using different modes of a fixture

[Matthias Waldorf]

Is it possible to use two different modes a fixture within the same project? I get an address conflict if I try to add the same fixture with another mode. 

Kind regards
Matthias

[Mathieu]

Yes, this should work. The address conflict is because the adresses of your fixtures overlap. Change the start address of the 2nd fixture to have enough free channels between your 2 fixtures to fit the mode you want to use.

[Matthias Waldorf]

Sorry, I expressed myself in a misleading way.

Mode 1 (rgb mode):
Channel 1 = 0
Channel 2 = red
Channel 3 = green
Channel 4 = blue

Mode 2 (effect mode):
Channel 1 = effect (1 .. n)
Channel 2 = dimmer
Channel 3 = speed
Channel 4 = phase

We would like to use the rgb mode and effect mode of the same fixture at different times within the same project.

[Mathieu]

Hi,

Unfortunately, this isn't supported. It would also require to go at the fixture and manually change its mode during a show. 

You can have 2 project files though and use a different mode in each one. 

[Mathieu]

I see that in your case, the 1st channel might be the mode selection, so no need to go over the fixture to change the mode. What is the manufacturer of the fixture? Usually, you'd have a mode with both the rgb and effect channels, allowing to use both methods at the same time.

One option you have is to patch all channels as generic dimmers. Then you'd be able to change the value of the 1st channel to mean rgb or effect. But you would not be able to use all the color features of Lightjams.

[Matthias Waldorf]

>  What is the manufacturer of the fixture?

These are devices that we have developed ourselves.

>  Usually, you'd have a mode with both the rgb and effect channels, allowing to use both methods at the same time.

We have tried to reduce the number of channels required to a minimum, as there are so many of these devices.

>  One option you have is to patch all channels as generic dimmers. Then you'd be able to change the value of the 1st channel to mean rgb or effect.

Ok, then we'll try it that way.

>  But you would not be able to use all the color features of Lightjams.

Well, perhaps we can solve this for our purposes using a few suitable formulas. I'm still at the very beginning of exploring these possibilities ;-)

As always, many thanks for the fast and competent support!

[Matthias Waldorf]

>  One option you have is to patch all channels as generic dimmers. Then you'd be able to change the value of the 1st channel to mean rgb or effect.

If we use dimmer, would it not be affected by the main intensity?

The other difficulty is that the DMX values 0..255 are mapped to 0..100%. This makes it more difficult to specify an exact value like effect=7. Is there perhaps a simple way to avoid this mapping?

[Mathieu]

Dimmers are affected by the master intensities and all grid/group activations.

To help select a precise dmx value, you can create a fixture template. Use dimmable effects for the attributes and enter your presets with one preset with a range of 0 to 255 if you want to be able to select a value with a source.