Axon programming

First thing I would start off with is using the DL.2/Axon Wheelset preferences that will organize them in a much more friendly way.

www.flyingpig.com/support/hog3/downloads/library/index.shtml

I like to set mine up with each fixture set up in a given 'tens' spot, with each fixture type staring on a given whole number. This makes it real easy to grab all of my 'Graphics 1' layers, etc.

Example...

If I have three DL.2s, the following are my fixture numbers...

111 - DL.2 #1 - Positioning
112 - DL.2 #1 - Global
113 - DL.2 #1 - Graphics 1
114 - DL.2 #1 - Graphics 2
115 - DL.2 #1 - Graphics 3

121 - DL.2 #2 - Positioning
122 - DL.2 #2 - Global
123 - DL.2 #2 - Graphics 1
124 - DL.2 #2 - Graphics 2
125 - DL.2 #2 - Graphics 3

131 - DL.2 #2 - Positioning
132 - DL.2 #2 - Global
133 - DL.2 #2 - Graphics 1
134 - DL.2 #2 - Graphics 2
135 - DL.2 #2 - Graphics 3

(If you look at the three-digit fixture numbers, another way to think about them is [Fixture Type] + [Fixture Number] + [Fixture Layer/Property] = [User Number]. Notice that I skip '101-105', as I want to think of my fixtures as '1-3', not '0-2'.)

Now, if you're using Axons without DL.2s, you might bump everything up a slot since you don't have a 'positioning' fixture to patch. However, I would generally just leave the 'ones' slots open, so that I strain my brain less. This leaves the Global and Layer fixtures in the same place whether I'm controlling a DL.2 or Axon (or both!).

So, either way, I might set up my Axons like this...

211 - N/A - Not Patched
212 - Axon #1 - Global
213 - Axon #1 - Graphics 1
214 - Axon #1 - Graphics 2
215 - Axon #1 - Graphics 3

221 - N/A - Not Patched
222 - Axon #1 - Global
223 - Axon #1 - Graphics 1
224 - Axon #1 - Graphics 2
225 - Axon #1 - Graphics 3

221 - N/A - Not Patched
222 - Axon #1 - Global
223 - Axon #1 - Graphics 1
224 - Axon #1 - Graphics 2
225 - Axon #1 - Graphics 3

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I hope that made a little bit of sense. It's very possible that I'm over-complicating this, so I certainly do not claim to have the absolute best system.

Hopefully it will spark some ideas for the best setup to use for your own programming style.

Cheers,

Phil

Thanks Scott and Phil - very helpful

regs
K

Another VERY important feature when using custom content is use of the Brightness/Contrast Visual Mode controls.

I was at a corporate show the other day where all the content was too dark for projection (it looks great on a monitor I'm sure). Using the Brightness/Contrast really lets you pump up the intensity of the image when projecting. You can easily triple the brightness in many cases before you get to the point that the image would start to bloom or distort!

Scott

You should build a pallet that sets all you parameters back to there defaults. This is very helpful because if you loose you content off of the screen then you can use your default pallet to get it back on the screen so you can see it.
Like Scott said the Brightness/Contrast is very helpful, but also you can use these Brightness/Contrast controls to adjust the Visual mode. And there are several effects that are useful from the Visual mode. You can see them on the slot tool bar.