RemDim Macros for the Express(ion)
I have been programming on an Expression 3 for the show, and the discussion came up between the designer and me about how you would write a RemDim Macro for the board. Well I figured someone else had come up with the answer, but after a quick glance around the internet, I only found a few hits, and some of the Macros were fairly complex. The one that I did try didn’t work, or I didn’t understand their complex syntax. So none-the-less I went out to improve and write my own Macro. I ultimately came up with two solutions that are more based on personal preference. They work just fine, but I am still attempting to think of a way to start the Macro “At Full” so you can type in [Channel Number, Macro*] instead of typing [Macro*, Channel Number] and potentially missing the M-wait delay window.
[Rec] [Cue 999.9] [Enter] [Time] [0] [Enter] [Enter] [Cue 999.9] [Go C/D] [Rel] [Clear C/D] [M-Wait 1.5] [At] [Full]
To clarify what this does: It records a very unlikely Cue 999.9, then change the time of that Cue to 0, then goes to that cue and releases the channels and clears the cue. Then the cue will fade to whatever the default cue clear time is on the board. It should be 5 seconds by default, but I like to change it to 2 or 3 seconds. Your default time should be longer than the time you allow in the M-Wait command though that follows. Then there is a M-Wait which allows you to type just the channel number or group number during 1.5 seconds or however long you would like it to be and brings it at full. For channels you can type just the number as it defaults to channel, but if you want to bring a group up to focus on this Macro you have hit [Group] [Number] The result is a nice fade of the current light or look followed by your new fixture popping on at full. There are a few other things I might alter to make it better, but for me it works just fine.
[Stage] [Rec] [Group 999.9] [Stage] [Chan] [M-Wait 1.5] [At] [Full] [Group 999.9] [At] [0][0]
To clarify what this does: This is very similar to the above Macro, except that it is a little more crude, as rather then having a nice fade of your other lights, your new light pops on and then your old light pops out.
If anyone else has any really great Macros let me know.
September 1st, 2008 at 2:07 pm
I saw a 39 step macro that you had to run from Blind to do RemDim in focus on a forum and got to thinking. Fooling around in EOL I came up with something I think is better. It goes like this:
“FlashOff Flash”
That’s it. It’s devilishly simple, but you have to “trick” your board into letting you create it.
To write it, in stage mode, hit [More Softkeys] until [Flash] shows as softkey 8. Do [Learn macro] and pick a number (might want it to be M1 so it’s easily available on your RFU). As the macro steps, key in [Flash][Flash], then [Enter Macro]. Next, go to Macro Editing and look at your new macro; it will read [Flash][FlashOff][Flash][FlashOff]. Edit the macro and delete entries so that it reads [FlashOff][Flash].
Now, go back to stage and try it. Key in a channel number and then the macro; the channel comes to FL; key in a new number and then the macro; old channel goes out, new channel comes up full; repeat.
Next, key in a channel number and the macro; channel comes to FL; hit [+] and the next channel goes out, next channel comes up; hey, look, channel check on an Expression! [-] works too!
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