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Preset Example

Command Preset

A Command preset can only be turned on (asserted). Unlike Toggle and Selector presets, it cannot be turned off. Once a Command preset is asserted, the only way to overwrite its parameter values in the system is to assert or activate another preset. Therefore, a common practice when using Command presets is to create them in pairs—one preset containing the specific settings you need and another preset with opposite settings. Of course, if you want to return to the system default settings, you can simply assert the Baseline preset over the currently active Command preset. For more details on Command presets, see About Presets.

Example Scenario

note: This example uses the same scenario as the Toggle preset example. Review both examples to understand the different work flow and strategy used for these different types of presets.

You're designing an audio system for a theater that has seating on the main floor and in two balcony levels. For some performances, the balconies are empty. For this reason, the theater personnel would like the ability to mute and un-mute the audio in those locations. When a balcony is muted, they also want the end user volume control device in that balcony to be disabled (to prevent someone from accidentally turning it way up when the audio is muted).

Creating the Preset

Choosing the Appropriate Preset Control

As this is a Command preset example, we'll assume you've chosen the assert preset model for your audio design! The only preset type available to you if you want to use the assert approach is the Command preset. To give you maximum control and flexibility, you've decided to create your Command presets in pairs whenever possible. In this scenario, you'll create a pair of presets for each balcony. One preset mutes the audio and disables the DR that controls the volume and the other preset un-mutes the audio and enables the volume control DR.

A DR2 works well in this situation (for end user control of the presets) as it can be configured to display one or more Command controls. You've decided to configure a single DR2 to display the Command presets for both balconies.

Halogen Configuration — Hardware Workspace

In this procedure, we configure the digital remote that will provide end user control over these presets.

  1. Add one DR2 to the Hardware Map.
  2. Double-click the DR2 to open its properties, and then configure its Control Mode as a List of Toggles/Commands.
  3. Define the correct number of controls by adding or deleting controls. In this example, we need four controls (two for each balcony level).
  4. Configure each control as a Command (by selecting Command from the dropdown list in the lower right corner).
  5. You may also want to name each Command control by clicking on its name to open an edit box, and then entering a custom name. Note that these names are not the display names that appear on the actual device but are instead for identification within the software. For example, you might name them Mute Upper Balcony, Un-Mute Upper Balcony, Mute Lower Balcony, and Un-Mute Lower Balcony.
  6. Optionally, name the DR2 and/or manipulate its Backlight Settings. Note that the name configured here is not the display name that appears on the actual device.

note: For this scenario, we assume there is already a DR1 (for volume control) configured for each balcony location.

Halogen Configuration — Processing Workspace

In this procedure, we create the initial empty presets for one of the preset pairs, configure the relevant blocks (muting the volume and disabling the volume control, and then un-muting the volume and enabling the volume control), and add them to their respective preset. The procedure outlines the creation of the upper balcony preset only. You would simply repeat the procedure to create the preset pair for the lower balcony, configuring the relevant block parameters for the lower balcony, of course.

note: We assume the Processing Map has already been created and contains the appropriate processing blocks for this scenario.

1. Create the initial empty presets.
  1. In the Processing Workspace toolbar, click Presets. The All Presets dialog box displays.
  2. Click the Command tab.
  3. Add a new preset by clicking the Preset button near the bottom of the dialog box. The new preset appears.
  4. Customize the name of the preset (not required but highly recommended) by clicking its associated text symbol. Let's name this preset Mute Upper Balcony. This name is for internal use only and is not displayed to the end user.
  5. Add another preset and name it Un-Mute Upper Balcony.
2. Configure the relevant block to mute the upper balcony and add it to the mute preset, and then configure it as un-muted and add it to the un-mute preset.
  1. Find the Line Output block for the upper balcony and open its properties by double-clicking the block.
  2. In its properties dialog box, select the Mute checkbox.
  3. On the Line Output block (not on its properties dialog box), click the blue preset bar across the bottom and drag it to the drop target (in the All Presets dialog box) for the Mute Upper Balcony preset.
  4. Return to the Line Output block and deselect its Mute checkbox.
  5. Click the block's blue preset bar and drag it to the drop target for the Un-Mute Upper Balcony preset.
3. Configure the relevant block to disable the upper balcony volume control.
  1. Click the Control tab.
  2. Locate the DR1 that controls the upper balcony volume, and then click its Level control to open the DR1's Level properties.
  3. Deselect the Enabled checkbox.
  4. In the Control palette, click the blue preset bar associated with the DR1 and drag it to the drop target for the Mute Upper Balcony preset.
  5. Return to the DR1 properties and select the Enabled checkbox.
  6. Click the block's blue preset bar and drag it to the drop target for the Un-Mute Upper Balcony preset.
4. Configure end user control for this preset.
  1. In the Control palette, find the DR2 intended for end user control of these presets, and then locate its Command control intended for the Mute Upper Balcony preset.
  2. Click and drag the Command's control link (not its preset bar!) to the All Presets dialog box. Drop it on the control link associated with the Mute Upper Balcony preset.
  3. Return to the DR2 in the palette and locate its Command control intended for the Un-Mute Upper Balcony preset.
  4. Click and drag the Command's control link to the All Presets dialog box. Drop it on the control link associated with the Un-Mute Upper Balcony preset.
  5. Open the DR2 Command control dialog boxes and edit the text to be displayed on the DR2.
Testing the Preset

In this example, we'll test only the upper balcony presets. You would use the same procedure to test the lower balcony presets.

  1. In the Processing Workspace, open the properties dialog boxes for the following:
    • Upper balcony Line Output block (double-click the block in the Processing Map)
    • Upper balcony DR1 Level control (click the Level hyperlink in the Control palette)
    • DR2 Mute Upper Balcony Command control and Un-Mute Upper Balcony Command control (click the relevant Command hyperlink in the Control palette).
  2. To adequately test the preset, make sure that the upper balcony Line Output block is un-muted and that the upper balcony DR1 is enabled. Also confirm that no other presets affecting blocks and controls in this preset are active.
  3. In the DR2 Mute Upper Balcony Command properties dialog box, select the Command button. This action simulates the end user selecting the Mute Upper Balcony option on the DR2's LCD screen and then pushing the control to assert the preset.

    4. When the preset is asserted, the DR1's Enable checkbox should be deselected and the Line Output block should turn red, indicating it is muted.

    note: In this step, we are not only testing the preset, we are also testing the control link between the DR2 and the preset. If you want to test the preset directly, you can select the Assert checkbox next to the preset in the All Presets dialog box.

  4. You should now test the other preset in the pair. In the DR2 Un-Mute Upper Balcony Command properties dialog box, select the Command button. This action simulates the end user selecting the Un-Mute Upper Balcony option on the DR2's LCD screen and then pushing the control to assert the preset. (As noted above, you could also select the preset's Assert button in the All Presets dialog box).

    5. When the preset is asserted, the DR1's Enable checkbox should be selected and the Line Output block should no longer be muted.

See Also