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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
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<TITLE>Q Light Controller Plus Documentation - Basic Concepts</TITLE>
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<H1>Basic Concepts & Glossary</H1>
<P>
Q Light Controller Plus (QLC+ for short) is meant to control lighting equipment used
in various performances, like live concerts and theatres etc. The main intention
is that QLC+ will be able to outperform commercial lighting desks without the need for a 500+ page manual through the use of an intuitive and
flexible user interface.
</P>
<P>
This page has been arranged in alphabetical order to facilitate searching for a
specific topic.
</P>
<H3 id="Audio"><IMG SRC="qrc:/audio.png"> Audio</H3>
<P>
An audio <A HREF="#Functions">function</A> is an object representing an audio
file stored in a disk.<br>
QLC+ supports the most common audio formats like Wave, MP3, M4A, Ogg and Flac. It supports
mono or stereo channels and several sample rates like 44.1KHz, 48KHz, etc...<br>
Audio functions can be placed in <A HREF="#Chaser">Chaser</A> or in a <A HREF="#Show">Show</A> at the desired time,
using the <A HREF="showmanager.html">Show Manager</A> panel.<br>
Like most of the QLC+ functions, Audio supports fade in and fade out times.<br>
</P>
<H3 id="Blackout"><IMG SRC="qrc:/blackout.png"> Blackout</H3>
<P>
Blackout is used to set all channels in all universes to zero and keep them
that way, regardless of which functions are currently being run or what values
have been set to them manually. When blackout is turned off, the <U>current
values</U> of all channels are sent to each universe.
</P>
<H3 id="Capabilities">Capabilities</H3>
<P>
Some channels in intelligent fixtures provide many kinds of functions, or
<I>capabilities</I> like switching the lamp on when the channel value is [240-255],
setting a red color on a color wheel when the value is exactly [15], or simply
controlling the fixture's dimmer intensity with values [0-255]. Each of these
individual function is called a <U>capability</U> and each of them has these
three properties:
</P>
<UL>
<LI>Minimum value: The minimum channel value that provides a capability.</LI>
<LI>Maximum value: The maximum channel value that provides a capability.</LI>
<LI>Name: The friendly name of a capability.</LI>
</UL>
<H3 id="Channelgroups">Channel Groups</H3>
<P>
Channel groups can be added and defined in the <A HREF="fixturemanager.html">Fixture Manager</A>
panel by using the <A HREF="channelsgroupeditor.html">Channel groups editor</A>.<br>
Channel groups can have a user defined name and can group together any user defined channels
selected from an existing Fixtures list.
</P>
<H3 id="Chaser"><IMG SRC="qrc:/chaser.png"> Chaser</H3>
<P>
A chaser <A HREF="#Functions">function</A> is built up from multiple scenes that are
run in sequence, one after the other, when the chaser function is started. The
next function is run only after the previous has finished. Any number of
<A HREF="#Functions">functions</A> can be inserted to a chaser.
</P>
<P>
The Chaser function's direction can be reversed. The Chaser function can also be set to do
an infinite loop, an infinite ping-pong-loop (direction is reversed after
each pass) or it can run through just once, in a single-shot mode, after which it
terminates by itself. If the function is set to loop infinitely, it must
be stopped manually.
</P>
<P>
As of version 3.3.0, each chaser has its own speed settings:
<LI><B>Fade In:</B> The fade in speed of a step</LI>
<LI><B>Hold:</B> The hold time of a step</LI>
<LI><B>Fade Out:</B> The fade out speed of a step</LI>
<LI><B>Duration:</B> The duration of a step</LI>
</P>
<P>
Copies of chaser functions can be created with the <A HREF="functionmanager.html">
Function Manager</A>. The scenes inside a chaser are not duplicated when a chaser
is copied. Only the order and direction are copied to the new one.
</P>
<H3 id="ClickAndGo">Click And Go</H3>
<P>
Click And Go is a technology that allows the user to quickly access macros and colors
in a completely visual way and with just a couple of clicks. This can lead to
more efficient live shows and more freedom to choose the desired result very easily.<br>
So far, three types of widgets are available:
<UL>
<LI>Single Color (applies to: Red, Green, Blue, Cyan, Yellow, Magenta, Amber and White intensity channels)</LI>
<LI>RGB Color Picker. Controls values for selected RGB channels with a single click</LI>
<LI>Gobo/Macro Picker. Access and display a Gobo/Macro defined in the Fixture definition</LI>
</UL>
An overview with screenshots is available <A href="https://qlcplus.org/clickandgo.html">here</A>
</P>
<H3 id="Collection"><IMG SRC="qrc:/collection.png"> Collection</H3>
<P>
A collection <A HREF="#Functions">function</A> encapsulates multiple functions
that are run simultaneously when the collection function is executed. Any number
of functions can be inserted to a collection, but each function can be inserted
only once and a collection cannot be a direct member of itself.
</P>
<P>
Collections have no speed settings. The speed of each member function is set individually
using their own editors.
</P>
<P>
Copies of collection functions can be created with the <A HREF="functionmanager.html">
Function Manager</A>. The functions contained in a collection are not duplicated; only the
list of functions is copied.
</P>
<H3 id="DMX">DMX</H3>
<P>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMX512">DMX</a> is short for
<B>D</B>igital <B>M</B>ultiple<B>X</B>. It basically defines
a whole bunch of properties, protocol, wiring etc. In the case of lighting
software, it defines the maximum number of channels (512) per universe and the
value range of each channel (0-255).
</P>
<P>
QLC+ supports unlimited universes (there are 4 initial, but more can be
added if needed). They do not necessarily need to be connected to DMX hardware;
rather, DMX has just been selected as the de facto lighting standard.
Actual hardware abstraction (whether it's analogue 0-10V, DMX or some
other method) is achieved through <A HREF="#OutputPlugins">output plugins</A>.
</P>
<H3 id="EFX"><IMG SRC="qrc:/efx.png"> EFX</H3>
<P>
An EFX <A HREF="#Functions">function</A> is mainly used to automate moving
lights (e.g. scanners & moving heads). The EFX can create complex mathematical
paths on an X-Y plane that are converted to DMX values for the fixture's pan and
tilt channels. <B>Only fixtures that contain valid pan & tilt channels can take
part in an EFX function.</B> Lately EFX can control also other channels like Dimmer or RGB.
</P>
<H3 id="Fixtures"><IMG SRC="qrc:/fixture.png"> Fixtures</H3>
<P>
A fixture is essentially one lighting device. It can be, for example, one
moving head, one scanner, one laser etc.. However, for simplicity, individual
PAR cans (and the like) that are usually controlled thru one dimmer channel per
can, can be grouped together to form one single fixture.
</P>
<P>
With the Fixture Definition Editor, users can edit shared fixture information stored
in a fixture library that contains the following properties for each fixture:
</P>
<UL>
<LI>Manufacturer (e.g. Martin)</LI>
<LI>Model (e.g. MAC250)</LI>
<LI>Type (Color Changer, Scanner, Moving Head, Smoke, Haze, Fan...)</LI>
<LI>Physical properties (bulb type, beam angle, dimensions...)</LI>
<LI>Channels:
<UL>
<LI>Channel group (Intensity, Pan, Tilt, Gobo, Color, Speed etc.)</LI>
<LI>8bit and 16bit channel bindings for pan & tilt groups</LI>
<LI>Optional primary color for intensity channels (RGB/CMY)
<LI>Value ranges for channel features (e.g. 0-5:Lamp on, 6-15:Strobe etc..)</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</UL>
<P>
These fixture definitions can then be used to create actual fixtures in the Q Light Controller Plus application, that will
have additional properties defined by users:
</P>
<UL>
<LI>DMX Universe</LI>
<LI>DMX Address</LI>
<LI>Name</LI>
</UL>
<P>
Several instances of a fixture can be created (e.g. users must be able to
have several instances of a MAC250 in use). Each fixture can be named, but the
name is not used internally by QLC+ to identify individual fixture instances. The same
goes for the DMX address. Nevertheless users are encouraged to name their
fixtures in some systematic way to help identify each of them -- if necessary.
</P>
<P>
Generic dimmer devices don't need their own fixture definitions, because usually
multiple dimmers are patched into a common address space, employing one or more
dimmer racks. Users can create instances of these generic dimmer entities just by
defining the number of channels each one of them should have.
</P>
<H3 id="FixtureGroup"><IMG SRC="qrc:/group.png"> Fixture Group</H3>
<P>
A fixture group is, as the name says, a group of <A HREF="#Fixtures">fixtures</A>.
They also define (at a rather basic level) the actual physical, real world arrangement of
these fixtures. This knowledge can be used, for example, in the RGB Matrix to produce a
wall of RGB-mixable lights that can act as individual pixels in a graphic pattern or
scrolling text.
</P>
<H3 id="FixtureMode">Fixture Mode</H3>
<P>
Many manufacturers design their intelligent lights in such a way that they can
be configured to understand different sets of channels. For example, a scanner
might have two configuration options: one for only 8bit movement channels
(1x pan, 1x tilt) and another one for 16bit movement channels (2x pan, 2x tilt).
Instead of creating a completely new fixture definition for each variation,
they have been bundled together in QLC+'s fixture definitions into fixture modes.
</P>
<H3 id="Functions"><IMG SRC="qrc:/function.png"> Functions</H3>
<P>
The number of functions is practically unlimited. Functions are used to
automate the setting of values to DMX channels. Each function type has its own
way of automating lights.
</P>
<P>
The function types are:
</P>
<UL>
<LI><A HREF="#Scene">Scene</A></LI>
<LI><A HREF="#Chaser">Chaser</A></LI>
<LI><A HREF="#Sequence">Sequence</A></LI>
<LI><A HREF="#EFX">EFX</A></LI>
<LI><A HREF="#RGBMatrix">RGB Matrix</A></LI>
<LI><A HREF="#Collection">Collection</A></LI>
<LI><A HREF="#Show">Show</A></LI>
<LI><A HREF="#Audio">Audio</A></LI>
</UL>
<P>
Each function can be named and, although the name is not used to uniquely identify
individual functions, users are encouraged to name their functions in some systematic
and concise way to help identify each of them. For your own comfort.
</P>
<P>
As of version 3.3.0, each function has its own speed settings:
<LI><B>Fade In:</B> The time used to fade HTP (in Scenes also LTP) channels to their target value</LI>
<LI><B>Fade Out:</B> The time used to fade HTP/intensity channels back to zero</LI>
<LI><B>Duration:</B> The duration of the current step (not applicable on Scenes)</LI>
</P>
<H3 id="GrandMaster">Grand Master</H3>
<P>
The Grand Master is used as the final master slider before values are written
to the actual physical DMX hardware. Usually, the Grand Master affects only
<B>Intensity</B> channels, but can also be changed to effect the values
of <B>all</B> channels.
</P>
<P>
The Grand Master has also two <B>Value Modes</B> that control the way <I>how</I>
the Grand Master affects channel values:
</P>
<UL>
<LI><U>Reduce:</U> Affected channels' values are reduced by a percentage set with the
Grand Master slider. For example, Grand Master at 50% will result in all
affected channels being reduced to 50% of their <B>current</B> values.</LI>
<LI><U>Limit:</U> Affected channels cannot get larger values than the value set with
the Grand Master slider. For example, Grand Master at 127 will result in all the
affected channels' maximum values being limited at exactly 127.</LI>
</UL>
<H3 id="Head">Head</H3>
<P>
A head represents an individual light output device in a fixture. Usually, a single fixture
contains exactly one output, like the lens, the bulb, or a set of LEDs. There is, however,
an increasing number of fixtures on the market that, although treated as a single fixture, have multiple light output devices, i.e. heads.
</P>
<P>
For example, you might have a RGB LED bar fixture that is assembled onto a single chassis and
as such it appears as a single fixture with one DMX input and one DMX output. However, it is
actually comprised of four separate RGB LED "fixtures". These separate fixtures are treated
in QLC+ as heads; they share some properties with their sibling heads, they
can be controlled individually, but they might also have a master intensity control that
controls the light output of all the heads together.
</P>
<P>
Each head belongs to a <A HREF="#FixtureMode">Fixture Mode</A> because in one
mode, a fixture might provide enough channels to control each of its heads individually
while in another mode, only a handful of channels might be provided for controlling all the
heads simultaneously.
</P>
<H3 id="HTP">HTP (Highest Takes Precedence)</H3>
<P>
HTP is a rule that decides what level is sent to out to a DMX universe by a channel when the channel is being controlled by more than
one <A HREF="#Functions">function</A> or Virtual Console widget. Generally, intensity channels obey the HTP rule. This includes generic intensity channels used to control <I>light intensity</I> with dimmers and also channels controlling the intensity of a color, typically in an LED fixture.
</P>
<P>
The HTP rule is simple: the highest level (nearer 100%) that is currently being sent to a channel is the one
that gets sent out to the DMX universe.
</P>
<P>
Let's say you have two sliders that control
the same intensity channel. First, you set slider 1 to 50% and then move slider 2 from 0% to 75%. As long
as slider 2 is below 50% nothing happens, but after crossing the 50% level set by slider 1,
the light intensity increases up to 75%. If you drag slider 2 again towards 0%, the light
intensity decreases until it reaches the 50% set by slider 1 and stays at 50% until slider 1
is dragged down.
</P>
<P>
A crossfade between 2 <A HREF="#Scene">Scenes</A> will replace the HTP levels in the first scene with the HTP levels of the second.
The new HTP levels will be combined with HTP levels from other functions and virtual console widgets as above.
See also <A HREF="#LTP">LTP</A>.
</P>
<H3 id="InputOutputPlugins"><IMG SRC="qrc:/input_output.png"> Input/Output plugins</H3>
<P>
QLC+ supports a variety of plugins to send and receive data from/to the external world.<br>
A plugin can be an interface to physical devices (such as DMX adapters or MIDI controllers) or
to a network protocol (such as <A HREF="artnetplugin.html">ArtNet</A>,
<A HREF="oscplugin.html">OSC</A> or <A HREF="e131plugin.html">E1.31</A>).<br>
Plugins support input, output or feedback capabilities depending on the device or the protocol they're
controlling.<BR>
</P>
<P>
The primary input methods for QLC+ are naturally the keyboard and mouse. Users can
assign keyboard keys to virtual console buttons and drag sliders and do pretty
much everything with a mouse.
</P>
<P>
Although, with plugins it is possible to attach additional input devices
to one's computer to alleviate the rather clumsy and slow user experience that
is achieved with a regular mouse and a keyboard. Plugins supporting an input line provide
capabilities for getting external devices to produce input data to various QLC+ elements.
</P>
<P>
An input line is a connection provided by some hardware or network which is accessed
through an input plugin. It can be, for example, a MIDI IN connector in the user's
computer (or peripheral) to which users can connect MIDI-capable input devices
like slider boards etc.
</P>
<P>
An output line is a connection provided by a hardware or network which is accessed
through an output plugin. In other words, it is a real DMX universe, but has been
dubbed <u>output</u> to separate it from QLC+'s internal universes. You could
think of them as individual XLR output connectors in your DMX hardware.
</P>
<H3 id="InputProfiles">Input profiles</H3>
<P>
Input profiles can be thought of as <A HREF="#Fixtures">fixtures'</A> cousins;
they contain information on specific devices that produce input data.
An input device can be, for example, a slider board like the Behringer BCF-2000,
Korg nanoKONTROL, an Enttec Playback Wing...
</P>
<H3 id="LTP">LTP (Latest Takes Precedence)</H3>
<P>
LTP is a rule that decides what level is sent to out to a DMX universe by a channel
when the channel is being controlled by more than one <A HREF="#Functions">function</A>
or Virtual Console widget. Generally, it is used for channels that have been assigned
to groups other than the <B>Intensity</B> group, such as pan, tilt, gobo, strobe speed
and other <I>intelligent fixture parameters</I>
</P>
<P>
The LTP rule is simple: the latest level that has been set by a function or a Virtual Console
widget gets sent out to the DMX universe.
</P>
<P>
During a crossfade between <A HREF="#Scene">Scenes</A>, LTP levels will often be changed.
This has to be handled with some care as some LTP levels need to jump immediately to a new level,
for example, changing from one gobo to another. LTP groups such as pan and tilt, however, might
need to change gradually from one level to another during a crossfade. Different timings can be
achieved by combining scenes in a <A HREF="#Collection">Collection</A>. See also <A HREF="#HTP">HTP</A>.
</P>
<H3 id="Modes"><IMG SRC="qrc:/operate.png"> Modes</H3>
<P>
Q Light Controller Plus is based on the common concept of having two distinct
operational modes to prevent accidental and possibly harmful changes during
operation:
</P>
<UL>
<LI><U>Design mode</U> is meant to edit the behaviour of the program;
create and edit <A HREF="#Functions">functions</A> and
<A HREF="#Fixtures">fixtures</A> and adjust how they work.</LI>
<LI><U>Operate mode</U> is meant to execute the created functions that
eventually control the user's lighting fixtures.</LI>
</UL>
<H3 id="RGBMatrix"><IMG SRC="qrc:/rgbmatrix.png"> RGB Matrix</H3>
<P>
An RGB matrix <A HREF="#Functions">function</A> can be used to impose simple graphics
and text on a matrix (a grid or a wall) of RGB and/or monochrome fixture <A HREF="#Head">heads</A>.
The RGB matrix function has been designed to be extendable with <A HREF="#RGBScript">scripts</A>
that can be written by users.
</P>
<P>
Each RGB matrix has its own speed settings:
<LI><B>Fade In:</B> Time to fade each pixel ON</LI>
<LI><B>Fade Out:</B> Time to fade each pixel OFF</LI>
<LI><B>Duration:</B> The duration of the current step/frame</LI>
</P>
<H3 id="RGBScript"><IMG SRC="qrc:/rgbmatrix.png"> RGB Script</H3>
<P>
A RGB script is a program written in <A HREF="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECMAScript">ECMAScript</A>
(also known as JavaScript) that produces the necessary image data for <A HREF="#RGBMatrix">RGB Matrix</A>
functions. Learn more from the <A HREF="rgbscriptapi.html">RGB Script API</A> page.
</P>
<H3 id="Scene"><IMG SRC="qrc:/scene.png"> Scene</H3>
<P>
A scene <A HREF="#Functions">function</A> comprises the values of selected
channels that are contained in one or more fixture instances. When a scene is started, the
time it takes for its channels to reach their target values depends on the
scene's speed settings:
<P>
Each function has its own speed settings:
<LI><B>Fade In:</B> The time used to fade all channels to their target values, from whatever value they had</LI>
<LI><B>Fade Out:</B> The time used to fade HTP/intensity channels back to zero. Note that ONLY <A HREF="#HTP">HTP</A> channels are affected by this setting.</LI>
</P>
<P>
Copies of scene functions can be created with the <A HREF="functionmanager.html">
Function Manager</A>. All of the scene's contents are copied to the duplicate.
</P>
<H3 id="Sequence"><IMG SRC="qrc:/sequence.png"> Sequence</H3>
<P>
A Sequence has some of the functionality of a <A HREF="#Chaser">Chaser</A>.<br>
It is equivalent to a Chaser in which each step is a single <A HREF="#Scene">Scene</A> and every one of those Scenes controls the
same set of channels. A Sequence is bound to one specific Scene, which means that all the steps of the
Sequence can only control the enabled channels of that Scene.<br>
When creating new steps in a Sequence, no Function selection pop-up will appear, since a Sequence
step cannot include other Functions, unlike a Chaser step.<br>
When a Sequence is created, a special sequence icon will appear in the <A HREF="functionmanager.html">Function Manager</A>
as a child of the Scene to which it is bound.<br>
To understand the difference between a Sequence and a Chaser, you are invited to read the second paragraph
of the <A HREF="showmanager.html">Show Manager</A> documentation.
</P>
<H3 id="Script"><IMG SRC="qrc:/script.png"> Script</H3>
<P>
The Script <A HREF="#Functions">function</A> works on a simple yet powerful scripting language to automate
QLC+ functionalities in a sequential order. A Script can be modified with the <A HREF="scripteditor.html">Script Editor</A>.
</P>
<H3 id="Show"><IMG SRC="qrc:/show.png"> Show</H3>
<P>
A Show is an advanced <A HREF="#Functions">function</A> which encapsulates most of the QLC+ Functions to create
a time driven light show. A Show can be created only with the <A HREF="showmanager.html">Show Manager</A> and can be inspected and renamed with the
<A HREF="showeditor.html">Show Editor</A>.
</P>
<H3 id="Video"><IMG SRC="qrc:/video.png"> Video</H3>
<P>
A video <A HREF="#Functions">function</A> is an object representing a video file
stored in a disk or a network URL.<br>
The supported video formats depends on your Operating System. For example Mac OSX is limited to MOV/MP4 files and
not much more.<br>
Video functions can be placed in <A HREF="#Chaser">Chaser</A> or in a <A HREF="#Show">Show</A> at the desired time,
using the <A HREF="showmanager.html">Show Manager</A> panel.<br>
</P>
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