Can you combine 2 different Matrix sizes in to a group?

[Tazcowboy]

I added two new matrixes this year to fill as much wall space as I could on my second story.

Matrix one is 30H x 64W and Matrix two is 43H x 56W.   They are working great as individual matrixes.  I would like to also combine them as a group to do a "billboard" like look across the two, but not use all of matrix two pixels.  I have attached a screenshot of my preview with my goal of a 120W x 30H matrix. 

I have not been able to figure out a group set up the allows me to get the result I want.  Any suggestions?  

[Box on Rails]

In S6 and I think in S5  you should be able to create a group with the 2 props and then make sure they are set to "Use Preview" in the arrangement. then set the RES to High. Then you will have to create a custom Motion Effects row in the group. The custom motion effects row will allow you to pick the pixels that you want to use to create the set up in the picture. just Highlight the dots (these are the pixels) to be used.

Edited October 3, 2023 by Box on Rails

[Tazcowboy]

That was exactly what I tried to do first.  Does look right.  See attchments.

 

[Box on Rails]

That looks right. Now grab the little pencil and click on the little squares to turn them white,  the group on the left represent the left matrix and the group on the right is the right matrix. Of the group on the left will all be highlighted and the right group you will only want to highlight the 30 rows that match the other matrix. After you get what you want I would make at least 3 rows with this set up. Then export the prop group to back it up. 

[Tazcowboy]

Many Thanks.  That worked.  It took a bit to select the correct number of top and bottom rows on the right matrix, but it only took two tries, and it worked as you said.  

[Box on Rails]

4 minutes ago, Tazcowboy said:

Many Thanks.  That worked.  It took a bit to select the correct number of top and bottom rows on the right matrix, but it only took two tries, and it worked as you said.  

I know how you fell. It takes a lot of time to highlight each square one at a time. The LOR software needs a bit of an upgrade with some new tools in this ME row creator to allow for better selection of the little squares (pixels). I am glad I could help. 

[Jeremiah Ackermann]

Not that "Use Preview" can't work, but there is an alternative method than would have been much quicker and should result in a higher fidelity images and text clarity, especially if you plan to scroll that text.

Here is a link to a preview file I created using the "Custom" option inside the group versus "Use Preview". Using custom, you can position the two matrices correctly (I chose to place them next to each other, but you could put in a gap to simulate the gap you have on the house). Then for the motion effect row, I just had to use the rectangle option and put in the correct info to pull the desired matrix out versus having to manually select each pixel.
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvuEQSc6qO9KgadpLIs29hQC9Jg7_g?e=2yIe8A

[Box on Rails]

22 hours ago, Jeremiah Ackermann said:

Not that "Use Preview" can't work, but there is an alternative method than would have been much quicker and should result in a higher fidelity images and text clarity, especially if you plan to scroll that text.

Here is a link to a preview file I created using the "Custom" option inside the group versus "Use Preview". Using custom, you can position the two matrices correctly (I chose to place them next to each other, but you could put in a gap to simulate the gap you have on the house). Then for the motion effect row, I just had to use the rectangle option and put in the correct info to pull the desired matrix out versus having to manually select each pixel.
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvuEQSc6qO9KgadpLIs29hQC9Jg7_g?e=2yIe8A

I downloaded you preview and made a short animated sequence to test out your method. Any Ideas that make sequencing easier I am all in so here is a short video of what the sequence looked like using your preview. I Did not get the output you described. The 2 Matrix do not match up in the manner we were trying to achieve here. I even added a custom ME row that I highlighted all the pixels on but still got the same out put of the 2 Matrix not lining up. I made no changes to your preview other then adding a second motion effects row in the Group. I Do not have this issue when I use the "Use Preview" arrangement. Take a look at what I got. 

 

[Jeremiah Ackermann]

1 hour ago, Box on Rails said:

The 2 Matrix do not match up in the manner we were trying to achieve here. I even added a custom ME row that I highlighted all the pixels on but still got the same out put of the 2 Matrix not lining up

It should look correct on the house if the same spacing is being used and the pixels are lined up. The reason it doesn't match up is it is impossible to setup two matrices in the preview such that the pixel spacing between both is the same (Anytime you resize the prop, it resizes both top/bottom. Either a tool to match pixel spacing or ability to anchor an edge when resizing a prop would allow this).

However, like you said, the prop doesn't look correct which is unfortunate. The pixel dimensions between the two are drastically different, the Use Preview option is 96x76 and the custom group option is 120x43, exactly what is desired. The custom option also offers performance benefits, because there is less pixels overall compared to Use Preview.

The ME generator shows my "Matrix" completely different, as if it uses the entire prop and not ME row I defined in the group. Which sounds familiar, as I have ran into this before with curtain effects. The effect seems to get applied to the entire prop or group and not the smaller ME row bounding rectangle (or buffer).

This doesn't seem correct to me. @MattBrown, do you have anything to add to this? 
 

Edited October 5, 2023 by Jeremiah Ackermann

[Box on Rails]

21 minutes ago, Jeremiah Ackermann said:

22 minutes ago, Jeremiah Ackermann said:

It should look correct on the house if the same spacing is being used and the pixels are lined up. The reason it doesn't match up is it is impossible to setup two matrices in the preview such that the pixel spacing between both is the same (Anytime you resize the prop, it resizes both top/bottom. Either a tool to match pixel spacing or ability to anchor an edge when resizing a prop would allow this).
 

Ok I know what your saying but it is not impossible to get the preview to be set up correctly. I have taken your group and set it up using "Use Preview" First I corrected the pixel spacing on both Matrix and then set them together as before. When I play back the animation you will see that My set up makes the selected part of both matrix look like one. If one of the matrix in the group is off then I just move it up or down by it's self until I get it right. The key is setting up the spacing in both matrises to match. 

 

On 10/3/2023 at 4:38 PM, Tazcowboy said:

That was exactly what I tried to do first.  Does look right.  See attchments.

 

Does both matrixes have the same pixel spacing between each pixel? If they do then what is in the preview pictured will not match up when you run the display. If you look at the picture of the ME row set up, the area on the tall matrix does not match up to the small matrix. There are 30 rows on the small matrix but in that same space in the tall matrix there are only 25 rows. This will cause the taller matrix portion to look display smaller the the 30x64 matrix. So what you have in this group is a Matrix that is 120 pixels wide that has 30 rows OK but only in the first 64 pixels and there is only 25 rows of 56 pixels. the out put will look off. Send me a copy of your prop and I can fix it for you. But all this depends on the pixel spacing of both Matrixes. You can email the prop group to me at kwjure@gmail.com, I'll take a look at it and make sure it lines up correctly.