Preview

[THurrle]

I am just starting to make models. I have made my mega tree and arches. When I try to make a test sequence and add the models at different timings Both the arches and tree play at the same time. Even though the timing is set for the tree as 0:00 to 5.00 the arches come on at the same time. I have the arches set in the timing to turn  at 5.00. Can someone steer me in the right direction so this does not continue as I go forward.
Thanks

[Greg.Ca]

What works for me is to 'blank out' any model you want to be dark STARTING at the time you want it off by issuing a  black color wash command on effect one and by making sure the 'combined effect' (on the left) is set to effect one only, with black color ONLY checked during the time you want a certain model to be dark.  I do this every time I want a certain model to be guaranteed that is off.  Fade in and fade out should both be set at zero.

Make sure effect two is set to 'None' even though the combined effect is set to effect one only. Make sure the combined effect slider is set all the way to the left. Also make sure morph is NOT checked.

Mick Jagger even sang about it. Remember the song....'Paint it black'? This technique 'forces' a certain model to be 'painted black' during the time you want it off.

Do this, then resave (you must resave after any changes in the nutcracker tab) and I guarantee that a certain model will be 'painted black' during the time you want it off.

--Greg--

[THurrle]

Thanks Greg.  I am trying to make custom models of 7 channels fans each leg being 1 channel of a single color.  may just wind up making them just a dot between the arches and use your suggestion. I just need something in the preview to show each of my 264 renard channels is working at the correct time. My RGB models are working fine at this point. Just have to add the timing to the sequence where I want the Model to turn on. This is all very new to me. Trying to convert from Vixen to xlights.

Terry

[JonB256]

There is a distinct and important difference between "Black" and "None"

If you use None for an effect (effect 1 and 2), then Nutcracker will write NOTHING in that space for those channels. This is tremendously useful for those people who import an LOR sequence and want to add Nutcracker effects. You would use None for all the times except for those seconds when you want to overwrite some LOR data with Nutcracker data.  I did this with the Pixel Rectangle on my roof frequently. Some LOR sequences already had good data for that rectangle but from 1:32 to 1:58, I wanted something different that would have been difficult to create in LOR. So I did NONE from start to finish for that model, but added an interval from 1:32 to 1:58 with my effect. When I saved, no LOR data was overwritten except my 26 seconds.

If you use Black for an effect, Nutcracker will literally "black out" that time period for that model so that nothing on that model lights up.

[Greg.Ca]

Yep, Jon is totally correct. But I think the original poster wanted to black out a certain model during a certain time. I gave him instructions to do that. --Greg--