Still having issues setting up my lights in xLights.

[Giles1]

I’ve been playing with xLights for over 3 years now, but I’m still having issues setting up my lights correctly. ☹

I think part of this is just the extended time periods between playing with the program. It almost feels like I’m starting from scratch every time.

So, the problem I’m having (like every year) is setting up all my lights, so I don’t have any overlapping channels. I’ve even set up a Spreadsheet to map all of my Pixels, Channels, Universes, as well as power requirements, so I thought I had it nailed this year, but alas, no.

I also thought the new Visualiser (on the Controller page) would help me out, but it too is giving me a hard time. I’m having an issue in the Visualiser where it won’t let me add lights to the end, and just plonks them at the start, no matter what I do. But apart from that, the rest of the Visualiser looks good.

However, as you can see below, I have placed an effect on my Arches Group, and they should be the only things working. It all looks good in the “Model Preview”, but as you can see in the “House Preview” other lights are also coming on.

Can anyone see where I’m going wrong?

 

[Dave_Szoka]

question:
have you ticked the full control box in your controller setup?
this will let xlights do the hard work, you just place models on what ports you want...
See what that does for your setup

 

[Dreamin]

Check the xLi6C48 file, you have errors "Probable model overlap" on the models your talking about. Your channels aren't right. That spreadsheet looks complicated mate. I just work out what needs done prop to prop and hope to hell it all works. lol. She'll be right at 30% anyway by my rough calculations and that's plenty bright for me and the neighbours.

Pop into Zoom and someone will get that sorted out asap I'm sure.

If you add a prop later it may all goes pear shaped later on. That's why I personally use the new visualiser feature, I don't set any universes or channels in the layout area under each model, they are all just assigned to the controller only. I then move the props to where I want them in visualiser and xlights does all the leg work and calculates the universes and channels. I haven't had any issues at all with this set up unless it's been my fault (i.e. adding an extra prop and then forgetting to load the config to the controller), there is no overlap and as a bonus, if I move a prop like I did today to make my life easier wiring I just drag it over in visualiser and upload the config and done. I didn't even get a calculator out! Currently my nearly 4000 pixels fits in 24 universes and that's all the universes I have set.

I think Keith mentioned in a video or on the online mini that less universes if you don't need them is better, less overheads or something.

 

[djgra79]

use the Check Sequence feature from the menu, it will help solve 99% of issues with overlapping channels etc.

 

[Giles1]

question:
have you ticked the full control box in your controller setup?
this will let xlights do the hard work, you just place models on what ports you want...
See what that does for your setup

Thanks for the Heads-up on this, I wasn't aware that was required. I selected the "Full xLights Control" and everything seems to now be working correctly.
Is there anything else I should also select (like "Auto Layout Models" & Auto Size), and if so, what do they do?

 

[Jorge Bolivar]

Are arches furnished with pixels strips? Some has a different node layout that when the node number entered is not correct can cause similar issue too. At least that was my issue at one point.