Add DMX Terminators

[LiteDoctor]

In Spotlight 2026, is there a cable object that is a DMX Terminator? I want to show that there's a Terminator at the end of the chain and have it show up in the Cable reports as an Inventory item.

 

I know that @Sam Jones's Autoplot can do this, but I'm trying to work this plot with just the Spotlight Cable Tools.

[Scott C. Parker]

As we work on adding data to the cable tools, we'll figure out a way to show terminators. Terminators are already available in the ConnectCad tool set for schematics and will work on a Spotlight power schematic, if one has access to CC. What this doesn't do yet is add a physical object to the last light in the DMX chain. I'm wondering if building a terminator as a device and then connecting it to the last light would work, as a workaround. I've not played yet, but the device might need to be a distributor object, a consumer object, or a cable object. Or, a combination. 
Once Data is officially supported, we can figure out a straightforward approach vs. a workaround.

[LiteDoctor]

That was about what I figured. I tried creating an object - a simple 2D symbol with the Universal Equip and Cable records attached. But the only way I could place it on the page is through the Symbol tool (as opposed to the Cable tool) and it didn't register as a Device.

 

Because the Cable tool relies on Styles as you draw, I don't think that's the path to take.

 

I'm considering two options if I keep trying to homebrew something. First would be creating a Terminator as a custom Connector, which would allow me to place an Adapter at the end of a chain. What I'm not sure about is how to show those Adapters in an Inventory report.

 

Second is creating the Terminator as a Lighting Device. It wouldn't show up in Cable Reports, but at least it would be counted with the fixture inventory.

 

Or for now I'll just skip it, know that I need one Terminator for each home run I send out and call it a day.

[Scott C. Parker]

A few thoughts to play with.

If you make the terminator into a distributor, you can place it with the distro insertion tool, and it'll show up in reports; without connections, but it'll be there. 

You could make it into a lighting device and then use a cable to make the connection. It would then be in the cable reports.

Making it into a cable could connect to the last unit and would show in the cable reports.

If you want to get counts via the inventory system, add a virtual part of Terminator to your lighting devices with a default of zero and then select just the last lights of each DMX run and change the virtual part zero to a 1. This will show in inventory counts.

[LiteDoctor]

Hmm....Something isn't working as expected here.

 

I decided that to try the Connector/Adapter route for the Terminators.

 

But try as I might, I can't get VW to recognize the change I make to CableConnectors.xml

 

The steps I have taken:

 

Close VW

Open CableConnectors.xml in a Text Editor (and later in VSCode)

Copy the entry for the 5pin XLR

 

<Entry SocketPatchCount="5" UniversalName="XLR5" LocalizedName="5-pin XLR">

      </Entry>

 

Paste it on the next blank line, edit the Universal and Local names

Save

Restart VW

 

The new connector doesn't appear in the Connector drop down menu.

 

Two notes: The xml file is in my Workgroup folder. And in the past I added connectors for PowerCon 20A and True1 Top connectors, which *do* appear in the drop down lists.

 

What step did I miss?

 

XML file attached.

CableConnectors.xml

[LiteDoctor]

Ok, I figured out the problem here. There was a stray CC xml file in my User folder. So I was changing the file in my Workgroups folder, but the User folder supercedes that.

 

Now that I've worked that out, I just place an Adapter End at the end of each Data chain.

 

That will get me by while the team works on integrating Data into the Power Planning tools.

 

[Scott C. Parker]

Note...

It turns out that cables contained within Favorite files will also come to play. Cables in the favorite file will be scanned before the cable files in workgroup, user, and program folders.