Nutcracker 3.0 Released

[smeighan]

I am now releasing Nutcracker 3.0.


Nutcracker 1.0 was released Feb 2012.
Nutcracker 2.0 was released summer of 2012. It included local installs , more effects and projects.
Nutcracker 3.0 is being released Feb 2013.


Nutcracker 3.0 is the complete rewrite of Nutcracker 2.0 into C++. Nutcracker is now merged with Matt Brown's xLights. Matt Brown took on this conversion project last DEcember. xLights version 2012e merged with Nutcracker. I am calling this new version Nutcracker 3.0.0.


Why the rewrite?
Answer: I wanted Nutcracker to be more interactive and faster. C++ allows the easier implementation of things like movies and other hardware specific features/.


Answer: I wanted to make the installation of Nutcracker easier. With the release of Nutcracker 3.0, you will no longer need XAMPP or WAMP. This will save 1 gbyte of disk space from your local drive.


Answer: I wanted the generation of effects to be quicker. For example old Snowstorm effect generation 400 seconds, new Nutcracker 3.0 time = 10 secs.




What is different?
Answer: The user interface is entirely different. Hopefully you will find it easier to use.
Answer: We dont have projects yet in Nutcracker 3.0.


What is the same?
Answer: All the effects have the same prompts. The concept of create an effect before you pick the sequencer is the name. Exporting for your sequencer is the same.
Answer: Same target models, megatrees, matrixes.


Where is new code?
Answer: http://nutcracker123.com/nutcracker/releases/
This web page also shows the current differences between Nutcracker 2 and Nutcracker 3


I will be talking about this new release in this weeks Tutorial, Thursday Feb 28th at 7pm MST. I will create a vimeo video introduction.


For those developers who might want to see the source code, https://github.com/smeighan/nutcracker_c


thanks
sean

 

[kevr]

Hi Sean,


Just downloaded it and had a quick play, this is a fantastic piece of software that is nice and easy to use.


I was surprised at some of the comments I have read tonight on other sites and would like to say that you two gentlemen have developed wonderful tools that many, many people are thrilled to have to use.


You both have been very generous to share this and should be proud of your endeavours.


Thank-you both


Kev

 

[remoteutah]

Did I miss a post on a forum somewhere?

 

[Mcas4380]

Sean where can the info on the Tutorial be found

 

[smeighan]

I have written an beginners tutorial on setting up xLights/Nutcracker. This process will get you to an exported file for whatever sequencer you are using


http://nutcracker123.com/nutcracker/tutorials/intro.pdf




Now the tutorials i made a few months ago would make sense.


xLights and Nutcracker introduction: https://vimeo.com/57960516
Creating a text effect: https://vimeo.com/57960775
Creating two Nuctracker effects and layering between them: https://vimeo.com/57961300
Exporting a xLights/Nutcracker sequence into LOR lms: https://vimeo.com/57960884




thanks
sean

 

[924aussie]

Downloaded , installed, very happy

Now to work out how to add pictures, graphics and videos They effect is grayed out in version 3.0.1 on screen or 3.0.2 under help


Alan

 

[remoteutah]

Is there a 3.0.2 out there now. Dang, Sean, you move fast - lol

 

[924aussie]

Pictures now working in second test I tried ???

Is there a place where I can download files that others have created so I can learn from them ?


Alan

 

[924aussie]

Did I miss a post on a forum somewhere?

http://doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/showthread.php?25797-Nutcracker-3-0-Released soiunds klike a couple of dropkicks on there, send out the drop bears

Alan

 

[smeighan]

Pictures now working in second test I tried ???

Is there a place where I can download files that others have created so I can learn from them ?


Alan

I announced that I am now supporting Nutcracker that was ported to xLights. It took a while for me to feel i could do development on platforms i have never used. C++, Windows, wxWidgets.


This release of Nutcracker is about 80-90% of what Nutcracker 2.0 has.


Here is what still needs to be worked on...


Ability to download and upload to nutcracker123.com. This will make a user gallery possible.
Add some of the missing effects: tree, twinkle,countdown,pinwheel
Make it so you can load the songs that we have already marked up. This is the stuff that was under Projects.


I wanted to get people using this new nutcracker so you get used to the new interface, you find out any issues with the exported files. Users can give feedback..


One other area i want t solve is make LSP msq and asq exports.


so , standby.

 

[924aussie]

Mate whatever you do we are extremly gratefull


Alan