Layouts and Instances

There are two types of layouts available within a project, depending upon the controllers in use.

• Default Layouts - available for all controllers except the VLC/VLC+.
• VLC Layouts - Available when using a VLC or VLC+

Default Layouts

Within Layout there is the ability to create multiple views for a project, either different sections of a project, or different views of the same area.

Managing Layouts

New Layouts

The New button in the Layout menu bar will generate a new blank layout

Deleting Layouts

The Delete button in the Layout menu bar will remove the layout from the project

Managing Layouts

The Manage... dialog can be used to keep track of all the layouts in the project and open layouts that have been closed. This dialog box also allows access to the properties for layouts that aren't currently active.

Duplicating Layouts

The duplicate button in the Manage window will create an exact copy of the current layout with new fixtures.

You will be prompted to choose whether to create the new layout with new fixtures or instances of the original fixtures (see below).

Layout Properties

The Properties... button in the Layout menu bar gives access to the properties of the current layout.

Name

Provide a name for the layout to aid identification

Size

Width and height options can be used to change the size of the layout.

The Snap size to Background Image can be used to match the layout size to the background image size.

Background Image and Mode

Select an image to be used in the background, such as a fixture plan.

Background mode can be used to define how the image is displayed.

Background Colour

Select the colour to display in the background of the Layout.

This colour is also used in Scene, DALI Scene and Simulate.

Grid Settings

Grid colour sets the colour of the grid pattern

Grid Spacing defines the number of units to space the gridlines apart.

Grid subdivisions defines the spacing of the minor gridlines

Show grid makes the grid visible or invisible

Snap to grid defines whether fixtures should automatically snap to the grids intersections.

Show Minimap

A minimap can be used to help navigate large complex layouts.

The minimap allows you to zoom in/out and move around the layout while showing a smaller version of the layout:

Instances

Instances can be used with Layouts to add a single fixture to the Layout multiple times on different layouts. This allows the programming to be seen on all layouts where the fixture exists.

Instances can also be used where multiple fixtures are to be controlled by the same control channel. Adding an instance in this case will ensure the fixtures simulate correctly to produce the most accurate visualisation.

Managing Instances

Creating Instances

There are various ways to create fixture instances:

• Right click > New Instance will create a new instance on the same layout.
• Copy and Paste as Instance (available in right click menu or Ctrl+Shift+V keyboard shortcut) can be used across different layouts.
• Using mouse and keyboard any selected fixtures can be pasted within the same layout by doing the following: left click one of the selected fixtures (ensuring to not move the mouse) then hold down Ctrl+Alt and begin dragging, this will create new instances, once you have begun dragging you can release Ctrl+Alt to position them on the layout.
• When a layout is duplicated, as described above; upon clicking Duplicate within the Manage... menu a Duplicate Layout pop up will ask you to choose between creating a layout where the duplicated fixtures are either new fixtures or instances of the ones present in the layout being duplicated. Selecting the Create instances of existing fixtures will create instances of all the fixtures in the duplicated layer.

Removing Instances from the layout

Removing an instance is achieved in the same way as deleting a fixture, but all instances of a fixture can be removed without deleting the fixture from the project as a whole.

When deleting the final instance of a fixture, holding Shift will remove the final instance, but keep the fixture in the project.

Locating Instances

Within the fixture browser, a circle icon indicates the presence of an instance of each fixture on the current layout.

	No Circle	No instances of the fixture within the project
	Single Circle (Grey)	One instance of the fixture, but not on the current layout
	Single Circle (Black)	One instance of the fixture, on the current layout
	Double Circle (Grey)	Multiple instances of the fixture, but none on the current layout
	Double Circle (Black)	Multiple instances of the fixture where at least one is on the current layout.

Hovering over the instance icon in the browser will highlight the instance/s on the Layout and a tooltip will indicate the total number of instances and the number on the current layout.

VLC /VLC+ Layouts

If you are using a VLC/VLC+ in your project, it will be linked to a VLC Layout with the same name as the controller e.g. Controller 1.

This layout can be used in exactly the same way as a Normal layout to bring fixtures into the project and lay them out on the VLC/VLC+ Layout. The difference is that these fixtures elements relate to a single pixel in the real world and therefore are exactly 1 pixel in size.

The VLC/VLC+ layout will be used to map any videos or matrix presets to, so the size of the layout should be set to the size of the content output e.g. a 100x100px installation should have a 100x100 VLC Layout.

The fixture pixels should be laid out to match the real world as this layout is used to map the programming onto the fixtures.

NOTE: The fixture library will only show fixtures that the VLC/VLC+ can support and the fixture browser will only show fixtures on the selected controller.