labelling channels in the channels screen

[spencer]

It is a bit of a pain that to label a channel, which is much more of a user/show related function than a setup one you have to go into setup. Because in setup the desk is disabled there is no way to flash through channels and label them so for instance plugging the desk in at a new venue I would want to flash channel 1 and then enter a label eg 'foh sl cold'. This could perhaps best be done by adding a label editing dialog to the channels screen. I currently have to use a notebook to write down what each channel does then enter setup mode and type it into the desk.

[K-Nine]

Would you want to label desk channels, DMX channels or both ?

 

In my mind, you would be labelling desk channels at that point. (this is the way the console currently works)

 

Would a DMX channel label be useful too ? If so, I'd assume that it would go in the patch screen.

[spencer]

it is the label you currently see if you go to setup and channel setup. There is currently one per desk channel which you see if you right click the channel number in the channel editor. This is very useful for those of us who think in words rather than numbers so the facility is already there, it is just that editing the names requires you to go into setup mode that is a pain. If I were asking for the moon I would have a third view option for the channel editor which shows channel number, name and intensity in each block without the bargraph, this would remove the need to have a paper channel list when operating and programming the board.

[spencer]

on re reading your post I now understand what you are asking, I have never actually used the cross patching in earnest unless the number of control channels is smaller than the DMX universe. Since I only work in small theatres with usually less than 100 dimmer channels the 1 to 1 patch always works for me.

[K-Nine]

It is a bit of a pain that to label a channel, which is much more of a user/show related function than a setup one you have to go into setup. ...

 

A valid point and you seem to suggest two possible solutions to the problem - which is nice :wink:

 

1 - Add a new function in the Assign Channels section of Desk Setup which will flash the selected desk channel (ie the DMX channel(s) patched to that desk channel would go to full).

 

2 - Add a channel naming function in the Channel Data Window (CDW)

 

My initial thoughts are that (1) would probably be easier to implement and allow you to 'see' which channels you were labelling. With (2) every time you modified a channel's name the data would need to be saved to NVR or Flash RAM as it forms part of the desk setup data. This may have other implications as you are changing data which is normally only done under the Desk Setup window.

 

Illusion Reference No 4694 - Channel Labelling - to be reviewed.