Multiple Programs

[gocats7]

This is my first year running at show and I will say it is awesome. I have searched the site and cannot find an answer to a question I have.

I want to have 3 different things happen automatically. I want from 5-6pm for a program to run which is basically just some of my lights on and using the sparkle and shimmer feature.

Then I want to run my sequences based around music which is basically my "show" to end at a specific time.

Then I want just my lights on from this time until say 11:30.

I created 3 programs and scheduled them back to back with one starting when the other ends say one ending at 6pm and one starting at 6pm. When one is suppose to end and the other start, my com port is in use so it doesnt switch.

How can I work around this to accomplish what I am trying to do. What do you guys do?

[Virtus]

Schedule your main show to begin at 6:01 and you won't have any trouble I think. Try not to have two events at the same mark in time.

[Mufassa]

Can you do the 6:01 schedule? I could be wrong but I thought you only had option for every half hour? I was planning multiple programs to accomplish the same thing but thinking about it I may have to figure more out.

Looks like maybe you could edit the "timers" file in the root Vixen folder directly and input any time you want? I havent tried yet but will give it a shot and see.


Edit: Yep that works just fine I set mine to start at 9:12:10 AM and it started exactly on time!

--Greg

[BillAd]

Greg,

Click carefully on the seconds in the time and eventually it will highlight an individual digit. You will then be able to key in any time you desire, rather than selection of one in the pick list. I also use multiple programs and find I need to off set the end and starting times by enough time that the prior sequence ends before the second starts.

Bill

[gocats7]

Sounds good, tested it and it works....thanks guys. Last question and I will test it if I get a chance (going through my garage...its a pit!) but lets say a sequence runs until 9pm...does that mean it will just cut off in mid play at 9pm or will it not repeat itself after 9pm but complete the program meaning it may not end until 9:07 or whenever depending on the sequence length and when it started for the last time?

Thanks.

[Virtus]

As a side note...I have also noticed that when using the LAUNCHER plugin I shouldn't use the first 1/20th of a second cell of a sequence to trigger my event. I move it to the 2nd 1/20th of a second of the sequence and it triggers successfully every time.

End of the show: It will complete the sequence that runs past your end time I know for sure. I am not positive if it finishes the entire program.

[gocats7]

Great advice, working out my timers tonight, been testing the past two nights. Go live tomorrow!

Thanks.

[davidn70]

It will not repeat itself after the show stop time and keep running until it completes the program.

David
www.ChristmasInOrbit.com


Sounds good, tested it and it works....thanks guys. Last question and I will test it if I get a chance (going through my garage...its a pit!) but lets say a sequence runs until 9pm...does that mean it will just cut off in mid play at 9pm or will it not repeat itself after 9pm but complete the program meaning it may not end until 9:07 or whenever depending on the sequence length and when it started for the last time?

Thanks.

[XmasInGalt]

Tagging on a similar question to this thread, if a program is scheduled to end at 9:00PM and a second program is scheduled to run at 9:01PM, is there any way to make the second program wait until the first program ends before the second program starts?

[Wayne J]

Tagging on a similar question to this thread, if a program is scheduled to end at 9:00PM and a second program is scheduled to run at 9:01PM, is there any way to make the second program wait until the first program ends before the second program starts?

Nope. You just have to get your times worked out. I went back and added time to all of my sequences. (rounded off to next full second) done the math and figured out what time it will end, then schedule my closing sequence/program at the next minute. This works great as long I do not pause or restart the show. If you do pause or restart, Vixen will not run the second program but give the big 'doink' sound.

[cruizer]

Well, I came here looking to see if the new version solved this problem, seems that it did not.

Here is my solution: Instead of calculationg out every sequence time, and inputting the numbers in every time, I create one BIG program. I have my basic light sequence running from 4:30 to 5. From 5 I have all three songs I have created run, Just stack them up one after the other. The at 10, I have my Porky Pig Outro, and then my afterhours sequence.

So it's literally just ONE BIG PROGRAM! It takes a while to do, but you only need to do it once. THere are then NO deadspots, the lights never go blank waiting for the program to start the next calaner item.

The only problem is though, if Vixen lockes up in the middle somewhere, you can't just "Restart Timers" because it starts right back at the beginning.