VSA import effects crashing

[skulltronix]

Hi
I've tried for several hours now. I had one vsa routine import correctly a few days ago but ever since then I get a consistent and immediate crash. I posted the error zip on github. I've tried OPEN and PRO, Tried reinstalling older versions o Xlights (I'm on .18 now back from .2) and everything else I can think of.
In the sequence I'm working on now I just need Jaw, Nod, Pan. But Pan doesn't import despite being checked.
Any suggestions?
The data that I have been able to import acts like it is getting sent to the wrong dmx address.  Like jaw movement that only occurs a little bit once in a while.

[Gilrock]

I'd go back and try a sequence we know should work like the I like Nightmares that I always use for testing.  I haven't made any changes in the mainline code and I haven't seen anything from others that would have broken anything.

[skulltronix]

I tried that. I thought perhaps I could swap the media after it was done.   But as soon as I tried to change settings on the sequence by changing media it crashed again. I can start a new sequence though with the correct media file and it will play.  But then crashes during the import effects. I’ve compared all the Skulltronix model settings and compared the vsa files and see nothing different that would explain it.
I uninstalled .20 and installed .18.  I set up an entirely new xlights folder and started from scratch.
I did submit the zip to github. Have you had a chance to see it! 
Any other suggestions?

Can I import just 1 vsa track at a time? 

[Gilrock]

The crash report just shows "yep it crashed during the VSA import..."

I'm not following you're description here.  Why are you trying to swap media?  Do you have an import that works but its the wrong song?  So you're saying swapping song files is crashing xLights also?  Not sure what you mean by import 1 track at a time I thought I only coded it to pull in 1 track.

[Gilrock]

I'm trying to sort out all the VSA / Skull model problems.  The last time we tried to fix the value curves for the Servo effect it still wasn't right.  The scale when you enter the curve dialog is off by a factor of 10.

[Gilrock]

Ok I believe I've fixed the VSA import so that it creates the proper value curve.

Since I'm going to add the Power channel I can adjust the defaults so that users would leave start channel as 1 and then Power channel would be assigned as 8.   I'm a little confused myself why the power channel is listed as DMX channel 7 in VSA.  Do they believe there is a DMX channel 0?

[Gilrock]

The issue with moving all the channel assignments up is you would now need to define the model as 26 channels.  That means the DMX effect needs to have another tab added so it can access channel numbers that high.  And that means someone could drop the DMX effect and mess with those lower 8 channels that are used for configuration.  Is that what you really want?

[skulltronix]

VSA is fd up. It has every dmx channel one lower than the actual dmx channel. It’s been that way forever and John won’t listen to suggestions, return phone calls or support his product.

[Gilrock]

Ok I believe I have all the VSA Import and DMX Model changes squared away.  The Skulltronix option defaults will now assume you are setting the start channel at 1 and power starts at 8, Jaw at 9, etc.  I also have the defaults already setting up all the node names so they will show up in the DMX and Servo effects.  Like I said these are defaults so nothing prevents a user from setting all the channel assignments the old way if that's what they prefer but I think this new way will be more user friendly to people coming from VSA world.  I also fixed the import so it will not fail if you have inactive tracks mixed in between the active tracks in VSA.

Of course you will need to wait for version 2018.23 to get these changes.

[mkozik1]

Good afternoon,

I have tried working with the import several times on several machines each running VSA 5.101 along with xLights 2018.33 x64 - One machine is running Win7 and the other Win10.  I am starting from scratch on both machines trying to talk to an E682 with 2 universes defined:  Universe 1 is 510 channels and is E131 outputting to Pixels.  Universe 2 is 99 channels and is E131 outputting to DMX.

I have been able to control the devices using other sequencing software (Vixen3, Vixen+ and Vixen) but am trying desperately to make the full move to xLights!

Both machines appear to save the file from VSA just fine and import into xLights OK but if I change anything, it will crash the application.  Also noted is while changing DMX settings for my model, such as channel numbers for each of the aspects of the skull, the application crashes.  Also noted is that when I change the number of channels for the skull model from 26 to 16 (using a DIYLightAnimation Bobcat DMX Skull Controller), or anything other than 26, the model disappears from the layout.  One of the models I was able to get to show back up but the other 2 I cannot!

Log files and setup tab image are here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1eBpzYACFVCeu4j3U1PXsEpi-9QFJ9hBf

I appreciate all you can help me with.  Not new to the application, but not an expert either!

Thanks in advance,

Mark

[Gilrock]

Yes the program shouldn't crash so obviously we need better protection against the bad things you are doing.  One problem I see is you are reducing the channel count from 26 to 16 but you are leaving all the color and eye channel definitions assigned to channels greater than 16 so the program is accessing outside an array boundary.  If you aren't using a channel you need to set it to zero.  That model was designed to work for a Skulltronix skull so if you go outside that boundary you need to know how to configure it.

[mkozik1]

Thanks Gil,

I was setting those not used to zero, however, I started by changing the number of channels first and not setting everything else first then change the number of channels last.  I was able to create the first model without incident, however, when I try to add the second model, I am still seeing it crash.  I have copied and pasted the model, the start channel is daisy chained from the first model, all other settings are the same as the first model.  When I attempt to change the Jaw channel from 1 to 17 (start channel on the second DMX board) the app crashes immediately.

I added a video and two of the latest crash reports to the link above. 

Thanks in advance for your continued assistance!

Mark

[Gilrock]

That's cause you don't change the Jaw channel after you copy it.  All those channel assignments are relative to the start channel so the Jaw channel will be the same if you have several copies.

[mkozik1]

Thanks again Gil!  I have it working well in test mode.  I am having issues with selecting the servo effect and setting the values though.  It appears that the effect screen is not changing for each effect that I select.  I am sure I am still doing something wrong, but I have not experienced this when using other effects thus far.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1J6N_841Y1olPsAXkz3p2Q857dh7IYVIC

Looking forward to your wisdom!

[Gilrock]

I don't think it has anything to do with the effect type.  I'm sure I've seen someone show that issue but nobody can reliably reproduce it so far.