Hello, I’m hoping to get some clarification on fixture attribute Data Fields in WYSIWYG. First I am wondering in what data field I need to enter the console control channel number (handle) for a fixture in order to build a report to use to softpatch the console control channels on an ETC Eos to the appropriate DMX addresses. It seems this would be the Channel field. However, I just tried using Quick Tools to do this with an LED fixture (ETC D60 Vivid) that requires 15 DMX channels and when I use the Quick Tool it increments the Channel number between fixtures in increments of 15 (e.g. 1[SUP]st[/SUP] fixture channel # 301, 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] fixture channel # automatically increments to 316). On the Eos only one control channel is necessary to control these 15 DMX addresses as a fixture. I would prefer that the channel numbers for the fixtures to increment by 1 (e.g. 1[SUP]st[/SUP] fixture channel # 301, 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] fixture channel # 302). I am able to alter these Channel fields after the fact on the Data tab’s spreadsheet to increments of 1. However, I don’t want to mess up any channel numbering relationship that WYSIWYG uses to do its pre-visualization. I read the note in the R33 Reference Guide (pg. 374) below the description of the Channel Data field that mentions that to use the AutoFocus function (which I read is not supported on Eos) in WYSIWYG that the Channel number and the starting DMX address number must be the same. Am I going to cause an error by manually incrementing these fixtures by 1? I am also wondering if Spot is only used for the AutoFocus function. And last, I am wondering if it is possible for an end user to add additional Notes fields columns. For instance, it would be helpful to be able to make general notes about specific fixtures in one column while in a separate column making notes on fixture ownership and then being able to sort by them. I can do this by copying and pasting the information into MS Excel but it would be handy to be able to do this all within WYSIWYG. Thanks for any help you can give me. Steve
In most cases, Channel numbers are only used for Reports, in order to indicate the soft patch on *conventional* consoles (such as ETC Insight, Strand Mantrix, etc.) that can be soft-patched (i.e. "channel 1 on the console (or, in many cases ‘the first physical slider’) controls DMX channels 1, 2 and 3â€). DMX control channels are set in the fixture’s Patch attribute, so this is the field you must use for this purpose, not the Channel attribute. When using QuickTools, the Channel number does indeed increment by the number of DMX channels that the fixture requires, but this is a bug. I have already added it to our database and I am hoping it will be fixed soon. In the meantime, please do not use QuickTools to assign Channel numbers; to assign Channel numbers quickly (i.e. without having to enter them individually) you may use Data mode’s ALT+DOWN ARROW shortcut, as described in the To input sequential numerical data section of the WYSIWYG Reference Guide (page 376). There are indeed cases where AutoFocus-capable moving light consoles require Channel numbers to be assigned in order for fixture control information to be sent to the console correctly, but this is only required for “multi-part fixtures†such as conventionals with scrollers, Vari*Lite VL5s, etc. It is correct that the EOS console does not support AutoFocus; the only consoles that do are MA Lighting's grandMA & grandMA 2, Chamsys's MagicQ, High End Systems's Wholehog 3 & 4 (all versions) and Compulite's Vector (all versions). (Please understand that any and all console manufacturers who are part of our Registered WYSIWYG Developer Program—and ETC is part of this Program—have the capability to build AutoFocus into their connectivity driver, but some (most) choose not to, for reasons of their own, which CAST Software has no control over. In terms of functionality, yes: when AutoFocus is used, the Spot number must match the “fixture IDâ€, “fixture numberâ€, etc. on the console, else fixture selection and control information could not possibly be passed from WYSIWYG to the console. This is not to say that you can’t (or shouldn’t) assign Spot numbers for paperwork purposes (but please remember what I wrote in my previous sentence if you ever need to previsualize your show while connected to an AutoFocus-capable console). Three additional Notes fields are provided for each fixture, but they are not enabled (in Data mode) by default. To enable them, simply right-click in a spreadsheet to access the its View Options, switch to the Data View Options tab in the window that appears, scroll to the bottom of the Columns list, check the additional Notes fields that you wish to enable and click OK. (In case you are wondering, there is currently no way to rename these fields.) Cheers, Dany
