Features for Preset Control

Been looking at the preset control, If it is envisaged that a desk wont be used, and control is soley from cayalst, then some of the following features would be usefull to speed up programming and playback of the relevant presets.

1) When in the 'edit preset, later...' window, it would be usefull to be able to select multiple parameters (ie all the keystone) and select the relevant fade/snap modifier to change all seleted all at once..

Following this, it would be useful to multiple select the times, of the previously selected items, and change all the values at once (assuming that they are all the same...) rather than doing them one by one for the same values.
(example - change all the keystone values to fade in 5 sec)

2) Ability to be able to copy/paste and swap layers within a preset and between presets. Or be able to snapshot from one layer in to another.
(example1 - black border mask on layer 4 to be copied to layer 8)
(example2 - copy all layer1 to layer2 and just change the file name in the 2nd copy - ie keep all the size, colour, keystone etc)
(example3 - swap 2 layers settings around)
(example4 - select layer 3, but snapshot from layer 6)

3) Ability to be able to copy, move and duplicate presets with the view of editing the second copy (but preserving the first) or moving them up/down the list

4) A seperate tab where default timing values can be set - ie snap or fade etc, and a default asociated time.

5) On each line of the presets, a 'GO' button and a 'release' button
Go - to load and run the preset
release - to stop the preset running and return the layer to its default values (unless another preset is running)

6) A main GO, 'Back' and 'release' button to enable the preset list to be used as a 'cue-list' (or a seperate cueist that can playback a sequence of presets (with names) in a particular order)

7) Ability to name each layer within a preset

just a few suggestions - do call for any explanations if they are not clear - hope its helpful...

Cheers

Simon

yes.

you are right about almost all these features.

I have lots of things i work on - the whole time, and presets arent scheduled for update time for a little while yet.
this is an early version of presets.
features will be added over the development cycle.

its quite a lot of effort - to add all these things - and other like this.

r

Richard

No problem - I'm happy controling catalyst with my desk and getting the hire fee for a while yet!!! - so don't rush......

Was just some ideas I thought of, that could enhance the presets and their usablity, while I was learning how the they worked.

S

Just thought of another one while sorting some show stuff out.

I know its posible to swap arround 'cat-settings' files to 'save' the show settings by duplicating and re-naming the file - and if you delete the 'cat_settings' file, a new default one is created next time catalyst starts...

BUT, it would be great if files could be opened and saved from a file menu within Catalyst.

Although I realise that it is important for catalyst to always open with the file it was last working on - for show situations. It would be nice not to have to delve in to the directories to duplacate and re-name files to keep certain settings.

Guess another step on from this might be to be able to import presets from other show (cat_settings) files??? - Could obviously do this in a desk (hog) by improting a cuelist from a show for certain looks, and then re-snapshot the required preset..


Another one - bit more complex....
Ability to send preset/manual change information back to the desk (HogII). Could be done via midi in much the same way that wysiwig does? (ie direct midi note input to mimic button presses and result shown in the programmer.)

...just some thoughts

S

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opened and saved from a file menu

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Possibly.

there are a lot of wierd modalities with this kindof thing.

I used to do things this way.

As people get more used to doing stuff on the computer this becomes easier.
For people not used to using macs or computers- hunting for files is a problem.

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Ability to send preset/manual change information back to the desk

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I looked into this, and we hit a wall- we couldnt find out how to get parameters that were not lighting parameters back to the console using wysiwyg.
frame and play modes - just dissapeared - and noone seemed to know the answer - and how these were supported in hogs.
I do have the wysiwyg midi spec.

Hi guys,


Just been playing with the preset functions. Its definitely a very useful addition to the software.

I would endorse the things Simon said. These suggestions would make life a lot quicker if you are actually trying to replace a desk on a show.

Would be very handy to be able to change a group of crossfade paths rather than having to adjust each parameter of each layer individually.

Would be useful to have a "global" layer adjustment tab for timing and crossfade across all the layers so for example if 1 layer is fading down and another is fading up you can just set the intensity crossfade path and timing in this tab and it will affect all layers.

Another one for the list.

Would be nice to be able to insert cues into a cue list as I think it would be dull to have to try and move all the cues down in the stack if you want to add in just one more cue half-way through.

Many thanks for the features so far though.

All the best,

Rob

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Originally Posted by samsc

I looked into this, and we hit a wall- we couldnt find out how to get parameters that were not lighting parameters back to the console using wysiwyg.
frame and play modes - just dissapeared - and noone seemed to know the answer - and how these were supported in hogs.
I do have the wysiwyg midi spec.

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Yes sending back parameters would save SO much time..
I just spent a day and a night writing down all the presets made in the computer, and then manually putting them in the lightdesk.

Otherwise, wouldnt it be possible to export the cuelist, or at least the parameter settings into a format that a lightingdesk would understand ?

thanks, gideon.

lighting desks had this wysiwyg protocol thing.

ross did a bit of research and drew a blank from console developers.

the problem now - is that each lighting console manufacturer seems to have their own 'media server', and they all want to favour their own device, so the possibility of coming up with something that works well and is agnostic seems increasingly remote.

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Originally Posted by Mr_P

Guess another step on from this might be to be able to import presets from other show (cat_settings) files??? - Could obviously do this in a desk (hog) by improting a cuelist from a show for certain looks, and then re-snapshot the required preset..
S

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the presets are stored in a totally separate file - its in XML format - though the parameters and keys are opaque - because i can and will change them.

the 'CatalystPresets.txt' file which contains the presets is written to the same folder as the application.

i have used a "scheduler" function in a software test suite by Empirix in the past. it had a simple interface for setting up a timed schedule for triggering automated testcases one after the other (or in a specific order of testcases), based on the computer clock or a stopwatch-like timer. perhaps catalyst presets could benefit from something like this (perhaps a separate tab on the Library window titled "Presets Scheduler") i'm thinking it would still be nice to be able to trigger presets 41-200 without a DMX trigger, and to loop a series of presets if desired, and this could be one idea to explore further.

or how about a complete show control interface like:

www.samsc.com

with smpte cue lists, etc etc.

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Originally Posted by samsc

or how about a complete show control interface like:

www.samsc.com

with smpte cue lists, etc etc.

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http://www.rfbl.demon.co.uk/download/SAM5.dmg.bin

returns

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I think the SAMSC interface would be a winner with video types.

Hugh

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Originally Posted by GideonKiers

http://www.rfbl.demon.co.uk/download/SAM5.dmg.bin

returns

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The requested document or URL could not be found on this server.

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This is not available as an OSX version right now.

i have almost finished an OSX version.
Another few weeks.