One of the greatest advancements in automated lighting programming over the last 10 years has been the ability to easily change fixture types from one to the other. As the market of available fixtures has increased, so too has the need to easily clone or change fixture libraries within a programmed show file. In the past this was accomplished through complicated copying routines and macros. However, even with the new tools built into consoles, it is important that programmers understand how to use these tools and how to prepare their show file for changes.
A Time for Change
Today’s productions seem to have less and less pre-production time available to them. Quite often, productions are using local fixtures in various parts of the world and then expecting the programming to be the same with different equipment. This is true not just for touring shows, but also for corporate events, theatrical productions, and even architectural installations. Most producers think that once the show is programmed that changing the lighting fixtures will have a very minimal effect. Of course, most designers and programmers know that this is far from true.
The Key Elements
When programming a show file that could require a change of fixture types, there are several key things to prepare for a successful change. First is to understand that most lighting consoles tie the programming data to the fixture instance and not its unique DMX patch information. This means that the fixtures hold the data regardless of how they are patched. With this information, you can rest assured that changing or copying from the instances will move your programmed data and that you can re-patch as needed.
The second and probably more important key is to make considerable use of palettes/presets. A palette or preset is a reference of specific programming values that can be quickly recalled during programming and also stored within cues in place of discrete parameter values. With palettes used in your programming, you can easily update the parameter values of changed fixtures. This is very important for values that are particular for specific fixtures such as gobo rotation speeds, strobe speeds, edge focus and more.
Making Change Possible
As stated at the beginning of this article, many of today’s consoles have routines to assist in changing the data from one fixture type to another. This is accomplished through the use of a unified library model. With a unified library model, all the shared parameters of fixtures within a console operate in the same simplified manner. For instance, the actual process to select a gobo and rotate it clockwise at 16 RPM is accomplished very differently for most fixture types. The unique DMX map to select and rotate a gobo is often laid out differently by each manufacturer, with some utilizing up to four DMX channels and others using only two. A unified library model presents the programmer with the same method to select a gobo and set its rotation mode and speed while never revealing the DMX work required to achieve it. In this manner, the data is stored that states “fixture five, gobo three, rotate clockwise 16 RPM.” Now if you want to change to a different fixture, you can easily do so and it will utilize the same programmed data. Somewhere in the console the specific DMX values output to the fixtures to accomplish gobo selection and rotation will change. The programmer never has to be aware of the DMX mapping requirements for each fixture type.
Initiating Change
Typically, to actually change the data for fixtures from one fixture type to another, you will need to go into the patch screen of your console. Here you will select the fixture (or fixtures) to change from, press a button and select the fixture type to change to. The fixtures do not even need to be similar; you could actually change a spot fixture to a wash fixture if needed. When you apply the change, the console will convert all the programmed data in the show file for that fixture type and associate it with the new fixture library’s DMX mapping information. All data within the desk for the fixture instance will be updated, including palettes/presets, cues, sequences, effects, etc.
If any parameters do not exist in the new fixture type, then the data will be ignored (and typically not lost either). For instance, when changing a spot to a wash, the gobo details will not be used, but the data will be retained. So if you later change the fixture instance back to a spot, the gobo information will suddenly re-appear.
Cleaning It All Up
Once changed, the fixture data will be updated for the new fixture type, but this does not mean that the file is ready for a show. Because every fixture type is different, there will always be parameters that need updating. From zoom and edge values to color mixing values and gobo speeds, the end result of the change may not be as you desire. It is important to go through the data and take a look at all your cueing prior to running a show. This is where the use of palette/presets becomes essential. With the simple updating of your palettes/presets, all your playback data should be quickly updated as well.
My Console Doesn’t Do That!
Not all consoles utilize a unified library model or include a change type routine. In these instances, you will need to get creative. I can remember touring many years ago and having to make changes to my show file almost daily as we had festivals, TV appearances, special events and more during our tour. The console I was using at the time used a library model that simply allowed direct DMX control of each of the parameters instead of a unified library model.
The process then was to add in the new fixture type to my show file and then copy the data from each existing fixture to the new fixtures. Once complete, I would delete the original fixtures and patch in the new fixtures. But it was not as easy as it sounds, because each parameter data location had to be individually copied fixture by fixture. So this meant I had to first copy the data in all my palettes/presets. Then I had to load each cue, copy fixture-by-fixture and re-store the cue. With a show that contained over 3,000 cues and hundreds of fixtures, this took many hours to complete. I had even created some powerful macros to assist in the process, but it was still time-consuming.
Once completed, I still had to work my way through the entire show file to make corrections to the data, as many raw DMX values had different meanings in the new fixture types. For example, I copied a set of wash lights from one manufacturer to the other, only to find that the original strobe value for fast strobe was equal to lamp off on the new fixture type. If I had not updated the values, then anytime my show file had a programmed fast strobe, it would cause the new fixture’s lamps to douse! Luckily I had used a palette/preset in my programming, so all I had to update was the fast strobe palette/preset and all my cues were corrected automatically.
Change Is Good
Throughout life, many people fear change, but there is no need for a programmer to fear the process of changing fixture types in a programmed show. Modern consoles make it easy to change from one fixture type to another as they automatically convert the data for you. If your console is lacking this functionality, then a more difficult copying process must be used. In either case, be sure to read your console’s user manual for a full understanding of its capabilities and processes. Also always plan ahead and make use of palettes/presets as you program as you never know when change will be required.
