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Spikemark Manual - Creative Conners

1. Figure 58 7 Inthe Turntable Cue 2 Movement click the button next to the Position field 8 Select the Stage Left Spike 9 Press OK 37 Spikemark Manual 10 Notice that the Turntable Movement for Cue 2 shows the Stage Left Spike name for the target position With the Spikes defined let s take a look at how easy it is to adjust a Spike position 1 Press the button next to the Position field for either of the Turntable s Movements 2 Change the value for the Downstage Spike to 95 Figure 59 Turntable Spikes B Figure 59 Press OK 4 Notice that the position for the Turntable in Cue 1 234 has been updated to reflect the new Spike value Figure 60 If we had multiple cues referencing the Downstage Spike all of them would be updated automatically Ramp Time 2 Ramp Time 2 Total Time 11 99 Total Time 11 99 Spike position updated 9 14 Figure 60 38 Quick Start That wraps up our Simulator Quick Start If you have some Stagehand controllers and real machinery Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call or something you made yourself read on through the next section to learn how to setup your network and make some scenery move If you want to continue experimenting in the Simulator read through some of the other chapters on more advanced cue topics like Cue Links on page 134 and Dataton
2. 0 eit Position Link ne Cue 10 is the PARENT cue and Cue 11 is the CHILD Cue Motor Aci House v Descriptre Cue 11 will run when the Act Il House goes past 180 in Cue 10 Position 180 ea 7 02 Figure 232 Linking Cues by Completion You can link two cues together by completion so that when the Parent Cue completes successfully the Child Cue will begin 1 Click the Add Link button next to the Child Cue Figure 233 135 Spikemark Manual Figure 233 2 Select the Parent Cue from the drop down list and select Completion Link then press OK Figure 234 In the example pictured below the selected Parent Cue is Cue 2 Completion Link Time Link Position Link Input Link Figure 234 3 The new link will appear in the left margin of the Cue Grid Figure 235 In the example below Cue 3 Child Cue will not run until Cue 2 Parent Cue has completed link to gt Figure 235 136 Cue Links Linking Cues by Time You can link two cues together with a time delay so that the Child Cue runs a programmed number seconds after the Parent Cue starts 1 Click the Add Link button next to the Child Cue Figure 236 Acceleration 12 Ramp Time 2 Total Time 1
3. 6 The link between Cue 1 and Cue 2 will still work if the Curtain is INACTIVE 5 Important Make sure the Curtain is out of the way of Wagon B O Reverse Forward 3 Cue 2 is linked so Wagon B will start after Wagon A travels 10 a Cue Behavior Strict Timing Mode Target Tolerance 0 25 Active Run Cues Wagon A moves upstage and Curtain flies out in Cue 1 All dimensions are in feet Distance from Center 0 p aaa 002 00002s2s2seeseeeenneenececenennnpecenenensennnansscsarececcccecenecerencecececeneneecees Distance from Plaster 12 You want to rehearse without the Curtain To make the Curtain inactive uncheck the Active field in the Stagehand og oe Meet wagon A 09 Editor or right click on the Wagon A Curtain in the Cue Grid Elevation from stage 27 18 Acceleration 12 Ramp Time 2 Total Time 0 2 Wagon B moves downstage past the Curtain in Cue 2 Motor WagonA Position 10 Enable All Links Figure 148 It is worth mentioning here that the Active state of a motor can also be controlled through a Stagehand FX input action Using an input on a Stagehand FX you can quickly deactivate one or many motors To learn more about Stagehand FX input actions see Deactivating Stagehand FX Action section on page 93 Chan
4. a ee Figure 362 We are almost there Before flipping the last switch to connect Spikemark to WATCHOUT try clicking around in the Value column of the Input list This will manually adjust the value of the 201 Spikemark Manual Generic Input and if everything is correct so far as you alter the Generic Input Value the image should jump to a new X position in the Stage window Figure 363 W stage lt lt lt OFF LINE gt gt gt Name Descriptio Value Generic 292 331 0 00 000 0 gt Layer 10 gt Layer gt Layer gt Layer gt Layer 6 gt Layer gt Layer 4 gt Layer 3 gt Layer 2 YV Layer 1 Kb Figure 363 Alright let s get the WATCHOUT computer listening to the Spikemark computer From the File menu select Preferences Then from the Control tab check the UDP box next to Production Computer Control Figure 364 Preferences General Edge Blend Control Conditions Video In 3D Go Online Automatically After Opening Show Production Computer Control TCP IP UDP Timecode Control of Main Timeline LTC EBU SMPTE Timecode Format Auto Detect v Time Offset 0 0 or MIDI Show Control Device ID 0 MSC Cue Lists Ignore Command do nothing v DMX 512 Universe In 0 Out 1 Default Dynamic Image Server Address o x cancel Figure 364 As soon as you click OK WATCHOUT will start picking up the position d
5. 3 Adjust the Width Length and Height properties to make a tall thin curtain Figure 277 and Figure 278 Figure 277 157 Spikemark Manual Figure 278 4 Using the Distance from Center Distance from Plaster and Elevation from Stage fields position the curtain on the stage Figure 279 and Figure 280 Figure 279 a a pe Figure 280 158 The Stage Model Viewer 5 By adjusting the Rotation Z Distance from Center Distance from Plaster Length and Height fields you can change the horizontal traveler curtain into a vertical flying curtain Figure 281 and Figure 282 Q Schematic Figure 281 Figure 282 Making a Turntable Model The default model style for every motor in the show is a winch which moves linearly along a track This works great for deck winches lifts and curtains which all move in a linear fashion 159 Spikemark Manual However a lot of shows include turntables Spikemark makes it easy to change a motor model from winch to turntable 1 Select the motor you wish to adjust in the Cue Grid 2 Scroll to the Schematic section of the Stagehand Editing Pane and select Turntable at the bottom of the screen Figure 283 All dimensions are in feet Distance from Center 9 Distance from Plaster 20 Elevation from stage 9 Width Length Height Rotation X Rotation Y Rotation Z winch turntable Turntable Clockwise Positive Figure 283 3 Use the
6. Time Link Position Link Input Link Figure 243 3 The new link will appear in the left margin of the Cue Grid Select the Stagehand FX and the input that should trigger the Child Cue Figure 244 Figure 244 Deleting a Cue Link 1 Right click on the Link in the Cue Grid and select Delete Link Figure 245 Ramp Time 2 Total Time 4 5 Figure 245 2 Click Yes in the Remove Link confirmation dialog box Figure 246 Do you want to remove the link for Cue 4 eR Figure 246 140 Cue Links Multi Speed Multi Position Links There are some cues that require a motor to change speed in the middle of the movement Perhaps a turntable needs to move at a walking pace for 30 seconds and then speed up to running pace and then back down Other cues require the motor to oscillate smoothly between two positions without coming to a stop and setting the brake such as a wave which rises and falls smoothly throughout a scene Spikemark can handle either of these scenarios with ease The steps are illustrated in the sections below Changing the Speed of a Motor Manually Changing the Speed of a Motor Automatically and Ping Pong a Motor Changing a Motor s Position It should be noted that it is feasible to change both the speed and the position of a motor so that your wave might move between two positions rising up and down and change speed moving slowly and then faste
7. the background of the motor and all its movements will turn grey Figure 338 Figure 338 188 Running Shows Restoring a Cue Spikemark s Cue Restore feature allows you to move backwards through a show during rehearsal Cue Restore will put every motor back into its proper position for a specific cue regardless of whether the motor was moving in that cue or had its last movement in a previous cue If that sounds confusing it is straightforward in practice Let s take a look at how the feature works and you ll see that it does exactly what you need when jumping backwards in rehearsal In the following example assume that we just ran through Cue 4 and the stage manager needs to re run Cue 4 because Jeff the lighting designer needs to look at the transition again As you glance at the cue sequence below you can see that we need to reset the stage so that we are sitting in Cue 3 But there s a problem You can t just run Cue 3 to reset If you were to just run Cue 3 then Motor 1 would be left in its home position So you would need to run Cue 3 and Cue 2 Not a big deal in this scenario but as you have more motors and more complex cues restoring gets to be a real pain Thankfully Cue Restore can handle this easily 1 Right click on Cue 3 and select Restore Figure 339 ota ium uuo wee eny avy il ve ere y j A cue 2 11 335 on stage 11 339 Ded oe 200 on stage Seoeed 20 Acceerapon 1S 13
8. 0 0 o Figure 301 6 Ifyou don t already have a movement for the selected motor in this cue click the Add Movement button in the Cue Grid Figure 302 File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Figure 302 169 Spikemark Manual 7 Click on the Spike Position button in the motor s movement window Figure 303 File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Total Time 0 Figure 303 8 Select the Spike where you want this motor to move in this cue and click OK In Figure 304 the Spike Center 270 has been selected Winch Spikes mn Name Value Center mt 270 Stage Left 540 Stage Right 0 Figure 304 9 The selected Spike will display in the motor s movement for the cue Figure 305 In the example below the Winch will move to the defined Spike Center 270 in Cue 1 170 Running Shows File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Revolver Lift o lt P gt ar gt 0 o Fa cue EREET 133s Cue Number 1 DS eC c D o D Ramp Time 2 Total Time 13 25 Total Time 13 25 Figure 305 Changing a Spike Position A key advantage to using Spikes is that you can edit the spike value and all cues that reference the spike will be updated This makes it very easy to tweak position values and avoid tracking the changes manually through the entire show For example we v
9. Click on the applicable Cue in the Cue Grid that contains the motors you wish to set the Spikes for Figure 289 we Spikemark C Users Gareth Dropbox cci SpikeMark Tests Spikemark 3 File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Figure 289 2 Select the motor to which you wish to add a Spike Figure 290 163 Spikemark Manual File Stagehand Cues Stage Window Help W BADET o omm gt Total Time 23 43 Figure 290 3 Ifyou don t already have a movement for the selected motor in this cue click the Add Movement button in the Cue Grid Figure 291 File Stagehand Cues Stage ShowControl Machine Library Window Help Figure 291 164 Running Shows 4 Click on the Spike Position button in the motor s movement window Figure 292 File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Figure 292 5 Click on the Add Spike button in the Spikes window see Figure below Cancel Figure 293 6 A new Spike will be added with the generic Name of spike and a Value of 0 Figure 294 165 Spikemark Manual a Winch Spikes a Name Value spike 0 ly Figure 294 7 Enter a meaningful Name and the Spike position Value Select the Spike and click OK Figure 295 Spikes i e Winch Spikes mm Name Value r Stage Left 60 _ Figure 295 8 The selected Spike wi
10. EN FX disconnected from the network VV FX connected to the network but idle tyes FX is inactive and won t run cues or affect cue links FX has completed a cue 92G Emergency stop Cue loaded Soft stopping but not yet fully stopped Stopped mid cue by a soft stop command An output is active in manual mode PSs One or more output s is running in a cue All outputs have been turned off because of a fault condition gt 108 Stagehand FX Manually Activating FX Outputs If you want to test a Stagehand FX output switch you can use the manual output buttons in the Stagehand FX Editing Pane Press the button that corresponds to the output you wish to activate The button behaves like a momentary switch the FX output will be active as long as the button is held down When you release the button the FX output will deactivate 1 Select the Stagehand FX you wish to activate in the Cue Grid 2 Click and hold down one of the output buttons in the Outputs section of the FX Editing Pane Figure 178 Output 1 Output Output 2 Output2 Output 3 Outputs hite Figure 178 3 Release the button to deactivate the output Setting the FX Active Mode Most of the time you will want the Stagehand FX to load and run cues normally However there are occasions when an effect needs to be temporarily removed from the show Perhaps there is a problem with the scenery on a winch track or perhaps yo
11. In practice 30ms is about the fastest rate consistently possible without adversely affecting Spikemark s performance 6 Messages second The number of position updates that are actually being sent to WATCHOUT each second This number will often bounce around by 1 or 2 messages 7 Include transition rate in messages If checked Spikemark will send WATCHOUT the number of milliseconds that have elapsed since the last position update WATCHOUT can use this information to smooth the animation of the image as it tracks with the motor This generally results in a smoother visual result but can be slightly inaccurate Feel free to experiment with either setting to get the most appropriate result for your show 8 Send Output This is a toggle button to turn on off the data stream from Spikemark The data is sent via UDP which is a connectionless protocol so there is no harm sending out the packets even if WATCHOUT is disconnected from the network UDP packets will blissfully fall into oblivion if the server is not around to receive them so you can start the output stream before WATCHOUT is running With Spikemark configured and the Send Output button depressed we are ready to fire up the WATCHOUT production machine Start WATCHOUT and give your show file a name As I mentioned when we started I need an image to be projected on the traveler panel so our first step in WATCHOUT is to import an image Figure 351 E WATCHOUT Simple Spikemark
12. completes Total Time 0 ahs Min Reverse Description Min Reverse Ramp Time 2 Ramp Time 2 Total Time 22 83 Total Time 2283 Figure 98 6 Ifthe border around the cue box in the Cue Grid is blue and has properly completed then run Cue 5 by repeating steps 1 through 5 above Basic Tuning If your first attempt at running cues didn t work and the motor never fully completed the cues then the tuning parameters need to be adjusted Tuning can be a complex issue but we re going to take a practical approach in this section without getting bogged down in the details For more information see the Motor Tuning section on page 79 1 In the Stagehand Editing Pane on the right side of the screen scroll until you find the Tuning section 2 Increase the Proportional Gain value by 1 Figure 99 59 Spikemark Manual Derivative Gain Derivative Sampling Integral Gain Integral Limit Filter Loaded Figure 99 3 Runa Cue to move the motor to the opposite side of the stage by following the instructions in the previous section Running the Two Sample Cues 4 Ifthe Cue now completes successfully you are done Otherwise repeat steps 1 through 3 until the motor repeatedly completes the cues successfully Conclusion That wraps up our first look at moving real machines and real scenery around the stage As you can see Spikemark m
13. indicates the total number of seconds that the movement will take to complete If you know that the motor needs to move the scenery in 10 seconds you can 125 Spikemark Manual enter a value of 10 here and Spikemark will recalculate the Speed and Acceleration values to make that happen Figure 212 Changing Motor Position In a Cue To change the programmed position of a motor in a cue you can do either of the following 1 Type a new position value directly into the Position field Figure 213 After you enter a new Position Spikemark will recalculate the Total Time of the movement based on the new target position If you had previously specified a Spike for the movement it will be removed and replaced with the explicit value entered RW 119 0 Figure 213 Or press the Spike button next to the Position box Figure 214 Then select a Spike from the list and then click OK to accept Figure 215 Figure 214 126 Writing Cues ME Spikes Motor 1 Spikes Name Valve offstage Changing How Fast a Motor Moves Within a Cue There are two ways to adjust how fast a motor moves Specify the speed of a motor directly or specify how long the time it should take for the motor to reach the target position and then let Spikemark automatically compute the speed for you Specifying the Speed of a Motor Directly 1 Select the motor you wish to update in the Cue Grid and select the Speed value for the appl
14. the show In this section we are going to add a turntable using our pre configured Revolver machine http creativeconners com products shop a la carte machinery revolver ZZ l Quick Start The easiest way to add another automated piece of scenery to a show is to use Spikemark s Machine Library Click on the Machine Library menu Figure 29 File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Window Help Figure 29 The Machine Library slides down into view Figure 30 The Machine Library is pre loaded with all the stock machinery from Creative Conners Pushstick for deck wagons Revolver for turntables and Curtain Call for traveler tracks Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 Auto repair Connect Disconnect Max Forward Position 480 Min Reverse Position Position Scale Enable All Links Figure 30 We are going to add a turntable to our show Drag a Revolver from the Machine Library and drop it either on the Stage Model Viewer or the Cue Grid Figure 31 either works fine 23 Spikemark Manual Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call O 2 a cue 4 0 0s First cue Cue Number Description Ramp Time Total Time Figure 31 4 When you drop the Revolver into the show the Revolver Diameter dialog box is displayed Enter in a diameter of 20 for twenty f
15. you know is good from another working Stagehand The Stagehand Network Connection Try resetting the IP address of the Stagehand to a slightly different Doesn t Work address and then update the address in Spikemark If the network server in the Stagehand has stalled resetting its IP address will get it started again Make sure that you have a network hub between the computer and the Stagehand If you are trying to connect directly from the computer to the Stagehand you need a special type of network cable Crossover Cable Swap out the network hub Issue Possible Solutions 207 Spikemark Manual Check to see if the motor is sitting on a limit switch Limit switch status is shown in the Cue Grid and the Stagehand Editing Pane Make sure you have a Proportional Gain of at least 1 in the Tuning section of the Stagehand Editing Pane Make sure that the cue had a speed and acceleration more than zero 0 Check the activity log to get some information about what happened In the Window menu click Log Viewer The Log Viewer is displayed and it shows all the actions that Spikemark is executing behind the scenes You A Motor Didn t Start To Move can sort the log by clicking on the column headers Activity Log When I Ran A Cue Time 5 2 2008 3 03 02 PM 5 2 2008 3 03 02 PM 5 2 2008 3 12 35 PM 5 2 2008 3 12 35 PM 5 2 2008 3 17 23 PM 5 2 2008 3 19 44 PM 5 2 2008 3 19 51 PM 5 2 2008 3 19 51 PM 5 2 20
16. 83 Ramp Time 1 93 Ramp Time 1 93 Total Time 3 87 Total Time 3 87 Figure 236 Select the Parent Cue from the drop down list and select Time Link then press OK Figure 237 In the example pictured below the selected Parent Cue is Cue 1 Completion Link Time Link Position Link Input Link Figure 237 The new link is displayed in the left margin You can edit the Delay value to be any number of seconds including decimal values Figure 238 In the example below Cue 2 Child Cue will not start until Cue I Parent Cue has run for 10 seconds 137 Spikemark Manual 5 17 Acceleration 2 67 Ramp Time 1 93 Total Time 3 87 Description Ramp Time 1 93 Total Time 3 87 Figure 238 Linking Cues by Motor Position You can link a Child Cue so that it runs when one of the motors in the Parent Cue reaches a defined position This is handy when you have to ensure that one motor has cleared the way for another motor 1 Click the Add Link button next to the Child Cue Figure 239 Cue Number 3 Description Cue 3 Ramp Time 1 i Total Time 6 75 cue 4 4 5s Cue 4 if Ramp Time 2 Hf Total Time 4 5 i E Figure 239 2 Select the Parent Cue from the drop down list and select Position Link then press OK Figure 240 In the example pictured below the selected Parent Cue is Cue 3 Parent Cue Cue 3 Cue 3 v Completio
17. Abort On Position Error Position ErrorLoaded False Figure 118 2 Click the Reset Position button Figure 119 A Busses Max Fwd Position Min Rev Position Position Scale 1 Position Units counts v Max Position Error 9 999 L Abort On Position Error Position Error Loaded False Figure 119 3 Enter 0 in the New Position field and click OK Figure 120 I2 The Stagehand Motor Reset Position Enter a new position Current Position New Position Figure 120 In the Manual Controls section of the Stagehand Editing Pane Figure 121 run the motor forward or reverse as far as you safely can gt SL Wagon Position 29 75 Manual Controls Forward A Nem e Figure 121 At the top of the Stagehand Editing Pane note the number of encoder counts that are traveled Measure the physical distance traveled by the scenery To compute the scaling factor divide the number of encoder counts traveled by the physical distance For example 1 245 012 encoder counts 125 5 inches 9 920 41 encoder counts per inch Enter the result from the previous step into the Position Scale field and then select the appropriate units from the Position Units drop down menu Figure 122 In this example you would enter 9 920 41 and select inches Position Scale 9920 41 Position Units Max Position Error 1 01 Abort On Position Error Posi
18. Figure 129 To set the Max Fwd Position go to the Manual Controls section of the Stagehand Editing Pane and run the motor forward as far as its physical limit will allow Observe the Position value at the top of the Stagehand Editing Pane circled in Figure 130 Figure 130 Type the Position value into Max Fwd Position field Figure 131 Figure 131 11 Spikemark Manual Motor s path of movement Min Rev Max Fwd Position Position Set in Set in SpikeMark SpikeMark Figure 132 Resetting the Motor s Position Value Motor position is stored in the Stagehand Spikemark simply displays the position information that it receives from the Stagehand There are times when you need to change the position information that is stored in the Stagehand For instance if the Stagehand loses power or is replaced then the position information will be wrong In such a case you should move the motor to a known position with the Manual Controls on the stage and then reset the position value stored inside the Stagehand 78 The Stagehand Motor 1 Select the Motor in the Cue Grid and confirm that it 1s connected to the network see Setting Up a Network Connection page 41 2 Click the Reset Position button in the Position section of the Stagehand Editing Pane Figure 133 Figure 133 3 In the New Position field enter the correct Position value and click OK Figure 134 YE Reset Position Enter
19. Figure 349 A dialog pops up with some configuration details that determine what data is sent to WATCHOUT Figure 350 Watchout Output 5 Watchout UDP Output Server Address 192 168 10 9 Server Port 3040 Active Motor Name Watchout Name Logo Winch logo Sending Position Data True Update Interval ms 30 Messages second 31 Include transition rate in messages Figure 350 From the top the options are 1 Server Address The IP Address of the WATCHOUT production computer 2 Server Port The port where WATCHOUT listens for incoming data By default WATCHOUT listens on 3040 3 Motor List Each motor in your show is listed If the Active box is checked that motor s position information will be sent to WATCHOUT In the Watchout Name text box you can enter a name that will be used inside WATCHOUT to identify the motor s position The Spikemark motor name and the WATCHOUT name can map however you like For example we could have called it Logo Winch in Spikemark and fuzzy pink rabbit in Watchout 195 Spikemark Manual 4 Sending Position Data Indicates whether Spikemark is currently sending UDP packets to the address indicated in Server Address 5 Update Interval ms The frequency with which Spikemark will send position updates to WATCHOUT The number entered here will determine how many milliseconds should elapse between updates so higher numbers will result in a slower update cycle
20. Fue Edt Stage Prewew Media Add Media File Add Vedeo Pro ry Add Sound Proxy Add Image Proxy Add Composition Add Computer Screen Add Live Video Add Network Video Add Dynarmc Image Add Test Add DMXS12 Recording New Folder 0 10 B15 0 20 0 25 0 3 0 35 0 40 Large Thumbna s i gt tO Refresh CHIR a r Select Unused Q Figure 351 I selected a Creative Conners Logo image which shows up in the Media list Figure 352 196 Troubleshooting Window Help Dimensions Durat 350 x 404 Figure 352 Now drag the image from the Media list into the Stage window You can see the image displayed in the center of the Stage view and it also shows up in the Main Timeline Figure 353 Rd watcHout Simple Spikemark 0 00 06 a P u x a a A y An Ae g Viv AA y Figure 353 With the image on our virtual stage we need start configuring WATCHOUT to listen for data from Spikemark We have to enable an external source Spikemark in this case to control the image position Double click on the image in the Media List and select More Effects and Capabilities Figure 354 197 Spikemark Manual Image File Cci_logo_google plus jpg Transparency auto Detect Optimize For Better Performance More Effects and Capabilities Applies to images up to 2048 by 2048 pixels Figure 354 Then in the Main Timeline double clic
21. If you would like to select a different folder dick Browse Figure 5 If you would like to have an icon on your desktop that you can use to launch Spikemark quickly check Create a desktop icon Click Next Figure 6 Select Additional Tasks Which additional tasks should be performed Select the additional tasks you would like Setup to perform while installing Spikemark then dick Next Additional icons Create a desktop icon Figure 6 With all the options configured Spikemark is ready to be installed Click Install Figure 7 11 Spikemark Manual Ready to Install Setup is now ready to begin installing Spikemark on your computer Click Install to continue with the installation or dick Back if you want to review or change any settings Destination location C Program Files x86 Spikemark Start Menu folder Spikemark Figure 7 10 The Installing Spikemark window will launch Figure 8 lling Please wait while Setup installs Spikemark on your computer C Program Files x86 Spikemark SpikeMark Manual v3 pdf Figure 8 11 In the Installation Complete window check the Launch Spikemark option if you want to start using Spikemark immediately Uncheck Launch Spikemark if you want to run it later Click Finish Figure 9 12 Quick Start Completing the Spikemark Setup Wizard Setup has finished installing Spikemark on your computer The application may be
22. Il turn this option on for running shows but you may want to turn it off during initial set up to take a motor offline Disconnected IP Address 192 168 10 32 Figure 194 Clicking the Connect button Figure 195 will begin connecting to the Stagehand Motor or FX 117 Spikemark Manual Network Disconnected IP Address 192 168 10 32 _ Auto repair Figure 195 Click the Disconnect button Figure 196 to disconnect from the Stagehand Motor or FX Network Disconnected IP Address 192 168 10 32 Auto repair Figure 196 Connecting to a Stagehand Motor or FX All communications between Spikemark and different Stagehand Motors or FXs happen over the network To run any cues move any motors or activate an FX output a network connection must be made to the Stagehand Motor or FX you wish to control The connection only needs to be established once per show unless the network connection is lost unexpectedly There are three ways to establish a network connection 1 Select the motor or FX you wish to connect to from the Cue Grid 2 In the Network section of the Stagehand Editing Pane click the Connect button Figure 197 118 IP Address 192 168 10 38 _ uto repair E dE H Figure 197 Network Connections Or you can connect to all the Stagehand Motors and FXs in the show at once by clicking Connect To All in the Stagehand menu Figure 198 Add Motor Ctrl M Add Stagehand
23. The following steps will guide you through the process and along the way you will learn a couple of other handy features in Spikemark 1 Let s add another cue to our simple show From the Cues menu select Add Cue Figure 36 File Stagehand Stage Show Control Machine Library Window H Duplicate Cue Ctrl D Remove Cue Ctri Shift U Restore Cue Ctri R Unload Current Cue Ctri F4 Jump To Cue F4 Next Cue F3 NU Previous Cue F2 i Run Cue 5 Soft Stop F6 Run only mode a Pushstick Turntable e lt gt oa gt Figure 36 2 The New Cue dialog appears and suggests a Cue Number of 2 since that is the next highest whole number for a cue Even though it was nice of Spikemark to offer a suggestion let s type in 1 234 for a cue number and then press OK Figure 37 26 Quick Start Oe New Cue Numher Figure 37 3 A new row is added to the Cue Grid for Cue 1 234 Figure 38 779 Mc a irate ai First cue 1 First cue Figure 38 4 Before we add the Turntable into Cue 1 234 let s manually run it into the position that we wish to record in the cue so we can set the position visually Select the Turntable either by clicking on it in the Cue Grid or the Stage Model Viewer Figure 39 27 Spikemark Manual File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Click here to select Or clic
24. Unloading a Cue After you ve loaded a cue and your hand is hovering of the GO button you may get the news over your headset that it s going to be a while Rather than leave the cue loaded and one accidental click away from running you may want to unload the cue and return Spikemark to an idle state There are three ways to unload the currently loaded cue use any method that is most convenient 1 Select Unload Current Cue from the Cues menu 2 Right click on an empty portion of the Cue Grid and select Unload Current Cue from the pop up menu 3 Press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl F4 Visual Indicators of Primed and Ready Movements 1 In the Cue Grid the borders around the ready cue and ready movements change to red and the Stagehand column headers display a rocket ship countdown icon Figure 321 For a complete list of status icons and their meanings see the Motor Status section on page 68 and the FX Status section on page 108 179 Spikemark Manual The Status Icons change to a rocketship countdown for the Stagehand Motors and or FXs that are part of the loaded cue The borders around the loaded Cue and the movements within the cue turn to RED Figure 321 2 The status bar text updates in the bottom left corner of Spikemark Figure 322 Enable All Links Cue 2 loaded Figure 322 3 The motor s that will move in the loaded Cue change to red and their target position s are shown in
25. WATCHOUT Integration on page 193 39 Spikemark Manual Moving Real Machinery with Spikemark The best way to learn to use Spikemark with real machinery is to start using it so let s jump in and get something moving Setting Up Physical Connections Before anything will work all of your cables should be connected as illustrated in Figure 61 motor and brake Windows PC Showstopper running j SpikeMark Network Hub Stagehand jp or machine Figure 61 40 Quick Start Setting Up a Network Connection in Windows 8 Once everything is plugged in we need to test that the connections work We ll start by confirming that the Ethernet link works Spikemark and Stagehands communicate through static IP addressing This means that your computer and all Stagehands need to have unique addresses Much like a postman delivering letters to homes with address numbers nailed to the mailbox Spikemark sends its commands to Stagehands with unique address numbers IP addresses are made up of four segments separated by a period for example 192 168 10 20 The only trick to setting up a static IP network with Spikemark and Stagehands is that the first three segments should always match The last segment number needs to be unique Figure 62 192 168 10 20 This number should be unique for These numbers should match each Stagehand and the computer Figure 62 Setting the IP Address of Your Computer 1 Press
26. a new position Current Position New Position Cancel Figure 134 Motor Tuning Motor tuning is perhaps the most difficult aspect of scenic automation By tuning a motor you are describing to a Stagehand how it should regulate the motor speed during a cue using mathematical formulae We won t get too deep into the intricacies of that math but it is hard to discuss motor tuning without getting a little involved in the nuts and bolts of motion control theory First it helps to understand the problem that motor tuning solves The best analogy for motor tuning 1s cruise control on a car When you set your cruise control to 55 mph the car has to adjust the amount of fuel going to the engine to keep moving at that speed If you are going up hill the car lags for a second and then more gas rushes into the engine and the car speeds up to get back to the desired speed Motion control for scenery is very similar We program the Stagehands with a speed and target position and the Stagehand has to adjust power to the motor to achieve the desired effect If there s a bump in the floor the winch has to have a little more power to maintain speed If the winch has too much power it will lurch over the bump and then quickly reduce power so that it doesn t go too fast once it is over the bump The Stagehand is constantly analyzing where the motor is versus where it should be and then adjusting motor power to minimize the difference bet
27. connection Closed network connection That s a bug and we need to fix it Please email a copy of your show file a copy of the Activity Log and a brief description of any pertinent information to support creativeconners com Troubleshooting Issues Possible Solutions From the Help menu click Reveal Log File The Application Data folder is hidden by default on some Windows Can t Find The installations To view the folder click the Start Menu and select Log File To Computer Press the Alt key to reveal the File menu Click Tools Folder Email It To Options View and then click Show hidden files and folders Support Log files are stored in C Users spikemark AppData Roaming Creative Conners Inc Spikemark 2 0 0 0 The motor isn t tuned well enough to reach its target position 1 Tune the motor better if possible See the Motor Tuning section on page 79 Inthe Cue Behavior section of the Stagehand Editing Pane deselect the Strict Timing Mode field This will let the motor keep trying to get to target position even if the tuning is sub optimal Ifthe motor is showing a Position Error fault and you are certain that nothing is physically stuck in the machinery you can raise the Max Position Error value in the Position section of the Stagehand Editing Pane A Motor Starts agehand Editing Pane To Run In A Cue But Stops Abruptly Before Getting To Spike Ifthe motor is showing a Position Error fa
28. default value is 125 which means that Spikemark updates motor information amp times a second Setting the Polling Interval to 250 will update motor information 4 times a second which will relieve the computer of some processing stress but the updates on screen will appear jerky Setting the polling interval to 50 will provide updates 20 per second making the information updates very smooth and snappy but eating more of your computer s resources 91 Spikemark Manual Acquire Next Index Command Error Trajectory Complete Index Pulse Acquired Wrap Around Error Excessive Position Error Breakpoint Reached Motor Off Eight bit Output Abort On Position Error On Target Velocity Mode Forward Direction Filter Updated Acceleration Loaded Host Interrupt Polling Interval 125 h Figure 150 92 Stagehand FX The Machine Library New in Spikemark 3 The preceding section detailed all of the various configuration settings that can be made for each machine that you wish to control with Spikemark No doubt you get a sense that the initial setup and configuration of a machine can be time consuming The Machine Library allows you to store and retrieve machines with their parameter configuration so that you don t have to re enter all of the settings each time you want to use a machine Spikemark comes loaded with all of Creative Conners s machines Pushstick Revolver and Curt
29. erations ad Goes ucts A AREA as Gere cate S EAE eens te 213 Quick Start Welcome to Spikemark Welcome to Spikemark the software designed for theatrical automation Spikemark is built to make moving scenery easy and intuitive As today s shows grow increasingly complex Spikemark offers a simple solution to bring the excitement of motorized scenery to every production Using a Windows PC and standard Ethernet hardware you can have a motion control system that is easy to set up and expand while being incredibly economical Whether you need to move a deck winch turntable roll drop or any other effect Spikemark allows you to focus on the custom aspects of your production by providing a standard way to control motion Using Simulator new in Spikemark 3 0 you can write and run cues on a virtual stage without being physically connected to any machinery Now you can visualize automated effects in your office in a design meeting or on your couch letting you easily experiment with moving scenery A Word about Safety The spectacle created by motorized scenery is fantastic Motion control allows huge scene changes to operate smoothly in a matter of seconds But this power deserves the utmost caution Unlike operating a computerized lighting console or sound system an automation system can pose a serious danger to performers and technicians Large pieces of scenery moving at high speed can easily injure even fatally any person that is unwi
30. is a marvelous way to work but it would be tragic to get confused about the mode in which you are operating and unexpectedly cause a collision on stage To help prevent such an accident here are a few tips 1 The Show Mode switch is always visible in the upper right corner of the main window Glance up there if you are ever unsure Spikemark s operating mode Figure 102 oa Show Mode tie T SR wagon Position 0 a A BM elaliie Figure 102 2 The background color of the Stage Model Viewer is light when Spikemark is in Simulator Figure 103 and dark when in Live mode Figure 104 63 Spikemark Manual x File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Show Mode Simulator IP Address 192 168 10 30 Auto repair Figure 103 File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Show Mode SR wagon Position 0 lt Network Disconnected IP Address 192 168 1030 C Auto repair Connect Figure 104 3 When you switch into Live mode Spikemark will be disconnected from all machines on the network This is done on purpose You should actively connect to each machine on the network that you want to start using in Live mode Having to take action to connect to the physical machinery on stage before running a cue should help remind you that you are about to move real heavy scenery around real fragile beings Stay alert be s
31. mouse to zoom in or out Figure 255 146 The Stage Model Viewer Use the Scrollbars Figure 256 on the right and bottom of the Stage Model Viewer to orbit around the stage Figure 256 The Preset View Buttons allow you to quickly jump to the 5 orthographic projections Figure 257 through Figure 261 Figure 257 147 Spikemark Manual Figure 258 Figure 259 148 The Stage Model Viewer Figure 260 Figure 261 Setting the Stage Dimensions In the Stage Model Viewer the stage is shown as a semi transparent box To make the stage in the Stage Model Viewer more closely resemble the size of your stage you can change the default stage dimensions 1 From the Stage menu click Stage Dimensions Figure 262 149 Spikemark Manual File Stagehand Cues Window Help Figure 262 2 Edit the dimensions of the stage to match your physical stage and click OK Figure 263 All Stage Dimensions are in feet E Stage Editor Stage Dimensions Al dimensions are in feet Stage Width 60 Stage Depth 40 Stage Thickness 1 Figure 263 Making a Winch Model After you ve changed the size of the stage to match your theatre space the next step is to make the motors look roughly like the scenery on the stage Each motor in the show can be viewed as either a winch or a turntable Winches always look like a box traveling along a track The length of the track is determined b
32. or Add Stagehand FX Figure 73 46 Quick Start File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library V Add Motor Ctrl M Add Stagehand Ctrl F Remove Stagehand Connect To All Disconnect From All Figure 73 Right click or long press on the Cue Grid and select Add Motor or Add Stagehand FX from the pop up menu Figure 74 a cue 1 120s a Center stage 120s First cue Position 240 Center stag_ Cue Number 1 Speed 24 D ipti Acceleration 12 Ramp Time 2 Total Time 11 99 fa Dewnctane 915 Expand All RampTime 2 Add Ma er Ctrl M Total Time 9 14 Add Sta hand FX Ctrl F Add Cue Ctrl U Jump To Cue F4 Unload Current Cue Ctrl F4 26 67 _ Acceleration 13 33 Ramp Time 2 Total Time 11 Rearrange Stagehand Order Total Time 11 47 Figure 74 Removing a Machine from the Show It is good to know how to get rid of a machine from the show in case you add one by accident or perhaps you find out that the automation budget has been cut before you start tech rehearsal There are two ways to remove a machine either a Motor or Stagehand FX from the show Select the machine by clicking on it in either the Cue Grid or the Stage Model Viewer Figure 75 47 Spikemark Manual File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window
33. perspective it should not be magic The combination of Stagehand motor controllers and Spikemark software create a motion control system that everyone can use but it is still important to know some basic concepts to avoid mistakes and help troubleshoot your system Power Depending on the model of Stagehand that you are using you need to supply either 120vac or 230vac power to each Stagehand The Stagehand will convert this power into something suitable for your motor The output voltage or frequency for AC motors 1s varied to achieve variable motor speed The Stagehand tracks the motor s position and then relays that position to Spikemark to display on screen If a Stagehand loses power the next time it powers up it will reset its position to zero 0 This is very important because if a motor is sitting 10 from centerline and the power is interrupted when the power comes back on the Stagehand will think that the motor is now at 0 from centerline In this case the motor needs to be driven back to the true 0 spike usually a piece of spike tape or limit switch and reset to 0 either through Spikemark using the Reset Position button in the Position section of the Stagehand Editing Pane or by cycling power to the Stagehand The best operating procedure is to return all motors to zero 0 at the end of every performance If power is lost overnight when no one is around then it won t affect the Stagehand s position informati
34. semi transparent red inside the Stage Model Viewer Figure 323 Note that the Turntable s target position in the example below is the thin semi transparent red line that sits down stage nearest the lift 180 Running Shows Semi transparent Red pi Motor s Target Position Red Motors Ready to Move White m Motor NOT in Loaded Cue Figure 323 Running a Cue Once a cue is loaded you can start all the motors moving by running the cue There are a few ways to run a cue 1 You can press the GO button in the Cue Controller in the Stagehand Editing Pane Figure 324 Cue 1 loaded Figure 324 Or click Run Cue in the Cues menu Figure 325 181 Spikemark Manual SF SpikeMark CAUsers spear DERESE File Stagehand Cues j Stage Window Help Add Cue Ctrl U Duplicate Cue Ctrl D Remove Cue Restore Cue Ctrl R Jump To Cue F4 Next Cue F3 Previous Cue F2 Soft Stop F6 Run only mode A a 2 es A r Figure 325 Or press F5 on the keyboard Or press the Go Cue button on your Showstopper What Happens While a Cue Is Running Once the cue is running the interface changes to inform you exactly what is running 1 In the Cue Grid the border around the Cue that is running and motor movements within the running Cue change to green and the Stagehand status icons change Figure 326 For a complete list of status icons and their meanings see the Motor Status section on page 6
35. the Windows Key X and select Control Panel from the pop up menu Figure 63 Programs and Features Power Options Event Viewer System Device Manager Disk Management Computer Management Command Prompt Command Prompt Admin Task Manager Control Panel Search Run Desktop Figure 63 2 Click on the Network and Internet link Figure 64 41 Spikemark Manual rc N gt Search Control Panel Pp gt Control Panel gt Y i Adjust your computer s settings View by Category System and Security N Review your computer s status Back up your computer User Accounts and Family Safety Add or remove user accounts Set up parental controls for any user Find and fix problems Appearance and Personalization a Network and Internet Change the theme View network status and tasks Change desktop background Choose homegroup and sharing options Adjust screen resolution View devices and printers Change keyboards or other input methods Add a device Change display language Connect to a projector Adjust commonly used mobility settings Ease of Access Let Windows suggest settings Optimize visual display Hardware and Sound Clock Language and Region Programs D Uninstall a program Figure 64 3 Click on the Network and Sharing Center link Figure 65 P gt Control Panel Netw
36. this lurching can be extreme so make sure to have your hand on the Emergency Stop when you first adjust this parameter Proportional Gain Derivative Gain Derivative Sampling Integral Gain Integral Limit Filter Loaded False Figure 135 Derivative Gain Derivative Gain Figure 136 is applied against changes in position error It can have a dampening effect on a motor absorbing the shocks from a high Proportional Gain 80 The Stagehand Motor Proportional Gain Derivative Gain 0 Derivative Sampling 0 Integral Gain 0 Integral Limit Filter Loaded False Figure 136 Derivative Sampling Derivative Sampling Figure 137 describes how often the Derivative Gain should be applied If you are using Derivative Gain Derivative Sampling must be set to at least 1 Rarely is there any benefit to using a Derivative Sampling value higher than 2 Proportional Gain Derivative Gain Derivative Sampling 0 Integral Gain Integral Limit Filter Loaded Figure 137 Integral Gain Integral Gain Figure 138 tries to compute corrective action by evaluating the position error and motor response over time From a practical standpoint Integral Gain will often correct the motor position at the end of travel This can be helpful if you need to reduce Proportional Gain to smooth out a motion but then loose accuracy In such a scenario adding in 1 or 2 points of Integral Gain will often retain accuracy withou
37. units per second inches sec degrees sec etc You can synchronize multiple motors by programming them at the same speed regardless of gearing and encoder differences Valid speed values are greater than zero and no greater than the Max Speed as defined in the Speed section of the Stagehand Editing Pane Spikemark initially uses the Default Speed also defined in Speed section of the Stagehand Editing Pane Ramp Time 2 len i Tota nime s Figure 209 Acceleration Figure 210 indicates the rate at which the speed will increase as the motor moves This number is displayed in units per second per second inches sec sec etc A higher value will cause the motor to accelerate more quickly giving the motion more snap at the beginning and end of the cue A lower value will cause the motor to accelerate more slowly and smoothly Valid acceleration values range from greater than zero to no greater than the programmed Speed value Spikemark initially uses the Default Acceleration defined in the Speed section of the Stagehand Editing Pane Tots Tome O Figure 210 Ramp Time Figure 211 indicates the number of seconds that the motor will take to accelerate up to programmed speed If you would like to program the cue in time units you can edit this field rather than using Acceleration Spikemark will automatically calculate a new Acceleration based on the Ramp Time you enter Figure 211 Total Time Figure 212
38. 08 3 20 52 PM 5 2 2008 3 20 52 PM 5 2 2008 3 22 10 PM 5 2 2008 3 22 10 PM 5 2 2008 3 24 08 PM 5 2 2008 3 24 08 PM 5 2 2008 3 24 10 PM 5 2 2008 3 24 10 PM 5 2 2008 3 25 06 PM 5 2 2008 3 25 26 PM 5 2 2008 3 27 28 PM 5 2 2008 3 27 28 PM 5 2 2008 3 27 28 PM 5 2 2008 3 27 28 PM 5 2 2008 3 27 28 PM Spikemark Showed A Strange Error Message Then Had To Quit 208 Source Show Show Motor Motor 1 Motor Motor 1 Show Show Add Cue Command Show Cue Grid Cue 2 Show Add Cue Command Show Add Cue Command Show Add Cue Command Show Show Show Open Command Connection IP 192 1 Motor Motor 1 Motor Motor 1 Motor Motor 1 en Information Information Information Information Information Information Information Information Information Information Information Information Information Information Information Information Information Information Information Warning Information Information Information Message Added Motor Motor 1 Added Cue 1 State changed to Idle Established network connection Added Movement 1 Motor Motor 1 Removed Movement 1 Motor Motor 1 Executed Added Cue 2 Remove button Removed Cue 2 Executed Added Cue 2 Executed Added Cue 3 Executed Added Cue 4 Added Link child Cue 4 to parent Cue Removed Link child Cue 4 to parent Cu Executed Socket exception Cannot access a dispo Object name System Net Sockets TcpCl State changed to Disconnected Closed network
39. 1 changing for motor in a cue 127 Spike Button 126 Spike Position Button 165 170 using to add a spike 163 SpikeMark error message 208 frequently asked questions website 207 is not responding 210 main screen 49 61 Newest Features 14 online tutorials 14 technical support email address 207 web forums 207 Spikes 15 121 adding using spike position button 163 adding using the Motor Editing Pane 167 changing position of 171 Splitter Panes 62 174 Stage Dimensions setting 149 Stage Model Viewer 18 61 145 62 as pre tech tool 145 floating 176 making a curtain model in 156 making a lift model in 153 making a turntable model in 159 making a winch model in 150 navigation of 146 opening in a separate window 146 Index scrollbars 147 setting the stage dimensions in 149 Stagehand Loses Power what to do 78 Status FX 108 motor 68 Status Bar 180 184 186 Status Information for a motor in the cue grid 187 for an FX in the cue grid 188 Status Refresh Rate 90 changing the 90 Streamlined Interface 16 Strict Timing Mode 86 System Requirements 8 Target Tolerance Mode 86 Time changing for cues 129 Time Link 137 143 144 creating 137 illustrated version of 135 Time Based Cues 16 Total Time 125 126 128 129 Troubleshooting 193 210 Tuned what to do after motor is 85 what to do when motor is poorly 84 Tuning basic for a motor 59 motors 79 84 Turntable Model making a 159 Vert
40. 20 3 When Spikemark first opens the show will contain one wagon named Pushstick that is placed downstage by default and a single cue Figure 23 We can change the name and position of this wagon or remove it completely but for now let s just leave it there x File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Show Mode IP Address 192 168 10 32 Auto repair Connect Disconnect Enable All Links Figure 23 To add a movement in Cue 1 click on the plus button at the intersection of Pushstick and Cue l Figure 24 Click to add movement Cue Number 1 Description First cue Ramp Time 0 0 Total Time Figure 24 A Movement panel will appear with parameters for adjusting the speed and position of the motor that is moving the wagon Enter 240 in the Position field to adjust the position of the motor in Cue 1 Figure 25 Quick Start a cueq 12 0s First cue Cue Number 1 Description First cue Ramp Time 2 Total Time 12 Acceleration 12 Ramp Time 2 Total Time 12 Figure 25 Press the Load this cue button in the Cue panel There are several immediate changes in the interface to indicate that a cue is loaded Figure 26 a Cue l and its movements are decorated with a red border b The Pushstick panel shows a rocket icon with a countdown timer indicating that it is ready
41. 240 Figure 53 6 Notice that the Pushstick Movement for Cue 1 shows the Center Stage Spike name for the target position Figure 54 35 Spikemark Manual a cue4 ERFA First cue Figure 54 7 Inthe Pushstick Cue 2 Movement click the button next to the Position field 8 Select the Offstage Spike 9 Press OK 10 Notice that the Pushstick Movement for Cue 2 shows the Offstage Spike name for the target position To create Spikes for the Turntable l 36 Click on the button next to the Position field in the Turntable Movement panel for Cue 1 234 Figure 55 Ramp lime zZ namp lime z Total Time 11 99 ro Time 11 99 a cue 4 234 3s Cue Number 1 234 o Description Ramp Time 0 Total Time 0 Figure 55 The Spikes window will appear Add two spikes to the Turntable by clicking the button twice Enter in the Names and Values as shown below Figure 56 Quick Start Turntable Spikes A A Figure 56 4 Select the Downstage Spike to use it in Cue 1 234 Figure 57 Turntable Spikes B Name Value L Downstage Stage Left 0 Figure 57 5 Press OK 6 Notice that the Turntable Movement for Cue 234 shows the Downstage Spike name for the target position Figure 58 a Downstage N Spike name
42. 3 os to Speed Acceleration 15 Figure 339 2 A list is presented showing that both Motor 1 and Motor 2 need to move in order to restore Cue 3 Figure 340 189 Spikemark Manual Preis to load the bighigited movement Figure 340 a Enable All Links No 3 To start moving motors back into their correct positions select a single movement from the list and then press the Load Movement button in the Restore Cue window Figure 341 Load and run the movements one by one Movements to restore Cue 3 Motor 2 move 10 0 stage Figure 341 190 Running Shows 4 After one movement is loaded you can press the Run button in the Restore Cue window Figure 342 Then if it is safe load the next movement and run it as well In the example below two movements are running concurrently by starting Motor 2 before Motor I completes Movements to restore Cue 3 Motor 2 move to on stage Figure 342 5 When you are finished restoring all the motors press the Done button to close the Restore Cue window Figure 343 Figure 343 6 Click OK in the Enable Cue Links dialog box to re enable all cue links Figure 344 If the motors have NOT finished moving click Cancel Enable Cue Links Cue links will be re enabled when you close this window Do you want P to continue cancel Figure 344 19 Spikemark Manual 7 Notice that in the status bar in the bottom left hand corn
43. 4 Position Units 73 216 Power 211 Power Loss what to do 78 Preset View Buttons 147 Previous Cue Button 178 Proportional Gain 59 80 212 Quick Start Guide 18 60 Ramp Time 125 126 128 130 Rearrange Stagehand Order 176 Rearranging the Cue Grid 176 Remove Cue 132 Renaming a Motor 67 an FX 105 inputs and outputs for an FX 106 Reset Position 79 Reset Position Button 72 74 Resetting Motor Position Each Night 78 Restoring a Cue 189 Reverse Limit Status 187 Reverse Motor Polarity 70 Reverse Physical Limit 78 Right View Button 149 Rotation X 154 Rotation Y 152 161 Rotation Z 154 159 Running Cues 56 181 indicators of 58 what happens while 182 Running Shows 173 92 deciphering motor status during 187 restoring a cue when 189 Safety 7 Sampling 81 Scaling Factor setting 71 Schematic 150 154 156 160 scrollbars using in the Stage Model Viewer 147 Setting FX active mode 109 Max Position Error 85 Min Reverse and Max Forward positions 76 motor cue completion mode 86 motor s active mode 88 soft limits 53 stage dimensions 149 Setting Up IP address for your computer 41 Network Connections 41 Physical Connections 40 SpikeMark workspace 174 Smooth Out a Motion 81 Soft Limits setting 53 Soft Stopping using an FX 113 Speed 125 127 128 129 allowing SpikeMark to update 128 changing directly 127 changing for a motor automatically 142 changing for a motor manually 14
44. 6 Running Shows 2 Inthe Stagehand Display Order Editor dialog box select the motor that you wish to move and then use the up down arrow buttons to rearrange the display order Figure 316 B i H k fi Display Orde Re FX 5 Figure 316 Loading a Cue Executing a cue is a two step process The first step is to load the cue Loading the cue sends all the cue information out to the Stagehand Motor or FX and gets the motors ready to move Typically you ll load a cue when the stage manager gives you a warning for the cue There are a few ways to load a cue The difference is a matter of personal preference 1 Click the Load Cue button in the Cue Grid Figure 317 177 Spikemark Manual Speed 20 Acceleration 10 Ramp Time 2 _ Total Time 32 Total Time 0 Figure 317 Or click the Jump To Cue button on the Cue Controller in the Stagehand Editing Pane Figure 318 and then select a cue from the Jump to Cue dialog box Figure 319 You can also type a cue number or description to jump to the cue Cue 11 Apartment 1 1 Cue 12 APARTMENT 1 1 Cue 13 SHIFT OUT 1 2 Cue 14 SHIFT OUT 1 2 Figure 319 Or if a cue was loaded or run previously you can use the Next Cue and Previous Cue buttons in the Cue Controller Figure 320 178 Running Shows Figure 320 Or press the Load Cue button on your Showstopper and select a cue from Jump to Cue dialog box
45. 8 and the FX Status section on page 108 182 Running Shows The status icons of the Stagehand Motors and or FXs change Rare Tere 2 14 Total Tere 610 54 The borders around the Cue that is running and the Movements within that Cue turn to GREEN Figure 326 2 The motor s that are moving in the Cue change to green inside the Stage Model Viewer Figure 327 Stage Model Viewer Green Motor Moving Blue Motor s Movement Complete Figure 327 3 The status text in the Cue Controller displays which cue is running Figure 328 183 Spikemark Manual Figure 328 4 The Status Bar text in the bottom left corner of the Spikemark screen displays which cue is running Figure 329 Enable All Links Cue 2 running Figure 329 5 The Cue row header in the Cue Grid will display a Countdown Timer in the upper right corner showing how much time is left until the cue is complete Cue Number Description Ramp Time 2 Total Time Figure 330 What Happens as Motor Movements and Cue s Complete 1 As the motor movements and the cue complete the interface shifts colors again and the borders in the Cue Grid turn blue Figure 331 184 Running Shows This Cues s Movement is highted in BLUE because the Cue already completed The Cue itself is NOT highlighted in blue because is NOT The Cue and the Movements that have just Completed are hig
46. Cue Description 122 123 Cue Grid 61 66 rearranging 176 Cue Links 134 44 child cues 134 cue completion 135 deleting 140 infinite loops 135 143 motor position 138 multi speed multi position 141 parent cues 134 time link 137 using FX inputs 139 Cue Number 122 123 187 188 Cue Outline Color Meaning blue 185 green 183 pink 180 red 180 Cue Restore 189 Cue Restoring 189 Cues adding 122 adding a motor movement to 123 adding an FX movement to 130 changing how fast a motors moves within 127 changing motor position in 126 changing total time of 129 completed 184 deleting 132 linking 134 loading 177 pile on 134 213 Spikemark Manual removing a motor s movement from 131 restoring 189 running 56 181 what happens while running 182 writing 55 Curtain Model making a 156 Deactivated FX 110 188 motor 89 187 Deactivating FX Input Action 112 Delay Field 137 Delete Movement 131 Derivative Gain 80 212 Disconnect From All 120 Disconnecting from a motor 119 from an FX 119 Distance from Center 152 155 158 159 Distance from Plaster 152 155 158 159 160 Elevation From Stage 152 155 158 Enable All Links 190 192 Encoder Counts decreasing 52 increasing 52 increasing vs decreasing important notes 70 Encoder Feedback confirming 51 Error Message in SpikeMark 208 Ethernet link confirming that it works 41 Filter Loaded 82 Forward Limit Status 187 Forward Phys
47. Distance from Plaster and the Width sliders to position and resize the turntable Figure 284 and Figure 285 160 The Stage Model Viewer Figure 284 Figure 285 161 Spikemark Manual 162 By default the Turntable model orients position zero 0 degrees toward Stage Left You can move position zero by changing the Rotation Y parameter Figure 286 Use the Rotation Y parameter to spin position zero to wherever you need it on stage In this example position zero will be at 270 degrees or Down Stage Figure 287 Changing the Rotation Y parameter to 270 for example puts postion zero Down Stage Figure 288 Running Shows Spikes The Spikes feature is designed to mimic the usefulness of real spike tape Rather than trying to remember bizarre motor position numbers like 251 13 you can now assign names to commonly used positions on stage 251 13 Often during the rehearsal process the Spike positions need to be tweaked If you were physically pushing the wagons around you would just move the spike tape on the stage floor to a new position Similarly with the new Spikes feature you simply edit the position of the Spike in one place and all cues that contain a motor that uses the Spike are automatically updated saving you from manually having to make the change throughout all the cues where that motor is used Adding Spikes within Cues Using the Spikes Position Button 1
48. Error Loaded False Figure 142 Setting the Motor Cue Completion Mode Spikemark has two modes for running motors Target Tolerance Target Tolerance mode makes motor cues more reliable regardless of poor tuning When using Target Tolerance mode the motor will continue to try to achieve target regardless of how much time has passed Once the motor position is within your specified tolerance it will turn off and display a Complete status icon Strict Timing Strict Timing mode insists that the motor move accurately and achieve the cue position within the theoretical time allowed for that movement based on the programmed distance speed and acceleration If the motor cannot achieve target in the computed time it will be turned off regardless of its current position 86 The Stagehand Motor 1 To specify which cue completion mode to use select the motor you wish to edit in the Cue Grid 2 Scroll to the Cue Behavior section in the Stagehand Editing Pane Figure 143 oO Cue Behavior Te J Target Tolerance 0 25 IJ Active Run Cues Figure 143 3 To use Target Tolerance mode make sure that Strict Timing Mode is deselected and enter a Target Tolerance value which is listed in scaled position units for example inches degrees etc In Figure 144 0 25 equals 1 4 inch Q Cue Behavior i i ee i ee liee Target Tolerance 0 25 IJ Active Run Cues Figure 144 4 To use Strict Timi
49. FX Ctrl F Cues Stage Window Help Remove Stagehand Connect To All Disconnect From All Figure 198 Or each time you open a show file Spikemark will automatically attempt to connect to all the Stagehand Motors and FXs in the show Disconnecting from a Stagehand Motor or FX You can break the network connection to a Stagehand Motor or FX any time you need to temporarily remove it from Spikemark s control Disconnecting from the Stagehand Motor or FX will turn off all position amp status updates from the Motor or FX If you would like to temporarily remove the Motor or FX from the show but maintain network communication see the Setting a Motor s Active Mode section on page 88 or the Setting the FX Active Mode on page 109 There are two ways to break a network connection 1 Select the motor or FX you wish to disconnect in the Cue Grid 119 Spikemark Manual 2 Press the Disconnect button in the Network section of the Stagehand Motor or FX Editing Pane Figure 199 Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 38 Auto repair Figure 199 Or to disconnect from all Stagehand Motors or FXs in the show in the Stagehand menu click Disconnect From All Figure 200 Cues Stage Window Help Add Motor Ctrl M Add Stagehand FX Ctrl F Remove Stagehand Connect To All Disconnect From All Figure 200 120 Writing Cues Writing Cues A Cue is a collection of mov
50. Help Click here to select Or click here to select Figure 75 2 With the machine that you wish to remove selected choose Remove Stagehand from the Stagehand Menu Figure 76 File Stagehand Cues Stage ShowControl Machine Library Window Help Add Motor Ctri M Add Stagehand FX Ctrl F Connect To All Disconnect From All lt Figure 76 OR 48 Quick Start 1 Right click on the Cue Grid header of the machine you wish to remove and select Delete machine name from the pop up menu Figure 77 Pushstick io lt gt r gt 2 2 l harer Pushstick Active Add To Library a Center stage Position 240 Speed 24 if PAcceleration 12 Ramp Time 2 total Time 11 99 Figure 77 A Downstage 9 15 Establishing a Network Connection to your Machine With the network address configured on your computer and a machine or two we re ready to establish a connection to a Stagehand 1 With Spikemark Open select Live from the Show Mode switch Figure 78 O Forward Network Disconnected IP Address 192 168 10 32 Figure 78 2 Select the motor or FX you wish to connect to by clicking on it in the Cue Grid An orange highlight will appear around the selected motor Figure 79 49 Spikemark Manual Selec to edit setu lax Fy cueq Ols Selec P First cue Cue Number 1 Descript
51. Output 1 off a cue4 0 0s First cue Cue Number ORN Cue 1 turns ON Output 1 Ramp Time Total Time Cue Number Cue 2 turns OFF Output 1 Description Ramp Time Total Time Cue 3 turns ON Outputs 2 3 4 Cue Number Output 1 remains OFF itis er unaffected by Cue 3 Ramp Time Total Time Figure 226 Removing a Motor s Movement from a Cue Sometimes you will write a cue with a number of motors moving and then discover one of the motor movements should not be in the cue 1 Right click on the motor s movement you wish to delete in the Cue Grid and select Delete Movement Figure 227 131 Spikemark Manual Delete Movement Load Movement Run Movement Figure 227 2 Click Yes in the Remove Movement confirmation dialog box Figure 228 Remove Movement Do you want to remove Motor 1 from Cue 1 Figure 228 Deleting a Cue Theatre is a dynamic process Throughout rehearsals scene shifts will be added and scrapped as the performance is shaped To keep up with the rapid changes Spikemark makes it just as easy to remove cues as it is to add them There are two simple ways to delete a cue from a show 1 Right click on the cue you wish to delete in the Cue Grid and select Remove Cue Figure 229 cue 2 05 second cue Cue Number 2 Restore Cue Ctrl R Duplicate Cue Ctrl D Descri
52. S server addresses instal Linsnstsl Properes Preferred ONS server Description Alternate DNS server Transmission Control Protocol Intemet Protocol The defaut _ Validate settings upon exit Figure 347 And the WATCHOUT computer is 192 168 10 9 Figure 348 E Local Area Connection Properties xa F Networking Sharing Connect using p General You can get IP settings assigned automatically if your network OP inteWR 82567LM Gigabit Network Connection ah This conmecton uses the following fems Z O amp Client for Microsoft Networks Z Ej QoS Packet Scheduler 4 Bj Fae and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks M d intemet Protocol Version 6 TCP iPv6 Wi internet Protocol Version 4 TCP IP v4 W t Link Layer Topology Discovery Mapper VO Driver Mi d Link Layer Topology Discovery Responder Obtain ONS server address automaticaly Use the following ONS server addresses l install j Uninstall Properes Preferred ONS server Deserpton Transmission Control Protocol imtemet Protocol The detault wide area network protocol that provides conmmmnurecaton across diverse interconnected networks Figure 348 With both computers addressed properly we need to tell Spikemark where to send the position data In Spikemark select Watchout from the Show Control menu Figure 349 194 Troubleshooting File Stagehand Cues Stage Window Help
53. Spikemark v3 0 User Manual Spikemark Stagehand and Showstopper are all trademarks of Creative Conners Inc All rights reserved This page has intentionally been left blank Table of Contents Table of Contents WCICOMETO2 pPI REDAK sarin e T OE EAT O T A Word abou oai ciy s eto ean tess aatnas acagatanios tee teaae tessa eesaegaianaas 7 System IN CUTE IMG 116 aes E E O T nereanaetoreenieer a ease 8 Installing Spikemark 1m Windows 8 cccccccccccccccssenennsscsssseeeseeseeeeeeccceeessenenaaasssseessscesereeeeees 8 One TUO a Sienen a Salt hceseeuabe ca eines Sones a ten Seed cals 14 Spik mark TN 1 INNA TGS ieee etn che ee ade et ee ete cece dn dae enabe de 14 Simulator NV EW 1 SPIKCMGLK S ccssessvscnsdedvedudwrsusssacatvw stants OE OA EEEE A abated OAA 14 Machine Library New In Spikemarie I rE E TA niente ees 15 WATCHOUT Integration New in Spikemark 3 ccccccccccccccccccccccccccecceeeeeeaaaaaeeessssseeeeeeeeeeeeees 15 SPIKO S a E ane A EE eee AEE A O acide I E OO 15 Te Bed C Ue a a igs nao datasets 16 Streamlined Mtera E oanien che denis oroetan ea wb aha dencwos idl hedoehadan ela hnianis ab shedanumsenieateees 16 FDSN LAO CV 16 W ee ana D 18 Quick Start USS TALON eean da cadies ad E E ducasioand E E 19 Wanoa OUr ESE Ue aa E T OE EOE E 19 Adding a Second Machine to the SNOW ceiaio E E RE 22 Watne Cues with Multiple Machine Sesssniressmrciai o e gE rE E E R ET 26 CPS a E AAE A 33 Movine Real Machiner
54. afe For the rest of the manual we won t distinguish between Simulator and Live mode You can follow along in whichever mode makes sense for your circumstance though it s often nice to try things out in Simulator first and later in Live mode 64 The Stagehand Motor Adding a New Stagehand Motor Right click in the Cue Grid and select Add Motor Figure 105 Pushstick lt gt eS 0 217 a Center stage 120s r e ion 12 i 2 11 99 9 1s Figure 105 Turntable gt C x 0 24 A Nnaownctane 91s Expand All Add Motor Ctrl M Add nap FX Ctrl F Add Cue Ctrl U Jump To Cue F4 Unload Current Cue Ctri F4 13 33 Rearrange Stagehand Order Or in the Stagehand menu click Add Motor Figure 106 Expand All Collapse All Add Motor Add Stagehand FX Add Cue Jump To Cue Rearrange Stagehand Order Figure 106 Or press Ctrl M The Stagehand Motor Stagehand Motor Configuration 65 Spikemark Manual Each Stagehand Motor in a show has a collection of parameters that are typically set once during a production Parameters include properties such as the name of the motor the IP address of the motor the motor s maximum speed etc The Stagehand Editing Pane on the right side of the screen allows you to edit all of the configuration parameters for any motor in the show To edit a Stagehand Motor s configuration parameters select the mo
55. age Show Control Machine Library Window Help Show Mode Simulator IP Address 192 168 10 32 Input 1 Input1 Input 2 Input2 Input 3 Input3 Input 4 Input4 Output 1 Output Output 2 Output2 Output 3 Output3 Output 4 Output4 1 Enable All Links Figure 170 Adding a New Stagehand FX 1 Right click in the Cue Grid and select Add Stagehand FX Figure 171 103 Spikemark Manual 104 Expand All Collapse All Add Motor Ctrl M Add Stagehand FX Ctrl F Add Cue Ctri U Jump To Cue F4 Rearrange Stagehand Order Figure 171 Or in the Stagehand menu click Add Stagehand FX Figure 172 Cues Stage Window Help Add Motor Ctrl M Add Stagehand FX Ctrl F Remove Stagehand Connect To All Disconnect From All Figure 172 Or press Ctrl F Stagehand FX Stagehand FX Configuration 1 Select the Stagehand FX you wish to update in the Cue Grid The selected Stagehand FX will be indicated with an orange outline Figure 173 Figure 173 2 Once you have selected an FX in the Cue Grid you can begin editing its parameters in the FX Editing Pane the scrolling window on the right side of the Spikemark screen that contains sections of parameters grouped by function You can collapse or expand these sections to show or hide the information Figure 174 Figure 174 Renaming an FX 105 Spikemark Man
56. ain Call so if you are using one of our machines you can jump into writing cues immediately If you are using your own machine connected to a Stagehand AC Stagehand DC or Stagehand Mini you can still take advantage of the Machine Library by setting all the configuration parameters as outlined in the previous section and then saving your own machine definition in the Machine Library We ll take a look at using the default machines and adding your own machines in this section Adding a Pushstick Winch to the Show 1 Click or tap the Machine Library menu Figure 151 File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Window Help Figure 151 2 The Machine Library panel slides down from the top of the main window Figure 152 93 Spikemark Manual Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 Auto repair Connect Reset Position Max Forward Position as0 Min Reverse Position 0 Position Scale 4534 409 Position Units Enable All Links Figure 152 3 Drag the Pushstick machine from the Machine Library and drop it on either on the Stage Model Viewer or the Cue Grid Figure 153 Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call 2 2 a cue 4 0 0s First cue Acceleration 12 Ramp Time 2 Total Time 12 Figure 153 4 To close the Machine Library panel either press the Ese button or click the Machine Library close tab F
57. air Connect Disconnect Figure 191 The Network field Figure 192 shows the current status of the network connection The possible status values are Disconnected IP Address 192 168 10 32 Auto repair Figure 192 Disconnected The network connection has not been made yet Connecting A connection is trying to be established Errors The connection failed Connections can fail for various reasons but commonly a cable was removed the specified Stagehand address is wrong or the computer running Spikemark has an incompatible 116 Network Connections address see the Setting Up a Network Connection section on page 41 for steps to configure your computer s IP address The IP Address field Figure 193 contains the IP Address of the selected Stagehand Motor or FX that you wish to connect to Enter the IP Address exactly how it is displayed on the Stagehand Motor or FX face panel Valid address range from 0 0 0 0 to 255 255 255 255 but remember that the first three segments of the address must match between the computer running Spikemark and all the Stagehands on the network while the last segment must be unique for each device Network Disconnected IP Address J 192 168 10 32 Auto repair Figure 193 If the Auto repair Figure 194 field 1s selected Spikemark will automatically try to reconnect to a Stagehand Motor or FX if the connection is lost for any reason Most of the time you
58. akes moving scenery simple If you ve made it this far in the manual you have a good grasp of how to use the Simulator configure the network connect to real machinery and write some basic cues In the following chapters we ll dive deeper into the software and take a look at all the configuration options and more advanced methods for writing cues Have fun 60 Spikemark s Main Screen Spikemark s Main Screen The main screen of the Spikemark interface is composed of four areas Figure 100 clockwise from top left Stage Model Viewer The upper left area which contains and displays a 3 dimentional schematic representation of your theatre and motors Stagehand Editing Pane The far right area which allows setup parameters to be adjusted for a Stagehand Motor or Stagehand FX Cue Controller The bottom right area which mimics the functionality of a physical Showstopper giving you the controls needed to run skip and stop cues Cue Grid The lower center area where cues can be added removed and edited F x File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Windo Show Mode AY Pushstick Position 0 Stage Model Viewer Displays a 3 dimensional virtual stage with schematic representations of your theatre and moving scenery Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 _ Auto repair Stagehand Editing Pane Allows you to adjust setup parameters Desconect SS Cue Grid for machinery connected to either A
59. and Rotation Z sliders rotate the winch model until it is standing upright Figure 271 Rotation X 0 0 Rotation Y Rotation Z 0 Figure 271 154 The Stage Model Viewer 4 Now use the Width Length and Height sliders to make the winch look like a lift platform Figure 272 and Figure 273 Figure 272 Figure 273 5 Using the Elevation from stage field position the Lift so that it travels into the trap room Figure 274 and Figure 275 Use the Distance from Center and Distance from Plaster fields to place your Lift in the appropriate part of your stage Schematic Figure 274 155 Spikemark Manual Figure 275 Making a Curtain Model The winch style model can be used to represent various machines other than ordinary deck winches By adjusting the size and rotation of the winch we can easily make it look like either a traveling curtain or a flying curtain 1 Select the motor you wish to adjust in the Cue Grid 2 Scroll to the Schematic section of the Stagehand Editing Pane and make sure that winch is selected at the bottom of the list Figure 276 Adding a Turntable is described in the Making a Turntable Model section on page 159 156 The Stage Model Viewer All dimensions are in feet Distance from Center 9 Distance from Plaster 9 Elevation from stage 9 Width Length Height Rotation X Rotation Y Rotation Z winch D turntable Figure 276
60. at will link the position of the image to the value of the Generic Input the value of the Generic Input will be connected to the data stream 200 Troubleshooting from Spikemark and the data stream from Spikemark is driven by the position of the scenery The knee bone is connected to the leg bone still with me Great click the little function button Figure 361 Y Layer 1 gt cci_logo_google plus jpg i r Ki YV Position AX 0 Y SS rea 200 Specifies a formula for controlling this parameter Q w Name Descr Cc Gener Figure 361 In the dialog box that appears we enter in a formula in the X axis text box Since this is a traveler track we want to manipulate the lateral position of the image but if it was a flying piece of scenery we could instead control the Y axis of the image To use the value of the Generic Input we simply type the name of the input In this case I m multiplying the value of the input by 10 to get the image to track the correct number of pixels across the stage The multiplier you use can be adjusted to fit the specific show Figure 362 _ 3D Parameters Formulas governing the parameters being tweened X este ay Y TweenValue Z TweenValue The results of the formulas are applied to the parameters being controlled It may include the name of inputs operators etc and the name TweenValue which refers to the current value of the tweening curve
61. ata stream from Spikemark assuming you depressed the Send Output button in Spikemark and the image will 202 Troubleshooting snap back to match its X position with the motor position Also the Generic Input Value should track with the motor position Let s load up cue 2 in Spikemark Notice that the current motor position is 0 18 in Spikemark and that the Generic Input Value in WATCHOUT is 0 175 showing that the two systems are communicating Figure 365 Figure 366 B File Stagehand Cues Stage ShowControl Wadow Help anaes Figure365 203 Spikemark Manual fy WATCHOUT Simple Spikemark File Edit Stage Preview Media Timeline Tween Window Help MR stage lt lt lt OFF LINE gt gt gt Name Descriptio Value Generic 0 175 gt Layer 10 gt Layer 9 gt Layer 8 gt Layer 7 gt Layer 6 gt Layer 5 Figure 366 Now let s run cue 2 in Spikemark Figure 367 When it completes we can see that the image tracked across the stage in WATCHOUT matching the motor position Figure 368 204 Staegehand Cues Stage Acceersnonm 15 favo Tire 2 Tow Tere 14 Enabie A Laks Cwe 2 complete Figure 367 Rl WaTCHOUT Simple Spike File Edit Stage Preview Media Timeline Tween Window Help W stage lt lt lt OFF LINE gt gt gt creative concurs irc Descriptio Value Generic 359 784 Figure 368 Troubleshooting 205 Spikemark Manual I hope this gives you a little inspir
62. ation to create some stunning stage effects This tutorial is just a taste of what can be achieved when Spikemark and WATCHOUT are used together in live theatre As you start using this feature in production please let us know how it works for you and send us some video We love to see this stuff in action 206 Troubleshooting Troubleshooting When automation works well it s a fun and wondrous technology When automation doesn t work it s hair pulling frustrating black magic If you ve made it to this part of the manual I assume you are at the hair pulling stage I ll try to help answer some of the more common problems and solutions here If these suggestions don t address your problem give us a call send an email or use the discussion forums Contact Us Phone 401 289 2942 free tech support for the first 90 days after that 30 half hour fees may apply at our discretion Email support creativeconners com always free response times vary from minutes to a couple of hours Access our Frequently Asked Questions web page at http creativeconners com pages faq html Web forums can be found at http creativeconners com phpBB3 Issues Possible Solutions The most common reason for this is that the IP address between the Stagehand and the computer are not compatible See the Setting Up a Network Connection section on page 41 Check your network cabling Swap out the cables preferably with a cable
63. be Ea E T a ee regan res tes nt eR A A T ann geen ae Ee E eee 112 Deactivate Stagehand FAACHON aes a ees Sassari E a E aia deals Badges 112 SO SLOppIne FEX ACTON hates aeleenei on eine ee ee es 113 Run INEX CUG EA ACHON sors ne ests ered aces a a 114 Removine a stacchand FX Input Cu On meciria r T 115 INS Vy Oe OTN CC LONG aspan 116 Editing Stasehand Network Settings eiirus ai nen lie en 116 C onnectine 10 a Stagehand Motor or EX esinin n A EE en 118 Disconnecting from a Stagehand Motor or FX ceeeessssseseececcceeeeeeeeeceaaaeeessseeeeseeeeeeeeeees 119 Table of Contents WADE OS Saana a a ce ede ada a a eee aaedastansas aetna 121 NUNS CANS AE SIE A E E I A E E E E N TET 122 Adding Motor Movements to a Cue 0 ccccccccccccsssssssssssssssssssseeeeececeeeeeeeesssaaeeegeessesssseeeeeeeeeeees 123 Motor Movement Parameters 2 icsiccticaiotachdusihabibaacbelausilediisdodasededibbsadarebalnud etd iiuindashdushaaeheais 124 POSION sosdeiuttrecuar arian elt ual eed eral eel a a ie elt eee eats 124 L oe LE ee arene a Pe RCP E EEES A er ee eee 125 PRS Tl Utada k tsetse tects t telat S 125 JS 001 0 a0 Us een ae vee me Pe Ue nr Oe ere On ne or Oe ae eh ee eae rae 125 fore 1 lad ky ca lo EEA IE eee EI eT ENOTES S ALEI A AE ASS TET A E AIT Seren te 125 Changing Motor Position Iisa C UG i sicsetsarseivictiigstetatiehatchinastwsreeieaesvisaieenie aannoserreeeeess 126 Changing How Fast a Motor Moves Within a Cue ccccccsssssessssssseeeecccceeeeee
64. ber 1 Cue Grid Description First cue Stage Model amp Motor Editing Pane RampTime 0 Total Time 0 Enable All Links Figure 311 Hide all the speed and acceleration information for the cues by right clicking in the Cue Grid and selecting Collapse All Figure 312 This will compact the Cue Grid while allowing you to see the time each cue will take and the positions of every motor Figure 313 Expand All Collapse All N Add Motor Add Stagehand FX Add Cue Jump To Cue Figure 312 ooa ahaa Figure 313 175 Spikemark Manual 3 In Window menu click Stage Model Viewer to create a floating Stage Model Viewer Position the Stage Model Viewer in some unoccupied space of the Cue Grid Figure 314 or drag it over to a second monitor Si Trach 4 SA Brack 5 Srsins Astate St Trach CETS e lt gt e lt gt LE r paur Figure 314 Rearranging the Cue Grid By default motors appear as columns in the Cue Grid in the order in which they were created While that s sensible to Spikemark it probably bears no significance to you Luckily you can rearrange the columns of the Cue Grid to follow the logic of your show 1 Right click in a blank section of the Cue Grid and select Rearrange Stagehand Order Figure 315 Expand All Collapse All Add Motor CtrieM Add Stagehand FX Ctrl F Add Cue CtrieU Jump To Cue Fs Figure 315 17
65. click into the field in the Stagehand Editing Pane that contains the default motor name In the example below the default name is Motor 1 Figure 109 Position 0 lt be Figure 109 Type a new name In the example below the new name is SL Wagon Figure 110 Figure 110 Press the Tab key or click out of the field to update the name The new motor name will be updated in the Cue Grid Figure 111 SL Wagon Offstage 00s Position 0 Offstage ffstag Speed 36 Acceleration 24 Ramp Time 1 5 Total Time 0 Acceleration 24 Ramp Time 1 5 Total Time Total Time 0 Figure 111 67 Spikemark Manual Motor Status Motor status information is displayed next to the motor name in the Stagehand Editing Pane and in the Cue Grid column headers Each icon status is described below Icon Status Motor disconnected from the network Motor connected to the network but idle Motor is inactive and won t run cues or affect cue links Motor has completed a cue Emergency stop Cue loaded Soft stopping but not yet fully stopped Stopped mid cue by a soft stop command In manual mode with the motor enabled but zero speed Moving forward in manual mode Moving reverse in manual mode Running a cue forward in target tolerance mode Running a cue forward in strict timing mode Running a cue reverse in target tolerance mode Running a cue reverse in strict timing mode Stopped by a forward lim
66. del Viewer The winch s DEFAULT Forward Direction is heading Stage Left A Winch is displayed by default with the Min Rev Position Stage Right Figure 267 A Schematic All dimensions are in feet Rotation X o ooo a J Use the Rotation Y parameter to spin the winch around 180 degrees if you need the Min Rev Position to be Stage Left and the Forward Direction to be Stage Right Figure 268 Spinning the Rotation Y parameter 180 degrees now repositions the Winch so that the Min Rev Position is Stage Left Spinning the Rotation Y parameter 180 degrees now repositions the Winch so that its Forward Direction is heading Stage Right Figure 269 Making a Lift Model The winch style model can be used to represent various machines other than ordinary deck winches By adjusting the size and rotation of the winch we can easily make it look like a Lift 153 Spikemark Manual 1 Select the motor you wish to adjust in the Cue Grid 2 In the Stagehand Editing Pane scroll until you find the Schematic section and make sure that Winch is selected at the bottom Figure 270 Adding a Turntable is described in the Making a Turntable Model section on page 159 All dimensions are in feet Distance from Center 9 Distance from Plaster 9 Elevation from stage 9 Width Length Height Rotation X Rotation Y Rotation Z winch turntable Figure 270 3 Using the Rotation X
67. der is damaged or disconnected Without a Max Position Error the Stagehand will send an increasing amount of power to compensate for a position error If the encoder 1s not sending information to the Stagehand the Stagehand will think that the motor is not moving So it will rapidly work up to full speed and run at full speed indefinitely since from the Stagehand s perspective the motor is standing still Without setting Max Position Error you will be forced to use the Emergency Stop but not before you have been scared out of your skin A Max Position Error value can also stop a motor when it is poorly tuned but not posing any danger This interrupts the show and can be detrimental to the performance To keep the motor from faulting during normal circumstances the default value for maximum position error is set as high as possible You can tighten the allowable position error by lowering this value if you have requirements for a more exacting motion profile 1 Select the motor you wish to adjust in the Cue Grid 2 Check the Abort On Position Error option in the Position section of the Stagehand Editing Pane Figure 142 If you like you can tweak the value of the Max Position Error this value is given in scaled position units such as inches or degrees etc 85 Spikemark Manual Max Fwd Position Min Rev Position Position Scale Position Units Max Position Error 32 77 7 Abort On Position Error Position
68. e defined a spike named midstage However during the rehearsal process it becomes evident that the midstage position needs to move onstage a quarter of an inch We ve already used this spike in a bunch of cues so to update the spike and have the new position updated in all cues we just edit the spike 1 Inthe Cue Grid select the motor that has the Spike you wish to edit Figure 306 171 Spikemark Manual Figure 306 2 Go to the Spikes section of the Stagehand Editing Pane Figure 307 Figure 307 3 Edit the Value for the applicable Spike and press the TAB key In the example below the midstage Spike Value has been changed to 200 25 Figure 308 172 Running Shows Add Spike Remove Spike Name Value off stage 0 midstage 200 25 SR 400 Figure 308 4 The position values will update in the cues that reference the Spike you edited Figure 309 Total Teme 13 31 Figure 309 173 Spikemark Manual Running Shows All of the setup configuring and cue writing is in the end just a prerequisite for what you really need to do run a performance As the balance of writing in this manual may indicate running a show is actually the easiest part of the process Thankfully by doing all your preparation attentively running shows is easy We ll look at a few ways to execute cues navigate through the show and explain what to do when something doesn t work as yo
69. e moving scenery Get a cup of coffee relax focus and take a stab at it If that doesn t work give us a call see the Contact Us section on page 207 We have had plenty of experience helping people tune motors over the phone The good news is that it gets a lot easier once you see it work the first time 83 Spikemark Manual Motor Tuning Flow Chart Make two cues far enough away from one another to appropriately test winch and motor operation Note your current settings Set Proportional Gain to 1 and all other tuning parameters to 0 yes yes Did the cue run smoothly Set Derivative Gain to 100 and Derivative Sampling to 1 yes Finished Something mechanical is wrong Check the machine and fix it Getting Frustrated yes Figure 141 84 Set Integral Gain to 1 or 2 Set Integral Limit to 1000 Run Cue Did the cue run Was appropriate accuracy achieved Increase Proportional Gain by 1 Did the cue run smoothly Increase Derivative Gain by 100 points Decrease Proportional Gain by 1 and Run Cue Getting worse Did the cue run smoothly smoothly The Stagehand Motor Setting the Max Position Error Once a motor has been adequately tuned it is a good idea to set a Max Position Error value and make sure the Abort On Position Error field is selected in Spikemark This protects you from runaway motors when the enco
70. e number of encoder counts traveled by 1440 degrees In our example 2 408 697 counts 1440 degrees 1672 94016 counts degree VV Revolver Position 2 408 697 cts Q Manual Controls Counter Clockwise Clockwise Reset Position Max Clockwise Position 1440 Min Counter Clockwise Position 71440 Position Scale 1 Position Units counts v Figure 126 8 Enter the Position Scale and change the Position Units to degrees Notice that the Position value updates to 1440 degrees Figure 127 75 Spikemark Manual Q Manual Controls Counter Clockwise Clockwise 2 Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 _ Auto repair Position Units Max Position Error Abort On Position Error Position Error Loaded Figure 127 Setting Motor Software Limits The Min Reverse and Max Forward Positions All motors in Spikemark must have a Max Forward Position and a Min Reverse Position defined in the Position section of the Stagehand Editing Pane 1 Select the motor in the Cue Grid 2 To set the Min Reverse Position go to the Manual Controls section in the Stagehand Editing Pane and run the motor in reverse as far as its physical limit will 76 The Stagehand Motor allow Observe the Position value at the top of the Stagehand Editing Pane circled in Figure 128 Figure 128 Type the Position value into Min Reverse Position field Figure 129
71. ed panel we need to send the position of the panel to WATCHOUT Spikemark will communicate with WATCHOUT over the Ethernet network so both the Spikemark automation computer and the WATCHOUT production computer need to be plugged into the same physical network In 193 Spikemark Manual addition the two computers need to have compatible IP Addresses that share the first three segments of the address with unique fourth segments I have the addresses assigned as such Spikemark computer is 192 168 10 119 Figure 347 Local Area Connection 2 Properties Networking Sharing General Connect using You can get IP settings assigned automatically if your network supports this capability Otherwise need to ask twork administrator Intel R PRO 1000 GT Desktop Adapter mmama arag oats your ne Configure C Obtain an IP address automatically Use the following IP address v JE Fie and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks a C amp Microsoft Network Adapter Mutiplexor Protocol IP access 192 168 10 119 V 4 Microsoft LLOP Protocol Driver Subnet mask 2SS 285 255 0 M Link Layer Topology Discovery Mapper I O Driver V Link Layer Topology Discovery Responder Default gateway This connection uses the following tems WV internet Protocol Version 6 TCP IP v6 V Intemet Protocol Version 4 TCP IPv4 v Obtain DNS server address automatically lt gt Use the following DN
72. eeeeaaaaaeeeesesseeees 127 Specifying the Speed of a Motor Directly sorserien nanets EE ERR 127 Specifying How Long the Motor Should Take to Reach the Target Position 128 Chane ine Cue TIMe resen aeee O e a a aeaa RN 129 Addins an X Movement 10 4 Cue an ana a T E ee eels 130 Removing a Motor s Movement from a Cue ccccccssssssssssssseececcceeeeeeeeeeeeaeaaeessssseeeeeeeeeeeeeees 131 PST T IT eC ats ts Serer a a a aa a iueaeeeeeeembunes 132 QS UA sees tac acs E ates gots loge aon tae Sectaelstes aaa tee ac otoae aon ae ee suelstad isaac asset oa aeeeos 134 Parent E UOS irienner n e A a a O O Ea aE O EEES 134 CLEEN E EEE E OTE E E EEE O EEA EE ENAT 134 Linking Cues DY COMPpleUOM siini a e A A aa 135 Hokin o Cues Dy LIG anere a cee err a a E ee me near ene 137 Likino Cues DY Motor PO SiO Mesni n E A Salen ets aa ead sad asa aondaloeas 138 Linking Cues Dy EX IM put nacese E inci ered E 139 Derine aE eE ohh Sat Fath cto cag nd tea te oO cc dice gure ete ec des ear eee 140 Multi Speed Multi Positionm Links anina en E nt ae ies 141 Changing the Speed of a Motor Manually Without a Link cceeeeeeeeeeeeeees 141 Changing the Speed of a Motor Automatically 00 ccccccccsesssscseeeececeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaeeeeeeseeeees 142 Ping Pong a Motor Changing a Motor s Position ccccccceecceceeeeeeeeeeeeaaeeeeeeeeeeees 143 Thesstace Model V1 W CF sis wacissaeistgdaidaeailaiuaisdanddaiiaua icioatevatasadauvisuitsss
73. eet and press OK Figure 32 a Turntable Diameter feet Figure 32 24 Quick Start 5 We are finished with the Machine Library for now so click the Close Tab to roll it up and out of the way Figure 33 Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call Click to close Pushstick Revolver r gt R 239 75 0 Figure 33 6 You can see that a 20 diameter turntable has been placed on center line of the stage and a little bit upstage of the Pushstick wagon Figure 34 Figure 34 7 Before we move on to the next section and write some more cues let s take a second to rename our new turntable Rather than use the name Revolver let s label it Turntable Click on the name in the Stagehand Editor and change the name to Turntable and then press the Tab key to finish editing You ll see that the name updates in the Cue Grid to read Turntable Figure 35 25 Spikemark Manual x File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Show Node Name of machine Turntable sition 0 Counter Clock Clockwise Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 C Auto repair a T N First cue Cue Number 1 Description First cue Ramp Time 2 Total Time 12 Reset Position Total Time 12 Max Clockwise Position 14 Figure 35 Writing Cues with Multiple Machines Writing cues with two or more machines is just as easy as writing cues with a single machine
74. ehand FX The Active state of a Stagehand FX can be controlled through any FX input action Using an input on a Stagehand FX you can quickly deactivate one or many Stagehand Motors or FXs See the FX Input Action section on page 112 for more information 111 Spikemark Manual FX Input Action Stagehand FX Inputs can be used in a couple of different ways to help create complex cue sequences In the Linking Cues by FX Input section on page 139 you ll learn how to use FX Inputs to fire cue links but here we will illustrate another way to use FX Inputs Input Actions Input Actions introduce a way to trigger events in the show that are not directly related to a cue FX Input Actions give you a way to tell Spikemark to do something whenever an input is activated regardless of what cue is running We are starting modestly with two action types but look for more actions in future releases Deactivating Stagehand FX Action You can define an Input Action that will toggle the Active state of one or more Stagehand Motors or FXs to temporarily keep them from running cues during the show This may be handy if you have a scenic element that is involved in a number of cues but requires tight synchronization with an actor s movements Some nights the computer sequencing works fine but some nights you need to take manual control of the motor and jog it to match the actor When that happens you don t want to mess up all the other cu
75. ements including any number of motors or FX outputs that all start when you press the GO button on the Showstopper or on the Cue Controller You can have an unlimited number of cues to your show Each cue has a cue number that can be any decimal number allowing for point cues for example 1 5 209 52 etc Spikemark displays all the cues in the show in the Cue Grid as rows sorted by Cue Number When Spikemark 1s first launched a single cue Cue 1 1s created by default Figure 201 You can use this cue as a starting point or delete it and start with a blank slate Cue Number 1 Description First cue Ramp Time 0 Total Time 0 Figure 201 121 Spikemark Manual Adding Cues There are three ways to add cues to your show 1 Right click on a blank area in the Cue Grid and select Add Cue Figure 202 Expand All Collapse All Add Motor Ctrl M Add Stagehand FX Ctrl F Jump To Cue F4 Rearrange Stagehand Order Figure 202 Or in the Cues menu click Add Cue Figure 203 Stage Window Help Ctrl U File Stagehand Cu i Jump To Cue F4 Soft Stop F6 Run only mode Figure 203 Or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl U 2 A dialog appears prompting you for a Cue Number and Cue Description Figure 204 122 Writing Cues Cue Number 2 Cue Description Second Cud Cancel Figure 204 3 The newly created cue will appear in the Cue Grid F
76. en 61 Manual Controls 51 69 73 76 Manually Jogging a Motor on Screen 69 Max Forward Position 54 76 rules for setting 77 Max Position Error 85 maximum allowable 85 setting 85 Max Speed 129 Min Reverse Position 54 76 152 rules for setting 77 Motion Control Concepts 211 12 Motor Tuning 212 Over Travel Limits 212 Position Feedback 211 Power 211 Motor 65 92 active mode 88 adding a new 65 adding movements to cues 123 changing position of in a cue 126 changing speed automatically 142 changing speed manually 141 configuring 65 connecting to 118 connecting to quick start 49 deactivated 88 187 disconnecting from 119 doesn t start 208 lurching what to do if 80 manually jogging with on screen controls movement parameters 124 removing movement from a cue 131 Index renaming 67 resetting position value for 78 runs full speed in wrong direction 210 scaling position 71 selection for a position link 139 smooth out motion for 81 speed in cue 127 starts but stops abruptly 209 tuning 59 84 what to do after motor is tuned 85 Motor Cue Completion Mode 86 Motor Editing Pane 61 66 using to add a spike 167 Motor Name 187 Motor Position 187 changing using ping pong effect 143 Motor Status 187 deciphering during a show 187 icon descriptions 68 Motor Tuning 79 84 212 flow chart 84 Movements visual indicators of primed and ready 179 what happens when complete 184 Mult
77. en leet ae aes 65 Adding a New Stagehand Mottot cccccccccccccccccsscceceesssssssseseeeeceeccceeeeesssaaaeeeaasssseseeeeeeeeeeeeees 65 Spikemark Manual Slace hand Motron OUT ation aan A A NE TAR E OR ae 65 Rename a MOOT eraino e E E EE 67 Motor IS eaae A e a e E E 68 Manually Moving a Motor Using the On Screen Controls cccccccccccssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeees 69 Editing Motor Direction Labels New in Spikema rk 3 occccccccccccccccccccccceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 70 SCE MORTOS 15 0 8 ae nenenee mor ence E mr Crean a Meee E ner aes re en aeneee ner eee 71 Seine POSITION scale TOE A W INC io tuek dts ra bharo cata stiss lhcb alasuucbaaled S 71 Setting Position Scale Tor a TuUrMta le science crac tere E T E 74 Setting Motor Software Limits The Min Reverse and Max Forward Positions 06 76 Resetuing the Motor s Position V alU Cas xccssciedesdo E eae eens 78 MIOLO Ub 0b O a Oeee mee enemy Phra neststny ree A nite Seed are ch a OE hee ne renee 79 Proportional Gaii rrisni a E E EE E 80 DCT VAC VSG AI ae cers a a a a a banana dutuaaodaes 80 Derivative SanPiN seriar e aaae TEE N EE E E Aet 8l Jia ALI EE E E E E A E O E E E E E E E 81 WiC Oral AMAT eisie aE tdi k alias ta ct lm ade ltttea dada atdaluts ct cok 82 Pier Bray 10 1c enemy eee rere te a a cee Meier Ten a cee nee tenen tee ae 82 Dee tne Max POs iO i El OF is ssiosalids ato atidahutian toedcaa edad tiodaleeaccas tics datiadsae desaeeteaslonaeeacas
78. er Curtain Call Custom Machine gt d Click to edit Figure 167 i E Max Forward Position 1 7 Click the center of the image to change the thumbnail for the Machine Library item 8 Click the Edit button again to finish editing the Machine Library item Deleting a Machine from the Machine Library 1 Click or tap the Machine Library menu 2 The Machine Library panel slides down from the top of the main window 101 Spikemark Manual 3 Click the Edit button on the item you want to delete from the Machine Library 4 A Delete button will appear in the lower right corner of the thumbnail Click the Delete button Figure 168 k Revolver Curtain Call Custom Machine P amp a EC Click to delete S Max Forward Position E i 5 Click Yes on the Delete Machine dialog box Figure 169 Figure 168 Do you want to delete Custom Machine from the Machine Library Te e Figure 169 102 Stagehand FX The Stagehand FX A Stagehand FX or FX is an input output device that has a collection of parameters which are typically set once during a production It differs from a Stagehand Motor which controls the position of a motor whereas the Stagehand FX turns any device motor valve etc on or off The Stagehand Editing Pane is on the right side of the Spikemark screen and allows you edit all of the FX configuration parameters for the show Figure 170 x File Stagehand Cues St
79. er of the Spikemark main screen the Enable All Links box is once again selected Figure 345 a Enable All Links Figure 345 Cue 4 unloaded 8 Cue 4 is restored and ready to run again Repeat the steps to restore the cue again if needed 192 Troubleshooting Dataton WATCHOUT Integration New in Spikemark 3 Projection design is commonplace in an increasing number of theatrical performances With media servers and automation gear existing on the same network it seems obvious that these systems should share data to create stunning effects by coordinating video and scenic motion To that end Spikemark now has the ability to output position data from any motor in a show to a WATCHOUT media server It takes a little extra configuration in Spikemark and WATCHOUT to get both systems talking to each other but the effort is reward with truly stunning effects Alright let s get started Assume that we have a little show with an automated wall panel attached to a traveler track On cue the wall panel will track from Stage Right to Stage Left As the panel tracks across the stage we need to project a graphic onto the panel and have the image move along as if 1t were glued to the panel Here s a screen shot of the Spikemark cue Figure 346 SpikeMark 5 File Stegehand Cues Stage Show Control Widow Help Figure 346 In order for WATCHOUT s projectors to track an image synchronously with the motoriz
80. es Figure 117 A Manual Controls gt Onstage Figure 117 Scaling Motor Position Whenever a piece of scenery moves an encoder connected to that scenery spins As the encoder spins it generates a stream of electrical pulses The Stagehand connected to the encoder counts those pulses to determine where the scenery actually is The Stagehand relays the position back to Spikemark which then displays the position information on screen By default Spikemark displays the information as raw encoder counts Viewing the position of the scenery as raw encoder counts is almost never ideal Usually you ll want to see the motor s position displayed in something more meaningful such as inches or degrees Motor scaling allows you to specify a ratio between raw encoder counts and physical units With a position scale defined you can view the motor s current position and write cues in a more user friendly manner Spikemark can display position as inches feet millimeters meters or degrees Therefore rather than having to type 1 245 120 295 encoder counts you would simply enter 123 5 inches or 360 degrees Setting Position Scale for a Winch 71 Spikemark Manual 1 Confirm that the current Position Scale field is set to 1 in the Position section of the Stagehand Editing Pane Figure 118 A Bee Reset Position Max Fwd Position Min Rev Position Position Scale Position Units counts w Max Position Error 9 999
81. es You can write cues by specifying how long the cue should run and how long it should take for the motors to ramp up to speed Figure 16 Quickly writing cues that match the timing of the show helps reduce tech table stress A Offstage 78s a cue4 7 8s A Offstage 78s Position 0 Speed 24 Acceleration 12 Ramp Time 2 Total Time 7 83 Acceleration 12 D Ramp Time 2 Total Time 7 83 Figure 16 Streamlined Interface Spikemark s interface is simple and easy to navigate Figure 17 The main window has Splitter Panes Figure 18 which allow you to create a computer workspace that works best for you More commonly used features have been rearranged to make them easier to reach Quick Start oO x File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Windo Show Mode Simulator Pushstick A Stage Model Viewer Displays a 3 dimensional virtual stage with schematic representations of your theatre and moving scenery at l oua Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 m Stagehand Editing Pane Allows you to adjust setup parameters oe Cue Grid for machinery connected to either cianuro _ Allows you to Stagehand motor controllers or Reset Postion Ramp Time 0 add remove and Stagehand FX input output controllers Total Time 0 Max Forward Position 480 Min Reverse Position Cue Controller Gives you the controls needed to run skip and stop cues Mimics
82. es in the sequence so you wire an Override button into a Stagehand FX and configure it as illustrated in the steps below 1 Select the Stagehand FX you wish to configure in the Cue Grid 2 Inthe Input 1 2 3 or 4 Action section of the FX Editing Pane click the Add Action button Figure 181 tn 1 Actions cD Figure 181 3 Select Deactivate Stagehand as the action type Figure 182 fA Input 1 Actions Figure 182 4 From the Deactivate Stagehand drop down menu select the FX or Motor that should be deactivated when the FX Input is closed Figure 183 112 Stagehand FX A Input 1 Actions Add Action Deactivate Stagehand Motor 1 A Motor 2 FX 5 Figure 183 Repeat as necessary if you would like a single FX Input to deactivate multiple Stagehands Motors or FXs Figure 184 A Input 1 Actions Add Action Deactivate Stagehand Motor 1 z Deactivate Stagehand Figure 184 Soft Stopping FX Action There are times when you may need to soft stop a device in a show based on actor timing For example maybe you have two concentric turntables which both start moving at the same time but one which needs to stop when an actor says a particular line In this example you would not want to set up a cue in which the turntable reached a target position but instead you could use an FX input and set it so that when manually activated after the ac
83. et up a new connection or network Set up a wireless broadband dial up ad hoc or VPN connection or set up a router or access point Connect to a network also Connect or reconnect to a wireless wired dial up or VPN network connection meGroup met Options Choose homegroup and sharing options Se ern Access files and printers located on other network computers or change sharing settings Figure 66 5 In the Local Area Connection Status dialog box 67 Figure 67 Quick Start click the Properties button Figure 6 Highlight Internet Protocol Version 4 TCP IPv4 and then click Properties Figure 68 43 Spikemark Manual Local Area Connection Properties Intel R 82567LM Gigabit Network Connection This connection uses the following items o Client for Microsoft Networks Z QoS Packet Scheduler 2 File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks Intemet Protocol Version 6 TCP IPv6 zg lntemet Protocol Version 4 TCP IP v4 Link Layer Topology Discovery Mapper 1 0 Link Layer Topology Discovery Responder HWA Description Transmission Control Protocol Intemet Protocol The default wide area network protocol that provides communication across diverse interconnected networks Install Uninstall Figure 68 7 Inthe Internet Protocol Version 4 TCP IPv4 Properties dialog box select Use the following IP address field and then enter the correct IP Address cor
84. g e An Ethernet hub e Ethernet cables 1 for every device on the network e One or more Stagehand motor controllers with electric motors winches turntables etc e A Showstopper emergency stop base station Installing Spikemark in Windows 8 1 Download the most recent installer from the Creative Conners site http creativeconners com the brains download 2 Double click the SpikemarkSetup file Figure 1 Application Tools Home Share View Manage i BBX Copy path Paste Move Copy Delete Rename 2 Paste shortcut to Clipboard Organize fF ib gt Gareth Conner gt Downloads Favorites p cci 7 Dropbox l lt Ga p Gareth i E Desktop E Recent places amp SkyDrive J GitHub ih Downloads SpikemarkSetup_ 3 0 O exe Libraries ES Documents ad Music E Pictures E Videos A Homegroup z Gareth Conner P RentalDesk v Figure 1 m X New folder New v Open gt fH Select all Edit o0 Select none Properties s a Pa History Dg Invert selection Open Select Search Downloads SpikemarkSetup_3_0_0 exe Application Date modified 1 21 2013 5 08 PM Size 6 89 MB Date created 1 26 2013 11 22 AM 3 Inthe User Account Control window click Yes 4 Inthe Welcome to Spikemark Setup Wizard window click Next Figure 2 Welcome to the Spikemark Setup Wizard This will install Spikemark version 3 0 0 on your computer It is recommended t
85. ging the Status Refresh Rate Whenever Spikemark connects to a motor it starts asking the Stagehand for updated information about its status position limits and Emergency Stop condition Spikemark asks for updated information several times a second to give the illusion of a steady stream of information This is how the position information appears to fluidly change as the motor moves on stage Most of the time this all works great and you don t have to think about how it works However if you have a large show or a slow computer you may find that Spikemark seems to be slowing down or feeling clunky In the case described above you may wish to tweak the frequency of information updates known as the Polling Interval so that Spikemark doesn t get bogged down with this constant updating process 1 Select the motor you wish to adjust in the Cue Grid or Stage Model 2 Scroll to the Advanced section of the Stagehand Editing Pane Figure 149 90 The Stagehand Motor B Q Advanced Acquire Next Index Command Error Trajectory Complete Index Pulse Acquired Wrap Around Error Excessive Position Error Breakpoint Reached Motor Off Eight bit Output Abort On Position Error On Target Velocity Mode Forward Direction Filter Updated Acceleration Loaded Host Interrupt Polling Interval 125 Figure 149 Enter a new value in the Polling Interval field Figure 150 The values are in milliseconds The
86. hat you close all other applications before continuing Click Next to continue or Cancel to exit Setup Figure 2 Quick Start 5 In the License Agreement window read the agreement select I Agree and click Next Figure 3 10 Spikemark Manual License Agreement Please read the following important information before continuing Please read the following License Agreement You must accept the terms of this agreement before continuing with the installation IMPORTANT PLEASE READ THIS IT S A SHORT LICENSE AGREEMENT This SOFTWARE PRODUCT is protected by copyright laws and international copyright treaties as well as other intellectual property laws and treaties This SOFTWARE PRODUCT is licensed not sold Figure 3 6 The Select Destination Location window will launch You can either accept the default location recommended or choose a custom spot on your computer to install Spikemark Click Next Figure 4 Select Destination Location Where should Spikemark be installed D Setup will install Spikemark into the following folder At least 8 9 MB of free disk space is required Figure 4 Quick Start 7 The Select Start Menu Folder window launches Click Next Figure 5 9 Select Start Menu Folder Where should Setup place the program s shortcuts A Setup will create the program s shortcuts in the following Start Menu folder To continue dick Next
87. he mode switch is set to Simulator as shown in Figure 103 all actions are simulated in Spikemark No motors will actually move no network connections are made and no cues will physically run Instead all motor movements are simulated mathematically in Spikemark and shown only on screen so that you can visualize what a cue will look like and how it will behave from the safety and comfort of a virtual stage This allows you to try out new techniques explore scenic motion with the other members of the design team or present an idea to a director without having to setup literally tons of gear and clear a spot on the stage and time on your production calendar By contrast when the mode switch is set to Live as shown in Figure 104 all commands from Spikemark are sent over the Ethernet network to real Stagehand controllers which will move real scenery In Live mode every action on screen has very real and potentially dangerous consequences on the stage where real people are moving around The beauty of the Simulator is its simplicity and transparency It works just like Spikemark almost everything that you can do in Live mode works in Simulator You can jog machines around the virtual stage run cues restore cues adjust timings etc You can easily flip between Simulator and Live modes at the push of a button allowing you to tweak the timing of a cue at the tech table in Simulator and then flip over to Live mode and see the result full scale It
88. hiotwaasaeaeasges 85 Setting the Motor Cue Completion Mod e cccccccccccccccccccecccaeesssseseseeeeceeceeeeeeeeseeeeaasaeseeeeeeees 86 AT OG Ie OMe AUN vos cfd tas a setae hee Rp ste aise sea ieee ange eta O E 86 DICE PANTING oe te hadra nad i luhs hee adie ga A 86 Setin a Motor Ss A Clive M Oderis i A E T O eens 88 Cham Gio th Status Rie ire Rate 355 shee seated Satiaguceua E NE 90 The Machine Library New in Spikemark 3 o ccccccccccccccceccecceeeeceeceeeeeeeesseceseeesesseeeseesseseseseseneeens 93 Adding a Pushstick Winch to the SHOW cccccccccccsssssssssssseeeeeeeccceeeeeeeeseeeeaaaaeeeesseseeeeeeeeeeeeees 93 Adding a Curtain Call Winch to the SHOW sci ieaieesceeisca ea 95 PLACING ARC VOLVER LO LAC SNOW rororo A O ATTER 97 Adding a Custom Machine to the Machine Library ccccccccccceecccceeeeessssseseseeeeeeeeeeeeees 99 Deleting a Machine from the Machine Library cccccccccccccceeeceeeeeceaeeseeesseseeeeeeeeeeeeees 101 NESTA SO AGE Xe esseere a e a e E Ae Daaa E a E 103 Adde a New stase hand E X goea E E E uate 103 Stagehand FX Configuration ssssrisisnei iain E N 105 PRS hata scene ere E EE A S 105 Rename FA TS and OMD enen a T deg sins Salone a pels aet 106 PX SS oe n ee a Aae a R a eaea a abe eA aAa OSE 108 Manually Activating FX Outputs cccccsccessccccccuennnnacssssevoseseeseececceceestannenaguassevonseserereeeese 109 Seta the BX Active Mode isese arn atte cident E 109 4S
89. hlighted in BLUE Figure 331 The motor s that have completed their movements in the Cue change to blue inside the Stage Model Viewer Figure 332 Stage Model Viewer ee ad P PERPE mes o ra sa s 1 j I wagon is currently selected in the Cue Grid Blue Motor Movement Complete Figure 332 The Cue Controller in the Stagehand Editing Pane on your screen updates its status text Figure 333 185 Spikemark Manual Figure 333 4 The Status Bar text in the bottom left part of the Spikemark screen is updated Figure 334 Enable All Links Cue 2 complete Figure 334 186 Running Shows Deciphering Stagehand Motor Status During a Show In the heat of a performance you are likely to feel compelled to obsessively check that your motors and FXs are all connected happy and ready to run There s no shame in that compulsion it s what makes you a good automation operator If there 1s a problem you want to know about it so that you can fix it quickly and be ready to run your next cue Spikemark feeds that hunger for status reports with a few key signals in the interface The Cue Grid header cells give you quick status information about every Stagehand Motor and FX Let s take a look at a Motor header first Figure 335 Motor Name Reverse amp Forward Limit Status Network Connection Status Green Clear Green Connected Red Activated Yellow Connecting Red Disconnected Grey U
90. i position Cue Links 141 Multi speed Cue Links 141 Network Connections connecting 116 disconnected 116 errors 116 Network Connections setting up a 41 Network Connections auto repair 117 Network Connections auto repair 119 Network Connections breaking 119 Network Connections 16 20 Network Connections status for a motor 187 Network Connections status for an FX 188 Network Connections not working 207 Network Settings 215 Spikemark Manual editing 116 Network Status 50 New Show creating 174 Newest Features in SpikeMark 3 dimensional stage view 18 spikes 15 Stage Model Viewer 18 streamlined interface 16 time based cues 16 Next Cue Button 178 Nightly Motor Position Resetting 78 211 Online Tutorials 14 Outputs 109 131 manually activating for an FX 109 renaming for an FX 106 statuses of 188 Over Travel Limits 212 Parent Cue 134 136 137 138 139 illustrated version of 135 Parts of Main Screen Cue Controller 61 Cue Grid 61 Motor Editing Pane 61 Stage Model Viewer 61 Physical Connections illustrated example of 40 setting up 40 Physical Limits 78 when to set 40 PID Filter 212 Pile On Cues 134 Ping Pong a motor s position 143 Plan View Button 147 Polling Interval 90 91 Poorly Tuned what to do when motor 1s 84 Position 124 126 changing in a cue 126 Position Feedback 211 Position Link 143 144 creating 138 illustrated example of 135 Position Scale 72 73 7
91. icable motor movement Figure 216 Figure 216 2 Enter in a new Speed value and press the Tab key Figure 217 Note that the Ramp Time and Total Time are recomputed automatically by Spikemark SRS Tab out of the Speed field for SpikeMark to accept the new Speed value Tota Timne 19 63 Figure 217 127 Spikemark Manual 3 Enter in anew Acceleration value and press the Tab key Figure 218 Note that the Ramp Time and Total Time are recomputed automatically by Spikemark Tab out of the Acceleration field for SpikeMark to accept the new Acceleration value Figure 218 Specifying How Long the Motor Should Take to Reach the Target Position 1 Select the motor you wish to update in the Cue Grid and select the Total Time value for the applicable motor movement Figure 219 Figure 219 2 Enter in anew Total Time value and press the Tab key Figure 220 Note that the Speed and Acceleration are recomputed automatically by Spikemark Tab out of the Total Time field for SpikeMark to accept the new Total Time value Figure 220 3 Select and change the Ramp Time value and press the Tab key Figure 221 128 Writing Cues Note that the Speed and Acceleration are recomputed automatically by Spikemark Tab out of the Ramp Time field for SpikeMark to accept the new Ramp Time value Figure 221 Changing Cue Time You can change the time for all the movements in a cue by specif
92. ical Flying Curtain 159 Visual Indicators of Primed and Ready Movements 179 Web Forums 207 Website for frequently asked questions 207 for online tutorials 14 Width 155 157 160 Winch Model making a 150 Workspace setup 174 Writing Cues 55 121 33 217 Spikemark Manual Zoom Slider 146 218
93. ical Limit 78 Frequently Asked Questions Website 207 Front View Button 148 FX activating outputs 109 active mode 109 111 adding a new 103 adding movement to a cue 130 configuring 105 connecting to 118 214 connecting to quick start 49 deactivating action for 112 disconnecting from 119 Input Action 112 inputs 131 outputs 131 removing input action for 115 renaming 105 renaming inputs and outputs 106 soft stopping action for 113 status icon descriptions 108 status information in cue grid 188 FX Editing Pane 103 FX Input Link creating 139 FX Status 108 188 GO Button 181 Height 155 157 159 Icons for FX status 108 for motor status 68 Input Action for an FX 112 removing for an FX 115 Input Statuses 188 Inputs 131 renaming for an FX 106 Installing SpikeMark 8 Microsoft s Net 3 5 framework 13 registering software 13 Integral Gain 81 212 Integral Limit 82 IP Address 117 illustrated version of 41 rules for setting 41 44 segments of 41 44 Setting for your computer 41 unique for each stagehand and computer 41 Isometric View Button 149 Jump To Cue button 178 Left View Button 148 Length 155 157 159 Lift Model making a 153 Limits forward 76 physical 78 reverse 76 rules for setting 77 Linking Cues 134 44 Load Cue Button 56 57 Load Movement Button 190 Loaded Cue Indicators 57 Loading a Cue 177 Log File 209 Lurching what to do if motor is 80 Main Scre
94. igure 154 94 Stagehand FX Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call bad Click to close Figure 154 5 Depending on the position of other Pushstick machines in the Stage Model the new Pushstick may be obscured Adjust the Schematic settings to place the new machine on the virtual stage 6 Change the name and other settings as needed Adding a Curtain Call Winch to the Show 1 Click or tap the Machine Library menu Figure 155 File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Window Help Figure 155 2 The Machine Library panel slides down from the top of the main window Figure 156 95 Spikemark Manual Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 Auto repair Connect Reset Position Max Forward Position as0 Min Reverse Position 0 Position Scale 4534 409 Position Units inches v Enable All Links Figure 156 3 Drag the Curtain Call machine from the Machine Library and drop it on either on the Stage Model Viewer or the Cue Grid Figure 157 Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call Figure 157 96 Stagehand FX 4 To close the Machine Library panel either press the Esc button or click the Machine Library close tab Figure 158 Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call Click to close Pushstick Revolver aan E CS 239 75 o Figure 158 5 Depending on the position of other Curtain Call
95. igure 205 a lt E First cue Cue Number 1 Description First cue Ramp Time 0 Total Time 0 Fa cue 0 0s Second Cue Cue Number 2 Description Second Cue Ramp Time 0 Total Time 0 Figure 205 Adding Motor Movements to a Cue 1 Press the button that is displayed at the intersection of the cue row and the motor column Figure 206 123 Spikemark Manual ra cue4 0 0s First cue Cue Number 1 Description First cue Ramp Time 0 Total Time 0 a cue 00s Second Cue Cue Number 2 Description Second Cue Ramp Time 0 Total Time 0 Figure 206 2 After you press the button a movement will appear displaying the parameters for the motor in the cue Figure 207 Position 120 Speed 24 Acceleration 12 Ramp Time 2 Total Time Total Time 7 Figure 207 Motor Movement Parameters Position Figure 208 is the target position where you want the motor to go This number is displayed in scaled units inches feet degrees etc By default Spikemark uses the current position of the motor as the target position The button to the right of the Position text box will bring up the Spike Selection window Spikes are discussed in the Spikes section on page 163 Figure 208 124 Writing Cues Speed Figure 209 indicates the speed at which you want the motor to travel This number is displayed in
96. ikemark 3 Projection is a big part of many shows today The new WATCHOUT integration feature makes it easy to synchronize projected images with moving scenery by streaming motor position information over the network to Dataton WATCHOUT systems Figure 14 Watchout UDP Output Server Address 192 168 10 25 S O Server Port 3040 Active Motor Name Watchout Name LJ SR wagon Motor O SR tab Motor SL tab Motor d lt gt Sending Position Data False Update Interval ms 30 Messages second 0 _ Include transition rate in messages Figure 14 Spikes The Spikes feature is designed to mimic the usefulness of real spike tape Rather than trying to remember bizarre cue position numbers such as 251 13 you can now assign names to commonly used positions on stage 251 13 When writing cues you can select a position from the motor s defined spikes Figure 15 15 Spikemark Manual 16 Figure 15 Often during the rehearsal process the spike positions need to be tweaked If you were physically pushing the wagons around you would just move the spike tape on the stage floor to a new position Similarly with the new Spikes feature you simply edit the position of the spike in one place and all cues that use the spike are automatically updated saving you from manually tracking changes through the show Time Based Cues Cues can be written using time parameters or speed and acceleration valu
97. ion First cue Ramp Time 0 Total Time 0 Figure 79 3 In the Network section of the Stagehand Editing Pane on the right side of the screen enter the IP Address of your Stagehand Motor or FX and click Connect Figure 80 In this step make sure you copy the IP Address exactly as it appears on the face panel of the Stagehand LCD display Network Disconnected Figure 80 4 The Network status should then change from Disconnected to Connected Figure 81 If there s a network error check your IP settings on the computer and Stagehand and then check your cabling Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 Auto repair Disconnect Figure 81 50 Quick Start Confirming Encoder Feedback 1 Mark the motor s physical position on the stage with a piece of spike tape 2 With the motor still selected in the Cue Grid find the Manual Controls in the top portion of the Stagehand Editing Pane Figure 82 Manual Controls Forward KO Network Connected _ Auto repair Figure 82 3 Select the Forward direction Figure 83 x Se Simulator _ Vv Figure 83 Pushstick Position 0 a A Manual Controls Re Forward Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 _ Auto repair 4 Make sure that there are no obstructions in the motor s path and slowly start increasing the speed slider Figure 84 Y
98. it switch on the motor Stopped by a reverse limit switch on the motor Stopped by a position error fault SLTRFAVVEC TAINO CAAA 68 The Stagehand Motor Manually Moving a Motor Using the On Screen Controls 1 Select the motor you wish to move in the Cue Grid 2 Confirm that the motor is connected to the network If it s not connected establish a network connection see Setting Up a Network Connection on page 41 3 In the Stagehand Editing Pane on the right side of the screen locate the Manual Controls section Figure 112 Wat SL Wagon Position 0 Q Manual Controls O Reverse O Forward 2 Figure 112 4 Select a direction either Forward or Reverse Figure 113 Note You can customize the direction labels by pressing the pencil icon button Wat SL Wagon Position 0 Q Manual Contr ls Forward LG Figure 113 gt 5 Click and drag the slider slowly to the right which will release the brake and ramp up the motor speed Figure 114 69 Spikemark Manual gt SL Wagon Position 29 75 Q Manual Controls A BERU Figure 114 6 To stop the motor slowly move the slider to the left and then release the mouse button The motor will stop and the brake will engage NOTE 1 While manually jogging a motor in the Forward direction the encoder counts should be increasing While manually jogging the motor in the Reve
99. k here to select Figure 39 5 When a machine is selected it will have an orange border around it in the Cue Grid and the Stage Model Viewer Once selected that machine s properties will be displayed in the Stagehand Editor on the right side of the screen Figure 40 x File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Sa yea Simulator Orange border indicates selected gt Properties of x selected machine IP Address 192 168 10 32 Auto repair Connect Orange border indicates selected Reset Position Max Clockwise Position Min Counter Clockwise Position 7 4 Position Scale Position Units nable All Links Figure 40 28 Quick Start 6 With the Turntable selected we are going to run it clockwise until it is pointing downstage Click on the Clockwise radio button in the Manual Controls section of the Stagehand Editor Figure 41 x Show Mode AAJ Turntable Position 0 al Q Manual Controls Counter Clock iN Clockwise Network Connected _ Auto repair Figure 41 7 Click and drag the Speed Slider in the Manual Controls section of the Stagehand Editor Figure 42 You will see the Turntable start moving in the Stage Model Viewer and the Position numbers start to increase in both the Stagehand Editor and the Cue Grid a chine Library Window Help Show Mode gt Tur
100. k on the image layer to bring up the Media Cue properties window Select the Advanced tab and check External Control of Position Scale amp Rotation Figure 355 Basic Advanced Image Stacking Order Default Image Blend Mode Normal Masked by Layer Above Off Suppress Rendering for use as Mask only Auto orient along Motion Path Forward Motion Direction is X External Control of Position Scale amp Rotation Only available when More Effects and Capabilities selected in the media item Figure 355 Our next step is to create a Generic Input in WATCHOUT that has a name that matches the Watchout Name we entered into Spikemark We will use the data received from that Generic Input to move the image around To add a Generic Input select Input from the Window menu Figure 356 198 Troubleshooting File Edit Stage Preview Media Timeline Tween Help Stage i stage lt lt lt OFF LINE gt gt gt aegis fc vV Main Timeline Input Output Task Status Message Figure 356 From the Input window click on the little triangle in the upper right corner From the menu that appears select Add Generic Input Figure 357 Name Descriptio Value Add Generic Input Add MIDI Controller Add MIDI Note Add DMX 512 Input Figure 357 A dialog is presented where you can enter the Name of the input and the Limit of the input value This step is important to get c
101. launched by selecting the installed icons Click Finish to exit Setup Launch Spikemark Figure 9 12 After the Spikemark installation 1s complete launch the Spikemark program The license registration dialog box will appear If you downloaded the free version of Spikemark and only want to experiment with Spikemark in Simlator mode click the Simulator Only Mode button If you want to run Spikemark in Live mode enter your User and Password in the Registration window Figure 10 The User and Password are provided on the inside cover of your Spikemark installation USB key tin Spikemark creative conners inc a www creativeconners com SI copyright 2012 All rights reserved B Thanks for trying SpikeMark To purchase a license contact sales creativeconners com or visit creativeconners com User luser Password password Simulator Only Mode Figure 10 13 If you entered a User and Password then click OK in the Thank you dialog box Figure 11 to get started with the Spikemark program 13 Spikemark Manual Thank you Thanks for registering OK Figure 11 Online Tutorials There is a selection of video tutorials on the Creative Conners website that cover all the basic uses of Spikemark http creativeconners com resources videos training videos Spikemark Highlights Spikemark has a number of great features improving on Creative Conner s legacy of providing the easiest soft
102. lete cccccessssssseessseeeeeeeeeeeeees 184 Deciphering Stagehand Motor Status During a SHOW ccccccccccceecceeaeeeeeeessseeeeeeeeeeeeeees 187 REA 20 10422572 ce Pern ee ee er en ne eo ee eC ee Ce eee eer 189 Dataton WATCHOUT Integration New in Spikemark 3 v ccccccccccccccccccccccceeseeeseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 193 TH OUD IES HOO IAG occ Cagis nt aa oa a co neater a a a 207 EA CS ei iatata hag hece ta inctarte E I E eis outa gece nossa S 207 The Stagehand Network Connection Doesn t Work ccccccssseeeeecceceeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaeeeseseeeees 207 A Motor Didn t Start To Move When I Ran A Cue ou cccccccccccceeeeeceaeeeesssseeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 208 Spikemark Showed A Strange Error Message Then I Had To Quit eens 208 I Can t Find The Log File To Email It To Support ccc cccccccsssssseesseeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 209 A Motor Starts To Run In A Cue But Stops Abruptly Before Getting To Spike 209 The Motor Runs Full Speed In The Wrong Direction cccccccccccccceceeeeeeeeeaeeeeeeeesseeeees 210 Spikemark Not Responding Running Slowly cece cc ccccceeeeeeesesesseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaas 210 Appendix A Basic Motion Control Concepts cccccccsssesccccccceccessseeeeccceeeeeeaeeeeeccceeeeeaaaaeeees 211 PO Ce E E E N AE 211 Position FCCC ACK yas tsiscieccecvsin voceisiine wea EE AAE AE EEE A ETEEN 211 Motor AIA ee E E EO 212 Over Trave LEMIS spt Sot ane T eit ins dtc ada lls 212 EELE E seers atta sehr spastic
103. ll display in the motor s movement for the cue Figure 296 In the example below the Winch will move to the defined Spike Stage Left 60 in Cue I 166 Running Shows Adding Spikes within Cues Using the Stagehand Editing Pane 1 In the Cue Grid select the motor to which you wish to add Spikes Figure 297 File Stagehand Cues Stage ShowControl Machine Library Window Help Figure 297 2 Scroll to the Spikes section in the Stagehand Editing Pane and click Add Spike Figure 298 Figure 298 3 Enter a logical Name and the Value the measurement where the Spike should be located 167 Spikemark Manual In the example in Figure 299 the Name of the Spike is Stage Right and the Value or where the Spike will be placed is position 0 Name Value Stage Right 0 Figure 299 4 Youcan repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have all the Spikes for this motor In Figure 300 the Spikes Stage Left and Center have also been added Add Spike Name Center Stage Left Stage Right Figure 300 5 You can now set the position for the motors within any given cue by clicking on the applicable Cue in the Cue Grid Figure 301 168 Running Shows File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Winch Curtain Call Revolver Lift r gt r gt r gt a J ia ia ia o
104. llows you to Stagehand motor controllers or add remove and Stagehand FX input output controllers Max Forward Position 480 Min Reverse Position Position Scale Position Units Cue Controller Gives you the controls needed to run skip and stop cues Mimics the functionality of a physical Showstopper Enable All Links Figure 100 6l Spikemark Manual Splitter Panes allow you to adjust the size of the four sections of the Spikemark screen the Stage Model Viewer the Motor or FX Editing Pane the Cue Controller and the Cue Grid Click and drag on the Splitter Panes that separate each section Figure 101 To fully collapse a pane double click on the Splitter Pane To expand a collapsed pane double click again on the Splitter Pane x File Stagehand Cues Stage ShowControl Machine Library Window Help Show Mode AJ Pushstick Position 0 lt Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 Auto repair _comect Splitter for the Stagehand Disconnect Editing Pane Max Forward Position 480 Min Reverse Position Position Scale Splitter for the Cue Controller Enable All Links Figure 101 62 Spikemark s Main Screen Simulator and Live Mode New in Spikemark 3 Spikemark has two main modes of operation Simulator and Live The meaning of these modes is perhaps obvious but the effect of switching from one mode to another is so profound that it watrants some discussion When t
105. machines in the Stage Model the new Curtain Call may be obscured Adjust the Schematic settings to place the new machine on the virtual stage 6 Change the name and other settings as needed Adding a Revolver to the Show 1 Click or tap the Machine Library menu Figure 159 File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Window Help Figure 159 2 The Machine Library panel slides down from the top of the main window Figure 160 97 Spikemark Manual Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 Auto repair Connect Reset Position Max Forward Position as0 Min Reverse Position 0 Position Scale 4534 409 Position Units inches v Enable All Links Figure 160 3 Drag the Revolver machine from the Machine Library and drop it either on the Stage Model Viewer or the Cue Grid Figure 161 Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call Figure 161 98 Stagehand FX 4 Because the Position Scale of a Revolver is dependent on the diameter of your turntable deck Spikemark prompts you for the diameter of your turntable Figure 162 Turntable Diameter feet Figure 162 5 Enter in the diameter of your turntable deck in feet Figure 162 6 To close the Machine Library panel either press the Esc button or click the Machine Library close tab Figure 163 Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call Click to clo
106. n Link Time Link Input Link es Figure 240 138 Cue Links 3 The new link will appear in the left margin next to the Child Cue Select the Motor from the Parent Cue and enter a position that will trigger the link Figure 241 In the example below Cue 4 Child Cue will not start until the Small Motor in Cue 3 Parent Cue reaches the 50 mark cue 4 4 5s Motor Small Motor Description Cue4 Ramp Time 2 Position 50 f ff Total Time 45 Figure 241 Linking Cues by FX Input You can link a Child Cue to a Parent Cue so it runs as soon as an input switch is detected from a Stagehand FX This can be handy if you have two cues that need to run in close proximity but require a crew member to give a Clear signal for the second cue In such a case you could wire a pushbutton to the input of a Stagehand FX When the Parent Cue runs the crew member would push the button to start the Child Cue when appropriate 1 Click the Add Link button next to the Child Cue Figure 242 ERES cue J 0s Position 0 m Speed 18 ue Number 1 Acceleration 9 Description Min Reverse RampTime 0 Ramp Time 2 0 Total Time 29 78 Total Time Figure 242 2 Select the Parent Cue from the drop down list and select Input Link then press OK Figure 243 139 Spikemark Manual E CueLinkDialog Select a trigger for Cue 4 Parent Cue Cue 3 Completion Link
107. natadesdudsasevstaditeeviseltsianatadeoeanen 145 INavicating the Stace Modet Vie Wer x issctesiss oricticsas Gurion caients hoa E 146 Setting the Stage DimensiOnsy aissis a nE T E euahiubededs 149 Makine a Wine hn Mode ersada O 150 IV tsa ING AC abr cease ac E N EE uaa aeaee ds toreleetatiey 153 Making a Curtain Mode lirie ienne eoe aienea aE a Aeara eA onae AES 156 Makis a rumab IOC Clic contest chats teres n eA 159 OPIRE arean teat danse iutarhe deat nad tian ta ana telah etisalat ee doin dalek teat ot tite es fe 163 Adding Spikes within Cues Using the Spikes Position Button ccc ccc cseseesseseeeeeeeeeeeeeees 163 Adding Spikes within Cues Using the Stagehand Editing Pane ccccccceseeeeeeeeeeeeees 167 Changing a Spike POSIMOM scat cites etre vasit a aE ates E E E on tusceds 171 PUTIN RE Oa ATE A E E AATE TEE N AE A E E 174 CPE AUII OSA NOW OW raa e T T 174 SE ENVOKE DA E eeke E O AETA 174 Rearranein a the Cue Gidersen a E om 176 Loads a CUC sites on a tnd na a sn eee eee 177 MTEC NS cn id casera etc e fat ead ah caceee fated E a e i 179 Spikemark Manual Visual Indicators of Primed and Ready Movements cccccccccccccceeeeseaeeesssseseseeeeeeeeeeeees 179 Runne a GO Vetere preter Oe rer eernte te nr Ma Sar er ere ore ee re ee er ee ere 181 What Happens While a Cue Is Running 00000000oooonennnnnnnnsnnsssssssssseseerrreeossssssssssssssseserereeeeeo 182 What Happens as Motor Movements and Cue s Comp
108. ng Mode select the Strict Timing Mode field Figure 145 With Strict Timing Mode checked the Target Tolerance value will be ignored Q Cue Behavior ran Target Tolerance Active Run Cues Figure 145 87 Spikemark Manual Setting a Motor s Active Mode Most of the time you will want the motor to load and run cues normally However there are occasions when a motor needs to be temporarily removed from the show Perhaps there is a problem with the scenery on a winch track or perhaps you need to run through movements using only the motors downstage and don t want any upstage motors to move To temporarily disable a motor deselect the Active box Figure 146 in the Cue Behavior section of the Stagehand Editing Pane The motor will not run cues until the Active box is checked again iA Cue Behavior Strict Timing Mode Target Tolerance 0 25 d h Figure 146 You can also set the Active mode by right clicking on the Cue Grid header as shown in Figure 147 pE e lt gt wea Delete SL wagon Duplicate SL wagon Add To Librai Acceleration 24 ee yppersta Figure 147 When a motor is deactivated not Active it will not impede the operation of cue links see Cue Links on page 134 Normally a cue needs to successfully load all motor movements before it can be executed by a cue link However if a motor within in a cue is not Active and thereby unable to move the entire cue will still be allowed
109. ng of the actor s line is unpredictable from night to night In these instances you should keep the cues independent or use Pile On cues Pile On cues are loaded manually and at your own discretion before the previous cue completes When discussing Cue Links we need a vocabulary to refer to the two cues that are linked together Parent Cues are the cues being watched by the link The Parent Cue is run by either pressing the GO button or it may be a Child Cue see below of another link in a longer sequence of linked cues Whenever the Parent Cue is running the link will check its criteria and automatically start the Child Cue when the criteria are met Child Cues are the cues that are started by the link When a link s criteria are satisfied the link will automatically run the Child Cue Graphically Child Cues have the link displayed next to them in the Cue Grid All links are displayed in the left margin of the Cue Grid Figure 232 134 Cue Links Completion Link Cue 8 is the PARENT cue and Cue 9 is the CHILD Cue _ Completion Link O85 F Cue 9 will run when Cue 8 has fully completed Ramp Time 2 Total Time 7 02 z oi tt Descripts Ramp Time Total Time 10 17 Time Link Cue Sis the PARENT cue and Cue 10 is the CHILD Cue Cue 10 will run 5 seconds after Cue 9 has started
110. nknown Ff the motor isnt connected to the network SpikeMark cannot tell what State the limit switch is in Motor Status Icon See the Motor Status section for a complete list Cue Number Motor Position NOTE if the motor is not currently connected to the network then the information displayed here may not be accurate Figure 335 If the motor has been Deactivated by deselecting the Active box in the Cue Behavior section of the Stagehand Editing Pane the background of the motor and all its movements will turn grey Figure 336 Figure 336 187 Spikemark Manual The Cue Grid header cells give you quick status information about every Stagehand FX Figure 337 FX Status Icon FX Name See the FX Status section for a complete list Network Connection Status Fea eine Green Connected Yellow Connecting Red Disconnected 4 Input Statuses The rectangle shape is meant to 4 Output Statuses look like an I for Input The circle shape is meantto look like an O for Output Red Inactive Green Activated Red Inactive Grey Unknown Green Activated Grey Unknown Wf the FX isnt connected to the network SpikeMark doesnt know if the FX isn t connected to the network what the status of the Inputs are SpikeMark doesnt know what the Status of the Outputs are Figure 337 If the Stagehand FX has been Deactivated by deselecting the Active box in the Cue Behavior section of the FX Editing Pane
111. nstead the motor gracefully decelerates to zero speed changes direction and then immediately accelerates in the opposite direction 143 Spikemark Manual Since the Ping Pong affect creates an infinite loop you will have to interrupt the sequence by using any of the following the Stop on the Cue Controller the Stop All Cues or Emergency Stop buttons on the Showstopper or a Soft Stop Motor Input Action with a Stagehand FX 1 Write two cues with different Position targets for the same motor In the example in Figure 252 the Position targets are 0 and 100 Figure 252 2 Link the two cues together with a Position Link or Time Link In the example in Figure 253 Cue I links to Cue 2 and Cue 2 links to Cue 1 with Position Links Figure 253 144 The Stage Model Viewer The Stage Model Viewer Spikemark s Stage Model Viewer Figure 254 provides the perfect way to visualize your show Rather than seeing the bland rows and columns of numbers in the Cue Grid the Stage Model Viewer shows you a three dimensional schematic of your stage Every motor in the show can be sized and positioned on the virtual stage so it closely resembles the actual scenery in your theatre Figure 254 When you load a cue any motor that is programmed to move will change color and display its destination in the Stage Model Viewer allowing you to see at a glance what will move and where it will move to As
112. ntable Position 28 62 O Counter Clock Clockwise Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 _ Auto repair Figure 42 8 When the Turntable is pointed downstage with a Position of roughly 90 degrees lower the speed slider back down and release it to stop the Turntable Figure 43 29 Spikemark Manual x File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Show Mode Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 Max Clockwise Position 14 Min Counter Clockwise Position 14 Position Scale 16 Position Units Enable All Links Figure 43 9 With the Turntable in a position we want to record add a Turntable movement to Cue 1 234 by clicking on the button at the intersection of Turntable and Cue 1 234 Figure 44 Notice that Spikemark records the current position of the Turntable as the target position for the movement Figure 45 This makes it easy to position all your scenery on stage manually and then record the scene as a cue You are free to tweak the Position anytime but for now let s just leave it a cue 1 120s First cue Cue Number 1 Description First cue Acceleration 12 Ramp Time 2 o Ramp Time 2 Total Time 12 Total Time 12 a cue 1 234 00s Cue Number 1 234 Description Ramp Time 0 Total Time 0 Add a movement to this cue Figure 44 30 10 11 13 14 15 Quick Start Ram
113. on A pre show check should be done every night to insure that every motor is truly at the correct position Since all position information is stored in the Stagehand the PC running Spikemark can be shut down at any time without affecting position information whatsoever Position Feedback How does the Stagehand know how to change speeds Good question There are two factors that affect the speed of a motor The first is the target speed that is programmed for each cue In Spikemark you tell each motor how fast to move in each cue This information is sent to the appropriate Stagehand which in turn supplies some voltage to the motor and watches to see what happens If the motor moves faster than the Stagehand expected 1t reduces the voltage If the motor moves slower than expected the voltage 1s raised This cycle continues at a rapid pace until the motor reaches the desired position 211 Spik emark Manual In order for the Stagehand to know how far and how fast the motor is moving 1n relation to the voltage it is supplying it needs an encoder An encoder is a simple device that creates electronic pulses as it spins The encoder is physically connected to the motor so that as the motor spins the encoder spins If the encoder were disconnected from the motor the Stagehand would not see any movement regardless of whether the motor was actually rotating or not This could cause the motor to race because the Stagehand would keep supplying m
114. on 480 Min Reverse Position 2 Figure 86 3 Enter 0 in the Reset Position dialog box Press OK Figure 87 Enter a new position Current Position New Position Y EEN Figure 87 4 Place a piece of spike tape on the stage floor to mark the motor s physical position at the 0 location 53 Spikemark Manual 5 In the Position section of the Stagehand Editing Pane enter 0 for the Min Rev Position Figure 88 This will prevent you from accidentally writing cues less than 0 Reset Position Max Forward Position 480 Min Reverse Position Figure 88 Using the Manual Controls in the Stagehand Editing Pane drive the motor in the Forward direction until it travels as far as you feel comfortable In the Position section of the Stagehand Editing Pane enter your current motor position as the Max Fwd Position Figure 89 which will prevent you from writing cues greater than the current motor position live ANA Pushstick ode Position 500 e Manual Controls Reverse O Forward Q Position Reset Position Max Forward Position Min Reverse Position 0 Figure 89 Writing Two Sample Cues 54 Quick Start In the following steps the first cue will send a motor to its Maximum Forward position Max Fwd Position and the second cue will send it back to its Minimum Reverse position Min Rev Position There s already a Cue defined by default when you o
115. on as Min Reverse then repeat steps 3 through 5 and enter a Position value of 0 Figure 93 Py cwue0 5 Max Forward mio PF Re a cue 22 85 Min Reverse Total Time Figure 93 Running the Two Sample Cues 1 To load Cue 1 press the Load Cue button on the cue in the Cue Grid Figure 94 56 Quick Start cueQ 5 0 0s aN fax Forward this cue AAST Min Reverse a sais a Figure 94 2 The border around the cue box will turn red indicating that the cue is loaded Figure 95 gy o s oos Cue box border turns RED when the cue is loaded Fy cue 1 Min Reverse Figure 95 3 Torun Cue 1 press the Run Cue button in the Cue Controller section on the right lower side of the screen Figure 96 57 Spikemark Manual Cue 1 unloaded Figure 96 4 As the cue is running the border around the cue box in the Cue Grid turns green Figure 97 a cueQ 5 223s Y Cue box border a turns GREEN when the cue is running a aa 22 8s Min Reverse Figure 97 5 When the cue completes the border around the cue in the Cue Grid turns blue Figure 98 58 Quick Start By 05 o Cue box border rere mang turns BLUE _ a when the cue
116. ore and more voltage to the motor hoping to see an increase in speed A similar situation would occur if the polarity of the motor was reversed from the encoder There are safety features that you can set up to prevent a motor from racing such as Max Position Error which tells a Stagehand to shutdown if it doesn t get good response from the motor This feature is discussed in the Setting the Max Position Error section on page 85 Another safety precaution to guard against motor racing is discussed in the Over Travel Limits section below Motor Tuning The cycle of watching encoder pulses and adjusting motor voltage is controlled by the tuning parameters of the Stagehand These tuning parameters are often referred to as the PID filter which stands for Proportional Integral and Derivative gains You enter numeric values for this filter into Spikemark which will then send the filter parameters to a Stagehand While the mathematics of this filter is somewhat complex the practical application is not We walked through motor tuning in greater detail in the Motor Tuning section on page 79 Over Travel Limits 212 If the encoder position is wrong because of loss of power physical disconnect from the motor or some equipment failure a physical limit switch can be used to protect the motor from running too far These limit switches when struck will prevent the motor from moving any farther in the detected direction either f
117. ork and Internet gt v Search Control Panel p _ B _ _ CO C Control Panel Home System and Security o a affect to a network Add a wireless device to the network Network and Internet Hardware and Sound HomeGroup _ Choose homegroup and sharing options Programs User Accounts and Family Internet Options Safety Change your homepage Manage browser add ons Delete browsing history and cookies Appearance and Personalization Clock Language and Region Ease of Access Figure 65 4 Click on the Local Area Connection link Figure 66 Note if you don t see Local Area Connection click on Change adapter settings select your Ethernet wired connection and select Change settings of this connection in the top menu 42 J E Network and Internet Network and Sharing Center m X Search Control Panel l p z JF atrol Panel Home 4 p View your basic network information and set up connections nage wireless networks A Q See full map ange adapter settings g SPIKEMARK PC Multiple networks Internet ange advanced sharing This computer tings View your active networks Connect or disconnect Access type Internet oN 05B412128512 HomeGroup Joined Home network Connections il Wireless Network Connection 05B412128512 Unidentified network Access type 7 Public network Connections Local Area Connection Change your networking settings T S
118. orrect The Name needs to match the name entered in the Spikemark Watchout Output window exactly same case same spelling etc The Limit should match the highest value expected to come from Spikemark In this case our traveler has a maximum forward position of 360 so we can enter 360 Figure 358 Generic Input Name logo Limit 360 cn Figure 358 199 Spikemark Manual Press the OK button and then the new Generic Input will be listed in the Input list with its current value set to 0 00 Figure 359 Name Descriptio Value a Generic 0 000 Figure 359 Now the next step is to connect the value of the Generic Input to the x axis of the Image so that the Image will move as the Generic Input value changes To link the image position to the Generic Input value we will create a formula in the Main Timeline Select the image layer in the Main Timeline and then from the Tween menu select Position Figure 360 HOUT Simple Spikemar __ lll t Stage Preview Media Timeline Tween Window V Position Alt P Crop Alt C Corners Alt N Opacity Alt O Rotation Z Alt R Rotation X Rotation Y Key Green Key Blue Figure 360 This adds a Position tween track below Layer in the Main Timeline This is the good part Now that we have a tween for Position on the left side of the track there is a little round button with an f inside That allows us to write a formula th
119. orward or reverse The Stagehand will only permit a movement in the opposite direction until the limit switch is cleared These basic principles of motion control will become more concrete and intuitive as you become more familiar with the operation of Spikemark and Stagehand Index 3 Dimensional Stage View 18 Abort On Position Error 85 Acceleration 125 128 129 Active Mode controlling with an FX 90 cue links and 88 for an FX 111 safety concerns for a motor and 88 safety concerns for an FX and 110 setting for a motor 88 setting for an FX 109 Add Link Button 135 137 138 139 Add Movement Button 164 169 Add Spike Button 165 Adding a new show 174 cues 122 FX movements to a cue 130 motor movement to a cue 123 motors 65 new FX 103 Advanced section of Cue Grid 90 Auto repair 117 119 Child Cue 134 135 137 138 139 illustrated version of 135 Completed Cue what happens after 184 Completion Link 136 creating 135 illustrated version of 135 when not to use 143 144 Configuring FX 105 Motors 65 Confirming Encoder Feedback 51 Connecting to a motor 118 to a motor or FX 49 to an FX 118 Creative Conners contact information 207 online tutorials website 14 Index technical support email address 207 web forums 207 Cue Behavior for a motor 88 for an FX 109 Cue Completion Mode strict timing 86 target tolerance 86 Cue Controller 57 61 181 183 184 185
120. ou have to hold the mouse button down while the motor is moving If you release the mouse button the motor will stop It s a dead man switch 51 Spikemark Manual 52 x LLCO Simulator gt Pushstick Position 29 39 f Q Manual Controls Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 Figure 84 5 Confirm that the position number at the top of the Stagehand Editing Pane is increasing as the motor moves forward Figure 85 x SC Simulator Pushstick Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 E Figure 85 Quick Start Setting Soft Limits To prevent you from writing cues that attempt to move machinery beyond the physical limits of your space Spikemark uses the Max Fwd Position and Min Rev Position configuration parameters to limit target positions in cues This pair of parameters are referred to as Soft Limits Machines from the Machine Library are inserted into the show with some best guess Soft Limits Before writing cues and moving in Live mode we should edit the Soft Limits to make sure that are set properly 1 Using the Manual Controls in the Stagehand Editing Pane drive the motor in the Reverse direction until it travels as far as you feel comfortable 2 Click the Reset Position button in the Stagehand Editing Pane Figure 86 Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 Auto repair Max Forward Positi
121. p Time Total Time Figure 45 Let s add another cue From the Cue menu select Add Cue Enter 2 for a Cue Number l2 In Cue 2 we want both the Pushstick and the Turntable to move so click the buttons for both movements in Cue 2 Enter a Position value of 0 for the Pushstick Figure 46 Enter a Position value of 0 for the Turntable Figure 46 Ramp Time 2 Total Time 12 Figure 46 Rather than adjust the Speed and Acceleration values let s have Spikemark do the math to figure out how fast to move both machines if we want the cue to last 11 seconds Enter 2 into the Ramp Time field and 11 into the Total Time field of Cue 2 Figure 47 31 Spikemark Manual Ramp Time 0 E namp ume j Total Time 0 rcs Time o Enter Ramp Time and Total Time Total Time Figure 47 16 Press the Load this cue button in the Cue 2 panel Figure 48 Kamp lime U namp ime j Total Time 0 Total Time 0 Acceleration 13 33 Acceleration 5 02 Ramp Time 2 Ramp Time 2 Total Time 11 Total Time 11 Figure 48 17 Press the Run button and watch the cue execute Figure 49 Notice how both the Pushstick and the Turntable start and end at the same time since we specified a Total Time for the entire cue 32 Quick Start ao lt 4 A C 3 SE x File S
122. pen Spikemark so we ll add a Cue 5 which will allow this cue to start before Cue 1 1 3 Right click in the Cue Grid and select Add Cue You could also press Ctrl U or from the Cues menu click Add Cue Enter a Cue Number and a Cue Description in the New Cue dialog box and click OK Figure 90 Cue numbers can be any positive decimal value 1 2 34 1008 38972 etc Cue descriptions are labels you can use to help identify what the cue does and use to quickly search for a cue when running a show New Cue Number Cue Number Cue Description Figure 90 Add a movement for Motor 1 in Cue 5 by pressing the button in the Cue Grid Figure 91 a cue0 5 0 0s Max Forward Cue Number 0 5 H Description Max Forward hs Ramp Time 0 3 Add a movement to this cue Total Time 0 Figure 91 Change the Position number in the Cue Grid to match the value you entered as the Max Forward Position Figure 92 In the example below the value would be 500 This value is also held in the Max Fwd Position field in the Position section of the Stagehand Editing Pane 55 Spikemark Manual E a Ve a _ j Max Forward Cue Number 0 5 Description Max Forward Figure 92 5 Leave the Speed and Acceleration values as their default values 6 Now that we ve added Cue 5 let s write another Cue By default Cue 1 already exists Enter its Descripti
123. places in the show where you need to adjust the measurement Spikes behave like virtual spike tape inside Spikemark You can set positions and label them You can program scenery to move to those positions in every cue that shares the spike and if you find that you need to change the Spike position during rehearsal just edit the value in one place and all the cues are automatically updated with the new position If we think about the positions we ve used so far in our tiny show each motor has two positions that we could turn into Spikes 33 Spikemark Manual Pushstick Offstage 0 Center stage 240 Turntable Pointing stage left 0 degrees Pointing downstage 90 degrees To create Spikes for the Pushstick 1 Click on the button next to the Position field in the Pushstick Movement panel for Cue I Figure 50 a cue 4 120s First cue Figure 50 2 The Spikes window will appear Add two spikes to the Pushstick by clicking the button twice Figure 51 Pushstick Spikes N Name Value spike 0 21 spike 0 21 Figure 51 3 Enter the Names and Values as shown below Figure 52 34 Quick Start a Pushstick Spikes A E Figure 52 4 Select the Center Stage Spike to use it in Cue 1 Figure 53 5 Press OK Figure 53 Pushstick Spikes a e Name Value Offstage 0 Center stage
124. ption second cue Remove Cue Ramp Time O Total Time O0 Figure 229 2 Click Yes in the Remove Cue confirmation dialog box Figure 230 132 Do you want to remove Cue 2 _ je A Figure 230 Writing Cues Or select the cue you wish to delete in the Cue Grid In the Cues menu click Remove Cue Figure 231 and then click Yes to confirm the deletion File Stagehand Cues Stage Wi Add Cue Ctrl U Duplicate Cue Ctri D Remove Cue Restore Cue Ctrl R Jump To Cue F4 lext Cue Run Cue x Soft Stop F6 Run only mode Figure 231 133 Spikemark Manual Cue Links As you are writing cues in a new show you ll find scene changes in which simple cues fall short of your desired effect You might want to fire a sequence of movements all within in one cue but each with a different start time For example you might want a two second delay between the start of each movement Or maybe the house wagon needs to wait to move upstage until the balcony unit is clear and in the wings Whatever the need links allow you to create sequences of cues that start automatically in a staggered fashion Links are great for cue sequences that can be reliably run in the exact same way every performance If you find that a link is too rigid for example you need to run two cues timed such that the second cue runs right after an actor says a specific line a cue link might be too rigid because the timi
125. r Changing the Speed of a Motor Manually Without a Link 1 Write two cues for the same motor with the same target Position In Figure 247 the target Position in each cue is 0 Figure 247 2 In each Cue enter the two different Speed values In the example in Figure 248 the Speed in Cue I is 20 and the Speed in Cue 2 is 5 The Acceleration is controlled by the first cue and cannot be altered mid move 141 Spikemark Manual Figure 248 3 While Cue 1 is running load Cue 2 and run it whenever you want the motor to decelerate to the new speed Changing the Speed of a Motor Automatically 1 Write two cues for the same motor with the same target Position In the example in Figure 249 the target Position in each cue is 0 Motor 1 Oar 199 92 Figure 249 2 In each cue enter the two different Speed values In the example in Figure 250 the Speed in Cue 1 is 20 and the Speed in Cue 2 is 5 The Acceleration is controlled by the first cue and cannot be altered mid move 142 Cue Links Figure 250 3 Link the two cues together using a Time Link or Position Link In the example in Figure 251 Cue I and Cue2 are linked with a Time Link Figure 251 Ping Pong a Motor Changing a Motor s Position Creating a Ping Pong Motor effect creates an infinite loop where the motor travels between two positions without coming to a hard stop I
126. rect Subnet mask of 255 255 0 0 Figure 69 Internet Protocol Version 4 TCP IPv4 Properties General You can get IP settings assigned automatically if your network supports this capability Otherwise you need to ask your network administrator for the appropriate IP settings Use the following IP address IP address 192 168 10 1 Subnet mask 255 255 o 0 Obtain DNS server address automatically Use the following DNS server addresses Preferred DNS server Alternate DNS server C Validate settings upon exit Advanced x cel Figure 69 44 Quick Start 8 Click OK to accept the new IP address 9 Click Close in the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box 10 Click Close again in the Local Area Connection Status dialog box Adding Machinery to the Show To start a new show launch Spikemark When Spikemark first opens it begins a new show with one Pushstick winch and one cue This is reasonable start for a very simple show Chances are good though that you want to add more or different machines to your show and certainly more cues There are two ways to add a new machine to your show Add a new machine to the show from the Machine Library The Machine Library stores templates of machines with all of the setup parameters defined so you don t have to spend time configuring motor parameters each time you star
127. rse direction the encoder counts should be decreasing If this is NOT the case you should correct the wiring by swapping the A encoder wire w the B encoder wire and swapping the A encoder wire w the B NOTE 2 While manually jogging a motor forward if the machinery is traveling in the wrong direction for example you want a piece moving forward ONSTAGE but it s moving OFFSTAGE and the encoder counts are decreasing then you need to swap the two power wires so that it goes in the correct direction and the counts increase If NOTE 2 applies to a DC motor switch the A wire with the A wire If NOTE 2 applies to an AC motor switch any two of the three power wires Do NOT switch the ground wire Editing Motor Direction Labels New in Spikemark 3 Depending on the scenery you are moving the Manual Control direction labels Forward and Reverse may not be descriptive You can change the labels to read Onstage and Offstage or Clockwise and Counter clockwise or Up and Down 70 The Stagehand Motor 1 Select the machine you wish to edit in the Cue Grid or Stage Model Viewer 2 Click the Edit button in the Manual Controls section of the Stagehand Editor Pane Figure 115 g i r a Manual Controls Reverse Figure 115 3 Enter the new names for the direction labels Figure 116 Figure 116 4 Click the Edit button again to accept the chang
128. se Pushstick lt gt 1 239 75 Figure 163 7 Depending on the position of other Revolver machines in the Stage Model the new Curtain Call may be obscured Adjust the Schematic settings to place the new machine on the virtual stage 8 Change the name and other settings as needed Adding a Custom Machine to the Machine Library 1 From the Stagehand menu select Add Motor and adjust all of the configuration parameters in the Stagehand Editor Pane that you want to be included in the Machine Library template Figure 164 99 Spikemark Manual 100 File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library V Add Motor Ctrl M Add Stagehand Ctrl F Remove Stagehand Connect To All Disconnect From All Figure 164 Select the machine that you just configured Figure 165 ption Time 0 Figure 165 Click or tap the Machine Library menu The Machine Library panel slides down from the top of the main window Click the button on the far right side of the Machine Library panel Figure 166 Stagehand FX Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call Click to add a machine to the Library Max Forward Position Min Reverse Position Position Scale Position Units Max Position Error 32 767 C Abort On Position Error Position Error Loaded False Enable All Links Figure 166 6 Click the Edit button to change the name of the Machine Library item Figure 167 k Revolv
129. t sacrificing smooth travel 8 1 Spikemark Manual Proportional Gain Derivative Gain Derivative Sampling 0 Integral Gain 0 Integral Limit 0 Filter Loaded False Figure 138 Integral Limit Integral Limit Figure 139 prevents a condition known as Integral Windup which can lead to really erratic motor behavior If you use an Integral Gain set Integral Limit to 1000 Proportional Gain Derivative Gain 0 Derivative Sampling 0 Integral Gain 0 Filter Loaded False Figure 139 Filter Loaded The Filter Loaded field Figure 140 1s not an adjustable motor tuning parameter Rather it indicates whether the filter parameters have been sent to the motor yet After you change a tuning parameter that change is saved until the next cue 1s run When the next cue 1s run the new filter parameters will be sent to the motor automatically 82 The Stagehand Motor Proportional Gain Derivative Gain Derivative Sampling Integral Gain Integral Limit Filter Loaded False Figure 140 Over the past several years we ve come up with a practical approach to motor tuning that yields good results in a reasonable amount of time That approach is shown in the form of a flow chart Figure 141 The steps are clear and simple but it can still be a frustrating experience the first time you attempt to tune a motor It s extremely important to find at least an hour of quiet time on the stage without anyone else working around th
130. t a new show Spikemark comes with all of Creative Conners machines pre defined in the Machine Library Over time you can add your own machines to the Machine Library Using the Machine Library is the easiest way to get started Add a new blank machine with the Add Motor or Add Stagehand FX command If you have a new custom machine that needs to be configured from the ground up use the Add Motor or Add Stagehand FX command Using these commands requires that you configure some setup parameters before writing cues See The Stagehand Motor page 65 and The Stagehand FX page 103 for detailed configuration information Add a Pre Configured Machine from the Machine Library l pA Click or touch the Machine Library menu Figure 70 File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Window Help Figure 70 The Machine Library panel will slide down from the top of the main window Figure 71 45 Spikemark Manual Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 Min Reverse Position Position Scale Enable All Links Figure 71 3 Drag one ofthe machines from the Machine Library panel and drop it on either the Stage Model Viewer or the Cue Grid Figure 72 Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call Fivure 72 Add a New Blank Machine There are a couple of ways to add a new blank machine to your show 1 From the Stagehand menu select Add Motor
131. t advances While this action is rarely useful in live theatre it does find use in non traditional applications To add a Run Next Cue FX action 114 Stagehand FX 1 Select the Stagehand FX you wish to configure in the Cue Grid 2 Inthe Input 1 2 3 or 4 Action section of the Stagehand Editing Pane click the Add Action button Figure 189 3 Select Run Next Cue as the action type Figure 189 LJ Lot Lot Ld Q Cue Behavior Active Run Cues fA Input 1 Actions Add Action Remove Action A Input 2 Actions Add Action Remove Action Deactivate Stagehand Soft Stop Stagehand Tne 1 Y A Input 4 Actions Add Action Remove Action Figure 189 Removing a Stagehand FX Input Action 1 Select the Stagehand FX for which you wish to remove the Input Action in the Cue Grid 2 Inthe Input 1 2 3 or 4 Action section of the FX Editing Pane highlight the desired action and press Remove Action Figure 190 Deactivate Stagehand Motor 1 Deactivate Stagehand Figure 190 115 Spikemark Manual Network Connections Editing Stagehand Network Settings The Network section of the Stagehand Motor or FX Editing Pane Figure 191 contains the settings that pertain to the Ethernet connection between Spikemark and the Stagehand Motor or FX The fields in the Network section are described below Network Disconnected IP Address 192 168 10 32 Auto rep
132. tagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Show Mode IP Address 192 168 10 32 Auto repair Max Clockwise Position Min Counter Clockwise Position 4 Position Scale Position Units Run Button DX Q lt a Dee Figure 49 In the next section we ll take a look at using Spikes to define positions before moving real machinery in Live Mode Using Spikes So far we ve been typing in position values for every movement That is a valid technique but using Spikes to define positions offers some valuable benefits Traditionally when you need to push scenery out on stage during a scene change you stick a piece of spike tape on the floor so you know when the scenery 1s at the proper position You grab a marker and label the spike tape with a useful name like Act II Parlor Bits of tape on the floor end up being a much more practical way of placing scenery at the correct spot on stage rather than keeping a pocket notebook of measurements and running out with a tape measure during every scene shift to place the set Besides avoiding the obvious embarrassment of standing on stage with a tape measure scratching your head it also makes changing the position simpler If you have to change a position during tech rehearsal you lift the tape and move it instead of searching through a notebook and finding all the
133. the functionality of a physical Showstopper Enable All Links Figure 17 x File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Show Mode IP Address 192 168 10 32 C Auto repair Splitter for the Stagehand Editing Pane Reset Position Max Forward Position 480 Min Reverse Position Position Scale Splitter for the Cue Controller Enable All Links Figure 18 17 Spikemark Manual 3 Dimensional Stage View The Spikemark Stage Model Viewer gives a three dimensional view of the theatre space Figure 19 Wagons and turntables can be rotated along any axis making it easy to view lifts curtains and deck winches in a more realistic fashion Figure 19 18 Quick Start Quick Start in the Simulator Spikemark has always been easy to use but with the new Simulator it 1s even easier to get started Whether you just want to play around in the Simulator or you are itching to hook up some real motors the Simulator is the best way to get familiar with Spikemark Let s dive right in and write some cues Writing Your First Cue 1 Launch Spikemark either from the Desktop Figure 20 or the Windows 8 Start Screen Figure 21 Figure 20 Spikemark Trending Ray Lewis PED McCready Cats kill billions Figure 21 2 Confirm that the Simulator mode button is pressed Figure 22 x Show Mode Position 0 a e Figure 22 19 Spikemark Manual
134. the motors move in real life they move in the Stage Model Viewer as well giving you instant feedback about what is happening on the stage This feedback is useful when you are sitting back stage trying to keep track of every piece of moving scenery and every person on the stage which can make it much easier to quickly decide if someone is in harm s way before the Stage Manager shouts GO Another great way to use the Stage Model Viewer is as a pre tech cue writing tool Using Spikes also see the Spikes section on page 163 and the Stage Model Viewer you can rough in your cues and clearly see what the stage will look like before setting foot in the theatre This can give you and the artistic staff time to play with different looks before tech and speed up the 145 Spikemark Manual rehearsal process By using the Stage Model View and Simulator mode you can test all of your automation cues without being connected to any machinery For more information on how to use the Stage Model Viewer when you are running shows see the Running Shows section on page 174 Navigating the Stage Model Viewer You can use your right mouse button to pan around the Stage Model Viewer space by clicking and dragging inside the 3D model You can also use the on screen tools listed below to zoom pan and twirl the 3D model The Zoom Slider Figure 255 allows you to magnify the Stage Model Viewer You can also use the scroll wheel on your
135. tion Error Loaded False Figure 122 73 Spikemark Manual Setting Position Scale for a Turntable 1 Confirm that the current Position Scale field is set to 1 in the Position section of the Stagehand Editing Pane Figure 123 A Busses Reset Position Max Fwd Position Min Rev Position Position Scale Position Units counts v Max Position Error 9999 L Abort On Position Error Position ErrorLoaded False Figure 123 2 Click the Reset Position button Figure 124 A Busses Ceset Fosion Max Fwd Position Min Rev Position Position Scale 1 Position Units counts v Max Position Error 9 999 L Abort On Position Error Position Error Loaded False Figure 124 3 Enter 0 in the New Position field and click OK Figure 125 74 The Stagehand Motor Reset Position Enter a new position Current Position New Position Cancel Figure 125 4 Place a piece of spike tape on the turntable deck and a matching piece of spike tape on the stage floor so you can register the turntable s 0 position 5 Assuming you can run the turntable indefinitely in either direction use the Manual Controls in the Stagehand Editing Pane to run the turntable at four 4 complete revolutions in the Clockwise or Forward direction 6 Slow down and stop the turntable so that the spike tape marks you made in Step 4 line up 7 Compute your position scale by dividing th
136. to execute Spikemark will trust that you have ascertained that it is safe for the cue link to run without this motor and you are overriding the normal requirement that all motors must be able to move before any motor will move in a linked cue sequence 88 The Stagehand Motor EXAMPLE 1 Assume you have written Cue 1 in which WAGON A moves upstage and a CURTAIN goes up 2 Also assume you have written Cue 2 in which WAGON B moves downstage past the CURTAIN and meets WAGON A 3 Now assume that Cue 1 and Cue 2 are linked by position so that WAGON B starts moving once WAGON A has moved for this example 10 4 Lastly assume that you want to rehearse WITHOUT the CURTAIN 5 To do this you would fly the curtain up and make sure it is out of the way of WAGON B Next you would deactivate the CURTAIN by deselecting the Active field in the Cue Behavior section of the curtain s Stagehand Editing Pane Then it would then be safe to test WAGON A and WAGON B as you ve moved the curtain up and out of the way of WAGON B 6 Deactivating a motor does NOT stop the links between cues Therefore the link between Cue 1 and Cue 2 will still work in this example WAGON B will start moving once WAGON A has reached the 10 mark Also see Figure 148 89 Spikemark Manual x File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Show Mode E Curtain Position 0 lt gt a Manual Controls
137. to launch c The Pushstick wagon in the Stage Model Viewer turns red and displays a semi transparent area where the wagon will end the cue File Stagehand Cues Stage ShowControl Machine Library Window Help Target Position ra cue 1 120s First cue If Cue Number 1 Description First cue Ramp Time 2 Total Time 12 Red Border Figure 26 21 Spikemark Manual 7 Press the Run button to watch the Pushstick wagon move across the stage It turns green while running Figure 27 and then blue when it completes the cue Figure 28 That s it you wrote your first automation cue x File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Show Mode IP Address 192 168 10 32 Auto repair Connect Max Forward Position 480 Min Reverse Position 0 Position Scale 4534 409 Position Units inches v Run Button Enable All Links Figure 27 x File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Show Mode Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 Auto repair Connect Disconnect Max Forward Position 480 Min Reverse Position Position Scale Enable All Links Cue 1 complete Figure 28 Adding a Second Machine to the Show Now that you see how easy it is to move some scenery around you probably want to add more to
138. tor in the Cue Grid by clicking on it The selected Stagehand Motor is then highlighted in orange Figure 107 me Fy cue4 5 0s First cue Cue Number 1 Description First cue Ramp Time 2 Total Time 5 29 98 Acceleration 14 99 Ramp Time 2 Total Time 5 36 29 Acceleration 24 erati Acceleration 21 77 Acceleration 21 77 Ramp Time 1 5 Ramp Time 1 5 Ramp Time 1 67 Ramp Time 1 67 Total Time 0 Total Time 0 Total Time 0 Total Time 0 Figure 107 Once you have selected a motor in the Cue Grid you can begin editing its parameters in the Stagehand Editing Pane The Stagehand Editing Pane is a scrolling window that contains collapsible windows with each section grouped by function such as Network Position Spikes etc You can collapse or expand each section by clicking the up down carrot top arrow in order to show or hide each section s detailed information Figure 108 MAJ stab Position 0 Q lanual Controls letwork Network Connected IP Address 192 168 10 32 _ Auto repair Add Spike Remove Spike Name Value Onstage 230 Offstage Quarter Figure 108 66 The Stagehand Motor Renaming a Motor To help you identify all the motors in your show you can give each motor a name Typically motor names reflect the purpose of the motor and makes writing cues more intuitive 1 Select the motor to be edited in the Cue Grid and then
139. tor spoke the line the motor would slow down to its programmed deceleration rate and then stop 1 2 Select the Stagehand FX you wish to configure in the Cue Grid In the Input 1 2 3 or 4 Action section of the FX Editing Pane click the Add Action button Figure 185 i 1 Actions D Figure 185 Select Soft Stop Stagehand as the action type Figure 186 113 Spikemark Manual fA Input 1 Actions Figure 186 4 From the Soft Stop Stagehand drop down menu select the FX or Motor that should be soft stopped when the FX Input is closed Figure 187 A Input 1 Actions Stagehand Figure 187 5 Repeat as necessary if you would like a single FX Input to deactivate multiple Stagehands Motors or FXs Figure 188 fA Input 1 Actions Add Action Soft Stop Stagehand Motor 1 v Soft Stop Stagehand Figure 188 Run Next Cue FX Action In some environments particularly interactive exhibits you may want Spikemark to run through a series of cues in sequential order by repeatedly pressing a single button For instance a presenter giving an interactive lecture and may need to execute a motion sequence of motorized props in an exhibit In such a case Spikemark can be used with a Stagehand FX a button wired into an input and a Run Next Cue action When the presenter needs to move to the next sequence she simply presses the button connected to Stagehand FX and the exhibi
140. ttingly caught in its path Therefore a large responsibility is placed on you as the automation operator to be alert and aware of the people that may be in harm s way Spikemark assists the operator in maintaining safety by providing constant information of every motor s position and status A hard wired emergency stop system Showstopper provides an immediate way for the operator to shut down all the motion on the stage Ultimately it is the operator s judgment and ability to see any potential hazards that will keep the show safe Spikemark Manual System Requirements Spikemark can be used in two modes Simulator or Live Simulator will enable you to set up a show program cues and run cues on a 3D virtual stage In Live mode you can connect Spikemark to real machinery and run cues that make actual scenery move The free version of Spikemark can use all of the features of Simulator To run a show in Live mode you will need to purchase a license key If you have a license key you can flip between Simulator and Live mode easily To effectively use Spikemark in Simulator mode you will need e A Windows compatible PC 1 4 GHz or faster e A dedicated graphics processor recommended e Windows Vista or better Windows 8 recommended e Microsoft s Net 4 0 framework e 10MB of free storage space To run a show with Spikemark in Live mode you will additionally need e A network interface card or built in networkin
141. u expected Creating a New Show When Spikemark first opens it adds a single motor and a single cue to the show You can start editing the motor and cue as a starting point for your show If you would like to begin with a blank slate you can create a new show by clicking New in the File menu Figure 310 File Stagehand Cues Stage Win ew Ctri N S Ctri 0 Save Ctri Save As Print Ctrl P Export Motor Import Motor Exit Alt F4 Figure 310 Setting up the Workspace Once yov ve finished writing and editing cues there are a few things you may want to arrange differently in the interface to see the appropriate amount of information The way in which you like to set up the user interface is a personal preference so the points outlined here are merely suggestions In the steps below we ll expand the Cue Grid to take up the whole screen by double clicking on the splitter bars to minimize the Stagehand Editing Pane and the Stage Model Viewer Next we ll add a Stage Model Viewer that will sit on top of the Spikemark main screen by clicking Stage Model Viewer in the Window menu Resize and arrange to your liking 1 Expand the Cue Grid to its full size by double clicking on the Stage Model Viewer and the Stagehand Editing Pane s Splitter Panes Figure 311 174 Running Shows File Stagehand Cues Stage Window Help gt Motor 1 Splitter Frames Double clicked to fully expose the zm Cue Num
142. u need to run through movements using only the Stagehands downstage and don t want anything upstage to move 1 Select the Stagehand FX you wish to disable temporarily in the Cue Grid 2 Inthe Cue Behavior section of the Stagehand FX Editing Pane deselect the Active field Figure 179 The FX will not run cues until the Active field is selected again fA Cue Behavior Figure 179 109 Spikemark Manual 3 You can also set the Active mode by right clicking on the Cue Grid header as shown in Figure 180 Delete FX Duplicate FX Add To Libledy Figure 180 EXAMPLE Assume you have written Cue 1 in which a LIGHT controlled by a Stagehand FX goes on Also assume you have written Cue 2 in which a TAB CURTAIN controlled by a Stagehand FX opens and WAGON A controlled by a Stagehand Motor moves down stage from behind the curtain to in front of the curtain Now assume that Cue 1 and Cue 2 are linked by position so that the LIGHT goes ON when WAGON A travels to position 60 Lastly assume that you want to rehearse WITHOUT the TAB CURTAIN To do this you would open the TAB CURTAIN to make sure it is out of the way of WAGON A Next you would deactivate the TAB CURTAIN by deselecting the Active field in the Cue Behavior section of the tab curtain s FX Editing Pane Then it would then be safe to test MOTOR A and the LIGHT as you ve moved the curtain up and out of the way of MOTOR A 110 Stag
143. ual To help identify all the Stagehand FX devices in your show you can give each FX a unique name Additionally you can rename all of the Inputs and all of the Outputs for an FX to help remember the purpose of each switch in the Stagehand FX 1 Select the Stagehand FX to be edited in the Cue Grid and then select the field that contains the default name In Figure 175 the default name is FX2 ow 68666 Figure 175 2 Type anew name into the field and press Tab key or click out of the field to update the name in the Cue Grid In Figure 176 the new name is Trap Door O UAY In ITTI ot eee e Figure 176 Renaming FX Inputs and Outputs 1 Select the Stagehand FX to be edited in the Cue Grid 2 Inthe Inputs section of the FX Editing Pane enter the new Input name s and in the Outputs section of the FX Editing Pane enter the new Output name s Figure 177 106 Stagehand FX Input 1 Lift Limit Input 2 Input Input 3 Input3 Input 4 Input4 Output 1 SR Lock Output 2 SL Lock Output 3 SR Cylinder SL Cylinder GAGE Figure 177 107 Spikemark Manual FX Status Stagehand FX Status information is displayed next to the Stagehand FX name in the Stagehand FX Editing Pane and in the Cue Grid column headers The status of the Stagehand FX device is indicated by various icons Each icon status is described below Icon Status
144. ult you can turn off the Abort On Position Error option inside the Position section of the Stagehand Editing Pane This is not the ideal thing to do If the encoder becomes broken or disconnected nothing will stop the motor from running away Since no feedback is being sent to the Stagehand the Stagehand will send increasing amounts of power to the motor until it is at full speed and you will need to use the Emergency Stop to shutdown the motor See the Setting the Max Position Error section on page 85 for more information The motor is programmed to move at a speed beyond its physical ability 1 Run the motor on Manual Control at full speed and note the speed value displayed in Speed section of the Stagehand Editor Pane Enter the maximum speed value witnessed in Step 1 into the Max Speed value in the Stagehand Editor Pane Lower the cue speed 209 Spikemark Manual The Motor Runs Full Speed In The Wrong Direction Spikemark Not Responding Running Slowly 210 The motor and encoder polarity are out of sync Swap two of the power leads in the motor plug or swap the encoder signals A amp A with B amp B inside the encoder plug Change the motor s refresh status rate See the Changing the Status Refresh Rate section on page 90 for instructions Appendix A Appendix A Basic Motion Control Concepts From the perspective of an audience member motion control is magic From the technician s
145. ware to use for stage automation Spikemark s name also highlights one its handiest features Spikes The following are a selection of old favorite features and some of the great new improvements found in Spikemark 3 Simulator New in Spikemark 3 Simulator as the name suggests simulates physical machinery on a virtual stage letting you run cues and jog scenery around without being connected to any physical motors Simulator is a great way to get familiar with Spikemark without the need to set up heavy equipment Simulator is also an excellent pre visualization tool you can use it to work through different cueing ideas at the tech table in a design meeting or on your couch Figure 12 File Stagehand Cues Stage Show Control Machine Library Window Help Show Mode Simulator IP Address 192 168 10 30 Auto repair EEL gi Connect Figure 12 14 Quick Start Machine Library New in Spikemark 3 Spikemark s Machine Library makes it easy to start a new show by dragging and dropping pre configured machines in the main window By default the Machine Library is loaded with Pushstick Revolver and Curtain Call machines but you can easily add your own machines to the library Using the Machine Library eliminates tedious parameter configuration and gets you writing cues fast Figure 13 Pushstick Revolver Curtain Call we F dnn n Figure 13 WATCHOUT Integration New in Sp
146. ween where the motor should be and 79 Spikemark Manual where it really is It does this analysis a few million times per second When it wants to apply power to correct for error in position it looks to us for guidance By entering in some tuning parameters we are giving the Stagehand that guidance In a confounding abstract way we are specifying how much power to give the motor when it needs to make a correction If the values that we enter give the motor too much power during correction the motor will be jerky as it over corrects and then has to pull back remember this happens millions of times per second If the values we enter do not provide enough power to the motor to correct position it will never reach the cue position since it will run out of power and be unable to muscle the load onto the target There are five tuning values that can be used to achieve smooth accurate motion To adjust these parameters select the motor you wish to tune in the Cue Grid and select the Tuning section of in the Stagehand Editing Pane Figure 135 through Figure 140 Proportional Gain Proportional Gain Figure 135 is the ratio of power to position error The higher this value the more power will be applied to correct for position errors This is often the only tuning parameter you will need to adjust Proportional Gain needs to be at least 1 for the motor to move at all If the value is too high the motor will begin lurching Sometimes
147. y WIES pIkeMa eeen TR 40 Seine Up PAysicalC OnMe CMOS cesars Ear 40 Setting Up a Network Connection in Windows 8 cccccccssssssssseseseeeeeeccceceeeeeeeeeeaaaaseeeeeeeess 41 Setting the IP Address of Your Computer yates cessient ore tei veens HA oxatnasereh alae eeenrdontuens 4 Adding Machinery 0 the SHOW mirerien ean aa AAE AEE OEE A O 45 Add a Pre Configured Machine from the Machine Library cccceccccccccceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 45 Adda New Blank Machi xissaeintuicaiioe tain uit uaeage tnd tae ater A 46 Removing a Machine from the SHOW sosete scents E A E eens 47 Establishing a Network Connection to your Machine cccccccccccceeeeeeeeeesessseesseeeeeeeeeeeeees 49 Connrmino Encoder F Cd DAC ke seiersen aE E ATi 51 POE DOLE N e E E S 53 Winne Two Sampie Cues cacti E E h faa hah cece 54 Rutan the TwO Sample CUES arei n a E AER 56 Basie TUNE aan E E E E E 59 CONCUSSION mesaer a E E E Gute geetens encaieymeanagereautennetenendad 60 SPIKEN KE SMI o TEE A E E 61 Stade Moder Viewer enin noe alana ee ieee 61 Sta Ore ai 1 6 Panera a wade sole sO tata eee sae ess nian 61 Cue Controlle soca acne cea ce e herent et ca eines had ee Sols heh ca eae aed So cast 6l CUE eeo E E E E A E E E 6l SPUNE PANE viraren cease EO Quiros E E A O O E aus snaducvoecauaeies 62 Simulator and Live Mode New in Spikemark 3 v cccccccccccccccccsssssssseeesssssssseeeeeccceeeeeeesaaaaggeasssseseees 63 TNE Sta hand MIO EON satis easels in a a a te
148. y the Max Forward and Min Reverse parameters set in the Position section of the Stagehand Editing Pane The size and placement of the scenery on the track can be adjusted in the Schematic section of the Stagehand Editing Pane 1 Select the motor you wish to adjust in the Cue Grid 2 Inthe Stagehand Editing Pane scroll to the Schematic section and make sure that Winch is selected at the bottom Figure 264 Adding a Turntable is described in the Making a Turntable Model section on page 159 150 The Stage Model Viewer All dimensions are in feet Distance from Center 9 Distance from Plaster 9 Elevation from stage 9 Width Length Height Rotation X Rotation Y Rotation Z Figure 264 Adjust the Width Length and Height properties Figure 265 by using either the sliders beneath each text field or typing in a dimension directly As you change the dimensions the winch model in the Stage Model Viewer will update Note that all dimensions are given in feet 151 Spikemark Manual Q Schematic All dimensions are in feet Figure 265 4 Now move the winch into position so that it matches your stage Use the Distance from Center Distance from Plaster and Elevation from stage field sliders Figure 266 to get the position close You can then fine tune the position by typing in accurate dimensions from your ground plan Distance from Center Figure 266 152 The Stage Mo
149. ying the Total Time and Ramp Time for the entire cue This makes it easy to write cues that have all the motors ending at the same time 1 Select the Cue you wish to edit in the Cue Grid Figure 222 A Quarter 60s Position j Speed fink to Q 2 5 Cue Number 3 L completen unf gt Acceleration 18 53 1 33 7 Figure 222 2 Type in the new Total Time value you wish to use and press the TAB key Figure 223 Note that all the Total Time values for each movement have been updated 129 Spikemark Manual link to a 2 5 Completion Lin Figure 223 Quart Position 3 Repeat the steps for Ramp Time if desired Adding an FX Movement to a Cue er 14 Adding an FX movement to a cue is similar to adding a motor movement a Quart Position er 140 1 Click the button in the Cue Grid correct associated with the Stagehand FX and Cue you wish to edit Figure 224 Figure 224 Add a movement to this cue 2 An FX movement will appear in the Cue Grid Figure 225 Figure 225 130 Writing Cues Figure 226 is an example series of cues that turns Output 1 on then off then turns Outputs 2 3 and 4 on while leaving

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