3.x Vixen builds and new location based effects.

ChristmasInKaralee

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If your a Vixen user then you will know there has been a massive amount of activity and builds being created. This is all the work that has been getting developed over the past 6 months or more.

If you are one of those members that use the Dev builds then you may just want to wait a week or you will be installing a new build multiple times a day.

There is still more effects to be added including a new Pin wheel effect.

Also as per Jon's post below:

I know I've said several times that we didn't think we would get this done in time for release. But things have been going too smoothly with this functionality and it looks like it will make its initial appearance in the coming release. That's not to say however that it will be 100% done.
So, to recap, location based effects is a way to make effects apply to elements based on where they are located as opposed to how they are organized into groups. It can produce the same net result as what whole house models do in xlights. But like most other things, we're doing it a bit differently. We tried at first to use a similar methodology to what xlights is doing, it would afterall be more universal and easier to implement. However, it didn't work out well. Performance was shall we say, less than impressive. So Jeff went back to the drawing board and reimagined how it should work. (This is less than 2 weeks ago). What came back is a far more efficient method. Perhaps even more responsive than the current position based targeting. The down side is that each effect needs to be adjusted to make use of the new method. So as of now, the framework under the hood is done and ready, and 3 effects have been updated to include and show off this functionality. Barring any major bugs, this work will all be merged into the dev builds very soon and will be in the release soon.
As to when other effects will be tweaked to use it, that remains to be seen. We'll get to it as the need dictates and time permits. Some effects may change to be only be location based. Others may not get it at all. And some may have both options. It all depends what the effect does and what makes sense in each case.

Initially the effects that will have the location is Bar, color wash and butterfly.

Jeff and I will work on the remain effects that can make use of it when time permits. Maybe the next update after the release.

The release should be very soon.
 

BradsXmasLights

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The new colour mixing layers are absolutely fantastic!!


However I can't get half my sequences won't open. I'm seeing this in the logs:


07/30/2016 13:16:49 [Vixen.IO.MigratingObjectLoaderService] Error when migrating file C:\Users\Brad\Documents\Vixen 3\Sequence\LegoSong4.tim to the current version. Microsoft.CSharp.RuntimeBinder.RuntimeBinderException: 'Vixen.Module.ModuleManagement' does not contain a definition for 'GetEffect'


Dev build 204 too. Pretty sure this was previously ok v180 but I will need to double check backups.


Edit: I was previously running v175 and everything was ok then.
 

ChristmasInKaralee

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BradsXmasLights said:
The new colour mixing layers are absolutely fantastic!!


However I can't get half my sequences won't open. I'm seeing this in the logs:


07/30/2016 13:16:49 [Vixen.IO.MigratingObjectLoaderService] Error when migrating file C:\Users\Brad\Documents\Vixen 3\Sequence\LegoSong4.tim to the current version. Microsoft.CSharp.RuntimeBinder.RuntimeBinderException: 'Vixen.Module.ModuleManagement' does not contain a definition for 'GetEffect'


Dev build 204 too. Pretty sure this was previously ok v180 but I will need to double check backups.


Edit: I was previously running v175 and everything was ok then.

Your best bet Brad is to raise a ticket and attached your log files with this info. This is what Jeff would be after as he is creating all the merges and builds.
 

ChristmasInKaralee

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I see Brad you have raised a ticket.

If you or anyone that has 3rd party effect modules then any sequence that use these will no longer work. Its because of the layering code required changes to the effects.

If I can hold of the 3rd party code then I can easily make these work and willing to do this for you. Remember though these effects are not supported by the Vixen Dev team.

Do you have the Audio VU meter etc?
 

BradsXmasLights

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Yes I can confirm I was indeed using the unsupported & unreleased Audio Effects plugins. eg: Waveform/VU Meter/Vertical Meter.

Once I removed them from my sequence, it then opened up fine in the new version.


So I'll just be removing them from all my other sequences to. Small loss compared to the huge gains with the colour handling - something I am much more excited about :D :D
 

SmartAlecLights

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gnarmstr said:
I see Brad you have raised a ticket.

If you or anyone that has 3rd party effect modules then any sequence that use these will no longer work. Its because of the layering code required changes to the effects.

If I can hold of the 3rd party code then I can easily make these work and willing to do this for you. Remember though these effects are not supported by the Vixen Dev team.

Do you have the Audio VU meter etc?

all i can say it was a uni student that designed the original VU audio code, but studys got in the way an he stopped it before it became in a build all them years ago..
the vixen team back then said it crashed vixen.. well that effect never crashed vixen for me, an worked perfectly

So if you can get the code an get the Audio VU meter effects back i will be in your debit.
due to over 500hrs in sequences in vixen, as i dont want to scrap the lot an move to Xlights that does have a vu meter effect now
 

ChristmasInKaralee

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smartalec said:
gnarmstr said:
I see Brad you have raised a ticket.

If you or anyone that has 3rd party effect modules then any sequence that use these will no longer work. Its because of the layering code required changes to the effects.

If I can hold of the 3rd party code then I can easily make these work and willing to do this for you. Remember though these effects are not supported by the Vixen Dev team.

Do you have the Audio VU meter etc?

all i can say it was a uni student that designed the original VU audio code, but studys got in the way an he stopped it before it became in a build all them years ago..
the vixen team back then said it crashed vixen.. well that effect never crashed vixen for me, an worked perfectly

So if you can get the code an get the Audio VU meter effects back i will be in your debit.
due to over 500hrs in sequences in vixen, as i dont want to scrap the lot an move to Xlights that does have a vu meter effect now

There was a second attempt at the audio effects and the last I heard he was going to try and make it Matrix/grid friendly as I don't think it work at all well on them and was designed for a string.

Give me some time and I will see what I can do.
 

SmartAlecLights

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yes it was designed for a string..
or you place the effect changing it slightly for every row on the matrix..
sadly yes i have done both..

but a more matrix friendly vu meter would be cool tho..
but then i would want more, eg spectrum analyser type effect as well
or a choice of either would be cool..

Let me know when/if this is possible so i can upgrade vixen to the latest an greatest.
 

ChristmasInKaralee

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smartalec said:
yes it was designed for a string..
or you place the effect changing it slightly for every row on the matrix..
sadly yes i have done both..

but a more matrix friendly vu meter would be cool tho..
but then i would want more, eg spectrum analyser type effect as well
or a choice of either would be cool..

Let me know when/if this is possible so i can upgrade vixen to the latest an greatest.

I should be able to get the code if the guy still has it on github. If I can get the code then it should only take 5min to upgrade. Depending on what he changed last and what version you have may or may not be an issue for you current sequence, but will work for new ones.

I'm out for dinner but should be able to check it out tonight. Will keep you posted.
 

ChristmasInKaralee

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The location positioning of the Bars, butterfly and color wash are in the latest build. Location position for the plasma will be in one of the upcoming builds as it's just waiting to be merged.
 

Gilrock

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You know the last time we talked in another post I thought you were Jon. I've seen a few posts of yours that had "--Jon Chuchla--" at the bottom but now I realize you were posting a quote from him on another forum. Then I saw this post and thought why is he quoting himself...lol. Then I saw someone refer to you as Geoff. So anyways hope that clears up why I was acting like we met at the Expo.
 

ChristmasInKaralee

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Vixen Build #209 has the three Audio effects in. They have been improved and there is no gaurentee that your old sequence that has the non approved audio effects in will work.

There is a work around as the sequence file can be edited and the old Audio effects removed. This will save your sequence and you can just redo the audio effects.

I would be interested to know if they do or don't work.

The way this code has been re-written has opened the door to expand the code on the other effects so it can use this new feature. For example using the fireworks effect will be able to go off to the music. This is just a hint of what will come next year.
 

ChristmasInKaralee

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We are at build #216 with the full release very soon. A couple of more merges then selected members will test the release before getting published.

More effects have been added (Pinwheel and Video), location support for the Plasma effect and a few other fixes. Should only be a few more left.

Please raise tickets on JIRA for any issues and provide logs, as they can then be prioritised and addressed.
Thanks and happy sequencing.
 

Kitman

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Been playing with some of these builds and the new effects are certainly very cool and needed.
Noticed a few small issues which I am sure will be corrected soon if not already.


Wish I knew more about programming so I could try and help you guys out every year but sadly my programming knowledge is stuck back in the Dos Basic days hahahaha.


Great work on this thanks to all involved.
 
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