HLS - Convert Vixen sequence into HLS - Collapse your 3 pixel channels into 1 RGB

J

JHinkle

New member
If you are interested in Converting your Vixen sequence into HLS - its easy - it may take some time.

Step 1. Load your song.

Step 2. Under "File" menu - select "Import a Vixen File".

It's best to use a flattened Vixen file. If you don't have it, HLS will prompt you for a Profile.

HLS will then load your Vixen sequence and convert as many of Vixen's single tic effects into HLS primitives as it can.

When done - I suggest pressing the SAVE button.

Step 3. If your sequenced contained channels for "Pixels" - I suggest your convert those three channels into HLS RGB channels at this time.

It can dramatically reduce your channel count in the editor.

Under the "Manage Channel" menu - select "Auto Convert Channels to RGB".

The process consists of you placing on a single line - the three channels that are to be converted. Easy but can be tedious if you have a lot of pixels.

I suggest you "SAVE" your RGB conversion selections as it will build a conversion file so that the next Vixen Sequence you convert - all you do is point me to the conversion matrix - and I do the rest.

Step 4. Once you have converted your pixel channels (only if you had some) - create a LIBRARY and save the Sequence LAYOUT in the Library.

That way - when you wish to develop a sequence totally with HLS - you can load your LAYOUT from the Library and all your channels are there for you.

Enjoy.

Joe
 
Hi Joe - I tried a Vixen 2.1 import tonight with some odd results. I flattened the sequence OK and imported it into HLS - seemed to work fine - however...

1) There is no sequence information shown on the display at all - completely blank both on left and main pane

2) Apparently the original Vixen adjustable preview data does not import? (or is it related to above?) - if not could this be done somehow?

3) I attempted to convert my pixel setup from 3 channels to a single RGB channels. I then renumbered the channels which prompts for a shutdown. When I do this, I get a dialog box saying that HLS stopped working and "Close the program". I click this, and HLS quits ok - not sure if this is normal
hls-pixel-renumber-4.png

4) If you place a channel into one of the R, G, B slots it creates an RGB name - all good - but if I say 'no' I didn't want that one and right-click to undo that, the RGB channel naming stays there which is a little confusing. I might suggest if the last R, G, or B channel is removed from the RGB table that the RGB name be deleted as well.

Anyway - still playing with it - I am using the latest "4A" version.

edit - one other thing - if you move a R/G/B channel onto an existing one, the previous one is gone and can't be recovered...

hls-pixel-renumber-6.png

hls-pixel-renumber-7.png
 
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budude said:
Hi Joe - I tried a Vixen 2.1 import tonight with some odd results. I flattened the sequence OK and imported it into HLS - seemed to work fine - however...

1) There is no sequence information shown on the display at all - completely blank both on left and main pane

In HLS you have a list if channels (Single color strings, RGB strings, and Pixel Planes). HLS also has independent "Display Groups" where you define what you want to see in the editor and in what order. Once a Display Group is defines - you select it to be viewed. You just didn't perform the two Display Group steps.

Under the "Manage Channel" menu - those are items 2 and 3 in the list. This way you can have a channel - like a Beat Channel - appear in multiple Display Groups.

As a reminder - any channel that is assigned to Universe zero (0) is not made available for output - so you don't have to worry about them in the output stage.

2) Apparently the original Vixen adjustable preview data does not import? (or is it related to above?) - if not could this be done somehow?

No - sorry. Vixen uses a bunch of dots (square pixels) to form a preview. HLS uses a vector where you can change the width of the vector. You have 24 vectors per channel to build your preview. Once you do build you preview in HLS - it is saved with the LAYOUT - so it is then available for future use. Once you totally import you Vixen sequence, renumber it for proper Universe/Channel number and make it ready for output - save THAT layout in the Library - call it a Vixen Conversion Layout. After you have converted a second Vixen sequence - there is a Libray operation - "Load Saved Vixen Conversion into Sequence". This will take the saved LAYOUT in the Library - and for every matching channel name - it will update Universe number, channel Number, and Preview Vectors for channel.

3) I attempted to convert my pixel setup from 3 channels to a single RGB channels. I then renumbered the channels which prompts for a shutdown. When I do this, I get a dialog box saying that HLS stopped working and "Close the program". I click this, and HLS quits ok - not sure if this is normal
View attachment 14024

This is not normal. Where does it say to renumber your channels? Renumber is only required to validate channels are ready for output. After a RGB conversion -multiple channels are removed - so I force a restart to make sure the program and sequence operates properly.

4) If you place a channel into one of the R, G, B slots it creates an RGB name - all good - but if I say 'no' I didn't want that one and right-click to undo that, the RGB channel naming stays there which is a little confusing. I might suggest if the last R, G, or B channel is removed from the RGB table that the RGB name be deleted as well.

I'll do that. The last name in the row is the NEW name for the RGB channel. This name will alway end up being the LAST channel selected within the RGB group. I keep the names - and hopefully your Vixen names stay the same since a lot of the Vixen conversion and automatic RGB conversion is done by comparing names.

Anyway - still playing with it - I am using the latest "4A" version.

edit - one other thing - if you move a R/G/B channel onto an existing one, the previous one is gone and can't be recovered...

View attachment 14025

I'll add a check to make sure you don't place a name on top of another. Once that is done - one is lost. The best recovery is to undo the other names from the row - make your conversion and come back in - then all the name will be back for you to do it correctly.

View attachment 14026
Click to expand...

Hope that helps.

Brian - Version 4B has the changes I said I would do based on your suggestions.

Joe
 
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OK - running 4C now - the dialog box on restart is gone now - also the deletion of the RGB name with no channels is fixed - tx!

One thing that I saw on 4A as well is when you go to the RGB converter and click in any RGB name cell it scrolls over and the channel info on the left scrolls off and for the life of me I can't figure out how to get it back.

hls-pixel-renumber-8.png

I freely admit that have not gone through all the videos and documentation quite yet so I'll do that before posting more.
 
Brian:

When you click a Channel Name in the first column - there is no scrolling.

I turn the cell YELLOW in color to identify which cell has been selected selected for placement in RGB conversion.

You MUST then place that channel in one of the RGB cells - even if you made a mistake.

If you want it to go back - simply Right Click on the RGB cell and it returns it to the channel column.

Joe
 
Joe,

I just created an automatic RGB mapping of one of my imported vixen sequences. I want to only generate a preview once but I also want to apply the RGB conversion to all the files. Should we create the preview before the rgb conversion or after? If the answer is before then how does the conversion effect the preview? If After, how do I get the new conversion and previews into the other files. Would I need to run the RGB conversion on each file OR can I just import the new Profile that already contains the conversion?

What is the correct sequence?
 
Convert Vixen sequence.

Use your RGB conversion to automate the RGB conversion.

First time completed - make Preview and Save layout to Library.

As long as you do not change the name of the channels on your other Vexion files --- the RGB conversion and Preview will match.

Hope that helps.

Joe
 
Thanks Joe. so after I make the first conversion and preview, the other vixen conversions only require loading the profile and not re-doing an rgb conversion. Do I have that correct?
 
That's correct.

After your second conversion - thru RGB conversion --- THEM do a Library import of the layout you SAVED from the first conversion.

The channels are matched by NAME - any matching channel name will acquire the Preview vectors assigned to the first conversion when you Saved THAT conversion's layout to the Library.

Joe
 
I am trying out HLS 11.f while I still have my display up. Imported a Vixen 2.1 sequence and am trying to collapse my 3 channels into 1 RGB, but it doesn't look right.

In Channel manager it looks like this
HLS channel manager.jpg
All of the RGB boxes are not ticked, only every other one. The channel count is incremented by 2, then 1, then 2, then 1, etc. instead of by 3's. All of the colors should be blue because that was the last channel added, but they alternate red, then blue. Red is the first channel added. But.. it should be 25 pixels, and there are 25 lines in the channel manager, but not all listed as RGB.

I grouped 25 pixels because it is one column on my porch, opened it to see what data was there, and I see this
HLS.jpg
only every other line has data, when they all should. The blank lines match the lines in the channel manager that do not have the RGB box ticked.

I followed the instructions in the first message of this post, but something did not go right. Did I miss a step. Hard to do that since there are that many!

Any insight as to what happened, what I did wrong is appreciated.
 
Zaker:

Make sure you watch the video closely.

When you convert RGB - I throw away two of your channels for every RGB you created.

I keep the channel name associated with the LAST channel you assigned to the RGB result.

I should have forced you to shut down after the RGB conversion to get rid of the unwanted channels - did that happen?

Joe
 
Joe, Worked great. I just need to create the new preview with your vectors. That is one thing from Vixen 3 that was very cool. They had the different shape ability. I also need to tweak the sequence where I had two colors on at the same time. there were some overlaps but once again I commend you on an amazing bit of software.

BTW, somewhere along your line of releases I seem to have lost the 'Recent Files' list of the File tab.
 
Two things ....

I got rid of recent files --- for me it showed every file I was using in development --- not just HLS sequences.

Hold off doing work on a Preview ... I am working on a NEW one now.

It will be much better --- don't want to see you do twice the work.

Joe
 
Thanks for the heads up. I was just starting to create it. I exercised the new function of my iPhone that allows me to shoot a Panoramic picture. I took the picture then converted it to a .BMP. I was just trying to figure out how that gets into HLS. I added it but don't see it when I'm editing the preview. It just shows up as a name in the top left corner. Left of the waveform and above the notation for either single or multi vector.
 
Under the Preview Menu --- did you use "Manage Preview" to add your image?

When you start the "Edit Preview" session - it will ask to select an image --- might not if only one added.

If it does not appear - means I did not like its format.

Not everyone/program makes a BMP file that always works in Window's applications.

Try another convertor.

Joe
 
JHinkle said:
Zaker:

Make sure you watch the video closely.
When you convert RGB - I throw away two of your channels for every RGB you created.
I keep the channel name associated with the LAST channel you assigned to the RGB result.
I should have forced you to shut down after the RGB conversion to get rid of the unwanted channels - did that happen?
Joe
Click to expand...

It did save/force shutdown after RGB conversion.
I watched the video again, did it for 75 channels (25RGB) did not convert them properly.
Did it again, this time I made sure each RGB channel had a unique name, IT WORKED! I had saved the conversion profile to try again on a different file.

Tried conversion profile on a different file, it did not convert them properly.
My channel names are NOT unique from Vixen,
1st pixel is G column R Top, G column G, G column B
2nd is G column R, G column G, G column B
3rd is G column R, G column G, G column B
..
..
25th pixel is G column R Bottom, G column G, G column B

When I load the conversion profile, it tells me Loaded 25 RGB Conversions, but it only converts the 1st & 25th pixel. It seems the conversion profile only works if the Red RGB column name is unique & new RGB name is unique. I had done the conversion profile for all of my pixels, and I just tried it again, it only converts from the original channels with unique names, duplicates do not convert.

First year using pixels and I used Vixen 2.1, so my naming system may not have been the best. Only thing I can think of doing is working on my Vixen profile and numbering each pixel so it has a unique name, then importing into HLS and doing RGB conversion.

I hope this makes sense.
 
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The only place I use names for matching is when you do RGB conversions and Merging a Layout after a Vixen/RGB conversion.

There is nothing else that allows for unique identification.

When you save a Layout in HLS - whether it be a Vixen converted or a HLS original --- NAMES are what are used to do any future mergers.

When you add channels to HLS - HLS will automatically produce a unique name. When you rename a channel - just make sure you keep it unique.

After my new Preview is released ... Preview matching will not be by names but by Universe/Channel Number.

Joe
 
I will have to do some renaming in Vixen before I import.

Thanks for confirming the use of names in the RGB conversions. I thought I was messing up real bad.. :)
 
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