Release Notes - Version 3.3

Important Information for Updating

Bug fix version 3.3.4.3

Bug fix version 3.3.4.1

New features

• New help system
• Improvements for Partial Show Read
• MA Fixture Share
• RDM via Art-Net​
• User profile improvements
• XYZ Store modes
• MIB improvements
• Adjustable MA xPort Node DMX fail behavior 

Additional Updates

grandMA2 onPC

​MA 3D

MA VPU (= Video Processing Unit)

MA Network Switch

Fixed Bugs

grandMA2 onPC - Fixed Bugs

MA 3D - Fixed Bugs

MA VPU - Fixed Bugs

Appendix

Known Limitations

You will find the latest system requirements for several products on www.malighting.com

Important Information for Updating

Update dimMA system:
If you would like to update the dimMA system from any version below 7.x, contact your MA dealer or MA directly for any update information. If you use grandMA2 along with dimMA solutions, get in touch with us. A console update requires an MA NDP (= Network Dimmer Processor) update and vice versa. We are happy to assist you.

Update grandMA2 onPC and MA 3D:
The current versions of grandMA onPC and MA 3D require at least Windows® 7. Microsoft® .NET Framework (4.0) will be installed on your computer.

Update MA VPU
If you would like to update the MA VPU basic or the MA VPU light from any version to v3.2 or higher, at least one screen and one mouse has to be connected to the MA VPU.

Update MA Network Switch
If you would like to update the MA Network Switch in v3.1 or v3.2 to v3.3 or a subsequent version, execute the display reset after the update has been installed. As soon as Booting is displayed on the display of the MA Network Switch after the update:

1. Disconnect the power.
2. Press and hold the yellow menu button on the left side of the display.
3. While holding the button power up the MA Network Switch again.
4. As soon as Booting appears on the display of the MA Network Switch release the button.

To execute a fallback on v3.3 or a subsequent version in v3.1 or v3.2, proceed in the same manner.

Bug Fix Release Notes

grandMA2 version 3.3.4.3

Fixed bugs and improved functionality

MA web remote

MA xPort Nodes

MA Network Switch

MA VPU

Bugfix Release Notes

grandMA2 version 3.3.4.1

Fixed bugs and improved functionality

grandMA2 onPC

MA xPort Nodes

MA Network Switch

Release Notes
grandMA2 version 3.3.2.2 

New features

The latest release of grandMA2 3.3.2.2 rolls out several new features and enhancements that enrich your lighting experience. Read on for a quick introduction and find links to resources that offer more information.

New help system

Enhanced in this release of grandMA2

• ​Completely updated help
• ​New interface of the help in grandMA2
• New help page online

Improvements in Partial Show Read (PSR)

Enhanced in this release of grandMA2

• PSR Prepare
  • Now supports ​the switchover of fixture or channel IDs of the source patch. Therefore, the new column "Match to ID" was introduced. This helps the user to configure the final setup in the PSR Prepare dialog.
    • It is only possible to set a new fixture ID or channel ID for a fixture or channel at a time.
  • The new buttons "Use My 3D Position" and "Use Other 3D Position" define which 3D positions of the imported fixtures will be taken.
  • Only fixtures/channels that have a ID entered in the "Match to ID" column will be imported when pressing the prepare button.
• PSR
  • ​​After selecting a pool (for example Group pool), both pools (My Pool and Other Pool) are displayed 1:1 next to each other as lists. This helps to see where objects come from and where they will be merged in the show file. Both pool lists show also the names of the corresponding showfiles. The left list represents the actual showfile, while the list on the right hand side displays the content of the showfile to be imported.
  • Provides possibility to arrange the objects of the source before importing objects:
    • ​Arrow up, down buttons on the far right moves the selected item(s) up or down by one position. If the new position already contains an object, then both objects will exchange their positions.
    • Pressing the "move at" button and tapping a destination line in the list moves the selection to the destination.
    • The buttons "Match By Number", "Match By Name" and "Match Automatic." resort the entire list by matching the objects to the corresponding IDs, names or automatically.
    • Rearranging has to be done in the source list before selected items are added into the current show by pressing the "Add Select. Items " button.
  • Hints for importing objects with PSR:
    • Multi-width executors can only be imported correctly if you import the entire page.
    • Special masters cannot be imported with PSR.

MA Fixture Share

• The new MA Fixture Share can be found on http://www.fixtureshare.malighting.com (not accessible from a grandMA2 desk)
• The MA Fixture Share provides the up-to-date MA Lighting fixture library and a many user created fixture types for grandMA2 to download.
• This database provides nearly all kind of fixture types with relevant modes and firmware versions.
• The MA fixture Share is constantly growing and with the help of users, who provide their fixture types it will grow even faster.
• If you need help with the MA Fixture Share, please refer to the specific help section of the MA Fixture Share: http://fixtureshare.malighting.com/help/start.htm
• Downloaded fixture types of the original MA library(*.xmlp files) can only be imported into grandMA2 v3.3 or higher.

RDM via Art-Net

New in this release

• grandMA2 is now capable of RDM via Art-Net.
  • Art-Net node must be capable of RDM via Art-Net.
  • Fixtures capable of ​Art-Net must support RDM via Art-Net.
• Furthermore, MA xPort Nodes support RDM in Art-Net mode.

User Profiles

 New in this release

• User profiles can now be limited to a specific world.
• This can be set:
  • In Setup/Console/User & Profiles Setup
  • Via command line
    • "Assign UserProfile X /World=<index or name or -1 for reset>"
• Users whose user profile is limited to a world are not able to change to any other world.

Pan/Tilt Offsets

 New in this release

• For the case, that fixtures are mounted on the real stage in a non-matching way to the setup prepared in the grandMA2, e.g., display as orientation of the fixture to the side instead of to the front, it is now possible to adjust a Pan and/or Tilt offset for every patched fixture.
• This makes it redundant to adjust every single position preset by hand to correct the offset.
• The Pan and/or Tilt offset can be adjusted for every patched fixture that has Pan and/or Tilt attributes.
• The offset can be adjusted in Patch & Fixture Schedule or in the Patch only menu.

Store Mode for Position Values

 New in this release

• Additional store filter to store every position preset or cue either with Pan/Tilt or XYZ values.
• This option can be changed in the Store options, and has the states: Active position data, XYZ and Pan/Tilt.
• Depending on the option selected, position values will be:
  • Active position mode: Stores position data as they are (as Pan/Tilt or XYZ values)
  • XYZ: Converts and stores position data as XYZ values
  • Pan/Tilt: Converts and stores position data as Pan/Tilt values

 Extensive Bug Fixing of MIB:

• After a station has left the session, MIB will not be reverted anymore and fixtures do not fall back to non-MIB values.
• If the next cue, containing fixtures that are preposition by MIB, is faded by crossfade with the fade not being completed and reverted, MIB will not be reverted anymore.
• After Goto, GoBack, etc. MIB was not executed again.
• MIB was not working if a playback was switched off and started again.
• MIB was reverted after updating a cue of the active sequence.

​Adjustable MA xPort Node DMX Fail Behavior

• DMX fail mode for MA xPort Nodes in case of not receiving DMX data via the network anymore.
• It is possible to choose between a hold (infinite hold of the last DMX frame) or various timeout periods (the last DMX frame is hold for the time chosen before the DMX port switches into the state High Z).
• Offered timeout periods are: 10s (default), 20s, 30s, 1m, 10m, 30m and 1h.
• ​For all timeout periods it is also possible to adjust an outfade time up to 10s. All DMX channels of the output universe will be then faded to 0 on their own.
• All these settings can be configured in the DMX nodes section of the MA Network Configuration. These options can be set per port individually.

Additional Updates

Merge settings in Art-Net mode of MA xPorts Nodes.
This setting can be configured in the section "DMX nodes" of the MA Network Configuration. This option can be set per port individually.

New command RemoveIndividuals for deleting individual values of effects and effect lines.
RemoveIndividuals Effect 1 removes all individual values for Effect 1.
RemoveIndividuals Effect 1.11.2 removes the individual values for the second effect line of effect 11.

New high contrast color scheme for programmer available.
It can be activated per user profile in Setup/User/Settings/Programmer Colors.
The command line option is called ProgrammerColors and has the states "Standard" and "HighContrast"
Assign Root "UserProfiles"."Default"."UserSettings" /ProgrammerColors="HighContrast"

Increased the limit of links between stage markers and PSN trackers from 64 up to 1024.

External touch screens have now the touch function if they are configured as internal screens.

Requirements:

• The resolution of the external screen has to be set to 1280 x 800 before assigning the internal screen to it. 
• The external screen has to be calibrated before assigning the internal screen.

grandMA2 onPC

Executing onPC.exe with parameter -s allows the user to specify a show file for loading.
Example: <path>/gma2onpc.exe -s:my_showfile
​This loads the showfile my_showfile.show.gz from the gma2/shows-folder of the corresponding software version.

 grandMA2 onPC installer has the option to choose the install directory.

MA 3D

More models are available containing the manual zoom Arri Fresnel.

MA VPU

• Improved the Warper
  • Warper 3D object now supports three modes. These are "Stretched", "3D" and "Orthogonal".
  • The mode can be set creating the object and can be changed in the edit dialog of the warper 3D object in the warper editor. The default mode is "Stretched" which is also the behavior of prior versions of the MA VPU. When using a warper object on a camera the mode "3D" is not supported and behaves like "Stretched".
  • Using the warper object on a layer:
    • Stretched: The warper object is stretched to fit the output and ignores the ratio of the warper 3D object. This mode does not support any 3D functionality such as positioning, rotation or scaling.
    • 3D: The warper object is drawn with its defined resolution. The center of the object matches the center of the output. This mode supports the entire functionality inside the 3D space. The object can be positioned, rotated and scaled like other 3D objects. However, remember that the warper object itself is still a two-dimensional object.
    • Orthogonal: The warper object is drawn with its native resolution. The center of the object matches the center of the output. This mode does only support positioning on the x- axis and the y-axis. Positioning in this mode moves the object without interpolating pixels so the mesh stays pixel-accurate. As the orthogonal mode is a two-dimensional mode, it is the most pixel-accurate one of the three modes.
  • Using a warper object on a camera:
    • Stretched: The warper object is stretched to fit the output. 3D functionality such as positioning, rotation or scaling is not supported.
    • 3D: This mode can be used on a layer only. If it is used on a camera, it behaves like "Stretched".
    • Orthogonal: The object is drawn with its native resolution. The center of the object matches the center of the output. The object can be positioned with the PosX and PosY attribute of the cameras 3D Key feature. Orthogonal mode is also the most pixel-accurate one when using the object on a camera.
  • Improved the UV mapping of a mesh. In prior versions, the calculation of UV mapping referred to the width and height of the parent warper 3D object. Now, the width and the height of a texture can be defined as base values of the calculation of the corresponding UV values.
    • E.g., a warper object has a dimension of 1920 x 1080 which also fits the resolution of the output.
    • The content has a resolution of 7680 x 1080 (4 times full HD).
    • In this example the warper object is used on a layer and shall "grab" the third full HD space from the texture using the UV mapping.
    • For this case the UV mapping is: U from 3841 to 5760 of 7680 and V from 1 to 1080 of 1080.
    • The UV parameters are based on pixels and are scaled to one. If you have a texture with a resolution of full HD, enter the parameters from 1 to 1920.
    • All position parameters of the warper are pixel-based and scaled to zero. Position 0,0 corresponds to the top left of the screen.
  • Added a UV tool to graphically modify the UV mapping of a warper mesh. The tool can be used in grid mode only. Activate the button "UV mode" at the tool bar of the warper editor. You can also use the "u" key of a connected keyboard to toggle the UV mode. The controls "Move", "Rotate" and "Scale" then modify the UV mapping of selected spaces instead of the mesh itself.
  • Vertex data of a mesh can now be edited numerically.
    • The vertex position as well as its UV coordinates can be modified.
    • To edit a vertex, change to the grid mode and select a vertex. Then click "Edit Vertex" the tool bar. The related keyboard short cut is "V".
    • Editing of vertex data requires knowledge in the field of UV mapping and vertex addressing conversion from pixel to texel.
  • Increased the maximum size of warper objects. A warper object and a mesh can now have a maximum resolution of 16384 x 16384. Please note that using very high resolution meshes does cost performance.
  • Increased the zoom range of the warper editor to improve the handling of very high resolution meshes.
  • Warper meshes with a low grid resolution can now be rendered with a higher sub grid resolution to reduce artifacts. This option is enabled by default.
    • The maximum size of a tile in the grid can be adjusted in the options of a mesh. The default is set to a maximum size of 32 pixels.
    • The higher the value of the maximum size, the coarser the sub grid. If the value is set to "none", the mesh resolution equals the grid resolution. Use this value to improve the performance if you do not warp the mesh.
  • A mesh now can also be rotated and scaled using the arrow keys.
• Added Mixmodes
  • Mixmodes define how a layer is mixed with other layers that are behind its z-position.
  • Added feature "Mixmode" to the MA VPU Layer fixture type.
  • This feature contains an attribute called "Blending" which, on the other hand, contains 9 mixmodes. The default "none" is the known behavior from prior versions of the MA VPU. The new mix modes are: Add, Sub, Darken, Lighten, Multiply, Negative Multiply, Sub Soft and Add Inverse.
• ​Improved the functionality "Take a screenshot".
  • In the MA VPU go to "File -> Take a screenshot". A target path can be set in the upcoming dialog.
  • Further screenshots will be stored in this path.
  • Also, it can be defined from which outputs a screenshot is taken.
• Masking: You can now add a mask to a camera. E.g., a mask can be used to define blank parts of  a projection.
  • Masks can be added to the camera in the Content Editor, Tab VPU Camera, Tab Mask.
  • All specified image files can be used as a mask. These are: .bmp, .png, .jpg and .tga.
  • White parts of the image become transparent while black parts stay opaque. Grey scales can be used to create semi-transparent spaces.
  • We recommend that the resolution of the mask fits the resolution of the output. Otherwise, the mask is scaled to full output resolution ignoring the ratio of the mask. The mask will always be drawn full screen.
  • A mask attribute was added to the MA VPU camera fixture type to select a mask.
  • Screenshots can be used as a mask. Take some layers to create your mask, go to File - Take a screenshot and enable the "Add as mask to camera" button. If this option is enabled for every screenshot taken, a channel set is created at the channel function of the mask attribute. So the screenshots are automatically added to the camera as a mask. If you want to invert the screenshots used as a mask, you can do this by enabling the "invert" option in the screenshot dialog.
  • There are several ways to take a screenshot or create a mask. In all four cases a screenshot will be taken with the settings given at the "Take a screenshot" dialog of the MA VPU.
    • 1) Go to "File -> Take a screenshot" and use the "Take a screenshot" button. 
    • 2) Attach a keyboard to the MA VPU and press the [Print] key.
    • 3) In the desk, go to "Setup -> MA Network Configuration -> Tab VPU", select an MA VPU and tap the "Take a screenshot" button.
    • 4) In the command line use the command VPUScreenshot <IP> or vs <IP> e.g., VPUScreenshot 192.168.0.10
• Content distribution can now be triggered in the command line.
  • The command is contentdistribution or cdist.
  • If you use the /nc command, the content distribution will be started with the last defined settings. Using /nc the content distribution will be executed even if some of the receivers are not online.
  • Content distribution can now be fully configured and started at any MA VPU in the session.
    • To set MA VPUs as distributor or receiver go to "File -> Settings -> Network". There is a new column called "Content" to set the state. Cells that are editable display an orange triangle. 
  • The content distribution can be started by a button called "Content Distribution" in the tool bar of the Content Editor or the network settings. Also, there is a button in the network settings at the internal touch screen of an MA VPU Plus.
• No parameter highlight: Fixtures that are stored to an output of a pixel mapper can now be highlighted from the desk by using the highlight key.
  • Even if the fixtures are set to "no parameter" in the patch. If a fixture is set to "no parameter" and stored to an output of a pixel mapper, the highlight values of the channels are calculated and output at the network output of the MA VPU which is rendering the output.
  • If a fixture is NOT set to "no parameter" and stored to the output of a pixel mapper, the highlight values of the channels are calculated and output in the MA VPU only if the protocol of the pixel mapper is set to Art-Net or sACN. If the protocol is set to MA-Net2, the highlight values are calculated by the desk.
  • The highlight functionality belongs to the user who is currently logged in in the MA VPU
• Increased the maximum dimensions of virtual outputs and pixel mapper outputs. The new maximum dimensions in X and Y are 8192 pixels.
• ​Hap Converter target path: It is now possible to define a target path for the converted files of the Hap Converter.
• Hap Converter now offers the option to discard the audio track of a media clip during conversion. For that matter, an additional option called "Discard Audio" was added to the Hap conversion options.
• A progress bar was added to the media preview window at the Multi Preview which indicates the playback position of the preview window.
• Added a chessboard background to the preview of the layers in the multi preview. The background can be switched off with a button called "Chessboard Background" in the tool bar of the Multi Preview.
• Updated fixture type "VPU Camera". Attribute "Mask" added.
• Updated fixture type "VPU Layer". Feature "Mixmode" added.
• The mode of the MA VPU fixture types now displays the minimum required version of the MA VPU.
• Updated VPU demo show, VPU teaser show and VPU new show.

MA Network Switch

Port Mirror

• It is now possible to mirror several source ports to one destination port.
• Only one port mirror destination is possible at a time.
• Configuring the port mirror is possible via web interface (Tools/Edit General Settings - Edit Port Mirroring) or MA Network Configuration menu.

Link Aggregation Group (LAG)

• Link Aggregation Group collects several physical ports to act and to behave as if they were one connection.
• Configuring the LAG is possible via web interface (Edit Ports/Groups) or MA Network configuration menu.
  • It is possible to choose between 6 different Link Aggregation Groups. Their names can be set individually.
  • Setting a port to a LAG can be done in the same manner as setting a group to a port.
  • If a port is set to LAG, its settings, such as groups and speed, are adjusted to the default settings of the LAG. 
  • The first port joining a LAG sets its settings (group, speed setting, etc.) as the default settings for the LAG.
  • Changing settings on a port that has an LAG membership also changes these settings for the other ports of the LAG.

Presets and filters block or forward now the traffic of a port in both directions.

Password pop-ups for MA Network Switches in the Software Update menu show now the IP of the switch for a better recognition in case of multi selections.

New screens available that show the port names respectively the LAG membership in the display. New order of screens: Group membership, Names, Load and LAG membership.

RSTP status for each port(active or blocking) is now displayed in webinterface of the switch.

Fixed Bugs

onPC - Fixed Bugs

MA 3D - Fixed Bugs

MA VPU - Fixed Bugs

Appendix

Known Limitations

• Pan/Tilt offsets should not be set to higher values than the fixture type provides due to its physical limitations. Setting values out of the physical range can affect the correct visualization in the stage view of the grandMA2 and MA 3D.
• Active dimmer values given from the desk do not cause the MA VPU to send its merge defaults for the color attribute. This may cause an unexpected output if only the dimmer of a fixture is controlled by the desk. To avoid this and to gain full control, just set the color attribute actively in the programmer. Or store the color information to an executor which is set to a higher priority than the pixel mapper output. Do not forget to switch off this executor if the output of the pixel mapper is to be active again.
• If using the Set button in the web remote, the command line default will be changed to MATricks.
• At the initial start after the installation or the update of the MA VPU application, the end user license agreement is shown. The MA VPU application will not start, until the end user license agreement is confirmed. If you are using a VPU Plus, the end user license agreement is shown at the internal touch display. If you are using a MA VPU basic or MA VPU light, the end user license agreement is shown at the first external DVI-output - so please make sure you have a display and a mouse attached to the MA VPU basic or MA VPU light.
• Ma-Net1 is not supported for MA 2Ports Version 1.77 or higher.
• MA onPC command wing DMX input is supported for the ports "DMX In" and "DMX out A" only. The port "DMX out B" can only be used as DMX out!
• Before loading show files stored with grandMA2 v2.7.x the first time with grandMA2 v2.9.x, attribute Colormix4 and 5 and Colordim4 and 5 of self-made fixture types have to be manually adjusted to fulfill the color specification. Amber has to be Colormix 4 invert or Colordim 4 without invert, and White has to be Colormix 5 invert or Colordim 5 without invert. Otherwise, color information of these fixture types will be lost after loading show file with v2.9.
• The feature name for ColorDim/ColorMix has changed into MixColor. Macros using one of these feature names have to be adjusted.
• Known limitation when loading show files stored with v2.8.x for the first time in v2.9
  • Special Masters have a new data structure in grandMA2 software.
    • All Special Master custom labels will be reset to MA default labels
    • Assignment of 100mm faders will be reset to default.
    • Macros referring to special masters have to be adjusted and have to use the new naming and numbering of special masters.
  • Macros referring to relative values have to be adjusted according to new relative/absolute syntax.
  • User profiles exported to USB drives using v2.8 and previous versions have to be manually moved from folder importexport to user_profile folder in order to import these profiles using grandMA2 v2.9 and subsequent versions.
• MA 4Port Nodes and MA 8Port Nodes have to be updated to v1.0.9 or subsequent versions to be compatible with grandMA2 v2.9. MA 2Port Nodes have to be updated to 1.77 or subsequent versions in order to be compatible to grandMA2 v2.9.
• Channel set labels of fixture types have to be unique to be visible and accessible in calculator. E.g., if channel sets of Attribute Shutter are closed, open, open, open, only one open is visible in the calculator. Changing channel set labels to closed, open, open(2), open(3), results in all channel sets being visible in the calculator.
• Astronomical clock always calculates time according to standard time zone. Additional summer times are not recognized and cannot be adjusted manually when using sunset, dusk, dawn, and sunrise in the agenda.
• Bitmap fixtures can be applied to physical parameters only. Virtual parameters such as a virtual dimmer or XYZ attributes are not supported.
• Changing the IP address of Ethercon 2, while Ethercon 1 has an Avahi assigned IP address (e.g., 169.254.xxx.yyy) requires a manual reboot instead of the proposed restart.