Features for Preset Control

[Mr_P]

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

[Mr_P]

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

[samsc]

opened and saved from a file menu

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.

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

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.

[RobF]

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

[GideonKiers]

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.

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.

[samsc]

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.

[samsc]

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

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.

[reagan]

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.

[samsc]

or how about a complete show control interface like:

www.samsc.com

with smpte cue lists, etc etc.

[GideonKiers]

or how about a complete show control interface like:

www.samsc.com

with smpte cue lists, etc etc.

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

returns

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