DDF-Tutorial LED-Spotlight DMXC3
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DDF-Tutorial LED-Spotlight DMXC3 | Article describes DMXControl 3.2.3 |
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In front of us is the Cameo LED Mini Tri Par Can 3W, which is also identical in construction to the lightmaXX Platinum LED MINI PAR Tri-LED 7x 3 Watt. In the following, we will create a DDF for this simple LED PAR fixture with its own dimmer and strobe channel, as well as a DMX channel for macros. The LED PAR fixture thus has six DMX channels.
Contents
Initial Data: User Manual
Before we start programming the actual DDF, it's always worth taking a look at the user manual. There you will generally find a table listing all DMX channels and their respective functions – in short, the channel assignment.
However, sometimes it's also useful to additionally look at the technical data of your device. Here you'll find information that may not always be apparent from the channel assignment. This includes, for example, the maximum strobe frequency.
Channel Assignment
The table for the channel assignment looks like this for the LED PAR fixture:
| Channel | Value | Function |
|---|---|---|
CH1
|
000 - 255
|
Master Dimmer (0% - 100%) |
CH2
|
000 - 255
|
Red (0% - 100%) |
CH3
|
000 - 255
|
Green (0% - 100%) |
CH4
|
000 - 255
|
Blue (0% - 100%) |
CH5
|
000 - 004
|
No function |
005 - 084
|
Color macro | |
170 - 255
|
Color fade | |
CH6
|
000 - 255
|
Strobe |
Technical Data
As indicated earlier, the channel assignment does not specify the maximum strobe frequency of the LED PAR fixture. Therefore, let's now take a look at the technical data.
Control Functions
- 6-channel DMX control
- Separate control of colors Red, Green, and Blue
Features
- 7 powerful TRI-color LEDs (3 W)
- Music control via built-in microphone
- Color change speed and strobe effect controllable via control panel
- Multicolor color change
- Strobe frequency: max. 15 Hz
- Master/Slave functionality
- Robust, compact housing
- Power consumption: 30 W
- Long-life LEDs with particularly long lifespan
- Double bracket
From the technical data, it is evident that the maximum strobe frequency is 15 Hz. With this information gathered, we can now start programming the DDF.
Programming: XML Code
First, open a blank file in a text editor of your choice, such as the classic Editor from Windows or Notepad++, and save it directly in the file format *.xml. This has the advantage, especially with Notepad++, that the XML code is automatically colored differently depending on the code type.
Base Section
The first line in a DDF is always:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
This specifies how this file is to be read by DMXControl and all other programs accessing this file.
After the information about the document standard, the device tag opens the area for the actual information stored in the DDF. The image file for the icon in the Stage View is named Cameo LED Mini Tri Par Can 3W.png. The device is a DMXDevice with 6 DMX channels. The DDF is created for DMXControl 3 with version 3.2.3 and has so far only been edited once, which is why it is version 1.0.0. The specification of version 3.2.3 specifically has the effect that the DDF can only be used for this and all newer versions of DMXControl 3. If someone wants to use your DDF with DMXControl 3.2.2 instead, this would not be possible.
<device image="Cameo LED Mini Tri Par Can 3W.png" type="DMXDevice" dmxaddresscount="6" dmxcversion="3.2.3" ddfversion="1.0.0">
Information Section
In the information section, the designation of the device, in this case LED Mini Tri Par Can 3W provided by the manufacturer Cameo, is stored. This DDF was created by Stefan Kistner. All this information is enclosed by the element <information> ... </information>.
<information>
<model>LED Mini Tri Par Can 3W</model>
<vendor>Cameo</vendor>
<author>Stefan Kistner</author>
</information>
Function Section
The function section is always opened by the functions tag.
Dimmer Channel
The first DMX channel is the Dimmer channel. The corresponding element is also called dimmer. Since programming always starts counting from 0, the value 0 must be entered for the dmxchannel attribute. At DMX value 0, the LED PAR fixture is completely off, meaning 0% brightness. From this, the value 0 for the mindmx attribute and also 0 for minval are derived. The maximum brightness of 100% is reached by the LED PAR fixture at DMX value 255. Consequently, the value for the maxdmx attribute is 255 and for maxval it is 100. At the beginning of the line, we need to add a fifth attribute named type, which receives the entry linear as its value. This informs the HAL that the range element is a slider where the output values mindmx and maxdmx increase in a consistent ratio (hence linear) with the input values (minval and maxval).
The XML code section looks like this:
<functions>
<dimmer dmxchannel="0">
<range type="linear" mindmx="0" maxdmx="255" minval="0" maxval="100" />
</dimmer>
However, it's worth mentioning that this is the cumbersome definition of the dimmer. If the dimmer behaves as described above (0% brightness at DMX value 0 and full brightness at DMX value 255), we can use the internal standard definition of the HAL. This simplifies the first part as follows:
<functions>
<dimmer dmxchannel="0" />
Channels for Red, Green, and Blue
Since this LED PAR fixture only has red, green, and blue LEDs for color mixing, a simple RGB element is used in the DDF. The DMX channel 2 controls the red LEDs, DMX channel 3 controls the green, and DMX channel 4 controls the blue LEDs.
The rgb element consists of three subordinate elements, red, green, and blue – one element for each color. For the dmxchannel attributes, we enter the values 1, 2, and 3.
<rgb>
<red dmxchannel="1" />
<green dmxchannel="2" />
<blue dmxchannel="3" />
</rgb>
Macro Channel
Through the fifth DMX channel of this LED PAR fixture, we can call various automatic programs.
To best represent this channel in the DDF, we use the rawstep element. With the subordinate elements, the rawstep element creates a selection list in the Device Control.
For each step, there is a short description stored in the caption attribute. For example, for the first option, it is No function. Additionally, there are values for the mindmx and maxdmx attributes. You can transfer all this information from the user manual.
<rawstep dmxchannel="4" name="Macros">
<step caption="No function" mindmx="0" maxdmx="9" />
<step caption="Color macro" mindmx="5" maxdmx="84" />
<step caption="Color jump" mindmx="85" maxdmx="169" />
<step caption="Color fade" mindmx="170" maxdmx="255" />
</rawstep>
Strobe Channel
The Strobe channel is on DMX channel 6. The present LED PAR fixture only has a simple strobe function, which is off at DMX value 0 (0 Hz) and continuously speeds up until DMX value 255, reaching a strobe frequency of 15 Hz. Thus, the values of the attributes mindmx, maxdmx, minval, and maxval are already determined. The value for the type attribute is still open. In the DDF, you must specify linear as the value, since the strobe frequency increases steadily with increasing DMX values.
It is important to mention at this point that the unit (here, Hertz) is not entered. Additionally, for DMXControl 3 to know that you want to adjust the strobe frequency variably, the subordinate element must be a range element.
<strobe dmxchannel="5" >
<range type="linear" mindmx="0" maxdmx="255" minval="0" maxval="15" />
</strobe>
</functions>
Since there are no further functions after the Strobe element, the <functions> element is closed with the end tag </functions>.
Procedures
For this simple LED PAR fixture, there are no special functions, such as initiating a reset of the device. Therefore, the element for Procedures is completely omitted.
Finally, the <device> element must be closed with the end tag </device>.
Result: the finished DDF
The complete DDF for the Cameo LED Mini Tri Par Can 3W looks like this:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<device image="Cameo LED Mini Tri Par Can 3W.png" type="DMXDevice" dmxaddresscount="6" dmxcversion="3.2.3" ddfversion="1.0.0">
<information>
<model>LED Mini Tri Par Can 3W</model>
<vendor>Cameo</vendor>
<author>Stefan Kistner</author>
</information>
<functions>
<dimmer dmxchannel="0" />
<rgb>
<red dmxchannel="1" />
<green dmxchannel="2" />
<blue dmxchannel="3" />
</rgb>
<rawstep dmxchannel="4" name="Macros">
<step caption="No function" mindmx="0" maxdmx="9" />
<step caption="Color macro" mindmx="5" maxdmx="84" />
<step caption="Color jump" mindmx="85" maxdmx="169" />
<step caption="Color fade" mindmx="170" maxdmx="255" />
</rawstep>
<strobe dmxchannel="5" >
<range type="linear" mindmx="0" maxdmx="255" minval="0" maxval="15" />
</strobe>
</functions>
</device>
