• grandMA2 User Manual
    • New in the Manual
    • Introduction
      • About this manual
      • System requirements grandMA2 onPC
      • Installation of grandMA2 onPC
      • Help from MA technical support
    • Safety Information
      • Symbols used
      • Intended use
      • Dangers caused by electric current
      • General safety instructions
    • Device Overview
      • grandMA2 console
      • grandMA2 replay unit (RPU)
      • grandMA2 fader wing
      • MA onPC command wing
      • MA onPC fader wing
    • System Overview
      • Standalone systems
      • Network systems
        • What is the replay unit (RPU)
        • What is the network processing unit (NPU)
        • What is the MA video processing unit (VPU)
        • What is the network dimmer processor (NDP)
        • What is MA 3D
        • What are the MA nodes
      • Parameters vs. DMX channels
      • Parameter expansion
      • Big systems
      • Media systems and CITP
    • First Steps
      • Unpack the device
      • Check scope of delivery
      • Position the device
      • Connect power
      • Connect desk lamps
      • Connect external screens
      • Connect USB mouse and USB keyboad
      • Connect DMX
      • Connect sound
      • Connect SMPTE (LTC)
      • Connect Ethernet
      • Connect analog remote control
      • Connect grandMA2 fader wing
      • Setup your PC
      • Turn on the console the first time
    • Keys & Buttons on the Console
      • Key overview
      • >>> [GoFastForward]
      • <<< [GoFastBack]
      • . [Dot]
      • Align
      • Assign
      • At
      • Backg [Background]
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      • Bt Pg +
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      • Channel
      • Ch Pg +
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      • Clear
      • Copy
      • Cue
      • Del [Delete]
      • Down
      • Edit
      • Effect
      • [Encoder]
      • Esc
      • Exec [Executor]
      • Executor Buttons
      • Fd Pg +
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      • Fix
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      • Go + [small]
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      • Prvw [Preview]
      • Select
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      • Set
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      • Top
      • Tools
      • Up
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      • User 1
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      • View
      • U1 - U4
      • V1 - V10
      • X1 - X20
    • Workspace
      • User interface
        • Screen layout
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      • Encoder bar
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      • Encoder settings
      • Command wing bar
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      • Mini executor bar
      • Work with views
      • Touch gestures
      • Calculator
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      • Colors
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      • Text indicators and symbols
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      • Keyboard shortcuts
        • Turn on or turn off the keyboard shortcuts
        • Edit keyboard shortcuts
        • Add or delete keyboard shortcuts
        • Export or import keyboard shortcuts
    • Windows in General
      • Create and manage basic windows
      • Clear the screen or delete windows
    • Command Syntax and Keywords
      • General syntax rules
        • Helping keywords
        • Object keywords
        • Function keywords
      • All keywords
        • Special characters
        • <<< [GoFastBack]
        • >>> [GoFastForward]
        • - [Minus]
        • + [Plus]
        • AddUserVar
        • AddVar
        • Agenda
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        • Align
        • AlignFaderModules
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        • And
        • Appearance
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        • Crossfade
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        • Cue
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        • DisconnectStation
        • Dmx
        • Dollar $
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        • Dot .
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        • Down
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        • Edit
        • Effect
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        • Quotation marks " "
        • Rate
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        • RdmAutomatch
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        • Reboot
        • Record
        • Release
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        • Remote
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        • ResetDmxSelection
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        • Screen
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        • Select
        • SelectDrive
        • Selection
        • SelFix
        • Semicolon ;
        • Sequence
        • SetHostname
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        • Setup
        • SetUserVar
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        • ShuffleSelection
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        • Shutdown
        • SnapPercent
        • Slash /
        • Solo
        • SpecialMaster
        • Square brackets [ ]
        • Speed
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        • Stomp
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        • Surface
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        • SyncEffects
        • TakeControl
        • Telnet
        • Temp
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        • User
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        • Value
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        • With
        • World
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      • Work with lists
        • Object list
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    • Using the Backup Menu
      • New show
      • Load show
      • Save show
      • Save show as...
      • Delete shows
      • Using a USB stick
      • Setting up a file server
      • Partial show read
      • ASCII show read
      • grandMA2 to grandMA3 show file converter
    • Single User and Multi User Systems
      • The difference between a single user and a multi user system
      • Create user profiles and users
      • User settings
      • Login
    • Networking
      • What is networking
      • Set the IP address in the console
      • Set the IP address in the onPC
      • Using DHCP in MA devices
      • Session control
        • How to create a session
        • Protecting the session and station
        • Adding devices to the session
        • How to end or leave a session
        • Session collision
      • Getting DMX in and out of the system
        • Setting up DMX ports on MA devices
        • Network DMX protocols
        • What affects my DMX output?
      • Using CITP
        • Streaming CITP
        • Thumbnail exchange
      • PosiStageNet (PSN)
      • FTP connection to console and NPU
    • Patching, DMX, and Fixture Setup
      • What are channels & fixtures
        • Attributes
        • DMX break
      • What is 3D and stage setup
      • Adding fixtures to the show
      • Delete fixtures from the show
      • Working with layers
      • Multipatching
      • Live patching
      • DMX sheet
      • DMX testing
      • DMX and parameter lists
      • Universe pool
      • Stage view
      • Virtual 3D cameras
      • Position fixtures in the 3D stage
      • Auto calibrate fixture positions
    • Basic Fixture Types
      • What are attributes, features & preset types
      • ColorMix vs. MixColor
      • Different fixture types
        • Conventional
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        • Media server
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    • Operate Fixtures
      • Channel sheet
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        • Assign executor
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      • What is the programmer
      • Encoder grouping
      • Using the color picker
      • Using the shaper dialog
      • Using the smart view
      • Edit a channel or fixture
    • Pools in General
      • Manage pool objects
      • Adjust pool options
      • Call modes
    • Groups
      • Create groups
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      • Using groups when programming
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      • Group masters
    • Presets
      • What are special modes
      • Preset pools
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      • Create presets
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    • Cues and Sequences
      • What are cues and sequences
      • Looking at the cue sequence
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      • Cue timings
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      • Playing back cues
      • Looking at the cue content
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      • What is tracking
      • What is MIB
      • Sequence mini executor
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    • Executors
      • What are executors
      • Executors on the screens
      • Assign a function
      • Looking at the active executors
      • Common executor options
    • Advanced Sequence Functionality
      • Using different view sets in the sheets
      • Working with MIB
      • Using cue modes
      • Cue zero
      • Sequence info window
      • Looping cues
      • Cue path
    • Advanced Executor Functionality
      • Executor pages
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      • Masters window
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    • Clone
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    • Search and Replace
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    • Image Pool
      • Import images and videos
      • Image limitations & guidelines for symbols
      • Supported file formats
      • Delete images and videos
    • Layouts
      • Create a layout
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      • Edit layout
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    • Worlds, Filters and Masks
      • What are worlds
      • Create worlds
      • Auto create worlds
      • Use worlds when programming
      • What are filters
      • Create filters
      • Use filters when programming
      • Use temporary filters
      • What are masks
      • Create masks
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      • Apply worlds or filters to executors and sequences
    • MAtricks
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    • Chasers
      • Create a chaser
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      • Use predefined effects
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      • Import bitmap fixture
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      • Edit bitmap fixture
      • Example
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      • Disable bitmap for fixtures
    • XYZ
      • XYZ vs. pan/tilt
      • XYZ and pan/tilt in cues and sequences
      • Use stage markers
      • Link objects to stage markers in MA 3D
    • Remote Controlling the System
      • Remote input
      • MIDI show control (MSC)
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      • Decimal – hex table
    • Timecode
      • What is timecode and timecode shows
      • Record a timecode show
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      • Organize the show with multiple timecode shows
    • Timer
      • Timer pool
      • Timer pool options
    • Agenda
      • What is agenda
      • Create an appointment in the agenda
    • Macros
      • What are macros
      • Manually create a macro
        • Use variables
        • Create pop-ups
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      • Record a macro
      • Edit a macro
      • Command line interaction
      • Assign a macro to a key
      • Example macros
    • Plugins
      • What is Lua
      • Edit plugins
    • Partial Show Read
      • What is partial show read (PSR)
      • How to do a PSR
    • RDM
      • Turn RDM on
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      • Use the RDM sheet
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      • RDM specific keywords
    • DMX Profiles
    • Other System Tools
      • Message center
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    • Update the Software
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    • Advanced Fixture Types
      • Anatomy of a fixture type
        • Module manager
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    • grandMA2 onPC Details
    • Control the MA NDPs
      • Add the MA NDPs
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    • Control the MA Network Switch
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    • Control the MA xPort Nodes
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      • Configure the MA xPort Nodes in a browser
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      • Delete the MA xPort Nodes
    • Console Settings
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      • Date & Time
    • Shut Down the System
    • Error Messages
    • Technical Data
    • Glossary
  • grandMA3 Mode2
  • grandMA2 Quick Start Guide
  • grandMA2 Quick Manual onPC solutions
  • MA 3D
  • MA VPU
  • Release Notes
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Version 3.9

What is Tracking

Tracking is the principle to only store the changes in the cues.

If a fixture is turned on in a blue color, it will stay like this until it is told to change. It does not matter how many cues that are between it is told to turn On and the cue where it is told to turn Off.

Instead of each cue between turning it On and Off having the information that the fixture should be On in a blue color, we only have to store it once - from there it is tracked.

Quite simply, tracking is the idea that once a parameter is set to a level, it stays there until it is told to go somewhere else.

 

Example

Fixture number 1 is stored in a blue color, at 100 percent dimmer value in cue number 1. If the are 8 cues and fixture number 1 does not get any new information then it will stay at 100% in blue color in all 8 cues.

The best way to see this information is the Tracking Sheet. It would look like this:

Sequence with 8 cues - fixture 1 stored values in cue 1

Notice the difference in text color between the values in cue 1 and the others. The magenta color indicates that the values are not actually stored in the cues, but it is a tracked value from a previous cue.

Now we change the color of the fixture to red and the dimmer is set to 100% again.

We store this as cue 4 (using Merge), it would look like this:

Sequence with 8 cues - fixture 1 has a new color in cue 4 - blocked dimmer

The text color of the dimmer value is now white. This shows us that the values is stored here, but it is the same value as the tracked value. This is called a "Blocked" value. This would mean that if we change the value in any of the previous cues, then it would still be 100% in cue number 4. It is currently blocking the tracked value from cue 1 (the same value) and the value stored in cue 4 is tracking to the end.

Notice that the text color for the new RGB values in cue 4 are now cyan. This means that the value is stored here, it is a new value, and it will track the changed value into the rest of the cues.

If we remove the redundant stored value, then we remove the dimmer data from the cue - this is also called to "unblock".

Sequence with 8 cues - fixture 1 has a new color in cue 4 - unblocked dimmer

There are several way to do this. One would be to simply edit the value in tracking sheet - follow the link above to read details about the tracking sheet.

Another way is to have the dimmer value for fixture number 1 as active value in your programmer and then store cue 4 with the "Remove" option. This would remove the dimmer value from the cue.

A third option could be using a command like this:

[Channel]> Unblock Sequence 9

This would remove all redundant white values from the entire sequence number 9.

 

Cue Only

When tracking is turned on and a value is stored in a cue, then the values tracks to the following cues. Just described above.

If a value is stored using Cue Only, the new values is not tracked if the attribute has previous tracking values. The old tracking values are automatically stored in the cue after the new values.

Example

Have a look at the following sequence:

Sequence before any changes

Now fixture number 2 gets a new intensity value and a new position. This is stored in cue number 1 using Cue Only.

This is the result:

New values stored using Cue Only

The new values are stored in cue 1. Notice that cue 2 and the following cues are not changed. This is the cue only function that stores the previous tracked intensity and position values for fixture 2 in cue 2.

If we had stored the values without Cue Only, it would have look like this: 

Sequence changed without using Cue Only

Now number 2 looks different, and all the following cues uses the new position stored in cue 1.

 

Release

It is possible to store using the Release option. This will put an (R) in the Sequence Tracking Sheet

When an attribute is released in the sequence then it is the same as the sequence no longer sending any information to the attribute.

If a different sequence is sending values to the attribute then these values are now used. Sequence priority can be important in this case - read about priorities in the Playing back Cues topic

 

Release First Step

There is an option in the Executor Options that is called Release Firststep. This becomes relevant if another option called Wrap Around is active. 

You can enter the Executor options by pressing the Assign key and then one of the keys associated with an executor using a sequence - this opens the Assign Menu. Tap the Options button on the right side of the menu.

Wrap Around allows the sequence to return to the top/first cue if you perform a Go (forward) command after you have reached the last cue in the sequence.

Release First Step controls what should happen with tracked values. They can track from the last cue to the first (Release First Step Off) or any tracked values can be released when the sequence is started from the top (Release First Step On).

Release first step is an option that effects the sequence. This means that this option is synchronized on all executors that uses the same sequence. Wrap around is a setting of the executor - so executors with the same sequence can have different options regarding Wrap Around.

 

Turning Tracking On or Off

Also in the Executor Options there is the option to turn On or Off the tracking function.

This option belongs to the sequence, meaning that it will be synchronized across all executors that uses the sequence.

When Tracking is Off, the tracked values are gone and where the value was tracked it will be released instead.

If you look at the sequence used in the Cue Only example, it would look like this without Tracking:

Sequence with Tracking turned Off

Fixtures 1 and 3 would only be On in cue 2. Fixture 2 would be On and in a position in cue 1. In cue 2 it would turn Off and the position would be released and go back to the default for the fixture. Fixture 2 would turn On again in cue 3 and Off in cue 4. You would not need to store the Off (closed) values, unless other sequences might also try to control the same fixtures and you want to make sure they turn Off.


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