Trouble setting background state for lights after sneak command

Let me get this right. You have recorded a cue and then want to make some changes to that cue and then record the changes. If this is the case then you have 2 options as I see it. First make your changes and then press [Update] In the CIA it will show you what you are going to update then press enter. This records the manual data (red) into the current cue. 

The other way to do it is use the [Record only] Key. To remember what this does it will record only the manual data into the target (such as a cue , pallet or a sub ) and adds the data but does not overwrite the whole target like record does.

Both of these methods will update the manual data into the target. 

If you wish to restore the look without updating the target then clear (clears the command line) Sneak Enter will sneak any manual data back to the recorded value which can be up or down depending where you started from.

I hope this answers your question

Regards

Geoff

Sorry I'm new at this I probably wasn't too clear. I don't have any cues recorded yet. In the manual, under the SNEAK command, it says this command return the channels to their background state, or their home position. I guess what I am asking is how do I set this "home position"  or "background state"? I have searched all over and am still confused. 

What I'm trying to achieve is when I press SNEAK - ENTER for all lights to dim to off, but for some reason they return to another state and I can't seem to find a way to clear that state and return to just OFF as the "home position" or "background state". Hope that makes sense, if not, maybe I need to read the manual through again, haha, thanks for the help!

The [Sneak] command (when a destination is not provided) removes manual changes from selected channels and allows the channels to sneakback to their background states (cue or submaster instruction, if any).Sneaking channels to their previous state is similar to the Expression release function, except sneak has the ability to release in time. If there is no background state from the playbacks, the channel parameters will be set to their home position.

from a black stage (no cues, no subs up), you manually enter some levels and/or colours and/or focus positions.  Lights turn on, move, change colour.  their values show up in RED on the channel display.  these are MANUALLY SET levels/data.

SNEAK ENTER clears the manual data and returns the channels to 0% intensity, and the colour and Pan/Tilt return to the their home position (typically open white and 50% tilt and 50% pan).

If you had played back a cue, or had a sub up, and manually changed levels/data, the channels would change to red.  SNEAK ENTER here would return the channels to their "background" positions as in the cue or sub.  I agree it could be worded better.  "background" has some different meaning in the console now, from when that was originally written.

You can edit the Home Position:  if you want a specific colour or focus position, or beam/iris/soft edge to be "home" position:

put those lights to the colour and/or position.  Record all that to a Preset (I use 999.9).  Sneak enter.  In settings, System / Home Preset enter your preset number. 

When you next sneak, or HOME these units, they'll return to these positions instead of open white and 50/50.

Does that answer your question?

Andrew

 . . . when the lights in your example return to another state, are you seeing intensity or data in the channels?  what colour is the data?  (yellow is subs, blue/green/magenta is cues)

Press About / Channel Number.  this can tell you the source of the data affecting those channels.

Channels Home Enter should clear all the Non-Intensity Parameters (NiPs) (focus, colour, beam) from the channel, regardless of the source.

channels REM DIM Enter should take intensities to 0% and leave the NiPs in their current state.

Andrew

 . . . when the lights in your example return to another state, are you seeing intensity or data in the channels?  what colour is the data?  (yellow is subs, blue/green/magenta is cues)

Press About / Channel Number.  this can tell you the source of the data affecting those channels.

Channels Home Enter should clear all the Non-Intensity Parameters (NiPs) (focus, colour, beam) from the channel, regardless of the source.

channels REM DIM Enter should take intensities to 0% and leave the NiPs in their current state.

Andrew

Thank you so much to both of you for the detailed and quick answer, this is amazing! I will try those out tomorrow when I'm in front of my console, I think I know what's wrong now and learned a lot. Thanks again so much!

No problems. You can also use the software off line on your computer at home. I do this lots so I can try things and work it out before going back to the consol. There are also a heap of great videos by ETC that work through the basics and go up to more advanced features. All for free. All you need is time.

If you have any other questions someone here will be able to help.

Thanks again to everyone for their help, I got it sorted out based on these answers!