Control DMX using XML

This guide explains how to export lighting fixture XML files from your MA2 desk and how to import them into Disguise.

XML files allow you to import lighting fixtures into Disguise that have already been configured for the 3D environment using the data from your MA2.

Lighting desk setup

Patch

Patch the different types of your fixtures to specifics layers.

Stage setup

Distribute your fixtures on your 3D space.

Export the layers and fixture personalities.

Once you have finished patching your fixtures on different layers and they exists in the 3D space, export the layers as XML files.

And export your fixture personalities.

You can find the XML files you have generated in the grandMA project folders:-

• Fixture layers: fixtures_layers > XML layer
• Fixtures: Library > XML fixture

Disguise Configuration

Open the file location of your Disguise project.

1. In your Disguise project, go to the objects folder.
2. Create a new folder called XML File.
3. Add your XML files.

Create a new DMX Light

1. In the Stage editor, expand DMX Lights.
2. Click + to add a new DMX Light.

For this exercise as an example, we are going to use the skypannel 30c in mode 24.

Fixture configuration

1. n the DMX Light editor, expand Fixtures and create a new fixture type.
2. Set the number of channels to 9. The skypanel 30c has 9 channels in mode 9.

Driver

Create new driver as generic lamp driver. The driver is the DMX personality for the RGBW engine.

Property	Channel
Dimmer	Channel 1
Red	Channel 5
Green	Channel 6
Blue	Channel 7
White	Channel 8

Set the rest of the channels at 0. Ensure the pan and tilt parameters are also set to 0.

Create 2 new commands to enable full RGBW control and colour mixing. The Dimmer channel 1 has to be set at 255 and Crossfade to Color channel 4 at 255.

Loading the XML file

Once you have configured your fixture, we need to load the XML file with the information of the layer of MA2.

Go to the XML options and load the desired XML file from the list. If the XML file is correct, load the fixture will be positioned correctly on the visualizer and automatically adjust the resolution to the amount of fixtures in the XML file.

Outputting DMX data

To output DMX data to the fixture. You will have to create a DMX device. Please follow the instructions on the DMX Device page.