Need help with RGBW DMX string

[jerrywolfer]

I read many posts on RGBW but still have not figured it out.
Is there a way to have in "Layout" to have a single line RGBW with 4 channels?
I tried DMX with 4 channels but in sequencer does not light any of the 4 channels?
I can make single line work with 1 string, 1 node per string, 1 light per node but then only RGB no W
thanks,

[Gilrock]

Why not use the RGBW string type?

[jerrywolfer]

THANKS! what a nob here. I could not find string type until you showed me here.
again, thanks

Then how do I select RGBW color(s) in the sequencer (effect?)? Use DMX no colors show; use Color bars only one color shows; How select White? sorry still learning.

[jerrywolfer]

When DMX effect is selected and Color RED selected.
Brightness set 100
Any of the four(4) channel sliders @255 show only Black on the house preview and nothing on Model preview ( probably since background is already black).
Now what am I doing wrong? thanks.

[Gilrock]

Well that's the problem with RGBW....when you drop a purple effect how are we supposed to know if you want White turned one?  So the way that string type is designed to work is when you drop a color you will only get an RGB result or a W result.  If R=G=B a.k.a. a greyscale value then you get the W channel lit.  Otherwise you get the RGB channels lit.  If you want to activate both at the same time then you need to double-click the model and then strand to get to the node level and drop node level effects.  You might wanna watch a couple videos at xlights.org.  Maybe this one will help for AC:
http://videos.xlights.org/a-new-way-to-sequence-ac-lights-in-xlights_2d87c2e19.html

Regarding the DMX effect....that is a special effect that was designed to be used for the DMXModel.  It works with other string types like RGB, GBR, BGR, etc. nodes but I see I would need to add a couple special cases to make it work for "4 Channel RGBW" and "3 channel RGB".  The way it was coded it was expecting to find the channel order by inspecting the first 3 letters in the name.

[jerrywolfer]

You guys are amazing! xLights is so powerful that it will take awhile to learn how to use it.
Thanks for all you do here.

My DMX Floods are 24VDC.
I do have LOR here but have not used it for 3 years since I started on xLights with pixels.
And do not use any AC lights anymore.
I have added 36 20W DMX RGB floods using the Bars effect; that works for me great.

I happen to have some RGBW 60 LED strips that I wanted to add to my show this year, and can control them with the 3 channel RGB ok into a DMX to RGBW 4 channel adapter, but was trying to figure out how to use the white channel.
Not sure yet how to.
Again, thanks

[Gilrock]

You still need to watch the video for sequencing AC because its not limited to AC channels.  xLights doesn't even know whether you have an AC channel or not.  You can use AC mode on normal pixel channels as well as for sequencing nodes...like the RGBW nodes you need to sequence.

[jerrywolfer]

Alright I will thanks again.
My design is for all year.
When not in holiday mode (xmas for example)
My yard has 1000 pixels and 36 dmx flood lights programed for as close to warm white as possible and really turned out great for me.
xLights is the key!