How do I lengthen (add time to) an existing sequence? *Solved, expounded*

[johnty]

Being a first time user of Nutcracker this Christmas, after getting all of the hardware working, I created a new animation sequence of 210 seconds (no music), inserted 25 rows, created start times and programmed my effects. Everything worked perfectly. Now I want to add more effects to the sequence but no matter what I do, if I add any start times beyond 210 seconds, the sequence just stops at the end the original 210 second timing.

I've updated grids, saved files and looked at the xml code trying to find something that tells Nutcracker the length of the sequence, all to no avail. Is there a parm somewhere with this number? Am I overlooking something obvious?

John Tyson
Arvada, CO

 

[smeighan]

Being a first time user of Nutcracker this Christmas, after getting all of the hardware working, I created a new animation sequence of 210 seconds (no music), inserted 25 rows, created start times and programmed my effects. Everything worked perfectly. Now I want to add more effects to the sequence but no matter what I do, if I add any start times beyond 210 seconds, the sequence just stops at the end the original 210 second timing.

I've updated grids, saved files and looked at the xml code trying to find something that tells Nutcracker the length of the sequence, all to no avail. Is there a parm somewhere with this number? Am I overlooking something obvious?

John Tyson
Arvada, CO

the length is coded into the xseq file.


just save the xml file.
example
wizards.mp3
wizxards.xseq
wizards.xml <= make a copy of this


now delete the xseq and xml (you did make a backup?)
now create a new song, use the corrected mp3 file, maybe it is now 300 seconds long.
add a single row and save a new xseq file.


exit xlights. copy your backup xml over the newly created xml file. all of your effects will now be present and you

 

[johnty]

the length is coded into the xseq file.


just save the xml file.
example
wizards.mp3
wizxards.xseq
wizards.xml <= make a copy of this


now delete the xseq and xml (you did make a backup?)
now create a new song, use the corrected mp3 file, maybe it is now 300 seconds long.
add a single row and save a new xseq file.


exit xlights. copy your backup xml over the newly created xml file. all of your effects will now be present and you

Okay, I think I understand what’s happening.


Sean has always told us in his tutorials that the XSEQ file is expendable. It can be recreated from the XML file. Well, yes and no.



The XML file has everything needed to run the effects, sequences and the show. It cannot, however, create a XSEQ from scratch. It must already exist. Its size is computed as (number of channels * periods (duration in seconds * 20)). This size is apparently immutable. So, to change the sequence duration, a new, null XSEQ file of the correct length must be created. Then it is updated following Sean’s directions.



There could be ways to have the XML file contain the length of the sequence and if it changed, dynamically change the size of the XSEQ file. This might be very messy from Matt’s viewpoint and infrequently needed, especially if sequences are song based. Mine aren’t but I’m probably one of a small minority who just wants to keep adding effects with no timing constraints.


Thanks, Sean, for the solution. I hope my outline of the situation is correct.


John Tyson
Arvada, CO