How can cues in masterplayback be a reference to a certain scene?

[Holger]

We have the FLX S24. I am a beginner, worked through the manual....This message didn't send.
To make an easy show we want to setup 5 different mood lighting  (or scenes or whatever it is called). I am programming a master playback. Each scene should be used several times, e.g. scene 1 in cue 10, 15, 27 and 30. Now, my question is how can I do that in a way that when I have to change the scene 1 it is changed in all cues (10, 15, 27 and 30)?
 

[Edward Z88]

Hi @Holger

Welcome to the Zero 88 Forum.

25 minutes ago, Holger said:

To make an easy show we want to setup 5 different mood lighting  (or scenes or whatever it is called). I am programming a master playback. Each scene should be used several times, e.g. scene 1 in cue 10, 15, 27 and 30. Now, my question is how can I do that in a way that when I have to change the scene 1 it is changed in all cues (10, 15, 27 and 30)?

There are a couple of ways to do this. The first thing to be aware of is that cues cannot reference cues. Therefore when you record, or even copy and paste a cue, the new cue does not reference any other existing cue.

Cues can however reference palettes. I would therefore recommend creating a "Snapshot Palette" for each of your different scenes that are used regularly.

To do this, create your first lighting scene using the various fixture controls. Then hold SHIFT and tap RECORD, and then tap any empty palette. I tend to use "Beam" palettes for my Snapshot palettes, however any palette type can be used. You will then end up with a palette with "ICBSPE" written top left of the palette tile. This indicates this is a Snapshot palette. You can give your scene a name by holding SETUP and tapping on the palette. You can then repeat this for your other scenes, until you end up with a Snapshot palette for each of your scenes.

Then, you can start recording these Snapshot palettes into cues. To do this, select the required lights, and then tap your required snapshot palette to recall your scene. Then tap RECORD, and record this as a cue to the Master Playback. Because you used the palette, the cue simply holds a reference to the palette. You can then record this snapshot palette into all the other required cues. You can then repeat this process for the scenes in the other Snapshot palettes.

Now, if you need to update one of your scenes, you can select the lights, and apply the relevant Snapshot palette. You can then make your changes, hold SHIFT and tap RECORD, and then tap on the relevant Snapshot palette from the touchscreen. You can then choose to "Merge" your changes in.

Any cues that were recorded with that palette, will still reference that palette, and therefore now output your updated scene.

For more information on recording palettes, please see the link below...

https://zero88.com/manuals/print?manual=zeros&type=section&content=recording-palettes

 

The other approach to this, is to record a separate playback fader for each of your scenes that you use regularly. You can then record "empty" cues in the Master Playback. In the settings of an empty cue, you can then add a trigger macro, to trigger your required scene playback. You can then repeat this process, triggering and releasing the required scenes throughout your cues on the master playback. Then, if you need to make a change to one of the scenes that is used regularly, you can simply update the required scene playback. As all your cues in the master playback already reference your scene playbacks, they will therefore recall the required scene that's been updated.

See the link below for more information on triggering and releasing playbacks from cues...

https://zero88.com/manuals/print?manual=zeros&type=section&content=cue-macros

 

I hope this helps. If you have any questions, please let us know.

Edward

[Holger]

Thanks, I tried the first suggestion on Phantom but failed:

1) I selected my scene (Channels 1 and 2 100%) -> A01_SelectScene.jpg

2) Then I hold shift and clicked Record -> A02_AfterShiftHoldAndRecord.jpg (In real the not illuminated playbacks are blinking) and A02_TouchScreen.jpg

Now, you see the touchpad - how can I select an empty palette in the touchscreen?

[Edward Z88]

Hi @Holger

Thank you very much for sharing screenshots of Phantom ZerOS.

If the Record Options window is opening as soon as you press RECORD, this means the window settings have been changed. To access the Record window settings, tap SETUP -> Settings, and scroll down to the bottom. It sounds like your console is set to "Internal Display", meaning the window opens as soon as Record is tapped. By default, "External Display" will be selected. This means the window will always appear on an external remote display, but can be opened internally if you press and hold RECORD.

Please set this option back to "External Display", to allow you to record palettes. You can then tap SETUP to save and exit Setup.

You will then be able to hold SHIFT and tap RECORD, and the Record Options window shouldn't open. If you only have dimmer channels selected, you will need to record your Snapshot palettes into Effect palettes, as you will not be able to access the other attribute tabs.

I hope this helps. If you have any questions, please let us know.

Edward

[Holger]

Thanks a lot! Yes, when I tap "Effects" I can select a plaette. And it seems to work in my test case. I will try to use it in more details - and I suppose I'll have further questions....

Thanks a lot so far!!

[Edward Z88]

Hi @Holger

31 minutes ago, Holger said:

Thanks a lot! Yes, when I tap "Effects" I can select a plaette. And it seems to work in my test case. I will try to use it in more details - and I suppose I'll have further questions....

Thanks a lot so far!!

No problem at all. Just let us know if you have any questions.

Edward

[Holger]

I just started another topic - I have problems installing the current ZerOS version...:

 

[Holger]

Hi!

One more question which fits to this topic. Now I have some cues in my master playback which are connected to an effect and some "normal" cues which are mainly intensity settings (dimmer).

My question: Is there a way to find out if a cue is connected to an effect (which one?) or if it is just a "normal" cue?

 

[Davidmk]

I think the answer to this one is in your other (meaning of colours) thread. Check the PDF @Edward Z88 sent you there under "Intensities / Source buttons" and "Parameter Table".

[Edward Z88]

Hi Holger,

3 hours ago, Holger said:

My question: Is there a way to find out if a cue is connected to an effect (which one?) or if it is just a "normal" cue?

On FLX S, there is no graphical information to tell you which cues use effects. You could however add this information to a Cue's name (for example by adding "[E]").

On the standard FLX console you could use Blind mode to look at your cues without outputting them, to see which ones use effects. Blind is not available on FLX S.

Edward

[Holger]

@Davidmk I read the PDF once more but at least I don't understand from which values or variables I can answer my question.

And, this is how my Output Window looks like (attachment from Phantom). There are no tabs like source or intensity. Maybe only available with FLX (and not FLX S24)?

[Holger]

@Edward Z88 Thanks. But even if I go e.g. to cue 10 (green cue 10 in the master Playback list) I cannot find out if this is an effect or not?

[Davidmk]

1 hour ago, Edward Z88 said:

On FLX S, there is no graphical information to tell you which cues use effects

I'm a FLX user so not always aware of restrictions on FLX S but @Edward Z88 has pointed out that there's no blind mode on the S series. However, the PDF does suggest that Source will tell you what is currently controlling the intensity of each fixture and, if you select fixtures, the Parameter Table will tell you if any parameters reference pallettes and which ones. Not sure if this applies to effects palletes, Edwards reply suggests it doesn't but I think I should leave Edward to deal with this from here on as this is getting into unfamiliar territory for me and I don't want to mislead you.

[Edward Z88]

Hi Holger,

20 minutes ago, Holger said:

And, this is how my Output Window looks like (attachment from Phantom). There are no tabs like source or intensity. Maybe only available with FLX (and not FLX S24)?

That is correct. Intensities, Source, Live, Preview and Blind buttons are not available on FLX S consoles.

9 minutes ago, Holger said:

@Edward Z88 Thanks. But even if I go e.g. to cue 10 (green cue 10 in the master Playback list) I cannot find out if this is an effect or not?

To confirm whether there is an effect running, select your fixtures, and then tap the "Effect" tab at the top. If there is an effect running, you will see the Effect number displayed above the encoder wheels.

Hope this helps.

Edward

[Holger]

24 minutes ago, Edward Z88 said:

To confirm whether there is an effect running, select your fixtures, and then tap the "Effect" tab at the top. If there is an effect running, you will see the Effect number displayed above the encoder wheels.

Sure? When I go to such a cue (with an effect) there is nothing over the encoder wheels - just black.

Even if I select fixtures (tap them), click on an effect: the intensities are set as stored by the effect, so the effect is working, but over the encoder wheeels nothing changes - just black. (Attachment after clicking on e.g. 42 I... L2 blau)

[Edward Z88]

Hi Holger,

Thank you for the screenshot.

15 minutes ago, Holger said:

When I go to such a cue (with an effect) there is nothing over the encoder wheels - just black.

Even if I select fixtures (tap them), click on an effect: the intensities are set as stored by the effect, so the effect is working, but over the encoder wheeels nothing changes - just black.

I can see that Effect palettes 41 thru 48 are your snapshot palettes. Can you confirm that these palettes do include effect data for fixtures 1 thru 6?

If you record a snapshot palette, it will be annotated ICBSPE, to indicate all parameters are included. However if there was no effect running at the point of recording the snapshot palette, the "E" information of the palette will be "No Effect", meaning no effect information will be displayed on the encoders.

Edward

[Holger]

48 minutes ago, Edward Z88 said:

I can see that Effect palettes 41 thru 48 are your snapshot palettes. Can you confirm that these palettes do include effect data for fixtures 1 thru 6?

Yes, these confirm 1 thru 23 except of 21 and except of effect 46 (L6), this one is under construction.

51 minutes ago, Edward Z88 said:

If you record a snapshot palette, it will be annotated ICBSPE, to indicate all parameters are included. However if there was no effect running at the point of recording the snapshot palette, the "E" information of the palette will be "No Effect", meaning no effect information will be displayed on the encoders.

? Actually i don't understand. When I create a new effect (e.g. by setting intensities) then of course this effect cannot run as it will be created in the future....

[Holger]

And when I click on the effect - it should run, shouldn't it? But I cannot see it....

[Edward Z88]

Hi Holger,

If you're able to, please save a copy of your current show file to a USB drive, and then email this to us.

I will then be able to take a closer look at your Effect palettes.

Edward

[Holger]

Well, no email but....

 

[Holger]

Cues 79-82 use the effects L3, L2, L4 and L1. (L2 is called blue but I changed it to test if the cue 80 really takes the effect - it worked.

zamba2022_004.zos

[Edward Z88]

Hi Holger,

7 minutes ago, Holger said:

Cues 79-82 use the effects L3, L2, L4 and L1. (L2 is called blue but I changed it to test if the cue 80 really takes the effect - it worked.

Thank you for sharing your show file.

2 hours ago, Edward Z88 said:

If you record a snapshot palette, it will be annotated ICBSPE, to indicate all parameters are included. However if there was no effect running at the point of recording the snapshot palette, the "E" information of the palette will be "No Effect", meaning no effect information will be displayed on the encoders.

Effect palettes 41 thru 48, do not include effect information. These snapshot palettes are static looks, with no effects running. As no effects are running, the Effect encoder wheels will remain blank.

To check whether a fixture's intensity is referencing a palette, select your fixtures, and then tap the "Z/Shift" key. The first encoder wheel will be the Intensity wheel. If the selected fixture's intensity is referencing a palette, you will see the palette code displayed above the encoder, with the percentage displayed in brackets.

For example, go into cue 79, and select fixture 1. "E43 (49)" is displayed, telling you this fixture is using the intensity information from effect palette 43.

The intensity wheel can be locked on the first encoder wheel if required, to save you having to tap the Z/Shift key to access it. To do this, tap SETUP -> Settings, and under Attributes enable "Always display intensity encoder".

Hope this helps.

Edward

[Holger]

Thanks! This seems to work!