Move on Dark, and nested playbacks

[Zulu]

Hi. 
I,m using my FLXS24 with a cue stack on the master playback, as usual, for our latest play.

At a certain point, the script requires a helicopter to cast a search light in a particular pattern across the stage. In the absence of an actual helicopter, I’m using my Chauvet Intimidator 155 to move the beam in the pattern.

ive used a separate playback to create a sequence of moves over about 8 cues. Each cue triggers the next cue, to create a continuous sweep.

I have this playback triggered by the main cue stack on the master playback, layering searchlight on top of the current lighting state.

this works well, except the moving light illuminates and sweeps from its default position to the required start position. Exactly what Move on Dark should address. Move on Dark is enabled on both playbacks, but the light still lights up before moving.

any suggestions.

many thanks, Zulu.

[Edward Z88]

8 minutes ago, Zulu said:

I have this playback triggered by the main cue stack on the master playback, layering searchlight on top of the current lighting state.

this works well, except the moving light illuminates and sweeps from its default position to the required start position. Exactly what Move on Dark should address. Move on Dark is enabled on both playbacks, but the light still lights up before moving.

Move On Dark won't actually be able to help you here. This is because Move On Dark only looks at what cues are coming next in this playback. Move On Dark won't be able to prepare fixtures ready for other playbacks that may be triggered.

So in this situation, I would manually record the start position for the moving lights in the cue before the "search light" playback is triggered.

To do this, go into the cue before the "search light" playback is triggered, select the moving light, and set it to its first position. Ideally if you recorded the first cue of your "search light" playback with a palette, you can apply this same palette, and your fixture will go to the correct position. Once in position, you can then update the cue. By default, "SmartTag" will be enabled in the console's Record Options. With SmartTag enabled, ZerOS will not include data for a fixture, if the fixture is @ 0%. So in this situation, you will need to disable SmartTag, so that the position information can be included with the light @ 0%. To do this, press and hold UPDATE to open the Update Options, and in here ensure that the SmartTag button has a blue stripe, meaning disabled. Then, tap your Master Playback's GO button to update the current cue.

Now upon going into the cue before your search light playback is triggered, the mover will prepare, and upon going into the next cue, the search light playback will be triggered with your mover ready in position.

Hope this helps.

[Zulu]

Thanks for this, Ed. It sounds like a plan. I’ll see if I can implement it tonight. It seems to make sense.

cheers, Zulu.

[Edward Z88]

1 hour ago, Zulu said:

Thanks for this, Ed. It sounds like a plan. I’ll see if I can implement it tonight. It seems to make sense.

No problem - let me know how you get on.

[Zulu]

Yep, that worked, Ed. Many thanks.

cheers.