Vis Pan values reversed to reality?

[peter.rodda]

Hi,

I programmed a festival stage last night. Today I decided to setup the rig in the VIS so I can do some editing during the day...

But all the pan values seem to be reversed? When I apply my position pallets my fan in look (that works in reality) is a fan out look on the VIS, and the fan out is a fan in. Also, for instance, my Down Stage Centre position looks more like a fan out. So it seems like the pan values are reversed in the VIS?

I wouldnt want to reverse the pan on the fixtures in the patch, because then it would look incorrect in rreality... so how else can I fix this problem?

(note: the fixtures are robe fixtures, which actually home to the right, not straight. but they are rigged so that they home straight (cable to the left, screen to the right - as opposed to cable to the back, screen to the front))

[niclights]

You may be correct. It is something I have suspected for a while but is difficult to know for certain if it is true for all fixtures.

The solution is to invert the mapping in the vis extension file.

Using the extension for Robe ColorSpot 700E AT Mode1 as example:

Code: Select all

// Pan
ChanRef Pan
    Vismode Value
    UseBits 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
    DmxOffset 1 2
    Mapping 0 65535 -265.000000 265.000000
End

change to:

Code: Select all

// Pan
ChanRef Pan
    Vismode Value
    UseBits 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
    DmxOffset 1 2
    Mapping 0 65535 265.000000 -265.000000
End

But here's the catch. I had the same situation - festival, Robe fixtures, needed to pre-program. Already knowing the likelihood of them being wrong I decided to edit the extension file before I started work. But on site all my positions were still wrong! It's possible things had been inverted on the units themselves. I wasn't going to fly the trusses in to find out so I re-plotted. The point being the only way to be certain is to get time with the real thing. It is very important these are accurate.

I am, however, confused about your comment regarding locate. I would consider it normal for fixtures to be rigged with displays to stage right. In this orientation a located pan (50%) should result in the tilt moving up/downstage. This is certainly my experience with all Robe and Varilite fixtures. I would not normally rig fixtures with displays to the back/front unless I had to. Are you saying this was or was not happening?

[peter.rodda]

Thanks for the via file edit. I'll give it a try in the week.

On the locate thing, unless my memory fails me, martin fixtures home to the front when rigged with the screen to the front/back. I don't get to work with VLs much, so I'm not sure about them.

Previously I also programmed for an act at a festival with the vis, but then on site the crew had rigged the robe fixtures with screen to the front, so all the programming was out by 90 degrees. I'm not sure if the pans were correct or not because I just frantically redid the positions.

[peter.rodda]

Can I just edit the vis file and then reopen the theatre and it will be updated? Or will I have to recreate the theatre?

[niclights]

You can close and reopen theatre to update.

Solutions to these sort of problems are being discussed at the moment.