The Layer Settings window can be opened by clicking on the Layer Settings icon from the toolbar, or via the View, Windows menu.
This will reset the Layer Setting back to default every time you select or create a new effect. Checked is the recommended setting for most users.
This attribute controls how the buffer is laid out for a model or model group when the effect is rendered. Every model has a ‘Default’ buffer which can be view by opening the model's node layout in the Layout Tab.
For example, for Arches – the default buffer treats each arch as a single line and stacks the arches on top of eachother, for a Star model, the default is a square grid that cases effects to chase across the face of a star.
Additional options are available to change the buffer representation for the model or group. The list of values that are selectable are dynamic depending on the type of model.
For model groups, additional buffer render styles are available. The list below discrips all model render styles.
When using the "Per Preview" render style, this dropdown allows the user to select which viewpoint to use. 2D is the default.
The transformation attributes can be used to rotate the effect clockwise, counter clockwise (90 or 180 degrees) or to flip it either horizontally or vertically.
While some effects have settings to do similar things this is now the standard way to flip or rotate an effect.
This attribute will cause the effect to ‘blur’ i.e. the colors become less distinct (hazy) and the edges of two colors will fade into each other i.e. will not have sharp edges. The level of haziness can be increased from 0 onwards using the slider or adjusted using the Value Curve functionality by clicking on the Value Curve icon.
The Sub Buffer selection can be used to limit the area that an effect is active. This basically redefines the size of the model/group (on a per effect basis). This option is different than masking, because the entire effect is rendered based on this new model size, whereas a mask covers up what you specify.
So if you only want the effect to be on the top half of the model or group, bring the bottom part of the dotted yellow line to the middle of the black box. The ‘handles’ of the yellow grid are in the corners. Double Clicking will reset the defaults to the full size.
If you right click on the black box you can access and select some of the common buffer settings. ‘Full Buffer’ will reset to the full size. The "Edit" option allows the user to manually input the X/Y locations and use value curves.
As an example, drop the Fire effect on a Model Group covering your ‘whole house’.
Then adjust the yellow dotted lines of the box inwards and look at the effect it has on your house preview. You can limit the effect to say the left side of your house, with another similar one of a different color on the right side of the house applied on another layer.
The Sub-Buffer area selection also supports Value Curves. The bounding box handles will appear Red when a value curve is in use.
The Persistent option when enabled does not clear the display buffer before rendering each frame. The result is the preview frame remains until overwritten by a subsequent frame. For example, drop the balls or fan effect on a model, select the blending to “Effect 1”, then toggle Persistent on/off. You will see a huge difference. Doing the same for a “Chase” effect also results in a very different look.
The term came from high persistence scopes where each trace just kept layering on top of previous traces.
The Roto-Zoom functionality enables the effect to be Rotated as well as have aspects of the effect Zoomed.
The Preset defines the type of rotation to be applied to the effect. The effect can be continuously rotated clockwise or counterclockwise, made to explode outwards , implode inwards , shake etc.
The Rotation attribute changes the orientation of the effect. The attribute cannot be used if a Rotation Preset has been selected.
The Pivot Point attributes work if the Rotation attribute has been used by moving the point at which the effect rotates along the other axes.
The Zoom attribute increases the size of the effect - for a Text effect - the text will be made larger. The Zoom quality increase or decreases the pixels when the zoom attribute is used. These two attributes cannot be used if a Zoom (i.e. explode or implode ) Preset has been selected.
Application Order specifies which order to apply the rotation in.
Select the Preset of ‘None - Reset’ to reset the settings before trying another combination or if the rotation / zoom settings appear to be different to what is expected.
Layering effects gives you the ability to create unlimited stunning effects that could not be created without layers.
First, let's go over the limits. Each model may have a up to 200 layers of effects. Each layer can be blended with the layer below it for a combination of thousands possibilities within a single timing cell.
Layers on a model are like layers on a cake. Each layer adds a bit to the effect produced at the end. Much like layering your popcorn with butter or salt. It's easy to think of each layer of being additive like a food recipe, but you can also use layers to be subtractive as well using layer masks to reveal only a portion of a layer. See the table below for the different layer blending options.
Think of a color wash in red, with a layer of snowflakes. Normally you would picture a red model with the white snowflakes. You could change the layer masking so that the model was black and showed red on the snowflakes. Some effects like Morph can be applied to only a portion of a model, so using layers you can get multiple morphs on a Mega Tree that look like interleaving fingers for example.
Combining two spirals in opposing directions on a mega tree also can create stunning effects.
To add layers to a model right click the model in the sequencer tab and choose Add Layer above or below (the current layer).
Layers can also be added at the Strand level.
The Poly Line model defines each segment as a Strand and the layer functionality can then be applied separately to each strand.
To add layers at the strand level, click on the Model name in the sequencer to display the Strand names. Then right click on the strand name and choose Add Layer above or below the selected strand.
The strands blend onto the model level effects.
Render Style
Description
Default
Uses the Default buffer for a model or SubModel and Per Preview for a Model Group.
Per Preview
This will render the way the model has been laid out in the preview.
Single Line
Places all the strings/stands end to end and renders the effect on the resulting one pixel high line.
As Pixel
Treats all the model nodes as one pixel.
Horizontal Stacked
Places each Model next to each other horizontally in a single row that is aligned to the bottom
Vertically Stacked
Places each Model on top of each other Vertically in a single column, aligned to the left side.
Horizontal Stacked - Scaled
Places each Model next to each other horizontally in a single row, scales each models buffer size to be the same.
Vertically Stacked - Scaled
Places each Model on top of each other Vertically in a single column, scales each models buffer size to be the same.
Horizontal Per Model
Each Model's nodes are setup as a single row in the buffer horizontally and then each model is stacked vertically.
Vertical Per Model
Each Model's nodes are setup as a single column in the buffer vertically and then each model is place horizontally next to each other.
Horizontal Per Model/Strand
Each Model's strands are setup as a single row in the buffer horizontally and then each model is stacked vertically.
Vertical Per Model/Strand
Each Model's strands are setup as a single column in the buffer vertically and then each model is place horizontally next to each other.
Overlay - Centered
Model are "set" on top of each other and the buffers are Centered
Overlay - Scaled
Model are "set' on top of each other and the buffer sizes are scaled to be the same.
Single Line as a Pixel
Each Model is represented as a single Pixel and placed in a single line.
Per Model Default
Render the Effects on Each Individual Model using the model's default buffer
Per Model Per Preview
Render the Effects on Each Individual Model using Per Preview
Per Model Single Line
Render the Effects on Each Individual Model using Single Line
The Layer Blending window can be opened by clicking on the Layer Blending icon from the toolbar or via the View , Windows menus.
This will reset the Layer Setting back to default every time you select or create a new effect. Checked is the recommended setting for most users.
The Layer blending settings allows the user to dictate how effects on multiple layers will be merged together for a model/group/submodel.
When setting the layer blending modes, the current layer is considered layer 1 and the layer below is considered layer 2.
Click the Question Mark(?) Button for more Information.
Put two effects on a model and step through each of the layering modes to see what they will look like. Experience is much better than reading about it.
This is not to be confused with the Morph Effect. This is a layering option that can be applied to any two effects.
The morph option of layer blending will magically make effect 1 ‘morph’ into effect 2 during the length of the timing cell that the effects are in. You will not see effect 2 at the beginning of the timing cell, and you will not see effect 1 at the end of the timing cell. Somewhere near the middle you will see the effect 1 ‘morph’ into effect 2.
This will hide the effect for the specified amount of frame and display it when the number of frames is reached. This can be used to "warm up" an effect and hide the undesired beginning frames.
This will pause or stop an effect at the specified frame and hold that frame and display it until the end of the effect.
There are 19 layer blending transition choices. Using the transitions will help you bridge between effects providing a way to smooth out abrupt changes between different effects. A stylistic use would be between sections of a song such as the chorus to verse or verse to verse. Keep in mind that the blending is done within the boundary of the timing mark and does not transition between timing marks.
These transitions are common in the video editing world, and should be visually familiar to anyone who’s used video editing software or anyone who’s watched anything on TV in the past 20 years.
When setting a layer transition, the setting will apply to all future effects placed, so be sure to reset the transition times back to 0 if you do not wish the transition to apply to all future effects.
If an effect has a transitions applied a green bar will appear for an in transitions and a red bar for an out transitions. If the in and out transitions overlap, the overlap area will appear yellow.
This slider adjusts the level of each effect in the combined output of the effects. You can use this to just put a hint (or more) of one effect on another.
Canvas Mode is a special render mode that only works with specific effects. The default render mode in xLights will draw the effects on a blank buffer for each layer. Canvas Mode allows an effect to draw on a previous layer without "blanking it" out. This is used by effects like the Warp and Kaleidoscope Effect that manipulate data from the underlying layers.
This Dialog allows the user which layers to use when Canvas Mode is Enabled
Transition
Description
Fade
The Effect with gradually disappear or appear.
Wipe
A line travelling from one side of the frame to another will cause the effect to disappear. The adjustment slider sets the starting wipe direction. 0 is from the top, 25 from the left, 50 from the bottom, 75 from the right.
Clock
This uses a circular motion as the hand of a clock from the center of the model to wipe the effect in or out. The adjustment slider sets the starting position and the reverse checkbox allows for a counter clockwise wipe.
From Middle
This is a curtain type wipe either from the middle or towards the middle depending if the effect is placed on the in transition or the out transition. The reverse makes the effect operate in a “to the middle” mode instead of “from the middle”. The adjustment slider will change the angle of the curtain direction.
Square Explode
This transition will draw the effect starting from the middle of the model and expand outwards with square edges until the model is filled. The reverse button starts drawing the effect from the outer edges and filling in towards the middle.
Circle Explode
Same as square explode, except the shape is circular instead of square.
Blinds
This transition is analogous to twisting the wand to open vertical blinds. The adjustment slider determines how many blinds are used. The reverse checkbox determines the direction that the effect will fill in from.
Blend
This transition effect when used as an “in” transition rapidly fills the model with square chunks until the model is full. Likewise when used as the “out” transition, square chunks of the effect disappear until no pixels are left. The adjustment slider determines the size of the chunks.
Slide Checks
This transition is a checkerboard type transition where the effect starts out with a checkerboard type of mask on the model and then the black portions are filled in either left to right depending on the reverse button selection. The size of the pattern is set via the Adjustment slider.
Slide Bars
This transition is broken up into 1-24 horizontal slices of the model determined by the Adjustment slider value. The effect selected will be filled in from opposite sides of the model interlacing each section until the model is filled.
Fold
This transition bends the effect onto itself like a piece of paper.
Dissolve
This transition will cause the effect to appear/disappear by adding/removing random pixels.
Circular Swirl
This transition will cause the effect to appear/disappear by emulating an object's rotation.
Bow Tie
This is a wipe transition using a Bow Tie Shape. The adjustment slider sets the starting location, 50 is the middle. The reverse checkbox will flip the direction.
Zoom
The effect will start out large and shrink into place.
Doorway
The Effect will start/end as a small box and increase/decrease size to fill the frame.
Blobs
This transition will cause the effect to appear/disappear by creating random rounded shapes on the frame.
Pinwheel
This transition will cause the effect to appear/disappear using blades like a fan. The adjustment slider sets the number of blades on the pinwheel.
Star
This is a wipe transition using a Star Shape. The adjustment slider sets the number of side of the star. 40 for four sided star, 50 for for five sided star, etc.
