Model grouping DMX fixtures

[spaulgal]

Hello, I have a series of DMX fixtures that I'd like to group and apply effects on them as a group (so for example and I run a sequential effect through them).
I've grouped them, but it does not seem I can add an effect to the group layer in the sequencer. How would I do that?
thanks!

[keithsw1111]

DMX models are generally not good in groups.

If the group contains all identical models and you use "per model default" you may get all the do the same thing ... but beyond that it just wont produce the results you may want.

[spaulgal]

Thank you. Yes, all 15 fixtures are identical. Although we do see adding effects to them individually, we'd like the idea of grouping them so that we can add "global" effect -- such as a chase (for example) or butterfly effect that will run through the group.
This was easily doable in Vixen. Is xlights not as set up for that?

Regarding grouping per model, how would I go about that? To setup these DMX fixture, I created one using the DMX floodlight model, set up the channels, then copy/pasted 15 times in Layout.

Appreciate your help!

[keithsw1111]

The problem with dmx models is the colour channels are not just channels 1,2 and 3 on each prop. To do what you are describing you would need to create shadow models for the colour channels and put them in a group which is basically the same as you would do on vixen with their mapping tools.

[spaulgal]

Sounds familiar.
Can you give me a jumpstart on how to set that up?
I'm primarily interested in just the RGB channels.

[keithsw1111]

Create single lines with one pixel and set the start channel and colour order to overlap with the dmx prop colour channels then put those single pixel single line models in a group and sequence them.

[spaulgal]

Thanks. I set up a little test using Single lines in a group and I see it properly sequencing in the preview and I also see the lights themselves trying to follow along.
I set the start channel of each Single line to correspond with the address on the lights. I do not understand what you meant by overlap.
Also (and this may be a moot point) I did not set the DMX channel profiles -- there's no where to do that in Single Lines.
When creating the single lines and changing the node count to 1, xlights takes 3 channels for the fixture.
I'm assuming that it thinks it's a single RGB node.

[keithsw1111]

By overlap I mean the single line pixels are within the same range of channels associated with the DMX effect. xLigthts allows that.

[spaulgal]

I see. The effect actually seem to be working in reality as it is in the preview-- at least for the butterfly effect.

The way it was set up, only 3 channels are attributed per fixture. Ideally, I'd like to bump that to 5 as the fixtures are Dimmer, R, G, B, Amber. How can I change that overlap to 5? The fixtures are separated by 8 channels (manual start channel)

by the way setting the sequence to 40 fps mades the butterfly effect work like butter over DMX.