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Transmogrifier

Printed From: Aurora
Category: Aurora Sequencer Software
Forum Name: Aurora 1.0.90 In DMX Mode
Forum Discription: Using the unofficial DMX patch
URL: http://www.aurorashow.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1253
Printed Date: 27 Apr 2024 at 11:38am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.06 - http://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: Transmogrifier
Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Subject: Transmogrifier
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2011 at 11:30am
It has come to my attention that some people are having problems with deweycooter's DMXifier utility.  deweycooter's utility is still the prefered route to convert your DLS files to a Aurora DMX compatible format, but if it isn't working properly then this alternate application might help save the day:

Link removed
Link removed... the transmogrifier is now included as part of the patch available in this thread: http://aurorashow.com/Forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1259 - http://aurorashow.com/Forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1259

To install, unzip the files into your Aurora Sequencer directory and then from a command prompt at the sequencer folder do a "REGSVR32 AuroraDataAPI3.dll" (there is no installer-- you have to manually register the component with this command).  After that, you will be able to run DMXTransmogrify.exe.

DMX Transmogrify will read your DLS file and construct a new _DMX DLS file.  In the process it will convert all shimmer, twinkle, ramp, and combo commands into intensity commands (much like W2E events).  The output DLS file is not compatible with the sequencer copy/paste for editing but it is compatible with the scheduler for show playback.  In other words, don't throw away your source sequence files after transmogrifying.. you will need them if you want to make any changes in the future!

Notes:

1) RGB channels will be split into three channels for individual channel DMX output.  All RGB effects are supported. 

2) Firefli channels will be remapped from RR...RGG...GBB...B to RGBRGB...RGB in order to easily migrate them from the D-Light "color device" notation to the Open DMX "pixel series" notation.

3) Network numbers are ignored during the conversion; all networks are mapped to DMX network 32.  You will need to make sure there are no overlaps in devices/channels (it is not possible to convert just one network with this program like deweycooter's program can).

3) Update 11/18/11: Automatic channel remapping is now added.  Devices will be remapped by the order in which they appear in the sequence.  Half bank devices (ACx8) will be remapped into a half device slot if one is available so as to utilize all of the available DMX addresses.  The mappings are stored for use during future transmogrifications.  When complete, a report (text) will be presented showing what was moved to where.


4) Settings are available for shimmer/twinkle/ramp rates.  The defaults (shimmer 60mS/30mS Ramp 30mS Twinkle 30mS/50%) are the preferred maximums, but other slower rates may be used as well.  There are no validation checks on the fields, so if you enter something crazy the program will behave crazy.

5) Drawing Objects are not copied (they are unnecessary for Borealis use).

This transmogrifier is provided without any guarantees and is (mostly) unsupported.

Michael

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http://www.aurorashow.com/">



Replies:
Posted By: deweycooter
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2011 at 5:47pm
Awesome - thanks for putting this together Michael.  I've been trying to get things figured out on my end without much luck. 

Can you address how channel numbers are allocated?  If my lowest channel ID in my sequence is 03 and it's a 16-channel board, will it go to channels 1-16, then the next higher channel ID picks up at 17?


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http://www.deweycooter.com/wiki/index.php/Aurora - Aurora Lights Wiki
http://www.aurorashow.com/">


Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2011 at 6:08pm
Right now they just ID for ID match, but I've been working on a device remap routine.  I should be able to release an update tomorrow.

Michael


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http://www.aurorashow.com/">


Posted By: deweycooter
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2011 at 7:32pm
Oops, not quite what I meant - how are the output DMX channels allocated?

So if I have controller 03 with 16 channels and controller 13 with 8 in my sequence, 03 will output on DMX 1-16 and 13 will output on 17-24, right?


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http://www.deweycooter.com/wiki/index.php/Aurora - Aurora Lights Wiki
http://www.aurorashow.com/">


Posted By: deweycooter
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2011 at 8:05pm
regedt32 = regsvr32?

I'm getting an error:  Run-time error '76': Path not found.



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http://www.deweycooter.com/wiki/index.php/Aurora - Aurora Lights Wiki
http://www.aurorashow.com/">


Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2011 at 9:25pm
Yes, regsvr32. Thanks for catching that.

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http://www.aurorashow.com/">


Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2011 at 9:29pm
I'll be posting a new version tomorrow with auto channel remapping.

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http://www.aurorashow.com/">


Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 18 Nov 2011 at 11:52am
Update now available with automatic device remapping support.  Same link location, same instructions.

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http://www.aurorashow.com/">


Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 18 Nov 2011 at 12:05pm
deweycooter,

Some examples of how the new allocation system works:

Old / New
-------------
ACx16 05 / DMX 1
ACx16 06 / DMX 17
ACx16 13 / DMX 33

Old / New
-------------
ACx8 05 / DMX 1
ACx8 06 / DMX 9
ACx8 13 / DMX 17

Old / New
-------------
ACx16 05 / DMX 1
ACx8  06 / DMX 17
ACx8  13 / DMX 25

Old / New
-------------
ACx8  05 / DMX 1
ACx16 06 / DMX 17
ACx8  13 / DMX 9
ACx16 22 / DMX 33


That last one is the gotcha... everything is internally allocated in 16 channel device blocks with ACx8s having an 8 channel offset available.  That offset will not be utilized until another ACx8 comes along (an ACx16 can't be assigned to a block offset).  Thus, some crazy renumbering can happen.

I should note that the source IDs are not sorted by ID number, but by their order in the channel list.  This could probably be done neater, but this program is a temporary hack so I didn't want to spend too much time on it.

An real world example post-transmogrify output report:

Device Report

Original              New                   DMX
NET DEV (dec) CHAN    NET DEV (dec) CHAN    Addr
--- --------- ----    --- --- ----------    ----
32  1   (1  ) 1       32  1   (1  ) 1       1
1   C   (12 ) 1       32  2   (2  ) 1       17
1   D   (13 ) 1       32  3   (3  ) 1       33
1   40  (64 ) 1       32  4   (4  ) 1       49
1   41  (65 ) 1       32  4   (4  ) 9       57
1   42  (66 ) 1       32  5   (5  ) 1       65
1   43  (67 ) 1       32  5   (5  ) 9       73
1   44  (68 ) 1       32  6   (6  ) 1       81
1   45  (69 ) 1       32  6   (6  ) 9       89
1   20  (32 ) 1       32  7   (7  ) 1       97
1   21  (33 ) 1       32  8   (8  ) 1       113
1   22  (34 ) 1       32  9   (9  ) 1       129
1   23  (35 ) 1       32  A   (10 ) 1       145
1   24  (36 ) 1       32  B   (11 ) 1       161
2   D0  (208) 1       32  C   (12 ) 1       177
2   D1  (209) 1       32  D   (13 ) 1       193
2   D2  (210) 1       32  E   (14 ) 1       209
2   D3  (211) 1       32  F   (15 ) 1       225
2   D4  (212) 1       32  10  (16 ) 1       241
2   D5  (213) 1       32  11  (17 ) 1       257
2   D6  (214) 1       32  12  (18 ) 1       273
2   D7  (215) 1       32  13  (19 ) 1       289
2   D8  (216) 1       32  14  (20 ) 1       305
2   D9  (217) 1       32  15  (21 ) 1       321
2   DA  (218) 1       32  16  (22 ) 1       337
2   DB  (219) 1       32  17  (23 ) 1       353

Channels Report
                                 Original              New                   DMX
Channel Name                     NET DEV (dec) CHAN    NET DEV (dec) CHAN    Addr
------------                     --- --------- ----    --- --------- ----    ----

32/1/1                           32  1   (1  ) 1       32  1   (1  ) 1       1
Pan                              32  1   (1  ) 2       32  1   (1  ) 2       2
Tilt                             32  1   (1  ) 3       32  1   (1  ) 3       3
... (snip) ...
Arch R Pixel 16 (Blue)           2   D9  (217) 16      32  17  (23 ) 16      368

Michael


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http://www.aurorashow.com/">


Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 18 Nov 2011 at 11:00pm
Known issue:
The shimmer which renders has a couple problems which we are working to resolve:

1) The current rendering is more of a "strobe" than a "shimmer".  We are adjusting the render code so that it alternates between intensity and 1/2 intensity instead of intensity and 0%.  This is a problem with the transmogrifier which is being addressed.

2) AuroraDMXHack is not keeping precise frame alignment timing so some aliasing is resulting in lost detail within the shimmer effect (it looks jittery).  We are making some adjustments to AuroraDMXHack to improve this.

Expect an update for both the transmogrifier and the hack sometime early next week.

If I have time I may throw in a bonus too.  While working in the hack I might put in a small web server with some basic channel testing controls in it, that way you can do some basic diagnostics from the yard via a wifi enabled smartphone or laptop.

Michael


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http://www.aurorashow.com/">


Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 19 Nov 2011 at 9:33am
Good News... I have a DMX Hack with HIGHLY improved timing running on my desk, and I also have a greatly improved shimmer renderer running as well.  I have some testing and polishing to do, but I expect the executables to be ready to release to this group on Monday.

Michael


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http://www.aurorashow.com/">


Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 20 Nov 2011 at 10:43am
Really cool... I was just able to use my Android phone to run channel tests during (or not during) a running show. This will be included in the update.

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http://www.aurorashow.com/">


Posted By: deweycooter
Date Posted: 20 Nov 2011 at 9:13pm
...drool....  Making sure you know someone is watching!!  :)

Does this old/new look right:

All my controllers will be on network 32.

I have 11 16-channel controllers that are assigned ID's 01-0B.
Then I have a mix of D-Light ACx8s and ACx16s:
* 11 ACx16
* 13 ACx8
* 15 ACx8
* 16 ACx8
* 17 ACx8
* 18 ACx8
* 19 ACx16
* 1A ACx16
* 1B ACx16
* 1C ACx16
* 1D ACx16

So... the first set of 11 will get channels 1 thru 176 (this was my DMX network the past couple years).
Then the rest will follow:
* 11 ACx16 -> 177
* 13 ACx8 -> 193
* 15 ACx8 -> 201
* 16 ACx8 -> 209
* 17 ACx8 -> 217
* 18 ACx8 -> 225 --- this is the odd duck, it will allocate 16, but 233-240 will have no data
* 19 ACx16 -> 241
* 1A ACx16 -> 257
* 1B ACx16 -> 273
* 1C ACx16 -> 289
* 1D ACx16 -> 305

Did I get that right?


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http://www.deweycooter.com/wiki/index.php/Aurora - Aurora Lights Wiki
http://www.aurorashow.com/">


Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 21 Nov 2011 at 11:37am
The new transmogrifier updates are available in the patch thread at:

http://aurorashow.com/Forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1259

deweycooter,
That looks correct.

Michael


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http://www.aurorashow.com/">



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