Layers Don't Seem To Be Working

[rmaddox]

I've been working on understanding how to do layers.  I've been watching the video 'xLights Layering Seminar 09 14 2016'.  I'm following through and setting up my layers just as in the video.  When I set up the spiral effect as a mask over the butterfly, the model just shows a black screen.  I believe that I have it set up just as in the video, but it just shows the whole model as black.  I've attached some screen shots to show how I have everything set up.  When I move the first effect over so that there is no overlap, both show up as normal.  I changed the butterfly effect on layer two to normal, effect 1 & effect 2 and the model stills show a black screen.   What am I doing wrong.  If I've not provided enough info let me know what else I need to attach.

[Gilrock]

Not sure what's in the video but the Butterfly won't work set to Effect 2.  You almost never use that blend mode.  Set it to Effect 1 or Normal

[rmaddox]

I had changed Effect 2 to both normal and Effect 1 and it was still just a black screen.  I had also used other effects to use as both mask and the effect to be masked and I still get nothing but a blank screen, no mater how I set the 2nd effect. I just tried it again and I still get a black screen.

[Gilrock]

Well I didn't answer the question before first trying it so I know it works.  I can't tell what you have wrong from just those screenshots.

[rmaddox]

I just download the latest version of xLights and I also put the effects on to my tree group model and it appears to be working across the group, but when I put it back onto one of the individual tree models, I just get a black screen again.  See attached.  What other info would you need to help identify the problem?

[Gilrock]

You would need to do a Tools -> Package Sequence and post the zip file.

[rmaddox]

Ok, I will do that.  But I just discovered something else.  I have 3 trees grouped together.  I have them in xLights individually and in a group model.  As I said when I put the effects on the group model it works (1 as mask and 2 normal) as it should and it also does when I put the effect on my second and third tree, but not when I put them on the first tree, it just goes black. 

[rmaddox]

Here's the zip file. It's getting late, so don't worry about it now.  Just look at it when you get a chance.  Thanks for the help.

[Gilrock]

You have it correct and it looked fine to me.  Not sure why yours is black.  So all the other effects are showing up?  Is it the house or model preview not working?

[rmaddox]

The way it looks on your screen shot is how it looks in my models that show anything except a black screen.  I've tried on all three of my trees individually and on the group and it is working on the group and on tree 2 & 3, but not on tree 1.  I have four leaping towers and I put the effects on each individual tower and on the group and I only get a black screen on them.  If they work, they do so on both the model and the whole house model.  If they don't, they also don't work on both the model and the whole house model.  I'll do some zip files of when they aren't working. 

[Gilrock]

So are you saying you gave me a file that doesn't have any non-working effects?  You need to point me to the exact model and timestamp when you give me a file with hundreds of effects.

[Gilrock]

So there's nothing wrong.  Tree 1 is just a different size so you need different settings for the spiral.  The problem is that with those settings the effect has no black pixel gaps so when you do 1 is Mask it blocks the entire tree.  Change Thickness to 0 and then move Spiral Wraps up and watch what happens.  Also experiment with changing the Spiral to 1 is Unmask.  The key to doing this masking is to isolate the effect by itself first with a Normal blend mode so that you can tune it's look.  Then put it into place as a Mask.

[rmaddox]

That was the problem.  I changed the thickness and it looks good.  Thanks for the help!!!  I'm sorry about the large file,  I should have just done it on a new sequence with just the one model and effect on it.