Design Hard Block Cues vs. Soft Block Cues

[J0rdster]

I'm trying to brush up on the more advanced features of my Strand 520i, and in doing so, I'm trying to figure out the difference between a Hard Block cue and a Soft Block cue. I'm familiar with Tracking and what it does, and the general idea of what a block cue does, but I can't seem to grasp the concept of the different types of block cues. Can anyone help me with a definition in lay man's terms, and perhaps with an example, of the differences and uses of each of them?



MUCH appreciated.

 

[icewolf08]

A hardblock blocks every channel by putting a hard command on every channel. A softblock only blocks active channels. An active channel is a channel with a command or a level in a given cue.

 

[J0rdster]

So is it just designer preference on whether he or she uses Hard or Soft Block? I'm just wondering if it would be more functional to continue running Lightpalette, which allows for both Hard and Soft Block, as opposed to GeniusPro, which only allows Soft Block.

And I really think you should teach a programming class. Maybe two half-semester classes, Programming I for the first and Programming II for the second? Elations, Revs, scrollers and conventionals with the 520i or something.

 

[icewolf08]

So is it just designer preference on whether he or she uses Hard or Soft Block? I'm just wondering if it would be more functional to continue running Lightpalette, which allows for both Hard and Soft Block, as opposed to GeniusPro, which only allows Soft Block.

And I really think you should teach a programming class. Maybe two half-semester classes, Programming I for the first and Programming II for the second? Elations, Revs, scrollers and conventionals with the 520i or something.

There are more than just those differences between LP and GP. Most people really prefer LP. As far as teaching, I would be happy to, you just convince the theatre department to pay me for it!

 

[J0rdster]

Yeah, I prefer LP to GP because it has more functionality. As for teaching, I'm writing Gage a letter right now. No joke.

 

[ptero]

So is it just designer preference on whether he or she uses Hard or Soft Block?

My habit is to use Hard Blocks at the end of every scene. I'll usually structure/build these first when writing a show, whether they are to be blackouts or some other transition. Then wherever I start Qing nothing will track into other scenes. This works well with separate scenes that have little/no sky or environmentals that need to track through the Act.

just a little topic drift: At some point before the 1st Preview Performance, I will go to Preview>xref to survey and clear the internal blocks that creep into Qs. Those are the white coded levels, as opposed to the pale blue. Enter "channel# @ *" (*=execute) and they will convert to blue and allow tracking to occur.