Original LXSeries Forum

Hi Claude,

Any chance you could add marking/unmarking of channels into the OSC API? (ideally both as a property to be interpreted per channel, as well as the command set to mark/unmark channels via OSC).

And if I understand it right, If a channel is marked, it gets recorded/included in whatever entity I record? And/or, does it mark the current "manual" channels, i.e. unmarking a channel gets rid of the manual changes, and restores whatever was loaded last for that channel (i.e. from a cue, from a group, etc?)

Sorry if these questions are really obvious btw.

Finally, (but less important) - can the master also send his percentage via OSC to keep both computer and iPad display in sync?

Marked channels have three different uses depending on context.

The first use of marked channels is (mostly) irrelevant. Probably 90%+ will stay in cue only mode and never need this function of marked channels. When you are using tracking, a channel@level that is set (marked) in a cue will track through subsequent cues until it reaches another cue where it is marked again. If you like and understand tracking then this is powerful because you can track a change through a series of cues. If you are not completely aware of the consequences of tracking, then you can easily track a channel through all your cues and cause yourself a lot of grief wondering why that light is suddenly on where you never intended it to be. Cue only mode makes much more sense from a human perspective because it goes from one discreet stage picture to another. Software like LXConsole has commands--Backtrack Hilited Channels/Forwardtrack Hilited Channels--that let you selectively have the benefits of tracking (when you want) without all the overhead thinking. In cue only mode, channels marked in cues make no difference whatsoever.

The second use of marked channels is slightly less irrelevant. That second use is that channels that are marked in live mode keep their levels regardless of other cues being run and submasters being changed. This allows you to override live the level of any marked channels and still play cues and submasters (Given two preference settings that alter the meaning of marked channels in live mode). For example, assume that a light gets hit and is now shining in the first few rows of the audience. Marking in live mode allows you to set that light at zero and despite it being recorded in cues and submasters, it will remain at zero as you continue the show. Great feature--except when creating a show and you have to remember to unmark all the live channels you just adjusted so that you can playback a cue you just recorded and see what it really looks like! The Preferences->Live Unmark Live Channels on GO option pretty much does away with the ability to override playback because using that option automatically unmarks all the channels in live mode every time you click GO. (A second option determines if marked channels will override submasters.) With "Unmark live channels on Go" selected and "Mark overrides submaster level" unselected, marking channels in live mode does not really do anything either.

The final use of marked channels is in a group. This determines what channels can be set in another cue by using/referencing the group. Unlike a submaster which is generally highest takes precedence, a group can be used to set a channel at zero--hence the need to mark which channels the group will set. Admittedly, it is unusual to use a group to set an intensity channel at zero. However, this can be vital if you want to set a color, zoom or other parameter subchannel to zero using a group. This function of marked channels does not change with any settings. And, you need to be aware of the effect that marking has on how using a group will set the level of channels. The good news is that if you adjust the level of the channels you want to use in a group in live mode, the adjusted channels will be marked if you record the live picture into a group. The bad news is that if you want to adjust only some channels in a group, you need to somehow mark the other channels that you want to include.

There's one other function that's related to the first use of marked channels in tracking mode. That is the ability to set an entire cue to block tracking. This is functionally equivalent to marking each and every channel. But it is done with a checkbox in the advanced tab of the drawer. Its fast to block tracking with this method to insure that no channels will ever track through the designated cue. And, it preserves your selective marking should you want to unblock the entire cue and restore tracking based on that marking.

So, summary of marked channels is that is you stay in cue only mode, have the preference set to unmark channels on live GO, and don't use groups, then marked channels won't affect you. If you use tracking (brave soul) then marked channels in cues are your life.

The latest build 3.1.5 (6525A) adds two OSC messages to control tracking "cmd.lxconsole/mark" and "cmd.lxconsole/unmark" that will mark and unmark selected channels.

The latest build 3.1.5 (6525A) also adds a new form of the "cmd.lxconsole/..." address, "cmd1.lxconsole/..." this form requires that the first parameter in the OSC message is equal to 1.0 for the command to be executed. This is the same requirement as the "/key.lxconsole/_" message. This is designed for TouchOSC type controls where a button sends a message with a 1.0 parameter when it is pressed and another message with a 0.0 parameter when it is released. LXConsole only responds to the press, not the release, of the button with "/key.lxconsole/_" and the new "cmd1.lxconsole/..." messages.

Finally, the latest build 3.1.5 (6525A) adds outgoing OSC messages for the master and manual faders. These messages have the addresses "/cmd.lxconsole/master@%p" and "/cmd.lxconsole/manual@%p" and a 0.0-1.0 parameter reflecting the level of the slider. These outgoing messages are enabled with the "send sub change" preference in the OSC out tab.