Swapping out fixtures

[markcooper]

I have been speaking to the very helpful Gabriel M, who makes the fixture profiles. He has kindly split my eurolite kls scan bar into 3 fixtures (1 for spots and one each for scans) as the original wouldn't visualise correctly as it had a colour wheel and rgbw channels.

I want to swap out the original figure with the new ones but it seems that this will then not be included in the scenes I have already programmed.

Does anyone know a way to swap fixtures but keep the scenes as they are?

Thanks

[SkyGypsy]

I want to swap out the original figure with the new ones but it seems that this will then not be included in the scenes I have already programmed.
Does anyone know a way to swap fixtures but keep the scenes as they are?

Don't want to hijack your thread, but it's the same question, and I've been meaning to post up about this for a while... Really annoying.

In DL5, in setup mode, in grid view, you can right click on a fixture and the option to "Update profile file" is listed in the right click menu (note that the option is not there in list mode). If you select it on an existing fixture, that the file in the library hasn't changed, it appears to do nothing (I'm sure something happens, but there is no indication, popup, nothing) other than to deselect the fixture.

If you swap in a new file into the directory (in my case, I edited the profile with the online tool, downloaded and then swapped in a corrected file into my _imported directory), and then try to select update profile file, then it pops up a window that says

Error - Daslight 5
Problem during the update!

This is a simple 4 channel UV led fixture. The old profile worked just as desired in DL4. Each fader would increase that channels dmx lvl. This same profile in DL5 each fader only increases the first channel's dmx value. During editing, I realized that it was a beam issue, and was able to correct it. The new profile works correctly when patched to a -new- location.

----->>I really don't want to have to go edit a couple hundred scenes<<----

I'd really just like to update the profile and have it honor the existing fader levels. (and on another note, why can't I select multiple scenes and make an edit that applies to all of them? I can go through the motions [edit mode, select multiple scenes, make a fader change], but it is not saved).

Maybe the functionality is not there, maybe I'm going about the wrong way, I don't know. If someone could clue us in to the proper way to do this, then by all means, please do.

I've attached the old and new ssl files, as well as a picture that shows the behavior of the old ssl files (all 4 faders up, dmx only showing on ch5 and ch9).

[markov]

Did fixing your “beam issue” result in a change in the number of beams after updating the fixture profile? I am constantly tweaking fixture profiles to refine them to function optimally in DL5, and I replace the corresponding file in the _imported directory, select “update fixture profile” (just as you described) and have never had an issue.

[SkyGypsy]

Did fixing your “beam issue” result in a change in the number of beams after updating the fixture profile? I am constantly tweaking fixture profiles to refine them to function optimally in DL5, and I replace the corresponding file in the _imported directory, select “update fixture profile” (just as you described) and have never had an issue.

Most definitely. Went from 1 beams to 4. Hopefully that'll be a clue as to what needs fixing.

I have another fixture that just has a couple of channels swapped (dimmer/shutter), I'm going to attempt that, see if I can make a clean update. The fact that it is working for you is hopeful!

[DJMan32]

Daslight does not have the ability to swap out the fixtures to honor the values across existing scenes or duplicating fixtures for that matter and the developers have no intention entertaining this idea because it is "not possible". If you are busking , plan to ever change your fixtures throughout your career, or change your lighting layout ever again then this is not the software for you.

[SkyGypsy]

Daslight does not have the ability to swap out the fixtures to honor the values across existing scenes or duplicating fixtures for that matter and the developers have no intention entertaining this idea because it is "not possible". If you are busking , plan to ever change your fixtures throughout your career, or change your lighting layout ever again then this is not the software for you.

I've been using MyDMX/Daslight4/Daslight5 since 2017. While I do some lighting for bands that I run sound for, I don't "busk". I get that that would probably be a "challenge" at best. Most of my programming (literally hundreds of scenes) is geared towards my own band's tribute shows (Santana/Floyd), in addition to our annual TSO tribute benefit shows. In some cases, I run the show live as I play (Midi Captain footswitch). Currently running 4 universes (2 via artnet) and about 100 fixtures. I have a very strong love/hate relationship with this software, Lol.

Not quite a prolific poster, though. Really haven't had the time. And it's a shame. I was super busy during the beta period, and I feel like I missed out on helping find some issues. I did find a few... gigabyte sized save files that took hours to save, for one.

That said... We've found some workarounds to some of that over the years. Did you know you can drag an existing fixture to a new address, save the file and the programming will be preserved? Even across universes. This has been possible since DL4. We did a complete re-address of the system early last year.

I am encouraged by the inclusion of the "update profile" feature. It has a lot of potential to solve a whole lot of issues. It's still not quite there, though.

I did as I talked about, and edited my smspot fixture, simply swapping the 3 incorrect channels. I copied it into the _imported dir, and then tried to update it. Aside from some strange behavior (deselecting the fixture, and going back to universe 1, even though I was working on U4), it --partially-- worked. I did not get an error, and it displays correctly in the faders. It DID preserve the data on 4 xy channels, but did not for the remaining channels.

So I believe it IS possible, just maybe not fully or correctly implemented. Whether or not it'll get any love is a whole other question...

[DJMan32]

I'm with you, I used MyDMX3 (aka daslight 4) while I was a kid doing DJ work and into my live sound/lighting introduction. it was great, but extremely simple and had to reprogram the show every time I did a different sound stage, that was fine when i had 60 lights. now that i do soundstages with 60 moving spots alone not including moving beam and wash fixtures, blinders, par cans, ledstrips, different house lights, its becoming an issue that is not doable. its not a challenge, its impossible, especially with changeover times on some of these festivals that are only a half hour. same issue with daslight 5 which this was not improved uppon, its the exact same workflow which is both good and bad.

I enjoy programing daslight better then any other console, hog, vista, even MA, and the timeline feature of daslight 5 is the best in the business in my opinion. the priorities are perfect, fade works as intended, dimmer automation. everything is perfect. But its only useful if i can get the lights patched and in alot of my theatres i cant stay they 50 hrs a week to program, i have to program ahead of time.


yes the dmx patch is amazing but not useful when changing complete fixture brands

so if you are not ever adding fixtures, or moving to an entirely new soundstage, its fine.

[UNITevents]

Yes, just imagine an swap feature.
They could simply just create an free template and sell the product as "show ready"....
What an USP imo

[DJMan32]

yep, copy values from one fixture to another (general moving head would have the most abilities so use that as a show file) The ssl file is already split up for each channel is what. the color gobos are associated with the closest color on the color grid, so its as simple as copying the values to the new fixture.

But this is an impossible feature for them to implicate.

[markcooper]

It seems like it can't be done then. Or more to the point won't be done because they don't want to code it.

I really like some a lot of the features of this software but it is also limited in so many ways, which is a shame as it's not that cheap. If it wasn't for the fact I want midi control and maybe sound to light I would have jumped to chamsys a long time ago!

[markov]

Did fixing your “beam issue” result in a change in the number of beams after updating the fixture profile? I am constantly tweaking fixture profiles to refine them to function optimally in DL5, and I replace the corresponding file in the _imported directory, select “update fixture profile” (just as you described) and have never had an issue.

Most definitely. Went from 1 beams to 4. Hopefully that'll be a clue as to what needs fixing.

I have another fixture that just has a couple of channels swapped (dimmer/shutter), I'm going to attempt that, see if I can make a clean update. The fact that it is working for you is hopeful!

That’s definitely the problem. Adding or removing beams from a profile requires removing and re-patching the fixture in Daslight, otherwise you will get an error. I have experienced that issue myself as well.

While that’s frustrating in your situation, I can understand why it would be extremely difficult to accommodate a fundamental configuration change like that automatically in Daslight, since all FX, selections, and the entire list of beam indexes would need to change to accommodate the additional beams. There’s no way to do that unambiguously.

[markcooper]

My current issue is that I need to swap an existing fixture which doesn't work on the visualiser (it has a colour wheel and RGB and apparently daslight cannot handle that. The fixture is now broken down into 3 separate fixtures (channels are all the same). Unfortunately I cannot just replace these without having to program the show. Very frustrating

[GregorCologne]

Hi everyone,

This is Gregor from Nicolaudie/Daslight. I just read through all your posts in here and yes, it is an issue that you can't just swap fixtures.

As markcooper just mentioned, it's also quite difficult to "just" implement this in Daslight because the program needs to know which channel does what if you change any faders in the fixture (or even remove or add some). But we will put in some thoughts and discuss this, perhaps there might be a solution in the future.

For now, I would recommend to use the "FX" button in the 2D view which you can use to update your effects with new fixtures/devices. This can be done quite quickly via selecting all the fixtures that shall react to that FX (in best case create a new group with all, for quicker workflow) and then click the red "FX" button in the 2D fixture view.

Afterwards, please check if...
A) all wanted faders are connected with the FX (if there are any assigned, it depends on the effect used), and
B) if there were any static values used that need to be added for the new fixtures, too.
=> The fact that you can open Daslight 5 two times, at least on a PC, might comparing the two versions.


In addition to that, as I'm not sure that everyone in here really understood this, another note how to updating a fixture:

1. Copy and tweak the current fixture in the profile builder to the its new version.
2. Download it to your PC/Mac.
3. Go to the folder that includes the "old" fixture which shall be updated.
4. Rename the old fixture, f.e. just add "_OLD" to its name.
5. Copy the new fixture to the folder, give it exactly the same name you had for the old one.
6. Open your show file in Daslight and save your file under a new name (Safety first!)
7. Go to SETUP.
8. Right-click on the fixture you want to update and choose "Update profile file".
   => That way, all of them receive an update and will use the new one from now on.

If this worked without any issue, you probably won't have to update your scenes. But be careful in case you exchanged any DMX channels like SkyGypsy mentioned above, those might became deactivated as Daslight doesn't know what to do with them.

I hope that will help a bit!

[DJMan32]

GregorCologne I believe you are the one im talking to on Instagram now correct?

[GregorCologne]

GregorCologne I believe you are the one im talking to on Instagram now correct?

I'm probably the one, yes! Just a bit late.