Question about import effects function

[danj]

Can someone verify I am thinking correctly about how to use the import effects function?

Open up an xlights sequence
Go to import effects and open up a sequence (e.g LMS file) from which you want to pull the (LOR/etc) channel layout.
Go through all the nodes laying out the xlights channels versus the channels from the "other" sequencer.
Save the channel layout so it can be loaded in another sequence.

So, if I don't finish up all the channel layout in one sitting (it is tedious...), do I need to re-perform the steps above each time I re-open up the xlights sequence until I get all the channels laid out?

Also, once I finish the channel layout and I want to load it into other xlights sequences, do I use a similar set of steps as shown above?    Seems like I am missing something here, because it seems like I should just load up the channels and be done with it (?).   What am I missing here??
thanks.

[gerry]

Hello Dan,

Once you save the map (say after 10 %) , the next time , you should be able to load the map, get the information you saved , continue to add more stuff and then save it to the same name or a different name etc.

I am sure I did this for two singing faces ie imported CT1 (face 1 ) first , then tried it in preview to make sure it is working , then went back and added CT2 (face 2).


I could be wrong as have only done this once.

[dkulp]

As gerry said, you can load a mapping, adjust it (add more models and channel mappings, change things, etc...) and save it out as a new (or overwrite) mapping.   I built up my mappings kind of slowly.  Did a few models to see if it worked, added a few more, etc...

I also don't have a single mapping file.   I have 3 that I'm using for my Halloween imports.   One is all the "yard stuff" (tombstones, pumpkins, ghosts, etc...).  Another is the singing faces.   I may combine those two as I pretty much pull all of that in together.   The third I have is for the Pixel things (my pixel roof lines).   In general, I DON'T import those for most things.   If they do anything complicated, it's better to just recreate those using xLights effects.   For example, in HLS I would define a chase across the roof.  Rather than import that as 109 individual effects on the nodes, I would recreate it as a single nutcracker chase effect.    (that said, the Chase effect is MUCH MUCH better in 4.1.2 mostly due to me trying to recreate my chases.  Highly recommend 4.1.2 if you need to do this).    The main reason is speed.   xLights can render a single chase effect on the strand MUCH MUCH MUCH faster than 1000's of individual "on" effects.   

As an example, grab my Halloween show folder from:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ed72gujm513v1jf/AABT8Dhqm3hUq54bTOckMkqta?dl=0

and load up Monster Mash (assuming you have the monster mash audio in your media folder).  Hit render and then expand out the nodes for the RoofLine.    That would have been THOUSANDS of On effects and the file save would have taken 30-40 seconds.   Using the Skips effect, the save time (with rendering) is under 2 seconds.

[dkulp]

If you don't want to grab the sequence, here's a screen shot of what I mean.    Importing all of those as individual effects would have been slow and would have also resulting in a large XML file.

[danj]

Thx very much for the replies.  Do I have to open up a sequence in sequencer prior to doing the "import effects" function?   If I just open up an xml file from the "import effects" function (the popup that looks like windows explorer) then try to load the mapping file, xlights tells me some of my elements (e.g. six of six arches) are not in the sequence so are not included in the mapping.   But, if I open up the sequence in the sequencer, then do all of the above, all is well.   Thanks again.

Edit--another question--this particular sequence (Barking Dogs Jingle Bells) is pretty short & simple but is taking almost a minute to save.   Is this normal?   I have about 1.5 of 6 arches imported back into xlights at this point in time...   thanks again

[gerry]

Hello Dan,

The import effects options will (enable you to) map incoming 'channels/strands' to strands/nodes of models that have been added via  the sequencer tab of the sequence in which you are in.

So prior to doing the import , you must have gone to the sequencer tab and using the edit display element function , add the required models that you are going to import against.

What I do , is create a new sequence , select the mp3 file , add one or two models (eg singing faces) to the sequencer. Save this , then import an effect , render and play. If is good I save that , else discard the import and repeat the last two steps.
If happy with the results, then I add all the other models and do the rest of the sequencing.

I have not used the xml import as yet as all the stuff I am importing is either LSP (which I add as data layers for now) or procured LMS singing faces.

[nzlongfellow]

Thx very much for the replies.  Do I have to open up a sequence in sequencer prior to doing the "import effects" function?   If I just open up an xml file from the "import effects" function (the popup that looks like windows explorer) then try to load the mapping file, xlights tells me some of my elements (e.g. six of six arches) are not in the sequence so are not included in the mapping.   But, if I open up the sequence in the sequencer, then do all of the above, all is well.   Thanks again.

Edit--another question--this particular sequence (Barking Dogs Jingle Bells) is pretty short & simple but is taking almost a minute to save.   Is this normal?   I have about 1.5 of 6 arches imported back into xlights at this point in time...   thanks again

From what I have done you need to:
Open or create a sequence.
Select the models to be in that sequence
Them start the import against those models.

[danj]

Ok.   Got it.   Thanks very much for the replies!!!   I appreciate it.

[danj]

Is it normal for a smaller sequence (6-60 channel arches + 16 single channel minitrees imported from LOR) with a song that is about 45 seconds long--to take about a minute to save?  Or am I perhaps setting up something incorrectly?   I am spoiled by the really fast save times of these XL4 files...    Thanks.

[Gilrock]

Is it normal for a smaller sequence (6-60 channel arches + 16 single channel minitrees imported from LOR) with a song that is about 45 seconds long--to take about a minute to save?  Or am I perhaps setting up something incorrectly?   I am spoiled by the really fast save times of these XL4 files...    Thanks.

Did you import the LOR stuff as effects?  If so it could have created 1,000's of individual effects so yeah that could take a while to Save.

[danj]

Yessir.   I figured it might be an obvious "yes" answer, but thought I should ask in case I goofed something ELSE up!!!   Thanks Gil

[gerry]

I am not sure if it has any bearing on this discussion , but on an other issue (LSP import) , Dan suggested that I import at the 'model level' rather than the 'node level' - (I am using the by strand option ) .

I will look into what he said later today

[logandc99]

Hopefully this is not off the topic but I recently tried importing the effects created on my 12 x 5m strip 2D megatree from LSP. Now whilst it involved some fairly standard effects, it also included effects I had drawn on the tree in LSP using the animation tool ( the one where you tediously have to click each pixel on and off etc).
Anyhow, to my surprise, much of what was programmed in LSP (including the animations) appeared in XL4 which was very pleasing. However, a lot of "noise"  (for want of a better term) got into the sequence as well so bits of sequence, say about 10-15 seconds further along in the timeline of the original sequence, were appearaing in flashes amongst some of the earlier parts of the sequence being displayed at the time. Has anyone found this happens and is it related to the fact that the animation tool is quite specific to LSP and XL4 might have trouble "translating" those effects? Its just that some sections of the sequence involving animations came across perfectly.
Cheers