Firstly thanks to ETC UK for the Congo training course, much appreciated and very useful!
Having completed the 2 day train course prior to buying a Congo Jr. myself and my collogue who did the course with me came up with some possible issues. Talking them over with Jeremy who was taking the course, he suggested posting the ideas here.
The main issue we came up with was how the desk sees the relationship between cue numbers (the Step Number) and the Preset Number, which is pretty much the way the Cue is numbered as it is the only way to insert a step in between two other steps without renumbering the entire sequence. Point Cueing basically. This is all fine. However, the issue we found was whilst there is the functionality to use different presets for different cues this then messes up the numbering of the cue list. This means you cannot make a preset and reuse it as the numbering would not be sequential and therefore bad, especially for DSM's calling a show for instance. If you cannot reuse presets there appears to be no way to setup looks for a show, use them and then update them and have the updates affect wherever they are used.
So the solution we arrived at was simply to allow the step number to be edited. The step number becomes how the cue is identified, the preset is simply a reference to the contents of that cue and can therefore be repeated in any number of cues.
So an example:
3 simple states:
Presets:
1 Audience Entrance State
2 Wash Wash
3 Cold Wash
The Cue List (step auto-numbering would make this work fine)
Step Preset
1 1
2 2
3 3
4 2
5 1
However, the director decides to add an interval in the middle as they do. Currently the DSM would need to renumber all the cues as they would all shift after the new cue. However, editable step number gives an easy way to reuse presets and keep step numbers the same after the change.
Step Preset
1 1
2 2
3 3
3.5 1
4 2
5 1
This all seams relatively simple to my mind, so I'm wondering if there is a reason that prevents this deep within the software for the desk, perhaps an ETC boffin would care to comment?!
The other issue we noticed during the training was when looking at tracking through cues for specific fixture. I can't remember specific key sequences now, so perhaps Jeremy if you are reading this you can? But tracking a specific fixture only works correctly for the current master cue stack (the one loaded into the master playback section). There is no way to track a light in a different cue stack. Also selecting a fixture and then using TRACK + SEQUENCE brings up a menu that appears to be editable but does not record any changes made within it. (Which caused much confusion!) So having this as editable would be great, especially as it would then follow the logic found across the desk of press the button of what you want to do followed by where you want to do it.
Anyways I'd be interested to hear some thoughts. I'm sure other people have worked out ways around the first issue and it would be good to know them!
Cheers,
Nick
