The Avolites Discussion Forum

Hello there all,

Is it possible to make a color chase without a "default"color?

Let me explain this:
when i've got 4 moving heads i make a 4 step chase with yellow and green.

step 1 mh1 green mh 2,3,4 yellow
step2 mh2 green mh 1,3,4 yellow
step 3 mh3 green mh 1,2,4 yellow
step 4 mh 4 green mh 1,2,3, yellow

But when i want to make a chase for 5 other colors i have to program 5 other chases.

So i only want to program the color that is "chasing".

in other words when i have a "green"chase and select all mh's and make them blue then at the first step the first mh is green and at the second step the first mh changes back to its original color(blue).
And when ik make all mh's open white the same "green"chase is playing.

(do you still understand me)

I do this always on a hog 1k but is it possible on a pearl???

thanx,

Martin

I know at least one method to do what you want to do:

Program it as a shape, and change the offset with your preset focusses (I think it is called pallettes nowadays for some reason).

So you program a shape on a memory, without color information (or you change the playback parameters so the offset is 'overruled'). When you recall a color from the palettes and start the shape (by raising the playback fader containing the shape), the shape will run around the selected color. (The selected color will serve as a 'offset' for the shape)

If you have for example a fixture with colors:
white blue yellow red ...
And you program a shape which jumps one color, the shape will go between the color you select and the next.
For example you select blue, the shape will go between blue and yellow. If you select yellow, it will go between yellow and red.

If you program a shape which jumps two colors, the shape will go between blue and red if you select blue...

If you want to change the speed during showtime, you should set the playback parameter 'speed' to timed. In this case, the speed will depend on the level you raise the fader.

Martin,

The chase you're describing can be made on a Hog, because there is a fundamental difference in the way a Hog works when compared to the Rolacue desks (pearl, sapphire).

The Hog programming system is based on what Flying Pig refers to as "tracking". Other companies offering other desks use the same term for certain operations, but in a Hog it means that, when you make a chase, only the parameters you altered last get stored in the next step. Parameters you've left untouched will not store in any other step than in the last step you've altered them for. This means, in your case, that even though you've made all the lamps green at one point, only one lamp per chase step actually changes colour.

If you would program a chase on the Pearl in the same way (one step = one lamp to change color), the lamps would all have become green by the end of the chase. This would happen on the Hog too, unless you would have de-selected "maintain state"...

...and that is the big difference between the two desks: basically the Hog dismisses all untouched parameters, even though they're still in the programmer, and only by selecting "maintain state" you tell the desk to hold-over all parameters from previous steps. De-selecting "maintain state" means you only see the changes you've actually made in each step.
The Pearl, however, does not "track" in this way. Everything you put in the programmer stays in the programmer, whether you store it anywhere or not, untill you press clear. Try this to see what i mean:
- "locate fixture" on all the fixtures you want to use.
- program a position on a memory.
- don't press "clear".
- program a colour on another memory.
- "locate fixture" again.
- press "clear".
Now, if you activate the first memory, only the position of your lamps would change. But activating the second memory will change both position and colour. Because you've not cleared between stores, previously altered parameters were still present in the programmer, and therefore stored on the second memory.
This would not happen on a Hog, because it "tracks"...

Now for Hans' suggestion, this unfortunatly only works in the exact same way he describes it: the shape uses the preset focus (by the way, the name "pallet" for preset focus also comes from the Hog-system) as starting point (offset) to change the colour a specific amount of value. Therefore, a shape changing color in the way Hans describes will only work on fixed-wheel colours, and the color you want chasing through your lamps will always be depending on the colour you start off from...
You cannot program a "green chase" to start from whatever colour you want in this way, and i seriously doubt of it will even work on CMY channels.

Hope I've been clear on this, hope it helps a bit...

Erik

(but isnt it strange though, that three Dutch correspondents tell each other all this in English...? )

whoops, sorry Hans, you're not Dutch, you're from Belgium



I assume you speak dutch, though...

erik

lol Erik! Useful for all us lazy Brits though

I agree this isn't a perfect solution to Martins post and certainly won't work for CMY lamps, but it is still a very flexible trick for fixed wheel units.

Using this for more than adjacent colours will obviously depend on how fast a fixture can change colour.

I have created a new pattern (shape) to give a fading version of this if anyone's interested...

Nic

I have created a new pattern (shape) to give a fading version of this if anyone's interested...

Damn, you are as geekly as me. You give your SG.DAT file, I give mine? The Azure version though with the order of shapes bottomed up.

I don't think you're lazy Nic. You spend an awful lot of time on this forum...

Hi..

Is there a way 2 edit a shapes like tat using e shape generator? chasing a backgroud yellow wif a green?

can any1 tell how 2 edit a CMY shape in e file sg.dat?
I am clueless..

Thanks

Erik outlines that we can program in by using a SHAPE...WHICH SHAPE in the SG should I choose?

Thanks for your kind answer.[/quote]

Col Wave is your best bet.

Was thinking the same thing for my azure,
8x mac kryptons on the back truss, all open white. I want to do a colour chase from one side to the other through all colours like what you see on the program CD UK.

Hi Nic,

I am interested in the shape that u mentioned, do u mind to send me a copy of the shape? also, can u brief me how to load this new shape into the Pearl 2004?

Also, is there is any documentation (even it is brief) of the description on all the shaps in the existing SG. I know the best is to run the shape and see....but sometimes using this approach I also have to guess what the shape is trying to do, esp for me, as a beginner....think it will be useful to us. So....I just want a documentation to confirm if my thinking is right or save my time to test on every shapes...(over a hundred shapes in SG files).

Sorry......think this is more suitable to communicate via a PM, but seems this feature is disabled here.

Dear StephenJack,

I can send you a custom SG.DAT file where the functions have a "mathematical" name like "Pan Sine", "Color Saw". Do you want me to send it to your e-mail address? I have the version for the Pearl and the Azure.

For your information: the difference between the SG.DAT file on the Pearl and the Azure is that on the Azure the shapes are loaded backwards: they start from 200 to 1. Most annoying.

Let me know if you still want. I don't have it here at the moment.

You cannot load individual shapes, only the whole SG.DAT. This is done through System/Utilities/Load Shape File. Note that you must reset the desk afterwards or your palettes won't work, unless that was fixed.

To be fair, most of the shapes are all the same. There are only fourteen actual patterns that are used by the shapes (although you could create as many as you want assuming you can think of something different).

These patterns are then applied to the various attributes and then there are variations of offsets (which you can edit anyway). Further there are then 'user' versions assuming you were to edit the shape file and make use of them.

As far as movement is concerned I have never found a use for anything other than circle, pan and tilt. Most notably a combination of pan and tilt. I rarely use more than those although the more fixtures you have, the more useful the other shapes will be. ie. Pink Floyd Pulse.... a masterclass in lighting for effect!

Nic, you've got a deal. Please send me your e-mail address to cornedure [at] hotmail [dot] com and I will send you my SG.DAT file. But I expect yours also!