Can you convert SuperStar CCR sequence to allow use with LOR Pixel Tree prop?

[machtoo]

Haven't seen anything definitive in the forums but asking for next year's holiday season.  Would like to see if SuperStar can export a CCR ribbon sequence for use in Motion Effect row in S5 for a pixel tree?  If it can be done what are the steps? Thanks in advance...

[k6ccc]

Pretty easy.  A couple questions.  Do you have a SuperStar license that is large enough to cover the sequence you want to use - OR is this a sequence that you purchased from SuperStarLights.com?

Second, what is the size (number of strings and pixels) for the tree prop you are trying to use?

 

[machtoo]

The pixel tree is 16x100 or 1600 pixels, have had an SS license for a 12 CCR ribbon tree for many years, I will check but for now assume it covers the 1600 pixels.  I believe the CCR ribbons were 150 pixels per ribbon...believe my license is for 2400.  I have 40+ self created sequences for my Christmas show.  At Christmas I use both the CCR tree and the pixel tree.  For Halloween I want to use just the pixel tree.

[machtoo]

P.S. Only 13 songs/sequences for Halloween show...

[Mr. P]

A 12 CCR license will only cover up to 600 pixels or 1800 channels. Think of a CCR as 50 pixels so 12 CCRs is going to be 600 pixels . To cover the 1600 pixels or 4,800 channels you will need a 40 CCR license, you are thinking in channels.

Edited December 30, 2021 by Mr. P

[machtoo]

I am covered...from license... Feature Level: 4038 (Advanced / 40_CCR )
 

[machtoo]

So, how do we convert 12 ribbon sequences to display on the 16x100 pixel tree?  Thanks

[k6ccc]

Pretty easy now.  Make sure that the preview you are using has the tree built with the new dimensions.  Yes, the effects will look funny because they are based on the old dimensions.  Open the sequence in S5 Sequencer.  Then on a motion effects row for the tree, select any time element and press the "r" key so that the entire row is selected.  The CTRL-S so select "Insert SuperStar Effect".  Yes, there are mouse based commands for those too, but I use the keyboard shortcuts...

Once SuperStar opens, select almost anywhere on the screen and press CTRL-A to select all - note it may take a while (six seconds on this computer with the sequence I am using for this walkthrough).  Then Menu > Tools > Move or scale selected effects.  You will get a warning that this can't be undone, and also how many effects are selected.  Click OK.  On the resulting box, select "Scale" (about a third of the way down).  Set the source width and height (the original dimensions), and Dest width and height.  Note, that height and width refers to the grid - only an issue if you have the tree on it's side on the grid (as I do).  Click OK and wait a bit.  Watch it in SuperStar to make sure it looked OK.  Although there may be a few clean up item you need to do manually, at this point, I recommend exiting SuperStar and select Yes for the question about saving the changes.  Wait a while.  Once Sequencer is completed, save the file WITH A NEW FILENAME.  I can not emphasize that last part enough.  As long as you saved with a new filename, if it (or you) screwed up, you retain the ability to go back to the previous version and try again.  Play it in Sequencer and see if there is anything you want to tweek a bit.  Double click on the effect to open SuperStar and make whatever adjustments you need to make.  For example, I recently went through this process for a pixel tree that was going from 12 x 50 to 26 x 100.  The 50 to 100 went very smoothly, but the 12 to 26 resulted in some lines being 2 pixels wide and a couple being 3 pixels wide.  I fixed that, and some I really needed to remain as 1 pixel wide so I manually fixed those.

 

[machtoo]

Have added the pixel tree to a couple of Halloween sequences and renamed them and saved to a test folder.  The re-scale worked but will have to edit the text effect in Superstar to move it down the pixel tree a bit as it is too compressed at the top.  The graphic animations scaled fine.  One thing I encountered today was the pixel tree prop is added to the preview design and added the scaled SS sequence to the motion effect row, but in one sequence the pixel tree is not visible in the preview playback.  Ever seen that?

[k6ccc]

As I said, you will find things that take a little tweeking to make it look the way you want after scaling.

For the one sequence, that seems odd...  Have to think about that one.