Custom Prop

[gsmith37064]

I used the create a new prop using a built-in shape inside the Preview Design.

I select RGB and Custom for the shape.

How can you add another universe to it? I only see the 1 universe that it allows.

Universe 41 is 96 pixels

Universe 42 is 96 pixels

Universe 43 is 16 pixels

Is there a way to do this with the custom shape? I also tried the advanced shape but it did not allow me to add more than 1 universe as well.

[k6ccc]

Custom shapes take some explaining.  Each row in the channel layout is derived from the pixel number in the Advanced Buffer Layout.  Here is a screen capture of part of my eves which is currently done as a custom layout.  I have expanded a few of the columns in the layout so you can see all of the number.  Starting in the Advanced Buffer Layout, line 4, box A is pixel 1.  Moving right to box 4R is pixel 18.  Those are row 1 of the channel assignments.  Any pixel number between 1 & 999 will be in channel row 1.  Now moving up to Advanced Buffer Layout row 3, you see pixels 1001 - 1018.  Those are row 2 of the channel assignments.  Any pixel number between 1001 & 1999 will be in channel row 2.  My eves have 12 segments as far as this is concerned (ignore row 13 for the moment).  If you expand the boxes so all the numbers are visible, you would see pixel numbers in each thousand group up thorough 11,xxx (the 12th row in the channel assignments).

For the purposes of this demo, I added pixel 12001 in box 1Q.  As soon as I hit save, a 13th row was added to the channel assignments box.  I did not enter a valid (non duplicated) channel in the channel assignments box since that of course will be deleted.

And this is what it looks like in the Preview:

Make sense?

 

[gsmith37064]

@k6ccc

I can see in your pictures that you can have more that 1 universe in a custom prop. I am excited to see this.

Unfortunately I am trying to understand your logic but I still can't figure out how to start the 2nd universe.

[gsmith37064]

Are you saying rows 1 to 4 are the universe rows? I have 25 rows in use on my custom prop but only 1 universe is listed. How does the other universe come into play? I would have thought it would have known when the pixel count started at 1 again.

Edited January 26, 2020 by gsmith37064

[gsmith37064]

@k6ccc

Thanks for the quick session Jim. Just built my spinner as a custom 1 prop and it works perfectly. The motion effect applies evenly now and looks really neat.

That is 1 more thing off my list. I may have hair left on my head after all.

[Joe T]

I want to thank both of you for this post. I was struggling with the same issue of adding additional universes to my custom prop and this gave me the answer! I created a custom prop in the form of a cross with 455 pixels. Once I chose custom prop in the shape area, I configured the grid to 39X57 and started numbering the pixels starting with 1. Once I got to 113 (the end of the first string) I restarted the numbering with 1001 as you mention here. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[nunofernandes]

On 7/26/2020 at 4:46 PM, Joe T said:

I want to thank both of you for this post. I was struggling with the same issue of adding additional universes to my custom prop and this gave me the answer! I created a custom prop in the form of a cross with 455 pixels. Once I chose custom prop in the shape area, I configured the grid to 39X57 and started numbering the pixels starting with 1. Once I got to 113 (the end of the first string) I restarted the numbering with 1001 as you mention here. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I too was creating a custom prop and as I was numbering on of the strings it kept numbering it in order. Once the prop was complete, I went to go look at the layout,, and the layout had automatically created the second universe for that prop.

In the modify prop window it only lists one universe and has 40 channels of "carryover".

Do I have to go back in and redo the numbering after the 170th pixel to 1001 and continue from there?

 

[nunofernandes]

On 1/26/2020 at 3:05 PM, k6ccc said:

Custom shapes take some explaining.  Each row in the channel layout is derived from the pixel number in the Advanced Buffer Layout.  Here is a screen capture of part of my eves which is currently done as a custom layout.  I have expanded a few of the columns in the layout so you can see all of the number.  Starting in the Advanced Buffer Layout, line 4, box A is pixel 1.  Moving right to box 4R is pixel 18.  Those are row 1 of the channel assignments.  Any pixel number between 1 & 999 will be in channel row 1.  Now moving up to Advanced Buffer Layout row 3, you see pixels 1001 - 1018.  Those are row 2 of the channel assignments.  Any pixel number between 1001 & 1999 will be in channel row 2.  My eves have 12 segments as far as this is concerned (ignore row 13 for the moment).  If you expand the boxes so all the numbers are visible, you would see pixel numbers in each thousand group up thorough 11,xxx (the 12th row in the channel assignments).

For the purposes of this demo, I added pixel 12001 in box 1Q.  As soon as I hit save, a 13th row was added to the channel assignments box.  I did not enter a valid (non duplicated) channel in the channel assignments box since that of course will be deleted.

And this is what it looks like in the Preview:

Make sense?

 

i am confused as to why row 13 in your example was created. I am making a custom prop and used all 510 channels on Universe 50 (capture M photo) and needed to start universe 51 on that prop to complete it. no problem, i used the numbering system and it created U51. then I went onto the next prop (CaptureE photo)and started numbering at 1035 (1034 was the last number on the first prop) it then listed U51 and continued... so far everything is going well. when i come back to the prop definition it doesn't seem to finish out the rest of U51. this second prop should be the remaining of U51, without spilling over to U52.

any advise? I could leave each letter (prop) on its own universe, but I shouldn't have to right?

[k6ccc]

14 minutes ago, nunofernandes said:

i am confused as to why row 13 in your example was created.

As soon as I saved the layout part with a pixel 12001, it automatically created a row in the channel assignments for the 13th entry.  It was strictly a demonstration on my previous explanation.

It's been a while since I laid out a custom prop, so I fired up the Preview Editor so I could make sure I had this right.

32 minutes ago, nunofernandes said:

I am making a custom prop and used all 510 channels on Universe 50 (capture M photo) and needed to start universe 51 on that prop to complete it.

Actually you didn't completely use Universe 50 - you only used 150 pixels (pixels 1-150 on the layout).  Then you continued the M with pixel numbers 1001-1034 which created line 2 of the channel assignments.

You appear to be creating each character as a separate prop (which is fine), but you are attempting to treat the pixel numbers as if it was the same prop.  Your E apparently does not have any pixel assignments between pixels 1 - 999, hence the reason that the channel assignments row shows zero channels assigned.  The pixel number and therefore channel assignments rows for separate props are unrelated numbering plans.  In other words, if you create a separate prop for each letter, each one would normally start with pixel 1 - and therefore the first row of the channel assignments listing - for that prop.  In the channel assignments, you would then enter the actual universe and start channel for the beginning of that prop.  If you look at my example above, you can see that my channel assignments appears to jump all over the place.  It actually makes sense because of the way it is wired.

 

[nunofernandes]

45 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

 

You appear to be creating each character as a separate prop (which is fine), but you are attempting to treat the pixel numbers as if it was the same prop.  

 

would you go about making this entire prop differently?

the end goal is to get all 14 letters outlined with pixels.

[k6ccc]

Does not matter.  You could do it all as one prop, or each letter as a prop and then put all the letter props into one group (or maybe more than one with different arrangements).  That's all personal preference.  The channel assignments don't really care if there are other props on the same universe as long as individual channels don't duplicate.

 

[dibblejr]

I pixel pack all of mine.

Some day it is confusing but if you take the time to label each channel it is much easier and allows me to add multiple singing faces per port.

JR

[k6ccc]

I also largely pixel pack.  Labeling and documentation helps - A LOT!

 

[nunofernandes]

If the pixcon16 can run 2 strings per port of 170 pixels each, then I wouldnt need to pixel pack, due to where this prop is being located. But I can't figure out how to make it so that more than 170 nodes are attached to one universe.

 

[k6ccc]

48 minutes ago, nunofernandes said:

If the pixcon16 can run 2 strings per port of 170 pixels each, then I wouldnt need to pixel pack, due to where this prop is being located. But I can't figure out how to make it so that more than 170 nodes are attached to one universe.

 

The DMX format only allows 512 channels (170 pixels + 2 extra channels) per universe, so no, you can't assign pixel 195 to a universe.  However as I recall, you can assign pixels in more than one universe to a single port on a Pixcon 16.  I don't have any of those controllers so I can't tell you what you need to do in order to do that.  Quick look at the manual looks like it's on the Advanced Port config page.

 

[dibblejr]

2 hours ago, nunofernandes said:

If the pixcon16 can run 2 strings per port of 170 pixels each, then I wouldnt need to pixel pack, due to where this prop is being located. But I can't figure out how to make it so that more than 170 nodes are attached to one universe.

 

"pixel packing" has nothing to do with the location of the prop. It has everything to do with how many parts of the prop or how many props you can fit on a port.

Just wanted to ensure what the term meant.

JR

[dibblejr]

1 hour ago, k6ccc said:

The DMX format only allows 512 channels (170 pixels + 2 extra channels) per universe, so no, you can't assign pixel 195 to a universe.  However as I recall, you can assign pixels in more than one universe to a single port on a Pixcon 16.  I don't have any of those controllers so I can't tell you what you need to do in order to do that.  Quick look at the manual looks like it's on the Advanced Port config page.

 

You can also assign a pixel (s) to multiple props using ME? You cannot add channel rows but can still use ME rows to sequence. 

JR