Lost Pixels on Visualizer Import

[bob_moody]

I have created a pixel based MERRY CHRISTMAS sign in visualizer.

Each letter is based on a 5x7 matrix of RGB pixels.The largest number of pixels in any letter is 18 (letter R for example).

Each of the pixels is assigned as an LED-RGB device.

The letters are laid out in Visualizer as:

 

       M E R R Y

C H R I S T M A S

 

There are 219 pixels in the sign. MERRY is assigned to DMX universe 3 and CHRISTMAS is assigned to DMX universe 4. This was done to stop a universe change in the last letter S (as I recall). I dont think visualizer, SuperStar or Sequence Editor would care. It was purely something I did for my own benifit.

 

All of the pixels and all of the letters appear fine in Visualizer. However when I import it into SuperStar, I'm losing pixel 1,2,3 of the last letter S in Christmas.

 

I built the Letter S(2) prop as a copy of the first letter S, and used the rename and channel assignment functions to start the prop at Universe 4, Channel 364.

The 15 pixels letter looks like this:

 

  4  3  2

5           1 

6        

   7 8 9

            A

F          B

  E D C

 

As I mentioned, when importing into SuperStar, Pixel 1,2 and 3 of the letter are not there however pixel 4 thru F(15) are. (?)

 

I have reran the channel assignment function and I have looked at the XML code to the LEE file and it "appears" to look like all the other pixels.

 

Any ideas on why these 3 pixels are missing?

 

Also, a second question.

 

When imported, the grids are starting with C in christmas instead of the M in merry which is on top. I using vertical orientation on the grids.

Is this because the C is more left in the grid or becasue all the props are in the background? Would different levels create different results? What I'm seeing when programming is Christmas Merry (Bottom to top).

 

I will admit to not having read the complete documentation and this may be all well explained and I will gladly take a RTFM answer

 

Appricate the help ...

 

Bob

 

 

 

[BrianBruderer]

Not sure why there are pixels missing. email the visualization file to brian@superstarlights.com and I will take a look at it. The visualization file will end with .lee and will be located at:

 

c:\ <your lightorama folder> \ Visualizations \ Editor

[bob_moody]

File has been zipped and should be in your mailbox now.

Thank you for taking the time to look at this issue with me ...

 

Bob

[BrianBruderer]

First I want to say you did a very good job on the Visualization, it is a cool arrangement of pixels!

 

I took a look at the visualization. A1-P16, A1-P17, A1-P18 have the same channel assignments as S2-P1, S2-P3, and S2-P4

Give them unique channel assigments and it works as expected.

 

As for how they are ordered in the sequencing grid, it probably will make more sense to import it horizontally. And when importing horizontally try using "max length" of 139. This will make the sequencing rows long enough that it can put Merry on one row, and Christmas on another row.

Another way to do it is to import horizontally and use "max length" of 25. This will force each letter to be on a different seqencing row.

 

Each of the above have advantages, but I would think you would prefer to use "max length" of 139 so you just have two sequencing rows.

You can then do a morph on each line and it writes out "merry christmas", it looks pretty cool. You can also do things like having a green morph go left to right on a line, and a red morph go right to left on a line and they will intersect and you will get some color mixing.

 

As a note also, I will fix the program so that in it will report duplicate channels and then it will be easier to figure out what is wrong.

[bob_moody]

Thank you very much for the kuddo's. That means a lot to me coming from you...

 

As for the channel assignements... I now have a giant case of the "flat head disease" (Smashing palm against forehead ... what a moron.... )

I see now what I did. When I was using the channel assignment tool I looked at the the bottom right pixel of the the letter A thinking that was the last one. I forgot (didnt notice) that the 3 pixels that make the bar across the letter A where actually the last 3. So I saw channel 363 as the last channel in the A and started the S at 364... DOH ....

 

I have fixed the channel assignments and reimported the visualization file as you suggested with max length = 139...

That will be PERFECT !!!

 

Judging by your comments about the morphs etc, I take it you played with it a little bit

 

I can't thank you enough for taking your time and locating my mistake. I really thought that it had to be a dupe, but I didnt see it. I have had a dropped pixel in the past and its always a duplicate channel.

Also I really appreciate the tips on the grids. I thought I understood Max Length but obviously I didnt. I do have a little better grasp on it now though.

 

Bob