Those of you using channel layouts...

Reply

sclausen Posted: 09-19-2008 10:13 AM

rated by 0 users

Hi all -

We have had some requests for additional symbols in the channel layouts and we need your help. What symbols would you like to have added? I need more detail than "tv symbols", please. :-) If you could provide sketches or types of fixtures you would like to have represented, we can look to have those symbols designed.

Looking forward to your feedback - 

Thanks!

Sarah

Reply

raf wouters replied on 09-25-2008 5:55 AM

rated by 0 users

Hi There ,

For the european coutry's it should be nice to have also a symbol for a PC ( plano convex)

Also usefull should be a symbol for RGB Fixtures. one for a pixel and one for a LED fixture.

It should also be very nice to have a symbol for something special . Just a circle of somthing, to point on a lantarn, a chandelier or a standing lampin the decor.

A symbol for a followspot should also be nice.

If you are going further, different symbols for 1200W Spot/wash, 575 spot/wash and 250 spot/wash. I know you can change this by changing the size. But otherwise it should be nice that the link is already made when you patch a fixture. Maybe i'm dreaming, but it has to be possible.

Now i'm really started, It should be so nice if the symbols of CMY and RGB fixtures are taking the color where there are in. Something like the buttons on a smartfade ML. It could be so usefull while  you are programming in blind mode. You can make al your color chasers and stuff, just on the screen.

And last but not least. Create some symbols for a Console, a Jr. console, a back up server, dimmers and nodes. Like that you can make it possible to see your network set-up. Connect all devices with lines, and point on with a color if your device is active on the network. Even further, please make it possible that you can configure your node's and dimmers from your console. It's stays for me strange that you need a external windows based laptop to configure a 2 port node or a dimmer while your are working with a windows based console that's already on the network.All this could make life a lot easier. ETC is coming out this year with TOTAL CONTROL, please make it a total control system.

 Don't understand me wrong,  just keep on doing this nice innovating work and see my thoughs like hints for the future. Congo is already a great lighting platform, but just don't stop to make it better.

Greets

Reply

sclausen replied on 09-25-2008 8:23 AM

rated by 0 users

Thanks for the input!

Regarding the request to configure the network from the console, I believe if you install NCE or GCE on your console, you will get buttons in the Settings (the system settings available from the startup screen) to launch those programs. Also, Net3 Services may be installed on consoles running v5.0.x software to provide DHCP and time server functions from the console as well. 

Thanks much -

Sarah

Reply

mark replied on 09-25-2008 9:59 PM

rated by 0 users

One of the things that I would like to see is a way to not lose attributes when changing channels from the standard box to a light (i.e. a light with a scroller will show the frame you're in at the bottom until you change the symbol to something other than the channel box.) 

Also it would be great to be able to label a single channel...currently it seems that you have to draw a box or a line in order to place text on a light.  I also find that I tend to use the par symbol for lekos, because the text is hard to read when it overlaps the lines of the lights...maybe the text can have a solid background or something (this is especially an issue when the light is on a diagonal). 

Another issue I've had is that I sometimes have my assistant update my channel layouts on the client while I'm programming on the server, and it gives me an hourglass because as he makes changes it is constantly trying to update my display.  It would be nice to have a way for it to be a choice to only update the changes when the editing tab is closed.

Thanks.

Mark

Reply

Richard replied on 09-26-2008 12:04 AM

rated by 0 users

In the interest of keeping this thread on-topic, I've posted instruction for installing NCE, GCE and Net3 Services onto Congo here

My personal few requests for channel layouts would be:

• Can label channels, using one column from the Channel Database.
• Option to import the number of the symbol used for the channel when importing data into the channel database (0,1,2,3...10 etc)
• Option to export the channel database (including symbols used) as a CSV file.
  

With regards to symbols:

• Different symbols for 'small', 'medium', and 'large' versions of all lanterns except parcan.
• This would cover 575W, 1kW, 2kW or 250W, 575W, 1kW etc.
  
• It's extremely rare that any show would use more than three sizes of a given class of fixture.
  
• Make the default size of the symbols bigger - I find that I almost always grow the symbol to maximum size so I can see the channel number easily.

Reply

Nicholas Mayer replied on 03-04-2009 5:05 AM

rated by 0 users

Hi!

I'm interested in more European style symbols in editor, mainly for:

PC/PPC (Plano convex / pebble plano convex)

Fresnel (different symbol than in USA)

Profile fixtures and followspots

Svoboda battens

Footlights/generic battens

Something like http://www.fieldtemplate.com/plastic/continental.html

Also, it would be nice if we (users) could import or draft our own or generic / specific symbols (Ok, maybe too much to ask, but I have to try :o)

Reply

Ric replied on 03-12-2009 10:56 PM

rated by 0 users

Hi Sarah.

I'd like a few more generic shapes to allow me to add annotations to a layout.
Shapes such as circles, ovals, stars, rounded corner squares or rectangles.

As well as shapes it would be great to have text boxes with basic formating (alignment, size, underline/bold/italic, text  colour & box background/ foreground colour) to identify specific layout sections, or other useful info. If the above mentioned shapes could have text inside them that would be even better!

Lastly , please make any symbol able to operate any layout function. Functions such as Group, Focus point, Focus Pallete ( etc.) & Macro.
I.e. make a circle be able to be a dimmer channel, or a Group button, or a Master, instead of a Group being assigned only to its specific symbol.
This is already done for channels; they can be either the channel symbol or one of a number of shapes/fixture/lamps symbols.
Have a 'toggled' state so it's obvious that the shape has been chosen/operated.

And while on Layouts, please make a copy & paste or a duplicate function available so that we can make a copy of one layout & modify it, rather than having to start all over again !

Reply

Pedro Alves replied on 03-20-2009 11:00 AM

rated by 0 users

Hi

Like almost every europeans  I think that symbols for PC, fresnel and profile for 650w, 1kw, 2kw has to be some difference cause only the size isn't enough also symbols for followspots, Svobodas and the possibility for us to create our own symbols for more generic things.

Also the UNDO key. I think that this key it's very important cause sometimes I want to delete something and if I do some mistake I've got to redraw everything again.