• grandMA3 User Manual
    • About the manual
    • Device Overview
      • grandMA3 consoles
        • grandMA3 full-size
        • grandMA3 full-size CRV
        • grandMA3 light
        • grandMA3 light CRV
        • grandMA3 compact XT
        • grandMA3 compact
      • grandMA3 extension
      • grandMA3 replay unit
      • grandMA3 processing units
      • grandMA3 Nodes
      • grandMA3 Nodes DIN-Rail
      • grandMA3 I/O Node
      • grandMA3 I/O Node DIN-Rail
      • grandMA3 onPC command wing XT
      • grandMA3 onPC command wing
      • grandMA3 onPC fader wing
      • grandMA3 onPC rack-unit
      • Screen allocation
      • Keyboard shortcuts
      • Keys
        • . [Dot]
        • <<< [GoFastBackward] | Black
        • >>> [GoFastForward] | Flash
        • - [Minus]
        • + [Plus]
        • / [Slash] | * [Asterisk/Multiply]
        • At
        • Assign
        • Align
        • Blind
        • Clear
        • Channel
        • Copy
        • Ctrl
        • Cue
        • Down
        • Delete
        • Esc
        • Edit
        • Freeze
        • Full
        • Fixture
        • Group
        • Goto
        • Go+ [large]
        • Go- [large]
        • Go+ | Temp
        • Go- | Top
        • Help
        • Highlt [Highlight]
        • If
        • Learn | Rate1
        • List
        • MA
        • Menu
        • Move
        • Next
        • Numeric keys | arrows
        • Oops
        • On
        • Off
        • Pause [large]
        • Pause | Fix
        • Page+
        • Page-
        • Please
        • Power
        • Preset
        • Prvw [Preview]
        • Prev [Previous]
        • Select
        • SelFix [SelectFixture]
        • Sequ [Sequence]
        • Set
        • Solo
        • Stomp
        • Store
        • Thru
        • Time
        • Up
        • Update
        • U1
        • U2
        • X1 | Clone
        • X2 | Link
        • X3 | Grid
        • X4 | Layout
        • X5 | Step
        • X6 | TC
        • X7 | View
        • X8 | DMX
        • X9
        • X10
        • X11
        • X12
        • X13 | Phaser
        • X14 | Macro
        • X15 | Page
        • X16 | Exec
        • Xkeys
      • Control elements
        • Command area
        • Master area
        • Custom area
        • Dual encoders
        • Level wheel
        • Grand master
        • Executor elements
      • Connector pin assignment
      • UPS battery
    • System Overview
      • Standalone device
      • Locally networked devices
      • World server
      • Parameters
        • Calculate parameters
        • Expand the amount of parameters
    • First Steps
      • Unpack the device
      • Check scope of delivery
      • Position the device
      • Connect power
      • Connect desk light
      • Connect external screens
      • Connect USB devices
      • Connect DMX
      • Connect Audio In
      • Connect MIDI
      • Connect LTC
      • Connect Ethernet
      • Connect DC Remote In
      • Connect grandMA3 extension
      • Connect grandMA3 fader wing
      • Turn on the device the first time
    • grandMA3 onPC
      • System requirements grandMA3 onPC
      • Windows installation
      • Optimize Windows
      • macOS installation
      • Optimize macOS
      • onPC Terminal App
      • onPC settings
    • Show File Handling
    • Workspace
      • User interface
        • Configuration of displays
        • Desk lock
        • User-defined area
        • Command line
        • Control bar
        • View bar
        • Tables in general
        • Trackpad window
      • Gestures
      • Command area
      • Master controls
      • Playback controls
      • Displays in grandMA3 onPC
      • Encoder bar
        • Feature group control bar
        • Encoder toolbar
      • Calculator
      • Playback bar
      • Command wing bar
      • Colors
        • System
        • Markers
        • Color theme
    • Command Syntax and Keywords
      • General syntax rules
      • General keywords
        • ; [Semicolon]
        • / [Slash]
        • . [Dot]
        • .. [DotDot]
        • = [Equal]
        • <<< [GoFastBackward]
        • >>> [GoFastForward]
        • - [Minus]
        • * [Asterisk]
        • % [Percent]
        • + [Plus]
        • Absolute
        • Acceleration
        • Action
        • ActivationGroup
        • Agenda
        • Align
        • AlignTransition
        • Appearance
        • Assign
        • At
        • Attribute
        • AutoCreate
        • Black
        • Blind
        • Block
        • BPM
        • Call
        • Camera
        • Capture
        • ChangeDestination
        • Channel
        • ChannelSet
        • Chat
        • ChatJoin
        • ChatLeave
        • Cleanup
        • Clear
        • ClearActive
        • ClearAll
        • ClearSelection
        • Clone
        • CommandDelay
        • Collect
        • Collection
        • Color
        • ColorDef
        • ColorTheme
        • Configuration
        • Console
        • Cook
        • Copy
        • Cue
        • CueAbs
        • CueDelay
        • CueFade
        • CueInDelay
        • CueInFade
        • CueOutDelay
        • CueOutFade
        • CueRel
        • CueUpdate
        • CurrentEnvironment
        • CurrentUser
        • CurrentUserProfile
        • Cut
        • DataPool
        • Deceleration
        • Decimal8
        • Decimal16
        • Decimal24
        • Default
        • Delay
        • Delete
        • DeleteOtherVersions
        • DelGlobalVar
        • DelUserVar
        • Dismiss
        • Display
        • DMXLayer
        • DMXAddress
        • DMXReadout
        • DMXUniverse
        • DoubleSpeed
        • Down
        • DumpLog
        • Drive
        • Echo
        • Edit
        • EditSetting
        • Eject
        • Effect
        • EndIf
        • Environment
        • Exchange
        • Executor
        • Export
        • Extract
        • Extension
        • Fade
        • Fader
        • FaderMaster
        • FaderRate
        • FaderSpeed
        • FaderTemp
        • FaderTime
        • FaderX
        • FaderXA
        • FaderXB
        • FeatureGroup
        • Filter
        • Fix
        • FixtureClass
        • FixtureLayer
        • Fixture
        • FixtureType
        • Flip
        • Flash
        • Fog
        • Font
        • Freeze
        • Full
        • Gel
        • GetGlobalVar
        • GetUserVar
        • Go+
        • Go-
        • Goto
        • Grid
        • GridPos
        • Group
        • HalfSpeed
        • HardwareKey
        • Help
        • Helplua
        • Hex8
        • Hex16
        • Hex24
        • Highlight
        • Houselights
        • Hz
        • If
        • IfActive
        • IfOutput
        • IfProg
        • Image
        • Import
        • Index
        • Insert
        • Integrate
        • Interface
        • Invert
        • Invite
        • IP
        • JoinSession
        • Key
        • Keyboard
        • KeyboardShortcuts
        • Knockin
        • Knockout
        • Label
        • Language
        • Layout
        • LearnSpeed
        • LeaveSession
        • Library
        • List
        • ListOwner
        • ListRef
        • Load
        • Loaded
        • LoadShow
        • Lock
        • Login
        • Logout
        • Lowlight
        • Lua
        • LuaFile
        • Macro
        • MArker
        • Master
        • MAtricks
        • Measure
        • Media
        • MemInfo
        • Menu
        • Mesh
        • MessageCenter
        • Monitor
        • Move
        • Multipatch
        • MyRunningMacro
        • MyRunningPreset
        • MyRunningSequence
        • Natural
        • NDI
        • NewShow
        • NextY
        • NextZ
        • Next
        • Node
        • NonDim
        • Normal
        • Off
        • Offset
        • On
        • onPC
        • OSC
        • Oops
        • OutputLayer
        • Page
        • Part
        • Park
        • Paste
        • Patch
        • Pause
        • Percent
        • PercentFine
        • Phase
        • Physical
        • Plugin
        • Preset
        • PresetUpdate
        • Press
        • Preview
        • PreviousY
        • PreviousZ
        • Previous
        • Programmer
        • Property
        • PU
        • Pyro
        • Rate1
        • RDM
        • Readout
        • Reboot
        • Recast
        • Record
        • Relation
        • Relative
        • Release
        • ReloadPlugins
        • ReloadUI
        • Remote
        • RemoteHID
        • RemoteCommand
        • Remove
        • RenderQuality
        • Reset
        • Restart
        • Root
        • RTChannel
        • RunningMacro
        • RunningPreset
        • RunningSequence
        • RunningTimecode
        • SaveShow
        • ScreenConfig
        • ScreenContent
        • Scribble
        • Seconds
        • Select
        • Selection
        • SelFix
        • Sequence
        • SendMIDI
        • SendOSC
        • Set
        • SetGlobalVar
        • SetUserVar
        • Shuffle
        • Shutdown
        • SnapDelay
        • SoftwareImport
        • SoftwareUpdate
        • SoundChannel
        • Solo
        • SpecialExecutor
        • Speed
        • Speed1
        • Stage
        • Station
        • Step
        • Stomp
        • SwitchGma2Mode
        • Swop
        • Store
        • Temp
        • Texture
        • Thru
        • Time
        • Timecode
        • TimecodeSlot
        • Toggle
        • TopUp
        • Top
        • Transition
        • Type
        • UIChannel
        • UIGridSelection
        • UnBlock
        • Universal
        • UnLock
        • UnPark
        • UnPress
        • Up
        • Update
        • UpdateContent
        • User1
        • User2
        • User
        • UserProfile
        • Video
        • Version
        • View
        • ViewButton
        • Width
        • World
        • Xkeys
        • Zero
      • Option keywords
        • /Active
        • /ActiveForSelected
        • /AddNewContent
        • /All
        • /AllForSelected
        • /Ask
        • /Auto
        • /CopyCueDst
        • /CopyCueScr
        • /CreateReferenceObject
        • /CreateSecondCue
        • /CueOnly
        • /Date
        • /Default
        • /DiscardChanges
        • /DMX
        • /Embed
        • /Enumerate
        • /File
        • /ForceGlobal
        • /GDTF
        • /Gaps
        • /Global
        • /GridMergeMode
        • /Indirect
        • /KeepActivation
        • /Look
        • /Merge
        • /NoConfirm
        • /OriginalContentOnly
        • /Overwrite
        • /Path
        • /Release
        • /Remove
        • /Screen
        • /Selective
        • /Universal
      • Extended command line syntax options
    • Windows, Views, and Menus
      • Add window
      • Rearrange
      • Store and recall views
      • Remove windows from a screen
      • Window settings
      • Menus
      • Change menu locations
      • Pool windows
        • Create pool object
        • Label pool objects
        • Move pool objects
        • Insert pool objects
        • Copy pool objects
        • Lock and unlock pool objects
        • Delete pool objects
    • Networking
      • Interfaces and IP
      • Session
        • Create a session
        • Join a session
        • Leave a session
        • Invite to a session
        • Dismiss from session
        • Create a custom key
        • Session master selection
      • Web remote
    • DMX In and Out
      • DMX port configuration
      • Ethernet DMX
        • Art-Net menu
        • sACN menu
        • Transmit DMX using Art-Net
    • Single User and Multi User Systems
      • Create User
      • User settings
    • Patch and Fixture Setup
      • What are fixtures
      • Add fixtures to the show
      • Add multipatch fixtures
      • MVR
      • Live patch
      • DMX sheet
      • DMX universes
      • Remove fixtures from the show
      • Position fixtures in the 3D space
      • 3D
      • Camera Pool
      • Stages
      • Classes and Layers
      • Attribute definitions
        • Activation group
        • Feature group
        • Deactivation group
      • Parameter list
      • DMX curves
    • Operate Fixtures
      • Select Fixtures
      • What is the programmer
      • Fixture sheet
      • Encoder resolution
      • Using the color picker
      • Gel pool
      • Selection bar
      • Align
      • Selection Grid
      • Smart view
      • General parent.child structure
    • Scribbles
      • Create scribbles
      • Edit scribbles
      • Assign scribbles
      • Delete scribbles
    • Images
      • Screenshots
    • Video
    • Appearances
      • Create appearances
      • Use appearances
      • Delete appearances
    • Groups
      • Create groups
      • Edit groups
      • Delete groups
      • Group masters
    • Presets
      • Preset pools
      • Create new presets
      • Recipe presets
      • Use preset
      • Edit or Update presets
    • Worlds and Filters
      • At filter
      • Create a world
      • Create a filter
      • Use a world or filter
      • Delete a world
      • Delete a filter
    • MAtricks and Shuffle
      • Blocks
      • Groups
      • Wings
      • Widths
      • Shuffle
      • Transform
    • Cues and Sequences
      • What is tracking
      • Sequences sheet
      • Content sheet
      • Sequence settings
      • Store cues
      • Update cues
      • Copy cues
      • Cue recipes
      • Store settings and preferences
      • Play back cues
      • Move in black
      • Cue timing
      • Renumber cues
      • Delete cues
    • Executors
      • Assign object to an executor
      • Executor configurations
      • Running playbacks
      • Special executors
    • Masters
      • Selected masters
      • Grand masters
        • Time Control
      • Speed masters
      • Playback masters
    • Recipes
    • Phasers
      • Phaser editor
      • Create sinus dimmer phaser
      • Create circle phaser
      • Create circle phaser around position
      • Create color rainbow phaser
    • XYZ
      • Activating XYZ for fixture types
      • MArker fixture
    • Macros
      • Create macros
      • Edit macros
      • Assign macros to keys and buttons
      • Variables
      • Examples
    • Agenda
      • View modes
      • Create an agenda entry
      • Edit an agenda entry
      • Agenda toolbar
    • Timecode
      • What are timecode slots
      • Timecode settings
      • Track groups
      • Time ranges and events
      • Toggle view mode
      • Record a timecode show
      • Record an external timecode show
      • Edit a timecode show
    • Layouts
      • Create a layout
      • Assign multipatch fixtures
      • Edit layout
      • Layout view settings
      • Edit layout view
      • Edit layout elements
      • Layout encoder bar
    • Plugins
      • What is Lua?
      • Handle
      • Functions - Object-Free API
        • BuildDetails
        • CloseUndo
        • Cmd
        • CmdIndirect
        • CmdIndirectWait
        • CmdObj
        • Confirm
        • CreateUndo
        • DataPool
        • DefaultDisplayPositions
        • DeskLocked
        • Echo
        • ErrEcho
        • ErrPrintf
        • Export
        • ExportCSV
        • ExportJson
        • FromAddr
        • GetPath
        • GetShowFileStatus
        • GetSubfixture
        • GetSubfixtureCount
        • HandleToStr
        • HandleToInt
        • HookObjectChange
        • HostOS
        • HostSubType
        • HostType
        • Import
        • IntToHandle
        • MasterPool
        • MessageBox
        • ObjectList
        • Patch
        • PopupInput
        • Printf
        • ProgrammerPart
        • ProgressBar
        • Pult
        • Root
        • SelectedSequence
        • Selection
        • SelectionCount
        • SelectionFirst
        • SelectionNext
        • SerialNumber
        • ShowData
        • StrToHandle
        • ShowSettings
        • TextInput
        • Timer
        • UserVariables
        • Version
      • Functions - Object API
        • Addr
        • AddrNative
        • Children
        • Dump
        • Export
        • HasActivePlayback
        • Import
        • ToAddr
    • Data Pools
    • System
      • Date and time
      • Clock
      • Desk lights
      • System information
      • System monitor
      • Info Window
    • Sound
      • Sound Window
    • Remote In and Out
      • DC remotes
      • MIDI remotes
      • DMX remotes
      • OSC
      • PSN
      • MIDI
    • RDM
    • Control other MA Devices
      • grandMA3 Nodes
      • MA Network Switch
      • RemoteHID
    • Update the Software
      • Update grandMA3 consoles
      • Update grandMA3 Nodes
      • Update grandMA3 onPC windows hardware
      • Update grandMA3 viz-key
      • Network update
      • Delete update files
      • Troubleshooting
    • Fixture Types
      • Import fixture types
        • Import GDTF
        • Conflicts in fixture types
      • Build fixture types
        • Insert fixture types
        • Insert DMXModes
        • Insert geometries
        • Insert models
        • Link models to geometries
        • Link DMX modes to geometries
      • Export fixture types
        • Export GDTF
    • File Management
      • SFTP connection
      • Import / Export Menu
      • Folder Structure
    • Shut down the System
    • Troubleshooting
      • Clean start
  • grandMA3 Quick Start Guide
  • grandMA3 Quick Manual consoles
  • grandMA3 Quick Manual processing units
  • grandMA3 Quick Manual Nodes
  • grandMA3 Quick Manual Nodes DIN-Rail
  • grandMA3 Quick Manual onPC command wing XT
  • grandMA3 Quick Manual onPC command wing
  • grandMA3 Quick Manual onPC fader wing
  • grandMA3 Quick Manual onPC rack-unit
  • grandMA3 Quick Manual viz-key
  • grandMA3 Quick Manual I/O Nodes
  • Release Notes
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Version 1.8

Folder Structure

The grandMA3 software uses a default set of folders to help maintain a predictable structure when saving data to any internal or external drives.

Hint:
This topic, and other topics in the manual, lists a particular folder name as gma3_x.y.z. In this name, the “x.y.z” portion takes the place of the actual installed version number. If the installed version is v1.4.2.1, the name of this folder is gma3_1.4.2.

Main Folder

The main folder where all grandMA3 user data is stored by default appears using different labels depending upon the type of drive. This folder can be found under the following names and locations:

On USB Drives:

The main folder on any USB drive connected to either a console or a computer running grandMA3 onPC appears at the root of the drive with the name grandMA3.

The full folder structure is created once the drive is connected to the station and selected in the system. There are many ways to select the drive, including the Backup menu, any menu allowing import or export, or the Select Drive [Drive Number] command. For more information on the Drive keyword, see the Drive keyword topic.

On Internal Drives of Computers Running grandMA3 onPC:

The full folder structure is created as part of the software installation process.

The main folder on the internal drive of any computer running grandMA3 onPC appears with the name MALightingTechnology.

On computers running macOS, the main folder is found at the following location:
[System HD]/Users/[User Name]/MALightingTechnology

On computers running Windows, the main folder is found at the following location:
C:\ProgramData\MALightingTechnology

On the Internal Drive of the Console:

When logged into the console via SFTP, the console presents the main grandMA3 folder as the root directory, using the name /. For more information about SFTP, see the SFTP Connection topic.


Shows and Backups

Show files and backup show files are saved in dedicated folders, which appear in the following locations:

On USB Drives:

grandMA3/shared/shows
grandMA3/shared/backups

On Internal Drives of Computers Running grandMA3 onPC:

MALightingTechnology/gma3_x.y.z/shared/shows
MALightingTechnology/gma3_x.y.z/shared/backups

On the Internal Drive of the Console:

/actual/shared/shows
/actual/shared/backups

Warning:
Moving, altering, or deleting any files other than show files or backup show files within in the gma3_x.y.z folder of an onPC station or the actual folder of a console may make the software unstable or render the system unable to boot.

Library

When exporting smaller portions of data from the show file (including objects such as fixture profiles, user profiles, and macros), these files are saved into the gma3_library folder of the selected drive unless an alternate destination is specified during the export. Most object types have dedicated default sub-folders within the library.

The complete list of automatically generated library folders and sub-folders includes:

  • agendas
  • appearances
  • certificates
  • colorthemes
  • datapools
    • executorconfigurations
    • executorpages
    • filters
    • groups
    • layouts
    • macros
    • matricks
    • plugins
    • presets
    • sequences
    • timecodes
    • worlds
  • fixturetyperesources
    • gobos
    • meshes
  • fixturetypes
  • inout
    • artnet
    • dcremotes
    • dmxremotes
    • midiremotes
    • osc
    • outputconfigurations
    • sacn
  • media
    • images
    • sounds
    • symbols
    • videos
  • mvr
  • netkeys
  • patch
    • dmxcurves
    • stages
  • scribbles
  • userprofiles
    • cameras
    • renderqualities
    • screenconfigurations
    • viewbuttons
    • views
  • users

Exceptions to the Default Library Structure

Exporting any objects, which don’t have a dedicated sub-folder within the gma3_library, saves the files directly to the gma3_library folder unless an alternate destination is specified during the export.

Exporting either the parent of multiple objects, which each have their own dedicated folders, (for example, exporting DMXProtocols as one file rather than separate exports of Art-Net and sACN) or children of objects where those children do not have their own dedicated folder (for example, exporting one or more cues rather than a whole sequence), automatically adds a descriptive sub-extension to the file name while saving the file to the most appropriate folder.


Automatic Folder Structure Migration

The default folder structure used by version 1.5 and later of the grandMA3 software is different than the structure used in previous versions. When the software recognizes a USB drive, which includes the older structure but not the newer structure, the software presents a pop-up with options for automatically migrating the existing data to the new structure.

Old folder structure pop-up

Options in the pop-up include:

  • Yes, But Keep Old: Tap to copy files to the new structure while also maintaining copies in the old structure. This allows both older and newer software versions to continue using the drive.
  • Yes, And Delete Old: Tap to move files to the new structure and delete the old structure.
  • Not Now: Tap to make no changes to the current structure. The next time the USB drive is recognized by the software, the same pop-up will appear.
  • No And Don’t Ask Again: Tap to make no changes to the current structure. The software will not present this pop-up when the USB drive is recognized in the future.

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