Do I have to use custom models

[jnealand]

I have incan items in Nutcracker and it works fine.  I even have my staic elements like the nativity that just stays on all the time and a couple other static elements.  You just have to think about what you want to accomplish.  I have 16 3 color mini trees.  I started by making each color a single strand so I could make a little tree and have it show up on the preview, but that gave me 48 models and I could not do a chase.  Then I tried making 16 3channel RGB trees so that I could cut the modles down from 48 to 16, but I still could not do a chase.  Then I tried just putting 3 16 node one color strings and got to 3 models, but can only show a dot in the preview.  Now I am going to try defining them as one 3 channel RGB string of 16 nodes.  Still cannot see a tree in the preview, but I will only have one model instead of the multiples I had before.  Give it a go.

[drlucas]

How do you keep the single items connected to an LE to stay on (or to say ramp up and or down ?). Would a simple color wash of one color do the solid light and then a fade in/out deal with the ramp? I usually do all the single items connected to the LE in HLS and then do so magic with the export file and convert using xlights and then never touch those channels again. If there is a way that I can better control some of items like traditional flood or the minis that power my FM tune sign I could really save a lot of steps. Sadly haven't had enough cycles to really figure this out.

[jnealand]

I do not use ramps on my static items.  They are on all the time, so a simple color wash to that model in the first timing mark with nothing below that will keep the static item on all the time.  Static items to me mean they are on or off.  I do not want my tune to sign to ever go off until the show is over for the night.  Same for my nativity and associated star, my Merry Christmas sign, etc.  I have not tried playing with my DMX Mega and Mini trees yet since I am still using old imported sequences that take of the ramps and fades.  I have started some new songs, but only playing with the RGB stuff so far.