Edit sequences with show running?

[zvacman]

Is it possible to edit sequences while the show is running?  Please keep your answers simple, I'm just a dumb ole Midwestern farm boy.  Thanks in advance.

 

Z

[PhilMassey]

It is possible. When you open SE with a show running it will inform you that it cant connect and if you say yes it will open. You can edit but not (obviously) be able to control lights or visualizer.

If you save the file it will cause a show restart as it detects the modified sequence.

[k6ccc]

Phil, I was not so sure about the last statement, so I edited the two running sequences in my landscape lighting show a couple minutes ago. Edited both sequences and saved them. The show did not restart. I also expect that the changes made are not running at this time - I can't tell because I'm 5 miles from home right now. When I get home I don't expect to see the change. When the overnight show starts in 80 minutes I expect that revised one will play. I do have the show options set to load sequences when the show starts and they don't load otherwise. If you changes what sequences are in the show, it will trigger a show restart.

[PhilMassey]

Yeah you're correct, Jim. Changing the sequence doesn't seem to cause a show restart.

[bob]

I think you may be thinking of changing the show file while the show is running, which does cause the show to restart.

 

Changing the sequence while the show is running does not cause the show to restart.  It also may or may not cause the new version of the sequence to be used in the current show.  Depends on whether or not the Show Player had already loaded the sequence by the time the changes to the sequence were saved.

 

Also, even if the Show Player had already loaded the sequence, it's possible that it will "unload" it after it's done playing (due to memory usage considerations).  If that happens, and if the sequence is eventually played again during the same run of the show, the Show Player will reload it at that time.  So for sequences that play more than once per show, it's even possible that the Show Player will use the unchanged version of the sequence for a while, but then switch to using the new version of the sequence.  This switch will never happen during the sequence - once the sequence is started, it will keep playing whatever version it started playing, until the sequence ends.  But once the sequence ends, the next time it restarts, it may or may not start the new version.