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personality:personality_types [2017/12/17 18:29] – [R20 for Pearl 2008/2010 and Pearl Tiger] nicpersonality:personality_types [2020/01/05 11:31] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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 As those old consoles could only store and read data from a disk drive, these files came in a huge number of disks (for the youngsters: disks, or floppies, could hold only 720 kB of data - later versions could hold 1.44 MB). The file format is plain text, each disk needed to contain the shape file as well (which was named sg.dat back in those days). In order to create such files, there was no software except your text editor. Also worth knowing: each DMX mode of a fixture required its own personality file. As those old consoles could only store and read data from a disk drive, these files came in a huge number of disks (for the youngsters: disks, or floppies, could hold only 720 kB of data - later versions could hold 1.44 MB). The file format is plain text, each disk needed to contain the shape file as well (which was named sg.dat back in those days). In order to create such files, there was no software except your text editor. Also worth knowing: each DMX mode of a fixture required its own personality file.
  
-There were other limitations back in those days, like: in the beginning, filenames were limited to 8 characters plus extension. The consoles had 10 attribute banks (could be flipped to a second page) and two wheels. Thus the maximum number of attributes per fixture was 40. Operating such a fixture wasn't that easy - but then, common fixtures rarely had more than a dozen attributes. The [[http://personalities.avolites.com/Main.asp?ID=3891|High End Cyberlight]] (20 channels/ 18 attributes) was already one of the more consuming fixtures. Also, the horrible idea of combined channels (in particular: shutter and dimmer on one channel) was born in these days (see the [[http://personalities.avolites.com/Main.asp?ID=1809|Clay Paky Golden Scan 1]] as an example) - unbelievable that this is done by some stubborn fixture manufacturers until today. Virtual dimmers were simply not an issue, as were fixture cells.+There were other limitations back in those days, like: in the beginning, filenames were limited to 8 characters plus extension. The consoles had 10 attribute banks (could be flipped to a second page) and two wheels. Additionally the second wheel of the 'Dimmer' attribute bank on the first page is not available.  Thus the maximum number of attributes per fixture was 39. Operating such a fixture wasn't that easy - but then, common fixtures rarely had more than a dozen attributes. The [[http://personalities.avolites.com/Main.asp?ID=3891|High End Cyberlight]] (20 channels/ 18 attributes) was already one of the more consuming fixtures. Also, the horrible idea of combined channels (in particular: shutter and dimmer on one channel) was born in these days (see the [[http://personalities.avolites.com/Main.asp?ID=1809|Clay Paky Golden Scan 1]] as an example) - unbelievable that this is done by some stubborn fixture manufacturers until today. Virtual dimmers were simply not an issue, as were fixture cells.
  
 Another little twist came with the next generation Pearls which were equipped with some internal cache. You could load your preferred fixtures into this cache, and could patch from this cache instead from disk. But the cache could hold only so many personalities. Hence, you needed to carefully select the fixtures which you deemed important enough for your cache. There was - and still is - a little program available at Avolites to select and compress personalities for your cache: [[https://www.avolites.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=vFs9HpyeJeY%3d&tabid=558&portalid=0&mid=2579|the cache builder]]. Another little twist came with the next generation Pearls which were equipped with some internal cache. You could load your preferred fixtures into this cache, and could patch from this cache instead from disk. But the cache could hold only so many personalities. Hence, you needed to carefully select the fixtures which you deemed important enough for your cache. There was - and still is - a little program available at Avolites to select and compress personalities for your cache: [[https://www.avolites.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=vFs9HpyeJeY%3d&tabid=558&portalid=0&mid=2579|the cache builder]].
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 ===== R96 for Sapphire 96 ===== ===== R96 for Sapphire 96 =====
  
-That's essentially related to R20 files - in fact, R96 were the older ones, and R20 files are a little extended and derived from R96. Hence, the aforementioned limitations applay to R95 files even more.+That's essentially related to R20 files - in fact, R96 were the older ones, and R20 files are a little extended and derived from R96. Hence, the aforementioned limitations applay to R96 files even more.
  
 ===== R20 for Pearl 2008/2010 and Pearl Tiger ===== ===== R20 for Pearl 2008/2010 and Pearl Tiger =====
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 Vis files are no longer officially supported.  You only need them if you need the old (pre Titan v10) visualiser. It is worth trying the ''File -> Generate R20 Files... '' menu in the [[personality builder]].  Vis files are no longer officially supported.  You only need them if you need the old (pre Titan v10) visualiser. It is worth trying the ''File -> Generate R20 Files... '' menu in the [[personality builder]]. 
 +
 +As the old visualiser is still interesting for some users, a detailed howto and some examples have been added here:
 +  * [[personality:create_vis_from_d4|]]
 +  * [[personality:visualiser_examples|]]
  
 ===== d4 files for Titan ===== ===== d4 files for Titan =====
personality/personality_types.1513535396.txt.gz · Last modified: 2017/12/17 18:29 by nic
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