Interface

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File

The File menu enables you to create a new xLights/Nutcracker sequence, open an existing xLights/Nutcracker sequence, Save, Save As or Close a sequence that is currently open, select a show directory, backup xLights/Nutcracker sequences to another directory and quit the xLights/Nutcracker application. These actions can also be done using shortcut keys and via icons on the top bar of the canvas.

New Sequence

To create a new sequence, either use the New Sequence icon, select New Sequence from the File menu or press Ctrl N.

====Musical Sequence ====

If creating a music sequence, click on Musical Sequence.

Select your media file.

Select the frames per second (fps) for your sequence. The most common one used is 20fps (50ms).

Skip on the next screen

If creating an xLights/Nutcracker sequence, at this stage you can select ‘Done’ and import timing marks later (either via the Timings menu or by Right Clicking on the Sequencer menu ). Alternatively, you can click on the Timings tab now – this will lead to the Timings menu. On the Timing menu, you can select one or more of a number of timing bar options, which will generate timing marks automatically (similar to those that can be done via Audacity).

If you click on the Edit Metadata tab, this will lead to the Sequence Settings dialog box.

At this stage a new empty sequence has been created. You can... ● Select Save to save the sequence in your show directory – you will be prompted for a sequence name. ● Click on the Sequencer tab and continue with ○ Adding models for this sequence to the sequencer view, ○ Creating/adding timing marks ○ Dropping effects on the sequencer grid ○ Playing the sequence

====Animation Sequence====

If creating an animation sequence, click on Animation Sequence. No media/audio file is required or requested for. The subsequent process is the same as in the Musical Sequence.

Open Sequence

To open an existing sequence, either use the Open Sequence icon, select Open Sequence from the File menu or press Ctrl O. You will be presented with the ‘Choose Sequence file to open’ window, with the directory defaulting to your show directory. You can select an xLights/Nutcracker (xml) sequence or an xLights/Nutcracker fseq file to open.

Save Sequence

To save an open sequence, either use the Save Sequence icon, select Save Sequence from the File menu or press Ctrl S. If the sequence has not been saved previously, you will be presented with the Save As dialogue window to enter the name for the sequence. If the Render on Save setting (under the Settings menu) is set (i.e. ticked) then all the effects on all the models will be rendered first before the sequence is saved in the fseq file. This is the default. Progress status messages are displayed on the last line of the window. When the sequence has completed saving, a message will be displayed on the last line indicating the name of the fseq file and how long the save process took.

Save As Sequence

To save an open sequence with a different name, either use the Save As Sequence icon or select Save As Sequence from the File menu. You will be presented with the Save As dialogue window to enter the name for the sequence. If the Render on Save setting (under the Settings menu) is set (i.e. ticked) then all the effects on all the models will be rendered first before the sequence is saved in the fseq file. This is the default.

Progress status messages are displayed on the last line of the window. When the sequence has completed saving, a message will be displayed on the last line indicating the name of the fseq file and how long the save process took.

Close Sequence

To close the currently open sequence, select Close Sequence from the File menu. If the sequence data has not been saved since the last change, you will be presented with warning.

If you click No, then you will be returned to the sequence. If you select and click Yes, then the sequence will be closed without any sequence changes being saved.

Select Show Folder

In order to change your show Directory, select Select Show Folder from the File menu, press F9 or click on the Change button against the Show Directory on the Setup tab.You will be prompted to navigate to and select a new directory folder to select.

Ensure that you have the correct xLights/Nutcracker xml files (xlights_keybindings.xml, xlights_networks.xml and xlights_rgbeffects.xml) in your new directory.

BackUp

Backing up your critical files and sequences should be done regularly – as good practice. What should be backed up? Anything you require to run your show, but in particular your xml sequences, your media files and your user specific xLights/Nutcracker configuration files.

The xLights/Nutcracker configuration files are located in your show directory and are: xlights_keybindings.xml, xlights_networks.xml and xlights_rgbeffects.xml

Tip: Pressing F10 anytime, anywhere will backup your XML files for your and store them in a zip file with the date and time the backup was created. You can press F10 as many times as you like and should do this at least once per sequencing session.

Alternatively, from the File menu, select Backup.

You will be presented will a message indicating where a backup will be created. Click Yes to proceed.

Every time this step is executed, a copy will be created of all the ‘*xml’ files from your show directory into the Backup subdirectory of your show directory. A new subfolder is created each time a backup is executed.

Tip: It is a good practice to also separately backup any files that you may have used as inputs to your sequences such as LSP, LOR, Papagayo files that you imported, media files that may have amended with audacity, gif or jpegs etc. You may also wish to backup any fseq files, though this can be recreated by saving the sequence again.

Backing up the show directory (and media directory if it is different) to an alternate location is the simplest way to ensure that you have the files required.

Quit

To quit xLights/Nutcracker, select Quit from the File menu or press ALT F4. If you have a sequence open and the sequence data has not been saved since the last change, you will be presented with a warning.

If you click No, then you will be returned to the sequence. If you select and click Yes, then the sequence will be closed without any sequence changes being saved.

Playlist

Playlists are created to be used within the xLights/Nutcracker scheduler if you plan on using xLights/Nutcracker to run your show rather than the Falcon Player on a Raspberry Pi.

Add

To create a new playlist, click on the Add button and provide a name for the Playlist in the pop up window. A split screen will be displayed. On the left, the Available Files from the Show Directory are displayed. On the right, the Playlist and the items within are displayed. Filtering on the options against the Files line, enables xLights/Nutcracker sequences, video and audio files to be selected from the Show Directory. Use the arrows provided to add / remove files (one or all files) from the Available File list to the Playlist. Within the Playlist section, use the Green arrows to change the sequence of the item.

In order to introduce a pause (i.e. delay) between items in the playlist, click on the item and then click the Set delay button. Specify the number of seconds for the delay. Click on Save Playlists to save the Playlist. The playlist will be displayed as a tab next to the Sequencer tab.

Rename

To rename a Playlist, click on the Playlist tab that you wish to change, then click on the Playlist tab, then select Rename. You will be prompted for a new name.

Delete

To delete a Playlist, click on the Playlist tab that you wish to delete, then click on the Playlist tab , then select Delete. You will be prompted to confirm the deletion. Click OK to delete or Cancel to return.

Refresh

This option is used to refresh the screen with a list of Available files. To be used if you have just added any new Audio, Video or xLights/Nutcracker sequence files to your show directory. Select Playlist and then Refresh.

Custom Script

If this option is elected for a playlist, the BASIC language scripts used to run the playlist is displayed. You can then edit/ add custom scripts to perform actions such as send out RDS data, play a video etc. You can also set Playback options for the Playlist