Caffeine's SuperStar Utilities

[caffeine]

OK.. so I'm starting this thread to post various SuperStar utilities i'm developing.

 

There is only one at the moment, but there are lots coming.  Mostly more fun ones to aid in sequence creation as automation/add-on tools for SuperStar for creating effects or adjusting sequences ironically similar to what SuperStar does for LOR Sequence Editor.

 

First one, only because I had a specific need, is a utility to alter the number of strings in a mega-tree/vertical matrix.

I had a sequence for my 14 string tree that a number of more normal 12 string users wanted to use.  Just changing the number of strings is a bad idea, as it throws off the centre, drops information and basically means a LOT of work.

 

This aims to automate the expansion/contraction of strings in a smarter way.  This is NOT as simple as it sounds.

 

Details of the methodology are in this link.

 

In summary it will change the number of strings, but also re-center, expand and contract morphs, scenes, radius for smooth effects etc. where required.

 

It looks like this:

 

 

Simply select the desired number of output strings, hit the select button and locate the input file and press 'convert'.

 

When done it will save a converted file in the same folder, as well as a log file.  The log file will detail all the changes, and enable filtering for 'check' and 'warning' levels for items to specifically watch out for.  For everything it will log the layer, name, type, time etc. as well as a description of the change or potential issue for checking.

 

The log is a CSV file, and it looks like this when opened in Excel:

 

 

As I post that I notice that I have stuffed up the headings.  Second last column is the layer, last column is the description.  I will fix that in a later release.

 

I've given it a go converting my 5 1/2 minute mash-up sequence from 14 to both 12 and 16 strings and it did a relatively decent job of it.

 

Sample links below:

Original Sequence

12 String conversion

16 String conversion

12 String conversion log

 

A couple of notes:

 

1. This is NOT official Light-O-Rama software!!!!!

2. This was finished at 3:30am.  I haven't got it to crash yet, but I'm quite certain it can and will.  If it does just let me know and I'll look at it.  Details would be helpful...

3. This is not malicious software, but it is free software.  As such use it if you want and would find it helpful but I'm not going to try and prove it to you.  Up to you....

 

Finally the link for the software itself (it's just a single .exe)

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/79785888/SuperStarChannelReducer.exe

[dougd]

This is going to very useful. It did a 12 strip tree this past year, I was hoping to do a 16 strip tree this next year. I was dreading doing the work in super star. This will make it so much easier. Thanks so much for doing this. I will give some feedback after I give it a try. This is going to be an awesome year for sequencing.

[dougd]

I get this error after loading a sequence, choosing 16 strings and hit convert. I do get a continue button but nothing happens. This is on a windows 8 machine. I will try another computer also.

 

See the end of this message for details on invoking 

just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

 

************** Exception Text **************

System.FormatException: Input string was not in a correct format.

   at System.Number.StringToNumber(String str, NumberStyles options, NumberBuffer& number, NumberFormatInfo info, Boolean parseDecimal)

   at System.Number.ParseInt32(String s, NumberStyles style, NumberFormatInfo info)

   at System.Int32.Parse(String s)

   at WindowsApplication1.Form1.Button1_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)

   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)

   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e)

   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)

   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)

   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)

   at System.Windows.Forms.ButtonBase.WndProc(Message& m)

   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.WndProc(Message& m)

   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)

   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)

   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

 

 

************** Loaded Assemblies **************

mscorlib

    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

    Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.18051 built by: FX45RTMGDR

    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v4.0.30319/mscorlib.dll

----------------------------------------

SuperStarChannelReducer

    Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0

    Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0

    CodeBase: file:///C:/Users/Douglas/Downloads/SuperStarChannelReducer.exe

----------------------------------------

Microsoft.VisualBasic

    Assembly Version: 10.0.0.0

    Win32 Version: 11.0.50709.17929 built by: FX45RTMREL

    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualBasic/v4.0_10.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll

----------------------------------------

System

    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

    Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.18045 built by: FX45RTMGDR

    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Core

    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

    Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.17929 built by: FX45RTMREL

    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Core/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Core.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Windows.Forms

    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

    Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.18046 built by: FX45RTMGDR

    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Drawing

    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

    Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.18022 built by: FX45RTMGDR

    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Runtime.Remoting

    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

    Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.17929 built by: FX45RTMREL

    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Runtime.Remoting/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Runtime.Remoting.dll

----------------------------------------

 

************** JIT Debugging **************

To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this

application or computer (machine.config) must have the

jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.

The application must also be compiled with debugging

enabled.

 

For example:

 

<configuration>

    <system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />

</configuration>

 

When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception

will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer

rather than be handled by this dialog box.

[caffeine]

It will be interesting to see how that goes dougd.

It will do a 4 string jump happily enough but obviously the bigger the jump the more glitches there are, and the less useful it gets as you will want to make use of the extra canvas size. Should get you most of the way there though.

It was full screen or horizontal scenes, l-r or r-l morphs and full tree smooth effects where it was really helpful when enlarging.

[caffeine]

Gah. Any chance you could email the sup file Doug and I'll have a look?

I'll pm you my email.

[dougd]

Email sent.

[caffeine]

Here you go.  Thanks to dougd for flicking me through a sequence.  There were some significant variances (different software version?).

 

The specific issue it was failing on was that it was looking for the audio length and it didn't exist.  There were a number of other 'differences' though so I've updated the code accordingly and it's a little more fault tolerant:

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/79785888/SuperStarChannelReducer.exe

 

DougD -> Didn't do the best job of your particular sequence.  Combination between expansion being somewhat less pretty than reduction, the nature of the effects and the 4 ribbon jump.  The tool easily handles individual effects, where it struggles and will always struggle is where lots of individual effects create a larger one, as it cannot tell that they are related to apply any smarts.  

 

The sequence I tested on wasn't perfect, but it was quite usable out of the box post-conversion.  Your one would need some significant tweaking.

Not a complete waste though, if nothing else the centering worked well which saves a lot of manual changes and sections of it worked quite well.  Let's you hit the ground running at least rather than nearly starting from scratch.

[dougd]

Well I wasnt positive I was going to make my ray tree bigger for this next year but after running your program today, there is no doubt now. It did an excellent job. It needs to be tweeked some but it just saved a lot of time. Great job.

 

Now comes the big question, and you had to know you would start getting requests .

 

Can the string length be shortened or lengthened. I am thinking about doing a few other props with shorter string length. This would be again a way to save a ton of time doing this.

 

Thanks again, looking forward to seeing whatever you come out with, nice job.

[caffeine]

Happy for suggestions/requests. Remember I've only been using the software for a month so whilst I have a bunch of 'I wish I could just do this' items on my list I'm still trying too work out biggest bang for buck.

Changing length rather than with would be relatively simple as it is, more or less, the same but acting on y indexes rather than x. That said the likely variance is much larger and as such the results less clean.

I'll have a look see. One of the ideas on my list though is matching other displays with a master. I can see myself focusing on the tree (and perhaps matrix if I add one next year) and then sequencing arches, roofs, figures etc to match and I think I can automate that somewhat based on what I did manually this year which is a similar concept as well.

[Jeff Messer]

Caffeine,

 

I have not tried this out yet but I for one would enjoy it. I buy sequences that are 12x50 and my pixel tree is a 16x84. It takes me around 6 hours to convert this tree. As soon as I shut down the show on the 2nd I will have everything back home and start sequencing for next years show. This tool would be a life saver for me!! Thanks again for working on a tool for us to use.

 

Jeff

[caffeine]

No problems.  I'll work on a length changer (rather than # strings) in the next week, as soon as I work out the layout structure for non-CCR (Mine's also not CCR but happens to be 50 strings so I use a CCR layout for convenience).

 

It will still require work, but should heavily reduce the 6 hours!!!

[Jeff Messer]

That would be Great. I know my time is coming here in the next few weeks to start programming for the show this year 2014. I will be taking the show down this weekend and packing the trailer full. All major stuff will come back home with me for review and changes. I will be working with Doug shortly on a visit with him and Andy to better understand the tools we have to work with. Thanks again for all you are doing in the hobby to make it better for us. Please post updated version when you get it ready.

 

Jeff

[Jeff Messer]

Caffine,

 

Any update out yet? Getting layout ready and starting to sequence this weekend.

 

 

Jeff

[dougd]

I was thinking about my layout for this coming year and thought about doing 2 12 strip trees this coming year. With that in mind I thought it would be cool if the morphs went across both trees. I fired up your utility keyed in 24 strings. Apparently there is glitch  somewhere, the right tree did perfectly but the left tree only showed 6 strings when it morphed across the tree. Looks like on a lot of morphs it stopped at 18 strings instead of 24 strings.

 

The parts that worked worked real well. Hopefully it will be something simple.

 

Any clues as of yet on the string lengthen-er? Will it be doable?

 

Another potential prop I might do this year will have 16 strips on it and I will doing 2 of them. IS there anyway to take the number of strings up to 32? Its not real important but thought I would put it out there.

 

I am defiantly getting excited thinking about all the times savings that this utility is going to give us.

 

Thanks..

[Jeff Messer]

WOW would that be so great to be able to make a few clicks and the pixel tree is completed. That's a dream come true for me. I don't see a donation button!!! Just the time this would save me would be unreal setting in that heated chair.

 

Jeff

[Jeff Messer]

Caffine,

 

Any update on the software? I will take a break off pulling zip ties this weekend and start sequencing a little.

 

Thanks,

Jeff

[Jeff Messer]

Bump to the top. Wonder if this will happen?

[jlowe]

Just used this to convert a 16 CCR to a 24 pixel tree. Worked REALLY well. Had to go through and make some changes here and there, but, saved hours of work.

 

Hope to continue to see updates on this! Very useful.

[Jeff Messer]

Great time saver and hopeful that more will come one day.

[digdeepfundraising]

hi there ive been awol from this forum for a while now and just come back to take a peek and this looks awesome 

 

will there be a way of converting it to change it to more strings that 24 ??