Poly Line to Process Some Segments in Decreasing Channel Order

[Kent Stutzman]

Hello all.  Long time user and first time post.  Finally found something I couldn’t figure out.

Short Question:  Is there a way to tell some segments of a Poly Line to process some segments in decreasing channel order (eg. From channel 10,500 down to 10,400)?  I want to be able to process some segments in increasing channel order and some decreasing.

Long Version: I have a complicated house roofline and walls with angles going in a bunch of directions.  There’s 41 segments to it and the pixel holders were created a couple years ago, so not easy to rewire.  I would like to create a one Poly Line model and use a Single Strand effect to create a long continuous chase zigging and zagging around the house.  The problem is that with the complexity of the house lines, to make a continuous pulse, some of the segments in the Poly Line need to process in decreasing channel order.  I couldn’t see how to do it. If I use 0 length segments, then the chase won’t be continuous.  I know I can do something like it by creating a bunch of new unassigned Single Line models, arrange them in a line with some reversed right to left, and then create a group for them.  I was hoping there is an easier way utilizing Poly Line.

Any help someone can offer would be appreciated.  Thanks.

Kent

[Gilrock]

Using a 0 length segment to move to a new location is the answer.  Not sure why you are saying that makes a chase not continuous.

[Kent Stutzman]

Thanks for the quick response Gilrock.  I think I am either not communicating right or I am not getting something, so let me give an example.

If you had two circles side-by-side with 8 pixels each that start at the leftmost point and go clockwise.  The left circle starts at channel 1001 so channels 1001 – 1012 form the top arch from left to right and 1013 – 1024 form the bottom arch from right to left.  The right circle has channels 2001 – 2012 for the top arch from left to right and 2013 - 2024 is the bottom arch from right to left. 

I want to simulate a snake crawling from left to right using the Single Strand effect so the snake head first lights channels 1001 through 1012 and then lights 2024 - 2013.  I want the head to move from left to right on the top of the left circle then the bottom of the right circle, but always moving to the right.

I set up a 3 segment Poly Line with:
Segment1=4
Segment2=0
Segment3 = 4
String1=1001
String2 = 0
String3 = 2013

When the Single Strand effect is played, the snake does the top half of the left circle from left to right just fine, but then plays the bottom arch on the right circle from right to left.  I want the right circle to play from left to right which is playing the circuits from 2024 down to 2013.  Hopefully this makes sense.

Am I setting something up incorrectly, or can the Poly Line not achieve this?  Thanks.

Kent

[Gilrock]

Can you please just share the xlights_rgbeffects.xml and the sequence file that shows it not working how you want?  It's so much easier than trying to decipher all that text.

[Gilrock]

Ok nevermind I can visualize the problem.  If you come from the opposite direction using a 0 segment there is no way for xLights to know that's not the correct way to flow it.   But the solution is really easy.  You just create a submodel which will let you define the pixels in a straight line.
So the submodel line would look like 1001-1012,1024,1023,1022,1021,1020....1013
Unfortunately there is no shortcut syntax for going backwards.  We should come up with something for that.

[Kent Stutzman]

Thanks Gilrock.  I'll give it a try.  A "Descending" checkbox on the Individual Start Channel String edit screen would really be beneficial here.  Hopefully someday ...

Kent

[Gilrock]

Thanks Gilrock.  I'll give it a try.  A "Descending" checkbox on the Individual Start Channel String edit screen would really be beneficial here.  Hopefully someday ...

Kent

That's probably not going to happen.  I'll spare you all the technical reasons why.

[SanDiegoBob]

I have questions along the same lines as this thread, and I think I am even more confused than I was.  What I gathered from the answers is that there is no relation between placement of the physical lines (whether they start from the left or right in the case of multiple strings/arches) and whether one draws the model from left to right?  The starting location is strictly limited to how one draws the model.

What I think I did learn is that the left or right starting location is from the perspective of drawing/viewing the layout window.

How far off am I?

[Ebuechner]

I'm not sure if you read the link that I posted for you. Starting location is where pixel number one starts as you would be looking at your model from it's normal viewing area( for most people that would a from looking at it from the street).