changing a sequence while show is running

[bhays]

Is there anyway I can trick LOR into reloading a sequence file during a show? I spotted a goof in a sequence and fixed it. Now I have 17 cars in line out front and don't want to stop the show, but I sure would love to see the corrected sequence play the rest of the night.

If I move the sequence file to a different directory and let it miss it and not run once, will it load the new version on the next time around?

I found this post, but on my machine, it won't pick up a changed sequence unless the show restarts

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Speaking of Schedules, Shows, Sequences, some may have asked these questions:

Q: Can I [highlight= rgb(255, 255, 136);]change[/highlight] the schedule while a [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] is playing?

A: Yes! If you [highlight= rgb(255, 255, 136);]change[/highlight] the schedule so that nothing should be playing now (e.g. "[highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]Show[/highlight] 1" was scheduled to be played between 4:00 and 10:00; it is now 5:00; and you [highlight= rgb(255, 255, 136);]change[/highlight] the schedule to make it play between 7:00 and 10:00), then the [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] will gracefully shut down. (I.e. the current "Musical" [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 255);]sequence[/highlight] will finish, then any "Shutdown" sequences will play.)

If you [highlight= rgb(255, 255, 136);]change[/highlight] the schedule so that a different [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] should be playing now, then the current [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] will be gracefully shut down, and the new [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] will start.

If you [highlight= rgb(255, 255, 136);]change[/highlight] the schedule in such a way that the current [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] is still scheduled to be running now, then it will continue to run without interruption.

Q: Can I [highlight= rgb(255, 255, 136);]change[/highlight] a [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] while it's playing?

A: Yes! If you make any changes to a [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] while it's playing, it will gracefully shutdown and then restart with the new changes you've made.

Q: Can I [highlight= rgb(255, 255, 136);]change[/highlight] a [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 255);]sequence[/highlight] while it's playing?

A: Yes! The [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] will go on. It will finish playing the older version of the [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 255);]sequence[/highlight] you have changed, and go on to the next one. When it comes around to playing the modified [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 255);]sequence[/highlight], then it will reload it and play your changes. The exception to this is a background [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 255);]sequence[/highlight], because the background sequences play with an implicit loop, so they won't get reloaded until the [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] restarts. Of course, if you're changing the [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 255);]sequence[/highlight] using the [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 255);]sequence[/highlight] editor on the same machine as the [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] machine, then the [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 255);]sequence[/highlight] editor can't control the lights, because the [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] player is controlling them, and I haven't yet tested what happens with the audio, but you and your audience will probably hear the song playing at different offsets at the same time. A better way to [highlight= rgb(255, 255, 136);]change[/highlight] a [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 255);]sequence[/highlight] in the currently running [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] is to run the [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 255);]sequence[/highlight] editor on a different computer (like the one in your den, not the one in the garage that's running the [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] ), copy the new sequence to a USB drive, and then copy it on top of the older version.

Q: What else can I do while a [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] is playing?

A: You can remove sequences from a [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] without making the [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] restart by moving the [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 255);]sequence[/highlight] files to be removed into a different directory. When the [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] tries to play that [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 255);]sequence[/highlight], it won't be able to load it, so it will just go on to the next [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 255);]sequence[/highlight]. You can also just delete the [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 255);]sequence[/highlight] file if you have a backup or don't want it anymore. Again, this won't work for a background [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 255);]sequence[/highlight], which is only loaded once when the [highlight= rgb(136, 255, 136);]show[/highlight] starts.

[bhays]

bhays wrote:

If I move the sequence file to a different directory and let it miss it and not run once, will it load the new version on the next time around?

Welp, guess I answered that question. I took it out of the directory and the sequence is running right now anyway

Is there anyway to tell LOR not to cache the sequences?

[Steven]

That old post you found (written be me) is for LOR 1. LOR 2 changed the way sequences in shows are loaded. Now when a show plays, it loads the sequences as it needs them, and keeps them in memory so it doesn't have to load them again.

In another topic, I asked if the next version would monitor for changed sequence files. I was told that sounded like a good idea, so it may be in the next version.

I agree with you. I would like to update a sequence and have the show play the new version without having to restart the show.

[garyfunk]

I'd be very happy there was a way to tell the software to 'reload changed sequences.' That way, after I make the changes, I can tell the software I am done, and it can then see which sequences changed and reload only the changed shows.

[Randy]

My method to intregrate modified sequences into the show with LOR2:

I make edits and changes to sequences as I see things that need to be fixed on my desktop "sequencing PC" in the house.

Then I go to the laptop running the show in the garage and I copy the updated files over the network from the desktop PC to the laptop PC.

My set of sequences is 40 minutes long this year, so after copying the new files I wait until the series of sequences is about to finish and start over on the show laptop.

Just as the last announcement in the set is playing and finishing, I right-click on the light bulb icon in the tray and select "disable shows". Then I immediately right click and select "enable shows". This causes only a momentary pause while the sequences are re-cached and then the series of sequences starts over again from the top, with the newly modified sequence in the mix and ready to be played when the time comes....Even daily visitors who know the sequences by heart can't even tell that I stopped and re-started....

On a couple of occasions when only a couple of people are watching, I did the disable/re-enable when the set of sequences was only 3/4 of the way through, and my actions cause them to start again from the top but no one seems to notice as long as you do it at the end of a song or announcement.

Randy

[garyfunk]

Randy, as far as I can tell, that is the ONLY way to do it at this time.

[bhays]

Randy wrote:

Just as the last announcement in the set is playing and finishing, I right-click on the light bulb icon in the tray and select "disable shows". Then I immediately right click and select "enable shows". This causes only a momentary pause while the sequences are re-cached and then the series of sequences starts over again from the top, with the newly modified sequence in the mix and ready to be played when the time comes....

I have done that a time or two and enable shows stays grayed out... I have to actually install LOR over the top of itself to get shows working again... pretty gunshy at this point.

Using enable or disable shows if a show is not currently running I have never had a problem. I did order the usb cable from LOR with the ferrite filters and it should be here before Jan 1, so I plan to test and see if that was the problem.

[tamale]

I just tried a test and it seems to work, but I only did this by adding a new sequence while the show was running. (version 2.1.6)

When you modify your sequence, save it, and then save it again under another filename. While the show is still running, add the newly named sequence to the show editor and remove the old one. Don't forget to save the show.

The show editor picked up the new sequence and drop the old.

It seems you could then revert back by putting the original named sequence back in and remove the new and the show editor will pick up on the change when it restarts.

Tom