Easy Stand Alone 2008
Step 3 - Editor, creating scenes
Creating scenes can be carried out very easily. For each scene, the software allows you to determine any number of steps. Each of these steps has a fade time (slow transition between steps) and a wait time (time that any particular step will stay before starting the transition to the next), both of which can be defined. By creating several steps in sequence, you can build a dynamic scenes. It is also possible to define the number of loops (repetitions) for any specific scene, as well as the proceeding scene after this number of loops has been met.
Structure of a "show"
· A show can include up to 255 scenes.
· Each scene can include up to 1,000 steps.
· Each step is provided with fade time and wait time which can vary from 0 to 43 minutes (resolution: 0.04 seconds).
Since each show is saved as an individual file, the number of shows is unlimited. Save each "show" into a specific document (Myshow.dlm, Show23.dlm…)
Creating scenes
Each scene includes a number of steps which will fade into each other sequentially. Each step represents an "snapshot" for all the DMX channels, for which a fade time and wait time can be determined. For instance, if you wish your lights to:
· show a static color, only one step is necessary in the scene
· change between 6 colors, then 6 steps are necessary
· transition slowly between colors, then your fade time should NOT be zero
· keep a particular color constant, then your wait time should NOT be zero
Scenes
The list of scenes is located on the upper left-hand corner of your screen, inside the Editor area.
The icons above the list, from left to right, allow you to:
· create a new scene
· copy a scene
· delete a scene
· rename a scene
· assign triggers
· change scene order within the list
· import Easy Step scenes from the 2006 software
· play the selected scene
Loop
Each scene can be defined to repeat (loop) a certain number of times. The default value is "Always Loop", which can be changed by double clicking on it and then selecting the desired number from a pull-down menu.
Next
If a scene is set to loop only a certain number of times, it is possible to assign a different scene to follow, once the loop count is over (this allows you to create elaborate shows without wasting memory space). This "Next" scene can be defined by double clicking on the empty space to the right of the loop count for each scene AFTER the loop count is defined.
Fade
The "Fade" checkbox for each scene determines whether the selected scene will have a "fade in" time once it is activated, or not. For example, a "blackout" scene can be selected, but the effects of instantaneously shutting off all lights, and that of slowly turning them off, are very different. By selecting the "Fade" checkbox for any particular scene, the fade time for Step 1 will be taken into account before the scene starts.
Trigger
There are several ways to trigger your scenes:
- through computer keyboard shortcuts (in the User screen)
- through the I/O ports (simple dry contact closures, easiest way to integrate with home automation systems)
- using the interface's internal clock and calendar
All of these can be defined from the "Trigger" window, accessible by double clicking on the "Trigger" area for each scene.
I want to trigger my scene at 12:00am on January 1st:
- enable the Time option
- select "Appointed time" and 00H00 in the "Time" box
- select "One day" from the "Date" area
- From: select “1” for Month and “1” for day
It is important to understand that the only way to stop a scene is to start a new one.
I want to trigger my scene every 30 min from 9:00am to 5:00pm, from Monday to Friday:
- enable the Time option
- select “Repeating time slot” from the “Time” area
- select 9h00 for “From”
- select 17h00 for “to”
- select 0h30 for “Repetition”
- select “Settings” from the “Date” area
- From: select “All” for Month and “Monday” for day
- to: select “All” for Month and “Friday” for day
Steps
A list of the corresponding steps for each scene can be found on the right-hand side of your screen. The steps displayed will be those of the scene currently selected.
The icons above the list all have specific functions. From left to right:
- create new step
- copy current step
- paste on new step
- delete step
- set DMX levels for any selection of channels in the selected step
- record DMX input (only available if interface has DMX IN connector)
Each step has 2 sets of numbers associated to it: fade and wait times. Fade is the time it takes to slowly transition between 2 steps. Wait is the time a particular step is held in place, after the fade time is over. To modify either time, double-click on the corresponding numbers (00,00,00 correspond each to minutes, seconds, hundreths of a second) which will display 3 pairs of arrows to increase/decrease each time.
If you wish to modify the DMX values of several steps at the same time, or delete a selecting of steps, hold down CTRL and select the steps you want to modify or delete. To select a range of steps, select the first step in the range, hold shift and select the last step in the range.
Channel Faders
The vertical faders at the bottom of your screen correspond to the DMX level for each channel. There are several ways to modify these levels:
· drag a channel-fader with your mouse
· if the channel has been assigned a keyboard shortcut from the Setup screen, hold this key and move the mouse
· if the channel has presets (e.g. : gobos, colors...), right-click on the channel name and make a selection from the pull-down menu
· you can set several channels simultaneously using the "Set levels" button above the Steps list
· if the fader is a color mix channel (RGB or CMY), right-click on the color box to open the Color Manager window (explained in the Advanced features chapter of this manual).
If you want to set the DMX levels of several channels simultaneously using your mouse, you can:
- Hold the CTRL key on your keybard while selecting the faders you want to use. As long as you hold the CTRL key, as you move the last fader all previously selected faders will move as well.
- Select a channel, press and hold the SHIFT key and then select a second channel. This will select all the channels in between
- If you have several identical lighting fixtures and you want to control the same channel for all fixtures, you can select the corresponding fader for the first fixture, then press and hold the SHIFT key, then move THE SAME fader already selected. As you do this, you will see all channels with the same function move together.
Note: By using 2 monitors in "extended desktop" mode. You can stretch the application across both monitors allowing you to see more faders in SETUP mode and more buttons in USER mode.