1 X 72 pixel minitree errors

[PJNMCT]

Hi Sean,

I've gone through the tutorials, installed emmanuel's files, generated targets and the effects either don't run as I would think they should or I get errors. The GIF model that you show looks good but the data doesn't quite work. Any help would be appreciated.

I have a 72 pixel string folded 7 times to give me 8 strands. This is my main target.
I have another target that is one string of 10 nodes with no folds.

It would be nice if I could start with something simple (relative term I know) like a meteor but I get errors everytime that effect is generated.

Another thing that may help troubleshoot is in the .vix file if you could add a label to each pixel associated channel as P1 (ch1,ch2,ch3), P2 (ch4,ch5,ch6), etc. You already have the channel number and color but the pixel number would be helpful.

Thanks,
Paul

[pk]

Paul -  Tell Nutcracker you have 8 folds and see how that works for you.

[smeighan]

Paul -  Tell Nutcracker you have 8 folds and see how that works for you.

The word folds is confusing people.

folds to me was how many times it was folded.

folds=2, string is folded twice
folds=3, string is folded 3 times.

You can never have folds=0

After the last mini, i was asked to change the prompt from
folds?
to be
How many strands will you have in your string?

Here i took 1 string of 72 pixels and entered 9 for the folds parameter. your string folded 9 times gives 8 pixels each.

here is what that 1 string looks like
array_to_save
username   f
user_target   AA3
effect_class   butterfly
effect_name   FLY_0_0
window_degrees   360
frame_delay   100
sparkles   0
seq_duration   5
formula   1
radian_shift   .05
start_color   #FFFFFF
end_color   #FFFFFF
background_chunk   #FFFFFF
background_skip   #FFFFFF
background_color   #000000
submit   Submit Form to create your effect
OBJECT_NAME   butterfly


here was a meteor on that same 1 string mini


and a 3 spiral tree


Also, "I have another target that is one string of 10 nodes with no folds." does not make much sense to animate. It would be one strand.You really want to get at least 8 strands better would be 16 to have the animations look good.

[Steve Gase]

Paul -  Tell Nutcracker you have 8 folds and see how that works for you.

The word folds is confusing people.

folds to me was how many times it was folded.

folds=2, string is folded twice
folds=3, string is folded 3 times.

You can never have folds=0

I think part of the problem is I (and maybe others?) consider the "fold" to be point where two substrings come together.

If I have a 60-pixel string and do not fold it then I consider this to be fold=0, and I'd have a single substring or 60-pixels. 

If I fold that string 1 time, then I have 2-halves, or 2 substrings... each 30 pixels.  I'd call this fold=1

Fold 3 times, and I have 4 substrings -- 15 pixels each.

at least this is how I look at it...


the one question I have -- how do we now specify the "over" layout where there is a single fold with half the string going to the other side of the tree?  when you simplified the tree, that option disappeared.  I saw value in this because you don't need to run long cables to the other side of the tree -- only cables and SSCs are needed on the half of the closest to my hubs.

[smeighan]

Paul -  Tell Nutcracker you have 8 folds and see how that works for you.

The word folds is confusing people.

folds to me was how many times it was folded.

folds=2, string is folded twice
folds=3, string is folded 3 times.

You can never have folds=0

I think part of the problem is I (and maybe others?) consider the "fold" to be point where two substrings come together.

If I have a 60-pixel string and do not fold it then I consider this to be fold=0, and I'd have a single substring or 60-pixels. 

If I fold that string 1 time, then I have 2-halves, or 2 substrings... each 30 pixels.  I'd call this fold=1

Fold 3 times, and I have 4 substrings -- 15 pixels each.

at least this is how I look at it...


the one question I have -- how do we now specify the "over" layout where there is a single fold with half the string going to the other side of the tree?  when you simplified the tree, that option disappeared.  I saw value in this because you don't need to run long cables to the other side of the tree -- only cables and SSCs are needed on the half of the closest to my hubs.

I got it that i confused people.

Folds now are gone.

Here is the new prompt
**How many strands will you make out of each of your strings?:

If you are not folding your string this answer is 1
if you take a strand and make 2 strands, the answer is 2.,

as for the answer for the wraps, just answer the question
**Do you want your strings to always start at the bottom of the RGB device (Y or N):
as a 'N' and the extra pixels will wrap.

[PJNMCT]

Paul -  Tell Nutcracker you have 8 folds and see how that works for you.

Thanks PK, Thats what I've alwats been doing. I just described it this way for Sean.

[PJNMCT]

Hi Sean,
I actually have 1 string of 72 pixels folded to make eight strands of 9 pixels each. The strands go around the the tree in a ccw manner. Pixel 1 starts at the bottom and pixel 72 ends at the bottom -- if this helps. Nothing goes from one side then 180 degrees to the other side.

-Paul

[smeighan]

Hi Sean,
I actually have 1 string of 72 pixels folded to make eight strands of 9 pixels each. The strands go around the the tree in a ccw manner. Pixel 1 starts at the bottom and pixel 72 ends at the bottom -- if this helps. Nothing goes from one side then 180 degrees to the other side.

-Paul

if you are building a half megatree you do this

tell the target generator that you have 2 strings of 72 pixels. The number of strands per string is 8

you then will end up with a tree that is 16 strands of 9 pixels. now when you are doing the effects set the window size to 180 degrees, Now only the first string will get animated, the second (back of the tree string) fictional string will not be used.

[PJNMCT]

Hi Sean,
I actually have 1 string of 72 pixels folded to make eight strands of 9 pixels each. The strands go around the the tree in a ccw manner. Pixel 1 starts at the bottom and pixel 72 ends at the bottom -- if this helps. Nothing goes from one side then 180 degrees to the other side.

-Paul

if you are building a half megatree you do this

tell the target generator that you have 2 strings of 72 pixels. The number of strands per string is 8

you then will end up with a tree that is 16 strands of 9 pixels. now when you are doing the effects set the window size to 180 degrees, Now only the first string will get animated, the second (back of the tree string) fictional string will not be used.

Ok I will give that a try but I am actually doing a full 360 degree tree.

Thanks.

[PJNMCT]

Here is the result...
The Nutcracker result looks good when looking at it on a pixel basis.
The Vixen result looks like each channel is changing according to the pixel changes in nutcracker.

[PJNMCT]

The Vixen routine is the closest thing to working. It now shows on 1/2 the tree only but here is the sequence.

[PJNMCT]

Are the meteors working?
Because here is what Nutcracker returns for me.

Thanks,
-Paul

[smeighan]

Are the meteors working?
Because here is what Nutcracker returns for me.

Thanks,
-Paul

I see that meteor type 3 is not working.

Here is your model using type 2

array_to_save
username   PJNMCT
user_target   MINTR72_2
effect_class   meteors
effect_name   mt_metr_tst
window_degrees   180
start_color   #FFFFFF
end_color   #FFFFFF
frame_delay   50
sparkles   0
maxPhase   2
seq_duration   10
maxMeteors   5
meteor_type   2
submit   Submit Form to create your effect
OBJECT_NAME   meteors
show_frame   N
direction   cw


here i modefied your effect and saved as mt_metr_tst_sean. this meteor type 1

array_to_save
username   PJNMCT
user_target   MINTR72_2
effect_class   meteors
effect_name   mt_metr_tst_sean
window_degrees   180
start_color   #FF0000
end_color   #0DFF2D
frame_delay   100
sparkles   0
maxPhase   4
seq_duration   10
maxMeteors   5
meteor_type   1
submit   Submit Form to create your effect
OBJECT_NAME   meteors
show_frame   N
direction   cw


so meteor  types 1 and 2 work with your model, type 3 does not. that is a bug.

thanks