Shrinking effects

[phlpyro]

Hi
Really enjoying Xlights and having very successfully programmed my 18ft. tree my design for 2016 is underway. I think I am missing something.
In simple form I am programing a node to change from blue to white etc. Having set up a row I now want to shrink the effects to make the change faster. I have tried highlighting the effects then dragging by arrows trying in turn holding down SHIFT CTRL and ALT. I can stretch them but not shrink them. Sorry to trouble you but what have I missed?
Many thanks Paul(UK)

[Gilrock]

I can't picture what you're trying to shrink.  If they are all back to back on the same row I don't think you can shrink them all at once.  Just grab the handle and move each one.  For a block of effects on different row you have to make sure only one half of the effect is highlighted.  Control clicking can add/remove items from a selection group.  "Dragging by arrows" what does that mean?  I can't think of anything we have that looks like an arrow.

[phlpyro]

Hi

Many thanks for taking time to reply.

Yes for example 10 "on" (alternate colours) side by side on one icicle model.  Sorry not arrows try handle (double ended arrow). Guess I need to set very short (shorter than I need) timing marks then expand to final timing.

Paul

[Gilrock]

Are you on Mac or Linux?  I'm wondering because on Windows I don't think we have a double arrow mouse pointer.  Maybe what we see as a right or left pointing hand comes out as double arrows on another OS.  That would be my confusion.

Anyways I think you can produce what you are trying to do a lot easier than using a bunch of On effects.  If you used a single strand or marquee you can easily produce an alternating color effect that is easy to adjust in size.  You can expand to see the nodes to tell how big each color change is.

If you show me a screenshot I bet I can show you how to do the same thing with one effect.

[JonB256]

If you zoom in very close and try to shrink an effect, you will find a minimum size.

Depends on your selected timing (I usually stick with 50msec)

[phlpyro]

Hi again
Thank you, I have played round with Marquee effect and yes I can get the result I want (and more). Was just exploring Xlights to see what I could do myself rather than using the excellent library of effects.
I have attached a pic of two headed arrow (as I described it) bottom right of pic. It was the block of alternate on's (Blue/white) I was trying to shorten.
I am on Windows 10. Have now experimented and set smaller timing marks. So will carry on learning and having fun.
Thank you.

[Gilrock]

Ah I love pictures it eliminates so much confusion.  I was imagining something like ">>" when you said double arrow.

[phlpyro]

I love pictures too I am a professional photographer.