Shadow model across controllers vs. Universe Fill-up

[deonb]

When you do an Auto Layout, XLights always fills up the last Universe of the controller so that it's an even 510, even if there are unused channels.

This causes a problem if you're trying to split a Matrix or Megatree across multiple controllers using shadow models.

e.g. I'm following Keith's video from here, but he has the same problem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKSyxB14-SE

His MegaTree is set up to run from channel 1 to 9600. His left shadow tree is configured as 4800 channels on controller 1, and right shadow tree is configured as 4800 channels on controller 2.

However, the controller #1 last universe gets filled out to the nearest 510, so it isn't just 4800 channels, it gets 5100 channels (7:54 in the video) on each of the controllers.

So that means the first 5100 channels of the MegaTree maps to controller #1, (with the last 300 of those channels off in the phantom filled out universe that has no string mapping), and the remaining 4500 channels goes to controller 2 which means 300 channels are dark.

If you follow his instructions exactly, then at 8:28 instead of dropping effects on the shadow trees overall, you expand the two shadow trees in the sequencers and drop an effect on the individual strands then it becomes obvious. You'll notice there is a missing/skipped string between Tree Side 1 #16 and Tree Side 2 #1, and then Tree Side 2 # 16 never lights up.

Is there any way to make this actually work while remaining in Auto Size / Auto Layout mode?

[allknowing2012]

Should be no harm in using a universe size other than 510 or 512 if your controller can handle it. So uncheck auto size, set the universe site accordingly and re-enable auto size. You have more universes but that doesnt matter.

[deonb]

Should be no harm in using a universe size other than 510 or 512 if your controller can handle it. So uncheck auto size, set the universe site accordingly and re-enable auto size. You have more universes but that doesnt matter.

The xLights auto-size only ever does 510-sized Universes on my controller (E682). The video I linked to is an F16V3 and also same thing.

My board doesn't handle a universe other than size 510, but xLights shouldn't need to fill out the full universe. If I Upload the outputs with the board set to 510, then change the size of the last channel to 210 by hand instead of autosize, everything works. But then I can't do an automatically upload anymore before reversing everything.

[Gilrock]

I haven't watched his video but it seems to me that shadow models should not be dropped onto a controller so they should not be subject to the auto-sizing.  Drop the real tree on the controller and just create the shadow models and define their start channel to create the shadow overlay.

[deonb]

I haven't watched his video but it seems to me that shadow models should not be dropped onto a controller so they should not be subject to the auto-sizing.  Drop the real tree on the controller and just create the shadow models and define their start channel to create the shadow overlay.

If I drop the real tree on the controller, it tries to drop 64 ports onto a 16-port controllers with everything from port 17 onwards is marked as red. It also shows a Universe count of 38 on a controller that only supports 12 universes and the upload doesn't work.

Basically I just want any mechanism to automatically Upload Outputs to the megatree and matrix controllers when a model spans multiple controllers. The video described (incorrectly) how to do this with Shadow models, but any mechanism would do.

[Gilrock]

Personally I'd just configure the controllers manually.  I had to do that last night because the upload feature to a Kulp board just wouldn't work and I don't have time to figure out why.  Only took 2 minutes to manually setup the inputs and outputs on the controller.  It's especially easy for a megatree.

[deonb]

Personally I'd just configure the controllers manually.  I had to do that last night because the upload feature to a Kulp board just wouldn't work and I don't have time to figure out why.  Only took 2 minutes to manually setup the inputs and outputs on the controller.  It's especially easy for a megatree.

Yeah, I think I'll have to do that. It's just a bit of a pain if I want to change a global configuration or swap around controllers etc. I have 25 active controllers, and 7 of them now require hand setup.

I wouldn't mind spending a few hours once off to get it to be automatic from now on, but I can't see there being any way to do it.

Feature request?