Reusing Stage Elements

[MarkHoward]

I have a stage setup consisting of several 3D mapping projectors which will be shared between many shows.  It would be very helpful if I could save the Stage settings (including all 3D mapping projector calibration settings and geometry correction) so that I can import and reuse them in subsequent shows.  The ideal would be a common master stage that all shows could reference so that whenever the master stage is re-calibrated, changes would propagate to all shows that reference it.  Short of this, just being able to recall a stage from a saved file for the purpose of updating the stage in an existing show would be very helpful.

 

Is there already a way to do this in Watchout or might this feature be in the works for upcoming updates?

 

Auxiliary timelines have been suggested and explored as a means of managing multiple shows on a single stage, but as all of our shows will be chasing timecode from external devices, that may not work for our situation.

[Josef Swanberg]

You can always copy and paste stage elements from a show, either into another show, or into a text editor to use them later on.

 

This may not be exactly what you are asking for, but can be useful in some cases.

[Vollmers]

My suggestion is to create a setup with virtual displays, which all your your shows use for reference. So whenever you make a new design/calibrate/adjustment or what ever changes you implement, as long as it runs through the virtual display setup, it will be shown correct. This is a procedure I use with all the designs I make. I create a startup AUX timeline,which enables the virtual displays in the fysical output channels. I don't know if that's the workflow you're looking for, but as mentioned this is my standard method for all I do.

 

Best regards Christian 

[Steve Farris]

What I do is to create a "base" show that has all the elements I need on the stage.  Then I can start a new show with the base show, or copy and paste as mentioned by Josef.  Should parameters change, you can update the base show and then use copy and paste.

 

Not quite as elegant as your wish for the ability to reference the stage between shows, however.

[MarkHoward]

Thanks for the suggestions.  Copy and paste from a "base" show, while not elegant or automatic, should get the job done.  Using this technique, I've managed to copy and past auxiliary time lines and output cues from one show to another, but I don't understand how to copy and paste 3D mapping projectors.  I have six of these in my "base" show but I know of no way to export these to another show.  How is this done?

[MarkHoward]

Ah...I discovered how to copy 3D mapping projectors just as simply as any other item in Watchout by right-clicking on the 3D mapping projector in the stage list.  Very handy and convenient.  Still, it would be a nice feature (for me) if shows could reference a shared stage/configuration file.  Then updates/calibrations to the base show would propagate automatically to all shows referencing it.  Meantime, I'll happily cut and paste as suggested.  Thanks.