The LSX tutorials thread!

[maton]

Hi Maton,

I'll let CMB answer your prior question, but for this one there are a couple potential issues. It was hard to see what you did because the resolution of the video was low, but I think I saw that what you meant.

First, does LSX think your DAC is on and connected when it actually isn't? If so, the preview window will not refresh smoothly as it doesn't actually know if the DAC is "getting the message". If you want to turn off your DAC and work with just the preview window, go back into Edit DAC Assignments after you turn off your DAC and LSX will see that the DAC is no longer connected and not stutter in the preview window. (Be sure to go back to Edit DAC assignments after you turn back on your DAC for LSX to see it again.)

The other possibility is that you have zoomed in very much in your event's window (or that the window is very small). Everytime the TimeCursor gets to the end of a section and needs to jump forward to continue viewing what you are seeing, it stutters on RND expressions giving them an new value. Its a known and reported problem.

Finally, unless you want consistency of your random function, you may wish to use the expression Rand(x)/x instead. Rand resets all its values everytime its played, where-as Rnd stays the same until you hit that dice button in the upper right.

Hope this helps.

-David

Thank You dkumpula for answer.
Preview window is ok, RND have problem, tried Rand(x)/x but nothing happend, mayby some example, please.
It's hard to me to explain, below link to better resolution film. And how to do this effect in expression ?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9H...ew?usp=sharing

Thanks
Mat

[dkumpula]

Preview window is ok, RND have problem, tried Rand(x)/x but nothing happend, mayby some example, please.
It's hard to me to explain, below link to better resolution film. And how to do this effect in expression ?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9H...ew?usp=sharing

Hey Mat,

I don't know midi and CMB is the resident expert on expressions and no doubt could write you a simple and elegant routine. Your preview window looked fine for the last thing you posted though. I also noticed today that if you are moving your mouse in the function plot area of an expression that is set to random, it causes the preview window output (and perhaps actual output) to stutter like that second video you had posted.

Regarding the expression "Rand(x)/x", replace x with a number such as 100 or 1000, etc. If you chose 100, there will be 100 possible locations that the expression will choose between. The preview window should displaying a constantly set of random numbers over the number of steps you defined. (It won't change constantly like that when actually playing your show.)

Cheers!

-David

[colouredmirrorball]

That Rnd effect for the cone looks faulty. It's like it stays at a certain position by default and jumps when it reaches a new random position. It's probably caused by the expressions window being open, see if just closing the expressions window fixes it.

This expression is a bit like the one you want to achieve:

steps = 10;
if(above(prevt, etime), assign(i, 0), 0);
if(above(etime, i/steps),
   assign(a,rand(1000)/1000)
   & assign(i, i+1)
,0);
prevt = etime;
result=a

The same effect but damped (smoothed):

setdamp(1,10,maton);
steps = 10;
if(above(prevt, etime), assign(i, 0), 0);
if(above(etime, i/steps),
   assign(a,rand(1000)/1000)
   & assign(i, i+1)
,0);
prevt = etime;
result=damp(a,maton)

[maton]

Thanks David and CMB for answers.
Lot new stuff to learn. When check new possibilities let you know how it turns out.

[SaltyRobot]

OK here are a few questions.I have been beating myself up for two days trying to figure these out.

I have CAT file A (custom made by me) with 50 frames and CAT file B (premade CAT file loaded with LSX) with 200 or so frames. How do I copy 2 or 3 frames from CAT file B and paste them into CAT file A. I don't want to merge the entire CAT files of both and I also don't want to over write my frames in CAT file A. There is a spiral in the Demo CAT files that I really like. In the demo show it shows the CAT file at frame 1127 (maybe 1147). I want to copy this over to CAT file A. If I just open the demo CAT file in PIC Edit there is no frame at 1127 or 1147 and that particular frame appears to not exist anywhere in the CAT file.

Speaking of overwriting frames. When you are allocating a frame for a rendtoframe or Lissajous how do you keep from overwriting the frame in your CAT file. Say I want to write to frame 3000 as soon as I enter 3 frame 3 is overwritten then when I press 0 making 30 I overwrite frame 30 same with 300 but I don't have anything there then finally 3000 which is the desired location. The only work around I have so far is to just reload the CAT file right after this and the frame go back to what they were and the new frame in 3000 get placed as soon as I play the show again. Am I missing an easier way or a lock frames function?

Is there an easy way to make a spiral in PIC Edit or with the use of expressions? Thinking more along the lines of a slinky where all the circles are the same diameter. Not looking for a spiral like a whirlpool that ends at a single point.

[lulighttec]

So as far as frames in CATs go, I use the editor to copy individual frames back and forth between CATs. Load the frame from CAT A into the editor, load CAT B, then open the CAT viewer and navigate to the frame number where you want to store said frame. Save the frame out of the editor and into the desired frame number. Save the CAT (drlava insists this last step isn't necessary but I would swear I've seen CATs lose frames if I don't, and what could it hurt?).

To make a spiral: wrap a diagonal line with a good amount of points around a cylinder. I kinda forget which menu that's in, but it's the easiest way to accomplish what you want. Changing the angle determines whether the coils are loose or tight.

Allocating frames for whatever: I always pick a frame that's at the end of the CAT and work my way backwards. That way I don't run the risk of whatever function it is overwriting my frames. I've never had any problem typing in the numbers, but you can always drag the slider all the way to the right. Let me clarify this: Suppose you have a function on your timeline, like a lissajou event, you have to pick a calculation frame as part of that function, right? Pick one at the end of your catalog. rend2frame has the added step of selecting an output frame which could be put in a more useful position in your CAT; where that is doesn't really matter as long as you know the frame number. I would think that if you chose frame 3000 from the get-go, you wouldn't have any trouble outputting to that frame only. This makes me wonder if I understood your question correctly.

[SaltyRobot]

Allocating frames for whatever: I always pick a frame that's at the end of the CAT and work my way backwards. That way I don't run the risk of whatever function it is overwriting my frames. I've never had any problem typing in the numbers, but you can always drag the slider all the way to the right. Let me clarify this: Suppose you have a function on your timeline, like a lissajou event, you have to pick a calculation frame as part of that function, right? Pick one at the end of your catalog. rend2frame has the added step of selecting an output frame which could be put in a more useful position in your CAT; where that is doesn't really matter as long as you know the frame number. I would think that if you chose frame 3000 from the get-go, you wouldn't have any trouble outputting to that frame only. This makes me wonder if I understood your question correctly.

Thank you for the answer to the first two. I agree that is totally necessary to save the CAT once an additional frame is included I have had to recreate frames because they don't automatically save.

As for the last question. Maybe its a procedural thing on my end. The way I use Redntoframe (or any other calculation frame) is when I open the function I type in the frame number. I do not scroll and select a frame. When I type in the number I have to type the digits in order and that is what is causing the overwriting to occur. The first digit I type is 3 so the system thinks OK I will place that frame at 3 and overwrite what ever is there then I type 0 and the system says OK I will place your frame at 30 and overwrite what ever is there then I type 0 and the system says OK now frame 300 has the frame. I didn't think about the fact that you could scroll to a frame and select with you mouse. I am just used to systems that wait till you press the OK button before it actually overwrites the data. So when I type 300 nothing happens until I press OK and then the system say OK I will place the frame at 300. Even with a mouse click this is how it should happen but like I said it sounds like a procedural thing on my end to just scroll and select the frame and ignore the the ability to type the number in directly.

[dkumpula]

Thank you for the answer to the first two. I agree that is totally necessary to save the CAT once an additional frame is included I have had to recreate frames because they don't automatically save.

Regarding the original question, Salty, why aren't you simply saving the desired frames to .PIC files and then opening them into the destination .CAT file in whatever frame number you want them placed? I have a few PIC frames that are used across several shows that I modify occasionally and then import into all the associated shows. Saving off your favorite time consuming frames as PICs is a time-honored way of keeping your frames safe from those darn CAT file accidental overwrites.

Also to clarify, when working on a show, your CAT file for each timeline (up to 8 for LSX Pro version) are embedded within the show file (the .RTD) automatically. Saving a CAT file when working on your show ONLY saves the current CAT file (1 of potentially 8) that are embedded within your show. I suspect most people working on multiple projector shows simply edit only the first timeline's frames and copy them to the other timelines, but if you are working with large numbers of frames that differ from one timeline/projector to another (e.g. you have imported several ILDA frame exports from another lasershow package), you want to make sure you are keeping close track of which timeline you are editing and saving off. In either case, the CAT files being saved when editing a show in LSX should be considered backups. LSX won't automatically load a CAT file into a show as it already saves them in the RTD file. (You can re-import them when you make that 'oh-sh!t error' you describe below.)

As for the last question. Maybe its a procedural thing on my end. The way I use Redntoframe (or any other calculation frame) is when I open the function I type in the frame number. I do not scroll and select a frame. When I type in the number I have to type the digits in order and that is what is causing the overwriting to occur. The first digit I type is 3 so the system thinks OK I will place that frame at 3 and overwrite what ever is there then I type 0 and the system says OK I will place your frame at 30 and overwrite what ever is there then I type 0 and the system says OK now frame 300 has the frame. I didn't think about the fact that you could scroll to a frame and select with you mouse. I am just used to systems that wait till you press the OK button before it actually overwrites the data. So when I type 300 nothing happens until I press OK and then the system say OK I will place the frame at 300. Even with a mouse click this is how it should happen but like I said it sounds like a procedural thing on my end to just scroll and select the frame and ignore the the ability to type the number in directly.

This only happens when you have a show paused while its doing the render to frame. Stop the show before typing in the frame number and you won't have this problem. (I've learned this the hard way as well.)

-David

[colouredmirrorball]

As for the last question. Maybe its a procedural thing on my end. The way I use Redntoframe (or any other calculation frame) is when I open the function I type in the frame number. I do not scroll and select a frame. When I type in the number I have to type the digits in order and that is what is causing the overwriting to occur. The first digit I type is 3 so the system thinks OK I will place that frame at 3 and overwrite what ever is there then I type 0 and the system says OK I will place your frame at 30 and overwrite what ever is there then I type 0 and the system says OK now frame 300 has the frame. I didn't think about the fact that you could scroll to a frame and select with you mouse. I am just used to systems that wait till you press the OK button before it actually overwrites the data. So when I type 300 nothing happens until I press OK and then the system say OK I will place the frame at 300. Even with a mouse click this is how it should happen but like I said it sounds like a procedural thing on my end to just scroll and select the frame and ignore the the ability to type the number in directly.

Yes, that is very annoying. Remember that Rend2Frame will overwrite only when the show is playing over the location of the Rend2Frame so stopping the show solves it (partially). In addition to that you should never use frames 1-10 for static pic files. I always make rend2frame output to the first ten slots just to avoid this problem. But for both these solutions, the only thing between you and losing a frame you might have worked hard on for hours is just a little neglect...

Spirals are easy. There are two ways:

-Create a static dot with a high number of points (see very first tutorial here on how to do that)
-Place on timeline, use PreMoveX, PreMoveY, PreMoveZ
-Expressions:
PreMoveX: sin(idx*10*pi)*0.5+0.5
PreMoveY: cos(idx*20*pi)*0.5+0.5
PreMoveZ: idx

But it's also possible in the external PicEdit program (basic and pro only):
-Open PicEdit
-Edit >> Script
-It's easiest if you just open a new script: File >> Open, there are a number of example scripts in Global LSX Files/PicEdit Scripts, the Sinus3D one should work good as a basic example
-Change the code (basically just swap the X and Z coordinates around):

n = 500

Pic.N = n

for i = 1 to n
   x = sin(3*i/n*2*3.1415)*0.5+0.5
   y = cos(3*i/n*2*3.1415)*0.5+0.5
   Pic.X i,x
   Pic.Y i,y
   Pic.Z i,i/n
   Pic.R i,255*(sin(3*i/n*2*3.1415)*0.5+0.5)
   Pic.G i,255*(cos(3*i/n*2*3.1415)*0.5+0.5)
   Pic.B i,255*i/n

next

SET objShell = CREATEOBJECT("WScript.Shell")

Pic.SaveToFile(objShell.SpecialFolders("MyDocuments")  & "\My LSX Files\spiral3D.pic")

-Hit run
-Open the spiral3D.pic file



RE organising CAT files... I have made some changes to my IldaViewer program that will make all that much easier!

[SaltyRobot]

This only happens when you have a show paused while its doing the render to frame. Stop the show before typing in the frame number and you won't have this problem. (I've learned this the hard way as well.)

-David

OK yep that's exactly what is going on. I am playing the show while making changes. I will remember to stop the show when doing rendtoframe. Thank you.

As for the PIC files I guess I just never thought about how important that can be. I always viewed it as a redundant procedure because the frame is saved in the CAT file. Thank you for the different view on the situation.

But it's also possible in the external PicEdit program (basic and pro only):
-Open PicEdit
-Edit >> Script

Wait you can write script files in PIC Edit? Dang this program just hit a new level. I will def be exploring this tonight thank you.

Will this script just make a spiral of dots (Blanked between dots) or will the dots be connected? Is there a script command to blank vs no blank between each point or would I need to go into the active editor to toggle the blank button? I have many other questions about scripting but I probably just need to get my feet wet first. This seems like a much easier way to make certain patterns.