Sean Meighan

Software => Nutcracker Effects => Topic started by: mmais on January 03, 2018, 08:36:09 AM

Title: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 03, 2018, 08:36:09 AM
Being very new to xLights I am looking to add text to my sequence. Can not get it to display at all, is there a tutorial that shows how to use the text effect?
Thanks Mike
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: Gilrock on January 03, 2018, 08:41:37 AM
If you drop the effect on a model and type some text into the effect settings panel it should display.  You should show some screenshots of what you got.
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 03, 2018, 08:46:51 AM
I have done that & get nothing displayed
Mike
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: Gilrock on January 03, 2018, 08:59:09 AM
So you need to share more details, screenshots, descriptions of your model, something.  For all we know you have an OpenGL driver issue.  Until you show some screenshots of the effect settings and model parameters and what your screen looks like its just a guessing game as to the problem.
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 03, 2018, 09:01:17 AM
Here is a screen shot. using open GL setting of 1 Computer is a Dell Optiplex 755 32 bit running windows 7
 Mike
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: MrChristmas2000 on January 03, 2018, 09:30:55 AM
Set your 'Y' position to 0, it is off the model.
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: Gilrock on January 03, 2018, 09:56:56 AM
So a few issues I see.  One is you are trying to put text on a model group.  Model groups are huge buffers like 400x400 so a tiny 6x6 font is going to be 1 or 2 pixels.  Put the Text effect on an individual model not a group.  Like Tom says why did you put the Y offset at -47?  Also you changed it to an xLights font.  You should start out using the OS fonts before trying to use those more advanced fonts that were designed mainly for SuperStar importing.
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 03, 2018, 11:43:54 AM
Now I am getting still nothing & the screen is locking up, have to close & reopen to see an changes.
Mike
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: Gilrock on January 03, 2018, 11:46:22 AM
What about a normal Butterfly effect can you see that?
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: QldKing on January 03, 2018, 12:34:31 PM
In the first image - should the text effect be Red (the lines beside the box)if it's selected to play? Its still White and the green box makes it look like it's not selected properly


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: Gilrock on January 03, 2018, 01:01:26 PM
In the first image - should the text effect be Red (the lines beside the box)if it's selected to play? Its still White and the green box makes it look like it's not selected properly


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yep I didn't notice that.  The Text effect is not selected in that first screenshot.  Click on the icon in the middle and lines should change color.
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 03, 2018, 01:11:23 PM
OK I was finally able to see the text on the whole house picture but it was so small could not see what it said.
My biggest problem now is why is this $&^#* program locking up.
Everytime I make a change screen locks I have to save & then reopen program to see any changes. Below is another picture of what happened when I tried to expand the run time on the text.
Mike
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: QldKing on January 03, 2018, 01:12:40 PM
It should still work the way it was selected but it just won't show up in the model preview window (which I think is the one currently shown). It should show up in the main preview window. But like what has been pointed out it's a mixture of things combined.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 03, 2018, 01:24:07 PM
OK I was finally able to see the text on the whole house picture but it was so small could not see what it said.
My biggest problem now is why is this $&^#* program locking up.
Everytime I make a change screen locks I have to save & then reopen program to see any changes. Below is another picture of what happened when I tried to expand the run time on the text.
Mike

Here is what I get when I click on the icon in the middle. Something appears not to be loading correctly.
Mike
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: Gilrock on January 03, 2018, 01:47:47 PM
The left edge of that highlighted area is where it thought you mouse x position was located.  So maybe click a 1/4" to the right of the icon.  Or just uncheck the radio button on the timing track and drag a box around the effect to select it.  Is this a laptop?  They are famous for having mouse clicking in the wrong location issues.
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 03, 2018, 01:55:23 PM
No this is a Dell Optiplex 755 32 bit with windows 7
Mike
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: Gilrock on January 03, 2018, 02:11:52 PM
I'd say goto xlights.org and click on the blue button on the right to get into the zoom area.  See if anyone is around to help.  If not you can join the Official xLights Support Group on Facebook and ask if anyone can jump in there to help.
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 03, 2018, 05:12:15 PM
I have been doing some looking at my computer. I am running openGL 1.4 which is the max.(see screen shot)
Does this mean that I need to upgrade my computer to play happier with xLights?
 Mike
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: Gilrock on January 04, 2018, 06:59:26 AM
It should be able to run fine with OpenGL 1.x just go under Settings and make sure OpenGL is set to 1.x.  Then go back and re-read my last 3 posts.  There have been several things I've suggested that you did not let me know if you tried.
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 04, 2018, 01:08:11 PM
It should be able to run fine with OpenGL 1.x just go under Settings and make sure OpenGL is set to 1.x.  Then go back and re-read my last 3 posts.  There have been several things I've suggested that you did not let me know if you tried.
Computer is a
Dell Optiplex 755 desktop running windows 7 32 bit
Went to the Zoom Download & downloaded clicked join audio & because I do not have a microphone could not figure out what I was suppose to do. Closed & then went to FB which I DO NOT DO but signed up anyway & was just approved to join. So now we will see what happens.
I still think it is a setting in the program my computer does not like causing the problem. I went all the way back to ver 35 & tested it & still locking up when effects are changed.
For now I have given up on the text till I can figure out if my computer will ever work with xLights. What I have been able to do with xLights is so much easier then LOR not to say way cheaper even with a donation.
Mike
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: Gilrock on January 04, 2018, 01:24:02 PM
Yeah you already told me what computer you had but in the same post where I asked that I gave tips for selecting effects.  I'm not clear whether you've been able to select an effect yet.  Also you didn't say whether other effects are working fine like a simple Butterfly.
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 04, 2018, 01:29:08 PM
butterfly & bars work fine but can not adjust end points. Getting aggravated with this program locking up every time I make a change. Waiting to see what FB has to say
Mike
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: Gilrock on January 04, 2018, 01:34:18 PM
Something doesn't sound right with it.  Effects do render whenever you make a change so if you had a really long effect it could show lag after a change.  Most effects render really fast.
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 04, 2018, 01:42:01 PM
something in my computer does not want to play with xLights. Wish I could find someone in my area of Florida to come by & see if they could figure what the problem is.
Mike
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: Gilrock on January 04, 2018, 01:46:08 PM
Did you change the OpenGL setting to 1.x and restart xLights?
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 04, 2018, 03:04:07 PM
I have tried 1,2,3 & auto many times & makes no difference
Mike
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: QldKing on January 04, 2018, 04:30:43 PM
Jump into zoom (https://zoom.us/j/175801909) someone may be able to help you quicker
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 04, 2018, 05:02:03 PM
Jump into zoom (https://zoom.us/j/175801909) someone may be able to help you quicker

I can not figure out how to use zoom. Says I need a microphone which I do not have.
Mike
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: QldKing on January 04, 2018, 05:32:09 PM
You can install the app on your phone as well and use the mic on that, and the software on the PC to show your screen.  You can also dial in on your phone as well.
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: Gilrock on January 04, 2018, 06:39:53 PM
I have tried 1,2,3 & auto many times & makes no difference
Mike

Ok I don't believe its an OpenGL issue causing all the problems then.  Did you ever work on figuring out if the selection zone was offset?  Like if you click just to the right of the icon does it select the effect?
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: Gilrock on January 04, 2018, 06:40:54 PM
Also if you have access to any other computers it would be great to try out xLights on it just so you can see the difference.  If you see it working well then you'll know its something on that PC and know what to expect when it's right.
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 04, 2018, 07:47:12 PM
I clicked just to the right of the icon & got the line to change to purple which from the few times I had program load right is how it was. But when I tried to do an adjustment nothing moved like before & when I saved it program locked up again. FB users think that my video card is to old & that is what is causing the problem.
 Mike
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: Gilrock on January 04, 2018, 08:48:39 PM
Yes I saw the posts on FB.  We've had many users run with 1.x drivers so I guess I'm skeptical but trying a different machine can't hurt.
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 05, 2018, 04:28:55 AM
Tried either 2017-44 or 45 on my wife's laptop with the same problem. May try 2018-1 today just to see.
Mike
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 05, 2018, 08:29:27 AM
Just downloaded 2018-1 64 bit on my wife's laptop & had NO problems with any of the functions of xLights. So looks like I need to replace my video card with an upgrade to fix the problem.
 Thanks for your help
 Mike
Title: Re: Text Help
Post by: mmais on January 15, 2018, 12:38:30 PM
Video card has been updated & all is well so now it back to sequencing.
Mike