Graphics

Hi Forum users,

I'm hoping this is a simple script, but I haven't been able to get it to work yet. Here's what I'm trying to do:

We have a sponsor loop playing out of the sequencer. They are just instances of the same scene, and using an excel spreadsheet with datalinq we are using the volatile material script to change the material path on each item (excel sheet says "Joeys Plumbing" so it loads "Joeys Plumbing.jpg" into the volatile material). Items play through a group, set to autoplay each item for 10sec. Seems to be working smoothly. Each game there could be between 50-75 sponsors.

Now, to complicate the matter, there is a second sponsor loop, going through another framebuffer, and using the same technique to create the materials. (the purpose here is a corner bug sponsor loop that must match a full-screen sponsor loop on the other channel.) We have a dashboard panel which fires the two groups at the same time, and the groups autoplay as expected. In theory, it seems like those two loops would stay in sync forever. But in practice, we noticed a bit of drifting after a couple hours. Also, not much flexibility if we need to jump around the loop at all.

So, I'm trying to write a script on the fullscreen sponsor scene that would do the following:

- get its own take ID (On framebuffer 2)
- Add 1000 (So if it's take ID 2056, use the number 3056, which would be the corresponding corner graphic))
- take that ID online as well (on framebuffer 1)

The goal here is that we would only fire one group, and the script would always take its corresponding item in the other group. Hence, staying in sync forever. This would also give more flexibility if we needed to jump around the group at any time.

As a bonus, I'd also like to allow the script to check if a text field is empty [the sponsor name from datalinq] and if it's empty, take ID 2001 (which would start the loop over again.) This is just a safety measure for the inevitable scenario when there are not enough entries in excel to match the items in the sequencer.

Any pointers in the right direction is appreciated. Thanks very much!

Also, sorry for the wonky title, it's been a long day...
#XPression

Here you go. This should be put into the OnOnline script.

dim layer, chan as Integer
dim output as xpOutputFramebuffer
dim takeitem as xpBaseTakeItem
dim othertakeitem as xpBaseTakeItem

' Find what chan/layer this scene is on
if self.GetOnline(chan, layer) then
' Get the output framebuffer object
if engine.GetOutputFramebuffer(chan, output) then
' Get the take item representing this scene
if output.GetTakeItemOnLayer(layer, takeitem) then
if engine.Sequencer.GetTakeItemByID(takeitem.ID + 1000, othertakeitem) then
othertakeitem.execute
end if
end if
end if
end if
#XPression

Hey there,

I think this is a way you could do it. You could put this in the onOnline of the primary sponsor scene. Get the framebuffer and layer of the main scene. Then get the basetakeitem.ID, add 1000 to that and put that scene of its own framebuffer or layer. I feel like there is a way to do this in one scene using datalinq, but I dont know enough about the scene to suggest a method.

I havent tested the below code myself, but I have scenes and GPIs that access sequencer and outputframebuffers in this way.
Hope it helps.

Mike

' Get framebuffer with your primary scene on it, 0=FB1, 1=FB2
dim framebuffer as xpOutputFrameBuffer
engine.GetOutputFrameBuffer(0,framebuffer)

' Get the sponsor scene as xpBaseTakeItem using the layer of that framebuffer to find it
dim SponsorTI, CornerBugTI as xpBaseTakeItem
framebuffer.GetTakeItemOnLayer(0,SponsorTI)
dim SponsorScene as xpScene

' Do the math to get the corner bug ID
dim CornerBugID as long
CornerBugID = Clng(SponsorTI.ID) + 1000

' Get sponsor scene as xpScene can check the text field
framebuffer.GetSceneOnLayer (0,SponsorScene)
dim TextObjectToTest as xpBaseObject
SponsorScene.GetObjectByName("TextObjectToTest",TextObjectToTest)

' If the text field is blank, reset corner bug takeid to 2001, your default
if TextObjectToTest.Text = "" then
CornerBugID = 2001
end if

' Get Sequencer from Engine and get the cornerbug take item
dim Sequencer as xpSequencer
Sequencer = Engine.Sequencer
Sequencer.GetTakeItemByID(CornerBugID,CornerBugTI)

' Set framebuffer and layer of cornerbug then put it online
CornerBugTI.FrameBufferIndex = 1
CornerBugTI.Layer = 0
CornerBugTI.Execute()

#XPression

Thanks Brian, I've almost got it working. I added a bit of code to get it to fire the first item if the text field is empty. But sisnce I'm using a dissolve transition, there is a bit of a jump as I believe it's basically trying to take two items at once. Is ther any way around that?

dim layer, chan as Integer
dim output as xpOutputFramebuffer
dim takeitem as xpBaseTakeItem
dim othertakeitem as xpBaseTakeItem
dim fisttakeitem as xpBaseTakeItem
dim sponsor as xptextobject

self.getobjectbyname ("Sponsor Name", sponsor)
engine.Sequencer.GetTakeItemByID(2001, fisttakeitem)


if sponsor.text = "" then
fisttakeitem.execute
else
' Find what chan/layer this scene is on
if self.GetOnline(chan, layer) then
' Get the output framebuffer object
if engine.GetOutputFramebuffer(chan, output) then
' Get the take item representing this scene
if output.GetTakeItemOnLayer(layer, takeitem) then

if engine.Sequencer.GetTakeItemByID(takeitem.ID + 1000, othertakeitem) then

othertakeitem.execute
end if
end if
end if
end if
end if

#XPression