Convert multi string mini tree to RGB pixels

[johnm160]

I was wondering if there is a way to take a mini tree line that was sequenced with three color strings of incandescent lights and convert it to an RGB pixel tree. Can it be converted or do all of the sequences have to be recreated? 

[Mr. P]

You can convert them but you will have to do it manually. When you copy and paste an on/off channel to a RGB channel it will always come out red (first channel). You would have to open the RGB channel and paste to the channel color you want. If you want anything other then the red, green or blue color then it gets more involved then just a copy and paste.

Edited January 4, 2016 by Mr. P

[ItsMeBobO]

There are ways to use existing work.  This has been requested many times.   New sequencing often gives a better result, but we all understand the desire for a quick transition. 

 Let me dig up some links for you. 

Edited January 4, 2016 by ItsMeBobO

[ItsMeBobO]

look here at the bottom  http://itsmebob.com/SD.html     http://itsmebob.com/Christmas/2011/ConvertRegularIntoRGB.zip

 

These videos mention using the resolution channel of CCx devices.  This is not required, it is just one of the shortcuts which can be used. 

 

 

Edited January 4, 2016 by ItsMeBobO

[johnm160]

Thanks I will read up on it. I am happy to stick with RGB and White for the conversion.

[johnm160]

So Bob do I just change the names of the channels from CCD 01 p1® to mini tree 1 ® to maintaining the same channel layout? I assume that this is not only possible with CCR's

 

I am using WS2811 pixels.

[ItsMeBobO]

You can use the 'virtual string' method with any kind of pixel.  Add new pixel groups for the RGB to the bottom of your master track leaving the old channels intact.   

What was a long single color string of one channel before will become a pixel group where you set the color of every pixel of that string the same so it retains its look.

 

You didnt provide any details so this is just an example.  say you had a 48 channel straight tree,  16 each of R, G and B.   You will paste the R & G & B into the color break out of the RGB converter sequence.  Then you will see the pixel form of this in the top pixel section.  Remember this is just one pixel.  If you were using CCx device you would set the resolution to 1 which means color the entire string from the first pixel.   Lacking the macro channels you need to replicate the first pixel into 50 pixels.    For this use the matrix multiplier function of clipboard flipper found on my tools page.   You will have to save a clipboard first then open the output clipboard and that one into your target sequence.   There is a video on how to use matrix multiplier.

[johnm160]

They are mini trees that were wrapped in a spiral fashion with 4 strands of RGBW lights so 4 channel trees. The hope is to convert the 4 strand trees into a single strand of Pixels.

 

Currently they are in the sequencer as

Tree01 White

Tree02 White

Tree03 White

Tree01 Red

Tree02 Red

Tree03 Red

 

And so on for all of the colors

 

So I would have to convert all of the colors for each tree and then copy them all to one RGB channel  for each tree if I understood you correctly.

[johnm160]

I am sorry the coffee has not kicked in yet, They were 3 string trees RGW no blue. I figured out how to copy /paste into the new RGB track you said to create at the bottom but I cannot figure out white. I copied the white to all three channels but it over wrote the old info turning everthing white.

[ItsMeBobO]

You are getting it.  You will paste in the former individual colors to combine them.  Read up on the paste options  for how to combine rows.

[johnm160]

Thank you again for the help. I read up on it briefly but it has been a long day and sleep deprivation is setting in. I thought this was going to be an impossible task but this seems doable.

[MattBrown]

In the next release of the Pixel Editor, there will be 2 enhancements that will help.

 

1) When copying from an SE channel to a PE prop in PE's sequence grid, the color of the SE channel will be used in the colorwash effect that's placed on the PE prop. So when copying from a red channel, you will get a red colorwash on the PE prop.

 

2) There will be a "paste special" command that allows you to control foreground and background pasting, just like in SE. 

 

This is how I used it in my sequencing over the holidays. The lights in my source sequence were red, blue, and white, but you can use the same technique.

 

1) In my source sequence, white was the highlight color - if white was turned on in the source sequence, I wanted the new sequence to display white, regardless of the red or blue channels. So I processed white first.

• In PE, I selected the a cell on the source channel.
• I then used the "R" shortcut key to select the entire row.
• Then ctrl-C to copy the row to the clipboard.
• Then I selected a cell on the destination prop row.
• Then I used the "R" shortcut key to select the entire row. 
• Then ctrl-V to paste.

2) Next I did red... following the same steps, except at the end.

• In PE, I selected the a cell on the source channel. 
• I then used the "R" shortcut key to select the entire row. 
• Then ctrl-C to copy the row to the clipboard. 
• Then I selected a cell on the destination prop row. 
• Then I used the "R" shortcut key to select the entire row. 
• Right-click on the row and select "paste special".
• In the pop-up window, set source to "foreground" and set destination to "background". This will paste red effects as long as they don't overwrite any white effects.

3) Next do blue -- following the same steps in #2. Now you have combined the sequencing on 3 channels onto a single PE prop.

 

Again, this is not in the current 4.3.4 beta, but will be part of the next PE release.

 

Matt

[johnm160]

Ok Bob I got it to paste the correct way but of course there are other issues. As Mr. P said above it gets complicated.

 

I have found areas where the red and green string were on together, with the two strings I have a red and green tree during that time. With pixels I now have a yellow tree. While it looks ok in visulizer because the red and green areas light up I can see in SE that it is going to light up yellow. This is a complex sequence that may not lend itself to conversion very well.

 

Thanks Matt sound interesting, as the intergration between SE and PE gets tighter things should get easier. I am very new to all of this, I have had my controllers for years but have only done very very basic things on them. I am trying to convert a sequence I got from someone else which adds to the learning curve.

[johnm160]

Cross fade areas are problematic. The bottom 3 rows are the new RGB channel the 3 above it was the original 3 channels.

[JamesWright]

On 1/5/2016 at 0:26 AM, MattBrown said:

In the next release of the Pixel Editor, there will be 2 enhancements that will help.

 

1) When copying from an SE channel to a PE prop in PE's sequence grid, the color of the SE channel will be used in the colorwash effect that's placed on the PE prop. So when copying from a red channel, you will get a red colorwash on the PE prop.

 

2) There will be a "paste special" command that allows you to control foreground and background pasting, just like in SE. 

 

This is how I used it in my sequencing over the holidays. The lights in my source sequence were red, blue, and white, but you can use the same technique.

 

1) In my source sequence, white was the highlight color - if white was turned on in the source sequence, I wanted the new sequence to display white, regardless of the red or blue channels. So I processed white first.

• In PE, I selected the a cell on the source channel.
• I then used the "R" shortcut key to select the entire row.
• Then ctrl-C to copy the row to the clipboard.
• Then I selected a cell on the destination prop row.
• Then I used the "R" shortcut key to select the entire row. 
• Then ctrl-V to paste.

2) Next I did red... following the same steps, except at the end.

• In PE, I selected the a cell on the source channel. 
• I then used the "R" shortcut key to select the entire row. 
• Then ctrl-C to copy the row to the clipboard. 
• Then I selected a cell on the destination prop row. 
• Then I used the "R" shortcut key to select the entire row. 
• Right-click on the row and select "paste special".
• In the pop-up window, set source to "foreground" and set destination to "background". This will paste red effects as long as they don't overwrite any white effects.

3) Next do blue -- following the same steps in #2. Now you have combined the sequencing on 3 channels onto a single PE prop.

 

Again, this is not in the current 4.3.4 beta, but will be part of the next PE release.

 

Matt

Matt:

Has this capability found its way into a release yet? When I paste an effect from a SE channel into PE all I get is a white effect. Also, I can't find the paste special. I am now using 4.3.16. Can you or anyone help me?

Jim