xLights - polyline issues. OK in project but does something different on the real pixels

janastas

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Hi All,

Strange issue I've run into with a polyline in my project.

Pretty much have created an outline of my front entrance to the house as follows (The polyline is the upside down U whic is causing the issue):

1635198044098.png

There's a submodel underneath this for each line in the shape.

When I play a sequence in xlights for a particular project I've set it up so the verticals in the model are meant to act like an equaliser as follows:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uMEFHcbgaw


But when I load the sequence into FPP and try to run it on the real props it does the following:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrvsOcPuYnI


A few things, the model for the polyline has been setup to run from the top left corner as the starting point then runs down and anti clockwise around the whole shape.

I've done the same thing on the real prop.

Any help would be appreciate. the rest of the models in this sequence work just fine and I'm happy with my first full attemp at running a halloween show this year.
 

janastas

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Just checking have you pushed your xlights configuration to FPP?

withing xlights
Tools-FPP Connect
Yep 100% did that as the rest of the sequence and models on the real props match those when I run it in xlights.

Must be something with that particular model
 

BAZMick

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Have you run a "Check Sequence" and checked for overlapping channels? Did you also upload the controller configuration, not just the FPP connect?
Maybe post a screenshot of the layout tab with the details of that model too?
 

janastas

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Have you run a "Check Sequence" and checked for overlapping channels? Did you also upload the controller configuration, not just the FPP connect?
Maybe post a screenshot of the layout tab with the details of that model too?

Have run fpp connect and upload output.

1635234606335.png

Also ran check sequence

Errors: 0. Warnings: 7

Potentially problematic settings
WARN: Render on save is enabled ... this is generally unnecessary.

Effect problems
WARN: Transition out time 1.00 on effect Snowflakes at start time 2:14.450 on Model 'Matrix-Right' is greater than effect duration 0.70.
WARN: Transition out time 1.00 on effect Snowflakes at start time 2:14.450 on Model 'Matrix-Right' is greater than effect duration 0.70.
WARN: Transition out time 1.00 on effect Snowflakes at start time 2:14.450 on Model 'Matrix-Right' is greater than effect duration 0.70.
WARN: Transition out time 1.00 on effect Snowflakes at start time 2:14.450 on Model 'Matrix Left' is greater than effect duration 0.70.
WARN: Transition out time 1.00 on effect Snowflakes at start time 2:14.450 on Model 'Matrix Left' is greater than effect duration 0.70.
WARN: Transition out time 1.00 on effect Snowflakes at start time 2:14.450 on Model 'Matrix Left' is greater than effect duration 0.70.

Model layout

1635234724649.png

No sub models set, individual segments are run through the sequence for effects
 

BAZMick

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Universes set 512? Are you running RGBW or just RGB pixels?
If RGB, set universe size to 510 and try again
 

janastas

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Universes set 512? Are you running RGBW or just RGB pixels?
If RGB, set universe size to 510 and try again
They were set to 512.

Just rgb pixels so set to 510 and uploaded to controller.

Do I also need to render all the sequences again and upload?
 

BAZMick

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Probably better to be safe than sorry, re-render that one sequence to see if it fixed the issue. Is so then render all others using "batch render" 🤞
 

janastas

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Tried the re rendering then uploaded the sequence just now with no luck when playing the sequence. Still having the same issue where the effect doesn't match the sequence in xlights.
 

BAZMick

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I watched your 2nd video over and over, to me it seems to be running backwards?! In the string ports setup for the controller is there an option to set the port forwards/backwards?
I haven't used that method of creating a polyline model and then sub-modelling the strings, so i haven't really got an experienced suggestion for that setup.
Maybe try changing the Starting Location to the green square and re render??
 

Srmorgan

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Maybe the submodel got set up incorrectly. It looks to me like The effect got rotated a quarter turn to the left. That’s where I would start at. In the sub models menu there’s a couple of buttons for flipping nodes. Maybe that accidentally got touched and spun everything around
 

lytnin

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Looking at a still frame of the video ... going Clockwise, from the top left,
... across the top and down the right looks to be about the same number of nodes on the left side
... first gap looks to be about the size of the bottom left horizontal part
... next lit section is about the size of the doorway height
... next unlit section is about the size of the doorway top
... next lit section is about the size of the doorway height
... next gap looks to be about the size of the bottom right horizontal part
...... you get the idea.

Basically it is all going in reverse....

Double check your wiring that it is definitely going down the left side first.

In the layout on the model, you could try to change the 'Starting Location' field from 'Blue Square' to 'Green Square' to test if that changes the output .... note this will probably screw up other effects, so this is only a test.

Re render and give it a go.

Failing that try my Super Simple Test Patterns .....
Create a new sequence
On the Model you want to test .....
- Create a bars effect for 10 seconds with a HORIZONTAL movement with 3 to 4 colours
- create another bars effect for 10 seconds with a VERTICAL movement with 3 to 4 colours
(Note: the longer the duration, the slower the movement, the easier it is do detect problems).

Render and run.

If that works fine, then do the same for each sub-model individually.

Post videos if results aren't as expected.

A screen shot of the sub-models might also shed some light on it.

Hope it helps.
 

janastas

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Looking at a still frame of the video ... going Clockwise, from the top left,
... across the top and down the right looks to be about the same number of nodes on the left side
... first gap looks to be about the size of the bottom left horizontal part
... next lit section is about the size of the doorway height
... next unlit section is about the size of the doorway top
... next lit section is about the size of the doorway height
... next gap looks to be about the size of the bottom right horizontal part
...... you get the idea.

Basically it is all going in reverse....

Double check your wiring that it is definitely going down the left side first.

In the layout on the model, you could try to change the 'Starting Location' field from 'Blue Square' to 'Green Square' to test if that changes the output .... note this will probably screw up other effects, so this is only a test.

Re render and give it a go.

Failing that try my Super Simple Test Patterns .....
Create a new sequence
On the Model you want to test .....
- Create a bars effect for 10 seconds with a HORIZONTAL movement with 3 to 4 colours
- create another bars effect for 10 seconds with a VERTICAL movement with 3 to 4 colours
(Note: the longer the duration, the slower the movement, the easier it is do detect problems).

Render and run.

If that works fine, then do the same for each sub-model individually.

Post videos if results aren't as expected.

A screen shot of the sub-models might also shed some light on it.

Hope it helps.
Thanks, I'll give this a go later today.

It's definately an issue with the model as I tried a direct output to lights from xlights and the issue was still there.

I'll do a bit more reading into polylines and see what I'm doing wrong.
 

djgra79

My name is Graham & I love flashing lights!
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How did you go? Let us know if you were able to fix the issue and what the cause was (if you can work it out)
Resolutions to issues are good to have on the forums in case anyone else has the same issue.
 

janastas

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Sorry haven't had a chance to debug this one as yet. Have taken down all the halloween props but have left out the props that are going to be reused for xmas so will try and test this over the weekend.
 
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