Help with Xlights "Hanging"

[baf05]

This issue I am having is with the attached file.

I think it happens on save, xlights goes into not responding mode, and the screen goes white, after 10-15 seconds it comes back, sometimes the xlights screen minimises and I have to reopen it?

The only thing I can think of is the node level sequencing I was doing in this particular file.  I could not find an effect that would do what I wanted so I just did it manually. 

The effect is in icicles RA,RB, LA and LB, if anyone can come up with a way to create the effect more easily that would be great too.

File is attached.

Ok so looks like the .FSEQ file wont attach, if anyone would like to see the file I can email it, or is there a different file I can attach?

Hmmm can't even email the file...... its too big

[keithsw1111]

Please use package sequence on the tools menu and send us the zip file.

[baf05]

Thanks Keith,

was really not sure what to do next, probably should have articulated that....

[keithsw1111]

A couple of things. Yes I think the node level sequencing is massively inflating the size of your file which is why it is very slow to save and goes white ... not sure why it does so for so long on your machine (maybe its old and slow) but i do see it on mine as well.

As for the node level sequencing ... there are better ways. The most obvious to me would be to use a low resolution picture that lights up the pixels you need. Then you could just put them on the model itself.

Please be warned with a sequence file that large xlights wont be backing it up for you automagically.

[Gilrock]

So I created your show directory and that sequence renders in 5.7 seconds on my machine and plays fine.

I did take a stab at creating the effect on the icicles.  You can use a Bars effect with palette rep=5, Cycles=0.0, Direction=down, no boxes checked with the colors red, green, and blue selected and it gives you the pattern.  Then all you need is something to hide every other column and then swap whether its hiding odd or even columns every beat.  To be honest that second part should be easy but I didn't find it easy and is one thing that annoys me about how some of our effects were coded.  I should be able to just use a bars effect and be able to tell it to have a different color on every column and then I could just use black and white.  But the stupid palette rep method on Bars doesn't have any option that lets you dial it in that way.  I also tried using Spirals to create horizontal moving columns and it has the same palette rep problem.

In my opinion both of those effects need to be modified to allow a user to dial in an exact pixel width like I allow for Marquee.  Currently the width of the model dictates the pattern.

[dkulp]

Single strand skips can be used to set every other column to white and use that as a mask.

[baf05]

thanks all, shows I am learning,  

I will try the suggestions and see if I can get it to work a different way. 

I am not having any issues with it playing, just the amount of time taking to save and the white screen.

I am surprised the node level sequencing creates a bigger file, but then I don't know how it all works....

Again thank you, one of the things a love about this hobby is the level of support you are offered.

[keithsw1111]

Node level sequencing does not create a larger fseq file but the xml file is much larger.

[Gilrock]

Single strand skips can be used to set every other column to white and use that as a mask.

Yep that works.  I didn't realize it would render the whole column I usually only think of using SingleStrand for my arches.

[baf05]

So I tried the suggested settings, and whist I get something kind of similar in the lights wise, I can't even get close on the beat.

I am interested in trying Keith's idea, nut have no clue at all in how to do it.... research time....

getting closers with the skips. But cant seem to work out the mask settings.....

Soooo, in an effort to try and get this to work, I have created a new sequence. As the song plays what I want appears first, then I tried Gilrocks Bars settings and dkulps string setting, but used black not white, I could not seem to get it to work with masks.

Third is interesting, that is a copy and past of the second setting but rendering on the model differently! I am so confused!

Could I please ask someone to have a look and see if they can get it to work?  PLEASE!!!!

[Gilrock]

Ok I created a sample section in this attached file to show you how to do it.  You only need 4 bars effects across that entire section to create the colors then I use SingleStrand skips to mask out the columns.  I am dropping a new SingleStrand effect on each beat but its still a lot less effects than doing every node like you were.  Just create like 4 beats then use copy/paste with Paste By Cell mode.  You'll notice every SingleStrand effect is exactly the same except I alternate the black/white color order.

[baf05]

Thanks very much I appreciate your efforts,.

I would be interested to know why xLights treats the individual models differently when they are grouped together?

[jnealand]

One line of code in the xml for a group vs x lines of code when going against x individual models.

[keithsw1111]

Sounds like you need to choose on of the per model render buffers. By default groups create a joined buffer.

Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk

[Gilrock]

When models are grouped the render buffer is typically one large buffer that covers all those models.  You can choose the Per Model Default render style and see if that works but that would only get rid of 3 of those effects so not that big a deal.