Offline EOS + Augment3D workflow with limited venue access

Question

Hi eveyone, I am fairly new to lighting design and programming and am mostly self-taught, so I wanted to check my workflow and see if there are any issues I should be aware of. 
 I am programming lights for my high school musical, but the show is being performed in our middle school auditorium. I believe the system there is an ION Classic. Rehearsals are happening in a different space, and I will have very limited access to the middle school theater until tech. 
 My plan is to: 
 
 Export the middle school&rsquo;s base show file (with their existing patch) from the console 
 Open it in EOS Offline on my laptop 
 Build cues, palettes, groups, and effects offline 
 Use Augment3D to help visualize and pre-build the show 
 Bring the modified show file back to the middle school console for tech 
 
 Are there any issues with this approach, or things I should be careful not to change in the base show file? Anything that tends not to translate well from offline/Augment3D to the real console? 
 Thanks in advance!

Geoff Crisp · Answer

This is how i do it. We have built an extensive A3d model (including the white tape on the stage lip) and it works well. When you get to tech there will be some adjustments but if you have the bones of the design done it saves lots of time in the space. It also allows you to learn the rig layout so you make those adjustments quickly. The A3d model will take some time to get right but it is worth it in the long run. The ION classic will not handle A3d very well so and even when you are at home offline using a 2nd computer tethered for A3d will be helpful.