Fixture groups

Fixture groups are custom groups of fixtures. You can create fixture groups in CAD, DATA, DESIGN, or LIVE mode in any view that allows fixture selection.

Creating fixture groups

Creating a fixture group allows you to select a group of fixtures at the same time.

Fixture group shortcuts also enhance working with design tools in Shaded view. Since design tools work with the current fixture selection, opening multiple fixture group shortcuts allow you to change different groups of fixtures, rather than having to select them individually in the Wireframe view.

Notes:

• Fixture groups are saved on the Fixture Group shortcut bar.
• If ONLY fixtures are selected, either CTRL+G or CTRL+J will create a Fixture Group.
• If fixtures and more than one other object is selected, CTRL+G will create a normal “Objects Group” from the selected objects (the same if there were no fixtures in the selection), while CTRL+J will create a Fixture Group (the same as if CTRL+G was used with only fixtures selected).

To create a new fixture group

1. Select the fixtures that you want to group. If you are unfamiliar with selecting objects, refer to Selecting.
2. Click the Fixture Groups shortcut bar.
3. Right-click the Fixture Groups shortcut bar, and then choose New Fixture Group. Alternately, you can click the new fixture icon.
4. Type the name of the fixture group, and then click OK.

Result: The fixture group is saved on the Fixture Groups shortcut bar.

Updating fixture groups

You can modify a fixture group shortcut by adding or removing fixtures as required.

To update fixture groups

1. Select the set of fixtures that you want to include in the fixture group.
2. Right-click on the Fixture Groups shortcut that you want to update, and then choose Update.

Result: The Fixture Groups shortcut is modified to include only the fixtures that you selected.

To add fixtures to an existing fixture group

1. On the Fixture Groups shortcut bar, click on a Fixture Group to select the fixtures in the group.
2. Press and hold CTRL and click on the fixtures that you wish to add to the selected Fixture Group.
3. Right-click on the selected Fixture Group on the Fixture Groups shortcut bar.
4. Select Update from the pop-up menu.

Result: The selected fixtures will be added to the Fixture Group.

To remove fixtures from an existing fixture group

1. On the Fixture Groups shortcut bar, click on a Fixture Group to select the fixtures in the group.
2. Press and hold CTRL and click on the fixtures you want to remove from the selected Fixture Group.
3. Right-click on the selected Fixture Group on the Fixture Groups shortcut bar.
4. Select Update from the pop-up menu.

Result: The selected fixtures will be removed from the Fixture Group.

Working with fixture groups

When you select a Fixture Groups shortcut, any currently selected objects are deselected, and the fixture group set is selected instead.

If you press the CTRL key while selecting fixture groups, the fixture group is added to the current selection set.

If you press the CTRL and SHIFT keys while selecting fixture groups, the fixture group is removed from the current selection set.

Tip: Fixture groups can be used to select fixtures even while in Shaded view.

Notes:

• In a fixture group shortcut, multi-cell fixtures, such as cyc lights, can be selected either by cell or fixture. If the fixture group was created in DESIGN mode using cells, the entire fixture is selected in the other modes. If the fixture group was created using fixtures, all cells are selected when in DESIGN mode.
• When you replace a multi-cell fixture that is selected by circuit with a different multi-cell fixture that has a different number of circuits, the replacement fixture is selected by fixture and not by circuit.
• When you delete a fixture, the fixture is removed from all fixture groups that include that fixture.
• When you replace a fixture using the Replace Fixtures menu option, any fixture groups referring to that fixture are updated to refer to the fixture replacement.
• Any fixture added to a document will not initially be part of any fixture group.