Expert - Pan Saw shape

[independentLD]

Hi all, have not been around on this forum for a while so apologies if this has already been covered.

I have just got back from a gig using an Expert and was pleased with results in general. I only had a problem with the Pan saw shape which seemed to have a pre-fixed centre position, despite trying to move the centre using pallettes and wheels. All the other shapes I used had expected results and I just didn't use the Pan Saw in the end.

Not being much of desk geek, and more of an LD/Operator, I don't know/care about the ins and outs of the sg.dat file but wondered if anyone else has experienced this? It is not something that I have seen in any of the previous Pearls.

I don't know the exact software version but the Expert is new (obviously) and I was using Robe ColourSpot 700 AT's (which are really useful, BTW, despite intermittent random dimmer shutter fault)

[niclights]

No, I've never seen this.

The shapes cannot by definition contain an origin.

Most likely explanation is shape was being recorded in 'record by fixture' mode insead of channel. This would then include the P/T position even though it was not specifically in the programmer.

[independentLD]

Hi Nick

Thanks for your quick response. The shape in question only got as far as the programmer and was never actually recorded because it was no use. Here is what would happen.

1. Put heads to position - Crowd. All pointing sideways into the audience.
2. Select fixtures and Pan Saw shape.
3. All heads start large Pan Saw but move to facing upstage with 90deg ish tilt.
4. Reduce size of shape a bit to check where it is centered. Still upstage.
5. Try to reiterate position pallette with fixtures still selected but no material movement of shape centre. Fiddle with wheels a bit but no noticeable change in position.
6. Delete Pan Saw in disgust. Sort out heads again by re selecting position - Crowd.
7. Use a Diamond shape instead. Fine - centered on Crowd Position. Not quite what I was after but after a few tries, the Pan Saw seemed to be too much work...

This also reminds me of another bug bear of mine. When you delete a shape, why does the Pearl just leave my heads pointing all over the place, rather than retaining the position pallette orignially selected?

[niclights]

That is strange. The only other possibility I can think of is moving heads mounted off the front rail of a truss & so the pan shape would simply not be what you wanted, but reducing size should have brought them to origin whatever.

Otherwise I can only guess something was corrupt in the show or shape file. Certainly not something I have ever had trouble with.

As for delete. Yes. Dunno. If you only have one shape running on a particular fixture then you can use 'remove shapes for...' and this doesn't retain any offset.