13.2 Fade, Delay, and Path

You can assign fade time and delay times, as well as paths, to cues and scenes. Cues recorded without assigning any time information will be given the default time; this can be adjusted in the Default Timing pane of the User Preferences window.

13.2.1 Fade Time

To record a cue with a fade time other than the default:

  1. Create the desired look for the cue in the Programmer.

  2. Fixture Enter : select all the fixtures currently in the Programmer.

  3. Time 7 Enter : assign a fade time of 7 seconds.

  4. Record Cue 1 Enter : record the cue on the currently chosen master.

To assign times greater than 1 minute, enter the number of minutes followed by the number of seconds:

  • Time 140 Enter : select a fade time of 1 minute 40 seconds.

To change the time of an already recorded cue:

  1. Cuelist 1 : select the cuelist unless the desired cuelist or master is already the chosen master.

  2. Cue 2 Time 7 Enter : assigns a fade time of 7 seconds.

Different Fade-in and Fade-out Times

You can assign different fade-in and fade-out times (known as a ‘split time’) using the / key. For example:

  1. Create the desired look for the cue in the Programmer.

  2. Fixture Enter : select all the fixtures currently in the Programmer.

  3. Time 7 / 10 Enter : select a fade-in time of 7 seconds, and a fade-out time of 10 seconds.

  4. Record : record the cue on the currently selected master.

[Important]Important

Hog 4 OS's definition of fade-in and fade-out times is different to that used by some other consoles. Some consoles use fade-in and fade-out times for intensity parameters only and have a separate time for all other parameters; Hog 4 OS has fade-in and fade-out times for each individual parameter. Also, with some consoles the fade-out time applies when the cue goes out, so that cue 2's fade-out time takes effect during the change from cue 2 to cue 3 rather than (as with Hog 4 OS) cue 1 to cue 2.

Fade Time with Masks

You can record fade times with a mask. For example:

  • Cue 1 Fixture 1 + 2 Colour Time 4 Enter : sets the fade time for the colour parameter values of Fixtures 1 and 2 in Cue 1.

[Tip]Tip

If you want to assign individual times for several fixtures or fixture parameters, you can edit them in the Cue Editor window by clicking on its Fade button; see Individual Parameter Timings.

13.2.2 Delay Time

You can create a delay between the cue being triggered and the fade times beginning to execute by assigning the Delay time:

  1. List 1 Open : open the cuelist.

  2. Select the cue's Delay cell and press Set.

  3. 5, Enter : enter the delay time. As with fade times you can assign separate delay times for the incoming and outgoing parts of the cue, for example 3/5.

Alternatively, you can use the command line, pressing the Time key twice to assign the delay time:

  • Cue 2 Time Time 5 Enter

[Tip]Tip

Note that the Delay time should not be confused with the Wait time; see Cue Wait Timing.

13.2.3 Paths

Paths determine the way parameter values change during a cue. For example, with the simplest (linear) path, an intensity parameter travels from its start value to its end value at a steady rate for the duration of the cue. The paths available are shown in Figure 13.2, “Path Types”.

Figure 13.2. Path Types

Path Description
Default   Uses the default path from the fixture's library definition. This is generally Linear for continuous parameters and Start for slotted parameters.
Linear
Linear
Fades at a steady rate for the duration of the cue.
Start
Start
Snap change at the beginning of the cue.
End
End
Snap change at the end of the cue.
Over
Over
The parameters overshoot their destination and then return to it.
Under
Under
The parameters move first in the opposite direction before going to their destination.
Damped
Damped
The parameters change more slowly at the start and end of the cue than in the middle.
Brake
Brake
The parameters change more slowly at the end of the cue.
Speed Up
Speed Up
The parameters change more slowly at the start of the cue.
Shake
Shake
The parameters follow a chaotic, sawtooth fade over the course of the cue.

To select a path for a cue:

  1. List 1 Open : open the Cuelist window.

  2. Select the cue's Path cell and press Set. The Crossfade Paths window will open.

  3. Select the path type required for the incoming and outgoing parts of the cue.

  4. Press OK

[Tip]Tip

The shape of the paths described above applies when the cue is asserted. When it is released, the path is effectively reversed. For example, attributes with a ‘Start’ path will snap on the Go of a cue, but will snap at the very end of that cue being released (behaving like an ‘End’ path).

13.2.4 Assigning Cue Timings in the Cuelist Window

You can edit fade or delay times in the Cuelist window. Assigning fade or delay times here will assign the new value to all the parameters of all the fixtures in the cue.

  1. Open + Choose : open the cuelist of the desired master.

  2. Click in the cell for the fade or delay time of the desired cue, and press Set.

  3. Type in a time value, and press Enter.

When entering a time value, it should be in the form:

[hours] h [minutes] m [seconds] s / [hours] h [minutes] m [seconds] s

For example:

  • 2s : 2 seconds in and out times.

  • 2s/5s : 2 seconds in, 5 seconds out.

  • 1m : 1 minute in and out times.

  • 1m10s : 1 minute and 10 seconds in and out times.

  • 1h10m30s/1h : 1 hour, 10 minutes and 30 seconds in time, and 1 hour out time.

Use the H, M and S buttons that appear when editing a fade or delay time cell to enter the H, M and S text into the cell. Alternatively, you can use an external keyboard.

Note that if you enter 140 the time will be 1 minute 40 seconds, not 140 seconds (2 minutes 20 seconds).

To assign paths directly in the Cuelist window:

  1. Click in the Path cell for the desired cue, and press Set.

  2. Choose a path from the displayed list; see Figure 13.3, “Selecting a Path in a Cuelist Window”.

    The In path is applied when a fixture is increasing in intensity during the cross-fade, and the Out path when a fixture is decreasing in intensity.

  3. Press OK.

Figure 13.3. Selecting a Path in a Cuelist Window

The list of paths displayed when editing in a cuelist window

The different types of path are explained in Paths.