xLights 2012d release

[dowdybrown]

Well, I have been working hard on xLights - as you will see if you download version 2012d. Once again, I have put it in my dropbox instead of SourceForge because I don't feel the Sequence tab is "fully baked". However, I know the 2012c version had some bugs and I wanted to get a new version out that addressed those. So here it is:

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I have tried to address all of scheduling bugs (I am using this version to schedule my show). I also tried to fix the lag issue with the Etherdongle.

The Sequence tab is new and I know it will need some explaining - which I will try to do by responding to posts in this forum. To get started, the effects are based on Nutcracker (with Sean's permission). The Life and Snowstorm effects are not implemented yet and there isn't a Twinkle effect yet, but everything else is there. The nice thing is that all of the effects are created real time -- you can change the parameters by dragging a slider and instantly see the results. Some effects are enhanced - notably the Text effect allows you to choose any font installed on your system along with the font size. This includes fonts like Wingdings, or "Xmas dings" or other fonts with icons/graphics.

Model creation also has some enhancements: 1) you can start your string numbering from the left or right, 2) it can control strings that are not in RGB order.

Where things really differ from Nutcracker is in the way you string together effects. What I have put into this version is very rudimentary. I hope to make many improvements to this area in the next year. But what you have to do for now is open an xLights sequence (.xseq file), choose which model(s) will be included in the sequence when prompted, then insert rows into the grid and for every row type in the start time in seconds when that effect should start. To add an effect to the sequence, click on the grid cell in the desired display model column and the desired start time row, then click the Update button. When you are done creating effects for the sequence, click the save icon and the xLights sequence will be updated with the effects you stored in the grid. There is no export feature - you can only update xLights sequences. However, once updated you can convert the xLights sequence to Vixen format for viewing/tweaking.

That's it for now. Merry Christmas!

Matt

[MrChristmas2000]

Why do you not allow a schedule to be restarted during its timeframe after it is manually stopped? If you start a show past it's start time it will run, just not if it has already been started and stopped.

Just did a quick test of the new release and it seems to operated as expected.

This is a great sequence player. 

Merry Christmas

[pk]

Thank you Matt.  I will try it later today.

[garyh]

Matt, thanks again for all the hard work, I'll run the show tonight with this new one and see what I find. 

Look forward to the new sequence text stuff for the scrolling matrix I'm running this year!  Merry Christmas!

[caretaker]

Matt,  all I can say is awesome!  Thanks for all your hard work.   

[Livermore-Dad]

Awesome Matt

When can we expect the Linux/Mac side to catch up?

Fantastic work!
Tory

[bcstuff]

When I had  xlights 2012c I had a lag problem.

IT'S GONE!!!!!

Xlights 2012d, the cure for my lagging problem.

Thanks Matt!!!!

[garyh]

Matt, got text loaded and the Play Effect works with the font loaded.  I have the xseq loaded but I haven't found where I say my pixel matrix I mapped out in xlights is the 5040 channel in my xseq.  Also I'm guessing we're puttin the start time of when we want it to start in the RGB Sequence box?

Matt, this Sequence tab is AWESOME, just what I've been looking for !

[dowdybrown]

Matt, got text loaded and the Play Effect works with the font loaded.  I have the xseq loaded but I haven't found where I say my pixel matrix I mapped out in xlights is the 5040 channel in my xseq.  Also I'm guessing we're puttin the start time of when we want it to start in the RGB Sequence box?

Matt, this Sequence tab is AWESOME, just what I've been looking for !

When you create your model you enter the starting channel number on that window. You should also check "Part of my display" - which causes the channel names on the Test tab to reflect your model name and it also causes the channels to save into your xseq file when you save your sequence. If "Part of my display" is unchecked, xLights assumes you are just trying out the model to see how it looks.

Matt

[garyh]

glad I used one single controller, makes perfect sense.  Nice work Matt, love the real time dynamics. 

2012d is running the light show fine, been on for 1 hour now

[garyh]

Matt, added a Matrix effect in at 0.00 and slapped it on the show computer, worked great! 

[mms]

Thanks Matt!  I look forward to trying this tomorrow!

[rdebolt]

Matt this is awesome. Thanks for sharing! I have a question about my megatree in sequencer. My megatree is 32 strings of 60 nodes filling all 16 ports on 2 Active hubs. My Start channel on the first hub is 513 leaving the first 512 for 1 universe of DMX. Then my second hub has a start channel of 4097. How would I set that up in your model? I am asking because I am assuming (you know what that does) that in your model it does matter what the channel numbers are, unlike Nutcracker. My main sequencer is LSP.

Thanks again!
Roger

[smeighan]

Matt this is awesome. Thanks for sharing! I have a question about my megatree in sequencer. My megatree is 32 strings of 60 nodes filling all 16 ports on 2 Active hubs. My Start channel on the first hub is 513 leaving the first 512 for 1 universe of DMX. Then my second hub has a start channel of 4097. How would I set that up in your model? I am asking because I am assuming (you know what that does) that in your model it does matter what the channel numbers are, unlike Nutcracker. My main sequencer is LSP.

Thanks again!
Roger

I think i can answer this. If you have 32 strings and the first 16 are on hub #1. each string has 60 nodes or 180 channels per string
16*180 = 2880 channels for 16 strings
Subtract that from max channels in hub 
4096-2880 = 1216

So start your megat tree model at 1216. first string at channel 1216 on hub #1,
the 17th string will start at 4097 on hub #2.
The last string, #32, will end on channel 6977

The key is to make sure you start a string on 4097, in this case right on pixel #1 on string 17.

thanks

[rdebolt]

I think i can answer this. If you have 32 strings and the first 16 are on hub #1. each string has 60 nodes or 180 channels per string
16*180 = 2880 channels for 16 strings
Subtract that from max channels in hub 
4096-2880 = 1216

So start your megat tree model at 1216. first string at channel 1216 on hub #1,
the 17th string will start at 4097 on hub #2.
The last string, #32, will end on channel 6977

The key is to make sure you start a string on 4097, in this case right on pixel #1 on string 17.

thanks

My start address is already 513 so I guess I will have to wait until next year to try this.

Thanks,
Roger