Setting expressions to be timed

[mindopera]

Hello,

I'm developing a Watchout based show for unattended display in a museum.  Ultimately WATCHNET will run this video wall.

During my main timeline, I reach a point where I use a UDP  output to signal another computer to start its data visualization program.  The video output from the visualization computer comes in to Watchout through a live video window and the main timeline is paused while the data viz plays.  The visualization program also sends a status message as a UDP generic input.  

If there is an error, or no response from the visualization computer, I want to skip the pause cue on the main timeline.  Otherwise, if that computer hangs, the whole presentation will hang while it waits for the UDP status message.  Is there a way to evaluate an expression at a certain point in the timeline?

Here's a summary of the signaling between watchout and the other computer:

1) Main timeline playing from start

2) Main timeline cue triggers Watchout to send UDP "Start Viz" string to visualization computer

3) Data visualizer computer sends UDP:  setInput "VizStatus" 1  which opens the live video input showing the visualization on the timeline

  If Data visualizer is unable to run Visualization, it sends UDP:  setInput "VizStatus" 0

4) 10 seconds later, timeline evaluates expression "VizStatus = 1"
  If TRUE:  Pause timeline for up to 10 minutes, or until VizStatus = 0  (I'm handling this with a Task)

  If FALSE:  Continue with main timeline

5)  Return to Step 1

 

Is Step 4 Possible?

[Benoit]

Hello Mindopera,

Why do you pause the main timeline?

You can set a 10mn live cue in the main timeline and in the aux timeline triggered by the udp message you set a control cue that jump the main timeline at the end of the 10mn live cue.

Benoit

[Matt]

Hey Benoit,

Great suggestion.  Is it possible to enter the live cue based on an Expression (e.g.  VizStatus = 1) ?  I'm trying to handle the error case where I command visualization computer to start it's program (using a UDP output message), but the computer is off line and does not respond.  Currently the Live Cue will sit there for 10 minutes, but I want to skip the Live Cue entirely if VizStatus != 1.

 

Thanks,
Matt

[jfk]

1 hour ago, Matt said:

... Is it possible to enter the live cue based on an Expression (e.g.  VizStatus = 1) ?  I'm trying to handle the error case where I command visualization computer to start it's program (using a UDP output message), but the computer is off line and does not respond.  Currently the Live Cue will sit there for 10 minutes, but I want to skip the Live Cue entirely if VizStatus != 1.

 

Thanks,
Matt

There is no way to trigger an action in WATCHOUT simply by the failure to receive an input. But that may be a design challenge, possibly swap it around and skip the live part unless a command is received to activate it. i.e. when the command is received to enable live, tigger an aux timeline with the action needed - Control Cue - Goto,  activate a conditional layer, etc.

[dchristo]

On 4/22/2018 at 6:56 PM, mindopera said:

1) Main timeline playing from start

2) Main timeline cue triggers Watchout to send UDP "Start Viz" string to visualization computer

3) Data visualizer computer sends UDP:  setInput "VizStatus" 1  which opens the live video input showing the visualization on the timeline

  If Data visualizer is unable to run Visualization, it sends UDP:  setInput "VizStatus" 0

4) 10 seconds later, timeline evaluates expression "VizStatus = 1"
  If TRUE:  Pause timeline for up to 10 minutes, or until VizStatus = 0  (I'm handling this with a Task)

  If FALSE:  Continue with main timeline

5)  Return to Step 1

 

To expand on what jfk was suggesting:

1) (same as above)

2) (same as above)

3) Instead of the Data Visualizer computer setting a variable, have it directly start a task. "run LiveDataViz"

4) In the LiveDataViz task, transition to the live feed, then pause and cue the main timeline.

5) At the End of the LiveDataViz task, play the main timeline and transition back, then kill the task.  This could also be a triggered cue from your Data Viz machine, which would allow flexibility in the duration the Data Viz is on screen.

6) At the point of the data viz on the main timeline, have 10 seconds of filler material.

In this method, if your Data Viz machine fails, you'll have at most 10 seconds of filler material on your main timeline, but it will then keep running.  Only if your DataViz machine starts the aux timeline is the main timeline paused.

--D