New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

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admin
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New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by admin »

Purpose:
This macro allows you to move a fixture to a new DMX address, preserving all the values in the banks & presets of the loaded DMXIS show. The macro file must be manually edited before running, as described next.

Example usage:
You want to move a 6 channel scanner (currently located on channels 92-97) to a new DMX address of 33. First, edit the lines at the top of the macro to read as follows:

Code: Select all

# EDIT THESE (enter numbers in the range 1-512)
startCh = 92
endCh = 97
destCh = 33
Then run the macro from the DMXIS window.

Warnings:
This is a global edit macro, which makes permanent edits to every single bank & preset in your show. Backup your show before running it (either by backing up your DMXIS files as described here or by duplicating your show fiest from the Manage Shows window.

Download macro here:
Move channel range (EDIT THIS MACRO FIRST).py.zip
(1.34 KiB) Downloaded 956 times
Aaron
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by Aaron »

Oooo, I like. Perfect for bouncing around fixtures when adding new things and expanding the ranges.

Thanks!
Gradate
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by Gradate »

Ive followed macro edit steps and placed that edited file into the Macros folder in DMXIS. Then I have run the script through the Macros button in the DMXIS program which only shows an error window.

Can anybody help with more specific instructions please
zerogravity
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by zerogravity »

Dave-
I've tried this macro several times with error in DMXIS 1.5.6

Is there an update that will work?
zerogravity
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by zerogravity »

Dave-
When you have time, can you try this macro on the latest release of DMXIS?

:)
neilnotts
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by neilnotts »

Hey guys,

Here's how I adapted the macro to work with 1.6.3

Note that I added the SetChEnabled and GetChEnabled lines to enable the macro to copy the channel mask settings.

It is also worth noting that in my example, I moved fader range 162 - 185 to start at 290. in order to do this, I had to enter the figure +1 into the macro fields.

PLEASE NOTE: I am no expert with Python but these changes worked for me and I fully backed up my Dmxis files before starting this process! ! !

Hope this helps.
Attachments
Image 1.jpg
Image 1.jpg (221.67 KiB) Viewed 126369 times
Icecolled
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by Icecolled »

Hey neilnotts do you have a macro file.
We can download for what you created
neilnotts
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by neilnotts »

Icecolled wrote:Hey neilnotts do you have a macro file.
We can download for what you created
Hi there. Apologies for the delay, I used the standard macro which I downloaded from here then just added the 2 lines relating to masking as set out in the image I attached. I have since deleted the macro.

Cheers
Icecolled
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by Icecolled »

itried to make it work I keep getting an error don't knw if I'm doing something wrong
I was just supposed to type what you put in. note pad text then save it as a py file right then move it to global edits
Icecolled
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by Icecolled »

neilnotts wrote:
Icecolled wrote:Hey neilnotts do you have a macro file.
We can download for what you created
Hi there. Apologies for the delay, I used the standard macro which I downloaded from here then just added the 2 lines relating to masking as set out in the image I attached. I have since deleted the macro.

Cheers
tried to make it work I keep getting an error don't knw if I'm doing something wrong
I was just supposed to type what you put in. note pad text then save it as a py file right then move it to global edits
neilnotts
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by neilnotts »

Can you attach a copy out of the macro to a post and i’ll see if I can work out where it’s going wrong for you.

Cheers

Neil
Icecolled
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by Icecolled »

neilnotts wrote:Can you attach a copy out of the macro to a post and i’ll see if I can work out where it’s going wrong for you.

Cheers

Neil
yes here it is
Attachments
move channel py.PNG
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neilnotts
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by neilnotts »

Hi there,

The only thing I noticed is you are moving the fixture range on top of itself. My knowledge of Python is limited but it could be this causing the problem. I would suggest trying a 2 stage move. First copythe range to channels that are empty. Then run the macro again to move them to your desired address.

Hope that helps.

Cheers

Neil
Icecolled
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by Icecolled »

Hey Neil.
Thanks for your help I will try it when I get home from work today.

Thanks again
Kenny
Icecolled
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by Icecolled »

neilnotts wrote:Hi there,

The only thing I noticed is you are moving the fixture range on top of itself. My knowledge of Python is limited but it could be this causing the problem. I would suggest trying a 2 stage move. First copythe range to channels that are empty. Then run the macro again to move them to your desired address.

Hope that helps.

Cheers

Neil
Hey neil it still doesnt work
neilnotts
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by neilnotts »

Can you provide a screenshot of the error message Kenny? Must admit buddy, I am running out of ideas but hopefully we can get to the bottom of it for you.

Cheers

Neil
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by neilnotts »

Hi Kenny,

Had some time to play today and I also get an error message now. I have recently moved to Windows 10. What OS are you on? When I ran the macro successfully, I was using Windows 8.1

Dave Brown, could this be the reason?

Cheers

Neil
Icecolled
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by Icecolled »

neilnotts wrote:Hi Kenny,

Had some time to play today and I also get an error message now. I have recently moved to Windows 10. What OS are you on? When I ran the macro successfully, I was using Windows 8.1

Dave Brown, could this be the reason?

Cheers

Neil
I am using Windows 10. Thank you for all your help on this I've contacted dave. He rarely answers.
I guess I will j just have to add the lights to the end of the line I was hoping there was a global add also . it looks like I will have to just add them to every preset.
I really dont want to have to do all the presets over to get new lights moved next to the similar ones I already have thanks again for your help.
If you figure out anyway of doing it in Windows 10 please let me know. I know nithing about Python programing. I don't have the time ti start learning. Just thought I could copy some macros for stuff I needed.
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by Dave Brown [admin] »

I tested the original macro (from my first post in this thread) and it worked fine on Windows 10 and DMXIS 1.6.3 - moving a simple 3-channel RGB fixture. It's perhaps worth pointing out that the macro only moves the channel settings (fader position, oscillator settings etc) in all your presets. You need to manually repatch the fixture definition in the revised location. I certainly didn't get any errors.

It's possible that the editor you are using is corrupting the macro file. Notepad on Windows has been known to do this. I usually use a programmer's editor such as Notepad++.

If you are getting actual errors when running the macro, please email your macro file to me at dave@db-audioware.com and I'll see what's wrong with it.
Dave Brown - db audioware
Author of Show Buddy Setlist | Show Buddy Active | ArtNetMon
neilnotts
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by neilnotts »

Thanks for the input Dave. The original macro didn't factor in channel masking but with the update, that worked. I will have another go on my windows 10 setup when I get chance.

Kenny, maybe the macro did work it was just the re-patching you needed to do to complete the process?

Cheers

Neil
joebataz
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by joebataz »

Hey neilnotts,

Just used your macro to move about a dozen fixtures and so far everything is beautiful. This is across 32 banks with up to 32 presets.
Great piece of coding for sure. Many thanks!!!!!

Best

joeb
neilnotts
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by neilnotts »

joebataz wrote: Mon May 06, 2019 11:47 pm Hey neilnotts,

Just used your macro to move about a dozen fixtures and so far everything is beautiful. This is across 32 banks with up to 32 presets.
Great piece of coding for sure. Many thanks!!!!!

Best

joeb

Really pleased to hear it all worked well. :D
joel77
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by joel77 »

This looks like a really useful macro that I'd love to utilize, but I can't make it work at all. After upgrading to Show Buddy Active, I'm wanting to rearrange my fixtures to better fit on 512 channels (as I'm almost out of room!) Though it's not mentioned in this thread, I'm guessing this macro will work with SBA?

I know nothing about programing in Python, but I've followed the instructions in this thread and I'm not getting it to do anything at all. I've tried it with DMXIS 1.6.9, DMXIS 1.7.0 and with SBA. NOTHING. It shows up on the macro list, but doesn't do anything when I select it. I'm guessing that I don't need to highlight channels to make this work, as they are defined in the macro, but I even tried that. No go.

I'm working on a PC laptop, running Win 10.

I've DL'd Notepad++ as recommended by Dave Brown. It works better than the Notepad included with Windows. Made the changes to the macro for the fixture I want to move. Loaded it into the macro file (after spending an inordinate amount of time finding it's location for SBA!), Ran the macro, but nothing happens. I tried restarting SBA (and DMXIS, when trying this macro there), but still can't make it do anything!

Curious if anyone is successfully using this macro with any later version of DMXIS or SBA? I've gone over the steps listed in this thread multiple times and I'm completely baffled. It may very well be something quite simple that I'm not doing or not doing right, but I can't figure it out.

It would be WAY COOL if this macro was included in DMXIS/SBA.
sapian
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Re: New macro: move fixture to a different channel address

Post by sapian »

Been a while! Did you ever get this to work? I'm trying the same thing, and did the edits as mentioned above.
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