Random Offsets

Joe Bleasdale

I would like a button in the effect directory/engine where I can select my fixtures and press "random offset" to give each of them a random offset. As the fixture count gets bigger, the time I have to take to assign each fixture a different "random" one, gets longer and more time consuming.

Or when things like the calculator are implemented, there to be an option of a random number between 0 and 360. I would find this request very useful, but I know it will go to the bottom of the pile (and rightly so); but still, could somebody please log it if it hasn’t been already?

Alternatively, if anybody has any other suggestions on how to do this very quickly, I am all ears!

Regards,

leebot

Use a random selection for the fixtures then the offset will be random across the differnt fixtures

Joe Bleasdale

Yea I use that at the moment. But lets say you have 100 fixtures. It is still time consuming. Doing it all in one keystroke would be good.

Regards,

srautane

Am I misunderstanding something, but doesn't shuffle give any help?

Joe Bleasdale

Shuffle does help yes. But the point I am trying to make is that it would be useful to do lets say 100 fixtures in 1 keystroke.

Regards,

leebot

Select your fixtures. Then on the lower right toolbar press select followed by random. This will randomize the selection order so that the offset will look random when applied over a large number of fixtures. It is not 1 keystroke but combined with odd, even and previous they make handling large groups quick.

srautane

Joe,

1 keystroke randomizer could be nice. Though, I'm fine with the current way. But, I think it would be nice if could have a randomizer or shuffler for parameters -> you select a range of parameters from programmer window and pressing random would give random values based on the lowest and highest values found from the cells. Also you could use shuffle to reorder the parameter values. The selection stays the same, but values are copied from fixture to another random style (shuffle the parameters)

Joe Bleasdale

I think a random button could be applied to parameters and things like effects offsets. Would take a bit or thinking in terms of software development. 1 button to do parameters and effects values such as offsets. Tom, go you have any ideas/input here?

Regards,

bradpepe

leebot wrote: »

Select your fixtures. Then on the lower right toolbar press select followed by random. This will randomize the selection order so that the offset will look random when applied over a large number of fixtures. It is not 1 keystroke but combined with odd, even and previous they make handling large groups quick.

Lee you are almost correct... On Wholehog 2 you used Random in this manner. With the current software you need to use Shuffle. Random will only select 1 fixture at random from the current selection. Shuffle will randomly shuffle the current fixture selection.

I use Shuffle nearly every time I am about to fan a value (unless I am creating a symmetrical look). It is quick and easy and only 1 keypress because when you hold the FAN key the shuffle button appears right on the toolbar!

:hogsign:

z6p6tist6

To echo Brad's sentiment...

Joe,

This is how I approach this issue:

If I want a random offset of a parameter (FX offset for instance), I would...

1-Select a range of fixtures

2-Hit EFFECT

3-Apply my FX table

4-Hold down FAN

5-Select Shuffle on the bottom of the right touch screen (while still holding down fan)

6-Tweak my offset values until they look random (Usually I start by rolling from 0 degrees all the way to 360 degrees on the visible value).

7-Adjust from there.

I believe what you're asking for is a shortcut to do a random 0>360 offset of a value, which I actually think is a pretty interesting thought.

One thing to note is that you can actually do this via text entry in the programmer/editor. That works like this:

1- Select fixtures

2- At the bottom of the right touchscreen, tap SELECT, then tap SHUFFLE

3- In a parameter cell of the editor window (Intensity for instance), tap the cell, tap SET, then enter [0] THRU [100] (or some other range). Hit ENTER.

4- Those values will now be fanned through these values in a 'random' order.

(I actually use this method a lot on Delay times to get 'random' looking fades, position changes, or color changes)

The only problem with this method is that I believe it does not work in the FX table currently. I think there is an existing Enhancement logged for this. (Can you confirm that Brad?)

If this soft key were added, I would like it to function as a MIN>MAX range. So, if you were editing a cell whose values went from 0>360 (degrees), the button should automatically FAN a range of 0>360. If the values possible were 0>100, I would like it to FAN a range of 0>100.

However, I would still like it to be linear, so that you could combine it with SHUFFLE or any other ordering that you did.

Thoughts?

Phil

Joe Bleasdale

That sounds good Paul. A "range" would be good so "random" 100>200 would only assign random values between 100>200.

Regards,

z6p6tist6

But I guess my point Joe is that you can already do that pretty easily in the FX table and EXTREMELY easily in the cue editor.

If you're talking about using custom ranges, then you don't actually need a new button, you just need to use SHUFFLE combined with one of the two methods above.

I guess I'm a little confused as to what you think the new button would do.

Cheers,

Phil

srautane

Like I said before it would be handy to shuffle the parameters, not the selection.
For example...select fixtures, put intensity 20>70, select intensity cells of those fixtures, shuffle. Also I think parameter cycle (circular copy) using one button would be awesome...