Toggle Preset

Toggle presets can be activated (turned on) and deactivated (turned off). A Toggle works like a checkbox in a software application. In other words, the user can select it to activate the preset and deselect it to deactivate the preset. For example, if you created a Toggle preset that mutes the audio in a specific zone, the user would activate the preset to mute the audio and deactivate the preset to un-mute the audio.

Toggle presets work independently from one another. For example, if you present the user with a list of Toggle presets, the user can select or deselect one or more of the presets in the list.

Example Scenario

note: This example uses the same scenario as the Command 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. You've decided to create a Toggle preset, one for each balcony, that mutes the audio and disables the DR that controls the volume (to prevent someone from accidentally turning it way up when the audio is muted).

note: For this procedure, we assume that the balconies are not muted and the DR1s located in the balconies are enabled in the Baseline preset.

Creating the Preset

Choosing the Appropriate Preset Control

As this is a Toggle preset example, we'll assume you've chosen the activate/deactivate preset model for your audio design! You choose a Toggle preset for this scenario because it requires an on/off action and is a standalone preset. You need two presets—one for each balcony—but you would not want to list these in a Selector group, as the two presets work independently from one another.

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

Add one DR2 to the Hardware Map.
Double-click the DR2 to open its properties, and then configure its Control Mode as a List of Toggles/Commands.
Define the correct number of controls by adding or deleting controls. In this example, we need two controls (one for each balcony).
Confirm that the items are configured as Toggles (the default mode). If one or more items are configured as Commands instead, select each item and configure it as a Toggle (by selecting Toggle from the dropdown list in the lower right corner).
You may also want to name each 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 and Mute Lower Balcony.
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 preset, configure the relevant blocks (muting the volume and disabling the volume control), and add them to the preset. The procedure outlines the creation of the upper balcony preset only. You would simply repeat the procedure to create the second preset, configuring the relevant 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. We also assume that the balconies are not muted and the DR1s located in the balconies are enabled in the Baseline preset.

1. Create the initial empty preset.

In the Processing Workspace toolbar, click Presets. The All Presets dialog box displays.
Click the Toggle tab (it is selected by default when you first open the dialog box).
Add a new preset by clicking the Preset button near the bottom of the dialog box. The new preset appears.
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.

2. Configure the relevant block to mute the upper balcony and add it to the preset.

Find the Line Output block for the upper balcony and open its properties by double-clicking the block.
In its properties dialog box, select the Mute checkbox.
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.

3. Configure the relevant block to disable the upper balcony volume control.

Click the Control tab.
Locate the DR1 that controls the upper balcony volume, and then click its Level control to open the DR1's Level properties.
Deselect the Enabled checkbox.
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.

4. Configure end user control for this preset.

Find the DR2 intended for end user control of these presets, and then locate its Toggle control intended for the Mute Upper Balcony preset.
Open the Toggle control's properties dialog box and customize its display name (which will appear on the DR2).
Click and drag the Toggle's control link (not its preset bar!) to the All Presets dialog box. Drop it on the control link associated with activating/deactivating the Mute Upper Balcony preset.

Testing the Preset

In this example, we'll test only the Mute Upper Balcony preset. You would use the same procedure to test the lower balcony preset.

Open the properties dialog boxes for the upper balcony Line Output block (double-click the block in the Processing Map), for the upper balcony DR1 Level control (click the Level hyperlink in the Control palette), and for the DR2 Mute Upper Balcony Toggle control (click the relevant Toggle hyperlink in the Control palette).
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 are active.
In the DR2 properties dialog box, select the Toggle checkbox. This action simulates the end user selecting the Mute Upper Balcony option on the DR2's LCD screen and then pushing the control to activate the preset.

When the preset is activated, 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 and deselect the Active checkbox next to the preset in the All Presets dialog box.

You should also test deactivating the preset. To do so, simply deselect the Toggle checkbox in the DR2 properties dialog box. This action simulates the end user selecting the Mute Upper Balcony option on the DR2's LCD screen (which is checked, indicating that the preset is active) and pushing the control to deactivate the preset. (Another option while testing is to deselect the preset's Active checkbox in the All Presets dialog box).

When the preset is deactivated, the preset's block parameter values fall back to what's configured in the Baseline preset. Therefore, the DR1's Enable checkbox is selected and the Line Output block is un-muted.