Indexing Canvas & Asset

eDMX and Art-Net
1

In previous versions you could access the subareas of any Canvas, from render Texture.
Now the previous designs do not work for me because there is a new node to access the subareas: render to Viewport object.
It’s right?
You don’t think this makes it very complicated when accessing the different Mappings.
There should be a default mapping for each screen and then the mappings that are built for each project but all managed from the same index.
I say this in order to control by DMX and not go crazy.
This way of managing indexes is very complicated, for the canvas and for the assets, subareas, etc.

All the best
E.cueto

2

Hi @Cueto ,

Yes, the Render Texture node can now be used to render content directly to a Viewport Object. Of course, you can still use the Render Texture node to render content to a Canvas, just like before.

Please refer to the image below.

image

If I understand correctly, you are suggesting that each mapping is indexed? Can you tell me a bit more about how you imagine the indexes of these mappings would be handled?

Best,
Sara

3

Sorry for the Render Texture : to canvas, to viewport object. I’m confused in my approach, there is no problem with that.

The first thing I think would be to create a default canvas when you create a new screen, with the dimensions of that screen, it would be like a direct mapping.
Then the index system.
You have mixed everything into a single index in which there are devices (NDI etc.) videos, images, canvases, etc. all together.
If for any reason I change the index of a device, or Canvas for another and it is being used for an asset (video, image), the index of the asset is changed, imagine if you have a whole show scheduled on a lighting table.
The indices have to be independent for each type.
Canvas index.
Device index.
Asset index.

As for the assets, in order to have control of all the content (imagine that we manage projects with more than 300 files, both video and still images), these assets would have to be structured by folder and file to be able to be called using their folder number and your file number.

001 folder 1
001 file 1
002 file 2
…
002 folder 2
001 file 1
002 file 2
etc

Regards, and thank you very much

E.cueto

Index 1
Index 1311×822 52.5 KB

4

Hi @Cueto ,

I believe I understand your suggestion.

I do however have a question regarding the Asset indexing. How do you imagine the indexes would be given to the assets? Would the indexes be given based on their position of the Asset in the Asset Window list? Or are they something the user would include in the name of each asset? Or rather, would it be something the user can change, from a dropdown menu, just like it is now?

Thanks for your input.

Best,
Sara

5

Good morning Sara.
sorry for the automatic translation. I don’t have time to review.

Sorry because sometimes I don’t have enough time to answer your questions in depth.
I see the indices in the following way.
Canvas
If necessary, the user can change the index.
In D3 we have a list of all the canvases and we visually drag them to a Mapping bank. This avoids us having to have a handwritten list and we quickly see what index each mapping (canvas) has. I’m just explaining it to you as an example.
It is good to have a drop-down list to assign the indices as it happens now… but it can be improved as I explained.
As for the Assets, they have to have a different orientation in the indexes, especially as I told you, if you have to manage large amounts of files (300…400 or more), having a drop-down menu is cumbersome because of course the system is going to assign it an index. By default, although you can change it with a drop-down menu, you are not going to start renumbering that bunch of files.
That’s why I suggested that the user choose the index externally to LightAct simply by ordering their Assets into folders and file numbers, just as I suggested.
001 Folder 1
001 Asset 1
002 asset 2
003 Asset 3
…etc
002 Folder 2
001 Asset 1
002 Asset 2
003 Asset 3
… etc
Because we already have many programs that automatically number a large number of files for us.
Another form of indexing would not allow the handling of a large number of files and this form of indexing prevents you from changing the index by mistake.

I would like to explain to you where I am in developing a general purpose layer that meets the following requirements.
The layers have to be controlled by a Lighting console.
It must be able to render on a canvas any type of Asset (video, still image, etc.) and also NDI input devices or other types of input from a capture.
It must be possible to control advanced color values.
They have to be able to control the values of Position, scala, Zoom, rotation, Flip, etc.
You have to be able to control the values of Play, pause, Inpoint, Outpoint, speed, loop, etc.
It must be possible to choose Clip to canvas to adapt the Asset to the size of the canvas.
It must be able to be cropped with soft blades.
You have to make the transition when changing the Asset on the same layer.
It has to have a small set of FX (blur, chroma, etc).
Canvases must be accessible through an index.
Assets must be accessible through an index.
You don’t have to spend resources when the fader is at 0.
A sufficient number of layers must be able to be patched, around 60.

Well, I have almost everything solved (especially with Mitja’s proposal for the transition and your solution for the softedge crop) but I am still missing several things.
The issue of indices.
The chroma doesn’t work as expected and LightAct hangs when I pass some values.
I have to fine-tune the Clip to Canvas issue because it makes some jumps when changing files if a series of conditions are met.

Now I’m dealing with the issue of indices and we’ll see with your help.

By the way, the Frontrunners issue… I signed up a long time ago but I haven’t received any response…

Regards, and thank you very much.

Eduardo Cueto

6

Hi @Cueto ,

Apologies for the late reply, I was out of the office until today.

Thank you, we appreciate you taking the time to write your suggestions down and share them with us.

I believe I understand the issue - it is too much work on your side, having to remember the index of each asset, when there are a lot of them. It would be easier if all Assets within a collection were indexed in order, starting from 0.

However, I don’t quite understand why this is stopping you from being able to finish your Layer Complex Layer Template, could you maybe elaborate a bit more? Is it only because this approach is hard for you to manage, seeing as to you probably have Assets with indexes going up to 500+, or is there something that is actually stopping you from being able to create your desired Layer Template?

Also, if I understand correctly, you have encountered some issues with the Texture Chromakey node, is that correct? If so, can you tell us when these issues occurred?

Regarding the LightAct Frontrunner Program, that’s actually really odd because we sent you an email as soon as we received your application, as well as a follow-up email after that. Is it possible that these emails went to your Spam or Junk?

We have just sent you another email regarding the Frontrunner program. Please let us know if you have received it.

Best,
Sara

7

Hi @Cueto ,

I’m working on this task and would you mind telling me which program you usually use to automatically number a large number of files (and folders I assume)?

Many thanks,as always.
Mitja

8

I use this program normally.

https://www.advancedrenamer.com/

All the best

Eduardo Cueto

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