Animation sequence doesn't loop automatically

[mcnamara9]

After my show is over, I like to turn on the house lights from 10pm to midnight.  I made a 20 min. separate animation sequence with just the few channels I want on.  I made a separate show in the show editor with just this animation file under the animation tab.  I then added a new calendar item on the show scheduler to play from the end of the show to midnight.  

After the show is over, the 20min long animation file turns on like it is supposed to but when it finishes after 20min, the lights turns off 100%, rather than restart the animation over and over until the scheduler turns it off at midnight.  I feel like I"m missing a setting or something to make the animation file restart over and over through a scheduled period.  Has anyone run into this before and how can I fix this?

[k6ccc]

^{That's essentially what I do during the non-show season.  My overnight landscaping show runs all night.  Other than also having a few interactive groups in the Interactive tab and my overnight animation file is four minutes, I'm doing the same thing you are.  If you are running this on a computer, what does the LOR status display show?}

 

[Orville]

You might want to try the week option over the calendar option.  I use the week option and it's never failed me yet.  Calendar option seems to be a bit tricky in the way it does things, at least to me.   I've used both, and found the week option works better for me for doing my shows and overnight animations.  I run 4 animation files overnight and they run from 10pm-6:30am Sun-Thur / 11pm-6:30am Fri/Sat.   And my animation files loop through all the time.   Don't know if this makes a difference, but I have the animation files set to run sequentially in the Show Editor.

And are you sure you have the animation file in the Animation tab and NOT in the shutdown tab?   If in the shutdown, it's doing exactly what it should, it plays AFTER the last song in the show {after show end time reached or end of play of last song} and then will play ONCE through and end.

I'm sort of thinking this may be where you may have put your animation file, if it's in the animation tab, it should run looping during the start and end times you set up for it.

Edited December 11, 2018 by Orville

[Richard Hamilton]

Ditto Orville quote.  Sounds like I do the same thing as Orville and run 3 shows each night scheduled at different times and they loop perfectly until the scheduled time.  I also use the Week option and have it set the same way as Orville.

Edited December 11, 2018 by Richard Hamilton

[mcnamara9]

23 hours ago, k6ccc said:

^{If you are running this on a computer, what does the LOR status display show?}

 

Thanks k6ccc for responding.  I tried to attach a pic of the log, but the website says the file is too big.  Basically, it says:

Status: Enabled

Current Activity: Playing: Night.lss From 9:15pm to 12:00am

Next Activity: Wait for next show

Middle section of log shows Night sequence file, calls it an "animation" under section

And the log in the bottom window shows the starting animation time stamp and exactly 20min later the ending time stamp.  

At this point the lights are not on at all.

Hope that helps.

 

 

[mcnamara9]

Orville, I did confirm the animation file is in the animation tab of the show editor.

Orville/Richard, I did create the schedule in the weekly view, not the calendar view.  Now I don't have the same start times for my after-show animation because weekdays my musical sequence show doesn't end until 9pm and weekends at 10:30pm.  Does that make a difference that I have to essential make 2 schedules within the weekly view of the scheduler (one for weekdays and one for weekend days)?

 

[k6ccc]

The two schedules is the same for me.  Monday - Thursday the show runs until 10:00 and until 11:00 on the weekend.

The standard procedure to get around the small upload space on the forum is to upload the photo to a website and post the link.  For example the photo below is coming from my web server 

I am assuming that you animation is completely static.  Change the first time interval to be a slightly different value - for example 99% instead of 100%.  You will never see the difference, but it causes the player to send a lighting command to the controllers.  I have experienced that before.

Regards your description of the status window, my guess is that the bottom section scrolled off the bottom.  There likely was a scroll bar on the right edge of the window.

[Orville]

3 hours ago, mcnamara9 said:

Orville, I did confirm the animation file is in the animation tab of the show editor.

Orville/Richard, I did create the schedule in the weekly view, not the calendar view.  Now I don't have the same start times for my after-show animation because weekdays my musical sequence show doesn't end until 9pm and weekends at 10:30pm.  Does that make a difference that I have to essential make 2 schedules within the weekly view of the scheduler (one for weekdays and one for weekend days)?

 

I have several schedules in my show, #1. Off Hours Music during daylight hours 6:30am-5:20pm, which could be considered show #1, Show #2 is my actual show, run times are 5:30pm-9:55pm Sunday-Thursday/ 5:30pm-10:55pm Friday and Saturday, Show #3 is my animation show that runs from10:05pm-6:30am Sunday - Thursday and 11:05pm-6:30am Friday and Saturday.  All 3 shows are set in the Schedule Editor with their start and end times, each show has it's own filename: 

Show #1 Off Hours music is: "C:\LOR\Sequences\RGB Sequences ~ Starting 2018\Christmas\2018\Show Files\2018_Off Hours Christmas Music~English and Spanish.lss" This is the same start/end time every day 7 days a week, 6:30am-5:20pm {10 minute break before actual show starts up}

Show #2 {actual show is: "C:\LOR\Sequences\RGB Sequences ~ Starting 2018\Christmas\2018\Show Files\2018 Christmas Display~30 Songs.lss" This one is set for Sunday through Thursday 5:30pm-9:55pm and 5:30pm-10:55pm Friday/Saturday

Show #3: C:\LOR\Sequences\RGB Sequences ~ Starting 2018\Christmas\2018\Show Files\2018 December Overnight Lights (All).lss"  And this on is my overnight sequence {4 sequences used} Sunday-Thursday 10:05pm-6:30am and 11:05pm-6:30am  {10 minute break after actual show ends before this one starts up}

The only difference is their start/end times.    And they all cycle through {looping} until the end time comes and the next show starts up at its approximate time.  Sometime a show runs a little over, and then the next show starts.  Been doing it this way for years, never had any problems with files not looping as long as the start and end times are long enough for them to do so.

Here are some screen captures I took, then you can see how the shows are set in my Schedule Editor.

Hope these may help.

 

 

Edited December 11, 2018 by Orville

[Orville]

3 hours ago, mcnamara9 said:

Thanks k6ccc for responding.  I tried to attach a pic of the log, but the website says the file is too big.  Basically, it says:

Status: Enabled

Current Activity: Playing: Night.lss From 9:15pm to 12:00am

Next Activity: Wait for next show

Middle section of log shows Night sequence file, calls it an "animation" under section

And the log in the bottom window shows the starting animation time stamp and exactly 20min later the ending time stamp.  

At this point the lights are not on at all.

Hope that helps.

 

 

Just saw your log and have to ask, do you have any off time at or near the end of the sequence where all lights are off?  And is there any off times at the beginning of the sequence as well before the lights come on?  

The normal occurrence is at the end the lights will turn off when the sequence ends if you have "turn unused lights off at end", and as long as there are no gaps of off time at the beginning or end within the sequence, the lights should flicker a moment {turn off}, then turn right back on.  Mine do this between animation sequences and I have no off times at the beginning or end of my sequences, first block is on as well as the last block for the lights I want on. 

But when the sequence ends and before the next one starts I get a very brief off time, then the lights come back on in the next sequence, even if using one animation sequence this still happens.  I just ignore it since it's nothing but a brief flicker, and let it continue.  And I do have the "turn used lights off at end of each sequence" checked.

So may want to be sure you don't have an extended OFF times at the beginning or end of your animation sequences.  just another suggestion to look for.

[mcnamara9]

Orville, I'm sorry for the delayed response.  First off, THANK YOU for taking as much time as you did to provide those screenshots and advice.  

I tried 1) making sure there was a lower intensity in the first timing of the animation, 2) that there was a command all the way to the last timing of the animation, and 3) checking the "turn unused lights off at end".  I tried changing one each night to see if I could identify which step solved the problem. Unfortunately, doing all 3 steps did not solve the problem.  The musical show ends, the animation turns on and then after a few minutes, kicks itself off.

 

 

Edited December 19, 2018 by mcnamara9

[Orville]

23 minutes ago, mcnamara9 said:

Orville, I'm sorry for the delayed response.  First off, THANK YOU for taking as much time as you did to provide those screenshots and advice.  

I tried 1) making sure there was a lower intensity in the first timing of the animation, 2) that there was a command all the way to the last timing of the animation, and 3) checking the "turn unused lights off at end".  I tried changing one each night to see if I could identify which step solved the problem. Unfortunately, doing all 3 steps did not solve the problem.  The musical show ends, the animation turns on and then after a few minutes, kicks itself off.

 

 

That's really strange, as the animation file should loop {if in it's own show setting and start/end time to run AFTER the musical shows end time has been reached.}

#1. Do you have the animation file as a separate show with it's own show start and end time? 

If the 1st question is yes,  then it should be running and looping as scheduled.

If this answer is no, perhaps the animation file needs to be placed in a separate show and set to run at a start/end time after the musical shows end time is reached.

#2 Or is it part of your actual show and when the musical show ends, animation runs from THAT shows start/end time?  

If the 2nd question is yes, it's probably doing just as it is supposed too, and is ending at the end time set. 

But if 2nd question is no, and is as the 1st question asked{yes answer}, it should run as scheduled.

If you've already done any of the above, then there may be a possible bug in the software creating the issue, but I'm more geared to think this is an end user error somewhere along the settings for the music and animation sequences star/end time constraints.

 

Edited December 19, 2018 by Orville

[mcnamara9]

Orville, I do have a separate animation show file (it is not loaded within the animation tab of the light show) set up that I'm scheduling separate from the light show.  I'm sure it's user error some how and not the software, I just can't figure out what it is.

 

[Orville]

3 hours ago, mcnamara9 said:

Orville, I do have a separate animation show file (it is not loaded within the animation tab of the light show) set up that I'm scheduling separate from the light show.  I'm sure it's user error some how and not the software, I just can't figure out what it is.

 

Can you post a screen shot of your Schedule Editor {your show schedules for both}?   This may require multiple screen shots to get everything.

That may help to find out what the issue is and where.

[mcnamara9]

Orville, I shortened the file and put a 0.05 break every 7 min and that did the trick.  Just wanted to say thanks again and let you know how I figured it out.

Brian

 

[Orville]

Glad you figured it out Brian.  At least that's the main thing.  Getting it working.

Just noticed your last name, not related to the McNamara folks that used to own the largest new and used car dealership in Orlando, FL are you?

I think it was called McNamara Pontiac.

I went to school with a Nathan McNamara here in Orlando and I know he had at least one brother{if not more} that was in school at about the same time {Sr. High School 72-76 era}.  

Forgot what year they closed the dealership down, it was located on the corner of Highway 50 {E. Colonial Drive} and SR 441 {Orange Blossom Trail} in Orlando, FL.

Just thought I'd ask.  

Was just thinking how coincidental would that be if you had actually lived here previously and we actually knew each other in our younger school age days.

 

[mcnamara9]

Orville, my apologies, but I literally just noticed you had asked me a question and I failed to respond.  My apologies.  

No, I'm not related to any McNamara's in Florida (that I know of :-) ).  I grew up in Southern California and now live in the Phoenix, AZ area.  

Sorry again, and Merry Christmas.

Brian

[Orville]

1 hour ago, mcnamara9 said:

Orville, my apologies, but I literally just noticed you had asked me a question and I failed to respond.  My apologies.  

No, I'm not related to any McNamara's in Florida (that I know of 🙂 ).  I grew up in Southern California and now live in the Phoenix, AZ area.  

Sorry again, and Merry Christmas.

Brian

Not a big deal.  I was just curious if you may have been related to the folks that used to own one of the BIGGEST Pontiac dealerships in Orlando, FL.  But looks like you probably aren't.  Then, again, one never knows who they might be related too. LOL

My last name is spelled in so many different ways, that I found out I'm related to all sorts of folks I never knew were my cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. 😮

It truly amazed me just how many different ways my last name was changed by so many, and then finding out we are all related.

Edited December 26, 2019 by Orville