importing lms files include animation layout? Other Conversion questions

[CK57]

I am looking at moving to the X-Lights software but need a few answers regarding the animation screen as it known in LOR.  When the conversion from LMS to XL-N do you have to start all over with the animation?  Converting everything to DMX that was LOR is one thing, but re-drawing would be a kill joy.  Does XL-N have issues with open channels in LOR. (a channel that has no assignment, Spares).  As I often move controllers from year to year and change the network assignments is this going to be easy to re-assign in XL-N?  Also have read that some CCR channels which included matrix commands are lost?  Instead of just 150 DMX addresses for a sequence with a CCR there are currently 7 additional lines of commands in LOR.  What happens to that data?  In LOR you can use the twinkle command with RGB nodes to facilitate a random changing color twinkle with all white.  What happens to this in XL-N?  I have read that anything that was set to shimmer is lost?  Does that mean that XL-N does nothing when those cells are read, or just what?  So, as I see it, all your LOR controllers need to be reset to DMX if you want to use them with XL-N and or the Pi Player, and all your files need to be converted to DMX?  Then you have to add the LOR/DMX adapters to all the LOR devices?  What's the impact on the CMB24 other than having to change the pins for DMX and the addresses.  If you are already running 1.31 with LOR and have 13 universes going, in order to not have to remap all your sequences for the universes and location do you add the AC LOR controllers last in the XL-N to keep the DMX mapping easier?  If you add the LOR AC units first then your existing assignments will all be lost?  A lot to consider if you have a lot of stuff done.

[colonelcline]

Did anyone ever answer your questions? I have used both back and forth and *think* I have it figured out. At least I can make it work with a mix of LOR boxes, ccr, ccb, iDmx, e1.31, Raspberry Pi/FPP.  I am hopeful that LOR will produce in time for this year but have to have a backup plan or 3.

I am looking at moving to the X-Lights software but need a few answers regarding the animation screen as it known in LOR.  When the conversion from LMS to XL-N do you have to start all over with the animation?  Converting everything to DMX that was LOR is one thing, but re-drawing would be a kill joy.  Does XL-N have issues with open channels in LOR. (a channel that has no assignment, Spares).  As I often move controllers from year to year and change the network assignments is this going to be easy to re-assign in XL-N?  Also have read that some CCR channels which included matrix commands are lost?  Instead of just 150 DMX addresses for a sequence with a CCR there are currently 7 additional lines of commands in LOR.  What happens to that data?  In LOR you can use the twinkle command with RGB nodes to facilitate a random changing color twinkle with all white.  What happens to this in XL-N?  I have read that anything that was set to shimmer is lost?  Does that mean that XL-N does nothing when those cells are read, or just what?  So, as I see it, all your LOR controllers need to be reset to DMX if you want to use them with XL-N and or the Pi Player, and all your files need to be converted to DMX?  Then you have to add the LOR/DMX adapters to all the LOR devices?  What's the impact on the CMB24 other than having to change the pins for DMX and the addresses.  If you are already running 1.31 with LOR and have 13 universes going, in order to not have to remap all your sequences for the universes and location do you add the AC LOR controllers last in the XL-N to keep the DMX mapping easier?  If you add the LOR AC units first then your existing assignments will all be lost?  A lot to consider if you have a lot of stuff done.

[sean]

I am looking at moving to the X-Lights software but need a few answers regarding the animation screen as it known in LOR. 

When the conversion from LMS to XL-N do you have to start all over with the animation?
no. your lor sequences are brought in and RGB effects are added on to it

  Converting everything to DMX that was LOR is one thing, but re-drawing would be a kill joy.  Does XL-N have issues with open channels in LOR. (a channel that has no assignment, Spares).
No

 As I often move controllers from year to year and change the network assignments is this going to be easy to re-assign in XL-N?
I suggest all your LOR channels are assigned first, maybe setaside the first 1000 channels for expansion and such. Start E1.31 universes at a channel higher than 1000

 Also have read that some CCR channels which included matrix commands are lost?  Instead of just 150 DMX addresses for a sequence with a CCR there are currently 7 additional lines of commands in LOR.  What happens to that data? 
Dan Kulp wrote an enhancement to the conversion to handle these extra 7 channels. maybe he can answer how it works.

In LOR you can use the twinkle command with RGB nodes to facilitate a random changing color twinkle with all white.  What happens to this in XL-N?  If you create twinkle on a DMX controller the twinkle will still be ther after you covert.

I have read that anything that was set to shimmer is lost?  Does that mean that XL-N does nothing when those cells are read, or just what?  Whatever LOR created for DMX effects are all present after conversion.

So, as I see it, all your LOR controllers need to be reset to DMX if you want to use them with XL-N and or the Pi Player, and all your files need to be converted to DMX? 
They dont have to be converted, it is just recommended by most LOR users to do that. If you are using xlights as the show player it supports USB LOR protocol. If you are using the FPP (pi player), they currently do NOT have a usb LOR protocol, only USB DMX. So if you want to use FPP, then yes convert to DMX.

Then you have to add the LOR/DMX adapters to all the LOR devices?
You add one USB DMX in the SETUP of XL and set the maximum channels you will be driving.

  What's the impact on the CMB24 other than having to change the pins for DMX and the addresses.  If you are already running 1.31 with LOR and have 13 universes going, in order to not have to remap all your sequences for the universes and location do you add the AC LOR controllers last in the XL-N to keep the DMX mapping easier?
I suggest you block a range of channels in the beginning for future expansion. But you can add USB channels later.
You could have
USB DMX for 512 channels
E1.31 for 12,000 channels

you could later do one of two things. suppose you want another 512 channels of AC.

Go to setup tab
USN DMX for 1,024 channels
E1.31 for 12,000 channels.

This will cause the channels on E1.31 to change. Go to each model and modify one value setting the new starting address.

OR
USB DMX for 512 channels
E1.31 for 12,000 channels
USB DMX for 512 channels

In this case you do not need to modify your models.


  If you add the LOR AC units first then your existing assignments will all be lost?
no

 A lot to consider if you have a lot of stuff done.