all kinds of errors

[Ashley]

I've downloaded the software, i use a pearl 2008 (with 2008 software) normally. I use multiple brands of moving heads and i would like to modify some profiles so the palettes match for all heads. So i've opened up the file for Futurelight-DJhead575-spot mode 1, i start to edit the palettes but it will only let me set up positions, colors and gobo's.
I can't add rotation or anything else for that fact. Once i start to save the modified file, the program crashes instantly.
It does output a partial file.
It crashes on many occasions when i try to edit something.

It's won't let me open a robe250XTspot profile, it crashes on load.

i'm running win XP-pro- dutch edition.

if someone can give me some pointers would be great. I know how to edit the files by hand, but thats just way to much work for 4-5 fixture types, combined with say 45 palettes each.

[niclights]

I don't have time to look right now but a couple of thoughts:

First, do you have the latest version (v2.1)? I know that there were problems for some users using v2.0.

Second, preset palettes are generally position, colour and gobo. It is possible that you just can't set others for automatic patching. I'm sure John can confirm if this is the case.

[Ashley]

i am using 2.1, hence i just downloaded it last night.

I found a way to create the palettes, you need to select the atributes from the left colom first, but it keeps giving me errors if i select in the wrong way.
(jip error, but software allows me to select "keep running" option.

I'm sure it works, since in text it's also possible to store Iris/strobe functions in a palette. It does work with a pearl normally.

The only remaining problem is that it won't output the file properly as a .R20, it will however create a D4 file with no bugs.

[niclights]

Ok. Someone else needs to help you with the builder issues. I can confirm though that I also see the error on loading. (@John: Note this is specific to loading the .r20 file. The .d4 file works normally)

I have to say that personally I would find it much quicker to do this in the text editor though. Would it not just be a matter of some copy/paste with a few adjustments?

[Ashley]

thanks for confirming,

i feel with text only, there are to many chances to make mistakes, and i would have to figure out all the hex values of the different features.
(i'm using more then 6 types/brands of moving head fixtures mixed in groups of 4 or 8, varying from Mac300 to Robe250XT wash & futurelightspot/wash, and colorchangers/led-pars aswell. Programming all the palettes takes at least 15-20 min for all the fixtures, and this time i can save by creating suitable profiles for my use).
By using the software, it would be much faster in this case. (since i don't need to check all the hex values.

Also with text it would be very confusing to check all the programmed pallettes by number.

[john rogers]

Hi all, I was out of the office yesterday. Sorry that I'm only just getting to this thread.

Thanks for bringing that issue with personality builder to my attention. I'll recreate it in the office today and log it as a bug.

It's important to bear in mind that personality builder is primarily there to create and edit .d4 files. Opening and exporting .R20 files are it's secondary functions.

That said the program is perfectly capable of editing your R20's palettes. If it were me I'd probably make copies of the original R20 files, open the copies in PB, edit the palettes, Generate new R20 files and cut and paste the palettes from those. This would ensure that personality builder isn't altering the attributes of the original R20 file as well as the palettes. By which I mean you couldn't open an R20 with Personality Builder, then immediately save a copy of it and expect the two files to be identical every time.

I hope that's a start in terms of clarification!

Edited for typos.

[Ashley]

I've decided to invest a few hours in the text editor in the meantime, i managed to create all the nesesairy pallettes, so that saves me much on site programming.

Still looking forward to the fix in the builder, since i like decent graphic interfaces over text proggramming

One question though, i must admit i haven't tried everything yet, but is it possible to set the "locate" position in the personality?

Normally everything goes to say.. 50% pan, 50% tilt. some heads have a home position which is 90 deg rotated towards other brands ( f.e. Robe/Futurelight/martin), i would like to modify the files so they all allign on locate.
Is this possible?

[niclights]

Locate value for .r20 files is the 11th column. It is referred to as the 'On' value in the syntax.

[Ashley]

i've tried to modify those values, but it put the head in the wrong positions, the heads are 16bit, so both upper/lower byte are basicly set to 128, what would the value be for 90 deg rotation? i've tried 64 on the MSB, but that doesn give the proper result.

[niclights]

The mistake you've made is assuming DMX 0-255 = 0-360 degree. But most moving heads have a larger range of motion.

A typical example might be 540 degree.

256/540= 0.47 approx. Therefore 90 degree = 90x0.47 or 42.3.

I've deliberately ignored the 16bit element because it is a limitation of the Classic software that only the LSB value is used (being duplicated for the MSB). So there's no point in going to all the trouble of working it out!

Taking this further I am guessing you want the head 90 degrees out from the standard 50% position - ie. you have rigged the lamp in such a way that when pan is at 50% the unit tilts to SL or SR. To get this position you need to either add or subtract approx 42 from 128 (using the 540 degree example).


The other (easy) way to do this is wheel them to the place you want them and use view [DMX Patch] to see the actual values.

[Ashley]

Thx Nic, i must have been asleep, since i changed the file after a comming home from a show... But i see the mistake i made now, i'll give it another go when i get time