xseq in preview versus NC "play"?

[danj]

I have been thinking that to view the most recent xseq file in the preview pane, that I would need to save whatever changes I have made to the file in NC, then go to the preview pane, open up the file, then THAT would allow to preview the most recently revised file.  However, when I "watch" a single model (e.g., a megatree) in NC then go over to the preview pane, the xseq file is playing in the preview pane.  I feel pretty sure Sean has explained this before, but this one is kind of baffling me.  It seems like the preview pane will display correctly (?) if I am playing the file "real time" in NC ?

[flyinverted]

The preview tab plays what has been saved.

The Nutcracker tab plays what is currently open and may or may not be saved.

If you switch between tabs while a sequence is playing, that's at your own risk.  I was able to crash NC a few versions back by doing that.  It wasn't intended to be used that way, something I learned after emailing Sean about NC crashing while switching between tabs.

[MrChristmas2000]

The reason you can't see everything in the Nutcracker tab is that tab is for developing each effect in the sequence. It is actually the first tab that was brought over from the web version of Nutcracker and merged into xLights. The Preview tab came later so as to allow you to see the whole show without out outputting to lights. The two tabs are two separate operations not tied together but to complement one another.

[sean]

Nutcracker generates effects in real time. Slide a slider, effect changes. All the effects in nutcracker get rendered into an Xseq file when u press save. Preview just pumps out the data from an Xseq, no effect generation. This is why it is fast and can play 60,000. Channels. Preview (F3,F4) in nutcracker only shows a single model. Preview tab shows your entire show.

[danj]

Thanks for the replies!  I will do as I have been doing, then--when I am ready to preview the whole enchilada, I will save in NC then open in preview.