Qlab 5.4 doesn't like Qlab 5.3

[johng...@mac.com]

I'm working in a theatre that won't upgrade Qlab mid season.

They run on 5.3.8 but I upgraded to 5.4. So far I've found that I can't use connect to workspace from 5.4 to the theatre's show rigs and also realized that 5.3.8 won't open 5.4 files. 

Careful when you update, folks.

[Paul]

Yes this was flagged a few weeks ago and a lively discussion about version numbering followed.

You should always read the Release Notes before installing (they even popup in the Update window for automated updates). 

5.4 uses a new data structure which cannot be opened in version < 5.4.1

[johng...@mac.com]

I guess the wise thing now is to just not upgrade Qlab unless I've searched here for issues first.

Looks like I'll have to check with theatres to see which version of 5 they have installed now, not just that they have v5.

Is there a reason why 5.4 also won't connect to 5.3 workspaces?

[Chris Ashworth]

For what it’s worth — this has always been true, for all versions of QLab; it is not generally safe or supported to open workspaces saved in newer versions of QLab with older versions of the program; this is just the first time we have added an explicit guardrail to ensure that it can’t introduce problems.

Regarding collaboration, both versions of QLab must be able to speak the same protocol to work together on collaboration.  When QLab changes, it often also requires the collaboration protocol to be updated so that both copies of QLab know what each other are talking about.  (For example, if a new version with new kinds of warnings tries to tell an old version about those warnings, the old version wouldn’t know what those mean or what to do with them.)

We try to limit changes to the protocol, but if the two copies of QLab can’t talk to each other via collaboration they will notify you what version you need to use.

Best,

C

[Richard Williamson]

I would also point out that F53 have all the old versions on their site, easily accessible, and you can run them from within the DMG if you are simply collaborating (or copy them somewhere other than the applications folder) so there is very little issues with connecting to a workspace of a different version of qlab. 

Sent from my iPhone

On 19 Jul 2024, at 20:27, Chris Ashworth <ch...@figure53.com> wrote:



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[johng...@mac.com]

I do have copies of Qlab 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 on my system.

Do I need 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4 as well?

This was just a bit more grief than I was expecting inside all versions of 5. Yes, I should have read the update warning and I should also read all the licensing agreements on all software I run as well as well as all update notes on my DAW, notation, sample libraries and plugins. I went and looked through the forum but can't find the thread about this earlier, I'm not sure what the title of that thread was.

It just hit me as I'm working on a few shows that require logging into non-internet systems where I had confirmed the theatre was also on Qlab 5 beforehand and couldn't download alternate versions during the work session. Having to rebuild files onto one Qlab rig and not being able to connect to either through connect to workspace just made me go straight back to screensharing so as to not have to figure out which two earlier systems they were on. There were a few other issues I was busy trying to track down, with one system not showing waveforms after 'replace as' file updates and the other losing start/end file data with all 'replace as' new files. Both are festival type theatres midway through a season and they won't update until the end of the season. 

I'm also still working out whether remote workspace login is better than just screensharing. Unless there are multiple designers working on the same Qlab rig, which has only happened once before for me, I'm still not sure. Is there any way to do file management within remote workspaces? Ideally I can log directly into the theatre computer, but that depends on the sound op's comfort. That way I can just drop in new files in the background. But if I"m just using remote workspace I can't find a way to add in new files from my rig within Qlab. 

Some working situations seem to merit different approaches.The festival I'm working at now typically schedules onstage rehearsals before sound levels and usually I run sound through screensharing and set levels on the fly. This still makes more sense than remote workspace login, as I won't have control over playback and have to use 'v' to preview and 's' to stop instead. But I can see the merit of logging in remotely during tech and dress runs to make level tweaks on the fly, though I also don't have a problem doing that through screenshare.

Generally the updates are great, but it just gets trickier when it requires changes to workflows that I've used for a long time. Getting used to turning off 'copy all new media' for new files and then turning it on when exporting, figuring out issues with using 'replace as' to update files add new wrinkles and ways I can screw up even while 'locate files' has also saved time elsewhere. The last couple of weeks every time I've dropped replacement files into the show rig audio folder using 'replace as' I've also had to actively force myself to check each cue I do that for individually as the end file time was moved randomly on each cue with updated files. For now I'm hoping that this is just a bug in 5.3 and not something that will require me to rethink my workflow since Qlab 2. Personally, I love the replace as method as it leaves just the updated copies on the show rig and if I need backups I keep them on my rig, but I know this is a workflow that is what I and the people I've mentored or taught sometimes use. The program is pretty great in allowing people to work as they like except when its not really the obvious way.

Thanks, finally have a few hours out of tech to do a more detailed response.

john