The Avolites Discussion Forum

Hoping someone can shed light on error codes I'm getting from Visualizer version 7.20. The software is running on WinXP SP2. I'm trying to get it to communicate with (seperately) a Pearl 2008 console and the Pearl 2004 simulator (running on the same laptop). First, a quick summary of what I've done so far regarding console communication:
1. Verified operation of the console serial output with a loopback plug on the serial cable. The console gives the expected alternating yellow and white 5a pairs output.
2. Verified proper functioning of the laptop serial port (COM1) using hyperterminal with the "echo to local" option enabled. The port is set at 38400 baud, data bits:8, parity:none, stop bits:1, flow control:none.
3. Set the user settings on the console (#15) to "Visualizer".
4. Installed ACDI v. 1.5, set source to COM1. The window directly below stays on "WAITING" and the colored square flashes red. Resetting, changing to COM2 and then back to COM1 does nt change the situation. Of course, this is all being done without the "full license", as ACDI 1.5 says "ACDI will still work with Avolites visualizer". Is this accurate?
5. With ACDI still running, I ran Visualizer, clicked on "Design", then "Advanced" then "Serial Comm...". I then selected COM1 and 38400 baud. The screen responded with "Port opened successfully". With the comm screen still open, I clicked on "Run", then "RS232". As soon as I click on either "Clear" or "Stop" in the comm window, the screen responds with "Failed to open COM1 - error 5". If I attempt to switch the port to COM2 (which I know is unavailable), the message says "Failed to open COM2 - error 2". The error 5 message remains until I shut down Visualizer and re-run it. Results are the same whether ACDI is running or not and are the same whether the serial cable from the console is plugged in or not. It would probably follow then that I never see the expected pattern of "Z"'s in the serial comm window on the laptop or "31" on the console VGA screen when I attempt to send the "1" character.

Regarding Visualizer to Pearl 2004 v1 simulator communication:
1. I start by bringing up the simulator and setting it the same as the real console (user setting #15 set to "Visualizer". Is this necessary?
2. I bring up ACDI 1.5, set source to "simulator" the window directly below responds with "SIMULATOR". Still flashes red.
3. I bring up Visualizer, set to "Simulator" and patch in a Chauvet Intimidator Spot fixture, set DMX and handle to "1".
4. I patch in same fixture in Pearl simulator, same parameters.
5. ACDI still flashing red, but there appears to be some communication happening, albeit 1 DMX number off, i.e. the color wheel (offset 4) is operating the pan (offset 3) in the simulator.

So - is there any documentation on what the error codes mean? Are there more of them? Do I need a license (despite what it says) to make the visualizer work?

One last issue - the visualizer seems to be stuck in wire frame mode. Pressing "F3" doesn't appear to toggle wire-frame and rendered as the manual indicates. Speaking of which, is there a manual more up-to-date than 7.10? A quick guide more up-to-date than 7.13?

Any light any of you experienced folks could shed on any/all of this would be greatly appreciated.

Regarding the simulator you do not need to use ACDI when it is running on the same machine as Vis. Just set the Vis input to 'simulator' on the radio buttons. It is also not necessary to change the user settings.

As for connecting the console and the error codes I can't help. ACDI should certainly work ok with Vis without licence and you will see a green light on ACDI when connection is working (irrespective of Vis).

Unfortunately rendering has never been implemented. Only wireframe. Generally not much has changed with Vis since that version of the manual but IIRC there is a document in the application directory which contains the version changelog.