How do Views work

[gerry]

Hello,

I have a couple of questions on the new View functionality.

Background
- When I opened one of my sequences,  on my Master View I had one model ie a Singing Face
I added another 5 models Arch 1 -- Arch 5 to the Master View.
 
- I then created a new view 'Second View'  and added Arches 1 - Arch 5

Clicking on the master view shows me 6 models . Clicking on the Second view shows me 5 models.

So far so good

I can delete models from the Second view and that view then reflects the models that remain

However, if I attempt to delete a model (or the same model that I just added to the Master View) from the Master View - I get a message - "Delete All effects and Layers for the selected Model " ?

Questions (mostly around the Master View)
1. What exactly would occur if I said Yes. Would it only remove the model and any effects defined against that model only for the sequence that I have open or it removes it from the Master View.
I am assuming the latter and that the change will then get reflected  wherever the Master view (or any other view ) is then used in any sequence.

Would it also remove that model and its definition (eg Channels etc) in my base setup such that I lose that model definition.
 
3. Because of this deletion prompt, I presume that  the Master View is special. How is it recommended that this view be used. For example define all models that are part of any of your sequences in the Master View , but then also define other views  (such as the second view etc) and use those views only and leave the Master alone etc..

I think I can guess the answer to most of the questions and can try out adding and removing models on the other views . Just want to be sure about the master view before I ruin something

[flyinverted]

Here is  Gil's demo video on xLights "Views"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvJTkjftViY

Reminder that most of the tutorial videos can be found on the Wiki Tutorials page.
http://www.nutcracker123.com/wk/index.php?title=Tutorials

[gerry]

Here is  Gil's demo video on xLights "Views"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvJTkjftViY

Reminder that most of the tutorial videos can be found on the Wiki Tutorials page.
http://www.nutcracker123.com/wk/index.php?title=Tutorials

Thanks Steve - I wonder how I did not see the fact that there was a video about it

[Gilrock]

Gerry are you on the Facebook page.  Some of the videos only get posted there.

[Gilrock]

As far as your questions.  The Master View is not stored in the xlights_rgbeffects.xml file like all the other views.  It is a special default view local to that sequence.  It contains all the display elements in the sequence xml file.  So when you delete a model from any other view it just delete that model name from the list.  But if delete a model from the Master View it may actually contain effects for that sequence so I prompt you before deleting all the effects on that model.  Any other view we don't care because the effects don't get deleted.

And it deletes exactly what it says.  It deletes the layers and the effects that were on that model.  It doesn't say anything about deleting the model or its setup because those are global to the show directory.

Also you should not be able to delete or rename the master view.  If you can it's a bug and let me know.

[gerry]

Gerry are you on the Facebook page.  Some of the videos only get posted there.

I am now . I did not know about the facebook group.

What I used to do each week was search Vimeo and Youtube for Sean's , Dan's or your videos and see if there was anything new, or go back through older ones and watch them (sometimes again)

[Gilrock]

Yeah the facebook subscribers sometime get added bonuses like I've incorporated features the same day they ask for them.   No promises though.

[gerry]

I used to wonder how you were identifying other issues and also visualising requirements (and then of course coding)  all these enhancements each week ! 

Your God like status just became semi-god

[Gilrock]

Well most of my enhancements were my ideas.  People just like to suggest tweaks.  I usually don't get suggestions I haven't thought of it just prompt me to implement them when others are thinking the same as me.

[scuba]

Gil
Nice add on the views....very helpful

I might of missed it, but is there a way to save a view and import it to a new sequence?  I'm converting (actually re-sequencing) all of my previous LSP/LOR and XL3 sequences to XL4.  A bit of time is spent adding the models to sequence in the order that I like them.....and I got lots of models in my layout tab but I don't use them all.

This isn't a major problem, but a "nice to have": For example, I'd like to be able to select the models in a sequence and save them in the order they appear; then import them to a new sequence.
John

[gerry]

Hello scuba,

Thanks exactly what the views do.
So when in a seq, create a view say View1 . Add the models to the view and order them as required.
Save the view / make sure when u exit u save when asked.
Open new seq, select the view ie view1 from the small view window.

Even better is to use model groups in the view. Then u can double click the group and open the models within them or double click to close that group and open the next group.

Really nice....

[scuba]

Thanks Gerry!  I gave it a try...

Mixed results: 

open an existing sequence....made a new view "test 1" added a few models and groups..saved the sequence, closed out of XL...no save box opened to save views etc.
opened new sequence added timing marks with Audacity ( great feature).
selected views and found test 1...all good.

But it took several tries to get "test 1" saved, the first couple of times it wasn't saved and then...magic (technical term to describe 'I've no idea what happened') it was saved...

[scuba]

This is a little buggy....I ran into a problem with my setup and had to use my backup to restore the setup and layout.  So I lost the new views that I created.  I redid them and the same problem of not saving the views occurred.  Before I do this again, can you be very specific as to how to save a view....If someone has a video of this .......that would be great
Thanks

[Gilrock]

Views are saved at the same time as models.  So if you goto the Layout tab and hit Save they will be saved.  It sounds like we aren't setting the dirty flag when views are updated.

[Gilrock]

Next release will have the fix for this.