The Lighting Controller II

Timeline: I am very much looking forward to future iterations of this module. It almost feels like home coming from Studio One Pro with a number of significant differences of course. I am very thankful!

-The Open and Save popup seems to operate with a click to select then a double click operation to actually open though save works with just a select which has caused me to inadvertently overwrite other Timelines more than once. It doesn't seem to have any warning at all nor care the audio file and entire layout of blocks are totally different.

- Typical keyboard shortcuts such as for cut, copy, paste, undo (CTRL+X, C, V, and Z respectively) do not appear to work, or work very intermittently throughout the application. These are super time savers, and I would think they should be included.

- Along with those shortcuts I would practically beg for at least one more level of "zoom in" to tighten up timing of generator blocks... and again, keyboard/mouse shortcuts are desired here. Particularly CTRL+Shift with Scroll Wheel up to zoom in and down to zoom out is sorely missed here. Stop/Play toggle on the space bar would be a close second missed item.

- Persistent vertical time markers (it is clearly already "snapping" to some point) and a flag bar would also be great. Standard Start/End and other flags would be good along with more carriage options... at least a full return to start (zero) would seem beneficial.

- Something in Clock is hosed up! Caused the only full crash I've experienced.

- Timeline does not like .MP3s though readily eats .Wav files.... seems odd as it appears to be just an audio player. Needs more CODECs?

- Selected blocks do not consistently move accurately together, frequently "snapping" out or original grid when moved in groups.
Expanding/Contracting tails when selected together does not appear to work. It would be quite helpful and time conserving if they operated as expected.

- New timeline auto set to edit and DMX on, since that is the most likely thing one would be doing at that point would be another saved pair of clicks and it won't do anything without them set.

- Being able to save a "new" Timeline template would be good, or readily modify the single default from within the app.... Light track count, time, and edit and DMX on would be good.

- Ability to export/import... or copy paste from timeline to timeline. Would be another massive time saver.

Show: I would think this module would be for the "Live" playback of pre-programmed Lightshows as constructed in the Timeline using Generator created scenes, though perhaps I am misunderstanding the intended eventual logical structure. I do note it doesn't have its own forum topic, so including it under timeline since I view them as interrelated if only as parent/child.
Perhaps Show would be best moved under the Live section in the Button <<burger>>.

Thank you,
Mivan

The Open and Save popup seems to operate with a click to select then a double click operation to actually open though save works with just a select which has caused me to inadvertently overwrite other Timelines more than once. It doesn't seem to have any warning at all nor care the audio file and entire layout of blocks are totally different.

In the "save" procedure, the current mane of project is proposed. You have to manually enter a different name when desired.

Typical keyboard shortcuts such as for cut, copy, paste, undo (CTRL+X, C, V, and Z respectively) do not appear to work, or work very intermittently throughout the application. These are super time savers, and I would think they should be included.

This remark makes sense. We will see whether our multi-platform (which means "suitable for (computers and mobile devices) libraires may allow that.

one more level of "zoom in" to tighten up timing of generator blocks

In the next program, there is now vertical bars from the blocks to the time line to help to adjust the block in the new version. It will help a lot for that.

CTRL+Shift with Scroll Wheel up to zoom in and down to zoom out is sorely missed here.

Makes sense too. Noted.

Stop/Play toggle on the space bar would be a close second missed item.

It is presently linked to the latest used gadget. If it is the "Play / pause" button, then it will drive it
Noted too.

Persistent vertical time markers (it is clearly already "snapping" to some point) and a flag bar would also be great. Standard Start/End and other flags would be good along with more carriage options... at least a full return to start (zero) would seem beneficial.

Noted.

Something in Clock is hosed up! Caused the only full crash I've experienced.

We are not able to reproduce this problem. If possible, please post a video showing that.

Timeline does not like .MP3s though readily eats .Wav files.... seems odd as it appears to be just an audio player. Needs more CODECs

The audio files are played via the "Operating System media player". When missing, the CODECs have to be installed on it.

Selected blocks do not consistently move accurately together, frequently "snapping" out or original grid when moved in groups.
Expanding/Contracting tails when selected together does not appear to work. It would be quite helpful and time conserving if they operated as expected.

Please post a video showing this.

New timeline auto set to edit and DMX on.

Noted in our ToDo list for "Edit" mode.
Regarding "DMX on", we think that the user has to control this.

Being able to save a "new" Timeline template would be good, or readily modify the single default.

Noted.

Ability to export/import... or copy paste from timeline to timeline.

Noted.

I would think this module would be for the "Live" playback of pre-programmed Lightshows as constructed in the Timeline using Generator created scenes, though perhaps I am misunderstanding the intended eventual logical structure. I do note it doesn't have its own forum topic, so including it under timeline since I view them as interrelated if only as parent/child.
Perhaps Show would be best moved under the Live section in the Button <<burger>>.

The "Live" playbak is done via the module "Boards" or "TimeLine".
The module "Boards" can have "TimeLine" buttons (to trigger timeline projects).

Yes, I noticed, and I like that part. The how easy it is to overwrite other files was my concern.

Thank you, it would be most awesome and appreciated if possible.

Vert lines should help, though I suspect I'll still want one more layer of zoom. P.S. whoever decided on scaling the resolution of the snaps to the zoom level is brilliant, Love It!

Thank you, it would be most awesome and appreciated if possible.

Yes, as mentioned in point #2 of Generator, I'll try to keep that in mind.

It only occurred once, and I did not have a camera rolling, though I will try to set something up... I might need to buy a few more memory cards 1st. I do note I saw in a post on here somewhere the default time is 30 seconds... though when I initially opened it, I recall something like 53 minutes which is what I was lowering into a "normal" song length timeframe when it blew up.

Right, that discussion continues... ability to make a template would do it. I haven't tried making my own yet, though may... it is just xml, yes?

So essentially, "Lightshow" is just a parent folder for Boards and Timeline, yes?

ability to make a template would do it. I haven't tried making my own yet, though may... it is just xml, yes?
So essentially, "Lightshow" is just a parent folder for Boards and Timeline, yes?

Correct. All parts of the lightshow project are clear and readable via a basic notepad software.
Please note that a "copy / paste blocks" works from a TimeLine project to another one.
And we note the idea of saving a selection of blocks as template.

Thank you! And Bingo... My Template is done... and here I thought I was going to get away from all things "programming" to get this software understood and under control. For my part I did try to stay out of the program files, I never even looked until now. Anyway, the answer to "Template" I didn't know I was looking for goes something like:
The short way... In the App
Open the default timeline, make any changes you want done to it then save it over top of the existing default. *An "are you sure you want to do this idiot?" popup here would be good as blowing out a fully customized default would not be pleasant... though one could just make backup(s) before proceeding.
The long way... Outside the App
Browse to C:\...wherever it is on your computer...\TheLightingController_II\LightShows then copy the entire "Default" folder (or any other one you have already made) to the same location, renaming it whatever you want, I chose "My Default"... open the folder, then open the "timeline" folder, then open the "projects" folder, crack open the XML file and swap out "the number" in <Duration>the number</Duration> you want in seconds... Ex: 4 minutes is 2400 seconds so replace "the number" with 2400, then save after you've made sure you didn't screw up the syntax. Then to make a new timeline just copy this entire new default folder renaming it into whatever you want. If you rename it default your TimeLine "Name" will be "default - default". ie the default lightshow in the default timeline.

I have tried copy/paste of blocks from one timeline to another, it failed. It seemed to copy fine, paste was greyed when I opened the new timeline. If multiple timelines are supposed to be able to be opened at once in the same session, I have been unable to do so.

I'm fairly certain I was primarily referring to saving modified blocks as they apply to an individual project timeline so they'd be separated in a visual sense from generators ever increasing list, not that I'd be opposed to having "stacks" at hand, similar to say customized "channel strips" and/or plugin or VST stacks in the audio realm. Perhaps having a structure such as "Groups" in the Open Generator Project box might help? Since I'm already poking around in the program files and the XML, I might as well dig in here a while. Maybe I'll see about building my own stack boxes.

Thanks again,
Mivan

Well, that exploration was quite telling... I don't suppose you're able to cough up the XML->Application calls for DMX and Edit on/off? You have stated in your replies they are supposed to be "user controlled". If I had those two without cracking and hacking, and they worked, I think I'd be rather content with TimeLine for a while, at least until the next iteration anyhow.

Thank you,
Mivan

I presume there is a rather important reason blocks are locked when the timeline is running, yes? As well as why it flutters the screen when trying to side scroll ahead or back of the vertical caption bar. It would seem all the starting and stopping, to advance/retard blocks on the timeline or add/remove/modify, repeat ad nauseum besides being another time sink is likely rather jarring to fixtures outside of the 3D modeling. Though I certainly admit there could be strong reason(s) for locking this down as is and I remain spoiled on my DAW.

Thank you,
Mivan

Yes, no actions is better in "play" mode.
Priority to get the best possible synchronization.