channel imports and exporting

[jmraider]

I am using 2.9.4.....I am going form 48 to 64 channels in my sequences.  I have set up a new 64 channel configuration in one sequence.  I then exported it to a file folder, when I import that new channel configuration  to another sequence, the channels import, however the new 16 channels (part of export channels) it fills certain rows in the new 16 channels and clears some rows in my CCR, which are the bottom rows of my sequence.  What am I doing wrong?  Why is it filling in certain rows in my new channels and changing some of my CCR rows? 

 

Thanks

[Rhyph]

The import/export channel thing (tool?) isn't too brilliant with the way it works.  You're not doing anything wrong, just maybe not going about it in a manner that it likes.  

 

Lets say I originally had a 16 ch controller followed by a CCR.   I then added another 16 ch controller and a second CCR.  The order I originally had in my sequencer was the 16 channels, followed by the 50 RGB+7CCR specific macro channels.   I would have the CCR itself as it's own collapsible channel group named CCR1 (this is important and helpful imo).   Then I insert my second 16 channels after the first, giving a total of 32 regular LOR channels, and I want CCR1 followed by what will now be CCR2.   This is all great and dandy, but once you save this and try to export/import it does what you are seeing.

 

You'll want to take the set of channels you wanted to "insert" which is now causing that overlap, make them a group, put anything you've added (in their own channel groups) at the end of all of your original channels and save/export, then when you import the new channels will come in fine, but at the end.  The trick is the grouping now, because all you'll have to do to refurbish your older sequences on import is then move the channel groups to their correct location by dragging them around in the channel column, and then if you wish, de-group them.

 

I typically will do this assembly line fashion.  I'll take a "master" empty sequence, make all those changes with the new stuff at the end and export.  Then go through and open all my seuqnces, import the new config, drag things around and de-group.  Then re-save everything.   Once I got into the swing of it, took me about 30 mins to refurb 17 sequences, adding about 500 channels (in 8 different groups), dragging them around and re-saving.  For me though on this particular addition, I left my stuff grouped as it was all sets/strings of dmx RGB pixels going into the show.

 

Maybe there is a better, faster way, but this is my self-taught method for dealing with it, and it seemed efficient in my mind.      Hope that all makes sense and helps.

[Rhyph]

Unprofessional, overbearing forum moderation rules don't allow editing of a post, apologies for the typo here and there.   

[ItsMeBobO]

Using tracks will help you avoid this.   I was trying to find a LOR video on this topic but was unable.   

 

A track is a logical grouping of channels.   The first track is the 'master track' with others containing copies of other channels so they are subordinate to the master.

 

All effects are assigned to a channel.    But a channel can be seen more than once in your sequence.   What I like to do is duplicate every channel of a new prop to at least one more track and rearrange it.  This gives me the ability to chase the channels in multiple directions.  

 

The point here is to add new channels to your master track at the bottom of the master track only.  Do not rearrange for logical viewing there.   Instead copy the new channels to existing or new tracks.  In that track now you can rearrange how you want to think of them and group them into props.    For sequencing you would typically then use only the non-master track.  Close the master most of the time. 

 

Using this method you can export and import without concern of your effects being assigned to the wrong channel.   The import assigns channels in sequential order as exported from track one.    

[Rhyph]

Using tracks will help you avoid this.   I was trying to find a LOR video on this topic but was unable.   

 

A track is a logical grouping of channels.   The first track is the 'master track' with others containing copies of other channels so they are subordinate to the master.

 

All effects are assigned to a channel.    But a channel can be seen more than once in your sequence.   What I like to do is duplicate every channel of a new prop to at least one more track and rearrange it.  This gives me the ability to chase the channels in multiple directions.  

 

The point here is to add new channels to your master track at the bottom of the master track only.  Do not rearrange for logical viewing there.   Instead copy the new channels to existing or new tracks.  In that track now you can rearrange how you want to think of them and group them into props.    For sequencing you would typically then use only the non-master track.  Close the master most of the time. 

 

Using this method you can export and import without concern of your effects being assigned to the wrong channel.   The import assigns channels in sequential order as exported from track one.    

 

This totally makes sense.  I've never thought of using tracks in this manner.  I do make use of them, but I guess in my mind it didn't logically occur to me to use it for this either.   Learn something new every day, thanks!   

[sax]

The way I have done this is create my master channel layout and use that for all my new sequences. When I get new controllers I make a new channel template.

To import my old sequences into my new channel template I have to create this new template that puts all the new channels at the bottom of the old template. So for example I have chan 1 and chan 2 ...chan 32 master template. I purchase a CCR and want it listed first in my master channel template. I make the new master with CCR and chan 1 ....chan 32. I then create another template and name it something like add CCR template and have it laid out chan 1, chan 2...chan 32, CCR. I then open an old sequence, import the add CCR template and then drag CCR to the top and save the file.

I admit it can become more daunting if you add more channels. But if you add the new channels to the bottom it imports without overwriting anything and dragging the channel to its new location isn't too bad.

Good-luck,

Sax