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    jheugel
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Commands in Magic Sheet

 Hello Everyone,

I'm running a 11-unit setup in a showroom (EOS+gadget on windows or mac) where I want to integrate a simple touch screen and a mgic sheet to alter our LED fixtures. Magic-sheet setup is doable, but i've run into problems, when it comes to "create a button" which should recall a certain cue or execute a function like "channel 1 through 11 intensity 40".

So in short:

- how do I setup commands for a magic sheet button (I know its target must be "command") - but how do I execute "Go To Cue 2"?

- is there an overview of possible commands (e.g. "got to cue")? (the user manual and its various unstructured supplements is a nightmare)

 

Thanks,

Jan

Parents Reply Children
  • 0 in reply to jheugel
    Its often easier to record a macro and then make the button a macro button rather than a command button, unless its a very simple command
  • +1 in reply to Mike A
    i love the commands and prefer having my magic sheet buttons be a command rather than a macro.

    to answer the question regarding syntax: usually you can find the correct spelling of a command in the macro editor when looking at a macro.
  • 0 in reply to ueliriegg

    To add to Ueli's point it also makes merging a magic sheet into Showfiles much easier. If the functionality of a magic sheet is all within as commands rather than linked to macros, presets and palettes, you only have to merge the magic sheet rather than keeping track of the macros, presets and palettes used and merging them as well.

  • +1 in reply to Sammy
    The only downside to commands is, that they are language-specific.
    So if you prepare a show for someone who might use a different language on his console, most commands won't work.
    Macros on the other hand get "translated".
  • 0 in reply to jheugel
    If you were to record your commands into a macro, the console will display the correct command line text from your button pushing.
    (Call it a grammar checker.)
  • 0 in reply to Sammy
    It does come down to the complexity of your commands. Sure if they are short ones like @30 or Sneak 2 but not if they are more complex ones. Commands are more prone to error as you have to spell them just right whereas the macro is just the button you press.

    I'd also argue that what are you really going to use macros for id they are not being used from a magic sheet as you are not really going to remember the numbers to type in once you gave a few. (ok a few may be from execute on cues or OSC).

    As with all of this a bit of structure and planning may be need eg show specifc macros are numbered 1 to 100 and general use magic sheet ones are 200 up.

    Sam, I'm also not sure how you would avoid needing to merge in the presets and palettes, you're rather limiting your magic sheet if you dont allow it to refer to presets and palletes.
  • 0 in reply to Mike A

    Pretty much the majority of the buttons of this magic sheet are commands with exception to the edge/zoom/iris buttons:

    I'm not saying you should never link them to presets and palettes, but limiting the amount certainly helps. If you can do it with a command, use the command. If you need to, learn the macro and copy it into the command text field.

  • 0 in reply to Sammy
    Thanks guys. I'll macro my way through EOS!
  • 0 in reply to Sammy
    It really depends on what you are using the magic sheet for. Your one is indeed mostly doing basic commands and you probably use it for setting up a new show and so that makes perfect sense to keep it all as commands.

    I'm using the magic sheets to busk shows, so I need it to have more functionality and for some of it my sheet needs to be like direct selects, ie a bunch of colour pallets, general looks, focus pallets for my movers as well as macros for copying BPMs to my effects, macros to load the master fader with different cue lists for different song styles etc, as well as the kind of things you have on your sheet to adjust parameters (which I do use commands on the buttons). Using macros makes it easier to re use as well as just need the new magic sheet (or areas of the sheet using views) to reference the macro rather than copy pasting the command from button to button.

    So really depends on what you are needing to do, both ways of setting it up are valid depending on the usage.
  • 0 in reply to Mike A
    Therefore it's good thing we can have multiple magic sheets!

    I also put MS navigation buttons on mine. So I can jump to one that has the tools I want at the moment. Think early web page design.
  • 0 in reply to RickR
    Yes agree navigation buttons are useful to jump to say a setup sheet from you main sheet. Using the views thing that lets you have one sheet and a view shows you an area of it is useful as well . linked to buttons you achieve the same thing navigation wise but you can also copy paste within the single sheet that contains all your "sub sheets"

    So I've switched to doing that after I think Ueli suggested it in a post a few months back
  • 0 in reply to Sammy

    would you mind sharing this magic sheet? I'm trying to use commands in a magic sheet to write labels/notes to cues and can't get it work correctly...

    Thanks!

  • 0 in reply to Sammy

     I'm trying to teach myself how to write commands. I've used the advice of copying what the macro creates for the syntax. But this is not working well for me. To be specific, the command I'm trying to create is the Effect Effect button push to open the Effect editor from a Magic Sheet. Currently what I have written is: (Effect Open_Effect_Blind Clear_Cmdline  Blind Effect *) the asterisk is the final enter. (The asterisk is only used for this text. In reality I do have the diamond Space for enter; Not an asterisks). I can double push The magic sheet object and have the effects editing page come on, but I want to make this a single push. The above command does not function to do this.

    Yes, I do have a macro that can do this. But my objective is to learn how to write commands. Does someone have a solution for this? And even better, is there a cheat sheet for writing commands? I have not been able to find any thing.

    I would greatly appreciate any direction in resolving my quest.

  • 0 in reply to Christopher Bothwell

    Hi Christopher,

    Start your command with "macro:" and your command will work.

    It's example 4 on the tip that pops up when you hover over the command field.

    It seems that the "macro:" is needed for certain commands to keep them from posting to the command line.

    It would be nice to have a cheat sheet for writing commands.

  • 0 in reply to T Drga

    This syntax work for me:

    macro:Tab_Down 13 Tab Up Clear_CmdLine Blind _effect

    And enter at the end.

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