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    3perf
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Cobalt for Win/Mac ... often unable to operate many of the buttons, both hot keys and Console Mimic buttons

Hi,

For an upcoming project the available console will be a Congo Kid. (assuming the performance is permitted to take place, fingers crossed, different story.)

I'm trying to familiarize myself with the software. On the Offline/"Nomad" software for Windows and Mac, I have following problem:

Half the time, I'm not even able to patch channels. I want to type something like 1 Ctrl-H 9 Ctrl-T 1 Enter (1 Channel 9 Thru 1 Modify) to patch channels 1-9 starting at DMX 1. Input then fails at the Ctrl-H; the "Number" field in the bottom left stays blue, rather than going grey and showing an asterisk behind the channel. This is just an example, many other buttons then also fail to work.

When that happens, and I try to click the buttons on the Console Mimic window, rather than their corresponding hot keys, that doesn't work either. The button lights up, so clearly the software has registered that I'm trying to press it -- but it just doesn't do anything. I then have to restart Cobalt and try again. Mostly it'll then work, but only for a limited amount of time.

I can't rule out that I'm pressing something wrong which puts the software into a different mode, but I can't work out what it is.

Normally an EOS user. Any ideas appreciated!

D.

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  • +1

    It sounds like the command button gets locked. Does it make any difference if you make sure you release the Ctrl key after you release the main key (H or T in your case)?

    If you get into this state again, you can always press the ESC key to unlock. Restart should never be necessary.

  • 0 in reply to Anders Ekvall

    Thanks for the rapid response. I don't think it makes much of a difference whether I release Ctrl or the other key first. The same happens if I use "O" (offset) to patch DMX to channels rather than the other way round, so I don't think the Ctrl has too much to do with it.

    Pressing ESC multiple times does seem to 'unlock' the software again, at least in most cases. I'll keep an eye on it.

    I'm beginning to think it's possible that the lockup happens shortly after I accidentally type on the normal number keys above the keyboard, rather than those on the numeric keypad. I haven't gotten quite as far as understanding what the normal number keys do ("Masters"?), so maybe this is key to understand what's happening.

  • 0 in reply to 3perf

    The "normal" number keys above the letters correspond to the master buttons for the first 10 masters. This makes it possible to load or activate things on the masters. Example: Enter a number on the keypad, hold P (for Preset) and press number 1 to load a preset to master 1, and so on...

  • 0 in reply to Anders Ekvall

    Thanks again.

    You were right, by the way, about the order in which the buttons are released; for the example of Ctrl+H:

    releasing H first, Ctrl last: works fine

    releasing Ctrl first: causes the console to become unresponsive to many buttons (until ESC is pressed).

    I'm used to releasing Ctrl first -- and normally this is fine, but apparently Cobalt doesn't like it. I'll get used to doing it the other way eventually ...

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  • 0 in reply to Anders Ekvall

    Thanks again.

    You were right, by the way, about the order in which the buttons are released; for the example of Ctrl+H:

    releasing H first, Ctrl last: works fine

    releasing Ctrl first: causes the console to become unresponsive to many buttons (until ESC is pressed).

    I'm used to releasing Ctrl first -- and normally this is fine, but apparently Cobalt doesn't like it. I'll get used to doing it the other way eventually ...

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