dougd Posted August 22, 2019 Share Posted August 22, 2019 So I am trying to wrap my head around playback files for 5.36 vs 5.24. Here is a screenshot of files created using 5.24. Once the sequence is played in the show it will create the compressed sequence, the .lcs file. Although an added step to create the playback files manually which is a pain, the files make sense. With 5.24, you choose the .lms file to add it to the show. Here is the screen shot of the files created by 5.36. At this point you only have the .loredit file. That is the file that you choose to add a sequence to the show. The files below are created in the LORinternal folder. They are created the first time you play the show. Not sure where the 0000.236 comes from. The file sizes got strange also, as you can tell my largest sequence got larger instead of smaller. I like the fact that you dont have to create the playback files but the name change wont work very well with Bob0's MIIP program. What would be very cool would be a utility that created all these files ahead of time so the show played didn't have to, like the file compressor program we had in version 4. Anyways, though I would post this to see where all this is going to shake out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
default Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 I'm not a fan of the files being created on the fly with show player. I liked the old way of doing it manually with the Create Playback Files option within S5 Editor. I'm guessing this was done to make it easier for those folks that use SD cards, but it seems to have made it more difficult for those using pc's. I do not want to move all my files to the show pc, just so Show Player can process them on the fly. I like that all the files are on my editing pc in the directories I want them in, that's where the playback files should be created from. In regards to the MIIP program, I don't use it so this is just a thought. If the ".000.236" was removed from the filenames, then MIIP would work right? I am not saying this is ideal, but wouldn't be a work around? It would involved renaming all the files, or creating a batch file to do it automatically. Again, just a thought. Alan... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilMassey Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 I have heard nothing from LOR concerning my issues with playback so I'm assuming we're stuck with the "new" way. Needless to say, Not a fan. I have a workaround for this year, after that we'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougd Posted August 23, 2019 Author Share Posted August 23, 2019 10 hours ago, default said: In regards to the MIIP program, I don't use it so this is just a thought. If the ".000.236" was removed from the filenames, then MIIP would work right? I am not saying this is ideal, but wouldn't be a work around? It would involved renaming all the files, or creating a batch file to do it automatically. Again, just a thought. Alan... That is sort of what I am trying to find out. Is the 000.236 consistent. If I remove that from the file name will it create files again, I guess I could run that test and see what happens. I, myself hated having to open all the sequences and create the playback files. I never created them until November. Still think the best option is a program that can create them on its own. Select a folder of sequences, 3 hours later, Bam they are done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehoyt Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 I asked a similar question about this issue on August 16th in this thread. "Copy files from development machine to show machine" Also still wondering what is the best way to handle the new design Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
default Posted August 24, 2019 Share Posted August 24, 2019 On 8/23/2019 at 5:03 AM, dougd said: That is sort of what I am trying to find out. Is the 000.236 consistent. If I remove that from the file name will it create files again, I guess I could run that test and see what happens. It is consistent on your editing pc, however the show pc doesn't care. If you point the Show on Demand to another Directory (where all our play files are) then it will simply just play them. On 8/23/2019 at 5:03 AM, dougd said: Still think the best option is a program that can create them on its own. Select a folder of sequences, 3 hours later, Bam they are done. That is what I am doing, I am using Show on Demand on my editing PC to create the playback files, then transfering them over to the show pc and running Show on Demand on it, and point to a different directory to where I have put all my playback files. I made a video about how I create my shows and transfer them to the show, maybe this will explain it better. The video is in this thread. In regards to the MIIP program, I don't use it so I can't verify this. From what I understand is the problem with MIIP not working is that it is looking for the playback files without the .xxxx.xxx numbers. Correct? As I mentioned earlier, this could be resolved by renaming each and every file. Not an ideal way to go about it. I did some research and found a bulk file renamer program. It changes all the need files name very quickly. Here is a short video of how it works. If you or someone who uses MIIP can verify that the name change is what MIIP needs to run, that would helpful. Link to the Bulk Rename Ultility Hope this helps. Alan... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBrown Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 A lot of good questions here. I am only going to address one for right now... What do the numbers at the end of the file name mean... The first set of 4 digits represent the "enhanced" setting on each of the 16 possible LOR networks. If the enhanced flags change, the playback files need to be recreated to reflect the new network configuration. The 4 numbers is how we keep track of that. The second number is the preview revision number. Every time you save your preview, the revision number is bumped up by 1. Changing the preview could be just moving a prop around, or it could mean you've changed channels, or deleted props. Some of those actions mean that the playback files need to be updated. So we embed the preview revision number in the file name so we know whether we need to create new playback files or not. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougd Posted August 26, 2019 Author Share Posted August 26, 2019 Good to know Matt. So I have made 236 revisions to my preview. Alan, 558? What are you changing that thing every time you start it up. 😃 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebrown1972 Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 Okay I am way behind on the game this year. Last year I created play back files under the file tab I believe. Has create play back been moved? I don't see it under the file tab anymore. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBrown Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 25 minutes ago, ebrown1972 said: Okay I am way behind on the game this year. Last year I created play back files under the file tab I believe. Has create play back been moved? I don't see it under the file tab anymore. Thanks Starting with version 5.3.0, you schedule your LOREDIT files in the Show Editor, and your playback files are created automatically when your show plays for the first time. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehoyt Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 Matt I just got done testing the technique that user "default" said he is using in order to run shows on a slower "show" pc. It is described in my thread "Copy files from development machine to show machine". It seems to work fine. I understand your strategy to keep as much hidden as possible to make life easier and cohesive. I have no idea what the ultimate plan is. I just took a quick look at the hub program and see it has the option to create an SD card show. As I mentioned in my original post, perhaps you could add an option to "create a subdirectory for use on another pc. I actually would like to have a command in the sequence editor to "create" such a subdirectory, but can understand your reluctance to do this. Just my 2 cents Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted August 27, 2019 Share Posted August 27, 2019 7 hours ago, MattBrown said: Starting with version 5.3.0, you schedule your LOREDIT files in the Show Editor, and your playback files are created automatically when your show plays for the first time. Matt I fully admit that I have been rather out of things for most of the 5.3.x discussions. Does that mean that my show computer has to have access to the hundreds (or will it be thousands) of AVI files from SuperStar in order to play the first time? Does it also mean that my show will take several minutes of delay on first showing in order to create the play files on the show computer that could have been created far faster on my massively faster sequencing computer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougd Posted August 27, 2019 Author Share Posted August 27, 2019 For years now, I always setup and play my show several days before my actual show starts, I play the show all the way though with no power going to the controllers. That way the .LCS file would get created which always took a while to create. Even if you pre-created that file, the show would sometimes create it on its own the first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcoaster Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 How the heck am I going to be able to create and upload my playback file to the Pixie's to run in standalone mode? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grillhappy Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 I ran into this as I tested my 2019 Lightshows for the first time using 5.3.8 Pro. While it was much easier to create my shows in the Show Directory, not having to go through that extra step to manually create a Playback file, the first run of my show really impacted the timing. I kept getting the message "Cannot find Playback File" between each of my sequences while loading. This added an extra 6-30 seconds to each interval between sequence playing. Now that I've learned the new process (above, thank you), my question is: the next time I run the show, will it find this new Playback File, so my sequence loading is like it should be? I'm guessing, and hoping, so. I'll keep testing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilMassey Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 Good question.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
default Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 Each time a playback file is created, it includes a set of numbers following the file name. If changes pointed out by Matt have occured, then the numbers that follow the filename will be changed when Show Player creates these files on the fly. In that case you would need to change the files that are listed in Show Editor to reflect that name change. According to Matt, there are 2 things that can cause the filename to change. On 8/26/2019 at 10:13 AM, MattBrown said: The first set of 4 digits represent the "enhanced" setting on each of the 16 possible LOR networks. If the enhanced flags change, the playback files need to be recreated to reflect the new network configuration. The 4 numbers is how we keep track of that. The second number is the preview revision number. Every time you save your preview, the revision number is bumped up by 1. Changing the preview could be just moving a prop around, or it could mean you've changed channels, or deleted props. Some of those actions mean that the playback files need to be updated. So we embed the preview revision number in the file name so we know whether we need to create new playback files or not. When you edit a sequence, such as editing a SS effect within S5, adding/changing a picture, etc. Show Editor will have to go and find all those files and put them into the .lid file. That will cause the playback sequence to be different from the original. A filename filename change did not occur but you will still have to create new playback files so that the latest changes are included in the playback changes. If any of the 2 items Matt mentioned are changed within the Preview or Network preferences, then the filename will change and you will have to create new playback files for ALL your Sequences. This because a Network Change or a Preview change can affect all the sequences. If your show is done and no changes to any of the above are done, then they will play as intended since there are no name changes or edits. Show Player will play the files as needed and quickly as there is no need for the Show Player to recreate them on the fly. The main takeway from this - If you are creating Playback files on your editing pc and transfering them a show pc and you have edited your sequence and/or filename changes have occured, be sure to copy the latest playback files to your show pc and verify that the latest playback filename that is pointed to in Show Editor reflects those name changes. ie. you will need to point show editor to the new filename or it will still try to play the old filename. Hope that helps. Alan... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grillhappy Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 (edited) Hopefully, for all LOR users, they will TEST their shows before Opening Night, so they won't be surprised at the delays in timing between sequences the first time their show runs. Once the "Play.lms" files have been created (the first running of their show), they should be good to go. Edited October 19, 2019 by grillhappy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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