Nutcracker effects in xLights now exports to LOR

[smeighan 55]

The latest release of xLights has added the ability to create a LOR lms or a Vixen vix file.

http://dl.dropbox.co...setup-2012e.exe

I think you could get scrolling text or a butterfly created in < 60 seconds for either one. Creating a lms file takes about 4-5 minutes if you have a large channel count. I had a 4 minute song, 100ms frame timing and 12000 channels, this is probably why it took 4-5 minutes to create the lms.

It took a little over 6 minutes to load the lms file. The lms file was 1.26gbytes.

I made a video of how to install and use xlights, version 2012e

http://nutcracker123...xlights_lor.mp4

My current Nutcracker is php and mysql. My code is a few megabytes in size. If you want a local install you need to download wamp or xampp. These are ~ 350mbytes. xlights is a 5byte file. it works on windows xp, 7 and 8

xLights is in C++ .

matt does have horizontal matrix., megatree, vert matrix and single strands targets.

thanks

sean

Edited December 30, 2012 by smeighan

[SteveMaris 37]

Wow.

[Mike G 4]

After I create a LOR file, how do I integrate it into an existing file that has the rest of my display in it? Is it a cut and paste or will it add all of the new rgb channels?

[smeighan 55]

After I create a LOR file, how do I integrate it into an existing file that has the rest of my display in it? Is it a cut and paste or will it add all of the new rgb channels?

I believe the process would be

1) Take your existing sequence and convert it to xLights xseq. You do this with the convert tab iun xLights

2) Create a model for your megatree in xLights. Notice you can specify a starting channel. Suppose you have 500 channels of LOR stuff and you have configured your megatree to start at channel 513. If i had 10 CCrs then i would create a tree 10 strings 50 pixels each starting at channel 513.

3) Open your converted xSeq of your existing effects

4) Now create effects on your megatree. They are going to start at channel 513. The original effects are also in the xseq file.

5) Export the result back to lms and open in LOR. You should see your original channels and the megatree.

When matt adds lcb as an export option you would then be able to just paste the megatree effects where you want them.

thanks

[Tim Fischer 196]

Sean - how is this different than what you supported through Nutcracker all along?

I've found using the LOR Clipboard file (.lcp) is VERY convenient - I just generate the effect in NC, save the clipboard, load it into my sequence, and paste by time.

[smeighan 55]

Sean - how is this different than what you supported through Nutcracker all along?

I've found using the LOR Clipboard file (.lcp) is VERY convenient - I just generate the effect in NC, save the clipboard, load it into my sequence, and paste by time.

Tim;

Nutcracker supports these

Vixen vix, vir. LOR lms,lcb, HLS hlsnc, LSP UserPatterns.xml

xLights supports

Vixen vir, LOR lms

What is different? Matt's Nutcracker generate the effects in sub second time. No longer do you need to wait 20-40 seconds before you see it. Also you can move slide bars and see what the effects will look like in real time.

What is xLights missing? Doesnt have a database, doesnt have gallery, doesnt import audacity label files, doesnt have projects, single strand effects are simpler (You cant mix different size strings).

I have always said the thing i dont like about nutcracker is waiting to see the results.

Matt and I will work out this. I want an architecture where the effects could be developed be many. I would like to see effects that could be used inside of LSP, LOR or Vixen native. HLS already has plans in 2013 to add Nutcracker effects.

It feels like we developers are duplicating effort.

With all that said, xLights offers a real time Nutcracker now.

[Tim Fischer 196]

Ah, I get it.

I would really miss the .LCP format though... I'm dropping effects into existing sequences where I do a lot of sequencing manually as well. The .LCP format is perfect for that... Otherwise I'd have to open up a second sequence file and copy and paste. With files that large, it would be more of a pain than it sounds.

I do hope you call can coordinate this... Seems pretty cool possibilities.

[smeighan 55]

Ah, I get it.

I would really miss the .LCP format though... I'm dropping effects into existing sequences where I do a lot of sequencing manually as well. The .LCP format is perfect for that... Otherwise I'd have to open up a second sequence file and copy and paste. With files that large, it would be more of a pain than it sounds.

I do hope you call can coordinate this... Seems pretty cool possibilities.

Matt will be adding lor lcb and vixen vir

He will next do Hls hlsnc and lsp

I have told him the more export types he supports, the larger his user base

2013 will be interesting.

[Dennis Cherry 17]

Looks good. Can you add a Circle also?

[Tim Fischer 196]

Would love to see more effects that would work on a Mega-tree and don't involve text or pictures - just patterns and such.

Thanks again - our mega-tree received rave reviews and much of it was due to the Nutcracker-generated effects.

[smeighan 55]

Would love to see more effects that would work on a Mega-tree and don't involve text or pictures - just patterns and such.

Thanks again - our mega-tree received rave reviews and much of it was due to the Nutcracker-generated effects.

There is going to be a whole bunch more effects. I am going to work on making it easier to use. i have 20 effects now, i expect to double that in the next 2-3 months.

Here are some coming

searchlights. Circles of various sizes and colors. wach circle moves across in a different direction

boids.

lots more simpler geometric shapes

ability to get beat effects.

lots more, it will be interesting 2013

[Dennis Cherry 17]

We have shapes for trees, arches and straight lines, but not circles.

See this video.

[smeighan 55]

We have shapes for trees, arches and straight lines, but not circles.

See this video.

You can do some of these effects today in Nutcracker. I would define 8 segments in a single strand effect, bottom and top of each circle being a segment.

Solid color and chases would get you part way there. single strand effects is one place where i am going to create dozens more effects.

I used single strands to match up the lights i wrapped on my 12' spider for Halloween. There is a person with a horse who has wrapped his tack with 256 lights. He defined 10 segments, one each for reins, saddle, .etc. He has a battery operated lights.

Superstar software is awesome. It allows you to build almost anything you can imagine. The Nutcracker approach is a little different, it basically builds an effect library that adjusts itself to whatever target you have, I want to expand on this capability next year.

I think Nutcracker in xLights is coming closer to feel of Madrix

Here is a video talking about LOR and Madrix

One thing different between Madrix and Nutcracker is the central database where we have that can show the 10,000 effects people have already created. Another Nutcracker thing coming in 2013 will be the concept of knowing where every display element is in x,y,z space. This would allow doing color sweeps across all elements.

As hardware costs continue to drop and lots of parallel software development continues, 2013 should be pretty bright.

thanks

sean

[WilliamS 58]

Another Nutcracker thing coming in 2013 will be the concept of knowing where every display element is in x,y,z space. This would allow doing color sweeps across all elements.

This!!! Make This!

[Arnoldc 7]

So much to learn! Looking forward to playing with nutcracker next year!