DMX Values Won't Release

[benpnixon]

Hi there,

I've been reading the forums for a while, but this is my first time posting. I wanted to start by saying that I'm having a great deal of trouble searching on the new forum site because nearly every word I try is considered "too common". My apologies if this particular issue has been addressed before. I could not come up with a successful search to help me.

The big issue I'm having is that QLC+ is retaining DMX values when it shouldn't be. For example, at this moment, I'm trying to program scenes for a song in an upcoming concert. I built all of my looks in the virtual console and then dumped the values into scenes. A short while ago, when I exited Operate Mode and flipped back over to the Functions tab to review my work, everything responded as expected. Some lights turned off in some scenes, some lights turned on in other scenes - all as planned. Now, I've finished programming, I've exited Operate Mode, and I'm back on the Functions tab. Things are acting goofy. My front lights are staying on, even though some of these scenes include values of "0" for the intensities on those fixtures. I've double checked the functions, and I didn't make a mistake. Nothing is telling these fixtures to be on. I am specifically telling them to be off! The DMX Monitor shows values of "255" for these fixtures instead of "0", so there's definitely something in the software realm that is getting confused.

I've tried switching in and out of Operate Mode. The lights are still stuck on. I've tried Resetting Universe in the Simple Desk. The lights stay on. In fact, the Simple Desk also claims intensity values of "255" instead of "0". If I pull down an intensity fader, the light goes out, but as soon as I Reset Universe, it comes back on again.

This keeps happening to me (it's been three days now of this issue popping up). I've tried rebooting the app, rebooting the computer, power cycling lights, deleting and rebuilding fixture profiles from scratch (then recreating scenes), and even updating from 4.8.4 to 4.8.5. I can temporarily fix the issue with reboots, but it keeps coming back (on a variety of fixtures).

I'm running QLC+ 4.8.5 on a MacBook Pro 13" mid-2012, 16GB RAM, SSD and 5400RPM HDD, OS 10.10.2. My DMX interface is an Enttec DMX USB Pro MkII. I disabled Serial FTDI Drivers on this computer, as recommended by Enttec.

I've attached my workspace here, though I don't know how much help that will be since the problem appears at seemingly random times. The workspace includes a bunch of "palette scenes", a virtual console design, my fixtures, and my fixture groups. All fixtures are LEDs.

I've changed some fixture parameters from HTP to LTP. This seems to have different effects on my problems.

HTP PROBLEMS: With parameters that are set to HTP, I've seen the issue of fixtures retaining values even when they should be at "0". Also, I've had one or two instances of these retained values stacking (not just having a new "default value" like I previously described). I hit the "Red" button for a fixture in my virtual console and the light goes Red. I then hit the "Blue" button in the console and the light goes magenta (therefore keeping the previous red values). I then hit the "Green" button and the light goes white (therefore keeping the previous red AND blue values). These buttons are in a Solo Frame. They are only being selected one at a time. I've programmed these scenes to include a value of "0" for everything I don't want (i.e. my Red scene would have values of Red=255, Green=0, Blue=0). There shouldn't be any mixed or combined messages so far as I can tell.

LTP PROBLEMS: I'm seeing the same issue of fixtures retaining a "default value" with lights that are set to LTP. With fixtures that are assigned LTP parameters, I'm sometimes having issues with weird fades. For example, if I have two identical fixtures with identical programming and identical fade in/out times, one of them will fade colours properly between scenes, while the other fades all the way out and then jumps on to the new colour. I've had this happen with single fixtures of fixture groups and I've also had it happen to both fixtures in a group. The common factor is that the scene will fade to black then jump to its new values instead of just crossfading smoothly like I've told it to.

All of these issues seem related to me, so I included them in the same post. This is very frustrating and time-consuming. Please lend me your suggestions if you have any.

Thanks,
Ben

[benpnixon]

I should add that I've tried swapping between LTP and HTP to determine if my changes here have caused the problems. The only noticeable difference that made was on one occasion when the fades were jumping (the LTP problem I described). By switching parameters back to HTP, it stopped having jumpy fades but instead changed to my "HTP Problem" (the parameters held and stacked values as I swapped between scenes).

[plugz]

Hi,

Please share the fixture definitions associated with this workspace.

Thanks

[mgweber]

I'm thinking that what you are running into is something introduced in 4.8.5. I have been working with OSC commands and have run into the same issue with OSC enbabled universes. In 4.8.4 it works fine but using 4.8.5 when I activate a fixture the values will not go back to zero. I have attached a test workspace. In this workspace there is one dimmer with one scene and one button on the virtual console. The output of the first universe is an osc network. In 4.8.4 I can click away and watch the value jump from 0 to 255 to 0. In 4.8.5 once I click the button the DMX channel never returns to 0.

For the OP, download 4.8.4 and see if it behaves as you expect.

[plugz]

I'm thinking that what you are running into is something introduced in 4.8.5. I have been working with OSC commands and have run into the same issue with OSC enbabled universes. In 4.8.4 it works fine but using 4.8.5 when I activate a fixture the values will not go back to zero. I have attached a test workspace. In this workspace there is one dimmer with one scene and one button on the virtual console. The output of the first universe is an osc network. In 4.8.4 I can click away and watch the value jump from 0 to 255 to 0. In 4.8.5 once I click the button the DMX channel never returns to 0.

For the OP, download 4.8.4 and see if it behaves as you expect.

I'm thinking this is an unrelated issue.
It looks like the monitor is not updated, but the OSC value sent is actually updated. The simple desk is updated correctly too.

PS- Please open another thread for your issue to be examined.