• grandMA2 User 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
      • Paramters 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]
      • Backup
      • Blind
      • Bt Pg +
      • Bt Pg -
      • B.O. [Blackout]
      • Channel
      • Ch Pg +
      • Ch Pg -
      • Clear
      • Copy
      • Cue
      • Del [Delete]
      • Down
      • Edit
      • Effect
      • [Encoder]
      • Esc
      • Exec [Executor]
      • Executor Buttons
      • Fd Pg +
      • Fd Pg -
      • Fix
      • Fixture
      • Freeze
      • Full
      • Go + [small]
      • Go + [large]
      • Go - [small]
      • Go - [large]
      • Goto
      • Group
      • Help
      • Highlt [Highlight]
      • If
      • Keyboard
      • Learn
      • List
      • MA
      • Macro
      • [Minus] -
      • Mouse
      • Move
      • Next
      • [Numeric]
      • Off
      • On
      • Oops
      • Page
      • Pause [small]
      • Pause [large]
      • Please
      • [Plus] +
      • Preset
      • Prev [Previous]
      • Prvw [Preview]
      • Select
      • Sequ [Sequence]
      • Set
      • Setup
      • Solo
      • Store
      • Temp
      • Thru
      • Time
      • Top
      • Tools
      • Up
      • Update
      • User 1
      • User 2
      • View
      • U1 - U4
      • V1 - V10
      • X1 - X20
    • Workspace
      • User interface
        • Screen layout
        • User-defined area
        • Command line
        • X-Key labels
        • View buttons
        • Master section
        • Time control
      • Encoder bar
        • Preset control bar
        • Encoder toolbar
      • Encoder settings
      • Command wing bar
      • Command section
      • Mini executor bar
      • Work with views
      • Touch gestures
      • Calculator
      • Info
      • Oops and undo
      • Colors
        • System
        • Marker
        • Cue
      • Text indicators and symbols
      • Icons
      • 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
        • Alert
        • Align
        • AlignFaderModules
        • All
        • AllButtonExecutors
        • AllChaseExecutors
        • AllFaderExecutors
        • AllRows
        • AllSequExecutors
        • And
        • Appearance
        • Asterisk *
        • Assign
        • At
        • At @
        • Attribute
        • AutoCreate
        • Backup
        • Black
        • Blackout
        • BlackScreen
        • Blind
        • BlindEdit
        • Block
        • ButtonPage
        • Call
        • Camera
        • ChangeDest
        • Channel
        • ChannelFader
        • ChannelLink
        • ChannelPage
        • Chat
        • CircularCopy
        • Clear
        • ClearActive
        • ClearAll
        • ClearSelection
        • Clone
        • CmdDelay
        • CmdHelp
        • Copy
        • CrashLogCopy
        • CrashLogDelete
        • CrashLogList
        • Crossfade
        • CrossfadeA
        • CrossfadeB
        • Cue
        • Cut
        • Default
        • DefGoBack
        • DefGoForward
        • DefGoPause
        • Delay
        • Delete
        • DeleteShow
        • DisconnectStation
        • Dmx
        • Dollar $
        • DmxUniverse
        • Dot .
        • DoubleRate
        • DoubleSpeed
        • Down
        • DropControl
        • Edit
        • Effect
        • EffectAttack
        • EffectBPM
        • EffectDecay
        • EffectDelay
        • EffectFade
        • EffectForm
        • EffectHigh
        • EffectHZ
        • EffectID
        • EffectLow
        • EffectPhase
        • EffectSec
        • EffectSpeedGroup
        • EffectWidth
        • Empty
        • EndIf
        • EndSession
        • Escape
        • ExecButton1
        • ExecButton2
        • ExecButton3
        • Executor
        • Exit
        • Export
        • Extract
        • Fade
        • FadePath
        • Fader
        • FaderPage
        • Feature
        • Filter
        • Fix
        • Fixture
        • FixtureType
        • Flash
        • FlashGo
        • FlashOn
        • Flip
        • Form
        • Freeze
        • Full
        • FullHighlight
        • Gel
        • Go
        • GoBack
        • Goto
        • Group
        • HalfRate
        • HalfSpeed
        • Help
        • Highlight
        • IdentifyFaderModule
        • If
        • IfActive
        • IfOutput
        • IfProg
        • Image
        • Import
        • Info
        • Insert
        • Interleave
        • Invert
        • InviteStation
        • Item3D
        • JoinSession
        • Kill
        • Label
        • Layer
        • Layout
        • Learn
        • LeaveSession
        • List
        • ListEffectLibrary
        • ListFaderModules
        • ListLibrary
        • ListMacroLibrary
        • ListOops
        • ListOwner
        • ListPluginLibrary
        • ListShows
        • ListUpdate
        • ListUserVar
        • ListVar
        • Load
        • LoadNext
        • LoadPrev
        • LoadShow
        • Locate
        • Lock
        • Login
        • Logout
        • Lua
        • Macro
        • ManualXFade
        • Mask
        • Master
        • MasterFade
        • MAtricks
        • MAtricksBlocks
        • MAtricksFilter
        • MAtricksGroups
        • MAtricksInterleave
        • MAtricksReset
        • MAtricksWings
        • MediaServer
        • Menu
        • Message
        • Messages
        • MidiControl
        • MidiNote
        • MidiProgram
        • Model
        • Move
        • Move3D
        • NetworkInfo
        • NetworkNodeInfo
        • NetworkNodeUpdate
        • NetworkSpeedTest
        • NewShow
        • Next
        • NextRow
        • Normal
        • Off
        • On
        • Oops
        • Or
        • OutDelay
        • OutFade
        • Page
        • Parentheses ( )
        • Park
        • Part
        • Paste
        • Pause
        • Plugin
        • PMArea
        • Preset
        • PresetType
        • Preview
        • PreviewEdit
        • PreviewExecutor
        • Previous
        • PrevRow
        • Profile
        • Protocol
        • PSR
        • PSRList
        • Quotation marks " "
        • PSRPrepare
        • Rate
        • Rate1
        • RdmAutomatch
        • RdmAutopatch
        • RdmFixtureType
        • RdmInfo
        • RdmList
        • RdmSetParameter
        • RdmSetpatch
        • RdmUnmatch
        • Reboot
        • Record
        • Release
        • ReloadPlugins
        • Remote
        • RemoteCommand
        • Remove
        • RemoveIndividuals
        • Replace
        • ResetDmxSelection
        • ResetGuid
        • Restart
        • Root
        • Rotate3D
        • SaveShow
        • Screen
        • Search
        • SearchResult
        • Select
        • SelectDrive
        • Selection
        • Semicolon ;
        • SelFix
        • Sequence
        • SetHostname
        • SetIP
        • SetNetworkSpeed
        • Setup
        • SetUserVar
        • SetVar
        • ShuffleSelection
        • ShuffleValues
        • Shutdown
        • SnapPercent
        • Slash /
        • Solo
        • SpecialMaster
        • Square brackets [ ]
        • Speed
        • StepFade
        • StepInFade
        • StepOutFade
        • Stomp
        • Store
        • StoreLook
        • Surface
        • Swop
        • SwopGo
        • SwopOn
        • SyncEffects
        • TakeControl
        • Telnet
        • Temp
        • TempFader
        • Thru
        • Timecode
        • TimecodeSlot
        • Timer
        • ToFull
        • Toggle
        • Tools
        • Top
        • ToZero
        • Unblock
        • Unlock
        • Unpark
        • Up
        • Update
        • UpdateFirmware
        • UpdateSoftware
        • UpdateThumbnails
        • User
        • UserProfile
        • Value
        • Version
        • View
        • ViewButton
        • ViewPage
        • WebRemoteProgOnly
        • With
        • World
        • Zero
      • Work with lists
        • Object list
        • Selection list
        • Executor list
        • Attribute list
        • Station list
    • 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
    • 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
        • LED
        • Mirror
        • Moving lights
        • Media server
        • Virtual fixtures
    • Operate Fixtures
      • Channel sheet
      • Fixture sheet
      • Sheet options
        • Tools
        • Layer mask
        • Display
        • Title buttons
        • Assign executor
        • Mask (local)
      • Layers in sheets
        • Channel sheet and fixture sheet
        • Sequence content and sequence tracking sheet
      • 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
      • Auto create groups
      • Using groups when programming
      • Choose copy method
      • Change specific group colors
      • Group masters
    • Presets
      • What are special modes
      • Preset pools
      • Preset pool "Dynamic"
      • Create presets
      • Preset pool options
      • Create preset reference
      • Auto create presets
      • Auto create additional presets
      • Embedded presets
      • Edit presets
      • Update presets
      • Delete presets
    • Cues and Sequences
      • What are cues and sequences
      • Looking at the cue sequence
      • Store cues
      • Store options and defaults
      • Cue timings
      • Renumber cues
      • Delete cues
      • Playing back cues
      • Looking at the cue content
      • Update cues
      • What is tracking
      • What is MIB
      • Sequence mini executor
      • Commands in cues
    • 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
      • Channel pages
      • Executor options
      • Masters window
      • Special masters
        • Default masters
        • Grand masters
        • Speed masters
        • Rate masters
        • Playback masters
    • Clone
      • Clone in user interface
      • Examples
      • Clone presets
    • Search and Replace
      • Search
      • Replace
    • Image Pool
      • Import images and videos
      • Image limitations & guidelines for symbols
      • Supported file formats
      • Delete images and videos
    • Layouts
      • Create a layout
      • Layout pool options
      • Edit layout
      • Layout view options
    • 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
      • Use masks in the sheets
      • Apply worlds or filters to executors and sequences
    • MAtricks
      • MAtricks toolbar
      • MAtricks pool
      • MAtricks interleave
      • MAtricks blocks
      • MAtricks wings
      • MAtricks groups
    • Chasers
      • Create a chaser
      • Chaser settings
      • Chaser mini executor
    • Effects
      • Use predefined effects
      • Use template and selective effects
      • Create an effect in the programmer
      • Create an effect that uses presets
      • Create effect forms
      • Pool options
      • Effects in a cue
      • Assign effect to executor
      • Live edit an effect
      • Running effects
      • Update effects
      • Delete effects
    • Bitmap Fixture
      • Import bitmap fixture
      • Apply bitmap fixture in the layout
      • Control bitmap fixture
      • Edit bitmap fixture
      • Example
      • Priorities for bitmap effects
      • 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)
      • Web remote
      • Telnet remote
      • Decimal – hex table
    • Timecode
      • What is timecode and timecode shows
      • Record a timecode show
      • Edit a timecode show
      • Playing back a timecode show
      • 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
        • Conditional expressions
        • Macro timing
      • 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
      • Match RDM devices
      • Auto patch RDM devices
      • Work with RDM parameters
      • Work with RDM sensors
      • Configure RDM notifications
      • Use the RDM sheet
      • Unmatch RDM devices
      • Splitters and mergers that support RDM
      • Turn RDM off
      • RDM specific keywords
    • DMX Profiles
    • Other System Tools
      • Message center
      • Help
      • Clock
      • Sound input window
      • VPU pixel mapper view
      • Network dimmer
        • Views
        • Errors
        • Readout
        • Edit properties of a rack
        • Edit a module
      • Desk status
      • Performance window
      • System monitor
    • Export and Import
      • Export by using command line
      • Export by using user interface
      • Import by using command line
      • Import by using user interface
      • Import predefined objects
    • Update the Software
      • Update via setup
      • Format a USB stick for Linux
      • Update or factory reset via boot menu
      • Restart from Linux
    • Advanced Fixture Types
      • Anatomy of a fixture type
        • Module manager
        • Instance manager
        • Wheel manager
      • Attribute & Encoder Grouping
    • grandMA2 onPC Details
    • Control the MA NDPs
      • Add the MA NDPs
      • Configure the MA NDPs
      • Delete the MA NDPs
    • Control the MA Network Switch
      • Add MA Network Switch
      • Change IP address
      • Enable DHCP client
      • Change hostname
      • Change switch ID
      • Configure ports
      • Edit groups
      • Edit presets
      • Edit LAGs
      • Mirror ports
      • Work with the switch configuration
      • Change password
      • Update firmware
      • Reset to factory defaults
      • Delete MA Network Switch
    • Control the MA xPort Nodes
      • Add the MA xPort Nodes
      • Configure the MA xPort Nodes in the console
      • Configure the MA xPort Nodes in a browser
      • Configure the MA xPort Nodes as splitters or mergers
      • Delete the MA xPort Nodes
    • Console Settings
      • Adjust the intensity of desk lights
      • Change screen options
      • Local settings
      • Wing & monitor setup
      • Date & time
    • Shut Down the System
    • Error Messages
    • Technical Data
    • Glossary
  • grandMA2 Quick Start Guide
  • MA 3D
  • MA VPU
  • Release Notes
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Version 3.3

Stage View

The Stage View is a virtual 3D space where you can position your fixtures and stage elements.

It is a view you can create using the Create Basic Window pop-up.

It could look like this:

Stage View

The default is that there is a stage floor. Each fixture you add are represented by a wireframe square. The size is taken from the Fixture Type definition.

New fixtures are positioned at the 0,0,0 XYZ location. You can move your fixtures position to match your real world positions. To learn more about positioning the fixtures please read the Position fixtures in the 3D stage topic.

Moving around in the Stage View

You can freely move around in the virtual 3D space. What you are moving is actually a virtual camera. The cameras are described in more details in the Virtual 3D Cameras topic.

On the right side of the view you can see two controls. There is a circle with cross arrows inside. This can be used to move the camera. press or click inside the circle and move your finger or cursor while pressing. Below the move circle is a zoom bar. Pressing here and moving the finger/cursor up or down will zoom the view.

If you have a mouse with a scroll wheel attached and you scroll inside the Stage view then you will rotate left and right around the center point. On a console you can also use a screen encoder to rotate the view. If you press the encoder while you scroll, then you will rotate up and down.

Often you can have a button in the title bar that is called Mouse Mode. This can be used to control the camera. In the picture above it is the button called "Select". This button has several modes: Select, Move, Orbit, Panning, and Zoom.

Select is used to select fixtures in the view.

When Move is active, then you move the camera around when you click or press inside the stage view and move your finger or mouse around.

With Orbit you can rotate around the point where click or press.

Panning allows you to turn the camera without moving it.

Zoom will zoom in and out.

 

Remember that you are moving a camera. There are several default cameras that you select. The stage view can show you the stage from a specific camera or from the camera that you have selected in the Camera Pool.

In the title bar of the stage view, you might see the camera swipe button. In the picture above it is the button called [Link Selected]. If you swipe it, then it might give you the following options:

Stage view - Camera selection

Here you wiil see a list of all available camera. The one you select here is the one you are moving.There is the special option here called [Link Selected]. This will always use the camera you have selected in the Camera Pool.

Hint:
A connected MA 3D logged in as the same user as you, will use the same list of cameras and there location. This means that if you have the same camera selected in both your 3D and the stage view, then you can move the view in MA 3D.

 

Tapping the Zoom to Fit button will reset the camera position.

If you tap the space bar on your keyboard, then you will step through the different cameras.

 

Important:
If your Stage view is completely empty even though you have patched some fixtures. Then you might want to check if you have any cameras. Without cameras, then the stage view cannot show you the stage.

Stage View Options

You can open the Stage view options by tapping the yellow ball in the upper left corner.

There are four taps in the options.

The first one is called Calibration. This has one button. Tapping this will open the auto-calibration of moving light position. This has its own topic - please read about it here Autocalibrate fixture positions.

The next tap is about the Follow function. Here you can set the follow height. Please read more about the follow function below.

Next tap is the Mask function. Here you can set up a mask for the view. You can create a mask that hides fixtures based on a set of four rules. Read more about masks in the What are masks topic.

The right most tap is Title Buttons. There are quite a few buttons that you can have in the title bar. The following is short description of them:

  • Zoom to Fit:
    Pressing this button will reset to position of the selected camera.
  • Camera:
    This is the swipe button that allows you to select a camera.
  • Setup:
    This button is used to enter the Stage Setup mode. Here you can change the arrangement and position of fixtures.
  • Follow:
    This button will activate the Follow function. It also displays the "Z-offset". Read more about the follow function below.
  • Mouse Mode:
    This button is used to control what happens if you click/press inside the stage view and move the cursor. Please read the Moving around the stage view above.
  • Prog Only, Active Only, Parked, Seq+, Seq-, Only Selected, Mask 7, Mask 8, Mask 9, Mask 10:
    These buttons are actually different mask buttons. The first six are the default mask. The last four are mask buttons that you can define. For more about the masks please read the What are masks topic.
  • Enable Mask:
    This button will enable or disable the mask function in the Stage view. For more about the masks please read the What are masks topic.
  • Follow Mask:
    This button will make the Stage view use the selected mask (In the Mask Pool). For more about the masks please read the What are masks topic.

 

Follow function in Stage view

The follow function is a very nice way to point your moving lights at a location in your 3D space and then in your real world.

The idea is that you position your fixtures in the 3D space at the same location as they have in the real world. Then you select the fixtures you want to use, activate the Follow function and tap or click on your 3D stage where you want the fixtures to point. And then the real fixtures will point at that location.

 

In the options (see above) or by pressing the Edit key and then the Follow button in the title bar, you can set a Z-offset. This is the height of the point.

The Follow function overwrite all other Mouse Modes.


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