Question for its MeBobO import chanel configuation

[bbayjohn]

Copied from another thread (portOmation)

Bob, Does this work to add channels as well?

If it does add the missing channel does it leave the sequence area blank of that new channel or does it bump up the next channel sequences like when you import a channel configuration. I find it takes a lot of time when I add a new controller or simply just adding a couple of channels and have to remake a new sequence, then copy and paste it all across to the new sequence. Then go back and adjust all the other finished sequences that are missing that channel? Takes a while to do when you have a few songs.

 

cheers

John

[dougd]

The import channel config utility imports a new channel config into an existing sequence. If the new channel config has more channels then the original sequence those new channels would be in the new sequence the utility creates. Not sure if that answers your question or not.

[ItsMeBobO]

Not sure I understand either Doug.    Let me take a whack at it.  

 

Each sequence is a stand alone command set which is good for the current years arrangement of controllers and circuits.  The normal way is to change one sequence to what this years set up will need and then export it to a file.  Then apply (import) the new settings to all your other sequences.    I am sure you understand that part. 

 

When you say you have to change each one I am not sure why. It may be the way you have added your new channels.  Additions should always be at the bottom of your first track.  If you want to add a controller in the middle because its on the same tree or part of a prop, then import will not work well for you.    On import all of your effects will now be on the wrong channels and will have to be manually moved.

 

To avoid the manual move you add only to the bottom of track1.  Then you duplicate the track to a new one. The second track contains all the same channels as the first. Adding an effect to either place you see the channel will be seen in both.  On the second track you can rearrange the channels to be next to each other as you want to see them.   Just keep track 1 closed if you dont want to see.  

Now.. you can export and import and you wont have to move anything around.

 

Edited September 30, 2013 by ItsMeBobO

[dougd]

Much better explaination of what I was trying to get at.

[Orville]

Glad you answered that Bob.  I had almost the same question and now know the answer, it won't work for us that change the config and move the channels around to their respective tracks, instead of leaving them at the bottom.  As I do what the OP does, add my elements and then move them to the correct track they belong too.    Example: I add 2 new Jack-O'-Lanterns to my old sequence at the bottom of that track until I get them sequenced, then I move them to their new location in that same track.   So if I used your program, it would actually mess up my channel line up and I would have to still manually move and copy the sequence line{s} to their correct spots.

 

So in the OP's and my case, the best way is still how we are doing it, copying from the older sequence to the new sequence because the config files and prop locations are not identical, they are or may be added props to existing tracks, even though I save that config, the other sequences still do not follow that config, so the automated config software would not really work out for our use.   At least that is my understanding from your response.

 

Edit: not sure I'm really explaining this as well as it could be.

Edited September 30, 2013 by Orville

[dougd]

How and why I use this is I just add all my props to my sequence, i don't assign them to any specific channels.. I have no idea what channels they will eventually be assigned to.

 

Once everything is in the yard and hooked up, i write down what channels are where. I then modify one sequence to the correct channels and then export that channel config.

 

I will use this utility to import that channel config into all my sequences. 

[ItsMeBobO]

Glad you answered that Bob.  I had almost the same question and now know the answer, it won't work for us that change the config and move the channels around to their respective tracks, instead of leaving them at the bottom.  As I do what the OP does, add my elements and then move them to the correct track they belong too.    Example: I add 2 new Jack-O'-Lanterns to my old sequence at the bottom of that track until I get them sequenced, then I move them to their new location in that same track.   So if I used your program, it would actually mess up my channel line up and I would have to still manually move and copy the sequence line{s} to their correct spots.

 

So in the OP's and my case, the best way is still how we are doing it, copying from the older sequence to the new sequence because the config files and prop locations are not identical, they are or may be added props to existing tracks, even though I save that config, the other sequences still do not follow that config, so the automated config software would not really work out for our use.   At least that is my understanding from your response.

 

Edit: not sure I'm really explaining this as well as it could be.

It was not really clear to me the OP was doing what you are doing Orv.    Either way, my response was to explain how to avoid the extra work being complained about and allow automation of the import task. 

[bbayjohn]

 

 

Not sure I understand either Doug.    Let me take a whack at it.  

 

Each sequence is a stand alone command set which is good for the current years arrangement of controllers and circuits.  The normal way is to change one sequence to what this years set up will need and then export it to a file.  Then apply (import) the new settings to all your other sequences.    I am sure you understand that part. 

 

When you say you have to change each one I am not sure why. It may be the way you have added your new channels.  Additions should always be at the bottom of your first track.  If you want to add a controller in the middle because its on the same tree or part of a prop, then import will not work well for you.    On import all of your effects will now be on the wrong channels and will have to be manually moved.

 

To avoid the manual move you add only to the bottom of track1.  Then you duplicate the track to a new one. The second track contains all the same channels as the first. Adding an effect to either place you see the channel will be seen in both.  On the second track you can rearrange the channels to be next to each other as you want to see them.   Just keep track 1 closed if you dont want to see.  

Now.. you can export and import and you wont have to move anything around.

Yes the problem I have lies in adding  channels to props in the middle of a channel configuration.

Doesn't make for easy sequencing though if a new channel is added to the bottom of the sequence, when that new channel is part of a prop. Recently I have made 2 changes. I added an extra channel to may face sequence for an extra mouth movement. The other change was because I had a broken triac and this year I had it fixed, This is part of a 16 piece prop.

I will have a look at adding tracks as this may help as you stated earlier. Your program sounds great and a real time saver.