Single Strand Effect All Going in the Same Direction

[Gary]

Being a newbie this year, I didn't let this bug me too much since I was simply happy with what I was able to accomplish with pixels this December, but I'd like to get this fixed for next year...

Background Info... I have 4 sets of lights (controller outputs) for my roofline, all of which are all set up in a group called "Roof":

• Foyer on the left (in two levels, but that's not relevant here), first pixel on left
• Den in the Middle, first pixel on right
• Garage, first pixel on the right
• Living Room on Top, first pixel on the left

When I do a Single Strand Chase, the Foyer and Living Room scroll from Left to Right, and the Den and Garage scroll from Right to Left. This seems to make sense, considering how they are wired. You can see how it behaves in this video: https://youtu.be/O4KsTyMKdsg?t=49s

I'd like to know how to make them all go in one direction (left to right). I see that in the Layout tab, the first pixel in each model is represented by a green "grab handle", and in the model properties, the Starting Location can be either Left or Right.

I figured that I could solve my problems by changing the Starting Location to Left for the "offending" strings and/or redrawing/rotating the lines in the preview to make the green grab handle on the left. While I can make it work as I want on the screen preview in xLights, when I generate the FSEQ file, send them to the FPP, and play it to see how it looks on the house, the two "offending" strings keep going the wrong way. To make sure that the FSEQ file was being updated on FPP properly, I added Sparkles to it, and they appeared.

Whole house effects such as spirals work correctly, though.

(A few weeks ago when I discovered this "two backwards chases" issue, I was somehow able to get all my pixels to move in the same direction in a Single Strand Chase, but when I did a whole house model, my den and garage were backwards.

I should have asked this question a week ago after the show was over and I could have experimented more, but I'm taking my display down tomorrow morning (a window of opportunity with decent weather since we're having a much colder then usual winter). I'm hoping for a few words of sage advice from someone overnight so I can do some quick tests tomorrow morning before everything is taken down?

[Ebuechner]

Your layout screen should always match your physical layout. You also have to take into account if you have reversed the string in the pixel controller. You shouldn't have to redraw anything to change your starting location you do that by selecting your starting location in the drop-down tab in your layout. And when you make any changes you have to re render all of your sequences and re save.  You can double-check your layout by right-clicking the model in the preview screen and opening the node layout screen. As far as I can tell the green and blue dots are not a representation of the starting location

[Gilrock]

Before I dig deep and look at the video let me ask.  Did you draw any single lines with the green dot on the right?  If so they won't work correctly in a group.  If a prop starts on the right still need to draw it starting on the left and then change the start corner to right.  Also a couple models like PolyLine don't work correctly with a right start corner so for those you'd need to wait till we fix it.

[Gary]

Your layout screen should always match your physical layout.

Yes, that's the case for me because being a newbie at the time, I figured it was the safest and most logical way to do it.

You also have to take into account if you have reversed the string in the pixel controller.

No, I haven't touched that.

You shouldn't have to redraw anything to change your starting location you do that by selecting your starting location in the drop-down tab in your layout.

That's one thing I wanted to get clarification on... what if, for example, I have a model that's simply a vertical line--where's the left and right starting position?

And when you make any changes you have to re render all of your sequences and re save.

Yes, I've done that.

You can double-check your layout by right-clicking the model in the preview screen and opening the node layout screen.

All my models (besides custom models and arches), show up as Bottom Left, with n1s1 beginning at the left, followed by n2s1, n3s1, etc.

As far as I can tell the green and blue dots are not a representation of the starting location

By starting location, I was referring to where I started drawing my Lines (or Polyline) models.

[Ebuechner]

From what Gill said it sounds like you need to make sure everything is drawn from the left so your groups will work correctly. And it sounds like your best practice is to use the single line for your roof, if the polyline is broke for now. Set all of your vertical models to start from the left. I found it to be the best practice to do everything from left to right whenever possible. I'm sure Gill will be able to explain this better than me about the blue and green dot.

[Anthony.Bigda]

Great thread as I was having the same issue, just wish I would have known this info about a week ago before I made the layout.

Gil, so what your saying is any lines I'm drawing be it house outline, yard outline ect, draw them from left to right and then set it for left to right?


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[Gary]

Before I dig deep and look at the video let me ask.  Did you draw any single lines with the green dot on the right?  If so they won't work correctly in a group.  If a prop starts on the right still need to draw it starting on the left and then change the start corner to right.  Also a couple models like PolyLine don't work correctly with a right start corner so for those you'd need to wait till we fix it.

Your reply appeared as I was typing my previous one... I experimented with it a bit more as you suggested, and here's the play-by-play...

Yes, the models in question are single lines with the green dot on the right. Rather than re-drawing them, can't I just use the move the drag handles so the green square is on the right (assuming my original assumptions about the that green square represents the starting point when drawing a model were correct). When I do that, and re-generate the FSEQ files, upload to FPP, play it, etc., the results look fine on-screen but it's still backwards on the house.

So, I deleted my Roof Garage Model, re-drew it from the left, set the Starting Location to Right, changed its start channels, etc to make it like my old model (besides the drawing start point and Starting Location Attribute), added it to my groups, re-generated my FSEQ, etc. etc. and now it's going the "wrong way" (right to left) on the screen AND the house... to make sure I didn't do something wrong, I deleted and re-created my Den Roof and it's acting the same way now too.

So at least they now match on-screen and in real life... so how do I change the direction, or is is not possible by design?

P.S. It seems strange to me that I needed to re-draw my models, but perhaps its because after re-drawing them and re-creating the models, adding them to groups, etc I needed to close out of xLights and go back in in order for channels to work properly, the on-screen preview to update, etc.... I didn't do all that when simply editing the lines on my original models.

[Gary]

And it sounds like your best practice is to use the single line for your roof, if the polyline is broke for now.

The only roof Polyline is for my Living Room peak... and it's behaving as I'd like it--probably because I drew it from the left and the Starting Location is set to Left.

[Ebuechner]

I think you should have been able to flip them around instead of redrawing. I always make sure that I close out xlights and reopen it when I make a big change. I've run into a few problems when I didn't and it was corrected after a restart of xlights. It sounds like you have a handle on things and you're heading in the right direction.

[Gary]

It sounds like you have a handle on things and you're heading in the right direction.

I may be heading in the right direction, but I don't want to drive right past the solution without realizing it, LOL!

[Ebuechner]

You may want to post your RGB effects file and xlights Network file. That would eliminate a lot of questions and might give you answers to stuff you haven't even asked yet

[Gilrock]

Yes, the models in question are single lines with the green dot on the right. Rather than re-drawing them, can't I just use the move the drag handles so the green square is on the right (assuming my original assumptions about the that green square represents the starting point when drawing a model were correct). When I do that, and re-generate the FSEQ files, upload to FPP, play it, etc., the results look fine on-screen but it's still backwards on the house.

Did you mean to say "left" where I highlighted?  You already had them on the right.  Yes move them to the left but then change your start corner to match where your controller enters the string.

And regarding PolyLine it doesn't really matter which direction you draw it but if you tell it to use a "right" side start corner it doesn't calculate the pixel locations correctly when rendering.

[Gary]

Yes, the models in question are single lines with the green dot on the right. Rather than re-drawing them, can't I just use the move the drag handles so the green square is on the right (assuming my original assumptions about the that green square represents the starting point when drawing a model were correct). When I do that, and re-generate the FSEQ files, upload to FPP, play it, etc., the results look fine on-screen but it's still backwards on the house.

Did you mean to say "left" where I highlighted?  You already had them on the right.  Yes move them to the left but then change your start corner to match where your controller enters the string.

And regarding PolyLine it doesn't really matter which direction you draw it but if you tell it to use a "right" side start corner it doesn't calculate the pixel locations correctly when rendering.

Yes, I meant to say left.

[Gary]

You may want to post your RGB effects file and xlights Network file. That would eliminate a lot of questions and might give you answers to stuff you haven't even asked yet

Here they are...

[Ebuechner]

I just downloaded your file and ran the test 2 that you had. From what I see your problem isn't your layout but the settings that you have on the effects. Under layer settings on that single strand it was set two vertical per model, set that to default or per preview. Under effect settings uncheck the Box that says group all arches.