Show File Handling

The Show File

The show file contains all the information that is related to the show. That means the patch, fixture profiles, cues, timings, the 3D information, etc. The show file also contains the users and user profiles.

A show file software version can only be moved forward. A show saved on a USB stick that was programmed in a previous version can be loaded in a newer version. If the show is then re-saved on the stick in this new version, it cannot be taken back to the old software. If this is important, then it is needed to load the show and save it with a new name. Then the old version is not saved as the new version and it can still be accessed by an older version.

All the management of the show files is handled in the Backup menu. To access the Backup menu, press Menu, and tap Backup. This opens the Backup menu which could look like this:

The Backup menu can also be called by the command line with the Menu command:

Save a Show File

The Backup menu starts with the Save dialog. The show file is saved with the current name and with the timestamp of the current session time. The resulting files on the hard drive of the system will be also stamped using the current session time.

To clear the Name field, tap Clear in the upper right corner:

To save a show file with a new name, type the name in the Name field.

To save a show by the command line, use the SaveShow keyword.

Add a Description

At the bottom of the backup menu, an area allows you to enter and read the description of the currently loaded show file. Modifying or entering a description will only be applied to the show file when saving it afterward.
Pressing Enter while editing the description immediately saves and closes the backup menu. Shift + Enter can be used to add another line.

Show File History

By enabling History in the title bar of the backup menu, the history of the selected show file will be displayed at the bottom of the backup menu.
The history gives useful information regarding the dates and time, used software version, the type of the software, the name, time zone, and UTC time when saving the show file.
A new entry within the history will be entered when the show file will be saved again and one of these criteria has changed: Version, type, name, time zone, or description. The newest entry will be on top of the history list.

Add Automatic Numbering

It is possible to add 3-digit numbers to the show file name.

In order to separate the show file name from the number, the user can add a hyphen (-) or an underscore (_) or any other character to separate the name from the numbers at the end of the show file name.

The option Enumerate Show File Name when Description Changes in the Settings of the backup menu provides an automatic increase of a 3-digit number, added to the end of the show file name if the description is changed when saving the show.

 

If the original show file name is too long to add the number, the command line will return an error. In this case, the former show file name will be used again.
Enumerating a show file can also be called with the /Enumerate option. To do so, type:

 

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Select the Drive

The show files are stored on the internal drive or a USB stick. The internal drive is Drive 1 and the USB stick is Drive 2. If more than one USB stick is connected the order of the connection selects the drive number. That means that the latest connected drive has the highest number. When a USB stick is disconnected, the drive numbers can change. 

In the upper right corner of the Backup menu, it is possible to select the drive you are working on. Tap Internal and it toggles between the different drives connected or shows saved in older software versions. Tap and swipe right on the drive and a little pop-up opens with the different opportunities.

The drive can also be selected by the command line.

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New Show

• To create a new empty show file, tap New.
  A new show is created with an automized file name like New Show-date-time.
• To rename the show file, open the Backup menu again.
• Enter a file name for the new show in the Name field. When the name is correct, tap Save.

To create a new show by the command line, use the LoadShow keyword.

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Load a Show File

Open the Backup menu and tap the show file needed. Tap Load and the selected show file appears.

To load a show by the command line, use the LoadShow keyword.

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Quick Save

It is possible to make a quick save of the show file. Press Menu and tap Quick Save. Pressing 2 x Menu also makes a Quick Backup.

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Auto Save

In order to save the show automatically in regular intervals, activate the Auto Save function. Tap Settings and AutoSave Interval.

Select the desired Auto Save interval.

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Save Show As

To save a show with another name, open the Backup Menu and write the new name of the show file in the Name field. Tap Save and the show file is saved by its new name.

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Delete a Show File

Open the Backup Menu and tap the show file to delete. Tap Delete and the show file is deleted.

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Backup Files and Demo Shows

Open the Backup Menu and tap Shows. This toggles between shows, backups, and demo shows. Here it is possible to load a previously saved backup or a demo show. It is not possible to save or create a new show file in the backup or demo show folder. It is also impossible to delete demo shows.

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Load a Show File During Startup

It is possible to specify a show file or a plugin that shall be loaded upon starting the onPC application.

To do so, add the SHOW or RUNPLUGIN parameter to the shortcut that launches the onPC application:

• "C:\Program Files\MALightingTechnology\gma3_xx\bin\app_system.exe" HOSTTYPE=onPC SHOW="startshow.show"
• "C:\Program Files\MALightingTechnology\gma3_xx\bin\app_system.exe" HOSTTYPE=onPC RUNPLUGIN="startplugin.xml"-x
  • x represents the number of the LUA component inside the plugin, that shall be started, e.g., 1
  • It is not recommend to specify a path for the plugin although the plugin may be put into a subfolder.

In addition, the optional parameters NOLOAD and CLEANSTART are also available when starting onPC.

• NOLOAD will not load the last show file but start with an empty show. Other device related configurations are kept.
• CLEANSTART will reset device related configuration back to default and come up with an empty show file.

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Export Media on Show Save

In order to save media files (e.g. images, videos, etc.) to the gma3_library folder, activate the Export Media on Show Save function. Tap Settings and Export Media on Show Save.