Show Monkey --TIME LINE ADDON --

[Mattotone]

[musicboy71]

Looks like a GREAT idea!

[wardomon]

When?

[Mattotone]

When?

Who knows, its a control i created for another project but got the idea to appy in to FS.
i want to leave it to you guys to suggest features:

Heres mine:

pre built sequence from FS dragged and dropped into time line.
time line represents time in minutes and seconds (1 second increments)
multiple sequences per row but non overlapping
upto 20 sequences can be playing at any time (i.e 20 rows to drag sequences into) each row represent a position in the duelist manger so max has to be 20.
unlimited amount of sequences and time per time line.
double clicking a sequence will allow set options (reverse,loop,disable fade, react to sound etc)
sequences can be re sized to adjust playing time, and moved to adjust start time.
Sound can be imported and played to produce Wave graph for synchronization , maybe video!
Add markers for triggering Serial commands. (This is specialist, i create Serial/USB relays for non DMX effects and Halloween props)

[kristof]

Awesome!

As for features, having timecode input would be a nice and some way of control over the sequence speed.

Can't wait to try it!

[wardomon]

Matt: Best. Idea. Ever. GOMonkey on steroids! I really could use this. I'll take it as it is and wring it out for you. Please, oh please?

More feature ideas...

Playback speed control.
Snap to time option.
Keyboard edit/entry of start, stop & duration.
Half a second accuracy. Tenth would be nicer.
Start, stop, pause/hold, next buttons.
All windows resizable. (sadly lacking in FS)
Always visible file buttons! Like cuelist or override buttons so an entire set up of sequences (song) could be loaded with one click.
- - -
I've got to start packing up for the gig tonight, but I'm sure to come up with more ideas.

[Mattotone]

Playback speed control. will be implemented
Snap to time option. That parts done
Keyboard edit/entry of start, stop & duration. Had the same idea this afternoon
Half a second accuracy. Tenth would be nicer. Will be a user set option, however the higher the accuracy the more processing required so may become a performance issue
Start, stop, pause/hold, next buttons. Next Option? is your idea to seperate the time line with pause points? or have a stack of time lines to go through?
All windows resizable. (sadly lacking in FS) Sure thing
Always visible file buttons! Like cuelist or override buttons so an entire set up of sequences (song) could be loaded with one click. Sure thing
- - -

[Spirit]

this looks like the Plugin of the Year alot of people are looking for something like this.
i don't know if i'm going to use it, but you are going to make alot of people realy happy.

[Mattotone]

[wardomon]

Matt: Initially I thought that "Next" could jump forward in the time line to the next non-playing sequence. Either while playing or from pause/hold. I hadn't thought about settable pause points. Now I don't know. "Next" implies next sequence. How about "Jump" to next pause point?

Stack of time lines would duplicate file load buttons. Quick file load buttons would make song list changes trivial. Instantly load and run any song... quite possibly the best feature ever.

More ideas as they come to me.

[Mattotone]

I think il go with cue points, to allow more flexibility, however there will be pause points which are applied automatically.

[stbg74]

Hi,

Really good idea for an Add-on I'm just looking for this functionnality.

Can I test your Add-on ? What are you using to control FS ?

Thanks

[Mattotone]

the project is a long way from completion. its barely started as its not yet an active project tbh. iv just created the time line control for another project

[stbg74]

Ok I understand but what are you using to dial with FreeStyler ? The SendMessage ?

I would like to develop my own Addon but the documentation is very poor.
Thanks

[Mattotone]

yes send message is how im communicating with FS, im using c# there are a few examples in his forum topic with some working examples: http://www.freestylersupport.com/fsforu ... =38&t=2184

[trapgunner]

Hello, some Features Ideas!

I think instead you use the timeline to control sequences you can control each light value simultaneously.
I made a little concept about my idea for a timeline


If you have something like that you can sync a music in a few minutes and made a great show.

I was inspired by music softwares.

Record Button - Change parameters in real time.
Midi Control - Control any parameters with any midi controller (you can use this when you are recording)
Next and Previews Show Button - You can save your light show in a bank, so you can do 1 bank for each track, and in the show you just need to change the bank whetever music you want to play.

if have something I can help to develop this addon, I do anything because I really want something like that to me! I dont know about programming, but I have some ideas and I am good in visual design.

My paintings gallery: http://michelvictor.deviantart.com/

[Mattotone]

Unfortunately this wont be done. Its a great idea and an excellent mock up.
However Freestyley does not provide a strong enough API for me to have access to the sort of functions required to be able to make such an add-on.
To do this would require me to replicate a lot of existing features which has taken Raph a lot of time to perfect. It would be like creating my own freestyler that could read Freestyler fixtures and then create its own sequence files for FS to read.

[trapgunner]

What type of code is needed to send information to a light?

[trapgunner]

Yes I undestand!
The only thing I dont undestand is why all software try to copy analogic controllers, if you have much more easy ways to control the lights via computer.

[wardomon]

Trapgunner: Most lighting people come from theater/live music backgrounds where analog gear has been used for a long time. Most theaters and bands are reluctant to replace fully functional systems with state of the art simply "because". Lighting is an analog art form. It's so entrenched in the equipment, training and habits of LDs and LJs that it'll be a long time before it goes away. Even "Big Rig" gear mimics old theater set ups, except for the bells and whistles part.

[trapgunner]

Yes I know that and I agree in someway, but I am a little frustrated because I am searching for some software I can just record the actions in my home and in the show I can just press the play button and the entire show happen sync with the music. The close software I found to do that is Manolator with Winamp Timecode, but unfortunately I just can control 64 channels and I need at least 240 channels. In Freestyler I just can control te sequences by seconds, why? Some ideas to help me?

[wardomon]

I do live music only. I do most of my programming in Magic 3d. Only final movement and position tweaking is done at the gig. Unfortunately, what you see is not what you get (WYSINWYG). The visualizer is nowhere close to the real world. I usually spend 2 hours setting up and 4 finalizing scenes. I don't even run the visualizer during shows.

I'd use a time line add-on to build the cue sequences, then jump it manually through each tune. Way to much work trying to synch a preprogrammed series of changes to the whims of meter that bands exhibit.

[trapgunner]

If I get some software with Timeline ADDon just solve my problem. My interface is Enttec open DMX.
I dont know when Show Monkey may be used, so if you know some like that for this interface I'll be greateful.

[kristof]

It's nice idea, but you can write your show, as proposed in your picture, in your favourite MIDI sequencing software and send it to FS (recalling whole scenes and/or fixture attributes) already.

Yes I undestand!
The only thing I dont undestand is why all software try to copy analogic controllers, if you have much more easy ways to control the lights via computer.

Some commercial available DMX software support your idea out-of-the box, but "easy" is not necessarily easier or better when you have 20 fixtures with 20 channels.
Maybe this site will give you some answers to your question :
http://www.onstagelighting.co.uk/learn- ... pallettes/
(hope it's ok by admins/moderators to post this link).

The idea of programming the whole show at the comfort of your home and just pressing "play" at the gig and everything is going to be OK: you are not the first, not the last who tried this. It always takes some sweat, tears and tweaking of your pre-made scenes to make it work. But that's why I (we) love doing it.

Only final movement and position tweaking is done at the gig. Unfortunately, what you see is not what you get (WYSINWYG). The visualizer is nowhere close to the real world. I usually spend 2 hours setting up and 4 finalizing scenes. I don't even run the visualizer during shows.

I'd use a time line add-on to build the cue sequences, then jump it manually through each tune. Way to much work trying to synch a preprogrammed series of changes to the whims of meter that bands exhibit.

[wardomon]

Palettes rule! In Freestyler they're called "Submasters". I did much better once I figured that part out. And overrides? Great for quick, live improvisations. Too bad they can't run a sequence.