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Spotlight 11 & LW4 transfer issues


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I have tried using the prepackaged LW4 automated actions and Spotlight import/export mappings that came included in the Extras folder of Spotlight 11. So after exchanging data back and forth on a project, here are my questions/concerns:

  • How could one determine the label legend used per instrument? The automated way makes it so that the label legend info gets dropped into the "Instrument Type Other CAD" field, which appears to make it a global choice for all 6x12's (for example). Obviously, I don't want all of my 6x12's to have the same label legend, but it should be determined on a unit by unit basis.
  • When transferring striplights information back and forth between LW4 and VW, I don't want my LW paperwork to say Cyc Left, Cyc Ctr, Cyc Right for the Instrument Type. So if i fix that, so it all says Cyc, it also changes my symbol name so that when I export my LW information back to VW, my cyc units all change to that one type, which makes the drafting incorrect.
  • Has anybody found a way to take LW information and plug it into a VW Spotlight drawing? Often times I have plots and LW data sent to me that were created separately, and I would like to figure out a way to streamline the data (without sitting in Excel and manually entering/merging ID's for 300+ instruments)

I'm sure there's a work around for these items. Perhaps it means scrapping the prepackaged fixes and creating my own. If anybody has any ideas of things that have worked for them, please let me know.

Thanks,

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On your first concern: When I import to LW the suggested matches function always line up the "instrument type" from VW to the LW "instrument type" not "Instrument type other than CAd". So for me I always get the correct data in the correct LW column. Is this what you are talking about?

As far as the striplight example, the instrument types can be set in the lighting info record as symbol defaults when editing the symbol. This does not affect the symbol name. You could call the cyc left, center, and right all MR-16 Strips for example, but still keep the symbol name. The MR-16 name would import to the insrument type column of LW.

Steve

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Merge the files in LW. Edit the LW file being imported to have the same terminology - I.E. "1 Electric" on the importing file should get changed to "1 ELEC" as used by the master LW file that has the house VW UID's, as example. Ditto for units - "6x12" to "6X12", "Source 4, 19 degree" to S4/19" or whatever you use. LW will match positions and unit types, plus unit numbers when an LW ID is not the same. Ch., Dim, Color, Purpose will then get filled in. Units on the imported file that do not exist on the house master LW file will need to first be created in VW, then ONLY those new units exported to the house/master LW file so as to have a match between files. Merge whatever attributes you need.

SB

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First, sing the supplied automated actions and SpotLight's suggested matches on export, there is no way to save label legend info and this is because the "Other CAD" info is indeed kept globally by instrument. The first work around is not to export it, or import it back, but you will have to change the suggested export matches and both LW automated actions to do this. If you really want to send label legend info back and forth, you will still need to change the export and import matches in SpotLight and the automated actions in LW such that the label legend gets imported into a LW text field.

Second, the problem is exactly the same with VW's "Instrument Type" and "Symbol Name" when you export these top LW the Symbol Name gets stored globally just like frame size and assigned to the fixture type; it is not saved for each fixture. If you edit the match ups on VW export so that the Symbol Name is put into a LW text field and then export that text field back to VW you should be OK. There is a caviat. If you add a light or change its type in LW the Symbol Name that you have stored in LW text field will not automatically change. You will need to have that text field visible in your LW worksheet and type in, or copy and paste, the new Symbol Name.

Hm.... it's beginning to sound like I should make a library of export and import commands that would also include the X-coordinate.

Sam

Samuel L. Jones

AutoPlotVW and AutoPlot Tools for SpotLight Developer.

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