on the widget while holding control down.

4.2 If the attached scene is the only scene currently being played back, this is equivalent to switching to functions mode when in operate mode, selecting the currently running function, then switching to design mode.

With drama, one would typically playback one scene at a time.

4.3 Returning to the virtual console (using the tab at the bottom of the screen) should immediately run the current version of the function just edited, avoiding the blackout which now ensues.

This would allow adjustment and overwriting of scenes during rehearsals without blackouts interrupting the flow of the acting.

4.4 There should be options to discard all changes to channel settings or to overwrite the previous settings before leaving the scenes edit. This should apply to all scene edits, however entered.

4.5 For a non-running scene, a blind edit could be opened in a similar way – again making the selection of a scene for editing considerably quicker.

4.6 Other functions could be selected similarly or one running function selected from several, but the output to fixtures would, in some cases, have to change when entering the edit – I haven't finished thinking this point through yet!

4.7 The last tab opened in a scene should be open when the scene is reselected for editing – this would often be the channels groups tab.

4.8 It should be possible to create sub-folders for the various functions, particularly scenes, as long lists of scenes get awkward to scroll through.

Hello to you Michael...I'm gonna edit your huge post by sub-numbers, so I can reply (later) one by one.

By the way, I appreciate detailed feedbacks like this, but I'm quite embittered that someone performing a light show with 100+ fixtures has no concrete material to contribute to this project ( new fixtures, gobos, pictures of your shows, tips&tricks found, donation(!) )

[Reply to section 1]
1.1- is this a request or a statement ? Channel groups can already be created in the order you want, with the DMX channels you want in the Fixture Tab. They will appear in every Scene. You can select the ones you need for that particular Scene and they will be saved in the project

1.2 Are you suggesting to add "move up" and "move down" arrows ? If so, it's a good idea. What do you mean by "function mode" ?

1.3 Don't understand this one.

1.4 This is a good suggestion. Should they be saved in the project as well ? Cause that could be a little bit more difficult

1.5 Yes, I noticed this too. Same thing for Sliders in Virtual Console. As for colors, would an alternate column preset color work too ?

1.6 Nice but quite tough to do. Will think about it.

1.7 Same as 1.6

1.8 Nice

1.9 What if you're on channel 8 and the next/previous fixture has only 3 channels ? I was thinking, more in general, to set a shortcut just to switch between fixtures tab with the keyboard (let's say CTRL+Right, CTRL+Left)


(Please use the "Reply" button for each section to keep the discussion easier to read)

[Reply to section 2]

2.1 Nice, but then someone could request the opposite (don't ask me why)

2.2 Yes, this is a problem of Chasers too. It is not possibile to copy Chasers steps into another Chaser. Here a major rework of the internal clipboard must be done, but it might take a little while to see this

2.3 I've noticed that too. However if #1.9 gets implemented, then users will avoid a lot of mouse clicks. By the way, that's the way Qt handles tabs exceeding the screen size. I can have a look if that's customizable


(Please use the "Reply" button for each section to keep the discussion easier to read)

[Reply to section 3]

3.1 Got the point

3.2 Yes, another user raised this and I think it's time to conform QLC+ to the common way other softwares go. Might take a while though. Duration is everywhere in the code.

3.3 I think you meant W/FI/H/FO and FI/H/FO/W...otherwise "hold" and "wait" wouldn't make much sense. In any case I think I could add the wait parameter in a fixed position (I would say before Fade In)


(Please use the "Reply" button for each section to keep the discussion easier to read)

1.1 Just a statement - thought it was worth saying that a different vocabulary is use in other lighting controllers and it's fundamental that this process works efficiently..

1.2 I've described what you get when you click the functions tab at the bottom of the screen as "functions mode".

1.3 Just saying that what appears to happen already is a good idea.

1.4 Saving in the project would be good, but this is nowhere near as important as saving when one switches from scene to scene.

1.5 Are you suggesting by "alternate column preset colour" that column 1, 3, 5, .... are one colour and 2, 4, 6, .... are another? Would help up to a point, but I had in mind colour coding them according to what they do in a scene - front light, downlight, crosslight etc.

1.6 and 1:7 Thanks!

1.9 Only really useful with consecutive identical fixtures. If on ch 8 and trying to move to a 3ch fixture, then refuse to move and pop up an error message. Would work best if combined with your idea of moving to adjacent tabs (using a different key combination).

2.1 Put in an additional widget for "copy to similar fixtures only" and it will keep everyone happy!

Hi Massimo,

We're still experimenting with qlcplus - if we decide to use it regularly in place of our current lighting controllers a donation will certainly follow.

Have 4 full "normal" fixture definitions. Will post. Have some others for Chroma-Q scrollers but grouped in 8's to reduce fixture tabs. May rewrite as single channel for sharing.

3.3 FI/H/W/FO is what's needed if the old scene is to stay on while the new scene wholly or partially fades in

I'm assuming that H for the old scene terminates and FI for the new scene begins simultaneously.

I use FI/H/W/FO much more often than W/FI/H/FO.

Hi Michael, I would be very happy if you can share your fixtures. Please post them in the "Fixture definition" forum as attachments.
If you can make it withing today or tomorrow I will include them in version 4.3.1. Thanks !

What is your current lighting controller ? Just curious.

As for the donation, no worries, it should be spontaneous and just an acknowledgement of my efforts (other than a little contribution for the electricity that my computer sucks almost every day )

For most small and medium shows I use our AVAB Presto - getting rather long in the tooth but has excellent control logic and can be programmed very quickly in all situations. Its main deficiencies are that support for moving lights is limited and all labels are numeric only - I use some custom pre-printed sheets to keep track of things.

You'd be right to suspect that I'm trying to get AVAB functionality into the structure of qlcplus - especially with regard to "Editing Running Scenes".

What about your fixtures ?