Thread: Animated Lighting Import Notes

These are issues/items that I had to correct when I imported my AD sequences. You may or may not have the same issues. Please note that in my opinion most of these issues are caused by AD and not the LSP import.

Please post a reply for any additions or corrections.



Importing an AD MPJ file into LSP
And what to do if the file does not import correctly

EDIT: I dont have it but I suspect you could use MAESTRO where I reference AD.

1. You must export each sequence to its own mpj file for import to LSP using the AD EXPORT function. Using the export saves deleting all the other sequences and then doing a save as with the single sequence. When you export them save them in the directory where your told LSP the import files would be located.
a. In order to do this you must have a copy of Animated Director or know someone who does and have the source code for your sequence.
b. If you dont have the source code(mpj file) you will need to obtain a copy of it from AL before you can do an import to LSP.

2. If you are using groups check each group to make sure that the lights that are in the group actually exist. Some mpj files that have been created by AL have extraneous lights in the groups that you might not have and the sequence would have worked okay in AD because it ignored these extraneous items.

3. If you are using groups make sure you answer yes to “Create virtual controller from Groups” question when you do the import. If you dont, you may get controllers with no effects in them as the effects are not always in the controllers in AD if you have groups.

4. If you are using Groups and have channels in more than one group they will only be converted to one virtual controller.

5. There might be a DMX controller left in the AD sequence by AL. Check your system settings to make sure that you only have controllers (DMX and non DMX) that are yours.

6. If you do have a DMX controller that is yours LSP converts it to a light controller. You will need to modify it after the import.

7. If you have controllers configured in AD but there are no effects for its lights, LSP will convert the controller but it will have no effects.

8. Ramps of 0 duration will be converted to an LSP “ON” effect

9. If you make any changes listed below to the MPJ file, you must reopen the file in AD, force a refresh and then save the file so that everything is updated appropriately.

10. If the file did not import correctly to LSP check the following:
a. Backup the mpj file before you make any changes to it
b. Open the mpj file with notepad or word.
c. Look for the controller section it will look like this
"Controller",12
"ControllerCheck",#TRUE#
"ControllerName",12
"ControllerLocation",""
"ControllerType",7
"ControllerMinIn",0
"ControllerNumIn",0
"ControllerMinOut",128
"ControllerNumOut",32
"ControllerFamily",4
"EndController",""
d. If this controller is not yours delete the entire section as in the above example. ("Controller",12 thru "EndController","") Do this for each controller that is not yours
e. You will also need to delete any lights that belong to that controller. They would look like this
"LightNumber",128
"LightName","Magenta"
"LightLocation","SnowMachine"
LightVarName","SnowMachine.Magenta128"
"EndLight","

11. After making the changes save the file and open it with AD. Force a REFRESH and then save the file again with AD so it updates the configuration. Use this updated file for import to LSP.

Originally Posted by mmulvenna

These are issues/items that I had to correct when I imported my AD sequences. You may or may not have the same issues. Please note that in my opinion most of these issues are caused by AD and not the LSP import.

Please post a reply for any additions or corrections.



Importing an AD MPJ file into LSP
And what to do if the file does not import correctly

EDIT: I dont have it but I suspect you could use MAESTRO where I reference AD.

1. You must export each sequence to its own mpj file for import to LSP using the AD EXPORT function. Using the export saves deleting all the other sequences and then doing a save as with the single sequence. When you export them save them in the directory where your told LSP the import files would be located.
a. In order to do this you must have a copy of Animated Director or know someone who does and have the source code for your sequence.
b. If you dont have the source code(mpj file) you will need to obtain a copy of it from AL before you can do an import to LSP.

2. If you are using groups check each group to make sure that the lights that are in the group actually exist. Some mpj files that have been created by AL have extraneous lights in the groups that you might not have and the sequence would have worked okay in AD because it ignored these extraneous items.

3. If you are using groups make sure you answer yes to “Create virtual controller from Groups” question when you do the import. If you dont, you may get controllers with no effects in them as the effects are not always in the controllers in AD if you have groups.

4. If you are using Groups and have channels in more than one group they will only be converted to one virtual controller.

5. There might be a DMX controller left in the AD sequence by AL. Check your system settings to make sure that you only have controllers (DMX and non DMX) that are yours.

6. If you do have a DMX controller that is yours LSP converts it to a light controller. You will need to modify it after the import.

7. If you have controllers configured in AD but there are no effects for its lights, LSP will convert the controller but it will have no effects.

8. Ramps of 0 duration will be converted to an LSP “ON” effect

9. If you make any changes listed below to the MPJ file, you must reopen the file in AD, force a refresh and then save the file so that everything is updated appropriately.

10. If the file did not import correctly to LSP check the following:
a. Backup the mpj file before you make any changes to it
b. Open the mpj file with notepad or word.
c. Look for the controller section it will look like this
"Controller",12
"ControllerCheck",#TRUE#
"ControllerName",12
"ControllerLocation",""
"ControllerType",7
"ControllerMinIn",0
"ControllerNumIn",0
"ControllerMinOut",128
"ControllerNumOut",32
"ControllerFamily",4
"EndController",""
d. If this controller is not yours delete the entire section as in the above example. ("Controller",12 thru "EndController","") Do this for each controller that is not yours
e. You will also need to delete any lights that belong to that controller. They would look like this
"LightNumber",128
"LightName","Magenta"
"LightLocation","SnowMachine"
LightVarName","SnowMachine.Magenta128"
"EndLight","

11. After making the changes save the file and open it with AD. Force a REFRESH and then save the file again with AD so it updates the configuration. Use this updated file for import to LSP.

New Issue...


12. Sometimes the sound section is left in the mpj file (AD Bug) even though it should be PC media. Delete the sound section.

example below

delete all the bolded from "SoundName" thru "EndSound" as the sound fileis on disk and not the SOUND Card. If both the sound section and the "Routine song section is in the mpj file it will not import.

"SoundName","Sound0"
"SoundLocation","SC10"
"SoundVarName","SC10.Sound0"
"SoundTime",0
"SoundPath","10:\SARAJEVO.MP3"
"EndSound",""
"'","========================================= =="
"'"," Routine Names and Source Code Section"
"'","========================================= =="
"RoutineCount",1
"Routine",1
"RoutineChecked",#TRUE#
"RoutineName","ChristmasEveSarajevo"
"RoutineType","Grid"
"RoutineSong","c:\LSP Sequences\Songs\Sarajevo.mp3"
"SongPlayLocation",-1
"RoutineSongDur",0
"RoutineRandomAmount",100


Dont forget to bring this file into AD and then do a refresh and save before importing it into LSP.

I was using my MB as the RS485 network creation and of course it all works fine running the show from AD this way but when importing to LSP it loads everything but there are no lighting effects at all. Am I missing something? Is this due to the MB?



Thanks in advanced

Originally Posted by jds

I was using my MB as the RS485 network creation and of course it all works fine running the show from AD this way but when importing to LSP it loads everything but there are no lighting effects at all. Am I missing something? Is this due to the MB?



Thanks in advanced

Check out this thread for using an MB rather than a rs485 adapter when running the show with LSP.

EDIT: Sorry misread your post...What version of LSP are you using?

I have the same issue with the current version, when importing it gets no effects. Are there errors in your LSP sequencer log file?

I'm using the 1.5 version. I got it working in the old version on a diff computer, but didnt know what was up on this new comp. Version or my file.

I havent checked the log file, it says

Object reference not set to an instance of an object
Stack trace: at #ih.#Qh.#dZ (Track, Rectangle, Graphics, Boolean, Color)

I also cant close the app now, it says somethign about "Could not load file or assembly 'System.Speech Version-3.0.0.0, Culture=neutral,....."

Originally Posted by jds

I'm using the 1.5 version. I got it working in the old version on a diff computer, but didnt know what was up on this new comp. Version or my file.

I havent checked the log file, it says

Object reference not set to an instance of an object
Stack trace: at #ih.#Qh.#dZ (Track, Rectangle, Graphics, Boolean, Color)

I also cant close the app now, it says somethign about "Could not load file or assembly 'System.Speech Version-3.0.0.0, Culture=neutral,....."

Yep, me too on the 1.5 version. I have reported it to the admin and waiting for a fix.

Have you installed .net framework 3.5?

Ryan

Originally Posted by rmonty

Have you installed .net framework 3.5?

Ryan

Ryan, it was running fine before the latest releases has there been a change to .net?

In answer to your question, yes, along with all the hotfixes to it.

BTW it only appears to be AD shows. Other imports and sequences work okay.

Usually the System.Speech error is caused by either not having MS Office 2007 installed or .net framework 3.0 or later installed. Either will install the component necessary to prevent the error.

I don't know what is causing the other issue you are seeing related to the AL import.

The application not shutting down properly is also ususally caused by not having .net framework 3.0 or later installed.

Ryan

Ryan,

Thanks, I will upgrade to 3.x now and test the closing of the app. I hope they fix the AD show import, I am really interested in using this Matrix tool to test out some RGB string lights. I just need to verify it works with DMX or artnet controlled lights.

-jds