Elation Compu Live Laptop PC User manual

Easy Show

Table of contents
I Preface 1
II Getting started 3
1. Presentation of the sofware 2
2. Creating timelines and bins 3
2.1. Automatically 3
2.2. Importing files 4
2.3. Drag&Drop 5
3. Creating and playing a show 6
III The software window 10
1. Bin bar 9
2. Infos 10
3. Timelines options 11
4. Zoom preview 12
5. Undo 12
6. Breaks 13
IV Advanced features 15
1. Triggering 14
1.1. How to start the sequence from Compu Live 14

Easy Show I Preface
I Preface
Thanks to this new tool which is included only in our Pro package, programming a light-show is
performed through Time-lines and Blocks (such famous software as Cubase, Premiere…). To add a
"light" block, all you have to do is drag a button from the 2006 software to a Time-line with your mouse.
Adding an "Audio/Video" block is just as easy since all Multimedia file-formats are supported (WAV,
MP3, CD, AVI, MPEG…). With Easy Show, programming a synchronized-light show is a mere child's
play !
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Easy Show II Getting started
II Getting started
1. Presentation of the sofware
In 2006 software, click on "Easy Show" from the "Windows" menu to open the software. It opens a
window as shown below:
You can check at any time the communication state between the 2006 software and Easy Show. This
status can be obtained through the icon located in the software status bar (at the bottom left). This icon
can take on the two following aspects:
COMMUNICATION
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Easy Show II Getting started
NO COMMUNICATION
2. Creating timelines and bins
2.1. Automatically
There's nothing easier in this case. You only have to go in the software "File" menu and select "Create
times lines automatically" or "Create times lines automatically and fill the bin". The times lines in
connection with the various pages existing in your 2006 software will then appear. In the first case, only
times lines will be created. You will have to import the effects (scenes, switches...) from your 2006
software to insert them in your show. In the second case, the effects are automatically imported in the
"bin" and directly available for use in your new show.
Beginners are therefore advised to use the second solution for an easier access. The time line of a
page can be created whereas no effect is available in the bin for the indicated page. In that case, insert
these effects manually if you haven't made use of the automatic mode.
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Easy Show II Getting started
2.2. Importing files
There are several stages to follow to build times lines manually. First, you should create a new bin in
which you should insert your scenes, switches or even cycles extracted from the 2006 software so that
they become available for your times lines.
To proceed, click on the "Open" button as described below and browse your hard disk to find your
lighting effects. You will often locate them in the following directory: "c:\SL2006\Light_data".
Then, the only thing you have got left to do is position the effects on your times lines by dragging them
from the bin to the corresponding time line (grag&drop).
You should use the same proceeding to insert a multimedia effect whether it is audio or video.
Once your times lines and bins created, you can start to build your own show. You will obtain an Easy
Show screen roughly identical to the following one:
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Easy Show II Getting started
2.3. Drag&Drop
You can drag the effects from the 2006 software by using the drag&drop between the two softwares.
Use the right click of the mouse to perform this action. You can insert the wanted button directly
whether by placing it on the corresponding time line or in the bin.
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Easy Show II Getting started
Please note that it is not possible to insert an effect on a time line which doesn't correspond to the type
of selected effect or to the page including the effect. For example, you can neither insert a switch (red)
on a scene time line (yellow) or vice versa nor place a scene from the "MAC 250 page" on a "COLOR
SPOT 575" as showed in the case below.
3. Creating and playing a show
You have seen in the previous chapter how to create times lines. Here, you will learn how to position
effects (lighting and/or multimedia) to build the development of your show.
Positioning and resizing the effects
It is quite simple to insert a new effect: drag it from the bin towards the corresponding time line. You can
also modify the length or even the departure point thanks to the various tools available.
To move an effect, click on it with the mouse and move it without releasing the pressure on the mouse
button. To change the size of an effect, move the mouse cursor to one end: the cursor appears as
showed below:
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Easy Show II Getting started
Then, just maintain the pressure on the mouse button to move the effect extremity so as to enlarge or
reduce its size.
Please note that a scene will not be released when its execution comes to an end. You have to call for
a new one to release it in the 2006 software.
Playing a show
The reading, stopping or pausing of a show is performed from the "monitor" window shown below.
The following functions appear from left to right:
· Go to the start of the reading area
· Video full screen display
· Stop
· Read
· Speed rewind and forward function....
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Easy Show II Getting started
Each show has its own reading area meaning that reading will be only performed on this part of the
show. You can change its dimension by moving one of its extremity (see above).
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Easy Show III The software window
III The software window
1. Bin bar
The
bin bar
is the window where you can find and store all the objects (lighting effects, multimedia files...) available
to create your show. The elements are stored into several folders as shown below. For instance, each
page of the 2006 software has its own folder. To create a new folder, insert or remove an object, use
the 3 buttons located in the bottom left corner of the window. The window enables to play (and preview)
a video sequence or a sound file without placing the object in the time lines. Select the object and then
use the button in the upper left corner to do so.
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Easy Show III The software window
2. Infos
This findow shows informations about the objects inserted in your time lines and enables to change
several settings:
· length and position of the object with
Starting at
,Ending at and
Length
options· the
Stretch
option enables to stretch an object instead of moving it when you are modifying its length·
Enable DIMMER function
, to draw the DIMMER curve on the selected object·
Enable SPEED function
, to draw the SPEED curve on the selected object
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Easy Show III The software window
3. Timelines options
This findow shows informations about the time lines and enables to change several settings:
· the
Cursor at
option enables to change the position of the cursor· the
Total time
,Start point and
End point
options enables to move or to change the length of the playback area· the
Loop sequence
option makes the sequence looping· if the
Play at the beginning
option is selected, the sequence always starts at its beginning· if the
Stop on breaks
option is selected, the sequence stops on every programmed breaks
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Easy Show III The software window
4. Zoom preview
This window shows a zoom preview. If you are working with a big sequence, it enables to move quickly
within your time lines by moving the green square. You can zoom in and out with the 2 buttons located
in the bottom corners of the window as shown below.
5. Undo
This window enables to undo the previous actions. They are listed from top to bottom in chronological
order. To undo an action and all the actions made after, click on the corresponding line.
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Easy Show III The software window
6. Breaks
This window enables to see the programmed breaks and change their positions. It is also possible to
insert new breaks, to delete or rename the existing ones. The
Jump in playback mode
option makes it possible not to stop on the selected break when playing back the show.
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Easy Show IV Advanced features
IV Advanced features
The Easy Show sequence can be triggered manually from the monitor window but can also be triggered
by different methods. The sequence can be started, played from Compu Live (using switches) or
synchronized with a MIDI TIME CODE (MTC) signal. This section of the manual show how to do that.
1. Triggering
1.1. How to start the sequence from Compu Live
An Easy Show sequence can be triggered by Compu Live software. It is possible to play,
stop, jump to any break by pressing a switch within Compu Live. You must rename the switch using the
following syntax to specify what message has to be sent to Easy Show when activating the switch.
-
ses#start
start Easy Show software-
ses#myshow
load "myshow.ses"-
ses#quit
quit the software-
ses#play
play the current show-
ses#stop
stop the show-
ses#back
go back to the previous break-
ses#next
jump to the next break-
ses#break=mybreak
jump to "mybreak"
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