Using variables on EOS

Hi Guys,

I was watching a training video lately and heard the trainer mention using "variables" on an EOS (see video link below). I'm not sure if he was mentioning them in the traditional programming sense (as in int x=1) or some other way. It got me thinking of all the things I could do if I could store some data or variable and recall it later in a command. Is this a native feature of EOS and if so how would I go about doing it?

Alternatively, is there a way to kind of hack this functionality? Something like changing the label of something and then recalling it in a subsequent command? I envision using something like this for implementing persistant "mode" buttons on a magic sheet or remembering an effect speed from tap tempo and recalling later on for different effects.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU_8tsSa8gY

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0 PatrickBoozer over 7 years ago

Hey - that's me!

Yeah... No math based variables in EOS... yet.

You can make "variables" out of record targets - groups, presets, cues, etc - but that is purely a workflow idea.
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0 ausiechris over 7 years ago in reply to PatrickBoozer

Thanks for the replies guys.

That makes a little more sense now, but it got me all excited.

Imagine what you could do in macros and magic sheet commands if you have access to variables and conditional statements! You could do chases and effects based on maths/formulas, select a group based on a condition (e.g. if mode=1 use group 1, or if mode=2 use group 2) choose a colour pallette for a group of fixtures based on the effect running on a different group. The possibilities would be endless!
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0 ausiechris over 7 years ago in reply to ausiechris

Alctally, Patric, is this something we could achieve using oscRFR?
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0 PatrickBoozer over 7 years ago in reply to ausiechris

oscRFR - Yes and no.

Yes - I can imagine a system for doing it.

No - I can't imagine finding the money to develop it.....

Sad to say.

On the EOS side - It's on the list. Hard to say when. It's a twisted and windy road....
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0 ausiechris over 7 years ago in reply to PatrickBoozer

Thanks again for your answer. I sit and await eagerly.
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0 mikewoodld over 6 years ago in reply to PatrickBoozer

Patrick, are there any rumors about this ever being moved up in the pipeline? I'm redoing my base showfile and remember now how much I've longed for this in the past. It would save me so much macro writing time to be able to set global and macro-level variables.
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0 PatrickBoozer over 6 years ago in reply to mikewoodld

No rumors. Given the workload of things at the top of the list I wouldn't expect this variable issue to get much traction. There are some extensions to Query that might solve some of it.
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0 John728 over 6 years ago in reply to mikewoodld

I've had a lot of success using macros as variables. Can you please provide specific examples of what you would like to do?
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0 mikewoodld over 6 years ago in reply to John728

In this particular case I was making a set of macros to change the manual time. I made the first one and then copied it several times and then edited the times in each one, which took a little bit of time. It would have been easier if I could have just referenced a variable for the time value throughout, set that variable in the top of the macro, and that's it.

With 10 macros having 5 time values each, that's 50 edits v. 10 edits if I could just set a variable at the top of each macro instead.
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0 mikewoodld over 6 years ago in reply to John728

Another potential use would be to have a variable that you could set on a magic sheet - say a time variable - and then have it referenced by macros.

Example: I have 10 macros to change manual time (5 values each), 10 macros to change sneak time (1 value each), 10 macros to change back time (1 value each). I could do all 30 of those macros with 3 macros if I was able to set the variable $$Time on a magic sheet and then $$Time was referenced everywhere I needed a time value in a macro.
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+1 John728 over 6 years ago in reply to mikewoodld

For your first example, you did it the best way. There is currently no way to run a macro while editing a macro.

BUT, there are other ways to automate keystrokes to save time. If you were editing a huge amount of macros, you could program a programmable keyboard to speed up the process. E.G. press one button to move the cursor four spaces right and delete the value there. Enter your new value, and press the key again to move four spaces right and delete the next value, etc. There are also software programs that automate keystrokes if you are using a computer.

For your second example, check out this show file.

www.mediafire.com/.../macro_variable_example_2017-05-27_16-43-52.esf

Open MS 1 and click a button in the left column to set a time. Then click one or more settings in the second column to apply that time to those settings.
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0 mikewoodld over 6 years ago in reply to John728

Thanks, John! That's a very useful workaround. Still some good arguments for being able to set variables, but this will work for me. Much appreciated!
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0 Mike A over 6 years ago in reply to mikewoodld

One trick that gets you close to being able to use a variable in a macro, is you can call a macro from within a macro with macro_button. So if you store your value just as the value digits in that macro all your other macros can reference it. (This is pretty much the equivalent of your $TIME idea)

You can front end that with other macros that copy a macro to another macro so if you have a set of different values you need e.g. For different songs, you can have buttons on a magic sheet that copy them to your "variable" macro etc
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0 Mike A over 6 years ago in reply to mikewoodld

One trick that gets you close to being able to use a variable in a macro, is you can call a macro from within a macro with macro_button. So if you store your value just as the value digits in that macro all your other macros can reference it. (This is pretty much the equivalent of your $TIME idea)

You can front end that with other macros that copy a macro to another macro so if you have a set of different values you need e.g. For different songs, you can have buttons on a magic sheet that copy them to your "variable" macro etc
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