OCD Channel Configuration

[cgreenfield]

Hello Fellow Lighting Enthusiasts,

I am redoing my channel configuration to make it more user friendly and i am now on the DMX Portion of the Config File. I was wondering how other people Label RGB DMX Channels. I don't like to Name them with the prop name because it gets a bit confusing after a while. I Label them by there channel and controller IDs then match those to the prop in an Excel Spread Sheet that i can easily print to reference when connecting the Lights. So how do you Label Your RGB channels?

[Paul R]

I label mine by the prop name in order to know which pixels are located where. Not sure why you would not want to do this...

 

-Paul

[cgreenfield]

I label mine by the prop name in order to know which pixels are located where. Not sure why you would not want to do this...

 

-Paul

Thanks for the Reply. There are 4 Main reasons why i don't label them with the prop name, 

1. OCD
2. I Over complicate everything i do.
3. If i want to change what prop is on what channel it is easier to just change the ID than to change both the ID and the Name
4. I don't edit the channel configuration using the sequencer, I edit it with a text editor. (The .lcc file is actually an XML file that you can edit.)

-Chris-

 

Edit: The visualizer file is also an XML

Edited June 12, 2014 by cgreenfield

[taybrynn]

How about both but put the most important part first and put ~prop name~ between ~ marks so it's easy to change or omit with text editor

Edited June 24, 2014 by taybrynn

[cgreenfield]

How about both but put the most important part first and put ~prop name~ between ~ marks so it's easy to change or omit with text editor

Thats a great idea i didn't think of that. Thank you

[Ron Boyd]

I use Tracks for each group of elements. For example, I have a track for each Pixel tree, I have one for one prop that incorperate 3 different elements, etc. Basically I use a track for elements that are sequenced together, ie., stars, mini trees, bursts, etc.

 

Tracks are your friend, tracks are my friend, tracks are everybody's friend.

[cgreenfield]

I use Tracks for each group of elements. For example, I have a track for each Pixel tree, I have one for one prop that incorperate 3 different elements, etc. Basically I use a track for elements that are sequenced together, ie., stars, mini trees, bursts, etc.

 

Tracks are your friend, tracks are my friend, tracks are everybody's friend.

Ya i will be using tracks i just have not gotten to it yet.

[kiplorenzo]

I label mine "DMX-Item# Location, IE:

DMX FLood 1 Back

DMX Globe 1 Deck

 

My DMX will run Year round. LOR will be at christmas

Edited June 27, 2014 by kiplorenzo

[steve synek]

Am I missing something here?

I have to ask.......how do you program if you don't have the prop named in the channel ID?  Seems you would than have to reference something outside of the sequence editor to know what prop/ item/ area of your display you are programing.   

   For programing something as simple as a chase, how do you know when a prop or group of props ends if the channels aren't label?

 

I have to admit I spend hours and hours labeling all my channels in the LOR software by prop. I can't imagine programming without prop identification.

 

Steve  

[cgreenfield]

Am I missing something here?

I have to ask.......how do you program if you don't have the prop named in the channel ID?  Seems you would than have to reference something outside of the sequence editor to know what prop/ item/ area of your display you are programing.   

   For programing something as simple as a chase, how do you know when a prop or group of props ends if the channels aren't label?

 

I have to admit I spend hours and hours labeling all my channels in the LOR software by prop. I can't imagine programming without prop identification.

 

Steve  

I have them color coded still. I will try and take a screenshot of my old channel config and upload it.

[cgreenfield]

I have managed to take screenshots of my old channel configs and as you can see they are color code, well the AC controllers are. I also kind of memorized them before and if I forgot one i can just go look at my excel spreadsheet.

2013 Channels  

2014 Channels (Original)  

It is now occurring to me that it would probably be easier in the long run to label them by prop since i can just edit the output in excel.

 

Edit: there are 3 RGB channels you can't see at the bottom of the 2014 Channel Config picture

Edited June 28, 2014 by cgreenfield

[steve synek]

cgreenfield, I applaud you if you can remember all those channels.  I am not sure of my count, but think I am over 3000 rgb channels. Probably 2/3 of those are pixels. Using the LOR editor, I know exactly which pixel or channel I am programming at a glance by the channel label.  I do use a lot of Letters as symbols.

T=top  B= bottom C= center  L = Left  R= right       Like I said, I label every single channel.

My view is that I end up spending many many more hours programming than set up. My mind set when programming is to look for an element in the list and turn it on/off.  For myself, I wouldn't want to be translating a channel ID to a correlating prop in my head.

 

 

Steve

[cgreenfield]

Many of those channels are in groups so it is easier to remember and for groups of props i always order the channels from the top left to the bottom right in the visualizer and i always have that up while sequencing.

 

Edit: they are grouped in the display not in the visualizer.

Edited June 28, 2014 by cgreenfield