Import/Export

Import

Import Effects

This option enables you to import sequences from other sequencers. However, in many cases it generates a large number of effects. In most cases, importing of RGB effects as Data Layers will suffice. There could be some cases (A/C channel data or LOR singing face sequences) where it is desirable to import using the Import Effects function.

The following example describes how to use this function to import an Arch effect from an LSP .msq sequence.

First ensure that you have created or opened an existing sequence that has the models added to the sequencer that you wish to import to.

Then click on ‘Import Effects’ from the Import tab and select the LSP sequence (the same process can be used for other supported sequence types from the drop down list). After a short while (while the sequence data is being parsed) the following screen will be displayed.

Click on the drop down arrow and you will be presented with a list of models that you have defined on the sequencer. Select a model and Click on the ‘Add Model for Import’ and press Enter. The following screen will be displayed

Tip: Multiple models can be selected i.e. you can select another Model (‘Arch 2’) and Click on the ‘Add Model for Import’ again.

Click on the drop down arrow and you will be presented with a list of models that you have defined on the sequencer. Select a model and Click on the ‘Add Model for Import’ and press Enter. The following screen will be displayed.

Tip: Multiple models can be selected i.e. you can select another Model (‘Arch 2’) and Click on the ‘Add Model for Import’ again.

Tick the ‘Map by Strand/CCR’ option to select an entire strand (or multiple strands ) to import at a time. (Otherwise by not ticking the box, you can/must select individual nodes to import). The individual nodes will disappear and only the first two rows (i.e. model name and Strand name)will be displayed. Double click in the Channel column against the row that says ‘ Arch 1 Strand 1’. You may need to double click more than once. A drop down list of LSP (or other sequencer) channels/controller /strands is display. Select the required channel/controller/strand.

Select the required model and press enter. You can repeat this for multiple models.

Click on ‘Save Mapping’ to Save the mapping. The mapping can then be re¬used by Clicking on the ‘Load Mapping’ button the next time.

Click on ‘OK’ when ready.

A status message will be displayed at the bottom indicating that the sequence has been imported.

Click on the ‘Render All’ button.

Click on Play.

Save the sequence as per usual.

Importing a LOR Sequence

Importing a LOR sequence follows the same steps as described above. However, depending on the LOR hardware setup, channel definitions in LOR and correspondingly in xLights/Nutcracker need to align. See discussion in the section Coming Over from LOR .

Importing an xLights/Nutcracker Sequence

This process can be used to

● Import effects from a xLights/Nutcracker sequence from another user

● Import effects from another of your (e.g. older) xLights/Nutcracker sequence into an existing xLights/Nutcracker sequence

Step 1 If the xml sequence has been received from another user , it is preferable to have both the shared sequence xml file and the xlights_rgbeffects.xml file from the donor. Create a new directory and copy the sequence file and the xlights_rgbeffects file to that directory. Change the show and media directories to point to the new directory. If you have the xlights_network.xml file (which contains the network setup details) copy that to the new directory too, otherwise setup a block of universes large enough to cover the sequence channels (e.g. 20,0000 NULL ). Copy the music file to the new folder. (If the music has been edited and you own the original music it is ok for you to have a copy of the edited file).

Open the sequence, click on Render All or Save and then play it. You should be able to see how the lights flow in the layout window. Study the sequence and determine which models you wish to copy to your own models.

Tip: Print out the model names from the shared sequence as you will need to know those when you import.

Look for the correct quantity of elements in the donor sequence that will match your elements. For example If you have 4 windows but the donor sequence has 8, pick the 4 windows that you want to copy. Make a note of the names of each donor model you want to copy to a model of your own layout. Watch the sequence several times.

Step 2 Copy just the xml file of the donor sequence to your own show directory. Make sure you have the appropriate music file in your own media show directory. Close the sequence you were watching, go to the setup tab and change the show and media directories back to your own directories. If importing into a new sequence, then

● Create a new musical sequence , select timings and add your display elements or select a view.

● Save the sequence. Else

● Open the sequence you want to import into.

Select Import, Import Effects and select a type of ‘xml’. Select the donor sequence xml. Click on the dropdown arrow in the box at the top of the window and follow the same process described in the example above.

Tip: In order to Improve performance of the imported effects and reduce the memory footprint, in the sequencer tab, right click against each of the imported model names and select ‘Promote Node Effects’. This will search through the node level ‘On’ and ‘Color Wash’ effects and if the same effect is on all the nodes at the exact same times, it will be removed from the nodes and placed on the Model.

Import Model

There is no functionality to directly import an xLights/Nutcracker model that someone else has created. However, since models are defined using xml, you can copy them into your xlights_rgbeffects xml file in the models section. Then update the channel assignment to your setup.

Export

Export Model

This function is used if you wish to export effects from your model to another sequencer, such as LOR, LSP, Vixen, HLS.

It can also be used to export an eseq (effect sequence) to the Raspberry Pi Falcon Player . Effect files are .fseq format files with an .eseq extension. These special sequence files contain only the channels for a specific effect and always start at channel 1 in the sequence file. The actual starting channel offset for the Effect is specified when you run it or configure the Effect in an Event on the FP.

Tip: Eseq (effect sequences) can be played on the FP any time while a main fseq sequence is running and you can have as many effect sequences running as you want on different elements of your display. If you create an fseq called ‘background.eseq’ and upload to the FP, it will execute as soon as the FP has started i.e. no definition is required on the FP.

Right click to the left of the sequencer grid and select Export Model.

You will then be presented with a window where you can select the target sequencer type and the filename to be created. Press OK when done.

Status messages will be displayed on the last line of your sequencer as the model is exported. The file will be created in your show directory.

Tip: You can use this functionality to export a models effects to the Falcon Player and then use the effect to run a continuous background sequence such as a “Tune to” sign, independently of sequences running in via the fseq file.