Batch insert pre-wait times

[wade thomas]

Hi all,

My first time posting here.

I have a Group cue in timeline mode with two syncronized videos and various lighting cues enclosed. I would like to insert 100+ Pause cues targeting the Group at specific points along the timeline. I know how to do this manually, inserting each pre-wait time by hand, but is there a way to batch insert these cues, with pre-wait times taken from Excel or similar?

I have limited experience with AppleScript but have not used any scripting with Qlab.

Thanks for any suggestions!

[micpool]

here's a script that will do this

--To make pause cues from column A of an Excel spreadsheet 

set numberOfCues to 150 -- number of cues to make from Excel spreadsheet

set theindex to 1 -- set to first row of spreadsheet with data

set thecueToPause to "1" -- MUST BE A STRING.  Cue number for pause cues to target (usually group containing pause and other cues)

tell application id "com.figure53.QLab.4" to tell front workspace

repeat numberOfCues times

try

tell application "Microsoft Excel"

set thevalue to value of cell ("A" & theindex)

end tell

make type "Pause"

set thecue to last item of (selected as list)

set the pre wait of thecue to thevalue

set the cue target of thecue to cue thecueToPause

set theindex to theindex + 1

end try

end repeat

end tell

However, pausing and restarting a group containing cues with audio tracks, and cues with pre waits, like your lighting and pause cues hundreds of times may well be problematic. After 100 pauses and restarts of the group cue, you may find that the elapsed time of your video cue and the elapsed time of the group to be many, many  seconds apart. Try it and see.

MIc

 

[wade thomas]

Micpool - thank you for this perfect solution to my post.

Unfortunately, you were also correct about the videos drifting off of timecode due to so many pauses and starts. 1-3 frames dropped each time leading to a few seconds off.

Next plan will be to insert selected stills in place of the videos and line them up with the light cues.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Modifying that script will come in handy in the future.

[micpool]

You can still use your video instead of stills, Just put multiple copies of your video (with hold on end checked) and set the start and end times of the video for each section.

Mic