Okay, one of the first questions you should answer is it following:

Are you looking for...

...help with a specific command or word (like: Cue, Goto or Macro)?

• If you want to find the command or word your self, you can go to the "Reference -> Commandline" section. Here you can find descriptions of all the keywords and commands in the console. If you need further guidance you can go to the Commandline guide.

... help trying to find out, how a specific key is working?

• If you want to navigate to descriptions of the console keys, you can go to the "Reference -> Key & Buttons" section. If you need further help you can go to the Keys & Buttons guide.

... what a window or menu does or what a pop-up means?

• The "Reference -> Windows" section can help you with all the windows, menus and pop-ups on the console. Go to Windows Guide for further help.

... a step by step tutorial/guide?

• The "Tutorial" section gives you step by step guides to some of the functions in the grandMA2. Go to Tutorial Guide for further help.

... an example on how to solve a specific task?

• The "Task" section gives you task examples on some of the functions in the grandMA2. Go to the Task Guide for further guidance.

... learning more about the philosophy behind the grandMA2?

• The "Concept" area can give you an insight on the grandMA2 philosophy. Go to the Concept Guide for further help.

... something about networking with the grandMA2?

• There are many different pages about networking. Go to the Network Guide for further help.

... something about the grandMA NPU?

• There are different pages and sections about the NPU. Go to the NPU Manual Guide for further help.

...pages that's updated to the newest version?

• Then you can try to search for V[main version]x[sub version] (e.g. V2x1).

The hope and goal is that you can ansver yes to at lest one of the questions above.

If this isn't the case, you could try to browse the manual or formulate your question on ma-share.net - maybe another user can point you in the right direction.

And if you would like the manual writing team to add some guide info, you can contact us using this contact form. You won't get any responds but serious suggestions will be appreciated :-)

Okay, take a look at these next questions:

Are you looking for a explanation on a specific command or keyword?

• Then you shoul go to the Keywords listing in the Syntax section

Are you trying to find out what a hardkey is doing?

• Then you should go to the Key & Buttons guide.

Are you creating a macro and need help?

• There are many manual pages about macro creation. Go to this Macro Guide for further help.

Do you need to know more about the grandMA2 syntax?

• The grandMA2 syntax is very comprehensive. There are two good places: The Commandline Concept pages that contains a more general description and the Commandline Syntax pages that gives you a detailed explanation.

None of the above is what I am looking for...

• Okay, maybe you should try to go back to the Guide Front Page, and see if there's an other answer that fits you better. If there's nothing that helps you, you could send a comment to the manual team using this form, and get us to add the guide info. Please be as specific as possible.

There are tasks describing the most common actions regarding the grandMA NPU.

There are some task regarding setting up the hardware.

The software tasks are divided into using the NPU in Series 1 Mode or Series 2 Mode.

And there's also a separate task about updating the software.

All the windows and screens on the NPU (in Series 2 Mode) are described in the NPU windows section. But you might also want to have a look at the MA Network Configuration - NPU in the Setup Menu. This is used for setting the DMX ports on the NPU.

There's a NPU Tutorial taking you though the steps needed to set up a NPU in a MA system.

After the initial setup of the NPU it works very much in the background. But there are some commands that can help you adding and dismissing NPU's to the network. NetworkInfo, InviteStation and DisconnectStation.

If you need the specifications on the NPU, have a look here.

Manufacturer's name	MA Lighting Technology GmbH
Manufacturer's address	Dachdeckerstr. 16 D-97297 Waldbuttelbrunn Germany

declares that the product.

Product category	Control unit
Name of product	grandMA2 fullsize , grandMA2 light, grandMA2 ultra-light, grandMA2 wing
.	.

complies with the following product specifications:

Safety	EN60065, EN60950
EMV (EMC)	EN55103-1 (E1), EN55103-2 (E2)

Additional information: DMX512, Ethernet, USB, MAlink, DVI, LTC, Audio IN, MIDI and analogue inputs must be shielded and the shielding must be connected to the earthing resp. to the housing of the corresponding plug.

Dipl. Ing. Michael Adenau

The reproduction and distribution of the documentation and software and the use of its contents is subject to written authorization from MA Lighting Technology GmbH.

Windows XP ®, Windows Vista ®, and Microsoft ® are registered trademarks of Microsoft, Corp. All other names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

"What is .... ?". Concepts contains background information you should know to successfully work with the grandMA2 series consoles.

This section aims to give you a conceptual understanding of the philosophy behind the console, without digging deep into every little detail. With a conceptual understanding, you will have the knowledge needed to understand the technical information and facts found in the reference section.

The Reference section contains technical information - facts, descriptions and properties of each elements of the console.

This section is intended for look-up and reference, to expand the basic knowledge gained by the concept section

"How do I .... ?" Allthough the concept and reference section should provide you with enough information to operate the console, the exact steps of some Tasks may not be obvious for all users.

This section contains step-by-step instruction for common tasks and procedures.

This section provides tutorials intended for training. While Tasks contains step-by-step instruction for single operations, the tutorials will guide you thru different scenarios from A-Z.

1. Screen 1 (Commandscreen)
2. Screen 2
3. Screen 3 (light & full-size)
4. Screen 4 (full-size)
5. Window Encoders
6. Attribute Encoders
7. Level Wheel - Dimmer - (light & full-size)
8. Trackball - Pan/Tilt & Mouse
9. Grand Master
10. Fader Executors
11. Button Executors
12. Multipurpose User-keys ("X-keys")
13. Main Executor
14. Command Area
15. Keyboard (light & fullsize)
16. View/Viewpage Buttons
17. Menu Keys
18. Power Key

1. Mains Switch
2. Mains Input, PowerCon NAC3MPA, 120-230V 50/60Hz 350VA
3. DMX Out A-F, 6 x XLR 5pin male
4. DMX In, XLR 5pin female
5. Ethernet 1+2, 2 x EtherCon RJ-45 10/100/1000 Base T-X
6. External Monitor Left+Right, 2 x DVI-I Dual-Link
7. DC Remote Input / pin configuration: pin 1-16 = input, pin 21 and 22 = +5V, pin 24 and 25 ground (gnd)
8. MA-Link, DA-15 female
9. USB, 2 x TypeA USB 2.0
10. MIDI In+Out, 2 x DIN 5/180 female
11. Audio In, XLR 3pin female, min 20mV
12. LTC/SMPTE In, XLR 3pn female, min 200mV
13. Reset Button
14. Desklamp Outputs, 2 x XLR 4pin female, MA LED desklamp 4pin

This section provide background information you should know to successfully work with the grandMA2 series consoles.

For step-by-step instructions for common tasks, and reference documentation of each element of the system, please look at the Tasks and Reference sections.

Object Keywords are used in the commandline to reference objects in your showfile. Examples of object keywords could be Channel, Fixture, Effect, Preset. These keywords represent object-types, and are typically used together with a number/ID or a name/label, to point to specific objects: Channel 3, Fixture 10, Effect 4, Preset "Red".

Object keywords may be compared to nouns in human languages.

Functional Keywords are used in the commandline to perform a task or function. Examples of functional keywords could be Goto, Delete, LeaveSession. Functional keywords are often followed by an object, that the function/task should be applied to: Goto Cue 3, Delete Preset "Blue". Some functions are global and does not need an object as argument, e.g. Blackout.

Functional keywords may be compared to verbs in human languages.

Helping Keywords are used in the commandline to give relations to functions and objects. Examples of helping keywords could be At, Thru : Copy Cue 3 At Cue 5, Delete Effect 4 Thru 6.

Helping keywords may be compared to prepositions and conjunctions in human languages

The general syntax is [Function] [Object], or more specific [Function] [Object-type] [Object-IDs], however to speed up programming, parts of this syntax may be omitted, and will be replaced with default values by the console:

Store Cue 3 may be typed as Store 3 , as Cue is the default object-type for the function Store

Go+Macro 5 may be typed as Macro 5 , as Go+ is the default function for the object-type Macro

The console does not distinguish between upper/lower case in keywords, this form is used merely to improve readability. Additionally, when entering commandline with a keyboard, it is inconvenient to have to type the whole keyword, so every keyword may be shortened to it's unique letter-combination

Store Cue 3 may via the keyboard be typed as st cu 3

Macro 10 may via the keyboard be typed as ma 10

To speed up programming even more, the commandline has a default object keyword, which will be inserted if you start your commandline directly with a number. The default keyword is displayed in square brackets the start of the commandline:

typing just 9 will generate Channel 9, as Channel is currently the default keyword/object of the commandline.

You may change this default keyword at any time, by entering the keyword and then press please.

Fixture Please

The bottom section of this screen contains label and softbuttons for the X-keys. The X-keys can control Button Executors, (List) or Views/Macros (User1 + 2). Additionally these act as hardkeys for options in pop-ups, menus and dialogs.

The bottom section of this screen contains the Encoder Toolbar which gives access to fixture attributes and object properties. In the bottom left corner is the Executor-label for the currently selected (Main) executor. Along the right hand side is 10 View-buttons for easy recall of different userdefined Window-arrangements

The bottom section of this screen contains the labels for the Fader and Button Executors. Along the right hand side is 10 View-buttons for easy recall of different userdefined Window-combinations

Windows are created by pressing an empty space on your screen, and choosing type of window, from the Create Window dialog.

Windows may be moved by dragging the headline, and resized by dragging the lower right corner. After filling your screen with multiple windows, it could look something like this:

Every window has a yellow ball in the upper left corner, which may be used to access the Window Option dialog. Within the options dialog, you may select how the data is presented, fontsize, readout, special filters, toolbars etc.

Here is two examples of the same Window, Fixture Sheet , but with different options:

Window arrangements and options, are stored in as Views. By pressing Store, and an empty Viewbutton on the right part of the screen, the console will create a new View, and assign the View to the button, for easy recall of the current arrangement.

A fixture with a Channel ID will display its dimmer-attribute in the Channel Sheet window. Channel IDs are typically used with devices that only have one controllable parameter - Dimmer.

A fixture with a Fixture ID will display all its attributes in the Fixture Sheet window. Fixture IDs are typically used with fixtures that have multiple controllable parameters - pan/tilt, color, gobo etc.

A fixture must have either a Channel ID or a Fixture ID, - or both. Some operators prefer to give every fixture both the same Channel and Fixture ID, to be able to select number 5, not caring about if it is a Channel or a Fixture, while others prefer to separate and distinguish between the two types of fixtures. e.g Channel 5 (dimmer 5) is another fixture than Fixture 5 (Mac600 #5). A fixture can also have different Channel and Fixture IDs. This may be useful in situations where the designer would like to call fixtures by its location: Channel 35 (5th position on third truss), while the operator prefer to think of the fixture as first mac600, Fixture 601.

In the later years, there has been an increase in products which actually are multiple fixtures in one housing, e.g. LED-battens, where you have multiple cells, and each cell has individual control of RGB. Such fixtures may be patched as one fixture, but nevertheless be accessed individually as Subfixtures. If a Thomas Pixel-line is patched and given the ID Fixture 5, merely selecting fixture 5 would adjust all 18 cells of this fixture. To adjust only cell #13, you select Fixture 5.13

Selecting may be done with the commandline by i.e. pressing Fixture 5 Please . Multiple fixtures may be selected in one go by using the helping keywords +, - and Thru, e.g. Channel 2 Thru 10 - 4

To see your current selection onscreen, you need a Channel Sheet and/or Fixture Sheet window. Selected fixtures will have their name and number (ID) displayed with yellow text.

With a Channel Sheet or Fixture Sheet window visible, you may select fixtures merely by touching their name or ID-number. Selecting a range is done with a "lasso": press on first fixture, move finger/mouse to last fixture, then release. To deselect via the GUI, press the - (minus) key first, then the name/ID in the sheet.

To de-select all selected fixtures press the Clear key once.

Every fixture/channel has a minimum of one, but possibly multiple parameters to be controlled. These parameters are classified as Attributes, and may be adjusted and manipulated via the Encoder Toolbar , once the fixtures are selected.

A generic dimmer typically has only one attribute - "Dimmer" while an advanced Moving Light may have 30+ different attributes. To effectivly work with a high number of attributes, Attributes are grouped in Features, which again are grouped in Preset-types.

The top row of the Encoder Toolbar will display one button for each Preset-type existing in your Showfile. Pressing this button puts the attributes of the first feature, on your encoders. If the Preset-type contains multiple features, or more than 4 attributes per feature, these amy be accessed via the leftmost button in the second row.

The encoders have three basic functions:

Some attributes and features have dedicated controls to enable faster and/or easier access to adjustments

The most obvious is the level wheel next to the numeric keypad, which is allways linked to the dimmer attribute, and the Trackball which is linked to Pan&Tilt, unless it is in Mouse-mode.

Additionally some features like Colormix and Shapers have grahical tools on the multitouch commandscreen.

Active parameters are displayed in the fixture and channel Sheet with a dark red background. By default when creating/storing Cues and Presets, the console will take the Active parameters.

Parameters gets automatically activated when you adjust them in the programmer. For convenience the console will also activate related parameters, so if you adjust the attribute Pan, then Tilt will also be included.

A parameter's data is divided into multiple Layers. These Layers are divided into two main groups, Value Layers and Effect Layers.

With the Layer select buttons centrally located above your encoders, you may choose which layers you are working on.

The Value layers consist of 3 layers

The Effect layers consist of 11 layers

These layers define a dynamic value for the parameter. Learn more about what each layer does via the concept and tutorial pages for Effects

The command for labeling is Label [Object] , - the Label keyword is access by pressing two times on the Assign key, so the exact keystrokes for giving group 3 a name, would be Assign Assign Group 3 Please, and then enter the name in the popup dialog.

If you are labeling a pool-object (i.e a group), and the pool and the object has focus (white square around the object), you can enter a new label just by start typing with the keyboard.

This Direct labeling of object with focus, enables you to enter the name directly after selecting or storing via pool-windows.

Direct labeling also work in the Cue-lists when focus is on the cue-name.

In addition to being informative when displaying data in pools and sheets, names may also be used in the commandline to access the objects.

Sets group "pars"to 50%. If the name includes white-space or reserved words (keywords), the name must be enclosed in quotes Group "All Macs" At 50 .

Presets are divided into different types, each by default collecting related attributes. e.g. Pan, Tilt belong to the Preset-type Position, while ColorWheel and CMY belong to the Preset-type Color etc.

Effect-values may be stored directly into your cues as discrete effect-values, or to the Effect-pool as a Selective Effect for referenced reuse, similar to how static values may be stored and reused via Presets.

Effect-values may be manipulated by selecting the corresponding Effect-layer via the Layer select buttons above your encoders:

Fader Executors have 4 controls: one fader and 3 buttons (2 above fader, one below). Depending on console type and wings attached, you may have direct physical access to up to 90 Fader Executors at once. These Executors are labeled from 1 and up.

Button Executors have only one control: a button. Depending on console type and wings attached, you may have direct physical access to up to 110 Button Executors at once. These Executors are labeled from 101 and up

Even if your hardware-setup do not support 90 + 110 physical Executors, you may still access and use all 200, via onscreen faders and buttons.

The function of each button and fader of an Executor may be freely assigned, to suit the needs for your style of operating, type of show, and functionallity of assigned object.

Typical button functions could be Go, Pause or Flash, while fader function could be Master (intensity), Speed or Crossfade.

Click on the sub topic for more info about the System Setup topics.

The grandMA2 comes with an extensive library of fixture-types from known (and unknown) manufacturers.

Generic fixture-types like ordinary dimmer channels, simple RGB LEDs, scrollers etc may be found via the manufacturer "Generic"

Altering fixture types must be done in the Fixture Schedule, and any changes first takes place when you exit. If in a session, the new schedule will be uploaded to all other stations

To be able to program the fixtures defined in the Fixture Schedule they need to given either a Channel ID a Fixture ID - or both. Without any ID's you will not be able to program the fixtures, but as opposed to deleting the fixtures, removing ID's we keep existing data in your showfile.

Altering ID's must be done in the Fixture Schedule, and any changes first takes place when you exit. If in a session, the new schedule will be uploaded to all other stations

To be able to control (and visualize) the fixtures they need to be patched to a given DMX address and Universe.

The grandMA2 supports patching to 256 different universes, and address & universe are given in the format universe.start_address e.g. 1.1 = first address of first universe, 256.512 = last address of last universe

The DMX-patch does not have to be edited within the Fixture Schedule. The patch may be altered at any-time via the Fixture Sheet or Commandline.

By placing each fixture with XYZ in a three-dimensional environment, the fixtures may be visualized in the Stage Window (wire-frame) and via a connected PC running grandMA3D (realistic).

Fixture Positions does not have to be edited within the Fixture Schedule. the positions may be altered at any-time via the Stage Window

Click on any of the sub topics for more info about the Extended Operations.

Networking is enabled by Starting (or joining) a Session via MA Network Control, under the Setup>Network tab.

A session is a group of stations, communicating and sharing data within a network. There may coexist 32 different Sessions within the same Network.

Additional members/stations in the session may be added and removed via the MA Network Configuration, under the same tab.

DMX Streaming over Ethernet is configured under the DMX-protocols menu

There are different types of timecodes. The grandMA2 accepts LTC (Linear TimeCode) also known as SMPTE and MTC (MIDI TimeCode). The purpose of timecode is to synchronize the light with other type of medias (e.g. sound and/or video).

Let’s first have a look at “Device ID”. This is used to limit the receivers of the MSC message. There are three categories. “Individual device” number, “group” number and “All” devices.

The device ID is a 2 digit hex number. And the three categories are divided like this:

Command format is used to indicate the type of equipment that’s intended to receive the MSC message.

The list of different equipment is long, but the console only responds to and transmit three different command formats. They are:

The console supports five different commands.

The commands are:

This is the same as a GOTO command. After the “01” command you’ll need to specify a cue number (the "Data" part of the massage). Cue numbers need to be transmitted in ASCII format using hex. This means that if you need to transmit the cue number 4 you’ll need to use the hex number “34”. All number can be transmitted by placing a “3” in front of it. A dot is “2E” in hex. So to transmit the cue number “309.45” you’ll need to transmit “33 30 39 2E 34 35”.

You may also specify an executor and executor page number. This is controlled by the MSC options in Setup. You’ll need to separate the cue number and the executor by a “00”.

An executor and page can be separated by a space (00) or a dot (2E). So if you need to trigger cue 5 on executor 4 on page 3 and the separation is a dot, you’ll need to transmit the following data: “35 00 34 2E 33”. If the separator between the executor and page is a space then the same command would be “35 00 34 00 33”.

The grandMA2 always transmit full cue numbers with three decimals. This means that the cue number 2 is transmitted as “2.000” (“32 2E 30 30 30”) and cue number 2.5 is transmitted as “2.500” ("32 2E 35 30 30") but it doesn’t need to receive full cue numbers.

The full MSC message for a GOTO cue 4.5 on executor 12 on page 1 (dot separator) to all devices and all types of equipment is: F0 7F 7F 02 7F 01 34 2E 35 00 31 32 2E 31 F7 .

This is like hitting the pause button. Please read the section above for a better understanding of the hex cue numbering system.

How much you need to transmit is dependent of the MSC options in Setup. If the “MSC In Exec” option is “Default Only” they only the default executor will respond and you don’t need to send any “Data” values. So you’ll only need to send “F0 7F [Device ID] 02 [Command Format] 02 F7”.

The console will transmit “F0 7F [Device ID] 02 [Command Format] 02 30 2E 30 30 30 F7”. This is like sending a “pause running cue” command.

If you have specified in the Setup that you need to specify an executor and a page, then you’ll also have to specify this for the Stop command. And then you’ll have to transmit the “running cue” number. The full MSC message for stopping a running cue on executor 12 on page 1 (dot separator) to all devices and all types of equipment is: F0 7F 7F 02 7F 02 30 00 31 32 2E 31 F7 . This is the shortest possible format for that MSC message. The console would transmit the full message: F0 7F 7F 02 7F 02 30 2E 30 30 30 00 31 32 2E 31 F7 .

This is the only way to continue a paused cue. The only difference between the Stop and Resume commands are the “02” and “03”. So continuing the cue we just paused in the example above would be:F0 7F 7F 02 7F 03 30 00 31 32 2E 31 F7 .

Again if the MSC options in Setup is set to “Default Only”. You can just transmit F0 7F 7F 02 7F 03 F7 to continue the fade.

This is the same as the 01 (Go) command but with a specified time. So, if you haven’t already, please read (and understand) the 01 (GO) section above. Just to make this a bit simpler we are going to pretend that the “Default Only” option is turned on in the MSC options in Setup.

To transmit a timed GOTO you need to specify the time first and then the cue number. The time is specified by five 2-digit hex numbers. They represent (in order) Hour Minute Second Frame and Fraction.

The hour, minute and second sections are very strait forward. You’ll need to transmit the value in hex number but you can transmit a value above the normal limit i.e. you can transmit 64 seconds (“40” in hex). The console will transmit this as 1 minute and 4 seconds.

Right now the console will not accept any time specified in the Frame and Fraction sections. But it transmit values below a second in the Frame section. The console divides the second into 24 frames. So 0.5 seconds is 12 Frames and the received hex number is “0C”.

Follow the link below to a table that compares decimal and hex numbers.

The set command is used to move a fader to specific position. The “06” is followed by two 2-digit hex numbers that indicate the fader and then two more 2-digit hex numbers that dictates the position.

The first of the two numbers for the fader is the fader number (on a page). The first fader are hex number “00”, the second “01” and so on. Remember that this is a hex number so fader 16 have hex number “0F” and 17 is “10”.

The second of the two numbers for the faders are the page number. This is 1 to 1 - although also in hex. But page 1 is “01” in hex and page 2 is “02” etc.

So, how to calculate the position in hex numbers? For this we need to do some math. The faders’ position is defined by a coarse and fine value. The scale for both values is 128 steps. The “Fine” value is transmitted first followed by the “Coarse” value. So you need to multiply the desired fader position (in percent) by 1.28. The resulting integer is the “Coarse” value. The rest of the number (everything on the right side of the separator) should be multiplied with 128 to get the “Fine” value. The two decimal numbers should be converted to hex. You can use the link below to a table that allows you to convert up to decimal number 128.

Let’s try to do an example. Let’s say you want to move a fader to 45%. Multiply 45 with 1.28 (45*1.28) this gives you 57.6. So our Coarse value is “57”. Now we need to multiply 0.6 with 128 (0.6*128). This gives us 76.8. So our Fine value is “76”. Decimal “57” is “39” in hex. Decimal “76” is “4C” in hex. Remember that we need to transmit the Fine value first. Our two hex numbers after “06” is “4C 39”. If we then need to move fader 3 on page 1, our complete MSC message would be: F0 7F 7F 02 7F 06 02 01 4C 39 (all devices and all command formats).

The console only transmit the position of some faders (executors and all the green colored special masters (for the selected executor)), but it accepts positions for all faders that have something assigned.

As mentioned before, you might be using some software that makes this more user friendly, but you might need to know what's really happening down in the hex numbers.

The following are some more examples of MSC messages.

Learn more about the inbuilt Stage-View by following the related links at the bottom, and check out the manual of grandMA 3D here

Via the Layout Pool, you may create multiple layouts for each part of your stage. Use the Layout View to edit content of layouts and to display layouts.

Worlds are used to limit what you can access and what is displayed in sheets.

The first world in the pool is locked. It contains everything and is used when you don't want to exclude anything.

You can select a new world by simply pressing the pool element.

Worlds can be used as Input filters. This will limit what can be stored. Worlds can also work as Playback Filters for a sequence. This will limit what is executed by a sequence. Let's say you have a sequence that have Dimmer, Pan/Tilt and Color - If you apply a world that only allows dimmer values and some fixtures, then the sequence will only output dimmer values for those fixtures. If you also uses the "Dimmer only" world as a Input filter, then you can only store dimmer values for those fixtures in the sequence. This is all done in the Assign Menu.

Playback filters only works by attributes not by layers (Value, Value Times and Effects). E.g. if you have applied a world that only contains the Effect layers, then everything will still playback - but if you have a world that have only fixture 1, then only fixture 1 will be played back.

In previous versions there where a lot of different filters. They are now all combined and can be stored and recalled from the Filter pool. That means that the Store Filter and the At Filter are now combined into one filter.

The filter contains a selection of Attributes. A filter is always active, but the first filter contains all attributes and therefor doesn't filter anything out. The first filter is also locked and cannot be edited.

A Filter can be applied(called) and/or permanent selected. An applied filter have a green bar in the middle. A selected filter have a green color in the name area. You can select a different filter by pressing Select followed by a different filter button. You can call a different filter temporarily by just pressing one of the filters.

A called filter overwrites the selected filter. If you press and hold the At key or the Store key you'll get the a filter pop-up. Here you can create a temporary filter. This can be store to the first available pool button using the Store Filter and Select. Here you'll also find a Reset Filter on Clear button. This will keep a temporary (called) filter active until the programmer have been cleared.

Filters can be used as Input filters. This will limit what can be stored. Filters can also work as Playback Filters for a sequence. This will limit what is executed by a sequence. Let's say you have a sequence that have Dimmer, Pan/Tilt and Color - If you apply a filter that only allows dimmer values then the sequence will only output dimmer values. If you also uses the "Dimmer only" filter as a Input filter, then you can only store dimmer values in the sequence. This is all done in the Assign Menu.

Playback filters only works by attributes not by layers (Value, Value Times and Effects). E.g. if you have applied a filter that only contains the Effect layers, then everything will still playback.

When it's not the first filter that's active, then the At key will flash.

The filter pool is a global pool that's shared by all users.

Masks are used for hiding fixtures and attributes in sheets. There can be a set of criteria that define the mask.

There can be up to 10 mask buttons in the top title bar of sheets (except DMX sheet). This allows you to apply a mask to only that sheet.

You can set the sheet to follow the selected mask. This will allow you to use the Mask pool to mask all sheets (following selected) at the same time.

A mask pool button can be selected by simply pressing the pool element.

The first 6 masks are locked. The very first mask doesn't mask anything.

Whatever you do with the command line, you are accessing a database that represents your current show file. The structure of that database is a tree. By default when using the commandline, you are at the root of the tree, and you commands will be directed to the correct branch, by the content of your command. In some situations at may be convenient to direct your commands to a specific part of the tree.

This may be achieved with the command CD (Change Destination).

If your destination is not the root, the Commandline input field will display the destination as a prefix of the commandline. Press the yellow ball to open the Commandline Response window

In the situation above, Store 1 will create FixtureType 1, rather than the usual Cue 1.

When your commandline is directed to a specific destination, you can still do normal operations, however shorthand entry no longer work, you need to enter the full syntax Store Cue 1 to create Cue 1

A grandMA2 Replay Unit is a basically a grandMA2 Light compacted into a rack unit but without the user interface. There's a small 7" internal touch screen that allows you to do everything you can on the small screen.

The screen works as a combination of screen 1 and 2. It's devided into two areas as the multitouch on a console, but the lower part is mostly displaying the encoder toolbars. Se below for example screenshots.

The grandMA2 Replay Unit can be connected to a series 2 network and can only boot in series 2 mode.

The grandMA2 Replay Unit is a 3 unit 19" rack mount device with an 7" internal touchscreen.

• 6 female DMX ports and 1 male DMX port (5-pin XLR).
• 2 Ethercon connectors for Ethernet.
• 2 DVI-I connector for external screens.(also specified touch screens)
• MA-Link.
• Sub-D 25 connector for remote control.
• MIDI in and out.
• Sound and LTC input (3-pin female XLR).
• 3 USB plugs.
• 1 reset button.

When you use the grandMA NPU in Series 2 mode, it provides parameters to the network. It can be used with a grandMA2 console or with grandMA2 onPC.

In this mode you can use the touch screen to change some of the setting. DMX port settings needs to be changed from a console or onPC.

The grandMA NPU can be connected to a series 1 or series 2 network.

The NPU helps the consoles with the output calculations, and it provides 8 DMX ports that can be configured as input or output. The output follows the USITT DMX512-A protocol.

One of the main thoughs behind the NPU, is a central DMX output/iinput device, that's shared by all the stations in the MA-Net. It supports the system with real time calculations and parameter expansion (4,096 parameters).

The grandMA2 NPU is a 3 unit 19" rack mount device with an 7" internal touchscreen. It has 8 DMX ports (5-pin female XLR) and 3 USB plugs.

When you use the grandMA NPU in Series 2 mode, it provides parameters to the network. It can be used with a grandMA2 console or with grandMA2 onPC.

In this mode you can use the touch screen to change some of the setting. DMX port settings needs to be changed from a console or onPC.

You can also use the grandMA NPU in Series 1 mode. When connected to a console or onPC it also provides parameters.

When in series 1 mode, you can only make change to the NPU using a USB keyboard.

There's a manual guide directing you to all the pages in the manual that has anything to do with the grandMA NPU: Manual Guide - NPU

Well, I can tell you the difference between the two, but to make MA or you change your ways, is a bit out of the scope if this manual. The physical DMX512 output on all grandMA2 products is a 5 pin XLR connector. A connector like that will output one universe equal to 512 DMX channels. Okay, that’s pretty standard knowledge.

So why are MA talking about parameters?

Well, let’s have a look at the DMX history. Some years back the only thing controlled by DMX was dimmers. The standard was designed to make a smooth transition from 0 to 100% Because of the way the protocol works it was decided that 256 steps would do the trick.

A lot of water passed under the bridge and now DMX controls everything (well almost everything). Some things were just not happy with 256 steps (also known as 8-bit). Like Panning from 0 to 460 degrees in 256 steps gives you something close to 1,8 degrees per step. That really wasn’t good enough. So someone thought of adding the values of one DMX channel to another. And then we had 16-bit equals 65.536 steps! That's much better for panning. But some products still needed more than that. And we have 24-bit and that’s a stacking 16.777.216 steps!

MA is only thinking in parameters. If you think of a fixture with a 16-bit Pan, 16-bit Tilt and an 8-bit Dimmer. This is 5 DMX channels, but MA is only calculating this as three parameters (Pan, Tilt & Dim). The internal calculations of the parameters are higher than 8/16/24-bit (more like 32-bit), and they are then converted down to the amount of DMX channels a parameter uses.

Now how does this affect you and why should you care?

Let’s imagine that you have bought a grandMA 2Port Node onPC. This acts like a hardware dongle for 512 parameters. This means that you can with an onPC control 512 parameters. Let’s imagine that you only control dimmers. But you have 512 of them. When MA is only counting parameters, it doesn’t matter if they are 8-bit, 16-bit or 24-bit dimmers.

If MA was counting in DMX channels, you could control 512 8-bit dimmers or 256 16-bit dimmers or 170 24-bit dimmers.

Is that fair? MA doesn’t think so. That’s why they think in parameters and you should be a happy customer :-)

If you want to know more about parameter count and expansion, follow the link below.

There are a fewer parameter numbers to remember in grandMA2.

This section is about the parameter count for single units

If we begin at the top end and work our way down the ranks:

The NPU is the only unit that expands your parameter count. Every NPU you add to your network, also adds 4096 parameters!

You can add a maximum of 16 NPUs regardless of your console.

The NPUs help with parameter calculations

When you use a grandMA2 onPC with a 2 Port Node, you add the parameter count of the "biggest" node e.g. having a network with an onPC and a 2 Port Node and a 2 Port Node Pro, you get 1024 parameters. You can add as many nodes you like (for more DMX connectors) but it will not expand your parameter count.

You can also add a NSP to a grandMA2 onPC it works like the 2 Port Nodes, but it adds 2048 parameters. When using nodes (2 Port Node, 2Port Node Pro or NSP) you only get the parameters from the biggest unit.

Connecting a Command Wing to your onPC will give you 2048 parameters. You can add a 2 Port Node or a 2 Port Node Pro and expand the parameter count to 2560 or 3072 respectively.

When you use a NPU with an onPC you get the parameters from the NPU (4096 parameters). You can add a maximum of two NPUs to grandMA2 onPC but the parameter limit for onPC is 4096 parameters.

If you have a onPC with a NPU, NSP, 2 Port Node Pro and 2 Port Node, you get 4096 parameters - from the biggest unit.

Remember you can add all the units you like for more DMX connectors.

The tutorials here are designed to help you understand how the console works.

They start with the Basic tutorials and then moves into more specific areas (still work in progress).

This will give you a short tour through all the most basic things you need to know for creating a show, turn on channels, make groups, store cues and make your screens display the relevant data.

On a grandMA there are many different ways to get from A to B. But to get the best result with this tutorial, it’s important that you follow the steps fairly precise. You can always experiment on your own afterwards.

I have chosen to use different markings when I want you to do different things.

If I need you to press a hard key (a key that is physically on the desk) it looks like this: Setup. If I’m just referring to the button I will put it in single quotation marks e.g.: 'Setup'.

If you are supposed to press a button on the screen or a area on the screens I will write it like this >>Macro 1<<.

If you are supposed to write text on the keyboard I will write it like this: Moving light. I will often tell you to end a command with 'Please'. This referrers to any of the two Please keys on the console (only one on the UltraLight).

When referring to a window on a screen you have created, I will mark it like this: CommandLine Feedback.

If you are doing this on an onPC , you need to imagine all the physical buttons, and use the relevant buttons in the program. I will write this as if you where at a real console (a FullSize).

A real FullSize console can have up to 6 screens (incl. 2 external). I will refer to them as "Screen 1", "Screen 2", etc.

Screen 1 is the 9" Multi Touch Screen. Screen 2 to 4 is the 15.4" touch screens on a FullSize (from right to left). 5 and 6 are the external screens.

If you are at a desk that only got one 15.4" touch screen, just ignore everything with screen 3 and 4. You will learn to store and recall screen views on the one screen you have. The same thing applies for the external screens. If you don’t have any, just use the one screen you do have.

This tutorial is made on version 1.3. So it should be working on every version from and above this.

Happy Programming.

The first this you need to do is the press the Backup key. Then make sure the >>Internal<< tab is selected.

Now press the >>New Show<< button.

This gives you the "New Show" pop-up. Here you can write the name of the show and change some options.

In the name box, write your name followed by this: _Tutorial_Basic1

Make sure you check all the boxes in the pop-up. This ensures that we create a new empty show with all default options.

Your pop-up should look something like this (I used the name "John Doe"):

Then you can press the >>Please<< button and close the "Backup" menu by pressing the yellow X in the upper right corner (this is how you always closes temporary windows.

You have how created a new empty show.

Go to the next page to learn to patch dimmers.

Do you want a show without lights? No, not really! I’ve made a simple design with some general stage wash.

This gives us a total of 40 dimmer channels. Press the Setup key and make sure the >>Show<< tab is selected. The press the >>Patch & Fixture Schedule<< button.

This gives you a pop-up is called "Layer Name". Here you write: Dimmers followed by a 'Please'.

Then a part of your screen should look like this:

Now you should press the button called >>Please select fixturetype<<.

Now we are going to import a fixture type from the library on the desk to the show.

Press the >>Add Fixturetypes from Library<<.

This is a list of all the fixture types in the library. We are going to use the manufacture filter to limit the list.

At the bottom of the page you'll find a box named "Manufacturer Filter". Here you write: generic.

Now you can only see the generic fixture types. At the bottom you'll also see a box called "Fixture filter", here you write dim.

The list is now limited to only display generic fixtures that has "dim" in its name.

Select the one called "generic@dimmer@00.xmlp".

The bottom of your screen should now look like this:

Press the >>Ok<< button and then the >> 'Dimmer'1 << button.

Now you'll get a series of pop-ups that help you adding new fixtures.

The first one asks for the quantity of fixtures. Write: 40 followed by a 'Please'.

Now it asks for the Channel ID. Write: 1 followed by a 'Please'. This gives the first dimmer an ID number of 1, the second one an ID of 2, etc.

Then you need to give your first dimmer a Fixture ID. We don't want a fixture ID so write 0 followed by a 'Please'.

Now we need to give the first dimmer a patch. Write: 1.1 followed by a 'Please'. This places the first fixture in universe 1 and DMX channel 1.

Now you are almost ready to add the fixtures. We just need to edit the name. Just press where it says >>Dimmer<< in the box called "Name".

Then you write: Dim 1 followed by a 'Please'. This names your dimmers "Dim 1", "Dim 2", etc.

Now it should look like this:

Press the >>Apply<< button. You have now added 40 dimmer channels.

Close the two setup screens using the yellow X.

On the next page we are going to look at controlling those channels.

Often it can be a advantage to see how the console reacts to your commands. This is done on the Commandline Feedback window.

We are going to create this window at the bottom of screen 2 (the 15,4" touchscreen on the right side).

Press anywhere in the upper left corner on the empty screen. This gives you the "Create Basic Window" pop-up. Here you need to press the >>Other<< tab. Here you'll find a >>Command line<< button. Press it.

Now you have created a Commandline Feedback window.

It continually gives you a lot of information. Don't be confused about all the information, I'll tell you about it when you need it.

You can resize the window by pressing the area in the lower right side of the window (where there are a lot of yellow dots).

The window can be moved by pressing and holding the headline of the window (where it has a yellow ball and the "Commandline Feedback" text).

Now you should size and move your window so it takes up three whole lines at the bottom of the screen.

To view your 40 channels you need a Channel Sheet window.

Press the upper left corner on screen 2. Then select the >>Sheets<< tab in the "Create Basic Window" and then the >>Channel<< button.

You have now created a Channel Sheet. Here you can see your channels and the values they have.

Your screen should now look something like this:

You can store your view on any of the view buttons in the side of your screen.

Now we are going to store our view on the top button just right to screen 2.

Press Store key followed by the V1 key.

This gives you a pop-up. It asks which screens you want to store. Without changing anything press the >>Please<< button.

You have now created a view. Let's give it a name.

Press Assign key twice followed by the V1. This gives you a pop-up. Here you write: Channel followed by a 'Please'.

You can see in your Commandline Feedback window writes this:

This tells you that you have given your view a new label.

On the next page we are going to learn about controlling the values of the channels.

There are many ways to turn on your channels on a grandMA. Let's begin with one of the simple ones. Press thise hardkeys: 1 At 1 0 0 Please. You have now turned on channel 1 at 100%. Let's look at what else happened. The channel ID "1" has changed to a yellow color and the background behind the value has changed to a red color. Also the value (in this case the intensity) is now in a red color. The yellow color means that the channel is selected and you can change the value. Press At 5 0 Please. Since the channel is already selected you can just give it a new value and it is now at 50%. Now press Clear once. Channel 1 is no longer selected and you can't just change the intensity again. The red background color indicates that the value will be saved if you press 'Store' (don't do it now). Instead press once more on Clear. The only thing left is the value in the red color. This means that it's still in the temporary memory (called the programmer), but it will not be saved if you store. Press Clear once more. Now channel 1 is turned off and it's not in the programmer anymore. Instead of pressing the 'Clear' button 3 times you can keep it pressed for about 1 second and you have cleared the programmer.

There are other ways to turn a channel at 100%. Here's another example: 1 At At. This is a shortcut to give the channel a value of 100%. Press . twice. This gives channel 1 a value of 0%. You can of course also use "At 0 Please". The value is in the programmer and will be stored (if you save a cue). Press Clear until the programmer is cleared. If you have several channels in the programmer and just what to "release" one, you can use the 'Off' button in combination with the 'Channel' button. Turn on channel 1 at 100%. Now press Off Channel 1 Please. The final way (I will introduce to you) is the "Level" wheel. With this you can change the value fast and simple. Turn it away from you and the value of the selected channels goes up. Turn it towards yourself and it goes down.

If you want to turn on several channels at the same time you need the buttons '+' and/or 'Thru'. They are pretty self-explanatory. Guess what you need to press to turn on channel 1 to 10 plus 20 at 20%. This is the fast way: 1 Thru 1 0 + 2 0 At 2 0 Please. If you want to exclude channels you can use '-' (minus). So if you want to give channel 1 to 10 plus 20 but minus 5 a value of 0%, this is the fastest way: 1 Thru 1 0 + 2 0 - 5 . . .

You can also use '+' and '-' to change the value. 5 At + 3 0 Please. This brings channel five up to 50%. 5 At - 5 0 Please. Brings the channel down to 0%.

Now you know how to assign values to channels. End this section by clearing your programmer.

On the next page we are going to look at Groups.

Since we are going to make some groups it would be practical to be able to see them.

I find it nice to have it at the same screen (since there's room). So I suggest making the Channel Sheet one line smaller and then press the empty space on the left side.

Again we are presented with the "Create Basic Window" pop-up. This time you need to access the >>Pools<< tab. Here we find the >>Groups<< button. Now you got some empty group buttons right at your fingertips. You could store this as a new view (or store your existing view again).

All the odd numbers in our light plot have a warm color and all the even ones have a cold color. We are going to make some groups with those colors. The first one is all the warm colors from front of house. Press: 5 + 7 + 9 + 1 1 Please . Now you have selected channel 5, 7, 9 and 11. Then press Store followed by the first available group button. Groups cannot contain any value so we don't need to assign any.

Before you do anything else, use your keyboard to write: FOH Warm. Should you have touched anything else (buttons, screens, anything) before typing, you can use a different method to name things (e.g. groups). The function is called "Label" and you access it by pressing the 'Assign' key twice. Do that and then press the first group button again. Now you have the option to change the name, delete it, or type it for the first time. When you are happy press Please”.

Look at your Channel Sheet. Here you can see that the numbers 5, 7, 9 and 11 have the yellow color, meaning that they are still selected. We are done with those four channels, so press the 'Clear' key once.

All right, now I have told you everything you need to know about making groups. In all we need 12 groups. I have gathered all the information you need for making the groups in a table. You have already made group 1, but the rest is a nice little exercise.

Group number:	Channels:	Name:
1	5 + 7 + 9 + 11	FOH Warm
2	17 + 19 + 21 + 23	LX1 Warm
3	25 + 27 + 29 + 31	LX2 Warm
4	33 + 35 + 37 + 39	LX4 Warm
5	1 + 3 + 13 + 15	Box Warm
6	All uneven numbers	All Warm
7	6 + 8 + 10 + 12	FOH Cold
8	18 + 20 + 22 + 24	LX1 Cold
9	26 + 28 + 30 + 32	LX2 Cold
10	34 + 36 + 38 + 40	LX4 Cold
11	2 + 4 + 14 + 16	Box Cold
12	All even numbers	All Cold

When you are done, your group pool should look something like this:

On the next page we will make the first cue.

A light cue is saved in a sequence. The grandMA can handle an almost unlimited number of sequence.

We only need one for this tutorial. All cue numbers are in numeric order i.e. cue number 4 cannot be before cue number 3. But the cue can have any name.

First of all we need a window where we can see our sequence. Click on the top left cell on one of your empty screens. If you only have one screen you need to clear it first (by deleting the windows already there) and then press the cell.

The window we need is called Sequence Executor, so in the "Create Basic Window" pop-up, select the >>Sheets<< tab and press the button called >>Sequence Executor<<. You could save this as a (new) view.

The first thing you should do is to select the first executor. Press:Select Exec 1 . You can always locate your selected fader by its green background color where it says "Seq". And to indicate that there is a sequence assigned to that fader the number underneath the fader is brighter. The green LED is on when the executor is on.

Let’s make our first cue. Press: 2 0 At 4 0 Please. Then Store Please. That was it! You have now saved channel 20 at 40% in cue 1 in sequence 1 at executor fader 1.

If you don’t specify anything else the console assumes you are referring to your selected executor and the sequence assigned to that executor. You can always locate your selected excutor by its green background color where it displays the sequence name (now it says "Seq 1").

You also got a line in your Sequence Executor window. Most of the columns are self-explanatory - but I will mention some of them. "Number" is of course the cue numbers. "Name" is the name. "Trig" describes what triggers the cue. If we look at our first cue, the trigger is "Go". This means that to execute the cue you need to press a Go key. "Delay", "Fade", "Out Delay" and "Out Fade" shows you the respective times.

Before we make any more cues, let’s change the cue name. If you don’t specify anything the desk names it "Cue". Press Assign Assign Cue 1 Please. Use the keyboard to write Behind Curtain followed by a 'Please'. A different way to change the cue name is to right click on the name with the mouse. No matter what way you choose - your first cue should now have the name "Behind Curtain".

If you can't see the entire name you can expand the column width by placing the mouse curser on the line that divides "Name" and "Trig". When you are at the right place, your curser changes so it now also has a little horizontal double ended arrow. Click and hold the left mouse button while you drag the mouse to your right. Then release the mouse button again. Now your Sequence Executor window should look something like this:

On the next page we are going to create more cues.

Let’s make some more cues. Press: 2 0 + 2 8 At 8 0 Store Cue 2 Time 1 5 Please . That created cue 2 with a fade time on 15 seconds. Let’s continue with cue 3. Now we’re going to use the groups and the command line.

You need to locate the Command Line. It looks like this:

This is the CommandLine. It can be a fast way to get around the console and the commands. But sometime the keys are fastest. In the CommandLine type this:

followed by Please . Then type:

followed by Please . Now let's have a look at the commandline feedback and how the console has responded (please don't press any buttons).

What does all this mean? "g" is a short cut to "Group". That means the respond to the first line is:

The "t" in the second line as a short for "thru". The console respond to the second line is:

We are gonna store the cue using the hardkeys: Store Time 2 0 Time 2 5 Please. This is the response from the console:

Now why is this? We typed "Time 20 Time 25". The desk interprets this as 20 seconds (Basic)Fade and 25 seconds (Basic)OutFade. Pretty clever, huh?

Notice that after the second cue we don't need to specify the cue number. The desk automatically uses the next available number.

In cue 4 we need to take 30% of everything that is on. We do this in a fast and easy way: If Please At - 3 0 Store Time 1 0 Please .

That was fast! By using "If Please" you get the command "IfOutput", this selects everything that has output. Then using "At - 30" you subtract 30% from whatever value the channels had before (of course nothing less than 0%).

Now we're going to make a lot of changes: Group 6 . . Group 9 Thru 1 1 At 6 0 Please Group 7 + 8 At 7 5 Store Time 1 5 Time Time 5 Please .

What is "Time 15 Time Time 5"? If you have a look at your Command Line Feedback” it reads: "BasicFade 15 BasicDelay 5". This means that you told the desk to delay the execution of the cue with 5 seconds after you've pressed the "Go" button (and then fade at 15 seconds - but you probably guessed that).

With the "Time" command we can assign many different times. A command like: "Time 20 Time 15 Time 10 Time 5" the desk translates to: "BasicFade 20 BasicDownFade 15 BasicDelay 10 BasicDownDelay 5"!

The last cue we are going to make is a blackout. And we do that with only six button presses: If Please . . Store Please . That was our 6 cues. It was hopefully fast and painless.

The next page we are going to make some changes to the sequence.

We would like to change cue 3 to automatically activate when cue 2 is done. You do this by right-clicking with the mouse (or pressing Edit and then) on the screen where it says "Go" in "Trig" column in the Sequence Executor sheet in cue 3.

This gives you a drop down box with the following choices: Go, Time, Follow, Sound & BPM. Select >>Follow<< by clicking or pressing it.

Then when cue 2 is done the desk automatically activates the fade to cue 3.

Let's change the cue names. You know how to do this, so I just made a table:

Cue Number:	Name:
1	Behind Curtain
2	With Curtain Up
3	Build
4	Darker
5	Cold
6	B.O.

If you need to, then expand the "name" column in your Sequence ExecutorSheet, so you can see the entire names.

Let's imagine that we’'ve got a lighting designer who has changed his mind. He wants 5% more on the group called "LX 1 Warm" in cue 3. Let’'s load cue 3: Goto 3 Time 0 Please .

What happened? We loaded a cue and activated the executor. And we now have a yellow frame on cue 3 in the Sequence Executor Sheet. To load cue 3 you only need to write "Goto 3 Please". We added "Time 0". This overwrites the fade times stored in the cue and we didn't have to wait for the cue to fade in.

Let’s move on: Group 2 At + 5 Please . Now the 'Update' button lights up. This means you can update the activated cue. Press Update and without worrying about anything press the U3 key (or where it says: "Tracking Update") so the button changes to "Update Cue Only". Now press the X6 key (or where it says "Update Cue") to update the cue. To exit the cue and deactivate the sequence you need to press the top button above executor fader 1.

Let's change some of the times in the cue list. This is how your times should end up:

Delay	Fade	Out Delay	Out Fade
.	0	.	.
3	15	.	.
.	20	.	25
.	10	.	.
.	15	5	10
.	0	.	.

Look at the Sequence Executor Sheet. Right click on the cells and type in the new value ether on "the calculator" on the screen, the buttons on your desk or using the keyboard. The final result should look like this:

Try pressing the big 'Go+' ”button to see how your channels react to the different times.

Press: Backup Backup (as double-clicking a mouse button). This is a fast way to store your show.

That was it! Now you know the most elementary things. You have leaned to create a show, make a simple patch, create views, turn on channels, save and use groups and finally creating a sequence with cues with different times.

This will give you a short tour through all the most basic things you need to know for adding fixtures to the patch, controlling fixtures, creating presets, adding a sequence and using worlds.

This tutorial builds on the first tutorial. I strongly recommend making that one first: Tutorial Basic 1.

On a grandMA there are many different ways to get from A to B. But to get the best result with this tutorial, it’s important that you follow the steps fairly precise. You can always experiment on your own afterwards.

I have chosen to use different markings when I want you to do different things.

If I need you to press a hard key (a key that is physically on the desk) it looks like this: Setup. If I’m just referring to the button I will put it in single quotation marks e.g.: 'Setup'.

If you are supposed to press a button on the screen or a area on the screens I will write it like this >>Macro 1<<.

If you are supposed to write text on the keyboard I will write it like this: Moving light. I will often tell you to end a command with 'Please'. This referrers to any of the two Please keys on the console (only one on the UltraLight).

When referring to a window on a screen you have created, I will mark it like this: CommandLine Feedback.

If you are doing this on an onPC , you need to imagine all the physical buttons, and use the relevant buttons in the program. I will write this as if you where at a real console (a FullSize).

A real FullSize console can have up to 6 screens (incl. 2 external). I will refer to them as "Screen 1", "Screen 2", etc.

Screen 1 is the 9" Multi Touch Screen. Screen 2 to 4 is the 15.4" touch screens on a FullSize (from right to left). 5 and 6 are the external screens.

If you are at a desk that only got one 15.4" touch screen, just ignore everything with screen 3 and 4. You will learn to store and recall screen views on the one screen you have. The same thing applies for the external screens. If you don’t have any, just use the one screen you do have.

This tutorial is made on version 1.3. So it should be working on every version from and above this.

Happy Programming.

Before we are doing anything else, we need to store the show with a new name.

But maybe you need to load the show from "Tutorial Basic 1" first.

Press the Backup key and then make sure you have chosen the "Internal" tab. Now press the >>Load Show<< button.

Locate your saved show from tutorial basic 1 in the list of shows. Make sure all the boxes on the right side is checked and then press the >>Ok<< button.

Now we have loaded the show (again).

Still in the Backup Menu, press the >>Save Show As<< button and in the pop-up write your name followed by this: _Tutorial_Basic2.

I use the name "John Doe" so I would write: JohnDoe_Tutorial_Basic2.

Now we have saved our show with a new name and we can close the Backup Menu using the yellow cross in the upper right corner.

We just got 9 Mac 700 Profiles from Martin Professional. And we want to add them to the patch. This is what the new light plot looks like:

All right, let's go. Press the Setup key then the >>Show<< tab and the >>Patch & Fixture Schedule<< button.

We want to add the fixtures in a new layer. So that's the first thing we are gonna add.

Make sure the "Layer" part (the left half) of the screen is selected (the headline has a bright blue background), and then press the 'Add' key (it's the X1 key)

In the pop-up write: Mac700.

Now press the 'Add' key again. And the press >>Please select fixturetype<<. Now press >>Add Fixturetypes from Library<< to import a new fixture type into the show.

The manufacturer is "Martin" and we need the "Mac 700 Profile" in extended mode:

When you have selected the correct fixture type press the >>Ok<< button. Back in the Select Fixture Type pop-up press the >>'Mac 700 Profile' 2<<.

The quantaty is "9".

For the Channel and Fixture ID we need them to start at "111". And the patch to begin at the second universe with DMX channel 1 (that makes the first fixtures patch number "2.1"). Change the name to "Mac700 1". And now press the >>Apply<< button.

But we are not quite done. We need to change some of the Channel and Fixture ID's to match the light plot. When you are done your fixture list should look like this:

And now we can exit both the Edit Setup pop-up and the Setup menu. This also saves your new fixtures.

Go to the next page to learn about the Fixture Sheet.

Now that we have fixtures it would be nice to see what they are doing. For this we are going to need the Fixture Sheet window.

I like the fixture sheet on screen 2. That way it's directy above the four encoders. But it's all up to you where you put it on the screens.

When you have room for it, press the empty space where you want your Fixture Sheet. In the Create Basic Windows pop-up you need to select the "Sheets" tab and then press the >>Fixtures<< button.

Now you have a Fixture Sheet. Here your fixtures are (as a default) represented as a list. Your fixture are in rows and the different attributes (like Dimmers, Pan/Tilt, Gobos, etc.) are sorted in columns.

When you press the yellow ball in the upper left corner of the sheet you get the sheet options (it's also here you can delete a window - if you haven't noticed).

You can follow the link below to read details about the Fixture Sheet. This is how my fixture sheet looks:

This is my sheet options:

Tools:

• Preset Control - Off
• Layer Control - On
• Filter Control - Off
• Multi Control - Off
• ScrollBar Horizontal - Off
• Scrollbar Vertical - Off

Layer Filter:

• Layer - Preset Values
• Filter - None
• Feature Mask - Off

Display:

• Sheet Style - Horizontal
• Font - DejaVu 10
• Readout - Percent
• Symbol Output - On
• Symbol Features - On
• Cue Colors - On
• Channel ID - On
• Columns - 10
• Feature Sort - On
• Fixture Sort - Off

Feature Mask:

• We are not gonna use Feature Mask, so they can just keep there default options.

On the next page we are going to have a look at how to control fixtures.

The key to control fixtures is this bar:

It's the "Preset Control" bar. With this you can control what preset type you have assigned to your encoders.

The bar will only display the preset types you have access to. you might have noticed that before we added the Mac 700's there was only the "Dimmer" button in the bar.

The bar might disappear when you move focus to something else. Like working in the Sequence Executor Sheet. But you can always bring it back by pressing somewhere in your Fixture Sheet or Channel Sheet.

To control fixtures you need to select them. Let's try with fixture 111. Press: 1 1 1 Please.

This selects the fixture, and you can assign a dimmer value using the methods you learned in Tutorial basic 1. Or you can select the "Dimmer" preset type using the bar and turn the first encoder to turn up the lights.

Select "Position" by pressing it. Notice how your encoder changes function according to what preset type you have selected. With the "Position" your encoders look like this:

Turning the encoders changes the values. Turning them with the encoder pressed changes the value faster. if you want to make smaller movement with a turn (incresing the resolution) you can press the "Normal / Fine / Ultra" button next to the value.

Notice how some of the buttons in the Preset Control Bar have a red square and some a grey one. The red one indicates that you have changed values in that preset type. This will be saved if you press the 'Store' key (don’t do it).

Press the >>Gobo<< button. Now instead of turning the first encoder, just press it shortly. This is where the "calculator" proves its power. The "calculator" is the pop-up that allows you to input values to attributes using a graphic interface. This is what it looks like with "Gobo 1" selected:

Next to the usual buttons with numbers etc. there is a lot of buttons that changes according to your selections. When gobo is selected you have easy access to all the different gobos. Select the one called "Water" and confirm you choice by pressing 'Please'.

When our fixture has more than one gobo wheel you can choose the others by using the "Feature Select" button:

You can press the text (Gobo1) to scroll thru the possible features or the "up arrow" to se a small list of the possible choices:

The last thing I will introduce you to is how to control colors.

Press the Preset Type button "Color". The first thing you see is the attribute "Color Wheel 1". This works as all the other attributes.

Now try to select "ColorMix" using the "Feature Select" button. This assigns Cyan, Magenta and Yellow to the first three encoders (in that order). Then you can control these three attributes manually.

What it also does is gives you the possibility to press the "Show Specialized Dialog" button - press it now. It should brig you this window on screen 1 (the 9" multi touch screen):

It's three different ways to assign a color to your fixture. What you are currently looking at is the "Fader" window. Here you can control the gradiant color wheels using HSB (Hue, Saturation & Brightness), CMY (Cyan, Magenta & yellow) and/or RGB (Red, Green & Blue). They are all connected, so other faders will move when you are moving one.

Try to press the U2 key (or where it says "HSB"). This gives you this window:

This is much like the "ColorPicker" from grandMA series 1. You can choose a color by pressing anywhere in the colored area. You can also see how this affects your HSB, CMY and RGB values.

Try to press the U3 key (Swatch Book). The window changes to this:

This can be used to choose a color much like the ones in the books of the leading gel manufacturers.

Notice how your Fixture Sheet changes and always shows you what your fixture is outputting.

Take some time experiment with the fixture controls. When you’re done clear your programmer and move on to the next page.

A preset is a way to store a set of values. There a 10 different groups of presets. They are named "All", "Dimmer", "Position", "Gobo", "Color", "Beam", "Focus", "Control", "Shapers" & "Video". Basically the preset groups can only store their own kind of info i.e. the "Position" preset group can only store info about Position values.

The exception to this is the "All" presets. They can store info about all the types of values. The Preset Pool windows are a lot like the Group Pool window except if you have nothing selected the first time you press a preset button, the desk selects the fixtures/channels that can use that preset. If you press a second time the desk assigns the values (stored in the preset) to the fixtures/channels.

In this tutorial we are gonna use "All", "Position", "Gobo" and "Color" presets. How you arrange them is all up to you. You know how to create and store views.

But one thing that is good to know is that you can dicide what color the frame around the different preset pools should have.

You enter the Pool Options by pressing the yellow ball above the pool headline:

Here you'll find a something called "Frame Color". Pressing here followed by a press on any color in the options, changes the color on you pool frames.

When you are done, your view could look something like this:

On the next page we are gonna look at creating presets.

In just a few seconds we are going to store a preset. But to make sure we save them correctly we need to examine the "Store options". Press and hold the Store key. After approx. 1 second the Store Options pop-up appears. The only thing we are interested in is the "Preset Options" they look like this:

Press the buttons until it looks like the buttons above. When you are happy press >>Save as Default<< next to the yellow X.

Finish by pressing the Esc key twice (we are not storing anything right now).

All right, try placing all your moving lights in different positions.

When you are happy, make sure you can se the preset group called "Position". Press Store and the first (Position) preset button.

Now instead of values our fixture sheet shows "P 2.1". This refers to Preset Pool 2, Pool Button 1. If you have given the preset a name, then this name will appear instead.

Move your lights to different position. Now press StorePreset 2 . 2 Please. This creates a second position preset. The "2 ." is a reference to the position presets (you may recall the window you created was called "2:Position").

Move your light and make one more position preset. Clear your programmer.

Select the first Mac 700 (Fixture 111). Change the color to a blue one using the Specialized Color Dialog. Press and hold the Store key. In the "Store Options" press the button "Selective" until it is changed to "Global". Now store it to the first color preset.

So what's the difference to the 2 different store options? All the Position presets we made with the "Selective" option. This means that the presets only applies to the fixtures that actually had values when you stored the preset. The "Global" means that this preset applies to all fixtures of the same fixture types even though you have only created it with some of them.

The last option "Universal" may be used to make presets that applies also to other fixturetypes than the one(s) used for creation. this functionallity applies only to the generic attributes dimmer, pan, tilt and colormix.

Make 2 more color presets. Make 3 different gobo presets. Clear your programmer.

Press: 1 1 1 Thru 1 3 3 PleasePleasePleaseStorePreset 0 . 1 Please. Now you have made an "All" preset that contains all the default values of the fixtures (The "Please Please Please" activates all parameters of the fixtures).

You should have presets that look something like this (I have rearranged the view so all the created presets are visible):

This is what we need for making our new second sequence. Go to the next page to do that.

Clear your programmer. Press the first Position preset twice. Now press Store and one of the buttons labelled "3" around executor fader 3.

Now we got our second sequence. Let’s build some more into it. Select executor fader 3 by pressing Select followed by one of the executor buttons around the executor fader. Press the first Gobo and Color presets followed by Store Please. Then we got the Save pop-up:

Here you choose how you want to store things. Press >>Merge<<.

That was our first cue. Clear the programmer. Press the second Position twice followed by the second Gobo and Color presets and then Store Please. This time choose >>Create second Cue<< in the Save pop-up.

Make a third cue with the third Position, Gobo and Color presets.

The last cue I need you to make is a cue containing the "All" preset and all the cue times need to be 0 seconds! Clear your programmer.

Select your first sequence. Now press the green name field above the executor fader (where it says "Sequ."):

On screen 1 you see some of the options for that executor fader. This window can be a bit confusing the first you see it, but right now we are only interested in is the size of the executor. Change that to 2 by pressing the X2 key (or where it says "Width 2").

Now we need to change the button assignment. The buttons and fader can have a lot of different functions (explaining those goes beyond the scope of this tutorial). Press where it says "XF" and in the small pop-up select >>Speed<<.

Press where it says >>GoBack<< and choose the option called >>Rate 1<<. Change the rest of the buttons so they end up looking like this:

Close the Assign Menu by using the yellow X. What is a Speed rate fader? Well, the speed fader is used for changing the overall speed of the fade. You can speed it up or slow it down to a complete stop. The times are not changes in the sequence permanently, just adapted to the faders position.

The button called "Rate1" resets the fader to the mid position, where all the times are back at their saved times.

The '<<<' and '>>>' steps one cue back and forward accordingly without time.

Have you noticed that we didn’t save any dimmer values to the fixtures in the second sequence? We are going to put those in our first sequence. And we are going to do some sequence linking.

In your Sequence Executor window make sure you can see the "Cmd" (command) column.

Right-click in the "Cmd" cell for cue 1 and in the pop-up write: Goto cue 1 exec 1.3 followed by a 'Please'. In the "Cmd" cell for cue 3 right-click and write: Goto cue 2 exec 1.3also followed by a 'Please'. In cue 4 the command is for cue 3 on executor 1.3. And in cue 6 we need a command to cue 4. When you’re done it should look like this:

Now press the big Go+ key. Notice that booth sequences go to cue number 1. That’s the command doing its trick.

Press the >>> executor button. Turn on your moving light at full. Press Update. Press the U1 key (or where it says "Original Content Only") followed by the X10 key (or where it says: "Save as Default").

Now there are two possible sequences to update. Make sure you update the one called "1.1 sequ.". You can do this by pressing the correct line.

Go to cue 6. Notice that the moving light gets the dimmer value "p 0.1". This is actually the value 0%. But to make sure that no matter what, they go to 0, let’s store this value in the first sequence also. Press: 1 1 1 Thru 1 3 3 . . Update. Now you can see that you also have the option to update the preset. Don’t do that; just update the cue in sequence 1.

Clear your programmer and try moving back and forward in your sequence to see how the link works.

On the next page we are going to have a look at "Worlds".

One last little treat for you is the worlds. You can use the worlds to limit your own (and others) access to channels or fixtures. Find a empty space on your screens and create a new window called Worlds(it's in the "pools" section).

Press: 1 Thru 4 0 Please Store followed by the second world button. Name it "Dimmers".

Clear your programmer. Now press: 1 1 1 Thru 1 3 3 Please Store followed by world button number three. Name this "Moving Lights".When you are done it should look something like this (remember you can change the frame color):

Now you actually got three worlds! The two you created and then there is a default world called "Full". This one can't be changed. It will always give you the full world.

Select >>Dimmers<<. Now try to press: 1 1 1 Please. It doesn’t work and they have disappeared from the fixture sheet.

If you select >>Moving Lights<< you can’t control the dimmers.

You can still run sequences and the cues will load all their content (Dimmers and Moving Light) as if you were in the "Full" world. The only effect the worlds have is what you can select, manipulate and store.

You should save your show. you can do this in the command line:

That was it! You have leaned to make changes to the patch, controlling fixtures, creating and use presets, linking sequence and creating and use worlds.

A macro-button has several ways to interact with your command-line.

Lets say we have a Macro 5, with the command-line text "Highlight". Pressing this Macro, the following are processed by the console:

:Macro:Highlight

- the result is that Highlight is enabled/disabled, as expected.

But opposed to the normal Highlight Hardkey, you cannot operate this button without destroying what you currently are entering in the command-line. This is because the press of the Macro-button is interacting with your command-line - the macro is called via your normal command-line-input.

Open the Macro Editor, and disable the CLI option (X6) for Macro 5, close editor. Then try to press the macro-button again:

:Macro:Highlight

The push of your macro-button is now processed directly. You can operate it and turn Highlight on and off at any time, even if you are in the middle of entering some other commands.

So let us try to Edit the macro again by pressing Edit and the macro-button.

It is not possible anymore! Even if we have Edit in the commandline, pressing the macro just turns Highlight On and Off.

When we disabled CLI, we told the console that this macro-button should not interact with our commandline, so it does not react to our Edit Command either.

Don't' worry, the disabled CLI only applies to buttons in the pool, and when the Macro is assigned to an Executor or View-button. By using the commanline we can still tell the console that we want to edit this macro, via the Macro keyword, and the ID of the Macro.

Enter Edit Macro 5 in the command-line, followed by Please, to open the Editor when CLI is disabled.

Lets say we have a Macro 3, with the commandline text "Fixture 15". Pressing this Macro, the following are processed by the console:

:Macro:Fixture 15

- the result is that Fixture 15 gets selected, as expected.

What if we want to do something else with Fixture 15, than selecting it? can the Macro we made be used for this as well?

e.g. The syntax Edit Fixture 15 usually gives the dialog for changing patch and default-values for Fixture 15, so as our macro basically does "Fixture 15", how can we use the macro to get the dialog to patch Fixture 15?

Pressing Edit, then the Macro button, we are editing Macro 5, not editing Fixture 15.

To be able to interact with the content of the macro, we need first to disable the macro-button's own CommmandLine Interaction (CLI), as in previous example, then we need to make sure that the macro-text "Fixture 15" is appended to whatever is in the Command-line. Appending a macro-line to the users existing commandline is done by starting the macroline with the @-sign:

You may also use the @-sign at the end of the macro-line, to indicates that the macro shall wait for the user to append some more text, before the line is processed.

By adding the @-sign both in the beginning and at the end, a singleline macro is effectively just putting text into the commandline.

Similar to the SetVar keyword is the SetUserVar keyword. The only difference is that a variable defined with the SetVar is global for all users, while variables defined with SetUserVar applies to the current user only.

With the keyword ListVar and ListUserVar, the Commandline Response Window will list current variables and their content.

:Global: $CHORUSCHASERS = Executor 201 + 204 + 205

You can also Export multiple macros in one xml-file, by exporting a range of macros to one file.

But before doing a lot of programming, we need to have a look at the theory behind the effects.

Effects run in an cycle. This uses a 'Form' to change the value over a period of time. There are many ways to make adjustments to this.

A form could be a sine curve:

The 'Form' dictates how a value is changed. In the effect editors we have two options to look at values. One is 'low' / 'high' the other is 'Center' / 'Size'. In the following tutorials we are going to look at both methods.

When using 'Low' / 'High' mode, then bottom part of the form is 'Low' and the top part is 'High'. When using the other method, the 'Center' value will move the form up and down. The 'Size' value will make the form bigger or smaller.

In cues and in the programmer, the speed of the effect is controlled by the 'Rate'. The Rate follows the speed. An effect in the effect pool has a default speed and a Rate per line. The Rate value is a multiplier for the speed. An effect with a speed of 60 BPM and a rate of 1 in the effect line, uses 1 second to complete the cycle of that line. If the speed is set to 30 BPM, it uses 2 seconds to complete the cycle. An effect with a speed of 60 BPM and a rate of 2 in the effect line uses 0,5 seconds to complete the cycle of this effect line.

If you need to spread out a group of fixtures to begin different places in the effect cycle you need to use 'Phase'. Phase is described as a number between 0 and 360. Think of it as a circle, and the numbers as a number of degrees on that circle.

And this is basically what you need for an effect.

Some forms can also use parameters like 'Width', 'Attack' and 'Decay'.

'Width' controls how much the form should occupy the cycle. A 'Width' of 100% makes the form take up all the time in the cycle. If the 'Width' is only 50% then the form only occupies the first half of the cycle.

'Attack' And 'Decay' is used to 'fade' values in forms that doesn't normally fade (Random, PWM (Pulse Width Modulator) and Chase).

In the following tutorials we will look at:

• Creating an effect in the programmer.
• Creating a template effect.
• Making effects using presets.
• Editing effects using the command line.
• Changing an effect with a macro.
• Different ways to run and use effects.

You will get the best result if you follow the steps precisely. You can always save your show, play around, and then return to your saved show.

Go to the next page for setting up a new show with some fixtures.

I will not go into details of how to do this (it's outside the scope if this tutorial).

Create a completely new show.

Name it "Tutorial Effects" followed by your name.

Create 10 "Mac 700 Profile Extended"from Martin Lighting.

Place then in one line, 5 meters above the floor facing down. They need to have approx. 1 meter between them. Ca. in the middle of the room. They need to be hanged so fixture 1 is at the stage right and they all follow in number, ending with fixture 10 at the stage left.

Create views that gives you a fixture sheet (with the Layer Control Bar turned on), color presets and an Effect pool.

And also a view with the "Stage" window might be nice.

That's it. Now you are ready to go to the next tutorial page.

When working with effects in the programmer there are some elements that are vital for controlling what is going on.

In the fixture sheet you need to turn on the 'Layer Control bar'. In this bar you'll find some buttons. Press the magenta 'Effect Layers' button so the bar looks like this:

These buttons allows you to control what part of the effect you are controlling on your encoders.

We are also going to use the 'Encoder Effect Toolba'. It's the one above the encoders (bottom of screen two). This is what it looks like when you are in the Effects Layers:

This is used to control what parameters we are working with and assign values to the parameters.

On the Encoder bar you'll see the 'Special Dialog' button. Pressing it opens (and closes) the Effect Editor on screen 1. It could look like this:

Here we can work with effects in a more dynamic way. We are going to use this editor in creating our effect.

We are going to build an effect that moves the fixtures in circle. This looks like a figure of 8 when the heads pointing strait down. But when moved off center it becomes a circle.

It's going to be a nice slow movement.

Select all your fixtures by any means you like. I prefer using the keys (Fixture Thru Please). It's important for this tutorial that you select them in the correct order, starting with 1 and finishing with 10.

Make sure you select the 'Position' button in the Encoder Toolbar. And open the Special Effect Dialog.

On the right side of the editor you'll see a 'Pan' and a 'Tilt' button. They have an on or off status. When they are on they have yellow text and a dark yellow background color.

We are going to add some value for both Pan and Tilt. So go ahead and select both of them.

Now press right under where it says 'Rate'.

This opens the calculator. Here we can type the desired rate. You also have the possibilities to select some predefined values. We are going to make an effect with a 4 seconds cycle. That means we need to select the '15 BPM' option.

We also need to spread the fixtures across the effect cycle (Phase). This means that the fixtures will do the same movement, but will be at different stages of the move.

Press right under where it says 'Phase'. This again opens the calculator. Here you need to select the 'Intelligent' option. This looks at the amount of fixtures and spread them evenly.

At the lower part of the editor you'll see different buttons.

There are two buttons we need to look at.

The one in the lower right corner should say 'Val. Readout Center/Size'. If it doesn't then press it until it does.

The other button is also in the lower row (number four from the right). It can say 'Relative' or 'Absolute'. We need it to say 'Relative'

'Relative' refers to how the values are applied. This key toggles between 2 modes, 'Absolute' and 'Relative'. When it's 'Absolute', the values we use are absolute values. The effect will use those values only. If you change to 'Relative', it will use those values as a reference according to its current location. E.g. if a 'Dim' attribute has a 'Low' value of '10' and a 'High' of '50' and mode is 'Absolute'. Then the effect will cycle between 10% and 50% no matter what dimmer value the fixtures was assigned. If mode is 'Relative', then the cycle between 10% and 50% will use the actual value in the Value layer as a base, and Low and High will be put on top. E.g. setting the value of the dimmer to 25%, the cycle of 10% to 50% will result in an output of 35% to 75%.

We have one more value that's common for both Pan and Tilt. Press right under 'Center'. And select 'Center' in the calculator.

Now we need to make some changes to the Pan parameter only. So press the 'Tilt' button, to deselect it. Make sure that you only have selected the Pan parameter.

Now press where it says 'Form'. In the pop-up you need to select the one called 'Circle'. In the next small pop-up, select the second line called '18.2 Circle'.

Then wee need to change the size value. Press where it says 'Size'. Change the value to '60'.

Now we need to make some changes to the tilt parameter only. Make sure you have selected the 'Tilt' button only.

Press the 'Form' again. Here you also need to select the 'Circle' form. But in the small select pop-up you need to select the top line ('18.1 Circle').

We need to change the size to '40'.

Now the fixtures are moving. But for us to see that in the Stage window, you need to turn them on. Do this by pressing the At key twice.

This dimmer value won't be stored when we store the effect.

Now you can see all the light move.

This is basically all we need for our effect.

Let's store what we got. Write this in the command line:

Followed by a Please.

Now let's check that it worked.

Clear you programmer. Press the effect pool button twice and the turn the fixture on.

Now everything should be moving as before.

On the next page we are going to create a template effect using the Effect Editor pop-up.

Make sure your programmer is empty, by pressing the Clear button for more than 3 seconds.

Now press the Edit key followed by the second effect pool button.

This gives you the Effect Editor pop-up. This is currently empty:

To make an effect you need to add an effect line with the 'Dim' attribute.

Press the 'Add' button and if it isn't already visible, you need to press the '+' next to 'Dimmer' and 'Dimmer' and then select 'Dim'.

This gives us the effect line we need:

We can edit the value here, but the easy way to edit this is by pressing the 'Edit Effect Line'. This is what it looks like:

This looks very much like what we used in the first effects tutorial.

Now we need to make some changes to the effect.

You need to change the form. Press where it says form. In the pop-up we need to select the 'PWM' Form.

The standard rate is a bit fast. It's displayed as a multiplier. This means that if it says '1' and you have a speed of 60 BPM it will run at 60 BPM. If the multiplier then says '0.5' the speed will be 30 BPM. THe standard speed is 60 BPM. This is a cycle of 1 second. Lets make it a 2 seconds cycle and change the rate to '0.5'.

Since we want the effect to go from 0% to 100%, that needs to be our two absolute values. As a standard the effect is a Relative effect that uses a value readout of Center and Size. We need to change that. This is done using the buttons in the lower part of the editor. Here you'll find a button called ether 'Line Relative' or 'Line Absolute'. This button need to say 'Line Absolute'. The other button will say 'Val.Readout Center/Size' or 'Val.Readout Low/High'. This need to be 'Val.Readout Low/High'.

Now we can make sure the 'Low' value is '0' and the 'High' value is '100'.

Instead of all the fixtures to do the same, we want to spread the values evenly across the fixtures. To do this we need the 'Phase From' to be '0' and the 'Phase To' to have a value of '360'.

The standard 'Width' is 100% but, we would like it to be more dark than bright. So moving the 'Width' fader down to '15%' gives us the desired look.

Now all we need is to make it fade out. This is done by turning the 'Decay' up to '100'.

That's it! we have now created a template effect using the windows.

And since we started by editing an (empty) effect all our changes are automatically stored (or actually updated) in the effect.

But we should label it. Press Assign twice followed by effect pool button number 2. Label it "Dim Effect".

Now we can test it. Select all the fixtures and press the pool button. The effect should now be running.

Next we are going to take a look at using presets in effects.

Before we begin making this tutorial, you need to make two different color presets using the CMY attributes. It's very important that you make Color presets or All presets that uses only the CMY parameters (you can use other parameters- but that's not the point with this tutorial).

I made an Orange presets and named it 'Orange', I know - it's the logic choice:-). And a blue preset - guess what I called that one (yes - 'Blue' is the correct answer).

We have gone through many of the elements we need for making this effect. The new thing is that instead of using 'Low' / 'High' or 'Center' / 'Size' values, we are going to use references to presets..

This means that to change colors, you don't need to change the effect - you can simply change the presets. Ergo: business as usual with presets.

Make sure your programmer is empty.

Select all your fixture and then make sure the 'Effect Layer' is selected. Then you need to select the 'Low' layer.

Then you can press the first (Orange) preset.

Now select the 'High' layer and then the other (Blue) preset.

Now all the fixture are at the same place in the effect cycle. We would like the fixture to be distributed out on the cycle.

Select the 'Phase' layer and the 'Color' Preset type and the 'ColorMix' feature.

Now press the first encoder under the 'CM1' attribute. In the calculator pop-up select '0.0 thru 360.0'. Do the same for 'CM2' and 'CM3'.

Now press Store followed by the third effect pool button. And label the new effect 'Color Effect'.

And that's it! Test it by clearing your programmer. Then press the effect twice and turn on the lights:

The image above displays my result. There is a magenta color in the transition between the orange and blue. But that's what happens when you fade between the two colors.

If you now change the color in the presets, the effect will use the new color.

In the next effect tutorial, we are going to edit this effect using the command line.

You need to have a Command Line window so you can see what you are going.

The two keyword for this tutorial is 'List' and 'CD'.

'List' is used to display show data. 'CD' is "Change Directory" - it's used to navigate the layers of the console.

Please follow the links at the bottom for more details about these commands.

Every input line displayed in the following tutorial is followed by a Please to execute the command.

We need to navigate to the effects. We do that using the 'CD' keyword

This will take us directly to the effect part of the system.

Now we should use the 'List' to see what options we now have:

Now we get a list of your three effects. The number in the parentheses are the number of lines each effect uses:

Effect 2 : 2 Dim Effect (1)

Effect 3 : 3 Color Effect (3)

Our goal is to change the rate of the color effect. So we need to go into the third effect:

A new 'list' revials a lot more:

What you now see is all the lines in the effect (in each row) and all the elements in the lines (the columns). Those with a green headline (like 'Rate') can be changed using commands like assign 1 /dir=<. Those with a red color are references to other elements. They can be changed using commands like assign form "Cos" at 1.

Now let's change the 'Rate' in the first line:

You can do another 'list' to check that it changed the rate. Now do the two other lines:

That's it. Now all three line have a rate at 1.5 Hz.

Return to the "root" of the console by typing "cd /" in the command line.

In the next tutorial we are going to have a look at using macros to edit our effects.

We almost have all the windows we need. The one thing you should add is the macro pool.

Press Edit and then the first Macro pool button.

Press Add (the X1 key). We are going to create a variable called "newRate". This variable will hold the new rate time. The first thing our macro should do is to ask us what rate we want, and store it in the variable.

In the 'Text' cell of the macro write this:

SetVar $newRate = ("What rate do you want?")

Add a new line to you macro. We are now going to navigate to the effect. We leant how to do this in the previous tutorial page. In the macro line type this:

cd Effect 3

That takes us directly to the color effect. Now we can use the variable to assign the new rate to the lines.

Add a new line in the macro and write this:

assign 1 t 3 /rate=$newRate

Now all we need is to return to the root. Add line to the macro, and type this:

cd /

The macro is done. It should look like this:

Close the editor. And give your macro the name: "New Rate for Colors".

And we are done. Make your color effect run and then test your new macro.

There's only one page left. Here we are going to take a look at different ways the effects can be run and controlled.

First we need to take a look at how the Effects Pool view work.

The pool have three different modes:

But let's have a look at different ways to run effects.

You can run effects directly in your programmer. This can be useful in one-offs or any situation where you can improvise and there's room to play.

You can build the effect directly or you can use the effect pool (in 'Normal Call' or 'Fast Call') to take the effects into your programmer.

In grandMA series 1 you could use modulators to create effects directly in a cue. This is now different.

When we made an effect in the programmer, we stored it in an effect pool button - but we could have stored it directly in a cue (or updated an active cue).

Values will then fade using the fade times in the cue. You can also change any effect values from cue to cue.

Effects you have stored in the effect pool, work as effect "presets". You can call these effects and store them in cues. If you then change the effect your changes will be used in the cue.

You can assign an effect to an executor. Simply by pressing Assign Effect 1 and then an executor button.

There are three special options for effect executors: 'Off On Overwritten', 'Speed (scale)' and 'Speed (group)'.

You may change these options by opening the Assign-menu for the Executor, press Assign, then the Exec-button, and select Options on the right hand side.

'Off On Overwritten' turns the effect off if it's completely overwritten by new values.

'Speed (scale)' is used to multiply or divide the overall speed of the entire effect.

'Speed (group)' is 'individual' as a standard. This means that the rate stored in the effect is the ones used. You can use this button to assign the effect executor to an speed group (there are 15 possible speed groups). Try pressing here and select 'Speed Group 1'. Then assign an speed group master to an executor. Then run your effect and turn the speed master up and down.

When you press Go+ followed by a pool button, you'll run the effect directly in the pool. You can also athive this when your pool is in 'Pool Backback' mode. Then you just need to press the pool buttons.

To change the options in the 'Pool Playback'. Press the Assign followed by the pool button (only when in 'Pool Playback'). This gives you the assign menu and you can change the options described above.

Effects running on executors or in the pool have a higher priority than effects in from the sequences.

You can view all the running effect by pressing and holding the Effects key (or create a 'Running Effects' view). This allows you to get an overview of all the running effects. And turn them off.

The effect engine in the grandMA2 has introduced some big changes. The possibility to use presets directly in the effect is a major advantage. Coming from the grandMA series 1, you will notice that the modulators has disappeared. But the new changes to the effect generator allows you to make the same effects in a more streamlined method. But hopefully you'll have some idea of how they work after finishing these tutorials.

MoveInBlack is a function which in a tracking sequence will look ahead and preposition attributes of fixtures that are fading in from zero, to automatically prevent "ugly" transitions where you would normally see the fixture move the attributes into position, while the fixture is fading in.

MIB is enabled on a cue-per-cue basis (actually per cue-part), by giving the MIB-property of the cue-part a value which tells the console when it should do the prepositioning.

• a zero or positive MIB-value indicates an specific cue number from where MIB is allowed
• a negative MIB-value indicates a relative cue number from where MIB is allowed

In the Sequence Executor Sheet you will find the MIB-column, where you may edit the MIB-value via normal right-click/encoder-click and enter the value.

An asterisk "*" indicates that a Cue is capable of MIB, but no MIB-value is given, while a MIB-value in red indicates that a MIB-value is given, but the cue is not capable to MIB.

- "MIB-capability" here defined as a cue with one or more fixtures with dimmer-value above zero, and previous state of dimmer-value not above zero (=fixture is fading up) - and one or more other additional attributes (= something to preposition)

MIB is a property of Cue Parts, and its value may be assigned with standard syntax:

A useful MIB-macro could go something like this:

Assign Cue /mib=off

SetVar $mibvalue=("Please enter MIB")

AssignCue /mib=$mibvalue

Pressing the Macro and Please, will disable MIB for the current cue, while presing the Macro, then a number followed by Please, will set the MIB-value for current cue.

MIB uses two general time settings MIB-Delay and MIB-Fade

MIB Delay is the time to wait from a fixture have faded out until it starts to MIB, while MIB fade is the actual time used to prepositioning.

Increasing MIB Delay may be useful for fixtures with slow dimmer or afterglow. Increasing MIB Fade may be useful for noisy fixtures, or if the movement of the fixturebody is visually disturbing for the audience

In addition to the general MIB-timing found under Setup>Show>Playbacktiming, it is also possible via the fixturetype Editor to set individual MIB delay per Fixturetype, and individual MIB fade per attribute per Fixturetype.

When MIB Delay is active, or MIB is "put on hold" the Executor Key backlight will blink fast.

When MIB Fade is active (fixtures are moving to preposition), the Executor key backlighting will blink slowly

Attributes which have MIB'ed will be displayed in the ExecutorID and SequenceID layer of the Fixture Sheet with a slightly paler shade of the usual backgroundcolor (green for selected Executor, yellow for others), to indicate that the source of the value is from a future cue.

When using MIB, the desk is not only tracking values from earlier cues, it is also tracking forward and outputting values from future, non-executed cues. This is sort-of "Back to the Future", with dilemmas you find in time-travel-theory.

e.g

• fixture one is on, and red in cue 1
• turns off in cue 2
• and comes on in blue in cue 10

As we don't want to see the scroll to blue in cue 10, we mark this cue as MIB early.

• everything is fine, fixture one preposition after faded out in cue 2

now let's say we're in cue 5 and want to make some changes...

• On with fixture one, - it's blue - looks good
• update cue only

Next time we play back the sequence, cue 5 does not look the same ?

- last time we played back the sequence, fixture one was blue because it had prepositioned to cue 10, however as it is now used in cue 5 it cannot preposition until after cue 6, - and will stay red.

These issues may be minimized by not prepositioning too early, and by activating MIB Never in the Executor Assign-menu if you are to make major changes to your cues.

In a tracking sequence, the content of a cue represent the changes happening in that cue. Any unchanged values will track from earlier cues, and the state - the actual look - of the cue is a combination of what has happened earlier and what is happening in the cue. This tracking philosophy works similar to how the staging, set-design and any props may be handled.

Cue 1: Place sofa on stage left.

Cue 2: Actor1 enters from rear.

Cue 3: Actor2 enters from left and gets seated

Cue 4: Actor1 exits stage right

Even though Cue 3 only tells us that Actor2 will be in the sofa, when we are in Cue 3, we also have the sofa and Actor1 on stage. Unless we take out the sofa, it will stay on stage....

In some scenarios, you may want this tracking behaviour to stop. When starting the second act, you don't want any additional props added to first act to stay on the stage, just because you didn't tell the stage-crew to carry these out when you originally created the look of the first cue of second act. - You want this tracking behaviour to Break.

The Break mode of a cue will make sure that any later addition or changes in earlier cues is reverted back to its original state in the break-cue, similar to how a Cue-Only store would work for the next cue.

By default when calling a cue with a normal "Go", only the content of the cue is called, not the tracking state. If you are only using one executor/playback this behaviour is irrelevant, however if you have other executors that have overwritten your state, you might in some scenarios want that calling the cue also calls the tracking state. this may be achieved with then cue-mode Assert. Assert will call the state of your sequence, by using the original timing, and not affect any ongoing fades, (e.g. a 30 minutes sunset still on it's way out).

In other scenarios you might want to re-establish state, and assert the sequence, but terminate any ongoing fades. The cue-mode X-Assert will crossfade to the current state - with the timing of the current cue. This may be used i.e. if you want to make sure that your zero second Blackout Cue is cutting to black, even if you have to run the cue earlier than usual and the sunset has not yet finished.

The mode property of a cue may be accessed with normal syntax for changing object-properties:

Assign [cue] /mode=[mode]

Example:

AssignCue 3/mode=x-break

Create a 'Stage Window'. Select all the LED fixtures and press the "Setup" button in the 'Stage Window'.

We need to rotate the LED's so they face the audience.

Press the 'Location 1 of 2' button until it changes to 'Rotation 2 of 2'. Now we can rotate the LED's.

Set the 'X' value to "-90". That rotates the LED's. Now would be a good time to turn the LED's dimmer value at full. Then there should be a white square facing the camera.

Next we are going to set them up in a matrix.

Begin by moving all the fixtures. Press the 'Rotation 2 of 2' button so it changes to 'Location 1 of 2'.

Then set your 'X' value to "-7", 'Y' value to "3" and the 'Z' value to "4.5".

Press the 'Wizard' button and in the Wizard pop-up select the 'Matrix2D' tab.

Make sure you set the options like this:

Every setting here is important. Make sure you have the exact setting as above.

Then press the 'Apply & Close' button.

This is actually all we need to setup the show.

Your stage view should look like this:

Turn of the 'Setup' button in the stage view, clear your programmer and move on to the next page.

First we need to turn on the dimmer so we can see the color values change (when the bitmap effect is running).

Select all your LED's and turn them at full. 1 thru At At.

Store this in a new sequence on executor fader 1. Store Exec 1 Please.

Now make sure the fader is at 100 and the sequence is on.

Without clearing the programmer we need to create the basis of the bitmap effect. Press Store Effect Effect 1 Please. Pressing the 'Effect' key twice gives you the 'Bitmap' keyword.

When you create(store) a Bitmap Effect it's important to have a selection with the fixtures you want affected by the bitmap effect. This stores the fixtures in the Bitmap Effect.

To run the Bitmap Effect you need to assign it to an Executor: Assign Effect Effect 1 Exec 2 Please.

This also gives you access to the best Bitmap Effect Editor.

Now we are going to edit the Bitmap Effect so it looks like we want it. But first it might be a good idea to activate the Bitmap Effect so we immediately can see the changes we do. Make sure the fader is at full an press the "Go" executor button.

Nothing happens because the Bitmap Effect is almost empty.

We need the Bitmap Effect Editor. Press Edit Exec 2 Please. This gives us the editor on screen 1.

The first thing we can edit here is the name of the Bitmap Effect. Press the green area next to 'Name'. Now enter: Rainbow Scroll.

Then we need a picture source. Press the empty green area next to 'File'. This opens the Browser pop-up. Press the 'Folder Up' icon and navigate through gobos carallon gobos apollo and select the file called "059900CS-0168".

The 'Mode' should be "Color". 'ScaleMode' doesn't matter in this tutorial since we are going to set the Size to the original picture.

The 'Size X' and 'Size Y' should both be "128". It doesn't matter for this tutorial if the 'Tile' is on or off.

In the small stage window on the right side you should zoom out and move the view so you just can see all the LED's. It should look like this:

Right now the bitmap effect is boring. It just displays a picture. Our goal here is to make something that works like an animation wheel in an normal fixture. Let's begin by making it rotate.

Press the 'Tools' tab followed by the 'Toggle Function' button and then the 'Rotate Right' button. Now we have a rotating effect. But we would like it to scroll, so we need to tweak the scale and offset the image.

Press the 'Modulator Fader' tab.

Here we can change a lot of values. Let's begin with the 'Scale'. This is the second set of faders in the top row. We want the scale to be smaller on both X and Y. This is easily achieved by pressing the second 'Single' button on the bottom until it says 'Both'. This will make both the X and Y value change together.

Move the 'Scale X' fader until it has a value close to "5". You might need to release the fader and move it again to reach "5".

Now we need to decide what direction we want it to move. It's all done by offsetting the rotating picture.

If you want it to scroll from left to right your need to set the 'Offset Y' to something like "1.75".

If you want it to scroll from right to left your need to set the 'Offset Y' to something like "-1.75".

If you want it to scroll from top to bottom your need to set the 'Offset X' to something like "-1.4".

If you want it to scroll from bottom to top your need to set the 'Offset X' to something like "1.4".

You can also combine any of the two making it in an angle.

It's all up to you. The result should look something like this:

This was the Rainbow Scroll Bitmap Effect tutorial.

If you have done this already, just skip this step.

If this is the first Bitmap Effect tutorial you make, you need to turn on the dimmer so you can see the color values change (when the Bitmap Effect is running).

Select all your LED's and turn them at full. 1 thru At At.

Store this in a new sequence on executor fader 1. Store Exec 1 Please.

Now make sure the fader is at 100 and the sequence is on.

Make sure you have all the LED's selected. Press Store Effect Effect 2 Please. Pressing the 'Effect' key twice gives you the 'Bitmap' keyword.

When you create(store) a Bitmap Effect it's important to have a selection with the fixtures you want affected by the bitmap effect. This stores the fixtures in the Bitmap Effect.

To run the Bitmap Effect you need to assign it to an Executor: Assign Effect Effect 2 Exec 3 Please.

This also gives you access to the best Bitmap Effect Editor.

Now we are going to edit the Bitmap Effect so it looks like we want it. But first it might be a good idea to activate the Bitmap Effect so we immediately can see the changes we do. Make sure the fader is at full an press the "Go" executor button.

Nothing happens because the Bitmap Effect is almost empty.

We need the Bitmap Effect Editor. Press Edit Exec 2 Please. This gives us the editor on screen 1.

The first thing we can edit here is the name of the Bitmap Effect. Press the green area next to 'Name'. Now enter: Rotating Spiral.

Then we need a picture source. Press the empty green area next to 'File'. This opens the Browser pop-up. Press the 'Folder Up' icon and navigate through gobos carallon gobos apollo and select the file called "059900CS-0163".

The 'Mode' should be "Color". 'ScaleMode' doesn't matter in this tutorial since we are going to set the Size to the original picture.

The 'Size X' and 'Size Y' should both be "128". It doesn't matter for this tutorial if the 'Tile' is on or off.

In the small stage window on the right side you should zoom out and move the view so you just can see all the LED's. It should look like this:

Right now the bitmap effect is boring. It just displays a picture. Our goal here is to make a rotating picture that full the entire LED "screen". Let's begin by making it rotate.

Press the 'Tools' tab followed by the 'Toggle Function' button and then the 'Rotate Left' button. Now we have a rotating effect. And all we need is to scale it.

Press the 'Modulator Fader' tab.

Here we can change a lot of values. We are just going to use the 'Scale'. This is the second set of faders in the top row.

We want the picture to fill all the LED's, so the picture needs to be bigger.

This is easily achieved by pressing the second 'Single' button on the bottom until it says 'Both'. This will make both the X and Y value change together.

Move the 'Scale X' fader until it has a value of "1.5". You might need to release the fader and move it again to reach "1.5".

The result should look something like this:

This was the Rotating Spiral Bitmap Effect tutorial.

You need to make a cable with a blue female PowerCon connector in the one end and a plug in the other end at is legal and useful in your region. On the back panel of the NPU you can see what power requirements the NPU have.

You also need an Ethernet Cat.5e cable (minimum) to connect the NPU to your switch. It’s recommended to always use a (1 Gbps) switch when connecting grandMA hardware.

Plug in the Ethernet cable and the PowerCon. If you need the NPU to output DMX, you can also connect those to the DMX ports on the back panel.

Turn on the power switch on the back panel.

If you need to update the NPU software, now could be a good time to do this. Read this task about software updating. When you have finished the update, you can continue with this tutorial.

On the front panel you should press the power button to boot the NPU. At some point in the boot process you can see a window displaying what mode the NPU was using last. It could look like this:

If you need to change the mode, you need to attach a USB keyboard and use the arrow keys to stop the automatic boot, and select the mode you need (series 1 or 2 mode). If you miss the window, you need to reboot the NPU and try again.

We need the NPU in series 2 mode. Make sure it boots in that mode by selecting to top row in the boot window.

When the boot is done, you will see a main screen like this:

You’ll probably need to change the IP address on the NPU. Press on the screen where it says “Setup”. This will give you a new window:

Here you can edit the IP address, the name and calibrate the touch screen. Our current quest is to change the IP address. Press where it says “Edit IP”. All right - you are now presented with a new window asking you to input the IP address:

To my switch I got a grandMA2 console with the IP address of 192.168.123.001 - So a good IP for the NPU could be 192.168.123.150 - Type this in the window and confirm it with “Please”. Now you get a pop-up asking you if you want to reboot:

We could reboot, but I think we should change the name of the NPU first. Press “No”.

We are now back at the NPU Setup window. Press where it says “Edit Host Name”. This presents us with a small “enter Name” pop-up.

Now if this isn’t the first time some has touched this, you might see the big pop-up already. If you don’t, we are going to pretend that we don’t have a keyboard attached (this might even be true). To expand the pop-up, you need to press the “+” in the upper left corner (if there’s a “-“ , then it can’t get any bigger!). Now the pop-up should look like this:

Type a new name using the onscreen keyboard and confirm it by pressing “Please”. And voilà we have a new pop-up! This is also asking if we want to reboot now. Let’s do that. Press “Yes”.

While it reboot, we can turn on the console (if you haven’t already).

When the console is ready, you should load the show you need. Then go into the SetupNetworkMA Network ConfigurationNPU Network Processing Unit Here we need to add the NPU in your system. Press the X1 key. This will open a pop-up that could look like this:

Select the NPU - if you cannot see it, then something is wrong with your network.

Now there should be a line in the NPU list.

For the NPU to connect to the session, it needs to be added as a “session member”. Press the empty cell in the “Session member” column and then press the screen encoder. This should give you a “yes” in the cell.

Now we need to start a session. Close the “MA Network Configuration” using the “X” in the upper left corner. Now go to “MA Network Control”. Here you should press the X1 key to create a new session.

The show should upload to the NPU and it should now be a part of the session. You’ll hopefully see a change on the NPU. The pulsing heart should change from this:

To this:

You might need to change the DMX ports on the NPU. Close the “MA Network Control” using the “X” in the upper right corner. Then go back into “MA Network Configuration” and press the “NPU” tab.

Now let’s change the output from the port marked “H” to input DMX to universe 1. In the configuration you should press in the cell below “XLR H” and then press the screen encoder. This opens a pop-up like this:

Here you need to change the mode to “In” and the universe to “2”. Confirm you selection by pressing “Please”. Now if you haven’t changed any of the merge settings in the SetupShowPatch Only (Live)DMX List, then the DMX input on port H will merge into the second universe. You can test this by patching some channels on universe 1 and the same on universe 2. Then connect a double male DMX cable between port A and H. On a DMX sheet you can now see that all the values on universe one are mimicked on universe 2.

There are much more to say about the NPU. And things are different if you use it in Series 1 mode. This tutorial only covered the most common way to use the NPU. If you need to know more you should go to the NPU Manual Guide. This can point you in the right direction for more knowledge.

The software update of a NDP can be done with the NDP updater tool. The current version of it is not distributed via the MA Lighting webpage like all the other MA Lighting products. Contact MA Tech Support via Tel +49 5251 688865-30 (normal business hours, GMT+1) or via tech.support@malighting.com to get access to it.

Presumption: the NDP updater runs on any Windows XP / Vista / Windows 7 machine. You need to have a valid network connection to the NDPs within the same subnet and the subnet mask has to be set correctly, just as you would have to do e.g. for a grandMA series 1 onPC. There is no version available for Mac OS X or Linux stand December 2010.

What the options do:

To be able to connect to the NPDs, you have to change the mode the NDPs are in. To do so, use the frontpanel keys and the encoder of the NDP / keyboard and a monitor or a Telnet connection. Login as administrator in the NDP and in the NDP menu structure goto ConfigLocal Connection Interface . Change this value to GMA2. The interface can only be adjusted here and not from the console. The NDP will restart the software automatically to allow you control the NDP from a grandMA2 console.

In contrast to NDPs running in grandMA series 1 interface, there are some major differences regarding Backup NDPs. To make sure, that configuration matching and exchange between both units is working correct, both Master- and Backup NDP have to be in the same MA-Net2 session, even when running standalone without a console. The session spreads and checks configuration data of both units. In grandMA series 1 interface this was done via a configuration session ID, that was independent to a running grandMA series 1 session.

To be able to control and connect to NDPs you have to have a valid session started in the console and the NDPs have to be part of that session. The following lines will help you to achieve that.

1. Goto Setup MA Network Control
2. Check the Session ID, Session Name (Session Password) to be on the wanted settings (you cannot change these values, if you are already in a session)
3. Click in the field Unconnected and press then press Start/Join Session to start the session.
4. To make the NDPs join your session as well, you have to close the MA-Net control window by click the X in the upper right corner.
5. Goto Setup MA Network Configuration NDP.
6. Press Add Present to add all up and running NDPs available in the network. In the column Session you can see the session the NDPs are running in. Additional you can press Add to manually add the ndps you want to control here by each unit.
7. Press EDIT and click in that field of the ndp you want to invite in the column Session Member to set it to yes.
8. Proceed that with all the NPDs you want to take into your session
9. Close this window by clicking the X in the upper right corner.

This section contains step-by-step instruction for common task.

For conceptual understanding of the console and property-description of each element of the console, please read the Concept and Reference sections.