The shape generator included in the Operating Software for the Strand 300 and 500 series consoles is often neglected. It is not explained in the Operators guide provided with the consoles and is not immediately obvious when using the software. This tutorial will explain how to use this powerful feature. Please note that all commands in this tutorial are direct action commands.

To assign a shape to a moving fixture, you will first have to add a series of “virtual attributes” to the fixture, which contain the shape information such as speed, size, etc. If you do not already have an intelligent fixture patched, use the following command in the Patch screen to patch a High End Cyberlight to a channel (replace '#' with any unused channel):

                                    # {@FIXTURE} 74 *

Now, to add shape channels to this fixture type {CHAN >} to go into the channel softkeys, then # {ADD SHAPE} to add the attributes. You will notice seven new attributes appear, numbered #.91 through #.97. Note that these are 'virtual atributes'; they will not use up any of your availiable outputs.

Now go to the <GROUP> screen. There are five groups with names of shapes, as follows:

Each group contains the necessary values for these virtual attributes to create the appropriate shape. Switch back to the Live screen by pressing <LIVE>. To set the fixture you patched earlier to a shape, for example, circles, type  # @ [GROUP] 992.1 * and the shape attributes will be set to the appropriate values. The fixture will now start moving. To change the size of the shape and the movement speed you can change the PSize, TSize, PSpeed and TSpeed attributes. Note that with the speed attributes, 50 is stopped, 60 is moving one way and 40 is moving the other. The PProfile and SProfile attributes are the number of a profile (same as the dimming profiles) for the Pan and Tilt attributes of the fixture to follow. Thus using the profile editor you can create your own shapes. The PPhase attribute is where on the shape the movement should start. Note that in all the virtual attributes except PPhase the P and T at the beginning of the attribute name stands for Pan and Tilt.

When you have set a shape as you want it, you will see the fixture move but the fixtures pan and tilt values on the screen will not. This is because the pan and tilt values on the screen set the base position for the shape.

To see what the fixture is really doing you will have to go into control view by pressing [SHIFT]<GROUP><GROUP>. To return to normal view press [SHIFT]<GROUP> again.

The virtual attributes are just like any other attributes – they can be recorded in cues, submasters and groups.

That's the basics of the Strand OS' shape generator. There are many possible ways of using the feature in a real-life situation, and it makes busking with movers much easier. Combined with macros, for example it is possible to make a simple system where you can select a moving light or a group of moving lights and set them to a shape with one keypress.

Don't forget to set the shape values to zero when you go for a coffee break though – the lights will keep on moving until you stop them!