Channel Configurations. LOR PLEASE RESPOND!

[mark obermiller]

The following was copied from a post by Tim Fisher.  I like Tim and many others are tired of spending MANY MANY hours updating channel configurations!

 

1) I've literally been asking for this since LOR 1.0. But it's even more important today:

"We need a better way to handle changes in channel configuration".

Back when I had <200 channels, it was a PITA to have to go through 10 or 20 sequence just because I decided it would be more convenient to plug something into one controller instead of another. Now that I have about 4800 channels, it's not just inconvenient, it pushes me to the verge of suicide! Loading such a file, even on my pretty modern 8-core intel i7, takes most of a minute. Then loading the correct channel config takes 2-4 minutes. Then saving the file takes another couple of minutes. Take that times 20 sequences, you do the math. Take it times 40-50 sequences like some folks here have... Uhm, n o.

What we need, at a minimum, is a version of "import channel config" that allows you to select multiple files and let them crank away while I'm off setting up or going to the crapper or something. Even better would be to have the channel configs be dynamic - that the sequence would not contain this info, but instead look it up in the channel config file - so that if we changed that file, all the other sequences would "just work".

 

Hello LOR, do you read these forums?  This request was made last year and I could not find one response from anyone in authority from LOR.  This problem is a real issue when running 40 plus sequences with 1000's of channels.

 

LOR please help and give us a solution to this serious problem.
 

[john fulkerson]

I found that if I make my light outline in the visualizer I can use many sequences in super star and lor and the channels stay the same I just tell it where to put that particular sequence line

[mark obermiller]

What if you have to make a change on a controller?  You must change your channel configuration on all of your sequences some how?

[htebault]

I only have 48 channels (and CCR's - ) and it is not easy .

 

It occurs to me that perhaps a stand alone utility to read one configuration - then a second(new config) and then allow you to grab blocks from one and update/link them to the second (new config). Then when you verify the new configuration - the utility would re-write the old configuation with the new info - maybe defaulting to adding NEW as part of the name.

 

The Utility could have default options to move whole controllers assignments with a single command.

[George Simmons]

What if you have to make a change on a controller?  You must change your channel configuration on all of your sequences some how?

 

If all your sequences have the channels in the EXACT same order, all you have to do is make your changes in one sequence, export/save that configuration, and then import it into the other sequences.

[mark obermiller]

If all your sequences have the channels in the EXACT same order, all you have to do is make your changes in one sequence, export/save that configuration, and then import it into the other sequences.

 

That's exactly what I do.  The problem is the time spent doing it.  I have a huge display.  I have to change the channel configuration many times to overcome various issues.  I want my channels the same on each sequence.  If you don't then your asking for problems

[khawes]

It would be great if the sequence file referenced a channel definition file (i.e. the export/save configuration that George mentioned).  Channels in the sequence would reference channel numbers in the definition file, much like the channels have a logical number in the sequence files today.   It's not easy to handle all the edge cases but this is software and with some thought it can be done.

 

• channel numbers would not get re-used if deleted
• deleted channels would be highlighted in the sequence, but left in place to allow the selection of another channel in it's place.
• channel's could be migrated -- deleted channels in a sequence moved to the new channel.
• a tool to apply channel migration to all dependent sequences. 
• adding new channels would not affect existing sequences until they were opened, at which time the new channels would become available for use. 
• the compressed sequence file would re-combine the channel definition so the compressed sequence remains as it does today.
• a tool to recreate the compressed dependent sequences when the definition changes. 

I wish I had the time to build a tool like this.  Anyone have java code that will read/write a sequence & a compressed sequence?

[plasmadrive]

I am on board with the Channel Config being a pain..

 

Is there a way to merge several config files?  I am playing with pixels this year.. about 7k of them and I find that trying to do all of it at once in LOR is not fun.  I have been making config files separately but something tells me I am not going to be happy when I want to merge them...    I haven't found a way... does one exist?

[ItsMeBobO]

Vegomatic can generate new configs and merge with an existing config.   However it can not merge two stand alone config files. 

[plasmadrive]

Vegomatic can generate new configs and merge with an existing config.   However it can not merge two stand alone config files. 

not sure I understand..  If I have two config files, it can't merge them, but it can generate its own and merge with an existing?  somehow that sounds like it might help but not sure how..

[taybrynn]

The Channel Config need better mass change capabilities, is the main thing.  It would be amazing if we could do global replaces on ranges of things, etc.

 

I've always maintained a dummy sequence that basically I exported as my config for the year ... then import into all sequences.  Yes, a total pain ... esp. if you

get it wrong, fix it, then have to change all your sequences again and again ... ouch, so slow !!

 

The last couple years I took the xml file and write a shell script (unix / linux) and did massive changes in my script, including the generation of new names for everything.

Anyways, it was kind of a hack job but it got my going without having to do it manually through LOR interface.  I'm not sure I could do it again and now the compression

throws a wrench into everything.

 

I'm just hoping for a more efficient file format (faster loading, faster saving, smaller sequences) ... and some mass change capabilities.  Its like there really is the metadata

in LOR already to do this ... but just no handy tools for making its really easy on 1000's of channels or big channel ranges in the software.   It seems like a config file wizard

which kind of aims to take you from say 2012 to 2013 ... would be rather handy ... and could contain the global changing tools necessary to get that config file up to date

without becoming a week long project.

 

I hope!

[HiTechLights]

I would recommend you look at "automating" the Import Channel Config procedure using a program called WinBatch (check out www.winbatch.com) for more info.   You could pretty easily make a script to Open SE, Open Seq, Select appropriate Track, Select Import Channel Config, Choose Channel Config File, Import Channel Config, Save Seq, Close Seq, Open (another) Seq, etc.    You could even have it loop through and open all of your Sequence files by doing a directory query for your sequences.  That way, if you add or delete sequence files --- the script would still run automatically.   I would say 30-45 minutes worth of scripting would do the trick.

 

---Michael

[larryk5]

not sure I understand..  If I have two config files, it can't merge them, but it can generate its own and merge with an existing?  somehow that sounds like it might help but not sure how..

That's how it works! You create the one in Vegomatic, and it will allow you to add it to an exsisting LOR channel config file. I just added 12 universe's to my existing LOR file in about 5 minutes. Works like a charm!

[dougd]

I would recommend you look at "automating" the Import Channel Config procedure using a program called WinBatch (check out www.winbatch.com) for more info.   You could pretty easily make a script to Open SE, Open Seq, Select appropriate Track, Select Import Channel Config, Choose Channel Config File, Import Channel Config, Save Seq, Close Seq, Open (another) Seq, etc.    You could even have it loop through and open all of your Sequence files by doing a directory query for your sequences.  That way, if you add or delete sequence files --- the script would still run automatically.   I would say 30-45 minutes worth of scripting would do the trick.

 

---Michael

 

I will have to remember this trick, I will defiantly try something like this come November.

 

Thanks 

[plasmadrive]

That's how it works! You create the one in Vegomatic, and it will allow you to add it to an exsisting LOR channel config file. I just added 12 universe's to my existing LOR file in about 5 minutes. Works like a charm!

I will give that a try.  I am getting closer to getting started on the pixel additions.

 

Thanks

[taybrynn]

Is winbatch free or paid ?  Sounds like a good workaround to the currently painful process --- which my main issue is the time I waste doing it, not that its all that difficult.

[plasmadrive]

Hey BobO  I just downloaded and opened the latest Vegomatic and for some reason the tool bars are cramped. I can't move or resize it . 

 

Also, I am looking to do that merg of two chan configs but can't find the way to do it.  Can y ou help?

 

 

[dougd]

Can anyone write a script for that winbatch program. If it could open all the files in directory and import in a new channel config and then save the sequence. Let it run all night long and in the morning new channel config in all the sequences, that would be awesome. Anyone up to the task? I would if i had clue how to do it.

[ItsMeBobO]

Can anyone write a script for that winbatch program. If it could open all the files in directory and import in a new channel config and then save the sequence. Let it run all night long and in the morning new channel config in all the sequences, that would be awesome. Anyone up to the task? I would if i had clue how to do it.

This costs $99  bucks for each person using it!    Or $500 for a distribution exe        I will look at it for you Doug

[HiTechLights]

Can anyone write a script for that winbatch program. If it could open all the files in directory and import in a new channel config and then save the sequence. Let it run all night long and in the morning new channel config in all the sequences, that would be awesome. Anyone up to the task? I would if i had clue how to do it.

Doug - We have a utility like this in-house now. Please contact me at info@hitechlights.com for further details. Thanks!!

---Michael