Starting over in 2017

[stallionent]

My Xlights always defaults to 2016 models etc, I want to save that Xlights and load a new "clean/blank" Xlights for 2017

Like starting over, 1st time downloading Xlights

[Gilrock]

Just copy the show folder and rename it.  Then when you run xLights change the show directory to point to the new folder.

[stallionent]

I'm a newbie on Xlights, Sean, David Pitts and Louie (nutsforlights) set up my Xlights, so my question is:

Whats the show folder?

Plan: 2017: learn Xlights!

[Gilrock]

Yeah but are you a newbie on computers?  Its hard to know where people are at when I try to help.  I have some users that can't find their "c:" drive.  When you first ran xLights you selected a directory on your hard drive to be the show folder.  When you run xLights it shows you the directory name on the setup tab.  You need to read at least some of the user manual because I like to use my time for the harder problems.

[stallionent]

Sorry for my post. I had a stroke two years ago and my memory retention is not nearly what it was. Reading the manual is mostly Greek to me. Thanks for replying to my post.

I did follow your directions. I now have a clean Xlights.

Thanks again

[jnealand]

Making a new show folder is also the best way to look at shared sequence.  Make a folder the donors name like Jdoe 2016 Christmas.  Put their sequence files and rgb_effects.xml file in there.  Switch to that folder.  Create a network setup of 32 e1.31 universes (this does not matter because it will not be connecting to any lights for real) then open a sequence, render and play.  You can see how they used effects, layers groups, etc.  Good learning environment.  Then if you like what you see, you can back to your own show folder, create a new sequence, import their effects to your own layout.  That is a very simplified explanation, but I am just trying to give you some ideas.

[stallionent]

Thanks Jim, I need to look into import from 2016 show to 2017

[nutz4lights]

Dave, I can come help you after the new year. It seems to me that you equate installing xlights with starting over. You don't have to reinstall xlights to start over, you just need to make another storage folder for the rgbeffects.xml and other critical files. They are stored separately from the xlights program files. On your computer, xlights is in c:\program files x86\xlights or something like that, but your storage FOLDERS are on your external hard drive. I capitalized it because you have several folders.  And you can have many more, you just need to create another folder and point xlights to that new folder when you open the program. If you leave the folder empty, it will automatically create all the xml files it needs to get going and it will be blank.

In comparison, the reason that you keep reverting to 2016 settings when you try to reinstall the whole xlights program instead of simply creating a new folder with the existing program, is that the program is simply redirecting to what it knew the last storage folder location to be... you could reinstall the program 100 times and it really isn't a fresh install because it will still reference that existing 2016 folder and keep your settings. That's why you need to stop reinstalling the program and simply create a new folder in your e: drive call 2017 Dave Learning Xlights and then point the xlights program to that folder.

This would take five minutes to show you in person.

Louie

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