Wish List

In the scene builder it would be nice if you could drag guides out for the x/y effect on scanners and save them in the scene builder. Would be even nicer if you could save named snap points.

E.g instaed of having to adjust to pan 50 tilt 100 i could set a snap point there so when i,m close to it i could snap to it or turn snaps off.

Could do the same with guides by making the intersection of the saved horz and vert guid a snap point.

Dont get me wrong. I love how much controle you have with this as is, but snaps would make it even easier.

-Eccentric

Scene layering!! I've only been using myDMX 2.0 for a week now, and have found many nice things I like about the software, but one huge thing seemingly missing is the ability to layer scenes.

For example, let's say I have a scene on stage that includes a blue wash across scenery, and white light on the center of the stage for a slow song, but then the chorus hits and the song picks up. At that point I'd like to add some intelligent lights running to a pre-programmed scene as well, but currently the only way I can find to do that is to build another scene with the blue wash and white stage light that includes the intelligent fixtures.

Can you add the ability to run multiple scenes at once, something like, hold down the ctrl key and click on the scenes you want on stage at that time?

Thanks!!

How about adding scene categories?

These would be a means to organize scenes on the User tab so they don't all run together. Currently I have empty scenes named for the group of lights programmed in the scenes that follow the empty one. An example would be Backwall LED PARs, then all of my backwall washes and sequences are grouped under that empty scene. That way I don't have to go searching through all the scenes on the User tab to find what I'm looking for.

Another aspect of this is to allow longer names on the User tab. The Editor tab allows you to enter long names for scenes, but the User tab truncates those names so only the first couple words is visible, so at that point you just have to memorize where each scene is on the User tab because the program won't show you the full name.

(I'm a software developer by day, so giving me a place to ask for enhancements may be dangerous! )

Allow label stretching across all channels for a given fixture.

What I mean by this is if you have a series of LED PAR cans that each consume three DMX channels, then instead of putting the first couple letters of what you named that fixture at the top of the channel fader, combine the name fields at the top of all faders for that fixture so the full name you entered for the fixture is visible.

I love the ability to assign custom names to the fixtures when you assign them to channels, but you lose a lot of the reason to do that since myDMX doesn't make the full name you just entered visible on the faders. When you have 50+ fixtures, finding the exact one you want by looking at the truncated name at the top of the fader isn't very easy.

Well..

The ability to stack/layer (run multiple) scenes has been posted by several users in many different threads….

There is a work around using LPT Mode to override fixtures from w/ in your scene, but I agree it’s not the easiest way to run your show by any stretch of the imagination.

There are currently no plans for ADJ to add this ability to the program as they feel it is an advanced feature and they feel the program is much easier to use this way (I completely disagree with this notion…).

They are, however continuing to make updates to the software, so hopefully, if enough of us voice this opinion they will reconsider. We’ll see….
I know they are listening and discussing enhancements frequently… They seem to really value our feedback and are on top of things over there so we’ll see what the future has to bring…

Until then my work around is to control the main part of your scene and override what you can. For me, this is to build my scene around my scanners and manually control my strobes, lasers and pars manually. I’d much rather have a scene for all of them and stack them, but for now this is how I’m working with what I have….

-Eccentric

quote:

Allow label stretching across all channels for a given fixture.

I agree, but would like to take it a little further and from a programing sense I think this would be easy….

1. Rather than label stretching. I think there should be a header tab associated with the slides once you assign the fixture to them. Similar to what I think you are saying but rather than stretching anything, If you name your fixture in the fixture setup area, it carries through as a tab over the top of the slides. E.G. My first three (6 channel) fixtures are Scan 1, Scan 2 and Scan 3. So over channel 1 – 6 It will have a tab that reads Scan 1 and this is assigned once you give the first six channels that fixture (and you rename it to Scan 1). Channel 7-12 will then read Scan 2 and Channel 13-18 will read Scan 3 in a tab over them. Then it’s clear what fixture I’m looking for to override on the fly.

Where I’d like to take this a step further is to then have the ability to
1. Hide those channels by clicking on the Tab/Header (Fixture Name) to minimize (shrink/hide) Scan 1 (Channels 1-6) minimize Scan 2 (Channels 7-12) etc. Maybe down to some preset width of 2 Slides… Just enough so you can still read the Tab/Header (Fixture Name) while minimized so you can find it when you want to see the full fixture again. (Having a global show all channels couldn’t hurt either, thus having the added ability to maximize all hidden channels..)
2. Have the ability to link fixtures for easier override ability. E.G. Right Click on Scan 1 and tell it to link to other fixtures for LPT Override and have a dialog that allows me to check off other fixtures in my show to link to. This way I can link Scan 1, Scan 2 and Scan 3 so if I want to override a strobe effect on my scanners I only have to do it to one and it will be linked to and override all 3. And with a quick unlink fixtures, I can go independent again if I wanted to. This would link each respective channel for each fixture (my channel 1,7,13, my channel 2,8,14, etc).

This way If I’m mostly overriding my lasers I can keep my scanners hidden most of the time and if I want to override them I show Scan 1 and modify it and because it’s linked to Scan 2 and 3 I control all 3 w/ out even having to see the rest….

This would be a huge space saver at the bottom of your screen and give you the ability to override much easier.

-Eccentric

Thanks for the replies DJEccentric. You've put some thought into this too I see.

I am encouraged by the support ADJ has been putting into myDMX, and I have very high hopes that they will roll the desires of their customers into the product over time. Until then, workarounds are the only answer. (I too use LTP to adjust scenes on the fly, but so much just can't be done that way because it's fader by fader, and when you need to move multiple faders to different positions quickly, that won't work, so I very much hope they add the scene layering.)

I think myDMX is a good program, and has some really nice features. I'm excited to think of what it could become.

Some of the "wish list" features that have been rumored all over the forums are great. However, though some might make there way into the program, or back into the program....There are some things left out of the program by our choice. You all have to remember, MyDmx is a starting block program getting you into the computer based lighting control world. It was ment as a first step away from your consol to a computer. From there, we have more options of computer controllers that do far out reach even all of these great ideas. There are features that you can not find on MyDmx that you can find on the other software. Unfortunatly, i feel that a lot of those on here want to get all of the bells and whistles but forget the reason the MyDmx was created. The more you add to the program, the more complex and confusing it is for the new user. So, MyDmx is and always will be a simple, easy to use program with the basics of lighting control. From there, if you reach that point, you can step up to a full program that does more than you could want it to do. Just keep that in mind, and the few features we do add to it will come soon :-D in the mean time, you all are awesome and keep up the great work out there

I didn't know American DJ had other software DMX controllers. What are they called?

Its through our other company Elation Lighting. The software is called Compu Show

Elation (ADJ Sister Company)
Compu Show PC Software

I'm trying to find the differences between the different version of Compu Show. Can someone post a link to a chart that shows that?

I figured out how to layer scenes in Compu Show, and I've seen where both Compu Show and myDMX support MIDI. Does that mean both programs can run scenes to sound via a direct MIDI output from a Mackie soundboard?

(I'm debating if I need to return myDMX and buy Compu Cue Basic or not.)

Ability to enter in the pan/tilt in the designer.
The cross hairs are great, but now i have my main poins writen down so just entering in the percent pan/tilt would be a nice feature.

Ability to name steps...

e.g. fro my scanners I'll name a step.
Up/Down/UP for my 3 scanners.
Then cross/up/cross

....

A search engine for the fixture list.

3D visualiser (late 2013 I know but this is the reason why I am keeping 1.0)

Identification of the fixture inside FX Gen (that feels btw amasing! Good job with that)

Possibility to link position in 3D fisualiser with position in fxGen.

Ability to reorder scene by drag and drop (I often work with 30+ scene show so inserting a scene or even worst a group scene on the top of the list is kind of painfull)

Ability to edit a previously generated fx
EX: I have 3 mac entour doing blue + sin on pan.
I would like to be able to select the scene and add a sin on the tilt
or even better grab a bunch of RGB patched after scene generation and make them do a rainbow while the 3 mac entour doing blue + sin on pan

@HogFan - There are CompuShow charts posted on the Elation forums. For more info on Elation products please post there. As for Midi, they both support midi triggering. Compu Show also will trigger via midi time code and Dmx (Set up required) take a little bit of doing, but it can be done.

@Eccentric - The naming scenes can already be done. In Editor, you double click on the "scene 1" and it will let you rename. The percentage entering is being working back into the program

@Vintage - all things we are working on getting improved. Not sure what exactly will come of it, but i do know these are all things on the list of things we are looking at

Name the steps, not the scenes. Eg. Step 1 is all up step 2 is all down step 3 is all left and step 4 is all right. I have to document this so I can copy step 1 to step 5 etc. If I want to change up then I have to then copy step 2 to 6 and 1 to 7 and 2 to 8 then 3 to 9 and then 30 steps in I'm confused without documenting each step.

If step 1 was not only 1 but I had the ability to name it up-center, then when I get to step 30 if I need my lights to go up and center I can easily find the step and copy it.

Also, If I copy a large full scene that has every step I've ever created I can delete steps as needed and then adjust settings from there.

The biggest part in the setup is aiming your scanners so if you could name the step w/ respect to what you’re doing w/ your scanners you can easily use previously made steps to prepare the rest of you scene or other scenes.

I have a sheet... that tells me 1 is up/center, 2 is up cross, 3 is down center 4 is down cross / middle up 4 is odd up and even down. etc. I have to document this as I built. If you could note it for each step that would be much easier than taking notes... An ability to Name each step and even add an extended description would be ideal....

i see what you mean...i will bring it up... but im not sure if it will be something we will see for a few months

Not sure this is a wishlist item or if it already exists. I love the on the fly control in 2.0 over 1.0. This begs me to ask, is there a way to take a channel to Auto from LTP/HTP and back. Say doing this by groups or fixtures.This probably exists, but I am just missing it.

you can, but it would be in the editor section you can select the channels one at a time and change them

That I understand. I was looking for way to be able to change them all for say a certain fixture or group of fixtures. Then I could run a scene. Then jump back into on the fly control.

no, only the way i described.... you are getting into higher level of experience type desinging.... since we want to keep MDX2 as simple as possible, those kinds of features were left out of the program specifically to keep it basic...

Are you saying I need to look into Compu Show?

Yes, download the software and check it out i think you will find the features that you are looking for

How about an option of having my "user scene buttons" be in a cue list type layout when I am in user mode. Kind of like the way it is laid out in editor mode, but a cue list for the scenes in User Mode that can be triggered by the space bar and it will advance to the next scene.
This would be helpful for plays or musicals where it is scene driven and you can easily trigger cues with s space bar.

Thanks
Gary

we are looking to add a go/back setting.... most likely using the up and down buttons on the keyboard