Fixture monitor in the Virtual Console

[nhwebforge]

Hi guys

We use QLC+ to control architectural lighting. The controller is inside the building, controlling lighting on the outside of the building - therefore we can't actually see the fixtures whilst we make changes.

We run QLC+ in kiosk mode so that any member of staff can access the preset scenes and effects. It runs on a wall-mounted touchscreen. Whilst QLC+ is very easy to use, it can be a bit confusing for people who have no experience of DMX so we use kiosk mode to protect our hard work of creating the effects.

It would therefore be fantastic if we could "embed" a 2D View into the Virtual Console so that the user has a rough idea of what scene or effect they are using. In addition to that option, it would also be great if, in the future, we added a second screen, to have the 2D view permanently on the second screen and have it open automatically with the kiosk mode. The PC automatically loads the workspace in kiosk mode when the PC starts.

Anyway... it would be intersting to hear your thoughts.

All the best

Nick

[GGGss]

Can't you arrange your VC in such a way that it mimics a 2D view? Wall's left and right, windows, uplighters, ...

[nhwebforge]

Hi GGGss. Yes that's certainly one option and we've already done that. We illuminate the tower of a church, so we have it set up as per the attachment below:

The fixtures are Elation Paladins in "standard" mode which gives each fixture three heads. You can see in the attachment that I have drawn these on the diagram. What I REALLY want is to be able to add a square to the VC and have that linked to a head's colour. So I could add three squares to each fixture on the diagram and they would change colour as the fixture's heads changed colour.

Your solution is a good suggestion - we already did that - but it's no good if you are running an RGB Matrix (rainbow or ocean waves or similar) as this will not be shown on the VC in real time.

Thanks for any further suggestions.

Nick

[GGGss]

Interesting thought: dynamically changing the control's background colour... so the background colour acts as a fixture.
We give the devs a shiver now...