I am a junior in HS and taking on my first full Lighting design credit. I have created my plot it vectorworks and now want to have a speedy way to create a magic sheet and instrument schedule, etc. I've heard lightwrite is a really good program but i don't have the budget to purchase oit for myself just yet! If anyone knows a good substitution like a google form template or alternate free or low budget program I would appreciate the insight.
Design Google sheet template instead of Lightwright?
- Thread starterAndrew G
- Start date
Vectorworks has some pretty good tools for generating paperwork. Have you looked into any of the training videos about worksheets?
https://www.youtube.com/@vectorworks/search?query=worksheet
Magic sheet would take some work, but instrument schedules, hookups, dimmer schedules, etc are all easy and straightforward.
https://www.youtube.com/@vectorworks/search?query=worksheet
Magic sheet would take some work, but instrument schedules, hookups, dimmer schedules, etc are all easy and straightforward.
If your plot is small, the demo version of Lightwright works for up to 75 lights - just download the software from Lightwright.com and click "Continue in Demo Mode" after installing.
For a magic sheet, I've always just drawn it in vectorworks - circles, squares, and text boxes work great. If you don't have/use vectorworks, any drawing program will do. Even web-based like draw.io will work fine.
For a magic sheet, I've always just drawn it in vectorworks - circles, squares, and text boxes work great. If you don't have/use vectorworks, any drawing program will do. Even web-based like draw.io will work fine.
LW does what it does very well, because it’s been in use for decades with constnt improvements. Theres a student license that costs $135 and is worth it. Its worth getting conversant with it as its very widely used and is as sellable skill set (along with Vectorworks).
jglodeklights
Well-Known Member
Most designers long ago transitioned away from using spreadsheet programs as an alternative to LW. The problem one can run into is lighting rigs often have an immense amount of information that needs to be organized, utilized, and displayed in a number of different ways parsing out what is relevant to the particular application. Spreadsheet programs generally don't do this well; they aren't really designed to handle all the different points of relation and to loop and feedback the information to where it belongs. Not saying it can't be done- it's just complicated to setup to reliably relate the data from a lighting rig unless you are keeping it really simple in terms of how much information you put into it and how many ways you're going to display it. Not planning on making lots of updates to the information helps too. If you mess up your information won't flow properly when things change.
This is where database driven programs take over. DB type programs relate different types of information to each other which allows better organization and display of the information in various ways while ensuring updates and changes reliably hold among the different points and types of information. Lightwright is the dominant one as it's dedicated to the needs of most lighting professionals and can fully integrate with VWX to port information and changes back and forth with reliability and ease. You can make a change in either program and it can be made to show up in the other. Not to mention the layering on of compatibility with connecting to ETC's EOS family of consoles to further it being a one-stop shop for managing a show's lighting information.
As has been pointed out, Vectorworks does include some built in tools, again based around the database within the file, that can generate the paperwork you've mentioned and allow for referential changes without risk of breaking the connections between data points. Some designers are already using these tools in place of LW since there are options to make custom reports and the data is already right there without going back and forth between two programs. I've seen others successfully utilize Filemaker, another standard database program, but the issue can become cost and that it's something you'd need to build from scratch unless you found a good template file. I'm with Steve B. here, if you can find a way to get a student license for LW that would be ideal and end up being a truly sellable skill set. Otherwise the report/paperwork tools in VWX are likely the easiest starting point as you'll get a lot of the benefits provided by LW without having to do a lot of work setting things up.
This is where database driven programs take over. DB type programs relate different types of information to each other which allows better organization and display of the information in various ways while ensuring updates and changes reliably hold among the different points and types of information. Lightwright is the dominant one as it's dedicated to the needs of most lighting professionals and can fully integrate with VWX to port information and changes back and forth with reliability and ease. You can make a change in either program and it can be made to show up in the other. Not to mention the layering on of compatibility with connecting to ETC's EOS family of consoles to further it being a one-stop shop for managing a show's lighting information.
As has been pointed out, Vectorworks does include some built in tools, again based around the database within the file, that can generate the paperwork you've mentioned and allow for referential changes without risk of breaking the connections between data points. Some designers are already using these tools in place of LW since there are options to make custom reports and the data is already right there without going back and forth between two programs. I've seen others successfully utilize Filemaker, another standard database program, but the issue can become cost and that it's something you'd need to build from scratch unless you found a good template file. I'm with Steve B. here, if you can find a way to get a student license for LW that would be ideal and end up being a truly sellable skill set. Otherwise the report/paperwork tools in VWX are likely the easiest starting point as you'll get a lot of the benefits provided by LW without having to do a lot of work setting things up.
Ravenbar
Active Member
I'd suggest looking up LXPlan(or LXFree)(or LXBeams), depending on your operating system and what versions are available for your OS of choice. To create custom fixtures, you have to use LXBeams, which is Mac only(and maybe need to buy a license as well.)
It's kind of like a very early 2D cad software designed just for lighting, that also can generate paperwork based on the plots contents. I do seem to recall some versions can generate 3d models, but I primarily use Linux, and even the Windows laptop I uses only allows the 2d plot.
As your a young student, it's free so no harm in giving it a try.
I do wish Rosco hadn't stopped the development of the LPS(lighting paperwork system) Software I used back in the late 2k's during college. It did everything I wanted from a computerized paperwork system, and did nothing on the plot or 3d sides, but was capable of interfacing with Vectorworks.
It's kind of like a very early 2D cad software designed just for lighting, that also can generate paperwork based on the plots contents. I do seem to recall some versions can generate 3d models, but I primarily use Linux, and even the Windows laptop I uses only allows the 2d plot.
As your a young student, it's free so no harm in giving it a try.
I do wish Rosco hadn't stopped the development of the LPS(lighting paperwork system) Software I used back in the late 2k's during college. It did everything I wanted from a computerized paperwork system, and did nothing on the plot or 3d sides, but was capable of interfacing with Vectorworks.
Similar threads
