Fixture groups.

[kinglevel]

Suggestion and proposal would be to have fixture groups inside of the MVR XML format.

This would significantly speed up the process of getting a console or a media server up and running quicker if you have a lot of complex groups on a rig.

It also makes sense for a big collab project if more personel in the earlier phase of a projec can define groups of fixtures. Making this translate into other systems seamlessly would be hugely benefitial.

[petrvanekrobe]

This is a very good idea/request and should not be very complicated to do.

[kinglevel]

Well, yes, but not so fast and simple:

Is a Grid maybe also included in a group in MVR? (Like some other software out there...)
Other softwares might needs a grid as well considering were the development is going with ludicrous modes and more networks.

Groups defined by uuids and simple grid vectors would be great to keep consistensy during production flows.
How softwares stores them, import and export, is up to them.
But they need to carefully respect these group-grids as well if it is going to work and make stuff more flexible.

And if a software does not do grids?
I would say that a SELECTION ORDER table is needed for this first.

• A Grid is a vector grid inside a group.
• A Selection Table is a table inside a group.

Mix it in the softwares and it is much more powerful than just having a grid that makes things overly complicated for most softwares.

If MVR-Groups could help define this it would be hugely benefitial for everybody.

[petrvanekrobe]

Since the order of the devices is already in the list of UUID, we do not need an extra list. What is the grid?

[kinglevel]

A grid is the definition of how effect-engines, pixelmapping or selection can work.
It is a very useful way of making complex mappings.
It is normally included inside a group in GrandMA3.

In MA3, Grids are very baked into the core system of how selections work.
I believe MVR needs grids as well but as additional metadata for softwares that will support it.

[petrvanekrobe]

OK, so you mean selection grids of the pixel elements of each fixtures. This largely depends on the viewport as it is built from the 2D projection of the definition of the devices. It is good that you mentioned it, we will consider it.