Textbook DMXC2
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Textbook DMXC2 |
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Contents
Overview
At theater and musical events it is imperative that light atmospheres and effects are activated exactly on a particular keyword. For this, the script module has been integrated into DMXControl. With this you can control lights, movement scenes and also sound effects (such as thunder, barking of dogs or similar) as well as start commands at the precise moment of a cue in a theater or musical piece. The field of application of the script module doesn't remain restricted to theater and musicals because this module is suitable for other types of production with synchronised actions, such as choral or carnival productions.
| Picture 1: The textbook module |
| Picture 1: The textbook module |
Description
The window of the textbook module is divided into three areas:
- the text field area with text editor functions in the upper part of the module
- the control area with buttons for the control of the performance in the middle part of the module
- the direction area with a cue overview and cue processing functions in the lower part of the module
Text field area
The text field area contains a text editor with which you can scroll through the textbook (described) as a script without influencing the cue timing. In addition, you can add simple customizations with the editor, such as changing the color or the size of the script text. The editor is sufficient for underlining keywords or placing notes to oneself in different colors. However, the editor of the module isn't designed for making major changes to the script. A third-party dedicated text editor is more suitable for this purpose.
To open script files in DMXControl, they must be formatted using Rich Text Format[1] (file extension .rtf). In the text field the text not too extensively becomes, if the script should be divided up into several parts, preferably every break so that a subdivision. The part script arisen so can correspondingly, explained still more exactly in the article below, options display be loaded separately in the breaks about one. In addition, the text structure of the script isn't provided in the script module. This means you can adapt the script to her requirements individually and don't have to adapt themselves to a DMXControl-specific text structure.
A small progress bar is under the text field. This shows the current Fortschitt in the script using which one can assess approximately how long the current piece already is on and how much text follows still until the next break or the end of the play.
So that DMXControl recognizes at which ones scenes corresponding to places in the script are, scene references are made with references to the corresponding scenes. These reprimands are always inserted by DMXControl at the beginning of a new line in the Textskript. One leaves one line each the best above and below the reference freely so that the script remains as open as possible.
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The string # # # mustn't happen in the normal text of the script since DMXControl uses this character string as a marking for the prepared reference entries. If this character string is used, it can come to serious faults! |
Cue references
Cue references are stressed by DMXControl so that these are readable better. You have format always following:
### <Cue-ID> - <Cue name> ### <Director comment>
The cue ID is a four-digit reference number produced by DMXControl automatically. This number is needed so that DMXControl finds the right cue in the internal database for the cue reference. The scene name corresponds to the cue name allocated in DMXControl and can be chosen individually at the construction of the cue. Here it should be taken care of on this to use apt names so that at a search the corresponding cues can be found fast again. Additional information, like the way of the light atmosphere, can stand as a management comment at the end of a cue reference. E.g. a cue reference can look as follows:
###0002 – thunder storm ### thunder(audio)
All cue types like simple cue or audio cue supported by DMXControl can be used in the script. Since the made cue references are also only character strings, these can be processed with an external editor exactly like the remaining text of the script. DMXControl leads therefore a consistency check through, whether at every start all scenes indicated in the script are available in the internal database. If a cue was found in the database, then a green rhombus is shown to the corresponding scene besides the name in the management area. If a scene entry doesn't refer to any existing scene, then the rhombus is colored red besides the name.
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It should absolutely be taken care of on this that the scene references aren't changed when working with an external text editor since scene references can be lost through this and it can come to inconsistencies |
Controls
Control area
| Picture 2: The control area |
| Picture 2: The control area |
Four button are in the control area. This one is the greatest of them « GO » button. He starts the select cue and selects the following cue automatically. So the will on by clicking repeatedly « GO » button the row after all cues started in the script.
Two navigation buttons are on the left besides it « Prev » and « Next ». With them one can navigate between the cues without executing her. So one can skip single cue references if a keyword was missed and the next scene shall be selected now.
On the right besides the « GO » button this one is « AutoScroll » button. With this the AutoScroll function of the script can be activated or deactivated. At the AutoScroll function a red harvest line is shown and the harvest line and the script always scrolls the script up to the next scene reference. The scrolling up speed is derived from the indicated delta time to the next scene in the management area, as a rule, through what a manual customization is required.
| Picture 3: The control area in search mode |
| Picture 3: The control area in search mode |
The control block also contains a small search function since DMXControl's version 2.11. With the help of the key combination ctrl' '+' 'f the search function is activated. Sie durchsucht das Skript bei einem Klick auf « Next hit » as of the current cursor position after the entered search text. If the search text is found in the script, then the script jumps to this position and marks the corresponding passage. The left button in the search view closes the search function and shows the control view again.
Direction area
The management area contains a script administration in the upper section. With the drop down menu the different Teilskripte can be selected and can with the button « Managing » being laid out, copied, renamed or deleted. With « Open » the fitting text file can be opened to every part script.
A list is in the lower part with all scenes contained in the script which are sorted after her appearance in the script. In this list different parameters get shown every single scene, the partial ones by clicking slowly, twice (no-one double-click) you can process:
| Picture 4: Part from the cue list of the text book |
| Picture 4: Part from the cue list of the text book |
| Function | Description | Workable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cue aktiv | Here you can select, whether the scene is taken into account or left out in the expiry | Yes |
| 2 | green / red diamond | If cue reference and cue agree on the database, the diamond is green, otherwise red | No |
| 3 | Name | Name of the corresponding cue entry | Yes |
| 4 | Line | The line number is shown to the cue reference here | No |
| 5 | Delta-T | Time between the last and the current cue. The value indicated here has influence on the scrolling up speed of the AutoScroll function | Yes |
| 6 | catchword | As small help a passage at which the cue shall be started can be indicated here | Yes |
| 7 | Comment | A note can be indicated with additional information about the cue which appears in the script at the end of the corresponding cue reference here | Yes |
| 8 | Fade time | The fade time determines how long the fade of the last cue shall last to the current cue | Yes |
Single cue entries are on the left of the cue list these confessed button for making, working and deleting from other modules. You find details for her operation control center DMXC2 in the article to the Control center.
The cue progress bar is below the cue list. This shows graphically how long the current cue is already displayed in proportion to her one fade duration.
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If several cues which contain the same devices are started at the same time, then the DMX version starts to jump and the light begins to flicker. In addition, scene injections cannot be broken off. It must therefore be taken care of on this that the fade times aren't chosen too greatly! |
Module commands
- Modul: Textbook
- Meaning from device/function and channel
| Device/Function | Description | Channel | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go button | The further command is applied to the go button. | Select | The button is operated when executing the command. |
| Previous button | The further command is applied to the previous button. | Select | The button is operated when executing the command. |
| Next button | The further command is applied to the next button. | Select | The button is operated when executing the command. |
| Select script | The further command selects the corresponding script. | Next | Select the next script. |
| Previous | Select the previous script. | ||
| Textbook name | The script chooses from the drop down list with the name. |
Meaning of the Flags:
| Flag | Meaning | Description |
|---|---|---|
| T | Toggle mode | The Flag »Toggle mode« result in the function's being set by the first call and being reset by the second call. |
| O | Used specified value | The Flag »Used specified value« result in the being assigned to the appropriate channel of the value in the openings' value. This value isn't DMX value 0 to 255 but a per cent value 0. 000 to 100. 000% |
| A | Ask for value | The Flag »Ask for value« result in the opening at call of the order of an input window in which the per cent value can be entered. |
| I | Ignore value 0 | The Flag »Ignore value 0« result in the being ignored of a value of zero. Do you need at some orders to ensure a correct function. |
Links and references
- ↑ Wikipedia: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Text_Format
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