ETC Nomad programing tips

[TheBroomCloset]

Hey y'all, I have a decent amount of experience installing lights and doing the manual work, but as far as programming goes I'm almost entirely self taught. Looking for tips on how to be more efficient with my programming. Our shows are run off of a Nomad running Ion software on my laptop. The specific thing that's annoying me is as follows; say I've got channel 1 and 2 at full, and I record that as cue 1. I then add channel 3 at full, then record that look as cue 2. Later on in the show the director decides that they want a blackout to happen between cues 1 and 2, so I set channels 1-3 at out, then I record that as cue 1.5. But now when I pull up cue 2, I find that channels 1 and 2 are now still out and only channel 3 comes up. I understand the logic that the software is doing when the situation happens, but I was wondering if there was a more efficient way I could go about things so that when I need to add cues in between already existing cues the cues after it won't be affected.

Thanks for any help!

 

[JimmyM]

This sounds like tracking is on. It is a very powerful tool but can trip you up when trying to do this sort of thing.

Heres a video talking about it, and a white paper from ETC:

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https://www.etcconnect.com/workarea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737461850

You can disable this in the setting and change the console to cue only, this will let you do what you were expecting, and if you ever feel like chnaging to tracking, its very easy to swap back.

 

[sk8rsdad]

… or press QOnly before pressing enter when inserting a cue into a list if you want to restrict change to the current cue. Just remember every cue is an instruction to change something. The thru key is also useful when applying an update to a range of cues.

 

[seanandkate]

… or press QOnly before pressing enter when inserting a cue into a list if you want to restrict change to the current cue. Just remember every cue is an instruction to change something. The thru key is also useful when applying an update to a range of cues.

"X" is the shortcut key on the Nomad for that. (Just hunting for that shortcut key today...)

 

[JChenault]

Another solution. Before you write cue 1.5 ( the blackout ) make cue 2 a blocking cue ( the ‘b’ key). This tells the console to write all of the current levels into cue 2. Whatever you change just prior to the cue will have no effect when you call cue 2

 

[Crisp image]

The best way to learn is practice, practice, practice. In your free time (as if any of us actually have any of that) get on the YouTube videos and the work books from ETC. AND as you already have ask questions....lots of questions. Talk to people that know, discuss with others and check forums/facebook pages.
Your original problem is definitely related to tracking V cue only mode. You can change it in the settings. I suggest that you do this while you are learning the basics and then look in to tracking. once you are in tracking mode, blind spreadsheet becomes your best friend to find where that light tracked from or got blocked.
Good luck with your learning and if you remember just one thing in life it will be easier..... Experts were beginners once! We have all been where you are now and we lived to tell the tale and share our learnings.
Regards
Geoff

 

[jtweigandt]

If it isn't "tracking on" (which it probably is) the other dumb thing that I do sometimes is 1 thru 3 at out... record cue 2.5 but then if you don't press clear under certain
circumstances 1 thru 3 are still "captured" and will remain in the state you commanded no matter what the cue says. Check your tombstone display or magic sheet to make sure the non responsive channels are not captured (highlighed) Still do this to myself.. and then say "expletive duh"

 

[CraigV]

I exclusively use cue only mode, even 10 year into using Eos. If I want to change a series of cues, I prefer having to type Update Thru rather than the opposite of Update Q Only.