The following tips and how-to's have been submitted by various Dasher users.  Submit a tip or how-to by e-mailing support@christmascave.com.

 

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ChristmasCave Software FAQ

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Don't edit all of the audio files you want to use into one large audio file and then associate that large audio file with a grid file.  This makes the grid file itself very long with a large number of columns.  Instead, why not have one grid file per audio file and then string all of the grid files together using the Playlist Editor?  Doing this will make each grid file easier to edit by keeping the size of each individual grid file down.  This will also allow you to change the order of your display with just a few clicks.  -Drew H.

bulletQ. Sometimes I want all the channels to be operating independently.  At other times I want them to operate together during the song or be grouped together in various combinations.  In other words, I want the ability to "separate" circuits into their own group so they can be doing one sequence while another group does a completely separate sequence.  How do I do this?

A.  The way I've done this in the past is to use the lowest common timing interval.  For example, let's say you want the first group to sequence at 1 second intervals and a second group to sequence at half-second intervals.  Both groups need to be going at the same time.  In this example the lowest common timing interval is half a second.  Therefore you should set your columns to this interval and program each stage of the first group's sequence to last "2 columns long" instead of one column long.  The second group should be just fine the way it is.

bulletThe Audio Wizard plays the audio file and records the timing of mouse clicks as the audio is played.  Once one exits the Audio Wizard those timings are transferred to the top of the grid columns.  It's an easy way for you to sync the grid to the timing of the music.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use the Audio Wizard:

Start with a grid (new or existing), select an audio file (Edit / Select audio file), and then run the Audio Wizard (Tools / Audio wizard).  The status bar should prompt you to click on the column you want to start with.  Click on the column of the grid where you wish to have the outputs in sync with the audio.  The Audio Wizard will then start.

Click the play button and the audio file will start to play at the timing of the column you clicked in (i.e. if the column had a time of 00:10.00 then playback would start 10 seconds into the audio).  Then click the "Click Here!" button in rhythm to the audio (to the drums or whatever part of the audio you want to be in sync with).  Do that for however long one needs to and then click the Stop button.

Next, click the OK button to close the Audio Wizard.  All the timings of the clicks will be transferred to the columns of the grid beginning with the starting column you selected before the Audio Wizard ran.

The last thing to do is to select what lights you want on and off by clicking in the grid.  Click the Play button and the lights should flash in sync with the audio.

 

Last updated February 08, 2002