Think of the import this way.
You are not importing effects as per se. You are importing all the data in each LSPs controllers channels.
Let's say you have an LSP sequence that you wish to import the programming you have done on an an arch element.
Let's say for example you have 4 arches. In LSP you can either have those 4 arches defined in one controller or have each arch defined as individual controllers. It does not matter what type of controller just how you have structured it in LSP.
The way I have my arches defined in LSP is each arch has it's own controller definition.
For this example let's say that my first arch controller is called ARCH01. I have also changed the labels on each of the arch channels to be something like Arch 01 - Ch 1 etc. The starting address of this arch is 12331 and the length is 105 pixels.
In Nutcracker you will need to define an Arch model with a starting address of 12331 and a strand length of 105.
This process covers any LSP/Nutcracker element/model match up.
In this example I will only walk through importing this one arch.
First you open Nutcracker.
Select the 'Sequencer' tab.
Click on the 'New Sequence' icon or do 'File' -> 'New Sequence' or Ctrl + n
In the 'Sequencer settings' window select 'Musical Sequence'.
The select an audio file for this new sequence.
Om the next window select your desired time slice selection, I have just started using 25ms so I can do much finer timing on some of my elements.
In the 'Import Data(Optional):' select 'Skip>>'
In the 'Other Optional Tasks:' select 'Done>>'
When NC opens up a window with the 'New Timing' icon showing, right click on that icon and select 'Edit display elements'.
I just drag the 'Sequence Elements' window out onto the timing grid for better viewing.
click on the 'Add Models' button.
From the 'Add Models' window select the Nutcracker arch model you have previously defined and click 'Add'.
Then just click the 'x' on the window to close it. There is no 'finished, exit, or close' button in this window, or you could just drag the window back into the column and drop it, either way is fine.
If you want to see all the nodes in the Nutcracker 'arch' model just double click on the archs label and all the node channels will appear.
Next click 'Import' in the menu strip and select 'Import' effects.
Using the dropdown menu above the 'Open and Cancel' buttons select 'LSP2.x Sequence(*.msq).
NOTE OF CAUTION here. Version 2.0 sequences are completely different from 2.5 and 2.8 sequences and the importer is not configured to do the 2.0 sequences.
I put all my incoming files into my 'Nutcracker media files' folder but you could actually have them in any folder you like.
Browse to where you LSP sequence that you are going to import data from and select it, then click 'Open'.
Nutcracker is now analyzing your LSP file.
Then when the 'Map channels window opens your are ready to map your LSP elements/controllers to Nutcracker models.
There is a drop down menu button beside the 'Add Model For Import' button. Click that 'BLANK' button to locate the correct Nutcracker model. Highlight that model, btw you can click on multiple models and add them all at once, then click hte 'Add Model For Import' button.
Now it matters how you structured you controllers in LSP. If you have separated your controllers into individual controllers for each arch you should click the checkbox beside the 'Map by Strand/CCR'. Then on the left side all the nodes will disappear. Click tin the row where you see the 'Strand 1' under Strand. You have to click several times before the drop down window appears. When it does you will see the corresponding LSP Arch controller, highlight that controller and you have successfully mapped your LSP arch to your Nutcracker arch.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED at this point to 'Save this mapping before clicking 'OK'. Give this mapping file an easily remembered name. It will be saved in one of your Nutcracker data folders depending on how you have NC configured for single or dual folders.
After you have saved this mapping click 'OK'.
Once the import is done double click on the arch model name and you will see all the imported data (effects) from your LSP sequence. Initially all you will see is white effects and icons. You just have to click one of the effects, IF RGB, and all the effects will change to their appropriate colors.
NOW FOR THE DOWNSIDE OF THE MAPPING.
If you have all of your controllers in LSP assigned to a single controller the 'Map by Strand/CCR' function will generally not work. You would then have to map each individual pixel in LSP to the associated pixel in the NC model. You can actually build a mapping file manually but if you don't have an excel spreadsheet with all your channels and controllers identified in it the process will be long and tedious.
Best solution and least timely would be to open your LSP sequence and split a controller with multiple arches or other similar elements into individual controllers.
I have my LSP megatree broken down into a controller for each strand of the tree. Some people have their megatree defined as a single controller. This may still allow for the use of the 'Map by Strand/CCR' option but I have not tried it yet.
Other mappings will have to be tested to determine the best methodology to accomplish it.
