How to pair tree and star model in xLights

[brendanaldridge]

Hey guys so I started playing around with xlights with the props im thinking of getting but im not sure how to set up 1 of my props. I'm looking at getting the tree pictured and the description says it uses the native tree and star in xlights but in xlights the tree and star are 2 separate things, I know im a noob but I really appreciate the help

 

[MikeKrebs]

So they mean make a 5 pointed 20 pixel star and a 8 string x 10 pixel tree. Remember that the representation (models) doesn't have to be physically how they are wired. You would use 100 node strings to wire up the prop.

 

[thewanderingpine]

You do want the model to reflect how it’s wired. But in this case - you could start at the star - go all the way round it - then start going down and up the tree part. Just make sure that it’s pixel 1-20 for the star and then 21-100 for the tree (or vice Versa - just make sure they are seperate)

 

[MikeKrebs]

thewanderingpine is right. You do have to take the physical layout into account. My point was that the prop doesn't have to exactly represent the logical layout in xLights. You can use two models to represent the prop and then you can group them together to make "the prop". The wiring layout (where the star starts specifically) needs to match what you will do in real life and as it is going over two models, it will have to match up with the tree portion. IE don't start the star wiring at the top of the star. It needs to physically come off or go into the tree portion. So the pixels between the tree and the star need to be within range.

Looking at the tree a second time, I'd be tempted to wire that horizontally from bottom left. The end of the tree would be top left and the star would be bottom left clockwise. That layout leaves the end of the string at the top of the tree and if that was a "hardship", I'd make a custom model that went up leg "one" around the star and then did the rest of the tree. This custom model would leave the end back on the bottom so that you could power inject and daisy chain to at least one more prop.

For your purposes of playing around, just use the two models and you will be fine. I would group them if it was me and then clone the two models together as many as you think would look cool.

 

[Skymaster]

Looking at the tree a second time, I'd be tempted to wire that horizontally from bottom left. The end of the tree would be top left and the star would be bottom left clockwise.

I bought 5 of these trees this year to add to my display but ended up wiring them vertically first starting in the bottom left. This is because most sequencers work with trees wired vertically (horizontal is relatively new thanks to @merryoncherry ) and as such effects designed to swing left to right etc across the trees wired going up and down and didn't look right.

 

[merryoncherry]

I bought 5 of these trees this year to add to my display but ended up wiring them vertically first starting in the bottom left. This is because most sequencers work with trees wired vertically (horizontal is relatively new thanks to @merryoncherry ) and as such effects designed to swing left to right etc across the trees wired going up and down and didn't look right.

You could wire it horizontally and then always sequence to a submodel that was vertical... but that sounds like work :-D.

Single strand does weird stuff, like if you have alt nodes, wire the opposite direction, etc., but people use it on 2D props a lot just to mess with you. Submodels take a bit of time but do provide the answer.