Scheduler Enhancements / Improvements / Bug Fixes / Wish List - add yours

[Gilrock]

If the scheduler and playlists get removed then I'd just stay with an older version of xLights that still has them.

It's being removed from the intertwined logic where it was tightly coupled to the rest of the tabs so that the tab can be removed. It was kinda goofy that every time you created a playlist it became a new tab. So Keith is making the code common and the scheduler will be a stand-alone .exe that uses common code from xLights. I'm sure you will be able to launch it right from xLights. There really isn't a valid reason to say you won't use the new one.

 

[i13]

Gilrock that's fine. I'd only stay with an older version if the playlists and scheduler are removed and not replaced.

 

[keithsw1111]

I'll also add myself to the list of xLights users who still run the show with a PC as of 2016. Not sure if I'll have a 2017 display.

I am pretty sure I have addressed all the concerns you raised in the new scheduler. The player functionality it pretty complete already. The scheduler code should be done over the weekend and the whole thing done by the end of the month including a new web UI for controlling the show (but not setting it up) for those that like to use that. There are a number of smart control functions like setting the next song without interupting the current song ... and you can define what buttons you want and what you want them to do. If you want a juke box with buttons to trigger specific sequences ... trivial.

 

[keithsw1111]

This has me curious. What kinds of things will you be adding to the xLights scheduler that FPP doesn't support?

I think FPP's biggest scheduling weakness is the inability to cross midnight boundaries but that probably won't get resolved until I rewrite the scheduler after I am done rewriting the playlist and player code which I am working on now for v2.0.

There are a ot of things I see as player/playlist enhancements which some might consider as scheduler changes. I have a lot of playlist enhancements in mind for v2.x, including the ability to direct playback of a media or sequence file to a single host. The desire for v2.0 playlist rewrite is just to replace existing functionality with some new playlist entry types being added in during the rewrite. New playlist features will include branching based on things like clock time, loop count, and in the future even external inputs. V2.0 will also have the ability to control the volume from within a playlist, run scripts directly, and run effects directly.

Feel free to borrow/copy any ideas that you think are a good fit in xLights.

The MultiSync compatibility will be a good enhancement. It's a totally off the wall idea, but theoretically before 2018, a person could have a show played by a combination of xLights/FPP/Vixen3 since the Vixen3 guys are also looking at adding MultiSync capability as are some hardware controllers such as the F16v2/3 and also the ESPixelStick and the Open Source controller being worked on on one of the other sites.

My biggest frustration with the scheduler is cross midnight support and the perpetual struggle i have with RTCs and the Pi ... they work poorly and that impacts the scheduler.


But there are other things ... when a playlist is running doing simple things like setting the next song or putting into a looping mode etc etc all require either plugins or scripting ... this should be trivial for the user to setup.


Right now I am copying functionality when I need to but also taking advantage of the extra grunt the PC has to do more. The only things I really think i will struggle with are those things which involve physical interactivity as we dont really have a GPIO equivalent.

 

[arw01]

RTC and pi, or in my case BBB, oxymoron, lost 45 minutes overnight, replace the battery, was loosing 3, then one day it totally lost it's mind and thought it was years ago in January..

For the GPIO, having the api calls with a restful interface can be handled by a few inexpensive cards out there in home automation land.

 

[tuppetsdad]

We have outdoor speakers for the music connected from our computer (running XLights) speaker output. I would be great if we can adjust volume. For example after 11 PM reduce volume automatically to a preset value. Our neighbors would appreciate it!
8)

 

[Tonyf1949]

I strongly agree with the previous post re volume reduction over a period of time poss with a few steps. My only complaint on this first year of sequencing to music was the neighbour across the road with small kids. I had to remember to reduce volume between 9-11pm. Also cutting the sound off completely after a set time and allow the lights to continue to operate until switch off time would be great.

 

[keithsw1111]

Announcing the alpha release of xSchedule ... this is a preview release of partially functioning code only. It is only for Windows (as that is all I can build it for). And is provided to gather feedback and bug reports only ... dont try to use it for anything important. Unless you are reasonably experienced with xLights and schedulers I suggest you skip installing this.




The software is available from my drop box https://www.dropbox.com/s/2x7hk8yr1139u7u/xSchedule.zip?dl=0




There is a video which goes over the details including how to install.

xLights xSchedule alpha release - YouTube




In the video I get concerned about the output to lights not working ... there is a reason for this ... I forgot to make sure my xlights_networks.xml file was in the folder and hence it was unable to start the outputs.




Let me know what you think.

 

[OzAz]

seeing as I started this thread, guess I should have a play.


I know it's an alpha release, but here's a few issues:
1. Communication error on start up - looking for my usb-dmx dongle which isn't set up on this computer at the moment
2. Can't seem to add multiple steps at once, eg how can I add all the fseq files in a directory at once?
3. Can't seem to re-order steps
4. Crashed when trying to delete a step
apart from that looking good so far...

 

[keithsw1111]

seeing as I started this thread, guess I should have a play.


I know it's an alpha release, but here's a few issues:
1. Communication error on start up - looking for my usb-dmx dongle which isn't set up on this computer at the moment
2. Can't seem to add multiple steps at once, eg how can I add all the fseq files in a directory at once?
3. Can't seem to re-order steps
4. Crashed when trying to delete a step
apart from that looking good so far...

Thank you

#1 is consistent with what XLights does. The failure occurs when it tries to open the comm port.

#2 is an interesting idea

#3 should work by dragging and dropping them

#4 can you tell me anything a about what you were doing. Was it playing while you were editing the playlist. Do you have the crash log? Or maybe the regular log

 

[OzAz]

#1 - sort of - in xlights if 'output to lights' is off then you can do stuff with playlists and schedules without any problems
#2 - you can do that in current version within xlights

#3 - no luck with that, crashed once too. xlights has up down buttons for changing order so would be nice to see same in new version
#4 - zip files attached - one at 12:57 deleting step; one at 2:20 trying to drag and drop


Cheers Keith, no rush there's still 284 days[/size], [/size]9 hours[/size] and [/size]25 minutes [/size]till Halloween according to chat

 

[keithsw1111]

#1 and as long as it is off in the scheduler it will work the same.
#2 will happen
#3 won't happen. Drag and drop makes more sense. The crash however needs to be fixed.

 

[OzAz]

#1 hmm, will investigate further - lights are off (icon is red with a grey cog)
#2 Great!
#3 No problem


#5 your a champion Keith, keep up the good work

 

[keithsw1111]

#1 the log file should tell us what is going on.

 

[OzAz]

#1 Don't panic, as you were. LOL
All good, probably should have read the dialog boxes more thoroughly.