Quick Fixture Tool

Quick Tools allows you to quickly assign data, accessories and other important attributes to your lighting fixtures without having to switch back and forth between DATA mode or opening each fixture’s properties for each change. Quick Tools will enter in repetitive information, incrementing automatically if you choose, for all of your fixtures.

The Quick Fixture Tool window allows you to expand or collapse each section of the Quick Fixture Tool as you see fit to improve your workflow and space.

Here is the Quick Fixture Tool completely collapsed:

Here is the Quick Fixture Tool completely expanded:

Quick Fixture Tool sections

When you enter data into the field associated with each value and click OK, a wireframe view appears, where you will click on the fixtures to which you would like to assign the changes you made in the tool.

Note: When your mouse is over a fixture using the Quick Tools Tool, the fixture will be highlighted to help indicate which fixture is selected.

Control Data section

This section allows you to assign repetitive values for Spot, Channel and Dimmer (and Auto Increment), DMX addresses per Universe with Auto Increment, and a Custom Increment Patch that allows you to assign addresses based solely on your custom increment and ignoring the logical patch increments.

The Control Data section also allows you to assign repetitive Circuit Names and Numbers to your fixtures for any situation – an example of this would be labeling Socapex circuits on a touring lighting truss A-1 through A-6. If the Multi-Cable option is enabled, Quick Tools will automatically increment the Circuit Name and reset the Circuit Number after every X fixture is placed, where X is the No. of Circuits selected. 

Descriptive notes can be created and added to fixtures. These notes are shown in the DATA > Spreadsheet for the selected fixtures. Fixture attribute layout templates can also be selected and applied to fixtures.

General Details section

This is where you can assign repetitive values for Unit numbers (with Auto Increment if desired) as well as Purpose and Focus (either by Position or by degrees).

Accessories section

This section of the Quick Fixture Tools dialog box allows you to assign repetitive values for Color, Gobos, Lamps, Lens sets, and Other accessories as assigned.

To use the Quick Fixture Tool panel

1. From the Tools menu, choose Quick Fixture Tools. When the Quick Fixture Tools dialog box opens, it defaults to the collapsed view. Click on the plus symbol next to each section to open it.

Tip: You can also click the Quick Tools tool on the Tools toolbar.

2. To activate a tool, select the checkbox to the left of the tool. You can activate as many as you want at a time. See below for explanations of the different tools.
3. Type the initial value for the tool in the box to the right of the tool name. If you want the value to auto increment, as for channels or spot numbers, make sure you select the Auto Increment checkbox. WYSIWYG will assign the next sequential number based on the properties and requirements of the previous fixture.

Note: When you patch a fixture in the Control Data section, the Custom Increment offers two options: Additional, where the increment is added at the end of each fixture patched; and Total, which is the total increment to the next fixture’s address).

4. When the dialog box is set up the way you want it, click OK.

Result: The cursor will show a “Q”, indicating that Quick Tools have been activated.

5. Click on each fixture in the order you want any auto-incrementing values to be assigned.

Note: The attributes to be assigned to the next fixture are logged in the bottom left hand corner of the Status bar.

6. When complete, right-click and choose Finish Quick Tools.

Tip: Use the Clear All button to reset all the values and cancel all quick tools.

Notes:

• To change the values at any time while clicking on each fixture, right-click and choose Change Quick Tools Options.
• When typing values, type the exact value or use the [...] browse button to open a selection dialog box.
• The entry in the patch box must fulfill the requirements of patch notation which is universe.#. For more information regarding patch notation see Reading the patch.
• For more information about the data fields, see Data fields.
• When using the quick tools to insert a color or gobo, WYSIWYG automatically inserts a default color frame or gobo holder, which is already defined in the fixture. Remove the default frame and add a new one using Add Accessory. For information on adding accessories, refer to To insert an accessory.
• When you are applying a color to a multi-source fixture, a dialog box appears, listing the circuit names to which you can apply the Quick Tool color selection. To apply the same color to multiple circuits listed in this dialog box, press CTRL, and then select the desired circuits. Press Select when you are finished.