Import SuperStar Sequence

[Grinch]

Is it possible to add an import for the Superstar .sup file.  I really like the effects you give but would also like to just add some of the portions of the sup files that I have created.

[Gilrock]

I've already looked into that because I wanted to do the same thing.  If I got it working I was going to promote that people could still purchases sequences from Brian and run them in xLights.  I think importing sequences from something like a 12 ribbon tree could be done.  It gets harder for other things like I have 4 arches and in SuperStar they are technically modeled as a single matrix.  Others may have custom length arches so it may be difficult to figure out all the settings I would need to allow the user to provide to import their custom setups.  Plus right now I'm only able to do the Morph effects in xLights.

[Gilrock]

See the updated video link a few posts below.

[Gilrock]

I do see a miscalculation for the effect length so it's not exactly correct yet.

[Gilrock]

Cool found it.  I accidentally added the tail duration to the effect time twice which caused the head duration to be calculated wrong.  I think I'll redo the video because it looks nicer now.

[mikejk67]

I've had pretty good luck importing Superstar effects in verson 4.x.x by exporting from superstar to  LAS or LMS files. My only wish is that Nutcracker would mark where the imported effects were in the sequencing grid so I know where I can add nutcracker effects. That would be great.

[Gilrock]

Yeah but you were only importing the data.  This import is creating Nutcracker effects.  You could import this onto a 12x50 tree and then change the model type to lets say a 40x32 matrix, hit re-render, and play it.

[Gilrock]

Ok I did a new video after fixing the import calculations.  It cuts off at the end because I was going to try an experiment but it didn't look any different.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTHhvppJwCA

[mikejk67]

Very impressive Gil, however what I was interested in was just to have the data from the LMS import "marked" in the seq. grid, not so I could edit it.

[Grinch]

Thats awesome Gil  You really nailed it.   You are after the same thing I am looking for.  Thanks for the preview

[Gilrock]

I got this code checked in so it should be in 4.0.16.  For the initial stab at this there are a few caveats.  The SuperStar files don't appear to be XML compliant.  You will see an error message telling you about ending not matching.  You should make a copy of the file and you can manually delete the sections you don't need and it fixes the file for the XML reader I'm using.  Just delete all the sections but "layouts" and "morphs" and you will end up with a structure like below.  Also I'm only processing Morphs for now till I work on other effects.  It also expects the ribbon type to be CCR.  It's pretty cool you can import into a model that doesn't match the model you used in SuperStar.   It may not look great but it works.  To test I used a SuperStar sequence that was designed for a 12x50 ribbon tree and imported it onto a 32x42 Pixel tree model.  It imported and played just fine since in xLights the effects are all percentage based.

<SuperStarMetaFile ...........>
   <layouts>
           ...............
        </layouts>
        <morphs>
          ..............
        </morphs>
</SuperStarMetaFile>

[Grinch]

Thanks Gil  I look forward to the release of 4.16

[dwbarnett]

Hi Gil, not sure if I'm doing my Superstar conversion correctly.

When it converts, it does show a lot of morph effects. so I think the import/conversion is OK.
When I play it on the model, only bits and pieces are lighting up on the tree.
I have a 24x150 pixel tree.

I did 2 edits on the sup file. In case, I misunderstood your instructions. On one edit, it had the layout,under that was scenes, and then morphs. It converted Ok. I then did edit 2 were it was layout,morphs...no scenes. I wasn't for sure if scenes was part of layout, hence the 2 edits.

The sequence is Rock Ye Merry Gentlemen.
Last year using Bobos matrix multiplier tool, I was able to convert Brians 24x25 tree to my 24x150 tree. Royal PIA. But it worked!

When you added this to XL4, I was stoked that my job would be easier. Not working correctly, so don't know what I may doing incorrectly.

For example, if you watch the vid, you'll see it starts with a sort of falling meteor effect. This is not showing on the tree at all.

Oh yeah, this sequence does have an 8 row globe as well. Could that be affecting things?
Should I remove that from the sup file?  If so, what would I look for referencing just the globe?

This would make life so much simpler, if I get things working.  Any help appreciated

Best,
David

[Gilrock]

It's hard for me to guess what's happening in your conversion.  I'm not sure I tested the stretching of a sequence upon conversion.  If a morph is on a single vertical strand then it's not going to stretch horizontally but I think it should vertically.  That's because I'm converting the hard coded X position to a percentage but there will be no width to the percentage if the X position is the same for the start and end.

You could analyze this yourself.  Just make a copy of the .sup file and delete all the morphs but a few.  Then you can do the convert and save and inspect the xLights xml file.  Compare the location values to see what's happening to them.  If you want to paste the XML for one or two morphs here I might be able to get an idea of what would happen to the values on conversion.

[dwbarnett]

Hi Gil. Thanks for the info. That is why it was such a PIA converting the sup last year using the Matrix Multiplier.  It was tougher, because brain had folded the strings to make 24 strands.

Little confused. Re the XML to paste here:If you want to paste the XML for one or two morphs here I might be able to get an idea of what would happen to the values on conversion.

Are you talking about the xlights XML created,  or the edited sup file before conversion, or both?

Would love to get this figured out if possible.  Let me know what you need. I'll get it to you.

Best,
David