DMXFixtureEditor

Here you can create or change lamp types.

Definitions
1.) The information on the lamp type
2.) The image of the lamp
Setting the test address
3.) Definition the Lamp-Properties - Controllers
4.) The Default Settings

4c) The default controller values

4a) The default fade behavior

4b) The default dimmer curves

5.) Important Settings

Of course, not all lamp types of all manufacturers were generated during program creation. If you do not have a lamp type that is not in the list of lamps (DMX stage view), you can define the lamp type here.

Note: Unfortunately, many lamp manufacturers are used to overload the lamps with functions and have occupied individual DMX channels of their lamps with different functionalities.
The good news is that with this program you can also get such complex lamps under control.
The bad news is that this complexity makes the simple assignment of lamp functions to controllers also complex and complicated.
If a lamp is listed in GDTF (see below), the *.gdtf file of the lamp can be imported in the lamp editor, which saves a lot of work.

Importend: If a lamp is off in the timeline of the liveSHOWsoftware, all DMX values of the lamp are calculated in advance. For this the liveSHOWsoftware must know when a lamp is off or on. This is determined by the main dimmer channel (dimmer) or the channels declared as dimmer replacement - see below 'Use as dimmer'.
A lamp must always have either one dimmer channel or (several) dimmer replacement channels.
If a lamp type does not have a main dimmer, all channels that switch on the lamp (e.g. RGB or for fog machines the channel for fog output) must be declared as dimmer replacement - see Important Settings!

If this is done wrong, a lamp will never go on when the timeline is running!

Definitions: Lamp types describe DMX lamps only, they are not concrete lamps, but are rather to be seen as a model for lamps.
Only when you add a lamp, ie select a lamp type in the stage view and click on add, a specific DMX lamp object (DMX lamp) is created based on the selected model. This DMX lamp you can then give a name you assign a DMX universe and a DMX start address.

The lamp editor allows you to create a new model (lamp type) or to modify an existing one.
In order to test your settings, a DMX lamp object called "DeviceEditorTest" is created automatically and internally, to which you can also assign a DMXStartadresse and DMXUniversum.

Lamp types are always given as xxx.dvd. The folder path is the user directory / .LiveShow / DMXDevices. The file name is automatically generated from the manufacturer name and the name of the lamp type. E.g. "Eurolite_LED_ML_56_RGB.dvd" is the description file of the lamp type LED_ML_56_RGB by the company Eurolite.
When you add a lamp in the DMX stage view, all these files are read out and sorted by manufacturer in a tree view.

Note: When a lamp type is created, it is given an internal identification number. This identification number is not visible and is used to uniquely determine the lamp type. The name of the lamp type cannot be used for identification, as it can be changed at any time. When a lamp type is loaded with the Lamp Editor, the identification number is loaded as well and no matter what changes are made, the lamp type remains the same for the software.
If a new lamp type is to be created, it must be created from scratch, it is not possible to change an existing lamp type. However, controllers can be imported from other lamp types, so that a bit of paperwork is saved.

The Toolbar Load, Save, ...

	New lamp type If a lamp type is currently being processed, the changes are discarded and this lamp type is closed.
	Load an existing lamp type.
GDTF	Import from a GDTF file (General Device Type Format). GDTF is now an industry standard with the aim of enabling standardized lamp types/definitions that can be created by lamp manufacturers, among others. On the GDTF homepage (www.gdtf-share.com) you can search for a lamp type and download the corresponding GDTF file. In the liveSHOWsoftware, such a standardized lamp definition (*.gdtf file) can be imported into the lamp editor and also modified. The advantage is that you do not have to make all the controller settings yourself. Not all lamp manufacturers currently provide a GDTF file for their lamps, but there are often users who create a GDTF file for a lamp. A window opens in which a GDTF file can be loaded and then a DMX mode can be selected: You can download a GDTF file for the lamp you are looking for from the GDTF homepage (www.gdtf-share.com). Click to open the downloaded GDTF File. Press to import the lamp type into the DMX lamp editor. The import is canceled with. Note: Many lamp types are now listed on the GDTF homepage, but some are still in the testing stage. A GDTF lamp definition may not be completely correct and must be checked again in the lamp editor. The order of the controls should be arranged according to your own requirements, and the default control values (e.g. setting the shutter fader to open) may also need to be adjusted. The electrical wattage of the lamp should also be checked.
	Save and close the lamp type ATTENTION: The currently set controller values are stored as default values (see: The default controller values) Before you save a controller type, you should check all controller values and set them as you want them to be the default. With a scanner, shutter could be open on, for the color could be set white, ....
	Discard changes and close the lamp type
	Deletes the lamp type from the list of available lamp types.
	Here you can import a lamp type or a whole number of lamp types. A created project is not saved in a file, but every aspect of a project is stored in its own file. Among other things, all lamp types used are also stored in a file "yourprojektname.lsd". You can select such a file and import the included lamp types. If one of the lamp types already exists, it is not imported from the file. If a lamp type of the same name exists, you are asked if you want to overwrite the existing type. On the liveShow homepage, you will also find prefabricated lamp types, which you can download and import.
	Handle for changing the window size

1.) The information on the lamp type

As a rule, the manufacturer has a manual for the DMX lamp, there you should find all the necessary information.

manufacturer	Enter the name of the lamp manufacturer. Attention: This text is used to create the file name, do not use special characters / umlauts, but only letters and numbers!
Lamp name	Enter the name of the lamp here. Attention: This text is used to create the file name, do not use special characters / umlauts, but only letters and numbers! Some lamps allow multiple DMX modes. At the lamp you can set how many DMX channels should be used. If you want to create several lamp types of one lamp with different DMX modes, add the DMX mode used (e.g. _6CH) to the name of the lamp. Otherwise, it is best to choose a DMX mode which includes a main dimmer.
DMX Mode	Enter the name of the DMX mode. Some lamps allow several DMX modes. A separate lamp definition must be created in the liveSHOWsoftware for each DMX mode of a lamp. The DMX mode to be used for the lamp can be set on the lamp. The lamp manual will then tell you how many DMX channels are required for the mode and what they control. If nothing is entered here, a DMX mode name with the number of channels used and "CH" is automatically created when saving.
Lamp description	Optional: Here you can enter a short description of the lamp type
Pan max. only Scanner or Movinghheads	For scanners or movingheads, you must enter the maximum horizontal (Pan) deflection in degrees. This information is important for the (Pan/Tilt calibration).
Tilt max. only für Scanner or Movinghheads	For scanners or movingheads, you must enter the maximum vertical (tilt) deflection in degrees. This information is important for the (Pan/Tilt calibration).
Number of DMX inputs	Here you can set the number of DMX universes inputs that the lamp type has. Normally a lamp needs only one DMX universe with some DMX channels.. However, there are also lamps using more than 512 channels (e.g., LED matrix). Thus, the lamp also requires several DMX universes. That is, the lamp also has several DMX inputs. Or you have a composite lamp (e.g. par spotlight + color wheel attachment). Later, if you add a concrete lamp of this type to the DMX stage view, you must also assign a DMX universe and start address to each of the DMX inputs!
Select DMX input	If the lamp requires several DMX universes, you can select here the DMX input (1 - xxx). All subsequent settings now refer to this DMX input / DMX universe.
number of channels	Here you specify how many channels the lamp needs for the selected DMX input. This can be found in the lamp manual.
Wattage	The electrical power of the lamp in watts can be entered here for each DMX input. For combined lamps (e.g. par spotlight + color wheel attachment), the power of the individual devices can be entered separately. This is important for calculating the total power connected to a power source - see DMX Hardware Settings - Current Sources

2.) The image of the lamp

For the display of the lamp in the DMX stage view, a picture of the lamp is needed.
Images of headlights can usually be copied from the manufacturer homepage. The copied image can be edited with an image processing software (for example, Gimp, this is a free program). The best format for the file format is the png format, here the lamp motif can be released. Otherwise jpg or gif is possible.
Do not use high-resolution images, otherwise only memory will be swallowed. An image size of approximately 200x200 pixels is more than sufficient.

Regardless of the actual image size, you can enter the pixel size at 'Width' and 'Height' with which the image is to be displayed in the DMX stage view. (A normal PAR spotlight could be displayed with approx. 64x64 pixels).

	Opens a file selection window where you can select an image file.
	Convert a white background into a transparent surface. Many lamp pictures have a white background. All white areas can be converted into transparent areas here. If you are not satisfied with the result, you can download the image and edit it in another way.
	Save lamp image The lamp image can be saved here, e.g. to edit it in image software.
	Here you can enter the width in pixels of how a lamp of this lamp type should later be displayed in the stage view. The minimum width is 34 pixels
	Here you can enter the height in pixels of how a lamp of this lamp type should later be displayed in the stage view. The minimum height is 34 pixels
	Calculates the height from the specified width and the aspect ratio of the loaded image.

Setting the test address - optional

As described above, the DMX lamp editor automatically creates a specific lamp object "DeviceEditorTest" so that you can check your settings immediately. Here you can set the DMX address for the test lamp.

DMX Input	Most DMX lamps require less than 512 DMX channels and therefore only one DMX universe. There are also lamps, which use more than 512 channels and thus several DMX universes. The lamp has several DMX inputs accordingly. Here you can select the DMX input.
DMX Universe	Here you assign a DMX universe to the DMX input (in most cases only one) - see DMX hardware settings.
DMXAddress	Here you assign a DMX start address to the DMX input
	The start address is shown here as a DIP switch setting and can also be changed by clicking on a DIP switch.

Set the test address

Assigns the set DMX address (s) to the "DeviceEditorTest" lamp. If you have connected a lamp to your real DMX universe, the values are now sent. So you can try the functions right away while creating a lamp type.

3.) Defining the Lamp Properties - Controllers

The characteristics of the lamp type and the corresponding DMX channels can be found in the instructions of the manufacturer of the lamp!
The properties of a lamp type (channel assignment, function, etc) are defined in this software by creating a mixing console. The lamp editor automatically has a mixer - right side of the lamp editor
Each lamp feature is assigned a controller and the DMX channels are assigned to the lamp.

This is how you create a mixing console that can be used to operate a lamp of this type.

Different controllers are also prepared for the different characteristics of the lamp characteristics:

A (dimmer) control for the dimmer channel of the lamp (this should be given only once).

If a lamp does not have a main dimmer, the option 'Use as dimmer' must be selected instead of the main dimmer for all controllers that light a lamp.

A (RGB-CMY) controller for the colors RGB or CMY of an LED lamp or the continuous color filter of a moving head.

A (PanTilt) contoller for moving scanners or movingheads.
A free dimmer (FreeDimmer) for continuously controllable characteristics of a lamp, e.g. an extra color.
A free discontinuous controller (FreeFader) for properties divided into ranges of values, e.g. a gobo wheel, color wheel or special functions of a lamp
A free switch (FreeSwitch) for on / off characteristics of a device, e.g. Fog On / Off.

A list of labels (short descriptions) can be defined for each controller, so you will not need a manual later to know what the controller is.

The different controller types, the assignment of the lamp channels and the list creation are explained under "Controller settings".

4.) The default settings

A lamp type determines the characteristics of a lamp via the controllers, and the behavior of channels can also be set as the default behavior.
This can be overridden in part in the light objects or for specific lamps - see object settings and lamp properties.

4a) The default control values
When a lamp type is saved, the currently set controller values are stored as default values.
For a lamp to light up, some lamps require one of the controls to be set to a certain value. (e.g. with a shutter control set to 'Shutter opn')
When you add a new DMX stage light or click Button_Device_DefaultValues

in the DMX stage view, these default values are set for the lamp.
DefaultValues

The controller positions in the lamp editor are stored as default for the lamp type. This could e.g. are used in lamps which must have a certain controller settings so that the lamp is at all on.

4b) The default fade behavior
Normally, you do not have to change anything with a simple lamp!

Some channel values of a lamp should not be faded in the case of a light change, but should change in a defined way. Thus, e.g. It may be undesirable in a scanner that the special channels "Lamp On - Off" are changed with the Fade In.
There are also scanners that have the property of "prism" and "dimmer" on one channel (e.g., dimmed from value 0-100, values 101-255 determine the prism effect). Here, it is not desired that e.g. at the FadeOut only all prism effects are passed through and then the dimmer goes down.
It may also be that the precalculation of the channels is undesirable with certain characteristics of a lamp. E.g. The dimmer will no longer react with certain lamps if this is set to a special function (music control, fixed sequences). This would mean that the pre-setting of the channels may cause the lamp to go on even though the dimmer is set to 0.

In order to prevent these artifacts, you can define the fade behavior in this software.

Note: You set up a light ambience and drag it from the "DMX light ambences" view to the "Timeline" (or to the "Jingle window"). There, a light object is generated from the light ambience, which can be fadet in or fadet ot.
For these lighting objects, the fade behavior can be adjusted for each lamp.

The default values for the fade behavior can be defined in the DMX Device Editor, which are then entered as the default value (start value) for the light objects.

Special features for the controls are explained in the controller settings.
The fade behavior can be read in the object settings.

See also below: Important Settings
ControlSettings_FadeDescription

Note: There is a difference to the object settings, however!

If you set the checkbox "disabled", this control (channels) will not only play along with the fade in/out, but will also turn off for the complete timeline and the jingle window. The timeline will not change this channel.
This allows you to set special channels (scanner lamp on / off) so that they can only be operated manually.
Controllers that have been disabled are shown in the lamp view with a red frame around the quick selection!
Disabled_DeviceView

To allow these channels, which are disabled, to play in the timeline, you can remove the 'disabled' checkbox in the fade settings of the light objects (object settings).

Otherwise it is with the fade behaviors of the light objects, here the setting of the hook would cause this controller to play only with the FadeInI/Out not, but after the FadeIn/Out or when setting the PlayCursor, the value changes.

4c) The default dimmer curves
Normally, you do not have to change anything with a simple lamp!

For controllers that allow continuous control (dimmer, FreeDimmer etc.etxra color, ...), dimmer curves can be created. The dimmer curves, which are defined here in the DMX Device Editor, are default curves, which are taken over by this lamp type. For individual lamps these curves can be overwritten. The creation of a dimmer curve is explained in more detail under Lamp Properties.

Dimmercurve

Important Settings

There are the following special settings for controllers of a lamp:

Use as dimmer
There are lamps that do not have a main dimmer. Here the setting 'Use as dimmer' must be selected for each controller that turns the lamp on.
This is important for 'mute' 'solo' and for detecting whether a lamp is on or not.
Note: The liveSHOW software tries to predict a lamp in the timeline. If the lamp is off in a scene, all channels (sliders) are set as they will be needed for the next use.
For this it is important that the software can recognize if a lamp is on (lit) or off. A lamp must either have a main dimmer or it must be selected 'use as dimmer' for all channels that make the lamp shine (e.g. RGB-controls, extra colors etc.)! For example, for fog machines the channel for fog output should be declared as 'use as dimmer'.
Deactivate controls for functions
If this is selected, the controller value is not influenced by 'mute', 'solo' and the fixed functions in the stage view (all on red etc.).
There are lamp controls that set basic properties such as pan/tilt speed, dimming behavior, etc., in this cases 'Disable controls for functions' should be selected.

Under 'Fade behaviour' of a controller, there are following settings:

Deactivate precalculation
Some lamps start to light at certain controller settings even though the main dimmer is set to 0. This can happen, for example, when the lamp is set to sound control. Then you should select 'Disable prediction' for this control.
The liveSHOW software tries to set the channels in the timeline for all lamps, as they will be used next when the lamp is on again. This is done when a Lamp is currently off ('Main dimmer to 0 or all controls to 0 for which 'Use as dimmer' has been selected).
If a controller turns on the lamp even though the dimmers are set to 0, the prediction could cause the lamp to light up uncontrollably.
If 'Deactivate precalculation' is selected for a controller, then this controller is no longer precalculated, but faded in like the dimmer.
deactivated
If 'deactivated' is selected for a control, it will not be changed by the timeline or when playing a jingle. The control can only be changed manually.
This should be selected for all controls that e.g. trigger the reset of a lamp, represent an important safety function (arm pyrotechnics,..) or determine the basic behaviour of a lamp.

These settings can be changed for a DMX/light object in the Timeline or in Jingle, if for a certain situation, the behavior should not correspond to the default.