Patching problems using more than one string per model

[Pixel Claus]

Hello Guys,

I've got a problem with patching my icicles in xLights.
Please forgive me, it will take quite some time to explain.

I started this year using Vixen and Vixen is quite flexible in patching your lights to the controllers. So I was able to patch my icicles the way they were setup.
Now I wanted to swap over to xLights due to the limited flexibility regarding the sequencing in Vixen.
But I'm not getting my Icicles patched correctly in xLights.

What makes the things so difficult?

1.

As main controller (along with some ESPixelSticks) I'm using a Teensy 3.2 with OctoWS2811 board.
Physically it has 8 outputs and it is setup with 500 LEDs per output which are 1500 channels per output. Which are 12000 channels all in all.
For xLights however it's just one (NULL) controller with 12000 channels.
And the physical controller outputs starts at:
Teensy output 1 is channel 1
Teensy output 2 is channel 1501
Teensy output 3 is channel 3001
...

2.

I've got 6 Bosco Icicles, each filled with a 105 nodes icicles string (15 drops a 7 nodes) along with a single string of 30 nodes at the top.

Let me use the following "symbol" for one segment:

--- uper single string
┬┬┬ lower icicle string


All 6 segments are hanging in one line.

--- --- --- --- --- ---
┬┬┬ ┬┬┬ ┬┬┬ ┬┬┬ ┬┬┬ ┬┬┬

All of the 6 segments are setup the same way.
Data in the upper single string is runnig from right to left. Connector at each side.
Data in the lower icicles string is running from left to right. Connector at each side.

<---<
>┬┬┬>

Due to the amout of the overall channels I have to split them up onto two controller outputs.
One for the three left segments. And one for the three right segments.

Further due to the location of the power supplys and the contoller (all in the middle of the house) I'm also injecting the data from the middle of the house into the left and the right side of the icicles.

So finally the data is flowing the following way:

1
┌<---<<---<<---<┘ ---<<---<<---<┐
└>┬┬┬>>┬┬┬>>┬┬┬ ┌>┬┬┬>>┬┬┬>>┬┬┬>┘
2

Now I want to set this up in xLights.

Remember:
Teensy output 1 is xLights start channel 1:1
Teensy output 2 is xLights start channel 1:1501

So finally I have to patch:

1:270 1:1 1:2715 1:2446
┌<---<<---<<---<┘ ---<<---<<---<┐
└>┬┬┬>>┬┬┬>>┬┬┬ ┌>┬┬┬>>┬┬┬>>┬┬┬>┘
1:271 1:1215 1:1501 1:2445

In xLights there is a way to configure more than one string for a model. Each with a specific start channel.
From the manual: "This is useful where the channel numbering is not contiguous."

So hey! This is exaclty what I need!

I've setup a "Single Line" model (IciclesUpper):
---
Running from right to left.
#Strings: 2
Nodes/String: 90
Individual Start Channels:
String 1: 1:2446
String 2: 1:1
---

I've setup a "Icicles" model (IciclesLower):
---
Running from left to right.
#Strings: 2
Nodes/String: 315
Individual Start Channels:
String 1: 1:271
String 2: 1:1501
---

"Tools -> Sequence Test" is not complaining about anything (only some warnings about "Large blocks of unused channels").
But the reallity is different. The rendering is not working correctly on the icicles.
At some place xLights seems not to see the mapping as it is configured.

I see for example overlapping channels in the Model overview:
---
Model Start Chan End Chan
IciclesUpper 1:1 1:2715
IciclesLower 1:271 1:2160
---

I think it should read better something like:
---
Model Start Chan End Chan
IciclesUpper 1:2446, 1:1 1:2715, 1:270
IciclesLower 1:271, 1:1501 1:1215, 1:2445
---

But mayby I'm just missing something?

B.t.w. I already tried to split it up into 4 parts (IciclesUpperLeft, IciclesUpperRight, IciclesLowerLeft, IciclesLowerRight) and use groups to put them together.
But this was also showing problems (2 LEDs light up in the icicles instead of 1).

 

[keithsw1111]

What you need can be done but I am not going to attempt to describe it here. Best would be to jump into zoom and walk you through it.

 

[Pixel Claus]

I now managed to get it work defining 4 separate parts (IciclesUpperLeft, IciclesUpperRight, IciclesLowerLeft, IciclesLowerRight), use groups to combine them and use Render Style "Horizontal Stack". Not yet checked with all effects but so far it is looking promising.