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Horizon Control Publishes Open Source Section on Web for ET Marquee and Strand Light Palette
When it comes to software, there is never a shortage of ideas, but more-so a lack of skilled developers, especially in a niche market such as entertainment lighting. HCI's core technology is its internal fade engine and unique Universal Attribute Control, but with the release of the new Open Source area on its web site, there are now countless ‘hooks' into this powerful software product that allows a level of customization never before seen in our industry.
Giving users that may dabble in software development the tools needed to poke and prod the main fade engine allows them the ability to write powerful macros that go way beyond recording a series of keystrokes. The mere ability to branch execution with a simple IF statement opens the doors to possibilities that have never before been available to the general public in a high end lighting desk.
For the gateway into their engine, Horizon has opted to employ, yet again, another Open Source project called Lua. This is an established scripting language that easily allows software companies to extend the functionality of their applications which are typically written in the much more complex C++ language. HCI has published a library of commands that can use in Lua. Using these in their own scripts, users can get to the root of what is going on in the system and tweak it as they desire.
Some of the sample applications already published vary in complexity and usefulness. The more simple scripts are attached to a macro button on the console and are saved with the show file. Posted examples include a selective Flip tool that looks at a pre-selected range of fixtures, determines which ones have a negative tilt value and flips them automatically. Another is a tool that loops through a selection set and takes any lights at full to zero and vice versa. These are the handy sort of tools that one or two users may need, but it would be foolish to task the core development team to write them into the main code and construct a consistent syntax to incorporate them.
A slightly more complex example takes an Excel spreadsheet and patches the desk for you. Another example dynamically publishes a web page to the console's web server to produce a live Show Report. Simple macros are attached to cues like House to Half, Begin Intermission or End of Show. The Stage Manager then can surf the desk's webpage in real time to see what time of day certain events happened or how long scenes or acts ran. Other applications are more in-depth but work nicely right out of the box. HCI hopes more advanced programmers will take the ball and run with these tools. Examples ready for download include an interface for authoring custom architectural touch screens or a Bi-Directional 2D Visualizer that makes a perfect designer's remote, complete with Magic Sheet style grid mimic, Cue List Display and a Command Line that mirrors what the lighting programmer is typing.
More information can be found at http://www.horizoncontrol.com/web/opensource.htm
Please contact rob@horizoncontrol.com for more information and examples of how five Ospen Source projects helped lighting designer Richard Pilbrow light the musical A Tale of Two Cities on Broadways this summer.
2nd October 2008
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