Two requests from a noob

[thekameleon]

As a DJ and aerial photographer / videographer, I use a lot of editing tools. While I realize I am very new to xLights, there are some features that I think would be useful that I have not been able to find.

First, it would be great to step frame by frame through the sequence. Second, it would be great to have a start position offset. The Bars affect is what first comes to mind with this feature, but I have noticed if I do a Cycle value change between two bar effects that the bars are not lined up. Third it would be great to have an effect like a bar but can have a custom path.  Say like following the hooked path of a candy cane.

Thanks for listening

[keithsw1111]

Your candy cane problem can be solved with a single line render buffer.

[Gilrock]

Frame increment is something I've thought about before.  Start position offset probably not something I see happening.  The scenario you give could be solved by other means like use a value curve to make the Cycle change instead of using 2 effects.  Custom path can already be done by making a submodel to place the pixels you want in the path as lines and then render straight across the buffer.

[thekameleon]

Frame increment is something I've thought about before.  Start position offset probably not something I see happening.  The scenario you give could be solved by other means like use a value curve to make the Cycle change instead of using 2 effects.  Custom path can already be done by making a submodel to place the pixels you want in the path as lines and then render straight across the buffer.

Thanks for the response.  You said you don't see position offset happening, why is that?

I think I understand where you are going with the Value curve (That's the window when I click the Green curved arrow correct?)

I am having troubles finding good info / tutorials on the sub modals... Any good ones that you know of?

[keithsw1111]

Videos.xlights.org

[Gilrock]

Thanks for the response.  You said you don't see position offset happening, why is that?

Well it's not something I want to do so unless another developer likes it I don't see it happening.  Most of our effects have calculations based on how far into the effect they are so we don't want that hitting 100% early.  If there is a particular effect where advancing something could be done with a parameter that's a possibility.

[thekameleon]

Thanks for the reply. I was looking at the source (I'm a former Microsoft employee and I work for a scientific lab now) and I get what you are saying now. If I have contributions, is there a way I can push them or someone I can send them to?  Also if you do allow contributions, what components do you allow contributions for?

[dkulp]

Thanks for the reply. I was looking at the source (I'm a former Microsoft employee and I work for a scientific lab now) and I get what you are saying now. If I have contributions, is there a way I can push them or someone I can send them to?  Also if you do allow contributions, what components do you allow contributions for?

This particular request is something I have thought about a few times... the SingleStrand/Skips effect does have a starting position slider as I needed it there.   At the time (4 years ago), making it more general across more effects wasn't easy.   It would definitely be easier now as we could just add a % onto GetEffectTimeIntervalPosition in RenderBuffer and most of the effect that are based on that would "just work". 

For contributions, the code is on github at: https://github.com/smeighan/xLights
Standard github pull requests mostly work.