Just not seeing what you did Keith. I've attached 4 new screenshots...the ones with "current" in the name show the current model definitions I have, the ones with "returned" are the ones you sent back.
I've compared the .xml files and I still see what appears to be 21 channels defined in at least the "Face Test" model you returned as it has the string type as "RGB Nodes". The other model in the returned file (TreeFace2) has the string type of "Single Color White" which should then make the model have 7 channels (based on the number of nodes in the data). Other than the setting of the String Type, I don't see much of a difference between what you sent back that you say works with 7 channels, and what I currently have.
If I modify the xlights_rgbeffects.xml file and change one of the current models I have to "Single Color White", then open xlights, I do see that model then is defined with 7 channels instead of 21. However, when I try to run the sequence I currently have after changing that value I get no facial animation from the face model...even though all of the timing track/face definition assignments are in place.
I did finally figure out how to open the files you sent by pointing the show/media directories to a different location where I downloaded the files you returned. When I play the short sequence I see no animation on those faces at all...I've attached a short video. I still don't see or understand how I can get a 7 channel model definition to work with Faces Effect.
Thanks.