Reference Guide

Product Release 42 January 2019

© CAST Group of Companies Inc., 2002-2019 All rights reserved. BlackTrax, WYSIWYG, CAST Software, and Autofocus are trademarks
of the CAST Group of Companies Incorporated. All other trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners. Depending
on your product/version, CAST incorporates source code or libraries which are licensed to CAST and copyright protected. For more
information, go to http://www.cast-soft.com/content/third-party-libraries.
January 2019

Summary of changes

Change location Description of change

Chapter 4, page 68 Shortcut separators in the Shortcut bar
Chapter 4, page 101 Fixture Attribute Details in Shaded views
Chapter 4, page 122 Cast shadow option
Chapter 7, page 401
Chapter 5, page 161 Camera control option in Shaded views
Chapter 5, page 175 Production Team Info window reset
Chapter 5, page 184 Text in Shaded views
Chapter 6, page 212 Position Tool in the CAD environment.
Chapter 7, page 459 Dynamic Scene Switching in Scene Database.
Chapter 8, page 509 Floor option in Position Manager
Chapter 8, page 518 Offset in Pipe properties
Chapter 9, page 626 Display an LED Wall as Screen
Chapter 14, page 921 Virtual Reality mode
Chapter 15, page 931 Keyboard shortcuts for Position Tool
Chapter 16, page 943 Camera control in Shaded view

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

1 Introduction 1
About this manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Text conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Help from Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
United Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Support for WYSIWYG Perform - Console Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Welcome to WYSIWYG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

2 The WYSIWYG suite of software products 7

WYSIWYG Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Software features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Upgrade suggestions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
WYSIWYG Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Software features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Upgrade suggestions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
WYSIWYG Perform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Software features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Upgrade suggestions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
WYSIWYG Perform - Console Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Software features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Upgrade suggestions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
WYSIWYG Learn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Software features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Upgrade suggestions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
WYSIWYG Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Software features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Upgrade suggestions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

3 Installation, configuration, activation, and registration 21

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Minimum System requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Optimal System requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Visualization requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

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General requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 25

Unicode support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 26
Installing WYSIWYG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 26
Installing an in-place update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 27
Installing WYSIWYG Learn or WYSIWYG Network . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 27
Network services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 28
Installation options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 29
Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 34
Configuration, activation, and registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 36
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 36
Dongle Reauthorization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 42
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 42
Reauthorization codes and WYSIWYG releases . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 42
How it works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 42
Upgrades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 45
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 45
Membership and Leases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 47
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 47
Leasing a dongle compared to Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 47
Obtaining membership details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 48
Renewing your membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 48
Obtaining lease details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 49
Renewing your lease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 50
Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 52
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . 52

4 WYSIWYG user interface 55

Navigation and screen set-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Welcome window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
WYSIWYG file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
WYSIWYG project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Availability of modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Pop-up frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
WYSIWYG User Data Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Exporting user data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Importing user data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Exporting and resetting WYSIWYG UI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Shortcut bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Navigation shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Library shortcuts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Views/tools shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Working with shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Toolbars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
The Menu bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Toolbars drop-down menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Available toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Window position management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Floating toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Status bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Instruction tooltip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Wireframe views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Keyboard and mouse control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Zoom tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
View shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

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Modifying Wireframe views. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Shaded views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Keyboard and mouse control . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
To open Shaded view full screen mode . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Camera controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Creating a camera from shaded view. . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Creating an image from shaded view. . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Modifying shaded views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Beam quality color theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Color Temperature and Inverse Square Law . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Shaded view profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

5 Managing your WYSIWYG document 145

File menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
New command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
New Project command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Open command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Open Project command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
DWG/DXF export . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Save command. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Save As command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Save as Project command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Package Project as Zip command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Save back to previous version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Insertables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Purge command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Merge command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Close command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Print command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Print Preview command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Print Setup command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Recent file shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Exit command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Options menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Application Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Document Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Show/File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
User Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Object Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Fixture Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
View Options dialog box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
WYSIWYG Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197

6 CAD mode - Creating Objects 199

Layout tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Custom tab window layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
The CAD environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Coordinate system and origin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Coordinate notation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Metric vs. Imperial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Ruler tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Ruler icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Position tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
The missing coordinate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Command line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Plot types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Ortho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Snaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220

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Interactive mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 222

Importing SketchUp files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Importing .DWG/.DXF files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Opening a DWG/DXF document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Merging a DWG/DXF document. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Importing scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Exporting DWG/DXF files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Importing Wavefront/Filmbox/Collada2/3DS files . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Importing floorplans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Importing fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
The Library Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Working with the Library Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Custom library items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Loading custom library objects on-demand . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Library snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Drawing objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Drawing a custom room. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Drawing a venue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Drawing lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Drawing points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Drawing circles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Drawing arcs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Drawing elliptical arcs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Drawing rectangles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Drawing polygons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Drawing text labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Drawing dimension objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Drawing surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Drawing walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Drawing risers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Drawing cylinders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Drawing spheres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Drawing cones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Drawing pipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Drawing rigging points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Drawing focus objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Drawing screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Drawing cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Drawing camera paths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Camera path properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Drawing camera targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Camera target properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Drawing a compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Drawing motion axes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Motion frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Quick motion patch tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Saving custom library items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Rules for deleting custom library items . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Drawing pipe and drape. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
BlackTrax zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 365

7 CAD mode - Editing Objects 367

Editing objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Selecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Cycle selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Invert Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Shaded view selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Using the fixture selection toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Undo/redo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Grouping/ungrouping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Selection Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Moving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378

viii
January 2019

Nudging. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Sending to back/bringing to front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Rotating objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Rotating objects in place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Resetting object orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Mirroring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Modifying object shapes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Object properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Textures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430
Alpha mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431
Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433
Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 438
Creating layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439
Merging layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442
Layer descriptions and tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443
Layer prefixes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 445
Layer properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 446
Layer highlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 446
Adding filters to the layer database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447
Deleting layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451
Layer groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451
Creating layer groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 452
Layer group descriptions and tags. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456
Moving layers between groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458
Deleting layer groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458
Scenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459
CAD tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463
Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463
Convert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466
Divide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470
Extrude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
Extrude objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 474
Fillet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477
Align . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478
Array. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 479
Distribute objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488
Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488
Angle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489
Boolean operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489
Consolidated mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501
Revolve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 502
Trimming lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505
Extending lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506

8 CAD mode - Hang Structures and Lighting 507

Hang structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509
Position manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509
Drawing pipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512
Drawing curved pipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515
Mirroring pipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517
Pipe properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518
Hanging truss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520
Indicators for truss assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520
Using assembly snap with truss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527
Rolling truss and selecting alternate mount points during assembly . . . . . . . . . 528
Rolling truss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529
Truss snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533
Mirroring truss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534
Truss manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535
Drawing rigging points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539
Rigging point properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542
Exporting rigging points as DWG/DXF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544

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Hanging and focusing fixtures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 546

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 546
Inserting fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 546
Hanging multiple fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 548
Selecting fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 549
Invert fixture selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
Distributing fixtures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
Replacing fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 552
Custom fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 552
Pipe snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 554
Moving fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 556
Nudging fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
Grouping fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
Focusing fixtures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 559
Drawing focus positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 559
Focus position properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 560
Focus objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 561
Quick focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 565
Using the fanning tool feature in CAD mode . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 566
Fixture-specific focusing tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
Manually adjust fixture attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 572
Fixture properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 575
Quick fixture tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 581
Fixture notation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 596
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 596
Fixture label layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 598
Using the edit fixture attribute layout window . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 601
Using the FAL template manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 604
Inserting symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 609
Symbol properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 609
Color, gobos, and accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 610
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 610
Placing color and gobos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 610
Color/gobo lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 612
Custom gobos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 614
Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 616
Mountable yokes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 617
The Flight Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 618
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 618
How objects get into the Flight Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 618
Entering and modifying objects in the Flight Case . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 619
Transferring objects from the Flight Case to the drawing . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 619
Flight case properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 620

9 CAD mode - Multimedia Sources and Rendering 621

Lasers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 623
LED Wizard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626
Camera Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 649
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 649
Video Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 653
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 653
Image Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 667
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 667
Missing images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 671
Creating image subsources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 671
Using the quick video/image tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 677
Rendering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 680
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 680

10 Data mode 681

Layout tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 683
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 683

x
January 2019

Spreadsheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 684

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 684
Data fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 684
Working in the spreadsheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 687
Inserting fixtures in data mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 690
Inserting positions in data mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 691
Inserting color in data mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 691
Customizing spreadsheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 692
Filter bar: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 696
Finding and replacing text in the spreadsheet. . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 697
Grouping the spreadsheet by a column . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 698
Freezing spreadsheet columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 699
Creating a new spreadsheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 699
Exporting a spreadsheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 700
Patch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 701
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 701
Working in the patch view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 701
Reading the patch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 709
Patch view properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 711
Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 714
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 714
Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 715
Error notifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 716
Error spreadsheet properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 717

11 Design mode 719

Layout tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 721
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 721
Design tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 722
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 722
Using the design tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 724
Intensity tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 724
Zoom and iris tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 725
Gobo and prism tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 726
Color tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 726
Focus tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 728
Video tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 730
Footprint tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 732
Moving scenery tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 733
Highlight fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 734
Update intensity labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 735
Fixture groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 736
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 736
Creating fixture groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 736
Updating fixture groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 736
Working with fixture groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 737
Palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 739
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 739
Creating palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 739
Updating palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 739
Looks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 741
Saving lighting looks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 741
Cross-fading between lighting looks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 741
Viewing moving scenery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 743
Cuelists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 745
About cuelists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 745
Camera Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 748
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 748
Using the camera path editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 748
Visual camera path builder tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 750
Rendering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 753
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 753
Saving render settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 765
Background Rendering Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 767

Reference Guide xi
 R42

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 767
Configuring the background rendering manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 767
Background rendering manager taskbar icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770
Background rendering manager window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770
Using the background rendering manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 771
Managing jobs in the background rendering manager queue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 772

12 Presentation mode 779

Layout tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 781
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 781
Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 782
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 782
Working with reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 783
Column widths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 789
Formatting Data section in Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 789
Using formulas in spreadsheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 791
New Plots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 794
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 794
Working in the new plots view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 794
Creating a new plot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 795
Updating plots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 795
Modifying the properties of a plot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 796
Moving the page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 799
Objects in New Plots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 800
Relationship between objects in CAD mode and New Plots . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 800
Relationship between objects in Data mode and New Plots. . . . .... . . . . . . . . 801
Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 801
Vertical hang structures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 802
Attribute layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 804
Drawing objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 805
Editing objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 807
Objects that are brought into New Plots from CAD mode . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 811
Objects that are drawn in New Plots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 814
Object-specific properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 815
Inserting new plots into layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 818
Printing new plots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 818
Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 820
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 820
Creating a new layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 820
Working with layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 821
Inserting items on layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 822
Layout templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 829
Content and item properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 831
CAD items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 833
Adjusting the contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 839
New Plot items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 839
Image items. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 840
Worksheet, report, and spreadsheet items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 840
Legends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 842
Editing a legend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 846
Inserting a legend onto the layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 846
Modifying the properties of a legend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 848
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 850
Editing a key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 855
Inserting a key into a layout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 855
Modifying the properties of a key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 857
Sharing keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 858
Layout tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 860
Printing layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 862
Batch printing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 863
Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 865
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 865
Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 866
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . 866

xii
January 2019

Adding/removing rows and columns . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 867

Merging/Unmerging Cells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 868
Zebra Striping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 868
Hiding Headers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 868
Freezing Panes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 868
Formatting Cells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 868
Exporting Spreadsheets data to Worksheets. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 869
Pipe tapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 870
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 870
Production Team Info Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 873
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 873
Smart Cells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 875
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 875
Show information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 878
................................ .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 881

13 Live mode 883

Layout tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 885
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 885
Connecting to consoles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 886
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 886
Connecting to a console. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 886
Device Manager toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 892
Working with consoles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 893
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 893
Controlling a DMX patched video source with a console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 893
Controlling a DMX patched motion axis with a console. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 895
Controlling a motion-control patched motion axis with a motion control system . 895
Connecting with a Wyg-it 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 897
Mini Console. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 898
Image Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 899
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 899
AutoPatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 904
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 904
Visualization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 906
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 906
Simulation options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 906
Autofocus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 908
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 908
Autofocus tools and menu commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 909
Rendering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 912
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 912
DMX Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 913
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 913
Patching Camera Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 916
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 916
Tips for controlling camera path playback via DMX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 917
Using multiple cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 917

14 Virtual Reality mode 919

Using virtual reality . . . . . ........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 921
Introduction . . . . . . . ........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 921
Before you begin . . . ........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 921
Using virtual reality in WYSIWYG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 921

A Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys 929

Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 931
Keyboard shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 931
Hotkeys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 934
Default hotkeys available in Plot Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 934
Default hotkeys available in Simulation Views . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 937
Default hotkeys available in Layout View . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 938

Reference Guide xiii

 R42

Default hotkeys available in New Plots View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 939

Default hotkeys available in Patch Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 940
Default hotkeys used to switch Wireframe Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 940

B Shaded View Camera Control 941

Camera Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 943
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 943

C Connecting to an Art-Net Device 945

Connecting to an Art-Net Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 947
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 947

D Connecting to an sACN Device 949

Connecting to an sACN Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 951
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 951

E Connecting to a PSN 2.0 Device 953

Connecting to a PSN 2.0 Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 955
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 955

F Connecting to an RTTrPM Device 957

Connecting to an RTTrPM Device. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 959
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 959

G Using the 3D Connexion Mouse with WYSIWYG 961

Using the 3D Connexion Mouse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 963
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 963

H CAST Software Cleaner Tool 967

CAST Software Cleaner Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 969
When to use the CAST Software Cleaner Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 969

Index 970

xiv
 Chapter 1

Introduction

This chapter introduces you to the WYSIWYG Reference Guide,

provides information for troubleshooting, and lists contact
information if you need further assistance.

In this chapter
About this manual 3
Troubleshooting 4
Welcome to WYSIWYG 6

Reference Guide 1
Introduction R42

2
January 2019 Introduction

About this manual

Introduction
This manual provides instructions for the installation and operation of the
different levels of the WYSIWYG application. WYSIWYG is available at the
following levels:
 WYSIWYG Report
 WYSIWYG Design
 WYSIWYG Perform
 WYSIWYG Perform - Console Edition
 WYSIWYG Learn
 WYSIWYG Network

All levels are discussed in this manual. For a detailed description of the
levels, refer to Chapter 2, “The WYSIWYG suite of software products.”

All the levels use the same user interface, described in Chapter 4,
“WYSIWYG user interface.” However, you can perform different tasks in
each mode. For example, you draw in CAD mode and edit in Data mode.
These modes may have different features based on the level of
WYSIWYG that you are running.

Text conventions
The following text conventions are used in this manual:
 Menus and menu commands appear in Arial bold. For example, “from
the Edit menu, choose Layers.”
 User interface elements such as buttons, tools, shortcuts, and dialog
boxes appear in Tahoma Oblique. For example, “to draw a riser, click
the Riser tool on the Draw toolbar.”
 Keyboard keys are indicated in ALL CAPS. For example, “press TAB to
enter the missing coordinate.”
 References to manuals appear in italic font. For example, “for
additional information on working with recorded loads, please refer
to your Sensor CEM User Manual.”
 Internal and external cross references appear in “underlined text”.
For example, for details, see “WYSIWYG Perform”.

Reference Guide 3
Introduction R42

Troubleshooting

Introduction
If you have problems using your software, please consult the following
resources:
 the contents of this manual or the online Help available from within
WYSIWYG
 the WYSIWYG Web site at http://www.cast-soft.com/wysiwyg

If these resources are insufficient, please contact Technical Support.

Help from Technical Support

For assistance with a problem, contact Technical Support directly at one
of the offices identified below.

When calling for help, please have the following information ready:
 the level of WYSIWYG that you are using (Report, Design, or
Perform)
 software version (from the Help menu, choose About WYSIWYG)
 the kind of computer that you are using (processor and speed,
amount of memory, graphics card, operating system)
 DMX interface type (if applicable)

North America
CAST Software

Technical Support

35 Ripley Avenue, Unit 1

Toronto, ON M6S 3P2

Canada

Phone: +1 877 989 2278

Fax: +1 416 597 9594

E-mail: [email protected]

Web site: www.cast-soft.com

4
January 2019 Introduction

United Kingdom
A.C. Lighting Ltd.

Technical Sales & Support:

Centauri House

Hillbottom Road

High Wycombe

Bucks, HP12 4HQ

UK

Phone: +44 (0)1494 446000

Fax: +44 (0)1494 461024

E-mail: [email protected]

Web site: www.aclighting.com

Germany
ARCUS GmbH

Obermeiers Feld 2-4

33104 Paderborn

Germany

Phone: +49 (0) 5254 93069 0

Fax: +49 (0) 5254 93069 29

E-mail: [email protected]

Web site: www.arcus-lighting.com

Support for WYSIWYG Perform - Console Edition

For assistance with a problem related to WYSIWYG Perform - Console
Edition, contact the manufacturer of the console to which you are
connected. The console manufacturer is listed on the Welcome page that
appears when you launch the application.

Reference Guide 5
Introduction R42

Welcome to WYSIWYG

Introduction
The WYSIWYG suite of software products, designed specifically for
lighting professionals, offers a range of solutions to meet the needs of
designers, assistants, electricians, console operators, teachers, and
students.

WYSIWYG is the essential tool if you are looking to

 increase creative freedom
 save time
 win more contracts
 cut costs
 be more environmentally friendly

Within the WYSIWYG suite of products, any higher level product contains
all the features of a lower level product. WYSIWYG Report, Design, and
Perform are the core products, with WYSIWYG Report offering basic CAD
and paperwork solutions, and WYSIWYG Perform providing an end-to-
end solution including CAD, paperwork, rendering, and pre-visualization.

In less than one day of training, you can begin working with WYSIWYG
and see your lighting design without actually installing any lights. You
can even see what a new lighting fixture can do before you rent, buy, or
install it. Once your design is complete, WYSIWYG handles the logistics;
it automatically generates plots, schedules, pipe-tapes, and color and
gobo lists.

For more information on each of the three main levels of WYSIWYG, see
the appropriate section:
 WYSIWYG Report - For details, see "WYSIWYG Report".
 WYSIWYG Design - For details, see "WYSIWYG Design".
 WYSIWYG Perform - For details, see "WYSIWYG Perform".

6
 Chapter 2

The WYSIWYG suite of software

products

This chapter describes the different levels of WYSIWYG.

In this chapter
WYSIWYG Report 9
WYSIWYG Design 11
WYSIWYG Perform 13
WYSIWYG Perform - Console Edition 15
WYSIWYG Learn 17
WYSIWYG Network 19

Reference Guide 7
The WYSIWYG suite of software products R42

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January 2019 The WYSIWYG suite of software products

WYSIWYG Report

Introduction
WYSIWYG Report is the basic WYSIWYG package. This application allows
lighting professionals to create show drawings and explore designs in 3D
environment with 3D CAD tools, isometric and shaded views, and photo-
realistic rendering tools. View and edit all fixture data, and generate
professional reports, plots, and images.

WYSIWYG Report is also available in an educational edition. This product,

WYSIWYG Report Educational Edition, is a fully functional version of
Report that is available to students and faculty at a special price.

Note: The following specifications are subject to change.

Software features
 3D plotting of set and lighting designs (plans, sections and
elevations)
 Multiple working views including isometric
 Comprehensive 3D library of fixtures, accessories, truss, colors,
gobos, props, and so on
 Extensive CAD tools
 3D visualization in Shaded View in CAD mode
 Excellent zooming and maneuvering abilities
 Custom layers and scenes for complete control and management of
information
 Loading and exporting of DXF, DWG, Excel, BMP, and JPG file types
 Tabular editing of lighting information including channel, dimmer,
color, and so on
 Fully integrated paperwork and CAD systems
 Error checking of production paperwork and hookups
 Reports including instrument counts and schedules, patch sheets,
and so on
 Printing of plots and reports up to 36”x 48” / A0
 Custom report and plot content and layout
 Ability to print all view types including CAD, reports, spreadsheets,
bitmap files, jpeg files, and logos
 Multi-monitor support
 12 months of software and library updates included

Reference Guide 9
The WYSIWYG suite of software products R42

Upgrade suggestions
 A faster processor improves responsiveness.
 Memory requirements depend on the size of the show. Insufficient
memory can seriously affect performance. Add memory if there is
excessive disk activity.

Modes
The following working modes are available in WYSIWYG Report:
 CAD
 DATA
 PRES

Refer to the respective chapters of this guide for detailed explanations

about the features in each mode.

10
January 2019 The WYSIWYG suite of software products

WYSIWYG Design

Introduction
WYSIWYG Design builds on the feature set of Report and adds the ability
for lighting professionals to create lighting looks using the integrated
design tools, then save and render as photo-realistic images.

WYSIWYG Design is also available in an educational edition. This product,

WYSIWYG Design Educational Edition, is a fully functional version of
Design that is available to students and faculty at a special price.

Note: The following specifications are subject to change.

Software features
 Includes all the features of WYSIWYG Report
 3D plotting of set and lighting designs
 Multiple working views including isometric
 Comprehensive 3D library of fixtures, accessories, truss, colors,
gobos, props, and so on
 Extended library includes textures and materials
 Library objects are multi-layered for realistic texturing
 Objects have variable translucency
 Fully integrated paperwork and CAD systems
 Loading and exporting of DXF, DWG, Excel, BMP, and JPG file types
 Print all view types including 3D views, bitmap files, jpeg files,
spreadsheets and logos
 Integrated design mode allows creation of static lighting looks
without a console
 Rendering generates a photo-realistic picture of your lighting look
 Rendering wizard provides options for smoke, shadows, ambient
light, and so on
 Renderings include bounce and reflection from surfaces
 Background Rendering Manager that enables you to queue up
multiple renderings to run in the background without even requiring
WYSIWYG to run
 OpenGL technology for improved beam simulation
 Multi-monitor support
 Cameras and Camera Paths to view visualizations.
 Video playback on Screens, LED Walls and other supporting objects
 Laser visualization

Reference Guide 11
The WYSIWYG suite of software products R42

 12 months of software and library updates included

Upgrade suggestions
 A faster processor improves responsiveness and rendering times.
 Memory requirements depend on the size of the show. Insufficient
memory can seriously affect performance. Add memory if there is
excessive disk activity.
 A high-performance OpenGL accelerator card significantly improves
the performance of real-time simulation.

Modes
The following working modes are available in WYSIWYG Design:
 CAD
 DATA
 DESIGN
 PRES

Refer to the respective chapters of this guide for detailed explanations

about the features in each mode.

12
January 2019 The WYSIWYG suite of software products

WYSIWYG Perform

Introduction
WYSIWYG Perform builds on the feature set of Report and Design and
adds the ability for lighting professionals to pre-cue entire shows in real
time. Users can create their productions in 3D along with all the
necessary paperwork. A console can then be connected to the computer
and WYSIWYG Perform will simulate the exact effect of the console’s
output in real-time.

Note: The following specifications are subject to change.

Software features
 Includes all the features of WYSIWYG Report and Design
 3D plotting of set and lighting designs
 Multiple working views including front, back, sides, top, bottom, and
isometric
 Comprehensive 3D library of fixtures, accessories, truss, colors,
gobos, props, and so on
 Connect with media servers over CITP protocol
 Connect to motion control (automation) system to move props/truss
on stage
 Connect to laser protocols
 Fully integrated paperwork and CAD systems
 Live mode for real-time lighting visualization
 DMX camera to allow you to dynamically reposition your point of
view in Live mode.
 Accurate simulation of conventional and automated fixtures
 OpenGL technology for improved beam simulation
 LED grids allow simulation of lasers, neon, LEDs, projection screens,
and so on
 Image Console enables you to map an image to patched grids of
light-emitting surfaces and control its intensity in Live mode
 Easy hook-up to consoles and other DMX sources
 Auto Focus protocol lets WYSIWYG send color and focus data to
consoles
 Integrated design mode allows you to create lighting looks without a
console
 Rendering generates a photo-realistic picture of your cue or lighting
look

Reference Guide 13
The WYSIWYG suite of software products R42

 Renderings include bounce and reflection from surfaces

 Background Rendering Manager that enables you to queue up
multiple renderings to run in the background without even requiring
WYSIWYG to run
 Animated renderings available though certified service providers
 Multi-monitor support
 12 months of software and library updates included

Upgrade suggestions
 A faster processor improves responsiveness and rendering times.
 Memory requirements depend on the size of the show. Insufficient
memory can seriously affect performance. Add memory if there is
excessive disk activity.
 A high-performance OpenGL accelerator card significantly improves
the performance of real-time simulation.

Modes
The following working modes are available in WYSIWYG Perform:
 CAD
 DATA
 DESIGN
 PRES
 LIVE

Refer to the respective chapters of this guide for detailed explanations

about the features in each mode.

14
January 2019 The WYSIWYG suite of software products

WYSIWYG Perform - Console Edition

Introduction
WYSIWYG Perform - Console Edition is a version of WYSIWYG Perform
intended for distribution with a specific console or family of consoles.
Users purchasing a compatible console will receive this edition of
WYSIWYG Perform to create shows and begin pre-cueing activities. The
Console Edition of WYSIWYG Perform includes most of the functionality
of Perform with certain features restricted or removed.

Note: The following specifications are subject to change.

Software features
 Includes all the features of WYSIWYG Perform, other than printing or
exporting in any format
 3D plotting of set and lighting designs
 Multiple working views including front, back, sides, top, bottom, and
isometric
 Comprehensive 3D library of fixtures, accessories, truss, colors,
gobos, props, and so on
 Fully integrated paperwork and CAD systems
 Live mode is restricted to visualizing one patch universe at a time
 Accurate simulation of conventional and automated fixtures
 OpenGL technology for improved beam simulation
 LED grids allow simulation of lasers, neon, LEDs, projection screens,
and so on
 AutoPatch transmits the entire show patch regardless of channel
count
 Rendering is available in Design and Live modes but is limited to
76,800 pixels

Upgrade suggestions
 A faster processor improves responsiveness and rendering times.
 Memory requirements depend on the size of the show. Insufficient
memory can seriously affect performance. Add memory if there is
excessive disk activity.
 A high-performance OpenGL accelerator card significantly improves
the performance of real-time simulation.

Reference Guide 15
The WYSIWYG suite of software products R42

Note: You cannot upgrade from WYSIWYG Report or Design to

WYSIWYG Perform - Console Edition. You can, however, upgrade from
WYSIWYG Perform - Console Edition to WYSIWYG Perform, removing any
console restrictions.

Modes
The following working modes are available in WYSIWYG Perform -
Console Edition:
 CAD
 DATA
 DESIGN
 PRES
 LIVE

Refer to the respective chapters of this guide for detailed explanations

about the features in each mode.

16
January 2019 The WYSIWYG suite of software products

WYSIWYG Learn

Introduction
WYSIWYG Learn is a special configuration of WYSIWYG that allows an
educational institution to run ten instances of the software on a Local
Area Network. The workstations can be configured to run any
combination of WYSIWYG Report or WYSIWYG Design. In addition, one
workstation can run WYSIWYG Perform.

Note: The following specifications are subject to change.

Software features
 Includes all the features of WYSIWYG Report, Design, or Perform
 2D and 3D plotting of set and lighting designs
 Multiple working views including front, back, sides, top, bottom, and
isometric
 Comprehensive 3D library of fixtures, accessories, truss, colors,
gobos, props, and so on
 Fully integrated paperwork and CAD systems
 Accurate simulation of conventional and automated fixtures
 OpenGL technology for improved beam simulation
 LED grids allow simulation of lasers, neon, LEDs, projection screens,
and so on
 Easy hook-up to consoles and other DMX sources
 Auto Focus protocol lets WYSIWYG send color and focus data to
consoles
 Rendering generates a photo-realistic picture of your cue or lighting
look
 Renderings include bounce and reflection from surfaces
 Background Rendering Manager that enables you to queue up
multiple renderings to run in the background without even requiring
WYSIWYG to run
 Animated renderings are available though certified service providers
 Multi-monitor support

Upgrade suggestions
 A faster processor improves responsiveness and rendering times.

Reference Guide 17
The WYSIWYG suite of software products R42

 Memory requirements depend on the size of the show. Insufficient

memory can seriously affect performance. Add memory if there is
excessive disk activity.
 A high-performance OpenGL accelerator card significantly improves
the performance of real-time simulation.

Modes
The following working modes are available in WYSIWYG Learn:
 CAD
 DATA
 DESIGN
 PRES
 LIVE

Refer to the respective chapters of this guide for detailed explanations

about the features in each mode.

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WYSIWYG Network

Introduction
WYSIWYG Network allows you to run as many licenses of WYSIWYG
Report, Design, and Perform as you want to over a network. The
workstations can be configured to run any combination of these products
with the use of a single network dongle.

Note: The following specifications are subject to change.

Software features
 Includes all the features of WYSIWYG Report, Design, and/or Perform
 2D and 3D plotting of set and lighting designs
 Multiple working views including front, back, sides, top, bottom, and
isometric
 Comprehensive 3D library of fixtures, accessories, truss, colors,
gobos, props, and so on
 Fully integrated paperwork and CAD systems
 Accurate simulation of conventional and automated fixtures
 OpenGL technology for improved beam simulation
 LED grids allow simulation of lasers, neon, LEDs, projection screens,
and so on
 Easy hook-up to consoles and other DMX sources
 Auto Focus protocol lets WYSIWYG send color and focus data to
console
 Rendering generates a photo-realistic picture of your cue or lighting
look
 Renderings include bounce and reflection from surfaces
 Background Rendering Manager that enables you to queue up
multiple renderings to run in the background without even requiring
WYSIWYG to run
 Animated renderings available though certified service providers
 Multi-monitor support
 12 months of software and library updates included

Upgrade suggestions
 A faster processor improves responsiveness and rendering times.

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 Memory requirements depend on the size of the show. Insufficient

memory can seriously affect performance. Add memory if there is
excessive disk activity.
 A high-performance OpenGL accelerator card significantly improves
the performance of real-time simulation.

Modes
The working modes available in WYSIWYG Network depend on your
product configuration. Refer to the WYSIWYG Report, Design, or Perform
sections accordingly. Detailed explanations of each of the various modes
are included in this guide.

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 Chapter 3

Installation, configuration,
activation, and registration

This chapter provides instructions on how to install, configure,

activate, and register the WYSIWYG software. You must activate
and register the software before you can start using WYSIWYG.

In this chapter
Installation 23
Configuration, activation, and registration 36
Dongle Reauthorization 42
Upgrades 45
Membership and Leases 47
Passwords 52

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Installation

Introduction
The following requirements are separated according to the level of
functionality that you want to achieve (Minimum or Optimal). The
Minimum requirements are sufficient to run the software, but
performance will be slow for some features and graphics support will be
limited. Use the Optimal system to achieve the best possible
performance and graphics. Since computer hardware is always changing,
for the latest recommended WYSIWYG system requirements, please
refer to: http://cast-soft.com/wysiwyg-minimum-and-optimum-system-
requirements/

If you are planning to purchase/build a new computer system to run

WYSIWYG, we recommend that you first consult the WYSIWYG Hardware
Guide in http://cast-soft.com/selecting-hardware-for-a-wysiwyg-
workstation/, for comprehensive details on selecting (components for) a
WYSIWYG workstation.

Notes:
 WYSIWYG must be installed on a hard drive formatted with the NTFS
file system.
 When running WYSIWYG on a MAC via Bootcamp, performance will
be comparable to running WYSIWYG on a PC. When running
WYSIWYG on a MAC via the Parallels virtual environment,
performance will be degraded when compared to a PC; using
Parallels is not recommended for pre-visualization (i.e. Design mode)
and pre-cueing (i.e. Live mode).
 For Enhanced Simulation, a video card supporting OpenGL 2.1 is
required; otherwise the software will disable Enhanced Simulation.
For full details on the visualization requirements, please refer to the
section below which outlines the increasing levels of beam
visualization in WYSIWYG.

Attention: WYSIWYG Release 41 is officially supported on a

computer running Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10.
WYSIWYG Release 41 does NOT install on a computer running
Windows XP or Windows Vista.

Minimum System requirements

(for basic functionality)
 Intel Core i3 or compatible processor, 2.0 Ghz, or better

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 PC running Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 or Windows 8.1 or

Windows 10
- OR -
MAC computer with Intel Processor platforms running Windows 7
with Service Pack 1 or Windows 8.1/Windows 10 via Bootcamp
(recommended), or Parallels Virtual Machine*
 * WYSIWYG installed on a Parallels Virtual Machine will run with
limited graphical functionality, as it is running on an Integrated video
card.
 4GB RAM
 2GB free disk space (NTFS file system)
 1280 x 800 resolution
 OpenGL-accelerated “gaming-level” video card, with 1GB (or better)
video memory and OpenGL 2.1 (minimum) support**
 Free USB port.

Attention: ** Integrated video cards may be used, but are not

recommended.

Optimal System requirements

(for enhanced visualization performance and faster rendering
times)
 Intel Core i5 / i7 / i7 “Extreme Edition” or equivalent AMD processor,
quad-core or better, 2.4 Ghz or better
 Windows 7 with Service Pack 1, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10; 64bit
version of Windows OS is not required, but highly recommended
- OR -
MAC computer with Intel Processor platforms running Windows 7
with Service Pack 1, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, running via
Bootcamp
 8GB RAM or better, configured for dual-, triple- or quad-channel
operation (depending on the memory architecture supported by the
system processor)
 2GB free disk space (NTFS file system)
 OpenGL-accelerated “gaming-level” video card, with 2GB (or better)
video memory and OpenGL 3.3 support required for Deferred
Rendering simulation and Volumetric Beams in Shaded Views**
 Free USB port

Attention: **No integrated video cards should be considered for the

Optimal System.

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Visualization requirements
There are two levels of beam simulation offered in WYSIWYG's Shaded
Views.
 Enhanced Beams: The minimum video card requirements to
display the default Enhanced Beams must support OpenGL 2.1.
 Volumetric Beams: To obtain the highest graphics level offered by
Deferred Rendering with Enhanced Visualization, your video card
must support OpenGL 3.3, or better.

Notes:
 Both Enhanced Visualization and Deferred Rendering options are
required to run Volumetric Beams. If these options are not available
on your system, it means the graphics card on your computer does
not support the necessary version of OpenGL to run Volumetric
beams. In this instance, you must therefore use Enhanced Beams for
your Shaded View visualization.
 The use of the Alpha Beam Shadows feature requires a video card
that supports OpenGL 4.3 or better.

General requirements
In addition to the requirements listed above, note the following product-
specific requirements:

WYSIWYG Perform
 WYG-it 2 DMX reception device (except when used with certain
consoles - contact the console manufacturer for details)
 MIDI output port to use with AutoFocus

WYSIWYG Network/WYSIWYG Learn

 Network interface card running TCP/IP

For WYSIWYG Perform workstations:

 Use a WYG-it 2 or compatible DMX reception device (except when
used with certain consoles - contact the console manufacturer for
details)
 MIDI output port to use with Autofocus-enabled consoles

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Unicode support
Unicode is supported in WYSIWYG. This enables the use of hundreds of
different scripts containing over 110,000 characters. In WYSIWYG, you
can work in whatever language you prefer, be it Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew
or Japanese.

Installing WYSIWYG
The installation procedure for WYSIWYG is the same regardless of the
level that you have purchased. You can download the WYSIWYG installer
from the WYSIWYG website and install in your computer. Follow the steps
in the installer and ensure that you do not plug the dongle into your
computer until prompted to do so by the installer.

To install WYSIWYG
1 Download a copy of the WYSIWYG software installer to your
computer.
2 In your computer, double-click the downloaded install file of the
WYSIWYG software.
Result: The WYSIWYG - InstallShield Wizard appears.
3 Follow the steps in the WYSIWYG - InstallShield Wizard.

Note: The executable files (.exe) and the installer for WYSIWYG R42
have been signed with a digital certificate. The Publisher is listed as: Cast
Group of Companies Inc.

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Installing an in-place update

If you already have a previous release of WYSIWYG installed on your
computer, you can easily update to the current release by installing an
in-place update. This update allows you to enhance a version of
WYSIWYG that is a maximum of two releases back from the current
release. You do not have to uninstall the previous version of WYSIWYG to
perform the update.

To install an in-place update

Note: Before proceeding with updating your current WYSIWYG release
with the in-place-update, ensure that the WYSIWYG software is not
running on your computer.
1 From the WYSIWYG Install window, select Install WYSIWYG.
2 Select Update the product selected below.
3 From the list of WYSIWYG releases, highlight the release that you
want to update, and then click Next.
4 On the WYSIWYG Update window, select Next.
5 On the WYSIWYG Update window, click Yes to accept the terms of the
license.
Result: The updated files are copied to your computer.
6 After all the files are copied, click FINISH to complete the update.

Installing WYSIWYG Learn or WYSIWYG Network

Software components
The WYSIWYG Network and WYSIWYG Learn systems comprise a
computer that acts as the server and one or more clients. In your
network, you need to have only one computer that acts as the server
(the computer with the network dongle attached to it).

The server can be standalone, in which case WYSIWYG is not installed on

it, or it can act as both server and client. In the former scenario, you
install the WYSIWYG Network Server which installs the Sentinel
Protection service. In this latter scenario, you install the full WYSIWYG
program, which also includes the network server portion of the Sentinel
Protection service. (As a result, in the latter scenario, installing the
WYSIWYG Network Server should not be performed.) This Sentinel
Protection service is required and its status should be started to detect
the WYSIWYG Learn or Network dongle (a list of current services on a
workstation can be viewed under Control Panel > Administrative Tools >
Services).

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The Learn or Network Client computers should have WYSIWYG installed

on them, which also includes the network Sentinel Protection service. (As
a result, the WYSIWYG Network Client is no longer required and should
not be performed.) As in the case of the Server computer, the Sentinel
Protection service enables the software to function over the network.
WYSIWYG Learn can run multiple clients (usually in groups of 10, 20, 30,
40 or 50) on a network. The number of clients for WYSIWYG Learn/
Network is restricted based on the configuration purchased.

A typical WYSIWYG Network/Learn setup is illustrated on the following

page. All computers running Network/Learn components must be on the
same network (and therefore have the same network ID and subnet
mask). It is also necessary that Server and Client computers have their
firewall turned off. Following the installation, please ensure that the
computers are rebooted before running the WYSIWYG Learn/Network
configurations.

Network services

Windows
Services are supported in Windows operating systems. Services start
running as soon as your computer is turned on, regardless of whether
the user is logged in. The service begins automatically each time the
workstation is restarted, and runs in the background without any
prompting from the user. The service may also be started manually; the
choice is available during the installation process.

Network protocol
WYSIWYG Learn or WYSIWYG Network will run on any LAN that supports
TCP/IP protocol (NetBEUI and IPX/SPX networks are not currently
supported).

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Detecting the network dongle

If the service is not running, the Clients will not detect the dongle and
the application will terminate. (To check the Sentinel Protection service,
check under the Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services). Attach the
dongle to the workstation that is acting as the Server. Turn off the
firewall on all the computers running as the server computer and all
client computers.

Installation options
Based on whether your Server computer is a combined Learn/Network
Server and Client or a standalone Server, the installation varies slightly.
 If you intend to run WYSIWYG on the server computer (i.e., you want
a combined Learn/Network Server/Client), then you must install the
full WYSIWYG program on this computer. While this installation
includes all required server files, they are only activated after you
reboot the computer and then attach the network dongle to the
Server. For details, see “To install WYSIWYG”.
 If you do not want to run WYSIWYG on the Server computer (i.e.,
you want to have a standalone Learn/Network Server), the
installation is condensed. See “To install the Learn/Network Server
(standalone)” below.

Before you begin

Remove previous versions of WYSILAB or WYSIWYG Learn/Network
before you start the install process (if this step is not completed, the
install menu will offer the option before continuing with the installation).
Restart the workstations for the changes to take effect.

To install the Learn/Network Server (standalone)

Perform this installation if you want to configure a standalone Learn/

Network Server (i.e., you do not want to run WYSIWYG on this
computer). After the installation, simply reboot the computer and then
attach the network dongle to it to activate the Server functionality.
1 Download a copy of the WYSIWYG software into the server.
2 In the server, double-click the install file of the WYSIWYG software.
Result: The WYSIWYG - InstallShield Wizard appears.
3 Select Install WYSIWYG Network Server.

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Note: The Server should only be installed on one computer on the

network. This is the computer to which you will attach the network
dongle.

4 On the Setup window, select Next to continue the install process.

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January 2019 Installation, configuration, activation, and registration

5 Click Yes to accept the terms of the license.

Result: The Choose Destination Location window appears.

6 Select a destination location for the Server files. The default location
is C:\Program Files\WYSIWYG Server.
7 Click Next.
Result: The Select Program Folder window appears.

8 Select a program folder for the shortcut. The default is WYSIWYG

Server.

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9 Click Next.
Result: The Start Copying Files window appears.

10 Review the installation settings, and then click Next to begin the
installation.
11 After all the files are copied, click FINISH to complete the installation.

To install the Network/Learn Client

1 Download a copy of the WYSIWYG software into your computer.
2 In your computer, double-click the install file of the WYSIWYG
software.
Result: The CAST license screen appears.

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3 If you accept the terms of the license, click Yes to continue. The
installation begins.
4 Click FINISH to complete the installation.

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Customer Experience Improvement Program

(CEIP)

In order to better serve our customers, and to enable our products to

meet our customers ongoing and growing needs, we regularly engage in
various methods to gather client feedback, including direct responses to
support and problem requests, as well as various other comments and
queries. We encourage our customers to participate in giving feedback in
order to get the most out of our products and create positive
experiences. However, given the large scope of our customer base, it is
impossible to reach out to all our customers directly.

Our Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) allows all our

customers to contribute to the features, design and development of
CAST Software products. This program enables our customers to provide
us with various information, including information about the hardware
configuration, the features you use most (and least), and the nature of
the problems you face. Based on this information, we will be able to
improve our products and the features that you use the most.

The Customer Experience Improvement Program dialog box appears during

the installation process to offer the option to participate. When enabled,
the program runs automatically in the background, and will not interfere
with your work in any way.

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January 2019 Installation, configuration, activation, and registration

CEIP will collect general information that will lead to software

improvements and enhanced functionality to better meet the needs of
our customers. For more information, please visit http://cast-soft.com/
ceip/.

Participating in the CEIP enables the Message Center. Message Center is a

feature which displays a message dialog box when WYSIWYG opens. It is
in-application messaging that allows CAST to deliver important messages
to the user through the software. For example, if we want to share
information to all users, or to only some users (based on information
collected through CEIP), we would be able to send it through Message
Center. Also, if there are any critical issues discovered, or suggestions on
how to fix a problem (e.g. update your graphics drivers to avoid a crash),
we can send this information directly through WYSIWYG, and you would
see it the next time you launch the software. But as mentioned earlier, to
receive these messages CEIP must be enabled.

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Configuration, activation, and registration

Introduction
After installing the product, when you launch WYSIWYG for the first time,
the Product Configuration Wizard appears, enabling you to choose the
product level that you want to run. You can choose from standard
product levels (such as Design and Report), Network products, or you
can run the Demo or Viewer versions of WYSIWYG.

To run any of the products listed in the Wizard, you must first have the
appropriate dongle installed on your computer (to run a network product,
you must have a network dongle installed on a computer that is
accessible from your PC).

After you proceed through the steps of the Wizard, you are prompted to
activate your product (only if you are upgrading from version 3.X to the
latest version), and then you are prompted to register the software. You
must activate and register the WYSIWYG software before you can start
using it. To activate the WYSIWYG software involves entering an 11-digit
activation code. To register the software involves entering a validation
code.

This section is broken down into the following three steps:

1 Starting WYSIWYG for the first time and running through the Product
Configuration Wizard.
2 Activating the software.
3 Registering the software.

To start WYSIWYG for the first time

Note: Before you perform this procedure, ensure that you have the
correct dongle installed on your computer, or that the network dongle is
installed on a computer that you can access from your PC.

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January 2019 Installation, configuration, activation, and registration

1 On your desktop, click the shortcut icon to start WYSIWYG (or click
Start > All Programs > CAST Software > WYSIWYG Release
41).
Result: The WYSIWYG Launching Screen appears with the progress
bar while WYSIWYG is preparing to load, and then the WYSIWYG
Product Configuration Wizard appears.

2 To ensure that the Wizard appears the next time you launch
WYSIWYG, leave the check mark in the box beside Show me this wizard
next time I run WYSIWYG; to configure the program so the Wizard does
not appear the next time you launch WYSIWYG, clear this checkbox.
Note: If you clear this checkbox, you can always set it again in the
Application Options window. For details, see “General tab”.

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3 Click Next.
Result: The Product Selection window appears, enabling you to choose
the product level that you want to launch.

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January 2019 Installation, configuration, activation, and registration

4 Select the product that you want to launch (you must have the
correct dongle installed to launch the program), and then click Next.
Result: The program verifies that you have the correct dongle
attached.

5 Click Finish.
6 The product that you chose launches and the Activate or Register
window appears (based on the level of product that you have
purchased).
 If you have purchased a new box product containing a new
version dongle skip to the product registration process. For
details, see “To register WYSIWYG”.
 If you are upgrading from WYSIWYG 3.X, please contact CAST
Technical Support.

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To register WYSIWYG
1 Once you have gone through the Product Configuration Wizard and you
have successfully activated your product, the Register window
appears, prompting you to register your software.

Note: You can postpone registration for a period of up to 15 days

after installation.
To register later, click Register Later. You must register and obtain a
Registration Validation Code to continue using the product after this
time. It is recommended that you register as soon as possible to
avoid any restrictions on using the product.
You can register by phone, online, fax, or e-mail.
2 To register by phone, click Phone, and then proceed to Step 3.
To register by any of the other methods, select the appropriate
button and follow the instructions as prompted.
When you have obtained your validation code, click I have my
validation code, and then proceed to Step 4.

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January 2019 Installation, configuration, activation, and registration

3 If you have chosen to register by phone, the Register by Phone dialog

box appears.

Follow the instructions in the dialog box. Type your validation code,
and then click Register. A successful registration completes the
registration and activation process.
4 If you selected I have my validation code in Step 2, the Insert Registration
Code dialog box appears.

5 Type your validation code, and then click OK. A successful

registration completes the registration and activation process.

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Dongle Reauthorization

Introduction
Reauthorization requires that all WYSIWYG Members “reauthorize” their
dongle periodically by logging into the WYSIWYG Members site
(https://cast-soft.com/cast/member/index.php) getting their Dongle
Reauthorization Code, and then applying this code to the dongle.

This initiative will help safeguard your dongle, ensuring that if it is lost,
stolen, or found by someone else, it will be useless beyond the
reauthorization date.

Reauthorization codes and WYSIWYG releases

Following Release 24, all dongles will have a Reauthorization Expiry Date
burned onto them as follows:
 Dongles that were registered with a version of WYSIWYG prior to
Release 24 will have their Reauthorization Expiry Date set to 30 days
forward from the time when Release 24 or later is first launched with
such a dongle. Within these 30 days, you must follow the
Reauthorization process described below or the dongle will cease to
function. (It will resume functioning once you reauthorize the
dongle.)
 Dongles that are registered with Release 35 (and on) will have the
Reauthorization Expiry Date set to 6 months from the exact day of
registration. For example, if you register the dongle on January 1,
2015, the Reauthorization Expiry Date will be July 1, 2015.

How it works
Exactly 30 days prior to the Reauthorization Expiry Date, regardless of
when your Membership expires (or expired), every time you open
WYSIWYG a window appears, requesting that you supply a
Reauthorization Code for your dongle or the program will cease to
function.

Note: You have 30 days from the first appearance of the Reauthorization
window to complete the process. To postpone the process during this
period and continue working in WYSIWYG, click Later in this window. At
the 30-day mark, however, you must reauthorize your dongle or
WYSIWYG will cease to function (until you complete the process).

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To reauthorize your dongle

Note: You require an Internet connection to perform this procedure.

1 To begin the reauthorization process, select the Now radio.

Result: The steps for completing reauthorization will become
accessible in the Dongle Reauthorization window.
Note: If you do not wish to perform reauthorization at this time,
select the Later radio and click the Later button at the top right of the
Dongle Reauthorization. This option is only available during the 30 days
leading up to the reauthorization expiry date.

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2 Click Member’s Login.

Result: The WYSIWYG Members site will open in your Internet
browser to begin the reauthorization process.
3 In the WYSIWYG Members site log into your account using your user
name and password then click Login.
Note: If you do not have an account, you must create one by
entering your contact details and selecting a password. Ensure that
the email address you provide is valid.
4 Follow the directions in the Member site verifying your contact
information and that you want to reauthorize your dongle.
Result: The browser will list your Reauthorization Validation Code.
5 Select this code and copy it (CTRL +C).
6 Switch back to WYSIWYG.
7 In the Dongle Reauthorization window, enter the reauthorization
validation code in the Reauthorization Validation Code field.
8 Click Reauthorize.
Result: A Reauthorization Successful message appears.
9 Click OK.
Result: WYSIWYG launches. Your dongle is reauthorized.

Note: You require an Internet connection to perform this procedure so

that the information you provide can be validated by our servers. Unlike
registration, reauthorization cannot be performed over the phone.

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Upgrades

Introduction
An upgrade code enables you to run the advanced features of a higher
level product, either Design or Perform, using the same dongle that you
already own. Contact your local WYSIWYG dealer to purchase an
upgrade. You will be given an upgrade code at the time of purchase.

To upgrade the level of your WYSIWYG product

1 Start WYSIWYG.
2 From the Help menu, choose Upgrade.

The current level of WYSIWYG installed on your computer is

displayed in the Current Level box. The serial code of your dongle is
shown in the Serial Code box.
3 In the Upgrade Code box, type your upgrade code, and then click
Upgrade.
4 Exit WYSIWYG, and then restart your computer.
5 Launch WYSIWYG.
Result: The new level of software is displayed in the upper right
corner of the WYSIWYG user interface.

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Note: If you would like to purchase an upgrade but are unsure of who to
contact, click More Info to obtain a list of WYSIWYG dealers.

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Membership and Leases

Introduction
As of Release 24, you have two options for running WYSIWYG: you can
purchase a Membership or you can lease a WYSIWYG dongle for one
year.

Membership
When you purchase a Membership to WYSIWYG, you purchase the
dongle. Your Membership is valid for a specific period of time, during
which you can take advantage of all new software updates and releases.
You can easily view and renew your Membership from within WYSIWYG
by following the procedure in “Obtaining membership details”.

Leases
As of Release 24, you are able to lease WYSIWYG dongles on a yearly
basis. Leased dongles carry the same privileges as purchased ones (for
example, software updates, library updates, and technical support).
However, unlike purchased dongles, once the lease is over, WYSIWYG will
no longer run with that dongle, giving you the choice of renewing the
lease or purchasing the dongle.

Leasing a dongle compared to Membership

 If you choose to lease WYSIWYG for 12 months, you pay less than
the cost of purchasing WYSIWYG, but more than the cost of
renewing a WYSIWYG membership.
 With the Lease program, when the Lease Expiry Date is reached, the
lease is over and the dongle will not run the software anymore
(unless you choose to purchase another lease period or buy a
WYSIWYG Membership).
 The Lease Expiry Date differs from the Dongle Reauthorization Date
(associated with the Member program) in that once you reauthorize
your dongle, you can continue to use WYSIWYG for another year.
Further, if you choose not to purchase a Membership renewal but
continue to reauthorize your dongle, you can continue to use your
old (non-current) WYSIWYG software.
 A leased dongle can be re-leased at any time (for another year), at
which point it will receive the latest version of WYSIWYG, plus all
upgrades available that year.
 Unlike with Membership, a new Lease starts on the date when the
Lease is purchased, not when the last Lease expired.

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 At the end of your lease, you can convert to Membership. For pricing
details, please contact Customer Service. You cannot (nor would it
make sense to) switch from Membership to leasing. Instead, have
the option to lease a new dongle as needed.

Obtaining membership details

Details of your Membership are stored within WYSIWYG.

To obtain Membership details

From the Help menu, choose About WYSIWYG.
Result: The month and year that your Membership expires is displayed
in the Membership Expiry Date box.

Renewing your membership

Your WYSIWYG Membership is valid for a specific period of time. You can
continue to use WYSIWYG beyond your Membership expiry date;
however, you will not be able to access software updates until you renew
your Membership.

Contact your local WYSIWYG dealer to purchase a renewal for your

Membership. CAST Software provides you with the Membership code that
you require.
1. NDI™ is a trademark of NewTek, Inc.

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To renew your Membership

1 From the Help menu, choose Renew Membership.

The date when your WYSIWYG Membership expires is displayed in

the Membership Expiry Date box.
2 In the Membership Code box, type the code. The code is 10
alphanumeric characters long.
3 Verify that you have entered the correct information.
4 Click Renew.
5 Exit WYSIWYG, and then restart the software for the renewal to take
effect.

Note: If you would like to renew your Membership but are unsure of who
to contact, click More Info to obtain a list of WYSIWYG dealers.

Obtaining lease details

Details of your Lease are stored within WYSIWYG.

To obtain Lease details

From the Help menu, choose About WYSIWYG.
Result: The date when your Lease expires is displayed in the Lease Expiry
Date box.

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Renewing your lease

Your WYSIWYG Lease is valid for one year from the date of purchase.
You cannot continue to use WYSIWYG beyond your Lease expiry date;
you must either renew your lease, or purchase a Membership to use the
program.

Contact CAST Software or your local WYSIWYG dealer to purchase a

renewal for your Lease.

To renew your Lease

Starting 30 days before your lease expires, the Dongle Lease Renewal
window appears each time you open WYSIWYG until the Lease Expiry
Date is reached, prompting you to renew your lease (or purchase a
Membership).
1 In the Dongle Lease Renewal window, select the checkbox if you accept
the terms of the license agreement.
2 Note the Lease Request Code shown in this window.
3 Call CAST Software Customer Service at one of the numbers
provided.
4 When requested by the Customer Service Representative, recite the
Lease Request Code.

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5 The Customer Service Representative will give you the Lease

Validation Code. Type the code in the box provided.
6 Click Renew.
Result: A Lease Renewal Successful message appears and your
dongle is leased for another year.
7 Click OK.
Result: WYSIWYG starts.

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Passwords

Introduction
You can set a password in WYSIWYG to password-protect your dongle.

To set a password
1 From the Help menu, choose Password.
Result: The Change Password dialog box appears.

2 In the New password box, type your new password. The password can
be any combination of letters, numbers, and characters. As you type
the password, WYSIWYG displays an asterisk (*) for each character
that you type. The length of the password can be between 6 and 20
characters.
3 In the Confirm password box, re-enter the password.
4 Click OK.
Result: The next time that you launch WYSIWYG on the same
computer, you will be prompted to enter your password. In the Enter
password box, type your password. If you do not want to be prompted
to enter a password every time you launch WYSIWYG, select the
Remember for next time checkbox.
ATTENTION: If you forget the password that you set on the dongle, the
only way to reset if is by returning the dongle to the CAST
Software office in Toronto, Canada. You will not be able to use
WYSIWYG while the dongle is in transit. As such, it is strongly
recommended that you make note of the password for safekeeping.

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To change a password
1 From the Help menu, choose Password.
Result: The Change Password dialog box appears.
2 In the Current password box, type the password that you previously
set. You must type the current password if you want to change the
password. As you type the password, WYSIWYG displays an asterisk
(*) for each character you type.
3 In the New password box, type a new password.
4 In the Confirm password box, re-enter the password.
5 Click OK.
Note: If you decide that you do not want to password-protect your
dongle, select the No password checkbox.

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 Chapter 4

WYSIWYG user interface

All of the WYSIWYG levels use the same set of screens. The user
interface was designed to facilitate smooth transitions from mode
to mode, and to keep the data organized and easy to find.

In this chapter
Navigation and screen set-up 57
Languages 62
WYSIWYG User Data Profile 63
Shortcut bars 66
Toolbars 73
Status bar 91
Wireframe views 94
Shaded views 103

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Navigation and screen set-up

Welcome window
When you start WYSIWYG, the Welcome window appears. The application
level is shown in the upper right corner of the window.

On the Welcome window or from the File menu, you can choose to create
a new File or a new Project; or open an existing file or project. A list of
template files and a list of recently saved files are displayed on the
screen.

WYSIWYG file
On the Welcome window, click a file name to start working with
WYSIWYG.

Note: It is possible to open an existing WYSIWYG file by dragging the file

icon from the desktop or folder and dropping it into the Welcome window.

To open an existing WYSIWYG file using drag and drop

1 Open the WYSIWYG Welcome window.
Select the .wyg file where it is located.

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2 Drag and drop the file icon into the Welcome window.
Result: The selected .wyg file will open.

WYSIWYG project
When saving your work as a WYSIWYG Project, the .wyg file and all its
associated files are stored in a folder structure automatically within the
My Projects folder. If you choose to accept the default settings when a
WYSIWYG Project is saved, all files associated with that project are
automatically stored in the Project folder and its subfolders. (e.g.
C:\Users\<UserName>\Documents\WYSIWYG Files\My Projects\...)
A WYSIWYG Project can be packaged as a zip file with the option to
include the external images and videos used in the file.

Modes
Once you start working on a file, the Mode buttons located along the top
of the user interface are used to access the different working modes
available within the WYSIWYG levels. The currently selected mode is
shown in orange, while modes not selected are shown in grey. Clicking
the appropriate button will change the view to that mode.

Note: Specific mode tabs can be selected from the mode’s drop-down
menu, enabling rapid change of views easily.

CAD mode
CAD mode is where you create your show drawings or “model.” This
includes drawing your venue, set pieces, lighting positions, focus
positions, and lighting fixtures. This is also where you can import CAD
files. CAD mode operates like many other CAD programs, so many of the
concepts will be familiar to those who have used a computer-aided
drafting program before. WYSIWYG adds features that are specific to the
entertainment industry, such as a comprehensive 3D library containing
truss, lighting equipment and accessories, as well as props, musical
instruments, and various human figures.

Data mode
As you draw in CAD mode, all of your fixture information is compiled into
spreadsheets that you can access in Data mode. In this mode, you can
view and edit the data for all your fixtures. Data mode operates like
many other spreadsheet programs, so many of the concepts will be
familiar to those who have used a spreadsheet program. The CAD and
Data modes remain completely interactive and any information modified
in either mode is updated in the other.

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Design mode
Design mode was created to provide lighting designers with an avenue
for experimentation. Design mode can be used as a troubleshooting tool
or as a creative tool to help you come up with cue concepts. In Design
mode, you can create static lighting looks using the design tools, and
then save and render those looks to output photo-realistic pictures. You
can turn on and control fixtures without having to patch or connect to a
console.

Presentation mode
Presentation (Pres) mode contains all the tools necessary for creating
professional printouts of your show document including reports, plots,
and images. As with all other modes, the contents of the Pres mode are
continually updated as you draw, input data, and modify your show file.
In addition to being able to create your own plots, WYSIWYG provides a
series of default plots and reports that are ready for printout. These
defaults can be used as is or customized to suit your preferences.

Live mode
Live mode is used for graphically simulating the output of a lighting
control console or compatible offline editor. This is where you can pre-cue
and visualize your show. Live mode also has rendering ability so that you
can create photo-realistic pictures of the simulated lighting looks. Live
mode will fully display a console's output, including transitions from cue
to cue, allowing you to see the programmed changes to lights over time.

Availability of modes
The following working modes are available in WYSIWYG Report:
 CAD
 DATA
 PRES

The following working modes are available in WYSIWYG Design:

 CAD
 DATA
 DESIGN
 PRES

The following working modes are available in WYSIWYG Perform:

 CAD
 DATA
 DESIGN
 PRES

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 LIVE

Layouts
Beneath the work area in each mode is a series of layout tabs. A layout is
a configuration of work views. Views and layouts are mode specific.

Custom layouts can be created in CAD, DESIGN and LIVE modes. The
only layout that is editable are Quad layouts, and only the sizes of the
panes can be changed. For more information, see “Custom tab window
layout”.

To this end, WYSIWYG supports pop-up frames and has multi-monitor

functionality, thus providing alternative tools for customizing your work
environment. These features are discussed below.

Click the appropriate Layout tab to change layouts.

Views
Views are the windows in the work space. The windows are pre-
configured on the screen based on the layout, as discussed above.

The WYSIWYG views include: Wireframe, Flight Case, Shaded,

Spreadsheet, Patch, Error, Report, Image, Plot, and Worksheet.

The layouts and views available in each mode are discussed at the
beginning of each chapter.

For more information, see “Wireframe views” and “Shaded views”.

Pop-up frames
You can place a view in a “pop-up frame” so that it remains active across
modes. For example, if you place the patch view in a pop-up frame, it will
remain visible even if the mode is changed from Data to CAD.

The position of pop-up frames are remembered when a file is saved.

When the saved file is reopened, all pop-up frame positions will be
remembered and set exactly how they were working last.

To place a view in a pop-up frame

1 Make the desired window active.
2 Click the Pop-Up Window tool on the View toolbar.

The Pop-Up Window button.

Result: A new window containing a copy of the selected view opens.

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 Pop-up frames retain all the functionality of the original view so

you can work in the pop-up view if you want to.
 Are fully integrated with the remaining show document and are
continually updated (and vice versa).
 Can be resized and moved to any location on the screen or across
monitors.

To display pop-up frames in full screen mode

1 Make the pop-up window active.
2 Click the Full Screen button.

The Full Screen button.

Result: The pop-up frame expands to fill the entire screen with no
title bar visible.
Tip: To return the pop-up frame to normal size, press ESC.

To minimize a pop-up frame

1 Double-click the title bar of the pop-up window.
Result: The title bar only is displayed.
Tip: You can also click the Minimize button.

The Minimize button.

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Languages

Introduction
From the Options menu in the Welcome window, you can choose a
different language that will be used in WYSIWYG. Selecting a different
language will require to restart WYSIWYG. English, français (French) and
italiano (Italian) are the options available at the present, and more
languages will be added in the future.

To open WYSIWYG with a different language

1 On the Welcome window, click Options > Language and choose either
English or français or italiano.
Result: If the selected language is different from the default, the
“Your changes will not be applied until the next time WYSIWYG is started.
Please remember to save your work.” dialog box appears.

2 In the dialog box, click OK.

3 Exit WYSIWYG.
4 Start WYSIWYG again.
Result: WYSIWYG opens with the selected language.

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WYSIWYG User Data Profile

Introduction
You can save WYSIWYG settings that are specific to a particular
installation of the WYSIWYG software into an external file with a .wud
extension. You can then load this file into WYSIWYG to automatically load
all the user settings saved in the .wud file. With .wud files, you can share
your custom user data between multiple computers and when upgrading
to newer WYSIWYG releases.

The following user data and settings are found in a.wud file:
 CAD Block /WYSIWYG Fixture Associations
 Custom Conventional Fixtures
 Custom Gobos
 Custom Layout tabs
 Custom Library Items
 Fixture Attribute Layout Templates
 Layout Templates
 Modified Fixture Symbols/Attribute Layouts
 Shared Keys
 Toolbar Positions
 Truss Manager Data

Attention: WYSIWYG User Data files can only be imported and exported
from the WYSIWYG Welcome window.

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Exporting user data

To export a User Data Profile

1 From the Welcome screen, click File > Export User Data.
Result: The Export User Data window appears.

2 In the Export User Data window, select the checkbox(es) of features

you want to export. Select the checkbox on the top row of the list to
select all the check boxes below.
3 Click Continue.
4 The Save As window appears.
5 In the Save As window, navigate to where you want the file to be
saved, and enter an appropriate name in the File Name field.
6 Click Save.
Result: The User Data Profile is saved at the chosen location.

Importing user data

To import a User Data Profile

1 From the Welcome screen, click File > Import User Data.
Result: The Select User Data File window appears.

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2 In the Select User Data File window, navigate to where the desired
WYSIWYG User Data file (*.wud) is located. Select the file and click
Open.
Result: The Import User Data window appears.

3 In the Import User Data window, select the checkbox(es) of features

you want to import. Select the checkbox on the top row of the list to
select all the check boxes below.
Note: [Overwrite] appears next to settings stored in the *.wud file
that will overwrite existing WYSIWYG settings if imported.
4 Click Continue.
Result: The User Data settings will be successfully imported.
WYSIWYG will need to restart for the new settings to take effect.

Exporting and resetting WYSIWYG UI

You can save your user interface settings into an external file with a .wud
extension, which can be loaded back into WYSIWYG. Click Export my
WYSIWYG Registry on the WYSIWYG Tech Support dialog box that appears
when you click Support from the Help menu.

You can reset the user interface settings of WYSIWYG to default by

clicking the Reset my UI to default button on the WYSIWYG Tech Support
dialog box that appears when you click Support from the Help menu.

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Shortcut bars

Introduction
Shortcuts are created for quick access to library items and view types,
among other things. The shortcut bars are located on the left side of your
screen. Shortcut bars are mode and layout specific. Each layout has
designated shortcut bars.

In general, there are three types of shortcuts:

 navigation
 library
 views/tools

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Navigation shortcuts
The first type of shortcut is used for navigation purposes. The navigation
shortcuts are:
 Navigation
 Views

Navigation shortcuts store the mode and layout destination. For

example, you can save a navigation shortcut to Data mode / Patch
layout. The next time you want to go back to that location, click the
shortcut to save you at least one step.

View shortcuts store the plot type and zoom level. View shortcuts only
apply to Wireframe views.

Library shortcuts
The second type of shortcut is used in place of browsing the library. The
library shortcuts are:

Fixtures

Accessories

Color
Gobo
Library

Truss

Views/tools shortcuts
The final type of shortcut is used to open and save views and tools. The
views/tools shortcuts are:

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Columns

Patch
Errors

Worksheets

Images

Layouts
New Plots
Legend
Key

Reports

Looks
Fixture Group

Selection Sets

Palettes

Render
Shaded View Profiles

Working with shortcuts

Generally the procedure for creating, modifying, and working with
shortcuts is the same regardless of the type of shortcut.

To create a new shortcut

1 Right-click on the open space on the appropriate shortcut bar, and
then choose the appropriate New option.
Note: For navigation type shortcuts, ensure that the destination is
set up, and then proceed with step 1.
2 Based on the type of shortcut, you are prompted to select the object
or type a name for the new shortcut.
3 Click Insert or OK.
Result: The shortcut is created and added to the bottom of the list
on the shortcut bar that you selected in step 1.

To remove a shortcut
1 Right-click the shortcut icon that you want to remove.
2 Choose Delete.
Result: You are prompted to confirm the deletion.

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3 Click OK to confirm.
Result: The selected shortcut is deleted.

To rename a shortcut
1 Right-click the shortcut icon that you want to rename.
2 Choose Rename.
3 Type a new name for the shortcut.
4 Click OK.
Result: The selected shortcut is renamed.

To clone a shortcut
1 Right-click the shortcut icon that you want to clone.
2 Choose Clone Shortcut.
3 Type a name for the copy.
Result: The selected shortcut is cloned and the copy is added to the
bottom of the list.

To arrange shortcuts

You can arrange shortcuts on the shortcut bar area by using drag-and-
drop functionality.
1 Click the shortcut that you want to move.
2 While holding down the mouse button, press ALT to move the
shortcut to the desired location.
3 Release the mouse button to place the shortcut.

To set the display size for shortcuts

Right-click on the open space on the appropriate shortcut bar, and then
choose either Icons or List (depending on your current setup).
Result: When you choose Icons, all shortcuts are displayed as icons. List
will cause the shortcuts to be listed in the shortcut bar area, thereby
allowing you to fit more shortcuts in the area.

The settings are retained for all shortcuts.

Note: To scroll to the bottom of a long list of shortcuts, use either the
scroll button on your mouse or the scroll bar along the side of the
shortcut bar.

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To use a shortcut
Click the shortcut icon.

Note: As with all objects in WYSIWYG, all shortcuts have properties that
affect the object being inserted, the view or tool, or the navigation
method.

To modify a shortcut’s properties

1 Right-click the shortcut icon that you want to modify.
2 Choose Properties.
Result: The Properties dialog box appears. The settings modified here
affect the object, view, tool, or navigation destination of the selected
shortcut. An example of the Navigation Shortcut Properties dialog box is
shown below; however, the shortcut properties window varies based
on the type of shortcut that you select.

3 In the Name box, type the new name of the shortcut.

4 To open the shortcut in a pop-up frame, select the Pop-Up Windows
checkbox. For more information on pop-up frames, refer to “Pop-up
frames”.

To configure the shortcut bar

You can configure the shortcut bar to show fewer/more categories, and
reorder the categories that you see.
1 On the bottom right corner of the shortcut bar, click the Configure
Shortcuts arrow.
2 In the resulting pop-up menu, you have the following choices:

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 Show More Buttons: Click to add the next shortcut category to the
bottom of the shortcut bar. This button is enabled only if you have
hidden some shortcut categories.
 Show Fewer Buttons: Click to remove the bottom-most shortcut
category from the shortcut bar. Click consecutively to remove
each category shown from the bottom upwards.
 Navigation Pane Options: Click to arrange the order of the shortcut
categories shown on the shortcut bar.

To manage shortcuts

Shortcuts in your file can be sorted and deleted as needed. Sorted

shortcuts can be managed manually or alphabetically. You can also insert
separators between shortcuts to group, segregate and organize the
shortcut icons.

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1 On the shortcut bar, right-click and select Manage Shortcuts menu.

Result: The Manage (shortcut type) Shortcuts window appears.

2 On the Manage (shortcut type) Shortcuts window, select the checkbox

next to the shortcuts you want to manage. You may click Select All to
select all shortcuts in the list.
3 To insert a shortcut separator in the list, select a shortcut and click
the Add Separator button. A separator indicator will be added to the
list after the selected shortcut.
Result: On the shortcut bar, a shortcut separator appears on the
space below the selected shortcut.
Tip: On the shortcut bar, you may also right-click on the space where
you want to insert a separator and click the Add Separator menu.
4 To move a selected shortcut in the list, click Up or Down. The shortcut
will move one position up or down respectively.
5 To move a selected shortcut to the top of the list, click Move selected
shortcuts to top.
6 To sort selected shortcuts alphabetically, click Sort alphabetically.
7 To remove a selected shortcut, click Delete.

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Toolbars

The Menu bar

The Menu bar is located within the WYSIWYG user interface, below the
Mode buttons and above the work area. The available menus change
when moving from mode to mode. The individual menus are explained
within the context of each mode chapter.

The Menu bar is dockable. It has a grab bar on the left that is used to
move the Menu bar around the screen. It may be placed on the edges of
the work area; top, bottom, left or right. It may also be dragged off the
edge of the work area and into its own window. This window remains on
top of the WYSIWYG screen and may be dragged anywhere on your
display.

Menu commands can be accessed using a mouse, keyboard, or by using

hot keys.

To access menu commands using the keyboard

1 Press ALT + n, where n is the underlined letter in the menu name.
Result: The menu will be displayed.
2 Press the key corresponding to the underlined letter in the command
that you want to execute.
Note: Some commands have shortcuts that do not require menu
selection. In those cases, the shortcut keys are listed to the right of
the command in the menu.
Example: To undo the last command, press CTRL + Z.

Toolbars
Toolbars provide button access to most commands. This is in lieu of
selecting the commands through the menus in the Menu bar.

Toolbars, like menus, are mode sensitive. However, unlike menus, you
can customize how the toolbars are displayed and which toolbars are
open for each mode. Toolbars that are greyed out in the toolbar selection
list are not used in the current mode.

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Toolbars are typically found directly under the Menu bar and have a grab
bar on the left that is used to move the toolbar around the screen. They
can be placed on the edges of the work area (top, bottom, left or right),
and can also be dragged off the edge of the work area and into their own
window. This window remains on top of the WYSIWYG screen and can be
dragged anywhere on your display.

Toolbars drop-down menus

To save on space, similar toolbar buttons are grouped together in a
Toolbar drop-down menu. If a drop-down menu is available for a button,
it can be identified by the small triangle in the lower right side of the
button.

Click and hold the button until the drop-down menu appears, and then
click on your choice. The selected item in the drop-down menu is then
displayed at the top level of the toolbar.

Available toolbars
The following toolbars are available (listed in alphabetical order).

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Align toolbar (CAD, PRES/Layouts and /New Plots)

Align to Extents

Align to First Selected

Align to Last Selected

Align Top

Align Bottom

Align Left

Align Right

Center Horizontally

Center Vertically

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CAD Options toolbar

Plan View

Left View

Right View

Front View
Back View

Isometric View

Workplane Plan

Workplane Section

Workplane Elevation
Grid Snap

Mid-Grid Snap

Point Snap

Midpoint Snap

Endpoint Snap

Intersection Snap
Center Snap

Library Snap

Truss Snap

Assembly Snap

Pipe Snap

Focus Snap

X-Axis

Y-Axis

Z-Axis
Missing Coordinate

Interactive Mode

Toggle Grid
Toggle Beam Dragging

Toggle Rulers

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Camera toolbar

Camera Reset Reset Y Lock X Lock Z Use DMX for

Lock Camera Rotation Rotation Rotation Cameras

Current Camera Save View Reset X Reset Z Lock Y Camera

Camera Properties as New Rotation Rotation Rotation Manager
Camera

Command Line toolbar

Edit box

Data toolbar

Fixture

Colour Select

Gobo Select

Accessory

Quick Tools

Data Fonts toolbar

Font Left Right
Bold Color Align Align

Font Font Italic Word Center

Size Wrap Align

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Design toolbar

At Full and Focus

Toggle Intensity Designer Tool

Toggle Focus Designer Tool

Toggle Iris Designer Tool

Toggle Zoom Designer Tool

Toggle Color Designer Tool

Toggle Gobo Designer Tool

Toggle Prism Designer Tool

Toggle Video Designer Tool

Toggle Moving Scenery Designer Tool

Toggle Footprint Designer Tool

Render Wizard

Fade looks

Toggle Cuelist Editor Tool

Toggle Camera Path Editor Tool

Toggle Timeline Tool

Device toolbar

Connect Properties

Select Device Disconnect

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Draw toolbar

Draw a point

Lines

Circles

Rectangles

Text Label
Line Circle Rectangle
Dimensions
Centered Line Arc Polygon
Surface
Dashed Line Elliptical Arc
Riser
Dotted Line
Cylinder Spline Linear Dimension
Cone Continue Dimension
Sphere Baseline Dimension
Wall Arc Length Dimension

Library Radial Dimension

Angle Dimension
Pipe
Linear Scale
Curved Pipe

Truss

Rigging Point

Fixture

Accessory

Focus Focus Position

Draw a screen Focus Line

LED Wizard Focus Arc

Pipe and Drape Wizard

Insert Camera

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Edit toolbar

Item Properties

Cut

Copy

Paste
Delete

Undo

Redo

Repeat Last Command

Edit (Pres) toolbar

Item Properties

Cut

Copy

Paste
Delete

Undo

Redo

Repeat Last Command

Bring to Front

Send to Back

Content Properties

Open Contents

Lock object to prevent move and resize

Show Placeholders

Rotate object to 0 degrees

Rotate object to 90 degrees

Rotate object to 180 degrees

Rotate object to 270 degrees

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Fixture Selection toolbar

Select Re-select
Fixtures Fixtures Highlight

Select by Previous Next

Spot/Channel Number Fixture Fixture

Layout Insert (Pres) toolbar

Line

Rectangle
Rounded Rectangle

Ellipse

Text

Image

CAD Item

Report Item
Worksheet Item

Legend
Key

New Plot Item

Create Layout Template

Insert Layout Template

Delete Layout Template

Layer toolbar
Current
Layer

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Layout Text (Pres) toolbar (Pres > Reports, Layouts and

Worksheets)
Align Align
Wrap Horizontal Vertical
Bold Underline Text Center Center

Font Font Italic Font Background Align Align Align

Size Color Color Right Top Bottom
Align
Left

Live toolbar

At Full and Focus

Toggle Intensity Designer Tool

Toggle Focus Designer Tool

Toggle Iris Designer Tool

Toggle Zoom Designer Tool

Toggle Color Designer Tool

Toggle Gobo Designer Tool

Toggle Prism Designer Tool

Toggle Video Designer Tool

Toggle Camera Path Editor Tool

Toggle Timeline Tool

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New Plot Options

Solid Line
Center Line
Dashing Line
Dotted Line
Circle
Arc

Elliptical Arc
Rectangle

Text Label
Symbol

Grid Snap
Midpoint Snap
Endpoint Snap
Intersection Snap
Center Snap

X-Axis
Y-Axis
Z-Axis

New Plot View

Zoom Fit
Zoom In
Zoom Out
Zoom Window
Pan

Selection toolbar

Select All
Select Current Layer
Specify Layers to Select
Restore Previous Selection

Select Last Object Created

Invert Selection

Scene toolbar

Current scene Use DMX for Scenes

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Data Spreadsheets toolbar

Zebra Stripping
Non-Editable Column Tint

Show Selected Only

Sort by Selection

Standard toolbar

New Blank Documents

Open

Save

Print Preview

Print

Text toolbar (CAD, and Pres > New Plots)

Italic Anchor Direction

Font Size Bold Underline

Anchor Left

Anchor Center

Anchor Right

Anchor Top
Anchor Middle

Anchor Bottom

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Tools toolbar

Move

Rotate

Mirror

Scale

Break

Convert

Divide

Extrude

Revolve

Boolean Operation Subtract Objects

Unite Objects
Array Array Linear
Intersect Objects Array Polar
Trim
Array Grid
Extend
Distribute Objects
Group Between Two Points

Ungroup

Bring to Front

Send to Back

Quick Tools Quick Tools

Distance Quick Focus

Set User Origin Quick Light Emission Tool

Quick Video/Image Tool

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View toolbar

View options

Zoom Fit
Zoom In

Zoom Out

Zoom Window

Undo View Change

Redo View Change

Rotate View Left

Rotate View Right

Rotate View Up

Rotate View Down

Pan

Refresh

Pop-Up Window

Render Wizard

Window toolbar

Position Tool

Cut and AdjustmentsTool

Fanning Tool

Toggle Camera Path Editor Tool

Toggle Shaded View Settings Tool

Toggle Video Designer Tool

Display Wireframe View

Display Shaded View

Display Spreadsheet View

Display Patch View

Reset Views

To hide and display toolbars using the toolbar list

1 Right-click on the toolbar area.
Result: The toolbar list is displayed.

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2 Click on the name of the toolbar that you wish to display. A check
mark to the left of the toolbar name indicates it is currently
displayed.
3 Repeat to display or hide multiple toolbars.
Tip: From the toolbar list, select Toolbars to open the Application
Options dialog box. In this dialog box, you can choose multiple
toolbars and configure other screen options, such as the Status bar
and tooltips.

To hide and display toolbars using the Options menu

1 From the Options menu, choose Application Options.
2 Click the Toolbars tab.

3 Select the check boxes of the toolbars that you want to display.
Note: Since toolbars are mode-sensitive, certain toolbars are disabled
based on the mode that you are currently in.

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Window position management

Most tools in WYSIWYG create a separate window where all the options
of the tool are available. Window positions of these tools can be
customized to suit most work styles. If a WYSIWYG document is saved,
WYSIWYG will remember the window preference of the tool the next time
the document is opened.

Window position options can be accessed by clicking the down arrow at

the top of the window, and opening the Window Position drop-down
menu.

 Floating: The window will appear in the foreground of the WYSIWYG

file. The window will not be attached to any border of the work space
or any other window. If the resolution of WYSIWYG or the work space
is resized, the window will remain in its current position and in the
foreground.

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 Docking: The window will be attached to a border of the work space.

If the resolution of WYSIWYG or the work space is resized, the
window will change its resolution to match the new work space size.

 Tabbed Document: Tools with similar display options can share the
same window space. The tabbed document can be either floating or
docked. At the bottom of the window will be tabs showing the names
of the different tools. Click on the tabs to switch between tools as
needed.

 Auto Hide: This option is only available for docked windows. When
enabled, the window will be hidden from view by default. A tab will
appear on the side of the WYSIWYG application window with the
name of the auto hidden window. When the tab is selected, the
window will reappear in its previously docked location. The window

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will continue to be visible until another window or feature is selected,

or until you click off of it.

 Hide: The selected window will close. To view the window again, the
feature must be accessed again.

To display a window as tabbed

1 Identify the tools/features that you wish to tab together.
2 Click and drag one tool window over to another tool window, until the
arrows appear over the tool.
3 Without releasing the mouse, move your cursor to the square in the
middle of the arrows that appear, and then release the mouse.
Result: The tools will now be tabbed together.

To toggle the auto hide setting of a window

Click the Pin icon to toggle the Auto Hide setting of a window.

Floating toolbars
Floating Toolbars are available in WYSIWYG to offer common features
conveniently at your cursor. When you right-click on a view, in addition to
the usual right-click menu, a floating toolbar will appear either above or
below the right-click menu (depending on where you clicked on the
screen).

The icons displayed are the same as the ones displayed in the menus and
toolbars. If you are not familiar with an icon, hover over it and a tooltip
will appear displaying the feature's name.

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Status bar

Introduction
The Status bar is displayed along the bottom of the WYSIWYG screen,
below the Layout tabs. The Status bar displays the prompt line, the
number of unused channels (WYSIWYG Perform), selected object
information, and tracks the status of the snap, ortho and absolute
coordinates commands. It also tracks and displays the coordinates of the
cursor.

Absolute Missing Units of Snap and

Prompt line Selected object Unused channels coordinates coordinate measurement Ortho

The Status bar can be turned on or off from the toolbar list. You can also
customize the contents of the Status bar from the Application Options
window.

For more information on setting the options of your drawing, refer to

“Application Options”.

Prompt line
The prompt line displays the current status of a command within your
drawing. If you are currently working with a command that requires
multiple steps (the placement of a pipe, for example), the prompt line
displays a message indicating the next step required to accomplish that
task. The prompt line also displays a short description of a command
when you point to it using your mouse.

Selected object count

In this display, “O” stands for the number of objects currently selected.
The “F” stands for the number of fixtures selected and the “C” stands for
the number of circuits currently selected.

Unused channels
Although there is never a limitation on how many fixtures can be patched
in a file, there is a limitation on the number of DMX channels that can be
simulated in Live mode. WYSIWYG will not simulate the DMX values
being received on channels exceeding the Perform channel count of your

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system. WYSIWYG Perform is available in 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 and

Unlimited channels. (WYSIWYG Unlimited has 100,000 channels.) The
unused channels displayed on the Status bar track the remaining
channels for simulation based on the level of your Perform system. Note
that fixtures on layers that are not visible, or which are not included in
the current scene, are not counted.

Absolute and Relative coordinates

This setting determines how coordinate information is displayed mid-
command. In ABS (Absolute) mode, which is the default, the coordinates
display always shows the coordinates currently under your cursor. In REL
(Relative) mode, the Coordinates display shows the relative distance and
angle from the last position, indicated with a mouse click.

Coordinates
Coordinates are displayed in the order of X, Y and Z. The coordinates
display the position of the cursor as a distance from the origin of the
drawing. For more information on coordinates and setting the origin
point, refer to “Coordinate system and origin”.

Missing coordinate
Double-click this label to set the missing coordinate. The missing
coordinate (X,Y,or Z) is the coordinate whose value cannot be entered by
clicking on the screen. The easiest way to determine the missing
coordinate in a Wireframe view is to move the mouse around and look at
the Status bar at the bottom of the working area. You will see only two
values changing. The value that is not changing is the missing coordinate
for that view or workplane.
The missing coordinate is dependent on the plot type and the workplane
selected. Once entered this value will affect all subsequent objects
inserted in the current view. For example, if the missing coordinate is set
to 5’ in a plan view, all objects will be placed 5’ off the floor (X,Y,5) until
the missing coordinate is changed again. Note that the missing
coordinate is not a move tool; objects are not moved to the missing
coordinate value. The missing coordinate only affects subsequent inserts.

Units of measurement
Click this label to toggle between metric and imperial units of
measurement.

Snap and Ortho

The snap and ortho entry shows the status of these items. If the
indicator is white, a snap or ortho setting is active. If the indicator is dark
grey, snap and ortho are not active.

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Instruction tooltip
The Instruction Tooltip is a helpful window that appears automatically
when you start an operation. The Instruction Tooltip explains how to
perform the current operation. The information shown is the same
information that is displayed in the Status bar.

Note: By default the Instruction Tooltip is turned on.

For some operations, such as snapping truss or hanging a fixture, the

tooltip color will be red when the operation can not be performed, then
change to green when you can insert the object.

To turn off Instruction Tooltips

1 From the Options menu, choose Application Option....
2 In the General tab, clear the Enable Instruction Tooltip checkbox.

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Wireframe views

Introduction
When you first create a new show document and enter CAD mode,
WYSIWYG defaults to the Wireframe view. All drawing is done in
Wireframe view. Click the Quad tab to display three Wireframe views and
a shaded view of your drawing.

Keyboard and mouse control

To modify the point of view

 The arrow keys move you in their respective directions.
 The PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN keys zoom you in and out. You can
also roll the middle mouse button up and down to zoom in and out.
The zoom action is centered on the mouse pointer rather than the
center of the window.
 In a 3D perspective view (isometric or shaded), the CTRL key, in
combination with any of the aforementioned keys, rotates you
around your drawing.
 Holding down the middle mouse button will allow you to drag the
drawing around the window. Alternatively, the Pan tool on the View
toolbar also enables this type of movement.

The Pan button.

 At any time you can use the SHIFT key in combination with any of
the movement keys to move in smaller increments.
 In shaded views, the mouse can substitute all key strokes. Click and
drag to pan around and use the mouse wheel for zooming.

Zoom tools
Zoom tools allow you to view smaller or larger sections of a plot or
drawing. There are seven zoom tools available in WYSIWYG.

Note: The zoom tools are not applicable in the Shaded view; to zoom in
or out in this view, use the arrow keys or the roller wheel on your mouse
instead.

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To access the Zoom tools

1 From the Zoom menu, choose one of the Zoom tools.
Tip: You may also use the Zoom tools on the View toolbar.
Result: The viewpoint is adjusted accordingly.
The Zoom tools that are available are listed in the following table.

Zoom tool Description

Zoom In Moves your viewpoint

closer to the center of the
view.

Zoom Out Moves your viewpoint

farther away from the
center of the view.
Zoom Fit Adjusts the viewpoint so
that the extremities of the
drawing fit into the current
view.
Zoom Fit All (only For Quad layout, adjusts
available on the Zoom the viewpoint so that the
menu) extremities of the drawing
fit into the three Wireframe
views simultaneously. In
Wireframe view, adjusts
the viewpoint so that the
extremities of the drawing
fit the window.
Zoom Window Allows you to specify the
area of the drawing to be
viewed. For more
information on using this
tool, refer to the procedure
below.
Undo View Adjusts the viewpoint so
Change the most current changes
to the view are undone
Redo View Adjusts the viewpoint so
Change that any changes to the
view caused by Undo View

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To use the Zoom Window tool

1 In Wireframe view, from the Zoom menu, choose the Zoom Window
tool.
2 Click the left mouse button and drag a window around the area into
which you want to zoom.
3 Click the left mouse button again to capture the second point of the
window.
Result: The view changes to the area that you have selected.

View shortcuts
View shortcuts record the plot type as well as the zoom and pan settings
of a specific point of view. You can use the shortcut to get back to that
exact view point the next time you need to.

To record a view shortcut

1 Set up the active window for the plot type, zoom, and pan settings
you wish to record.
2 Right-click on the Views shortcut bar, and then choose New View.
3 Type a name for the new shortcut, and then click OK.
Result: The shortcut is recorded and available on the Views shortcut
bar.

To modify the properties of a view shortcut

1 Right-click on the Views shortcut icon that you want to modify, and
then select Properties.
Result: The View Shortcut Properties dialog box appears.

2 In the Name box, type the new name of the shortcut.

3 To open the shortcut in the current active window, enable the Current
Window option button.

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4 To open the shortcut in a pop-up frame, enable the Pop-Up Window

option button. For more information on pop-up frames, refer to “Pop-
up frames”.

Modifying Wireframe views

The properties of a Wireframe view affect how objects are drawn and
how much information is visible. These settings are modified in the View
Options.

To modify a Wireframe view

1 Ensure the Wireframe view that you want to modify is active.
2 From the Options menu, choose View Options.
Result: The View Options window appears.

Tip: You can also use the View Options tool on the Standard toolbar to
open the view options.

The View Options button.

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3 Modify options as desired.

4 Click OK.

General tab
Options on the General tab affect the current scene.

 Follow Current Scene: Select this checkbox to use the currently

selected scene. Clear this checkbox, and then select the desired
scene from the Scenes drop-down list. To learn more about scenes,
refer to “Editing objects”.
Tip: You can also change the current scene at any time by using the
drop-down list on the Scene toolbar.
 Scene: Name of the Wireframe view.

Draw Options tab

Options on the Draw Options tab affect the draw defaults. This tab is
similar in function to the Draw Defaults tab available in Document Options.
For more information on the Draw Options tab, refer to “Draw Defaults
tab”.

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 Use Document Settings: Select this checkbox to reference the options

selected on the Draw Defaults tab of Document Options. Clear the Use
Document Settings checkbox to make specific changes for the active
view.
 Get Document Settings: Retrieves the values set on the Draw Defaults tab
of Document Options.

View Type tab

Options on the View Type tab affect the plot type of the active view.

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 View Type: The view types available are as discussed in “Plot types”.
Tip: The view type can be toggled using the tools on the CAD Options
toolbar.
 Scrollbars On: Select this checkbox to display the scrollbars on the
bottom and left side edges of the Wireframe view. Clear this
checkbox to turn the scrollbars off.

Wireframe Details tab

Options on the Wireframe Details tab affect what and how objects such as
truss, text, point, library and other object information are displayed. This
tab is similar in function to the Wireframe Details tab available in Document
Options. For more information on the Wireframe Details tab, refer to
“Wireframe Details tab”.

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 Use Document Defaults: Select this checkbox to reference the options

set in the Wireframe Details tab of Document Options. Clear the Use
Document Defaults checkbox to make specific changes for the active
view.

Fixture Attribute Details tab

Options on the Fixture Attribute Details tab affect what and how fixture
information are displayed. This tab is similar in function to the Fixture
Attribute Details tab available in Document Options. For more information on
the Fixture Attribute Details tab, refer to “Fixture Attribute Details tab”.

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 Use Document Defaults: Select this checkbox to reference the options

set in the Fixture Attribute Details tab of Document Options. Clear the Use
Document Defaults checkbox to make specific changes for the active
view.

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Shaded views

Introduction
Shaded or OpenGL views offer a 3D perspective view of your drawing.
Surfaces, truss, and fixtures are “filled-in” or solid, rather than outlined
as in Wireframe views.

Shaded views will follow scenes just like any other view.

Keyboard and mouse control

To modify the point of view

 Use the arrow keys to move the position of the virtual target. PAGE
UP/PAGE DOWN will zoom you in and out.
 At any time you can use the SHIFT key in combination with any of
the movement keys to move in smaller increments.
 The mouse pan tool can be set to rotate the model or the camera
around the target. You can also use the mouse wheel to zoom in and
out. The arrow keys will continue to move the target position as you
do this.

To open Shaded view full screen mode

You can expand the Shaded view to encompass the entire screen by
right-clicking anywhere within the view and selecting Open in Full Screen.
To exit full screen mode, press the ESC key.

Note: The Full Screen Mode for Shaded view can be set to Windowed Full
Screen Mode or Exclusive Full Screen Mode. See “Simulation tab” in the
Application Options for details.

Camera controls
This section defines how a camera is controlled in Shaded view when
Traditional WYSIWYG is selected as the Shaded View Camera Control. Traditional
WYSIWYG is the default camera control in Shaded view.

In the Application Options window, you can choose Other 3D Applications on

the Shaded View Camera Control drop-down list if you want to use camera
control that complies with other 3D applications. See “Camera Control”
for alternative mouse and keyboard action commands.

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Note: The Camera-to-Target distance is maintained for all operations

listed below. To change this distance, hold down simultaneously CTRL
and ALT and spin the mouse wheel up or down while the Shaded view or
the shaded pane of Quad view is active. You need to perform this action
to alter the Camera’s orbit; it also serves to set the target distance when
rendering with Aperture enabled. This does not apply to Flying Cameras,
since the target system for Flying Cameras is different than World or
Standard Cameras’ target systems.
 Holding down the left SHIFT key on the keyboard while performing
any of the actions below will decrease the speed at which changes
are applied, regardless of how the actions are performed (i.e., by
mouse or keyboard).
 Holding down the right SHIFT key on the keyboard while performing
any of the actions below will increase the speed at which changes are
applied, again regardless of how the actions are performed (i.e., by
mouse or keyboard).

Orbit
Orbiting the camera causes it to spin around its target without altering
the target’s position. When the camera is orbiting, its own position
changes. This control applies to World and Standard Cameras.
 To orbit a Camera using the mouse, click and drag with the left
mouse button in the Shaded view or the shaded pane of Quad view.
 To orbit a Camera by using the keyboard, hold down ALT and tap
the arrow keys while the Shaded view or the shaded pane of Quad
view is active.

Notes:
 In order to prevent accidentally changing the shape of Camera Paths,
it is not possible to orbit Flying Cameras.
 This is the “default” behavior for a Camera in WYSIWYG; it has not
changed despite the introduction of the new camera system in
Release 29.

Pivot
Pivoting the Camera causes it to change its orientation/where it is
pointing to (without altering its own position). Another way to think of it
is that by pivoting the Camera, its target’s position is altered.

This control applies to World, Standard and Flying Cameras (at user-
defined nodes).
 To pivot a Camera using the mouse, hold down ALT on the
keyboard and click and drag with the left mouse button in the
Shaded view or the shaded pane of Quad view.
 To pivot a Camera using the keyboard, tap the arrow keys
(without holding down ALT) while the Shaded view or the shaded
pane of Quad view is active.

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Notes:
 This is one of the two ways in which a Flying Camera can be modified
at a user-defined node—dollying is the other.
 Flying Cameras cannot be pivoted at nodes where Behaviour was set
to Follow Path or Follow Target. In cases where something is
“interfering with the shot” and the Flying Camera at such a node
must be pivoted, simply change the Behaviour at that node to user
defined—the Camera’s current position and orientation will not be
altered by the Behaviour change.

Dolly
Dollying the Camera alters its own position and its target’s position at the
same time. This control applies to World, Standard and Flying Cameras
(at user-defined nodes).
 To dolly a Camera up, down, left or right using the mouse,
hold down CTRL and click-and-drag with the left mouse button in the
Shaded view or the shaded pane of Quad view.
 To dolly a Camera in or out using the mouse, hold down CTRL
and spin the mouse wheel up or down while the Shaded view or the
shaded pane of Quad view is active.
 To dolly a Camera using the keyboard, hold down CTRL and tap
the arrow keys while the Shaded view or the Shaded pane of Quad
view is active.
 To dolly a Camera in or out using the keyboard, hold down CTRL
and tap the Page Up or Page Down keys while the Shaded view or the
shaded pane of Quad view is active.

Important: Dollying a Flying Camera will physically alter the shape of its
Camera Path.

Notes:
 This is the second of two ways in which a Flying Camera can be
modified at a user-defined node—pivoting is the other.
 Flying Cameras cannot be dollied at nodes where Behaviour was set
to Follow Path or Follow Target. In cases where something is
“interfering with the shot” and the Flying Camera at such a node
must be dollied, simply change the Behaviour at that node to user
defined—the Camera’s current position and orientation will not be
altered by the Behaviour change.

Roll
Rolling the Camera causes it to tilt left or right so that its bottom edge is
no longer “parallel to the ground.” This control applies to all Cameras, at
all times.
 To roll a Camera using the mouse, click and drag left or right with
the middle mouse button (i.e., the mouse wheel) in the Shaded view
or in the shaded pane of Quad view.

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 To roll a Camera using the keyboard, hold down ALT and tap the
PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN keys while the Shaded view or the shaded
pane of Quad view is active.

Zoom
Zooming the Camera causes its field of view to increase or decrease. This
control applies to all Cameras, at all times.
 To zoom a Camera using the mouse, spin the mouse wheel up or
down while the Shaded view or the shaded pane of Quad view is
active.
 To zoom a Camera using the keyboard, tap the PAGE UP or PAGE
DOWN keys while the Shaded view or the shaded pane of Quad view
is active.

Mouse Actions

Action Traditional WYSIWYG Other 3D Applications

Select a point With Selection Mode Always (i.e.

On, Left Mouse click permanent Selection
Mode On), Left Mouse
click
Selection box With Selection Mode Always (i.e.
On, Left Mouse click permanent Selection
and drag; on Left Mode On), Left Mouse
Mouse button Up click and drag; on Left
Mouse button Up
Move camera along Ctrl+Left Mouse drag/ Middle Mouse drag*
plane defined by Right-click held during
initial camera axis as Left Mouse drag*
normal; target
follows translation of
camera
Move camera around Left Mouse drag* Right Mouse drag*
sphere with camera
target at its center,
target is fixed
Pan camera along Ctrl+Alt+Scroll Scroll
camera axis; target
is fixed
Pan camera and Ctrl+Scroll Ctrl+Scroll
target along camera
axis maintain
distance between
them

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Action Traditional WYSIWYG Other 3D Applications

Change Field of View Scroll Alt+Scroll

Fine control modifier Shift Shift
Roll Camera Middle Mouse drag Ctrl+Alt keyboard
button+Mouse Right
button pressed, and
dragged
Right-click menu Right Mouse button Right Mouse button Up
Down if and only if no drag
occurred between
Mouse Down
Camera pitch and Alt+Left Mouse drag* Alt+Right Mouse drag*
yaw; camera axis
rotates; camera
target moves but
maintains distance
*Affected by View Option, “Pan tool moves objects”.

Keyboard Actions

Action Traditional WYSIWYG Other 3D Applications

Field of View Page Up/Page Down Always (i.e.

(unmodified) permanent Selection
Mode On), Left Mouse
click
Pan camera and Ctrl+Page Up/Page Always (i.e.
target along camera Down permanent Selection
axis Mode On), Left Mouse
click and drag; on Left
Mouse button Up
Roll Camera Alt+Page Up/Page Ctrl+Alt+Page Up/
Down Page Down
Pan camera only Ctrl+Alt+Page Up/ Page Up/Page Down
along camera axis; Page Down
target is fixed
Camera pitch and Arrow Keys Alt+Arrow Keys
yaw (unmodified)
Move camera along Ctrl+Arrow Keys Ctrl+Arrow Keys
plane
Move camera around Alt+Arrow Keys Arrow Keys
sphere

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Action Traditional WYSIWYG Other 3D Applications

Fine control modifier Shift Shift

Creating a camera from shaded view

If you have set up a “perfect shot” in the shaded view, you can quickly
and easily save the view to a camera. For more information on cameras,
see “Drawing cameras”.

To create a camera from shaded view

1 In the shaded view, use your mouse to arrange the view that you
want to see.
2 Once you are satisfied with the viewpoint, right-click on the shaded
view and select Save View as New Camera.
Tip: Alternately, on the Camera toolbar, you can click the Save View as
New Camera icon.

The Save View as New Camera button.

3 In the window that appears, type a name for the new camera, and
then click OK.
Result: The camera is now available from the Current Camera drop-
down list on the Camera toolbar.

Creating an image from shaded view

When you have positioned the camera in shaded view, you can export
the view as an image stored in your computer.

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To export an image from shaded view

1 Right-click in the shaded view and select Export to Image.
Result: The Specify Image Dimensions window appears.

Note: The maximum resolution of an image for export is 8192 x

4096 pixels if WYSIWYG detects the user’s computer video card has
enough Video Memory to support a large panorama image.
2 Use the appropriate boxes to adjust the height and width of the
image.
Note: The height and width correspond to the current dimensions of
the shaded view.
3 Select the Lock Aspect Ratio checkbox to lock the aspect ratio of the
dimension. Type the new value in the Aspect Ratio box to change the
aspect ratio.
4 In the Panorama Images section, select the Export Panorama checkbox
to export a panoramic image of your Shaded View and enable the
projection options.
5 Select Spherical Projection to export the panoramic image as a
Spherical image showing up to a full 360 degrees camera view that
includes top and bottom.

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Or select Cylindrical Projection to export the panoramic image as a

Cylindrical image showing up to a full 360 degrees camera view of
the sides only.
6 Click the Resolution drop-down list of the selected option to set the
image display quality in pixels.
7 In the Field Of View field, type the maximum panoramic angle for the
image.
8 Select the Open file location after export checkbox to launch the
exported file after saving.
9 Click OK.
10 Select a file name, location, and file type, and then click Save.
Notes:
 A file name template can be specified in Shaded View Export Options in
the File Options tab of the Application Options window.
 Alternately, a file name is automatically assigned using smart
variables, which is also defined in Shaded View Export Options in the File
Options tab in the Application Options window. See “File Options tab”.

Modifying shaded views

The properties of a shaded view affect the view point, fixture beam
quality, and ambient light. These settings are modified in the View
Options.

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To modify a shaded view

1 In Shaded view, from the Options menu, choose View Options.
Result: The View Options window appears.

Tip: You can also use the View Options tool on the Standard toolbar to
open the view options.

The View Options button.

2 Modify options as desired.

3 Click OK.

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General tab
Options on the General tab affect the scene that is displayed in the
Shaded view.

 Scene
 Follow Current Scene: Select this checkbox to use the scene that is
displayed in the drop-down list on the Scene toolbar. Clear the
checkbox, and then select the desired scene from the Scene drop-
down list. To learn more about scenes, refer to “Scenes”.
Tip: You can also change the current scene at any time by using
the Scene toolbar.
 Shaded View Profile: Previously created Shaded View Profiles can be
enabled from the drop-down list. See “Shaded view profile” for more
information.
 View Styles: These options allow you to define how the Shaded
view appears.
Note: These options do not impact the Shaded view performance.

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 Object Bounding Boxes: Select this option to show green bounding

boxes around all objects in the scene. This view style was designed
to be used in conjunction with the Consolidated Mesh feature (for
details see “Consolidated mesh”) and enables you to visually
analyze an object’s complexity.
 Disabled Textures: Select this option to hide (not remove) all

textures used in a scene. This option is useful when verifying why

a particular texture doesn’t seem to sit properly on an object and
you want to check the underlying geometry for anomalies.
 Wireframe Geometry: Select this option to display all objects in a

scene (except beams) as wireframe outlines instead of solids. This

feature helps you analyze the complexity of a scene so you can
alter objects as necessary to speed up rendering times and
minimize file size. For example, when you see complex objects in
your file (those shown with a high-density wireframe), you can
optimize them by reducing their polygon counts, either with the
Consolidated Mesh feature or by re-importing a less complex
version.
 Simulation Information: These options allow you to define how
simulation information is presented.
 View Statistics: Select this option to see information about the scene

in the upper-left corner of the Shaded view. Note that enabling this
view style will not modify the look of the scene. The information
displayed is based on the layers and/or scene that are enabled.
The following statistics are displayed:
 FPS: Shows the framerate (frames per second) as the Shaded
view is altered by moving the image with your mouse (which
affects the fixtures in your file), changing Looks in Design
mode, or by incoming DMX in Live mode. Note that when the
Shaded view is static (as it is most of the time), the FPS field
displays “n/a”.
 Number of Objects: Provides information about the total number
of visible objects.
 Number of Beams: Displays the number of beams currently
appearing in the Shaded View. Note that it is normal for the
number of beams to be different from the number of fixtures.
For example, a three-cell Cyc fixture will count as a single
fixture, but when all three cells are on, the number of beams
will read “3”.
 Number of Glowing Screens: Displays the number of screens and
LED walls currently appearing in the Shaded View.
 View Complexity: Displays information about the complexity of
the Shaded view. The four complexity levels - low, medium,
high, and very high are meant to help you understand how
complex the current scene is. When the complexity level is
high or very high, it is strongly recommended that you
consider optimizing the file. For example, you could use the

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Consolidate Mesh feature to reduce the number of polygons in

a highly-detailed model. See “Consolidated mesh”.
 Camera Information: Select this option to view information in Shaded
view about the Cameras that you have drawn.
 Performance Graph: Select this option to view a performance graph

in Shaded view.
 Visual References: These options allow you to define how visual
references are presented.
 Wireframe Selection Bounding Box: Select this checkbox to highlight

fixtures selected in Wireframe view when the view is switched to

Shaded view.
 World Grid: Select this checkbox to show the World Grid in Shaded

views.
 World Axis: Select this checkbox to show the World Axis in Shaded

views.
 Gyroscope: Select this checkbox to show the Gyroscope in Shaded

views. The Gyroscope allows for continuous orientation monitoring

while moving around in Shaded view.
 Fixture Tooltips: Select this checkbox to display the specific

information about a fixture when you hover over it in Shaded view.

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Simulation tab
Options on the Simulation tab affect the view point, beam quality, and
ambient light levels.

 Ambient Light: Use the slider to increase or decrease the amount of

ambient light level shown in the shaded view. The percent box
indicates the degree of ambient light you have chosen.
 Ambient Color: Modifies the color of the ambient light. For example,
use this feature if you'd like the Ambient light in your file tinted
yellow or blue to match the type of house lighting in your venue. By
default, the Ambient Color is set to white.
 Background Color: Modifies the background color used in the shaded
view. This color is visible when you zoom far enough away that you
can see beyond the venue.
 Quality: Controls the degree to which you want to emphasize beam
quality over performance.

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 Mode: Choose one of the following beam simulation modes. Note

that when you select this value, and then choose the beam control
options, you will automatically see the results in the Shaded view,
enabling you to adjust them as necessary before you click OK to
save your changes:
 Enhanced: Enhanced is the default beam mode. Select to
enable enhanced beam control options affecting beam quality.
 Volumetric: This mode delivers higher quality visualization of
beams than enhanced beams. Improved lens flair effects and
beam throws are just some of the noticeable improvements.
Due to the required system resources need to run Volumetric
beams, system performance may be effected depending on
system running WYSIWYG.

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An example of a scene using Enhanced Beams in Shaded View.

An example of a scene using Volumetric Beams in Shaded View.

Note: Deferred Rendering is required to run Volumetric Beams. If

this option is not available, it means the graphics card on your
computer does not support Volumetric beams.
 Detail: Use the slider to increase or decrease the level of details
displayed in Volumetric mode. An increase in details will result in a
decrease in performance. The default detail setting is 0.
Note: For most users, an increase in detail will not be noticeable,
except in certain camera positions and situations.

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 Beam: Lower beam quality affects the beams’ footprint, sometimes

making them appear blurry. While it is recommended that this
value be set to High, if you notice a reduction in performance,
particularly when viewing a complex scene with many moving
lights, you can increase performance by lowering the quality to
Medium or Low. Note that if you find it necessary to use Low quality
for acceptable performance, it is recommended that you upgrade
to a more powerful system.
 Enhance Projected Video: This option is available only when High
Beam Quality is selected. It should only be used when video is
being projected, not when video is being used on a Screen,
Surface, Object, or LED Wall. Enabling this feature decreases
Shaded View performance, but increases the visual quality of the
footprint (video) created by the projector.
 Brightness: Use the Brightness sliders (or type a value in the
corresponding box) to control the visual brightness of beams,
footprints, and lens flares.
Every fixture/bulb in the WYSIWYG library has “brightness value”
defined in its properties. The “brightness value” of a fixture/bulb is
the relative intensities between light beams from different fixtures
based on their published photometric data.
The Beam, Lens Flare and Footprint sliders will alter all beams relatively
in comparison to all the fixture beams in the scene. For example, you
can see this when a bright fixture is hung beside a fixture that is less
bright. (i.e. 10” Fresnel with 2KW bulb is hung beside a 6” Fresnel
with 500W bulb, both at full intensity). The relative brightness
between both fixtures matches the difference in intensity from both
fixtures with reference to their published photometric data.
A scene with many lights may be better visualized when some of the
beams’ components are less bright. Note that brightness settings
affect all beams in the scene equally and are for aesthetic purposes
only; the sliders are not connected to the fixtures’ intensity.
The Brightness sliders enable you to balance the brightness values for
different scenes, each scene varying based on the density and
intensity of its fixtures. These values are saved into the scene file
and will, therefore, change when new scenes are loaded.
Note: The default value of 50 is the baseline value generated by the
values from the library definitions. If the scene does not show any
beams or footprints, ensure that none of the brightness sliders is set
to zero.
 Beam: Controls the brightness of the beam cone. A scene with
many overlapping beam cones will tend to saturate, which can be
reduced by decreasing the brightness.
 Footprint: Controls the brightness of the beam footprint. A scene
with many overlapping footprints will tend to saturated, which can
be reduced by decreasing the brightness.

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 Lens Flare: Controls the brightness of the lens flare, which is the
dominant visual effect when the camera is aimed directly into a
fixture’s lens. In addition, when you are behind a fixture that is
directed away from the camera, the lens flare component is used
to create a simulated beam cone.
 Beam Exposure: Use this slider to adjust the overall exposure of the
beams. The default value is 50 which is the baseline value generated
by the values from the library definitions. Increasing the exposure
causes all beams in the scene to become brighter exponentially. This
may be required if you feel all beams seem too dim. Decreasing the
exposure causes all beams in the scene to become dimmer
exponentially. This may be required if you feel all beams seem too
bright/saturated. If you wish to correct the relative brightness of one
fixture, it is best to adjust its beam brightness by going into Fixture's
properties and using the Beam Intensity Multiplier on the Beam Options
tab.
Note: Beam Exposure works similar to the exposure control of a
camera but the values are not based on the F-stop. The fixture’s
output is affected relatively; and beam, footprint and flare are all
affected at the same time. For example, when you adjust the
exposure of two Fresnels at full intensity - a 10” and a 6”:
 When increasing, the beam, footprint and flare of the 10” fresnel
stops getting brighter at a value of about 95, but the value from
the 6” fresnel goes up to 100.
 When decreasing, the 6” fresnel stops getting dimmer at around
20, but the value from the 10” fresnel goes down to 0.
 Scattering: Use the Scattering slider to enable and control the
simulation of the light energy that deflects and scatters when
passing through the imperfect medium of air filled with various
particles/molecules. Light is deflected off of its straight path and
scatters in many directions.
Use the Scattering slider to increase or decrease the scattering effect.
When Scattering is set to 0, no scattering effect is applied to the light
beam from a selected fixture.
When Scattering is enabled, the intensity of the light beam from a
fixture appears to vary when viewed from different angles.
Note: By default, Scattering is only available when the Simulation
Quality is set to Volumetric mode.
 Shadows
 Enable: Select Enable checkbox to display shadows. Turning

Shadows on creates a more realistic Shaded View, but adds extra

complexity, which may also slow down performance as more
calculations are required.
 Soft Shadows: Select Soft Shadows checkbox to display higher quality

soft shadows. Use this option to soften the shadows for best visual
quality, for example when capturing a screenshot of a look.
Note: Enabling Soft shadows while running cues in Live mode is not
recommended, as it will drastically slow down performance.

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 Alpha Beam Shadows

 Enable: Alpha Beam Shadows in Shaded View is enabled when

Volumetric Beam quality is selected. Select Enable checkbox to

display Alpha Beam Shadows.
 Num. Levels: Click this drop-down list to select the number of levels

to be calculated for Alpha Beam Shadows.

For example, if you select 2 from the drop-down list, a beam’s
color and intensity will be calculated based on alpha levels only
that pass through 2 surfaces, and any additional surfaces with
alpha levels will be ignored as the beam will just pass through
them.
Note: Each Alpha shadow level supported for this feature requires
additional video memory from your graphics card, and can impact
performance, depending on your scene and computer hardware.
 Footprint
 Hot Spot: Select Hot Spot checkbox to display hot spots. Hot spots

are usually noticeable with conventional fixtures, which have

lenses that refract the beam non-uniformly; the center of the
beam is bright and it gradually drops off moving outward to the
edge of the beam. Conversely, the majority of automated fixtures
have a different type of lens that corrects the beam refraction to
have a more uniform footprint.
 Footprint Focus: Select Footprint Focus checkbox to enable footprint

focus functionality. Enable this option to visualize the footprint

focus, otherwise, fixtures for which you have defined footprint
focus will not display. This toggle also offers an easy way to turn
off the display of the footprint focus when not needed (for a
performance boost) without losing the footprint focus settings of
the fixtures.
 Focus Lines: Select Focus Lines checkbox to enable the display focus

lines, when the Footprint Focus option is enabled for conventional

fixtures in CAD mode (fixture's Properties) and/or automated
fixtures in Design mode (Footprint Designer tool).
 Materials
 Enable: Select Enable checkbox to enable materials functionality.

When a material is applied to an object, it affects how the object

interacts with light. This interaction is visible in shaded view and in
rendered images from the WYSIWYG Render Wizard.
 Reflections: Select Reflections checkbox display reflections on

materials. When a reflection is applied to an object, it will reflect

light depending on the material settings. This interaction is visible
in shaded view and in rendered images from the WYSIWYG Render
Wizard.
 Screen/LED Wall Glow: Click Enable checkbox to toggle a glow that will
emit from screens and LED walls, increasing the realism of

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visualizations. When enabled, use this slider to adjust the intensity of

the glow.

An example of a LED Wall with Glow enabled in Shaded View.

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Performance
Options on the Performance tab are features that let you manage between
system efficiency and visual quality.

 Auto-Adjust FPS: When enabled WYSIWYG is granted permission

to attempt to maintain a consistent frames per second when
visualizing. WYSIWYG achieves this by reducing the quality of the
Shaded View image to increase performance.
 Enable: Will enable the Auto-Adjust FPS function when the

checkbox is selected.
 Target FPS: The desired amount of frames per second which

WYSIWYG will attempt to maintain.

 Min. Quality: The minimum level of visualization quality which

WYSIWYG will attempt to maintain.

Note: The Auto-Adjust FPS option only works with Volumetric
Beams. With Enhanced Beams, Auto-Adjust FPS is set to off. In the

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View Statistics, this is displayed with Virtual Resolution being set to

N/A.
Note: When you turn Auto-Adjust FPS on, you are permitting
WYSIWYG to vary the Shaded View resolution automatically - as
needed - to deliver the highest frame rate possible on your computer.
 Performance: You have the option of improving system
performance by adjusting the following two object types:
 Draw Fixtures: When selected, the fixture body will be drawn in

shaded view. When deselected, the fixture body will not be drawn
in shaded view, only the beam, which will reduce the amount of
geometry being drawn in shaded views and offer slight
performance improvements.
 Enhance LED Walls: Select to improve the visual appearance of LED

Walls. If there are many large LED Walls in the document, then
performance may decrease as a result of having enabled this
option; turn this option off and check whether performance
improves.
 Show Footprints/Shadows: You have the option to show
footprints and shadows in the Shaded view for one or more of the
following two object types:
 Hang Structures: This option controls whether hang structures like

pipes and truss will cast shadows and receive footprints in the
Shaded view. It is extremely useful for checking effects or looks
such as truss warmers, but it is recommended to keep this option
disabled in order to increase performance.
 All: Select this radio button to display in Shaded view the
footprints/shadows of all the hang structures in your drawing.
 Enabled Only: The footprint/shadow of a hang structure object
appears in Shaded view only when the Cast Shadow option in
the Appearance tab of its Properties window is enabled. Select
this radio button to display in Shaded view only the footprints/
shadows of hang structures with enabled Cast Shadow feature.
 Fixture Bodies: This option controls whether the bodies of fixtures
will cast shadows and receive footprints. This feature is useful
when checking to see if certain fixtures are blocking the beams of
other fixtures, but it is recommended to keep this option disabled
in order to increase performance.
 All: Select this radio button to display in Shaded view the
footprints/shadows of all the fixtures in your drawing.
 Enabled Only: The footprint/shadow of a fixture appears in
Shaded view only when the Cast Shadow option is enabled in
the Appearance tab of its Properties window. Select this radio
button to display in Shaded view only the footprints/shadows
of fixtures with enabled Cast Shadow feature.

By default, the Cast Shadow option is disabled on a hang structure and a

fixture when created in your drawing; on the other hand, all objects have
the Cast Shadow option enabled by default.

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Visual Effects
Options on the Visual Effects tab are visual effects that can be added to
enhance visualization.

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 Ambient Occlusion: Varies the ambient light contribution to the scene

by using localized geometric visibility. The amount of ambient light
can be controlled by adjusting the slider.

A visualization with Ambient The same visualization with

Occlusion disabled. Ambient Occlusion enabled.
There is now mini shadows on
the stairs.

 Global Illumination: Simulates the indirect illumination of light

bouncing off of geometric surfaces onto other surfaces.
 Method: Determines how object are illuminated. Approximation

Method 1 illuminates objects from all directions. Approximation

Method 2 illuminates only the visible sides of an object.
 Range: Determines how far illumination will travel from objects.

 Brightness: Determines how luminous objects will appear.

 Quality: Determines the quality of light illuminated from the object.

A visualization with Global The same visualization with

Illumination disabled. Global Illumination feature
enabled. Additional light
(illumination) on the stairs
behind the singer.

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 Source Disc Bloom: Creates a halo of light around a fixture's aperture

to simulate light diffusion for very bright sources. The size and
brightness of the Disc Bloom can be adjusted by moving the slider.

A visualization with Source Disc A visualization with Source Disc

Bloom disabled. Bloom enabled. There appears a
slight bloom or halo of blue light
around the Fixture’s Source Disc

Environment tab
Options on the Environmental tab control non-uniform atmospheric effects
in beams.

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 Smoke Simulation: Beams can display non-uniform atmospheric

effects in their beam cones.
 Smoke Density: Select Smoke Density checkbox to display a non-

uniform smoke suspension in the beam cone, which also enables

Animate Smoke and Turbulence. Use the slider to change the density
of the smoke.
 Animate Smoke: Select Animate Smoke checkbox to make the non-

uniform smoke move, and then specify the direction and speed
using the X, Y, Z sliders. When the slider is in the middle at 0,
smoke will not be animated in that axis. Move the slider off 0 to
animate the smoke in that direction. The further away the slider is
from 0, the faster the smoke will travel. (For example, to make the
suspended smoke move in an upward direction to simulate a rising
smoke effect, move the Z slider to the positive (right) side of 0,
leaving the X and Y sliders at 0. To increase the speed at which the
smoke is rising, move the slider further along on the positive
scale.)
 Turbulence: Select Turbulence checkbox to display atmospheric

smoke effects and low-lying ground smoke or fog effects with

irregular and turbulent flow.

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Turbulence is enabled when Volumetric Mode is selected in the Qual-

ity section in the Simulation tab of the View Options window.
Turbulence is disabled when Enhanced Mode is selected in the Qual-
ity section in the Simulation tab of the View Options window.
 Ground Smoke
 Enable Ground Smoke: Select Enable Ground Smoke checkbox to
display low-lying ground smoke or fog effect, and enable its
properties for changes.
 Base Height: Specify the height of the horizontal bottom plane
of the ground smoke from the floor of the drawing where Z
coordinate is at 0.
 Height: Specify maximum height of the ground smoke when it
rises from its horizontal bottom base.
 Variance: Use the slider to increase or decrease the maximum
peaks and troughs of the ground smoke turbulence. You may
type the value in the adjacent box. The ground smoke will be
displayed without turbulence if the slider is set to the
minimum at 0. The ground smoke turbulence will be displayed
with maximum peaks and troughs when the slider is set to the
maximum at 100.
 Intensity: Use the slider to increase or decrease the brightness
of the ground smoke or fog. You may type the value in the
adjacent box.

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Time of Day Lighting tab

Just as you can simulate time of day/outdoor lighting when setting up
your renderings in the Render Wizard, you can now achieve the same
effect in the Shaded view in real time for all events that take place
outside. Just like when you are setting up a rendering, in order to
achieve the correct outdoor lighting conditions in the Shaded view, you
must define the geographical location for your event and set the direction
North. For details, see “To draw a compass”.

 Enable Time of Day Lighting: Select this checkbox to consider outdoor

lighting conditions in the Shaded view, and then specify the lighting
conditions below. The Shaded view adjusts accordingly, in real time.
 Date: The date determines the position of the sun and/or moon

and the resulting amount of light available. Type the date when
the event will take place.
 Time: The time determines the position of the sun and/or moon

and the resulting amount of light available. Type the time when
the event will take place.

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 End: Select this checkbox if you want to specify an end time for the
event, and then type the date and time in the boxes provided.
 Timeline: By defining Start and End Dates/Times, you can check
lighting conditions between those times. Use the Timeline slider to
adjust the current Shaded view time.
 Sky Conditions: The amount of light available determines the
brightness of the resulting image in the Shaded view. Use the Sky
Conditions slider to adjust the quality of light (cloudy or clear).
 Enable soft shadow: Select this checkbox, and then use the slider to set
the softness of shadows that are created by sunlight. The softer the
setting, the less sharp the resulting shadow.
 Regional Settings: Click to set the geographic location of your show.
You can either select the country and city or enter the latitude and
longitude of the location. These settings are used in Shaded views
and renderings that use environmental options.

Camera tab
Options on the Camera tab affect the Cameras in your file.

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 Camera: Select a camera to change the point of view. Click Reset to

Defaults to remove any previous association with a camera and to
display the original view point.
Note: You can also control the camera view point with the Camera
toolbar. For details, see “Using the camera toolbar”.
 Pan tool moves objects: Select this checkbox if you want to rotate the
model on the target. Clear this checkbox if you want the pan tool to
rotate the camera around the target. You can use the right, left, up,
and down arrow keys in addition to the mouse button to pan to the
desired location.
 Camera Path
 Follow Camera Path playback: Select this checkbox if you want to lock

the Shaded view to the camera path’s camera view whenever the
camera path is playing.
 Fixture FOV
 Display Information of Selected Fixture: In the Fixture POV section,

select this checkbox to display information about the selected

fixture at the bottom of the view.
Note: This option becomes active when the Camera drop-down list is
set to POV of selected fixture, and only works if one fixture is selected.
(When multiple fixtures are selected, the camera reverts to its
previous camera setting and no fixture information displays).

 Camera Target

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 Display Target: In the Camera Target section, select this checkbox to

show the focus point of the selected camera in the shaded view.
Choose the color of the displayed target by clicking the Color box,
and then selecting the color from the resulting palette. The target
is visible in shaded views only.
 Infinite Lines: In the Camera Target section, select this checkbox to
show the camera target lines of the selected camera in the Shaded
view, extending the camera target lines to infinity.
 Letter/Pillar Box: Select from the Color box the color for the letter or
pillar box that will be displayed to indicate the viewing definition
boundaries.

Fixture Attribute Details tab

Options on the Fixture Attribute Details tab affect which attributes of the
fixture are displayed with the fixture object in Shaded view.

 Fixture Attributes: Select the attributes that you want displayed around
the fixture symbols. To modify how the attributes are laid out, refer
to Fixture Notation and Information Layout in “Fixture notation”.

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 Plot: Select the corresponding checkboxes in this column to display

the selected attributes in the plot.
 Wireframe Views: Select the corresponding checkboxes in this

column to display the attributes in the Tooltips in Wireframe view.

Displays tooltips on the CAD item. Tooltips are the pop-up
messages that display specific information about a fixture when
you hover over it. Choose the information that you want to display
in a tooltip by selecting the appropriate check boxes in the Fixture
tooltips group box. Tooltips are often helpful when trying to locate a
specific fixture in a plot.
 Shaded Views: Select this checkbox to display the attributes when

you hover over a fixture in Shaded view.

Tip: Select the checkbox on the top row of the Plot or Wireframe Views
or Shaded Views column to select all check boxes below.
 Use Document Defaults: Select this checkbox to reference the options
selected on the Wireframe Details tab of Document Options. Clear the Use
Document Defaults checkbox to make specific changes for the active
view.

Beam quality color theory

The footprint technology of the beam simulation in our Shaded Views
calculates footprints using color modulation, which is based on color
theory. When a light beam strikes an object, some of the light is
absorbed and some is reflected. The reflected color that the human eye
can see is a subset of the source light spectrum that was not absorbed by
the object.

For example, when a red light is shining on a blue riser, no light will be
reflected back to the human eye. The blue riser absorbs all colors that
are not blue (its own color). Since there is no blue in the red source light,
the light is completely absorbed. This means no footprint is displayed on
the blue riser in our visualization.

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Another scenario affected by this modulation would be a white beam

hitting a black object. The white light contains all colors in the spectrum,
while pure black is the total absence of color. As a result, the black object
absorbs the entire spectrum of color and therefore reflects no light. This
means no footprint is displayed on the black riser in our new
visualization.

The next scenario shows two beams, a non-pure red and a non-pure
blue, hitting a pure-green riser. The pure green riser absorbs all color
components from the beam except for the green component and
therefore reflects only green light. The blue beam has a bit more green in
its spectrum than the red beam, and appears slightly brighter than the
red beam footprint. This example also shows that the portion of the
footprints which fall on the grey floor result in the reflected color
matching the beam colors. Using color theory, grey which has an equal
amount of red, green and blue would therefore absorb an equal amount
of the beam color components as well as reflect an equal amount of
these colors, resulting in the reflected color (footprint) being the same as
the beam color.

Note: If you have a black stage, the footprints do not display on the
stage because they are totally absorbed. To display footprint colors on
black, use an unpure black or dark grey instead.

Color Temperature and Inverse Square Law

When in Shaded view, color temperature and inverse square law
calculations are applied to all beams. These features create a greater
degree of realism to Shaded view visualizations.

Color temperature calculations

For beams, the color temperature calculations take into account both the
type of bulb used in the fixture and its wattage. For example, the beam
of a fixture with an arc bulb displays with a blue tint, while the beam of a
fixture with a tungsten bulb displays with a yellow tint. Likewise, the
beam from a fixture using a 1000W bulb will be brighter than the same
fixture using a 500W bulb, but, naturally, not twice as bright.
In the graphic below, note the difference in appearance of each of the
beams: as the wattage increases, the beam appears brighter, and as the
bulb differs, so does the tint of the beam.

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Inverse square law calculations

The inverse square law calculations apply to beam footprints, providing a
realistic intensity falloff that is proportional to the beam angle and
distance from source to target. For example, the footprint of a fixture
lighting a flat surface 20’ away appears much brighter than if the same
fixture were lighting the same flat surface at 30’. Similarly, for zoom
fixtures, the intensity of the footprint is automatically adjusted when the
beam angle is changed (by zooming in or out).

In the graphic below, note the difference in appearance of each of the

footprints: as the beam gets narrower, the footprint appears brighter.

Shaded view profile

Introduction
Shaded View Profiles are a feature that can be used to improve your
workflow by making it easier to manage multiple Shaded Views and their
settings. The Shaded View Profile contains all options of the Shaded
View. Use the View Options to configure the Shaded View as you wish,
and the settings will be stored in the Shaded View Profile. To store other
combinations of Shaded View options, simply create another Shaded
View Profile. Shaded View settings can then be easily toggled by
selecting different Shaded View Profile shortcuts. You can also use the
Shaded View Settings Tool to configure Shaded View options in addition
to managing Shaded View Profiles.

Note: By default, the Shaded View Profile is set to "Default" for a new
file. This means the same Shaded View Profile is shared amongst all
views by default and all views are initially synchronized.

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The grey bar in CAD, Design, and Live mode displays the current Shaded
View Profile. The grey bar can be found across the top of the Shaded
View and will display the name of the Shaded View Profile you have
selected.

If you prefer not to use a Shaded View Profile, then set your Shaded View
Profile to "None", and the Shaded View will work like before. The "None"
profile is individually associated to one particular Shaded View.
WYSIWYG files saved in versions before Release 33 will have their
Shaded View Profile set to "None".

Note: Shaded View Profile will save settings associated to the General,
Simulation, Environment, and Time of Day tabs in the View Options. It DOES
NOT include any options found in the Camera tab or "SCENE" properties
controlled via the Scene toolbar.

See “Modifying shaded views” for information how to edit shaded views.

To create a new Shaded View Profile using the Navigation

Pane
Note: A new Shaded View Profile sets all options to default settings.

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1 In the Navigation Pane, select Shaded View Profiles.

2 In the Shaded View Profiles shortcut area, right-click and select New
Shaded View Profile.

Result: The Enter new shortcut name window appears.

3 In the Enter new shortcut name window, enter a name for the new
Shaded View Profile.
4 Click OK.
Result: The new Shaded View Profile is created.

Note: Alternatively, you can create a new Shaded View Profile using the
Shaded View Settings Tool.

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To clone an existing Shaded View Profile using the

Navigation Pane
1 In the Navigation Pane, select Shaded View Profiles.
2 In the Shaded View Profiles shortcut area, right-click the shortcut of a
profile you want to clone and select Clone Shortcut.

Result: The Enter new Shaded View Profile name window appears.

3 In the Enter new Shaded View Profile name window, enter a name for the
new Shaded View Profile.
4 Click OK.
Result: A new Shaded View Profile is created, retaining all the
settings of the original.

Note: Alternatively, you can clone a Shaded View Profile using the Shaded
View Settings Tool.

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To delete a Shaded View Profile using the Navigation Pane

1 In the Navigation Pane, select Shaded View Profiles.
2 In the Shaded View Profiles shortcut area, right-click the shortcut of a
profile you want to delete and select Delete.

Result: A dialog box appears, asking if you really want to delete the
profile.
3 Click OK.
Result: The Shaded View Profile is deleted.

Note: Alternatively, you can delete a Shaded View Profile using the
Shaded View Settings Tool.

Shaded view settings tool

The Shaded View Settings tool is a feature that allows you to further
improve workflow using Shaded View Profiles. The changes made in this
Tool update the Shaded View Options and vice versa. This tool can be open
at all times and offers quick access to some of the more popular Shaded
View settings. Settings available in the Shaded View Settings Tool are:
 Mode
 Quality
 Detail
 Materials
 Glow
 Reflections
 Smoke
 Ambient Light
 Beam
 Footprint

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 Lens Flare
 Beam Exposure

To create a new Shaded View Profile using the Shaded View

Settings Tool
1 From the View menu choose Shaded View Settings Tool.
Result: The Shaded View Settings window appears.

2 In the Shaded View Settings window, click New.

Result: The Enter new shortcut name window appears.

3 In the Enter new shortcut name window, enter a name for the new
Shaded View Profile.

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4 Click OK.
Result: The Shaded View Profile is created. You can edit the settings
of the profile from the Shaded View Settings window, or by going to the
Options > View Options menu. See “Modifying shaded views” for more
information.

Note: Alternatively, you can create a new shaded view profile using the
Navigation Pane.

To clone an existing Shaded View Profile using the Shaded

View Settings Tool
1 From the View menu choose Shaded View Settings Tool.
Result: The Shaded View Settings window appears.
2 From the Shaded View Profile drop-down list, select the Shaded View
Profile you want to clone.
3 Click Clone.
Result: The Enter new Shaded View Profile name window appears.
4 In the Enter new Shaded Profile View name window, enter a name for the
cloned Shaded View Profile.
5 Click OK
Result: A new shaded view profile is created, retaining all the
settings of the original shaded view profile.

Note: Alternatively, you can clone a new shaded view profile using the
Navigation Pane.

To delete a Shaded View Profile using the Shaded View

Settings Tool
1 From the View menu choose Shaded View Settings Tool.
Result: The Shaded View Settings window appears.
2 From the Shaded View Profile drop-down list, select the shaded view
profile you want to delete.
3 Click Delete.
Result: A dialog box appears, asking if you really want to delete the
profile.
4 Click OK.
Result: The shaded view profile will be deleted.

Note: Alternatively, you can delete a shaded view profile using the
Navigation Pane.

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To select a Shaded View Profile

1 In the Navigation Pane, select Shaded View Profiles.
2 In the Shaded View Profiles shortcut area, click the shortcut of a profile
you want to select.
3 The selected shaded view profile is enabled.

OR
1 From the View menu choose Shaded View Settings Tool.
Result: The Shaded View Settings window appears.
2 From the Shaded View Profile drop-down list, select the shaded view
profile you want to use.
Result: The shaded view profile is enabled.

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 Chapter 5

Managing your WYSIWYG

document

This chapter provides information on how to work with your

WYSIWYG document.

In this chapter
File menu 147
Options menu 161
WYSIWYG Viewer 197

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File menu

Introduction
The File menu contains the basic commands required to manipulate your
WYSIWYG document.

The File menu is the same in all the modes.

New command
The New command creates a new show document. If another show
document is currently open, you will be prompted to save changes to
that document before a new untitled file is created. Only one show
document may be open at a time.

To create a new document

From the File menu, choose New.
Tip: You can also use the New tool on the Standard toolbar.

The New button.

New Project command

The New Project command creates a new project folder with the new
show document (.wyg file) and all its associated files automatically
stored within the My Projects folder, or you may specify a different folder
path for the new project folder.

To create a new project

1 From the File menu, choose New Project.
2 Type the name of the new project in the Create New Project dialog box.
Tip: You can also specify the path and location to which you will save
the project folder, in the Location cell.
3 Click OK.

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Open command
The Open command opens a previously created show document. If
another show document is currently open, you will be prompted to save
changes to that document before another show document is opened.
Only one show document may be open at a time.

To open an existing document

1 From the File menu, choose Open.
2 Select the file, and then click Open.
You can open the following file types:
 WYSIWYG files (.wyg)
 WYSIWYG template (.wyt)
 Vivien files (.vvn)
 Vivien template files (.vvt)
 WYSIWYG backup files (.bak)
 Wysiwygv2 files (.wys)
 DWG files (.dwg)
 DXF files (.dxf)
 LW2 files (.lw2)
 SketchUp files (.skp)
 Wavefront (.obj)
 Collada (.dae)
 Filmbox (.fbx)
 3D Studio (.3ds)

Open Project command

The Open Project command opens a previously created project folder
which contains the saved show document with all its associated files.

To open an existing project

From the File menu, choose Open Project.
Result: The My Projects folder opens to display the stored projects.

DWG/DXF export
This command exports the current show document to a DWG or DXF
formatted file type. DWG and DXF formats are used to transfer
documents to AutoCAD or other compatible drafting applications.

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To export to DWG or DXF format

For details, see “To export to DWG/DXF in 2D”.

Save command
The Save command saves the open document to the same file name and
location (folder, disk, and so on) under which it was previously saved. If
you are saving the document for the first time, this command will
perform the Save As function.

To save your document

From the File menu, choose Save.
Tip: You can also use the Save tool on the Standard toolbar.

The Save button.

Save As command
The Save As command is used to save the current document to a new file
name, a new file type, or new destination, such as an external hard
drive.

To save the current document

1 From the File menu, choose Save As.
2 In the dialog box that opens, browse to the location where you want
to save the file. Ensure that the destination appears in the Save in
box.
3 In the File name box, type a name for the file.
4 In the Save as type box, choose the saved file type. There are a
number of choices available.
5 Click Save.

Note: WYSIWYG allows you to save an object or group of objects

contained within your document as a separate file.

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To save an object
1 Ensure the object(s) to be saved are selected.
2 From the File menu, choose Save As.
Result: The Save As dialog box appears.

3 Click Full Document to save the current document to a new file name,
file type, or new destination. You are prompted to enter the
destination and file name of the file.
4 Click Selected Objects to save the selected object(s) as a separate
WYSIWYG (.wyg) document.
5 Click Use 0,0,0 as Basepoint to align the incoming drawing at 0,0,0 with
the existing drawing.
6 Click Select Basepoint with mouse to use the mouse to select the
basepoint for the merge of the CAD drawings.
7 Select the Create Insertable checkbox to create an insertable from the
object. For more information, see “Insertables”.
8 Click OK.

Save as Project command

The Save As Project command is used to save the current project folder
to a new project folder name containing the new file, and into the new
folder location.

To save the current project

1 From the File menu, choose Save as Project.
2 Type the new project name in the Save as Project dialog box.
Tip: You can also specify the path and location to which you will save
the project folder, in the Location cell.
3 Click OK.
Result: The project folder with the new name is stored in My
Folders, or saved in your specified folder and location.

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Package Project as Zip command

The Package Project as Zip command packs the folders in the project into
a zip file, with the option to select which files to include, and the option
to include the external images and video used in the file.

To package project as zip

1 From the File menu, choose Package Project as Zip.
2 Type the name of the zip file in the Package Project as Zip dialog box.
Tip: You can also specify the path and location to which you will save
the zip package, in the Location cell.
3 Select the checkbox to include copies of the external images and
video files.
4 Click OK.
Result: The Project Files dialog box appears.
5 Select the files you wish to include in the package.
6 Click OK.
Result: The zip package is saved and stored in My Projects folder, or
saved in your specified folder and location.

To save a WYSIWYG document as a Vivien file

1 From the File menu, choose Save As.
2 In the dialog box that opens, browse to the location where you want
to save the file. Ensure that the destination appears in the Save in
box.
3 In the File name box, enter a name for the file.
4 In the Save as type box, choose Vivien Files (*.vvn).
5 Click Save.

Template files
The WYSIWYG Save As command lists a file type called.WYT. WYSIWYG
template files are similar to the type of template file you may use on your
word processor to set up fax cover sheets, memos, or letters. Once you
have drawn your venue with all of its lighting positions and everything
else that is common to all shows, save it as a .WYT file in the \Templates
directory. Each time you start a new drawing, that file will be available as
a template to start from.
You can also enter all your lighting equipment inventory into the Flight
Case and save that as a template. When users start their drawings with
your template, they will not have to choose from an endless list of
fixtures but rather just what you have in stock.

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This is also the ideal option for saving your preferred working settings.
Template files save all the shortcuts including custom reports, plots, and
so on. However, toolbar settings are not saved in template files since
they are saved by the application.
A list of most recently opened template files appears under the heading
Create New Plot on the WYSIWYG welcome screen. The more... link will
prompt you to open a template file from the WYSIWYG Templates
directory.

To save a template file

1 In an active view, and with no objects selected, from the File menu,
choose Save As.
2 In the dialog box that opens, browse to the location where you want
to save the file. Ensure that the destination appears in the Save in
box. To ensure that your template file is available on the WYSIWYG
Welcome screen, save your file to the WYSIWYG/Templates
directory.
3 In the File name box, type a name for the file.
4 In the Save as type box, choose WYSIWYG Template files (*.wyt).
5 Click Save.

Save back to previous version

Starting from R41, you can save back to earlier releases of WYSIWYG for
up to four (4) releases back of the current release. For example, from
R41, you can save back to earlier releases R40, R39, R38 and R37.

Insertables
WYSIWYG ships with several files that contain sets of pre-configured
objects called “Insertables”. Insertables can be merged into your current
file and inserted as needed. WYSIWYG also allows you to create and save
your own insertables.

Creating insertables
If a part of your file has objects that you would like to reuse again, you
can save it as an insertable. This is similar to merging one WYSIWYG file
into another one, but the insertable will be listed conveniently for you in
the Insert Insertable dialog box.

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To create insertables
1 In Wireframe view, select the object(s) you want to become an
insertable.
Note: The object will be saved exactly as it appears in the file, with
the same properties.
2 From the File menu, select Insertables... > Create.
Result: The Create Insertable window appears.

3 In the Create Insertable window, type the name for the new insertable
object.
4 In the Name field, type the name for your insertable.
5 Select one of the two base point options for your insertable.
 Use 0, 0, 0 as Base point.
 Select Base point with mouse.
6 Click OK.
Result: The insertable will be saved. You can now insert it into any
file from the Insertables... menu.

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To insert insertables into a file

1 From the File menu, select Insertables... > Inset.
Result: The Insert Insertables window appears.

2 In the Insert Insertables window, in the Insertables section, click the

item that you want to insert.
3 In the Base Point section, select the appropriate base point option.
4 Click Add.
a. If you chose to select the base point with your mouse, click in
your drawing to select the base point and insert the insertable.
Result: The insertable will be inserted into the file.

Purge command
Purge enables you to lower your file size by ridding the file of unused
data such as old images, old renders, unused Layers, lighting positions,
imported items from AutoCAD or SketchUp, and so on.

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To use the Purge command

1 Click File > Purge.
2 In the warning box that appears, click Yes to proceed with the purge.
Note: Once you purge objects from your file, the action cannot be
undone.
Result: The Purge window appears.

3 Click to select the items that you want to purge from your file, and
then click Purge.

Merge command
The Merge command is used to combine multiple show documents into
one. All file types that can be opened directly by WYSIWYG can also be
merged. Therefore, an existing WYSIWYG document can be merged with
 other WYSIWYG documents
 DWG/DXF files
 Lightwright2 files
 SketchUp files

To merge WYSIWYG documents

1 Open or create the destination document.
2 From the File menu, choose Merge.

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3 Click to select the file, and then click Open.

4 The Merge window appears.

5 In the dialog box that opens, choose whether you want to Ignore
Shortcuts in the file that you are merging by selecting or clearing the
checkbox.
6 Click OK.
Result: The Merge > Basepoint window appears.

7 Click to select how you want to merge the file, and then click OK.
Result: The Layer Import window appears. This window enables you
to rename layers instead of combining them and will display the state
of the layer in both files.

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Tip: It is typically sufficient to accept these settings and click Finish.

This dialog box shows you which layers don't already exist and will be
added, and which already exist and will have objects merged into
them. By using the drop-down menu in the Action column, you can
rename layers instead of merging objects to your existing layers,
which can help keep your file clean.
8 Click Finish.
9 If you chose to select the basepoint using your mouse in step 5, you
must click on the document or enter the coordinates to set the
basepoint.
Result: The file you selected is merged with the current file.

Note: For information on merging DWG/DXF or SketchUp documents,

see “Merging a DWG/DXF document” and “To merge SketchUp files”.

Close command
The Close command closes the current show document and returns you
to the Welcome window.

To close a show document

1 From the File menu, choose Close.
2 When prompted to save changes to the current show document, click
Yes to save changes and close the document.
Note: Click No to skip saving and close the document. Click Cancel to
skip saving and keep the document open.

Print command
The Print command varies from mode to mode. In general, this command
prints the active view to the selected printer.

To print a document
From the File menu, choose Print.
Result: Based on the mode you are in, the program may print the
document directly or it may open the following dialog box so that you can
set printing options:

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Considerations when printing from CAD mode

Note: While you can print from CAD mode, it is strongly recommended
that do not do so. Instead, please create a Layout and print it from PRES
mode. For details, see “Creating a new layout” and “To print a layout”.
The Print command opens the Print dialog box.

This dialog box displays the printer that is used to print your WYSIWYG
document. The printer shown is the default printer that you have set up
in Windows. Click Setup to change the printer or printer settings.

Select the Print to File checkbox to print your WYSIWYG document to a file
instead of to a printer. When you print, WYSIWYG prompts you to enter a
file name and path.

The Print command prints the active window using the options you
specify.

Print What options:

 Extents: prints the entire drawing.

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 View: prints the currently displayed view in the active window.

 Window: allows you to draw a window around the area you wish to
print.
 Last Window: prints the portion contained in the last window you
drew for a Window print. If you have not used or previewed a
Window print yet, this option is unavailable.

Scaling options:
 Fit will print the drawing to the scale required to fill the available
print area based on the selection in the Print What group box. When
you select this checkbox, the drawing will print to fit.
 If the Fit checkbox is cleared, you must choose the scale from the
drop-down list. Standard scales are displayed in this menu. If the
scale you want to use is not displayed, choose Custom.
 When Custom is selected, you must enter the ratio. Type the ratio
in the On Paper and Real World boxes. The value in the On Paper box
is the scale ratio that you want to use on a paper copy of the
document. The value in the Real World box is the “real”
measurement for the scale ratio that you specify in the On Paper
box. For example, you may want to use a scaling of one inch in a
paper copy of your document. This one inch measurement
translates to a “realistic” measurement (for example, 3 feet).

The value in the Point Size box is the size at which points are printed.

While it is possible to print your drawing directly from the CAD mode, it is
preferable to print plots from the Presentation mode. Presentation mode
includes the ability to lay out your plot with multiple views, reports,
borders, and title blocks. Refer to “Printing layouts” for more information
about printing plots.

Print Preview command

Print Preview displays the document as it will look when printed. This
allows you to double-check that the printed output is exactly what you
want.

Print Setup command

The Print Setup dialog box allows you to choose the print destination, the
page orientation and size, and paper tray (if applicable). The print
destination may be a physical printer, or it may be a file type or fax
program, for example. Paper size and source options will correspond to
the printer type selected.

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Recent file shortcuts

The list of recent files at the bottom of the File menu gives you quick
access to the last four files opened. This list will continually update as
show documents are opened. If the file you are looking for is not on this
list, use the Open command.

To open a recent file

1 From the File menu, choose the file you want to open.
2 If another show document is currently open, you are prompted to
save changes to that document before another show document is
opened. Only one show document may be open at a time.

Exit command
Use the Exit command to exit WYSIWYG. If you have made changes to
your document but have not saved yet, you will be prompted to save
your changes before exiting.

To exit WYSIWYG
1 From the File menu, choose Exit.
2 When prompted to save changes to the current show document, click
Yes to save changes and exit WYSIWYG.
Note: Click No to skip saving and exit WYSIWYG. Click Cancel to skip
saving and not exit WYSIWYG.

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Options menu

Introduction
WYSIWYG offers you many options to customize the functionality of the
software. You can view and set options on the Options menu.

The Options menu is the same in all the modes.

Application Options
Application Options are general settings for the WYSIWYG software and
apply to the entire application regardless of the show file that you are
working on. You might want to update these settings to change
WYSIWYG’s appearance or indicate your file-saving preferences, for
example.

To modify the application options

1 From the Options menu, choose Application Options.
Result: The Application Options dialog box appears.

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General tab
Options on the General tab affect the numeric separators used in
WYSIWYG, and the properties for the Product Configuration Wizard.

 Show WYSIWYG configuration wizard on startup: Select this checkbox if

you want to see the Product Configuration Wizard each time you launch
WYSIWYG. The wizard enables you to choose the level of WYSIWYG
that you want to run (for example, it gives you the option of
launching a standard version of WYSIWYG, such as Report or Design,
or a network version of WYSIWYG). If you leave this checkbox
cleared, the same level of WYSIWYG that you chose when running
the program for the first time appears by default.
 Participate in the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP): Have
this box checked to participate in the Customer Experience
Improvement Program (CEIP). Participation will enable you to
contribute to the betterment of WYSIWYG. See “Customer
Experience Improvement Program (CEIP)” for more details.
 Region profile for new documents: The profile to be used for such items
as units of measurement, voltage and which default lamp should be
used in a fixture.
 Shaded View Camera Control: Click the drop-down menu and select how
the camera is controlled in Shaded view. See “Camera Control” for
more information.
 Traditional WYSIWYG: Select this option to use the standard 3D

camera control in the Shaded view of WYSIWYG.

 Other 3D Applications: Select this option if you want to use the 3D

camera control that complies with a different 3D application.

 Appearance

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 WYSIWYG Visual Theme: A WYSIWYG visual theme changes how the

UI windows and other elements are colored. Select the desired
theme from the list to change how WYSIWYG looks. The default
setting is the Dark theme.

Example images of the Light and Dark themes applied to

WYSIWYG.

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 Toolbar Icons Size: Select from the list the size icons will appear on
the toolbar. The default setting is Large - 24X24 pixels.

An example of toolbars using the An example of the same toolbars

Large icon size (24 x 24 pixels). using the Small icon size (16x16
pixels).

 Toolbar Icon Style - Select the style you want icons to appear as,
either mono colored (Default - Orange) or multi colored (Colored-
highlights).
 Ruler Style: Changes how the Ruler looks in CAD mode Wireframe
views. Options include Classic White, View Color, and View Color with
Border.

 Enable Instruction Tooltip: Select this checkbox to view helpful

instruction tooltips whenever a function is performed.
 Decimal: Select the style for separating whole numbers from
decimals. Available options are comma and period. Note that the
decimal separator cannot be the same as the co-ordinate
separator.
 Co-ordinate: Select the style you want to use to separate
coordinates in WYSIWYG. Available options are comma, period,
semicolon, colon, or slash. Note that the co-ordinate separator
cannot be the same as the decimal separator.

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File Options tab

Settings on the File Options tab affect your file saving settings. It is
important to save your work often during your work session. WYSIWYG
has an Auto Save function that will help to keep your data safe; however,
it is always a good idea to get in the habit of saving your show document
to an external disk periodically during your work session.

 Auto Save Options

 Auto Recover: Select this checkbox to make WYSIWYG store Auto

Recover data for the currently open file. WYSIWYG will store data at
the interval specified in the Save every ___ minutes field. If
WYSIWYG closes unexpectedly (such as due to a power loss), it
may be possible to recover the file you were working on based on
this data. See “Auto Recover function” for more information.
 Save every ___ minutes: The interval of time in which WYSIWYG will

store Auto Recover data.

 Enable during: Select this checkbox to enable Auto Recover while

working in various modes and views. It is recommended that you

keep this option disabled since it can negatively affect
performance during simulation.
 Keep backup files: Select this checkbox to save a copy of your

document with the “.bak” extension every time you save the file.
The backup copy is one save behind the saved copy and is saved in
the same folder as the original document. Each new backup copy
replaces the previous backup copy. If the main show document
becomes corrupted, you can open the backup file to recover your
data.
 Choose File Locations...: Select this option to change where Auto

Recover and Backup Files are saved.

The default settings for these options are Auto Recover enabled with
an interval of 10 minutes and Keep backup files enabled.

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 Document Saving
 Compress files: Select this checkbox to compress your file up to ten

times its original size without affecting the contents of the file.
When you select this option, files will take up less space in your
computer's memory. You will also be able to send these
compressed files as email attachments to your partners and clients
with greater ease.
 Save external textures within the document: Select this checkbox if you

want the jpeg and/or bitmap used as textures to be saved within

your WYSIWYG document. The textures will “travel” with the
document and will be visible regardless of the computer on which
the document is opened.
 Document Loading
 Reload last document on startup: Select this checkbox to ensure that
the last document that you have been working on in WYSIWYG is
loaded automatically when you launch WYSIWYG.
 Default to Read Only: Select this checkbox to load documents in

read-only format. This format is helpful if you are loading someone

else’s document and you do not want to accidentally make
changes to it.
 DWG Import Options
 Reset DWG import association: Click this button to reset the

association of specific blocks in DWG files with certain pre-selected

fixtures. When you import DWG files, one of the options is to
associate a block that is found in a DWG file with a specific fixture.
If you decide to remember this association for future imports, all
blocks with that name will be imported as the chosen fixture.
 Hatch Pattern
 Hatch Pattern unit type: This setting will set a hatch pattern loaded

from file to either Imperial or Metric.

 Shaded View Export Options: Specify a template for naming the
exported image file. Click the Export Options button to open the Export
Options dialog box where you can choose a file name and folder
location for the image file you wish to export.
 Folder Location: Select the Use Current file’s Folder checkbox to select

the active folder currently in use, or browse and select a different

folder location.
 Image Name Template: Type the name that appears as a name

template for all images you wish to export and save, or use smart
variables to define the name as the template that appears for the
image you wish to export and save.

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 Insert Smart Variable: Click to open the Smart Variables window and
select a smart variable text from the table of smart variables that
are listed in the Production Team Info tab in Document Options.
Result: The name is displayed in the Shaded View Export Options box
and appears automatically as the default name for all the images for
export.
Tip: You can use smart variables to specify a file name using
information listed in the Production Team Info tab in the Document
Options window.
 Use smart variables “%Variable Name%” in the Image Name
Template box and this information will be displayed automatically
if stored in the Production Team Info tab. For example, type
%Show Name% and the show name that was stored will be
displayed.
 In addition to the smart variables in the Production Team Info, there
are additional ones that work for Shaded View Export, such as
%file name%, %mode%, %camera%, and %look%.

Auto Recover function

The Auto Recover function, unlike the Save Backup File function, does not
save a .wyg file with a different extension. Instead, multiple file
fragments are collected at the specified interval and stored into a
temporary file. This temporary file cannot be opened by the user. The
default path for ASV files is C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp (if
not specified by the user).

WYSIWYG looks for this temporary file every time it runs. If the
temporary file is found, WYSIWYG prompts you to load its contents.
 Should you choose to proceed, WYSIWYG will attempt to restore the
file based on the data found in the temporary file. If successful, the
restored file will be up-to-date as of the last instance when Auto
Recover was activated.
 Should you choose not to proceed, the Auto Recover data will be
deleted permanently and you will not be able to use it to recover the
file.

If the temporary file is not found, WYSIWYG will not display a “recovery”
prompt and you will not be able to recover the file using this method.

Note: Many system cleanup utilities and some antivirus software contain
settings which automatically delete temporary files. If you do use such
software, please ensure that it does not delete files created by
WYSIWYG's Auto Recover function. This will prohibit the Auto Recover
function from working.

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Auto Recover will not function when more than one instance of
WYSIWYG is active on the same computer. Running multiple
instances of WYSIWYG is neither recommended nor supported, and you
will not be notified about Auto Recovery failing if you do choose to run
multiple instances.

Toolbars tab
Options on the Toolbars tab affect which Toolbars and Status bar panes
you want to display in WYSIWYG, and whether you want to display
tooltips.

You can also hide the tooltips that display information about a specific
fixture, hang structure, or object when you hover over these objects.
Tooltips are displayed by default. For more information on toolbars, refer
to “Toolbars”.

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Simulation tab
Options on the Simulation tab affect the type of simulation that you want
to use, the processing power for beam simulation, and the memory and
processing power available for rendering.

 OpenGL Simulation
 Enable Enhanced Visualization: Clear this option if your video card
does not support enhanced features for beam simulation. This
option enables enhanced visualization features. If this option is not
selected, some advanced visualization features will turn off in the
visualization and revert to a simplified Enhanced Beam
visualization. For more information, see “Visualization
requirements”.
Note: Switching to another non-Shaded view, then returning back
may be required to allow this change to take effect.
 Enable Anti-Aliasing: Clear this option if your video card does not

support Anti-Aliasing. Anti-Aliasing is a method of smoothing out

and sharpening rough or jagged edges of images to produce a
more polished result. For more information, see “Visualization
requirements”.
 Enable Deferred Rendering: Deferred Rendering provides a

performance boost to WYSIWYG's Shaded views. Clear to disable

Deferred Rendering for all Shaded views whenever WYSIWYG is
run. On some systems, deferred rendering is not supported and
will be automatically disabled. For more information, see
“Visualization requirements”.
 Rendering Simulation

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 Number of Cores: This box is auto-filled with the number of

processors and/or processor cores available in your computer. It is
used to specify the number of processors available for rendering.
Modify this number only if you want WYSIWYG's renderer to use
less than the total number of processors/processor cores available
in your computer.
 Write log files: Select this checkbox to generate a log file during

rendering. Log files are stored in the "Render" folder, which is

located inside the "Bin" folder within the WYSIWYG installation
folder. The typical path to this folder on some operating systems
(Windows 7, 8, 10) is C:\ProgramData\CAST
Software\WYSIWYG\<Release folder>.
 DMX Processing
 Number of Cores: Select the number of cores that you have available

on your computer for DMX. Modify this number only if you upgrade
the number of processors.
 Full Screen Mode: Select the full screen mode that will render your
Shaded view simulation.
 Windowed Full Screen Mode: The default full screen mode of the

Shaded View. Windowed Full Screen Mode renders all application

windows that are open in your computer.
Tip: Shifting the viewing angle of the Shaded View in full screen
will be smoother in Windowed Full Screen Mode, and also depend-
ing on the video hardware installed in your computer. However,
high frequency strobing and similar effects will not be visualized
accurately as programmed with reference to the video hardware.
 Exclusive Full Screen Mode: The regular full screen mode that renders

only the single application (Shaded View) that is active on your

desktop.
Tip: In this mode, a single application is rendered, and as a result,
when you have a dedicated video card, higher performance is
achieved, and some features such as high frequency strobing will
be visualized accurately as programmed. However, shifting the
viewing angle of the Shaded View in full screen may flicker
between views or windows in Exclusive Full Screen Mode, and also
depending on the video hardware installed in your computer.

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Additional Interfaces tab

Options on the Additional Interfaces tab affect the options that will allow
you to monitor EDMX data directly, the pipe tape printer, as well as the
CITP, Art-Net, sACN and RTTrPM interfaces. Direct EDMX reception allows
WYSIWYG Perform users to monitor EDMX data without the need to
connect to a console with the Device Manager.

Tape Printer Interface

WYSIWYG supports EPSON POS printers with USB and Ethernet
interfaces.

To use EPSON POS printers

Download and install the EPSON OPOS ADK driver.
Result:
 The POS model is added to your computer.
 The POS model is added to the Device drop-down list in the Tape
Printer Interface section of the Additional Interfaces tab in the
Application Options window.
Note:
 To continue using your old POS printer like before, select COM
from the Device drop-down list and there is no need to install the
OPOS ADK driver.
 The old POS printer will also work with the OPOS ADK driver
installed if COM is selected from the Device drop-down list.
 Tape Printer Interface
 Device: Select from the drop-down list the tape printer model.

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 Port: Select from the drop-down list which port on your computer
the pipe tape printer connects to.
 Baud: Select from the drop-down list the baud rate at which the

pipe tape printer is running. The baud rate is the rate at which
your modem can transmit and receive data.
Attention: Ensure that the Baud (rate) value set for the tape
printer matches the communication speed set for the printer.
 Flow Control: Select from the drop-down list the method of data

control between the pipe tape printer and the computer. Available
options are Hardware, Software, and None. The default is
Hardware.
 Printer DPI: Select from the drop-down list the printing density for

the pipe tape printer, which varies from one printer to another.
Choose from either 180 or 203.
 Use USB/Serial converter: Select this option if your pipe tape printer

is connected through a USB/Serial converter. (This is required if a

Serial port is not available on your computer).
 Delay buffer: Set the delay buffer (in milliseconds) for the USB/

Serial converter here. Check the documentation that came with

your converter for details. The default is 0, which should be
acceptable in most cases.
Note: Be sure to check in the Device Manager that these parameters
match those of the COM port to which the Pipe Tape Printer is
connected.
 Art-Net Interface
 Local Address: Select from the drop-down list the IP address from

which the incoming Art-Net device data is being received by this

computer.
 sACN Interface: For information on how to set up and use the sACN
connectivity, see “Connecting to an sACN Device”. This option is only
available with WYSIWYG Perform.
 Local Address: Select from the drop-down list the IP address from

which the incoming sACN device data is being received by this

computer.
 RTTrPM Interface: For information on how to set up and use the
RTTrPM connectivity, see “Connecting to an RTTrPM Device”. This
option is only available with WYSIWYG Perform.
 Local Address: Select from the drop-down list the IP address from

which the incoming RTTrPM device data is being received by this

computer.
 Group Address: Select from the drop-down list the IP multicast

address from group data transmissions.

 Port: Select from the drop-down list the port used by the RTTrPM

device connection.
 ETC Interface: This option is available only with WYSIWYG Perform.
 ETCNet2Version: Select from the drop-down list which ETCNet2

network version you want to monitor. You can monitor only one
version at a time.

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 Allow EDMX reception: Select this checkbox to enable direct EDMX

reception in WYSIWYG.
 CITP Interface: This option is available only with WYSIWYG
Perform.
 Enable CITP: Select this checkbox to enable CITP data reception,

and then restart WYSIWYG. For more information about working

with CITP, see “To configure a new video source for streaming
video”.

File Locations tab

Options on the File Locations tab direct WYSIWYG where to save and find
certain files used during operation.

 Default WYSIWYG Files Folder: This is the default path where WYSIWYG
files are saved. Edit the path to save files to a new location.
 Auto Recover: This is the default path where WYSIWYG Auto Recover
data is saved. Edit the path to save files to a new location. The
default path of ASV files is C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp
(if not specified by the user). See “Auto Recover function” for more
information.
 Backup Files: This is the default path where WYSIWYG Backup Files
are saved. Edit the path to save files to a new location
 Hatch Pattern Files: Enter the location of hatch pattern files (.pat files)
on your computer here to add the files for use in WYSIWYG.

Document Options
Document Options are a variety of settings that control how WYSIWYG
operates and looks. Document Options are separated into 4 sections:

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 Show/File: Settings and information specific to the current show

file.
 User Options: Settings to configure your working preferences in
WYSIWYG.
 Object Settings: Setting to affect how various objects are placed or
drawn.
 Reports: Settings to configure your working preferences while
working in reports. Error conditions in your show file is also specified
here.

Show/File
The Show/File section contains settings that are specific to the current
show file, such as show name, designer, and venue. You might want to
modify these settings when you start a new show file.

Document Summary tab

Options on the Document Summary tab affect the document information
(such as name of the person who created the document and the name of
the person who last modified the document). The date stamps are not
editable, but will track the creation and modification dates of the file.

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Production Team Info tab

The Production Team Info tab shows all of your production team’s
information in one easy to access place. The values in this tab reflect
those that you enter in the Production Team Information Wizard. For more
information on this Wizard, see “Production Team Info Wizard”.

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Regional Settings tab

Options on the Regional Settings tab set the geographic location of your
show. You can either select the country and city or enter the latitude and
longitude of the location. These settings are used in Shaded views and
renderings that use environmental options.

 Custom Location: Select this checkbox to enter the latitude and

longitude values in the Latitude and Longitude boxes, respectively.
Clear this checkbox to select a country and city from the Country and
City drop-down lists, respectively.
 Time Zone: After selecting Custom Location, select the time zone for
your show. When you select a time zone, the current time as set on
your computer is displayed in the Current Time box. The GMT value is
also shown.
 Currency: Select the Show Currency Symbol checkbox to show monetary
symbols in the WYSIWYG document. Specific currency symbols can
be chosen from the Currency Symbol drop-down list.
Note: Changing the currency symbol will only change the symbol
shown. No conversion of currency will occur.

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 To ensure accuracy in Time of Day simulations, you must define the

North direction in your document. For more information on defining
the North direction, see “Drawing a compass”.
 The values that you enter on this tab are reflected in the Render
Wizard. For more information on the Render Wizard, refer to
“Rendering”.
 The values that you enter on this tab are also reflected in the Shaded
view options' Time of Day tab. For more information on the Shaded
view options, refer to “Modifying shaded views”.

User Options
The User Options section enables you to set up your working
preferences. You might, for example, want to specify how the snap
operation will work or how much information will be displayed on your
plot.

General tab
Options on the General tab contain settings for current scenes as well as
general display options.

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 Current Scene: The current layer shown on the plot. The current scene
can also be changed on the Scene toolbar.
 Display Options: General display preferences.
 Enable Tooltips: Displays tooltips on your drawing. Tooltips are the

pop-up messages that display specific information about a fixture

when you hover over it.
 Show Fixture notes when inserting: Select this checkbox to display the

fixture notes when you are hanging fixtures, if applicable to the

selected fixture.
 Show Dimension Layer selection dialog: Select this checkbox to be

prompted to select a layer when inserting a new dimension.

 Show Linear Scale Layer/Name selection dialog: Select this checkbox to

be prompted to select a layer when inserting a new linear scale.

 Show Motion Object Layer/Name selection dialog: Select this checkbox

to be prompted to select a layer when inserting a new motion

object.
 Show Bounding Box for CAD operations: Select this checkbox to enable

a framing outline or bounding box to appear as a substitute

placeholder to objects when scaling or rotating in CAD. Using the
bounding box improves the performance of Scale and Rotate tools.
 Show Label Background for Rigging Point text: Select this checkbox to

display the text of the Rigging Point object with a background in

Wireframe views, Plots and Layouts. The label background which
will be the color of the view’s background will cover the parts of
objects directly below the Rigging Point text. Clear this checkbox
to display the text label of the Rigging Point without a background,
and the parts of the object directly below the Rigging Point text
will not be covered.
 Prompt to put deleted fixtures in flight case: Select this checkbox to be

prompted when you delete a fixture. You will be prompted to

delete it completely or send it to the Flight Case. If you choose to
send it to the Flight Case, the fixture is reserved for you in case
you want to reinsert it.
 Layer Options: Choose how layers are displayed in the Layer
Database and highlighted in your drawing.
 Enable Layer Groups: Select this checkbox to display the layers in the

Layer Database as items organized in Layer groups. Clear this

checkbox to display Layers as a list. New Layer Groups are created
in the Layer Database window. The Layer Groups and the list of
layers will be displayed in the Layer Database and Properties
windows.
 Prompt to confirm Layer Group delete operation: Select this checkbox to

be prompted to delete the selected Layer Group.

 Position “Ungrouped”: Choose where the Ungrouped Layer Group is

displayed in the Layer Database window.

 Top: Select this option to display the ungrouped layers at the
top of the list of layers in the Layer Database window.

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 Bottom: Select this option to display the ungrouped layers at

the bottom of the list of layers in the Layer Database window.
 Greyscale Layer Behavior: Choose how the objects in the layer(s) will
be displayed when the layer(s) are set to greyscale.
 Always display object custom color: When you select this option,
objects that were set to a custom color (in Object Properties)
will always be displayed in the custom color even if the
object’s layer is in greyscale.
 Use greyscale layer for all objects: When you select this option,
objects that were set to the layer color or a custom color will
be displayed in greyscale when the layer(s) for all objects are
in greyscale.
 Greyscale: Set the greyscale intensity for the selected layer(s).
 Layer Color Intensity: Select this option to display the layer in
greyscale with the same intensity as that of the layer’s set
color.
 Custom (for all): Select this option and click the box to adjust
the greyscale intensity for all the objects in the selected
layer(s).
 Highlight Color: Set the color for the highlighted layer.
 Layer Color: Select this option to display the highlighted layer
with the color of the layer.
 Custom (for all): Select this option and click the color select box
to select the color for all the objects in the highlighted layer.

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Draw Defaults tab

Options on the Draw Defaults tab affect general preferences for snap, grid,
and units settings.

 Units: The units of measurement used in WYSIWYG. For more

information on these units, refer to “Metric vs. Imperial”. The units
can be toggled from metric to imperial at any time by double-clicking
the units display on the Status bar.
 Precision: This option affects the units of drawing precision. For more
information on these units, refer to “Coordinate notation”. Based on
your choice for measurement units, you can choose to display the
drawing precision in centimeters, millimeters, whole numbers, or
fractions.
 General: Options that affect the general appearance and ability to
work in Wireframe views.
 Background Color: The color that will be used in all wireframe views.

Click the box to choose a different color.

 Show Crosshairs: Select this checkbox to set the cursor display to

use cross hairs in plot views. Cross hairs are useful for lining up
objects.
 Enable Grip Dragging: Select this checkbox to resize objects by

clicking and dragging on their markers.

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 Show Ruler: Select this checkbox to show the rulers in drawing

modes.
 Snap Box Size: Sets the size of the snap box that appears around
the cursor when in snap mode. Consequently, this affects how
close the cursor must be to the objects before the snap is applied.
 Grid: Options that affect the drawing grid.
 Interval: Select the spacing between points on the drawing grid.

Although the WYSIWYG drawing grid might not be visible, it exists

in the background. The settings in this group box are important
when using the snap to grid tool. For more information on this
tool, refer to “Snaps”.
 Angle: Select the angle of rotation for the drawing grid. Although

the WYSIWYG drawing grid might not be visible, it exists in the

background. The settings in this group box are important when
using the snap to grid tool. For more information on this tool, refer
to “Snaps”.
 Origin: The point of origin. For more information on the origin, refer

to “Coordinate system and origin”.

 Show Grid: Select this checkbox if you want to add a grid to your

wireframe view (in every view except isometric).

 Grid Color: Click this box to choose the color that grid lines will be

displayed as in the Wireframe view.

 Style: You can also choose the style of the grid by selecting the

appropriate option button. Standard creates a grid with evenly

spaced, closed squares. Open creates a grid with open squares.
Point creates a grid of dots. The lines in the resulting grid are
spaced at the interval specified in the Interval box. If the interval is
short, you may have to zoom in on your plot to see the gridlines.
 Missing Coordinate: Sets missing coordinate options. For more
information on missing coordinates, refer to “The missing
coordinate”.
 CAD coordinate: The missing coordinate in CAD mode.

 Focus coordinate: The missing coordinate when manually focusing

fixtures.
 Use CAD as Focus coordinate: Select this checkbox to use the same

missing coordinate for Focus coordinate as CAD coordinate.

 Draw Order: Arrange the order in which fixtures, hang structures, and
objects will be drawn in your model by selecting the items and
moving them up or down with the arrow buttons. Whichever item
appears at the top of this box will always appear on top of the other
items in your model.
Example: If you leave the default order of Fixtures > Hang
Structures > Objects, then fixtures will always appear on top of
truss and truss will always appear on top of all other objects,
regardless of how you arrange them via the Send to Back and/or
Bring to Front commands. For more information on these
commands, see “Sending to back/bringing to front”.

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 Snap: Enables or disables the snap function. For more information,

refer to “Snaps”. Snap tools can be toggled at any time using the
tools on the CAD Options toolbar.

Wireframe Details tab

The Wireframe Details tab affect what and how fixture, truss, text, and
point information are displayed.

 Show on Plot: If selected, the information of the object will be

displayed on the plot.
Tips:
 Select the checkbox on the top row of the list to select all check
boxes below.
 Click the arrows in the leftmost column to expand and display the

rows with additional options.

 Fixture Symbols: Select this checkbox to always show 2D symbols in
2D wireframe views, and then select the option below. When this
option is disabled, fixtures will be displayed as 3D models instead of
their 2D symbols.
 Fixture Symbol Fill: Select this checkbox to always show filled 2D

Fixture Symbols in wireframe views.

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 Beams for Selected Fixtures: Select this checkbox to automatically turn

on beams when selecting a fixture on your drawing. If this checkbox
is not selected, the beam is not visible when you select a fixture.
Note: Only applies to CAD and DATA modes.
 Hang Structures: Select this checkbox to always show truss and pipes
in wireframe views, and then select the options below.
 Truss and Pipe Thickness/Fill: Select this checkbox to always show

filled 2D Pipe and Truss objects with chords and cross-member

thickness.
 Truss Cross-Members: Clear this checkbox to hide truss cross

members on your drawing to reduce the clutter or to increase the

speed of the display. Select this checkbox to see the cross
members.
 Truss Indicators: Truss Indicators show where the breaks in your truss
sections are for quick assembly on site and ease-of-use for rental
shops and other personnel who need to analyze your truss
configuration. Select the Truss Indicators checkbox to enable this
feature, and then select the options below. For more details on using
this feature, see “Configuring truss indicators”.
 Linear Dividers: Select this checkbox to show the lines that appear

parallel to the ends of your truss sections. These lines are always
thick and can be colored any way you choose.
 Angled Dividers: Select this checkbox to show the lines that appear

at the junction of truss sections on a 45 degree angle with the

truss end. The Angled Section dividers can be thick or thin, and
can be colored any way you choose.
 Library Objects: Select this checkbox to always show library objects in
wireframe views and then select the option below.
 Library Symbols: Select this checkbox to always show library objects

as 2D symbols in wireframe views. When this option is disabled,

library objects will be displayed as 3D models instead of their 2D
symbols.
 Hatching: Select this checkbox to always show hatching styles
assigned to objects in wireframe views.
 Text Labels: Select this checkbox to always show text labels in
wireframe views.
 Dimensions: Select this checkbox to always show dimensions in
wireframe views.
 Focus Objects: Select this checkbox to always show focus objects in
wireframe views.
 Motion Objects: Select this checkbox to show objects set with motion
in wireframe views.
 Cameras: Select this checkbox to always show Cameras in wireframe
views.

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Fixture Attribute Details tab

The Fixtures Attribute Details tab affect what and how fixture information
are displayed.

 Plot: If selected, the fixture information will always be displayed on

the plot.
 Wireframe Views: If selected, the fixture information will always be
displayed on the tooltip in Wireframe views.
 Shaded Views: If selected, the fixture information will always be
displayed on the tooltip in Shaded views.

Select the checkbox on the top row of the Plot, or Wireframe Views, or
Shaded Views column to select all check boxes below.

Object Settings
The Object Settings section contains settings that affect CAD objects
such as fixtures, hang structures and drawn objects.

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Fixture Settings tab

Options on the Fixture Settings tab determine how detailed simulation and
wireframe views are. These options can affect the speed of beam
simulation in views. For more information on simulation options, refer to
“Visualization”.

 Wireframe Beam Details: Options to simulate effects with

Wireframe view beams.
 Stick Beams Only: Select this checkbox to only display beams as

stick beams. Selecting this option might increase system

performance.
Note: The Stick Beam option only applies to the representation of
beams in Wireframe views. Beam visualization in Shaded Views is
not affected.
 Other Beam Details: Select this checkbox to enable other details for

beams.
 Center Line: Select this checkbox to draw a point from the
fixture to the point on the stage where the center of the beam
hits. If the fixture has CMY color mixing, the line will change
color to match the output from the console.
 Beam Angle: Select this checkbox to display the photometrics
of the fixture’s beam angle instead of the field angle.

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 Head Height Circle: Select this checkbox to enable checking the

light coverage at a certain height (the height of the
performer).
 Complex Gobos: Select this checkbox to display complicated
gobo patterns with details and coloring.
 Shaded Beam Details: Options to simulate effects with Shaded
view beams.
 Colors: Clear this checkbox to ignore color settings and have all

beams displayed as open-white.

 Prism: Select this checkbox to simulate prism effects. This might

increase the number of lines that WYSIWYG has to draw, thus

slowing down processing power.
 Gobos: Gobo wheels often take a lot of processing power and can

slow down the refresh rate of other fixtures’ updates

unnecessarily. If you are concerned about cue timing, clear this
checkbox to disable gobos.
 Gobo Rotation: Select this checkbox to simulate gobo rotation.
This option can slow down the refresh rate substantially as
gobos can be rotating even when the fixture’s intensity is at
zero.
 Symbol Alignment: Options for organizing symbols.
 Line up symbols: Select this checkbox to line up fixture symbols at

specific angles, and then select an increment from the drop-down

list. Symbols will shift from their focused position to the nearest
increment of the chosen angle. For example, symbols will be
drawn in one of four directions when the increment is set to 90
degrees. This setting does not affect the focus of the beam; rather
it is intended for the “cleanliness” of the printed plot.
 Symbol Fill: Options for fixture symbols to be filled with a choice of
colors and fill percentage.
 Enable: Select this checkbox to enable Symbol Fill.

 Percentage: Select this radio button if you wish to fill using the
same hue of the Fixture Symbol, and select the percentage
from the drop-down list for the hue intensity.
 Custom Color: Select this radio button and click the cell to
choose a different color.
 Use Gel Color: Select this radio button if you wish to fill using
the gel color that is attached to the fixture. Gel color will be
displayed if only one gel is applied to the fixture.
Note: Once the Symbol Fill feature is enabled, the 2D fixture
symbols will be displayed as filled in CAD Wireframe 2D views only,
and not in Isometric view.
 Focus mode: Allows you to choose to focus a fixture as you hang it
in your drawing. Specify one of the following options to set how a
fixture will react after you hang it in a plot:

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 None: This setting indicates that you can continue to hang fixtures
uninterrupted.
 Focus after hang: If enabled, you will be prompted to focus each
fixture as you hang it. Once the fixture is focused, you can
continue hanging other fixtures.
 Focus towards origin: If enabled, the fixtures that you hang are

automatically focused towards the user origin.

 Enable beam dragging: Select this checkbox to enable click and drag
positioning of beams in CAD, Design, and Live modes. This option is
also available on the CAD Options toolbar in CAD, Design, and Live
modes.

Hang Structure Settings tab

Options on the Hang Structure Settings tab affect how hang structures, such
as pipes and truss, are placed or drawn in CAD mode.

 Hang Options: Options that affect how fixtures are placed.

 Snap Interval: If Pipe Snap is enabled (in the Draw Defaults tab), the

number entered into the field will be used as the interval used for
snap spacing.

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 AutoUnit: Select this checkbox to automatically assign a unit

number to each fixture that is hung. This option is available for
pipes only. It does not apply to truss.
 Auto-Unit Order: The direction in which fixtures will be assigned a

number, either Stage Left to Right or House Left to Right.

 Enforce Minimum Spacing: Type the minimum spacing between

fixtures. This option prevents you from hanging the fixtures too
close to one another.
 Pipe drawing mode: Options that affect how pipes are drawn.
 Draw from start: Select this checkbox to have pipes drawn by

specifying the start point and the end point (from one extremity of
the pipe to the other).
 Draw from Center: Select this checkbox to have pipes drawn by

specifying the center point and one end point or extremity of the
pipe.
 Truss Assembly: Options that affect how truss is assembled.
 Automatically group truss: Select this checkbox to group truss objects

together in a similar manner to choosing Group from the Edit

menu. This option is helpful in that it treats the truss as a single
unit and allows you to perform actions more effectively on multiple
objects. If you want to edit one truss object, you must first use the
Ungroup command on the Edit menu to remove the grouping from
the truss objects.
 Only snap to truss on editable layers: Select this checkbox to enable a

truss section to automatically snap onto truss sections in layers

that were set as editable in the Layer Database.
 Truss/Pipe Thickness and Symbol Fill: Options that affect how
truss and pipe symbols are displayed in Wireframe.
 Enable Thickness: Select this checkbox to display Truss and Pipe

symbols with thickness in 2D CAD Wireframe views and in

associated paperwork views (Not in isometric views). Clear this
checkbox to display the truss and pipe objects as line drawings.
 None: Select this checkbox to disable Symbol Fill, and the 2D
truss and pipe objects will not be filled when displayed in
Wireframe.
 Percentage: Select this radio button if you wish to fill using the
same hue of the truss or pipe object, and select the
percentage from the drop-down list for the hue intensity.
 Custom Color: Select this radio button and choose a custom
color from the color select box as fill color for the truss or pipe
object.
 Default Pipe Thickness: Type a new value to change the default
thickness of the pipes in your drawing.
 Truss Indicators: Options that affect how truss indicators appear.
 Use Truss Properties for Truss Indicators (Line Weight and Color): Select

this checkbox to have truss indicators match the style truss are
drawn.

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 Use thick lines for Truss indicators: If truss indicators do not use the
same properties as the truss, then this option is chosen. Thick
lines are used for truss indicators. Use the buttons below to
change the color of dividers.
 Linear Divider Color: Click this button to choose a custom color
for linear dividers.
 Angled Divider Color: Click this button to choose a custom color
for angled dividers.

Object Settings tab

Options on the Object Settings tab affect how various simple objects are
drawn in CAD mode.

 Line Weight: The default thickness lines created. Can be changed

using the drop-down list.
 Point Options: Options that affect how points are drawn in CAD
mode.
 Point Size: Sets the default size for all points. You can view a

sample of the chosen size in the box to the right.

 Point Type: Indicates the default point type in your show document.

You can choose to display points as a Dot, Cross, Square, or Circle.

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 Segment Options: Options that affect how multi-segment objects

are drawn.
 Cylinder Segments: The number of segments into which you want to

break a cylinder.
 Cone Segments: The number of segments into which you want to

break a cone.
 Sphere Segments: The number of segments into which you want to

break a sphere.
 Stack Options: Options that affect how objects are divided.
 Cone Stacks: The number of horizontal divisions into which you

want to break a cone.

 Sphere Stacks: The number of horizontal divisions into which you

want to break a sphere.

 Linear Scale mode: Options that affect how linear scales are
drawn.
 Draw from start: Select this checkbox to have linear scales drawn by

specifying the start point and the end point (from one extremity of
the pipe to the other).
 Draw from Center: Select this checkbox to have linear scales drawn

by specifying the center point and one end point or extremity of

the pipe.
 Drawing Options: Options that affect how linear scales are drawn.
 Paste Base point: Select this checkbox to enter a base point before

an object is copied or cut. This will be the object’s reference point

for paste commands. Clear this checkbox to allow the base point to
be the insertion point of the object.
 Interactive object creation: Select this checkbox to allow yourself to

draw objects using the mouse instead of entering values in dialog

boxes.

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Dimensions tab
Options on the Dimensions tab affect how various dimensions are drawn
by default.

 Display Units: The type of measurement unit displayed for dimensions

in CAD mode. Choose the default imperial measurement units
between Feet & Inches or Inches.
 Display Dash (for Imperial): When this option is enabled, a dash is
displayed between foot and inches in imperial measurements, e.g.
6’-8 3/4”.
 Display Alternate Units: Select this checkbox to display a second
measurement with your dimensions, in the alternate unit. For
example, if metric is your set unit but also wish to display all of your
dimensions with both metric and imperial values, enable this option.
The drop-down list offers the display unit options for the alternate
unit displayed.
Note: In the Draw Defaults window, if Imperial is the selected default
measurement unit, the Display Units will be Imperial and the Display
Alternate Units will be Metric and vice versa.
 Linear Dimension: Options to affect the default settings of linear
dimensions.

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 Text Height: The default text height for linear dimensions object in
CAD mode.
 Text Offset: Sets the default distance of the text above or below the

dimension line in CAD mode.

 Extension: The default length of the extension lines for linear

dimensions in CAD mode.

 Offset: Sets the default offset value for linear dimensions in CAD

mode. The offset is the distance between the extension lines and
the object being measured.
 Arrow Type: Select the default arrow type for linear dimensions in

CAD mode. There are several styles available to choose from.

 Arrow Size: Select the default size of the arrow head for linear

dimensions in CAD mode.

 Baseline & Continue Dimensions:
 Extension: The default length of the extension lines for both

Baseline and Continue Dimensions.

 Spacing Size: The default length of the space between the stacked

and subsequent baseline dimensions from the same extension

base line.
 Arc Length Dimension: Options to affect the default settings of arc
length dimensions.
 Text Height: The default text height for arc length dimensions in

CAD mode.
 Text Offset: Sets the default distance of the text above or below the

dimension line in CAD mode.

 Extension: The default length of the extension lines for arc length

dimensions in CAD mode.

 Offset: Sets the default offset value for arc length dimensions in

CAD mode. The offset is the distance between the extension lines
and the object being measured.
 Arrow Type: Select the default arrow type for arc length dimensions

in CAD mode. There are several styles available to choose from.

 Arrow Size: Select the default size of the arrow head for arc length

dimensions in CAD mode.

 Radial Dimension: Options to affect the default settings of radial
dimensions.
 Text Height: The default text height for radial dimensions in CAD

mode.
 Arrow Type: Select the default arrow type for radial dimensions in

CAD mode. There are several styles available to choose from.

 Arrow Size: Select the default size of the arrow head for radial

dimensions in CAD mode.

 Linear Scale: Options to affect the default settings of linear scales.
 Text Height: The default text height for linear scales in CAD mode.

 Text Position: Select the default position of text that appears for

linear scales.

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 Tick Interval: Select the default interval at which ticks will appear on
linear scales.
 Tick Mode: Select the default mode of which ticks appear on linear
scales.
 Major Ticks: Select how major ticks will appear on linear scales.
 Tick Style: Select the default tick style that will appear on linear
scales.

Fonts tab
Options on the Fonts tab affect how text is displayed by default on
dimensions, scales and labels.

 CAD Text Labels: The default setting of CAD Text Labels text.
 Font: The default font used for the text. Select the desired font

type from the drop down menu.

 Bold: Select this checkbox to make the default text bold.

 Underline: Select this checkbox to make the default text underlined.

 Italics: Select this checkbox to make the default text italicized.

 Arrow Type: The style of arrow head used on the dimension.

 Arrow Size: The size of the arrow head used on the dimension.

 CAD Dimensions: The default setting of CAD Dimensions text.

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 Font: The default font used for the text. Select the desired font
type from the drop down menu.
 Bold: Select this checkbox to make the default text bold.

 Underline: Select this checkbox to make the default text underlined.

 Italics: Select this checkbox to make the default text italicized.

 CAD Linear Scales: The default setting of CAD Linear Scales text.
 Font: The default font used for the text. Select the desired font

type from the drop down menu.

 Bold: Select this checkbox to make the default text bold.

 Underline: Select this checkbox to make the default text underlined.

 Italics: Select this checkbox to make the default text italicized.

 New Plot Text Labels: The default setting of New Plot Text Labels
text.
 Font: The default font used for the text. Select the desired font

type from the drop down menu.

 Bold: Select this checkbox to make the default text bold.

 Underline: Select this checkbox to make the default text underlined.

 Italics: Select this checkbox to make the default text italicized.

 Arrow Type: The style of arrow head used on the dimension.

 Arrow Size: The size of the arrow head used on the dimension.

 Fixture Layout Labels: The default setting of Fixture Layout Labels

text.
 Font: The default font used for the text. Select the desired font

type from the drop down menu.

 Bold: Select this checkbox to make the default text bold.

 Underline: Select this checkbox to make the default text underlined.

 Set Font for New Labels in Pres Layouts: The default setting of Set Font
for New Labels in Pres Layouts text. Click this button to change the
settings.

Fixture Data
Options found in the Fixture Data section contains settings that affect
reports and data errors in reports.

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Defaults tab
Options on the Defaults tab affect the default values for empty or non-
applicable cells in spreadsheets.

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Error Tracking tab

Options on the Error Tracking tab control what types of data errors trigger
notifications.

For more information on data errors, refer to “Errors”.

View Options dialog box

View options set how objects are drawn and displayed in Wireframe and
shaded views.

For more information on View options for Wireframe views, refer to

“Modifying Wireframe views”.

For more information on View options for shaded views, refer to

“Modifying shaded views”.

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WYSIWYG Viewer

The WYSIWYG Viewer is a separate application that allows non-

WYSIWYG users to view and print your WYSIWYG (.wyg) files. It is
beneficial to those individuals who are interested in viewing or printing a
WYSIWYG file but who do not own a licensed copy of WYSIWYG.

Any file with a .wyg file extension can be viewed and printed from the
WYSIWYG Viewer.

WYSIWYG Viewer comes with a Shaded view so you can see a realistic,
3D representation of the file, as well as Presentation mode. To ensure
that every aspect of your file can be seen properly, ensure that all
relevant information is available in Presentation mode before opening
your file in the WYSIWYG Viewer.

All functionality except navigation and printing has been disabled. Users
cannot edit files, nor can they insert items into a file. For more
information on preparing your file in Presentation mode, refer to
“Presentation mode”.

The WYSIWYG Viewer is available from the CAST Software Web site at
http://www.cast-soft.com/wysiwyg/.

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 Chapter 6

CAD mode - Creating Objects

CAD mode is where you create your show drawings. This includes
drawing your venue, set pieces, lighting positions, focus positions,
and lighting fixtures. CAD mode operates like many other CAD
programs, so many of the concepts will be familiar to those who
have used a computer-aided drafting program before. WYSIWYG
adds features that are specific to the entertainment industry, such
as a comprehensive 3D library containing truss, lighting equipment,
lighting accessories, props, musical instruments, and various
human figures.

In this chapter
Layout tabs 201
The CAD environment 206
The Library Browser 273
Drawing objects 282

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Layout tabs

Introduction
Beneath the work area in each mode is a series of Layout tabs. These
layouts provide various configurations of the views you are working with.
To change layouts, click the tab that corresponds to the layout you wish
to use.

The CAD mode contains the following layouts:

 Wireframe: The work area displays a full-screen Wireframe view.
 Quad: The work area is divided into quadrants, three of which can be
modified to show Plan, Front, Side, or Isometric Wireframe views.
The lower-right quadrant contains a Shaded view.
 Flight Case: The Flight Case is displayed in a section of the work area
along with a Wireframe view.
 Shaded: The work area displays a full-screen Shaded view.
 Custom: A custom layout, with views defined by the user. See
“Custom tab window layout”.

Custom tab window layout

You can create your own custom tab layouts, and specify your workspace
as you wish. This feature is offered in the CAD mode, and allows you to
customize your workspace with any combination of layout windows, and
then saves these settings in a layout tab.

The Views that can be displayed in a Custom tab include:

 CAD Wireframe view
 CAD Shaded view
 DATA Spreadsheet view
 DATA Patch view

Custom tabs are stored with the application. Once created, a Custom tab
will always be available on the computer (until it is deleted).

Note: You can create up to 10 custom tabs in your installation.

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To create a custom tab

1 In CAD mode, from the View menu, select Custom Tab > Create.
Note: You can also click the + tab by the layout tabs.

2 The New Custom Tab window appears.

3 In the New Custom Tab window, in the Custom Tab Name field, enter a
name for the new tab.
4 In the Specify Workspace section, select how many panes will be
in the custom tab.
Note: A preview of how the tab will look appears in the Preview
section.
5 In the Specify Views section, select what view will be displayed
inside each pane from the drop-down menu.
Note: Refer to the Preview section for the location of the pane in
the custom tab.
6 When done customizing the tab, click OK.
Result: The custom tab will be created. The custom tab will appear
with the default tabs at the bottom of the layout.

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To rename a custom tab

1 In CAD mode, select the custom tab you want to rename.
2 From the View menu, select Custom Tab > Rename.
Note: You can also right-click the custom tab and select Rename.
3 The Enter new tab name window appears.

4 In the Enter new tab name window, type the new name for the custom
tab.
5 Click OK.
Result: The custom tab will be renamed to the new name.

To duplicate a tab

You can copy any existing tab in CAD mode. This will create an exact
duplicate of the original tab. You can then use or edit both tabs as
needed.
1 In CAD mode, select the custom tab you want to rename.
2 From the View menu, select Custom Tab > Duplicate.
Note: You can also right-click the tab and select Duplicate.
Result: The selected tab will be copied and appears with the other
tab.

To hide a tab

You can hide a tab that you do not want to see in a mode. This is useful if
you have a number of custom tabs and want to reduce clutter.
1 In CAD mode, select the custom tab you want to rename.
2 From the View menu, select Custom Tab > Hide.
Note: You can also right-click the tab and select Hide.
3 The selected tab will be hidden from view.

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To unhide a tab
1 In CAD mode, from the View menu, select Custom Tab > Unhide >
[Hidden tab name].
Tips:
 To unhide all hidden tabs, select Open all Hidden Tab.
 You can also right-click the tab and select Unhide > [Hidden tab

name].
Result: The selected hidden tab will be visible again.

To delete a tab
1 In CAD mode, select the custom tab you want to delete.
2 From the View menu, select Custom Tab > Delete.
Result: A dialog box appears asking if you really want to delete the
tab.
3 To confirm the deletion, click YES.
Result: The tab will be permanently deleted.

To change tab ordering

You can change the order which tabs are ordered.

1 In CAD mode, select the custom tab you want to move.
2 Click and drag the tab left or right to a new position.

Custom tab manager

The Custom Tab Manager is a feature to help you keep track and manage
any custom tabs you create.

 Select All: Will select all custom tabs in the manager.

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 Select None: Will clear all custom tabs in the manager.

 Delete: Will delete the currently selected custom tab(s).
 Name: The name of the custom tab.
 Visible: Displays if the custom tab is currently hidden from view.

To access the Custom Tab Manager

In CAD mode, from the View menu, select Custom Tab > Custom Tab
Manager.

Note: The Manage Custom Tabs window appears.

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The CAD environment

Scales
When drawing in WYSIWYG, you are drawing in real scale (1:1). When
you create a drawing in CAD, you are generating a virtual representation
of your real set-up. If you were to do this on paper by hand, you would
need to draw a scaled-down version of your space. However, since there
are no paper size limitations in CAD mode, you can draw your venue,
sets, pipes, trusses, and lighting fixtures in real scale.

Scaling down for printing purposes is done during print set-up and in the
Presentation mode when creating plots. These settings allow you to print
your drawings in whatever scales are necessary without having to redraw
anything.

Coordinate system and origin

When working in CAD you are working in a 3D environment (even in
WYSIWYG Report). Objects are drawn as 3D objects, with width, depth,
and height values using the Cartesian coordinate system of 3 working
axes X, Y, and Z. The point where the 3 axes meet is called the origin and
the value of X, Y, and Z is 0 respectively (0,0,0).

By default, the origin is set at the center point of the WYSIWYG venue
that you insert. Inserting venues is discussed in “Drawing a venue”. You
can reset the origin to another point in your drawing; you can set a user
origin so that a different point will assume the values (0,0,0).

To set the user origin

1 From the Tools menu, choose Set User Origin.
Tip: You can also use the Set User Origin tool on the Tools toolbar.

The Set User Origin button.

2 Click a point on your drawing or type in the coordinates (X,Y,Z) that

will assume the values 0,0,0. This point will remain 0,0,0 until you
change it again.

To reset the user origin

From the Tools menu, choose Reset User Origin.
Result: This resets the origin back to the WYSIWYG default.

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Coordinate notation
When entering coordinates in WYSIWYG, you can specify a location or
distance in either inch fractions (to the sixteenth of an inch) or
millimeters. For example, you can specify a measurement of 1’6”3/16,
which translates to 1 foot, 6 and 3/16 inches.

To set default options

1 From the Options menu, choose Document Options.
2 Click the Draw Defaults tab.

3 Based on your choice for measurement in the Units section, you can
choose to display the drawing resolution in whole numbers, fractions,
centimeters, or millimeters.
 Whole: (Only visible if you choose Imperial units.) Indicates that
the measurements are rounded and displayed to the nearest
whole number.
 Fraction: Indicates that the measurements are displayed to the
nearest sixteenths of an inch.
 cm: (Only visible if you choose Metric units.) Indicates that the
measurements are displayed in centimeters.

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 mm: Indicates that the measurements are displayed in

millimeters.
4 Click OK.

Metric vs. Imperial

WYSIWYG enables you to use metric or imperial units at any time. You
may choose to set a default type of unit, and you may choose to switch
unit type on the fly.

You can also indicate whether you want these units measured in whole
numbers, fractions (to the sixteenth of a inch), centimeters, or
millimeters.

To set the default unit type

1 From the Options menu, choose Document Options.
2 Click the Draw Defaults tab.
3 Click either Metric or Imperial.
4 Click either Whole, Fraction, mm or cm.
Note: These choices vary based on whether you selected Metric or
Imperial in step 3.

To switch unit types on the fly

Double-click the units display on the Status bar.

Ruler tool
The Ruler tool helps you design your show file in the Wireframe views of
the CAD Mode, providing a visual aid for coordinate reference and
measurement. By default, the Ruler is aligned with the document origin
and displays coordinate information along the top and left side of the
view. Its scale matches the default grid scale.

As shown in the graphic below, the Ruler has different colors to represent
different axes (X=Red, Y=Green, Z=Blue).

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The Ruler dynamically updates as you zoom in and out. When you zoom
in on your drawing, the precision of the ruler increases, displaying
fractions and decimals; when you zoom out, the precision decreases to
the point where both the grid and ruler disappear. The ruler matches the
unit type currently set in your file, either Metric or Imperial. When
working with larger venues, it is recommended that you increase the grid
spacing so that the ruler will be visible when zoomed out further. The
ruler matches the unit type.

The Ruler displays values with the negative sign to the left of 0’0” when
in Plan, Front and Right view, or to the right of 0’0” when in Back and
Left view.

Ruler icons
On the Quad tab (as shown above), each of the three drawing quadrants
can have a different drawing origin, or View Origin. When you define a
new view origin, you can move the zero position of the ruler (-0 0+) to
correspond to this point.

Based on the origin in the active quadrant and the corresponding position
of the Ruler, the icon in the upper left corner of the Ruler changes.

Icon Description

The Ruler’s zero position (origin) is aligned with the

Document Origin, which is set by default to be the
center point of the WYSIWYG venue defined for the
event.

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Icon Description

By default, all views are set to the Document Origin.

However, you can set the origin for each view, thereby
defining a View Origin. This icon appears when you
have defined a View Origin for the current view and
have aligned the Ruler’s origin to it.
This icon appears when you have set a new User Origin
for the file by clicking Tools > Set User Origin.
This icon appears when you have clicked Move Ruler
(Set View Origin) from the Ruler menu and are in the
process of defining your new origin.

The following graphic shows a Quad tab in which the Ruler origin is
different in each view:

This icon appears when This icon appears when

you are in the process you have set a new
of moving the Ruler to User Origin for the file
a new origin. It is by clicking Set User
replaced with the V icon Origin on the Tools
when you click in the menu.
drawing to set the new
View Origin.

This icon appears when

you have set the
Document Origin for the
current view, thereby
defining a new View
Origin, and have aligned
the Ruler’s origin to it.

To turn the Ruler on and off

By default, the Ruler is turned on when you open a new WYSIWYG file.
You can turn the ruler on and off while working in your file by using the
Ruler Toggle icon on the CAD Options toolbar.

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1 To show the CAD Options toolbar, right-click on the toolbars area and
click CAD Options.
2 On the CAD Options toolbar, click the Toggle Rulers icon.

The Toggle Rulers button.

Result: The Ruler appears or disappears.

Note: You can also toggle the ruler on or off by using the Draw
Defaults tab in Document Options. Click Options > Document Options >
Draw Defaults.
a. To turn the Ruler off, clear the Show Rulers checkbox.
b. To turn the Ruler on, select in the Show Rulers checkbox.
3 Click OK.

To change the ruler’s style

You can change the appearance of the ruler. The ruler can be white, the
view color or the view color with a boarder.
1 In CAD mode, click Options > Application Options.
Result: The Application Options window appears.
2 In the Application Options window, select the desired ruler style from
the Ruler Style drop-down list.
3 Click OK.
Result: The ruler’s appearance will change to that of the selected
style.

To change the Ruler’s origin

By default, the ruler is aligned with the document origin, which means
that the zero mark (-0 0+) starts at the Document Origin. However, you
can move the Ruler from this default position to the origin of the current
view. Note that doing so does not affect the origin or ruler of any other
view.
1 In the Quad tab, click the quadrant in which you want to move the
Ruler.
2 Click the icon in the upper left corner of the Ruler (or right-click on
the actual Ruler) and select one of the following options:
 Display Ruler at Document Origin: Select this option to realign the
Ruler’s zero point with the Document Origin, which is set by
default to be the origin of the WYSIWYG file. When the ruler is
displayed at the Document/User origin, the background color of
the ruler follows the selected Ruler Style option in the General tab of
Application Options.

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 Display Ruler at View Origin: Select this option if you want to

realign the Ruler to the View Origin of the current view, if
different than the original Document Origin. To indicate this
change, the background of the Ruler changes to match the axis
colors.
 Move Ruler (Set View Origin): Select this option if you want to
choose a new origin for the ruler. Then click the cursor on the
point in your drawing that you want to designate as the zero
mark for the Ruler. Once the Ruler is moved, you can use the
previous two menu items (Display Ruler at Document Origin and
Display Ruler at View Origin) to switch the ruler’s position from the
default position to the user defined position.

Note: By moving the ruler, you are indirectly setting a new origin for the
currently selected view. In the past, this was possible by changing the
Origin in a CAD view’s View Options, or by clicking Tools > Set User
Origin.

Position tool
The Position Tool helps you determine the position of your selected object
or objects in the Wireframe views of CAD mode, providing the precise
coordinate reference numbers for the X, Y and Z axes.

The Position Tool can be used to change the position of your selected
object or objects by specifying new coordinate numbers for the X, Y and
Z axes.

The Position Tool window is dockable with a grab bar on top which can be
used to move around the screen. You can place it on the edges of the
work area or you can drag it off the edge, to become its own window and
stay on top of the WYSIWYG screen. WYSIWYG opens with the Position
Tool window open and docked above the Layer Database window by default.

To use the Position Tool

1 Select an object in wireframe view.
2 From the View menu, choose Position Tool.
Result: The Position Tool window appears showing the selected
object’s X, Y and Z position coordinates in the drawing.

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3 On the Position Tool window, click the X, Y or Z scroll box arrows to

increase or decrease the reference coordinate numbers.
OR
On the Position Tool window, you may click the X, Y or Z boxes and
type the numbers.
Result: The position of the selected object(s) changes according to
the new coordinate reference numbers.

Notes:
 You can select more than one object and you can move more than
one object.
 If multiple objects are selected and arrow buttons are used, the
objects move to relative positions.
 If multiple objects are selected and a coordinate value for an axis is
entered, the objects move to the same position. For example, if
multiple objects are selected and you entered a coordinate value in
the Z axis box, the objects move to the same Z axis coordinate.
 The increment/decrement size is equal to the Grid Interval property
in Document Options > Draw Defaults tab.

Position tool shortcuts

You can open the Position Tool using the following shortcuts:
 CTRL+ALT+P: Opens the Position Tool window.
 CTRL+SHIFT+X: With an object(s) selected, opens the Position Tool
window and the cursor in X.
 CTRL+SHIFT+Y: With an object(s) selected, opens the Position Tool
window and the cursor in Y.
 CTRL+SHIFT+Z: With an object(s) selected, opens the Position Tool
window and the cursor in Z.

The missing coordinate

The missing coordinate (X,Y,or Z) is the coordinate whose value cannot
be entered by clicking on the screen. The easy way to determine which
coordinate is the missing coordinate in a wireframe view is to move the
mouse around. Look at the Status bar at the bottom of the working area.
You will see only two values changing. The value that is not changing is
the missing coordinate for that view or workplane. The missing
coordinate is dependent on the plot type and the workplane selected. In
the following example, Y is the missing coordinate as its value is set at
0’0”.

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Once entered, this value affects all subsequent objects inserted in the
current view. For example, if the missing coordinate is set to 5’ in a plan
view, all objects are placed 5 feet off the floor (X,Y,5) until the missing
coordinate is changed again. Please note that the missing coordinate is
not a move tool. Objects will not be moved to the missing coordinate
value. The missing coordinate only affects subsequent inserts.

To enter a value for the missing coordinate

1 Press TAB on your keyboard or click the Missing Coordinate tool on the
CAD Options toolbar.

The Missing Coordinate button.

2 In the CAD coordinate box, type the value for the CAD coordinate.
3 The Focus Coordinate tells WYSIWYG where to place the cursor (i.e., at
which missing coordinate) when manually focusing fixtures. If you
type any value other than 0 in this box, you will notice that the
beam's centreline extends past the crosshairs when you drag the
beam around with your mouse. This represents the distance between
the Focus Coordinate and the floor (or whatever is stopping the
beam).
4 If you want to use only the CAD coordinate for focusing and placing/
editing objects, select the Use only one missing coordinate checkbox.
5 To automatically adjust the missing coordinate with any 3D
coordinate value that you enter on the Command Line, select the
Automatically adjust with Command Line checkbox.
6 Select the Show head height checkbox to display the coverage of
beams at the head height selected in the Head height box.
7 In the Head height box, type a value to check the light coverage at a
certain height (the height of the performer).
Note: This box is enabled when the Show head height circle checkbox is
selected.
8 When you are finished with your selections, click OK.
Example:

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a. Change to the plan view in your drawing.

b. Press TAB, and then type a value of 0" for the missing CAD
coordinate.
c. Insert a few objects on the stage. All of these objects are drawn
resting on the stage.
d. Change the missing CAD coordinate to a height of 10’.
e. Insert a riser by clicking the Riser button on the toolbar.
f. Although we are in a plan view the riser has been drawn at the
height of 10', as specified in the missing coordinate dialog box.
g. Change to a side view and you will see that the riser has been
placed above the stage.
Tip: If you select the Show head height circle checkbox, and then type
a value in the Head height box, all subsequently focused fixture’s
beams will display both the coverage at the specified head height, as
well as the footprint of the beam on the surface below.

Command line
The Command Line is an area in WYSIWYG where you can enter
coordinates for the purpose of placing or editing objects in a document.
The placement of objects can often be done quicker and with more
precision using the Command Line.

Generally, coordinates are specified as X, Y, Z. You can, however, insert

coordinates using either two or three values. When using two values, the
third value will be assumed from the missing coordinate. For details,
refer to “The missing coordinate”.

The values that you specify in imperial mode are assumed to be in feet
unless otherwise specified. Similarly, the values that you specify in metric
mode are assumed to be in metres unless otherwise specified. At any
time, you can specify values in both imperial and metric measurements
(for example, 5”, 3 cm, 6’).

The following example illustrates the many different ways of using the
Command Line.

Example
1 In a plan view, from the Draw menu, choose Line.
2 From the sub-menu, choose Solid, Dot, Center, Hidden or Spline.

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3 Type 0,0 as the starting point of the line.

Result: When you start typing, the Command Line toolbar appears.

4 Press ENTER to establish the first point of the line at the origin.
5 To set the next point at exactly X=5 and Y=5, type 5,5, and then
press ENTER.
Result: A new line segment is drawn and it assumes Z from the
missing coordinate.
6 To place the next point of the line 10 units to the right and 5 units up
(in Y) from the last point, type @10,5, and then press ENTER.
Result: A new line segment is drawn.
7 To place the next point at exactly 5 feet, 3 metres, and 6 inches from
the last point, type 5’, 3m, 6”, and then press ENTER.
Result: A new line segment is drawn.
8 When you are finished drawing the lines, right-click, and then select
Finish Line.

Plot types
All objects occupy three-dimensional space. Different plot view types
allow you to see and work with your drawing from different perspectives.

There are six types of plot views accessible from the CAD Options toolbar.
The following definitions identify the working axes X, Y, and Z and the
missing coordinate for each plot type. The missing coordinate can be
defined as the axis for which a value cannot be set simply by clicking on
the work space. For details, see “The missing coordinate”.

Plan View

Plan views display the plot from above looking down. This is similar to a
plan view drawing on paper. In plan views the working axes are X and Y
and the missing coordinate is Z.

Left View

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Left views display the plot looking from the left side through the venue.
This is similar to a section on paper. In left views the working axes are Y
and Z and the missing coordinate is X.

Right View

Right views display the plot looking from the right side through the
venue. This is similar to a section on paper. In right views the working
axes are Y and Z and the missing coordinate is X.

Front View

Front views display the plot looking from the front side through the
venue. This is similar to an elevation on paper. In front views the working
axes are X and Z and the missing coordinate is Y.

Back View

Back views display the plot looking from the back side through the
venue. This is similar to an elevation on paper. In back views the working
axes are X and Z and the missing coordinate is Y.

Isometric View

An Isometric view is a 3D perspective drawing. Despite this, you are still

limited to two working axes. In isometric views, the working axes and
the missing coordinate are dependent on the workplane selected. The
workplanes available are:
 Workplane Plan
 Workplane Selection
 Workplane Elevation

If a plan workplane is selected, the working axes are X and Y and the
missing coordinate is Z.

If a side workplane is selected, the working axes are Y and Z and the
missing coordinate is X.

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If a front workplane is selected, the working axes are X and Z and the
missing coordinate is Y.

The crosshairs of your cursor change to reflect the selected workplane.

Note: Isometric views are not available in WYSIWYG Report.

Isometric view angle

You can rotate the isometric angle of the Isometric View using your
keyboard CTRL and arrow keys or CTRL keys and the third mouse button.

When using your mouse, you can also change the rotation speed when
you increase or decrease the amount of pixels your mouse needs to
travel to rotate the view on the screen using the CTRL keyboard and + or
- keys in the keypad.

To rotate the isometric angle

Hold down the CTRL key and tap the arrow keys on your keyboard.

OR

Hold down the CTRL key, and then click and drag the third mouse button
(scroll wheel) towards the direction of the angle change.

Result: The isometric angle of the Isometric View changes according to

the direction of the mouse movement.
Tip: If you add SHIFT to either method, the rotation slows down for both
keyboard and mouse movement.

Notes:
 Rotation direction is determined by the dominant direction of mouse
movement. For example, the view rotates in the left-right angle if the
mouse is dragged towards the left and slightly up. The view rotates
in the up-down angle if the mouse is dragged upwards and slightly
left.
 Once the rotation direction has been determined and the rotation has
started, the rotation cannot “switch” to the other direction. You have
to release the mouse button and then click and drag again.

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To change the mouse cursor speed and travel distance

Press and hold CTRL + SHIFT and tap the + keypad key (i.e. not the + at
the top of the keyboard, by the DELETE key) to increase the number of
pixels your mouse cursor needs to travel to rotate the view on your
screen and slow down the view rotation.

OR

Press and hold CTRL + SHIFT and tap the - keypad key (i.e. not the - at
the top of the keyboard, by the DELETE key) to decrease the number of
pixels your mouse cursor needs to travel to rotate the view on your
screen and speed up the view rotation.
Result:
 The number of pixels value is displayed on the Status Bar as you
increase or decrease with your keyboard keys.
 It is faster for your mouse cursor to rotate the view when the travel
distance is shorter because of the lesser amount of pixels set.
 It is slower for your mouse cursor to rotate the view when the travel
distance is longer because of the greater amount of pixels set.

Note: The default amount of mouse cursor travel distance in pixels is 20.

Ortho
Ortho mode constrains movement and drawing to a direction parallel to
the specified axis. When ortho mode is inactive, objects can be drawn or
moved in any direction on the workplane. You can draw diagonal lines or
move objects anywhere in the working area.

You can activate ortho at any time by clicking the ortho tools on the CAD
Options toolbar or by right-clicking the Ortho label on the Status bar. You
can also press F8 on the keyboard or double-click the Ortho label on the
Status bar to enable Ortho or to toggle your last recorded ortho setting
on or off.

Notes:
 The plot type determines the axes of movement: XY for plan views,
YZ for side views, XZ for front and back views.
 To select the axes of movement with the toolbar buttons, click the
appropriate two buttons to select both of them. For example, to
choose the XY axis, click the X and Y buttons.
 To cancel any ortho buttons that you have chosen, press F8; to reset
the same ortho selection as that which was previously made, press
F8 again.

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Snaps
Snaps are used to assist in the drawing and placement of objects. When
a snap setting is active, the cursor will be drawn to the applicable snap
point. You can have multiple snaps active at the same time. Snap
selections can be made on the CAD Options toolbar or from the Tools
menu.

All snap tools function as follows: If no command is currently active, you

can adjust the running snap tool. This means that the snap type is
always active. If you are in mid-command and you select a snap tool, it
becomes a “one time only” snap type. After the next click, the snap
returns to the running snap. At any time you can toggle all snaps on or
off by pressing F9 or double-clicking on the SNAP text in the Status bar.

 Grid snap

Aligns the placement of objects to grid points. You can set the grid
interval and angle in the Draw Options page of the View Options window.

 Mid-grid snap

Aligns the placement of objects between grid points.

 Point snap

Aligns the placement of objects to a point in the drawing.

Fixture insertion points are considered points. It is therefore possible,

using the Point snap, to align the placement of objects to fixtures (snap
to fixtures). This is useful for dimensioning.

 Midpoint snap

Aligns the placement of objects to the mid-point of another line.

 Endpoint snap

Aligns the placement of objects to the end-point of another line.

 Intersection snap

Aligns the placement of objects to the intersection of lines, circles or arcs

on the same plane.

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 Center snap

Aligns the placement of objects to the center-point of circles, arcs, or

cylinders.

 Library snap

Library Snap displays snap points at the bounding box corners of the
library item, and one corner is displayed in red or green to indicate the
library item’s insertion point, which aligns the placement of the item in
the drawing. The snap point is displayed in red if the object is not
selected or green if the object is selected. Refer to “Library snap”for
more details.

 Truss snap

Truss Snap displays snap points at the extents of the truss objects
(incorporating truss thickness if enabled) to help draw dimensions to
measure the truss. Refer to “Truss snap” for more details.

 Truss Assembly snap

Use assembly snap to group multiple truss objects together as you insert
them. This ensures proper structural assembly. Refer to “Using assembly
snap with truss” for more details about truss assembly.

 Pipe snap

Constrains fixtures to placement on a pipe at a specific interval. For more

information, refer to “Pipe snap”.

 Focus snap

Orients one or more fixtures to a focus position. When you choose this
value, you can also lock beam dragging to the incremental values of your
choice, as specified in the Pan and Tilt boxes of the Draw Options tab (the
defaults are increments of 45 degrees for pan and increments of 10
degrees for tilt). These are the values to which you want the fixture's
beam to “snap” while manually dragging and focusing it. For example, if
you set a value of 30 degrees, when you drag the fixture's beam, it will
snap at 30 degrees, 60 degrees, 90 degrees, and so on. Note that any
focus positions that you have set take precedence over the pan and tilt
values (if you drag the beam over the focus position, it will automatically
snap to the focus position instead).

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Interactive mode
Interactive mode is an alternative method for drawing objects. Objects
are typically drawn using a dialog box to set the object’s size (width,
depth, and height, for example). The full-size object is then attached to
the cursor so you can place it in the drawing.

An Interactive button enables you to switch modes. Interactive mode

allows you to click an insertion point for the object first, and then drag to
create the scope of the object as allowed by the view (XY for plan view,
XZ for front view, and so on).

Once those dimensions are set, a dialog box may open to allow you to set
the third dimension, if required. Interactive mode works with Risers,
Cylinders, Circles, Arcs, Spheres, and Pipes. There are some special
considerations when drawing pipes in interactive mode, as explained in
“Drawing pipes”.

To set interactive as the default drawing mode

1 From the Options menu, choose Document Options.
2 Click the Object Settings tab.
3 In the Drawing options section, select the Interactive object creation
checkbox.

To set interactive mode on the fly

Press F11 on your keyboard or click the Interactive tool on the CAD
Options toolbar.

Importing SketchUp files

SketchUp is a modeling tool that enables you to create realistic 3D
models of many different types of objects and then save the files with an
.skp extension. You can import these SketchUp files into WYSIWYG in
much the same way as you import DWG/DXF files.

Before you import SketchUp files into WYSIWYG, note the following:
 While SketchUp supports two textures per surface, one each for the
front and back, WYSIWYG supports only one texture for both sides of
imported surfaces; when you are importing SketchUp files,
WYSIWYG will automatically apply the front texture to both sides of
the object.
 WYSIWYG supports “.skp” files from SketchUp version 2016 format
and earlier at the time of this release.

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Textures
When you import SketchUp files into WYSIWYG, the textures associated
with these files are saved in a folder on your computer so you can apply
them to imported surfaces. By saving them to a folder outside of
WYSIWYG, you can use them repeatedly instead of only applying them to
the surfaces that are within the current WYSIWYG document.

Upon import, you can choose the location for saving the associated
texture files (or accept the default location). If there is already a texture
with the same name saved in the location specified, WYSIWYG will
prompt you to save the file with a new name.

Import options
When importing a SketchUp file into WYSIWYG, you have two options:
 You can open a file.
 You can merge a file into an existing WYSIWYG document.

If you open a SketchUp file while another show document is currently

open, you are prompted to save changes to that document before
another show document is opened. Only one show document may be
open at a time. When you merge documents, you can add the contents
of the SketchUp file to the contents of the current WYSIWYG document.

To open SketchUp files

This procedure creates a new WYSIWYG document out of the SketchUp

file, prompting you to save changes to any current document that is open
and close it before importing the file.

Before you begin

You must have the SketchUp file saved on your computer to begin this
procedure.
1 From the File menu, choose Open.
2 From the Files of type box, select SketchUp files (.skp), and then
navigate to the location where the file is saved on your computer.

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3 In the browser, click the file name, and then click Open.
Result: The Import Directories window appears.

4 Click the browse button to specify the location where you want to
save the textures that have been applied to the object in SketchUp,
or accept the default location shown. By saving textures to a folder
outside of WYSIWYG, you can use them repeatedly instead of only
applying them to the surfaces that are within the current WYSIWYG
document.
Note: If a default path is not shown, you must click the browse
button and navigate to the desired folder. If there is already a
texture with the same name saved in the location specified,
WYSIWYG will prompt you to save the file with a new name.
5 Click Next.
Result: The Layer window appears.

6 In the Layer window, select the layers that you want to import.

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 If there is more than one layer listed, you can select multiple
layers simultaneously by pressing Ctrl on your keyboard and then
clicking on the desired layers.
 For each layer that you want to import, ensure that the Import
checkbox is checked. If you do not want to import a certain layer,
highlight it and clear this checkbox. For example, if you have
drawn both a venue and elements in SketchUp and you have put
them on separate layers, you can choose to only import a
particular element into the WYSIWYG file by selecting the
appropriate layer in this window.
7 To add a description to the layer, enter the information in the Layer
Description field of the layer.
8 To add metadata to the layer, enter in a descriptive tag in the Tag
field of the layer.
9 To import a single-sided layer, highlight the layer and select the
Single Sided checkbox.
Note: Single-sided layers use less processor time to display in
Shaded views and to render in the Render Wizard. However, they only
appear properly in each of these views if the faces of the object are
drawn facing outward. Unless you know how the SketchUp file was
drawn, it is recommended that you leave Single Sided deselected by
default when importing the layers so that the object appears
correctly. Note that you will not be able to see “through” the walls of
an imported double-sided venue when you rotate the image around
in the Shaded view (unlike the WYSIWYG venues, which are single
sided).
If the imported object does not appear correctly in the Shaded view,
you can change its sidedness by using the Properties window. You can
change it from single sided to double sided, or vice versa. You can
also flip the object’s sides if the wrong side is currently facing
outward. For details, see “To change an object’s sidedness”.
10 To add a prefix to selected layers, click Change prefix for selected
layers... button.
Result: The Change Layer Prefix dialog box appears.

a. In the Change Layer Prefix dialog box, enter in the desired prefix
you want to add to the selected layers.
b. Click OK.
Result: The selected layers will have the prefix added to the
layer’s name.

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Note: If a prefix is added to a layer that previously had a prefix

assigned, the new prefix will override the old prefix.
11 Click Next.
Result: The Component window appears.

12 Blocks in SketchUp are called components. If you have components

in your drawing, you have the option to ignore them, explode them,
convert them into a library item, or substitute WYSIWYG fixtures for
the existing components.
 Component Name: The name of the block.
 Status: This icon indicates that the block is currently on a layer
being imported. This icon indicates that the block is on a layer
that will not be imported.
 Block Type: This icon indicates that the block is a singular block
and does not contain any sub-blocks. This icon indicates that
the block is a nested block and contains one or many sub-blocks.

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 Ignore: Select this action to ignore the block. The block will not be
added to the resulting file.
 Add to Library: Converting a block into a library item imports the

object and creates a duplicate of it to add to the library for future

use. To make it available globally, see “To create a custom library
item”. When you convert SketchUp files into custom library items,
they appear on the Library tab of the Library Browser within the
SketchUp folder.
 Explode: Exploding the component breaks it into its sub-

components. That is, it breaks the block into its components. You
must be careful of components that are made up of other
components as WYSIWYG will only explode down one level.
Note: Exploding is not recommended. Exploding should be your last
resort to import files, as it is taxing on performance.
 Convert: Converting a component into a fixture replaces the
SketchUp component with a WYSIWYG fixture of your choice. Once
you have selected this option, select the ellipsis in the neighboring
column.

Result: The Fixture Select window appears.

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13 Select the fixture that you want to use to replace the block. If you
find that you are always replacing a particular type of component
with a specific fixture, you can set an option in WYSIWYG so that the
substitution will automatically occur each time you import the
component. For example, if you have files in which the ‘PAR64M’
block is always a PAR 64 fixture with an MFL bulb, you have the
option of telling WYSIWYG to automatically import the component in
that way. To change this option, edit the Import.lst file that is
created in the Library folder (usually C:\Program Data\CAST
Software\WYSIWYG\1.xx.xx.x\Library) once the first fixture is set to
be remembered for future imports.
Note: WYSIWYG creates a pipe for every imported fixture since
fixtures in WYSIWYG need to hang on a hang structure. If, however,
fixtures are on a straight pipe represented by a straight line in the
DWG file, WYSIWYG will convert the entire line into a pipe.

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14 Click Finish.
Result: The Import Summary window appears.

15 Click OK.

To merge SketchUp files

This procedure merges the SketchUp file into the current WYSIWYG
document, placing the object in the location you specify.

Before you begin

You must have the SketchUp file saved on your computer to begin this
procedure.
1 Open the WYSIWYG file into which you want to add the SketchUp file.
2 From the File menu, choose Merge.
Result: The Merge dialog box appears.
3 In the Merge dialog box, beside the File name box, select SketchUP
Files (*.skp) from the drop-down list.
4 Locate the location of the SketchUp file on your computer. Select the
file and click Open.
Result: The Merge dialog box will change asking for a Base point.

5 Select the radio next to the desired Base point.

6 Click OK.

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7 Browse to locate the file, select it, and then click Open.
Result: The Import Directories window appears.

8 Click the browse button to specify the location where you want to
save the textures that have been applied to the object in SketchUp,
or accept the default location shown. By saving textures to a folder
outside of WYSIWYG, you can use them repeatedly instead of only
applying them to the surfaces that are within the current WYSIWYG
document.
Note: If a default path is not shown, you must click the browse
button and navigate to the desired folder. If there is already a
texture with the same name saved in the location specified,
WYSIWYG will prompt you to save the file with a new name.
9 Click Next.
Result: The Layer window appears.

10 In the Layer window, select the layers that you want to import.

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 If there is more than one layer listed, you can select multiple
layers simultaneously by pressing CTRL on your keyboard and
then clicking on the desired layers.
 For each layer that you want to import, ensure that the Import
checkbox is checked. If you do not want to import a certain layer,
highlight it and clear this checkbox. For example, if you have
drawn both a venue and elements in SketchUp and you have put
them on separate layers, you can choose to only import a
particular element into the WYSIWYG file by selecting the
appropriate layer in this window.
11 To add a description to the layer, enter the information in the Layer
Description field of the layer.
12 To add metadata to the layer, enter in a descriptive tag in the Tag
field of the layer.
13 To import a single-sided layer, highlight the layer and select the
Single Sided checkbox.
Note: Single-sided layers use less processor time to display in
Shaded views and to render in the Render Wizard. However, they only
appear properly in each of these views if the faces of the object are
drawn facing outward. Unless you know how the SketchUp file was
drawn, it is recommended that you leave Single Sided deselected by
default when importing the layers so that the object appears
correctly. Note that you will not be able to see “through” the walls of
an imported double-sided venue when you rotate the image around
in the Shaded view (unlike the WYSIWYG venues, which are single
sided).
If the imported object does not appear correctly in the Shaded view,
you can change its sidedness by using the Properties window. You can
change it from single sided to double sided, or vice versa. You can
also flip the object’s sides if the wrong side is currently facing
outward. For details, see “To change an object’s sidedness”.
14 To add a prefix to selected layers, click Change prefix for selected
layers... button.
Result: The Change Layer Prefix dialog box appears.

a. In the Change Layer Prefix dialog box, enter in the desired prefix
you want to add to the selected layers.
b. Click OK.
Result: The selected layers will have the prefix added to the layer’s
name.

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Note: If a prefix is added to a layer that previously had a prefix

assigned, the new prefix will override the old prefix.
15 Click Next.
Result: The Component window appears.
16 Blocks in SketchUp are called components. If you have components
in your drawing, you have the option to ignore them, explode them,
convert them into a library item, or substitute WYSIWYG fixtures for
the existing components.
 Component Name: The name of the block.
 Status: This icon indicates that the block is currently on a layer
being imported. This icon indicates that the block is on a layer
that will not be imported.
 Block Type: This icon indicates that the block is a singular block
and does not contain any sub-blocks. This icon indicates that
the block is a nested block and contains one or many sub-blocks.
 Ignore: Select this action to ignore the block. The block will not be

added to the resulting file.

 Add to Library: Converting a block into a library item imports the

object and creates a duplicate of it to add to the library for future

use. Note that the component will lose all surface properties, such
as color and texture, and it will only be available in the library of
the current document. To make it available globally, see “To create
a custom library item”. When you convert SketchUp files into
custom library items, they appear on the Library tab of the Library
Browser within the SketchUp folder.
 Explode: Exploding the component breaks it into its sub-

components. That is, it breaks the block into its components. You
must be careful of components that are made up of other
components as WYSIWYG will only explode down one level.
Note: Exploding is not recommended. Exploding should be your last
resort to import the file, as it is taxing on performance.

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 Convert: Converting a component into a fixture replaces the

SketchUp component with a WYSIWYG fixture of your choice. Once
you have selected this option, select the ellipsis in the neighboring
column.

Result: The Fixture Select window appears.

17 Select the fixture that you want to use to replace the block. If you
find that you are always replacing a particular type of component
with a specific fixture, you can set an option in WYSIWYG so that the
substitution will automatically occur each time you import the
component. For example, if you have files in which the ‘PAR64M’
block is always a PAR 64 fixture with an MFL bulb, you have the
option of telling WYSIWYG to automatically import the component in
that way. To change this option, edit the Import.lst file that is

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created in the Library folder (usually C:\Program Data\CAST

Software\WYSIWYG\1.xx.xx.x\Library) once the first fixture is set to
be remembered for future imports.
Note: WYSIWYG creates a pipe for every imported fixture since
fixtures in WYSIWYG need to hang on a hang structure. If, however,
fixtures are on a straight pipe represented by a straight line in the
DWG file, WYSIWYG will convert the entire line into a pipe.
18 Click Finish.
Result: The Merge Summary window appears.

19 Click OK.
20 If you chose Select Basepoint with mouse in Step 5, click to place the
object in the drawing.

Importing .DWG/.DXF files

When importing a .DWG/.DXF file into WYSIWYG, you have two options:
 You can open a .DWG/.DXF file.
 You can merge a .DWG/.DXF file into an existing WYSIWYG
document.

If you open a .DWG or .DXF while another show document is currently

open, you are prompted to save changes to that document before
another show document is opened. Only one show document may be
open at a time. When you merge documents, it enables you to add the
contents of the .DWG or .DXF file to the contents of the current
document.

3D solids contained within an AutoCAD file are automatically placed

inside blocks by AutoCAD. When you import any file that contains a
block, WYSIWYG will automatically explode the blocks in the DXF or DWG
files for you if you decide to do this before opening them in WYSIWYG.

Note: WYSIWYG supports .dwg or .dxf files from AutoCAD version 2018
format and earlier at the time of this release.

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Entities that can be imported

The DWG/DXF entities that can be imported are detailed in the following
table. The resulting WYSIWYG objects are also shown.

DWG/DXF entity WYSIWYG object

Circle Circle
Point Point
Arc Arc
Line Line
Leader Line and Text
MLeader Line and Text
Ellipse Circle or line*
2D Polyline Line
3D Polyline Line
Mline Line
Spline (see Note) Spline or Line
Text Text
MText Group of text items
Polyface Mesh (PFACE) Set piece
Polygon Mesh (3D Set piece
Surfaces)
Face (3D Face) Surface
Aligned dimension Dimension
Rotated dimension Dimension
Region Surface
Cylinder Cylinder
Sphere Sphere
Cone Cone
Box Riser
Planar Surface Surface
Revolved Surface Set Piece
Helix Line
Lines with bulges Lines and Arcs

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DWG/DXF entity WYSIWYG object

Attribute Text Text Label (with attributes

substituted)

* A closed AutoCAD ellipse will be imported as a circle; otherwise, it is

imported as a multi-segment line.

Entities that can be imported as a library item

 Circle
 Arc
 Line
 2D Polyline
 3D Polyline
 Polyline
 Mline
 Polyface Mesh (PFACE)
 Polygon Mesh (3D Surfaces)
 Face (3D Face)
 Spline
 Ellipse
 Revolved Surface
 Helix
 Text and MText (See Note)

Note: Text and MText entities in blocks are not integrated directly into
library items (a feature WYSIWYG does not support). However, a copy of
each Text or MText entity is extracted from the block and inserted into
WYSIWYG document as a text label. Attributes are substituted.

Limitations
 Multilines becomes single lines.
 Multiline text becomes a group of individual text items, with each line
represented by its own item.

Note: The formatting for each line is taken from that of the first
character of the line, except in the case of bullets, in which case the first
character after the bullet point is used.
 Segments that are not straight (for example, arcs) become straight
line segments.
 A spline must contain “Fit” data for it to be imported. When a Spline
is initially drawn in AutoCAD, it is defined by a series of user-
provided Fit Points, which are automatically converted to Control
Points by AutoCAD. To import Splines into WYSIWYG properly, you
must maintain the Fit Points that define the Spline. If the Spline is

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defined only by Control Points, it will import into WYSIWYG as a

regular line, with additional points to help follow the curvature.
 Stretched (scaled) blocks are not supported.
 Blocks to be converted to library items cannot imbed other blocks.
 Blocks to be replaced by a fixture cannot imbed other blocks.
Tips:
 Do not import 2D/3D solids whenever possible. Instead, use 3D Face
and 3D Surface entities.
 It is recommended that you explode Polyface Mesh or Polygon Mesh
entities in AutoCAD before importing to WYSIWYG so you can access
each face in WYSIWYG.

Opening a DWG/DXF document

Before you begin

 Clean up the CAD file by removing all unnecessary layers, such as
doors, windows, and architectural details. Generally you want to
remove items that you do not need to see or will not use in the plot.
 Use the Purge command in AutoCAD to remove layers, blocks, and so
on, that are not wanted or needed. You may want to do this several
times since layers and blocks are sometimes linked to other parts of
the drawing, and the Purge command might not pick them up the
first time. The more unwanted items you can remove, the smaller
the file size will be, and the easier/faster it is to import.

To open a DWG/DXF document

This procedure creates a new WYSIWYG document from the imported

DWG/DXF file. If you are already working in a document, you are
prompted to save any changes and close the document before you
import the file into WYSIWYG.
1 From the File menu, choose Open.
2 From the files of type box, select the DWG or DXF type. Files of this
type appear in the browser window.

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3 In the browser, click the file name, and then click Open.
Result: The Pre-Processing Options window appears.

4 In the Pre-Processing Options window, you can specify which DWG/DXF

blocks and non-block entities are converted into Library items.
a. From the Define Content section, choose which layers and items
will be converted into your drawing.
 Select the Import All radio button to include in the import, all
blocks, block references, all non-block items and layers for
conversion into your drawing. You can import all entities in one
pass if you select this option.
 Select the Only import Blocks radio button to include in the
import, only items that are blocks and block references for
conversion into your drawing. You can import one or more
times selecting different sets of blocks if you select this option.
 Select the Only import non-block entities to exclude from the
import, all items that are blocks and block references. You can
import only once if you select this option.
b. From the Number of Segments per Mesh drop-down menu in the
Mesh Segments section, choose the number of segments that will
affect how the Library Items and Set Pieces are converted into
your drawing. Blocks with higher number of segments consume
more memory which affect the performance of your computer
hardware.

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c. Click Next.
Result: The Working dialog box appears showing the Pre-processing
progress bar, and then the Scale window appears.

5 Select the unit type used in the DWG/DXF drawing.

6 Click Next.
Result: The Layer window appears.

7 Highlight the layers that you want to import. Note that you do not
need to import all the layers at once. Refer to “Importing scenario”
for suggestions on how to import the various layers. For each layer
that you want to import, ensure that the Import checkbox is checked.
If you do not want to import a certain layer, highlight it and clear this
checkbox.
Note: In the Layer window, the State column shows the state of the
layer in the DWG/DXF file. Frozen layers are not selected for import

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by default. Off layers are selected but will be set to Not Visible in
WYSIWYG after import.
8 To add a description to the layer, enter the information in the Layer
Description field of the layer.
9 To add metadata to the layer, enter in a descriptive tag in the Tag
field of the layer.
10 To add a prefix to selected layers, click Add/Edit prefix for selected
layers... button.
Result: The Change Layer Prefix dialog box appears.

a. In the Change Layer Prefix dialog box, enter in the desired prefix
you want to add to the selected layers.
b. Click OK.
Result: The selected layers will have the prefix added to the
layer’s name.

Note: If a prefix is added to a layer that previously had a prefix

assigned, the new prefix will override the old prefix.

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11 Click Next.
Result: The Block window appears.

12 If you have blocks in your drawing, you have the option to ignore the
blocks, explode the blocks, convert them into a library item, or
substitute WYSIWYG fixtures for the existing blocks.
Note: 3D solids are automatically placed inside blocks by AutoCAD,
and assigned an abstract block name (for example, *X1). The
number of “blocks” that are found are dependent on the number of
solids that were in the AutoCAD file. You will be prompted to
determine what action to take for each type of “block.”
 Block Name: The name of the block.
 Status: This icon indicates that the block is currently on a layer
being imported. This icon indicates that the block is on a layer
that will not be imported.
 Type: This icon indicates that the block is a singular block and
does not contain any sub-blocks. This icon indicates that the
block is a nested block and contains one or many sub-blocks.
 Ignore: Select this action to ignore the block. The block will not be
added to the resulting file.
 Add to Library: Converting a block into a library item imports the
object and creates a duplicate of it to add to the library for future
use. Note that the component will lose all surface properties, such
as color and texture, and it will only be available in the library of
the current document. To make it available globally, see “To create
a custom library item”. When you convert DWG or DXF files into
custom library items, they appear on the Library tab of the Library
Browser within the DWG or DXF folder.

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 Explode: Exploding the component breaks it into its sub-

components. That is, it breaks the block into its components. You
must be careful of components that are made up of other
components as WYSIWYG will only explode down one level.
Note: Exploding is not recommended. Exploding should be your last
resort to import the file, as it is taxing on performance.
 Convert: Converting a component into a fixture replaces the DWG/
DXF component with a WYSIWYG fixture of your choice. Once you
have selected this option, select the ellipsis in the neighboring
column.

Result: The Fixture Select dialog box appears.

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13 Select the fixture that you want to use to replace the block. If you
find that you are always replacing a particular type of component
with a specific fixture, you can set an option in WYSIWYG so that the
substitution will automatically occur each time you import the
component. For example, if you have files in which the ‘PAR64M’
block is always a PAR 64 fixture with an MFL bulb, you have the
option of telling WYSIWYG to automatically import the component in
that way. To change this option, edit the Import.lst file that is
created in the Library folder (usually C:\Program Data\CAST
Software\WYSIWYG\1.xx.xx.x\Library) once the first fixture is set to
be remembered for future imports.
Note: WYSIWYG creates a pipe for every imported fixture since
fixtures in WYSIWYG need to hang on a hang structure. If, however,
fixtures are on a straight pipe represented by a straight line in the
DWG file, WYSIWYG will convert the entire line into a pipe.
14 Click Advanced Block Options to filter objects within the block based on
their layer.
Result: The Advanced Block Options dialog box appears.

Use the drop-down menu to control how the contents of incoming

Blocks should be handled based on the layers on which the Blocks’
components reside.
 Ignore Frozen and Off Layers (Recommended): This is the preferred
option in most cases, since it offers the best optimization for the
import: no parts of Blocks that are on layers which have been
turned Off and/or Frozen will be imported. Once the import is
complete, what you see will most-closely match what is seen
when this file is opened in AutoCAD or DWG TrueView—with the
exception of DWG entities that cannot be imported at this time.

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(Use the radio buttons in the Empty Library Item Options section
to control how to deal with such entities.)
 Ignore Only Frozen Layers: Choosing not to import parts of Blocks
that are on layers which have been Frozen will skip those parts,
but parts that are on layers which have been turned Off will
import. This will lead to a potentially more complete, but also
more complex model—but entities that cannot be imported at this
time will still not import. It is important to remember that if you
chose to convert such Blocks to DWG Library Items, you will have
no control over them: you will not be able to “edit” the DWG
Library Item in order to “remove” from it the parts which were
imported from the layers that were Turned Off.
 Ignore All Layers Not Being Imported: This option offers layer-based
control over which parts of a Block should be ignored for import:
entities which exist on layers that you have chosen not to import
(in the previous step of the DWG/DXF Import Wizard) will not
import. It is recommended that you only select this option if you
are very familiar with the contents of the file you are importing
AND when you are performing a “multi-pass” import (i.e.
importing the same file multiple times, with different options and/
or with only handful layers at a time).
 Import Everything (All Layers): This option should only be used when
the previous options fail to yield the desired import result, and
should (ideally) only be chosen when a single Block, or only a
handful of Blocks, are selected for import; while it will lead to a
complete import (with the exception of DWG entities that cannot
be imported at this time), the resulting model (DWG Library
Item) may look altogether different than what you see when you
open the file in AutoCAD or DWG TrueView. In addition, the
model may end up being very complex, which can lead to
performance issues. Use this option with caution, and, ideally,
only when performing a “multi-pass” import.
 Extract Block text as Text Labels when converting to a Library Item: Since
WYSIWYG’s Library Items cannot contain text, Text or MText
objects contained within Blocks being imported would have to be
discarded; select this option (recommended) in order to extract
text from such Blocks and add it to the resulting .wyg file as a
Text Label object.
 Empty Library Item Options: Use the radio buttons in this section to
control what will happen with Blocks which only contain entities
that cannot be imported, if you choose to convert them to DWG
Library Items; these options will not affect DWG Blocks that you
have chosen to Explode.
 Allow Blocks to convert to empty Library Items: This option will
allow such blocks to convert into empty/”zero-length” DWG
Library Items. You will not be able to select them, and
inserting them will result in a non-selectable item. Not
recommended.

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 Use placeholder geometry for empty library items: This option

(recommended) will replace entities contained in such Blocks
with a 1m “Spike” DWG Library Item.
 Rename library items with placeholder geometry: Enable this
checkbox to add a “PH” prefix to all such DWG Library Items.
 Remove empty library items: When this option is selected, all
such Blocks will be ignored: no empty Library Items will be
created, but at the same time, there will be no indication
whatsoever that something was supposed to be there. Only
select this option if you are sure that you do not require that
information.
a. Click OK to apply the set options and close the Advanced Block
Options dialog box.
15 Click Finish.
Result: The Import Summary window appears.

16 Click OK.

The CAD Importing Guide

For more detailed information about importing DWG/DXF files, please
read through the CAD Importing Guide, at
http://cast-soft.com/wysiwyg/cad-importing-guide/.

Merging a DWG/DXF document

To merge a DWG/DXF document

This procedure inserts the imported DWG/DXF file into an existing

WYSIWYG document in the location of your choice.
1 From the File menu, choose Merge.
Result: The Merge window opens.
2 In the Merge window, beside the File name box, select DWG or DXF
Files (*.dwg or .dxf) from the drop-down list.

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3 Locate the location of the DWG file on your computer. Select the file
and click Open.
Result: The Merge dialog box appears asking for a Base point.

4 Select the radio next to the desired Base point.

5 Click OK.
Result: The Pre-Processing Options window appears.

6 In the Pre-Processing Options window, you can specify which DWG/DXF

blocks and non-block entities are converted into Library items.
a. From the Define Content section, choose which layers and items
will be converted into your drawing.
 Select the Import All radio button to include in the import, all
blocks, block references, all non-block items and layers for
conversion into your drawing. You can import everything in one
pass if you select this option.
 Select the Only import Blocks radio button to include in the
import, only items that are blocks and block references for
conversion into your drawing. You can import one or more
times selecting different sets of blocks if you select this option.
 Select the Only import non-block entities to exclude from the
import, all items that are blocks and block references. You can
only import once if you select this option.

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b. From the Number of Segments per Mesh drop-down menu in the

Mesh Segments section, choose the number of segments that will
affect how the Library Items and Set Pieces are converted into
your drawing. Blocks with higher number of segments consume
more memory which affect the performance of your computer
hardware.
c. Click Next.
Result: The Working dialog box appears showing the Pre-processing
progress bar, and then the Scale window appears.

7 Select the unit type used in the DWG/DXF drawing, and then click
Next.
Result: The Layer window appears.

8 Highlight the layers that you want to import. Note that you do not
need to import all the layers at once. Refer to “Importing scenario”
for suggestions on how to import the various layers. For each layer

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that you want to import, ensure that the Import checkbox is checked.
If you do not want to import a certain layer, highlight it and clear this
checkbox.
Note: In the Layer window, the State column shows the state of the
layer in the DWG/DXF file. Frozen layers are not selected for import
by default. Off layers are selected but will be set to Not Visible in
WYSIWYG after import.
9 To add a description to the layer, enter the information in the Layer
Description field of the layer.
10 To add metadata to the layer, enter in a descriptive tag in the Tag
field of the layer.
11 To add a prefix to selected layers, click Add/Edit prefix for selected
layers... button.
Result: The Change Layer Prefix dialog box appears.

a. In the Change Layer Prefix dialog box, enter in the desired prefix
you want to add to the selected layers.
b. Click OK.
Result: The selected layers will have the prefix added to the layer’s
name.

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12 Click Next.
Result: The Block window appears.

13 If you have blocks in your drawing, you have the option to ignore the
blocks, explode the blocks, convert them into a library item, or
substitute WYSIWYG fixtures for the existing blocks.
Note: 3D solids are automatically placed inside blocks by AutoCAD,
and assigned an abstract block name (for example, *X1). The
number of “blocks” that are found are dependent on the number of
solids that were in the AutoCAD file. You will be prompted to
determine what action to take for each type of “block.”
 Block Name: The name of the block.
 Status: This icon indicates that the block is currently on a layer
being imported. This icon indicates that the block is on a layer
that will not be imported.
 Type: This icon indicates that the block is a singular block and
does not contain any sub-blocks. This icon indicates that the
block is a nested block and contains one or many sub-blocks.
 Ignore: Select this action to ignore the block. The block will not be
added to the resulting file.
 Add to Library: Converting a block into a library item imports the
object and creates a duplicate of it to add to the library for future
use. Note that the component will lose all surface properties, such
as color and texture, and it will only be available in the library of
the current document. To make it available globally, see “To create
a custom library item”. When you convert DWG or DXF files into
custom library items, they appear on the Library tab of the Library
Browser within the DWG or DXF folder.

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 Explode: Exploding the component breaks it into its sub-

components. That is, it breaks the block into its components. You
must be careful of components that are made up of other
components as WYSIWYG will only explode down one level.
Note: Exploding is not recommended. Exploding should be your last
resort to import the file, as it is taxing on performance.
 Convert: Converting a component into a fixture replaces the DWG/
DXF component with a WYSIWYG fixture of your choice. Once you
have selected this option, select the ellipsis in the neighboring
column.

Result: The Fixture Select window appears.

14 Select the fixture that you want to use to replace the block. If you
find that you are always replacing a particular type of component
with a specific fixture, you can set an option in WYSIWYG so that the
substitution will automatically occur each time you import the
component. For example, if you have files in which the ‘PAR64M’
block is always a PAR 64 fixture with an MFL bulb, you have the
option of telling WYSIWYG to automatically import the component in
that way. To change this option, edit the Import.lst file that is
created in the Library folder (usually C:\Program Data\CAST
Software\WYSIWYG\1.xx.xx.x\Library) once the first fixture is set to
be remembered for future imports.
Note: WYSIWYG creates a pipe for every imported fixture since
fixtures in WYSIWYG need to hang on a hang structure. If, however,
fixtures are on a straight pipe represented by a straight line in the
DWG/DXF file, WYSIWYG will convert the entire line into a pipe.

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15 Click Advanced Block Options to filter objects within the block based on
their layer.
Result: The Advanced Block Options dialog box appears.

Use the drop-down menu to control how the contents of incoming

Blocks should be handled based on the layers on which the Blocks’
components reside.
 Ignore Frozen and Off Layers (Recommended): This is the preferred
option in most cases, since it offers the best optimization for the
import: no parts of Blocks that are on layers which have been
turned Off and/or Frozen will be imported. Once the import is
complete, what you see will most-closely match what is seen
when this file is opened in AutoCAD or DWG TrueView—with the
exception of DWG entities that cannot be imported at this time.
(Use the radio buttons in the Empty Library Item Options section
to control how to deal with such entities.)
 Ignore Only Frozen Layers: Choosing not to import parts of Blocks
that are on layers which have been Frozen will skip those parts,
but parts that are on layers which have been turned Off will
import. This will lead to a potentially more complete, but also
more complex model—but entities that cannot be imported at this
time will still not import. It is important to remember that if you
chose to convert such Blocks to DWG Library Items, you will have
no control over them: you will not be able to “edit” the DWG
Library Item in order to “remove” from it the parts which were
imported from the layers that were Turned Off.
 Ignore All Layers Not Being Imported: This option offers layer-based
control over which parts of a Block should be ignored for import:
entities which exist on layers that you have chosen not to import
(in the previous step of the DWG/DXF Import Wizard) will not

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import. It is recommended that you only select this option if you

are very familiar with the contents of the file you are importing
AND when you are performing a “multi-pass” import (i.e.
importing the same file multiple times, with different options and/
or with only handful layers at a time).
 Import Everything (All Layers): This option should only be used when
the previous options fail to yield the desired import result, and
should (ideally) only be chosen when a single Block, or only a
handful of Blocks, are selected for import; while it will lead to a
complete import (with the exception of DWG entities that cannot
be imported at this time), the resulting model (DWG Library
Item) may look altogether different than what you see when you
open the file in AutoCAD or DWG TrueView. In addition, the
model may end up being very complex, which can lead to
performance issues. Use this option with caution, and, ideally,
only when performing a “multi-pass” import.
 Extract Block text as Text Labels when converting to a Library Item: Since
WYSIWYG’s Library Items cannot contain text, Text or MText
objects contained within Blocks being imported would have to be
discarded; select this option (recommended) in order to extract
text from such Blocks and add it to the resulting .wyg file as a
Text Label object.
 Empty Library Item Options: Use the radio buttons in this section to
control what will happen with Blocks which only contain entities
that cannot be imported, if you choose to convert them to DWG
Library Items; these options will not affect DWG Blocks that you
have chosen to Explode.
 Allow Blocks to convert to empty Library Items: This option will
allow such blocks to convert into empty/”zero-length” DWG
Library Items. You will not be able to select them, and
inserting them will result in a non-selectable item. Not
recommended.
 Use placeholder geometry for empty library items: This option
(recommended) will replace entities contained in such Blocks
with a 1m “Spike” DWG Library Item.
 Rename library items with placeholder geometry: Enable this
checkbox to add a “PH” prefix to all such DWG Library Items.
 Remove empty library items: When this option is selected, all
such Blocks will be ignored: no empty Library Items will be
created, but at the same time, there will be no indication
whatsoever that something was supposed to be there. Only
select this option if you are sure that you do not require that
information.
a. Click OK to apply the set options and close the Advanced Block
Options dialog box.

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16 Click Finish.
Result: The Merge Summary window appears.

17 Click OK.

The CAD Importing Guide

For more detailed information about importing DWG/DXF files, please
read through the CAD Importing Guide, at
http://cast-soft.com/wysiwyg/cad-importing-guide/.

Importing scenario
You do not need to import everything in your file at once. You can import
items one by one or separately to ensure accuracy. The following
scenario may help you when importing DWG/DXF files into WYSIWYG:

1. After choosing to open a DWG/DXF file, switch to the Layers tab in the
Select DWG Settings dialog box. In this tab, you can clear the layers
that you do not want imported in the first round. For example, you
may only want to import the venue and all the layers related to it. In
the case of a 2D CAD drawing, it is easier to extrude lines into walls
and do everything else needed to complete the virtual venue. It will
also be quicker as WYSIWYG will have a lot less objects with which to
work.
2. Once you have completed working on the venue, you may want to
merge in the hang structures if they exist in the CAD file. Using the
Merge command from the File menu, you can open the same CAD file
once again, and choose the appropriate layer(s) from the Layers tab.
When WYSIWYG asks you to pick the insertion point, make sure you
select Use 0,0,0 as Basepoint. This will ensure that everything in the
new layer is placed accurately in the WYSIWYG plot.
3. Continue in the same manner with fixtures and the other objects.
Note that if in the CAD file the fixtures exist on different layers, you
may want to bring these in separately/one by one as well.

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Exporting DWG/DXF files

If you need to send your WYSIWYG drawings to someone using another
drafting program, you can export your file to the DWG or DXF file type.
DWG and DXF formats are used to transfer documents to AutoCAD or
other compatible drafting applications.

Entities that can be exported

 2D DWG/DXF: When you export WYSIWYG objects to a 2D DWG/
DXF file, all objects, including fixture attributes, are converted to
lines.
 3D DWG/DXF: The objects that can be exported to a 3D DWG/DXF
file and the resulting DWG/DXF entities are shown in the following
table. Fixture attributes cannot be exported to 3D DWG/DXF.

WYSIWYG object DWG/DXF entity

Line 3D Polyline
Spline Spline
Point Point
Circle Circle
Arc Arc
Text Text
Pipe Line
Rigging Point (3D) Block - line, circle, text
Dimension Lines and MText
Callout Leader
All other objects PolyFace Mesh

Note: You cannot export truss.

Limitation
 The slope near the end of two lines may be slightly off.

To export to DWG/DXF in 2D
Note: When you export WYSIWYG objects to a 2D DWG/DXF file, all
objects, including fixture attributes, are converted to lines.

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1 From the File menu, choose 2D DWG/DXF Export.

2 In the Export dialog box, navigate to the location where you want to
save the exported file. Ensure that the destination appears in the
Save in drop-down box.

3 In the File name box, type the name of the exported file.
4 From the Save as type drop-down box, choose the exported file type.
There are a number of choices available for file type, based on
AutoCAD versions.
5 Click Save.
Result: The Select DXF/DWG Settings For Export dialog box appears.

6 On the Scale tab, click the option button for the units to be used in
the DWG/DXF drawing.
a. To specify a custom unit of measurement, select the Custom
option button.
b. In the DXF Unit To boxes, specify the mapping of the units of
measurement to use in the exported file.
7 Click OK.

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Note: The current type of the drawing will be used as the point of view in
the exported 2D drawing.

To export to DWG/DXF in 3D
Note: When you export WYSIWYG objects to a 3D DWG/DXF file, the
resulting DWG/DXG entities vary. For details, see the table on “Exporting
DWG/DXF files”.
1 From the File menu, choose DWG/DXF Export.
2 In the Export dialog box, navigate to the location where you want to
save the exported file. Ensure that the destination appears in the
Save in drop-down box.

3 In the File name box, type the name of the exported file.
4 From the Save as type drop-down box, choose the exported file type.
There are a number of choices available for file type, based on
AutoCAD versions.

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5 Click Save.
Result: The Select DXF/DWG Settings For Export dialog box appears.

Note: You cannot export a 3D drawing from WYSIWYG Report.

6 On the Scale tab, click the option button for the units to be used in
the DWG/DXF drawing.
 To specify a custom unit of measurement, select the Custom
option button, and then specify the mapping of the units of
measurement to use in the exported file, in the DXF Unit To boxes.
7 Click the Layer tab.

8 Select the layers that you want to include in the DWG/DXF drawing
by highlighting them and ensuring that the Export checkbox is
checked.
a. Click Select All to select all the layers that are listed.
b. Click Select None to deselect all layers.

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9 Click OK.

Importing Wavefront/Filmbox/Collada2/3DS files

WYSIWYG allows the import of models created with Wavefront (.OBJ),
Filmbox (.FBX), Collada (.DAE) and 3D Studio Max (.3DS) for use in
WYSIWYG. These models will be imported as one object, and their
colors, texturing and materials will be preserved in the import.

Note: Any properties which are not supported by WYSIWYG will be lost
from the model on import.

To import Wavefront (.OBJ) / Collada (.DAE) / Filmbox

(.FBX) / 3D Studio (.3DS) files
Note: This procedure creates a new WYSIWYG document from the
imported object file. If you are already working in a document, you are
prompted to save any changes and close the document before you
import the file into WYSIWYG.
1 From the File menu, choose Open.
Result: The Import window appears.

2 In the Import window, from the File Type drop-down menu, select the
desired file type you want to import. Files of this type will be visible
in the window.

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3 Navigate to the desired file, click the file name, and then click Open.
Result: The Scale window appears.

4 Click the The Model was drawn in a 3D software where drop-down menu
and select one of the following that describes how the software in
which the object was drawn defines its 3D space.
Note: If you do not have this information, inquire with the person
who created the model you are importing, or view the model in a
model viewer such as in order to determine its orientation. You may
also leave this option at its default (Z-axis points up) and if the
object is not oriented correctly once imported, Rotate it as required.
 Z - axis points up
 Y - axis points up
5 Click the The Model’s Base Point should be located drop-down menu and
select one of the following that describes where the base point of the
object should be:
 Bottom - Center
 Center of Model
a. To have the insertion point of the model act instead as the base
point, select the Move Model Base Point to Insertion Point checkbox.
6 In the Model is in the following Scale section, select the radio
next to the scale you want to use for the model.
a. If Auto-Scale was selected, select the checkbox under the Auto-
Scale radio to change how the object will be auto-scaled. Edit the

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auto scale as desired by editing the following fields/drop-down

menus next to the radio:
 Scale Model to a length of [number] [units of measure] along the
model’s [axis/side of model]
7 Select the Mesh Decimation checkbox to reduce the number of
polygons in the model based on the original model.
a. Select from the drop-down menu the percentage of polygons to
reduce.
8 Click Finish.
Result: The Import Summary window appears.

9 Click OK.
Result: The object will be imported into WYSIWYG

Importing floorplans
If you have an existing floorplan saved in bitmap (.bmp), JPEG (.jpg),
GIF (.gif), TIFF (.tif), PNG (.png), Targa (.tga) or Portable Document
Format (.pdf), you can import it into your drawing using the Floorplan
Importing Wizard, and then use WYSIWYG's Drawing Tools to "trace" it
and, in so doing, create a 2D, then a 3D model of the venue in the
floorplan.

You can import floorplan images in 3 view types:

 Plan: Floorplan images in Plan view can be imported into Wireframe
that is set to Plan View Type.
 Front/Back: Floorplan images in Front or Back profile views can be
imported into Wireframe that is set to the Front or Back View Type.
 Left/Right: Floorplan images in Left or Right profile views can be
imported into Wireframe that is set to the Left or Right View Type.

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Notes:
 You can print with Imported Floorplans from CAD mode Wireframe,
New Plots and Layouts in Presentation mode.
Attention: Imported floorplans are a purely visual feature without
any guarantee of accuracy and precision in the printed document.
When printing a floorplan, a Warning dialog box appears asking for
you to acknowledge that there are no guarantees about the
content, accuracy, precision, or anything else in the printed
document and that you will not hold CAST responsible for any
errors or inaccuracies in the document. Select the checkbox and
click OK to proceed.

 The images in the profile views allow you to import wall outlines for
the room that you are building in your 2D drawing.

Before you begin

Before you import a floorplan, you must know the precise dimensions of
at least one of the elements in your imported floorplan. For example, if it
contains a stage, note the width of the stage before you import the
graphic into your drawing. The floorplan should also be to scale.

To import a floorplan
1 In either the Wireframe or Quad tab, in Plan view, click File > Import
Floorplan....
or, in Front or Back view, click File > Import Floorplan... > Front/Back

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or, in Left or Right view, click File > Import Floorplan... > Left/Right.
Result: The Floorplan Importing Wizard window appears.

2 In the window click Browse.

Result: The File Browser window appears.
3 In the File Browser window, navigate to your floorplan file, select it,
and then click Open.
Result: The file browser window will close. The location of the
floorplan image will be in the Browse field.

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4 Click Next.
Result: The wizard will switch to the Rotate Floorplan page. Here the
floorplan image can be rotated 0°, 90°, 180° or 270°.

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5 Select the angle of rotation for the floorplan, then click Next.
Result: The wizard will switch to the Define Anchor Point page. You can
select from predefined anchor points or create your own.

6 From the Anchor drop-down menu, select the anchor point of the
floorplan.
a. If a custom anchor point was selected, click a point in the floor
plan to create the anchor point.

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7 Click Next.
Result: The wizard will switch to the Define Insertion Base Point page.
The anchor can be inserted at either the origin or a user selected
point.

8 Define the insertion base point, then click Next.

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a. If a user selected point was chosen, the wizard window will

minimize. Click on a point in the WYSIWYG file where you want
the insertion point to be.
Result: The wizard will switch to the Specify Floorplan Scale page. Here
a dimension line is drawn between two points of the floorplan to
determine its scale.

9 Ortho X and/or Ortho Y can be enabled to ensure any dimension line

drawn is parallel with the respective axis.
Note: This step can be skipped if you are modifying a previously
imported floor plan, by selecting the box next to Skip this Step....
10 Click Next.
Result: The window will minimize and show the floorplan inserted
into WYSIWYG.
11 In the floorplan image, choose an item in your drawing whose
measurements you know, and then click on one end of the item. For
example, if you know the dimensions of the stage, click on one
corner of it.

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12 Click on a second end of the item. For example, if you had clicked on
one edge of the stage, click on an opposite edge of it.

Result: The Import Floorplan window will reappear, prompting you to

enter the length of the line that you have just drawn.

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13 Type the length of the line, and then click Next.

Result: WYSIWYG adjusts the size of the floorplan based on the
scale that you have entered to ensure that your drawing is accurate.
The floorplan appears in your drawing in plan view (the only view in
which you can see it).
14 Click Finish to finish editing the floorplan. Click Back to change any of
the previous settings.
Tips:
 Once you import the floorplan, you can hide it from sight by right-
clicking on your drawing and selecting Hide Floorplan. To show the
floorplan again, simply right-click and select Show Floorplan.
 To modify the properties of the floorplan after it has been inserted,
right-click the floorplan image and select Modify Floorplan.

Note: You can delete floorplans, but once deleted, the floorplan must be
re-imported in order for it to be available once again. Since this process
may affect the measurements set in the above procedures, it is
recommended that you only delete floorplans once your show is
“finalized".

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Importing fixtures
Fixture information listed in a spreadsheet file (CSV, XLS, XLSX) that was
exported from other software and/or lighting consoles can be imported
into your drawing using the Fixture Import wizard. The fixture objects
listed in the spreadsheet will be inserted into your drawing according to
the settings that were included in the spreadsheet.

Fixture Import option enables you:

 To define the file for import and the unit type.
 To map your file’s column headers to match the appropriate
WYSIWYG fixture property (e.g. Fixture type, position X Y Z, rotation
Rx Ry Rz, Fixture ID, patch, channel, etc.)
 To match fixtures that are not recognized with the corresponding
fixtures from the WYSIWYG Library.

To import fixtures
1 In either the Wireframe or Quad tab (not in Shaded view), click File >
Import Fixtures...
Result: The Fixture Import window appears.

2 In the Fixture Import section, click the ellipsis button to browse and
select the spreadsheet file with the fixture data you wish to import.
3 The file location that was selected will be displayed in the Fixture
Import box.
4 Select the Treat first row as column headers checkbox if you want the
first row of your spreadsheet to be displayed as the column headers.
5 In the Spreadsheet is in section, click the radio button to choose which
unit of measurement were used in your spreadsheet.

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6 Click Next to continue.

Result: The Fixture Import Preview window appears with the fixture
data in the table.

7 In the row at the top indicated with the blue arrow, click the drop-
down arrows in each column to map your spreadsheet headers to the
appropriate WYSIWYG column headers. For example, starting with
the Type drop-down menu, click to make sure that the matching
header is selected. Proceed through each of the columns to map all
the headers of columns that you wish to import.
Notes:
 For any column that you do not wish to import, set the drop-down
menu to Ignore.
 Only fixtures with checked boxes will be imported. Columns are
highlighted in pink color if the data listed are not recognized and
do not match with information in WYSIWYG.

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a. To correct the invalid data, click on the highlighted cell(s) and

type to change the value, or click on the ellipsis button to browse
the selected fixture attribute.
Result: The Library Browser dialog box appears.

b. In the Library Browser dialog box, browse and choose the object
and settings to match the selected fixture that will be imported.
c. In the Library Browser dialog box, click Insert.
Result: The WYSIWYG confirmation dialog box appears where
you may choose to replace all instances of the selected fixture
type.

d. Click Yes.
Result: The fixture data in the spreadsheet is replaced with settings
that match the WYSIWYG Library. All selected rows (checkbox in the
left-most column) must have valid information to proceed with the
import process.
8 You can ignore any fixtures or objects in the spreadsheet and
proceed with the import. Click Uncheck Invalid Fixtures to select only
the valid fixtures without error settings.
9 Click Select All to choose and import all the fixtures listed in the table.

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10 Click Select None to clear all the fixtures and import none.
Note: In the Fixture Import Preview window, error messages indicating
conflicts are displayed in red text, and the table columns with the
unrecognized fixture data are highlighted in pink color. The values in
the rows can be changed to resolve conflicts.
11 Click Finish.
Result: The fixtures will be inserted in your drawing in the specified
layout and with all the settings in the spreadsheet.

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The Library Browser

Introduction
An essential component of WYSIWYG is its extensive library. You can
browse the contents of the library in the Library Browser, choosing from a
multitude of 3D objects to add to your plots.

Working with the Library Browser

The Library Browser is dockable, which means that it has a grab bar on the
top that is used to move it around the screen. You can place it on the
edges of the work area, at the top, bottom, left, or right. You can also
drag it off the edge of the work area and into its own window. This
window remains on top of the WYSIWYG screen and may be dragged
anywhere.

Note: If you experience difficulty undocking the browser, hold down the
CTRL key while dragging the grab bar.

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To open the Library Browser

1 From the Library menu, choose Browse Library.
Tip: You can also click the Library on the Draw toolbar.
Note: You can also access the Library Browser from the Options menu
on the Welcome window when a document is not opened.

2 Click any of the tabs along the bottom of the browser window to view
the contents of different sections of the library. The library is divided
into the following sections:

 Fixtures

 Accessories

 Truss

 Library Items (scenic)

 Symbols

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 Gel (color)

 Gobos

 Lamps

 Lenses

Library entries are divided into sort criteria. These criteria may be
organized alphabetically, by manufacturer, by type, or by other pertinent
classifications. For example, you can find the ETC Source 4 in the
Fixtures section > Manufacturer > EFGH > ETC > ERS sub-menu.

Depending on the library item that you click, you may see a sample
image of the item in the preview pane at the bottom of the browser.

To search the Library Browser

You can save time by using the Library Search feature. In the Library
Browser, simply click the category tab that you are interested in, and then
type the object name (or part of it) in the Search box at the top of the
browser panel. All objects that match your query are shown.
1 Open the Library Browser.
2 Click the category tab that you are interested in. For example, click
Fixtures.
3 In the Search box, type the name of the item that you are searching
for, or a partial name. For example, if you are searching for the CE
Source 4 Par, you could type “par”.
4 Click the Search icon.

The Search button.

Result: The results of your search appear in the browser pane.

Tips:
 To return to the top level of the current category, click the Home
icon.

The Home button.

 To clear the search, but remain in the current category, click the
Clear button.

The Clear button.

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To view the properties of library objects

1 Open the Library Browser.
2 Navigate to and select the desired object.
3 Click the Property tool at the top of the Library Browser.

The Properties button.

4 Repeat steps 2-3 to view the properties of multiple objects. You may
want to open the properties of different objects to compare data,
such as photometric information.
Tips:
 You can also hold the ALT key and double-click on the object
name.
 To view library objects without opening property windows, browse
the library using the shortcut bar. To do this, select the shortcut
bar for the type of object you want to view. Right-click in the
shortcut bar, and then choose New <library item>. The Library
Selection dialog box opens with a viewing pane included.

To insert objects from the library

1 Open the Library Browser.
2 Navigate to the desired object or use the Search feature to locate it
(for details, see “To search the Library Browser”).
3 Click the Insert tool at the top of the Library Browser.
Tips:
 You can also double-click on the object name.
 For library objects, you can activate the Library Snap tool to display
the snap points and the "Default" insertion point of the Library
item displayed in red if the object is not selected or green if the
object is selected. When the Library object insertion begins, right-
click to access and select a different insertion point from the
menu list. See “Library snap”.
 For truss objects, you can activate the Truss Snap tool to display
snap points of the truss. See “Truss snap”.
Note: Fixtures may only be placed on hang structures. Please refer
to “Inserting fixtures” for more information.
4 Click in your drawing to insert the object.
5 Click away from the object to deselect it.

To replace inserted library objects

You can use the Replace Library Item command to quickly and easily
replace one or more library items with another.

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1 Select the library item(s) that you want to replace.

2 Right-click and choose Replace Library Item.
3 In the Library Selection window, select the new type of library item.
4 Click Insert.
Result: All the library items that you selected in step 1 are replaced
with the item chosen in step 3.

To create a shortcut for an object

In the Wireframe and Quad views you can create shortcuts for frequently
used objects, fixtures and truss. Shortcuts are tools found on the various
shortcut bars to the left of the working area. Clicking a shortcut for an
object is the same as finding the object in the Library Browser and using
the Insert command.
1 Open the Library Browser.
2 Navigate to the desired object.
3 Click the Create Shortcut tool at the top of the Library Browser.
Result: A shortcut to the object will appear on the appropriate
shortcut bar.
Tip: You can also right-click on the object name, and then select
Create Shortcut.

To create a shortcut for an object already inserted

Rather than going to the Library Browser to create a shortcut, you can also
create shortcuts by conveniently selecting already inserted items and
using the right-click menu to create multiple shortcuts.

Note: While you can create shortcuts for multiple items at once, the
items have to be of the same type (i.e. all fixtures, all truss or all
objects). If you have multiple items of different types you want to make
shortcuts for, it will take a separate action for each item type.
1 In CAD mode, in Wireframe view, select the item(s) you want to make
a shortcut for.
2 Right-click and select Create shortcut for selected [Item types].

Result: A shortcut to the item(s) will appear on the appropriate

shortcut bar.

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To modify a shortcut for a library object

1 Right-click on the shortcut, and then select Properties.
Result: The Properties dialog box appears. An example of the
accessories Shortcut Property dialog box is shown below.

2 In the Name box, type a new name for the shortcut.

The name of the fixture, color, gobo, accessories, library, or truss as
listed in the library, is displayed in the Type box.
3 For fixtures, you can modify the type of lens and lamp associated
with the fixture by selecting the appropriate option from the Lens and
Lamp drop-down lists, respectively.
4 Click Properties to view the properties of the library entry.
5 When you are satisfied with your selections, click OK.

To apply a texture to a library object

You can alter the appearance of library objects by applying textures to

them. You can choose from thousands of textures in the WYSIWYG
library or you can apply a custom texture that you have saved as a
graphic file on your computer (for example, .bmp or .jpg).

Note: Since most library objects are small with complex surfaces, it is
best to apply even, plain textures to them. Complicated textures
containing text or other recognizable images will not display properly on
small, irregular surfaces.
1 Once you have inserted the library object in your plot, click on it to
select it, and then right-click and select Properties.
2 Click the Appearance tab.
3 In the left pane, highlight the elements of the library item to which
you want to apply the texture, and then click the type of texture file
that you want to use, either from the Library or a custom texture
that you have saved. For detailed descriptions of the texture and
material options available on the Appearance tab, see “Appearance
tab”.
4 Click OK when you are finished.

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Custom library items

You can create custom library items, custom conventional fixtures,
custom gobos, and custom color and gobo wheels or scrolls.

When creating custom gobos and custom library items, you are given the
option to make the item or gobo available to other documents, in which
case the item or gobo is saved to the application’s library. If you do not
choose to make the items available to other documents, the items are
only saved within the one document. In either case, the items are saved
and visible in the document regardless of which computer (or
application) the document is opened in.

Custom conventional fixtures must be created from the WYSIWYG

welcome screen and are saved directly to your application’s library. The
new conventional fixture is available for you to use in all documents
created using this application. If used in a show document, the custom
conventional fixture is available in the document regardless of which
computer (or application) the document is opened in.

Custom color, gobo wheels, and scrolls are only saved in the document
and cannot be saved to the application’s library. They travel with the
document, but if you need to use the same wheel or scroll on another
show, you must regenerate it every time.

Note: You can delete custom library items, custom conventional fixture,
and custom gobos. For details, see “To delete a custom library item”, “To
delete custom fixtures”, and “To delete custom gobos”.

To create a custom library item

See “To create a custom library item”.

To create a custom fixture

See “To create a custom fixture”.

To create custom color or gobo lists

See “To create a custom color/gobo list”.

To create a custom gobo

See “To create a custom gobo”.

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Loading custom library objects on-demand

The custom library objects will be loaded on-demand when a second
instance of WYSIWYG is launched. Only one instance of WYSIWYG has
full permissions to edit the custom library object database, to preserve
memory usage on loading of the application.

When the second instance of WYSIWYG is launched, a warning dialog box

appears to inform that the second instance will be running in read-only
mode.

Library snap
Library Snaps are snap points drawn at the bounding box corners of the
library item, and one corner is displayed in red or green to represent the
library item's insertion point.

When Library Snap is enabled, all library items that are in the drawing will
display their snap points, which can be used as a snap capable insertion
point that will align the placement of the item in CAD Wireframe views.

When Library Snap is enabled, the insertion point is identified by a red

square if the object is not selected. The red square turns to green if the
object is selected. The default insertion point can be changed by
selecting a different insertion point from the menu list that appears when
you right-click the library item you are inserting. The cursor switches to
the specified insertion point.

Notes:
 Library Snap only applies to objects from the Library tab in the Library
Browser.
 Once a Library Item's insertion point has been changed during
insertion within the project, it is remembered for future insertions
from the Library Browser, and will be used when performing some CAD
operations such as Copy/Paste, Move and Rotate.

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To use library snap

1 From the Tools menu, choose Snap, and then choose Library.
Tip: You can also click the Library Snap tool on the CAD Options toolbar.

The Library Snap button.

2 Insert the library object.

Result: The library object is displayed with the snap points at its
bounding box corners and the cursor is attached to the default
insertion snap point displayed in green.

Note: Library Snap is automatically enabled at the start of Mirror and

Paste, Move and Rotate operations in CAD mode.

To specify the library object’s insertion point

1 From the Library Browser, double-click on the object name you want to
insert in your drawing.
2 Right-click the object to display the menu list of insertion points.
3 Click on the new insertion point.
Result: The cursor switches to the specified insertion point.
Tip: The snap point options are also useful when you copy, paste and
move the library objects using keyboard shortcuts.

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Drawing objects

Introduction
In WYSIWYG, the Draw menu lists the objects that you can draw. Keep
the following tips and aids in mind when you are drawing the various
objects.

Drawing tips
 At any time, instead of clicking points with the mouse, you can type
in the desired coordinates. When you start typing, the Command
Line automatically appears in the lower left-hand corner of the
window.
 Create shortcuts for library objects.
 Use the missing coordinate.
 When you draw multi-segmented lines, surfaces, or when drawing a
room using the Room Builder, the next point of the line or surface
you wish to add snaps automatically to the previously drawn line/
surface's endpoint, midpoint or intersection when the Endpoint Snap,
Midpoint Snap and/or Intersection Snap are enabled.

Drawing aids
Several commands and icons are available to help you when drawing in
CAD mode. For a complete list of these aids, refer to “Keyboard shortcuts
and hotkeys”.

Drawing a custom room

The Room Builder tool allows you to build a custom room of any shape in
Wireframe view.

To draw a custom room

1 From the Draw menu, choose Room Builder.
Result: A cross-hair will appear on your cursor in the drawing
wireframe.
2 Click to place a corner of the wall at the location of the cursor. Each
subsequent click will connect the current corner to the previous
corner.
3 To finish the room drawing, connected the first and last created
corner.
Notes:

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 Alternately, the room can be closed, connected the first and last
created corner automatically, by right-clicking and selecting Close
Room Outline.
 To finish a room without closing it, right-click and select Finish
Room Outline.
Result: The Room Builder window appears.

4 In the Room Builder window, enter in the missing characteristics of the

room walls.
5 Select the Place Wall objects on the opposite side of the Room Outline
checkbox if you want to place object on the opposite side of the
Room Outline.
6 Select the Group Walls after creation checkbox if you want all created
walls to be in the same group.
7 Select the Close Room outline checkbox if you want to add floors or
ceilings to the room.
Note: This option is only available if the room is closed. When a
room is closed, WYSIWYG automatically makes the Walls transparent
from outside of the room looking inwards, and makes the ceiling and
floor single sided, so when the camera is outside of the room the
user can see inside. These properties can be changed if the user
wishes, by going to the objects' properties
8 Select the Add Floor checkbox to add a floor to the room
9 Select the Add Ceiling checkbox to add a ceiling to the room.

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10 Click Ok.
Result: The custom room will be created in Wireframe view.

Drawing a venue
To begin your drawing, insert a venue.

To insert a venue
1 From the Draw menu, choose Venue.
Result: A sub-menu will appear prompting you to choose the type of
venue to be inserted.
2 Select Black Box, Arena, Proscenium Arch, Frame Tent, or Circus Tent.
Result: A dialog box appears in which you can modify the properties
of the room. The Proscenium Arch dialog box is shown below.

3 Accept the defaults, or choose custom properties.

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4 Click OK.
Result: The selected venue is inserted into the drawing.

The venue types are defined as follows:

Proscenium Arch
A proscenium arch venue is a basic theatrical space with a stage,
proscenium arch, and an auditorium. The origin is set at the intersection
of the center line and the proscenium line on the stage floor.

The following entries describe the parts of the proscenium arch.

 A: The stage width; the dimension from the extremity of the SR wing
to the extremity of the SL wing. In WYSIWYG, the default value is
90’0”.
 B: The stage depth; the dimension from the proscenium line to the
back of the stage space. In WYSIWYG, the default value is 50’0”.
 C: The stage height; the dimension from the auditorium floor to the
stage deck. In WYSIWYG, the default value is 4’0”.
 D: The thrust depth; the dimension from the edge of the stage to the
proscenium line. In WYSIWYG, the default value is 8’0”.

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 E: The thrust width; the dimension from the extremity of the SR

edge of the thrust to the SL extremity of the thrust. This dimension
cannot be greater than the Arch width (G). In WYSIWYG, the default
value is 35’0”.
 F: The Fly height; the dimension from the stage deck to the top of
the fly house. In WYSIWYG, the default value is 60’0”.
 G: The proscenium arch width. In WYSIWYG, the default value is
40’0”.
 H: The depth of the proscenium arch wall. In WYSIWYG, the default
value is 2’0”.
 I: The height of the proscenium arch; the dimension of the opening
of the proscenium arch. In WYSIWYG, the default value is 20’0”.
 J: The back of house (BOH) width; the dimension of the auditorium
from the extremity of house right to the extremity of house left at
the back of the house. In WYSIWYG, the default value is 100’0”.
 K: The auditorium depth; the dimension from the proscenium line to
the back of the house. In WYSIWYG, the default value is 100’0”.
 L: The auditorium height; the dimension from the ceiling of the
auditorium to the floor of the auditorium at the edge of the stage. In
WYSIWYG, the default value is 45’0”.
 M: The front of house (FOH) width; the dimension of the auditorium
from the extremity of house right to the extremity of house left at
the front of the house. In WYSIWYG, the default value is 68’0”.
 N: The auditorium slope height. In WYSIWYG, the default value is
12’0”.

Black Box
A black box venue is an empty rectangular room. The origin is set at the
center of the room on the floor.

The following entries describe the parts of the black box:

 A: The width of the room. In WYSIWYG, the default value is 60’0”.
 B: The depth of the room. In WYSIWYG, the default value is 40’0”.

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 C: The height of the room. In WYSIWYG, the default value is 30’0”.

Arena
An arena venue is a basic stadium space. The following entries describe
the parts of the arena. The origin is set at the center of the venue on the
floor or ice rink.

 A: The width of the arena. In WYSIWYG, the default value is 170’0”.

 B: The depth of the arena. In WYSIWYG, the default value is 250’0”.
 C: The total height of the arena. In WYSIWYG, the default value is
60’0”.
 D: The width of the floor or ice rink. In WYSIWYG, the default value
is 60’0”.
 E: The depth of the floor or ice rink. In WYSIWYG, the default value
is 130’0”.
 F: The height of the stands or seating; the portion of the total height
that is occupied by seating or stands. In WYSIWYG, the default value
is 40’0”.

Tent
There are two types of tents that you can create in WYSIWYG: frame
tents and circus tents.
 Frame tents: These tents are square or rectangular in shape and
usually have two center poles. Each wall is made of a single piece of
fabric supported by as many poles as you specify.
 Circus tents: These tents are styled after the classical “Big Top” of
the circus. They are more rounded in shape than the frame tent, the
walls comprising multiple sections, each supported by as many poles
as you specify. The roof is held up by one center pole.

When drawing either type of tent, you can specify many different
properties, including the number of poles, length, height, or perimeter of
the walls, and the color of different parts of the tent.

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You can also choose from different materials and you can choose
whether you want to apply either a custom color or texture to different
parts of the tent. When assigning a texture, you can choose your own
texture, such as a company logo or symbol, or you can choose a texture
from the WYSIWYG library.

The origin for both types of tents is at the center of the tent on the floor.

Frame tent

The following entries describe the parts of the frame tent:

New Venue - Tent WYSIWYG

Description Field Default Value

A The height of the Wall height 20’0”

tent walls.
B The length of the Width 80’0”
tent walls.
C The width the tent Depth 70’0”
walls.
D The height that the Height above 10’0”
center pole extends walls
above the height of
the walls.
E The distance Separation 20’0”
between the center
poles.

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Circus tent

The following entries describe the parts of the circus tent:

New Venue - Tent WYSIWYG

Description Field Default Value

A The number of Segments 6

individual segments
in the tent.
B The height of the Wall height 20’0”
tent walls.
C The height that the Height above 10’0”
center pole extends walls
above the height of
the walls.
D The diameter of the Diameter 70’0”
tent, measured from
pole to opposite pole.

Drawing lines
Lines are 2D objects. Lines are drawn continuously, allowing you to
create shapes made up of multiple vertices.

Lines come in four styles:

 Solid
 Center
 Hidden
 Dot

Line styles determine how line objects appear on your plot and can be
modified at any time. They look similar to the following.

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You can make a multi-vertex line appear as a spline or french curve by

selecting the option in the properties box. You can then drag the markers
around to adjust the curves. Alternatively, you can choose to draw a
spline directly. Splines have the same line style options as regular lines.

When you draw multi-segmented lines, or add a line to a surface, the

next point of the line you wish to add snaps automatically to the
previously drawn line/surface’s endpoint, midpoint or intersection when
the Endpoint Snap, Midpoint Snap or Intersection Snap are enabled.

Lines can be extruded into surfaces. For more on extruding lines, refer to
“Extrude”.

To draw a line freehand

1 From the Draw menu, choose Line.
2 From the sub-menu, select Solid, Dot, Center, Dashed, or Spline.
Tip: You can also use the appropriate line tool on the Draw toolbar.
The available line tools are as follows:
 Solid
 Centered
 Dashed
 Dotted
 Spline
3 Click in the wireframe at the starting point of the line.
4 Drag the next vertex to its end point and click.
5 Continue to place vertices of the line as needed.
6 To end the line at its last end point, right-click and choose Finish
Line. To abort the line entirely, choose Abort Line. This erases the
whole line from the drawing.

To draw a line by specifying coordinates

You can also draw lines using coordinates by specifying absolute or

relative values.

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1 From the Draw menu, click Line and choose Solid, Dot, Center or
Hidden.
2 In the Command Line, type the absolute X, Y and Z coordinates
(separated by commas) where you want the line to start (i.e. 0,0,0).
3 Press ENTER to establish the first point of the line.
4 In the Command Line, type the absolute X, Y and Z coordinates
(separated by commas) where you want the next point of the line.
or,
Using the relative values, in the Command Line, type @, followed by
the length towards the next point of the line (positive or negative
direction), (i.e. @2’,0,3’).
5 Press ENTER to draw the new line segment.
6 Continue to type absolute or relative values and press ENTER to draw
the next line segments.
7 When you are finished drawing the lines, right-click and click Finish
Line.

To draw a line by specifying its length and angle

1 From the Draw menu, click Line and choose Solid, Dot, Center or
Hidden.
2 In the Command Line, type the X, Y and Z coordinates (separated by
commas) where you want the line to start.
3 Press ENTER to establish the first point of the line.
4 Type the length towards the next point of the line, followed by the <
sign, and the angle (direction), (i.e.3’6”<180).
5 Press ENTER to draw the new line segment.
6 Continue to type the length and angle in the Command Line.
7 When you are finished drawing the lines, right-click and click Finish
Line.
Tip: You can also determine the direction of the line from the
cursor’s current position relative to the start point set in step 2.

Drawing points
Points are identifiers of a specific coordinate in 3D space. Points are
inserted as references or as scenic elements.

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To draw a point
1 From the Draw menu, choose Point.
Tip: You can also use the Point tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Point button.

2 Click on the drawing to place the point.

Note: Points can be drawn as a dot, a cross, a square, or a circle.

To set the point type default

1 From the Options menu, choose Document Options.
2 Click the Object Settings tab.
3 Select the desired point type.
4 Click OK.

Drawing circles
There are two ways in which you can draw circles:
 Non-interactive mode in which you type the exact horizontal and
vertical radius of the circle.
 Interactive mode in which you click and drag to set the radius.

To draw a circle in non-interactive mode

1 From the Draw menu, choose Circle.
Tip: You can also use the Circle tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Circle button.

Result: The New Circle dialog box appears.

2 In the Horizontal Radius box, type the horizontal radius for the circle.
The default value is 4’0”.

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3 In the Vertical Radius box, type the vertical radius for the circle. The
default value is 4’0”.
Notes:
 To ensure that the circle remains proportionately the same when
resized, leave the Lock Ratio checkbox checked. If you clear this
checkbox, then you can manually resize the circle in any
direction, regardless of its original measurements.
 To convert the circle into a surface, select the Convert to Surface
checkbox.
4 Click OK.
5 Click on the drawing to place the circle.
6 Click elsewhere in the drawing to finish placing the new circle.

To draw a circle in interactive mode

Note: To turn interactive mode on, click the Interactive Mode button on the
toolbar.

The Interactive Mode button.

1. From the Draw menu, choose Circle.

Tip: You can also use the Circle tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Circle button.

2 Click to place the center of the circle.

3 Click to set the radius for the circle.

Drawing arcs
There are two ways in which you can draw arcs:
 Non-interactive mode in which you type the exact radius, start, and
end angles of the arc.
 Interactive mode in which you click and drag to set the arc.

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To draw an arc in non-interactive mode

1 From the Draw menu, choose Arc.
Tip: You can also use the Arc tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Arc button.

Result: The New Circular Arc window appears.

2 In the Radius box, type a radius for the arc. The default value is 4’0”.
3 In the Start Angle box, type the start angle. The default value is 0.00.
4 In the End Angle box, type the end angle for the arc. The default value
is 180.00.
5 Click OK.
6 Click on the drawing to place the arc.
7 Click elsewhere in the drawing to finish placing the arc.

To draw an arc in interactive mode

Note: To turn interactive mode on, click the Interactive Mode button on the
toolbar.

The Interactive Mode button.

1 From the Draw menu, choose Arc.

Tip: You can also use the Arc tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Arc button.

2 Click to place the start point of the arc.

3 Click to place the end point of the arc.
4 Click to place the middle point of the arc.
5 Click elsewhere in the drawing to finish placing the arc.

Drawing elliptical arcs

There are two ways to draw an arc:

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 Non-interactive mode in which you specify the elliptical arc radius,

start and end angles and place the arc in the drawing.
 Interactive mode in which you draw the elliptical arc.

To draw an elliptical arc in non-interactive mode

1 From the Draw menu, choose Elliptical Arc.
Tip: You can also use the Elliptical Arc tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Elliptical Arc button.

Result: The New Elliptical Arc window appears.

2 In the Radius box, enter a radius for the elliptical arc. The default
value is 4’0”.
3 In the Start Angle box, enter the start elliptical angle. The default
value is 0.00.
4 In the End Angle box, enter the end angle for the elliptical arc. The
default value is 180.00.
5 Click OK.
6 Click on the drawing to place the elliptical arc.
7 Click and drag the mid point of the arc to create the desired elliptical.

To draw an arc in interactive mode

Note: To turn interactive mode on, click the Interactive Mode button on the
toolbar.

The Interactive Mode button.

1 From the Draw menu, choose Elliptical Arc.

Tip: You can also use the Arc Elliptical tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Elliptical Arc button.

2 Click to place the start point of the elliptical arc.

3 Click to set the horizontal and vertical radii of the elliptical arc.

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4 Click to set the start point of the ellipse.

5 Click to set the end point of the ellipse.

Drawing rectangles
There are two ways to draw rectangles:
 Non-interactive mode in which you enter the exact length and width
of the rectangle.
 Interactive mode in which you draw the size of the rectangle.

To draw a Rectangle in non-interactive mode

1 From the Draw menu, choose Rectangle.
Tip: You can also use the Rectangle tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Rectangle button.

Result: The New Rectangle window appears.

2 In the Length box, type the length for the rectangle. The default value
is 4’0”.
3 In the Width box, type the width for the rectangle. The default value
is 8’0”.
Tips:
 To ensure that the rectangle remains proportionately the same
when resized, select the Lock Ratio checkbox. Otherwise you can
manually resize the rectangle in any direction, regardless of its
original measurements.
 To convert the rectangle into a surface, select the Convert to
Surface checkbox.
 To add hatching to the rectangle, select the Show Hatch Lines
checkbox.
4 Click OK.

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5 Click in the drawing to place the rectangle.

To draw a Rectangle in interactive mode

Note: To turn interactive mode on, click the Interactive Mode button on the
toolbar.

The Interactive Mode button.

1 From the Draw menu, choose Rectangle.

Tip: You can also use the Rectangle tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Rectangle button.

2 Click to place one corner of the rectangle.

3 Click to place the opposite corner for the rectangle.

Drawing polygons
Polygons are regular shaped objects comprising multiple vertices. You
can draw polygons as 2D objects or specify a height value to draw 3D
objects. You can use polygons to create either wireframe or solid objects.

Unlike the Surface tool, with the Polygon tool you can quickly and easily
create symmetrical shapes like squares, pentagons, hexagons,
hectagons, and so on. The maximum number of edges that a polygon
can have is 40.

Notes:
 Unlike most other tools, the polygon tool does not have an
interactive mode.
 The size of the polygon can be defined either by specifying the edge
length or radius.

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To draw a polygon
1 From the Draw menu, choose Polygon.
Tip: You can also click the Polygon tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Polygon button.

2 In the Number of Edges field, type the number of edges or sides of the
polygon.
3 Click Edge Length if you want to define the size of the polygon by the
length of its edges, and then type the value in the box provided.
4 Click Radius if you want to define the size of the polygon by the
distance between the center and the vertices or the edges'
midpoints, and then type the distance in the box provided.
 Click Circumscribed if you want to define the size of the polygon by
the distance between the center and the vertices. This is equal to
the radius of the circumscribed circle.
 Click Inscribed if you want to define the size of the polygon by the
distance between the center and the edge midpoints. This is
equal to the radius of the inscribed circle.
5 Click Surface if you want to create the polygon as a surface (i.e., a
filled in object to which you can apply a texture, etc.).
6 Click Closed Line if you want to create the polygon as a closed line
(i.e., a polygon comprised of an outline that is open in the middle).
7 Click Height if you want to extrude the polygon into a 3D object, and
then type the height value in the box provided.
8 Select the Show Hatch Lines checkbox to add hatching lines to the
polygon.
9 Click OK to place the polygon in your drawing.

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Drawing text labels

Before you draw your text labels in CAD mode, you can select the font
that will be used in all labels. You can choose from any font installed on
your computer.

To change the Text Label font globally

You can specify the font that you would like to appear globally in all text
labels, both new and existing.
1 In any drawing mode, click Options > Document Options.
2 Click the Fonts tab.
3 Under CAD Text Labels, from the Font drop-down list, select the font
that you want to appear in all new text labels.
4 Choose whether you want the letters to appear bold, underlined, or
in italics.
5 Click OK.

To draw a text label

1 From the Draw menu, choose Text Label.
Tip: You can also use the Text Label tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Text Label button.

Result: The New Text Label window appears.

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2 In the Text box of the New Text Label window, type the desired text.
Notes:
 Use SHIFT+ENTER to add new text lines.
 You may include text labels containing information listed in the
Production Team Information table. Use smart variables
“%Variable Name%” in the Text Label box and this information
will automatically be displayed if it is stored in the Production
Team Information table. For example, type “%Director%” and
the name of the Director stored in the table will appear in the
Text Label.
3 Click Insert Smart Variable to open the Smart Variables window where you
can select the smart variable names and values that are listed in the
Production Team Info tab in Document Options.
Result: The Smart Variables window appears.

4 From the table in the Smart Variables window, click on the name or
value that you wish to insert in the text box.
Tip: Click the Filter drop-down menu and choose which information to
display in the table. See “Show information”.
5 Select the Include Name and Value checkbox to display both texts under
the Name and Value columns, or clear the checkbox to display only
the texts under the value column.
6 Click Insert.
Result: The smart variable text appears in the Text box of the New
Text Label window.

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7 Click Insert Item Data to open the Item Data window, where you can
select retrieved catalog name and other information of fixtures and
trusses, to insert in your drawing.
The retrieved information are displayed in the Item Data window only
after “Retrieve Item Data” is initiated from the Library > Retrieve Item
Data menu in CAD, and then clicking the Fixture or Truss item. See
“To retrieve data from a fixture or truss object”.
Result: The Item Data window appears.

8 From the table in the Item Data window, click on the row that contains
the name and value text that you wish to add into the text box.
9 In the Item Data window, you may click the Recent Items drop-down
menu and select the fixture or truss item. The Recent Items drop-
down list displays a maximum of five items recently selected.
10 Click Insert.
Result: Information from the selected fixture or truss appears in the
Text box of the New Text Label window.
11 Using the radio buttons, choose how you want to specify the Height
of the Text Label, and enter the value in the corresponding field.
 Individual Line of Text: Each line of text will be the chosen height.
The text label will change size to accommodate the height.
 Total Text Label: The total text box will be the chosen height. Text
will change size to accommodate the height.
a. To add space between the text and the border of the text label,
select the checkbox next to Text Label Padding, and enter the value
of the padding in the field.
Note: The Total Text Label Height field will tell you the exact height of
the text label based on your choices.
12 To add a callout to the text label, select the Show Callout checkbox.

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13 From the Position drop-down list, select where the callout will be
located on the text label.
14 To have an arrow at the end of the callout, select the Show Arrow
checkbox.
15 To add a border to the text label, select the Show Border checkbox.
16 To fill the text label with color, select the Fill checkbox.
a. Click the Color Selector button to choose the color that will fill the
text label.
17 To align the text label to the current view, select the Align to View
checkbox.
18 To insert the text label, click OK.
Result: The New Text Label window will close and you will be in the
Wireframe view.
Note: If the Callout checkbox was selected in the New Text Label
window, the first click in Wireframe view will be the arrow's position,
and the second position will place the text label.
19 Click on the drawing to place the text label.
Result: The text label will be placed.

Notes:
 To change the font of existing text labels in CAD mode, see ““To
change the font of Text Labels”” below.
 The insertion point for the text label is at the intersection of the
crosshairs.

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To change the font of Text Labels

To change the font and appearance (bold, italic, or underline) of existing

labels, you can use the label’s Properties window or the CAD Text toolbar.
The following procedure outlines how to use the Properties window.
1 Select the text label whose font you want to change.
2 Right-click, and then choose Properties.
3 Click the Text Label tab.
4 Under Font, clear the check mark beside Use Document Defaults.
5 From the Font drop-down list, select the new font.
6 Choose whether you want the letters to appear bold, underlined, or
in italics.
7 Click OK.

To set alignment for a text label

You can use the alignment buttons on the CAD Text toolbar to align text
labels.

1 Select the text label that you want to align.

2 On the CAD Text toolbar, click the appropriate button to align the text
label in the desired position (left, center, right, top, middle, or
bottom).
Result: The text label is relocated around the insertion point, based
on the options selected.

To retrieve data from a fixture or truss object

1 From the Library menu, choose Retrieve Item Data.
2 Point the cursor to the fixture or truss you want to select, which
highlights the item in orange.
3 Click on the fixture or truss item.
Result: The New Text Label window appears.
4 In the New Text Label window, you can click Insert Item Data to display
in your drawing, the information that you retrieved from the selected
fixture or truss.

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Drawing dimension objects

Dimension lines are 2D objects. They have a start and end point, and
measure and display the distance covered based on the measurement
mode selected. The measurement modes available are: X, Y, XY, XZ, YZ,
and XYZ. The dimension will only be visible in one view type. The view
type is set when the dimension is drawn and is dependent on the plot
type and workplane in which the dimension is drawn.

There are several types of dimensions available:

 Linear dimensions: These dimensions measure and display the
distance covered between two points in your plot, based on the
measurement mode selected.
 Continue dimensions: These dimensions display sequential chains of
linear measurements that are aligned to the start (base)
measurement of the Continue Dimension, always using the last point
of the previous measurement as the initial point of the next
measurement.
 Baseline dimensions: These dimensions display linear measurements
stacked above or below the Base Dimension while maintaining
uniform spacing between, always using the first click as the initial
coordinate for all subsequent measurements.
 Arc length dimensions: These dimensions are used to measure the
length of arcs drawn in CAD mode.
 Radial dimensions: These dimensions are used to measure the radius
of any circle or arc drawn in CAD mode.
 Angle dimensions: These dimensions measure and display an angle,
either between two intersecting lines and objects, or as drawn in
Freehand mode.

Note: The properties of dimension objects, such as the arrow type, can
be changed in the Dimensions tab under Options > Document Options....

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To draw a linear dimension

1 From the Draw menu, Dimensions sub-menu, choose Linear
Dimension.
Tip: You can also click the Linear Dimension tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Linear Dimension button.

Result: The Select Layer for Dimension dialog box appears.

2 In the Select Layer for Dimension dialog box, choose the layer for the
linear dimension and select the options for the selected layer.
3 Click OK to apply and close the dialog box.
4 Click on the drawing to set the dimension start point.
5 Right-click to set the measurement mode.
Tip: In measurement mode, you can choose Multiple, which enables
you to draw multiple Linear Dimensions, using the last point of the
previous measurements as the initial point for the next
measurement.
6 Click on the drawing to set the dimension end point.
7 Click and drag the grab point in the center of the dimension text to
drag the text to the correct side of the object, if required.
8 Click to set the dimension line.

Notes:
 Use snaps to connect dimensions directly to other objects.
 You can set the rotation angle of the Linear Dimension to rotate the
extension lines around the dimension end points. The rotated Linear
dimension will then display the distance between the two points at
the angle specified. Right-click on the Linear Dimension and select
Properties.
 You can change the Fill color behind the dimension text of the Linear
Dimension. Right-click the Linear Dimension and select Properties.
 You can enable Display Dash in Document Options > Dimensions tab to
display the linear dimensions with a dash between foot and inches in
imperial measurements (e.g. 19’-3 11/16”).

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 To adjust the font used in all dimensions, click Options > Document
Options > Font. In the CAD Dimensions area, select the font options
to be used in all dimensions.

To draw a continue dimension

1 From the Draw menu, Dimensions sub-menu, choose Continue
Dimension.
Tips:
 You can also click the Continue Dimension tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Continue Dimension button.

 You can also start the Continue Dimension on an existing Linear

Dimension.
Result: The Select Layer for Dimension dialog box appears.

2 In the Select Layer for Dimension dialog box, choose the layer for the
continue dimension and select the options for the selected layer.
3 Click OK.
Result: The Dimension Draw Options dialog box appears.

4 In the Dimension Draw Options dialog box, select the Use Document
Defaults checkbox to use the default setting for extension height or
clear the Use Document Defaults checkbox and type the custom
Extension height for the Continue Dimension.

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5 Click OK to apply and close the dialog box.

6 Click on the drawing to set the dimension start point.
7 Click on the drawing to set the next point and direction of the
subsequent measurements in the Continue Dimension.
8 Repeat setting the next point and direction to continue on the
subsequent dimensions.
9 Right-click on the drawing to set the dimension end point.

Note: After completing a Continue Dimension, the measurements

created are individual Linear Dimensions.

To draw a baseline dimension

1 From the Draw menu, Dimensions sub-menu, choose Baseline
Dimension.
Tips:
 You can also click the Baseline Dimension tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Baseline Dimension button.

 You can also start the Baseline Dimension on an existing Linear

Dimension.
Result: The Select Layer for Dimension dialog box appears.

2 In the Select Layer for Dimension dialog box, choose the layer for
baseline dimension and select the options for the selected layer.

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3 Click OK.
Result: The Dimension Draw Options dialog box appears.

4 In the Dimension Draw Options dialog box, select the Use Document
Defaults checkbox to use the default settings for extension height and
spacing size for the baseline dimension. Or you may clear the Use
Document Defaults checkbox and type custom values for the Extension
height and Spacing Size for the Baseline Dimension.
5 Click OK to apply and close the dialog box.
6 Click on the drawing to set the dimension start point.
7 Click on the drawing to set the end point of the first Baseline
Dimension.
8 Click on the drawing to set the position (above or below) for the
next/subsequent Baseline Dimension.
9 Click on the next point to complete the next Baseline Dimension
measurement, and set the direction of the subsequent
measurement.
10 Repeat setting the next point to create the subsequent Baseline
Dimensions.
11 Right-click on the drawing to set the dimension end point.

Note: After completing a Baseline Dimension, the measurements created

are individual Linear Dimensions.

Arc length dimensions

The arc length can be displayed for any arc drawn in CAD mode. Once
enabled, the arc length dimension is attached to the arc and
automatically updates itself whenever the arc is changed. The dimension
is only visible in the view type in which it was drawn.

Although the arc length dimension is attached to the arc, it is a separate

entity. Each arc length is individually selectable and has its own
properties. Arc length dimensions can be separated onto their own
layers, and given their own colors and line weights.

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To draw an arc length dimension

1 In a CAD wireframe, select the arc for which you want to display an
arc length dimension.
2 From the Draw menu, Dimensions sub-menu, select Arc Length
Dimension.

The Arc Length Dimension button.

Tip: To adjust the font used in all dimensions and with the Angle
Dimension tool, click Options > Document Options > Font. In the CAD
Dimensions area, select the font options to be used in all dimensions
and with the Angle Dimension tool.

Radial dimensions
The radius of a circle/arc is defined as the distance from the center of a
circle/arc to its perimeter. The radius can be displayed for any circle or
arc drawn in CAD mode. Once enabled, the radial dimension attaches to
the circle/arc and automatically updates itself whenever the circle/arc is
changed. Note that the dimension is only visible in the view type in which
it was drawn.
Although the radial dimension is attached to the arc, it is a separate
entity with its own properties and can be individually selected. Radial
dimensions can be separated onto their own layers, and given their own
colors and line weights.

To draw a radial dimension

1 In a CAD wireframe, select the circle/arc for which you want to
display a radial dimension.
2 From the Draw menu, Dimensions sub-menu, select Radial
Dimension.

The Radial Dimension button.

Tip: To adjust the font used in all dimensions and with the Angle
Dimension tool, click Options > Document Options > Fonts. In the CAD
Dimensions area, select the font options to be used in all dimensions
and with the Angle Dimension tool.

Angle dimension
The Angle Dimension object measures and displays an angle, either in
Line Select, between two intersecting lines and objects, or as drawn in
Freehand mode.

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To draw an angle dimension in Line Select

1 From the Draw menu, Dimensions sub-menu, select Angle Dimension.

The Angle Dimension button.

2 Choose Line Select from the Dimension Draw Options dialog box.
3 Click on the first line segment in the drawing.
4 Click on the second line segment in the drawing.
Result: The angle between the two selected lines is displayed.

To draw an angle dimension in Freehand

1 From the Draw menu, Dimensions sub-menu, select Angle Dimension.
2 Choose Freehand in the Dimension Draw Options dialog box.

3 Click on the drawing to define the first end point (point number 1 in
the diagram above) of the Angle Dimension.
4 Click a second time to define the vertex of the angle (this is the point
at which the two lines of your angle meet, shown as point number 2
in the diagram above).
5 Click a third time to define the second end point (point number 3 in
the diagram above).
Result: The new object displays the interior (or exterior) angle
defined by the arc between the end points of the Angle Dimension.
Tips:
 You can change the angle option of measuring the exterior or
interior angle by toggling the Flip Angle checkbox in the Angle
Dimension Properties page. Simply right-click the Angle
Dimension, and choose Properties > Angle Dimension tab.

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 To adjust the font used in all dimensions and with the Angle
Dimension tool, click Options > Document Options > Fonts. In the
CAD Dimensions area, select the font options to be used in all
dimensions and with the Angle Dimension tool.

Linear scales
A Linear Scale is a visible line divided into equal proportions used to
compare distances in WYSIWYG wireframe to actual distances.

To draw a linear scale

1 From the Draw menu, Dimensions sub-menu, select Linear Scale.

The Arc Length Dimension button.

Result: The New Linear Scale window appears.

2 In the Length field, enter in the desired length of the linear scale.
3 Select either Horizontal or Vertical to determine how the line scale is
positioned.
4 From the Text Alignment drop-down list, choose how the linear scale
text will be presented.
5 From the Layer drop-down list, choose in which layer the linear scale
will be visible.
 Selecting the checkbox next to Show non-editable layers (indicated by
*) will show non editable layers in the Layer drop-down list.
6 To change the default document settings of the linear scale, clear the
checkbox next to Use Document Defaults.

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7 Click OK.
Result: The linear scale is attached to the cursor.
8 Click to place the linear scale in the drawing.

Auto truss dimension

When Auto Truss Dimension is applied, truss objects that are selected in
the drawing will be displayed with linear dimensions automatically, and
with the option of showing values that were set in Truss Manager or the
default values from the Library. See “Truss manager”.

To apply auto truss dimension

1 In Wireframe, select the truss object(s).
2 From the Draw menu, Dimensions sub-menu, select Auto Truss
Dimension.
Result: The Select Layer for Dimension dialog box appears.

3 Select the layer and the options in the Select Layer for Dimension dialog
box.

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4 Click OK.
Result: The Auto Truss Dimension window appears.

5 Select the Use Truss Manager Values checkbox to apply the values that
were set in Truss Manager or select Use Measured Truss Values to apply
manually applied linear dimensions.
6 Select the checkboxes for Dimension X, Dimension Y, and/or Dimension Z
to specify which dimensions of a truss to add into your drawing.
7 Click Open Truss Manager to launch Truss Manager.

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8 Click OK.
Result: The truss object(s) that were selected in your drawing are
displayed with the linear dimensions showing the values set in Truss
Manager if Use Truss Manager Values was selected. The manually applied
linear dimension values will be displayed if Use Measured Truss Values
was selected.

Drawing surfaces
Surfaces are 2D objects. Surfaces are drawn continuously, stretching out
behind the cursor and can be used to create backdrops or other flat
objects. Surfaces can be extruded to create odd shaped risers, or other
custom shaped 3D objects. For more information on extruding, refer to
“Extrude”.

When you draw multi-segmented lines or surfaces, the new line or

surface snaps automatically to the previously drawn line or surface's
endpoint, midpoint or intersection when the Endpoint Snap, Midpoint Snap
or Intersection Snap are enabled.

Note: The beam will pass through a surface with the Transparency value
set to 80% or greater. The beam will not pass through the surface when
the value is lower than 80%. Transparency value is set in the Material
Properties section in the Appearance tab of the Properties window. Refer to
“Appearance tab”.

To draw a surface

To ensure that textures, if any, are applied properly, the surface must be
drawn in a counter-clockwise direction.

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1 From the Draw menu, choose Surface.

Tip: You can also click the Surface tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Surface button.

2 Click on the drawing at the starting point of the surface.

3 Moving in a counter-clockwise direction, drag to the next point of the
surface and click.
4 Continue to place points for the surface as needed, always moving
counter-clockwise. In the following graphic, the starting point is
labelled A:

5 To finish and close the surface, right-click and choose Finish Surface
from the sub-menu. To abort the surface entirely, choose Abort
Surface. This erases the whole surface from the drawing.

Surfaces as curtains
Vertical surfaces can have their appearance changed to mimic the look of
curtains in 2D Plan View. The curtain will appear as a wave or semicircles
pattern, instead of the usual straight line of a surface. The depth, width
and number of segments in the curtain pattern can be customized.

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A Plan View of an example surface with a semicircle curtain enabled

in red, and a surface with a wave curtain enabled in blue.

Note: Curtains are limited to being visible only in 2D Plan View, with a
surface that is vertical and rectangular in shape, with no surface area
visible in Plan View.

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To display a surface as a curtain.

1 Right-click an eligible surface and select Properties.
2 In the Properties window, click the Surface tab.

3 To enable the curtain feature for the surface, select the checkbox
labeled Enable.
Note: If the surface is ineligible to be a curtain, this option will be
greyed out.
4 Select from the Style drop-down list which pattern of curtain should
be displayed.
5 Enter the desired depth of the curtain pattern in the Depth field.
6 Enter the desired width of the curtain pattern in the Width field.
7 Enter the desired number of segments in the curtain pattern in the
Number of Segments field.
8 Click Apply.

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Drawing walls
Walls are 2D objects that describe flat rectangular planes representing
walls in your drawing. Walls can have different hatching styles for easy
identification in the plot.

There are two ways to draw a wall:

 Non-interactive mode in which you specify the width and height and
place the wall in the drawing.
 Interactive mode where you draw the wall freehand.

To draw a wall in non-interactive mode

1 From the Draw menu, choose Wall.
Tip: You can also click the Wall tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Wall button.

Result: The New Wall window appears.

2 In the Width box, enter the width for the wall. The default value is
12’0”.
3 In the Height box, enter the height of the wall. The default value is
8’0”.
4 In the Thickness box, enter the thickness of the wall. The default
value is 0'6"
5 To enable hatching for the object, select the Show Hatch Lines
checkbox.
6 Select the desired hatching style for the object from the Hatch Style
drop-down list.
7 Click OK.
Result: The wall attaches to the cursor.
8 Move the cursor to the desired position for the wall, and then click to
place it in the drawing.

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To draw a wall in interactive mode

Note: To turn interactive mode on, click the Interactive Mode button on the
toolbar.

The Interactive Mode button.

1 From the Draw menu, choose Wall.

2 Click to place the start point of the wall.
3 Click to place the end point of the wall.
4 In the dialog box that opens, enter the missing dimension of the wall.
5 Click OK.

To define the transparency of a wall

1 Right-click a wall, and select Object Properties.
Result: The Properties window appears.
2 In the Properties window, click the Wall tab.

Note: 0% = Opaque, 100% = Transparent.

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3 To change how the back of the wall will look, set the Back Transparency
field to the desired transparency percentage.
4 To change how the front of the wall will look, set the Front
Transparency field to the desired transparency percentage.
5 Click Apply to enable the new wall transparency settings.
6 Click OK.

Drawing risers
Risers are solid 3D rectangular objects. You can use risers for creating
platforms, square columns, or any other box-shaped objects.

There are two ways in which you can draw risers:

 Non-interactive mode in which you type the exact width, depth, and
height of the riser.
 Interactive mode in which you click and drag to set the dimensions of
the riser.

To draw a riser in non-interactive mode

1 From the Draw menu, choose Riser.
Tip: You can also click the Riser tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Riser button.

Note: To ensure that the riser remains proportionately the same

when resized, leave the Lock Ratio checkbox checked. If you clear this
checkbox, then you can manually resize the riser in any direction,
regardless of its original measurements.
2 In the Width box, type the width for the riser. The default value is 8’0”
3 In the Depth box, type the depth for the riser. The default value is
4’0”.
4 In the Height box, type the height for the riser. The default value is
2’0”.

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5 To enable hatching for the object, select the Show Hatch Lines
checkbox.
6 Select the desired hatching style for the object from the Hatch Style
drop-down list.
7 Click OK.
Result: The riser is attached to the cursor.
8 Drag the new riser to its position, and then click to place it in the
drawing.

To draw a riser in interactive mode

Note: To turn interactive mode on, click the Interactive Mode button on the
toolbar.

The Interactive Mode button.

1 From the Draw menu, choose Riser.

2 Click the starting point of the riser on the drawing. The insertion
point is the lower left corner of the riser.
3 Drag in any direction to stretch out the riser’s shape. Click to place
the upper right corner of the riser.
4 In the dialog box that opens, type the missing dimension of the riser.
5 Click OK.
Note: You can now snap to all eight points on a riser: top corners and
bottom corners.

Drawing cylinders
Cylinders are solid 3D objects. Cylinders can be used for creating
platforms, columns, or any other cylinder-shaped objects.

There are two ways in which you can draw cylinders:

 Non-interactive mode in which you type the exact height and radius
of the cylinder.
 Interactive mode in which you click and drag to set the dimensions of
the cylinder.

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To draw a cylinder
1 From the Draw menu, choose Cylinder.
Tip: You can also click the Cylinder tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Cylinder button.

Result: The New Cylinder window appears.

2 In the Height box, type the height for the cylinder. The default value is
8’0”.
3 In the Horizontal Radius box, type the horizontal radius for the cylinder.
The default value is 4’0”.
4 In the Vertical Radius box, type the vertical radius for the cylinder. The
default value is 4’0”.
5 To ensure that the cylinder remains proportionately the same when
resized, leave the Lock Ratio checkbox checked. If you clear this
checkbox, then you can manually resize the cylinder in any direction,
regardless of its original measurements.
6 To have the cylinder appear smooth in the Shaded view, leave the
Smooth Shading option enabled; to see a faceted cylinder in the
Shaded view, disable this option. The default for this option is ON.
7 To change the default number of cylinder segments, clear the
checkbox beside Use Document Defaults and type the new number of
segments. Note that the higher the number of segments, the better
the cylinder will appear in Shaded view, but the more performance
will degrade.
8 To enable hatching for the object, select the Show Hatch Lines
checkbox.
9 Select the desired hatching style for the object from the Hatch Style
drop-down list.

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10 Click OK.
Result: The cylinder is attached to the cursor.
11 Drag the new cylinder to its position, and then click to place the
object in the drawing.

To draw a cylinder in interactive mode

Note: To turn interactive mode on, click the Interactive Mode button on the
toolbar.

The Interactive Mode button.

1 From the Draw menu, choose Cylinder.

2 Click to place the center of the bottom surface of the cylinder.
3 Click to set the radius for the cylinder.
4 In the dialog box that opens, type the desired height, horizontal
radius and vertical radius for the cylinder.
5 To ensure that the cylinder remains proportionately the same when
resized, leave the Lock Ratio checkbox checked. If you clear this
checkbox, then you can manually resize the cylinder in any direction,
regardless of its original measurements.
6 To have the cylinder appear smooth in the Shaded view, leave the
Smooth Shading option enabled; to see a faceted cylinder in the
Shaded view, disable this option. The default for this option is ON.
7 To change the default number of cylinder segments, clear the Use
Document Defaults checkbox and type the new number of segments.
Note that the higher the number of segments, the better the cylinder
will appear in Shaded view, but the more performance will degrade.
8 Click OK.

Drawing spheres
Spheres are solid 3D circular or oval objects.

There are two ways in which you can draw spheres:

 Non-interactive mode in which you type the exact horizontal radius,
depth radius and vertical radius of the sphere.
 Interactive mode in which you click and drag to set the dimensions of
the sphere.

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To draw a sphere in non-interactive mode

1 From the Draw menu, choose Sphere.
Tip: You can also click the Sphere tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Sphere button.

Result: The New Sphere window appears.

2 In the Horizontal Radius box, type the horizontal radius for the middle
of the sphere.
3 In the Depth Radius box, type the depth radius for the middle of the
sphere.
4 In the Vertical Radius box, type the vertical radius for height of the
middle of the sphere.
5 To ensure that the sphere remains proportionately the same when
resized, leave the Lock Ratio checkbox checked. If you clear this
checkbox, then you can manually resize the sphere in any direction,
regardless of its original measurements.
6 To change the default number of sphere segments and stacks, clear
the Use Defaults checkbox and type the new values for Number of
Segments and Number of Stacks. Note that the higher the number of
segments or stacks, the better the sphere will appear in Shaded
view, but the more performance will degrade.
7 To have the sphere appear smooth in the Shaded view, leave the
Smooth Shading option enabled; to see a faceted sphere in the Shaded
view, disable this option. The default for this option is ON.
8 Click OK.
Result: The sphere is attached to the cursor.
9 Click to place the sphere in the drawing.

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To draw a sphere in interactive mode

1 From the Draw menu, choose Sphere.
Tip: You can also click the Sphere tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Sphere button.

2 In the New Sphere window, click Interactive.

3 Click and drag out the shape of the sphere in your drawing. When
you have the desired size, click again.
Result: The New Sphere window appears again.
4 In the New Sphere dialog box, you can change the default Horizontal
Radius, Depth Radius, and Vertical Radius of the new sphere.
5 To ensure that the sphere remains proportionately the same when
resized, leave the Lock Ratio checkbox checked. If you clear this
checkbox, then you can manually resize the sphere in any direction,
regardless of its original measurements.
6 To change the default number of sphere segments and stacks, clear
the Use Defaults checkbox and type the new values for Number of
Segments and Number of Stacks. Note that the higher the number of
segments or stacks, the better the sphere will appear in Shaded
view, but the more performance will degrade.
7 To have the sphere appear smooth in the Shaded view, leave the
Smooth Shading option enabled; to see a faceted sphere in the Shaded
view, disable this option. The default for this option is ON.
8 Click OK.

Drawing cones
Cones are solid 3D objects.

There are two ways in which you can draw cones:

 Non-interactive mode in which you type the exact horizontal and
vertical radius of the cone.
 Interactive mode in which you click and drag to set the dimensions of
the cone.

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To draw a cone in non-interactive mode

1 From the Draw menu, choose Cone.
Tip: You can also click the Cone tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Cone button.

Result: The New Cone window appears.

2 In the Height box, type the height of the cone.

3 In the Horizontal Radius box, type the horizontal radius for the cone.
4 In the Vertical Radius box, type the vertical radius for the cone.
5 To ensure that the cone remains proportionately the same when
resized, leave the Lock Ratio checkbox checked. If you clear this
checkbox, then you can manually resize the cone in any direction,
regardless of its original measurements.
6 To change the default number of cone segments and stacks, clear
the Use Defaults checkbox and type the new values for Number of
Segments and Number of Stacks. Note that the higher the number of
segments or stacks, the better the cone will appear in Shaded view,
but the more performance will degrade.
7 To have the cone appear smooth in the Shaded view, leave the
Smooth Shading option enabled; to see a faceted cone in the Shaded
view, disable this option. The default for this option is ON.
8 To enable hatching for the object, select the Show Hatch Lines
checkbox.
9 Select the desired hatching style for the object from the Hatch Style
drop-down list.
10 Click OK.
Result: The cone is attached to the cursor.
11 Click to place the cone in the drawing.

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To draw a cone in interactive mode

1 From the Draw menu, choose Cone.
Tip: You can also click the Cone tool on the Draw toolbar.

The Cone button.

2 In the New Cone window, click Interactive.

3 Accept the default values, and then click and drag out the shape of
the cone in your drawing. When you have the desired size, click
again.
Result: The New Cone window appears again.
4 In the dialog box that opens, type the height and the horizontal and
vertical radius of the new cone.
5 To ensure that the cone remains proportionately the same when
resized, leave the Lock Ratio checkbox checked. If you clear this
checkbox, then you can manually resize the cone in any direction,
regardless of its original measurements.
6 To change the default number of cone segments and stacks, clear
the Use Defaults checkbox and type the new values for Number of
Segments and Number of Stacks. Note that the higher the number of
segments or stacks, the better the sphere will appear in Shaded
view, but the more performance will degrade.
7 To have the cone appear smooth in the Shaded view, leave the
Smooth Shading option enabled; to see a faceted cone in the Shaded
view, disable this option. The default for this option is ON.
8 To enable hatching for the object, select the Show Hatch Lines
checkbox.
9 Select the desired hatching style for the object from the Hatch Style
drop-down list.
10 Click OK.
11 Click in the drawing to finish placing the new cone.

Drawing pipes
For details on drawing pipes and curved pipes, refer to “Drawing pipes”in
the “Hang Structures” section.

Drawing rigging points

For details on drawing rigging points, refer to “Drawing rigging points” in
the “Hang Structures” section.

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Drawing focus objects

For details on drawing focus objects, such as focus positions, focus lines
and focus arcs, refer to “Focus objects”in the “Hanging and focusing
fixtures” section.

Drawing screens
You can draw a screen and then attach an image or video source or
subsource to it.

To draw a screen
1 From the Draw menu, click Screen.

The Screen button.

Result: The New Screen window appears.

2 In the appropriate fields, enter the width and height of the screen.
3 To configure the image that will appear on the screen, click the
appropriate option button:
 To leave the screen blank, click the Blank Screen option button.
 To show a static image on the screen, follow the procedures in
the Image Manager section. For details, see “Image Manager”.
 To attach a video source to the screen, click the Video Source
option button, and from the drop-down list, choose the video
source or video subsource, or an I-Mag screen from a WYSIWYG
Camera, (or click Create New to configure a new video source with
the Video Manager). For details on creating a new video source,
see “To configure a new video source for streaming video”. For
details on splitting video into subsources, see “To create a single
video subsource”. For details on creating an I-Mag Camera
source, see “To create an I-Mag Camera in the Video Manager”.

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4 Click OK.
Result: The screen is placed into the drawing.

Creating video walls with screens

After a screen has been created, the Grid Array tool can be applied to
build a video wall. Applying Grid Array opens the Quick Video/Image Tool
where you can set the video/image sources to the screen panels that
were created.

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To create video walls with screens

1 In Front or Back view in Wireframe, select the screen.
2 From the Tools menu, click Array > Array Grid.
Result: The Grid Array window appears.

3 In the Grid Array window, modify the settings as desired. Refer to

“Array” for information on Grid Array settings.
4 Click OK.
Result: The Quick Video/Image Tool appears.

5 In the Quick Video/Image Tool window, specify the video or image

sources and subsources for the video wall that was created.

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6 Click OK.
Result: The video wall is created with the video or image applied to
the individual screens.

Notes:
 The Quick Video/Image Tool can be applied to previously drawn screen
files, if re-arranged into rows and columns that WYSIWYG can
recognize and automatically apply subsources to the individual
screens.
 The Quick Video/Image Tool can be applied to missing panels in the
video wall if WYSIWYG can recognize the arrangement of rows and
columns.
 The functionality of the Quick Video/Image Tool remains available if no
screens are selected.

Screen properties
After a screen has been created, the properties of a screen can be
altered from the properties menu. The following properties of the screen
can be changed:

 Dimensions: The size of the screen can be changed from its original
dimensions.
 Screen Width: The width of the screen.

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 Screen Height: The height of the screen.

 Display Source: Options for controlling what will be visible on the
screen.
 Display Source: Drop-down list for selecting what will be visible on

the screen.
 Image Source: Available images that can be displayed on the

screen.
 Video Source: Available videos that can be displayed on the screen.

 Keep Aspect Ratio: Toggle whether to have images/videos displayed

on the screen maintain their aspect ratio or stretch/constrict when

the size of the screen changes.
 Reassign Video/Image Subsource(s): This checkbox is available when

the screen is set with Multi-split subsources. Select this checkbox

to open the Reassign Video/Image Subsource dialog box and reassign
the video and image source types and options for the screen.
 Glow Settings: Setting for controlling the glow of the selected
screen, independent of the global settings.
 Hide: Toggle to enable/disable the screen glow feature.

 Glow Intensity Multiplier: When enabled can enhance the glow of the

screen on a scale of 0 to 10.

Drawing cameras
You can add cameras to the drawing to provide additional view points in
shaded views and renderings.

Note: For tips on moving your cameras, see “Camera controls”.

To insert a camera

The following procedure outlines how to insert a camera in a Wireframe

view. For details on creating a camera directly from the Shaded view, see
“To create a camera from shaded view”.
1 From the Draw menu, click Camera > Camera.
Result: The New Camera properties dialog box appears.

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2 Type a name for the camera and a value in degrees for the field
angle. The default value for the field angle is 53.13.
3 From the Layer drop-down list, select the layer of your file on which
you want to draw the camera. By default, the Camera object is
inserted on the Camera layer.
Note: If you do not see all layers in the Layer drop-down list, click
Show non-editable layers.
4 (Optional) Select the Aspect Ratio checkbox to set a fixed Aspect Ratio
for the new camera. From the Aspect Ratio drop-down list, select the
fixed Aspect Ratio for the new camera.
Result: The Shaded view will be defined by the set Aspect Ratio of
the selected Camera, with pillar or letter bars displayed to indicate
the viewing definition boundaries.
5 Click OK to apply the settings or Cancel to discard.
6 Click on the drawing to place the camera.
7 Drag the cursor to aim the camera, and then click to place the target.
Result: The camera is inserted into your drawing and available in the
camera selection list for shaded views and renderings.
Tip: Use the missing coordinate tool while placing the camera and
target.

Note: The target of your camera is easily identifiable in Wireframe views

as defined by the marker points of the camera drawing. Camera drawings
are invisible in shaded views because you are looking through the
camera. For this reason, in this view you can choose to display the
target. For more information on displaying the target, refer to “Modifying
shaded views” or see “Using the camera toolbar”.

Using the camera toolbar

After you have drawn a camera, you can use the Camera toolbar in
Shaded views to view your drawing through the camera of your choice.

You can also use this toolbar to quickly access the camera Properties page
and change properties, such as the camera name and field angle, and to
lock the camera in place so that you cannot accidentally move it. For
details, see the procedures on the next page.

Finally, the Camera toolbar also enables you to quickly insert a camera
directly from the shaded view, based on the current viewpoint. For
details, see “To create a camera from shaded view”.

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Click to lock the Camera in The Pitch, Roll and Yaw

its current position - does not Click to reset the view to locks for rotations (around
work for default camera the default position the X, Y, and Z axes).

Click to select Click to view the Camera reset buttons for Click to enable/disable
the desired Camera’s properties rotations on the X, Y, and DMX Control of Cameras/
camera from Z axes. Camera Paths
the list
Click to save the current Click to view
Shaded view viewpoint Camera Manager
as a new Camera

To switch to a camera using the Camera toolbar

1 In CAD, Design, or Live mode, click the Quad or Shaded tab.
2 Right-click in the toolbar area and select Camera.
Result: The Camera toolbar appears.
3 From the Current Camera drop-down list, select the camera through
which you want to view your model.
Note: To switch back to the default view, select World, and then click
the Reset Camera button to reset the view.
Result: The viewpoint switches to reflect that of the currently
selected camera.

To use Camera hotkeys

To help you quickly switch from one Camera to another, Number/

Numpad keys 1 through 9 are now automatically assigned to new
Cameras as you create them.

Hotkeys are assigned in ascending order (starting with 1 for the first
Camera you create, 2 for the next one, and so on, all the way to 9).
1 On the number pad of your keyboard, ensure that the NUM LOCK is
activated.
2 In WYSIWYG, click to view your drawing in a Shaded view.
3 On the Number Pad of your keyboard, press the numbers associated
with the Cameras in your drawing to switch quickly from one Camera
to another.

Tip: Press the 0 key to quickly switch to the World camera.

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To change or delete the Camera hotkey assignment

To change or delete the hotkey assignment for a Camera, complete the

following steps.
1 Select the Camera, right-click, and select Properties.
2 Click the Camera tab.
3 From the Assigned Hotkey drop-down list, select the new hotkey; to
remove a hotkey assignment, simply choose None from the same
drop-down list.
4 Click OK.
Note: Hotkey assignments can be set and changed in the Camera Manager
window, see “Camera Manager”.

To view or edit Camera Properties

1 In CAD, Design, or Live mode, click the Quad or Shaded tab.
2 Right-click on the toolbar area and select Camera.
Result: The Camera toolbar appears.
3 From the Current Camera drop-down list, select the camera whose
Properties you want to view.
4 On the Camera toolbar, click the Camera Properties button.
5 In the window that appears, you can change any of the following
properties:
 Name: You can edit the name that appears on the Camera toolbar
for the selected Camera.
 Field Angle: You can change the field angle of the currently
selected Camera, measured in degrees.
 Assigned Hotkey: Click to assign a new numbered hotkey for this
Camera. This is the number that you can press from your Number
pad to instantly switch from one Camera to the next.
 Aspect Ratio: Select this checkbox and choose a fixed Aspect Ratio
for the selected Camera.
 Lock camera in Shaded View: Select this checkbox to lock the
selected camera in its current position in all shaded views. To
unlock it, simply select the camera from the Camera toolbar, and
then press the Camera Lock button.
 DMX Patch: In this section, you can assign a DMX value to the
camera when the Assigned Hotkey is set to None. Select a value
from the Assigned DMX Value drop-down list.
Note: When a hotkey of 1-9 is assigned, the DMX value matching
the hotkey number is automatically assigned.

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 DMX Patch enables the DMX control of the switching between

Cameras in Live mode, instead of using the drop-down list on
the Camera toolbar or the numpad hotkeys.
 Assigned DMX Value drop-down list goes from #10-255 (#1-9
are reserved for hot key assignments).
 When the camera has an assigned hotkey, the Assigned DMX
Value drop-down list will display the hotkey value as read-only.
 Enable DMX Control of Cameras/Camera Paths must be enabled in
the Camera Manager window to enable DMX control of the
cameras. Refer to “Camera Manager”.

To lock a Camera

Follow the steps below to lock a Camera in its current position in the
shaded view. This feature helps prevent you from accidentally moving or
zooming a camera while adjust the viewpoint in the shaded view.
1 In CAD, Design, or Live mode, click the Quad or Shaded tab.
2 Right-click on the toolbar area and select Camera.
Result: The Camera toolbar appears.
3 From the Current Camera drop-down list, select the camera that you
want to lock in position.
4 On the Camera toolbar, click the Camera Lock icon.

The Camera Lock button.

Result: The Camera is now locked in position in the shaded view.

Whenever you select this camera and attempt to adjust the
viewpoint in the shaded view, a lock symbol appears in the middle of
the shaded view. To unlock the Camera, simply select it from the
Camera toolbar, and press the Camera Lock icon again.

To use the Pitch, Roll and Yaw locks for rotations

Use the Lock-X, Lock-Y, and Lock-Z buttons on the Camera toolbar to
prevent in-place rotations along the specified axis:

 Lock-X, or Rotation around the X Axis = PITCH [tilting forward and

backward]
 Lock-Y, or Rotation around the Y Axis = ROLL [tilting side to side]
 Lock-Z, or Rotation around the Z Axis = YAW [also called Heading or
Direction]

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To see the effect of these locks in the Shaded view, you must press ALT
while dragging the view; these locks have no effect if you do not press
ALT.

Note: Press the reset buttons (Rx, Ry, Rz) to re-orient the camera to the
world's axes.

Drawing camera paths

Camera paths allow you to define a path along which the camera will
travel during playback in the Shaded View, either in Design or Live
Modes. You draw Camera paths in CAD Mode just as you would draw a
spline. Each point along the path is called a “Node”.

Note: You can keep the camera path, nodes and targets visible during
file editing, and once you’re done, go into the Properties of these objects
and toggle their visibility off in Shaded View.

To draw a Camera path

1 In Wireframe view, from the Draw menu, click Camera > Camera
Path.
2 Click in your plot where you want to start drawing the Camera path.
3 Continue clicking in your drawing to create your path. When you are
finished, right-click and select one of the options on the pop-up
menu:
 Finish Camera Path: This option finishes the path at the last point,
and places it in your plot.
 Close Camera Path: This option closes the path from one end to
the next, and places the path in your plot.
 Abort Camera Path: This option cancels the drawing of the Camera
path altogether.
 Remove Last Step: This option removes the last point of the path.

Note: Camera paths are controlled from Design and/or Live modes,
using the Camera Path Editor and the Timeline tool. For details, see
“Using the camera path editor”.

Camera path properties

Camera Paths have unique properties, as shown below:

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 Name: Camera Paths can have unique names

 Shaded View Options
 Show Camera Path in Shaded Views: This option shows or hides the
Camera Path in Shaded Views while playing the path.
 Use Layer Rendering Color: This option controls the color of the

Camera Path and its Layer behavior.

 Show Nodes: This option shows or hides the Nodes along the

Camera Path.
 Show Node Numbers: This option shows or hides the Node numbers

along the Camera Path.

 CAD Options
 Closed: If checked, this option enables the Camera Path to play as

a continuous loop with no gaps.

 Tension: A value between 0 and 1, where 0 is no tension and 1 is

maximum tension; this option enables the Camera Path to allow

curving between nodes along the path. If the Tension is set to 0,
the nodes will be connected with straight lines.
 Camera Path Arrow - Size: This option allows you to control the size of

the direction arrows on the Camera Path.

 Patch
 None: Select this option if the Camera Path is not patched.

 DMX Patch: Select this option if the Camera Path is patched, and

then enter the patch properties.

 Aspect Ratio: This option allows you to select a fixed Aspect Ratio for
this Camera Path.

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Drawing camera targets

After you draw a Camera path, you can also insert a “Camera target” at
points of interest where you would like the camera to focus while
traveling along a path.

Note: You can keep the camera path, nodes and targets visible during
file editing, and once you’re done, go into the Properties of these objects
and toggle their visibility off in Shaded View.

To draw a Camera target

1 In Wireframe view, from the Draw menu, click Camera > Camera
Target.
2 Type a descriptive name for the camera target.
3 Click OK and then click to place the target along the camera path.

Camera target properties

Camera targets also have unique properties, as seen below:

 Label: Camera targets can have unique labels.

 Height: This controls the height of the text associated with the
Camera Target.

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 Align to View: This option aligns the target to the specific view that it
is in (i.e., Side, Front, Back, Iso)
 Show Label: This option shows or hides the Camera Target label text.
 Shaded View Options
 Show in Shaded Views: This option shows or hides the Camera

Target in Shaded Views while playing the path.

 Use Layer Rendering Color: This controls the color of the Camera

target and its Layer behaviour.

 Text Justification: This section controls the Horizontal and Vertical
alignment of the text associated with the Camera Target.
 X, Y, and Z Coordinates: These options allow you to control the position
in 3D space of the Camera Target.
 Font: This section displays options that allow you control of the font
face of the Camera Target. Settings in Document Defaults are used
by default.

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In the top image, an example of a path and camera target is

drawn. In the bottom image, the camera at each node of the path
is now pointing to the camera target.

Drawing a compass
You can add a compass to a drawing to define the direction that is north.
This definition is important to set the position of the sun and/or moon for
renderings and Shaded views that use environmental options.

Note: There can be only one compass in a file.

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To draw a compass
1 From the Tools menu, choose Define North.
2 Click to place the starting point of the compass.
3 Click to place the end point of the compass. The end point must be
directly north of the start point.
Result: A compass is drawn, centered on the start point and pointing
towards the end point.

Notes:
 To remove the compass from the drawing, choose Clear Direction
from the Tools menu.
 To redefine north, repeat steps 1-3. You do not need to remove the
compass from the drawing when redefining north as there can be
only one compass in a file.

Drawing motion axes

For every motion axis that you draw in CAD mode, you can attach one or
more objects to it, and then define the object’s position along the axis.
You can attach objects such as risers, library objects, or custom objects
that you have drawn.

To be able to move an object in different planes, you can attach multiple

motion axes to one another. Simply attach the object to one of the axes,
and then control the object’s movement along any of the axes by
selecting it with the Moving Scenery Designer tool. This feature is useful,
for example, if you have a set piece that needs to be able to move in
both a vertical and horizontal motion.

Notes:
 When attaching axes to one another, you cannot create a circular
linking pattern. For example, you can link Axis A to Axis B, and then
link Axis B to Axis C, but you cannot then link Axis C back to Axis A
because this creates a circular link.
 You cannot attach fixtures to motion axes; however, you can attach
pipes that hold fixtures to axes.
 Currently, you cannot attach focus positions or groups containing
focus positions to motion axes. However, in future releases you will
be able to attach either of these items to motion axes.

You can draw axes either diagonally or straight along any direction of
movement—X, Y, or Z—choosing between the following two main types of
axes:
 Linear: Choose this type of axis to have an object move in a straight
line along the path that you specify (or in a series of straight
segments all joined together at different vertices to create the path).
You can create a linear axis in any length or shape that you require,

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as long as it comprises straight line segments; you cannot draw a

curved axis. For example, you could have a person walk across a
stage in a zig zag path, if desired.
When you draw this type of axis, and then attach an object to it, the
distance from the axis to the object does not affect the object’s
movement; the object will always follow the path of the axis
regardless of where you have placed the axis or object.
By default, all linear axes are displayed in your drawing with the label
name, and shows an arrow on one end, signaling the direction in
which the object will move. In the Properties page, the axes names
are displayed with the prefix “[AX-L] to identify a Linear axis.
You can change the name placement and adjust the size of the arrow
by opening the Properties page for the axis.
 Rotation: Choose this type of axis if you want to have an object
rotate in a circular motion. When you click to place this type of axis
in your drawing, a circle with a center dot appears. The circle acts as
a visual cue, telling you the direction in which the object will rotate;
the center dot is the actual axis around which the object rotates.
The orientation of the object’s rotation changes based on the view in
which you draw the axis (plan, side, or front/back). When placing the
object to be rotated in your drawing, note that its position relative to
the center dot of the rotation axis is important. The distance from
the center dot to the object represents the size of the circle in which
it will rotate, with the dot marking the center of the circle. To have
the object rotate in a very tight circle (for example, a dancer doing a
pirouette, or a spinning object), place the object directly on the
center dot.
By default, all rotation axes are displayed in your drawing with the
label name, and shows an arrow on one end, signaling the direction
in which the object will rotate. You can change the name placement
by opening the Properties page for the axis. In the Properties page,
the axes names are displayed with the prefix “[AX-R]” to identify as
Rotation axis. While you cannot adjust the size of the arrow head
directly, you can click and drag the circle to the desired size, which
adjusts the arrow head proportionately. To change the direction of
the object’s rotation, switch views, and then drag the center point to
the new orientation.

To draw a linear motion axis

1 In Wireframe view, select the view in which you want to draw the
axis (plan, front, back, side, or isometric).
2 Click Draw > Axis > Linear Axis.
3 In the window that appears, type a name for the axis, and then click
OK.
4 In your drawing, click in the position where you want to start the
axis, and then move your cursor to the next point of the axis and
click. To create an axis with multiple segments, continue clicking at
each point (vertex) of the axis.

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5 When you are finished creating the axis, right-click and choose Finish
Axis.

To draw a rotation motion axis

Unlike linear axes, rotation axes cannot have multiple vertices. Instead,
when you draw one of these axes, the object rotates around the center
point.
1 In Wireframe view, select the view in which you want to draw the
axis (plan, front, back, side, or isometric).
2 Click Draw > Axis > Rotation Axis.
3 In the window that appears, type a name for the axis, and then click
OK.
4 In your drawing, click in the position where you want the axis to
appear.

Note: The circle that appears when you draw a rotation axis is only a
visual cue to show you the direction in which the object rotates—it does
not affect the size of path on which the object rotates. The circle is given
a default size, but you can change it to suit your needs.

To patch a motion axis to a DMX universe

To move the object with a DMX control, you first have to attach the
motion axis to a named DMX patch universe that you have created in
Data mode.

Note: For information on creating a patch universe, see “To create a new
patch universe”.
1 Click to select the axis that you want to attach to the patch universe.
2 Right-click and select Properties.
3 Click the Axis tab.
4 From the Patch Type drop-down list, select DMX Patch.
5 From the Universe drop-down list, select the DMX patch universe to
which you want to attach the axis.
6 In the Address box, type the starting DMX address.
7 Click OK.

To patch a motion axis to a motion universe

To move the object with a motion control system, you first have to attach
the motion axis to a named motion control patch universe that you have
created in Data mode.

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Note: For information on creating a patch universe, see “To create a new
patch universe”.
1 Click to select the axis that you want to attach to the patch universe.
2 Right-click and select Properties.
3 Click the Axis tab.
4 From the Patch Type drop-down list, select Motion Patch.
5 From the Universe drop-down list, select the motion control patch
universe to which you want to attach the axis.
6 From the ID drop-down list, select the ID on the motion control
system with which you want to associate this axis.
Note: The motion control system must be connected to your
computer for the ID to appear in this drop-down list. If the system is
not currently connected, you can also type the ID directly into this
drop-down list.
7 Click OK.

To attach an object to a motion axis

Notes:
 You can attach one or more objects to each axis; however, each
object can be attached to only one axis at a time.
 When you attach an object to a linear axis, the distance from the axis
to the object does not affect the object’s movement; the object will
always follow the path of the axis regardless of where you have
placed the axis or object.
 When placing the object to be rotated in your drawing, note that its
position relative to the rotational axis is important. The distance from
the central point of the axis to the object represents the size of the
circle in which it will rotate. To have the object rotate in a very tight
circle (for example, a dancer doing a pirouette, or a spinning object),
place the object directly on the center point of the axis.
1 Place the object that you want to attach to the axis at the
appropriate position in your drawing, either by adding a new object,
or moving an existing object to this location.
2 Select the object, right-click, and then choose Properties.
3 On the General tab, from the Attach to Axis drop-down list, select the
axis to which you want to attach this object.
Note: The label names of the drawn axes that appear on the drop-
down list are displayed with prefixes to identify as either Linear “[AX-
L] name” or Rotation “[AX-R] name”.
4 Click OK.

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To add a vertex to a linear motion axis

To change the path of an existing linear axis, you can add one or more
vertices, and then drag these vertices to the new position.
1 In your drawing, click on the point of the axis at which you want to
add a vertex.
2 Right-click and select Add Vertex.
Result: The vertex is added at the point where you clicked.
Tip: To change the path of the axis, click to select the axis and view
all the vertices. Click the desired vertex, drag it to the new position,
and then release the mouse. Any objects that are attached to the
axis will now follow the new path.

Motion frames
The Frame Motion System delivers more functionality and flexibility than
its predecessor, the Axis system. A single motion frame can simulate
motion for up to six Degrees of Freedom (DoF) for each frame.

Much like the motion axis, you can attach one or more objects to a single
motion frame, and then define the motion ranges of each DoF.

Notes:
 When attaching one frame to another, you cannot create a circular
linking pattern.
 You cannot attach fixtures to frames; however, you can attach pipes
that hold fixtures to axes.

To draw a motion frame

1 In a Wireframe view, select the view in which you want to draw the
frame.
2 Click Draw > Frame.
3 In the window that appears, type the name of the frame, and then
click OK.
4 In your drawing, click in the position where you want the frame to
appear.
Result: The motion frame is inserted in your drawing with its label
name on display.

To adjust the motion range

1 In a Wireframe view, select the frame that you want to adjust.
2 Right-click and select Properties.
3 Select the Motion Ranges tab.

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4 To restrict the motion frame, click to enable/disable any of the six

Degrees of Freedom (DoF) shown, and then adjust the movement
ranges of each DoF by modifying the Minimum and Maximum values
for each corresponding axis.
5 To enforce these motion ranges while controlling objects in Live
mode, click to enable the Use Motion Ranges in Live Mode checkbox.
6 Click OK.

To patch a frame to a DMX universe

To move the object with a DMX control, you have to attach the motion
frame to a named DMX patch universe that you have created in Data
mode. Patching a single motion frame creates 12 DMX channels: X, X
Fine, Y, Y Fine, Z, Z Fine, Rx, Rx Fine, Ry Fine, Rz Fine.

Note: For information on creating a patch universe, see “To create a

new patch universe”.
1 Click to select the axis that you want to attach to the patch universe.
2 Right-click and select Properties.
3 Click the Axis tab.
4 From the Patch Type drop-down list, select DMX Patch.
5 From the Universe drop-down list, select the DMX patch universe to
which you want to attach the axis.
6 In the Address box, type the starting DMX address.
7 Click OK.

To patch a frame to a motion universe

To move the object with a motion control system, you first have to attach
the frame to a named motion control patch universe that you have
created in Data mode.

Note: For information on creating a patch universe, see “To create a new
patch universe”.
1 Click to select the frame that you want to attach to the patch
universe.
2 Right-click and select Properties.
3 Click the Axis tab.
4 From the Patch Type drop-down list, select Motion Patch.
5 From the Universe drop-down list, select the motion control patch
universe to which you want to attach the axis.

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6 From the ID drop-down list, select the ID on the motion control

system with which you want to associate this axis.
Note: The motion control system must be connected to your
computer for the ID to appear in this drop-down list. If the system is
not currently connected, you can also type the ID directly into this
drop-down list.
7 Click OK.

To attach an object to a frame

Notes:
 You can attach one or more objects to each frame; however, each
object can be attached to only one frame at a time.
 When placing the object to be rotated in your drawing, note that its
position relative to the frame is important. The distance from the
central point of the frame to the object represents the size of the
circle in which it will rotate.
 To have the object rotate in a very tight circle (for example, a dancer
doing a pirouette, or a spinning object), place the object directly on
the center point of the frame.
1 Place the object that you want to attach to the frame at the
appropriate position in your drawing, either by adding a new object,
or moving an existing object to this location.
2 Select the object, right-click, and then choose Properties.
3 On the General tab, from the Attach to Axis drop-down list, select the
Frame to which you want to attach this object.
Note: The label names of the drawn frames that appear on the drop-
down list are displayed with prefixes to identify as a Frame “[FRM]
name”.
4 Click OK.

BlackTrax Trackable frames

BlackTrax Trackable Frames are Motion Frames specifically designed for
use with BlackTrax. When a BlackTrax Trackable Frame is patched to a
DMX and Motion Universe, and an object is attached to the frame,
BlackTrax will use this information to create a Trackable. A Trackable is
an object in BlackTrax whose real time location you want the BlackTrax
system to track.

To draw a BlackTrax Trackable Frame

1 In a Wireframe view, select the view in which you want to draw the
frame.
2 Click Draw > BlackTrax Trackable.

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3 In the window that appears, type the name of the frame, and then
click OK.
4 In your drawing, click in the position where you want the frame to
appear.

Viewing moving scenery

After you create the axes/frames and attach the objects to them, you can
watch the objects move along the axes/frames by using the Looks
feature in Design mode. Just as you can simulate moving lights by cross-
fading between one lighting look to the next, you can also simulate
moving scenery by creating Looks that contain motion axes/frames and
fading from one Look to the next. For more information, see “To view
moving scenery”.
You can also patch the axis in Data mode so you can control the
movement of the object with either a DMX console device, such as a Mini
Console, or a motion control system. For details on patching motion
axes, see “To patch a motion axis to a DMX console device” or “To patch
a motion axis to a motion control system”.

Creating complex motion systems

To create more complex motion systems (for example, to have an object
revolve around itself or around another object while it is also moving
across the stage), you can attach motion frames to axes, or vice versa
(you can attach axes to motion frames).

Quick motion patch tool

The Quick Motion Patch Tool allows you to quickly and easily manage the
patching of all frames and axes in CAD Wireframe view. The tool allows
for frames and axes to be patched or cleared from any created universe.
A summary of patching activity is also displayed in the tool for your
convenience.

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To patch Frames/Axes to a motion universe using the Quick

Motion Patch Tool
1 Select the Frames/Axes you want to patch.
2 Click Tools > Quick Tools > Quick Motion Patch Tool.
Result: The Quick Motion Patch Tool window appears.

3 In the Auto-Patch Motion section, from the Motion Universe Name

drop-down list, select the motion universe the frames/axes will patch
to.
4 Select either All Frames/Axes OR Only Selected Frames/Axes to patch to
the motion universe.
5 Click Patch.
Result: The chosen frames/axes will be patched to the selected
motion universe. A summary of the frames'/axes' patching will be
displayed at the bottom of the Quick Motion Patch Tool window

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To clear Frames/Axes from a motion universe using the

Quick Motion Patch Tool
1 Select the Frames/Axes you want to clear.
2 Click Tools > Quick Tools > Quick Motion Patch Tool.
Result: The Quick Motion Patch Tool window appears.

3 In the Clear Motion Patch section, select either All Frames/Axes OR

Only Selected Frames/Axes to be cleared the from the motion universe.
4 Select Only Selected Universe radio to clear the selected frames/axes
from only a specific motion universe. Select the specific universe
from the drop-down list. Otherwise, the selected frames/axes will be
cleared from all universes.
5 Click Clear.
6 The chosen frames/axes will be cleared from the selected motion
universe. A summary of the frames'/axes' patching will be displayed
at the bottom of the Quick Motion Patch Tool window.

Saving custom library items

Custom library items are made of one or more objects, including custom
items that you have drawn, as well as existing library items. You can
save a custom library item for a complex object that you have drawn and
think you might want to use again.

When you save custom library items, all of the item’s original properties
are saved, including its texture and color. In addition, if the item that you
are saving is broken down into separate elements, then these elements
are also saved with the item and can be viewed on the Appearance tab.
For example, if you are saving an object like a riser, each of the four riser
elements is saved with the custom library item.

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Notes:
 You cannot save fixtures or hanging structures, such as pipes and
truss, as components of custom library items.
 You cannot rename the elements of custom library items in the
Appearance tab; therefore, it is recommended that you give elements
custom names before you save the item as a custom object. For
details, see “To rename object elements”.

To create a custom library item

1 Select the objects to be saved as a custom item.
2 From the Library menu, choose Create New Library Item.
Tip: If the menu item is greyed out, one or more of the objects
selected cannot be included in the custom library item.
3 Pick a base point for the item. This will become the insertion point for
the item.
Result: The Library Item Wizard opens displaying a rotating shaded
view of your new item.
4 Type a name for the new library item.
5 To make this item available to other documents, check the
appropriate box.
6 Click Next.
7 Add or modify the path, if desired.
Note: The path is the location in the library where the item will be
stored. An item assigned to the path “Custom/Tables” would be
available in the custom section of the items library in a sub-category
named Tables.
8 Click Next.
9 Type all pertinent information including manufacturer, weight, and
any notes.
10 Click Next.
11 Type your name.
12 Click Finish.
Result: The custom item is placed in the item library as per the path
you specified in step 7.

Rules for deleting custom library items

In general, a custom library item that has been shared with the
application library, (i.e. by selecting the Make this item available to other
documents in the first step of its creation) can only be deleted from the
Welcome Screen's Library Browser. A custom library item can be deleted
from within a file as long as there are no instances of the item in the file.

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The following are specific examples of when a custom library item can be
deleted.
 A custom library item that was created in a file, and was added to the
application library, cannot be deleted from the Library Browser while a
file is open. The custom library object now exists in the application
Library Browser. To remove the custom library item, it must be deleted
from Welcome Screen’s Library Browser. This deletion cannot be
undone.
Note: A custom library item will always be included in the “private
library” of the file in which it was created. This means that if a
custom library item is created (and used) in a file, then deleted from
the application library, that item is still not removed from the file.
Only once the item is removed from the application library, and the
item is not in use in the file it was created in, may the item be
deleted from the file. This deletion is permanent and cannot be
undone.
 A custom library item that is created in a file, and is not added to
the application library:
 Can be deleted from the Library Browser inside the file if no

instances of the item are inserted into the file. The deletion cannot
be undone.
 Cannot be deleted from the Library Browser if there are instances of

the custom item in the file.

 A "DWG" library item (imported from AutoCAD file and listed in the
Library Browser) can be deleted while the file is open if no instances of
the item are inserted into the file. The deletion cannot be undone.

To delete a custom library item

If you do not want to keep a custom library item any longer, you can
delete it from the Library Browser.
1 In the Library Browser, navigate to the folder where you stored the
custom library item.
2 Highlight the library item name, and then right-click and choose
Delete.
Note: This option is disabled if the item is currently inserted in your
plot. You must delete the item from your plot, and then save and
close the file. When you reopen the file you can delete the item from
the Library Browser.
3 A message box appears telling you the action is irreversible. Click Yes
to delete the item.

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Drawing pipe and drape

Use the Pipe and Drape Wizard to add lengths of drapery in your
drawing. You can add default length and height of drapery, or specify
custom sizes for your drapery panels, and define drapery properties such
as color, texture, and material.

The several components in a drape line are shown in the graphic:

 Drape panels: These are the individual pieces of fabric that hang
from the horizontal pieces of pipe called crossbars. You can specify
the number of drape panels in each of the pipe and drape drawing
methods. The default number of panels is three per section.
 Section: A section consists of a series of drape panels hanging from
a horizontal pipe called a crossbar, which is supported on each end
by an upright pipe. You can specify the number of panels per section
and, based on the drawing method you choose, either the exact
width of the section or the maximum width.
 Upright pipes: These are the pipes that stand on either end of each
section in your drape line, supporting the crossbar pipes.
 Base plates: These are support plates for the upright pipes.

The Wizard offers you two drawing options:

 Draw: This option gives you the most flexibility when drawing your
drape line. It enables you to specify the height, maximum width of a
section, and the number of drape panels per section. When you click
Finish, the Wizard returns you to the drawing where you can click and
drag to draw as many drape lines as desired in whatever length
required.
 Specify: This option enables you to define the height, width, the
number of sections in your drape line, and the number of drape

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panels per section. This option enables you to either draw a new
drape line section, or add to an existing drape line.

To draw pipe and drape - Draw method

Note: If you are adding a new drape section to an existing panel in your
drawing, click the Midpoints snap tool first. This ensures that the new
drape panel “snaps” to the existing one in the correct position.
1 From the Draw menu, click Pipe and Drape Wizard.
Result: The Select Drawing Method window appears.

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2 Click the Draw option button, and then click Next.

Result: The Draw Pipe and Drape window appears.

3 Select Create a New Drape Line option to create a new section of the
drape line; or select the Add to an Existing Drape Line option to add the
next section of the drape line.
Notes:
 Drawing a new drape line includes all uprights for the drape line.
 Adding to an existing drape line uses an existing upright as the
beginning of the added drape line.
4 In the Height box, type the height of the drape line, or accept the
default value of 15’0”.
5 In the Max. Crossbar Length box, type the maximum length of each
horizontal pipe, or accept the default value of 10’0”. This is the
length of the horizontal pipe in a section between the upright pipes.
If you click to insert a section at a shorter interval than this value,
WYSIWYG automatically adjusts the width of each drapery panel
accordingly and a shorter section is inserted in the drawing.
6 Select the Use Equal Crossbar Length/Space Upright Evenly checkbox to
automatically set the same length for all the crossbars. If you clear
this checkbox, then WYSIWYG creates drapery panels of equal size

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for all full-size sections, but resizes the panels in the last section
accordingly if you choose to make this panel smaller.
7 In the Pipe Diameter box, type the diameter of all crossbars and
upright pipes.
8 Click the Base Plate drop-down list box to select the size of the base
plate support for the upright pipes.
9 Select the Add Base Plate Weight checkbox to add thickness to the base
plate in Wireframe and Shaded views.
10 In the Drape Panels per Crossbar box, type the number of drape panels
that you want to see in each section of the drape line, or accept the
default value of 1 panel per section.
11 The default or previously set texture of the drape is displayed in the
Drape Texture box. To change the texture, click the Drape Texture
ellipsis button to browse and select a new texture from the Texture
Select dialog box that opens.
12 In the Drape Description box, type additional user information or
identification for the drape line, which will be displayed in Reports.
13 Click Finish.
14 Click in the desired spot in your drawing where you want to start
drawing the drape line.
15 Move the cursor to the spot where you want the first section to end,
and click. Then move your cursor to the spot where you want the
next section to end, and click. You can draw as many sections as you
like. When you are finished drawing your drape line, right-click and
select Finish Pipe and Drape.

Note: For details on customizing the new drape line, see “To customize
drapery elements (color, material, and texture)”.

To draw pipe and drape - Specify method

Note: If you are adding a new drape section to an existing panel in your
drawing, click the Midpoints snap tool first. This ensures that the new
drape panel “snaps” to the existing one in the correct position.

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1 From the Draw menu, click Pipe and Drape Wizard.

Result: The Select Drawing Method window appears.

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2 Click the Specify option button, and then click Next.

Result: The Specify Pipe and Drape window appears.

3 Select the Create a New Drape Line option to create a new section of
the drape panel; or select the Add to an Existing Drape Line option to
add the next section of the drape panel.
Notes:
 Drawing a new drape line includes all uprights for the drape line.
 Adding to an existing drape line uses an existing upright as the
beginning of the added drape line.
4 To specify the total length of the drape line section, select Total Length
and type the length of the drape line, or accept the default value of
10’0”. The Crossbar Length option is disabled if the Total Length option is
selected.
5 To specify drape line section by the length and quantity of it’s
crossbars, select Crossbar Length and type the length of the crossbar,
or accept the default value of 10’0”. The Total Length option is disabled
if the Crossbar Length option is selected.

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6 In the Number of Crossbars box, type the number of crossbars in the

drape line, or accept the default value of 1.
Note: The length of each crossbar will automatically change with
reference to the specified Total Length and Number of Crossbars.
7 In the Height box, type the height of the drape line, or accept the
default value of 15’0”.
8 In the Pipe Diameter box, type the diameter of all crossbars and
upright pipes.
9 Click the Base Plate drop-down list box to select the size of the base
plate support for the upright pipes.
10 Select the Add Base Plate Weight checkbox to add thickness to the base
plate in Wireframe and Shaded views.
11 In the Drape Panels per Crossbar box, type the number of drape panels
that you want to see in each section of the drape line, or accept the
default value of 1 panel per section.
12 The default or previously set texture of the drape is displayed in the
Drape Texture box. To change the texture, click the Drape Texture
ellipsis button to browse and select a new texture from the Texture
Select dialog box that opens.
13 In the Drape Description box, type additional user information or
identification for the drape line, which will be displayed in Reports.
14 Click Finish.
15 Click in the desired spot in your drawing where you want to start
drawing the drape line.
16 Move the cursor to the spot where you want the first section to end,
and click. Then move your cursor to the spot where you want the
next section to end, and click. You can draw as many sections as you
like. When you are finished drawing your drape line, right-click and
select Finish Pipe and Drape.

Note: For details on customizing the new drape line, see “To customize
drapery elements (color, material, and texture)”.

To quickly change Pipe and Drape Wizard settings

This procedure shows you how to quickly change some of the structural
pipe and drape settings for a selected drape line, such as the height and
diameter of the upright pipes and crossbars. Use this procedure to
customize the structural properties of a single drape line.
1 In your drawing, select the pipe and drape sections that you want to
customize.To select multiple sections, press CTRL, and then click the
appropriate sections.
Note: The sections that you select must have been drawn in the
same way. For example, all drape lines created with Specify method.

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2 Right-click and select Change Pipe and Drape Settings.

Result: The appropriate Settings window appears. Based on the type
of drape line that you selected, a different window appears.
3 Change any of the settings that you see in this window. For help on
any of the boxes, click in the box, and then press F1.
4 Click Finish to save and apply your new settings.

To customize drapery elements (color, material, and

texture)

You can add custom color, texture and material to selected drapery
elements (such as the front and back of the drape panels, the crossbars,
upright pipes, the drape loops that attach to the crossbars, or the drape
lines as a whole).

Notes:
 If you select multiple drape lines in your drawing, you can apply the
same properties to all of them simultaneously through the following
procedure. However, note that if you had already selected varying
properties (for example, if you had chosen one color for the front
panel of some drape lines, but another color for the front panel of
others), or if some of the elements had no properties selected at all,
then when you choose new properties in the following procedure, it
applies to all drape lines selected, overwriting any existing settings
that you may have saved.
 When you select multiple drape lines, the Appearance tab only lists the
properties of selected elements if they are common across all drape
lines. For example, if the front panel of all selected drape lines
already has the same custom texture applied, and it is set to tile in
one meter squared intervals, then these values are shown in the
Appearance tab. However, if at least one of the front panels in the
selected drape lines has a different custom texture value applied, the
Appearance tab does not list the texture settings at all. If you choose
new texture settings, your choice overwrites all existing settings for
the selected element across all selected drape lines.
 You can apply the same properties to all drapery elements by
highlighting “Group” in the Elements box.
1 In your drawing, select the pipe and drape sections that you want to
customize. To select multiple sections, press CTRL, and then click the
appropriate sections.
2 With the desired sections selected, right-click and select Properties.
Result: The Properties window appears.
3 Click the Appearance tab.

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4 In the left pane, click the drapery element that you want to
customize. For example, to customize the front of the drape panels
(each panel is double-sided), click Drape Front.
Note: You can select multiple elements by pressing CTRL, and then
clicking the elements; you can select all elements by clicking Select
All.
5 You have a choice of applying one of the following settings to the
selected elements:
 Layer Rendering Color: Click this option to apply the same color as
the current layer to the selected elements.
 Custom Color: To apply a custom color, click this option button, and then
click the color box. In the resulting color dialog box, select the custom color
that you want to use, or click Define Custom Colors to create your own
color. Click OK, and then click Apply.
 Texture from Library: Click this option to apply a custom texture file
from the WYSIWYG library to the selected elements, and then
click the ellipsis button (...). In the resulting dialog box, navigate
to and highlight the desired texture. Click Select.
 Image Source: Select this option to apply to the selected object(s) a
custom texture file that you have created and saved in either
.bmp, .jpeg, .png, or .gif format. To apply the image, you must
create a new image source. To do so, click New, and then use the
Image Manager to create a new image source with the image you
created. See “To create a new image source in the image
manager”for details.
 Video Source: You can apply a video source or a subsource as a
“dynamic texture” to 3D primitives - surfaces, risers, spheres,
cylinders, or cones - or individual elements of 3D primitives.
Select this option to apply a previously created video source or
subsource, or click New to create a new video source or subsource
directly from this window. See “Video Manager”for details.
6 If you have chosen to apply a texture to the elements, you can
choose how the texture will appear on the selected drapery elements
as follows (if you have applied a color instead, you can skip directly
to step 7):
 To view the texture file as a series of square or rectangular “tiles”
that are repeated over the entire surface of the drapery element,
click the Tile option button, and then type the size of the tiles in
the boxes provided.
 To view the texture file stretched out as a single surface over the
entire drapery element, click the Stretch option button.
 To preserve the aspect ratio of the texture so it is not distorted
when stretched over the element, click Keep Aspect Ratio.

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 To choose a custom border color for the texture when it is

stretched over the surface of the element, click the Border Color
box, and then choose the custom color.
 To set the angle at which the texture appears on the drapery
element, type or select the value in degrees from the Rotation
(Deg.) drop-down list.
 To change the color of the texture, click the Color Tint color box
and select a new color, then click the Scale drop-down list box to
specify the intensity of the color.
7 To choose a custom material for the selected drapery elements (such
as metal, paper, plastic, or fabric) click the ellipsis button (...) in the
Material Properties section.
8 In the resulting dialog box, navigate to and highlight the desired
material, and then click Select.
9 Click Apply.
10 You can apply a transparency level to the selected element. Based on
the settings that you have chosen for color, texture, and material,
the transparency options vary as follows:
 Transparency: This setting controls the proportion of light that
passes through the material. All materials in WYSIWYG specify a
level of transparency that varies from one material to the next.
For example, glass is more transparent than brick. If you select
Default, the transparency level is set to 0% (opaque).
 Specular Level: This setting controls how prominent other specular
effects appear on the material.
 Specular Gloss: This setting controls the level of gloss the material
will project.
 Specular Color Source: This setting controls the amount of light that
is projected on the material.
 Light Reflection: This setting controls the amount of light that is
reflected off the material.
Notes:
 Use the drop-down menus to change any of the material
properties. Use the Reset button to revert back to defaults.
 The beam will pass through a surface with the Transparency value
set to 80% or greater. The beam will not pass through the surface
when the value is lower than 80%.
11 Display Reflection in Shaded Views: Select this checkbox to display the
set reflective characteristics in Shaded Views.
12 Click Apply.
13 Click OK to save your changes and close the Properties dialog box.

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To customize pipe and drape structure for individual drape

lines

This procedure shows how to the structural properties of individual drape

lines that you have selected.

Note: While the tabs in the Properties window are best used to customize
a single drape line, if you have selected multiple drape lines, the values
that you type in these tabs apply to all selected drape lines; they
overwrite any custom settings that you may have previously saved for
individual crossbars, uprights, or drape panels.
1 In your drawing, select the pipe and drape section that you want to
customize.
2 With the desired section selected, right-click and select Properties.
Result: The Properties window appears.
3 On the Properties window, click the Pipe and Drape tab.
 Pipe: This section displays the properties of the drape line crossbars
and upright pipes.
 Crossbar section:
 Length: Type the length of all crossbar pipes in the selected
drape line.
 Diameter: Type the diameter of all crossbar pipes in the
selected drape line. Updating the crossbar diameter will
update the loop diameter.
 Upright section:
 Height: Type the height of all upright pipes in the selected
drape line. Changing the upright height will update the height
of the drape line.
 Diameter: Type the diameter of all upright pipes in the selected
drape line.
 Base Plate: Click the Base Plate drop-down list box to change the
size of the base plate support for the upright pipes.
 Select the Add Base Plate Weight checkbox to add thickness to
the base plate in Wireframe and Shaded views.
 Use Document Defaults (Segments): Click to clear this checkbox if
you want to specify the number of segments that comprise the
circumference of the crossbar pipes. You can choose between
three and 40 segments. This value is largely for rendering
purposes—the greater the number of segments, the greater the
rendering time. Leave this checkbox checked to accept the
default value of 8 segments.
 Drape: This section displays the properties of the drape line panels.
 Panel section:

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 Description: Type to add or replace the additional information

for the drape line.
 Height: Type the height of all panels in the selected drape line.
 Width: Type the width of all panels in the selected drape line.
 Loop Diameter: Type the diameter of the loops that wrap
around the crossbar pipes at the top of all panels in the
selected drape line. This value should be greater than the
diameter of the crossbar pipes.
 Use Document Defaults (Segments): Click to clear this checkbox if
you want to specify the number of segments that comprise
the drape panel loop that wraps around the crossbar pipe. You
can choose between three and 40 segments. This value is
largely for rendering purposes—the greater the number of
segments, the greater the rendering time. Leave this
checkbox checked to accept the default value of 8 segments.
 Notes: Type additional user information for the drape line.
 Curtain section:
 Enable: Select this checkbox to display the curtain as a wave in
Plan View.
 Curtain Folds (2D Plan Only):
 Style: Choose the style of how the wave is displayed.
 Depth: Type the depth of each wave period.
 Width: Type the width of each wave period.
 Number of Segments: Type the number of segments for the 2D
wave object.
4 Click Apply.
5 Click OK.
Result: Your changes are applied to all selected drape lines.

BlackTrax zone
There are three types of Zones which can be defined: Rectangular Zones,
Cylindrical Zones and Spherical Zones. These new CAD objects are used
to define zones of interest for the BlackTrax system, which can be
associated with a trigger relationship in the BlackTrax software.

The BlackTrax Zone objects must be given a unique name when created
so they can be referenced in the BlackTrax System. By default, BlackTrax
Zones will appear as a red, semi-transparent volume in the Shaded
views.

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 Chapter 7

CAD mode - Editing Objects

CAD mode is where you edit your show drawings. This includes
editing your venue, set pieces, lighting positions, focus positions,
and lighting fixtures. Editing in CAD mode is similar to many other
CAD programs, so many of the concepts will be familiar to those
who have used a computer-aided drafting program before.
WYSIWYG adds features that are specific to the entertainment
industry, such as a comprehensive 3D library containing truss,
lighting equipment, lighting accessories, props, musical
instruments, and various human figures.

In this chapter
Editing objects 369
CAD tools 463

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Editing objects

Selecting
Before you can manipulate objects, you must select them. Selected
objects are easily identifiable: a white box appears at the insertion point
and the lines of the object become dotted. Fixtures that are selected are
filled in green and their beams can be set to either on or off.

Use the following table to identify the selection method for objects.

Desired action Selection method

Select a single object.  Click on the object.

Select a single fixture.  In Wireframe view, click on or inside the

fixture symbol’s outline.
 In Isometric view, click the symbol’s
outline to select the fixture.

Select multiple objects.  Press and hold CTRL while clicking on the
desired objects.
 Draw a box from left to right to select all
objects fully within the box.
 Draw a box from right to left to select all
objects fully within the box, as well as the
objects partially contained in the box.

Select all the objects on  Press and hold CTRL+SHIFT and type A
the current layer. or use the Select Current Layer tool on the
Selection toolbar.

Select all the objects on  Press and hold CTRL and type A or use
the screen. the Select All tool on the Selection toolbar.

Select previous selected  From the Edit menu, choose Select

object Special, and then choose Restore Previous
Selection or use the Restore Previous
Selection tool on the Selection toolbar.

Select last object created  From the Edit menu, choose Select
Special, and then choose Select Last
Object Created or use the Select Last Object
Created tool on the Selection toolbar.

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Desired action Selection method

Select all the objects on  From the Edit menu, choose Select
one or more layers or in Special, and then choose Specify layers to
select. You can also use the Specify Layers
layer groups.
tool on the Selection toolbar.
 To select multiple layers, press and hold
CTRL while selecting the layers.
 To select multiple layer groups, press
CTRL while selecting the layer group cell.

Invert Selection  From the Edit menu, choose Select

Special, and then choose Invert Selection.
You can also use the Select all editable
objects that are not currently selected tool on
the Selection toolbar.
 Press CTRL+I to deselect all editable
objects currently selected, and
consequently select all the other editable
objects that were previously not selected.
See “Invert Selection”.
 Press CTRL+SHIFT+I to select and
deselect only fixtures in CAD, Design and
Live mode. See “Invert fixture selection”

Select native objects.  In Wireframe view, right-click and choose

Select Native Objects.
 Choose the desired native object from
the list of created native objects.

Selection sets  In CAD, DATA, DESIGN, and LIVE Modes,

click on the Selection Sets shortcut on
the Selection Sets shortcut bar to select
objects by their selection sets.

Set beam display for  Set the Show beams for selected fixtures
selected fixtures. option. For more information on this
option, refer to the “Wireframe Details
tab”.

Select all instances of a  In Wireframe view, right-click and choose

particular library item. Select Library Items, and then either
select the library item from the menu
that appears, or click Specify to select the
item from a selection box.

Select all library items.  In Wireframe view, right-click and choose

Select Library Items > Select All Library
Items.

Select all instances of a  In Wireframe view, right-click and choose

particular fixture. Select Fixtures, and then either select the
fixture from the menu that appears, or
click Specify to select the fixture from a
selection box. To save time, you can also
press SHIFT+S.

Select all fixtures.  In Wireframe view, right-click and choose

Select Fixtures > Select All Fixtures.

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Desired action Selection method

Select all fixtures on a  In Wireframe view, select the type of

particular type of pipe or pipe/truss containing the fixture that you
want to select. Right-click and choose
truss.
Select Fixtures > Select on Selected Pipe/
Truss and then choose the type of fixture
from the list, or click Select All to select
all fixtures on this type of pipe or truss.

Select fixtures by their  In CAD Mode (Wireframe, Quad, Shaded

fixture group. view), DATA Mode (H Select and V
Select), DESIGN Mode (Wireframe, Quad,
and Shaded View), and LIVE Mode
(Wireframe, Quad, and Shaded view),
click on the fixture group shortcut on the
Fixture Group shortcut bar to select
fixtures by their fixture group.

Select fixtures by their  In CAD Mode (Wireframe, Quad, Shaded

lighting position. view), DATA Mode (H Select and V
Select), DESIGN Mode (Wireframe, Quad,
and Shaded view), and LIVE Mode
(Wireframe, Quad, and Shaded view),
you can right-click to select fixtures by
their lighting position. Note, however,
that you have to name all of your lighting
positions before you can use this feature.
If you do not have any lighting positions
named, then you cannot use this tool
because the position names will not
populate in the list.

To select various fixtures in your file, right-click in a wireframe, click

Select All, and then choose which fixture type to select. This functionality
is available in CAD, Design, and Live modes.

Cycle selection
This feature is helpful when you need to select an object that shares an
edge with another object. For example, if you need to select the roof of a
building that shares its edges with the building’s walls. Left-to-right drag-
selection in a side or elevation view works, of course, but there are many
cases when this method cannot be used.

To use cycle selection

1 To activate Cycle Selection, simply press SHIFT before clicking to
select. When Cycle Selection is active, Cycle On appears in the
WYSIWYG Status bar.
2 To select the object, click in a spot where two or more lines overlap
or intersect (“lines” do not necessarily mean Line objects, but rather
lines that are part of anything drawn or inserted from the library).

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3 To continue selecting, keep pressing SHIFT to continue cycling

through all the items that share the coordinate where you have
clicked (in the order in which they were added to the drawing).
Tips:
 If you also press CTRL at the same time as SHIFT, you can add
items to an existing selection set when those items can only be
selected by Cycle Selection.
 Hold down CTRL+SHIFT and click at a coordinate where
something in the same “cycle set” was already selected to cycle
through all items again, including the one already selected.
 Ensure that when cycling through the cycle set, you do not make
a mistake by canceling the selection of an item that you need to
have selected (although in order to do so, you would have to
release CTRL+SHIFT when you cycle to this item instead of
holding CTRL+SHIFT down as you “pass over it”).

Invert Selection
This feature is helpful if you want to cancel the selection of all the
currently selected editable objects (in CAD), and consequently select all
objects that were previously not selected.
 From the Edit menu, choose Select Special > Invert Selection to
activate invert selection, or press the INV button on the Selection
toolbar, or press CTRL+I, which applies to all objects displayed in
CAD Wireframe and Shaded views.
 Pressing CTRL+SHIFT+I activates invert selection of fixtures and
applies only to all the fixtures displayed in CAD Wireframe and
Shaded views.

Note: Invert selection is also available in Design and Live mode. See
“Using the design tools”.

To use invert selection

For example, if your drawing has a total of 10 objects, and 4 objects out
of the 10 are currently selected. Press CTRL+I to activate invert
selection.
Result: The 4 selected objects will be deselected and the other 6 objects
that were previously not selected, will be selected automatically.

Note: Press CTRL+SHIFT+I to select and deselect only fixtures in CAD.

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Shaded view selection

You can select fixtures in Shaded view in CAD, Design and Live modes.
This allows you to click on a fixture in the Shaded view, which will then
activate the fixture for editing with the Designer tools. You can select
multiple fixtures at one time by either drag-selecting or holding down
CTRL while selecting fixtures.

Using Shaded View Selection

You can activate Shaded View Selection by pressing TAB while in CAD,
Design or Live mode > Shaded View. Once you press TAB, you will notice
a message in magenta on the top right-hand corner of the Shaded view
window: “Shaded View Select ON”.

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To Activate Shaded View Selection

1 In a Shaded view in CAD, Live or Design mode (meaning the amber
outline appears around the Shaded view), press TAB once. You are
now in Shaded View Selection mode.
2 To select a fixture in Shaded View Selection mode, click directly on a
fixture’s image in the Shaded view:

3 To select multiple fixtures in Shaded View Selection, press CTRL and

click each fixture that you want to select. You can also select multiple
fixtures at once by drag-selecting with the mouse as you would in
wireframe modes; Shaded View Selection disables the camera
movement controls so you can drag a marquee box around fixtures
to select them.

4 Once you are finished selecting fixtures, press TAB again to exit from
Shaded View Selection mode. You will then regain control of the
Shaded View camera.
Tips:
 It is helpful to keep your hand near the TAB key while selecting
fixtures and maneuvering around with the camera; once you
need to move around your view, press TAB to exit Shaded View
Selection. Your fixture selection is maintained as you move in and
out of the Shaded View Selection mode.
 Make sure while you navigate around in the Shaded View that you
give yourself a good angle on the view in which you want to
select fixtures. It may be difficult to select a fixture in the middle
of a lighting position or truss while you’re looking at a side view of
it.

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To focus a fixture using Shaded View Selection

Shaded View Selection enables you to focus your fixture by clicking on

the target in Shaded views.
1 Activate Shaded View Selection by pressing TAB while in Design or
Live mode > Shaded View.
Result: A message in magenta appears on the top right-hand corner
of the Shaded view window: “Shaded View Select ON”.
2 Click to select the fixture that you want to focus. To select multiple
fixtures, press CTRL and click to select them. Alternately, fixtures can
be selected using the Fixture Selection toolbar.
3 Activate the focus feature by pressing F on your keyboard (or right-
clicking and selecting Focus from the menu). Alternately, you can
press L to activate the “Full and Focus” feature (or right-click and
select Full and Focus from the menu). The Status bar will indicate
when a focus operation is active.
4 Click in the Shaded view to select the focus target.
5 Press TAB to exit Shaded View Selection.

Using the fixture selection toolbar

The Fixture Selection toolbar offers three convenient methods to select
fixtures in your file and a method to traverse your selection.

Fixture Selection by Spot number

The toolbar has a combo box in which you can type in Fixture spot
numbers that you would like to select (as you would on most lighting
consoles). For a consecutive range of fixtures, use a dash ( - ), or to
enter a list use commas (,)

Note: This method will only work if fixtures have already been assigned
Spot numbers.
Example: “1-10, 15, 20” will select 12 fixtures, with Spot
numbers: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,15,20.

The combo box will remember previous selection strings and display
them when you click on the down arrow.

Fixture Selection by Channel value

In the combo box, you can type the channel value, using “ch” to identify
the channel. Use a dash for a consecutive range.

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Note: This method will only work if fixtures have already been patched
with Channel numbers.
Example: “ch1-10” will select all the fixture patched to channel
numbers 1 to 10.

Select Fixtures By
The Fixture Selection toolbar offers a drop-down menu of all the “Select
Fixture By” methods listed in the menus.

Use the Next button to traverse the fixtures selected one by one from first
to last, or use the Previous button to traverse the fixtures selected one by
one in the reverse order. Select the All button to select all fixtures in your
current selection.

Highlight fixtures
The Highlight feature is available on the Fixture Selection toolbar in Design
mode only. In Shaded view, Highlight sets the currently selected
fixture(s) to an open beam at 100% full intensity temporarily, without
changes to the fixture’s saved settings. See “Highlight fixtures”in Design
tools.

Undo/redo
If you discover that you have made an error while editing an object, you
can easily reverse the error by using the Undo tool available in
WYSIWYG. The name of the Undo tool changes based on what the last
action was (for example, if the last action was a Paste operation, the
Undo tool will be Undo Paste). You can use Undo to reverse the last
series of actions until the tool is greyed out.

If you decide that you did not want to undo an action, use the Redo tool.
Similar to the Undo tool, the name of the Redo tool changes based on
what the last undo action was.

To use the Undo tool

From the Edit menu, choose Undo.
Tip: You may also use the Undo tool on the Edit toolbar.

The Undo button.

Result: The last action you performed is reversed.

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To use the Redo tool

From the Edit menu, choose Redo.
Tip: You may also use the Redo tool on the Edit toolbar.

The Redo button.

Result: The last undo action you performed is reversed.

Grouping/ungrouping
Grouping objects together ensures that they will always be selected as
one. For example, you may want to group an object and its
corresponding focus position. If you relocate the object in the drawing,
the focus position will automatically follow, as will all the light beams
pointing at it, saving you time and work.

To group objects
1 Select the objects to be grouped.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Group.
Tip: You may also use the Group tool on the Tools toolbar.

The Group button.

To ungroup objects
1 Select the grouped objects.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Ungroup.
Tip: You may also use the Ungroup tool on the Tools toolbar.

The Ungroup button.

Note: You can group together objects located on different layers, but the
resulting group can only exist on one layer.

To change or view the layer of a group

1 Select the object(s) for which you want to view the grouping.
2 Right-click and select Properties.
Tip: At any time, to access an object’s properties, you can click the
Properties tool on the Edit toolbar.

The Properties button.

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3 Click the Group tab.

Result: The layers for the objects in the group are listed with the
layer for the group highlighted.
Note: By default, the group assumes the current layer when initially
created.
4 To group the objects on a different layer, select the layer from the
list.
5 Click OK.

Selection Sets
You can group non-fixture objects and create Selection Sets shortcuts in
the Selection Sets shortcut bar in CAD, Data, Design, and Live modes.
Selection Sets apply to any and all drawn objects and objects inserted
from the Library Browser, which include Groups, Truss and Assembled
truss. Multiple Selection Sets can be created on an object.

Selection Sets are NOT the same as Groups because they only save
which particular objects are selected, and the order in which they are
selected.

To create a Selection Set

1 Select the objects you want to group and select with a shortcut.
2 On the shortcut bar, click Selection Sets.
3 Right-click on the open space on the Selection Sets shortcut bar, and
choose New Selection Set from the pop-up menu.
Result: The Enter new selection set name dialog box appears.
4 Type a name for the new selection set.
5 Click OK.
Result: The new Selection Set shortcut appears on the Selection Sets
shortcut bar.

Moving
WYSIWYG supports two types of move commands: relative and absolute.
 Absolute coordinates are relative to the origin of the drawing. An
absolute move is defined as moving an object from one specific point
to another.
 A relative move is defined as moving an object to a destination
relative to its original position.

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To move an object using the mouse

1 Select the objects to be moved.
2 Hover the cursor over the object until a grey box appears, and then
click and hold.
3 Drag the object to the new position, and then release the mouse
button to finish the move.

To move an object using absolute values

1 Select the objects to be moved.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Move.
Tip: You may also use the Move tool on the Tools toolbar.

The Move button.

3 Press ENTER on your keyboard to move the object from its insertion
point, OR click to set the base point for the move, OR type the
coordinates of the base point, and then press ENTER.
Note: When you start typing, a box appears at the bottom left-hand
corner of the window, showing the value that you enter.
4 Type the new coordinate location for the base point, and then press
ENTER.
Tip: You can change only one or two coordinates to an absolute
location while keeping the other coordinates as they are.
Example: If you wish for an object to move to a height of Z=10,
but you don’t know the X and Y coordinates. Start the Move
command and type “x, y, 10” in the Command Line after picking the
base point.

To move an object using relative values

1 Select the objects to be moved.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Move.
Tip: You may also use the Move tool on the Tools toolbar.

The Move button.

3 Type @, followed by the distances to move the object, and then

press ENTER. For example, to move an object 2’-0” stage right (X
axis) and 3’-0” off the floor (Z axis), type the following, and then
press ENTER:

@2’,0,3’

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To move an object using distance and direction

1 Select the objects to be moved.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Move.
Tip: You may also use the Move tool on the Tools toolbar.

The Move button.

3 Type @, the distance that you want to move the object, the < sign,
and the direction (as an angle, positive or negative) to move the
object, and then press ENTER. For example, to move an object 3’-6”
to the left, type the following, and then press ENTER:

@3’6”<-180

Nudging
To save time and for added precision when working in your model, you
can use the Nudge feature to nudge any object except fixtures. The
amount of the nudge is equal to the size of the Grid. For information on
changing the grid size, refer to “Draw Defaults tab”.

To nudge an object
1 In your model, click to select the object that you want to move.
2 Press and hold the SHIFT and ALT keys on your keyboard
simultaneously, and then press the ARROW keys on your keyboard to
nudge the object in the desired direction.
Tip: To nudge objects in increments ten times larger than the size of
the grid, do not hold down SHIFT.

Sending to back/bringing to front

The feature is very useful for correcting draw order issues (among other
things). WYSIWYG displays objects “on top of each other” in the order in
which they were added to the drawing. For example, if you draw/insert a
table after you draw/insert a piece of truss above it (i.e., at a different
missing coordinate), the table will appear “above” the truss (in Plan
View), even though the table is on the floor and the truss is up in the air.

You can use the Send to Back or Bring to Front commands to arrange the
way the objects appear in your drawing. Note, however, that when you
do so the physical location of the objects is unchanged; you are only
changing the way in which they are displayed.

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To send an object to the back / bring an object to the front

Notes:
 The Send to Back option will “place” the selected object “below”
everything else in the drawing.
 The Bring to Front option will “place” the selected object “above”
everything else in the drawing.
 You may note that sometimes the object will not move from its
current position. This may be due to the Draw Order settings on the
Draw Defaults tab of Document Options and View Options. These settings
supersede any Send/Bring commands by essentially telling
WYSIWYG to always draw fixtures, objects, and hang structures in
the order shown.
1 In CAD mode, select the object that you want to send to back or
bring to front.
2 Right-click and select Bring to Front or Send to Back.
Tip: Alternately, you can use hotkeys to send items to the back/bring
them to the front:
 open curly bracket for Bring to Front (i.e., { or SHIFT+[ )
 closed curly bracket for Send to Back (i.e., } or SHIFT+] )

Rotating objects
You can rotate objects around a base point to place them on angles in
your drawing.

To rotate an object
1 Select the object(s) to be rotated.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Rotate.
Note: You may also use the Rotate tool on the Tools toolbar.
 Press ENTER on your keyboard to rotate the object from its
insertion point.

OR
 Click to set the center point for the rotation.

OR
 Type in the coordinates of the center point for the rotation, and
then press ENTER.
3 Type the rotation angle, and then press ENTER, or drag the mouse
and click to type the rotation angle. For example, to rotate an object
45 degrees, type 45, and then press ENTER.

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Rotating objects in place

You can rotate multiple objects around their respective insertion points
to place them all at the same angle in your drawing.

To rotate multiple objects in place

1 Select the objects to be rotated.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Rotate in Place.
 Click to set the base point used for the rotation angle.

OR
 Type in the coordinates of the base point, and then press ENTER.
Note: The base point is only used to help determine the angle, as
each object is rotated around its own insertion point.
3 Type the rotation angle, and then press ENTER, or move the mouse
and click to set the rotation angle. For example, to rotate objects 45
degrees, type 45, and then press ENTER.

Resetting object orientation

Resetting the orientation of an object keeps the object at its insertion
point. The object rotates around the insertion point to its original
orientation.

To reset the rotation of objects

1 Select the objects whose rotation needs to be reset.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Reset Orientation.
Result: The object’s orientation will be reset to its default
orientation.

Mirroring
The Mirror command duplicates and reverses an object, inserting it the
same distance from an axis line as the original object.

Notes:
 After mirroring an object that was originally created through a merge
operation, you cannot reliably perform another merge procedure on
this object; therefore, it is recommended that you perform all merge
operations on these objects before you mirror them.
 Pipes and Truss (including fixtures hanging on them) and fixtures
inserted on the floor can be mirrored. See “Mirroring pipes” and
“Mirroring truss”.

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 When mirroring Text Label objects, the Text Label’s position/rotation,

anchor position, callouts and arrows will be mirrored across the
mirror plane, but the text will always face the screen and will not be
reversed.

To insert a mirrored object

1 Select the object(s) to be mirrored.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Mirror.
Tip: You may also use the Mirror tool on the Tools toolbar.

The Mirror button.

3 Click on the drawing to enter the first axis point.

4 Click on the drawing to set the second axis point.
Result: The mirrored object is copied, reversed from the origin,
based on the axis drawn.

Scaling
The Scale command changes the size of the object(s). The Scale
command applies to a library object, an imported object, and some
primitive objects.

When you use the Scale command menu on a selected 2D or 3D Primitive

Object, it multiplies the scale factor specified, calculates a new dimension
for the Primitive Object and updates the value in its properties.
Whenever an object is scaled, the scale factor of the resulting scaled
object in its new size will always be equal to 1 again.

When you use the Scale command menu and specify a scale factor equal
to 1, the size of the selected object will not change.

If you want to reset the scaled object back to its original or normal size,
select the object, and then choose Reset Scale from the Edit menu.

To use the Scale command on imported objects which did not import as
single entities, we recommend for you to consolidate the selected objects
first, using WYSIWYG’s Consolidate Mesh feature. If not consolidated, the
relative position and size of such objects will not be preserved after the
Scale operation is completed.
Notes:
 Fixtures, Truss and Groups cannot be scaled.
 You can enable the Show Bounding Box for CAD operation option in the
Object Settings tab in the Document Options window to improve the
operation performance when you scale complex objects. A bounding
box appears as a placeholder to complex objects when scaling or
rotating in CAD.

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To scale one or more objects uniformly

1 Select the object(s) to scale.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Scale.
Tip: You may also click the Scale icon on the Tools toolbar.
3 In the Command Line toolbar, type the scale factor value (for example,
“2” or “0.5” or “4”, etc) for a uniform and precise resize.
OR
Use the mouse wheel to increase or decrease the size of the objects
for a uniform and experimental resize method; each notch of the
mouse wheel will increase or decrease the object’s scale uniformly
(i.e. on all three axes) by a factor of 0.5.
4 On your keyboard, press Enter.
Result: The size of the selected object changes according to the
scale factor.

To scale one or more objects with different scale values in X,

Y, Z
1 Select the object(s) to scale.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Scale.
Tip: You may also click the Scale icon on the Tools toolbar.
3 In the Command Line toolbar, type the three (3) values for X, Y, Z
directions.
Example: Type “2,3,1” in the Command Line to make the selected
object 2x wider in the X direction, 3x longer in the Y direction, and
the height remains the same as 1x in the Z direction.
4 On your keyboard, press Enter.
Result: The size of the selected object changes according to the
scale factor for X, Y and Z.

To scale an object by stretching it with click and drag

Note: To scale Library objects (e.g. Trees, Plants, Festive objects, etc.)
by stretching, Library Snap must be enabled.
1 Select the object(s) to stretch.
2 Click and hold on one of its grips, then drag inwards or outwards.
Result: The mouse pointer becomes an arrow at the corner, and the
selected object changes its size according to the movement of the
mouse.
3 Release the mouse when you reach the desired size.

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To reset the scaled object back to its original size

1 Select the scaled object(s).
2 From the Edit menu, choose Reset Scale.
Result: The size of the selected scaled object changes back to its
original size.

Modifying object shapes

You can change the shape of certain objects after they are drawn. The
objects that you can change include lines, risers, cameras, surfaces,
spheres, and arcs. Modifying the shape changes one or more of the
parameters of the object, such as its width, height, or radius.

Note: If you are changing the shape of a sphere, when you click and
drag one of its vertices, it will be resized proportionately if the Lock Ratio
checkbox is checked for the sphere’s properties. (Click Properties > Sphere
tab, and then ensure the Lock Ratio checkbox is checked.) To resize the
sphere in a disproportionate manner, clear this checkbox, and then click
and drag one of its vertices.

To modify the shape of an object

1 Select the object whose shape you want to modify.
Result: You will notice that several white boxes will appear at the
vertices of the object. These boxes are referred to as “markers.”
2 Move your cursor to a vertex.
Result: The cursor changes to an arrow.
Note: If you see a grey dotted box beside your mouse cursor, the
object will be moved instead of reshaped. Move your cursor so that
only the arrow appears.
3 Left-click to “grip” one of the markers.
4 While holding down the left mouse button, click and drag the object
until it reaches the desired shape.
5 Release the mouse button to set the shape.
Tip: As you move the mouse, the current coordinates appear at the
bottom of the screen.

Object properties
All objects in WYSIWYG have properties. Properties are the
characteristics or attributes that shape and define an object. Modifying
object properties is a form of editing and is the only way to make
changes to objects once they have been drawn (some exceptions exist).

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To edit object properties

1 Select the objects that you want to edit.
2 Right-click on the object, and then select Properties.
Tip: At any time, to access an object’s properties, you can click the
Properties tool on the Edit toolbar, or you can double-click on an object
(or fixture in DESIGN mode and LIVE mode).

The Properties button.

Result: The Properties window appears.

Note: All objects have general properties that affect the color and layer
on which they are drawn. Objects also have properties that are particular
to that type of object. For example, fixtures have unit numbers but do
not have a radius. When an object is selected and its properties are
displayed, a tab appears in the properties dialog box for that type of
object. When you select multiple objects of different types, tabs appear
for each type of object selected.

General object properties

In WYSIWYG, there are four tabs that appear in the properties window
for every object. These four tabs are the General, Appearance, Light
Emission, and Sidedness tabs.
For 3D solids and surfaces, the Set Piece tab also appears in the Properties
window.
All tabs are explained here.

General tab
Options on the General tab affect the layer’s color and line weight.

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 Layer: A list of the layers in your document is displayed. Click on a list

item to change the layer on which the objects will be drawn.
 The layers are listed below the Layer Groups if the Display with Layer

Groups checkbox is selected.

 Only the layers are listed if the Display with Layer Groups checkbox is

clear.
 Display with Layer Groups: Select this checkbox to display the layers as
items organized in Layer Groups. Clear this checkbox to display only
the list of layers.
 On the list of Layer Groups, click the arrow at the far left to expand

or collapse a single Layer Group.

 Collapse All: Click the Collapse All button to display only the Layer
Groups.
 Expand All: Click the Expand All button to display the Layer Groups and
all the Layers.
 Use Layer Color: Select this checkbox to set the object’s color for
Wireframe views to be the same as the properties of the layer on
which the object resides. For more information, refer to “Layer
properties”.
 Clear this checkbox, and then use the color button to set a specific

color for the object.

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 Line Weight: From the drop-down list, choose the specific line weight
for the selected object. The applied line weight is visible in all
Wireframe views in all modes. For objects only, you can also choose
the default setting, ByLayer, which sets the object’s line weight to be
the same as the properties of the layer on which the object resides.
The value Default means that the document's line weight setting from
the Document Options > Object Settings window is applied to the object
or layer. For more information, refer to “Layer properties”.
 Attach to Axis: From the drop-down list, select the motion axis to
which you want to attach the selected object or objects. For details
on attaching objects to motion axes, see “To attach an object to a
motion axis”.
Note: You cannot attach Camera paths nor Cameras to axes. To
create a moving Camera, you can either draw a Camera Path or use
the DMX Camera.
 Hatching: Section for managing hatching effects of closed objects.
Note: Hatching is only available for closed objects, e.g. surfaces,
closed lines, 3D primitives, walls.
 Show Hatch Lines: Will enable hatching for the object.
 Available hatching styles: A drop-down list of previously created
hatching styles that can be applied to the object.
 New/Edit...: Create a new hatching style or edit and existing style.

To add hatching to an object

Note: Not all objects support hatching. If hatching is not supported, the
checkbox to enable hatching is disabled.

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1 Right-click the object, and select Properties.

Result: The Properties window appears.

2 In the Properties window, click the General tab.

3 To enable hatching for the object, select the Show Hatch Lines
checkbox.
4 Select the desired hatching style for the object from the Available
hatching styles drop-down list.

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5 Click Apply to enable the hatching style for the object.

To edit or create a hatching style

1 Right-click an object that supports hatching, and select Properties.
Result: The Properties window appears.

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2 In the Properties window, click the General tab.

3 To enable hatching for the object, select the Show Hatch Lines
checkbox.
4 To make a new hatch style or edit an existing style, click New/Edit....
Result: The Hatch Style Manager window appears. All existing hatch
styles are displayed and can be edited here.

5 To create a new hatch style, click the New Hatch Style button.

The New Hatch Style button.

Result: The New Hatch Style window appears.

6 In the New Hatch Style window, enter the details of the new hatch
style.
7 Click OK.

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8 Click Apply to enable the new styles.

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To clone a hatching style

1 Right-click an object that supports hatching, and select Properties.
Result: The Properties window appears.

2 In the Properties window, click the General tab.

3 Select the Show Hatch Lines checkbox.

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4 Click New/Edit....
Result: The Hatch Style Manager window appears. All existing hatch
styles are displayed and can be edited here.

5 To clone an existing hatching style, select the style you want to copy
and click the Clone Hatch Style button.

The Clone Hatch Style button.

Result: The Clone Hatch Style window appears. All the settings of the
selected hatch style will be copied into the window.

6 In the Clone Hatch Style window, edit any hatching setting that you
want to be different from the original hatching style.

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7 Click OK.
Result: The cloned hatching style will appear in the Hatching Style
Manager window and be available for use.

To delete a hatching style

1 Right-click an object that supports hatching, and select Properties.
Result: The Properties window appears.

2 In the Properties window, click the General tab.

3 Select the Show Hatch Lines checkbox.

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4 Click New/Edit....
Result: The Hatch Style Manager window appears. All existing hatch
styles are displayed.

5 To delete an existing hatching style, select the style you want to

remove and click the Delete Hatch Style button.

The Delete Hatch Style button.

Result: The Delete Hatch Style window appears.

6 In the Delete Hatch Style window, to delete the hatch style click Yes.
Result: The selected hatching style be removed from WYSIWYG.

To change the print scale of hatching styles

Spacing for built-in line patterns found in hatching use a default scale of
1.0 equal to 0’6” (2.54 cm). Print Scale Options can be used to create a
different scale when printing in Presentation mode.

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1 Right-click an object that supports hatching, and select Properties.

Result: The Properties window appears.

2 In the Properties window, click the General tab.

3 Select the Show Hatch Lines checkbox.

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4 Click New/Edit....
Result: The Hatch Style Manager window appears. All existing hatch
styles are displayed.

5 Click Print Scale Options.

6 The Print Scale Options dialog box appears.

7 In the Print Scale Options window, to create a custom print scale, select
the radio next to Custom scale.
Note: To revert the print scale to its default settings, select the radio
next to Print scale.
8 Edit the print scale settings as desired.
9 Click OK.

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10 Click Apply.
Result: The print scale options will be changed.

To import hatching patterns

To import Hatch Pattern files (.pat files), save these files in the folder
location that was entered as the Hatch Pattern Files location in the File
Locations tab in Application Options window. When you restart WYSIWYG,
these patterns will be listed in the Hatch Style Manager.
1 Right-click an object that supports hatching, and select Properties.
Result: The Properties window appears.

2 In the Properties window, click the General tab.

3 Select the Show Hatch Lines checkbox.

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4 Click New/Edit....
Result: The Hatch Style Manager window appears. All existing hatch
styles are displayed.

5 Click Import Patterns.

Result: The Application Options window appears.

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6 In the Application Options window, enter the location/folder which

contains the hatch pattern files (.pat files) in the Hatch Pattern Files
field.
7 Click OK.
Result: A dialog box appears warning that WYSIWYG needs to
restart to display the imported hatching patterns in the Hatch Style
Manager.

Appearance tab
Use this tab to specify the appearance of the different components that
make up the currently selected items. Based on the items that you have
selected, the options in this tab differ.

You can use this tab to customize objects by adding different materials,
colors, or textures to each element of the item. For example, if you have
selected a library object, such as a podium, you can apply different
materials, colors, and textures to each part of it (the body and the top
portion).

You can also use this tab to rename the individual elements of the
currently selected object. This is useful for objects that contain many
elements with similar names, like risers.

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Note: You can apply textures to venues, surfaces, risers, walls, library
items, spheres, cylinders, and cones. You can apply transparency to
everything. When customizing the selected element, you can choose
between applying a custom color or a custom texture—you cannot
choose both. In addition to either color or texture, you can also apply
material.

Highlight the element that you want to customize, and then choose one
of the following options:
 Color/Texture
 Ignore Ambient Light: If checked, the selected element(s) will always
appear in Shaded Views using the color values derived from the
Appearance options specified (e.g., texture). While light emission
and light from fixtures will further saturate the colors displayed for
the selected object, ambient light will never affect this object if
this option is enabled. This option is useful when objects (except
Screens) are textured with images or video, and these need to
appear in their original colors at all times. In renderings, this
setting is ignored if light emission is enabled.
 Layer Rendering Color: Check this option to set the object(s) color for
shaded views and renderings to the same as the properties of the
layer on which the object resides. For more information on layer
properties, refer to “Layer properties”.
 Custom Color: Click this option and then use the color button to set
a specific color for the object(s).
 Texture from Library: Click this option to apply a texture from the
library to the selected object(s). In the resulting window, navigate
to and select the desired texture. You can apply textures to
venues, surfaces, risers, walls, library items, spheres, cylinders,
and cones. Click the ellipsis button (...) to change the selected
texture file.
 Image Source: Click this option to apply to the selected object(s) a
texture that you have created and saved in either .bmp, .jpg, .png,
or .gif format. To apply the image, you must create a new image
source. To do so, click New, and then use the Image Manager to
create a new image source with the image you created. See “To
create a new image source in the image manager”for details
 Video Source: You can apply a video source or a subsource as a
"dynamic texture” to 3D primitives--surfaces, risers, spheres,
cylinders, or cones--or to individual elements of 3D primitives.
Select this option to apply a previously created video source or
subsource, or click New to create a new video source or subsource
directly from this window. See “Video Manager”for details.

If you have chosen a texture option, then you can also set the properties
of the texture as follows:

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 Tile: Click this option button if you want to have the texture
repeated over the selected element in a continuous series of
squares or rectangles, and then type the size of the frame in which
you want the texture to appear in the Width and Height boxes.
Based on the size that you enter, WYSIWYG calculates how many
times the texture is repeated (or tiled) to completely cover the
selected element.
 When tiling a texture on a sphere, cylinder, or cone, by default it
will completely wrap around the object. If you change the tile size,
you will scale the texture up or down accordingly. If you revert
back to the original tile values, you return to the default view.
 Stretch: To have the texture stretch over the entire element
surface, click this option button. Based on the aspect ratio and the
rotation angle, WYSIWYG evaluates the surface with all of its
edges and stretches the texture so the best fit is used. Note that
this option is not applicable when you apply textures to spheres,
cylinders, or cones. For these objects, Tile is the only option.
 Keep Aspect Ratio: Click this option to keep the aspect ratio of the
original image when it is stretched over the surface of the object
you have selected. This option helps avoid distortion of complex
textures. If the texture image cannot wrap completely over the
entire surface of the object while maintaining its original aspect
ratio, then the color that you choose in the Border Color box will be
applied evenly around any excess surface area not covered by the
texture (much like a picture frame around a picture).
 Border Color: If you have chosen to preserve the texture’s aspect
ratio, click this box to choose the color that will be applied evenly
around any excess surface area not covered by the texture (much
like a picture frame around a picture).
 Texture / Source Tint: This option will allow the color of an object’s
texture to be altered from the source color.
 Texture Rotation: If the texture has text or another recognizable
image in it, you might need to rotate the image to get it right-side
up. Select the rotation angle from this box.
 Material Properties: Proceed with the following properties settings:
 Material: Click the ellipsis button (...) to choose a material for the

selected elements. Click Default to remove the selected material

from the element and return to the default material. For more
information on materials, refer to “Materials”.
 Material Properties: When a material is selected, the properties of the

material will vary from one material to the next. The Material
Properties section enables these default material settings to be
changed. Each property value can be changed on a scale from 0%-
100%. An explanation of the value is found on the right side of the
property.

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 Transparency: This setting controls the proportion of light that

passes though the material. 0% being completely opaque, 100%
being completely clear.
Note: The beam will pass through a surface with the Transparency
value set to 80% or greater. The beam will not pass through the
surface when the value is lower than 80%.
 Specular Level: This setting controls how prominent other specular
effects appear on the material. 0% being no visibility of specular
effects, 100% being a maximum visibility of specular effects.
 Specular Gloss: This settings controls the level of gloss a material
will project. 0% will project the gloss over a wide area, 100% will
concentrate the gloss in a small area.
 Specular Color Source: This setting controls the color of light
projected on a material. 0% will show only the color of the light,
100% will show only the color of the material.
 Light Reflection: This setting controls the amount of light that is
reflected off the material. 0% having no reflection, 100% being
specular.
 Display Reflection in Shaded Views: Will display reflections in Shaded
Views when enabled. For more information see “Material
reflections”.

To rename object elements

You can use this procedure to rename object elements that have similar
names, giving them a more descriptive name. For example, if you have
customized a riser, you could give each side of the riser a distinct name
according to its custom properties. This is especially useful for custom
objects that you have drawn and are going to save as custom library
items. Since you cannot rename individual elements of custom library
items, it is best to do so before you save the item.
1 Under Elements, highlight the element that you want to rename. For
example, highlight Riser - Back.
2 Click Rename.
3 Type the new, descriptive name for the element.
4 Click OK.
5 Click OK in the Appearance tab to save your changes.

Cast Shadow
The Cast Shadow feature gives you the option to cast shadows and display
footprints of objects in the Shaded view.
 Cast Shadow: Select this checkbox to display in Shaded view the
shadow/footprint of the selected object. Clear this checkbox if you do
not want to display in Shaded view the shadow/footprint of the
selected object.

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By default, the Cast Shadow option is enabled on all objects, and

disabled on all fixtures and hang structures.

Light emission tab

Options on the Light Emission tab affect the light emission properties for
the selected object(s) or the elements that make up an object. Light
emission is defined as the ability for objects to glow or emit light and can
be used to simulate LEDs, lasers, neon, light boxes, projection screens,
and so on. Light emissions can be either Static or Dynamic.

Static light emissions can be seen in CAD, DESIGN and unpatched LIVE
mode. With Static light emissions you can choose different light
emissions for each element in an object.

Dynamic light emission can be seen in DESIGN mode and patched LIVE
mode where each element of the object inherits the same light emission
properties.

In DESIGN mode, the light emitting properties of the entire object are
controlled using the Color Tool and the Intensity Tool. In patched LIVE
mode, the dynamic color and intensity are controlled through DMX.

Note: Instead of using the Properties > Light Emission tab to change the
light emission for the selected object, you can use the Quick Light Emission
Tool. For details, see “Quick light emission tool”.

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Highlight the element that you want to customize, and then choose one
of the following options:
 Static Light Emission
 Enable: Select this checkbox to enable Static light emission for the

object, and then choose the light emitting properties.

 Color: Click the color box to choose the static light-emitting color

for the object. If you set only this value, and not the Dynamic
Color Control, then this is the light-emitting color that the object
will have in all shaded views and renderings in all modes (CAD,
Design, Live). However, if you set the dynamic color value as well,
then you can control the light-emitting color of the object in Live
mode when connected to a console. (The static value still applies
in Design mode.)
 Intensity: Choose the static intensity of the light emission for the

selected object. If you set only this value, and not the Dynamic
Intensity Control, then this is the maximum light-emitting
intensity that the object will have in all shaded views and
renderings in all modes (CAD, Design, Live). However, if you set
the dynamic intensity value as well, then you can control the light-
emitting intensity of the object in Live mode when connected to a
console. (The static value still applies in Design mode.)
 Dynamic Light Emission - Design Mode:

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 Enable Light Emission in Design Mode: Select this checkbox to enable

the dynamic control of the light emitting properties of the selected
object with the use of the Color Tool and the Intensity Tool. This can
be defined for each Look, and you can cross-fade with Light
Emission as you can with lighting.
 Dynamic Light Emission - Live mode: Dynamic light emission will
apply to all elements of an object.
 Dynamic Color Control - Universe: When you select a value from this

drop-down list, the selected object will have light-emitting

properties controllable by three DMX channels (red, blue, green).
The object must be patched according to the WYSIWYG patch
notation: universe.DMX address. From the drop-down list, select
the patch universe of the selected object, and then type the
starting DMX address in the Address box below it. If you set this
value, it overrides the static color control that you chose above (if
any) in Live mode when you are connected to a console.
 Dynamic Color Control - Address: After selecting the patch universe of

the selected object, type the starting DMX address for the patch in
this box.
 Color: Component color settings are designed to be used in groups

of three, meaning that you choose the color mode for one of the
surfaces and then continue choosing color modes for the other two
surfaces in the triplet, assigning one color to each surface (either
red, green or blue). If you are not selecting colors in a group of
three, choose Full Color Mode in this drop-down list.
This feature is particularly useful to emulate a color-mixing source
with discrete red/green/blue elements, such as fluorescent tubes
or LEDs. The color mode affects how the surface responds to the
colors that you assign to it, both static and dynamic. In Full Color
mode, the surface will show the resultant color mix of the RGB
channels controlling it. For example, if you choose white in the
color picker (RGB 255, 255, 255), the surface will be white. How-
ever, when you create a triplet surface using each component
color, one for each surface, and then you choose one of the com-
ponent colors, such as Component Color - Red, then this surface will
only show the red component of the color.
 Dynamic Intensity Control - Maximum Intensity: Enables you to set the

maximum intensity of patched objects. Select the intensity from

the drop-down list.
 The DMX intensity value is treated as a percentage of the dynamic

intensity value. For example, a DMX value of 127 results in 50% of

the maximum intensity value that you set.
 Dynamic Intensity Control - Universe: When you select a value from

this drop-down list, the selected object will have light emitting
properties to a maximum of the intensity that you specify. The
object must be patched according to the WYSIWYG patch notation:
universe.DMX address. From the drop-down list, select the patch
universe of the selected object, and then type the starting DMX
address in the Address box below it.

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 Dynamic Intensity Control - Address: After selecting the patch universe

of the selected object, type the starting DMX address in this box.
 Dynamic Intensity Control - Maximum Intensity: Enables you to set the
maximum intensity of patched objects. Select the intensity from
the drop-down list.

Quick light emission tool

Instead of using the Properties > Light Emission tab to change the selected
object’s light emission, you can use the Quick Light Emission Tool. These
tools allow you to quickly assign or change light emission properties for
the selected object without opening the Properties window. You can enter
repetitive information, as well as incremental information for each object
as you click on it.

Note: The Quick Light Emission Tool applies light emission properties to the
entire object. All elements of the object will be assigned the same color
when using the Quick Light Emission Tool.

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To use the Quick Light Emission Tool

1 From the Tools menu, choose Quick Light Emission Tool.
Tip: You can also click the Quick Light Emission Tool from the Tools
toolbar.

The Quick Light Emission Tool button.

Select the light emission properties for the selected object. For
details on each of the options, see “Light emission tab”. If you want
the value to auto increment for color, make sure you select the Auto
Increment checkbox. WYSIWYG will assign the next sequential
number based on the properties and requirements of the previous
patch.
2 When you have chosen all desired values, click OK.

Sidedness tab
Options on the Sidedness tab affect how the selected object appears in
Shaded views and Renderings. You cannot change the sidedness of any
of the objects that come with WYSIWYG, either library objects or default
venues. By default, all objects in the WYSIWYG library are double-sided,
which means that when you rotate them in Shaded views, all sides
display equally. Conversely, the default venues that come with WYSIWYG
are single sided, which enables you to see “into” the venue when you
rotate it in Shaded views.

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You can, however, change the sidedness of objects that you have drawn
in another program and imported into WYSIWYG (i.e., .dwg, .dxf files or
SketchUp files) or objects that you have drawn in WYSIWYG, such as
custom venues, surfaces or custom objects that you have added to the
library.

For these objects, you can use this tab to change the sidedness from
single to double sided, or vice versa. For example, if you have drawn a
venue as double sided, you can select it and change it to single sided so
that it behaves in the same manner as the default WYSIWYG venues
(i.e., you can see into the venue as you rotate it in Shaded views). If you
prefer to have an outside view of the custom venue, then the double-
sided option is best as it prevents you from seeing “through” the walls.
You can also use this feature to flip the faces of a custom surface from
one direction to the other if you do not like the way the object appears in
the Shaded view.

To change an object’s sidedness

You can use this procedure to change objects from single to double sided
and vice versa. You can also flip the faces of a single-sided object so that
they are oriented in the opposite direction, either inward or outward.

Note: You cannot change the sidedness of any of the objects that come
with WYSIWYG, either library objects or default venues. By default, all
objects in the WYSIWYG library are double-sided, which means that
when you rotate them in Shaded views, all sides display equally.
Conversely, the default venues that come with WYSIWYG are single
sided, which allows you to see “into” the venue when you rotate them in
Shaded views.
1 Select the object that you want to edit.
2 Right-click on the object, and then select Properties.
Tip: At any time, to access an object’s properties, you can click on
the Properties tool on the Edit toolbar.

The Item Properties button.

Result: The Properties window appears.

3 Click the Sidedness tab.
4 Click the appropriate option button, either Double Sided or Single Sided.
To leave the single-sided object’s faces oriented in the same
direction in which they were drawn, proceed directly to step 6. To
change the direction of the faces, see step 5.
5 If you are changing a double-sided object to single sided, and you
want to change the direction in which the object’s faces are oriented
(either outward or inward), select the Flip Normal checkbox.
6 Click OK.

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7 Review your changes in the Shaded tab and make adjustments as

required.

 Sidedness: Choose the sidedness of the selected object:

 Double Sided: Select this option to turn the single-sided object into

a double-sided object. Note that you cannot change WYSIWYG’s

default venues from single to double sided.
 Single Sided: Select this option to turn the double-sided object into

a single-sided object. For example, if you have created a custom

surface/wall/venue and have imported it as a double-sided object
into WYSIWYG, you can select it and make it single sided so you
can see “into” the venue when you rotate it in Shaded views. Note
that you cannot change any of WYSIWYG’s library objects from
double to single sided.
 Flip Normal: If you have imported a custom-drawn object or drawn an
object in WYSIWYG and you see in the Shaded view that it appears
incorrectly (the “faces” showing the texture/color are pointing
inward), select this checkbox to flip the faces in the opposite
direction, and then look at the object in the Shaded view again.

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Object-specific properties
As explained above, objects also have properties that are particular to
the type of object. For example, fixtures have unit numbers but do not
have a radius. When an object is selected and its properties are
displayed, a tab appears in the properties dialog box for that type of
object. When you select multiple objects of different types, tabs appear
for each type of object selected. The following objects are defined:
 points
 lines
 cones
 spheres
 text labels
 dimensions
 axes and motion frames

For all other types of objects (venues, circles, arcs, risers, cylinders, and
cameras), refer to “Drawing objects”. In these cases, the properties
dialog box offers the same options that were given when the object was
initially drawn.
Hanging structures properties (pipes, truss, floor mounts, and so on) are
fully defined in “Hang structures”.
Fixtures and lighting-specific object properties are fully defined in the
“Fixture properties”section.

Colors window
The Colors window allows for full customization and control over colors
used in WYSIWYG. From here the color of any object in WYSIWYG can be
changed. This section will explain the various features of the color
window.

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 Standard: A hexagon of basic colors and shades available for

selection.
 OK: Will confirm the use of a new color to replace the current color.
 Cancel: Will exit the color window without making a color selection.
 Select...: This option is used to gather a custom color sample from
anywhere on your desktop. This option will turn the cursor into a
dropper from which colors can be gathered.
 New: Color selected in the Color window.
 Current: The color that is currently in use.
 Saved Custom Colors: A saved palette of custom colors.
 Add to Custom: Will save selected New color to the Saved Custom
Colors palette.

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 Custom: Section for editing a selected color’s properties.

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Point tab
Options on the Point tab affect how the selected point is drawn. The
default point type used in a document is defined on the Object Settings tab
of Document Options. To ignore the default setting, clear the Use Document
Defaults checkbox, and then select the desired point type.

Line tab
Options on the Line tab affect how the selected line is drawn.

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 Line Pattern: Choose a line pattern for the selected lines. Refer to
“Drawing lines” for an illustration of each type.
 Scale: Type a value in this box to change the length and spacing of
dots and dashes for the selected lines. This value is applicable to
center, hidden, or dot lines only.
 Spline: Select the Spline checkbox to transform a line into a spline or
French curve.
 Closed: Select the Closed checkbox to quickly connect the first point of
a multi-segment line to the last point of that line.
Note: You cannot change a line to a spline or French curve unless
the selected line has more than two vertices.
 Arrow Options: How arrows attached to the line will be shown.
 Display: Select this checkbox to show an arrow at the end(s) of the

line.
 Location: Where the arrow will appear on the line.

 Arrow Size: How large the arrow will appear.

 Arrow Offset: How far away the arrow if from the line.

 Arrow Type: The style of arrow that will be displayed.

 Double Line
 Double Line: Select this checkbox to display the line as a double

line.
 Distance: How far apart the double lines will be from each other.

 Shaded View Options: Select the Shade checkbox to display the

selected line(s) in shaded views and renderings, and in the Diameter
box, type a value for the radius to set its thickness.

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Cone tab
Options on the Cone tab affect how the object is drawn.

 Height: Type a value to change the height of the cone.

 Horizontal Radius: Type a value to change the width of the base
surface.
 Vertical Radius: Type a value to change the depth of the base surface.
 Lock Ratio: Select this checkbox to lock the shape proportion when
the size of the cone is changed.
 Smooth Shading: Select this checkbox to display a smooth appearance
in Shaded view.
 Number of Segments: Type a value to change the number of vertical
divisions that appear when the cone is broken into surfaces, set
pieces, or lines.
 Number of Stacks: Type a value to change the number of horizontal
divisions that appear when the cone is broken into surfaces, set
pieces, or lines.
 Use Document Defaults: Clear this checkbox if you want to specify the
Number of Segments and the Number of Stacks.

Sphere tab
Options on the Sphere tab affect how the object is drawn.

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 Horizontal Radius: Type a value to change the width of the middle of

the sphere or equator.
 Depth Radius: Type a value to change the horizontal depth of the
middle of the sphere or equator.
 Vertical Radius: Type a value to change the vertical depth of the middle
of the sphere or equator.
 Lock Ratio: Select this checkbox to lock the shape proportion when
the size of the sphere is changed.
 Smooth Shading: Select this checkbox to display a smooth appearance
in Shaded view.
 Number of Segments: Type a value to change the number of vertical
divisions that appear when the sphere is broken into surfaces, set
pieces, or lines.
 Number of Stacks: Type a value to change the number of horizontal
divisions that appear when the sphere is broken into surfaces, set
pieces, or lines.
 Use Document Defaults: Clear this checkbox if you want to specify the
Number of Segments and the Number of Stacks.

Text label tab

Options on the Text Label tab affect the information, justification and style
of the selected text labels.

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 Text Label: Type new text to change the label.

 Use SHIFT+ENTER to type on the next line.
 Use ENTER to close the dialog box (equivalent to the OK button).

 Insert Smart Variable: Open the Smart Variables window and select a
smart variable text from the table of smart variables that are listed in
the Production Team Info tab in Document Options.
 Insert Item Data: Open the Item Data window and select data from the
list of retrieved properties of selected fixtures and trusses.
 Multiline Text Alignment: How the text in the Text field will be aligned.
 Height: Section for controlling the height of the text label.
 Specify for: Choose how you would like to specify the height of the

Text Label.
 Individual Line of Text: Sets the height for a single line of text.

 All Lines of Text: Sets the total height of all lines of text.

Example: If you set this to 4' and there are 4 lines of text, then
each line of text will be 1' in height.
 Text Label Padding: Adds space between the text and the text label
border.
 Total Text Label Height: The height of the text and text label padding
combined.
 Font: Section for controlling the font settings of the text label.
 Use Document Defaults: Clear this checkbox to choose the default

font and font styles for all text labels, and then make your
selections.
 Anchor Position: Section for controlling how the text label is
anchored.

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 Horizontal: Select the Text label’s horizontal alignment from the drop-
down list. The available horizontal alignment options are:
 Left: Places the selected text label to the left of the insertion point.

 Center: Horizontally centers the selected text label on the insertion

point.
 Right: Places the selected text label to the right of the insertion

point.
 Vertical: Select the text label’s vertical alignment from the drop-down
list. The available vertical alignment options are:
 Top: Places the selected text label below the insertion point.

 Center: Vertically centers the selected text label on the insertion

point.
 Bottom: Places the selected text label above the insertion point.

 Outline:
 Show Border: Select this checkbox to display a border around the

text label.
 Fill: Select this checkbox and click on the color box to add a fill

color to the background of the text label.

 Callout and Arrow: Section for controlling how callout lines and
arrows attached to the line will be shown.
 Show Callout: Select this checkbox to display the text label with a

callout line.
 Pattern: The pattern of the callout line.

 Scale: The dimension at which the callout pattern is to be viewed at

making it legible.
 Callout Position: The position on the text label where the callout will

extend.
 Show Arrow: Select this checkbox to show an arrow at the end of

the callout.
 Style: The style of the callout arrow that will be displayed.

 Size: How large of the callout arrow that will appear.

 Use Label Color: When selected will use the same color as the text

label for the callout. If not selected a different color can be chosen.
 Lock Callout Position: When selected will lock the position of the

callout when the text label is moved.

 Align to View: Select this checkbox to set the text labels to be legible
regardless of plot type.

Linear dimension tab

Options on the Linear Dimension tab affect the appearance and
measurement mode of the selected dimension. To change the length of a
dimension, it must be stretched in the drawing.

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 Linear Dimension: View and change how the linear dimension is

displayed.
 Length: This box is not editable. It displays the actual length of the

line drawn for the dimension.

 Displayed Length: Select this checkbox and type a value you wish to

display.
 View Type: This box is not editable. It displays the plot type in

which the dimension label is visible, which is determined when the

dimension is drawn.
 Measurement Mode: Specify the view in which the dimension will be

visible. Measurement modes are explained in “Drawing dimension

objects”.
 Rotate: Select the checkbox to rotate the linear dimension.

 Angle: Type the angle of rotation.

 Fill: Select the checkbox and click the color select box to change

the fill color behind the dimension text.

 Options: Customize the other elements of the linear dimension.
 Use Document Defaults: Toggle this option to specify whether the

dimension is to use default document settings as configured in the

Dimension Styles tab, or use custom settings.
 Text Height: The height of the text used in the dimension.

 Text Offset: The positive or negative offset of the text.

 Show Leader Line: Select this checkbox to display the leader line

which indicates the text to the linear dimension.

 Extension: The length of the extension lines.

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 Offset: The distance from extension line from the object being
measured.
 Arrow Size: The size of the arrow head used on the dimension.
 Arrow Type: The style of arrow head used on the dimension.
 Measurement Units: Measurement modes are explained in “Drawing
dimension objects”. Select Imperial or Metric to change the
measurement units.
 Display Units: The preferred way to display measurements. For

Imperial measurements, choose between Feet & Inches, or just

Inches; For Metric, the options are Meters, Centimeters or
Millimeters.
 Precision: Specify the measurement precision of the dimension line.

Based on your choice for measurement units, you can choose to

display the drawing resolution in centimeters, millimeters, whole
numbers, or fractions.
 Display Alternate Unit: Select this checkbox to display the alternate

unit.
 Align To View: The orientation of the text used in the dimension.
Select this checkbox to set the horizontal alignment of the text to
match your view.

Arc length dimension tab

Options on the Arc Length Dimension tab affect the appearance and
measurement mode of the selected arc length dimension. The arc length
dimension can only be changed when the arc itself changes.

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 Arc Length Dimension

 Arc Length: This box is not editable. It displays the actual length of

the arc to which the dimension is attached.

 Displayed Length: Select this checkbox and type a value you wish to

display.
 Options
 Use Document Defaults: Toggle this option to specify whether the

dimension is to use default document settings as configured in the

Dimension Styles tab, or use custom settings.
 Text Height: The height of the text used in the dimension.

 Text Offset: The positive or negative offset of the text.

 Extension: The length of the extension lines.

 Offset: The distance from extension line from the object being

measured.
 Arrow Size: The size of the arrow head used on the dimension.

 Arrow Type: The style of arrow head used on the dimension.

 Measurement Units: Measurement modes are explained in “Drawing

dimension objects”. Select Imperial or Metric to change the

measurement units.
 Display Units: The magnitude of scale which measurements will be

shown, e.g. feet or inches.

 Precision: Specify the measurement precision of the dimension line.

Based on your choice for measurement units, you can choose to

display the drawing resolution in centimeters, millimeters, whole
numbers, or fractions.
 Display Alternate Unit: Select this checkbox to display the alternate

unit.

Radial dimension tab

Options on the Radial Dimension tab affect the appearance and
measurement mode of the selected radial dimension. The radial
dimension can only be changed when the circle or arc itself changes.

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 Radial Dimension
 Radius: This box is not editable; it displays the actual radius of the

circle or arc to which the dimension is attached.

 Displayed Length: Select this checkbox and type a value you wish to

display.
 Options
 Use Document Defaults: Toggle this option to specify whether the

dimension is to use default document settings as configured in the

Dimension Styles tab, or use custom settings.
 Text Height: The height of the text used in the dimension.

 Extension: The length of the extension lines.

 Offset: The distance from extension line from the object being

measured.
 Arrow Size: The size of the arrow head used on the dimension.

 Arrow Type: The style of arrow head used on the dimension.

 Measurement Units: Measurement modes are explained in “Drawing

dimension objects”. Select Imperial or Metric to change the

measurement units.
 Display Units: The magnitude of scale which measurements will be

shown, e.g. feet or inches.

 Precision: Specify the measurement precision of the dimension line.

Based on your choice for measurement units, you can choose to

display the drawing resolution in centimeters, millimeters, whole
numbers, or fractions.

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 Display Alternate Unit: Select this checkbox to display the alternate

unit.

Angle dimension tab

Options on the Angle Dimension tab affect the appearance and
measurement mode of the selected protractor object.

 Angle Dimension: Displays the actual measurements of the Angle

Dimension.
 Angle: This box is not editable; it displays the angle as measured

by the Angle Dimension.

 View: The box is not editable; it displays the view that the angle

was drawn in. Angles are only visible as long as they are drawn in
a views coplanar to either XY, XZ, or YZ planes.
 Flip Angle: Toggle this option to switch between measuring the

interior and exterior angle defined by the Angle Dimension.

 Options: Specify display settings of the Angle Dimension.
 Text Height: Type a value to change the height of the text displayed

by the angle dimension tool.

 Extension Lines: Type a value to change the length of the extension

lines.
 Radius: Type a value to change the radius of the angle dimension

arc.
 Fixed Text Distance: Toggle this option to specify a fixed distance

from the text to the middle of the arc.

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 Show Leader Line: Clear the Fixed Text Distance checkbox and toggle
this option to display the anchored center line.
 Close Extension Lines: Toggle this option to close the center
extension or to specify the length of the center extension.
 Show Arrows: Toggle this option to display the arc with arrows. You
can specify the size of the arrow and choose the arrow type from
the drop-down list.

Axis tab
Options on the Axis tab affect the appearance of the selected axis. The
Axis tab also enables you to specify the patch settings for the selected
axis.

 Name: Modify this property to change the name of the axis.

 Type: Indicates the type of axis. Can be one of Linear or Rotation.
 Patch
 Patch Type: Allows you to specify which patch type you want. Can
be one of DMX or Motion Patch. If DMX Patch is selected then the
DMX Patch area will be enabled while the Motion Patch is disabled.
 DMX Patch - Universe: Select the DMX Universe to which you want to
bind the axis. The Universe must be created in DATA mode.
 DMX Patch - Address: Specify the starting address of the axis object.
Linear and Rotational axes take up two channels in a DMX universe
(Move, Move Fine).

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 Motion Patch – Universe: Select the Motion Control Universe to which

you want to bind the axis. The Universe must be created in DATA
mode.
 Motion Patch - ID: Specify the root ID of the axis. Linear and

Rotational axes will take up one slot in the Motion Control

Universe.
 Linear Axis Arrow: Enter a value to change the size of the arrow on a
selected linear axis.
 Label
 Height: Type the height of the text associated with the axis.
 Align to View: Select this checkbox to align the axis to the specific
view that it is in (i.e. Side, Front, Back, Iso).
 Show Label: Select this checkbox to display the label text of the
axis.
 Label Position: Choose where to place the label text along the axis.
 Text Justification- Horizontal: Choose how the label text is aligned
horizontally to the axis.
 Text Justification - Vertical: Choose how the label text is aligned
vertically to the axis.
 Font: Clear the Use Document Defaults checkbox to change the font
face of the label text, or leave the Use Document Defaults checkbox
selected to use defaults.

Frame tab
Options on the Frame tab affect the appearance of the selected frame.
The Frame tab also enables you to specify the patch settings for the
selected frame.

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 Name: Modify this property to change the name of the frame.

 Patch
 Patch Type: Allows you to specify which patch type you want. Can
be one of DMX or Motion Patch. If DMX Patch is selected then the
DMX Patch area will be enabled while the Motion Patch is disabled.
 DMX Patch - Universe: Select the DMX Universe to which you want to

bind the frame. The Universe must be created in DATA mode.

 DMX Patch - Address: Specify the starting address of the frame

object. Frames take 12 channels (X, X Fine, Y, Y Fine, Z, Z Fine,

Rx, Rx Fine, Ry, Ry Fine, Rz, and Rz Fine).
 Motion Patch – Universe: Select the Motion Control Universe to which

you want to bind the frame. The Universe must be created in DATA
mode.
 Motion Patch - ID: Specify the root ID of the frame. Frames will take

up 6 slots in the Motion Control Universe, where each slot will take
the form of ID:X, ID:Y, ID:Z, ID:Rx, ID:Ry, and ID:Rz.
 Frame Type: Select the BlackTrax Trackable Frame checkbox to set the

frame for BlackTrax and associated with a BlackTrax Trackable.

 Label
 Height: Type the height of the text associated with the frame.

 Align to View: Select this checkbox to align the frame to the specific

view that it is in (i.e. Side, Front, Back, Iso).

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 Show Label: Select this checkbox to display the label text of the
frame.
 Label Position: Choose where to place the label text along the
frame.
 Text Justification- Horizontal: Choose how the label text is aligned
horizontally to the frame.
 Text Justification - Vertical: Choose how the label text is aligned
vertically to the frame.
 Font: Clear the Use Document Defaults checkbox to change the font
face of the label text, or leave the Use Document Defaults checkbox
selected to use defaults.

Motion ranges tab

Options in the Motion Ranges tab enable you to modify the allowed ranges
of motion for the selected Frame.

 X Direction: Select this checkbox to allow linear movement along the X

axis. Edit the minimum and maximum extents to define the Frame’s
motion range.
 Y Direction: Select this checkbox to allow linear movement along the Y
axis. Edit the minimum and maximum extents to define the Frame’s
motion range.
 Z Direction: Select this checkbox to allow linear movement along the Z
axis. Edit the minimum and maximum extents to define the Frame’s
motion range.

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 X Rotation: Select this checkbox to allow rotations around the X axis.

Edit the minimum and maximum extents to define the Frame’s
motion range.
 Y Rotation: Select this checkbox to allow rotations around the Y axis.
Edit the minimum and maximum extents to define the Frame’s
motion range.
 Z Rotation: Select this checkbox to allow rotations around the Z axis.
Edit the minimum and maximum extents to define the Frame’s
motion range.
 Use Motion Ranges in Live Mode: When disabled, the specified motion
ranges will only be enforced in DESIGN mode, giving you the full free
range of motion in LIVE mode. When enabled, the specified ranges of
motion will be enforced in LIVE mode as well.

Textures
You can apply textures to different objects, such as venues, surfaces, 3D
primitives, and library objects. Surfaces are created using the Surface
tool, or by extruding a line. The textures provided with WYSIWYG
emulate various types of surfaces, such as brick or cloth. You can also
use your own bitmap or jpeg files as textures, to emulate projection
screens, or to cover a surface with a texture specific to your show.

When customizing an object, you can apply either a color or a texture;

you cannot apply both.

To apply a texture to a surface

The following procedure details how to apply a texture to a surface, but it

can also be used to apply a texture to venues, risers, walls, library
objects, spheres, cylinders, or cones by right-clicking, and then selecting
Properties.

In order for textures to be displayed properly on surfaces, the surface

must be drawn in a counter-clockwise direction. For details, see “To draw
a surface”.
1 Right-click the surface to which you want to apply a texture, and
then choose Properties.
2 Click the Appearance tab.
3 Select the texture option that you want. The options are:
 Texture from Library: Indicates that the selected surface is a texture
from the WYSIWYG library. The texture name appears in the box
provided. Click the ellipsis button (...) to modify the selected
surface.
 Image Source: The selected surface uses a texture from an
external bitmap or jpeg file on your hard drive rather than one
from the WYSIWYG library. Click the drop-down list box to select

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from the images stored and available in Image Manager or click

New to create a new image source in Image Manager.
 Video Source: The selected surface uses a texture from a live or
pre-recorded video source. Click the drop-down list box to select
from the video files stored and available in Video Manager, or click
New to create a new video source in the Video Manager.
4 Click Tile to have the texture repeated over the selected element in a
continuous series of squares or rectangles, and then type the size of
the frame in which you want the texture to appear in the Width and
Height boxes. Based on the size that you enter, WYSIWYG calculates
how many times the texture is repeated (or tiled) to completely
cover the selected element.
5 Check Stretch to make the selected texture grow to cover the entire
surface. Based on the aspect ratio and the rotation angle, WYSIWYG
evaluates the surface with all of its edges and stretches the texture
so the best fit is used. This option is not active unless you choose a
texture. You cannot choose this option for spheres, cylinders, or
cones. If you choose this option, you can also choose the following:
 Aspect Ratio: Click this option to preserve the aspect ratio of the
original texture image when it is stretched over the surface of the
object you have selected. This option helps avoid distortion of
complex textures. If the texture image cannot wrap completely
over the entire surface of the object while maintaining its original
aspect ratio, then the color that you choose in the Border Color box
will be applied evenly around any excess surface area not covered
by the texture (much like a picture frame around a picture).
 Border Color: If you have chosen to preserve the texture’s aspect
ratio, click this box to choose the color that will be applied evenly
around any excess surface area not covered by the texture (much
like a picture frame around a picture)
Note: Textures from a single image source can be applied to fit
curved surfaces that were extruded from arcs and splines. See
“Extrude”for more information.
6 If the texture has text or another recognizable image in it, you might
need to rotate the image to get it right-side up. Select the rotation
angle from the Texture Rotation drop-down list.
7 Click OK.

Alpha mapping
WYSIWYG supports simple Alpha Mapping with PNG images. In Shaded
View, camera view can look through and lighting beams can pass through
transparent sections of these images that were set as textures.

Alpha Level supports Alpha Blending for Camera on surfaces with

transparency. Two overlapping translucent surfaces will be displayed
accurately showing the levels of intersecting transparencies.

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When Alpha Beam Shadows is enabled, alpha fill percentage/value in

images are utilized when altering the beam’s color and intensity as it
passes through the surface. See “Simulation tab” in Shaded Views.

Beams do not handle different levels of Alpha fill. Beams will only pass
through the images with Alpha fill level between 0 and 127 of 255.

In a PNG image file:

 Areas of the image filled with any level of transparency will work
correctly as transparent or semi-transparent textures in Shaded
view.
 Areas of the image filled with higher transparency (Alpha fill level
between 0 and 127 of 255) will allow beams to pass through.
 Areas of the image filled with lower transparency (Alpha fill level
between 128 and 255) will not allow beams to pass through.

Notes:
 Each alpha shadow level supported for this feature requires
additional video memory from your graphics card, which can impact
performance depending on your scene and computer hardware.
 Alpha Texturing is supported with PNG images containing alpha
transparency built into the image. For more information about using
Alpha Textures, please see http://forums.cast-soft.com/
index.php?threads/using-alpha-in-r38.662/.
 The Image Manager window preview will display a grey checker
pattern to identify the alpha levels that are defined in the image.

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Materials
Materials differ from textures in that they do not affect what the objects
or surfaces will look like, but rather how they interact with light. The
result of applying a material is only apparent in renderings and in Shaded
view. Below is an example of a rendering with materials included:

Objects and surfaces can be assigned both a texture and a material.

You apply materials using the Appearance tab in the Properties dialog box.
You can choose your preferred material from the list of materials
provided with WYSIWYG.

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M4.
M3.
M2.
M1.
M0.

A sample of mannequins, exactly the same except for the material

applied: M0 default settings, M1 Metal 1(Dull), M2 Metal 2, M3 Metal 3,
M4 Metal 4 (Shiny).

To toggle materials in Shaded View

1 While in Shaded view, click Options > View Options....
2 In the Simulation tab, click the Materials checkbox to toggle materials
in shaded view on or off.

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To apply a material to an object (surface, object, or venue)

1 Right-click the object which you want to apply the material to, and
then choose Properties.
Result: The Properties window appears.

2 In the Properties window, click the Appearance tab.

3 From the Elements list box, choose the elements to which you want
to apply the material. To choose a custom material for the selected

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elements (such as metal, paper, plastic, or fabric) click the ellipsis

button (...) beside the Material box.
Result: The Material Select window appears.
Tip: When a material is highlighted in the Material Select window, a
preview of the material applied to objects is displayed.

4 In the Material Select window, navigate to and highlight the desired

material, and then click Select.
Result: The settings of the element will be configured so that it
simulates the material.
5 If desired, you can edit the default properties of the selected
element. The element options vary as follows:
 Transparency: This setting controls the proportion of light that
passes through the material.
 Specular Level: This setting controls how prominent other specular
effects appear on the material.
 Specular Gloss: This settings controls the level of gloss the material
will project.
 Specular Color Source: This setting controls the color of light
projected on the material.
 Light Reflection: This setting controls the amount of light that is
reflected off the material.
Note: Use the drop-down menus to change any of the material
properties. Use the Reset button to revert back to defaults.
6 Click Apply.
7 Click OK.

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Material reflections
The reflective properties of a material can be toggled to enable true
reflections in Shaded Views. When enabled, the material will produce a
detailed and faithful representation of everything reflected on its surface.

Attention: The number of reflective material surfaces that WYSIWYG

can support is 10. When enabling reflections on an object, note the
number of surfaces that make up the object. For example, a cube has 6
sides. If an entire cube was to be reflective, it would use 6 reflective
surfaces.

Note: Objects that have reflections enabled will be displayed with a blue
bounding box in the Shaded view.

To apply reflections to an object (surface object or venue)

Note: The quality of reflection is based on the material properties of the
object. Dull or unreflective materials will reflect poorly.
1 In CAD mode, Wireframe view, right-click the object which you want
to apply the reflection to, and then choose Properties.
Result: The Properties window appears.
2 In the Properties window, click the Appearance tab.
3 From the Elements list box, choose the elements of the object which
you want to apply the reflection.
Note: Remember WYSIWYG limits the number of reflective surfaces
to 10.

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4 In the Material Properties section, select the Display Reflection in Shaded

Views checkbox.
5 Click Apply.
6 Click OK.
7 Go to LIVE mode, Shaded view.
8 Go to Options > View Options....
Result: the View Options window appears.
9 In the View Options window, click the Simulation tab.
10 Under the Materials section, select the Reflections checkbox.
11 Click OK.
Result: Reflective materials will be enabled and demonstrate true
reflections.

Layers
Layers are drawing aids intended to help you organize your plot. They
are like transparent acetate sheets upon which you can draw. In the
same way that you can view several transparent sheets at once by
placing them on top of each other, you can hide and unhide layers by
choosing which sheets are in the stack. The top sheet is the layer that
new objects are placed on and is called the current layer. You can also
merge layers together if you decide that you need to combine one or
more layers.

To find out the layer to which any object in your plot is assigned, just
hover over the object with your cursor in any of the Wireframe views. A
tooltip appears listing the object name and its layer. This is especially
useful when you are working with multiple layers, some of which have
the same color.

Layers can be organized into Layer Groups in the Layer Database

window. The Layer Groups feature is enabled or disabled from the
Document Options window. Layer Groups can be created, viewed,
modified and deleted in the Layer Database window. See “Layer groups”
for more information.

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Creating layers

To create new layers

1 From the Managers menu, choose Layers.
Result: The Layer Database window appears.

2 To create a new layer, click the New icon.

The New Layer button.

3 Type a new name for your layer (for example, “Stage”).

4 Choose the color for the objects in the Layer, from the Layer Color
color select box.
5 By default, the new layer is ungrouped but you may choose to set
the new layer as part of a group if available from the Layer Group
drop-down list.
6 Choose from the options: (WYSIWYG maintains this setting for the
next layer that you create.)
 Make Current sets the new layer as the current active layer.
 Add Layer to current Scene adds the new layer to the current active
Scene.

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 Add Layer to all Scenes adds the new layer to all the Scenes.
7 Click OK.
8 To make a layer and all objects on the layer visible on the plot and in
shaded views, select the Visible icon. If not selected, the layer is not
visible and is not, therefore, editable.
9 To make a layer and all objects on the layer editable on the plot and
in shaded views, select the Editable icon. If not selected, the layer is
not editable and is not, therefore, visible.
Tip: You might want to cancel the selection of a layer when you are
finished working with it to avoid possible errors while working on
other parts of the plot. This is similar to freezing in AutoCAD.
10 To change the color of the layer, click Color Select.

Note: It is recommended that you select different colors for each

layer so as to easily identify the layers on the plot.
11 To change the line weight of the selected layer, choose the applicable
thickness from the Line Weight drop-down list box. If you leave Default
selected, the line weight from the Document Options window is
applied to the selected layer. The line weight that you select applies
to all objects on this layer (including library objects, pipes, and truss)
and is visible in all Wireframe views in all modes.
12 To set a different Print Color for a layer (while preserving the actual
Layer Color), choose the color from the Color Select box under the Print
column. By default, the Print Color is set to the Layer Color, and this
is identified by the Color Select box shown with a checker pattern to
identify them as the same. When the Print Color is set to a different
color, the selected color will appear in the Color Select box.
Note: The print color will be displayed in Layouts and New Plots
when it is set to a color.

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13 Select the checkbox on the Greyscale column to override the color of

the layer and display it in greyscale, while preserving the actual layer
color. This will display the layer(s) as grey, while another layer, which
may be more important in the plot, will be displayed in their color
and be more visible in the plot.
14 To view the properties of a layer (for example, name, color, and
inventory of objects drawn on the layer), click the Layer Properties
icon. For more information on these properties, refer to “Layer
properties”.

The Layer Properties button.

15 Before closing the dialog box, set your current layer by highlighting
it, and then clicking Set Current. Alternately, you can set the current
layer buy double clicking in the first column on the left, beside a layer
name.

The Set Current Layer button.

Note: The current layer is the layer that you are working on at the
moment – any object that you draw is placed on this layer and
assumes the layer's default properties when it is drawn. A check
mark appears beside the name of the current layer.
16 To view and modify the scenes in which a layer is included, select a
layer, and then click Edit Scenes. For details, see “Scenes”.

The Edit Scenes button.

17 Click OK to close the Scenes for layer dialog box.

Notes:
 To quickly sort the layers within the layer database, click the
appropriate column heading in the Layer Database dialog box. For
example, click the Editable column heading to sort the layers by edit
setting; that is, those layers selected as editable appear at the top of
the list in alphabetical order.
 How columns appear in the Layer Database can be edited. The order of
columns can be changed by clicking on a column header and
dragging it left or right to the desired position. By right-clicking
anywhere in the table area, a list is displayed which allows you to
show/hide columns as you wish. On the list, click Layer Groups to
show the layers in groups, see “Layer groups” section.
 To freeze columns, right-click on the column header and select Freeze
Columns in the displayed list. The column that was clicked on and all

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the columns to its left will freeze, and will always be visible when
scrolling over horizontally to the right.

Merging layers
After you add layers, you can merge two or more of them together if you
decide that you need to combine them.

To merge layers
1 From the Managers menu, choose Layer....
2 In the Layer Database window, hold CTRL and click to select the layers
that you would like to merge together.

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3 With the layers selected, click the Merge Layers button.

The Merge Layers button.

Result: WYSIWYG asks you to specify the Target Layer, or the layer
to which the additional layers will be merged.

4 From the drop-down list box, select the target layer, and then click
OK.
Result: The layers are merged, and you will see only the target layer
(the one you chose to merge other layers into).

Layer descriptions and tags

Once layers are created, descriptions and tags can be added to the layers
to easily sort the layers and show what they are used for. The Description
column can contain a description of your layer, or any notes you wish.

Note: If you import an AutoCAD file containing text in its Description

column, the text will be imported into the Description column in
WYSIWYG.

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To add descriptions and tags to layers

1 From the Managers menu, choose Layers.
Result: The Layer Database window appears.

2 In the Layer Database window, click in the Description or Tag field next
to the layer you want to add information to.
3 Type in the information in the field.

Result: The layer will have descriptive information added.

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Layer prefixes
The prefix tool is used to add a prefix to the existing name of all the
selected layers.

To add prefixes to layers

1 From the Managers menu, choose Layers.
Result: The Layer Database appears.

2 In the Layer Database window, select the layers you want to add a
prefix to.
3 Click the Prefix button.
Result: The Change Layer Prefix dialog box appears.

4 In the Change Layer Prefix dialog box, enter the prefix you want to use.

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5 Click OK.
Result: The selected layers will now have the chosen prefix before
their name.

Layer properties
All layers have properties that describe the appearance of the layer.
Objects that reside on the layer inherit the properties of the layer by
default unless you decide to override the values. For more information on
overriding object properties, refer to “General object properties”.

Layer highlight
You can highlight the current/active layer automatically, by keeping only
the current layer displayed in its layer color while all the other layers are
in greyscale.

To enable layer highlight

1 From the Managers menu, choose Layers.
2 In the Layer Database window, highlight a layer.
3 Click the Set Current button. Alternately, you can double click the
column on the left beside the layer name.
4 Click the Layer Highlight button.

The Layer Highlight button.

Result: The highlighted layer will be displayed in its layer color and
all the other layers will be in greyscale.

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Adding filters to the layer database

When using scenes, the Layer Database can have filters applied so that
only layers found in the scene will be visible.

To filter the Layer Database

1 From the Managers menu, choose Layers.
Result: The Layer Database window appears.

2 In the Layer Database window, click the Select Filter icon.

The Select Filter button.

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3 In the filter list, select Layers in the Current Scene.

Result: Only layers in the current scene will be visible in the Layer
Database

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General tab
Options on the General tab affect the selected layer’s color, line weight,
visibility, grouping, print and render color.

 Name: The name of the selected layer.

 Description: A description of the selected layer.
 Visible: Select this checkbox to make the selected layer visible on the
plot and in shaded views. If you modify the property here, it is
changed on the Layer Database window.
 Editable: Select this checkbox to make the selected layer editable on
the plot and in shaded views. Modifying the property here changes it
on the Layer Database window.
 Tag: A descriptive tag applied to the layer. Used for sorting and
categorizing information.
 Line Weight: From the drop-down list, choose Default to set the layer’s
line weight to the default value specified in Document Options. For
more information, refer to the “Document Options”.
If preferred, you can also choose a specific line weight for the layer.
The value is used as the line weight for all the objects that reside on
the specified layer (including library objects, pipes, and truss), unless
otherwise modified. To modify the line weight of an object, refer to
the “General tab”.
 Group: From the drop-down list, choose the Layer Group where this
layer will be set into.

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 Layer Color: Specify the color of this layer to set the color of all the
objects that are displayed in this layer in all Wireframe views.
 Greyscale: Select this checkbox to override the color of the layer and
display this layer in greyscale while preserving the actual color.
 Print Color: Specify a different color for objects that reside in the
selected layer when printing the document. Select the Use Layer color
for print checkbox to use the same layer color when printing the
document. When the print color is the same as the layer color, the
Color Select box will show a grey checker pattern to identify them as
the same. When the print color is different from the layer color, the
Color Select box will show the set color.
Note: The print color will be displayed in Layouts and New Plots
when it is set to a color.
 Render Color: Specify a different color for objects that reside in the
selected layer when rendering in Shaded view in Design mode. Select
the Use Layer color for render checkbox to use the same layer color
when rendering objects in this layer. When the render color is the
same as the layer color, the Color Select box will show a grey checker
pattern to identify them as the same. To modify the object color for
rendering, refer to the “General tab”.
 Scene: The scenes that the layers appear in.

Object Counts tab

Entries on the Object Counts tab indicate the total number of objects that
reside on the selected layer. Values on this tab are read-only.

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Deleting layers
You must remove all objects from a layer before you can delete it. You
cannot delete the current layer.

To delete a layer
1 Select all the objects on the layer that you want to delete, and then
delete them or move them to another layer.
2 From the Managers menu, choose Layers.
Result: The Layer Database window appears.
3 Ensure that the layer you want to delete is not set as the current
layer.
4 Select the layer from the list.
5 Click the Delete Layer(s) icon.

The Delete Layer(s) button.

6 Click OK.
Tips:
 The Layer toolbar gives you quick access to all existing layers and
the Layers database. Click the tool on the left end of the Layer
toolbar to access the Layer database.

The Layers button.

 Use the layer list in the Layer toolbar to quickly set the current
layer. If objects are selected when you do this, those objects are
moved to the selected current layer.

Layer groups
A Layer Group is a selection of layers that are organized into a group in
the Layer Database window. One or more layers can be selected and set
into a Layer Group with a specified name. Layer Groups are created,
viewed and modified in the Layer Database window. The Layer Group
feature is enabled or disabled in the Document Options window.

The ungrouped layers, by default are listed under the group name
“Ungrouped”, which can be renamed like any other Layer Group.

In the Layer Database window, the position of the “Ungrouped” group of

layer(s) can be set to either top or bottom of the displayed list.

You can also right-click on the Layer Database window and locate Layer
Groups from the list to toggle the display of Layer Groups in the Layer
Database.

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Creating layer groups

To create new Layer Groups

1 From the Managers menu, choose Layers.
Result: The Layer Database window appears with the layer groups
enabled and displayed.

2 Press and hold CTRL and select one or more layers.

3 Click the New Group icon.

The New Group button.

4 Type a new name for your Layer Group.

5 Click OK.
Result: The new Layer Group with all its layers is added to the list.
6 To make all layers in the Layer Group visible or invisible on the plot
and in shaded views, select the Layer Group, then click the Visible
icon. All the layers in the Layer Group will not be editable if not
visible.

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7 To make all the layers in the Layer Group editable or not-editable on

the plot and in shaded views, select the Layer Group, then click the
Editable icon.
8 To change the color of all the layers in the selected Layer Group, click
Color Select. All the layers in the Layer Group will have the new color.

9 To change the line weight of all the layers in the selected Layer
Group, choose the thickness from the Line Weight drop-down list box.
If you leave Default selected, the line weight from the Document
Options window is applied to all the layers in the selected Layer
Group. The specified line weight sets the thickness for all the object
symbols in the associated layers (including library objects, pipes, and
truss) in the Layer Group, defining how they will appear in all the
Wireframe views and printed Layouts.
10 To set a different Print Color for the selected layer group (while
preserving the actual Layer Color of the group), choose the color
from the Color Select box under the Print column. The print color
selected for the layers in the group will be displayed in Layout and
New Plots.
11 Select the checkbox on the Greyscale column to override the color of
the layer group and display it in greyscale, while preserving the
actual layer group color. This will display the layer(s) in the layer
group as grey, while another layer, which may be more important in
the plot, will be displayed in their color and be more visible in the
plot.
Note: When layer groups are set in greyscale, you can change how
the objects in the layer groups will be displayed in the General tab in
Document Options. See the section “General tab”.

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12 On the list of Layer Groups, click the arrow at the far left of each layer
to expand or collapse a single Layer Group.
13 Click the Collapse All button to display only the Layer Groups.

The Collapse All button.

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14 Click the Expand All button to display the Layer Groups and all the
Layers.

The Expand All button.

Notes:
 The use of Layer Groups can be switched off from the Layer Database
window. Right-click the table area and from the list of columns that
appear, clear Layer Groups. This links to the General tab in the Document
Options window and disables the Enable Layer Groups option. Only the
list of layers will be displayed in the Layer Database window.
 The order of how the columns appear in the Layer Database can be
changed by clicking on a column header and dragging it left or right
to the desired position.
 To show/hide columns, right-click anywhere in the table area, and
then select or clear the columns from the displayed list.
 To freeze columns, right-click on the column header and select Freeze
Columns in the displayed list. The column that was clicked on and all
the columns to its left will freeze, and will always be visible when
scrolling over horizontally to the right.
 The ungrouped layers, by default are listed under the group name
Ungrouped, which can be changed, and listed on top or bottom of the
list of layers.
 To change the name, click the name and type the new name.

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 To change the position, right-click anywhere in the table and click

Options. Select Top or Bottom in the Grid Options window. You can
also go to the General tab in the User Options section of the
Document Options window. See “User Options”.

Layer group descriptions and tags

Descriptions and Tags can be added to a Layer Group which will be
displayed to all the layers of the selected Layer Group.

To add descriptions and tags to Layer Groups

1 From the Managers menu, choose Layers.
Result: The Layer Database window appears.

2 In the Layer Database window, click in the Description or Tag field in the
row of the Layer Group you want to add information to.

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3 Type the information in the field.

Result: The Layer Group and all the layers associated will have the
descriptive information added.

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Moving layers between groups

To move a layer from one group to another

1 From the Managers menu, choose Layers.
Result: The Layer Database window appears.

2 In the Layer Database window, highlight one or more layers you want
to move.
3 Click and drag the highlighted layer/s (NOT the active layer) into
another layer group where you want the layer/s transferred.

Deleting layer groups

Deleting the Layer Group will remove the Layer Group from the Layer
Database. All the layers of the deleted Layer Group will be ungrouped
and returned to the Ungrouped group. All the settings of the deleted
Layer Group will be removed from all the ungrouped layers.

To delete a layer group

1 From the Managers menu, choose Layers.
Result: The Layer Database window appears.
2 Select the Layer Group from the list.

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3 Click the Delete Layer(s) icon.

The Delete Layer(s) button.

Result: The Warning dialog box appears to inform that the layers in
this Layer Group will return to the Ungrouped Group. Select the
checkbox Always move associated Layers to the Ungrouped Group when a
Layer Group is deleted and the Warning dialog box will not appear
again.

4 Click Yes.

Scenes
Scenes are collections of layers used to organize the plot. A scene may
contain one or more layers.

Hiding a scene hides all the layers assigned to that scene. By organizing
the layers and scenes in your plot, you can quickly perform set changes.

By default WYSIWYG creates two initial scenes: Current Layer Only and All
Layers. You cannot delete these scenes.

You can use keyboard hotkeys to activate and switch between scenes.
You can also enable the DMX control of scenes feature on the Scene
Database window and use a DMX channel to activate and switch between
scenes.

To create a new scene

1 From the Managers menu, choose Scenes.
Result: The Scene Database window appears.
Notes:
 The default scenes All Layers and Current Layer Only are always
displayed on top of the list, followed by all User-created scenes in
ascending or descending order.
 The Ungrouped group of layers are displayed at the top or bottom
of the list, as set in the Document Options > General tab.

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2 Click New to create a new scene.

3 Type the name of the new scene, and then click OK.
Result:
 The layers associated with a scene are displayed in the Layers
Included box with selected checkboxes.
 The new scene is added to the Scenes box with its corresponding
Hotkey and DMX Value that were automatically assigned upon
creation and displayed in separate columns. See the “Dynamic
scene switching” section if you want to change the Hotkey or DMX
Value of a scene.
4 On the Scenes box, click on a scene or multiple scenes, and on the
Layers Included box, select the checkbox of each layer you want to
include in the selected scene. See “Layers” to set layers from the
Layers dialog box.
Notes:
 To copy a scene, select the scene or multiple scenes, and then
click the Copy button. The copied scene has the same properties
of the selected scene.
 To rename a scene, click on the name in the selected scene, and
then type the new name.

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 To remove a scene from the scene database, select the scene or

multiple scenes (not the current), and then click the Delete
button.
5 Click Set Current to activate your new scene.
Note: If the current layer is not in the current scene, you will not be
able to add any objects.
6 Click OK.
Tip: The Scenes toolbar gives you quick access to all existing scenes
and the Scene Database window. Click the tool on the left end of the
Scenes toolbar to access the Scene Database window.

The Scenes button.

Note: In order for fixtures to be displayed in scenes, both the layer on

which the fixtures reside and the layer on which the respective hang
structure resides (if different) must be included in the scene. You cannot
display fixtures without their hang structures.

Dynamic scene switching

A keyboard Hotkey and a DMX Value are automatically assigned to a new
scene upon creation. You can use the keyboard Hotkeys or enable DMX
control of scenes to activate and switch between scenes. In the Scenes
box, hotkeys and DMX values are displayed in separate columns where
the settings can be changed.

To change a hotkey of a scene

1 On the Scenes box of the Scene Database window, select a scene with
the hotkey (CTRL+NUMPAD<1-9>) that you wish to change.
2 Click the drop-down arrow on the Hotkey column of the selected
scene.
3 From the Hotkey drop-down list of the selected scene, select the new
hotkey setting (CTRL+NUMPAD<1-9>).

To enable DMX control for dynamic scene switching

1 On the Dynamic Scene Switching section of the Scene Database
window, click the Universe drop-down box and select the patch
universe of the DMX address channel.
Tip: If you want to create a new patch universe, you may click on
the adjacent ellipsis button to open the Create Patch Universe dialog
box.
2 In the Address box, type the DMX channel which will control the DMX
values assigned to the individual scenes on the Scenes box.

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3 Select the Enable DMX Control of Scenes checkbox to use the DMX
values of the DMX control channel to activate and switch between
scenes.

To change the DMX Value of a scene

You need to disable the current hotkey setting of your selected scene to
change the DMX value of your selected scene.
1 On the Scenes box of the Scene Database window, select a scene with
the DMX value that you wish to change.
2 Click the drop-down arrow on the Hotkey column of the selected
scene.
3 From the Hotkey drop-down list, select None.
Result: The list of DMX values that can be assigned will appear in
the DMX Value drop-down list of the selected scene when accessed.
4 Click the drop-down arrow on the DMX Value column of the selected
scene.
5 From the DMX Value drop-down list of the selected scene, select the
new DMX value.

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CAD tools

Break
The Break command allows you to break an object into smaller
components.

To break an arc into arcs

1 Select the arc that you want to break.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Break, and then choose Arc into arcs.
3 Type the number of desired break arcs, and then click OK.
Result: The arc is broken equally into the number of arcs specified.

To break an arc into lines

1 Select the arc that you want to break.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Break, and then choose Arc into lines.
3 Type the number of desired break lines, and then click OK.
Result: The arc is broken equally into the number of lines specified.

To break a circle into arcs

Note: You can break circles into arcs only if they are perfectly round. If
you have created a circle with a different horizontal and vertical radius,
then you cannot break the circle into arcs.
1 Select the circle that you want to break.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Break, and then choose Circles into
arcs.
3 Type the number of desired break arcs, and then click OK.
Result: The circle is broken equally into the number of arcs
specified.

To break a circle into lines

1 Select the circle that you want to break.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Break, and then choose Circles into
Lines.

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3 Type the number of desired break lines, and then click OK.
Result: The circle is broken equally into the number of lines
specified.

To break a rectangle at vertices

1 Select the rectangle that you want to break.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Break, and then choose Rectangles at
Vertices.
Result: The rectangle is broken into lines between vertices.

To break a line at vertices

1 Select the multi-segment line that you want to break.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Break, and then choose Lines At
Vertices.
Result: The continuous multi-segment line is broken at the segment
intersections. Each vertex is now an independent line.

To break a line into lines

1 Select the line or multi-segment line that you want to break.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Break, and then choose Lines into lines.
3 Type the number of desired break lines, and then click OK.
Result: The line is broken equally into the number of lines specified.

To break a solid into surfaces

You can use this procedure to break solids like library objects, cones, and
risers down into surfaces that you can customize individually. Note that
when you do so, all of the object’s original appearance elements and
sidedness properties remain intact.
1 Select the 3D solid that you want to break, a riser for example.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Break, and then choose Solids into
Surfaces.
Result: Each segment of the solid becomes an independent surface.
Tip: Alternatively, to perform a break command, you can use the
Break tool on the Tools toolbar. This is the same as choosing Specify
from the Break sub-menu.

The Break button.

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To break a solid into lines

You can use this procedure to break solids like library objects, cones, and
risers down into lines. Note that when you do so, all of the object’s
original appearance elements and sidedness properties remain intact.
1 Select the 3D solid that you want to break, a riser for example.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Break, and then choose Solids into
Lines.
Result: Each segment of the solid becomes an independent line.
Tip: Alternatively, to perform a break command, you can use the
Break tool on the Tools toolbar. This is the same as choosing Specify
from the Break sub-menu.

The Break button.

To break using the Specify dialog box

1 Select the object that you want to break.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Break, and then choose Specify.

3 Select the desired break type from the available options by selecting
the appropriate check boxes. Based on the object that you have
selected to break, these options vary.
4 In the boxes at the top right corner, specify the number of break
lines or arcs if appropriate.
5 Select the Delete original objects checkbox if you want the original
object to be replaced with the new “broken” ones.
6 Select the Put new objects on current layer checkbox if you want the new
“broken” objects to be placed on the current layer, as opposed to the
selected object’s original layer, if different.
7 Click OK.

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Convert
The Convert command turns an object into a different kind of object. For
example, you can convert a circle into a circular surface, you can convert
lines into pipes or surfaces, and you can convert points into focus
positions, rigging points and vice versa.

To convert a circle into an arc

Note: You can convert circles into arcs only if they are perfectly round. If
you have created a circle with a different horizontal and vertical radius,
then you cannot convert the circle into an arc.
1 Select the circle that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Circles into
arcs.
Result: The circle is converted into a 360-degree arc. The marker
points can be dragged out to open the arc, if desired.

To convert a circle into a surface

1 Select the circle that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Circles into
Surfaces.
3 Type the number of segments to make up the contour of the surface.
You cannot type the number 1. The higher the number, the more
circular the surface.
Result: The circle is converted into a surface.
Notes:
 If you type 2, the circle is converted into a linear surface.
 If you type 3, the circle is converted into a triangular surface.
 If you type 4, the circle is converted to a square surface.
 This pattern will repeat for each increment in the number of
segments.

To convert a line into a surface

You can use this tool to convert a multi-segment Line object into a
surface. Note that if the Line is not closed, this operation will close it by
connecting the start and end points.
1 Select the Line object that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Lines into
Surfaces.
Result: The line is converted into a surface.

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To convert a line into a pipe

1 Select the line that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Lines into
pipes.
Result: The line is converted into a pipe, assuming all of the
properties and characteristics of a pipe. You can name it and hang
fixtures on it.

To convert a pipe into a line

1 Select the pipe you want to convert.
Note: There cannot be any fixtures hanging on the selected pipe.
You must unhang or delete any fixtures before attempting to convert
the pipe into a line.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Pipes into
lines.
Result: The pipe is converted into a line.

To convert a focus position into a point

1 Select the focus position that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Focus
positions into points.
Result: The focus position is converted into a point. Any fixtures that
were focused to the initial focus position retain their orientation, but
lose the association with that point.

To convert a point into a focus position

1 Select the point that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Points into
focus positions.
Result: The points are converted into a focus position, and are
automatically called “Label.” To change the name for the newly
created focus position, refer to “Focus position properties”.
Tip: Alternatively, to perform a convert command, you can use the
Convert tool on the Tools toolbar.

The Convert button.

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To convert a focus position into a text label

1 Select the focus position that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Focus
Positions into Text Labels.
Result: The focus position is converted into a text label. Any fixtures
that were focused to the initial focus position retain their orientation,
but lose the association with that point.

To convert a text label into a focus position

1 Select the text label that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Text Labels
into Focus Positions.
Result: The text label is converted into a focus position.

To convert a line into a focus line

1 Select the line object that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Lines into
Focus Lines.
Result: The line object is converted into a focus line.

To convert a focus line into a line

1 Select the focus line that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Focus Lines
into Lines.
Result: The line object is converted into a focus line. Any fixtures
that were focused to the initial focus position retain their orientation,
but lose the association with that line.

To convert an arc into a focus arc

1 Select the arc object that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Arcs into
Focus Arcs.
Result: The arc object is converted into a focus arc.

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To convert a focus arc into an arc

1 Select the focus arc that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Rectangles
into Lines.
Result: The arc object is converted into a focus arc. Any fixtures that
were focused to the initial focus position retain their orientation, but
lose the association with that arc.

To convert a rectangle into pipes

1 Select the focus rectangle that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Rectangles
into Pipes.
Result: The rectangle object is converted into lines.

To convert a rectangle into surfaces

1 Select the focus rectangle that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Rectangles
into Surfaces.
Result: The rectangle object is converted into a surface.

To convert a point into rigging points

1 Select the point that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Points into
Rigging Points.
Result: The point object is converted into a rigging point.

Note: The type of converted rigging point symbol is Lighting by default.

To convert a rigging point into points

1 Select the rigging point that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Rigging
Points into Points.
Result: The rigging point object is converted into a point.

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To convert using the Specify dialog box

1 Select the object that you want to convert.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Convert, and then choose Specify.

3 Select the desired conversion type from the available options by

selecting the appropriate option buttons. Select the Don’t convert
option button if you do not want to convert the circle into either an
arc or a surface.
Note: For circles, select the Arcs or Surfaces option button, and then
type the number of points as discussed above.
4 Select the Delete original objects checkbox if you want the original
object to be replaced with the new “converted” one.
5 Select the Put new objects on current layer checkbox if you want the new
“converted” objects to be placed on the current layer, as opposed to
the selected object’s original layer, if different.
6 Click OK.

Divide
The Divide command separates objects into equal parts. The initial object
is left intact (if not deleted), and the parts are identified by newly created
objects, such as points or lines.

To divide an arc into lines

1 Select the arc that you want to divide.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Divide, and then choose Arcs into lines.
3 Type the number of lines desired.
Result: The arc is divided into equal parts by the number of lines
specified. The lines are automatically drawn from the center of the
arc outward, resulting in something similar to a pie chart.

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To divide an arc into points

1 Select the arc that you want to divide.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Divide, and then choose Arcs into
points.
3 Type the number of points desired.
Result: The arc is divided into equal parts by the number of points
specified. The points are placed along the arc at the calculated
interval.

To divide a circle into lines

1 Select the circle that you want to divide.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Divide, and then choose Circles into
lines.
3 Type the number of lines desired.
Result: The circle is divided into equal parts by the number of lines
specified. The lines are automatically drawn from the center of the
circle outward, resulting in something similar to a pie chart.

To divide a circle into points

1 Select the circle that you want to divide.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Divide, and then choose Circles into
points.
3 Type the number of points desired.
Result: The circle is divided into equal parts by the number of points
specified. The points are placed along the circle at the calculated
interval.

To divide a cylinder into circles

1 Select the cylinder that you want to divide.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Divide, and then choose Cylinders into
circles.
3 Type the number of circles desired.
Result: The cylinder is divided into equal parts by the number of
circles specified. The circles are stacked within the cylinder at the
calculated interval.

To divide a cylinder into lines

1 Select the cylinder that you want to divide.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Divide, and then choose Cylinder into
lines.

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3 Type the number of lines desired.

Result: The cylinder is divided into equal parts by the number of
lines specified. The lines follow the same pattern as the cylinder’s
existing segments, but at the calculated interval.

To divide a line into points

1 Select the line that you want to divide.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Divide, and then choose Lines into
points.
3 Type the number of points desired.
Result: The line is divided into equal parts by the number of points
specified. The points are placed along the line at the calculated
interval.

Note: Lines may also be divided by adding vertices. In this case, no new
objects are created; the line is simply divided by marker points.

To divide a rectangle into points

1 Select the rectangle that you want to divide.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Divide, and then choose Rectangle into
points.
3 Type the number of points desired.
Result: The rectangle is divided into equal parts by the number of
points specified. The points are placed along the rectangle perimeter
at the calculated interval.

To add a vertex to a line

1 Select the line to be divided.
2 Right-click on the line segment that you want to divide, and then
choose Add Vertex.
Result: The original line remains intact. A marker point is placed at
the midpoint of the line.
Tip: Alternatively, to perform a divide command, you can use the
Divide tool on the Tools toolbar. This is the same as choosing Specify
from the Divide sub-menu.

The Divide button.

Notes:
 This procedure can be repeated for vertices within a line. The marker
points will always be placed at the mid point of the vertices.
 Marker points can be dragged out to re-shape the line.

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 If the line is deleted, the marker points are also deleted.

To divide using the Specify dialog box

1 Select the object you want to divide.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Divide, and then choose Specify.

3 Select the desired divide type from the available options by selecting
the appropriate check boxes.
4 Select the Delete original objects checkbox if you want the original
object to be deleted when the new ones are created.
5 Select the Put new objects on current layer checkbox if you want the new
objects to be placed on the current layer, as opposed to the selected
object’s original layer if different.
6 Click OK.

Extrude
The Extrude command allows you to turn a 2D object like a line or an arc
into a surface, or turn a surface into an extruded surface or 3D solid.

The extrusion will occur parallel to the axis of the missing coordinate. For
example, objects such as line, circle, arc, or rectangle or a surface shown
in plan view will extrude vertically.

To extrude an arc
1 Select the arc that you want to extrude.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Extrude, and then choose Arcs into
Surfaces.
3 Type the distance to extrude the arc.
4 Type the number of segments for the new surface in the # of Points
box. You cannot type the number 1. The higher the number, the
more circular the surface.

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To extrude a line
1 Select the line that you want to extrude.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Extrude, and then choose Lines into
Surfaces.
3 Type the distance to extrude the line.

Note: For splines, you must specify the number of segments for the new
surface in the # of Points box.

To extrude a circle
1 Select the circle that you want to extrude.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Extrude, and then choose Circles into
Surfaces.
3 Type the distance to extrude the circle.
4 Type the number of segments for the new surface in the # of Points
box. You cannot type the number 1. The higher the number, the
more circular the surface.

To extrude a rectangle
1 Select the rectangle that you want to extrude.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Extrude, and then choose Rectangle
into Surfaces.
3 Type the distance to extrude the rectangle.

To extrude a surface into a solid

1 Select the surface that you want to extrude.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Extrude, and then choose Surfaces into
Solids.
3 Type the distance to extrude the surface.
Tip: You can also use the Extrude tool on the Tools toolbar.

The Extrude button.

Note: You can also view and edit the extrude properties in the extruded
object’s Properties tab.

Extrude objects
The Extrude Objects command allows you to turn a 2D object like a line
or an arc into extruded objects where extruded surface geometry can be
modified with options that apply textures to fit the geometry and a
smoother appearance.

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The extrusion will occur parallel to the axis of the missing coordinate.
Objects such as line, spline, arc, circle or rectangle shown in plan view
will extrude vertically.

To extrude an arc into an extruded object

1 Select the arc that you want to extrude.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Extrude Objects, and then choose Arcs
into Extruded Objects.
Result: The Extrude Arcs into Extruded Objects window appears.
3 Type the value for Distance 1 to set the extrude distance of one end of
the arc.
4 Type the value for Distance 2 to set the extrude distance of the
opposite end of the arc.
Note: If you wish to have a uniform height for the extruded object,
set the same value for Distance 1 and Distance 2.
5 Type the Number of Points to set the number of vertices that divide the
arc. You cannot type the number 1. The higher the number, the
smoother the curve of the extruded arc.
6 Type the number of Extruded Segments to specify the number of
dividing segments that will make the extruded object.
7 Select the Extrude in Both Directions checkbox if you wish to extrude
the 2D object in both opposite directions from the axis with respect
to the Wireframe view currently viewing the object.
8 Select the Stretch Texture checkbox if you wish to fit the applied image
or video texture onto the resulting extruded surface geometry. If
disabled, the default rectangular texture is applied to the largest
extents of the object, and sections will be cut based on the resulting
height (if two extrude distances were used).
9 Select the Smooth Shading checkbox if you wish to display extruded
objects with a smoother appearance.
10 Click OK.

To extrude a line into an extruded object

1 Select the line that you want to extrude.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Extrude Objects, and then choose Lines
into Extruded Objects.
Result: The Extrude Splines into Extruded Objects window appears.
3 Type the value for Distance 1 to set the extrude distance of one end of
the line.

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4 Type the value for Distance 2 to set the extrude distance of the
opposite end of the line.
Note: If you wish to have a uniform height for the extruded object,
set the same value for Distance 1 and Distance 2.
5 Type the Number of Points to set the number of vertices that divide the
line. Minimum number is 1.
6 Type the number of Extruded Segments to specify the number of
dividing segments that will make the extruded object.
7 Select the Extrude in Both Directions checkbox if you wish to extrude
the 2D object in both opposite directions from the axis with respect
to the Wireframe view currently viewing the object.
8 Select the Stretch Texture checkbox if you wish to fit the applied image
or video texture onto the resulting extruded surface geometry. If
disabled, the default rectangular texture is applied to the largest
extents of the object, and sections will be cut based on the resulting
height (if two extrude distances were used).
9 Select the Smooth Shading checkbox if you wish to display extruded
objects with a smoother appearance.
10 Click OK.

To extrude a circle into an extruded object

1 Select the circle that you want to extrude.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Extrude Objects, and then choose
Circles into Extruded Objects.
Result: The Extrude Circles into Extruded Objects window appears.
3 Type the value for Distance 1 to set the extrude distance of one end of
the circle.
4 Type the value for Distance 2 to set the extrude distance of the
opposite end of the circle.
Note: If you wish to have a uniform height for the extruded object,
set the same value for Distance 1 and Distance 2.
5 Type the Number of Points to set the number of vertices that divide the
circle. You cannot type the number 1. The higher the number, the
smoother the resulting curve of the extruded circle.
6 Type the number of Extruded Segments to specify the number of
dividing segments that will make the extruded object.
7 Select the Extrude in Both Directions checkbox if you wish to extrude
the 2D object in both opposite directions from the axis with respect
to the Wireframe view currently viewing the object.
8 Select the Stretch Texture checkbox if you wish to fit the applied image
or video texture onto the resulting extruded geometry. If disabled,
the default rectangular texture is applied to the largest extents of the

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object, and sections will be cut based on the resulting height (if two
extrude distances were used).
9 Select the Smooth Shading checkbox if you wish to display extruded
objects with a smoother appearance.
10 Click OK.

To extrude a rectangle into an extruded object

1 Select the rectangle that you want to extrude.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Extrude Objects, and then choose
Rectangle into Extruded Objects.
Result: The Extrude Rectangles into Extruded Objects window appears.
3 Type the value for Distance 1 to set the extrude distance of one end of
the rectangle.
4 Type the value for Distance 2 to set the extrude distance of the
opposite end of the rectangle.
Note: If you wish to have a uniform height for the extruded object,
set the same value for Distance 1 and Distance 2.
5 Type the number of Extruded Segments to specify the number of
dividing segments that will make the extruded object.
6 Select the Extrude in Both Directions checkbox if you wish to extrude
the 2D object in both opposite directions from the axis with respect
to the Wireframe view currently viewing the object.
7 Select the Stretch Texture checkbox if you wish to fit the applied image
or video texture onto the resulting extruded surface geometry. If
disabled, the default rectangular texture is applied to the largest
extents of the object, and sections will be cut based on the resulting
height (if two extrude distances were used).
8 Select the Smooth Shading checkbox if you wish to display extruded
objects with a smoother appearance.
9 Click OK.

Note: You can also view and edit the extrude objects properties in the
extruded object’s Properties tab.

Fillet
The Fillet command joins two lines sharing the same end point or two
apparent intersecting lines with an arc. A fillet radius must be specified to
achieve the desired fillet angle.

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To set the fillet radius

1 From the Tools menu, choose Fillet, and then choose Specify fillet
radius.
2 Type a radius measurement for the resulting fillet.

Note: All subsequent fillet commands will follow this value until it is
modified again.

To fillet two lines

1 Select the lines to be filleted.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Fillet, and then choose Fillet.
Result: The lines are joined by an arc based on the value set for the
fillet radius.

Notes:
 You must set a fillet radius before you can perform this command.
 If the fillet radius is 0, the lines will be extended and joined at their
intersection. If they are already intersecting, nothing occurs.

Align
You can use the Align tools to quickly and precisely align a series of
objects that you have drawn or have inserted from the Library into your
drawing. For example, if you have manually placed some chairs in your
drawing, you can select them all and align them in one of six ways.

Note: You cannot use the Align tool to align fixtures.

You can align the selected objects from the:

 top
 bottom

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 left
 right
 center (horizontally)
 center (vertically)

Before choosing any of these options, you must select one of following
three options:
 To First Selected: Objects selected after the first object was selected
will align (Left, Right, Centered Horizontally, etc.) to that first object.
 To Last Selected: Objects selected before the last object was selected
will align (Left, Right, Centered Horizontally, etc.) to that last object.
 To Extents: All selected objects (regardless of selection order) will
align to the left-most, right-most, bottom-most, etc. point of the left-
most, right-most, bottom-most, etc. object, respectively.

To align objects
Note: You can align objects using the Align tools, or the CAD Align toolbar.
The following procedure details how to use the CAD Align toolbar.
1 Select the objects that you want to align by clicking and dragging a
selection box around them, or selecting them individually.
2 Ensure that the CAD Align toolbar is visible.
3 Choose your preferred alignment option:
 To First Selected
 To Last Selected
 To Extents
Note: Before you align the objects, it is recommended you first
verify that they will not overlap each other in their new positions.
4 On the toolbar, select how you would like to align the selected
objects:
 Top
 Bottom
 Left
 Right
 Center Horizontally
 Center Vertically

Array
The Array command is used to make multiple copies of an object
distributed evenly along a line, arc, in a grid pattern, or, in the case of
fixtures, along a pipe or straight length of truss.

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Note: For details about array fixtures along a pipe or truss, see “Hanging
multiple fixtures”.

To perform a linear array

1 Select the object that you want to copy.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Array, and then choose Array Linear.
3 Click a point on your drawing or type in coordinates to specify the
direction and interval for the linear array. For example, to place a
copy of the selected object every 5’ at a 45-degree angle, type the
following, and then press ENTER:

@5’<45
Result: The Linear Array window appears.

4 In the Linear Array window, in the Length section, select whether the
section drawn in Step 3 will be an Interval, or the Total Distance of the
array.
5 If you selected Interval, you may click Use object extents for interval to
automatically populate the Interval box with the dimensions of the
selected object.

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6 In the Object Placement section, click the Specify by drop-down list

and select which values are available for editing.
Note: When performing an array copy, the value not chosen for
editing is calculated automatically by WYSIWYG and is greyed out.
Note: To undo changes made to the copy values, click Reset button.

The Reset button.

7 In the Number in row box, enter the total number of copies desired
(this includes the original object).
8 In the Interval box, enter the interval distance between objects.
9 In the Total Distance box, enter the distance from the first to last
object.
10 Select the Align Objects to Line checkbox to align objects to the line.
11 If you want to scale the copied objects, select the Apply Scale
checkbox in the Scale Objects section and choose the scaling
options that are available for editing.
12 Select the Uniform radio button to display all the copied objects in one
size.
OR,
Select the Non-Uniform radio button to display the copied objects in
different sizes.
13 If Uniform was selected, type the value in the X box to specify a
uniform scale factor of the last copied object in the array. The sizes
of the copied objects multiply uniformly in increments from the first
to the last copied object.
OR,
If Non-Uniform was selected, type the values in the X, Y and Z boxes to
specify the scale factors of the last copied object in the array. The
sizes of the copied objects multiply in increments from first to the
last copied object.
14 Click OK.

To perform an array along a path

Perform this procedure to copy a selected object along a path that shares
the same design as a line, arc or spline.
1 Draw a line, arc or spline that will act as a path for the cloned object.
2 Select the object you want to copy.
Note: The object will be copied from its current location. To copy the
object on top of the path, snap the object to the end point of the
path.

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3 From the Tools menu, choose Array, then choose Array Along Path.
Result: The Array Along Path window appears.

4 Under Length, select one of the two options:

 Number to clone a specific number of objects along the path.
OR
 Interval to clone the object at specific intervals along the path.
Note: Objects can be cloned a specific number of times, or at
specific intervals along the path. When one option is selected, the
other will become unavailable.
5 Under the Object Placement section, if Number was selected
previously, enter the number of time the object is to be cloned in the
Number of items field. If Interval was selected, enter the distance at
which the object will be cloned in the Interval field.
Note: If Interval was chosen, The Unused Distance field will show how
much space along the path will be unused with no objects cloned.
a. Select from the Unused Location drop-down list where the unused
space should be along the path.
6 To have the object clones aligned to the path, select the Align To Path
checkbox.
7 If you want to scale the copied objects, select the Apply Scale
checkbox in the Scale Objects section and choose the scaling
options that are available for editing.
8 Select the Uniform radio button to display all the copied objects in one
size.
OR,

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Select the Non-Uniform radio button to display the copied objects in

different sizes.
9 If Uniform was selected, type the value in the X box to specify a
uniform scale factor of the last copied object in the array. The sizes
of the copied objects multiply uniformly in increments from the first
to the last copied object.
OR,
If Non-Uniform was selected, type the values in the X, Y and Z boxes to
specify the scale factors of the last copied object in the array. The
sizes of the copied objects multiply in increments from first to the
last copied object.
10 Click OK.
Result: The object will be cloned in a patter based on the path.

An example of a non-snapped object using array along a path.

An example of a snapped object using array along a path.

To perform a polar array

1 Select the object that you want to array.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Array, and then choose Array Polar.
3 Click a point that will represent the center of the circle around which
the objects will be arrayed.

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4 In the Polar Array dialog box that appears, type the total number of
copies desired (this includes the original object) in the Number of items
box.
5 In the Angle to fill box, type the total angle in degrees to fill with
copied objects.
6 Select the Rotate object checkbox if you want the copied objects to
rotate as they are pasted around the center of the circular array, as
shown below:

7 If you want to scale the copied objects, select the Apply Scale
checkbox in the Scale Objects section and choose the scaling
options that are available for editing.
8 Select the Uniform radio button to display all the copied objects in one
size.
OR,
Select the Non-Uniform radio button to display the copied objects in
different sizes.
9 If Uniform was selected, type the value in the X box to specify a
uniform scale factor of the last copied object in the array. The sizes
of the copied objects multiply uniformly in increments from the first
to the last copied object.
OR,
If Non-Uniform was selected, type the values in the X, Y and Z boxes to
specify the scale factors of the last copied object in the array. The
sizes of the copied objects multiply in increments from first to the
last copied object.
10 Click OK.

To perform a grid array

Perform this procedure to array the selected object in a grid pattern in

the direction and at the distance that you specify.

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1 Select the object that you want to array.

2 From the Tools menu, choose Array, and then choose Array Grid.
Result: The Grid Array window appears.

3 Select whether the horizontal and vertical lengths will be an Interval,

or the Total Distance of the array.
Note: Click Freehand to manually draw the horizontal and vertical
lengths of the gird array.
4 If you selected Interval, you may click Use object extents for interval to
automatically populate the Horizontal Interval and Vertical Interval
textboxes with the dimensions of the selected object.
5 Specify which values will be available for editing.
Notes:
 When performing an array, the value not chosen for editing is
calculated automatically by WYSIWYG and greyed out.
 To undo changes made to the clone values, click the Reset button.

The Reset button.

6 Enter the number of columns in the grid.

Note: This value includes the original object(s) as the first “column”
of the grid. For example, if you type 3, the object is copied and

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pasted twice beside the original object in the direction and at the
distance that you specify.
7 In the Interval box, enter the spacing between each horizontal object
in the grid.
8 In the Total Distance box, enter the distance from first to the last
horizontal object in the grid.
9 Select the Fill direction in which you want the object(s) to be copied
horizontally in the grid, either to the right or left of the original
object.
10 Type the number of rows in the grid.
Note: This value includes the original object(s) as the first “row” of
the grid. For example, if you type 3, the object is copied and pasted
twice above or below the original object at the distance that you
specify.
11 In the Interval box, enter the distance between each vertical object in
the grid.
12 In the Total Distance box, enter the distance from the first to the last
vertical object in the grid.
13 Select the Fill direction in which you want the object(s) to be copied in
the grid vertically, either above or below the original object.
14 Click OK.

To perform a random fill

Random fill is used to take an object and randomly copy it in a defined

space.

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1 Select the object that you want to copy.

2 From the Tools menu, choose Array, and then choose Random Fill.
Note: The Random Fill window appears.

3 In the Number of Objects box, enter the number of copied objects to

appear.
4 Enter the Horizontal Distance of the defined space.
Note: You can select Interactive to draw the horizontal and vertical
lengths.
5 Select the Fill direction in which you want the object(s) to be copied
horizontally, either left or right of the original object.
6 Enter the Vertical Distance of the defined space.
7 Select the Fill direction in which you want the object(s) to be copied
vertically, either above or below the original object.
8 If you want to scale the copied objects, select the Apply Scale
checkbox in the Scale Objects section and choose the scaling
options that are available for editing.
9 Select the Uniform radio button to display all the copied objects in one
size.
OR,
Select the Non-Uniform radio button to display the copied objects in
different sizes.
10 If Uniform was selected, type the value in the X box to specify a
uniform scale factor of the last copied object in the array. The sizes
of the copied objects multiply uniformly in increments from the first
to the last copied object.
OR,

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If Non-Uniform was selected, type the values in the X, Y and Z boxes to

specify the scale factors of the last copied object in the array. The
sizes of the copied objects multiply in increments from first to the
last copied object.
11 Click OK.

Distribute objects
A group of objects can be selected and then distributed in a straight line
between two points.

To distribute objects between two points

1 Select the objects to be distributed.
From the Tools menu, Distribute Objects sub-menu, choose Between
Two Points.
or
Click the Between Two Points tool on the Tools toolbar.

The Between Two Points button.

2 Click on the drawing to set the first distribution point.

3 Click on the drawing to set the second distribution point.
Result: The objects will be distributed evenly in a straight line
between the two chosen points.

Distance
The Distance tool enables you to measure the distance and angle from
one point to another.

To measure a distance
1 From the Tools menu, choose Distance.
Tip: You can also use the Distance tool on the Tools toolbar.

The Distance button.

2 Pick the starting point for the measurement.

3 Pick the end point of the measurement.
Result: The length and angle of the specified trajectory is displayed
on the cursor’s instruction tooltip and in the bottom left corner of the
Status bar.
Tip: When selecting the starting and end points for the measurement
use the snap tools for precision.

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Angle
The Angle tool enables you to measure the angle between two
intersecting lines.

To measure an angle
1 From the Tools menu, choose Angle.
2 Pick the starting point of the measurement.
3 Pick the end point of the measurement.
Result: The angle between the two intersecting lines is displayed on
the cursor’s information tooltip and in the bottom left corner of the
Status bar.

Boolean operations
The Boolean Operations series of tools enable you to choose two different
sets of objects and then perform one of three actions on them:
 Unite Objects: This option enables you to join the two sets of objects
together as one, merging their common area so that it is
indistinguishable from the original objects.
 Intersect Objects: This option enables you to choose two sets of
intersecting objects and then delete everything outside of their
common area.
 Subtract Objects: This option enables you to select two sets of
objects, and then subtract the overlapping area of the second set
from the first set that you chose.

Selection sets
When using any of the Boolean Operations tools, you must select two sets
of objects, Set 1 and Set 2. Here are some guidelines for your selection
sets:
 The only valid 2D object for Boolean operations is a surface.
 Valid 3D objects for Boolean operations include: Risers, Cylinders,
Spheres, Cones, Extruded Surfaces, as well as any 3D objects
resulting from a 3D x 3D Boolean operation. You cannot perform
Boolean operations on library items or venues. To include a venue,
you must first break it into surfaces.
 Each selection set include only one 2D object or only one 3D object.
 You cannot combine 2D and 3D objects in a single selection set.
 Each set can include either 2D or 3D objects. You can specify a
selection set comprising one 2D object and a selection set with one
3D object in the same Boolean operation.
 All operations that involve a 3D object require that Set 1 intersects
with Set 2.

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 For operations that involve only 2D objects, the objects in each

selection set do not need to intersect physically; however, the
projection of the objects in Set 2 must intersect with those in Set 1
along the plane in which you are currently working. For details, see
“Projection and intersection”.
 In a Boolean operation involving one 2D object in one selection set
and a 3D object in the other selection set, the 3D object must be in
the second selection set.

With these rules in mind, the possibilities for selection set combinations
are:
 one 3d object x one 3d object
 one 2d object x one 2d object
 one 2d object x one 3d object

Color and texture

Based on the type of object in your selection set, color and texture are
treated differently after you perform a Boolean operation.
 2D objects maintain their color and texture after a Boolean operation
is performed on them; 3D objects maintain only their color (they lose
any texture applied to them).
 In a Boolean operation involving only 2D objects or only 3D objects,
the objects in the second selection set adopt the properties of the
objects in the first selection set after the operation is complete.
 In a Boolean operation involving only 3D objects, if one or both of
the objects has a texture applied, then both objects end up with no
texture or color after the operation is complete.
 When you perform a Boolean operation on a 3D object, the object is
converted into a set piece after the operation. Since you cannot
apply a texture to set pieces, it is recommended that you convert it
into a custom library object and then apply the texture. For details,
see “To create a custom library item”. Alternately, you can convert
the object into 2D surfaces before you perform the Boolean operation
and then customize it.

Projection and intersection

When performing any of the Boolean Operations procedures on selection
sets involving 2D and 3D objects, note the difference between projection
and intersection.
 Projection: When you are working with only 2D objects, the objects
in one selection set need only “project” upon the objects in the other
set within the active view; that is, the objects in each set do not have
to physically touch, but they must overlap in the view in which you
are performing the action.
 Intersection: When you are working with only 3D objects or a
mixture of 2D and 3D objects, the objects in each selection set must

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physically touch before you can successfully perform the Boolean

Operations action, that is, they must intersect with each other.

About the Boolean Operations feature and View Planes

There are three View Planes or axial planes in your drawing: (XY-plane,
XZ-plane, and YZ-plane). Based on the view you are in (Plan, Front,
Back, Left, or Right), some of these planes may not be visible. For
example, when you are in Plan view, the XZ and YZ planes are invisible.
When you perform any of the Boolean Operations procedures with a 2D
surface in the second selection set, note how the objects appear on the
active View Plane. Their appearance will give you an idea of the What-
You-See-Is-What-You-Get result from the perspective of the active view.
By noting the active View Planes, you can perform any of the Boolean
operations on surfaces without requiring them to be co-planar.

Examples - 2D parallel objects

In the following graphic, selection set 1 includes a red 2D surface, and
selection set 2 includes a yellow 2D surface. Both surfaces were drawn so
that they overlap in Plan View, as shown in the upper-left quadrant:

The yellow surface

is selection set 2.

The red surface is

selection set 1.

When you perform a Unite procedure with these sets in the Plan view
quadrant, the results are successful because you can see that the yellow
surface projects onto the red surface in this view (they overlap).

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However, when you try to do the same action in the bottom left quadrant
(Front View), the operation is unsuccessful because neither surface
projects onto the other (they do not overlap in this view).
Tip: To overcome this limitation, in the case noted above, you could
extrude the surface in selection set 2 into a 3D solid, ensuring that the
solid touches the surface in selection set 1. In some cases, it is much
easier to perform a Boolean operation with 2D surfaces in the first
selection set and a 3D solid in the second set because the operation is
View Plane independent. For example, when you are cutting windows in
walls, it is usually best to use 2D surfaces for both the windows and walls
because you can project the image of the windows onto the walls (for
details, see “To cut holes in walls with the Subtract tool”). However, if you
have an odd-shaped building like a Pentagon, it would be impossible to
align the walls with the View Plane. In this case, therefore, it would be
easier to use cylinders for the shape of the windows and intersect them
with the walls wherever you want a window to appear, before performing
the Subtract procedure.

Examples - 2D non-parallel objects

If the surfaces in each of the selection sets are not parallel, the results of
a Boolean operation can differ according to the active View Plane. In the
following graphic, the red surfaces comprise selection set 1 and the
yellow surface is selection set 2. Note that the yellow surface is rotated
so that it is not parallel to any of the surfaces in set 1.

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The red surface

is selection set 1.

The yellow surface

is selection set 2.

In this case, when you perform a Subtract operation in Plan view, the
results are predictable: the hole the size of the yellow surface appear on
the selected red surface, as shown below. Note that the holes are not
perfectly circular, but rather take on the exact shape of the angled circle
as it appears in Plan view.

When you perform the same action in Front view, the operation fails
because none of the surfaces in set 1 or set 2 is co-planar in this view.

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However, when you switch to Right view and perform a Subtract, a hole
appears only on the back surface (the one onto which the circle projects
in this view), as shown below.

Example of 2D object and 3D solid

Note that if you convert the circular surface into a 3D solid, then you
must ensure that it physically intersects with at least one of the 2D
surfaces in set 1 before you can successfully perform a Boolean
Operations procedure, as shown below; it is not enough for the object to
project upon one of the surfaces. For details on projection and
intersection, see “Projection and intersection”.

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The yellow 3D object is

selection set 2. It must
intersect with set 1.

The red surface

is selection set 1.

When you perform a Subtract action on these sets in Plan view, the
results are as follows:

Examples of each Boolean Operations procedure

The following graphic shows the two object sets that will be used as
examples in each of the procedures in this section.

Set 1 consists of the red cylinder and set 2 consists of the aqua cylinder:

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This cylinder
This cylinder
is set 2.
is set 1.

Uniting objects
This option enables you to join two sets of intersecting objects together
as one, merging their common area. Note that when you unite objects,
the second set of objects adopts the properties of the first set that you
chose (i.e., its color, texture, etc.)

Note: If you are uniting a 2D object like a surface with a 3D object like a
riser, the 2D object must be in the first selection set and the 3D object in
the second. After you perform this operation, the 3D object adopts the
properties of the 2D object, becoming a flat surface with the same color
and texture as the 2D object.

The following graphic shows how the two sets of objects are united to
become one object. Note how the second object set (the aqua cylinder)
takes on the properties of set 1, becoming red.

Note: When you perform a Boolean operation on a 3D object, the object

is converted into a set piece after the operation. Since you cannot apply
a texture to set pieces, it is recommended that you convert it into a
custom library object and then apply the texture. For details, see “To
create a custom library item”. Alternately, you can convert the object into
2D surfaces before you perform the Boolean operation and then
customize it.

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To unite objects with the Boolean Operations feature

Note that you can only select one 2D object in each selection set; you
cannot select multiple 3D objects in a selection set.
1 In one of the 2D Wireframe views of CAD mode, select the first
object that you want to join with the second object.
2 Click Tools > Boolean Operations > Unite Objects.
3 Click to select the second object set that you want to join with first
set.
4 Right-click and choose Finish Unite.
Result: Based on the complexity of your selections, you may have to
wait a few moments for the calculations to finish and the objects to
be united.

Intersecting objects
This option enables you to choose two sets of overlapping or intersecting
objects and then delete everything outside of their common area. Note
that when you intersect objects, the intersection that remains behind
maintains the properties of the objects in the first selection set.

The following graphic shows the result of intersecting the red and aqua
cylinders. Note how the remaining portion is red, just like the cylinder in
set 1.

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To intersect objects with the Boolean Operations feature

Note that you can only select one 2D object in each selection set; you
cannot select multiple 3D objects in a selection set.
1 In one of the 2D Wireframe views of CAD mode, select the first
object that you want to intersect with the second object.
2 Click Tools > Boolean Operations > Intersect Objects.
3 Click to select the second object set that you want to intersect with
first set.
4 Right-click and choose Finish Intersect.
Result: Based on the complexity of your selections, you may have to
wait a few moments for the calculations to finish and the objects to
be intersected.

Subtracting objects
This option enables you to select two sets of objects, and then subtract
the overlapping area of the second set from the first set that you chose.

This feature is particularly useful for cutting a hole in a surface to create

a window. Note, however, that if you are cutting a hole in a wall to create
a window, it is easiest to work only with 2D objects in each selection set
since they do not have to physically touch. Instead, the “window” shapes
need only to project onto the walls in the active view. For details, see
“Projection and intersection”. For details on cutting holes into walls, see
“To cut holes in walls with the Subtract tool”.

The following graphic shows the result of subtracting the aqua cylinder
from the red cylinder.

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To subtract objects with the Boolean Operations feature

Note that you can only select one 2D object in each selection set; you
cannot select multiple 3D objects in a selection set.
1 In one of the 2D Wireframe views of CAD mode, select the first
object that you want to keep in your drawing (the second set object
will be subtracted from this set).
2 Click Tools > Boolean Operations > Subtract Objects.
3 Click to select the second object set that you want to subtract from
the first set.
4 Right-click and choose Finish Subtract.
Result: Based on the complexity of your selections, you may have to
wait a few moments for the calculations to finish and the objects to
be subtracted.

To cut holes in walls with the Subtract tool

In this procedure, you can use the Boolean Operations > Subtract tool to
cut a line of round windows into two opposing walls of your venue.
1 In the CAD Mode > Drawing Quad tab, draw a venue (for example, a
black box).
2 Click the venue to select it, and then right-click and choose Tools >
Break > Solids into Surfaces.
Note: Since the window shapes are a series of 2D surfaces, it is best
to convert the 3D venue into a 2D surface as well. This way, the
window shapes only have to project onto the “walls” in the same

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plane. If the venue is a 3D object, then the windows would have to

physically touch them (intersect) before you perform the Subtract
operation. For details, see “Projection and intersection”.
3 Click to highlight the Front view quadrant.
4 Click the Circle tool, and then click OK to accept the default size of 4’.
5 In the Front view quadrant, click to place the circle half-way up the
wall, at one end of the room, as shown below:

6 With the circle still selected, right-click and choose Tools > Convert >
Circles into Surfaces.
7 Type 20 and click OK. (The higher the number of points, the
smoother the outline of the circle.)
8 With the circle still selected, click Tools > Array > Linear.
9 In the Front view quadrant, click the extreme right-hand wall to pick
the destination point.
10 Type 3 for the Number in row and 20 for the Interval, and then click
OK.
Result: The circular surfaces are arrayed along the length of the
room.
11 In the Plan view quadrant, click the surface of the Black Box outline
to select it, and then click Tools > Boolean Operations > Subtract
Objects.
12 Click to select a circular surface, and then right-click and select
Finish Subtract.
13 Apply step 11 and 12 for the next circular surface.
Result: The circular windows are “cut” into the walls of the venue, as
shown in the following graphic:

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Consolidated mesh
This feature helps increase performance in Shaded views by enabling you
to consolidate complex objects comprising multiple polygons/”sub-
objects” into objects that behave as a single entity. Consolidating meshes
is essentially the same as creating new (custom) Library Items. However,
while both methods make WYSIWYG “see” the object as a single entity,
when you use the Consolidate Mesh command, you don’t actually create
a new Library Item, and the increase in file size depends on the items
that are selected.

To determine which objects in your scene to consolidate, it is

recommended that you enable the new Object Bounding Box feature on the
View Options tab. Once you do so, objects that appear with a high number
of bounding boxes are all candidates for consolidation.

Notes:
 It is not recommended including library items from the WYSIWYG/
VIVIEN library as part of the selection which mesh consolidation will
be performed on.
 If you consolidate an object to which a texture has been applied, the
texture may not behave correctly because the object’s underlying
geometry will be different. To maintain proper texturing AND have
the file perform well for pre-visualization, it is recommended that you
create a copy of the final file. Optimize the copy, and then use the
optimized file for pre-programming purposes and the original file for
screenshots and/or renderings.

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To use the Consolidated Mesh feature

Note: Boolean Operations cannot be performed on Consolidated Mesh
objects.
1 In a Wireframe view, select the object that you want to consolidate.
2 Click Tools > Consolidate Mesh.
Result: A message box appears to notify that a library item is
selected, and offers the option to include or not.

3 Click Yes.
Result: A message box appears, confirming that the operation is
complete, and displaying the number of polygons that have been
removed from the file.
4 Click OK. The item is now consolidated into an abject that behaves as
a single entity.

Revolve
This feature enables the creation of three-dimensional object by
revolving a surface along an axis, copying the surface X number of times
along the rotation, and filling in the spaces in between making it solid.

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An example simple surface before using the revolve.

The example surface revolved 180° from the axis.

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The example surface revolved 360° from the axis.

To use the Revolve feature

1 In a Wireframe view, select the surface that you want to revolve.
2 Click Tools > Revolve.
3 Click to place the first axis point the surface will revolve around.
4 Click to place the second axis point the surface will revolve around.
Result: The Revolve dialog box appears.

5 Enter in how many degrees the surface will rotate on the axis in the
Angle field.
6 Enter the number of times the surface is to be copied in the Number of
segments field.
7 To remove the original surface after revolving, select the Delete
original objects checkbox.
8 To smooth the revolved surface, select the Smooth shading checkbox
by.

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9 To include the revolved surface on the current layer, select the Put
new objects on current layer checkbox.
10 Click OK.
Result: The surface will be revolved and create a three-dimensional
object.

Trimming lines
The Trim tool can be used to remove sections of drawn lines that intersect a
referenced object (arc, circle or line) drawn on the same plane. Trimming will
remove all of the selected line segments, stopping at where it intersects with
the referenced object.

A. B.

An arc used as a reference object (image A.) with intersecting lines

trimmed (image B.).

To trim a line
1 In the drawing, select the reference object.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Trim.
Tip: The keyboard shortcut to access the Trim tool is CTRL+T.
3 Click on a segment of line you want to remove that intersects the
referenced object.
Result: The selected line segment will be removed, from where the
line intersects the reference object to where the line ends or
intersects the object again.
4 Continue trimming lines as needed.
5 To end trimming line, right-click and choose Finish Trim or Abort Trim.
Alternately, the ESC key can be pressed.

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Extending lines
The Extend tool can be used to lengthen straight lines until they touch a
referenced object (arc, circle or line) drawn on the same plane.

Note: Lines can only be extended if they are able to intersect the
reference object when extended. If they will not intersect, the line will
not extend.

A. A. B.
B.

An arc is used as a reference object (image A.). Other lines are

extended until they intersect with the arc (image B.).

To extend a line
1 In the drawing, select the reference object (line, arc or circle).
2 From the Draw menu, choose Extend.
Tip: The keyboard shortcut to access the extend tool is
CTRL+SHIFT+T.
3 Click on a line that you want to extend to the reference object.
Result: If the selected line can intersect the reference object, it will
extend until it has done so. If the line can not intersect the object, it
does not extend. The selected line will intersect all other objects in
its path to reach the reference object. If the line can intersect the
reference object on both ends, both line ends will extend until they
intersect the reference object.
4 Continue extending lines as needed.
5 To end extending lines, right-click and choose Finish Extend or Abort
Trim. Alternately, the ESC key can be pressed.

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CAD mode - Hang Structures and

Lighting

CAD mode is where you create and modify hang structures and
lighting in your show drawings. This includes drawing rigging,
lighting fixtures, lighting positions and focus positions. WYSIWYG
adds features that are specific to the entertainment industry, such
as a comprehensive 3D library containing truss, lighting equipment
and lighting accessories.

In this chapter
Hang structures 509
Hanging and focusing fixtures 546
Color, gobos, and accessories 610
The Flight Case 618

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Hang structures

Introduction
Hang structures are a very important part of creating a lighting plot in
WYSIWYG. All fixtures must be placed on a hang structure, which can be
either a pipe or a truss. Truss hang structures are ACTUAL pieces of
truss, ladders, booms, floor mounts or stands. Hang structures are not
only a place to hang fixtures, but also a means to organize your
paperwork. Some general facts about hang structures:
 Pipes are drawn, trusses are inserted from the truss library. There
are many different types of truss pieces in the truss library, including
box, triangle, and curved.
 AutoUnit will assign and adjust unit numbers for fixtures on a pipe as
you add, move, or delete them. AutoUnit does not work with truss.
 Hang structures can have the same name, even if they are not
connected. For example, you can use this feature for set mounts,
where you have many small pipes attached to the same piece of
scenery.

Position manager
The Position Manager organizes all the available position names in your
show document. It also sets the sort order of your positions. You can use
the Position Manager to change the sort order of the position names,
which is important for printed paperwork like instrument schedules and
other reports that use the Position field. The order of position names is
also used for general sorting in the Data view and the order in which
positions appear in the Flight Case.

The Position Manager is accessible from the Properties window of a hang

structure and from the Positions command in the Edit menu.

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To view and edit entries in the Position Manager

1 From the Managers menu, choose Positions.
Note: The ellipsis button [...] on the Hang Structure page of a pipe’s
or truss’ properties will also open the Position Manager.

2 Click New.
3 Type the name of the new position, and then click OK.
4 To modify the name of a position, select the position, and then click
Rename.
5 Type the new name, and then click OK.
6 To remove a position name, select the name, and then click Remove.
Removing the position name does not delete the hang structure.
Rather the hang structure removes its association with the position
name.
7 Floor positions with unique names can be created in the Position
Manager. To assign a position name as a floor position available for
fixtures that are inserted on the floor, select the position(s) and click
the Floor checkbox.
8 To reorder the position names in the list, select the name of the
position you want to move. Click Up or Down to move the name in the
list.
9 Select the Sort Positions Alphabetically checkbox to sort the position
names in alphabetical order.
10 If you are in a plot view and want to determine what a particular
position references, click Select. If the plot view is open (and the
correct layers are marked editable), the hang structures that use
that position name are selected. To select more than one position,
press CTRL, and then click the position.
Note: The list will set the order of the Position Names listed in the
Spreadsheets and Reports.
11 Click OK to close the Position Manager.

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Hang structure properties

Options on the Hang Structure tab affect the properties of the selected
hang structure(s).

 Position Name: Select a new name for the hang structure from the
Name drop-down list. Click the ellipsis (...) button to open the
Position Manager and create new names.
 AutoUnit: Select this checkbox to automatically assign a number to
each fixture that you hang. Fixtures are automatically renumbered if
you add a new fixture into the middle of a row of fixtures. This option
is available for pipes only and does not apply to truss.
 Hang Options
 Snap: Select this checkbox to hang fixtures on the pipe at a certain

interval, as specified in the Interval box.

 Interval: Type the distance between fixtures in this box. This option

is used for pipe snaps.

 Use Document Defaults: Select this checkbox to use the interval for

pipe snap as defined on the Fixture settings tab in Document Options.

For more information on this tab, refer to “Fixture Settings tab”.
 Number of fixtures: The number of fixtures on the hang structure.

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 Fixture weight: The total weight of fixtures on the hang structure. The
weight measurement accounts for fixture weight only and does not
consider cable or other safety ratings.

Drawing pipes
Pipes are single member hang structures symbols that are displayed with
thickness in 2D CAD Wireframe views and in associated paperwork
views. In isometric views, pipes will be displayed in line representation.
The default thickness of the pipe can be viewed and changed in the Hang
Structure Settings tab in the Document Options window.

Pipes can be set to be drawn from the center or from the start. The first
pipe drawing mode, Draw from Start, requires pipes to be drawn by
specifying the start point and the end point (from one extremity of the
pipe to the other).

The second pipe drawing mode, Draw from Center, requires that the pipe
be drawn by specifying the center point and one end point or extremity
of the pipe. Although it is only necessary to enter all points when drawing
in interactive mode, the pipe drawing mode will affect the insertion point
of the pipe when drawing using the pipe dialog box. The drawing mode
will also affect how the fixtures are hung when using pipe snap, how the
fixture offset distance is measured, and how pipe tape prints are labeled.

Note: Only Pipe objects inserted in the drawing from the Library will be
displayed in Truss Manager. Pipes drawn in CAD Wireframe will not be
displayed in Truss Manager.

To set the pipe drawing mode

1 From the Options menu, choose Document Options.
2 Click the Hang Structure Settings tab.
3 In the Pipe Drawing Mode section, select Draw from Center or Draw from
Start.
Tips:
 You can change the default setting for a pipe in mid-command by
right-clicking and choosing the drawing mode for that pipe just
before inserting it into the drawing.
 You can change the pipe mode for a specific pipe at any time in
the pipe’s properties. For more information, refer to “Pipe
properties”.

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To draw a pipe
1 From the Draw menu, choose Pipe.

The Pipe button.

Result: The New Pipe dialog box appears.

2 In the New Pipe dialog box, find the name of the pipe. If you need to
create the name of the pipe, click the ellipsis button [...] to open the
Position Manager. Click New, and then type the name of the pipe.
3 In the Length box, type the length of the pipe, if different from the
default. The default value is 60’0”.
4 In the Trim Height box, type the desired trim height for the pipe. The
default value is 20’0”.
Note: Pipes ignore the missing coordinate setting when drawn using
this method.
5 To add a border to the pipe, under the Border And Legs section, in
the Border subsection, select the Border checkbox.
a. Enter the height of the border in the Height field.
6 To add legs to the pipe, in the Legs subsection, select the Legs
checkbox.
a. Enter the width of the legs in the Width field.
b. Enter the height of the legs in the Height field.
c. Enter the bottom elevation of the legs in the Bottom Elevation field.
7 Click OK.
Tip: You may also use the Pipe tool on the Draw toolbar.

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To draw a pipe from center in interactive mode

1 From the Draw menu, choose Pipe.

The Pipe button.

Result: The New Pipe dialog box appears.

2 In the New Pipe dialog box, click Interactive.
3 Set the height of the pipe that you are about to draw by pressing the
TAB key, and then entering a value for the missing coordinate, if
applicable.
4 Right-click and select Pipe - Draw from center.
5 Click to place the center point of the pipe.
6 Drag it to the proper length, and then click to place the end point of
the pipe. Notice that the pipe extends in both directions - mirrored at
center.
7 Right-click on the pipe that you have just drawn, and then click
Properties.
8 Click the Hang Structure tab.
9 From the Name drop-down list, select the name for this new pipe. If
the name is not already in the list, use the Position Manager [...] to
enter the new name.
10 Repeat to draw more pipes.

To draw a pipe from start in interactive mode

1 From the Draw menu, choose Pipe.

The Pipe button.

Result: The New Pipe dialog box appears.

2 In the New Pipe dialog box, click Interactive.
3 Set the height of the pipe that you are about to draw by pressing the
TAB key, and then entering a value for the missing coordinate, if
applicable.
4 Right-click and select Pipe - Draw from start.
5 Click to place the starting point of the pipe.
6 Drag it to the proper length, and then click to place the end point of
the pipe. Notice that the pipe extends in one direction.
7 Right-click on the pipe that you have just drawn, and then click
Properties.
8 Click the Hang Structure tab.

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9 From the Name drop-down list, select the name for this new pipe. If
the name is not already in the list, use the Position Manager [...] to
enter the new name.
10 Repeat to draw more pipes.

Drawing curved pipes

In addition to drawing pipes linear in shape, pipes may be drawn curved
in arcs.

To draw a curved pipe

1 From the Draw menu, choose Curved Pipe.

The Curved Pipe button.

Result: The New Curved Pipe dialog box appears.

2 In the New Curved Pipe dialog box, find the name of the pipe. If you
need to create the name of the pipe, click the ellipsis button [...] to
open the Position Manager. Click New, and then type the name of the
pipe.
3 In the Horizontal Radius field, type how long the pipe radius will be
horizontally, if different from the default. The default value is 30’0”.
4 In the Vertical Radius field, type how long the pipe radius will be
vertically, if different from the default. The default value is 30’0”.
5 In the Start Angle field, type what angle the pipe orientation will start
at, if different from the default. The default value is 0°.
6 In the End Angle field, type what angle the pipe orientation will end at,
if different from the default. The default value is 180°.
7 In the Trim Height box, type the desired trim height for the pipe. The
default value is 20’0”.
Note: Pipes ignore the missing coordinate setting when drawn using
this method.
8 Click OK.

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To draw a curved pipe from center in interactive mode

1 From the Draw menu, choose Curved Pipe.

The Curved Pipe button.

Result: The New Curved Pipe dialog box appears.

2 In the New Pipe dialog box, click Interactive.
3 Set the height of the pipe that you are about to draw by pressing the
TAB key, and then entering a value for the missing coordinate, if
applicable.
4 Right-click and select Pipe - Draw from center.
5 Click to place the first point of the horizontal axis.
6 Click to place the second point of the horizontal axis.
7 Click to set the vertical radius.
8 Click to place the center point of the pipe.
9 Drag it to the proper length, and then click to place the mid point of
the pipe.
10 Click to place the start point of the pipe. Notice that the pipe extends
in both directions - mirrored at center.
11 Right-click on the pipe that you have just drawn, and then click
Properties.
12 Click the Hang Structure tab.
13 From the Position Name drop-down list, select the name for this new
pipe. If the name is not already in the list, use the Position Manager
[...] to enter the new name.
14 Repeat to draw more pipes.

To draw a curved pipe from start in interactive mode

1 From the Draw menu, choose Curved Pipe.

The Curved Pipe button.

Result: The New Curved Pipe dialog box appears.

2 In the New Pipe dialog box, click Interactive.
3 Set the height of the pipe that you are about to draw by pressing the
TAB key, and then entering a value for the missing coordinate, if
applicable.
4 Right-click and select Pipe - Draw from start.
5 Click to place the first point of the horizontal axis.
6 Click to place the second point of the horizontal axis.
7 Click to set the vertical radius.

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8 Click to place the center point of the pipe.

9 Drag it to the proper length, and then click to place the mid point of
the pipe.
10 Click to place the start point of the pipe. Notice that the pipe extends
in both directions - mirrored at center.
11 Right-click on the pipe that you have just drawn, and then click
Properties.
12 Click the Hang Structure tab.
13 From the Position Name drop-down list, select the name for this new
pipe. If the name is not already in the list, use the Position Manager
[...] to enter the new name.
14 Repeat to draw more pipes.

Mirroring pipes
Once a pipe is created, a mirror image of the pipe can be created.
Mirroring duplicates and reverses the pipe, inserting it the same distance
from an axis line as the original pipe. Both straight and curved pipes can
be mirrored. A mirrored pipe will also include any fixtures attached to the
original pipe, but aiming the fixtures at the new mirrored angle. See
“Mirroring” section for more information.

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Pipe properties
Options on the Pipe tab affect the mode, offset, and dimensions of a pipe.

 Length: Type new text to change the length of the selected pipe.
 Trim Height: Type new text to change the trim height. If the pipe is
vertical, this value determines the lowest Z value of the pipe.
 Pipe mode: Select the pipe mode for the specific pipe from the drop-
down list.
 Start: If enabled, pipes are drawn from one end to the other. When

start mode is used, offset is measured from the beginning of the

pipe in a positive direction.
 Centre: If enabled, pipes are drawn from the center out to both

ends at the same time. When center mode is used, offset values
are either positive or negative, measured from the center of the
pipe.
 Offset Type: Offset is a fixture property that measures where a fixture
is hung on a pipe. The value depends on the pipe mode selected.
Pipes can also base the Offset on a specified coordinate. In this case,
a fixture’s offset value is calculated as the distance on the specified
axis from the specified coordinate. This is handy if you have many
small pipes grouped together to form one hang position, for example

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the Balcony Rail. If this is the case, choose all the pipes’ properties to
have their Offset based about X=0. Fixtures on the Balcony Rail will
then report where they are relative to the theatre, rather than the
beginning of the pipe.
This offset methodology can be extended to box booms as well. For
example, a boom in the first box (which is 10’ above the deck) can
be drawn as a vertical pipe and have its offset to be based about
Z=10’. A fixture’s offset will then tell you how high (from the bottom
of the box) to hang it.
In WYSIWYG, set the offset mode that you want to use. The choices
are:
 Normal, which indicates that the offset is based on the pipe mode.

 X, Y, and Z, which calculates the offset based on the specified

coordinate.
If you have selected an X, Y, or Z offset type, then you must specify
a coordinate on the axis from which offset values will be calculated.
 Pipe Weight
 Specify by: Select how to specify the weight value.

 Weight by Unit: Type a weight value equivalent to a unit of

measurement.
 User Defined: Type a custom weight value for the selected pipe

object.
 Total Weight: Displays the sum total weight for the selected pipe

object.
 Pipe Thickness
 Use Document Defaults: Select this checkbox to reference the options

selected on the Wireframe Details tab in Document Options. Clear the

checkbox to make specific changes for the active view.
 Enable: Select this checkbox to display the selected pipe with

thickness in 2D CAD Wireframe views and in associated paperwork

views (Not in isometric views).
 The box displays the default thickness of the pipe. Type a new

value to change the default thickness.

 Symbol Fill: Click the drop-down list and select the fill option None,

or Percentage or Custom Color.

 Percentage: Set the percentage from the drop-down list for the hue

intensity of the fill.

 Custom Color: Click the color select box and select the custom color

as the fill.
 Border and Legs
 Border: Select this checkbox to change the Height of the added

border.
 Legs: Select this checkbox to change the Width, Height and Bottom

Elevation of the added legs.

 Curtain
 Enable: Select this checkbox to add a curtain to the pipe.

 Style: Click this drop-down to change the pattern of the curtain.

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 Depth: Type a new value to change the depth of the curtain

pattern.
 Width: Type a new value to change the width of the curtain pattern.
 Segments: Type a new value to change the number of segments in
the curtain pattern.
 Offset: Type a new value to change the distance measurement
value between curtain and pipe.

Hanging truss
Truss is a hang structure with multiple hanging members. Truss differs
from pipes in that it is built from library objects instead of being drawn.
WYSIWYG contains an extensive library of different truss types from
many different manufacturers. The truss library also contains floor
mounts, booms, and ladders.

Truss symbols are displayed with thickness in 2D CAD Wireframe views

and in associated paperwork views. In isometric views, truss will be
displayed in line representation. The default thickness values for the
main chord and cross-members of the truss are specified in the Library,
and can be specified and saved in the Truss Manager window. The Truss
Manager can be accessed from the Welcome Screen and in CAD. See
“Truss manager”.

Indicators for truss assembly

When hanging or selecting truss, a 3D indicator appears, displaying a
directional/positional reference for the individual piece of truss. You can
use these indicators as a visual guide, helping you to assemble truss
structures and instantly determine if a truss piece was not assembled as
intended.

Notes:
 These 3D indicators are in no way related to WYSIWYG’s coordinate
system.
 It is highly recommended that you build truss structures in Isometric
view and follow the left-to-right truss assembly rule.
 When a truss structure is completed, as long as the indicators for all
the component pieces align (taking into consideration corner blocks
and connectors – see example below), fixtures will hang correctly
from this structure.

Indicators are visible whenever you select truss or when you are in the
process of assembling/inserting it. When you are snapping a new piece of
truss to an existing piece, if you see that the indicator for the existing
piece does not align with the indicator for the new piece, right-click and
select a different mount point, or roll the truss as necessary (rolling truss
usually applies to triangular truss or with corner blocks), to ensure that
the two indicators align.

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Naturally, corner blocks and connectors have to be taken into

consideration. For example, in the truss structure shown below (starting
from the bottom left-most section and traversing counter-clockwise), the
two truss pieces along the bottom have matching indicators.

When the 90º corner block is used, the “running direction” of the truss
changes. As such, the next truss piece is now rotated as shown by its
indicator. This continues all the way around this rectangular truss
structure until we connect back to the bottom left corner.

As the example demonstrates, while not all indicators will align in the
same orientation (which would be impossible), the assembly may still be
correct. When creating truss structures, take a moment at each corner
block to analyze how the running direction of the truss changes due to
the corner block. To do so, look at the indicator alone and visualize what
would happen if you rotated it by 90º (or another angle, depending on
what corner block/connector you are using).

If the indicator of the existing piece had the red line pointing to your
right and green pointing up, rotating it 90º counter-clockwise would
cause the green line to point to your left and the red to point up, while
rotating the indicator 90º clockwise would cause the green line to point
right and the red arrow to point down.

These are the only two cases in which fixtures hanging from the two
pieces attached to the 90º corner block would behave “as expected”;
should the indicators appear in any other positions, undo and assemble
the truss again, making sure not to activate any of the right-click roll/
alternate mountpoint options as you begin the assembly.

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As you can see from the isometric screenshot of this same truss
structure (below), all of the blue indicators are pointing in the same
direction, which means that all lights hung from this truss will point
downwards to the floor.

Configuring truss indicators

You can configure how the breaks in your truss rig appear in your
drawing, a handy feature for showing your stage crew and production
house quickly and simply the features of your truss structure.

This feature is configured on the Document Options > Hang Structure Settings
tab. For details, see “Hang Structure Settings tab”.

For example, the following graphics show two files, the first with thick
angled dividers, the second with thin angled dividers:

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Truss with thick angled dividers

Truss with thin angled dividers

There are two types of Truss Indicators:

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 Linear Section Dividers: Lines that appear parallel to the ends of your
truss sections. These lines are always thick and can be colored any
way you choose.
 Angled Section Dividers: Lines that appear at the junction of truss
sections on a 45 degree angle with the truss end. The Angled Section
dividers can be thick or thin, and can be colored any way you choose.

To configure truss indicators

1 Turn on truss indicators by clicking Options > Document Options >
Wireframe Details.
2 Select Show Truss Indicators checkbox.
3 Select the checkboxes for Linear Dividers and Angled Dividers.
4 You can choose to display thicker angled section dividers if you like
by clicking the Use Truss Properties for Truss Indicators (Line Weight and
Color checkbox in the Truss Indicators section in the “Hang Structure
Settings tab”.

To hang truss

Before you hang truss, it is highly recommended that you enable Truss
Assembly Snap, which connects truss pieces as you insert them, ensuring
proper structural assembly and grouping. This is especially useful for
long or complex structures made up of many individual pieces of truss.
As with all snap functions (discussed in), you can select Assembly Snap in
mid-command or as a running snap type. For details, see “To select
Assembly snap as a running snap type” or “To select Assembly snap in
mid-command”.

Note: Truss can now be hung horizontally or vertically. When a truss is

hung vertically, the rotation of the truss is also set. The rotation angles
available to vertical truss are 0°, 90°, 180°, 270°. The angles are based
on the same Cartesian system used throughout WYSIWYG: 0º is the +X
axis, 90º is the +Y axis, 180º is the -X axis and 270º is the -Y axis.

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0° 90º 180º 270º

1 Open the Library Browser, and then click the Truss tab.
Tip: You can also click the Truss tool on the Draw toolbar to place
truss.

The Truss button.

2 Navigate through the library to find the type of truss you want to
use.

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a. To insert the truss horizontally, double-click the truss name. To

insert the truss vertically, right-click and select the rotation of the
truss from the list.

Result: A piece of truss attaches to the cursor.

3 Click on the drawing to place the first piece of truss.
4 Continue placing pieces of truss as needed, using the truss indicators
as guides when attaching one piece of truss to another. For more
information, see “Indicators for truss assembly”. It is strongly
recommended that you use Assembly Snap when building truss
structures. See “Using assembly snap with truss” for more details.
Note: To change the truss type, return to the library, double-click on
the name of the new desired truss type and continue placing truss
pieces as normal.
Tip: You can also use Truss shortcuts.
5 Right-click and choose Finish Placing Truss.
6 Right-click on the truss that you have just inserted, and then click
Properties.
7 Click the Hang Structure tab.

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8 From the Position Name drop-down list, select the name for this new
truss. If the name is not already in the list, use the Position Manager
[...] to enter the new name.
9 Click OK.

To insert a shortcut for truss objects

Refer to “To create a new shortcut”.

Using assembly snap with truss

Assembly snap assembles truss pieces together, ensuring proper
structural assembly. This operation can be done as you insert truss, or to
truss that is already inserted into the file. This is especially useful for
long or complex structures made up of many individual pieces of truss.

As with all snap functions (discussed in), you can select Assembly snap in
mid-command or as a running snap type.

To select Assembly snap as a running snap type

Enable Assembly snap before inserting truss to assemble and group all
subsequently inserted pieces of truss.

To select Assembly snap in mid-command

Enable Assembly snap after inserting the first piece of truss to assemble
selectively. Assembly snap disengages after you place the next piece of
truss, assembling only the first truss (or group of trusses) with the
second piece.

To use Assembly snap

1 From the Tools menu, click Snap, and then choose Assembly.
Tip: You can also click the Assembly Snap tool on the CAD Options
toolbar.

The Assembly Snap button.

2 Insert the first piece of truss as described above. To snap truss

pieces together, hover the cursor over the end of the piece of truss to
which you want to attach the next piece and it will automatically
snap into position. For added guidance, use the truss indicators to
ensure that the truss is placed correctly. For more information, see
“Indicators for truss assembly”.
3 Click to insert the piece of truss in the drawing.

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To use Assembly snap on truss already inserted

1 Select a truss that is already inserted into the file.
2 Right-click the truss and select Activate Truss Assembly on selected
Truss.
3 Select a base point for the truss.
4 Click to place the truss in the drawing with Assembly Snap now
enabled.
Result: The truss will be at the new location, snapped to any
connecting truss.

Reassembling truss
Sometimes while building truss, you will notice that a mistake was made.
It is easy to fix mistakes right away if noticed immediately, but
sometimes these things are noticed much later after the truss structure
was already built.

It is possible to ungroup the assembled truss structure, make edits, and

then if the truss objects are positioned so they can be reassembled,
select them all and reassemble them easily.

To reassemble truss
1 Select truss that you want to assemble and are positioned to be
assembled.
2 Right-click and select Activate Truss Assembly on selected Truss.
Result: The truss structure is reassembled as if it was built like this
originally, and features like Fixture Array or Fixture Distribution along
and features like Fixture Array or Fixture Distribution along a section
of Truss will work.

Note: After the selected truss is reassembled, any existing group will be
deleted automatically.

Rolling truss and selecting alternate mount points during

assembly
When inserting truss pieces in your drawing, you can roll them into the
desired position by using the Roll tool in the right-click menu or the Roll
hotkeys (X and Z). By enabling Assembly snap, pieces of truss that you
drag into the drawing and bring close to the end of an already-inserted
piece of truss will snap to connect to that truss, ensuring proper
structural assembly.

Notes:

 By default, truss will always insert parallel to the X-axis. If the truss
structure you are building needs to start with a piece in a different

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position, you must insert that piece, right-click to finish inserting it,
and then use WYSIWYG's Rotate function (Edit > Rotate), to adjust it
to the desired position. The Truss Roll commands can only be used
when subsequent pieces of truss are inserted.
 When rolling truss, use the truss indicators as guides. For more
information, see “Indicators for truss assembly”.

Rolling truss
It is sometimes necessary to roll truss—most often when you use corner
blocks that change the (vertical) running direction of the truss.

The Truss Roll commands allow truss to be "rolled" or "spun" around its
long axis, and are only available when you are attaching truss to an
existing piece of truss (in the right-click menu and/or via hotkeys).

Note: You should only roll truss when you notice that the cords of the
piece that you are attempting to assemble do not connect properly to the
existing piece.
To access the Roll options, you must have already inserted a piece of
truss and the next piece must be attached to your cursor and ready to be
attached to an existing piece. When you right-click, a menu appears that
allows you to change the roll of the truss in 90º increments.
Tip: In addition to, or instead of, the right-click menu, use the Z and X
keys to cycle through the standard Roll options:
 Pressing Z will cycle forward through the options. For example, if
starting at the default Roll 0º, pressing Z once will change to the Roll
90º, pressing it again will change to Roll 180º, and then to Roll 270º,
and finally back to Roll 0º.
 Pressing X will cycle backward through the options. For example, if
starting at the default Roll 0º, pressing X once will change to the Roll
270º, pressing it again will change to Roll 180º, and then to Roll 90º,
and finally back to Roll 0º.

The selection of a Roll option is NOT maintained after the piece of truss
that it was used on, was assembled. In other words, once a piece of truss
was assembled into the structure, the Roll option will ALWAYS change
back to Roll 0º. It is not possible nor desired to maintain the Roll option
since there are virtually no cases in which this would be required.

Examples
In the images below, you can clearly see that the cords of the piece
that's about to be attached to the 'down' leg of the corner block do not
align/connect properly with the default "Roll 0º" position, so a different
Roll option must be selected. After cycling through the four Roll options
(0º, 90º, 180º and 270º), it is clear that the Roll 270º is the correct
position.

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Roll 0º

Roll 90º

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Roll 180º

Roll 270º

Select Mountpoint options

A Mountpoint is any part of a truss section, corner block and/or
connector to which another section, corner block or connector can be
attached.

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As with the Roll options, the Select Mountpoint options are only available
(in the right-click menu and/or via hotkey) while truss is being attached
to an existing piece of truss and the next piece/section, corner block and/
or connector must be on the cursor and ready to be attached to the
previous pieces. Their purpose is to allow a different Mountpoint of the
truss to be selected during assembly.

Selecting a different Mountpoint is sometimes necessary when you are

attaching a connector or corner block to a straight or curved section of
truss, in case attaching with the default Mountpoint is not desired or
would result in an incorrect structure.

Selecting a different Mountpoint is always necessary when you are

assembling straight or curved truss section runs from the center out. For
example, if you were to build the Front of House truss starting at the
centreline and first attaching sections towards the right (stage left in
some cases), and then attaching sections from the center towards the
left (stage right in some cases), you would need to change to Mount 2
once you start to attach sections towards the left; otherwise, the Truss
Indicators would show you that the running direction of the truss is no
longer correct, as shown in the graphics below.

Here, the section left of center has been attached without selecting the
Mount 2 Mountpoint. Note that the Truss Indicator for this section
appears in the opposite direction from the Truss Indicators for the pieces
right of center.

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When you right-click and select the Mount 2 Mountpoint before attaching
the truss, the Truss Indicator for the truss section left of center matches
the Indicators for the existing sections.

Notes:
 In addition to, or instead of, the right-click menu, you may use the S
key to cycle through the available Mountpoints. Remember that for
many truss pieces (and especially for sections), their appearance
may not change when a different Mountpoint is selected, but the
Truss Indicator will always change.
 The selected Mountpoint is maintained until a new piece of truss is
selected for insertion. This is to facilitate building truss structures in
the fashion described above (i.e., starting at the center and building
towards the right, and then coming back to center and building
towards the left).

Truss snap
When Truss Snap is enabled, a truss object is displayed with red points
at the bounding box corners that can be used to assist with drawing
dimension measurements for truss width and height.

The red points that appear incorporate the truss thickness when used to
snap and measure the outer extents of the truss object.

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Mirroring truss
Once a straight or curved truss is created, a mirror image of the truss
can be created. Mirroring duplicates and reverses the truss, inserting it
the same distance from an axis line as the original truss. Both linear and
circular trusses can be mirrored. A mirrored truss will also include any
fixtures attached to the original truss, but aiming the fixtures at the new
mirrored angle. See “Mirroring” for more information on mirroring
objects.

Notes:
 The Mirror command menu or icon will be disabled when a truss
object cannot be mirrored.
 If you mirrored a truss object that is part of an assembled truss
structure, the warning message will be displayed listing the library
names and number of instances of the truss object(s) that will be
mirrored and truss object(s) that cannot be mirrored.

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Truss manager
The Truss Manager is a centralized location where you can view or edit
the default properties of Truss objects from the Library, such as Pipe,
Scaffold and Truss, which will affect how the symbols and their
dimensions will be displayed in your drawing.

In Truss Manager, the changes applied to the default thickness of truss

chord and cross-members will affect the appearance of the selected truss
object in your drawing.

In Truss Manager, the changes applied to the default width, depth and
height of the truss object will be displayed in your drawing when the Auto
Truss Dimension menu is applied.

The Truss Manager can be accessed from the Welcome Screen or from the
Managers menu in CAD mode.

The Truss Manager window that opens from the Welcome Screen enables
you to set your preferred default properties for any truss objects in the
Library that you plan to use in your drawing. The default thickness values
you set for the chord and cross-members of the individual truss object
will be used for all your new files. The default dimension values you set
for the truss objects will be used for all your new files.

The Truss Manager window that opens from within a file in CAD mode
displays the list of truss objects that were inserted in your drawing. Any
edited values in this window will only be used in the current file, unless
you will set those as your new default values.

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To access the Truss Manager in the Welcome Screen

1 From the Options menu in the Welcome Screen, choose Truss
Manager.
Result: The Truss Manager window opens from the Welcome Screen.

To add truss objects

1 In the Truss Manager window, click the Add a truss object icon.

The Add a truss object button.

Result: The Add Truss to Manager window appears.

2 In the Add Truss to Manager window, browse and select the truss
object you want to add.
3 Click Insert Folder to add the truss object into the Truss Manager.
Result: The truss object will be displayed in the table in the Truss
Manager window showing the editable and non-editable properties of
truss objects.
4 In the table, click the arrow at the far left column of each truss
object to select and highlight the row.
Tip: Use SHIFT and CTRL to select all or multiple truss objects in the
table.
5 In the table, you can view or edit the default truss properties of the
truss objects on display. See “To edit the default properties of the
truss objects” to view or edit the properties in the table.

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6 Click Reset to Defaults to reset the selected items in the table to their
corresponding default properties.
7 Click Apply to activate the changes.
8 Click OK.
Result: All changes to the default properties of the truss objects
listed in the Truss Manager will be applied to all the truss objects in
your drawing and all new files.

To access the Truss Manager in CAD

1 From the Managers menu, choose Truss Manager.
Result: The Truss Manager window appears.

Note: In the table, the properties that were changed are displayed in
colored text when the edited values are different from the loaded or
saved defaults.

To edit the default properties of the truss objects

1 In the Truss Manager window, view or edit the following properties:
 Display Columns: Click this button to display the Truss Manager
Options dialog box where you can choose which column and how
to display in the Truss Manager window.
 Select: Select this checkbox to choose the truss object and its
properties.
 Truss Name: The name of the truss object that is stored in the
Library. (Not editable)

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 Color Type: Click this drop-down menu to select Object Color or

Custom Color.
 Object Color: By default, Color Type is set to Object Color and
truss objects are displayed as defined by their properties.
 Custom Color: Select Custom Color to always display the selected
truss object in a different color, ignoring the color of the Layer
or the color that was assigned within its Properties dialog box.
This does not change the properties of the truss object which
will revert back to the color set in Properties when Color Type
switches to Object Color.
 Color: Click the Color Box to select the custom color for the
selected truss object. Color is enabled when Custom Color is
selected from the Color Type drop-down menu.
 Truss Alias: Type a user name for the truss object.
 Chord: Type a new value to change the thickness of the chord for
the selected truss object.
 Cross-Member: Type a new value to change the thickness of the
cross-members for the selected truss object.
 Auto Dim X: Displays the specified length for the listed Truss item
that will appear when the Auto Truss Dimension tool is applied.
You may type a new value and the edited length will be displayed
in blue text.
 Auto Dim Y: Displays the specified width for the listed Truss item
that will appear when the Auto Truss Dimension tool is applied.
You may type a new value and the edited width will be displayed
in blue text.
 Auto Dim Z: Displays the specified height for the listed Truss item
that will appear when the Auto Truss Dimension tool is applied.
You may type a new value and the edited height will be displayed
in blue text.
 Is Selected: Displays Yes if the truss object is selected in the
drawing or No if not selected in the drawing. (Not editable)
 Manufacturer: Name of the manufacturer of the truss object that is
stored in the Library. (Not editable)
 Weight: Default weight of the truss object that is stored in the
Library. (Not editable)
 Load Thickness Values from Defaults: Applies the default thickness
values stored in the Library database to all the selected truss
objects listed in the table.
 Save Thickness Values as Defaults: Saves the edited values of all the
selected truss objects as the new default values for all the
selected truss objects listed in the table.
 Show Selected Truss: Select this checkbox to display the table with
only the truss objects that are selected in the drawing.

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 Show Edited Truss: Select this checkbox to display the table with
only the truss objects with properties that were edited.
 Show All Truss in File: Select this checkbox to display all truss
objects in the drawing.
Note: Some truss objects from the Library, such as Pipe objects will
show no effect in the drawing when certain properties are changed in
Truss Manager. For example, a pipe object from the Library will show
only the changes to the Chord and X values.
2 Click Apply to activate the changes.
3 Click OK.
Result: All changes to the default properties of the truss objects
listed in the Truss Manager will be applied to all the truss objects in
your drawing.

Drawing rigging points

A Rigging Point object delivers a method to indicate which of the venue’s
rigging points will be used to hang the Hang Structures required by the
show, or where in the venue’s ceiling rigging points must be “created”
(by standard rigging techniques using baskets, shackles, stringers,
bridles, etc.) in order for those hang structures to hang where required.
In other words, in WYSIWYG, the Rigging Point is the “point in the
ceiling” to which a chainfall’s hook is attached. Position Names can be
assigned to Rigging Points in order to help identify which hang structures
hang from them; this is useful in general, and required, if the Rigging
Points List Report is to be of use.

When you insert a Rigging Point from the Draw menu, a dialog box
appears where you can specify its name and properties. The available
symbols are Lighting, Audio, Video and Scenic, and further options are
available within the Rigging Point’s Properties window.

Notes:
 Automatic replacement of truss rigging points: “Truss Rigging Points”
refer to Rigging Point symbols that are available for insertion from
the Symbol section of the Library Browser.

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A rigging point that is drawn in CAD have more capabilities than a

Truss Rigging Point symbol that was inserted from the Library Browser.
WYSIWYG will automatically replace inserted Truss Rigging Point
symbols with drawn Rigging Point objects whenever a file is loaded or
merged. Any shortcuts to Truss Rigging Point symbols will be
removed when a file is loaded or merged.
 New plots update: The replacement of Truss Rigging Point symbols
do not automatically update New Plots in the file. To remove the
Truss Rigging Point symbols from New Plots, each New Plot must be
updated using the Update New Plot command (right-click or use the
Options menu).
Drawn Rigging Point objects are standard CAD items which will
appear in New Plots immediately.
 Rigging point reports: The “Rigging Points by Position” report on the
Truss Rigging Point symbols will be replaced automatically when a file
is loaded or merged. The new version will report on drawn Rigging
Point objects.
The “Rigging Points List” report (which does not group Rigging Points
by the Position column) will be added automatically if it does not
already exist in the file.
 You can display the text of the Rigging Point object with a
background in Wireframe views, Plots and Layouts if you enable the
Show Label Background for Rigging Point text option in the General tab of
the Document Options window. The label background will cover the
parts of objects directly below the Rigging Point text. Clear this
checkbox to display the text label of the Rigging Point without a
background, and the parts of the object directly below the Rigging
Point text will not be covered.

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To draw a rigging point

1 From the Draw menu, choose Rigging Point.

The Rigging Point button.

Result: The New Rigging Point window appears.

2 In the New Rigging Point window, type the name for the new rigging
point in the Name box.
3 In the Layer drop-down list, select which layer to insert the new
rigging point.
4 Select the Show non-editable layers indicated by * checkbox to display
the non-editable layers in the drop-down list.
5 In the Label Height box, type the size of the label name when
displayed with the symbol.
6 In the Symbol Size box, type the size of the rigging point symbol.
7 Click the Symbol Type drop-down list and choose the type of rigging
point to display. The options are Audio, Lighting, Scenic and Video.
8 Click the Show Coordinates drop-down list to choose the coordinates to
display with the symbol or choose None to display no coordinates.
9 Click the Coordinate Format drop-down list and choose to display the
coordinates in a Single Row or Multiple Rows.
10 Click the Position drop-down list to select a previously saved position,
or click the ellipsis button to open Position Manager and create a new
position.

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11 In the Capacity box, type the maximum load which can be hung from
the rigging point, and then select the unit (pounds “lbs” or kilograms
“kg” or metric tons “t”) from the drop-down list beside it.
12 In the Load box, type the actual load of the object that will hang from
the rigging point. The unit that was selected for Capacity also applies
to Load.
13 Click OK.
14 Click to place the new rigging point in the drawing.
Tip: You may click Insert Multiple to insert multiple rigging points in
succession.

Rigging point properties

After the Rigging Point object has been created, the properties of a
rigging point object can be changed from the Properties window.

 Rigging Point: Properties that affect the type of symbol, how the
symbol and coordinates are displayed.

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 Symbol Size: Type the new value to change the size of the rigging
point symbol.
 Symbol Type: Click the drop-down list and select Audio or Lighting or

Scenic or Video.
 Align to View: Select this checkbox to line up the rigging point

object and label with the screen frame regardless of the selected
View Type. Clear this checkbox to align the selected rigging point
object to follow the selected View Type.
 Bridle: Select this checkbox to indicate and display the rigging point

object with a bridle sling symbol.

Name
 Name: Type a new text to change the name of the selected rigging

point.
 Height: Type a new value to change the size of the label name.

 Show Name: Select this checkbox to display the rigging point with

the label name. Clear this checkbox to display the rigging point
without a label name.
 Text Justification: Specify how the label name aligns.

 Click the Horizontal drop-down list and select the horizontal

alignment of the label name.

 Click the Vertical drop-down list and select vertical alignment of
the label name.
Location
 Type the new values for X, Y and Z to change the position of the

selected rigging point object.

 Show Coordinates: Click the drop-down list to change the
coordinates to display or choose not to display the
coordinates.
 Coordinate Format: Click the drop-down list and choose to
display the coordinates in a Single Row or Multiple Rows.
 Height: Type a new value to change the size of the coordinates
label text.
 Text Justification: Specify how the coordinates align.
 Click the Horizontal drop-down list and select the horizontal

alignment of the coordinates.

 Click the Vertical drop-down list and select the vertical
alignment of the coordinates.
Hatching
 Properties that affect the hatching style and color of the selected

rigging point object.

 Type: Click the drop-down list and select to display the rigging

point object with hatching Lines or with Solid Fill.

 Use Rigging Point Color: Select this checkbox to enable the color
box and select a custom hatching color for the rigging point

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object. Clear this checkbox to use the Layer color for the
Rigging Point.
 Position Name: Click the drop-down list and select a different saved
position or click on the ellipsis button to open Position Manager and
create a new position.
 Load: Properties that affect how to indicate the weight load and
capacity of the selected rigging point.
 Capacity: Type a new value to change the maximum load which can

be hung from the rigging point, and then select the unit (pounds
“lbs” or kilograms “kg” or metric tons “t”) from the drop-down list
box beside it.
 Load: Type a new value to change the actual load that will hang

from the rigging point. The unit that was selected for Capacity also
applies to Load.
 Height: Type a new value to change the size of the Load label text.

 Text Justification: Specify how the maximum load text aligns.

 Click the Horizontal drop-down list and select the horizontal

alignment of the maximum load text.

 Click the Vertical drop-down list and select the vertical
alignment of the maximum load text.
 Show Capacity: Select this checkbox to display the maximum load
capacity of the rigging point object.
 Show Load: Select this checkbox to display the actual load that will

hang from the rigging point.

 Font: Properties that affect the font of the displayed text.
 Use Document Defaults: Select this checkbox to reference the font

settings applied on the Wireframe Details tab in Document Options.

Clear the checkbox to make specific changes to the font of the
selected rigging point.
 Font: This option is enabled when Use Document Defaults is cleared.

Click the Font drop-down list and select a different font for the
label, and then select the check boxes to specify Bold, Italics and
Underline.
 Notes: In the text box, type additional information about the selected
rigging point.
 Show in Shaded View: Select this checkbox to display the selected
rigging point object in Shaded View.

Exporting rigging points as DWG/DXF

Rigging points export to 3D DWG/DXF files from WYSIWYG. When
exported, a Block is created for each type of Rigging Point symbol in the
WYSIWYG file. Each Rigging Point is represented by a Block Reference
(insertion).

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When a DWG/DXF file is re-imported, WYSIWYG automatically interprets

all Block References for the Blocks as Rigging Point objects. The name,
symbol type, symbol size, and other properties of the previously
exported Rigging Point will be set correctly for the Rigging Point objects
in WYSIWYG.

To export rigging points to 3D DWG/DXF

See “Exporting DWG/DXF files”.

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Hanging and focusing fixtures

Introduction
Fixtures are objects on the plot and appear in 3D in shaded views. When
you insert a fixture into the plot, automated fixtures can be hung from a
hang structure or inserted on the floor. Conventional fixtures must be
hung from a hang structure. WYSIWYG has an extensive library of
fixtures to choose from.

Inserting fixtures into your drawing is as easy as pointing and clicking.

You can insert individual fixtures directly from the Library Browser, or you
can create shortcuts to your favorite fixtures.

To quickly hang multiple fixtures on a pipe or straight truss

simultaneously, you can use the array feature; to arrange multiple
fixtures along a pipe/truss, use the distribute tool. For details, see
“Hanging multiple fixtures” and “Distributing fixtures”.

Inserting fixtures
Note: When inserting fixtures on a truss or pipe, the tooltip will be red
when it does not detect the cursor is over a hang structure. The tooltip
will switch to green when the cursor is over a hang structure and can by
hung.

To hang fixtures

Use this procedure to hang fixtures one by one on lengths of pipe or

truss. To hang multiple fixtures simultaneously, use the Array feature.
For details, see “To hang multiple fixtures”. After hanging the fixtures,
you can arrange them simultaneously on pipes/truss by using the
distribute feature. For details, see “Distributing fixtures”.
1 From the Library menu, choose Browse Library. Alternately, click the
Fixture icon on the Draw toolbar.
2 Click the Fixtures tool at the bottom of the browser.

The Fixtures button.

3 In the menu that is now visible, double-click Manufacturer to select

fixtures by manufacturer name, Type to select by fixture type, or All
to see all the fixtures in alphabetical order.
Note: Alternately, you can use the Library Browser’s Search function
to locate the fixture that you want to insert. Simply type the name of
the fixture (or a partial name) in the Search box at the top of the

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Library Browser, and then click the Search icon. For details, see “The
Library Browser”.
4 Double-click on the name of the fixture that you want to insert.
Result: A fixture with default settings for this type attaches to the
cursor.
Note: You can change the fixture frame size using the Add Accessory
option. For more information on adding accessories, refer to “To
insert an accessory”.
5 To change the properties of the fixture before inserting, right-click on
the fixture name, and then click Properties.
Result: A dialog box opens with a shaded view of the fixture on the
left and an image of its symbol on the right. Use the Photometrics tab
to change the lamp and lens settings for the fixture, if applicable. For
more information on the Photometrics tab, refer to “Photometrics tab”.
Click Insert and the dialog box will close.
6 Select how you want the fixture to be hung on the structure, either
the top or bottom. To change the hang position use CTRL + Mouse
Wheel scroll to alternate between options, or you can use the
keyboard by pressing key 1 for Position 1, and key 2 for Position 2.
7 Move the mouse over a hang structure, and then click to place the
fixture. Continue placing this type of fixture by clicking on the other
hang structures as desired.
8 Finish placing this fixture type by right-clicking, and then choosing
Finish placing fixtures from the resulting menu.
9 To place other fixture types, repeat the above steps for each type.

To insert fixtures on the floor

Use this procedure to insert automated fixtures one by one on the floor,
without first attaching them to a pipe or truss. Fixtures inserted this way
support CAD operations e.g., copy/paste, move, and rotate.

Note: Only automated fixtures can be inserted on the floor.

1 From the Library menu, choose Browse Library. Alternately, click the
Fixture icon on the Draw toolbar.
2 Click the Fixtures tool at the bottom of the browser.

The Fixtures button.

3 In the menu that is now visible, double-click Manufacturer to select

fixtures by manufacturer name, Type to select by fixture type, or All
to see all the fixtures in alphabetical order.
Note: Alternately, you can use the Library Browser’s Search function
to locate the fixture that you want to insert. Simply type the name of
the fixture (or a partial name) in the Search box at the top of the

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Library Browser, and then click the Search icon. For details, see “The
Library Browser”.
4 Right-click on the name of the fixture that you want to insert. In the
menu that appears, select Insert on Floor.
5 Move the mouse anywhere in the plot, and then click to place the
fixture. Continue placing this type of fixture by clicking as desired.
6 Finish placing this fixture type by right-clicking, and then choosing
Finish placing fixtures from the resulting menu.
7 To place other fixture types, repeat the above steps for each type.

Hanging multiple fixtures

Once you hang a single fixture, you can use the Array feature to instantly
copy and paste multiple copies of it along the length of a pipe or straight
piece of truss in the direction that you specify. This feature enables you
to hang up to 100 fixtures quickly and precisely.

To hang multiple fixtures

1 On a pipe or a straight length of truss, hang the fixture of your choice
by following the procedure in the section “To hang fixtures”.
Note: To hang fixtures along the length of truss or pipe, hang the
first fixture at one end of the pipe/truss and then set the direction in
which you want to copy and paste it.
2 Click the fixture to select it, and then right-click and choose Tools >
Array > Along Pipe.
Result: An arrow attaches to your cursor when you hover over the
pipe/truss.
3 Click on the pipe/truss to set the direction in which the fixture will be
arrayed, either to the left or right of the fixture.
Result: The Array Along Pipe dialog box appears.
4 The Length box in the Array Along Pipe dialog box displays the distance
from the selected fixture to the destination position of the first copied
fixture in the array as indicated by the arrow and cursor. This value is
not editable.
5 Choose between Interval or Total Distance.
6 In the Number of row box, type the number of fixtures you want to
array along the pipe.
7 If you chose Interval, type the distance length between the selected
fixture and the next fixture in the array. If you chose Total Distance,
type the total sum of the distance lengths for all the intervals
between all the fixtures in the array.
8 Click OK.
Result: The fixtures are placed along the pipe/truss.

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Selecting fixtures
You can use the Select feature to select all the fixtures in your plot, only
certain types of fixtures, or only the fixtures on a certain hang structure.
These features can also be accessed from the Fixture Selection toolbar. See
“Using the fixture selection toolbar”.

This tool is most useful when all fixtures of one type need to be replaced
with fixtures of another type.

To select all fixtures

1 In your plot, right-click and choose Select Fixtures By Type > Select All
Fixtures.
Result: All fixtures are selected.

To select all fixtures of a particular type

1 Click to select the fixture that you want to select.
2 Right-click and choose Select Fixtures By Type > <CHOOSE FIXTURE
NAME>.
Result: All fixtures of that type are selected.

To select a certain type of fixture on a particular type of

hang structure
1 Click to select the hang structure containing the fixture that you want
to select.
2 Right-click and choose Select Fixtures By Type > Select on Selected
Pipe/Truss and then choose the type of fixture that you want to
select.
Result: All fixtures of the specified type are selected on the chosen
type of hang structure.

To select all fixtures on a particular hang structure

1 Click to select the hang structure containing the fixtures that you
want to select.
2 Right-click and choose Select Fixtures By Type > Select on Selected
Pipe/Truss > Select All.
Result:
 All fixtures are selected on the chosen type of hang structure.
 All fixtures patched to the specified channel will be highlighted.

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To select all fixtures in a position name created for a hang

structure
1 Click to select the position name in the hang structure containing the
fixtures that you want to select.
2 Right-click and choose Select Fixtures By Position > Selected Pipe/
Truss.
Result:
 All fixtures in the chosen position name are selected.
 All fixtures patched to the specified channel will be highlighted.

To select all fixtures in all the unassigned positions in the

hang structure
1 Click to select all the hang structures containing the fixtures that you
want to select.
2 Right-click and choose Select Fixtures By Position > All Unassigned
Pipes/Trusses.
Result:
 All fixtures in all the unassigned hang structure positions are
selected.
 All fixtures patched to the specified channel will be highlighted.

Invert fixture selection

This feature is helpful if you want to cancel the selection of all currently
selected fixtures, and consequently select all the other fixtures that were
not selected before.

To use invert fixture selection

Press CTRL+SHIFT+I to activate invert selection to deselect only all the
fixtures currently selected, and consequently select all the other fixtures
that were previously not selected.

Note: Invert fixture selection is also available in Design and Live mode.
See “Using the design tools”.

Distributing fixtures
You can use the Distribute feature to quickly arrange multiple fixtures
evenly over a pipe or piece of straight truss starting at a specific point.

You can distribute selected fixtures in three ways:

 Between two points that you choose on the pipe/truss.

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 In a specific direction from one point that you choose on the pipe/
truss.
 Centered around a specific point that you choose on the pipe/truss.

To distribute fixtures between two points

Note: Since you cannot mount fixtures directly on the end point of truss,
before you distribute fixtures between two points, ensure that Endpoints
snap is disabled.

Use this procedure to select two points on a pipe or length of straight

truss and have WYSIWYG distribute selected fixtures evenly between
those points. The spacing is determined by dividing the selected region of
the pipe/truss by the number of fixtures selected.
1 Click to select the fixtures that you want to distribute on the pipe/
truss (to select multiple fixtures, press CTRL and then click on each
one).
2 From the Tools menu click Distribute Fixtures > Between Two Points.
3 Click to set the two points on the pipe/truss.
Result: The selected lights are evenly spaced between the two
points.

To distribute fixtures in a direction

Use this procedure to select a point on a pipe or length of straight truss

and have WYSIWYG distribute selected fixtures along the remaining
length of the pipe/truss in the direction that you choose, spaced
according to your specifications.
1 Click to select the fixtures that you want to distribute on the pipe/
truss (to select multiple fixtures, press CTRL and then click on each
one).
2 From the Tools menu click Distribute Fixtures > In a Direction.
3 Click to set the starting point on the pipe/truss from which you want
to distribute the selected fixtures.
4 Click on one side of the point (either to the left or right of it) to
choose the direction in which the fixtures will be distributed.
Result: The Distribute - In a Direction window appears.
5 Type the desired distance between each fixture, and then press OK.
Note: The value that you type must allow the selected number of
fixtures to be evenly distributed over the remaining length of the
pipe/truss.
Result: The selected lights are evenly spaced between the two
points.

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To distribute fixtures around a central point

In this procedure you choose a point on the pipe/truss and then

distribute selected fixtures along the pipe/truss, using this point as the
center. You specify the spacing of the fixtures.
1 Click to select the fixtures that you want to distribute on the pipe/
truss (to select multiple fixtures, press CTRL and then click on each
one).
2 From the Tools menu click Distribute Fixtures > Center.
3 Click on the pipe/truss to set the point around which the selected
fixtures will be centered.
Result: The Distribute - Center window appears.
4 Type the desired distance between each fixture, and then press OK.
Note: The value that you type must allow the selected number of
fixtures to be evenly distributed over the length of the pipe/truss
around the point that you have specified.
Result: The selected lights are evenly spaced around the point.

Replacing fixtures
When the fixture requirements for a show change, instead of deleting
and re-hanging fixtures, you can use the Replace Fixture function to
quickly and easily replace one or more fixtures with another.

To replace fixtures
1 Select the fixtures that you want to replace using one of the selection
methods described in “Selecting fixtures”.
2 Right-click and choose Replace Fixture.
3 Select the new type of fixture from the Fixture Selection dialog box.
4 Click Insert.
Result: All the fixtures that you selected in step 1 are replaced with
the fixture type chosen in step 3. Some fixture attributes may be
modified as a result of the replacement.

Custom fixtures

To create a custom fixture

You must create custom fixtures on the WYSIWYG welcome screen with
all files closed. If you are currently working on a document, save and
close it.

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Note: You do not have to complete all fields. Fill in as much information
as you can. You cannot edit custom fixtures once saved, but you can
delete them and create them from scratch with new properties.
1 On the WYSIWYG welcome screen, from the Options menu, choose
Create new conventional.
Result: The Fixture Wizard opens.
2 Select the type of fixture that you want to create.
3 In the Name box, type a name for the new fixture.
4 Click Next.
5 From the Type drop-down list, select the circuit type. The default,
REGDIM, is a regular dimmer.
6 Click Next.
7 Add or modify the path.
Note: The path is the location in the library where the fixture will be
stored. A fixture assigned to the path “Custom/Fresnels” would be
available in the custom section of the Fixture library in a sub-
category named FRESNELS.
8 Click Next.
9 Select the lamp base and default lamp for this fixture.
10 Click Next.
11 Specify the lens system for the fixture.
12 Click Next.
13 Type a value in degrees for the beam angle for this fixture.
14 Type a value in degrees for the field angle for this fixture.
15 Click Next.
16 Select the color frame slot size.
17 Click Next.
18 From the symbol library, select a 2D symbol for this fixture.
19 Click Next.
20 From the shape library, select a 3D symbol for this fixture.
Note: A 10” parcan is shown beside the selected shape in the
viewing pane to offer a relative size measurement.
21 Click Next.
22 Type the manufacturer, weight, and any other information.
23 Click Next.
24 Type your name
25 Click Finish.

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To delete custom fixtures

If you do not want to keep a custom fixture any longer, you can delete it
from the library browser.

Notes:
 You cannot delete a custom fixture if it is currently inserted in your
plot; instead, you must delete the item from your plot, save and
close the file. When you reopen the file you can delete the item from
the library browser.
 When you delete a custom fixture, you do not delete the shortcut
associated with it. You must delete shortcuts manually.
1 In the Library Browser, navigate to the folder where you stored the
custom fixture.
2 Highlight the fixture name, and then right-click and choose Delete.
Note: This option is disabled if the item is currently inserted in your
plot. You must delete the item from your plot, and then save and
close the file. When you reopen the file you can delete the item from
the library browser.
3 A message box appears telling you the action is irreversible. Click Yes
to delete the fixture.

Pipe snap
Pipe Snap places fixtures on a pipe at a specific interval. Pipe Snap does
not work for truss or other hang structures. It allows you to specify a
pre-determined distance between fixtures.

As with all snap functions (refer to for more information about snap
tools), you can select Pipe Snap in mid-command or as a running snap
type.

To select Pipe snap as a running snap type

Enable Pipe Snap before inserting fixtures to hang fixtures equidistantly.

To select Pipe snap mid-command

Enable Pipe Snap after inserting the first fixture to enforce the interval
selectively. Pipe Snap will disengage after you place the next fixture.

To use pipe snap

1 From the Tools menu, choose Snap, and then choose Pipe.
Tip: You can also click the Pipe Snap tool on the CAD Options toolbar.

The Pipe Snap button.

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2 Insert fixtures as described above. With pipe snap active, the fixtures
are automatically hung at the pre-defined interval.

To set the snap interval

1 From the Options menu, choose Document Options.
Result: The Document Options window appears.

2 Click the Hang Structure Settings tab.

3 To set the snap interval, type the new value in the Snap Interval field.
4 Click OK.

To set an interval for a specific pipe

1 Right-click the pipe.
2 Click Properties.

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3 Click the Hang Structure tab.

4 Click to clear the Use Document Defaults checkbox.

5 Select the Snap checkbox.
6 In the Interval box, type a new distance. This is the measurement
between fixture insertion points.
7 Click OK.

Moving fixtures
You can move one or more fixtures along pipes and straight truss. (Not
curved truss.) See “Moving” for basic information on moving objects.
 If the fixtures you want to move are all on the same hang structure,
line markers will appear to display where the fixtures will be
positioned after the move is completed.
 If the fixtures you want to move are selected from different hang
structures, line markers will not be displayed and this move will be
complete only if the fixture can slide across the specified distance
while still positioned in the hang structure.
 To move the fixtures by exact distance, use the @ operator and a
positive or negative direction along the hang structure.

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To move fixtures along pipes and straight truss

1 Select the fixture(s) you want to move.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Move Fixtures.
Tip: You may also choose the Move button from the Edit menu or the
Move button from the Tools toolbar.
Result: If multiple fixtures are selected, line markers will appear to
display where the fixtures will be positioned.
3 Click on the plot, to set the destination point.
Tip: You may also type @, and a positive or negative move distance
value along the hang structure, and then press ENTER (e.g. @5 or
@-5).

Nudging fixtures
You can nudge one or more fixtures along a pipe, straight truss or on the
floor. (Not curved truss.) See “Nudging” for basic information on nudging
objects.

Note: The nudge distance is the Snap Interval value defined in the
Document Options > Hang Structure Settings tab. See “Hang Structure
Settings tab”.

To nudge fixtures along a pipe or straight truss

1 Select the fixture(s) you want to nudge.
2 Press and hold the ALT key on your keyboard, and then press the
ARROW keys on your keyboard to nudge the fixture towards the
desired direction.
Tip: You may also nudge fixture(s) by half the Snap Interval distance
by pressing and holding SHIFT and ALT, and then pressing the
ARROW keys.

Grouping fixtures
You can group fixtures and create Fixture Group shortcuts in the Fixture
Groups shortcut bar in CAD, Data, Design, and Live modes. You can also
refer to the section “Fixture groups” in Design mode.

Notes:
 If ONLY fixtures are selected, either CTRL+G or CTRL+J will create a
Fixture Group.
 If fixtures AND more than one other object is selected, CTRL+G will
create a normal “Objects Group” from the selected objects (the same
if there were no fixtures in the selection), while CTRL+J will create a
Fixture Group (the same as if CTRL+G was used with only fixtures
selected).

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To create a Fixture Group manually

1 Select the fixtures you want to group and select with a shortcut.
2 On the shortcut bar, click Fixture Groups.
3 Right-click on the open space on the Fixture Groups shortcut bar, and
choose New Fixture Group from the pop-up menu, or you can use
CTRL+J.
4 Type a name for the new fixture group in the dialog box.
5 Click OK.
Result: The shortcut of the new fixture group is created on the
Fixture Groups shortcut bar which can be used to select the fixtures in
the group.

Note: The order of the selection during the fixture group creation is
remembered, and will be applied when performing certain fixture
operations, such as Fanning.

To create a Fixture Group automatically

1 Select all the fixtures in your drawing, or only the ones you wish to
create automatic fixture groups.
2 On the shortcut bar, click Fixture Groups.
3 Right-click on the open space on the Fixture Groups shortcut bar, and
choose Auto-Create Fixture Groups from the pop-up menu.
Result: Identical fixtures will be grouped together automatically and
the corresponding shortcuts are created in the shortcuts bar. The
shortcut icons are displayed with the name of the fixture model and
the total number of fixtures in each group.

To add fixtures to an existing Fixture Group

1 On the Fixture Groups shortcut bar, click on a Fixture Group to select
the fixtures in the group.
2 Press and hold CTRL and click on the fixtures that you wish to add to
the selected Fixture Group.
3 Right-click on the selected Fixture Group on the Fixture Groups
shortcut bar.
4 Select Update from the pop-up menu.
Result: The selected fixtures will be added to the Fixture Group.

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To remove fixtures from an existing Fixture Group

1 On the Fixture Groups shortcut bar, click on a Fixture Group to select
the fixtures in the group.
2 Press and hold CTRL and click on the fixtures you want to remove
from the selected Fixture Group.
3 Right-click on the selected Fixture Group on the Fixture Groups
shortcut bar.
4 Select Update from the pop-up menu.
Result: The selected fixtures will be removed from the Fixture
Group.

Focusing fixtures
You can focus the fixtures in your plot in multiple ways:
 You can click and drag the beam of a selected fixture.
 You can type the pan, tilt, and spin values for the fixture in its
Properties box.
 You can assign a focus position or focus object to the fixture.
 You can use the Fanning Tool feature to focus conventional fixtures
in CAD mode (you can use this feature to focus automated lighting in
Design mode)

To focus using click and drag

1 Ensure that the Toggle Beam Dragging option is enabled on the CAD
Options toolbar.

The Toggle Beam Dragging button.

2 Select the fixture that you want to focus.

Result: The fixture’s beam appears.
3 Click on the beam and drag it to its new position. When you are
done, release the mouse button.
Tips:
 You can also right-click the fixture, and then click Focus to drag
the beam without having to hold the mouse button down
continuously. Click to finish when the beam is focused where you
want it.
 Use the missing focus coordinate to set a value on the inactive
axis.

Drawing focus positions

Focus positions are:

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 Points at which fixtures can be focused.

 Objects in the drawing.

To insert a focus position

1 From the Draw menu, choose Focus Position.
Tip: You can also click the Focus Position tool on the Draw toolbar to
place focus positions.

The Focus Position button.

2 Type a label for the focus position.

3 Move the mouse so that the intersection of the crosshairs is placed
where you want the focus position.
4 Click to insert the focus position.
5 Repeat these steps to insert all focus positions.

Focus position properties

Options on the Focus Position tab affect the alignment and style of the
selected focus position.

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You can modify the justification, height, and presentation of a focus

position. For a description of the justification and presentation-type
properties, refer to the “Text label tab”.

Focus positions are unique in that you can adjust the focus position
coordinates without actually moving the focus position on the drawing.
The X,Y, and Z coordinate is the coordinate of the location in 3D space
where the focus position is to lie.

Focus objects
Focus Objects allow you to draw an object, either a line or an arc, like
you would a Focus Point. Selected fixtures can then be assigned directly
to the drawn object. If you move or resize the object, the fixtures
assigned to the object move along with your Focus Object. Focus Objects
have many of the same properties of a Focus Point, but have
considerably more functionality.

Note: Conventional fixtures can be assigned to Focus Objects in CAD

mode; moving head units can be assigned to those same Focus Objects
in DESIGN mode.

Linking fixtures to Focus Objects

When you draw a Focus Object, you can assign several pairs of fixtures
to that object as you would like, and the fixtures will be organized in one
of two ways, either using Spread Focus or Focus to Vertices.

The Spread Focus function available is available to both focus lines and
focus arcs. Spread Focus is where the object divides itself up based on
the fixture “sets” that you select, and distributes the fixtures at even
intervals along the object in the order selected.

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Focus to Vertices is only available to focus lines. When using Focus to

Vertices, the focus line is drawn with multiple segments separated by a
vertices. When fixtures are assigned to the focus line, a single fixture will
be focus to each vertex in the line in the order selected. The maximum
number of fixtures that can be assigned is limited to the number of
vertices in the focus line.

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Breaking the fixture links to Focus Objects

Once a group of fixtures is assigned to a Focus Object, they are
essentially “linked” to that Focus Object until otherwise refocused. If you
have a group of fixtures assigned to a Focus Object and you refocus or
move one of them, any of the other fixtures will remain in the position
they were focused, but their link will be removed from the group of
fixtures and the Focus Object, as you would expect.

Focus Objects - Point naming

Keep in mind that since you can assign different sets of fixtures to the
same object, the same point can be used for two different fixtures. In
Spreadsheets and Reports (and CAD), the position points in the Focus
column are indicated as "<name> - 1 of 3", "<name> - 4 of 5,” and so
on (where one set has 3 fixtures and the other set has 5 fixtures). In this
case, “1 of 3" and “1 of 5" would be the same point, as would “2 of 3"
and “3 of 5", as would “3 of 3" and “5 of 5".

Assigning fixtures to Focus Objects

Creating Focus Objects and assigning fixtures to them is as easy as
selecting the fixtures, selecting the Focus Object, and applying a key
shortcut.

To assign conventional fixtures to a Focus Line in CAD mode

1 Draw a Focus Line by clicking Draw > Focus Line.
Result: The New Focus Line window appears.

2 Type a name for the new focus line.

3 Select the layer on which you want to draw the focus line.
4 Select the focus type.
5 Click OK.
6 Draw your focus line where you like.

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7 Select your fixtures in the order in which you would like to focus
them.
8 While keeping the fixture selection you just created, also select the
focus line to which you want to assign conventional fixtures in CAD
mode.
9 Use the keyboard shortcut CTRL+SHIFT+F to assign the fixtures to
the focus line.

To assign conventional fixtures to a Focus Arc in CAD mode

1 Draw a Focus Arc by clicking Draw > Focus Arc.
Result: The New Focus Arc window appears.

2 Type a name for the new focus arc.

3 Select the layer on which you want to draw the focus arc.
4 To drawn the focus arc free hand, click Interactive. To pre-construct
the focus arc, enter in the radius, start angle and end angle details,
then click OK.
5 Place your focus arc where you like.
6 Select your fixtures in the order in which you would like to focus
them.
7 While keeping the fixture selection you just created, also select the
focus arc to which you want to assign conventional fixtures in CAD
mode.
8 Use the keyboard shortcut CTRL+SHIFT+F to assign the fixtures to
the focus arc.

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Quick focus
Quick focus assigns a focus position or Pan and Tilt angle to the selected
fixture.

To assign a focus position

1 From the Tools menu, choose Quick Focus.
Tip: You can also click the Quick Focus tool on the Tools toolbar.

The Quick Focus button.

2 Click on the desired focus position. This will set that position as the
destination for the next fixtures you select.
3 Click on each fixture that you want focused to that position or focus
object.
4 Right-click anywhere in the Wireframe view, and then choose Finish
Quick Focus.

To assign a pan and tilt angle

Note: For more information on Quick Tools, see “Quick fixture tools”.
1 From the Tools menu, choose Quick Tools.
2 In the dialog box that opens, check Focus.
3 Type values in degrees for Pan and Tilt.
4 Click OK.
5 Click on each fixture you want oriented to the specified angle.
6 Right-click anywhere in the Wireframe view, and then choose Finish
Quick Tools.

To focus from the fixture’s properties

1 Select the fixtures that you want to focus.
2 Right-click and choose Properties.
3 Click the Fixture tab.
4 Type values in degrees for Pan, Tilt, and Spin, or select a focus
position from the drop-down list.
Note: For the definitions of these attributes, please refer to “Data
fields”.
5 Click OK.

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Using the fanning tool feature in CAD mode

The Fanning Tool makes your aerial focuses and any other fan-like focus
quick and easy, enabling you to select a group of fixtures, tilt and pan
them as a group, and then spread the focus out with a simple wheel. This
action can be performed in CAD mode (for conventionals) and Design
mode (for moving heads).

To focus conventional fixtures using the Fanning Tool

1 Right-click on the toolbar area and select the Fanning Designer Tool
menu to open Fanning Tool.

The Fanning button.

Result: The Fanning Tool window appears.

2 Select a group of fixtures by drag-selecting or control-clicking in

either Wireframe or Shaded view (in DESIGN mode, this is part of
the Focus Designer tool).
3 Use the Pan/Tilt wheel to move all of your fixtures together in order to
be able to do a PAN fan; TILT fanning can be done without panning.

To use the interpolate feature with the Fanning Tool

Note: Interpolation (or auto-arranging fixtures) only works on
conventional fixtures in CAD mode.

In CAD Mode only, you have the option of using the Interpolate buttons
too, which allow for a different type of Fanning Tool operation.

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1 Select a group of fixtures by drag-selecting or control-clicking in

either Wireframe or Shaded view (in DESIGN mode, this is part of
the Focus Designer Tool).
2 Take the first fixture and the last fixture in your selection and move
them where you would like them as the first and last units in your
fan.
3 When you click the Interpolate button for Pan and Tilt, the internal
fixtures of your selection between the first and last will interpolate
(or auto-arrange) themselves between those first and last units.
Interpolate Pan will arrange the focuses of the internal fixtures’ pan
values; Interpolate Tilt will arrange the tilt values between the
selection.

Fixture-specific focusing tools

All fixture-specific focusing tools such as shuttering, spotting/flooding,
lens changes, and footprints are available through the selected fixture’s
properties on the Shutter, Lens, and Fixture pages respectively.

To make shutter cuts

1 Select the fixtures for which you want to make shutter cuts.
2 Right-click and choose Properties or simply open the Shutter Cuts
window.
3 Click the Fixture tab.

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4 Click the Cuts tab.

Note: The POV image is not available when a fixture is zoomable or
articulable.

5 Use the sliders along the top, bottom, and the sides to move the
shutter blades.
Result: The cuts that you make are visible in the drawing.
Note: Click the small “lock” icon to lock a blade before or after
moving one of its "ends." Once locked, the blades can be moved in or
out from both "ends"/"sides" at the same time. If a blade is locked
after moving only one of its "ends"/"sides", the blade will move in or
out at an angle.
6 When applicable, use the Barrel Rotation slider to adjust the fixture's
barrel orientation. You may also enter a barrel rotation angle or use
the up/down arrow buttons to make these adjustments.
7 Adjust the pan and tilt of the selected fixture(s) by typing the
appropriate values in the boxes in degrees, or by using the up and
down arrow buttons.
8 Click OK when finished.

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Note: If needed, click Reset Cuts to bring all the shutter cuts to the
full-open position.
Tip: You can perform all of these steps with the Shutter Cuts tool,
which is accessible from the Tools menu. The controls in this tool are
identical to the ones described above in the Shutters tab; however, all
changes made with the Shutter Cuts tool are applied instantly,
without the need to click any other buttons.

To adjust the leaves of barndoors

1 Select the fixture with barndoors for which you want to adjust the
leaves.
2 Right-click and choose Properties.
3 Click the Fixture tab.
4 From the list on the left side, highlight the barndoor.
5 Click the Barndoors tab.

6 Use the sliders along the top, bottom, and sides to move the
barndoor leaves. You will notice that the movement of the leaves is
restricted to left, right, up, and down.
Result: The cuts are visible in the drawing.

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7 Click OK when finished.

Using the Cuts and Adjustments tool

The Cuts and Adjustments Tool can handle a lot of Conventional changes
dynamically, and gives you more controls for beam shaping. It is your
one-stop tool for fixture beam shaping and edits.

Here’s an example of the Cuts and Adjustments Tool in use:

Note: When multiple fixtures of the same type, or multiple fixtures with
the same barndoor/shutter accessories are selected, you can adjust the
cuts of all of them at once. All the fixtures will share the same cut.

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Cuts and Adjustments tool properties

Shutters and Barrel Section

This section allows for shutter cuts on any fixture with shutters, as well
as focusing the actual position of your fixture with accuracy. You can also
quickly reset any and all of your shutter cuts, lock a blade on the Shutter
mechanism, rotate your fixture’s barrel, and spin the fixture’s c-clamp on
the lighting position.

Fresnels and PARnels Section

This section of the Cuts and Adjustments Tool is for fixtures with a Fresnel-
type lens or lamp train style body – the tool provides a slider for moving
the lamp closer to the lens for wider angles and away from the lens for a
tighter spot pool. You can also go Full Spot, Medium Flood, or Full Flood
with the push of a button.

Note: When multiple fixtures of the same type are selected, you can
adjust the Spot-Flood slider to change all the selected fixtures at the same
time.

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PAR Bottles Section

This section provides you with an easy access slider for rotating your PAR
bottles. Quickly spin your PARs’ lamp bottles to get the angle you need
and the coverage you want to achieve.

Note: When multiple fixtures of the same type are selected, you can
adjust the rotation to change all the selected fixtures at the same time.

Quick Adjust Section:

This section is copied from the Fixture Properties dialog box so that you
can change a lamp or a lens quickly and across multiple fixtures. You can
also spin your lamps and lenses and reassign Focus Positions to any
conventional fixture on your plot with the Cuts and Adjustments Tool’s Quick
Adjust section.

To open the Cuts and Adjustments tool

1 In Wireframe view, select the fixture that you want to adjust.
2 Click View > Cuts and Adjustments.
Result: The Cuts and Adjustments tool appears.

Manually adjust fixture attributes

To adjust flood or spot

1 Select the fixture(s) for which you want to adjust the flood or spot.
2 Right-click and choose Properties.
3 Click the Fixture tab.

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4 Click the Lens tab.

5 Use the slider to adjust the spot and flood.

6 Click OK when finished.

To change the bulb in a Par fixture

1 Select the PAR fixture that you want to focus.
2 Right-click and choose Properties.
3 Click the Fixture tab.
4 From the Lamp drop-down list, select the lamp that you want to
focus.
5 In the Angle box for the lamp, type the rotation angle. The angle
determines the degree of rotation of the lamp within the housing.
6 Click OK when finished.

Note: To focus Source 4 PAR fixtures, perform the same series of steps,
except you must type a value in the Lens Angle box instead of the Lamp
Angle.

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To focus a footprint for a conventional fixture

Note: This feature is also available for automated fixtures (in Design
mode through the Footprint Designer tool). For information, see “Focus
tool”.
1 Select the conventional fixture.
2 Right-click and choose Properties.
3 Click the Fixture tab.

4 On the Beam Options tab, choose Enable Footprint Focus (Conventionals

only).
5 Adjust the fixture’s minimum and maximum Focus Range in the Min
and Max boxes.
6 Adjust the focus distance using the slider or by entering a value in
the Focus Distance box.
7 Check Sync to Focus Position to adjust the footprint focus distance to
the specified Focus Position.
8 Click OK when finished.
Result: The effect is visible in the Shaded view when Footprint Focus
is enabled on the Simulation tab of the View Options window.

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To focus a footprint for a conventional fixture (interactive

method)
Note: This feature is also available for automated fixtures (in Design
mode through the Footprint Designer tool). For information, see “Focus
tool”.
1 Select the conventional fixture.
2 Right-click and choose Footprint Focus. The fixture focus distance is
represented by a yellow line in the CAD view.

3 Press the up and down arrows on your keyboard to adjust the focus
distance.
4 When you are satisfied with the distance, right-click and select Finish
Footprint Focus. To cancel your changes, right-click and select Abort
Footprint Focus.
The effect is visible in the Shaded view when Footprint Focus is
enabled on the Simulation tab of the View Options window.

Fixture properties
All fixtures in WYSIWYG have properties. Properties are the
characteristics or attributes that shape and define a fixture.

Fixture properties can be divided into two categories:

 Properties that are common to all fixtures in WYSIWYG.
 Properties that you define by assigning attributes to a fixture.

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Fixtures also have many non-visible attributes, some of which can be

edited. These include Alias (found as Type in the reports), Cost, Weight,
and AutoFocus codes.

General fixture properties

In WYSIWYG there are five tabs that appear in the properties dialog box
for every fixture:
 Appearance
 Version
 Data
 Options
 Photometric

Each tab is explained in this section.

To view fixture properties that are common to all fixtures

1 From the Library menu, choose Browse Library.
2 Click the Fixtures tool at the bottom of the browser.

The Fixtures button.

3 Browse to the desired fixture and click on it to select it.

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4 Right-click on the fixture name, and then click Properties.

Tip: You can also click the Properties tool at the top of the Library
Browser.

The Properties button.

Result: The properties window for the selected fixture appears, with
a shaded view and an image of the fixture’s symbol displayed in the
two boxes. An example is shown below:

5 Click Plan, Side, or Front to view the fixture in the different views. The
Wireframe view changes based on the view type that you select.

Version tab
Options on the Version tab are read-only and are set when the fixture is
added to the library.

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 Version: The release number of the fixture.

 Status: The status of the fixture. For example, Beta indicates that the
fixture is completed but not verified. Release indicates the fixture has
been tested and is accurate. A status of Preliminary indicates that the
fixture has minimal functionality.
 Author: The individual or company who constructed the fixture.
 Notes: Any notes that pertain to the fixture. The notes usually pertain
to the simulation capabilities in WYSIWYG.

Data tab
Options on the Data tab are read-only and are set when the fixture is
added to the library. This does not, however, include the Alias, Weight,
Cost, Manu, and Prod fields. To modify these fields, access the desired
fixture’s properties from the Library Browser.

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 Manufacturer: The name of the manufacturer of the fixture.

 Model: The model number of the fixture.
 Alias: The alternate name for the fixture.
 Weight: The weight of the fixture.
 Use default: Select this checkbox to use the default weight.
 Cost: The cost of renting or purchasing the fixture. The cost of renting
the fixture can be the price for a day, week, or month. The default
value is 0.00.
Notes:
 If a cost is assigned to a fixture type when a WYSIWYG document
is open, the cost is applied to the current document only.
 If a cost is applied to a fixture type when a document is not open,
the cost is used as the default for all documents created on your
copy of WYSIWYG.
 When opening a document created by someone other than
yourself, the cost entered in that person’s document is used.
 The cost entered in this tab is displayed in WYSIWYG reports. For
more information on the display of this data, refer to page “Data
fields”.
 Catalog: The code that is used by the manufacturer to identify the
fixture.
 Manu: The manufacturer’s code for those fixtures that are Autofocus-
compatible. Conventional fixtures do not have a manufacturer’s
code. The default value is 0.

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 Prod: The product code for those fixtures that are Autofocus-
compatible. Conventional fixtures do not have a product code. The
default value is 0.
 Use default: Select this checkbox to indicate that the default settings
for Prod and Manu (0, 0) are to be used.
 URL: The internet address of the manufacturer.
 Open: If an internet address is shown, click this button to open the
Web page of the manufacturer.

Options tab
The boxes on this tab indicate various options about the selected fixture,
such as the number of channels and the available channels. Based on the
fixture selected, the options shown on this tab vary. For example, if you
choose a light like the Vari*Lite VL5, the options on the left side of the
window affect those on the right side. In this case, based on the options
that you select on the left side, the hookup for this fixture may differ.

 Mode: Select the mode in which you want to configure the fixture.
This field is not applicable for certain fixtures.
 Dimmer: If applicable, select the type of dimmer for this fixture (for
example, choose either Internal or External).
 Circuits: Indicates the type of DMX controls for this fixture (for
example, Control, Intensity, RIntensity, Color, and so on).
 Number of Channels: Based on the circuit that you selected above (in
addition to the options selected), this box indicates the number of
channels for this fixture.
 Available Channels: The names of the channels available for this fixture
(based on the circuit and options that you selected).

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Photometrics tab
Options on the Photometrics tab affect the lamp and lens settings for the
fixture.

 Lamp: Select the lamp to be used in the fixture.

 Lens: If applicable, select the lens setting for the fixture. Changing
the lens alters the photometric properties of the fixture.
 View: Select the graphical representation that you want to display in
the box to the left. The choices are as follows:
 Beam vs. Field. Displays a graphical representation of the beam and

field angles of the fixture.

 Flood vs. Spot (Beam). Displays a graphical representation of the

ratio between the flood and spot for the fixture’s beam angle.
 Flood vs. Spot (Field). Displays a graphical representation of the ratio

between the flood and spot for the fixture’s field angle.
 Field: The measurement in degrees from the center of the beam to
where the light level drops off to 10 percent of the peak.
 Beam: The measurement in degrees from the center of the beam to
where the light level drops off to 50 percent of the peak.

Quick fixture tools

Quick Tools allows you to quickly assign data, accessories and other
important attributes to your lighting fixtures without having to switch
back and forth between DATA mode or opening each fixture’s properties
for each change. Quick Tools will enter in repetitive information,
incrementing automatically if you choose, for all of your fixtures.

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The Quick Fixture Tool window allows you to expand or collapse each
section of the Quick Fixture Tool as you see fit to improve your workflow
and space.

Here is the Quick Fixture Tool completely collapsed:

Here is the Quick Fixture Tool completely expanded:

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Quick Fixture Tool Sections

When you enter data into the field associated with each value and click
OK, a wireframe view appears, where you will click on the fixtures to
which you would like to assign the changes you made in the tool.

Note: When your mouse is over a fixture using the Quick Tools Tool, the
fixture will be highlighted to help indicate which fixture is selected.

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Control Data section

This section allows you to assign repetitive values for Spot, Channel and
Dimmer (and Auto Increment), DMX addresses per Universe with Auto
Increment, and a Custom Increment Patch that allows you to assign
addresses based solely on your custom increment and ignoring the
logical patch increments.

The Control Data section also allows you to assign repetitive Circuit
Names and Numbers to your fixtures for any situation – an example of
this would be labeling Socapex circuits on a touring lighting truss A-1
through A-6. If the Multi-Cable option is enabled, Quick Tools will
automatically increment the Circuit Name and reset the Circuit Number
after every X fixture is placed, where X is the No. of Circuits selected.

Descriptive notes can be created and added to fixtures. These notes are
shown in the DATA > Spreadsheet for the selected fixtures. Fixture
attribute layout templates can also be selected and applied to fixtures.

General Details section

This is where you can assign repetitive values for Unit numbers (with
Auto Increment if desired) as well as Purpose and Focus (either by
Position or by degrees).

Accessories Section
This section of the Quick Fixture Tools dialog box allows you to assign
repetitive values for Color, Gobos, Lamps, Lens sets, and Other
accessories as assigned.

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Using the Quick Fixture Tools panel

1 From the Tools menu, choose Quick Fixture Tools. When the Quick
Fixture Tools dialog box opens, it defaults to the collapsed view. Click
on the plus symbol next to each section to open it.
Tip: You can also click the Quick Tools tool on the Tools toolbar.

2 To activate a tool, select the checkbox to the left of the tool. You can
activate as many as you want at a time. See below for explanations
of the different tools.
3 Type the initial value for the tool in the box to the right of the tool
name. If you want the value to auto increment, as for channels or
spot numbers, make sure you select the Auto Increment checkbox.
WYSIWYG will assign the next sequential number based on the
properties and requirements of the previous fixture.
Note: When you patch a fixture in the Control Data section, the Custom
Increment offers two options: Additional, where the increment is added
at the end of each fixture patched; and Total, which is the total
increment to the next fixture’s address).

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4 When the dialog box is set up the way you want it, click OK.
Result: The cursor will show a “Q”, indicating that Quick Tools have
been activated.
5 Click on each fixture in the order you want any auto-incrementing
values to be assigned.
Note: The attributes to be assigned to the next fixture are logged in
the bottom left hand corner of the Status bar.
6 When complete, right-click and choose Finish Quick Tools.
Tip: Use the Clear All button to reset all the values and cancel all
quick tools.

Notes:
 To change the values at any time, right-click and choose Change
Options.
 When typing values, type the exact value or use the [...] browse
button to open a selection dialog box.
 The entry in the patch box must fulfill the requirements of patch
notation which is universe.#. For more information regarding patch
notation refer to “Reading the patch”.
 For more information about the data fields, refer to “Data fields”.
 When using the quick tools to insert a color or gobo, WYSIWYG
automatically inserts a default color frame or gobo holder, which is
already defined in the fixture. Remove the default frame and add a
new one using Add Accessory. For information on adding accessories,
refer to “To insert an accessory”.
 When you are applying a color to a multi-source fixture, a dialog box
appears, listing the circuit names to which you can apply the Quick
Tool color selection. To apply the same color to multiple circuits listed
in this dialog box, press CTRL, and then select the desired circuits.
Press Select when you are finished.

Fixture-specific properties
Customize the properties of a fixture by assigning specific attributes,
such as point of view, patch information, and lens type.

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To edit/view fixture attributes

1 Select the fixture that you want to view or edit.
2 Right-click and select Properties.
Tip: At any time, to access an object’s properties, you can click the
Properties tool on the Edit toolbar.

The Properties button.

Result: The Properties window appears. Based on the type of fixture

that you have selected, the tab fields in the Properties window varies.
An example is shown in the graphic below.

 Layer: A list of the layers in your document is displayed. Click on a

list item to change the layer on which the fixture will be edited or
viewed.
 Display with Layer Groups: By default, this checkbox is selected to
show the list of layers within groups, and the Collapse All and Expand
All buttons become active. Clear the checkbox to show only the list
of layers.
 Collapse All: Click the Collapse All button to display only the Layer
Groups.
 Expand All: Click the Expand All button to display the Layer Groups
and all the Layers.

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 Use Layer Color: Select this checkbox to set the fixture’s color for
Wireframe views to be identical with the properties of the layer on
which the fixture resides. Clear this checkbox, and then use the
color box to select a specific color for the fixture.
 Line Weight: From the drop-down list, choose the line weight for the
selected fixture, which sets the thickness for the fixture symbol
lines, defining how it will appear in all the Wireframe views and in
the printed Layouts.
 Attach to Axis/Frame: From the drop-down list, select the motion axis
to where you want to attach the selected fixture.
 Hatching: Section for managing hatching effects only for closed
objects. See “To add hatching to an object”.
 Fixture Symbol Fill: Section for managing fill options for fixture
symbols.
 Use Document Defaults: By default this checkbox is selected to
apply the fill settings that were set in Document Options. Refer
to “Fixture Settings tab”. Clear this checkbox if you want to
change the fill and color settings.
 Enable: Select this checkbox to change the fill settings of the
selected fixture.
 Select Percentage from the drop-down list if you wish to fill
using the same hue of the Fixture Symbol, and set the
percentage from the drop-down list for the hue intensity.
 Select Custom Color from the drop-down list and click the
color box to choose a different color.
 Select Use Gel Color from the drop-down list if you wish to
fill using the gel color that was attached to the fixture.

Fixture tab
Options on the Fixture tab affect the fixture properties and their
accessories. On the left side of the dialog box is a list of the selected
fixtures and their accessories. Click on a list item to obtain further details
about the item.

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General tab
Refer to “Data fields” for a description of the fields.
 Edit Layout: Click to edit the text label layout for the selected fixture.
For more information on layout refer to “Fixture label layout”.
 Clamp Type and Distance from Hang Structure: Click on the type of clamp
from this drop-down list to set the distance of the fixture from the
hang structure.
You may click Custom and then type the value on the adjacent box to
set your preferred distance.
Note: By default, conventional fixtures are set with a C-clamp and
moving fixtures are set with a Half-Cheeseborough.

Beam Options tab

Options on the Beam Options tab affect the beam and footprint settings for
the selected fixture.

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 Beam Settings: Use these options to control the brightness of the

fixture’s beam, footprint, or flare when turned on in Shaded View.
The settings here will override the Shaded View > View Options
settings.
 Source Disc: Use the slider to increase or decrease the brightness of

the halo of light around a fixture's aperture.

 Intensity Multipliers: Use the sliders of these options to increase or

decrease the brightness of the flare, beam and footprint. For

example, to double the brightness of the beam, set the slider to
2.0.
 Flare: Increase or decrease the brightness of the lens flare for
this fixture in Shaded View. The Source disc will still be visible.
 Beam: Increase or decrease the brightness of the beam cone
for this fixture in Shaded View. Note: When you use the
Render Wizard, the Beam value is used when rendering to the
Renderer.
 Footprint: Increase or decrease the brightness of the beam
footprint for this fixture in Shaded View.
 Lock Sliders: Select this checkbox to lock the Intensity
Multiplier settings.

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 Reset to Default: Click to reset the Intensity Multipliers back to

the default settings.
Note: All changes will be applied to all fixtures of this type in the file.
 Footprint Focus Settings: Use these options to control the
footprint focus on conventional fixtures.
 Focus Range: Set the minimum (Min) and maximum (Max) focus

distances for the fixture.

 Invert Focus in LIVE mode (Automated only): Check this option to invert

the direction of Focus in LIVE mode.

 Enable Footprint Focus (Conventionals only): Check this option to

control the footprint focus.

 Focus Distance: Set the focus distance for the fixture.

 Sync to Focus Position: Check this option to adjust the footprint focus

distance to the specified Focus Position.

 Focus Lines: Check this option to display focus lines for the selected

focus in Shaded Views.

Patch tab
Options on the Patch sub-tab affect the circuit, channels, and patch
universe for the selected fixture.

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 Control, Circuit, and Patch: Refer to “Data fields” for a description of

these boxes.
 Use EDMX address: Select this checkbox to use the EDMX address for
the patch universe. This checkbox is enabled if you select EDMX from
the Universe drop-down list. EDMX is an Ethernet protocol developed
by ETC.

Shutters tab
For information on the Shutters tab, see “To make shutter cuts”.

Moving mirror/moving head tab

Options on the Moving Mirror and Moving Head sub-tabs affect the pan and
tilt values.

 Pan offset: Sets the manually adjustable pan angle.

 Tilt offset: Sets the manually adjustable tilt angle.
 Reverse Pan: Select this checkbox only if the real fixtures have an
option to reverse the pan parameter and that option is set to true.
 Reverse Tilt: Select this checkbox only if the real fixtures have an
option to reverse the tilt parameter and that option is set to true.

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 Swap Axes: Select this checkbox only if the real fixtures have an
option to swap the control channels for the tilt and pan and that
option is set to true.
 Pan: (Only visible for certain fixtures.) Displays the manufacturer
low, mid and high pan limit values for the fixture. To change a value,
select it, click Change, and then type the new value.
 Tilt: (Only visible for certain fixtures.) Displays the manufacturer’s
low, mid, and high tilt limit values for the fixture. To change a value,
select it, click Change, and then type the new value.
Note: The Pan and Tilt limit behavior is defined by the Mode selected
on the Options tab.

Display Source tab

Options on the Display Source sub-tab are used to add a video source to a
Video Projection fixture, so that it can display a video source in the
fixture's beam.

Select the Display Source.

 To leave the screen blank, select Blank Screen.
 To show a static image on the screen, select Image File, and then click
Browse to locate the graphic. (The image must be saved in either
bitmap or JPEG format.)

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 To attach a video source to the screen, select Video Source, and then
choose the video source from the drop-down list box (or click Create
New to configure a new video source with the Video Manager). For
details on creating a new video source, see “To configure a new video
source for streaming video”. For details on creating an I-Mag camera
screen, see “To create an I-Mag Camera in the Video Manager”.

Notes:
 For details on patching the video control in Data mode, see “To patch
the control of a video source”.
 For details on using the Video Designer tool to play the video in
Design mode, see “To use the Video tool”.
 For details on using a console device to control the video in Live
mode, see “To control a DMX patched video source with a console”.

Options tab
Options on this tab affect the mode selection for the fixtures. The options
vary according to the fixture that you have selected.

 Mode: Sets the mode for the selected fixture.

 Software: The software version that is loaded on the selected fixture.
 Slots: The mechanical components that are present in the selected
fixture.

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 Control: Simulates the lamp control channel on the selected fixture.

Since you can physically turn a fixture on or off, WYSIWYG enables
this action in the software.

Note: Fixture options are displayed in the "Fixture Options" column in

the DATA > Spreadsheet, and can also be displayed in PRES > Reports.

Control tab
Options on the Control tab enable you to set the channel, circuit, and
patch universe information for the fixture.

 Control
 Channel: Type the channel number for the selected fixture.
 Dimmer: The dimmer number for the selected fixture.
 Use EDMX address: If checked, the EDMX address is used for the
patch universe. This checkbox is enabled if either EDMX or
Conventionals (for the DMX address) is selected from the Universe
drop-down list.
 Circuit
 Name: The circuit name for the selected fixture.

 Number: The circuit number for the selected fixture.

 Patch
 Universe: Select a patch universe for the fixture.

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 Address: The starting DMX channel number for the selected fixture.

Fixture notation
Fixture notation affects how fixtures and their properties are displayed on
your drawing and consequently on your plot in Presentation mode. As
illustrated below, two components comprise fixture notation:
 symbol
 fixture label layout

Symbols
A symbol is a graphical representation of a fixture in a Wireframe view.
In all wireframe views except isometric, symbols may be used to
represent fixtures instead of three dimensional models. Fixtures are
associated with specific symbols by default, but you can change the
symbol to whatever you like.

To turn fixture symbols on or off

1 From the Options menu, choose Document Options.
Result: The Document Options window appears.
2 Select the Wireframe Details tab.
3 Select the Show Symbols checkbox.
4 Click OK.

To change the symbol for a fixture type

The following procedure changes the symbol for all instances of the
selected fixture type in the document. Similar procedures change the
symbol at an application level.

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Notes:
 To change fixtures at an application level, see ““To change the
symbol for a fixture at the application level”” below.
 For fixtures with interchangeable lenses (or lamps in the case of
PARs), you must change the symbol for the lamp or lens instead of
the fixture.
1 From the Library menu, choose Browse Library.
2 Select the Fixtures library.
3 Navigate through the library, and then select the fixture type for
which you wish to change the symbol.
4 Click the Property tool.
Result: The properties dialog box for fixture type opens.
 When modifying the symbol for a specific fixture and lamp
combination, use the Lamp drop-down list to select a specific
Lamp for the fixture.
 When modifying the symbol for a specific fixture and lens
combination, use the Lens drop-down list to select a specific Lens
for the fixture.
5 Click Change Symbol.
Result: The symbol selection window appears.
6 Select the new symbol.
7 Click Select.
8 Close the fixture property box.

To change the symbol for a fixture at the application level

Perform this procedure if you want to modify fixture symbols universally
so that when you create new files, the symbols that you want are
displayed for fixtures (instead of the default symbols).
1 Start WYSIWYG and from the welcome window, select Options >
Browse Library.
2 Click the Fixtures tab.
3 Navigate through the library, and then select the fixture type for
which you wish to change the symbol.
4 Right-click the Fixture name, and then select Properties.
Result: The properties dialog box for fixture type opens.
5 Click the view that you want to change.

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6 Click Change Symbol.

Note: When the same symbol is used for two view types, the Change
Symbol button is disabled for one of the view types. Click either of the
other two view types to choose a new symbol.
Result: The symbol selection window appears.
7 Select the new symbol, and then click Select.
8 Close the fixture property box.

Notes: Your changes are stored in the file Default.ldb, which is stored in
the WYSIWYG\Library folder (in the location where you installed
WYSIWYG). If you need to upgrade or reinstall WYSIWYG and you want
to keep the changes you have made to symbols, first make a backup of
Default.ldb file. Then, once the upgrade or re-installation is complete,
paste the backed up copy of the Default.ldb file into the
WYSIWYG\Library folder, replacing the existing file.

Fixture label layout

You can place the following attribute labels around fixture symbols in
WYSIWYG:
 focus
 lamp
 lens
 notes
 position
 purpose
 spot
 unit
 channel
 circuit
 color
 gobo
 patch
 dimmer
 fixture notes
 type
 intensity

To set the position, visibility, color, and justification of these attributes,

edit the Label Layout.

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Note: To see which options you have turned on, you may need to enable
the master visibility toggle from View Options > Wireframe Details tab
before the specified label layout appears in the wireframe. For details,
see the “Wireframe Details tab”.

As with symbols, you can edit label layouts at an application level,

document level, or selected fixture-only level. To change the font used
for the attributes, see “To change the font in Label Layouts”.

To change the label layout at the application level

To change the label layout at an application level, you must browse the
library from the WYSIWYG Welcome window. Note that changes you
make to a fixture’s label layout at the application level will appear for
that fixture whenever a new WYSIWYG file is created.

Note: Since the information is stored in the Default.ldb file in the

C:\ProgramData\CAST Software\WYSIWYG\1.xx.xx.x\Library folder, it is
recommended that you make a backup of this file so you can keep your
changes if ever you need to reinstall WYSIWYG. In this case, simply
replace the installed file with the backup to ensure your changes are not
lost. Alternatively, you can use the Export User Data feature to back up
your settings. For details, see “Exporting user data”.
1 In the Welcome window, select Options > Browse Library.
2 Select the Fixtures tab.
3 Navigate through the fixtures library, and then select the fixture type
for which you wish to change the label layout.
4 Right-click and select Properties.
Result: The Properties dialog box for the fixture appears.
5 Click Edit Layout.
Result: The Edit Fixture Attribute Layout window appears.
6 Edit the label layout as desired, and then click OK to save your
changes.

To change the label layout at the document Level

To change the label layout at the document level, you must browse the
library from within a WYSIWYG file. Any changes made to the fixture’s
label layout at the document level will only be applied to fixtures being
inserted in the current file. New files containing the same fixtures will not
be affected.
1 In your WYSIWYG file, select Library > Browse Library.
2 Select the Fixtures tab.
3 Navigate through the fixtures library, and then select the fixture type
for which you wish to change the label layout.

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4 Right-click and select Properties.

Result: The Properties dialog box for the fixture appears.
5 Click Edit Layout.
Result: The Edit Fixture Attribute Layout window appears.
6 Edit the label layout as desired, and then click OK to save your
changes.

To change the label layout at the per-fixture level

Changes that you make to a fixture’s label layout at the per-fixture level
only affect the selected instances of the fixture in the current file. There
are two ways to change the label layout in this manner:

To modify any fixture’s layout in the current file

1 In a wireframe view, right-click on an empty area and select Fixture
Attribute Layouts.
Result: The Edit Fixture Attribute Layout window appears.
2 Edit the label layout as desired, and then click OK to save your
changes.

To modify a specific set of fixture label layouts in the current

file
1 In a wireframe view, select the group of fixtures that you want to
modify.
2 Right-click and select Fixture Attribute Layouts.
Result: The Edit Fixture Attribute Layout window appears.
3 Edit the label layout as desired, and then click OK to save your
changes.

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Using the edit fixture attribute layout window

 Fixture: Use this drop-down list to select the fixture that you want to
modify. This function is only available when accessing the Edit Label
Layout window from the Wireframe view. With no fixtures selected, the
Fixture Selection drop-down list will display the list of all the fixture
types in the current WYSIWYG file. With fixtures selected, the Fixture
Selection drop-down list will show the list of all fixture types in the
selection set.
 Browse Layouts: Click this button to copy a layout from another fixture
in the file. When you click this button, the Copy Layout window
appears:

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From the list on the left, select the fixture layout you would like to
copy, and then select the specific fixture using the arrow selectors
above the preview on the right. When you have selected the fixture
layout that you want to copy, click Apply Layout.
 Reset all: Will reset a fixture’s attributes to its default settings.
 Document Options: Will open the Document Options window. From here
settings on what fixture attributes are visible can be edited.
 Fixture Attribute Layout
 Modify All: With Modify All selected, the changes that you make to

the fixture’s label layout are applied to all of the fixtures of the
specified type within the selection set. If no fixtures are selected,
the changes will be applied to all fixtures of that type in the file. To
show you which fixtures will be affected, the wireframe view
highlights and selects all affected fixtures.
 Modify Individual: With Modify Individual selected, you can modify a

specific fixture in the file. Use the arrows to cycle through the
available fixtures, noting the preview image in the wireframe as it
highlights and selects the corresponding fixture that you will be
modifying.
 Copy: Will copy the characteristics of a selected fixture property,

including the appearance and location in the Fixture Preview.

 Paste: Will apply any previously copied fixture property to the

current fixture.
 Make Template: Will copy the current fixture attribute layout

settings to make a template. This template can then be applied to

other fixture attributes layouts, which will inherit the settings
found in the template.
 Use FAL Template: Will apply a previously created fixture attribute

layout (FAL) template to the current fixture attribute layout. You

can select which FAL template to use from the drop down menu.
 New/Edit...: Will open the FAL Template Manager window where you

can create new or edit existing FAL templates.

 Fixture Preview: A wireframe preview of the fixture’s label layout.
 Symbol: Controls how the fixture will be viewed in the layout.
Available options are Plan (top down), Side and Front view.
 Zoom: Adjust the Zoom slider to zoom the fixture’s preview in and out.
Click the Zoom Reset button, identified by this icon to reset the
zoom back to its original levels.
 Rotation: Adjust the Rotation slider to rotate the fixture and preview
the behavior of the labels at various rotation angles. Click the Rotate
Reset button, identified by this icon to reset the fixture rotation
back to its original levels.
 Grid Snap: When enabled aligns the placement of objects in the Fixture
Preview to grid points.
 Show Anchors: When enabled the anchor points of a fixture are shown
in the Fixture Preview. The anchor points of a fixture are spots on the
fixture where fixture attributes can be attached.

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 Adjust Labels: This grid allows you to show or hide attributes for
the current fixture or fixture type.
Note: If a FAL template is in use for the fixture, this section is
disabled.
 Property: The named properties of the fixture. Use the checkboxes
to turn various properties on/off in your layout.
Note: Properties will not appear even if you turn them on in this
window, unless you enable the master visibility toggle in the
document options. For more information, see the “Document
Options”.
 Color: The Color column indicates the current color assigned to the
label. You can change the color by selecting the Color preview and
using the drop-down list to select a new color.
 Attribute Anchor: The Attribute Anchor column indicates where on the

fixture the property’s symbol will be anchored. This can only be

changed by editing the FAL Template.
 Text:
 Height: Increase or decrease the height to modify the font size.

 Rotation: Set the angle to specify the label alignment in relationship

to the fixture symbol.

 Italics: Select this checkbox to display the text in italics.

 Text Anchor: This section controls how the text of a fixture attribute
will be aligned.
 Horizontal: Set the horizontal alignment of text relative to the

insertion point/shape.
 Vertical: Set the vertical alignment of text relative to the insertion

point/shape.
 Shape: This section controls how the shape that represents a fixture
attribute is displayed.
 Shape: Select a shape to be associated with this attribute, if

desired. You can choose from none, circle, square, octagon, or

diamond.
 Size: Increase or decrease the size of the Shape, as desired.

 Line Weight: Control the thickness of the line that creates the Shape,

as desired.
 Position:
 Auto-Position: Select this option if you want the attribute’s label to

maintain its position in relation to the fixture symbol regardless of

where the fixture is focused.
 Auto-Rotate: Select this option if you want the attribute’s label to

maintain its alignment in relation to the fixture symbol regardless

of where the fixture is used.

To change the font in Label Layouts

You can change the font that will appear globally in all Label Layouts,
choosing from all fonts installed on your computer.

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1 In any drawing mode, click Options > Document Options.

2 Click the Font tab.
3 Under Fixture Layout Labels, from the Font drop-down list, select the
font that you want to appear in all Fixture Layout labels.
4 Choose whether you want the letters to appear bold or underlined.
5 Click OK.

Using the FAL template manager

The FAL Template Manager enables you to make a template of a fixture
attribute layout (FAL), and then use the FAL template for other fixtures.

When using a FAL template with different fixtures, the fixture image of
itself will be different, but the fixture properties displayed, how they are
displayed and where in relation to the fixture they are displayed stay the
same.

 New Fixture Attribute Template: Click this button to create a new FAL
template.
 Delete Selected Fixture Attribute Layout: Click this button to delete the
currently selected FAL template.
 FAL Template List: A grid displaying all created FAL templates and
their status in the file.
 Status: This column will display a checkmark if the FAL template is

currently selected.
 FAL Template Name: The name of the FAL template.

 In Use: Displays if the FAL template is currently in use in the

WYSIWYG file.
 Use Existing Layout: This section uses information from existing
fixture attribute layouts for the FAL template.

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 Pull from Current Layout: When clicked the fixture attribute layout
information from the currently selected fixture will be added to the
FAL template.
 Browse Fixture Layouts in Current File: The fixture Selection drop-down

list allows you to change the currently selected fixture to any other
fixture in the file.
 Fixture Preview: A wireframe preview of the fixture’s label layout.
 Symbol: Controls how the fixture will be viewed in the layout.
Available options are Plan (top down), Side and Front view.
 Zoom: Adjust the Zoom slider to zoom the fixture’s preview in and out.
Click the Zoom Reset button, identified by this icon to reset the
zoom back to its original levels.
 Rotation: Adjust the Rotation slider to rotate the fixture and preview
the behavior of the labels at various rotation angles. Click the Rotate
Reset button, identified by this icon to reset the fixture rotation
back to its original levels.
 Grid Snap: When enabled aligns the placement of objects in the Fixture
Preview to grid points.
 Show Anchors: When enabled the anchor points of a fixture are shown
in the Fixture Preview. The anchor points of a fixture are spots on the
fixture where fixture attributes can be attached.
 Adjust Labels: This grid allows you to show or hide attributes for
the current fixture or fixture type.
 Property: The named properties of the fixture. Use the checkboxes

to turn various properties on/off in your layout.

Note: Properties will not appear even if you turn them on in this
window, unless you enable the master visibility toggle in the
document options. For more information, see the “Fixture Settings
tab”.
 Color: The Color column indicates the current color assigned to the
label. You can change the color by selecting the Color preview and
using the drop-down list to select a new color.
 Attribute Anchor: The Attribute Anchor column indicates where on the

fixture the property’s symbol will be anchored.

 Text:
 Height: Increase or decrease the height to modify the font size.

 Rotation: Set the angle to specify the label alignment in relationship

to the fixture symbol.

 Italics: Select this checkbox to display the text in italics.

 Text Anchor: This section controls how the text of a fixture attribute
will be aligned.
 Horizontal: Set the horizontal alignment of text relative to the

insertion point/shape.
 Vertical: Set the vertical alignment of text relative to the insertion

point/shape.
 Shape: This section controls how the shape that represents a fixture
attribute is displayed.

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 Shape: Select a shape to be associated with this attribute, if

desired. You can choose from none, circle, square, octagon, or
diamond.
 Size: Increase or decrease the size of the Shape, as desired.
 Line Weight: Control the thickness of the line that creates the Shape,
as desired.
 Position:
 Auto-Position: Select this option if you want the attribute’s label to
maintain its position in relation to the fixture symbol regardless of
where the fixture is focused.
 Auto-Rotate: Select this option if you want the attribute’s label to

maintain its alignment in relation to the fixture symbol regardless

of where the fixture is used.
 Save and Apply: Will save any changes made to the FAL template and
apply the changes to the fixture.
 Close: Will close the FAL Template Manager window.
 Save: Will save any changes made to the FAL template.

To create a FAL Template

1 In the FAL Template Manager window, click the New Fixture Attribute
Template button.

The New Fixture Attribute Template button.

Result: The New Layout Template dialog box appears.

2 In the New Layout Template window, enter the name of the new FAL
template.
3 Click OK.
Result: The new template will be created. It will appear in the FAL
Template List and be currently selected.

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To delete a FAL Template

1 In the FAL Template Manager window, in the FAL Template List, select
the FAL template you want to remove.
2 Click the Delete Selected Fixture Attribute Template button.

The Delete Selected Fixture Attribute Template button.

Result: A dialog box will appear asking if you really want to delete
the FAL template.

3 Click Yes.
Result: The FAL Template will be deleted

Attribute Anchors
When fixture properties are displayed, they can be anchored to the
fixture. If the fixture is moved or rotated, the fixture attribute will move
or rotate too, while keeping the same spacing in relation to its fixture.

An example fixture with anchored attributes. The image on the left

shows the default orientation of the fixture. The image on the right

Each fixture has nine Attribute Anchors which fixture attributes can be
locked on to. The anchors point locations are:
 Top Left

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 Top Center
 Top Right
 Center Left
 Center Center
 Center Right
 Bottom Left
 Bottom Center
 Bottom Right

Attribute Anchors are visible as a red box surrounding the fixture, with
little squares around the perimeter and one in the center being the exact
anchor points.

Fixture attributes will maintain the same distance from their assigned
Attribute Anchor across all fixtures. Even if the dimensions of the fixture
change, the attribute will maintain the distance from the Attribute Anchor
as it was originally assigned.

Two example fixtures using the same FAL template. The attributes are
assigned to the bottom center anchor position, and the FAL template
places the attributes around the fixture symbol accordingly.

To assign an Attribute Anchor

Note: The default Attribute Anchor setting is Center Center.
1 In the FAL Template Manager window, select the FAL template you
want to work with from FAL Template List.
2 In the Fixture Preview section, position fixture attributes how you want
them to appear in relation to an Attribute Anchor.
3 In the Adjust Labels grid, select the fixture attribute whose Attribute
Anchor you want to change.
4 In the Attribute Anchor drop-down menu for the attribute, select which
anchor point the attribute should be assigned to.
5 To save any changes, click Save.

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Inserting symbols
You can also insert symbols that are not associated with fixtures. This
allows you to represent the fixtures when you draw a key or want to
show the position of a boom in a plan view. Symbols are not fixtures and,
therefore, are not counted in reports. Standard symbols, such as the
United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) symbols, are
available from the library for your use.

To insert symbols
For information on inserting objects from the library, see “Working with
the Library Browser”.

Symbol properties
Options on the Symbol tab affect the fill color and hatch style of a symbol.

 Change Symbol: Click to select a different symbol.

 Hatch Style: The style to use for the hatch. If the Hatch style is None
the symbol is transparent. If it is Background, the symbol is filled with
the color of the background and is not transparent.
 Fill Color: The color with which you want the symbol to be filled. If the
hatch style is None or Background, the fill color is not enabled.

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Color, gobos, and accessories

Introduction
You can add to fixtures, colors, gobos and accessories such as barndoors,
tophats, color scrollers, dousers, and so on. Accessories have their own
section in the Library Browser and can be inserted just like other objects.
You must insert accessories onto existing fixtures and can only insert
them onto compatible fixtures.

Placing color and gobos

You can drop color and gobos onto fixtures by using the Library Browser
or the Quick Tools method. Colors and gobos from many manufacturers
are included in the library. You can preview the color or gobo by double-
clicking on the name.

Note: For more information on Quick Tools, see “Quick fixture tools”.

To insert colors and gobos using the Library Browser

1 Open the Library Browser.
2 Click the Color or Gobo section tool.

The Color button.

The Gobo button.

3 Find the color or gobo that you want to insert.

4 Right-click the color/gobo name, and then click Insert.
Result: The cursor shows a “Q”, the symbol denoting that Quick Tools
have been enabled.
5 Click on the fixtures to which you want to add the color or gobo.
6 Right-click, and then select Finish Quick Tools to finish placing the
color or gobo.

To insert colors and gobos using the Quick Tools

1 Click Tools > Quick Tools > Quick Tools.
Result: The Quick Fixture Tool appears.
2 Under the Accessories heading at the bottom of the window, click the
ellipsis button (...) beside the feature that you want to add (either

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color or gobo), and then choose the color or gobo in the resulting
window.
3 Click OK.
Result: The cursor shows a “Q”, the symbol denoting that Quick
Tools have been enabled.
4 Click on the fixtures to which you want to add the color or gobo.
Note: If you want to apply color to a multi-source light that has
multiple circuits (such as the 528 Borderlight 6’ 4” Circuit), the
following window appears, prompting you to select the circuit to
which you want to apply the color:

In this case, select the circuit, and then click Select. To choose
multiple circuits, press CTRL, and then select the desired circuits.
Click Select when you are finished.
5 Right-click, and then select Finish Quick Tools to finish placing the
color or gobo.

To create a new shortcut to a color or gobo

1 Click the Col/Gobo shortcut bar.
2 Right-click in the open space on the bar, and then choose New
Shortcut.
Result: The Color Select or Gobo Select dialog box appears.
3 Select a color or gobo from the tree menu on the left side.
Result: The color or gobo is displayed on the right side.
4 Click Select.

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Color/gobo lists
Color and gobo lists are required for automated lighting fixtures and
scrollers. By default, when inserted, automated fixtures and scrollers are
set to use the manufacturer default color or gobo list. WYSIWYG contains
a library of “stock” color and gobo lists provided by the fixture
manufacturers. If you are using a custom set of colors or gobos, or want
to generate a scroll for a color scroller, you will need to create a custom
color or gobo list.

Note: To create a custom color or gobo list for a fixture or scroller, it is

strongly recommended that you Clone the existing list for that fixture or
scroller, modify the clone, and then insert that clone into the fixture, as
described in “To insert custom scrolls into scrollers”.

To view an existing library list

1 From the Library menu, choose Edit Color/Gobo Lists.

2 In the Show section, click Stock.

3 Scroll to find the list you want to view.
a. OR the name of the item can be entered in the search field, then
click the magnifying glass icon to locate items with the entered
name.
4 Click on the list name. A list of slots and the color or gobo for each
slot is displayed in the slot window. If OPEN appears in the Name
column for a slot, the color, gobo, or prism has not been assigned or
is intentionally left OPEN.
5 Click on a slot to see the preview of that color or gobo in the box
below the slot window.
6 Click Close when you are done.

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To create a custom color/gobo list

1 From the Library menu, choose Edit Color/Gobo Lists.
2 In the Show section, click Custom.
3 Click Add.
4 Type the name of the new list.
5 Type the number of slots on the wheel or scroll.
6 Click OK.
7 Click on the slot you wish to edit.
8 Click Insert Color, or Insert Gobo, or Insert Prism. Make sure if you are
inserting different types of media into the same list that this is
actually possible for that fixture or accessory.
9 Click on the item you want to insert, and then click Select.
10 Repeat for the remaining slots.
11 To reorder the items in the slots, click on the slot, and then click Up
or Down to move that item to a new position.
12 To erase a color or gobo selection from a slot, click Remove. The slot
returns to the default selection of OPEN.
13 Click Close when you are done creating lists.

Important Note: It is recommended to clone the stock wheel or list

associated with the fixture(s) and edit the cloned list. The cloned list
inherits the properties of the original list.

To clone a stock color/gobo list

1 From the Library menu, choose Edit Color/Gobo Lists.
2 In the Show section, click Stock.
3 Scroll to find the list you want to clone.
4 Click Clone.
5 Type a name for the cloned list, and then click OK.
Result: The cloned list appears in the custom lists.

To rename a color/gobo list

1 From the Library menu, choose Edit Color/Gobo Lists.
2 In the Show section, click Custom.
3 Select the color/gobo list that you want to rename.
4 Click Rename.
5 Type the new name for the list, and then click OK.
Result: The list is renamed.

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To delete a color/gobo list

1 From the Library menu, choose Edit Color/Gobo Lists.
2 In the Show section, click Custom.
3 Select the color/gobo list that you want to remove.
4 Click Delete.
Result: The list is removed from the color/gobo list.

To insert custom scrolls into scrollers

1 Select the fixtures with scrollers for which you want to assign a
custom scroll.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Object Properties.
3 Select the Fixture tab.
4 In the fixture list, highlight the scroller.
5 Select the Scroll tab.
6 Select the desired list from the pull-down list.
Note: Only custom lists that have the appropriate number of slots
and media type are available.
7 Click OK.

To insert custom wheels into automated fixtures

1 Select the fixtures for which you want to assign a custom wheel.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Object Properties.
3 Select the Fixture tab.
4 Select the appropriate tab (for example, Color 1, Gobo, <Gobo>).
5 From the drop-down list, select the desired list.
Note: Only custom lists that have the appropriate number of slots
and media type are available.
6 Click OK.

Custom gobos
You can generate custom gobos if you have the artwork in either bitmap
or jpeg format. The Gobo Wizard walks you through the steps of making
a custom gobo. Custom gobos are stored in the gobo library under the
Custom category.

Custom gobos require an association with an existing WYSIWYG gobo to

be visible in wireframe views. The associated gobo is used in lieu of the
bitmap or jpeg image. In shaded views and renderings, only the custom
gobo footprint is visible. Custom gobos do not break up the cone of light.

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To create a custom gobo

1 From the Library menu, choose Gobo Wizard.

2 Type the custom gobo name.

3 Add or modify the path.
Note: The path is the location in the library where the gobo will be
stored. A gobo assigned to the path “Custom/Corporate_Logos”
would be available in the custom section of the gobo library in a sub-
category named Corporate Logos.
4 To make this gobo available to other documents, check the
appropriate box.
5 Click Next.
6 Type the path to the custom artwork file or use the browser [...] to
open the image. The image file must be in either bitmap or jpeg
format.
Result: A preview of the image appears in the pane on the right and
the image’s attributes are recorded in the box on the left.
7 Click Next.
Result: A short description of the next step appears. You will need to
choose an existing library gobo to be displayed when the custom
artwork cannot be displayed.
8 Click Next.
9 Navigate the library to find a suitable association gobo.
Note: Generic association gobos are stored in the Proxy category.
10 Select the desired gobo.

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11 Click Finish.
Result: The custom gobo is placed in the gobo library as per the
path specified in step 3.

To delete custom gobos

If you do not want to keep a custom gobo any longer, you can delete it
from the library browser.

Notes:
 You cannot delete a custom gobo if it is currently inserted in your
plot; instead, you must delete the item from your plot, save and
close the file. When you reopen the file you can delete the item from
the library browser.
 When you delete a custom gobo, you do not delete the shortcut
associated with it. You must delete shortcuts manually.
1 In the Library Browser, navigate to the folder where you stored the
custom library item.
2 Highlight the library item name, and then right-click and choose
Delete.
Note: This option is disabled if the item is currently inserted in your
plot. You must delete the item from your plot, and then save and
close the file. When you reopen the file you can delete the item from
the library browser.
3 A message box appears telling you the action is irreversible. Click Yes
to delete the item.

Accessories
You can add accessories to the fixtures such as barndoors, tophats, color
scrollers, dousers, etc. Choose an accessory from the Accessories section
in the Library Browser, and insert them into compatible fixtures.

To insert an accessory
1 Open the Library Browser.
2 Click the Accessory tab.
3 Find the accessory that you want to insert.
4 Double-click the accessory name.
5 Click on the fixtures to insert the accessory.
Tips:
 To place an accessory on a selected fixture, right-click on the
fixture, and then click Add Accessory. Use the browser to find the
accessory you want to insert. Follow this procedure in Data mode

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and only those accessories that can be applied to the selected

fixture will be available.
 To place an accessory on a group of selected fixtures, use the
Accessory library. With the fixtures selected, find the accessory in
the Library Browser. Right-click on the accessory name, and then
click Insert.
 You can add the correct frame size to a fixture using Add
Accessory.

To create a new shortcut to an accessory

Refer to “To create a new shortcut”.

Mountable yokes
Note the following before working with mountable yokes:
 While mountable yokes are considered accessories, they differ from
other accessories in that you need to add them before you add the
fixtures (you cannot insert a fixture, and then select Add Accessory to
add a mountable yoke).
 You cannot use the Add Accessory option to add a fixture on a recently
inserted mountable yoke. Instead, you must add the fixture either by
using a shortcut or by selecting it from the library browser. Then you
can use the Add Accessory option to add an accessory to the fixture.
 Once you hang a fixture on a pipe, you cannot drag it onto a
mountable yoke.
 To remove a fixture from a mountable yoke, right-click the fixture,
and then select Remove Accessory. In the resulting tree menu, you can
either remove the accessory from the fixture, or remove the fixture
from the mountable yoke.
 If you insert a fixture onto a yoke by using a shortcut, and then you
insert another fixture onto a pipe using the same shortcut, when you
right-click, the option Finish Placing Accessories appears (instead of
Finish Placing Fixtures).
 When you insert a fixture on a mountable yoke in CAD mode, you
can no longer focus the beam by dragging it in CAD mode.
Additionally, the beam direction might not point straight down.

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The Flight Case

Introduction
The Flight Case is a special view used to hold unhung fixtures, hang
structures, and focus positions created or inserted in Data mode but not
yet placed on the drawing. This is an ideal way to work from a set
inventory as you can add all of your fixtures in Data mode, and then click
and drag the fixtures out of the Flight Case until you have exhausted
your stock.

To open the Flight Case

In CAD mode, click the Flight Case tab.
Tip: The Flight Case layout is preconfigured with the flight case and a
wireframe view.

How objects get into the Flight Case

As you enter fixtures in the Data mode spreadsheets, they appear in the
Flight Case under the Unassigned Fixtures branch. When you type position
names in the Position Manager, the individual positions appear under the
Position branch. As you assign fixtures to those positions, they will move
from the Unassigned branch to under the proper position. All fixtures that
appear in the Flight Case are unhung fixtures, which means they are not
in your drawing (regardless of whether they have been assigned a
position or not).

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If you create focus positions in the Data mode by typing labels in the
focus box of the spreadsheet, those focus positions will appear under the
Focus Positions branch of the Flight Case. Unhung fixtures assigned to
those focus positions will appear under their respective Flight Case
headings.
To learn more about inserting objects in Data mode, please refer to “Data
mode”.

Entering and modifying objects in the Flight Case

 You can insert fixtures and focus positions directly into the Flight
Case using the Library, Draw menu, or appropriate tools on the Draw
toolbar.
 You can change a fixture’s assigned position by selecting the fixture
in the Flight Case and dragging it to another position within the Flight
Case.
 You can change a fixture’s assigned focus position by selecting the
fixture and dragging it between Focus Positions within the Flight
Case.

Transferring objects from the Flight Case to the drawing

The items that appear in the Flight Case can be transferred to your
drawing by clicking and dragging.

To hang fixtures from the Flight Case

1 Open the Flight Case.
2 Click and hold on the desired fixture.
3 Drag the fixture into the wireframe view and place it on a hang
structure.
Note: If a fixture appears in the flight case under a position branch,
that fixture must be hung on that position. Fixtures with no position
or unassigned fixtures may be hung on any hang structure.
4 Release the mouse button.
5 Repeat for the remaining fixtures.
Tip: You can hang all the fixtures on one position by dragging the
entire position out of the Flight Case.
Selecting a fixture in your drawing and pressing the Backspace key
will return the fixture to the Flight Case. The fixture will retain the
position assignment.

To insert a hang structure from the Flight Case

If you drag a position from the Flight Case, you will create a pipe.

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1 Expand the Positions branch to see all the hang structures.

2 Click and hold on the position that you want to insert.
3 Drag the pipe onto the drawing.
4 Release the mouse button.
5 Use the pop up dialog box to answer the questions about the trim
height and length of the pipe, or use the Interactive button to draw
the pipe in interactive mode.
Result: If you do not choose interactive mode, the pipe is inserted
centered on the origin at the trim height specified.

Note: Multiple positions can have the same name.

For more information about inserting pipes please refer to “Drawing

pipes”.

To insert a focus position from the Flight Case

1 Expand the Focus Positions branch in the flight case to see all the
Focus positions that have not yet been placed in the drawing.
2 Click and hold on the focus position that you want to insert into the
drawing.
3 Drag the Focus position onto the drawing.
4 Release the mouse button to place the focus position.

Flight case properties

The Flight Case properties affect which fixture attributes are shown.

To modify the Flight Case properties

1 From the Options menu, choose View Options.
Tip: You can also use the View Options tool on the Standard toolbar.

The View Options button.

2 Click the Wireframe Details tab.

3 Select the fixture attributes that you want displayed in the Flight
Case.

Note: The Unit Number is displayed by default, however, you can select all
the attributes if you want.

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CAD mode - Multimedia Sources

and Rendering

CAD mode is where you create multimedia sources in your show

drawings and render images of your show. WYSIWYG adds
multimedia features that are specific to the entertainment industry.
Rendering in CAD mode operates like many other CAD programs,
so many of the concepts will be familiar to those who have used a
computer-aided drafting program before.

In this chapter
Lasers 623
LED Wizard 626
Camera Manager 649
Video Manager 653
Image Manager 667
Rendering 680

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Lasers

Laser visualization can be added into any WYSIWYG visualization. Lasers

can be visualized in both LIVE mode and DESIGN mode. The Laser
Options tab is where you specify if you want to visualize lasers in
DESIGN mode or in LIVE mode.

To visualize in LIVE mode, you need an external Laser controller

software, from Pangolin Laser Systems or Sollinger
LaserAnimation, and assign the corresponding protocol to the laser.
Laser software can be running on the same computer as WYSIWYG or a
different computer which is on the same network.

Lasers in LIVE mode are controlled using the Pangolin Laser Systems
or the Sollinger LaserAnimation software. Both laser protocols need to
connect with WYSIWYG and then can be visualized with the WYSIWYG
laser beam system.

To visualize DESIGN mode, the Designer tools (intensity, color, zoom,

gobo, prism) are used to control the laser parameters. Using the Gobo
Designer tool, you can set one of the defined 12 laser patterns into the
laser beam, or you can create your own gobo using the Gobo Wizard, and
then import this image into the fixtures Gobo wheel through Library >
Edit Color/Gobo Lists. See “To create a custom gobo” and “To insert
custom wheels into automated fixtures” for more information. The Laser
fixtures Gobo Wheel is named "Laser Patterns", it is a generic gobo list
shared amongst all Laser fixtures.

In the Library Browser, all Laser fixtures are available in the Fixtures > Type
> Laser folder, or under the respective Manufacturer folders.
Note: The Laser fixture needs to be patched to a DMX channel and this
channel needs to be set to full to visualize the laser beams in Shaded
View (like a dimmer).

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To set a laser’s source

1 In CAD mode, right-click the laser and select Properties.
Result: The Properties window appears.
2 In the Properties window, select the Fixture tab, Options sub-tab.

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3 From the Value drop-down list, select Design Mode to use the laser in
DESIGN mode, or Laser Source to use the laser in LIVE mode.
Note: If Laser Source was chosen, the laser protocol you want to use
has to be assigned before visualization can occur.

To set the protocol of a laser

1 In CAD mode, right-click the laser and select Properties.
2 The Properties window appears.

3 In the Properties window, select the Fixture tab, Laser Source sub-tab.
4 From the Protocol drop-down list, select the laser protocol you want to
use.
5 In the Input field, select what channel the laser will receive input from
the protocol.
6 Click Apply.
Result: The laser will now accept input from the connected laser
protocol.

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LED Wizard

Introduction
This Wizard enables you to quickly create a grid of LEDs that simulates
LED walls or panels, as well as LED webs, star cloths and video curtains.
The grid can have Image or Video Sources applied to it, or can be
patched to DMX universes for control via LED mapping software or
lighting consoles.

To use the LED Wizard

1 From the Draw menu, choose LED Wizard.
Result: The LED Wizard appears.

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2 Click Next.
Result: The Dimensions and style window appears.

3 Use the options in the View drop-down list to control the "zoom level"
of the preview area:
 Fit: Choose this option to fit the grid to the preview area.
 Zoom: Choose this option to zoom in on the center of the grid, to
check the image or video that was mapped to the pixels.
 Corner: Choose this option to zoom in on the lower-left corner of
the grid. This is useful for checking how the frame appears in
relation to the rest of the grid.
Note: The preview of the LED device will update as you provide its
style and dimensions values. This helps you visualize your LED panel
or wall before you move onto the next step.
4 In the Units section, choose the measurement unit you want to use
in the grid you are creating. By default, the Units section is set to
Metric.
 Metric: Choose this option to specify the measurements in meters.

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 Imperial: Choose this option to specify the measurements in feet

and inches.
5 In the Style section, choose the style of LEDs that you want to use in
the grid you are creating:
 Single: Choose this option to use single LEDs which produce (all)
three colors—Red and Green and Blue.
 Triplet: Choose this option to use LED clusters comprised of three
LEDs, each of which produces a single color—Red or Green or
Blue).
6 In the Shape section, choose the shape of the individual LEDs to use
in the grid, and then specify their size:
 Round: Choose this option if you want the Single LED or each
element of a Triplet to be round, and then type the diameter of
the LEDs in this grid.
 Rectangular: Choose this option if you want the Single LED or each
element of a Triplet to be rectangular, and then type the width
and height of the LEDs in this grid.
7 In the Dimensions section, define the layout of the grid by
specifying the number of rows and columns of LEDs:
 Number of columns: Type the number of columns in the grid.
 Number of rows: Type the number of rows in the grid.
 Offset rows: Select this checkbox to offset the rows in the grid by
one-half of the Horizontal Pitch (described below).
8 Use the Specify By drop-down list and the fields below it to select the
parameters of the device (i.e., LED panel, LED wall, LED web, video
wall, etc.) that you will use to define this LED grid:
 Choose Dimensions and Pitch to define the grid’s height and width
and pixel pitch. (The pitch is the center-to-center distance
between LEDs in the grid. The height and width are the overall
height and width of the device as seen from the front—i.e., the
height and width of an LED panel or LED wall.) When you choose
this option, the LED Wizard will calculate the width of the device’s
Borders for you.
 Width: Type the overall width of the device being simulated.
 Height: Type the overall height of the device being simulated.
 Horizontal Pitch: Type the horizontal center-to-center distance
between LEDs in the grid of the device being simulated.

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 Vertical Pitch: Type the vertical center-to-center distance

between LEDs in the grid of the device being simulated.
Tip: Since, in many cases, LED panels or walls have the same
horizontal and vertical pixel pitch, you may click the Lock button to
apply the same value to both.

The Lock button.

 Choose Dimensions and Borders to define the height and width of

the device being simulated, and its borders’ horizontal and
vertical sizes. (The height and width are the overall height and
width of the device as seen from the front—i.e., the height and
width of an LED panel or LED wall. The border is the distance
between the edge of the device and the edge of the first row and/
or column of LEDs in the grid.) When you choose this option, the
LED Wizard will calculate the grid’s pixel pitch for you.
 Width: Type the overall width of the device being simulated.
 Height: Type the overall height of the device being simulated.
 Side Borders: Type the distance between the left edge of the
device being simulated and the edge of the left-most column
of LEDs. The same value will be applied to the right side of the
device, between its right edge and the edge of the right-most
row of LEDs.
 Top/Bottom Borders: Type the distance between the top edge of
the device being simulated and the edge of the top row of
LEDs. The same value will be applied to the bottom of the
device, between its bottom edge and the edge of the bottom
row of LEDs.
Tip: Since, in many cases, devices such as LED panels or walls have
the same-size horizontal and vertical borders, you may click the Lock
button to apply the same value to both.

The Lock button.

 Choose Pitch and Borders to define the pixel pitch and borders’
horizontal and vertical sizes of the device being simulated. (The
pixel pitch is the center-to-center distance between LEDs in the
grid. The border is the distance between the edge of the device
and the edge of the first row and/or column of LEDs in the grid.)
When you choose this option, the LED Wizard will calculate the
device’s height and width for you.
 Horizontal Pitch: Type the horizontal center-to-center distance
between LEDs in the grid of the device being simulated.
 Vertical Pitch: Type the vertical center-to-center distance
between LEDs in the grid of the device being simulated.
 Side Borders: Type the distance between the left edge of the
device being simulated and the edge of the left-most column

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of LEDs. The same value will be applied to the right side of the
device, between its right edge and the edge of the right-most
row of LEDs.
 Top/Bottom Borders: Type the distance between the top edge of
the device being simulated and the edge of the top row of
LEDs. The same value will be applied to the bottom of the
device, between its bottom edge and the edge of the bottom
row of LEDs.
Tip: Since, in many cases, LED panels or walls have the same-size
horizontal and vertical pixel pitch as well as borders, you may click
the Lock button to apply the same value to both.

The Lock button.

9 In the Back Panel section, choose the back panel settings for LED
Wall.
 Show Back Panel: Enable to create a black back panel for the
LED Wall. This option is enabled by default.
 Thickness: Type in the thickness of the back panel.
Tip: After the LED Wall is inserted the file, the Back Panel settings
can still be changed from the properties menu of the LED Wall.
10 In the Pixel Detail section,
 You can use the Pixel Detail slider to control the LED Wall quality
vs. performance setting. An increase in pixel detail will result in a
decrease in performance.
OR
 If the source of your LED wall is color, image or video, you can
select the Display as Screen checkbox to display the LED wall as a
screen with a projected image instead of a detailed grid of LED
pixels forming the image.
Display as Screen does not work if the source of the LED wall is
Dynamic DMX patch.

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11 Click Next.
Result: The Apply Content window appears.

12 Use the Brightness drop-down list to set the overall brightness of the
LED grid in CAD and Design modes.
Note: If you do not enable Dynamic Intensity by DMX, the static
intensity that you define will also apply in Live mode.
13 In the Color section, select what this LED grid will display:
 Single Color: Choose this option in order to have the grid display
the selected color in all modes; click the color box next to this
option to select the color to be displayed.
 Image Source: Choose this option in order to have the grid display
the image from an Image Source or Subsource that you created
in the Image Manager, and then select the Image Source or
Subsource to display from the drop-down list. (For more
information on using the Image Manager, see “Image Manager”.)

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Click Create New to launch the Image Manager to create a new

image source or subsource.
Tip: For optimum results, the number of rows and columns of this
LED grid should be proportional to the dimensions of the Image
Source or Subsource being selected here.
 Video Source: Choose this option in order to have the grid display
the video from a Video Source or Subsource, that you created in
Video Manager. From the drop-down list select the Video Source or
Subsource to display. (For more information on using the Video
Manager, see “Video Manager”.) Click Create New to launch the
Video Manager to create a new Video Source or Subsource.
IMPORTANT: When a video is used on an LED grid, if that video is
not playing, that grid will not appear in Shaded Views in Design and
Live modes. To play the video, use the Video Designer tool in Design
or Live mode.
Tip: For optimum results, the number of rows and columns of this
grid should be proportional to the dimensions of the Video Source or
Subsource being selected here.
 Dynamic Color by DMX: Choose this option to control the color of the
LEDs in this grid via DMX (by connecting to a lighting console or
to LED mapping software), and then select how the color
channels should be patched:
 Single Patch: Select this option from the drop-down list in order
to control the color of this entire grid with a single set of DMX
channels. After selecting this option, if you choose red on your
console, every point source in the entire grid will be red.
 Multi Patch: Select this option from the drop-down list to
control individual LEDs in this grid via separate sets of DMX
channels. After selecting this option, you will have the ability
to control the color mix for every LED in the grid individually.
Tip: Select this option when controlling the LED grid from specialized
LED mapping software.
Note: If this option is selected, the LEDs will appear in the color of
the Layer on which this grid is located in all Shaded views, except
those in Live mode (where they will appear in the color provided by
the incoming DMX data).
14 In the Intensity section, you have the option to select whether or not
you wish to have dynamic control of the grid intensity, via DMX for
Live mode.
Note: This option applies to Live mode only. The Brightness value
will set the intensity of the LED grid for all other modes.
 Single Patch: Select this option from the drop-down list in order to
control the intensity of the entire grid with a single DMX channel.

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 Multi Patch: Select this option from the drop-down list in order to
individually control the intensity of each LED in this grid via
individual DMX channels.
 Maximum Intensity: Select the maximum intensity value of the
LEDs in this grid when connected to a console and viewed in Live
mode.
IMPORTANT: This value applies to the maximum intensity of the
LEDs in Live mode. This is intended to control maximum brightness
of each LED grid, because some LEDs are brighter than others. For
example, if you set one LED grid to 100% and another LED grid to
50%, when you then control them via DMX in Live mode and set the
console channel to full (255), the LED grid with Maximum Intensity
set to 100% will be brighter than the one set to 50%.
15 Click Next.
Result: If the content of your LED grid is controlled by a Single
Color, Image Source or Video Source, you are Finished. Otherwise,
you’ve selected to control color and/or intensity dynamically, and the
LED Wizard proceeds to the appropriate patching page, as shown
below. Locate your patching scenario, and follow the steps listed.
Single Patch DMX Address
This page is displayed if you set Dynamic Color by DMX to the Single
Patch option. If you also set Dynamic Intensity by DMX to the Single
Patch option, it will be active, otherwise it will disabled.

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a. Select one of several Color Modes by which color is controlled,

enter the DMX control channels for the entire grid, and then click
Next:
 Color Modes: Choose between RGB, RGBA, RGBW and RGBAW,
depending on the device you are simulating. “RGB” stands for
“Red, Green, Blue”; “A” stands for “Amber”; “W” stands for
“White”. The Color Mode setting defines the number of DMX
channels required to control the color mix for this entire grid.
Note: WYSIWYG does not actually show white or amber LEDs in its
simulation. The additional “A” and/or “W” channels are offered so
this Wizard can account for these channels in the patch, if necessary.
 Dynamic Color Control Patch: Type the universe and starting
channel number for this patch, in the format
Universe_Name.DMX_Channel_Number. (If the
Universe_Name you typed does not exist, you will be asked if
you wish to create it when you click Next.) Alternately, you
may click the ellipsis button to manually select a previously-

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created universe (or create a new one), and then type the
channel number.
Tip: Once you have finished creating this grid and have inserted
it, switch to Data mode > Patch view, and click the universe to
which you patched it, in order to verify that the patch has been
applied correctly. For example, if you chose the RGBAW color
mode, this grid should span five DMX channels, starting with the
channel number you defined. (For more information on using the
Patch view in Data mode, see “Working in the patch view”.)
 (If active) Dynamic Intensity Control Patch: Type the universe and
channel number for this patch, in the format
Universe_Name.DMX_Channel_Number. (If the
Universe_Name you typed does not exist, you will be asked if
you wish to create it when you click Next.) Alternately, you
may click the ellipsis button to manually select a previously-
created universe (or create a new one), and then type the
channel number.
b. Click Next.
Result: The Finished page appears.
c. Proceed to step 14.

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Single Patch DMX Address with Single Color, Image or Video

Source
This page is displayed if you set “Dynamic Intensity by DMX” to the
Single Patch option, and color is controlled by Single Color, Image
Source or Video Source.

a. Enter the address of the (single) DMX channel used to control the
intensity of this entire grid, then click Next:
 Dynamic Intensity Control Patch: Type the universe name and
channel number for this patch, in the format
Universe_Name.DMX_Channel_Number. (If the
Universe_Name you typed does not exist, you will be asked if
you wish to create it when you click Next.) Alternately, you
may click the ellipsis button to manually select a previously-
created universe (or create a new one) and type the channel
number.
b. Click Next.
Result: The Finished page appears.
c. Proceed to step 14.

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Multi Patch and/or Single Patch DMX Address

This page is displayed if you set Dynamic Color by DMX to the Multi
Patch option. Then, depending on the choice for Dynamic Intensity by
DMX, it will be in Single Patch mode or Multi Patch mode accordingly.

a. In the Color section, enter the DMX address at which the “first”
LED in the grid is to be patched, define which LED in the grid is
“first” and how the rest of the LEDs “follow”, select one of several
Color Modes by which color is controlled (for the entire grid), and
then click Next.
 Start Address: Type the universe and channel number for the
first LED in the grid, in the format
Universe_Name.DMX_Channel_Number. (If the
Universe_Name you typed does not exist, you will be asked if
you wish to create it when you click Next.) The channel
numbers for the rest of the LEDs in this grid will be
“calculated” automatically by the LED Wizard, and the last
channel number (and universe) will be displayed in the End
Address field.
Note: In cases where the number of DMX channels required to patch
the grid in this manner exceed 512 (i.e., the maximum number of

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channels in a DMX universe) the LED Wizard will automatically create

new universes that start with the same name and have a number
(starting with “1” and incrementing from there) appended to the
name. For example, if the first LED was patched to universe ‘LED’,
but two more universes were needed to patch the grid, the LED
Wizard would create two new universes named ‘LED1’ and ‘LED2’.
 In the Numbering Style subsection, define which LED in the
grid is to be considered “first” using the Start from drop-down
list, and how the rest of the LEDs are to follow it using the
Number along drop-down list. Select the Alternate direction
checkbox to indicate that the numbering direction should
change with every row or column.
 Color Modes: Choose between RGB, RGBA, RGBW and RGBAW,
depending on the device you are simulating. “RGB” stands for
“Red, Green, Blue”; “A” stands for “Amber”; “W” stands for
“White”. The Color Mode setting defines the number of DMX
channels required to control the color mix for each LED in this
grid.
Note: WYSIWYG does not actually show white or amber LEDs in its
simulation. The additional “A” and/or “W” channels are offered so
this Wizard can account for these channels in the patch if necessary.
a. In the Intensity section, specify the patching information for
intensity.
 Single Patch Intensity: Type the universe and channel number
for this patch, in the format
Universe_Name.DMX_Channel_Number. (If the
Universe_Name you typed does not exist, you will be asked if
you wish to create it when you click Next.) Alternately, you
may click the ellipsis button to manually select a previously-
created universe (or create a new one) and type the channel
number.
Note: If the Intensity mode is set to Multi-Patch, then the following
page appears. In this case, the intensity channel controlling the
individual LED will either be before or after the color channels.
 Intensity Patch: If the intensity channel should follow the color
channels, then set the drop-down list to After Color. Otherwise,

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if the intensity channel is before the color channels, then set

the drop-down list to Before Color.

Note: For tips on advanced patching techniques, see “Advanced

patching”.
b. Click Next.
Result: The Finished page appears.
c. Proceed to step 14.

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Multi Patch and/or Single Patch with Color Set to Single Patch
and Intensity Set to Multi-Patch
This page is displayed if you set Dynamic Color by DMX to the Single
Patch option, and the Dynamic Intensity by DMX is set to Multi Patch.

a. Enter the DMX address at which the “first” LED in the grid is to be
patched, define which LED in the grid is actually “first” and how
the rest of the LEDs “follow”, then click Next:
 Start Address: Type the universe and starting channel number
for the first LED in the grid, in the format
Universe_Name.DMX_Channel_Number. (If the
Universe_Name you typed does not exist, you will be asked if
you wish to create it when you click Next.) The channel
numbers for the rest of the LEDs in this grid will be
“calculated” automatically by the LED Wizard, and the last
channel number (and universe) will be displayed in the End
Address field.
Note: In cases where the number of DMX channels required to patch
the grid in this manner exceed 512 (i.e., the maximum number of
channels in a DMX universe) the LED Wizard will automatically create
new universes that start with the same name and have a number

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(starting with “1” and incrementing from there) appended to the

name. For example, if the first LED was patched to universe ‘LED’,
but two more universes were needed to patch the grid, the LED
Wizard would create two new universes named ‘LED1’ and ‘LED2’.
 In the Numbering Style subsection, define which LED in the
grid is to be considered “first” using the Start from drop-down
list, and how the rest of the LEDs are to follow it using the
Number along drop-down list. Select the Alternate direction
checkbox to indicate that the numbering direction should
change with every row or column.
Note: For tips on advanced patching techniques, see “Advanced
patching”.
b. Click Next.
Result: The Finished page appears.
c. Proceed to step 14.
16 Click Finish.
Result: The LED grid attaches to your cursor.
17 Click to place the grid into your drawing at the desired location, or
type in the coordinates at which to place it.
Result: The LED grid is placed into the drawing.

Modify LED Wall

This option displays the LED Wizard again, and the properties of the
selected LED Wall can be modified. Right-click on the LED Wall and select
Modify LED Wall.
Note: This option is limited to a single LED Wall object at a time.

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Advanced patching
This option offers more control in defining your LED grid’s patching
information. By using Auto Insert, each universe will start at channel 1
and then automatically create all the universes required to control your
LED grid for you. You then have the option to select a row and edit the
start and end channels for each universe if you wish to do so. Otherwise,
you can manually create each universe and specify start and end
channels for each.

Notes:
 Before typing addresses, consult the figures shown under Addresses
required and Addresses in pool for an up-to-date listing of the number
that you will need for your grid and the number that you have
already provided.
 Create the patch domain in the address pool box, following the
format DomainName.StartAddress-EndAddress (for example, a.1-
169).
 You can type multiple patch domains (for example, a.1-160 and
b.1-20). If you assign more domains than are required, the extra
domains are ignored.
 Use the arrow buttons to adjust the order of the patches (the order
in which they appear is the order in which they are populated).
 If you require more than 512 addresses (the standard DMX
universe), then you must add additional patch domains to meet your
requirement. The addresses can be split over universes.

Type the addresses manually

a. In the box provided, type the required addresses in the format
DomainName.StartAddress-EndAddress (for example, a.1-169).

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b. Use the arrow buttons to adjust the order of the patches (the
order in which they appear is the order in which they are
populated).
c. Click Next, and then proceed to the next step.
Use Auto Insert to create the addresses automatically
a. Click the Auto Insert icon to have WYSIWYG automatically create
all the addresses that you need for the grid. In the resulting Auto
Insert window, type the Patch Domain Prefix (for example, a).
b. In the Number of Channels Per Domain box, accept the default value
or type a new value based on the number of channels that you
can control.
c. In the Start Address box, type the start address for the patch
domain.
d. Click OK to have WYSIWYG populate the End Address (based on
the number of channels required).
e. Click Next, and then proceed to the next step.
Select the addresses from a list
a. If you do not want to manually type the addresses, click the New
icon, and then click ellipses button (...).
 To create a new patch domain, click Create New, and then type
the domain in the Domain Name box (for example, a).
 To choose a patch domain from those that you have saved with
your current WYSIWYG file, click Select From List, and then
highlight the domain name.

b. Type the Start and End addresses for this patch universe.
c. Click OK.
d. Click Next, and then proceed to the next step.

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Creating Video Walls with LED Wall

After an LED wall has been created, the Grid Array tool can be utilized to
build a video wall. Applying Grid Array opens the Quick Video/Image Tool
where you can set the video/image sources to the screen panels that
were created.

To create video walls with LED Wall

1 In Front or Back view in Wireframe, select the LED Wall.
2 From the Tools menu, click Array > Array Grid.
Result: The Grid Array window appears.

3 In the Grid Array window, modify the settings as desired. Refer to

“Array” for information on Grid Array settings.

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4 Click OK.
Result: The Quick Video/Image Tool appears.

5 In the Quick Video/Image Tool window,

a. Specify the video or image sources and subsources for the video
wall that was created.
b. Apply existing subsources or create new subsources that will
match the row and columns of the video wall.
6 Click OK.
Result: The video wall is created with the video or image applied to
the individual LED walls.

Notes:
 The Quick Video/Image Tool can be applied to previously drawn LED
Wall files, if re-arranged into rows and columns that WYSIWYG can
recognize and automatically apply subsources to the individual LED
Walls.
 The Quick Video/Image Tool can be applied to missing panels in the
video wall, if WYSIWYG can recognize the arrangement of rows and
columns.
 The functionality of the Quick Video/Image Tool remains available if no
screens are selected.

LED Wall Properties

After an LED Wall has been created, the properties of the LED Wall can
be altered from the properties window.

Note: Multiple LED Wall objects can be selected and their properties
edited all at once, if all specifications of the selected LED Walls are
identical.

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The following properties of the LED Wall can be changed:

 In the Display Source section, change the content and display

properties.
 Source: Change what this LED Wall displays by selecting from the

source drop-down list.

 Brightness: Change the brightness level by selecting from the

percentage drop-down list.

 Color: If Color is the selected source, click this color box to change

the color.
 Image Source: If Image Source is the selected source, select from

the drop-down list or click Create New, browse and select the new
image file.
 Video Source: If Video Source is the selected source, select from the

drop-down list or click Create New, browse and select the new video
file.
 Reassign Video/Image Subsource(s): This checkbox is available when

the LED Wall is set with Multi-split subsources. Select this

checkbox to open the Reassign Video/Image Subsource dialog box and
reassign the video and image source types and options for the LED
Wall.
 In the Glow Settings section, you can adjust the intensity of the
glow from the LED Wall.
Note: In Shaded View, the Screen/LED Wall Glow settings in the
Simulation tab of the View Options window must be enabled to see

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the glow from the LED wall lighting up an object. See “Simulation
tab”.
 Hide: Select this checkbox to disable access to the Glow Intensity
Multiplier.
 Glow Intensity Multiplier: Select this checkbox to enable the Glow
Intensity Multiplier slider and use it to adjust the intensity.
 In the Back Panel section, change the back panel settings for the
LED Wall.
 Show Back Panel: Select this checkbox to display the black back

panel for the LED Wall.

 Thickness: Type in the thickness of the back panel.

 In the Pixel Detail section,

 Pixel Detail slider: Use the slider to control the LED Wall quality vs.
performance setting. An increase in pixel detail will result in a
decrease in performance.
 Display as Screen: If the source of your LED wall is color, image or
video, select this checkbox to display the LED wall as a screen
with a projected image instead of a detailed grid of LED pixels
forming the image. Display as Screen does not work if the source of
the LED wall is Dynamic DMX patch.
 In the Style section, change the style of the LEDs that were used in
the LED Wall.
 Single: Choose this option to use single LEDs which produce Red,

Green and Blue.

 Triplet: Choose this option to use LED clusters comprised of Red,

Green and Blue LEDs.

 In the Units section, change the measurement unit that were used
in the LED Wall.
 Metric: Choose this option to specify the measurements in meters.

 Imperial: Choose this option to specify the measurements in feet

and inches.
 In the Shape section, change the shape of the individual LEDs used
in the LED Wall.
 Round: Choose this option if you want the shape of the Single or

Triplet LED to be round.

 Rectangular: Choose this option if you want the shape of the Single

or Triplet LED to be a rectangle.

 In the Dimensions section, change the layout properties of the LED
Wall.
 Number of columns: Type the number of columns in the grid.

 Number of rows: Type the number of rows in the grid.

 Offset rows: Select this checkbox to offset the rows in the grid by

one-half of the Horizontal Pitch.

 Specify By: Change the parameters that were used in the LED Wall

by selecting from the drop-down list.

 Width: Type the overall width of the LED Wall.

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 Height: Type the overall height of the LED Wall.

 Horizontal Pitch: Type the horizontal center-to-center distance
between LEDs in the LED Wall.
 Vertical Pitch: Type the vertical center-to-center distance between
LEDs in the LED Wall.
 Side Borders: Type the distance between the left edge of the LED
Wall and the edge of the left-most column of LEDs. The same
value will be applied to the bottom row of LEDs.
 Top/Bot. Borders: Type the distance between the top edge of the
LED Wall and the edge of the top row of LEDs. The same value will
be applied to the bottom of the device.

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Camera Manager

Introduction
The Camera Manager enables you to view and set the properties of
Camera objects and Camera Paths in a convenient way. The Camera
Manager window opens in CAD, DESIGN and LIVE mode, and shows the
following:
 The editable settings for New Camera Defaults showing Layer, Field
Angle and Aspect Ratio.
 The option to Override all Cameras’ Aspect Ratio checkbox.
 The editable settings for Dynamic Camera Control showing Universe
and Address.
 The table with the list of Camera objects inserted in the plot and their
settings: Camera Name, Lock, Hotkey, Field Angle, Aspect Ratio and
DMX Value.
 The table with the list of Camera Paths created in the plot and their
settings: Camera Path Name, Show Path, Node Number, Aspect Ratio
and DMX Patch.
 The option to Enable DMX Control of Cameras/Camera Paths
checkbox.

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To access the Camera Manager

1 From the Managers menu, choose Camera Manager.
Result: The Camera Manager window appears.

To edit Camera and Camera Path properties in Camera

Manager
1 In the Camera Manager window, you can change any of the following
properties:
 New Camera Defaults: This section shows the default
properties set for a new Camera object that will be inserted in the
drawing.
 Layer: You can specify the default layer of the new Camera
objects.
 Field Angle: You can specify the default Field Angle (degrees) of
the new Camera objects.
 Aspect Ratio: You can specify the default fixed Aspect Ratio of
the new Camera objects.

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 Override Aspect Ratio: This section shows the option to change

the Aspect Ratios for all Cameras.
 Override all Cameras’ Aspect Ratio - Display at: Select this checkbox
to override the Aspect Ratios for all Cameras and click a
temporary Aspect Ratio from the drop-down list to view all
Cameras in your drawing.
Note: All previously set Aspect Ratios are preserved in the table, and
can be used after this option is disabled.
 Dynamic Camera Switching: Use the Universe drop-down list
and the Address box to set the DMX channel that will control
switching between Standard Cameras. Sending a DMX value of 0
(zero) on this channel switches to the World Camera. All other
values, from 1 to 255, switches to the Standard Camera assigned
to that value in the DMX Value column in the Camera table below
it.
 Universe: Click this drop-down list to select the patch Universe
for Dynamic Camera Switching. Click on the ellipsis button [...] to
create a new universe.
 Address: Type the DMX address (DMX channel) for the Universe
above, which controls Dynamic Camera Switching.
 Camera: This section shows the list of Camera objects inserted
in the plot with their corresponding properties.
 Camera Name: Click the Camera name cell to edit the Camera’s
name.
 Lock: Select this checkbox to Lock the selected Camera in the
Shaded view.
 Hotkey: Click this drop-down list to assign a new numbered
Hotkey for the selected Camera.
 Field Angle: Click the Field Angle cell and write the new Field
Angle (degrees) for the selected Camera.
 Aspect Ratio: Click the drop-down list to select a new fixed
Aspect Ratio for the selected Camera. This option is disabled
when Override all Cameras’ Aspect Ratio is checked.
 DMX Value: This column displays the DMX value that was set in
Camera Properties. You can select the value from this column
drop-down list if it was not previously set in the Camera
Properties.
 Camera Path: this section displays the list of Camera Paths
created in the plot.
 Camera Path Name: Click the Camera Path Name cell to edit the
Camera Path’s name.
 Show Path: Select this checkbox to show the selected Camera
Path.

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 Node: Select this checkbox to show the Nodes created along

the selected Camera Path.
 Node Num: Select this checkbox to show the Numbers assigned
to each of the Nodes along the selected Camera Path.
 Aspect Ratio: Click the drop-down list to select a new fixed
Aspect Ratio for the selected Camera Path. This option is
disabled when Override all Cameras’ Aspect Ratio is checked
 DMX Patch: if the Camera Path is patched, click the DMX Patch
box and enter the DMX value of the selected Camera Path.
 Enable DMX Control of Cameras/Camera Paths: Select this checkbox to
enable Dynamic Camera Switching and DMX control of Camera Paths’
playback. When selected, the drop-down list on the Camera
toolbar is disabled, and the only way to switch between cameras
is by assigning the corresponding DMX values (i.e. those defined
in the Camera table) from the connected console, on the DMX
universe/address that were set in Dynamic Camera Switching section
above.

Notes:
 Selecting the Enable DMX Control of Cameras/Camera Paths
checkbox has the same effect as selecting the Use DMX for
Cameras button on the Camera toolbar and the two are always
in sync.
 In Live mode, the Current Camera drop-down list on the Camera
toolbar, the Camera Hotkeys and the Camera Path drop-down
list and playback controls on the Timeline tool are disabled
when the Use DMX for Cameras button is enabled. These
checkbox and button do not affect Design mode (even when
using WYSIWYG Perform).
 The disabled Current Camera drop-down list will keep updating
to display the name of the current Camera view that is active.
2 Click Apply to activate the changes.
3 Click OK.

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Video Manager

Introduction
You can bring a live or pre-recorded video into WYSIWYG and play it back
while you set looks in Design mode and while you precue in Live mode.

The Video Manager enables you to create video sources and subsources
(and even split these subsources further or clone existing subsources), or
videos from drawn I-Mag Cameras which you can then assign to screens,
3D primitives (surfaces, risers, spheres, cylinders, and cones), LED
Walls, and to projectors that you have inserted in your file from the Video
Projection section of the Fixtures library.

Note: The Video Manager window can be resized to accommodate videos

that have a higher or wider aspect then the default window size.

Live video comes from an external source, such as a video capture

device, or a CITP/MSEX video stream from a media server. Pre-recorded
video comes from video files, either in AVI or MPG format.

Live or pre-recorded video can also be accessed in real-time from

multiple video sources in the IP space through the NDI™ (Network
Device Interface) streaming standard.

Note: If you cannot view these file types, you may not have the proper
CODEC installed on your PC. Install the appropriate CODEC, and then try
viewing the file again.

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Video sources can be split it up into subsources. This enables you to

apply portions of the video to multiple screens, 3D primitives, LED Walls,
or projectors. For details, see “Splitting video into subsources”.

Video source from the I-Mag Camera will display the view from Cameras
drawn in WYSIWYG which can be applied to the Screens, LED Walls and
Video Projectors.

To play the video, you use the Video Designer tool in Design mode. For
more information, see “To use the Video tool”. You can view the video in
any of the shaded views, using the controls on the Video Designer tool to
pause, fast forward, rewind, or stop the video.

You can also patch the control of the video source to a console. This
means that you can use the console to control the progress of a live
video stream or a video file by making the video play, pause, fast-
forward, or rewind; you cannot use WYSIWYG to change different
aspects of the video itself.

To control the video source, the DMX patch is given three channels. For
details on controlling the video with the console device in Live mode, see
“To control a DMX patched video source with a console”.
Notes:
 Before you render your drawing, you can either pause the video at
the precise image you want to see in the final rendering, or you can
let the video run while the Render Wizard processes the information
in your drawing. In this case, the Render Wizard captures the video
frame that was showing when it processed the screen information.
 If the video control is patched and DMX connected in Live Mode, then
you will not be able to control the video using any of the Video
Designer tool commands in Design mode. Video sources can only be
controlled by a Designer tool when the DMX source is disconnected;
therefore, you must first disconnect the applicable console from Live
Mode before using any of the Video Designer tool commands.
 For details on drawing screens, see “To draw a screen”.

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To access the Video Manager

1 In CAD mode, select Managers > Video Manager.
Result: The Video Manager appears.

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To create a new video source in the Video Manager

1 In the Video Manager, click the New Video Source icon.
2 The Video Source window appears.

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3 Browse to locate the video on your computer, and then click OK.
Result: The Video is added as a source.

Notes:
 List of Video sources
 Name: The video’s file name.
 Border: When there are subsources, the Border columns shows
the border color. To change the border color, click in the box
and choose the new color from the color picker that appears.
 Source: The path to the physical file.
 Dimensions: The file’s dimensions in pixels.
 In Use: Informs you of whether the video source is in use. If
the video source is currently in use, it cannot be deleted from
the Video Manager.
 Mute: Indicates if the sound has been muted in the video.
 Patch: Indicates if the video source has been patched.
 Display Settings
 Show video at: Select the zoom level for the video. You can
choose to Fit the video in the display window, or show it at a
percentage of its actual size: 100%, 200% or 300%.
 Placeholder: Select this option to display the placeholder that
was set in the Source Properties section.
 Borders: Select this option to show the subsource borders in
the display.

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 Selected Only: When you have selected a subsource in the

table, select this checkbox to only show the subsource in the
display area; if you do not select this checkbox when a
subsource is selected, the entire source is shown (with the
subsource borders highlighted in the display if you selected
Borders).
 Grab New Video Frame For Preview: Click this button to display a
preview frame for CITP Video Stream and Video Capture
sources.
 Source Properties:
 Source Name: The video file’s name.
 Placeholder: Select the image file that was created in Image
Manager, or click New to create a new placeholder image in
Image Manager.
 Flip Horizontal: Select this option to flip the video source
horizontally.
 Flip Vertical: Select this option to flip the video source vertically.
 4-byte Alignment: Select this option to align the pixels of a
distorted video image. The 4-byte Alignment checkbox is
automatically available only if the video source requires the
alignment.
 For details on patching the video control in Data mode, see “To patch
the control of a video source”.
 For details on using the Video Designer tool to play the video in
Design mode, see “To use the Video tool”.
 For details on using a console device to control the video in Live
mode, see “To control a DMX patched video source with a console”.

Splitting video into subsources

After you set up the video source in the Video Manager (see “To configure
a new video source for streaming video”), you can take the video source
(video file, capture card, or CITP) and literally split it up into subsources
that you can apply to multiple screens, 3D primitives, LED Walls, or
projector-style fixtures that you have inserted from the Video Projection
section of the Fixtures library.

To do so, you click the Split Video tab in the Video Manager, select a video
source that you set up, and then split it either manually (by defining the
pixel coordinates of each split) or automatically/evenly (by setting the
number of rows and columns). You can then split these subsources
further, if desired.

Once you split the video into subsources, you can attach the subsources
to the objects that you want to use to display the video, just as you
would attach a regular video source, and then play the video using the
Video Designer tool (Design or Live modes) or via DMX control.

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To create a single video subsource

1 In the left pane of the Video Manager, click to highlight the image for
which you want to create a subsource.
2 In the bottom left corner of the window, click Single Subsource - create
one.

3 Type the subsource name.

4 By default, the system uses the start and end coordinates of the
selected source, but you can change these values as desired. When
you change these values, the system automatically updates the
dimensions:
 Start Coordinate: Type the starting coordinate for the subsource
(the top-left corner of the subsource) in the format "x,y", where x
is the horizontal coordinate and y is the vertical coordinate. Note
that the coordinate system uses the top-left corner as the origin
(0,0). Also note that when video is shown at 100-300%, a tooltip
appears under the cursor, indicating its position.
 End Coordinate: Type the ending coordinate for the subsource (the
bottom-right corner of the subsource) in the format "x,y", where
x is the horizontal coordinate and y is the vertical coordinate.
Note that the coordinate system uses the top-left corner as the
origin (0,0).
5 Click the Border box to specify the color of the border that will appear
around the subsource when displayed.
6 Click OK.

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To create multiple video subsources

1 In the left pane of the Video Manager, click to highlight the video for
which you want to create subsources.
2 In the bottom left corner of the window, click Multiple Subsources -
create many.

3 Type the subsource name.

4 Define the subsource matrix by specifying the number of columns
and rows. The dimensions of the subsources are displayed for your
reference:
 Number of columns: Type the number of columns of subsources to
be generated. If the video resolution cannot be equally divided by
this number, the remaining pixels will be left at the end (for the
horizontal pixels this means the ones at the far right, and for the
vertical pixels this means the ones at the bottom).
 Number of rows: Type the number of rows of subsources to be
generated. If the video resolution cannot be equally divided by
this number, there will be a few gaps in the generated subsource
grid.
5 By default, the subsources are created by taking the overall source
area (height & width) and evenly dividing it by matrix provided.
However, you can modify the total area by changing the start/end
coordinates and, therefore, the overall dimensions used to create the
subsources. To do so, select the checkbox beside Modify total area for
subsources, and then enter the appropriate values:
 Start Coordinate: Type the starting coordinate for the subsource
(the top-left corner of the subsource) in the format "x,y", where x
is the horizontal coordinate and y is the vertical coordinate. Note

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that the coordinate system uses the top-left corner as the origin
(0,0). Also note that when video is shown at 100-300%, a tooltip
appears under the cursor, indicating its position.
 End Coordinate: Type the ending coordinate for the subsource (the
bottom-right corner of the subsource) in the format "x,y", where
x is the horizontal coordinate and y is the vertical coordinate.
Note that the coordinate system uses the top-left corner as the
origin (0,0).
6 Click OK.
Result: The following graphic shows a video with nine subsources
(three columns and three rows).

Notes:
 Subsources are always listed below the source from which they were
created.
 The table in the Video Manager provides a convenient way of
displaying source/subsource information; all sources and their
subsources are grouped, and can be expanded/collapsed.
 You can rearrange the columns in the table by clicking the column
header and dragging it to the new position.
 You can adjust the width of columns by clicking the column border
and dragging the column to its new width.

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To clone an existing subsource to a new video

1 In the left pane of the Video Manager, click to highlight the video you
want to clone a subsource to.
2 In the bottom left corner of the window, click Clone From Existing
Subsources.

3 Select the media type that contains the subsource you want to clone,
either Image Sources or Video Sources.
4 Select the desired subsource from the corresponding source drop-
down list.
5 Enter a name for the cloned subsource in the Subsource Prefix field.

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6 Click Apply.
Result: The selected subsource will be cloned and applied to the
selected video.

Changing the properties of video sources and subsources

Note: If you change the source after the subsources were created, and
the new source has different dimensions that do not match the
subsources dimensions, the affected subsources are highlighted in yellow
(and a dialog box appears to notify you as such).
When you select a row in the Video Manager table, the properties of the
video source or subsource are displayed in the Source Properties area of
the window. You can change various properties of the video source and
subsources as follows:
 To change the border color of video subsources, in the table, click
the appropriate border color and then click the drop-down list box
that appears to select the new color. Click Update.
 To change the name of the video source or subsource, in the table,
click the appropriate row. Type the new name, and then click Update.
 If you have already applied a video to multiple objects, and then you
want to replace the source file with something different, you can
make the change once in the Video Manager and have it
automatically applied to all related objects (i.e., you don’t have to
individually apply the changes to each object's properties). To do so,
you change the underlying source file to the Video name.
 You can define a subsource either by its start/end coordinates or by
its dimensions:

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 To resize the subsource, click the appropriate row in the table.

Change the start/end coordinates as desired, and then click
Update. Note that if you change the coordinates, the system
updates the dimensions automatically.
 To change the dimensions of a subsource, click the appropriate
row and then type the new dimensions. Note that when you
change the dimensions, the system will automatically add to the
start coordinate to determine a new end coordinate. Click Update.

Note: You can use the Quick Video/Image Tool to apply the Video
Subsources. For details, see “Using the quick video/image tool”.

I-Mag camera screens from WYSIWYG camera

The view from a camera drawn in WYSIWYG which will be applied to the
Screens, LED Walls, Video Projectors or any object that can display
video.

To create an I-Mag Camera in the Video Manager

1 In the Video Manager, click the New icon.
Result: The Video Source window appears.
2 Type the Name of the Video Source.
3 Click Camera (I-Mag) and select a Camera name from the drop-down
list.
4 Set the Patch section (Optional, can be left as “None”).
5 Click OK.

Image placeholder for video

Instead of displaying the visuals of a selected video on screens,
WYSIWYG allows for an image to be shown instead as a placeholder. The
image has to be created in the Image Manager in WYSIWYG. See “Image
Manager” for more information on how to create an image for use on
screens.

To use an image as a placeholder

1 In the left pane of the Video Manager, click to highlight the video you
want to add an image placeholder to
2 In the bottom center of the window, in the Placeholder drop-down list,
select a previously created image to act as a placeholder for the
selected video
Note: If the desired image has not yet been created, click New.... The
Image Manager will open and you can then create an image to be a
video placeholder. See “Image Manager” for more information.

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3 Click Apply.
Result: The selected image will now be displayed instead of the
associated video in WYSIWYG.

Video stream
To create a new video source for streaming video, you use the Video
Manager. There are a couple of ways of opening the Video Manager (for
example, from the New Screen window, or from the Managers menu);
the following procedure lists one possible way.

Note: You can only incorporate live video if you have WYSIWYG Perform;
you cannot use a live video from a video capture device or video
streaming via CITP/MSEX or NDI™ if you have WYSIWYG Design.

To configure a new video source for streaming video

1 Click Managers > Video Manager.
2 Click the New Video Source icon in the upper-left corner.
Result: The Video Source window appears.
3 In the Name box, type a descriptive name for the video.
4 In the Input section, select and configure the new video source.
 Video File: To play a video from a file, click the Video File radio
button, and then click Browse to locate the file.
 Video Capture: To capture a live video stream from an external
source, such as a web cam or a video capture device that is
attached to your computer, click Video Capture, and then use the
drop-down arrow to select the appropriate device. (This option is
available only if you are running WYSIWYG Perform.) WYSIWYG
will detect what standard resolutions the capture device can
support, and display them in the Resolution drop-down list box;
click this drop-down list to choose your preferred resolution.
 If you select a video capture option, configure the Input and
Resolution values for the device:
 Input: Choose between various inputs found on video capture
devices (e.g., HDMI, DVI, S-Video, and so on).
 Resolution: Select the resolution of the incoming video,
provided that multiple resolutions are available from the
selected input.
Note: The video capture device must already be configured on your
computer and must be using WDM drivers. Also, it must not be
currently in use by another application.
 CITP Video Stream: To stream video from a media server on your
network, first ensure that the CITP Interface option is enabled on
the Application Options > Additional Interfaces tab, as detailed on
page “Additional Interfaces tab”. (This option is only available if

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you are running WYSIWYG Perform.) Then, click CITP Video Stream
and click Browse to select one of the media servers from the
network. If you have just enabled this option, you will need to
restart WYSIWYG before the CITP interface is turned on.
Note: In order for the media servers to be detected, they must be in
the same logical network as your WYSIWYG computer and all
firewalls (on your WYSIWYG computer, on the media servers, if
applicable, and so on) must be disabled. For more information about
how to correctly assign IP addresses for this purpose, consult your
Media Server and/or Microsoft Windows documentation.
 If your media server is capable of outputting several video
streams at once, you may select which output/stream to connect
to by entering the number of the output/stream in the Video Num
box. If you leave the default value of 0, WYSIWYG will connect to
the first output; if you enter the number 1, WYSIWYG connects to
the second output/stream of the same media server; the number
2 connects to the third output/stream, and so on.
 NDI™ Source: Use the Network Device Standard to stream video in
real-time from an external device within the IP space. NDI™ is a
standard that allows multiple video systems to encode, transmit
and receive streams of high quality, low latency, frame-accurate
video over an IP in real-time. For more information on NDI™,
click More Info to see the link http://ndi.newtek.com/ and access
basic NDI™ tools from NewTek.1
Note: NDI™ video streams will be detected when they are in the
same logical network as your WYSIWYG computer.
5 To control video playback via DMX, click DMX Patch, and then use the
drop-down arrow to select the appropriate patch universe to control
the video. In the box to the right of the drop-down list, type the
starting DMX address.
Note: A patch universe cannot be created from within the Video
Manager window; if you wish to patch video control to DMX, you must
create the necessary patch universe(s) before you open the Video
Manager.
6 To mute the sound of the video, in the Video Manager table, select the
checkbox in the Mute column. If this checkbox is not selected, the
video’s sound will play.
7 Click OK. If the video is available, it connects automatically.
8 Click OK to save your changes and close the Video Manager.

1. NDI™ is a trademark of NewTek, Inc.

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Image Manager

Introduction
You can store images as sources in WYSIWYG using the Image Manager.
By assigning textures to saved sources instead of to specific images, you
can change or modify the texture of multiple objects at the same time
using the Image Wizard.

The Image Manager also enables you to perform minor image

modifications, such as flip horizontal or flip vertical to images without
permanently changing the source file. This feature is useful in situations
where the texture is flipped as a result of incorrect surface winding. For
details, see “Drawing surfaces”.

You can use the Image Manager to create subsources of an image (i.e.,
divide the image up), which can then be applied to objects such as
surfaces, screens, LED walls.

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Notes:
 The Image Manager window preview can be resized to accommodate
images that have a higher or wider aspect than the default window
size.
 The Image Manager window preview will display a grey checker
pattern to identify the alpha levels that are defined in an image.
 The maximum resolution of an image that can be imported into the
Image Manager is equivalent to 4,194,304 pixels (2048 x 2048). You
can import into the Image Manager, images that are very wide and not
tall, or vice versa.

To access the Image Manager

1 In CAD mode, select Managers > Image Manager.
Result: The Image Manager appears.

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To create a new image source in the image manager

1 In the Image Manager, click New Image Source.
2 Browse to locate the image on your computer, and then click OK.
Result: The image is added as a source.

Notes:
 Source Name: The image’s file name.
 Source Path: The path to the physical file. Click the file open icon
to select a new file.
 Flip Horizontal: Click this option to flip the image source horizontally.
For details, see “To flip an image source”. Note that you cannot flip
image subsources.
 Flip Vertical: Click this option to flip the image source vertically. For
details, see “To flip an image source”. Note that you cannot flip
image subsources.
 Dimensions: The file’s dimensions in pixels.
 In Use: Informs you of whether the image source is in use. If the
image source is currently in use, it cannot be deleted from the Image
Manager.
 Display Settings
 Show image at: Select the zoom level for the image. You can choose

to Fit the image in the display window, or show it at a percentage

of its actual size: 100%, 200% or 300%.
 Display Borders: Select this option to show the subsource borders in

the display.

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 Display Selected Only: When you have selected a subsource in the

table, select this checkbox to only show the subsource in the
display area; if you do not select this checkbox when a subsource
is selected, the entire source is shown (with the subsource borders
highlighted in the display if you selected Display Borders).

To flip an image source

In situations where a surface was drawn in a clockwise direction (see

“Drawing surfaces”), the texture may appear to be “flipped” either
horizontally or vertically. To avoid this problem, flip the image source
using the Flip Horizontal or Flip Vertical checkboxes, as shown below. Note
that you cannot flip image subsources; only the actual image source can
be flipped.
1 Open the Image Manager.
2 In the table to the left, select the image source that you want to flip.
3 Based on the direction in which you want to flip the image, select
either Flip Horizontal or Flip Vertical.
Result: The image is flipped, as shown in the following sample
graphic, which was flipped vertically and horizontally.

To export an image source

After flipping the image, you may want to save your changes to a new
image file as follows:
1 Open the Image Manager.
2 In the table to the left, select the image source that you want to
export.

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3 Click the Save icon in the top left of the window.

4 Type a name and select a file type for the new image, or accept the
default file type of PNG.
Note: When exporting an image source the default file type is PNG,
but you can choose a different file type, if desired; when exporting a
subsource, you cannot choose the file type. The subsource is
exported to the same file type as its source.
5 Click OK.

Missing images
If you have turned off the option Save external textures within the document
in Application Options > File Options, when you move image files from
their original location, they may not load from within WYSIWYG. When
this happens, the image source will be highlighted in red, as shown in the
following graphic:

To address this issue, select the image source highlighted in red, click
the folder icon beside the Path box, and browse to select a new image.
When you are finished, click OK.

Creating image subsources

Just as with videos, you can create one subsource or multiple subsources
from an image using the following procedures. Image subsources are
useful in scenarios where you need to apply part of an image to one
object and another. Normally, to do so you would need to open the image
in a photo editing software program, make your edits, crop the image,
and then import two images. However, with the image subsource
creation feature, you can just import the source file, and create the

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necessary subsources within WYSIWYG. For example, you could use this
procedure if you have a photo that you want to break into quadrants (2 x
2), and then apply each quadrant to a separate surface, screen or LED
wall, etc.

To create a single image subsource

1 In the left pane of the Image Manager, click to highlight the image
which you want to create a subsource for.
2 In the bottom left corner of the window, click Single Subsource - create
one.

3 Type the subsource name.

4 By default, the system uses the start and end coordinates of the
selected source, but you can change these values as desired. When
you change these values, the system automatically updates the
dimensions.
5 Click the Border box to specify the color of the border that will appear
around the subsource when displayed.
6 Click OK.

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To create multiple image subsources

1 In the left pane of the Image Manager, click to highlight the image
which you want to create subsources for.
2 In the bottom left corner of the window, click Multiple Subsources -
create many.

3 Type the subsource name.

4 Define the subsource matrix by specifying the number of columns
and rows. The dimensions of the subsources are displayed for your
reference.
5 By default, the subsources are created by taking the overall source
area (height & width) and evenly dividing it by matrix provided.
However, you can modify the total area by changing the start/end
coordinates and, therefore, the overall dimensions used to create the

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subsources. To do so, select the checkbox beside Modify total area for
subsources, and then type the new coordinates.

Notes:
 Subsources are always listed below the source from which they were
created.
 The table in the Image Manager provides a convenient way of
displaying source/subsource information; all sources and their
subsources are grouped, and can be expanded/collapsed.
 You can rearrange the columns in the table by clicking the column
header and dragging it to the new position.
 You can adjust the width of columns by clicking the column border
and dragging the column to its new width.

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To clone an existing subsource to a new image

1 In the left pane of the Image Manager, click to highlight the image you
want to clone a subsource to.
2 In the bottom left corner of the window, click Clone From Existing
Subsources.

3 Select the media type that contains the subsource you want to clone,
either Image Sources or Video Sources.
4 Select the desired subsource from the corresponding source drop-
down list.
5 Enter a name for the cloned subsource in the Subsource Prefix field.

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6 Click Apply.
Result: The selected subsource will be cloned and applied to the
selected image.

Changing the properties of image sources and subsources

Note: If you change the source after the subsources were created, and
the new source has different dimensions that do not match the
subsources dimensions, the affected subsources are highlighted in yellow
(and a dialog box appears to notify you as such).

When you select a row in the Image Manager table, the properties of the
image source or subsource are displayed in the Source Properties area of
the window. You can change various properties of the image source and
subsources as follows:
 To change the border color of image subsources, in the table, click
the appropriate border color and then click the drop-down list box
that appears to select the new color. Click Update.
 To change the name of the image source or subsource, in the table,
click the appropriate row. Type the new name, and then click Update.
 If you have already applied an image to multiple objects, and then
you want to replace the source file with something different, you can
make the change once in the Image Manager and have it automatically
applied to all related objects (i.e., you don’t have to individually
apply the changes to each object's properties). To do so, you change
the underlying source file to the Image name.
 You can define a subsource either by its start/end coordinates or by
its dimensions:

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 To resize the subsource, click the appropriate row in the table.

Change the start/end coordinates as desired, and then click
Update. Note that if you change the coordinates, the system
updates the dimensions automatically.
 To change the dimensions of a subsource, click the appropriate
row and then type the new dimensions. Note that when you
change the dimensions, the system will automatically add to the
start coordinate to determine a new end coordinate. Click Update.

Note: You can use the Quick Video/Image Tool to apply the Image
Subsources. For details, see “Using the quick video/image tool”.

Using the quick video/image tool

The Quick Video/Image Tool enables you to quickly configure which video
sources / subsources or images to attach to selected objects like screens
and LED Walls in your drawing.

To use the Quick Video/Image Tool

Note: Before you use the Quick Video/Image Tool, you must already have
created the video source and/or subsources or images that you want to
apply to the selected object(s). For details, see “To configure a new video
source for streaming video” and “To create a single video subsource”.

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1 From the Tools menu, choose Quick Video/Image Tool.

Tip: Alternately, you can click the Quick Image/Video Tool icon on the
Tools toolbar.

2 In the Source Type section, select whether you want to apply either a
video or image source, and then choose the source from the
appropriate drop-down list.
3 Under Source Options, choose from one of the following options:
 Use the entire source: Select this option if you wish to apply the
entire source (as opposed to its subsources). Proceed directly to
step 12.
 Use a single subsource: Select this option if you wish to apply a
single subsource, and then choose the subsource from the drop-
down list. Proceed directly to step 12.
 Use Multi-Split subsources: Select this option if you wish to apply
Multi-Split subsources. This option will start at a specified
subsource and increment the rows and/or columns until it
reaches an ending subsource, at which point the tool will finish
automatically.
4 If you have chosen Use Multi-Split subsources above, from the Subsource
prefix drop-down list, select the Multi-Split subsource prefix to apply.
5 Note the # of rows and columns shown. These values denote the
number of rows and columns available for this Multi-Split subsource

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prefix. The Starting and Ending Row, and the Starting and Ending
Columns may not exceed these numbers.
6 In the Starting Subsource - Row box, enter the row of the starting
subsource. It may not exceed the number of rows for this subsource
prefix.
7 In the Starting Subsource - Column box, enter the column of the starting
subsource. It may not exceed the number of columns for this
subsource prefix.
8 In the Ending Subsource - Row box, enter the row of the ending
subsource. It may not exceed the number of rows for this subsource
prefix, and cannot be less than the starting subsource's row value.
9 In the Ending Subsource - Column box, enter the column of the ending
subsource. It may not exceed the number of rows for this subsource
prefix, and cannot be less than the starting subsource's column
value.
10 Under Increment Mode, choose the appropriate option:
 Click Left to right if you want subsources to be applied from left to
right. This way, subsources on the same row will be applied first,
and the current row will move down once all subsources on the
current row have been applied.
 Click Top to bottom if you want subsources to be applied from top
to bottom. This way, subsources on the same column will be
applied first, and the current column will move right once all
subsources on the current column have been applied.
11 Click OK. The cursor will show a “Q”, indicating that Quick Tools have
been activated.
12 Click an object, or multiple objects in sequence to apply the video/
image source or subsource(s) that you have chosen.

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Rendering

Introduction
At any time in CAD mode, you can generate a rendering of your set. Note
that renderings in CAD mode are primarily intended for rendering your
set with environmental lighting, but without theatrical lighting. However,
if there are any fixtures selected on your plot, they are displayed in your
rendering.

Note: To queue your render jobs and process them independently, you
can use the Background Rendering Manager (all levels of WYSIWYG
except Report and Perform - Console Edition). For details on this feature,
see “Background Rendering Manager”.

To render a lighting look

1 In the working area of the screen, display the lighting look that you
want to render.
2 From the Tools menu, choose Render.
Tip: You can also click the Render Wizard tool on the View toolbar.

The Render Wizard button.

Result: The Render Wizard opens and guides you through a series of
options. Click Next and Back to navigate through the Render Wizard.
3 Click Finish.
Result: WYSIWYG generates the rendering of your lighting look or
cue. If the rendering is saved internally, it is available as an image in
Presentation mode.

Note: For more information, see “Rendering”.

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 Chapter 10

Data mode

Data mode enables you to view and edit the data for all your
fixtures. Data mode operates like many other spreadsheet
programs, so many of the concepts will be familiar to those who
have used a spreadsheet program.

In this chapter
Layout tabs 683
Spreadsheets 684
Patch 701
Errors 714

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Layout tabs

Introduction
Beneath the work area in each mode is a series of Layout tabs. These
layouts provide various configurations of the views you are working with.
To change layouts, click the tab that corresponds to the layout you wish
to use.

The Data mode contains the following layouts:

 Spreadsheet: The work area contains a spreadsheet of data currently
in the show database.
 H Select: The work area is split horizontally, with a wireframe view
above and a spreadsheet view below.
 V Select: The work area is split vertically, with a wireframe view on
the left and a spreadsheet view on the right.
 Patch: The work area is split, with a wireframe view above and the
patch window below.
 Errors: The work area contains a spreadsheet displaying fixtures with
errors.

Note: The wireframe views in Data mode are used for fixture selection
only. Any selections made in the spreadsheet are visible on the CAD
drawing and vice versa. However, to make any drawing modifications,
you must return to CAD mode.

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Spreadsheets

Introduction
The Data mode displays your fixture information in spreadsheet format.
WYSIWYG compiles many spreadsheets that are accessible from the
columns shortcut bar. All of these spreadsheets contain the same
information, but are sorted and filtered differently. Each column in the
spreadsheet represents one fixture attribute. The following information is
compiled.

Data fields
Notes:
 Data fields identified with an asterisk (*) are non-editable fields.
 Spot - This is an assigned identifier number usually used for

automated fixtures. A spot number is required for automated

fixtures when using AutoFocus.
 Channel - This is the assigned control channel number you will

use at your control console to control the fixture. For moving

lights, the channel number recorded in WYSIWYG is the starting
channel number.
 To use the AutoFocus feature properly, for most consoles, the
Channel number that appears here must match the starting number
of the fixture's DMX address. For example, if your Mac 500 is patched
to universe "A" at address 101 (i.e., the Patch field reads "A.101"),
you must enter the number 101 into this fixture's Channel field. This
must be done manually because the automatic sequential numerical
data entry method does not apply in this case. For details, see “To
input sequential numerical data”.
 Data fields identified with an asterisk (*) are non-editable fields, and
can be identified on the spreadsheet as tinted, if you enable the
“Non-Editable Column Tint” option from the View Options or the Data
Spreadsheets toolbar.

Data fields
 Channel - The assigned channel of the fixture.
 Patch - This is the fixture’s assigned DMX channel number. This field
is mandatory for simulation activity in Live mode. One show can have
multiple DMX universes. A patch entry must be notated universe.#,
where universe is a letter, number, or other label identifying the
universe or output and # is the DMX channel number. For example,
“A.1” or “Dim.26”.
 Dimmer - This is the assigned dimmer number.

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 Spot - The spot ID of the fixture.

 Position - This is the hanging position for the fixture. Positions must
be entered in the Position Manager.
 Unit - The unit number identifies the fixture’s location on its
respective hanging position.
 Type - This is the fixture name.
 Lens - This is the lens type.
 *Hookup - This identifies the component of a multi-circuit fixture or
other device, such as a scroller (for example, intensity, control).
 Purpose - The purpose is a custom note that is most commonly
used to describe how this fixture is being used in your show. For
example, “SL Side”, “Diagonal Backs”. Purpose is an attribute of the
fixture. It is not possible to assign multiple purposes for multi-circuit
fixtures.
 Color - This is the assigned gel color number or scroller
identification.
 Gobo - This is the assigned gobo number.
 Focus - This is the fixture’s focus position.
 Circuit Name - This is an identifier note for the circuit box or multi-
cable.
 Circuit Number - This is the assigned circuit or multi-cable tail
number.
 Mode - This is the fixture’s mode setting.
 Fixture Options - This is information on the fixtures options, e.g.
the, reserved channels, lamp info, etc.
 *Wattage - This is the wattage in watts of the lamp.
 Lamp Type - This is the lamp type.
 *Offset - This field identifies the fixture’s location on the hanging
structure. It is a distance measurement referencing the pipe’s end or
center point or another point as specified.
 *X - This field indicates the X coordinate of the fixture’s position.
 *Y - This field indicates the Y coordinate of the fixture’s position.
 *Z - This field indicates the Z coordinate of the fixture’s position.
 Pan - A focus attribute measured in degrees, defining the positioning
of the fixtures yoke.
 Tilt - A focus attribute measured in degrees, defining the positioning
of the fixture within the yoke.
 Spin - A focus attribute measured in degrees, defining the fixture’s
yoke positioning in relation to the hang structure where 0 is down-
hung, 90 is side-hung, and 180 is over-hung for example.
 *Weight - This is the fixture’s weight. A fixture’s weight can only be
modified through the Library Browser.
 Notes - This is a custom notes field.
 *Footnotes - This feature is currently disabled.

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 *# of Data Channels - This is the total number of DMX channels

required by the fixture.
 *# of Color Frames - This is the number of color frame slots that
the fixture has.
 *# of Lamps - This is the number of lamps required by the fixture.
 *Circuit Type - This describes what type of device the unit should
be plugged into, for example, regular dimmer, scroller power supply.
 *Model - This is the fixture type.
 *Cost - This is the fixture’s cost or rental cost. This field is used to
estimate a show budget. A fixture’s cost can only be modified
through the Library Browser. For more information on setting costs,
refer to “Data tab”.
 *Status - This is the fixture’s status relative to your drawing. If the
fixture is HUNG it is in your drawing. If a fixture is UNHUNG, it is in
the flight case. In fixture count reports, all fixtures are counted
regardless of their status (unless a filter is applied).
 *Console - This identifies which console is controlling the fixture.
This field references the binding settings in the device manager in
Live mode.
 Layer - This field indicates which layer the fixture is drawn on.
 *Tag - This is an internal code used for importing and exporting data
to/from third party programs.
 *Owner - This feature is currently disabled.
 Manufacturer - This field indicates the manufacturer of the fixture.
 Notes2 – Additional column for notes.
 Notes3 - Additional column for notes.
 Notes4 - Additional column for notes.
 *RotX - The rotation of the fixture on the X axis.
 *RotY - The rotation of the fixture on the Y axis.
 *RotZ - The rotation of the fixture on the Z axis.
 *Patch Address - When a patch is specified for a fixture/accessory,
this column just displays the starting address.
 *Patch Universe - When a patch is specified for a fixture/accessory,
this column just displays the Universe it is patched on.

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Working in the spreadsheet

Data may be entered in a number of ways within the WYSIWYG file. The
plot can be created, and then edited, or the data may be entered in a
spreadsheet, and then placed on the plot. Any entries or changes are
reciprocated throughout the file; changes made in Data mode will be
updated in CAD mode and vice versa.

Selection
Standard selection functionality is offered in the DATA > Spreadsheets.
Selected cells are highlighted in orange.
 To select one cell, just move your mouse over it and click. You will
notice a blue outline appears around the cell.
 To select multiple cells, select your starting cell and either drag
the mouse in any direction, or while holding the SHIFT key down, use
the arrow buttons on the keyboard.
 To select non sequential cells, hold down the CTRL button and
click with your mouse on the desired cells.
 To select an entire row, click on the row header (i.e. The left-most
column which has the row numbers).

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To add or modify data

Select a cell, and type the desired value in the appropriate cell. Notice
that some cells accept text (e.g. Channel column), so you click on them
and start typing text. Some cells will display a drop-down menu when
they are selected, so you can choose your data from the drop-down
menu or type the desired option (e.g. Lens column).

The Spreadsheet has built in intelligence, and will not accept invalid data
entry. For example, you cannot enter non-numerical data in the Channel
column, (it will display an error message).

Columns that are read-only or non-editable cannot be modified from the

Spreadsheet. These columns may be tinted slightly darker for easy
identification from the View Options.

Entering the same data into multiple cells

You can enter the same information to multiple cells at the same time by
selecting a series of cells, typing your text in the first cell selected, and
then pressing the ENTER button. You can also delete data in multiple
cells at the same time by selecting the cells, and then pressing the
DELETE button.

When entering data in some columns (such as Color and Gobo), a drop-
down menu will appear displaying some options to help you enter the
data into the cell(s). For the Color column, for instance:
 <None>: Select this option if no color is desired.
 Multiple Gel Input: This option displays a dialog box where you can
enter multiple gel manufacturer catalog codes for one fixture
 Pick from Library: This opens the Library Browser and you can preview
colors in the Gel Library

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 List of previously used gels in your file: For your convenience all
previously used gel color codes are displayed; click on the one you
wish to use.

To input sequential numerical data

If you are entering sequential numerical values for a field such as

Channel or Spot, you can use incremental data entry to facilitate your
work. WYSIWYG will calculate the next available value based on the
number of required channels for the previous fixture.
1 In a column, select a series of fixtures to enter incremental data, by
using a selection method such as click and drag.
2 Enter in the first cell the starting value of the data, and then a plus
sign ( + ).
Example: If the first channel in the selected fixtures should be
101, enter “101 +” and then press ENTER.

To assign sequential patch to fixtures

If you are assigning a sequential patch for a list of fixtures, you can use
incremental data entry to facilitate your work. WYSIWYG will calculate
the next available value based on the number of required channels for
the previous fixture.

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1 Select the fixtures you want to patch sequentially.

2 In the first cell type “UniverseName. Starting Address +”
Example: “F.1 +”
Note: You can skip channels between the patching of one fixture to
the next. To specify the number of channels that should be skipped,
add that number to the end of the equation “UniverseName .
Starting Address + [# of channels to skip between patching]”.
Example: “F.1 + 4”
3 Hit Enter.
Result: The selected fixtures are automatically sequentially patched.

Fixtures selected for multi- After performing the multi-fixture

fixture sequential patching. The patching command, the fixtures
example patch used is “F.1 +” are patched sequentially.

To choose a new value

1 Select the appropriate cell.
2 If values are available, there will be a down arrow icon in the cell.
Click the icon to see a list of available values.
3 Select the value from the list.
Result: The cell will change to the selected value.

Inserting fixtures in data mode

Any fixtures inserted in Data mode are assigned the status “unhung” and
are placed in the Flight Case. The Flight Case allows you to drag and drop
“unhung” fixtures onto your drawing. For more information about the
Flight Case, refer to “The Flight Case”.

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To insert fixtures in Data mode

1 Click the Fixture tool on the Data toolbar.

The Fixture button.

2 Navigate to the desired fixture.

3 In the Multiple box, type the number of fixtures of that type required.
4 Click Insert.
Result: The fixtures are inserted below the last entry in the
spreadsheet.
Tip: If you have a shortcut created for the desired fixture, you can
right-click on the shortcut and choose Insert or Insert Multiple.

Inserting positions in data mode

A position cannot exist in WYSIWYG unless it is recorded in the Position
Manager. You can if you type a new value into the position field of a
fixture, the Pick a value from the list dialog box is automatically displayed.
This is because a position cannot exist in WYSIWYG unless it is recorded
in the Position Manager. You can select from the list of positions that
already exist or you can click Managers menu to open the Position Manager
to create a new position.

If you are making this change to a fixture that was previously hung on a
different position, that fixture will be unhung and sent to the Flight Case
under its new position field. From there, you can drag it back onto the
drawing.

If the position does not yet exist in the drawing, you must draw a hang
structure and assign it the appropriate position name before you will be
able to hang the fixture again. For more information on drawing hang
structures, refer to “Hang structures”.

For more information on drawing items from the Flight Case, refer to
“Entering and modifying objects in the Flight Case”.

Inserting color in data mode

To insert color in Data mode

1 Click in the color field of the fixture for which you want to assign
color.
2 Click the drop-down menu in the cell and select either None, Multiple
Gel Input..., or Pick from Library.
Note: If you know the catalog code for the gel, you can type the gel
code in the cell to choose it. For example, if you want Rosco's

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"Roscolux Light Red" gel, type "R26" in the cell and hit ENTER.
Rosco's "Roscolux Light Red" gel will be selected.
a. Use Pick from Library to select a color among those you have
already used in your plot. Selecting this option will bring up the
Color Select window where you can locate the color you want from
a library.

b. Use Multiple Gel Input... if you already know the color that you
want to assign (for example, R54, L112, and so on). Selecting
this option will bring up the Multiple Gel Input... window where you
can enter the color you want.

WYSIWYG accommodates multiple color entries for one fixture as

follows:
 “Color1 & Color2” yields two color frames with one gel in each.
 “Color1 + Color2” yields one color frame with two gels in it.
 “Color1 / Color2” yields one color frame with one split gel in it.

Customizing spreadsheets
There are different ways to sort and view your data. You can modify a
spreadsheet to suit your needs. Customizing a view allows you to change
how the data is displayed and sorted.

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To modify a data sheet

1 From the Options menu, choose View Options.
Result: The View Options window appears.
Note: You can also click the View Options tool on the Standard toolbar.

The View Options button.

Note: You can also right-click on the Spreadsheet shortcut and

select Properties.
2 In the General tab, specify how the data sheet will be displayed.
3 In the Data Options tab, specify the information that will be displayed
in the data sheet.
4 Click OK.

General tab
Options on the General tab affect the current data sheet.

 Scene:
 Follow Current Scene: Select this checkbox to use the currently
selected scene. Clear and select a different scene from the Scenes
drop-down list.
 Scene: Name of the Wireframe view.

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 Appearance Options
 Display Filter Bar: Select this checkbox to display filters below the

headings of each column.

 Alternate Row Colors: Select this checkbox then click the Color Select

boxes to choose display the rows in two alternating colors.

 Word Wrap: Select this checkbox to automatically wrap the text in

every cell.
 Tint Non-editable Columns: Select this checkbox to highlight the

columns with non-editable data.

 Display Options
 List Accessories under their Fixture: Select this checkbox to display the

list of accessories added to the fixtures in rows that follow after.

 Identify Accessories: Select this checkbox and select the symbol that

identifies the listed accessory.

 Show Only Selected: Select this checkbox to display only the fixtures

that are selected in CAD.

 Sort by Selected Order: Select this checkbox to display the selected

fixtures according to the order of selection.

Data Options tab

 Detail Level
 Fixtures and Accessories: Select this drop-down menu to display the
details of fixtures and accessories in the spreadsheet.

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 Fixtures: Select this drop-down menu to display the details of the

fixtures only on the Spreadsheet.
 Column Options
 Column: Use the column table to specify column display and order

of appearance.
 To change the location of a column in the spreadsheet, highlight

the appropriate column heading in the Columns box, and then click
the Up or Down button.
 To hide a column from your view, clear the checkbox beside it.

 Rename: Type a new name in the Rename column to rename the

title of the column.

 Alignment: Click the drop-down menu in this column and select the

text alignment to either Left, Center, or Right.

 Bkgd Color: Click the Color Select box in this column to change the

background color of the column. This can be used to highlight

important columns in your spreadsheets.
 Float Selected Columns: Select this checkbox to undock the selected

column in the spreadsheet.

 Sort Options
 Enable Heading Sort: Select this checkbox to enable the ability to

sort the spreadsheet by clicking on the Column Headings. When

you click on a column heading, it becomes the new Key 1 sort
parameter, and the existing sorting options propagate down to Key
2 and Key 3. Clicking on the same column heading again will
switch the sort from ascending to descending, and vice versa.
 To specify how entries should be sorted, choose the desired

column headings in the Key 1, Key 2, and Key 3 drop-down lists.

When fixtures have the same value in the first sort key, the
spreadsheet is then sorted by the values of the second sort key.
 Click Ascend or Descend to sort the criteria in ascending or

descending order, respectively.

 Select the Group By checkbox to group the spreadsheet into

sections, one section for each value in the Key 1 field.

Font Options:
To display the Spreadsheet with your preferred font settings, right-click
on the Spreadsheet and select Set Font. Choose your preferred font,
style, color, size, and script, and click OK. The text in the Spreadsheet is
now displayed with your new font settings.

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Column Heading:
Some column options are also listed if you right-click on the column
heading.
 Hide Column: Hides current column (will not be displayed)
 Show All Columns: A convenient way to show all columns
 Select Column: Since clicking on the column heading will re-sort the
spreadsheet if this option is enabled, the Select Column option offers
an easy way to select the column.
 Enable Heading Sort: A convenient way to enable/disable the Column
Heading sort option.
 Freeze Columns: The selected column and all the columns to the left
of it will freeze and always visible when scrolling over horizontally to
the right.
 AutoFit Selected Column: The selected column will automatically
resize so that all text is visible.
 AutoFit All Columns: All the columns will automatically resize so that
all text is visible.

Filter bar:
When enabled, the Filter Bar appears on the first row of the Spreadsheet.
The Filter Bar offers an easy way to filter the Spreadsheet or search for
exact text or fixtures in any column. The Filter Bar accepts text in
multiple columns simultaneously making it easier to find a fixture in your
Spreadsheet.

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Note: To clear a filter string, you can click the X button which appears at
the right side of the column. If you have multiple filters, you can click the
X button which is located above the row headers (very far left column
with row numbers), and this clears all filter strings and displays all rows
in the Spreadsheet are displayed again.

To apply a data filter using the Filter Bar

1 In the spreadsheet, click the filter bar on the column you want to
filter.
2 Type the specific text, or select the data from a drop-down
menu you want to filter for.
Result: The spreadsheet refreshes, displaying only fixtures that
meet the filter criteria.

To remove data filters

In the spreadsheet, click the X button which appears at the right side of
the column.

Note: If you have multiple filters, you can click the X button which is
located above the row headers (very far left column with row numbers),
and this clears all filter strings and displays all rows in the Spreadsheet
are displayed again.
Result: The spreadsheet returns to its unfiltered state.

Finding and replacing text in the spreadsheet

Information found in cells can be quickly accessed and edited using the
Find or the Find and Replace functions. Find allows you to search your
spreadsheet for words or whole phrases, then selects the words when
found. Find and Replace searches your spreadsheet the same as Find, but
with the additional option to replace the words.

To find text in the spreadsheet

1 From the Edit menu, select Find.
2 Alternately, you can use the shortcut “Ctrl + F”.
Result: The Find window will open.

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3 In the Find what field, type the text you want to search for.
4 Select the Match case checkbox to search for only words that match
the exact case of the text entered in the Find what field.
5 In the Direction section, select Up or Down to search the
spreadsheet in the chosen direction.
6 To search for the next instance of the chosen text, click Find Next.

To find and replace text in the spreadsheet

1 From the Edit menu, select Find and Replace.
2 Alternately, you can use the shortcut “Ctrl + Shift + H”.
Result: The Replace window will open.

3 In the Find what field, type the text you want to search for.
4 In the Replace with field, type the text you want to replace any found
text with.
5 Select the Match case checkbox to search for only words that match
the exact case of the text entered in the Find what field.
6 To search for the next instance of the chosen text, click Find Next.
7 To replace found text with the text written in the Replace with field,
click Replace.
8 To replace all instances of the found text with the text written in the
Replace with field, click Replace All.

Grouping the spreadsheet by a column

The group by option is available for the Column in Key 1 sort, which
groups the Spreadsheet into sections. Each section has a button which
expands (+) and collapses (-) so you can choose if you wish to displays
the rows of data in a group or not.

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Freezing spreadsheet columns

The Freezing Column options allows you to keep your information in
place as you scroll through the rest of the spreadsheet. This is useful if
the spreadsheet is very large and you have headings that you want to
stay in place.

To freeze spreadsheet columns

Right-click a column header, and select Freeze Columns.

To unfreeze spreadsheet columns

Right-click a column header, and select Unfreeze Columns.

Creating a new spreadsheet

To create a new sheet

1 On the shortcut bar, click the Columns tab.
2 Right-click on the shortcut bar and choose New Spreadsheet.
3 Type a name for the new spreadsheet, and then click OK.
4 Scroll to the bottom of the list of Column shortcuts. Your new
spreadsheet name should be at the bottom of the list. Click on the
shortcut to view your spreadsheet.

Note: It may be easier to clone an existing spreadsheet and modify it

than to start a new one from scratch. See “To clone a shortcut” for more
details.

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Exporting a spreadsheet
The Spreadsheet can be exported to numerous formats, in case you wish
to use the spreadsheet data from you lighting show in a different
program.

To export a spreadsheet
1 Select File > Export.
2 An Export File dialog box appears for you to enter a file name, and
select a file type. Supported file types include: Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)
and (.xls), HTML (.htm), Comma Separated Values (.csv), WYSIWYG
Spreadsheet (.wss)
3 Another option in the File menu is to Export to Worksheet. This option
automatically copies a snapshot of the Spreadsheet into the
Worksheet tab. This is convenient at the end of a project, because a
worksheet can be inserted into a Layout (a Spreadsheet cannot be
inserted directly anymore).

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Patch

Introduction
The Patch view is a graphical representation of the patch field. It is used
for two purposes:
 To create and/or edit a patch for the lights, video, or moving scenery
in your drawing.
 To monitor incoming DMX levels when using WYSIWYG Perform for
simulation.

Working in the patch view

You can view one patch universe at a time. As you add new patch
universes in either a spreadsheet view or a CAD drawing (using Quick
Tools), their shortcuts are created automatically. You can also create new
patch universes directly from the shortcut bar.

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To create a new patch universe

1 Click the Patch layout tab.
2 Right-click in the patch shortcut area and choose New Patch.
Result: A dialog box appears, prompting for the type of universe
that you want to create, and the name of the new universe.

3 Type the name of the patch universe. Patch universes can be named
anything. For example, “A”, “Dimmers”, “Dim”, “Movers”, “Scrollers”,
and so on.
4 Select the type of patch universe based on the type of console or
system that you are using, either a DMX console, EDMX or a motion
control system.
5 Click OK.
Result: The patch shortcut appears in the Patch tab.

Notes:
 To change, delete, or modify a patch universe, right-click the
shortcut icon for the universe that you want to change. Click on the
command that you want to perform.
 To display the contents of a patch universe, click on the appropriate
shortcut icon. The name of the universe is displayed at the top left
corner of the Wireframe view.

Fixture patching methods

There are multiple ways to patch fixtures in WYSIWYG. The following
section will guide you through some of the ways fixtures can be patched.

To patch fixtures in the patch view

1 Click and hold the desired fixture in the Wireframe view.
2 Drag the fixture to the desired patch location.
3 For re-patching, repeat the above steps, or click and drag the
fixture’s patch information to the new location.

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To unpatch fixtures in the patch view

1 Select the fixture by clicking on the first channel (start cell) for that
fixture. It should become highlighted.
2 Right-click and choose Unpatch.
Result: The fixture is unpatched; the value in the patch field for that
fixture is deleted.

To patch fixtures and assign spot IDs using Quick Tools

Using Quick Tools, fixtures can be patched and assigned spot IDs by
clicking on their Wireframe view image. The first fixture clicked will be
assigned the patch and ID as configured in Quick Tools. The next fixture
clicked will be assigned the next available channel in the patch and the
next fixture ID in the sequence until you are finished using Quick Tools.
1 In CAD mode, in Wireframe view, go to Tools > Quick Tools > Quick
Tools. Alternately click the Quick Tools icon on the Tools toolbar.

The Quick Tools button.

Result: The Quick Fixture Tool window appears.

2 In the Quick Fixture Tool window, in the Control Data section, select
the Spot checkbox.
3 In the Spot field, enter a number which will be the first fixture ID
used in the sequence.
4 In the Control Data section, select the Patch checkbox.

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5 In the Patch field, enter the universe and channel the first fixture will
patching to, separated by a period.
Example: “A.1” would patch to universe A, chapter 1.
Note: The Custom Increment checkbox offers two options: Additional,
where the increment is added at the end of each fixture patched; and
Total, which is the total increment to the next fixture’s address.
6 Click Ok
Result: When a fixture is clicked on, it will be assigned a Universe
and channel to operate on. The first fixture clicked will be assigned
the to the channel number entered in Quick Tools. Subsequent
fixtures clicked will be assigned the next sequential channel and Spot
ID number.
7 Click on a fixture to patch it to a universe and channel. Clicking on
each fixture that you want patched and assigned a spot ID.
8 To stop patching fixtures, right-click.
9 In the menu that appears, click Finish Quick Tools.

To patch fixtures and assign spot IDs using the data

spreadsheet

In DATA mode, the Spreadsheet view has information on all fixtures

created in the WYSIWYG project. Using the spreadsheet you can edit the
patch information and Spot ID directly in the table.

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1 In Data mode, click on the Spreadsheet tab.

2 In the Columns section on the left side of the window, click All Data
(Sortable).

Result: All fixture data will be displayed in the spreadsheet.

3 In the Patch column, enter the appropriate patch information for
each fixture.
Tip: You can use incremental data entry to assign sequential patch
for a list of fixtures.
a. Select the series of fixtures you want to patch sequentially.
b. In the first cell, type “UniverseName.Starting Address+”.
Example: “F.1+”
4 In the Spot column, enter a unique Spot ID for each fixture.
Tip: You can use incremental data entry to enter sequential
numerical values.
a. In the Spot column, select a series of fixtures.

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b. Enter in the first cell type the starting value of the data, and then
a plus sign (+).
Example: If the first Spot number in the selected fixtures is 101,
enter “101+”, then press ENTER.
Result: The fixtures after the first cell will be assigned the next
available value. This can be repeated as necessary. If this method is
used to assign values, it is recommend that fixtures are first sorted
so fixtures are organized. Fixtures can be sorted in order of position,
or Unit # along a pipe/truss.

To patch the control of a video source

In WYSIWYG, you patch the control of a video source, not the actual
video. This means that you can use the console device to control the
progress of a live video stream or a video file by making the video play,
pause, or rewind; you cannot use WYSIWYG to change different aspects
of the video itself.

To control the video source, the DMX patch is allocated three channels.
For details on controlling the video with the console device in Live mode,
see “To control a DMX patched video source with a console”.
1 In the shortcut area, click the Patch tab.
2 Click the patch shortcut to which you have linked control of the video
source.
Result: The video patch appears in the patch universe.
3 Open the console device that you have connected to the video DMX
patch.
4 Using the console controls, set the appropriate levels for the three
channels. For details, see “To control a DMX patched video source
with a console”.
5 Save your settings.
6 In the Shaded tab of Live mode, you can now use the console device
to control the progress of the video. For details, see “To control a
DMX patched video source with a console”.

To patch a motion axis to a DMX console device

In WYSIWYG, you can patch a motion axis to which one or more objects
has been attached, and then use a console device or a motion control
system to control the progress of the objects along the axis.

You have the choice of patching the axis to either a DMX patch universe
or a motion control universe, based on the type of console or system you
will be using to move the objects. For details on patching the axis to a
motion control universe, see “To patch a motion axis to a motion control
system”.

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To control the object’s movement with a DMX console device, the DMX
patch is allocated two channels, one each for coarse and fine movement.
The DMX value represents the object’s percentage of movement. For
example, if it is at 0, then the object is at 0% of its range of motion; if it
is at 100, then the object has moved 100% of its range of motion. For
details on controlling the object with the console device in Live mode, see
“To control a DMX patched motion axis with a console”.

Note: Before performing the following procedure, the motion axis must
already be linked to the patch universe. For details, see “To patch a
motion axis to a DMX universe”.
1 In the shortcut area, click the Patch tab.
2 Click the patch shortcut to which you have linked control of the
moving object.
Result: The moving scenery patch appears in the patch universe.
3 Open the console device that you have connected to the DMX patch
(for example, the Mini Console).
4 Using the console controls, move the slider of the first or second
channel to advance the object to the desired position on the motion
axis.
Note: The first channel is for coarse movement and can be used to
advance the object quickly to any position along the entire path,
from start to finish. The second channel is for fine movement. Its
movement range is very slight and depends on the position that you
have set on the first channel. For details, see “To control a DMX
patched motion axis with a console”.
5 In the Shaded tab of Live mode, you can now use the console device
to control the object’s movement along the axis. For details, see “To
control a DMX patched motion axis with a console”.

To patch a motion axis to a motion control system

In WYSIWYG, you can patch a motion axis to which one or more objects
has been attached, and then use a console device or a motion control
system to control the progress of the objects along the axis.

You have the choice of patching the axis to either a DMX patch universe
or a motion control universe, based on the type of console or system you
will be using to move the objects. For details on patching the axis to a
DMX patch universe, see “To patch a motion axis to a DMX console
device”.

When controlling the object’s movement with a motion control system,

the patch indicates the ID on the motion control system that corresponds
to the WYSIWYG axis ID, the axis name, and the position of the object on
its path. When connected to a system (or to WYSIWYG’s Motion Control
Console), you can watch the object’s position change in patch view as it
moves along its path.

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Note: Before performing this procedure, the motion axis must already be
linked to the patch universe. For details, see “To patch a motion axis to a
motion universe”.
1 In the shortcut area, click the Patch tab.
2 Click the patch shortcut to which you have linked control of the
moving object.
Result: The motion control patch appears in the patch universe.
3 Open the console device or motion control system that you have
connected to the motion control patch (for example, the Motion
Control Console, shown below).

4 If you are using WYSIWYG’S Motion Control Console, in the ID box, type
the motion control ID that you selected when configuring the axis. If
you are patching a Frame, enter the name of the frame.
Note: If you do not know the ID, right-click on the axis, and then
click Properties. Click the Axis tab. The ID appears in the Motion Patch -
ID box.
5 In the Length box, type the distance (in meters for linear axes, in
degrees for rotational axes) that you want the object to travel along
or around the axis. This can be the full length/angle of the axis, or
only a portion of it if you do not want the object to travel along/
around the full path. For linear axes, if you type a value that is longer
than the actual axis, the object stops at the end of the physical axis.
6 Click the Linear or Rotational option button according to the type of
motion axis that you are patching.
7 In the Mode area, select the type of movement for the object:
 Manual: Select this option if you want to specify the precise
location of a static object on the motion axis. You can then use
the position slider at the bottom of the window to adjust the
position and control the movement of the object manually.

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 Bounce: Select this option if you want the object to move forward
and backward in a continuous loop along the motion axis.
 Forward: Select this option if you want the object to move forward
along the axis from start to finish, and then start over again at
the beginning in a continuous forward loop.
 Backward: Select this option if you want the object to move
backwards along the axis from finish to start, and then begin over
again in a continuous backwards loop.
8 If you have chosen any moving Mode value (that is, any value except
Static), you can specify the length of time (in seconds) over which
you want the full range of motion to take place. Type this value in the
Duration box. The larger the number you type in this box, the slower
the object moves.
9 Select New Axis if you are adding a linear or rotational frame. Select
New Frame if you are adding a frame to the patch.
10 Click Save to save your settings.
Note: If you make any changes to the axis settings and save the
changes, you can revert to the previous settings by clicking Load.
11 To see the object moving along the axis, you must first ensure that
the Motion Control Console or the motion control system that you are
using is connected and that the patched axis is bound. For details,
see “To connect to a console” and “To control a motion-control
patched motion axis with a motion control system”.

Reading the patch

Each box in the patch universe represents one DMX channel. Fixtures are
represented by colored bumps or bars that span the number of required
DMX channels. The color of the bar is the same as the fixture’s CAD layer.

The number in the top left corner is the DMX address.

The spot number and fixture type are identified across the bottom of the
box(es).

The fixture parameter controlled by each channel is identified in the

center of the box.

If you are connected to a console and are receiving DMX signals, the
incoming DMX levels are displayed in the top right corner of each box.

Reference Guide 709

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Reading the patch for streaming video sources

If you have patched a live video source or file, the patch appears as
shown below:

Reading the patch for moving scenery

If you have patched a motion axis, the patch appears as shown below:

 For linear motion axes, the position of the object is reported in either
metric or imperial units (for example, 16m).
 For rotational axes, the value is shown in degrees (for example,
42°).
 If the axis is unrecognized by the motion controller, then the object
position is shown as a question mark (?).

Note: If the axis type is mismatched between that which you have drawn
and the type that you choose in the Motion Control Console (for example,
if the actual axis is linear, but you choose rotational in the Motion Control
Console), then the cell in patch view turns to red.

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Patch view properties

You can view and modify patch universe properties such as the name,
display details, and tooltip information that is displayed in a patch
universe.

To view the properties of a patch universe

1 Right-click on the patch icon, and then select View Options.
Result: The View Options dialog box appears.

Universe tab
Options on the Universe tab affect the binding/unbinding of the patch
universe to a specific console or device output.
 ID: The name of the patch universe shortcut.
 Name: The full name of the patch universe or port ID.
 Source: The lighting control console or device and port to which the
patch universe is bound.
 Bind: Associates the patch universe to a console or device output.
This applies only when a console or device has been inserted in the
Device Manager.
 Unbind: Removes the association of the patch universe with the
specified source.
Tip: You can open the Device Manager without having to change to
Live mode by double-clicking on the AF shortcut on the Status bar.

Display tab
Options on the Display tab set properties such as the color of a patch
universe.

Reference Guide 711

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 Updates per second: The frequency of updates from the console to the
patch universe.
 Enable Tooltips: Select this checkbox to display information about the
patch and the fixture when you hover over the start cell.
 UnPatched Color: The color of a cell in the patch universe that is not
patched.
 Background Color: The color of the background of the patch view.
 Text Color: The color of the text that is displayed in the patch
universe.
 Selected Color: The highlighted color of a selected fixture in the patch
universe.
 Column Width Size: Adjust the slider to resize the patch universe cells to the
desired width.

To change the width of the patch cells

You can adjust the width of the cells in DMX and Motion Control patch
universes.
1 Right-click anywhere in the patch universe and choose View Options.
2 Click the Display tab.
3 Adjust the Column Width Size slider to the preferred size.
4 Click OK.

Wireframe Details tab

Options on the Wireframe Details tab define the information to be shown in
the tooltips when tooltips are enabled.

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 Use Document Defaults: Select this checkbox to reference the settings

in Document Options (under the Options menu). Clear this checkbox
and specify the tooltips that you want displayed.

Reference Guide 713

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Errors

Introduction
WYSIWYG sports an “on the fly” error checking engine. This means that
as you are putting your lighting design together, WYSIWYG is continually
checking for data errors such as multiple dimmers in one circuit, multiple
channels in one dimmer, and various missing information.

At any time, you can view the error reports that are available on the
Errors shortcut bar. Error reports that have errors displayed will have an
exclamation mark (!) after their name. You can edit/fix these errors on
the spot; editing data on the error reports works the same way as the
data spreadsheets explained in the previous section. As soon as you fix
an error in an error spreadsheet, the entries are disabled to show that it
has been fixed.

An indicator on the Status bar signals you when your document contains
errors. This feature can be turned on or off. WYSIWYG is also set up to
trigger an error notification when errors are detected. Error notifications
can be turned on or off.

When an error is detected, the shortcut bar will display the shortcut icon
with the warning symbol in red color instead of the check symbol in
green color.

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January 2019 Data mode

Errors
WYSIWYG checks for the following errors:

Error Definition

Dimmers > Circuit Fixtures assigned to the same circuit

have been assigned different
dimmer numbers.
Patches > Circuit Fixtures assigned to the same circuit
have been assigned different patch
addresses.
Channels > Circuit Fixtures assigned to the same circuit
have been assigned different
channel numbers.
Patches > Dimmer Fixtures assigned to the same
dimmer have been assigned
different patch addresses.
Channels > Dimmer Fixtures assigned to the same
dimmer have been assigned
different channel numbers.
Channels > Patch Fixtures assigned to the same patch
address have been assigned
different channel numbers.
Spots > Patch Fixtures assigned to the same patch
address have been assigned
different spot numbers.
Missing Position The position field is empty.
Missing Unit The unit field is empty.
Missing Circuit Name The circuit name field is empty.
Missing Circuit # The circuit number field is empty.
Missing Dimmer The dimmer field is empty.
Missing Patch The patch field is empty.
Missing Channel The channel field is empty.
Missing Spot The spot field is empty.
Missing Color The color field is empty.
Missing Gobo The gobo field is empty.

Reference Guide 715

Data mode R42

Error notifications
Error notifications occur when WYSIWYG detects an error for which an
error notification trigger has been set.

To set error triggers

1 From the Options menu, choose Document Options.
2 Click the Error Tracking tab.

3 Select the errors for which you want to trigger an error notification
and/or signal.
4 Click OK.

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To manage error triggers

1 When an error notification is triggered, the Data Error Notification
dialog box appears:

2 From this dialog box, you can perform one of the following actions:
a. Acknowledge the error, and then click OK to close the notification.
b. Acknowledge the error, and then click Show Me to open a new
window that automatically navigates you to the appropriate error
report.
c. Acknowledge the error, and then click Options to reset the error
notification triggers as described above.

Error spreadsheet properties

Error spreadsheets may be sorted and modified in a similar manner as
other spreadsheet views.

Reference Guide 717

Data mode R42

To modify an error sheet

1 Click the Errors layout tab.
2 From the Options menu, choose View Options.
Result: The View Options window appears.

For information on the General, Data Options and Data Error Options tab,
refer to “Customizing spreadsheets”.
On the Data Error Options tab, set triggers for the error that is
displayed in the Name box on the General tab. For more information
on triggers, refer to “To set error triggers”.

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 Chapter 11

Design mode

Design mode was created to provide lighting designers with an

avenue for experimentation. Use it as a troubleshooting tool or as a
creative tool to help you come up with cue concepts. In Design
mode, you can create static lighting looks using the design tools,
and then save and render those looks to output photo realistic
pictures.

In this chapter
Layout tabs 721
Design tools 722
Fixture groups 736
Palettes 739
Looks 741
Cuelists 745
Camera Paths 748
Rendering 753
Background Rendering Manager 767

Reference Guide 719

Design mode R42

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January 2019 Design mode

Layout tabs

Introduction
Beneath the work area in each mode is a series of Layout tabs. These
layouts provide various configurations of the views you are working with.
To change layouts, click the tab that corresponds to the layout you wish
to use.

The Design mode contains the following Layout tabs:

 Wireframe: The work area displays a full-screen wireframe view.
 Quad: The work area is divided into quadrants, three of which can be
modified to show plan, front, side, or isometric views. The lower-
right quadrant contains a shaded view.
 Shaded: The work area displays a full-screen shaded view.

Notes:
 The wireframe views in Data mode are used for fixture selection only.
To make any drawing modifications, you must return to CAD mode.
 You can change the properties of the fixtures in DESIGN mode by
double-clicking on the fixture, which opens its Properties window.

Reference Guide 721

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Design tools

Introduction
The design tools are available in the Design and Live modes. You must
have your venue, scenery and fixtures drawn in order to use the design
tools; however, you do not need to have all the data entered for the
fixtures in Design mode. Design mode is intended so you do not need
channel numbers or a patch. The design tools allow you to create virtual
lighting looks without an external control console. You can rough-in static
looks and render them for design presentations.

Though the Design mode looks a lot like the CAD mode, you cannot draw
anything within the Design mode. If you need to make changes to your
drawing, you need to switch over to the CAD mode.

You can change the properties of the fixtures in DESIGN mode by

double-clicking on the fixture, which opens its Properties window.

You can see the output of fixtures in the Wireframe and Shaded views
within the Design mode. However, you can only select fixtures within the
Wireframe views, unless you use Concept shortcuts as discussed in the
next section.

The design tools are individual toolbars that enable you to control certain
parameters for selected fixtures. Currently there are ten design tools:
 Intensity
 Focus
 Iris
 Zoom
 Color
 Gobo
 Prism
 Video
 Moving Scenery
 Footprint

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January 2019 Design mode

To turn the design tools on

1 From the Design menu, choose the tool name to activate or
deactivate the desired design tool.
2 You can also toggle the tools on the Design toolbar.

At Full and Focus

Toggle Intensity Designer Tool

Toggle Focus Designer Tool

Toggle Iris Designer Tool

Toggle Zoom Designer Tool

Toggle Color Designer Tool

Toggle Gobo Designer Tool

Toggle Prism Designer Tool

Toggle Video Designer Tool

Toggle Moving Scenery Designer Tool

Toggle Footprint Designer Tool

Render Wizard

Fade looks

Toggle Cuelist Editor Tool

Toggle Camera Path Editor Tool

Toggle Timeline Tool

Note: Design tools have the same properties as other toolbars and can
be rearranged on the screen to improve the layout of the working area.
You can also resize design tools by stacking them into columns so that
they take up less space on the screen.

To rearrange and resize design tools

1 Open the desired design tools using the steps above.
2 Click and drag one tool on top of another. When you release the
mouse, the selected design tool lines up under the other.
3 Repeat step 2 for as many tools as will fit in a column.
4 If you overlay tools so that they are not completely visible, click on
the triangle in the tools title bar. This expands or contracts the tool’s
window.
5 If you click and drag a tool’s title bar off the column, it expands into
its own window.

Reference Guide 723

Design mode R42

Using the design tools

Begin by selecting the desired fixtures.

To select fixtures
Select a fixture (or fixtures). You can select multiple fixtures by holding
the CTRL key while clicking on the fixture symbols. You can also use
fixture groups as described in "Fixture groups".
Tip: You can also right-click and drag a box around a section of your
drawing to select fixtures. This displays a context-sensitive menu
displaying all the fixture types contained within that box. You can then
easily select “All Mac500,” for example.
Result: The selected fixtures are highlighted in green.

To invert fixture selection

Press CTRL+SHIFT+I to deselect all the currently selected fixture(s), and
consequently select all the other fixtures previously not selected in
Design and Live modes.

Press CTRL+I to apply invert selection to fixtures, screens and LED walls
in Design and Live modes.

Intensity tool

To use the intensity tool

The Intensity tool provides many options for setting intensity levels.

Click the buttons for the extreme settings of intensity: Full (100%) and
Off (0%).

724
January 2019 Design mode

You can quickly adjust the intensity by using the Plus or Minus buttons to
alter intensity by 5%, 10% or 25%.

Use the dial to achieve any of the settings in between. To use the dial,
click and hold the dial while you move the mouse up or down. The chosen
intensity level is displayed in the intensity box as you move the mouse.
Use the up/down arrows located above and below the dial to change the
value by one.

Alternatively, you can enter a specific percentage by typing the number

in the intensity box, and then pressing ENTER. The beams will update
instantly.

If multiple fixtures are selected, the intensity level entered is assigned to

all fixtures. If you select multiple fixtures that have varying intensity
levels, “N/A” appears in the intensity box.

The Fan feature enables you to select a group of fixtures, adjust the
intensity as a group, and then spread the intensity out with a simple
wheel. The fan allows for the distribution of intensity in the following
configurations: Center, Left to Right, Right to Left, Chevron In, Chevron
Out. Click the Fan button to set the wheel in Fanning mode (color
changes), and then move the wheel up or down to change fanning
spread of the selected fixtures.

Zoom and iris tools

To use the zoom and iris tools

The Zoom and Iris tools both work the same way.

Use the buttons for the extreme settings of tight or wide.

Use the dial to achieve any of the settings in between. To use the dial,
click and hold the dial while you move the mouse up or down. The chosen
value is displayed in the box as you move the mouse. Use the up/down
arrows located above and below the dial to change the value by one.

Alternatively, you can enter a specific percentage by typing the number

in the zoom or iris box, and then pressing ENTER. The beam will update
instantly.

The Fan feature enables you to select a group of fixtures, adjust the
zoom or iris as a group, and then spread the zoom/iris out with a simple
wheel. The fan allows for the distribution of zoom/iris settings in the
following configurations: Center, Left to Right, Right to Left, Chevron In,
Chevron Out. Click the Fan button to set the wheel in Fanning mode
(color changes), and then move the wheel up or down to change fanning
spread of the selected fixtures.

Reference Guide 725

Design mode R42

Gobo and prism tools

To use the gobo and prism tools

The Gobo and Prism tools work the same way. Specify the fixture type (if
you have more than one selected), or the specific wheel to control (if that
fixture type has multiple wheels) using the drop-down menu. Note that
only fixtures with gobo or prism parameters appear on the list. Use the
gobo/prism wheel scroll arrows to select the desired gobo/prism from the
wheel. If no gobo/prism is desired, leave the wheel in the open slot.The
dial will rotate this gobo if a rotating gobo is selected.

Gobo display

Rotate dial

Wheel selection
drop-down list

Color tool

To use the color tool

The Color tool offers many options for color selection.

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January 2019 Design mode

Color wheel preview

Colors available on the

color wheel/scroller

Wheel/scroller selection
drop-down

Custom color selector

Clear selected color Access gel library

Color preview

Color model

Color distribution

Color fan tool Color presets

Color stops

Click the custom color box or use the greyscale arrow to adjust your
selection. The Color model values update automatically. The fixture's
output depends on its capabilities. If the fixture has CMY or color mixing
capabilities, the output is the exact color you selected. If the fixture is
only equipped with a color wheel or a non-mixing scroller, the fixture will
output the closest color to that selected, based on the available colors on
the wheel.
The same principle works if you select a color from the library by clicking
the Library button. The wheel/scroller selection drop-down list is as
discussed for the gobo wheel. All of the available colors are displayed in
the order in which they appear on the wheel or scroll.

To facilitate designing with various fixtures using different color mixing

techniques, the Color tool also offers a drop-down list with three different
color space models (RGB, CMY, HSI). If you know the RGB values of the
desired color, you can enter them, and the custom color box will update.
Or if you have the RGB value and want to convert it to the CMY
equivalent, change the Color Mixing selection.

You can also preview the color selected at all times using the Color
preview box. Double-clicking on the Color Preview box has the same
functionality as double-clicking on the Color Picker area, but without
affecting your position on the area.

Reference Guide 727

Design mode R42

Note: These are valid value ranges for the color spaces:

RGB Color Space: R (0-255), G (0-255), B (0-255)

CMY Color Space: C (0-100), M (0-100), Y (0-100)
HSI Color Space: H (0-360), S (0-100), I (0-100)

The Color Fan feature enables you to select a group of fixtures, adjust
the color as a group, and then spread the color out with a simple wheel.
The fan allows for the distribution of color in the following arrangements:
Center, Left to Right, Right to Left, Chevron In, Chevron Out.

Fan Left, CMY Rainbow configuration Chevron In, RGB Rainbow configuration

Color Fan offers predefined Color Presets with defined color stops, or
custom color stops can be created (limit 5 color stops) using colors
chosen from the color selector or gel library.

Focus tool
The focus tool works with fixtures that have variable pan and tilt
parameters (i.e., automated fixtures). You must focus conventional
fixtures in CAD mode.

Much like on a console, you can lock out Pan and/or Tilt from the Focus
tool trackpad in order to prevent movement along a specific axis and help
you focus your fixtures more effectively.

To use the Focus tool

The Focus tool gives you the option of using it in either Box or Wheel
mode, as shown below:

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January 2019 Design mode

Box mode Wheel mode

From the Pan and Tilt drop-down box, choose whether you want to lock
out either the Pan or Tilt direction. When you do so, you cannot move the
fixture beams along the locked out axis. For example, if you select Pan
Only, you cannot focus your fixtures along the Tilt axis. To enable
focusing in all directions, leave the default Pan and Tilt selected.

Note: This setting applies only to the trackpad itself, and will not prevent
you from clicking-and-dragging the beam in a Wireframe view or
assigning a Focus Position.

In the focus trackpad, click, hold, and drag the mouse to control the
position of the light beam. The Home button resets the fixture to pan =
50% and tilt = 50%.
To send the fixture's beam to a specific location, click the Focus button,
and then click in your wireframe drawing. Use the focus position drop-
down list to focus the beams of light toward one of the Focus Positions
that you created in CAD mode.

You can also use the Focus tool to assign automated fixtures to focus
objects that you have drawn in CAD mode. For more information on focus
objects, see "Focusing fixtures".

Note: The Focus tool does not take into account the current viewing
position or fixture settings. In one orientation, dragging to the right on
the trackpad results in the beam moving left, but rotating the fixture 180
degrees and dragging to the right will cause the beam to move to the
right. This effect occurs with both moving mirror and moving head
fixtures.

Reference Guide 729

Design mode R42

The Fan feature enables you to select a group of fixtures, adjust their
focus as a group, and then spread the pan/tilt out with a simple wheel.
The fan allows for the distribution of pan/tilt settings in the following
configurations: Center, Left to Right, Right to Left, Chevron In, Chevron
Out.

Click the Fan button to set the wheel in Fanning mode (color changes),
and then move the wheel up or down to change fanning spread of the
selected fixtures.

Click and drag focusing

Instead of using the Focus tool, you can also focus fixtures by clicking on
the beam in CAD mode Wireframe views and dragging the beam to the
desired location.

To focus fixtures with click and drag

1 On the CAD Options toolbar, ensure that Toggle Beam Dragging is
enabled.
2 Turn the fixture on.
3 Click on the fixture’s beam and drag it to the desired location.

To assign automated fixtures to focus objects

1 In CAD Mode, draw a Focus line by choosing Draw > Focus <object>.
Note: Any focus object can be drawn and have fixtures assigned.
2 In DESIGN mode, select the automated fixtures in the order in which
you would like them to focus.
3 On the Focus tool, from the Focus Objects drop-down list, choose your
focus object.

Video tool
Streaming video enables you to bring a live or pre-recorded video stream
into WYSIWYG and play it back while you set looks in Design mode and
while you precue in Live mode.

Notes:
 The Video tool is also available in Live mode.
 You can only incorporate live video if you have WYSIWYG Perform;
you cannot select a video from a live capture device or CITP/MSEX
stream if you have WYSIWYG Design.

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January 2019 Design mode

After you draw the screen and attach the video source or subsource or I-
Mag camera to it (or to a 3D primitive, an LED Wall, or to a projector that
you have inserted from the Fixtures library), you can use the Video
Designer tool in Design mode to start the playback or stream. You can
view the video in any of the shaded views, using the controls on the
Video Designer tool to pause, fast forward, rewind, or stop the video.

To use the Video tool

Once you have the video source or subsource or I-Mag camera attached
to an object, you must use the Video tool to control it. For more
information, see "To draw a screen", "To configure a new video source for
streaming video", and "To create a new video source in the Video
Manager", and "To create an I-Mag Camera in the Video Manager".

Note: If the video control is patched and DMX connected in Live Mode,
then you will not be able to control the video or video subsource using
any of the Video tool commands in Design mode. video sources and
subsources can only be controlled by a Designer tool when the DMX
source is disconnected; therefore, you must first disconnect the
applicable console device from within Live Mode before using any of the
Video tool commands.
Pause
Stop Play

video source
name
Progress slider
Click to play
video in a loop

Rewind to Advance to
beginning end

1 Click the Shaded tab to view the video screen(s) (or LED Walls or
projectors) that you have drawn.
2 Click the Toggle Video Designer Tool icon to open the tool window.
3 From the drop-down list, select the video source or subsource.
4 Use the controls shown in the graphic above to play, pause, or stop
the video. You can also use the slider to manually advance or rewind
the video at your desired speed.

Note: When you click the Pause button, the frame of the video that is
playing at the time is held on the video screen; when you click the Stop
button, the video stops playing and the screen goes blank.

Reference Guide 731

Design mode R42

Footprint tool
Using the Footprint tool, you can change a footprint's focus distance for
automated fixtures in the Shaded view of Design mode, in effect making
the focus of the footprint "hard" or "soft".

Note: In this release of WYSIWYG, this feature is available in CAD and

Design modes only: Footprint Focus is configurable for conventional
fixtures in CAD mode and configurable for automated fixtures in Design
mode (see "To focus a footprint for a conventional fixture"). Once
configured, all fixtures can be visualized in Design mode. In an upcoming
release, the Footprint Focus feature will be extended to function in Live
Mode like all other Designer tools.

To use the Footprint tool

1 Select the automated fixture and open the Footprint tool.

Enable footprint focus

Set focus distance to maximum
value set for fixture

Enter focus distance

Set focus distance to minimum

value set for fixture

2 Check Enable to enable Footprint Focus for the selected fixture(s).

3 Adjust the focus distance using the slider or by entering a value in
the Focus Distance box. Click the Min and Max buttons to set the value
to the fixture’s minimum or maximum focus distance, which are
defined on the General tab of the fixture’s Property page in the
Footprint Settings section.
4 Check Focus Lines to display focus lines for the selected fixture(s) in
shaded views.
5 Check Sync to Focus Position to adjust the footprint focus distance to
the specified Focus Position.
The effect is visible in the Shaded view when Footprint Focus is
enabled on the Simulation tab of the View Options window.

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January 2019 Design mode

Moving scenery tool

After drawing motion axes or frames and attaching objects to them, you
can use the Moving Scenery Designer tool to make the object “move”
along each axis.

You can simulate moving scenery by setting up looks containing motion

axes or frames in Design mode. Once you create the look and specify its
fade time, use the Moving Scenery Designer tool to customize the look
by selecting the appropriate motion axis or frame and the object’s
starting position on it. Then create a second look, repeating the same
procedure to set the object’s starting position on either the same axis or
frame, or a different one (if there is more than one axis attached
together).

When you switch from one look to the next, you can see the object move
from the starting point of the first look, to the starting point of the
second look within the time period that you define as the “fade time”.

To use the Moving Scenery tool

After drawing motion axes/frames and attaching objects to them, you

can use the Scenery tool to make the object “move” along each axis.

1 In Design mode, click the Toggle Moving Scenery Designer Tool icon to
open the tool.
Note: You can also open the tool by clicking Design > Moving
Scenery tool.

Reference Guide 733

Design mode R42

2 From the drop-down list, select the appropriate motion axis or frame.
3 If you selected a linear axis, the X scroller is enabled. If you selected
a rotational axis, the Rx scroller is enabled. If you selected a motion
frame, all scrollers with activated motion ranges are enabled.
4 To move the object on the axis, you have four choices:
 Use the scroller to move the object back and forth along the axis.
 Click Start or End to move the object immediately to either the
start or end of the motion axis.
 Click the Home button to move the object to its original position.
 For very precise positioning, in the box provided, type the
object’s position as a percentage of its total range of movement
and press ENTER. For example, if you want to see the object at
the exact half-way mark, type 50 in this box, and then press
ENTER.

Highlight fixtures
In Shaded view, Highlight sets the currently selected fixture(s) to an
open beam at 100% full intensity temporarily, without changes to the
fixture’s saved settings.

Highlight can be accessed from the Design menu or the Fixture Selection
toolbar.

Highlight is useful when identifying a single fixture or a small selection of

fixtures within a large and complex plot.

To use the Highlight tool

1 From the Design menu, choose Highlight.
Tip: You may also use the Highlight tool on the Fixture Selection toolbar.

The Highlight button.

2 In Shaded view, select a fixture or multiple fixtures.

Result: The selected fixture(s) is highlighted showing an open beam
at full intensity.
3 Click on the next fixture that you wish to highlight.
Result: The next fixture selected is highlighted showing an open
beam at full intensity, and the previously highlighted fixture goes
back to its previous state.

Note: The displays in the Design tools windows associated with the
highlighted fixture(s) will appear in white/clear.

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Update intensity labels

This feature offers the ability to display the intensity level applied to a
fixture and appears as a Fixture Attribute. The intensity level value is
displayed as part of the Fixture Symbol text in the wireframe views in
CAD, Design, and Live modes; and in Layouts in the Presentation mode.

To use Update Intensity Labels tool

1 From the Options menu in CAD mode, choose Document Options.
2 In the Document Options window, click Fixture Attribute Details.
3 Select the Intensity checkbox under the Show on Plot column.
4 Click OK.
Result: The Update Intensity Labels tool is enabled and the current
intensity value applied to a fixture is displayed as part of the Fixture
Symbol text.
5 From the Design menu in Design mode, click Update Intensity Labels.
Result: The intensity value displayed in Layouts (Presentation
mode) and Wireframe views is updated according to the current
intensity level applied to the fixture.
6 From the Live menu in Live mode, click Update Intensity Labels.
Result: The intensity value displayed in Layouts (Presentation
mode) and Wireframe views is updated according to the current
intensity level applied to the fixture.

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Fixture groups

Introduction
Fixture groups are custom groups of fixtures. You can create fixture
groups in CAD, Data, Design, or Live mode in any view that allows fixture
selection.

Creating fixture groups

Creating a fixture group allows you to select a group of fixtures at the
same time.

Fixture group shortcuts also enhance working with design tools in shaded
views. Since design tools work with the current fixture selection, opening
multiple fixture group shortcuts allow you to change different groups of
fixtures, rather than having to select them individually in the Wireframe
view.

Notes:
 Fixture groups are saved on the Fixture Group shortcut bar.
 If ONLY fixtures are selected, either CTRL+G or CTRL+J will create a
Fixture Group.
 If fixtures and more than one other object is selected, CTRL+G will
create a normal “Objects Group” from the selected objects (the same
if there were no fixtures in the selection), while CTRL+J will create a
Fixture Group (the same as if CTRL+G was used with only fixtures
selected).

To create a new fixture group

1 Select the fixtures that you want to group. If you are unfamiliar with
selecting objects, refer to "Selecting".
2 Click the Fixture Groups shortcut bar.
3 Right-click the Fixture Groups shortcut bar, and then choose New
Fixture Group. Alternately, you can click the new fixture icon.
4 Type the name of the fixture group, and then click OK.
Result: The fixture group is saved on the Fixture Groups shortcut bar.

Updating fixture groups

You can modify a fixture group shortcut by adding or removing fixtures
as required.

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January 2019 Design mode

To update fixture groups

1 Select the set of fixtures that you want to include in the fixture
group.
2 Right-click on the Fixture Groups shortcut that you want to update,
and then choose Update.
Result: The Fixture Groups shortcut is modified to include only the
fixtures that you selected.

To add fixtures to an existing Fixture Group

1 On the Fixture Groups shortcut bar, click on a Fixture Group to select
the fixtures in the group.
2 Press and hold CTRL and click on the fixtures that you wish to add to
the selected Fixture Group.
3 Right-click on the selected Fixture Group on the Fixture Groups
shortcut bar.
4 Select Update from the pop-up menu.
Result: The selected fixtures will be added to the Fixture Group.

To remove fixtures from an existing Fixture Group

1 On the Fixture Groups shortcut bar, click on a Fixture Group to select
the fixtures in the group.
2 Press and hold CTRL and click on the fixtures you want to remove
from the selected Fixture Group.
3 Right-click on the selected Fixture Group on the Fixture Groups
shortcut bar.
4 Select Update from the pop-up menu.
Result: The selected fixtures will be removed from the Fixture
Group.

Working with fixture groups

When you select a Fixture Groups shortcut, any currently selected objects
are deselected, and the fixture group set is selected instead.

If you press the CTRL key while selecting fixture groups, the fixture
group is added to the current selection set.

If you press the CTRL and SHIFT keys while selecting fixture groups, the
fixture group is removed from the current selection set.
Tip: Fixture groups can be used to select fixtures even while in
Shaded view.

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Notes:
 In a fixture group shortcut, multi-cell fixtures, such as cyc lights, can
be selected either by cell or fixture. If the fixture group was created
in Design mode using cells, the entire fixture is selected in the other
modes. If the fixture group was created using fixtures, all cells are
selected when in Design mode.
 When you replace a multi-cell fixture that is selected by circuit with a
different multi-cell fixture that has a different number of circuits, the
replacement fixture is selected by fixture and not by circuit.
 When you delete a fixture, the fixture is removed from all fixture
groups that include that fixture.
 When you replace a fixture using the Replace Fixtures menu option,
any fixture groups referring to that fixture are updated to refer to the
fixture replacement.
 Any fixture added to a document will not initially be part of any
fixture group.

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Palettes

Introduction
You can create palettes of color to facilitate color selection. A palette is a
reference to a specific color and can be used on all color-changing
fixtures and scrollers.

Creating palettes
Creating a Palette shortcut is helpful if you want to save your favourite
CMY color mixes for later use.

Note: You can create palettes in Design mode only.

To create a palette
1 Select the fixture from which you want to capture the color.
Note: You can create a palette from only one fixture.
2 Right-click on the Palettes shortcut bar, and then choose New Palette.
3 Type the name of the palette, and then click OK.
Result: The CMY value is saved as a palette on the Palettes shortcut
bar. This value can be a CMY mix, a color from the color wheel or
scroll, or a combination of color sources.

Updating palettes
You can modify a Palette shortcut by modifying or replacing colors as
required.

To update a palette
1 Select the fixtures from which you would like to record the palette.
2 Right-click on the Palettes shortcut that you want to modify, and then
choose Update.
Result: The Palette shortcut is updated with the new CMY values.

To apply a palette

Applying a color palette is the equivalent of setting up color parameters

for the selected fixtures, except it is much faster.

Reference Guide 739

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1 Select the fixtures for which you want to assign the specific color
value.
2 Click on the desired palette shortcut.
Result: The fixtures are assigned the recorded copy value. If the
fixture has CMY or color mixing capabilities, the output is the exact
color that you selected. If the fixture is only equipped with a color
wheel or a non-mixing scroller, the fixture outputs the closest color to
that selected, based on the available colors on the wheel.

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Looks

Saving lighting looks

Changes that you make with the design tools update the currently
selected look. The name of the currently selected look is displayed at the
top of the working area. Before making changes, always check that the
currently selected look is the one that you want to modify.

To create a new lighting look

1 In the shortcuts bar, click Looks.
2 In the Looks shortcut area, right-click, and then select New Look.
3 In the Name box, type the name of the new look.
4 In the Fade time box, type the fade time in seconds for this look. This
is the amount of time that it takes to “fade” to this look when you
click on it from another look on the shortcut bar. For more
information, see "Cross-fading between lighting looks" below.
5 Click OK.
6 Scroll to the bottom of the Looks shortcuts list.
7 Click on the shortcut for your new look.
8 Use the design tools to create your new lighting look.
Tip: To build on an existing look without losing it, clone the look
shortcut and work from the copy of the shortcut. For more
information on cloning shortcuts, refer to "To clone a shortcut".

Cross-fading between lighting looks

You can use the Looks shortcut bar to quickly set up and run timed
transitions between lighting looks without the need of a lighting console.
When you create a lighting look, you can specify its fade time in seconds.
This is the amount of time that it takes to “fade” to this look when you
click on it from another look on the shortcut bar. You can create multiple
looks and specify different fade times for each of them.

Once you create the look and specify the fade time, you can use the
design tools to customize the look. For example, you can add color,
gobos, and intensity to lighting, and set the position of moving lights.
When you switch from one look to the next, you can see the movement
of the lights from one position to the next, along with any changes you
have made between looks, such as color, intensity, and so on.

Reference Guide 741

Design mode R42

To cross-fade between looks

1 In Design mode, in the shortcuts bar, click Looks.
2 In the Looks shortcut area, right-click, and then select New Look.
3 In the Name box, type the name of the new look.
4 In the Fade time box, type the fade time in seconds for this look.
5 Click OK.
6 Scroll to the bottom of the Looks shortcuts list.
7 Click on the shortcut for your new look.
8 Use the design tools to create your new lighting look. You can set the
color, intensity, zoom, iris, and add gobos. If you are using moving
lights, you can also set the position of the lights.
9 To create the next look, in the Looks shortcut area, right-click, and
then select New Look.
10 In the Name box, type the name of the new look.
11 In the Fade time box, type the fade time in seconds for this look.
12 Click OK.
13 Scroll to the bottom of the Looks shortcuts list.
14 Click on the shortcut for your new look.
15 Use the design tools to create your new lighting look. You can set the
color, intensity, zoom, iris, and add gobos. If you are using moving
lights, you can also set the position of the lights.
16 Ensure that the Fade Looks menu is enabled so the look fades
instead of jumping directly to the next look.
Tip: If the button is not enabled, then you can “jump” from one look
to the next by clicking the look shortcuts on the shortcut bar. Even if
the button is enabled, you can always jump to the next look by right-
clicking the look shortcut, and selecting Jump to.
17 To watch the “fade” from the first look to the second look, click the
shortcut for the second look. The image fades over the period of time
that you specified for the second look.
Tips:
 For a more realistic view of the fading between looks, click the
Shaded tab.
 When cross-fading between Looks, a simple countdown (of the
remaining fade time) will be displayed in Shaded view.
 To jump directly to a specific look, right-click the look, and then
select Jump to.

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January 2019 Design mode

Viewing moving scenery

You can use the Looks shortcut bar to quickly set up and run timed
transitions between looks to simulate moving scenery.

When you create a look, you can specify its fade time in seconds. This is
the amount of time that it takes to “fade” to this look when you click on it
from another look on the shortcut bar. You can create multiple looks and
specify different fade times for each of them.

Just as you can specify the fade time to watch the transition between
lighting looks, so too can you use the fade time to simulate moving
scenery. In the latter case, however, your Look must contain at least one
motion axis with at least one object attached to it.

Note: You can also combine Looks to simulate both moving lights and
moving scenery in one “fade”.

Once you create the look and specify its fade time, use the Moving
Scenery Designer tool to customize the look by selecting the appropriate
motion axis and the object’s starting position on it. Then create a second
look, repeating the same procedure to set the object’s starting position
on either the same axis, or a different one (if there is more than one axis
attached together).

When you switch from one look to the next, you can see the object move
from the starting point of the first look, to the starting point of the
second look.

To view moving scenery

Note: Before you perform this procedure, you must have drawn at least
one motion axis and attached at least one object to it. For details, see
"Drawing motion axes".
1 In Design mode, in the shortcuts bar, click Looks.
2 In the Looks shortcut area, right-click, and then select New Look.
3 In the Name box, type the name of the new look.
4 In the Fade time box, type the fade time in seconds for this look.
5 Click OK.
6 Scroll to the bottom of the Looks shortcuts list.
7 Click on the shortcut for your new look.
8 Click the Toggle Moving Scenery Designer Tool icon.
9 From the drop-down list in the Scenery window, select the appropriate
motion axis.

Reference Guide 743

Design mode R42

10 Click the slider to advance the object to the position where you want
it to start on the selected axis.
Note: You can also use the Start box to type the object’s position as a
percentage of its full range of movement. For example, to show the
object at the exact half-way mark on the motion axis, type 50.
11 To create the next look, in the Looks shortcut area, right-click, and
then select New Look.
12 In the Name box, type the name of the new look.
13 In the Fade time box, type the fade time in seconds for this look.
14 Click OK.
15 Scroll to the bottom of the Looks shortcuts list.
16 Click on the shortcut for your new look.
17 From the drop-down list in the Scenery window, select the appropriate
motion axis.
18 Click the slider to advance the object to the position where you want
it to start on the selected axis.
19 Ensure that the Fade Looks menu is enabled so the look fades
instead of jumping directly to the next look.
Tip: If the button is not enabled, then you can “jump” from one look
to the next by clicking the look shortcuts on the shortcut bar. Even if
the button is enabled, you can always jump to the next look by right-
clicking the look shortcut, and selecting Jump to.
20 To watch the “fade” from the first look to the second look, click the
shortcut for the second look. The object moves from the starting
point of the first look to the starting point of the second look over the
period of time that you specified as the fade time for the second
look.
Tips:
 For a more realistic view of the fading between looks, click the
Shaded tab.
 To jump directly to a specific look, right-click the look, and then
select Jump to.
 For details on controlling the object’s movement with a console
device, such as the Mini Console, see "To control a DMX patched
motion axis with a console".

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Cuelists

About cuelists
Cuelists enable you to play back stored Looks in any order, without
having to resort to the crossfade function described in the previous
section.

To create a Cuelist
1 On the Design toolbar, click the Toggle Cuelist Editor Tool icon.
Result: The Cuelist Editor window appears.

2 In the top-right corner of the tool, click the Create a new Cuelist button.
3 Type a name for the Cuelist, and then click OK.

Reference Guide 745

Design mode R42

To rename a Cuelist
1 In the Cuelist Editor tool, click the drop-down list on the top left corner
and select the Cuelist that you want to rename.
2 With the Cuelist highlighted, type the new name, and then press
ENTER.

To copy a Cuelist

This procedure is useful when you set up one Cuelist with Looks in a
certain order, but want to see how the same Looks would "play out" in a
different order.
1 Click to select the Cuelist that you want to copy.
2 Click the Clone current Cuelist button in the top right corner.

To delete a Cuelist
1 Click to select the Cuelist that you want to delete.
2 Click the Delete current Cuelist button in the top right corner.

To add a cue to the Cuelist

1 To add a cue to a Cuelist, select the Cuelist from the drop-down list
on the top left corner.
2 Click the + button (lower right corner) to add a cue.

Note: To delete a cue, select it and then click the minus (- ) button in the
bottom right corner.

To adjust the position of a cue

To adjust the position of a cue in the list, click to select it, and then move
it up and down using the arrow buttons in the lower left corner.

To add a Look to a Cuelist

Once you add a cue, you can assign a Look to it by clicking the drop-
down list in the Look column and selecting the appropriate Look.

Setting cue triggers

There are two types of triggers that you can set for each cue in your
Cuelists:
 Go: The fade for the current cue will start immediately (the delay
time is 0 seconds).
 Follow: The fade for the current cue will activate automatically after
the set delay time has passed.

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January 2019 Design mode

To switch between triggers, click to select the appropriate cue, and then
click in the Trigger cell. From the drop-down list, you can toggle between
Go and Follow.

Setting the fade time

The fade is the time (in seconds) that it takes to transition between the
previous cue and the current cue.

Notes:
 The fade time is in no way related to the crossfade time set for
individual looks.
 The fade always starts after the delay time has passed.

To enter the fade time, click to select the appropriate cue, and then click
in the Fade cell to type the new fade time.

Setting the delay time

The delay is the time (in seconds) that it takes for lights to start fading
into the current cue. To enter the delay time, click to select the
appropriate cue, and then click in the Delay cell to type the new delay
time.

To activate a cue
To activate a cue, hit the Go button. Note that if the next cue has a
'follow' trigger, it will start as soon as its delay time has passed.

To stop playing a Cuelist

To stop playing a Cuelist, click the <|| button. Click the same button to
step back through cues, disregarding fades and delays.
Tips: To "jump into" a cue (i.e., ignoring fade and delay times),
double-click in the grey area to the left of the cue. You can use the
arrow keys to navigate the Cuelist table.

Reference Guide 747

Design mode R42

Camera Paths

Introduction
Once you draw a Camera path in CAD Mode, you can use the Camera
Path Editor and the Timeline tool in Design or Live Mode to define the
time interval between two nodes along the path. If there are Camera
Targets inserted in the file, you can also specify when the camera should
follow a camera target. Finally, you can also define the orientation and
field angle of the Camera at the current node position.

Once you have defined the time intervals and camera’s orientation, you
can open the Timeline tool and watch the Camera path play in the
Shaded View. Camera Path playback is also simulated in Full Screen
mode.

You can also patch a camera path to a DMX universe and then control the
camera’s movement through a console. For details, see "Patching
Camera Paths".

Using the camera path editor

Once you create a Camera path in CAD mode, follow the steps in this
section to define the time intervals between the nodes on the path,
change camera behavior, assign targets to camera nodes, and reposition
nodes in space. For details on drawing Camera paths, see "Drawing
camera paths".

Camera path editor window

Camera path editor columns

 Node: This column gives you the Node number of the nodes on your
Timeline.
 Shortest Path: When the Shortest Path checkbox is selected for a node,
it forces the camera to rotate as little as possible when moving
between two nodes on your timeline. When the Shortest Path

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January 2019 Design mode

checkbox is unchecked for a node, the camera will take the longer of
the two directions as it rotates to aim at the next node's target. This
applies to Roll, Pitch and Yaw.
 X, Y, and Z Columns: The X, Y, and Z columns in the Camera Path Editor
are editable position information for each of the nodes on your
timeline. You may enter in distance values into these fields to re-
position your nodes as you see fit.
 Rx, Ry, and Rz Columns: These columns represent the rotation around
each of the X, Y, and Z axes in WYSIWYG. These columns are non-
editable, but allow you to get positional information from your nodes.
 Rx, or Rotation around the X Axis = PITCH[tilting forward and

backward]
 Ry, or Rotation around the Y Axis = ROLL [tilting side to side]

 Rz, or Rotation around the Z Axis = YAW [also called Heading or

Direction]
 Interval: A node’s Interval is how long it takes in seconds to get from
one node to another. For example, if the timing on node 2 is ten
seconds (10s), then the camera would move for ten seconds before
reaching node 2.
 Behavior: Behavior is the camera’s movement and direction behavior
as it relates to the Camera Path. There are three types of Camera
Behavior:
 Follow Path: The camera will follow straight along the path, not

deviating in any way possible from the path as it travels between

nodes.
 Follow Target: The camera will always point at an assigned Camera

Target if this behavior is chosen for a node.

 User Defined: This option allows the camera to behave exactly as

specified by a user, meaning that the camera will point wherever

you point it when the User Defined behavior is chosen.
 Target: Each node can be assigned a different target when the Follow
Target behavior in the Behavior column is chosen. The Target column
is a drop-down list for choosing different targets in your drawing.
 Field Angle: This option allows you to enter in different field angles for
each node.

To use the Camera path editor

1 In Wireframe view, from the Design menu, click Camera Path Editor.
2 In the Camera Path Editor, from the Camera Path drop-down list, select
the Camera path that you want to edit.
3 In the Interval column, adjust the timing for each node along the
path, specifying when you want the camera to be at that node.
 If you have placed targets along the path, and you want the
Camera to follow a target at a particular node, in the Target
column click in the cell corresponding to the node and, from the

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Design mode R42

drop-down list that appears, select Follow Target. Then, click in the
adjacent Target cell to select the target.
 To define the orientation and field angle of the Camera at a
particular node along the path, in the Camera Target column,
click in the cell corresponding the node, and then select User
Defined.
4 Once you have defined the time intervals, you can use the Timeline
tool to watch the Camera path play in the Shaded View. For details,
see below.

Visual camera path builder tool

The Visual Camera Path Builder tool allows you to create a Camera Path
on the fly while you move the Camera around your space. This tool
essentially works by placing a node at the Camera’s current position once
you’ve told WYSIWYG that you are satisfied with the Camera’s current
placement on screen.

To use the Visual Camera Path Builder tool

1 Right-click in the Shaded View and select Visual Camera Path Builder.
2 Once you’ve started the Visual Camera Path Builder, you’ll be
prompted to name your new path, add it to the Camera layer (or a
layer of your choosing), and create the first node based on the
Camera’s current position.

3 Once you click OK in the dialog box, you will then be in Visual Camera
Path Editor mode. Maneuver the Camera around the space, and
when you want to create a new node based on your Camera’s
position, right-click in the Shaded View and choose the Add Node. At
this point, you can also Abort your Camera Path in the Visual Camera
Path Builder tool.
4 Move the Camera and right-click every time you would like to create
a new node from your Camera’s current position in space.

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January 2019 Design mode

5 When you have created as many nodes as you would like to have in
your Camera path, right-click again in the Shaded view and choose
Finish Camera Path.
6 At this point, you can also Abort your Camera Path, or you can
choose to Close the Camera path from your current view, which will
create a seamless loop on the Camera path. When you are finished
with the Visual Camera Path Builder tool, you will automatically exit
the Visual Camera Path Builder tool mode.

To use the Timeline tool

Once you have adjusted the timing of a Camera path with the Camera
path editor, switch to the Shaded view to watch the camera move along
the path with the Timeline tool. This tool enables you to watch the timing
in slow motion, regular speed, or up to four times the speed.

Notes:
 Camera Path playback is also simulated in Full Screen mode.
 Nodes of existing Camera Paths can be edited from a Shaded view
when the Timeline's Previous Node or Next Node buttons are used;
they can only be edited while playback is paused.
1 In Shaded view, click View > Timeline.
Result: The Timeline tool appears.

Playback Playback
Previous Direction Speed
Play Node Toggle Adjust Zoom

Node Stop Next Toggle Show Node

Node Loop Numbers

2 Use the controls to watch the Camera move along the path you have
defined:
 Play: Click to start the camera path simulation in the Shaded
view. While this plays, the red line moves along the timeline to
display its current position. You can click on the red line indicator
and scrub along the timeline, which updates the red line and the
Camera simulation at the corresponding point along the path.
 Stop: Click to stop the camera.
 Previous Node: Click to switch back to the previous node on the
path.

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Design mode R42

 Next Node: Click to move to the next node on the path.

 Toggle PlayBack Direction: Click to switch the direction of the
camera on the path.
 Toggle Loop: Click to keep the camera moving on the path in a
continuos loop.
 Adjust Playback Speed: Click to choose the playback speed.
 Show Node Numbers: Click to show the node numbers in the
timeline.
 Zoom: Use the slider to zoom in or out on the timeline.
Note: When the DMX Control for Cameras/Camera Paths is enabled in
Camera Manager, the controls in the Timeline tool are disabled in LIVE
mode, as DMX will be in control of all Camera Path playback and settings.

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January 2019 Design mode

Rendering

Introduction
In WYSIWYG, you can render lighting looks to produce high quality
images of your set and lighting. Rendering uses a full range of effects,
including depth of field, motion blur, soft shadows, and antialiasing
settings to produce a photorealistic image.

Based on the product level that you are running, when you are creating a
rendering, you have two choices:
 Render Wizard: (all product levels except Report) You can use the
interactive editing and advanced visual effects of the Render Wizard
to set up the look that you want to render, and then create the
rendering. In this case, you must leave WYSIWYG running while the
Render Wizard finishes the image. You have the choice of saving the
image to an external folder that you specify or within WYSIWYG on
the Images tab.
 Background Rendering Manager: (all product levels except Report and
Perform - Console Edition) You can use the Render Wizard to set up
the look that you want to render, and then send the render job to the
Background Rendering Manager to create the rendering.
This feature lets you use the Windows taskbar to queue render jobs
that will execute in the background without requiring WYSIWYG to
run, letting you do other tasks while the Render Engine works
independently. You can also pause and resume renderings without
losing your render, and shut down/restart your computer without
losing your rendering progress. For details on this feature, see
"Background Rendering Manager".

To render a lighting look

1 In the working area of the screen, display the lighting look that you
want to render.
2 From the Design menu, choose Render.
Tip: You can also click the Render Wizard icon in the Design toolbar.
Result: The Render Wizard appears and guides you through a series of
options.

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Design mode R42

Step 1 - Set Output Destination and Image Size

Click in the right pane to arrange the image that you want to render.
You can click and drag the image around, zoom in and out with the
mouse wheel (or PAGE UP / PAGE DOWN keys), or set up your shot
accurately using a camera.
Note: Make sure you use the appropriate aspect ratio (height vs.
width) for the output device that you will be using to present the
pictures. For example, TV is 4x3 (normally 640x480), HDTV is 16x9.
a. Dimensions: Type a value in pixels for the width and height of the
final image.
b. Destination: Choose where you want to save the final image and
whether you want to use the Background Rendering Manager to
create it.
 Internal Image View: Select this option to have the Render Wizard
create the image and store it on the Images tab in Presentation
mode.
 External Image: Select this option to have the Render Wizard
create the image and store it in the location that you specify.
Then type the file name for the image and click Browse to
choose the folder where it will be saved. If desired, choose the
file type, either .bmp or .jpg. If you do not make a selection,
the image is stored as a .bmp image.
 Background Rendering Manager: Choose this option to send the
render job to the Background Rendering Manager when you finish
setting up your image in the Render Wizard. Type the file name

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for the image, ensuring that it is a unique name, and then

click Next. For details, see "Background Rendering Manager".
Note: If this is the first time you are using the Background Rendering
Manager, you must configure it before the rendering process will
begin. Upon clicking Finish in the Render Wizard, the Configuration Wizard
appears, enabling you to configure settings such as the Network
Port, the default folder for storing rendering files, and other Manager
settings. For details, see "To configure the Background Rendering
Manager".

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Step 1b - Configure Background Rendering Manager

This step appears only if you chose to create and save the rendering
with the Background Rendering Manager. If you chose to save the image
internally or externally, proceed directly to Step 2 - Set Camera
and Simulation Type.

a. Connect to Local Host: Leave this checkbox selected to use the

default values and have the Render Wizard send all jobs to the
Background Rendering Manager that is running on your computer.
To send render jobs to another computer in your network that is
running the Background Rendering Manager, clear this checkbox
and then type the server name and port number in the boxes
provided. Note that when you send render jobs to a network
computer, the Background Rendering Manager must be open and
running on this destination computer; in this case, the act of
sending a job from the Render Wizard does not launch the
Background Rendering Manager.
b. Server Name: Type the name of the server in your network that is
running the Background Rendering Manager where you want the
Render Wizard to send all render jobs. The server must be running
WYSIWYG Release 18 (or higher) and have a dongle attached.
c. Server Port: Type the port number that the WYSIWYG Render Wizard
will use to send render jobs to the Background Rendering Manager, or
accept the default port number shown. It must be a value
between 1025 and 65,535. For proper communication, this
number must match the port number that is configured in the
Background Rendering Manager on the destination computer;
therefore, if you change this value, you must also change it in the

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Background Rendering Manager on the destination computer. For

details, see "To configure the Background Rendering Manager".
Step 2 - Set Camera and Simulation Type

Options in Step 2 affect the composition of your image.

a. Scene: Select a scene for the rendering. Scenes are groupings of
layers used to organize a plot. For more information on scenes,
refer to "Scenes".
b. Follow Current Scene: Select this checkbox to use the scene that is
displayed in the Scene drop-down list. Clear the checkbox, and
then select the desired scene from the Scene drop-down list.
c. Camera: Select the camera for the rendering. Cameras are set up
in CAD mode. For more information on cameras, refer to
"Drawing cameras".
d. Aperture size: Use the slider to adjust the camera aperture. This
adjustment changes the depth of field of the final image. The
larger the aperture, the “fuzzier” the rendering. The focus point is
always the target of the camera.
Note: By default, the red lines indicating the Camera Target are
visible. This is to aid in the composition of the image. It will not,
however, be visible in your final rendering. To turn the target off
(that is, set to not visible), right-click in the preview pane, and
then choose View Options. For more information on shaded views,
refer to "Modifying shaded views".
e. Ambient Light: Use the slider to set the ambient light level. This
adjusts the overall light level, where 0% is complete black and

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100% is a bright room. This does not affect the intensity of the
fixtures in your lighting look.
f. Pan tool moves objects: The Pan tool does not affect the outcome of
your rendering. Rather the tool rotates the model on the target (if
checked) or rotates the camera around the target (if unchecked).
Both settings help you to compose your image.
Step 3 - Add Atmospheric Effects to Your Rendering

Options in Step 3 affect the atmospheric conditions in your

rendering.
a. Atmospheric Options: The options that you set here affect the
atmospheric conditions that are visible in your final rendering. To
simulate atmospheric dust or fog, select Haze. For additional
opacity, select Smoke.
b. Density: Use the slider to set the visibility of the haze particles. A
setting of 0% indicates that the particles cannot be seen.
c. Granularity: Use the slider to set the granularity of the smoke. This
setting affects how fine smoke particles are. This option is
available only if you choose Smoke under Atmospheric Options.

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Step 4 - Select How Shadows Will Be Simulated

Options in Step 4 affect the projection of shadows in your rendering.

a. Shadows: Select how you want shadows to be projected in the
final rendering. If you choose None, then no shadows are
calculated by WYSIWYG; that is, objects in the path of the light
beam do not create shadows. Instead, all objects in the path of
the virtual beam are illuminated, even if an object would normally
block the beam from reaching another. As illustrated in the
rendering below, all three surfaces are illuminated and the beam
continues into infinity.

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Design mode R42

To calculate which objects the beam of light will hit and which
objects it will not hit, select Objects. Objects in the path of the
virtual beam will not be illuminated by the beam if the beam has
already been blocked by another object. However, WYSIWYG still
does not calculate where the beam stops. As illustrated in the
rendering below, the first surface is illuminated, but the beam is
still continuing into infinity.

Select Atmospheric to calculate which objects the beam of light will hit and
where the beam of light will end. This is a true representation of how light
behaves. As illustrated in the rendering below, the first surface is illuminated
and the beam also stops there.

b. Beam Saturation: Use the Beam Saturation slider to change the

relative brightness of fixture beams. When set to Realistic,
WYSIWYG accounts for all variations in lamp output, including gel
transmission, color temperature, fixture efficiency, and lamp.

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January 2019 Design mode

When set to Standard, all fixture beams are rendered at the same
general intensity.
Step 5 - Define How Light Reflection Will Be Simulated

Options in Step 5 affect the radiosity level. Radiosity is defined as the

combined processes of emission, transmission, and absorption of
rays or reflecting beams of light. When using Radiosity, it is not
necessary to use ambient lighting.
a. Radiosity: To generate a rendering that uses radiosity, select the
Radiosity checkbox, and then choose from the available radiosity
options. Fast radiosity results in a rendering with constant, flat
lighting. Each subsequent option shows more calculated lighting.
The number of bounces determines how many levels of reflection
are permitted.

b. Disable Ambient Light: Select the Disable Ambient Light checkbox to

ignore the ambient light settings from Step 1.
c. Render as Screen: Select the Render as Screen checkbox to display
the LED wall as a screen with a projected image instead of a
detailed grid of LED pixels forming the image. Render as Screen is
only available if the source of your LED wall is color, image or
video. Render as Screen does not work if the source of the LED wall
is Dynamic DMX patch.

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Step 6 - Add Environmental or Outdoor Lighting to Your

Rendering

Options in Step 6 affect the presence and quality of environmental or

outdoor lighting. Note that for environmental lighting to have an
effect, your show must not be contained within a venue.
a. Enable Environmental Lighting: To generate a rendering that
considers outdoor lighting conditions, select the Enable
Environmental Lighting checkbox.
b. Date and Time: The date and time of the rendering determines the
position of the sun and/or moon and the resulting amount of light
available. The position of the sun is also determined by the
geographic settings that are configured in Document Options and
the north direction that is set in CAD mode. For more information
on regional settings, refer to "Regional Settings tab". For more
information on setting the direction that is north, refer to
"Drawing a compass".
c. Sky Conditions: The amount of light available determines the
brightness of the resulting rendering. Use the Sky Conditions slider
to adjust the quality of light.
d. Soft Shadow: Select the Enable soft shadow checkbox, and then use
the slider to set the softness of shadows that are created by
sunlight. The softer the shadow, the less sharp the resulting
shadow.

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January 2019 Design mode

PREVIEW
When you click Next in Step 6, the Render Wizard calculates a small
preview of the rendering and shows it in the right-hand view. It will
always zoom to fit the full size of the rendered view first, but you can
click in the view and zoom in and out using the PAGE UP/PAGE DOWN
keys. Use the preview to fix any glaring errors in your rendering before
you continue on to the final rendering.
Step 7 - Make Final Picture Adjustments

Options in Step 7 affect the quality of your final image.

a. Saturation: This is comparable to the exposure on a camera; it
determines which pixels are represented as pure white.
b. Brightness: This slider adjusts all pixels equally.

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Step 8 - Use Anti-Aliasing to Smooth or Sharpen Rough Edges

Options in Step 8 affect the antialiasing settings. Antialiasing is a

method of smoothing out and sharpening rough or jagged edges of
images to produce a more polished result. This method subsamples
the pixel area and averages the results of neighboring samples to
reduce the areas of high contrast (edges).
a. Antialiasing Options: Choose how you want edges to appear in your
final rendering. The Fast method samples the pixels quickly, but
does not produce the highest quality.
When you click Finish, the real rendering takes place. The total
rendering time depends on the options that you selected and the
complexity of the scenery and lighting. Based on the location where
you chose to save the completed rendering in Step 1, your options
vary upon clicking Finish:
 Internal and External Images: If you chose to save the
rendering internally or externally, then you can minimize the
Render Wizard window and continue working on other parts of your
document as it renders. You can use the arrow keys, PAGE UP/
PAGE DOWN, mouse or scroll bars to explore the picture as it is
being produced. The final image is saved to the destination you
specified in step 1.
 Background Rendering Manager Images: If you sent the
render job to the Background Rendering Manager, then a status
window appears, showing the progress as the render job is sent

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to the Background Rendering Manager on the destination

computer (either your own or another server in the network).
When the job has been sent successfully, you can open the
Background Rendering Manager to check its progress. You can close
the Render Wizard and WYSIWYG, queue jobs, pause and resume
them, and shut down/restart your computer without losing the
rendering progress. For details, see "To use the Background
Rendering Manager".

Note: If this is the first time you are using the Background Rendering
Manager, you must first configure it before the rendering process will
begin. Upon clicking Finish in the Render Wizard, the Configuration Wizard
appears, enabling you to configure settings such as the Network Port, the
default folder for storing rendering files, and other Manager settings. For
details, see "To configure the Background Rendering Manager".

Saving render settings

You can save the options that you set in the Render Wizard as a shortcut
for quick access to these settings at a future time. There are two ways of
saving a Render shortcut:
 From the Render Wizard.
 From the Render shortcut bar, in a similar manner as other shortcuts.

The Render shortcut bar is prepopulated with two shortcuts: Quick Render
and Full Render. Quick Render shortcuts provide settings for a small, lower-
quality render, while Full Render shortcuts provide settings for a larger,
high-quality rendering.

To create a shortcut from the Render Wizard

1 From the Design menu, choose Render.
2 While working through the steps in the Render Wizard, you can, at any
time, click Add Shortcut to save the current settings as a shortcut.
3 Type a name for the shortcut.
4 Click OK.
Result: The shortcut is added to the Render shortcut bar.

To create a shortcut from the Render shortcut bar

1 Right-click in the open space on the Render shortcut bar, and then
choose New Render.
2 Type a name for the new render.

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Design mode R42

3 Click OK.
Result: The Render shortcut is saved on the Render shortcut bar. The
shortcut is preconfigured with the default values for each of the eight
steps. These defaults are the same values that are used when you
choose Render from the Menu bar or the toolbar.

To modify a Render shortcut

1 Double-click on the Render shortcut that you want to modify.
Result: The Render Wizard appears, with the values that are saved in
the shortcut.
2 Modify the options as required.
Result: The settings are recorded in the shortcut and are available
the next time that you select the shortcut.

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Background Rendering Manager

Introduction
Once you have used the Render Wizard to set up the look that you want
to render, you can send the render job to the Background Rendering
Manager to create the actual rendering. You can send multiple jobs to
the Background Rendering Manager queue and then arrange the order of
the queue or remove jobs from it. While you can send multiple jobs, the
Background Rendering Manager processes only one job at a time, the job
at the top of the queue. Once this job is finished, it will then
automatically proceed to the next queued job, and so on.

If you manually move a job in progress from the top of the queue down,
you pause the rendering and start processing the next job in the queue.
However, you do not lose the progress of any rendering jobs that have
been started. When they reach the top of the queue, the Background
Rendering Manager resumes rendering the image where it last left off.

The Background Rendering Manager processes render jobs

independently without requiring WYSIWYG to run. This feature lets you
work on other tasks while the renderings in the queue are processed in
the order you arranged. You can work on new WYSIWYG files, or you can
close WYSIWYG altogether and perform other tasks. You can even shut
down your computer and restart later without losing the rendering
progress.

When setting up renderings in the Render Wizard, you can send jobs to
the Background Rendering Manager that resides on the same computer,
or to another computer in your network that is also running the
Background Rendering Manager (and has a dongle attached). By sending
all rendering jobs to another computer, you free up CPU capacity on your
own computer.

Configuring the background rendering manager

When you open the Background Rendering Manager for the first time, the
Configuration Wizard appears, prompting you to choose settings, such as
the network port, the startup options, and the folder where all renderings
are stored.

This Wizard appears automatically when:

 You click Start > All Programs > WYSIWYG > WYSIWYG Background
Rendering Manager to open the program for the first time.

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 You click Finish in the Render Wizard after setting up a rendering and
choosing to send it to the Background Rendering Manager for the
first time.

To configure the Background Rendering Manager

1 Click Start > All Programs > WYSIWYG > WYSIWYG Background
Rendering Manager.
2 In the Welcome window, click Next.

3 Select whether you want the program to use the default settings or
custom settings that you specify.
 Typical: Click this option to configure the program with the default
working directory and network port settings.
 Advanced: Click this option to specify the working directory and
network port settings for the program.
4 Click Next. If you chose Typical in the previous step, proceed directly
to step 9. If you chose Advanced, the following window appears:

5 The working directory is used to store files that the render engine
requires to generate renderings. To change the default working

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January 2019 Design mode

directory shown (for example, if you have run out of space on the
default drive), type the path and new folder name in the box
provided, or click Browse to locate the folder. It is recommended that
the folder be new and empty.
6 Click Next.

7 Type the incoming Network Port that the Background Rendering

Manager will monitor for rendering jobs sent from WYSIWYG.
Notes:
 If you change this default port, you must also change the
outbound port configured in the Render Wizard for sending jobs
to this Background Rendering Manager. These two ports must
match.
 When you choose the network port, Windows Firewall will
automatically be configured to enable network communication. If
you are using a different firewall, then you must configure its
settings manually.
8 Click Next.

9 Choose the startup mode for the Background Rendering Manager.

You can choose one option or both.

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 Run at Windows Startup: Select this option to have the Background

Rendering Manager automatically start every time Windows starts
up. With this option, the application immediately begins
rendering submitted jobs as soon as you start up your computer,
unless it was paused on last exit.
 Start Minimized: Select this option to have the Background
Rendering Manager appear as a minimized taskbar icon every
time it starts. Double-click the icon to manually restore the
application to its full size. If you select only this option, the
Background Rendering Manager starts when you send a render
job to it from a Render Wizard that is installed on this same
computer. However, if you are sending render jobs from a
different computer, then you will have to manually open the
Background Rendering Manager on this computer before it will
accept render jobs.
10 Click Next.
11 Click Finish.
Result: The Background Rendering Manager is now ready to use.
Tip: To change these settings at any time, you can run the
Configuration Wizard again by clicking Tools > Configuration Wizard.
You can also click Tools > Options to change these settings on one
window.

Background rendering manager taskbar icons

Based on the settings that you chose when configuring the Background
Rendering Manager, when the program is started, it appears either as a
maximized window or a minimized icon on the right side of the Windows
taskbar. The icon changes according to the current state of the program.
Double-click the taskbar icon to open the program.

Icon Status

When this icon appears, the program is idle. Either it has not
been configured yet, or no jobs have been sent to it.
When this icon appears, the program is currently processing a
job in the queue.
When this icon appears, the program is paused.
When this icon appears, the program has completed all jobs in
the queue.

Background rendering manager window

When you open the Background Rendering Manager (either by sending a
render job to it, or double-clicking the taskbar icon), the main window
appears, showing you the status of all rendering jobs.

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January 2019 Design mode

Job pane
The Job pane shows you all jobs that have been successfully sent to the
Background Rendering Manager. While you can send multiple jobs, the
Background Rendering Manager processes only one job at a time, the job
at the top of the queue. Once this job is finished, it will then
automatically proceed to the next queued job, and so on. For tips on
managing the jobs listed, see "Managing jobs in the background
rendering manager queue".

Preview pane
This window shows you a visual representation of the rendering
progress. Note that the final image is scaled to fit this pane and is not
indicative of the quality of the actual rendering. To view the final
rendering, you must export the image as a graphic file. For details, see
"To export rendered images from the Background Rendering Manager".

Log window
Check the messages in the log window for an up-to-date status as the
rendering job is processed. You can change and resize the font in this
window by using the drop-down boxes provided.

Using the background rendering manager

Once you have configured the Background Rendering Manager, it is ready
to accept render jobs from WYSIWYG.

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To use the Background Rendering Manager

1 In WYSIWYG, open the Render Wizard and set up the rendering that
you want to create, choosing Background Rendering Manager in Step 1.
2 Proceed through the steps of the Render Wizard, and then click
Finish.
Result: The Submitting Render Job window appears, showing the
progress as the job is sent to the Background Rendering Manager.
3 When the job is successfully sent, a WYSIWYG message box notifies
you. The next step differs based on where you sent the job (either to
your own computer, or another computer on the network):
 Background Rendering Manager residing on your
computer: If you have sent the job to the Background Rendering
Manager residing on the same computer as the Render Wizard, it
automatically starts processing the rendering if there are no jobs
currently being rendered (if it is currently processing a job, the
new job is placed in the active queue).
 Background Rendering Manager residing on a network
computer: If you have sent the job to the Background Rendering
Manager residing a network computer, you must first ensure that
the Background Rendering Manager is started before it will
process the job. The act of sending a rendering job does not start
the Background Rendering Manager when it is installed on a
network computer.
4 Open the Background Rendering Manager to check the progress of the
rendering and arrange the rendering queue. For details, see
"Managing jobs in the background rendering manager queue".

Note: You can shut down your computer while the Background
Rendering Manager is processing the job without losing the rendering
progress. You can also pause and resume the program. When you restart
your computer or resume the program, the rendering continues where it
last left off. (You might need to open the Background Rendering Manager
manually before it will resume rendering.)

Managing jobs in the background rendering manager queue

The Job pane shows you all jobs that have been successfully sent to the
Background Rendering Manager. While you can send multiple jobs, the
Background Rendering Manager processes only one job at a time, the job
at the top of the queue. Once this job is finished, it will then
automatically proceed to the next queued job, and so on.

As shown in the Status column in the following graphic, rendering jobs

can have one of four statuses:

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January 2019 Design mode

 Rendering: This is the job that is currently being processed. Only

one job can have this status at any given time. The values in the
Progress and Time Left columns indicate when the job will be finished.
 Queued: Jobs with this status are waiting to be processed. These
can be new jobs or those that have already started, but have been
interrupted by moving them down in the queue. In this latter case,
when the job is moved back to the top of the queue, the rendering
automatically resumes where it left off.
 Stopped: Jobs with this status have been manually dequeued. This
means that they will not automatically move up in the queue as jobs
are completed. To process jobs with this status, you have to highlight
them and click Queue to move them back into the active queue (or
click Render Job Now to start rendering the job immediately).
 Completed: These are jobs that have been processed successfully.
However, the actual rendering image still resides in the Background
Rendering Manager. To export the image to a folder of your choice,
highlight the completed job, and then click Save Rendering.

Background Rendering Manager buttons

The table below contains descriptions of the Background Rendering
Manager buttons. Use these descriptions as a guideline when managing
the jobs in the queue.

Button Explanation

Resume Rendering: This button is enabled when you have

paused all jobs in the Background Rendering Manager. Click this
button to resume the rendering process, starting with the first
job in the queue. The rendering continues where it last left off.
Pause Rendering: This button is enabled when the
Background Rendering Manager is currently processing a render
job. Click this button to pause all rendering activity in the
Background Rendering Manager.
Show Log Window: Click this button to show or hide the log
window, listing all status and error messages of the Background
Rendering Manager.
Show Render Window: Click this button to show or hide the
window that shows the progress of the rendering.

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Button Explanation

Render Job Now: When you have multiple render jobs in the
queue waiting to be processed, highlight any rendering job with
the Queued status and press this button to move the job to the
top of the queue. The current rendering is paused and moved
down one position and the new render job starts immediately.
Queue Job: This button is enabled only when you have selected
a dequeued job (it is stopped, but its rendering progress is
retained). Highlight the stopped job and then click this button to
move it back into the queue. If there is a job being processed,
the newly queued job is placed below it.
Dequeue Job: Highlight a job with the Queued status and then
press this button to give the job the Stopped status. You can
dequeue any job in the queue, those that are waiting to be
processed as well as the job that is currently being rendered.
When you dequeue a job, the Background Rendering Manager
retains its rendering progress and resumes the rendering when
you move the job back up to the top of the queue.
Move Job Up: This button enables you to move jobs up within
their current status level when you have multiple jobs that are
either Stopped or Queued. You cannot use this button to move a
stopped job into the active queue. However, you can click the
bottom job in the Queued status area and use this button to
move it all the way to the top of the queue so that it starts being
processed (click Render Job Now as a shortcut). You can also click
the bottom job in the Stopped status area and move it up within
this same area, if desired.
Move Job Down: This button enables you to move jobs down
within their current status level when you have multiple jobs
that are either Stopped or Queued. You cannot use this button
to move a queued job into the Stopped status. However, you
can click the top job in the Queued status area (the job that is
currently being processed) and use this button to move it all the
way to the bottom of the queue. You can also click the top job in
the Stopped status area and move it down within this same
area, if desired.
Delete Job: Highlight any job in the Job pane—those with the
Rendering, Queued, Stopped, or Completed status—and press
this button to delete the job and all supporting files from the
Background Rendering Manager. Note that when you delete
jobs, you cannot recover them and there will be no record of
them.

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Button Explanation

Save Rendering: Highlight a Completed job that you want to

save, and then click this button to export the rendering as a
graphic file to the folder of your choice. You are then prompted
to choose the location for the file and the file type (.bmp, .jpg,
.tif, or .gif).

To pause and resume all jobs in the Background Rendering

Manager
To free up some CPU capacity on your computer (for example, if you are
going to run another program), you can pause the Background Rendering
Manager and the job that is currently in progress. When you click
Resume, the job at the top of the queue continues rendering where it left
off.
1 In the Background Rendering Manager window, click the Pause
button.

The Pause button.

2 Click Resume when you want to resume rendering the job at the top
of the queue.

The Resume button.

To move a render job to the top of the queue

When you move a Queued job to the top of the queue, the Background
Rendering Manager automatically starts to process it. The current job is
moved down one step in the queue to a paused status (any progress that
had been made in the rendering is saved with the job).
1 In the Background Rendering Manager window, highlight the Queued
job that you want to start rendering.
2 Press the Move Job Up button until the job is at the top of the queue.

The Move Job Up button.

Result: The job starts rendering.

Tip: If you have many jobs in the queue, click the Render Job Now
button to move a job from the bottom of the queue to the top and
start rendering it immediately.

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To remove a render job from the queue

When you remove a job from the queue, it will not automatically move
up in the queue as jobs are completed. Instead, to process jobs with this
status, you have to highlight them and click Queue to move them back
into the active queue.
1 In the Background Rendering Manager window, highlight the
Rendering or Queued job that you want to remove from the queue.
2 Press the Dequeue button.

The Dequeue button.

Result: The job is moved out of the queue and given the Stopped
status.

To move a stopped render job back into the queue

When you dequeue a job, you cannot use the Move Job Up button to move
it back into the active queue; instead, you must use the Queue button to
place the job back into the queue. The job will be processed when it
reaches the top of the queue.
1 In the Background Rendering Manager window, highlight the
Stopped job that you want to move back into the queue.
2 Press the Queue button.

The Queue button.

Result: The job moves to the active queue.

To move render jobs up or down in the queue

When you have multiple jobs that are either Queued or Stopped, you can
move jobs up or down within their current status level. For example, you
can use this feature to arrange the order in which the Background
Rendering Manager will process queued jobs, or you can move a queued
job to the top of the queue so that it is processed immediately.
1 In the Background Rendering Manager window, highlight the Queued
or Stopped job that you want to move.
2 Press the Move Job Up or Move Job Down button repeatedly until the
desired position is reached in the queue.

The Move Job Up button.

The Move Job Down button.

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To export rendered images from the Background Rendering

Manager
To use the rendered images that you create with the Background
Rendering Manager, you must export them to a folder of your choice, in a
graphic format like .bmp, .jpg, or .gif.
1 In the Background Rendering Manager window, highlight the
Completed job that you want to export.
2 Click the Save Rendering button.

The Save Rendering button.

3 Browse to the location where you want to save the rendered image.
4 In the File name box, type the name of the file.
5 From the Save as type drop-down list, choose a graphic format (.bmp,
.jpg, .tif or .gif).
6 Click Save.

To delete render jobs from the Background Rendering

Manager
You can delete any job—those with the Rendering, Queued, Stopped, or
Completed status—and all of its supporting files from the Background
Rendering Manager. Note that when you delete jobs, you cannot recover
them and there will be no record of them.
1 In the Background Rendering Manager window, highlight the job that
you want to delete.
2 Press the Delete button. A message box asks you to confirm your
choice.

The Delete button.

3 Click Yes.

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778
 Chapter 12

Presentation mode

Presentation (Pres) mode contains all the necessary tools for

creating professional printouts of your show document, including
reports, plots, and images.

In this chapter
Layout tabs 781
Reports 782
New Plots 794
Layouts 820
Images 865
Worksheets 866
Pipe tapes 870
Production Team Info Wizard 873

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Layout tabs

Introduction
Beneath the work area in each mode is a series of Layout tabs. These
tabs provide various configurations of the views that you are working
with. To change layouts, click the tab that corresponds to the layout that
you want to use.

Presentation mode contains the following Layout tabs:

 Reports: The work area displays reports formatted for printing.
 New Plots: The work area displays plots.
 Layouts: The work area displays layouts formatted for printing.
 Images: The work area displays bitmap or jpeg images that are
stored with the show file.
 Worksheet: The work area contains spreadsheets that the user can
edit.

Reference Guide 781

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Reports

Introduction
The Reports tab opens a series of pre-formatted reports that are
generated by WYSIWYG, containing all data entered in CAD and Data
modes. These reports are available for you to use as is, or to modify to
suit your needs. Unlike the spreadsheets in Data mode, you cannot edit
fixture data here. Reports are designed to be printed documents. You
can, however, modify their setup and layout.

Notes:
 The “Rigging Points by Position” report on the Truss Rigging Point
symbols will be replaced automatically when a file is loaded or
merged. The new version will report on drawn Rigging Point objects.
 The “Rigging Points List” report (which does not group Rigging Points
by the Position column) will be added automatically if it does not
already exist in the file.

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Working with reports

To modify a report
1 In the Reports tab, right-click and select View Options.
Result: The View Options window appears.

Tip: You can use the View Options tool on the Standard toolbar.

The View Options button.

2 Modify the Scene options as desired.

3 Select the fixture categories from the Exclude the following Fixture
Categories list in the Fixture Exclusions from this Report section, to remove
from the report all fixtures under the categories.
4 Select the individual fixture types from the Exclude the following Fixture
Types list in the Fixture Exclusions from this Report section, to remove
from the report.

Reference Guide 783

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5 Select the accessory types from the Exclude the following Accessory
Types list in the Fixture Exclusions from this Report section, to remove
from the report all accessories that was added to the fixtures.
6 Click OK.

General tab
Options on the General tab affect the scene that is displayed in the report.
 Follow Current Scene: Select this checkbox to filter the report according
to the current scene. The current scene is displayed in the drop-down
list on the Scene toolbar and in the Scene Database dialog box (from
the Managers menu, choose Scenes).
To filter your show information based on the scene selected, clear
the checkbox, and then select the desired scene from the Scene drop-
down list. Only fixtures on the active layers (or layers in the scene)
are displayed in the report.
Tip: You can change the current scene at any time by using either
the Scene toolbar or the Scene Database dialog box. For more
information on scenes, refer to "Scenes".

Report tab
Options on the Report tab affect the appearance of the report.

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 Report Defaults: Click this button to open the Report Defaults window.
 Report Type: Indicates the type of report. Can be either one of
Fixtures or Truss. The Report Type determines the available options
under Report Detail and the columns available for use in the report.
 Report Detail: Changing the detail level will change how the row
information is displayed in your report.
 Example 1: Given a Three Cell Cyc light, the Fixtures detail level

will only give you one row of data: Three Cell Cyc. If you switch
the detail level to Circuits, then you will get three rows of Three Cell
Cyc, one for each circuit.
 Example 2: Given a Source 4 with a Scroller attachment, a report

with the Fixtures detail level will simply display “Source 4”. The
same report with the Fixtures and Accessories detail level will display
one row for Source 4 and one row for the scroller attachment.
 Group By: Select a data field for grouping data. These groups will
appear as separate tabs at the bottom of a report. In the case of an
Instrument Schedule, fixtures are grouped by hanging position. Each
position appears on a separate page.

Reference Guide 785

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 Columns: Each row in the Columns table represents a column that

can be displayed in the Report. To enable a header, select the
checkbox on the row of the relevant data column.
 Columns – Group Total: This checkbox appears only when Group By is

not set to None. When selected, WYSIWYG generates the sum-total

of the data column underneath the last cell in that column.
 Columns – Report Total: When Group By is set to None, Group Total will

generate a sum-total of the data column underneath the last cell in

that column; otherwise, a new Totals tab will be created, listing
the sum-total of the data for that column across all groups.
 Columns – Word Wrap: When selected, the text in that column will

use word wrap to try to fit all the text in the cell.
 Up/Down: These controls let you re-order the way columns appear

in your report. First, select a row in the Columns table, and re-
arrange it using Up/Down buttons.
 Move selected columns to top: When selected, all visible columns will

be shifted to the top of the Columns table.

 Merge duplicate rows: When selected, all rows with duplicate Type

names will be grouped into one row. For example, a report that
has a Three Cell Cyc with Circuits Report Detail will show three
individual rows, one for each circuit in the Three cell Cyc. With
merge duplicate rows enabled, the three circuits will be combined
into one row.
 Combine group sheets: When selected, multiple reports will be

combined to be on the same sheet. When a Report is grouped by a

column, this option is enabled. When selected, the separate Report
sheets will be displayed on one Report tab. This option may be
helpful if you wish to display the grouped Reports on a Layout with
in one Report object.
 Show totals of merged duplicates: This option is enabled only when

Merge duplicate rows is enabled. After merging duplicate lines, this

gives you the option to show the quantity of a single item, or the
sum total of all the merged items. For example, if a Three Cell Cyc
with Circuits Report Detail is merged, you can show the Wattage of
an individual circuit (Show totals of merged duplicates OFF) or the
total Wattage of all three circuits (Show totals of merged
duplicates ON).
 List Accessories under their Fixture: This option is available if Fixtures

and Accessories is selected from the Report Detail drop-down list.

Select this checkbox to add the list of accessories attached to the
fixture below the fixture.
 Identify Accessories: This option is available if the List Accessories

under their Fixture checkbox is enabled which will add a symbol to

identify the accessories on the list. Select this checkbox and click
on the symbol from the drop-down list.
 Sort By: Contains the settings for how the report will be sorted. The
keys sort fixtures in alphabetical or numeric order. When fixtures
have the same value in the first sort key, the report is then sorted by
the values of the second sort key, and so on for the third sort key.

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For example, the standard Instrument Schedule sorts fixtures by

position as Key 1, and unit number as Key 2. When a column is
selected as a key, the visible option will be checked and greyed out.
Columns that are sort keys must be visible.
 Filter By: Contains settings for the column that you selected from
the Columns list. You can use filters to extract specific information
from reports. A total of three filters can be applied to any given
report. For example, you can create a report that displays all the
fixtures that have notes. To do so, select the Notes column and the
Visible checkbox, and then select the filter Not Empty. You will also
have to make Position, Unit, and Channel visible so that you know
which fixtures have these notes.

To create a new report

1 Click the Reports shortcut tab.
2 Right-click in the reports shortcut area, and then choose New Report.
3 Type the name of your new report.
4 Select the Report Type (Fixtures, Truss, etc.).
5 Select an existing report from which you would like to copy the
columns, formatting, filters, etc.
6 Click OK.

Sharing Reports
You can save a Report to the application level, and then you can export
or import this Report to and from other files.

To share a report
1 In the Reports tab, from the REPORT menu, choose Add Default
Report.
Result: The Add Default Report dialog box appears.
2 Type the name of your default report.
3 Select the Default Report from the Select Default Report drop-down list.
4 Click OK.
Result: The Default Report that you added will be included in the list
of Reports that can be exported and the list of Report Templates that
can be imported from the File menu.

Redesigning Headings
You can customize the fonts, styles, and layouts used in the headings
and text of your reports. These settings can be applied to the headings of
all reports in your document as desired.

Reference Guide 787

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To change the heading format

Report headings can be directly modified on the current report. You may
add, remove, and change the formatting of cells within the report with a
limited degree of freedom. For more information about the functionality
of the spreadsheet, refer to "Worksheets".

To apply the current formatting to other reports

Once the editing has been completed, you can apply the look and feel of
your current report by completing the following steps:
1 Select Report > Apply Current Report Template.
2 In the new dialog box, select the reports to which you want to apply
the current format.
3 Click OK.

To merge cells
1 Select cells you wish to merge together.
2 Right-click and select Merge > Merge Cells.
Result: The cells will be merged and any text will span the merged
cell.

To unmerge cells
1 Select cell you wish to separate.
2 Right-click and select Merge > Unmerge Cells.
Result: Cells will be unmerged.

Report Templates
You can customize the formatting used in the headings of your reports
and apply the customized headings to all the reports in your document.

You can save the modified reports with the customized headings by
exporting the file as Report Templates. Consequently, you can import the
Report Templates into WYSIWYG and apply the customized headings to
selected reports in your document.

To export report formatting

You can save the current report with customized heading format to a file,
as follows:
1 Select File > Export > Report Template.
Result: The Export window appears.
2 In the Export window, type the name of your Report Template file.

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3 Select the file format that you would like to export to.
4 Click Save.

Note: For optimal compatibility with other WYG files, it is recommended

that you export to the WYSIWYG Spreadsheet format (*.wss).

To import report formatting

You can import and apply the customized report heading format into
WYSIWYG as follows:
1 Select File > Import Report Template.
Result: The Choose which Reports to import into window appears.
2 On the Choose which Reports to import into window, select the Report(s)
where the customized heading format will be applied to.
Tip:
 You may click Select All if you want to apply the customized
heading format to all the reports in WYSIWYG.
 You may click Select None if you choose not to apply to any report.
 You may click Sort Alphabetically to display the list of reports in
alphabetical order.
3 Click OK.
Result: The Import window appears.
4 From the Import window, select the exported Report Template file you
wish to apply to the selected report document(s) in WYSIWYG.
5 Click Open.
Result: The customized heading format of the imported Report
Template is applied to the selected report document(s).

Column widths
You can change the column widths in the report. A double-headed arrow
appears when you float the cursor between the column separations at
the top of the report. Double-click the column headings to have the
column resize to fit (auto-fit) the contents.

Formatting Data section in Reports

Reports data cells in WYSIWYG can be formated in many different ways
to suit your needs. Each column in a report can be individually formated,
and every row that appears under that column will have the same
formatting e.g. text alignment, font style, font color, font size, font style,
background color. Reports can also be edited to have zebra stripes or
have borders around columns.

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To format a report column

1 Select a cell in the column you want to format. If you select a cell in
a column, the entire column should be selected.
Note: Clicking the first cell of the first column, called the smart cell,
will select every cell.
2 From the Reports menu, select Format Cell.
Result: The Format Cells window appears.
3 In the Format Cells window, edit the cells how you want.
Result: When finished editing, click OK.
Note: Alternatively, you can use the New Plot Text toolbar for editing
the cells.

Zebra Striping
Zebra striping is a feature in reports where ever other data row will be
highlighted in a report.

To add zebra striping to a report

Note: Formatting a cell will override zebra stripping.

From the Reports menu, select Zebra Striping.

An example report spreadsheet The same report spreadsheet with

without zebra stripping. zebra stripping enabled. Notice
the grey rows.

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Combining Report
It is possible to display the reports of multiple sheets of a group into a
single report. This combined report will fit on a single page.

To combine reports
1 Right-click in a report and select View Options.
Result: The View Options window appears.
2 In the View Options window, in the Report tab, in the Columns section,
enable Combine group sheets.
3 Click OK.
Result: The multiple pages of the group report will be merged and
be displayed on a single page.

Using formulas in spreadsheets

Over 100 formulas for common mathematical and logic functions are
supported in WYSIWYG (you must manually enter the formula as text in
a cell). Examples of formula include the following:

ABS: determines the absolute value of the specified value, cell or

expression.

Syntax: ABS(value)

Reference Guide 791

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Syntax: ABS(expression)
Example: =ABS(-4) gives output 4
Example: =ABS(B4) alternatively, reference cells within your
sheet

AVERAGE: finds the averages of a list of values.

Syntax: AVERAGE(value1, value2,...)

Syntax: AVERAGE(array1, array2, ...)

Example: =AVERAGE(1,2,3,4,5) gives output 3
Example: =AVERAGE(A1:A10) alternatively, reference cells in
your sheet

CEILING: rounds a number up to the nearest multiple of the specified

value.

Syntax: CEILING (value, rounding multiple)

Example: =CEILING(2.3, 1) rounds to the closest whole number
in the negative range, gives output 3

FLOOR: rounds a number down to the nearest multiple of the specified

value.

Syntax: FLOOR (value, rounding multiple)

Example: =FLOOR(2.3, 1) rounds to the closest whole number in
the positive range, gives output 2

MAX: returns the maximum value from a given list of values.

Syntax: MAX(value1, value2,...)

Syntax: MAX(array1, array2,...)

Example: =MAX(1,2,3,4,5) gives 5
Example: =MAX(A1:A5, B2:B21) allows you to find the maximum
value from multiple ranges

MEDIAN: returns the median, or the number in the middle of the

provided set of numbers.

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January 2019 Presentation mode

Syntax: MEDIAN(value1, value2,...)

Syntax: MEDIAN(array1, array2,...)

Example: =MAX(1,2,3,4,5) gives 3
Example: =MAX(A1:A5, B2:B21) allows you to find the median
value from multiple ranges

MIN: returns the minimum value from a given list of values.

Syntax: MIN(value1, value2,...)

Syntax: MIN(array1, array2,...)

Example: =MIN(1,2,3,4,5) gives 1
Example: =MIN(A1:A5, B2:B21) allows you to find the minimum
value from multiple ranges

SUM: returns the sum of cells or range of cells.

Syntax: SUM(value1, value2,...)

Syntax: SUM(array1, array2,...)

Example: =SUM(1,2,3,4,5) gives output 15
Example: =SUM(A1:15) allows you to sum over a range of cells

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New Plots

Introduction
New Plots views were introduced so that you could more effectively
manipulate a drawing developed in CAD mode to create a lighting plot or
“schematic” for printing.

In the New Plots view you can:

 Manipulate all fixtures and hang structures in a plot without affecting
the objects in the original CAD drawing/model.
 Notate your plot using objects such as circles, lines, arrows, and text
labels.
 Rotate the position of vertical hang structures to better illustrate
mounted fixtures.
 Move, rotate, or manipulate the layout of fixture attributes with click-
and-drag.

Working in the new plots view

Working in a New Plots view is similar in some respects to working with a
drawing in a CAD wireframe view. You can use your keyboard and mouse
to navigate around the plot easily and quickly. A Command Line interface is
available to help you when entering coordinates.

IMPORTANT: Changes made to a drawing in CAD mode are not

automatically reflected in the New Plots view. You must update plots
manually to see the changes. For details, see "Updating plots".

Keyboard and mouse control

Navigating in a New Plots view is similar to navigating in CAD mode. The
arrow keys are available to help you move in the direction that is noted
on the key. As well, scroll bars along the side and bottom of the window
will move you horizontally and vertically along the window.
For a complete list of the navigation tools that are available, refer to
"Keyboard and mouse control".

Command Line
The Command Line toolbar is available to help you enter coordinates when
placing objects such as lines in a New Plots view. For more information
on Command Line, refer to "Command line".

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Creating a new plot

Plots are 2D schematics of your CAD model for printout. You can
generate as many plots as you like. Once generated, the “view type” of
the New Plot or schematic is set and cannot be changed. There are five
plot types available.

Plot Type Description

Plan Plot Generates the schematic

from above looking down.
Left Section Plot Generates the schematic
looking from the left side
through the venue.
Right Section Plot Generates the schematic
looking from the right side
through the venue.
Front Elevation Plot Generates the schematic
looking from the front side
through the venue.
Back Elevation Plot Generates the schematic
looking from the back side
through the venue.

To create a new plot type

1 Click the New Plots shortcut tab.
2 Right-click in the New Plots shortcut area and choose the type of plot
that you want to create.
3 Type the name of the plot.
4 Click OK.
Result: The type of plot that you chose is created and a shortcut to
your new plot is added to the New Plots shortcut bar. For information
on working with shortcuts, refer to "Working with shortcuts".

Note: The plot is created with a specific set of default properties, but you
can modify these settings as required. For more information on the
settings, refer to "Modifying the properties of a plot" below.

Updating plots
Changes made to a drawing in CAD mode are not automatically reflected
in the New Plots view. You must update plots manually.

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Note: WYSIWYG automatically replaces inserted Truss Rigging Point

symbols that were inserted from the Library Browser with drawn Rigging
Point objects whenever a file is loaded or merged. However, the
replacement of Truss Rigging Point symbols do not automatically update
New Plots. You must remove or replace the inserted Truss Rigging Point
symbols from New Plots manually and click the Update New Plot
command.

To update a plot
1 Select the plot that you want to update.
2 From the Options menu, choose Update New Plot.

Note: If the New Plots view already reflects the current CAD drawing,
the option is disabled.

Modifying the properties of a plot

You can modify the border thickness, paper size, or scaling of a plot.

To modify plot properties

1 Select the plot for which you want to modify the settings.
2 From the Options menu, choose View Options.
Tip: You can also use the View Options tool on the Standard toolbar.

The View Options button.

Result: The View Options dialog box appears.

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New Plot View Properties tab

Options on the New Plot View Properties tab affect the appearance of the
plot.
 Name: The name of the plot.
 Grid On: Select this checkbox if you want gridlines to appear on the
plot view. Gridlines are for reference only; they assist with the layout
of plot items on the page. Gridlines do not appear in the printed
output.
 Color: Click this color box to select a different color for the gridlines.
 Point Size: The size at which points are printed.
 Paper Size: Choose the desired paper size from the drop-down list. If
you do not find the size you want, choose Custom, and then specify
the width and height as desired. The default values are 24.0” X 36.0”
(imperial measurement) or A1 (metric measurement).
 Landscape: Select this checkbox if you want the page to be set up in
landscape format.
 Margins: The margins for the plot. The default values are 1/2”
(imperial measurement) or 1cm (metric measurement).
 Border Thickness: The thickness of the plot’s border. The border is
drawn at the margins defined above. The default values are 1/16”
(imperial measurement) or 1mm (metric measurement).
 Scale: The scale at which the plot is drawn. If the scale you want to
use for printing is not displayed, select Custom. The default values are
1/4”=1’0” (imperial measurement) or 1:50 (metric measurement).
 On paper: The scale ratio that you want to use on a paper copy of the
plot view.
 Real World: The “real” measurement for the scale ratio that you
specify in the On paper box. For example, you may want to use a
scaling of one inch in a paper copy of your plot. This one-inch
measurement translates to a “realistic” measurement (for example,
3 feet).
 Follow Current Scene: Select this checkbox to use the scene that is
displayed in the drop-down list on the Scene toolbar. Clear the
checkbox, and then select the desired scene from the Scene drop-
down list. For more information on scenes, refer to "Scenes".
 Units: The units of measurement for the plot. The coordinates at the
bottom of the plot change according to the selection. This setting
does not affect the printed output.
 Print in Black and White: Select this checkbox if you want the plot to be
displayed and printed in black and white.

Tile Printing tab

Options on the Tile Printing tab affect the printout of the plot.

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 Show page guides: Select this checkbox if you want the printable
outlines to be displayed on each sheet of paper that comprises the
plot. The solid outline is the chosen printer’s paper size and
orientation.
 Show page number: Select this checkbox if you want the page numbers
of the plot to be displayed in the center of each page. The page
numbers are for reference only and do not appear in the printed
output.
 Tile options: Click the appropriate option button to enable one of the
following:
 Top-Left: Click to place the top-left corner of the plot in the top-left

corner of the first page, and then arrange the remaining pages
accordingly.
 Center: Click to place the center of the plot at the center of a page,

and then arrange the remaining pages accordingly.

 Split Center: Click to place the center of the plot at the corner of

four pages, and then arrange the remaining pages accordingly.

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Fixture Details tab

Options on the Fixture Details tab affect the fixture data that is displayed
on the plot.

 Use Document Defaults: Clear this checkbox if you do not want the
currently selected fixture data displayed on the plot. The default
fixture data is defined on the Wireframe Details tab in Document Options.
For more information on this option, refer to "Wireframe Details tab".

Moving the page

You can move the page around to capture the parts of the schematic that
you want plotted or printed.

To move the page

1 Select the plot that you want to adjust.
2 Right-click and choose Move Page.
Result: A hand similar to the Pan tool is displayed.
3 Hold down the left mouse button and drag to move the page until the
area of the schematic that you want on the page is contained within.
4 When you are finished, right-click and select Finish Move Page.

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Objects in New Plots

Objects that are contained in the drawing in CAD mode are transposed to
the New Plot representation. This representation is a 2D presentation of
the drawing, and as such, certain objects are displayed differently than
they are in the 3D CAD mode drawing.

A specific number of objects are used to represent the objects in the CAD
drawing. These objects are listed in the following table.

Object in CAD mode Resulting object in New Plots

Fixtures Representative symbols

Accessories Representative symbols
Riser Riser
Text Text
Arc Arc
Ellipse Ellipse
Circle Circle

Notes:
 The only objects that you can edit in New Plots mode are fixtures and
hang structures; you cannot select or modify any other object in your
model in New Plots mode.
 Beams are not represented in the New Plots view.
 Some objects may not be visible if they are on a layer that is not in
the current scene.

Relationship between objects in CAD mode and New Plots

Fixtures and hang structures are transposed to a New Plots view from
CAD mode and can be manipulated independently of their counterparts
in CAD. This means that in a New Plots view, they can be deleted, copied,
moved, and have their properties modified without affecting the original
object in CAD mode. For example, moving a pipe does not cause the
same pipe to also move in CAD mode. You can easily create your lighting
plot in a New Plots view independently of the drawing or “model” in CAD
mode.
In contrast, changes made to the original “model” in CAD mode are
reflected in all New Plots views. Objects that are deleted in CAD mode
are also deleted from all New Plots views. Similarly, objects added in CAD
mode are also added to all New Plots views, provided the layer they are
on is visible. Note, however, that in order for new objects to appear, you
must first update the New Plot by right-clicking on it and selecting Update

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New Plot. The same logic applies to objects that are moved in CAD mode:
moving an object causes the object to also move in all New Plots views
as long as the relationship between the object in CAD mode and New
Plots is intact.
To achieve a relationship between fixtures and hang structures in CAD
mode and fixtures and hang structures in New Plots views, various types
of links are available. These links track the position and properties of the
original CAD object in New Plots, and are referred to as the positional
and properties links, respectively. For more information on these links
and how they work, refer to "Links".

Relationship between objects in Data mode and New Plots

You cannot modify data, such as fixture attributes, directly in a New Plots
view; instead, you must edit this data in Data mode. Data that is
modified in the spreadsheet view in Data mode is also updated in CAD
mode and in all New Plots views.

Links
There are three types of links in the New Plots view: positional,
properties, and attributes.
The position link tracks the movement of fixtures and hang structures
that are brought in from the original CAD drawing. By default, this link is
in place until one of the fixtures and hang structures from the original
CAD drawing is moved relative to its origin.
The properties link tracks the changes to properties for fixtures and hang
structures that are brought in from the original CAD drawing. These
properties include the layer line color and line weight of an object. By
default, this link is in place until you modify one or more of these
properties.
The attribute link tracks the changes to the attribute layout of fixtures.
By default, this link is in place until you move, rotate, or otherwise
manipulate the layout of a fixture attribute. For more information on
attribute layout, refer to "Attribute layout".
When a link to an object is broken, all subsequent changes that are made
to that object in CAD mode will not be reflected in a New Plots view. You
must reestablish the relationship or link to ensure that changes made in
CAD or Data mode are reflected in a New Plots view.
Reestablishing the link returns the object to its original state before the
link was broken. For example, reestablishing the link of a fixture that has
been moved off a pipe moves the fixture back to its original position on
the pipe.

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To reestablish links
1 Select the object for which you want to reestablish a link.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Restore Links.
Result: The Links dialog box appears.

Note: The Position Link checkbox is not selected. This means that an
action occurred that broke that link.
3 To reestablish the link, select the Position Link checkbox.
4 Click OK.
Result: The positional link is reestablished.

Vertical hang structures

In the New Plots view, non-horizontal hang structures, such as booms
and ladders can be rotated around their base to show all mounted
fixtures. The rotation can be top, bottom, left, or right.

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To rotate the position of a vertical hang structure

1 Select the hang structures that you wish to rotate.
2 Right-click and choose Rotate Position.
Result: The Rotate Position dialog box appears.

3 Select the direction in which you want to rotate the hang structure.
4 In the Rotation Angle box, type the angle by which you want to rotate
the hang structure.
5 Click OK.
Result: The hang structure is rotated on the plot.
As an example, you may have three booms on your plot that you
want to rotate.

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After you rotate the hang structures 90 degrees to the right, the
following is displayed.

Attribute layout
You can easily modify the layout of fixture attributes in a New Plots view
by simply moving, rotating, or otherwise manipulating the appearance of
the attribute. In a New Plots view, you can only manipulate the layout;
you cannot modify the data contained within the attribute. To modify the
data, you will need to go to CAD or Data mode and make the
modifications.

Fixture attribute values that are changed in CAD or Data mode are
reflected in all New Plots views.

The attributes that are displayed in a New Plots view are determined by
the options you set on the Fixture Details tab. For more information, refer
to "Fixture Details tab".

To manipulate the attribute layout for an individual symbol

1 Select the attribute whose layout you want to manipulate.
2 Drag the attribute to the desired location on the page, and then
release the mouse button.
Note: This action breaks the attribute link.

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As an example, you may wish to move the channel attribute (the red
“2”) shown on the plot below.

After you select and drag the attribute to the desired location, the
following is displayed.

Drawing objects
You can add objects to the plot for notation. Objects that you can draw
include lines, arcs, circles, and text labels. You can also insert symbols
from the Library Browser.

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Drawing circles
Drawing circles in a New Plots view is similar to drawing circles in CAD
mode. You can access the Circle tool from the Draw menu or from the
New Plot Options toolbar. For more information on drawing circles, refer to
"Drawing circles".

Note: When you add objects such as circles to your plot, they are not
added to your drawing in CAD mode.

Drawing arcs
Drawing arcs in a New Plots view is similar to drawing arcs in CAD mode.
You can access the Arc tool from the Draw menu or from the New Plot
Options toolbar. For more information, refer to "Drawing arcs".
After you have drawn an arc, you can choose to add arrows to one or
both ends of the arc. The default is none. For more information on adding
arrows, refer to "Arrows Options: How arrows attached to the line will
be shown.".

Drawing lines
Drawing lines in a New Plots view is similar to drawing lines in CAD mode.
For more information, refer to "Drawing lines".
You can also use the appropriate Line tool from the Draw menu or the
New Plot Options toolbar. The available line tools are as follows:
 Solid
 Dot
 Center
 Dash
You can create a double line from a single line by modifying the
properties of a line. For more information on creating double lines, refer
to "Double Line: Select this checkbox to display the line as a double line.".
After you have drawn a line, you can choose to add arrows to one or both
ends of the line. The default is none. For more information on adding
arrows, refer to "Arrows Options: How arrows attached to the line will
be shown.".

Note: When you add objects such as lines to your plot, they are not
added to your drawing in CAD mode.

Drawing text
Drawing text in a New Plots view is similar to drawing text in CAD mode.
You can access the Text tool from the Draw menu or on the New Plot
Options toolbar. For more information, refer to "Drawing text labels".

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Notes:
 When you add an object such as text to your plot, it is not added to
your drawing in CAD mode.
 You can select any font that is installed on your computer to use in
all text labels in New Plots. For details, see "To change the font used
in New Plots".

To change the font used in New Plots

You can specify the font that you would like to appear globally in all new
text labels that you create in New Plots.

Note: When you change the font globally, it does not affect existing
labels in your file, only new ones that you draw. You cannot change the
font of existing labels in New Plots view.
1 In New Plots view, click Options > Document Options.
2 Click the Fonts tab.
3 Under New Plots Text Labels, from the Font drop-down list, select the
font that you want to appear in all new text labels.
4 Choose whether you want the letters to appear bold, underlined, or
in italics.
5 Click OK.

Inserting symbols
You can insert symbols that are not associated with any object in CAD
mode. This allows you to represent the fixtures when you draw a key or
want to show the position of a boom in a plan view, for example. You can
access the Symbol tool from the Draw menu or from the New Plot Options
toolbar.

The Symbol button.

To learn how to insert symbols, see "To insert objects from the library".
In the New Plots view, the Library Browser contains only the Symbol
library.

Editing objects
A number of tools are available in the New Plots view to help you
manipulate objects.

Note: Orthographic mode is available in New Plots from the Edit menu
and also from the New Plots Options toolbar. When ortho mode is active,
you can manipulate objects either vertically or horizontally. For more
information on this mode, refer to "Ortho".

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Selecting objects
Objects are transposed from CAD mode and can, therefore, be selected
independently of that mode (for example, moving a pipe in New Plots will
not cause it to also move in CAD mode).
Fixture symbols are grouped with the hang structure to which they are
mounted. Selecting and moving the hang structure will also move the
mounted fixture symbols. Similarly, accessories are grouped with the
fixture symbols to which they are attached and will also move with the
fixture symbols. You can also select an individual fixture symbol
separately from the hang structure if you want to move or modify it
independently.
The methods for selecting an object are similar to those for selecting an
object in CAD mode. For more information on these methods, refer to
"Selecting".

Copy
When you copy and paste an object in a New Plots view, a second
representation of that same object is created. If you subsequently
update the data for this object in either CAD or Data mode (for example,
gel color or channel number), all representations of that object in all New
Plots views are updated.
Copied objects are not added to the drawing in CAD mode nor to the
spreadsheet in Data mode.
You can copy and paste objects between New Plots views.

To copy an object
1 Select the object to be copied.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Copy.
3 From the Edit menu, choose Paste.
4 Click in the plot where you want to place the object.

Cut
When you cut an object in a New Plots view it is not removed from CAD
mode. However, cutting an object in CAD mode removes it from all New
Plots views.
Cutting an object adds it to the clipboard. You can subsequently paste
the object into a New Plots view.
You can cut and paste objects between New Plots views.

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To cut an object
1 Select the object to be cut.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Cut.
3 From the Edit menu, choose Paste.
4 Click in the plot where you want to place the object.

Delete
Deleting an object in a New Plots view does not delete the original object
in CAD mode. However, deleting an object in CAD mode does delete the
representation of that object in all New Plots views.

To delete an object
1 Select the object to be deleted.
2 From the Edit menu, choose Delete.
Result: The object is removed from all New Plots views.
Note: If you accidentally deleted an object, you can recover it by
choosing Undo Delete from the Edit menu.

Move
The Move command in the New Plots view supports both absolute and
relative moves in a manner similar to CAD mode. For more information
on this command, refer to "Moving".
When you move a hang structure, you also move all its attached fixtures
and accessories. You also break the positional link between the pipe in
CAD mode and the pipe in the New Plots view. All fixtures and
accessories that are attached to that pipe still maintain their link to the
original objects in CAD mode, even though they have also moved.
When you move a fixture off of a hang structure, you fix its location in
relation to the hang structure. For example, if you move a fixture off a
pipe, and then move the pipe 10 feet, the fixture also moves with the
pipe. This action breaks the positional link of the fixture to the hang
structure.

Note: You can “nudge” objects up, down, left, or right a certain distance
by using specific key combinations. Use the ALT+arrow keys to “nudge”
an object a specific distance; use the ALT+SHIFT+arrow keys to “nudge”
an object a tenth of that distance.

Align
You can use the Align tools to quickly and precisely align a series of
objects that you have drawn or inserted from the Library into your
drawing. For example, if you have manually placed some chairs in your
drawing, you can select them all and align them in one of six ways.

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Notes: You cannot use the Align tool to align fixtures.

You can align the selected objects from the:

 top
 bottom
 left
 right
 center (horizontally)
 center (vertically)

Before choosing any of these options, you must select one of following
three options:
 To First Selected: Objects selected after the first object was
selected will align (Left, Right, Centered Horizontally, etc.) to that
first object.
 To Last Selected: Objects selected before the last object was
selected will align (Left, Right, Centered Horizontally, etc.) to that
last object.
 To Extents: All selected objects (regardless of selection order) will
align to the left-most, right-most, bottom-most, etc. point of the left-
most, right-most, bottom-most, etc. object, respectively.

To align objects
1 In the toolbar area, ensure that the New Plot Align toolbar is showing.
2 Select the objects that you want to align by clicking and dragging a
selection box around them, or selecting them individually.
3 On the New Plot Align toolbar, choose your preferred alignment option.
 Align to First Selected
 Align to Last Selected
 Align to Extents
Note: Before you align the objects, it is recommended you first
verify that they will not overlap each other in their new positions.
4 On the New Plot Align toolbar, select how you would like to align the
selected objects:
 Align Top
 Align Bottom
 Align Left
 Align Right
 Center Horizontally
 Center Vertically

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Rotate
The Rotate command in a New Plots view works in a similar manner as it
does in CAD mode. For more information on this command, refer to
"Rotating objects".

Note: Rotating an object breaks its positional link.

Fillet
The Fillet command in a New Plots view works in a similar manner as it
does in CAD mode. For more information on this command, refer to
"Fillet".

Objects that are brought into New Plots from CAD mode
There are general properties for each fixture or hang structure that is
brought into a New Plots view from CAD mode. You can modify these
general properties as required.

General tab
Options on the General tab affect the selected object’s color and line
weight properties.

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 Layer: A list of the layers or layer groups in your document is

displayed. Click on a list item to change the layer on which the object
will be drawn.
 Display with Layer Groups: Select this checkbox to display the layers as
items organized in Layer Groups.
 Collapse All: Click the Collapse All button to display only the Layer
Groups.
 Expand All: Click the Expand All button to display the Layer Groups and
all the Layers.
 Use Layer Color: Select this checkbox to set the object’s color for
wireframe views to be the same as the properties of the layer on
which the object resides. For more information, refer to "Layer
properties".
Clear the checkbox, and then use the color button to set a specific
color for the object.
 Line Weight: From the drop-down list, choose the specific line weight
for the selected object. The applied line weight is visible in all
Wireframe views in all modes. For objects only, you can also choose
the default setting, ByLayer, which sets the object’s line weight to be
the same as the properties of the layer on which the object resides.

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The value Default means that the document's line weight setting from
the Document Options > Object Settings window is applied to the object
or layer. For more information, refer to "Layer properties".
 Fixture Symbol Fill: Options for fixture symbols to be filled with a
choice of colors and fill percentage.
 Use Document Defaults: Select this checkbox to display fixtures with

default fill settings that were set in the Document Options window.
Clear this checkbox to activate Enable and the options for Percentage
and Custom Color.
 Enable: Select this checkbox to enable Fixture Symbol Fill.

 Percentage: Select Percentage from the drop-down list if you wish

to fill using the same hue of the Fixture Symbol, and set the
percentage from the drop-down list for the hue intensity.
 Custom Color: Select Custom Color from the drop-down list and

click the Color Select box to choose a different color.

 3D Truss / Pipe Symbol Fill: Options that affect how pipe and
truss symbols are displayed in the plot.
 Use Document Defaults: Select this checkbox to display Truss and

Pipe symbols with default fill settings that were set in the Document
Options window. Clear this checkbox to activate Enable and the
options for Percentage and Custom Color.
 Enable: Select this checkbox to display Truss and Pipe symbols with

thickness in 2D CAD Wireframe views and in associated paperwork

views. (Not in isometric views) Clear this checkbox to display truss
and pipe objects as line drawings.
 Pipe Thickness: Type a new value to change the default thickness.

 Symbol Fill: Click the drop-down list to select the fill option None or

Percentage or Custom Color.

 Percentage: Select Percentage from the drop-down list if you wish to

display using the same hue of the Pipe or Truss symbols, and set
the percentage from the drop-down list for the hue intensity.
 Custom Color: Select Custom Color from the drop-down list and click

the Color Select box to choose a different color.

Retrieve Item Data

Catalog name and other information of fixtures and trusses can be
retrieved and displayed in New Plots.

To retrieve data from a fixture or truss object in New Plots

1 From the Edit menu, choose Retrieve Item Data.
2 Point the cursor to the fixture or truss object you want to select,
which highlights the object in orange outline.
3 Click on the fixture or truss item.
Result: The New Text Label window appears.

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4 In the New Text Label window, you can click Insert Item Data to display
in your drawing, the information that you retrieved from the selected
fixture or truss.
Note: You can also add other text and smart variables, and specify
text properties in the New Text Label window.

Objects that are drawn in New Plots

Objects such as lines, arcs, symbols, circles, and text that are drawn in a
New Plots view have general properties that are inherited from the layer
on which they are drawn. Along with the general properties, a tab
appears in the properties dialog box for each type of object that is
selected. When you select multiple objects of different types, tabs appear
for each type of object selected.

For more information, refer to "Drawing objects".

New Plot Object tab

Options on the New Plot Object tab affect the selected object’s color and
line weight properties.

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For a detailed description of the options available on this window, refer to

the "General tab".

Object-specific properties
Similar to objects in CAD mode, objects that are drawn in a New Plots
view have properties that are specific to that object.
 Text label: For a description of text label properties, refer to the
"Text label tab".
 Symbol: For a description of symbol properties, refer to "Symbol
properties".
 Line: Options on the Line tab affect how the line is drawn.

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 Line Pattern
 Line Pattern: Choose a pattern for the selected line. Refer to

"Drawing lines" for an illustration of each type.

 Scale: Type a value in this box to change the length and spacing of
dots and dashes for the selected line. This value is applicable to
center, dashed, or dotted lines only.
 Arrow Options: How arrows attached to the line will be shown.
 Display: Select this checkbox to show an arrow at the end(s) of the

line.
 Location: Where the arrow will appear on the line.

 Arrow Size: How large the arrow will appear.

 Arrow Type: The style of arrow that will be displayed.

 Double Line
 Double Line: Select this checkbox to display the line as a double

line.
 Distance: How far apart the double lines will be from each other.

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Circle: The properties are the same as when the object was originally
drawn. For more information, refer to "Drawing circles".

Arc: The radius and angle properties are the same as when the object
was originally drawn. The only property that is different is the addition of
arrows to either side of the selected arc.

 Radius: The radius of the selected arc.

 Start Angle: The start angle of the arc. Degrees increment counter
clock-wise.
 End Angle: The end angle of the arc. Degrees increment counter
clock-wise.
 Arrows Options: How arrows attached to the line will be shown.
 Display: Select this checkbox to show an arrow at the end(s) of the

line.
 Location: Where the arrow will appear on the line.

 Arrow Size: How large the arrow will appear.

 Arrow Type: The style of arrow that will be displayed.

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Inserting new plots into layouts

Once you create your New Plot, you can insert it into the Layouts view.
For example, you might want to insert it into a Layouts view so that you
can add a legend, key, or report to your plot.

For more information on inserting a New Plot, see "To insert New Plot
items onto the layout".

Printing new plots

While you can print directly from the New Plots tab, it is strongly
recommended that you first insert your completed New Plot into a Layout
and print it from there. Doing so enables you to take advantage of the
Layout tools (and others), use title blocks, add images, and so on.

If you have a large plot you can “tile print” the plot across multiple
smaller sheets of paper. To set up how you want the plot arranged on the
sheets of paper, refer to the "Tile Printing tab".

You can print your complete plot or specific pages of your plot based on
the settings that you choose.

Note: Objects outside the border are not printed, even if they are within
the margins of the page. To adjust margins, refer to "Modifying the
properties of a plot".

To print your plot

1 From the File menu, choose Print.
Result: The Print dialog box appears.

2 From the Name drop-down list, choose the printer (or plotter) that
you want to use. WYSIWYG records the name that you choose for
future reference and displays it as the default printer for plots.
3 To print all pages of a plot, select All.
4 To print select pages of a plot, select Pages, and then enter the range
in the from and to boxes.

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5 To print multiple copies of pages, select the value from the Number of
copies list box.
6 Click OK.

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Layouts

Introduction
The Layouts tab opens the layout design and storage area. Layouts are
created by arranging various CAD, report, image, and other items on a
defined paper size.

There are two default layouts included in the layouts shortcuts. The Micro
Layouts, which is designed to print on an 8.5” x 11” piece of paper, and
the Big Layouts, which is designed to be plotted on a 36” x 48” sheet of
paper. You can use either of these layouts as is, modify them to suit your
needs, or create new layouts from scratch.

To save time, you can use the Layout Templates feature to select
multiple objects in your layouts and group them for insertion into other
drawings. For details, see "Layout templates".

Creating a new layout

To create a new layout

1 Click the Layouts shortcut tab.
2 Right-click in the Layouts shortcut area, and then choose New Layout.
3 Type the name of the new layout.
4 Click OK.
Result: An empty layout is created. A shortcut to your new layout is
added to the Layouts shortcut bar.
Note: By default, empty layouts are set up to use 8.5” x 11” sheets
of paper.

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Working with layouts

To modify layout settings

1 Select the layout for which you want to modify the settings.
2 From the Options menu, choose View Options.
Tip: You can also use the View Options tool on the Standard toolbar.

The View Options button.

Result: The View Options dialog box appears.

Presentation tab
Options on the Presentation tab affect the appearance and printout of the
layout.
 Name: The name of the layout.
 Background Color: Sets the background color of the layout view. This
does not affect your printed copy.
 Grid On: Select this checkbox if you want gridlines to appear on the
layout. Gridlines are for reference only; they assist with the design of
items on the page. Gridlines do not appear in the printed output.
 Color: Sets the color of the gridlines.
 Show placeholders only: Select this checkbox to display only the
placeholders for the various items in the layout. If unchecked, both

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the placeholders and contents of the items in the layout are

displayed. This is to facilitate the layout setup and does not affect the
printout.
 Snap
 Snap: Select this checkbox to snap the items in the layout to the
gridlines.
 Interval: Specify the interval between the points on the grid.

 Units: The units of measurement for the layout. The coordinates at

the bottom of the layout change according to the selection. This does
not affect the printed output.
 Paper Size
 Paper Size: Choose the desired paper size from the drop-down list.

If you do not find the size you want, choose Custom, and then
specify the width and height as desired.
 Landscape: Select this checkbox if you want the page to be set up in

landscape format.
 Tile Printing
 Show page guides: Select this checkbox if you want the printable
outline to be displayed on each sheet of paper that comprises the
layout. The solid outline is the chosen printer’s paper size and
orientation.
 Show page number: Select this checkbox if you want the page
numbers of the layout to be displayed in the center of each page.
The page numbers are for reference only and do not appear in the
printed output.
 Tile options: Select one of the following option buttons:
 Top-Left: Places the top-left corner of the layout in the top-left
corner of the first page, and then arranges the remaining
pages accordingly.
 Center: Places the center of the layout at the center of a page,
and then arranges the remaining pages accordingly.
 Split Center: Places the center of the layout at the corner of
four pages, and then arranges the remaining pages
accordingly.

Inserting items on layouts

Notes:
 To adjust the view of the layout as you work on it, you can use your
mouse wheel to zoom in or out and/or pan around with the middle
mouse button.
 To copy and paste items in your layout, select the item that you want
to copy and click Edit > Copy (or press CTRL + C). Then, to paste the
item, click Edit > Paste (or click CTRL + V) and click to place the
pasted item.

Objects can be inserted from the following categories:

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 basic shapes (lines, rectangles, ellipses, polygons, and text)

 images (bitmap and jpeg)
 CAD items
 data items
 report items
 worksheet items (includes the default Title Block)
 legend items
 key items
 new plot items

To insert a line onto the layout

1 From the Insert menu, choose Line.
Tips:
 You can also use the Line tool from the Layout Insert toolbar.
 Press SHIFT while drawing the line to draw it at a 45-degree
angle, or along the X or Y axis.
2 Click on the page where you want to start drawing the line and,
holding the mouse button down, drag it to the end point of the line.
Release the mouse button when you have the desired shape.
3 Click anywhere in the drawing to finish placing the line.
Result: The line is placed on the layout.

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To insert a rectangle onto the layout

1 From the Insert menu, choose Rectangle.
Tips:
 You can also use the Rectangle tool from the Layout Insert toolbar.
 Press SHIFT while drawing the outline of the rectangle to create a
perfect square.
2 Click on the page at the starting point of the rectangle and, holding
the mouse button down, drag out the shape of the rectangle. Release
the mouse button when you have the desired shape.
3 Click anywhere in the drawing to finish placing the rectangle.
Result: The rectangle is placed on the layout.

To insert a rounded rectangle onto the layout

1 From the Insert menu, choose Round Rectangle.
Tips:
 You can also use the Round Rectangle tool from the Layout Insert
toolbar.
 Press SHIFT while drawing the outline of the rectangle to create a
perfect square.
2 Click on the page at the starting point of the rectangle and, holding
the mouse button down, drag out the shape of the rectangle. Release
the mouse button when you have the desired shape.
3 Click anywhere in the drawing to finish placing the rectangle.
Result: The round rectangle is placed on the layout.

Note: You can only see the rounded corners of the rectangle if you zoom
in on the drawing.

To adjust the corners of a rounded rectangle

You can adjust the roundness of the rectangle’s corners by following

these steps:

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1 Select the rectangle.

2 Hover your cursor over the top-right corner until you see a curved
arrow appear, as shown below:

3 Click and drag the corners of the rectangle inward to the desired
amount of roundness.

To insert an ellipse onto the layout

1 From the Insert menu, choose Ellipse.
Tips:
 You can also use the Ellipse tool from the Layout Insert toolbar.
 Press SHIFT while drawing the ellipse to draw a perfect circle
instead.
2 Click on the page at the starting point of the ellipse and, holding the
mouse button down, drag out the shape of the ellipse. Release the
mouse button when you have the desired shape.
3 Click anywhere in the drawing to finish placing the ellipse.
Result: The ellipse is placed on the layout.

To insert text onto the layout

1 From the Insert menu, choose Text.
Tip: You can also use the Text tool from the Layout Insert toolbar.
2 Click on the page at the starting point of the text box and, holding
the mouse button down, drag out the shape of the box. Release the
mouse button when you have the desired shape.
3 Click anywhere in the drawing to finish placing the box.
Result: The text box is placed on the layout.
4 To type text in the new box, double-click the box, and then delete
the default text.

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5 Type your custom text.

Tip: Press SHIFT+ENTER to force a new line of text if Text Wrapping
is enabled on the New Plot Text toolbar.
6 Click anywhere in the drawing to finish adding the text.
Tips:
 You can use the Layout Text toolbar to easily modify text.
 You can also replace your layout text with variables by typing
them directly. To do so, you must surround the variable with per
cent symbols (%) when altering the text item’s properties. For
example, to add the Chief Lighting Designer variable, you would
type %Chief Lighting Designer%. For more information on the
variables available in layouts, see "Smart Cells".
 You can also right-click the text object and select Item Properties to
access more options.
 In the Properties window, you can also click Insert Smart Variables to
select smart variable text listed in Production Team Info.

To insert image items onto the layout

1 From the Insert menu, choose Image.
Tip: You can also use the Image tool from the Layout Insert toolbar.
2 Click and drag a window (placeholder) on the page where you want
the item to appear.
Result: The Select Image View to be referenced dialog box appears.
Note: The images listed here were imported in the Images layout
tab. To import a new Image (for example, a logo) use this tab. See
"Images" for more information.

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3 Select the image that you want to add to the layout, and then click
Select.
Result: The image appears within the placeholder as drawn.

To insert CAD items onto the layout

1 From the Insert menu, choose CAD.
Tip: You can also use the CAD item tool from the Layout Insert toolbar.
2 Click and drag a window (placeholder) on the “page” where you want
the item to appear.
Result: The CAD item, which is referenced from CAD mode, appears
within the placeholder as drawn. By default, CAD items appear in
plan view and at a scale of 1/16”=1’.

To insert report items onto the layout

1 From the Insert menu, choose Report.
Tip: You can also use the Report tool from the Layout Insert toolbar.
2 Click and drag a window (placeholder) on the “page” where you want
the item to appear.
Result: The Select Report to be referenced dialog box appears.

3 Select the report item that you want to add to the layout, and then
click OK.
Result: The selected report (referenced from Pres mode) appears
within the placeholder as drawn.

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Note: If the Group By option has been set for a report, the report cannot
be added to a layout. Setting the Group By option creates page breaks
within the report and layouts do not support reports with page breaks.
For more information on this option, refer to "Report tab".

To insert worksheet items onto the layout

1 From the Insert menu, choose Worksheet.
Tip: You can also use the Worksheet tool from the Layout Insert toolbar.
2 Click and drag a window (placeholder) on the “page” where you want
the item to appear.
Result: The Select Worksheet to be referenced dialog box appears.

3 Select the worksheet that you want to add to the layout, and then
click OK.
Result: The selected worksheet (referenced from Pres mode)
appears within the placeholder as drawn.

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To insert New Plot items onto the layout

1 From the Insert menu, choose New Plot.
2 Click and drag a window (placeholder) on the “page” where you want
the item to appear.
Result: The Select New Plot to be referenced dialog box appears.

3 Select the New Plot item that you want to add to the layout, and then
click OK.
Result: The selected New Plot item (referenced from Pres mode)
appears within the placeholder as drawn. To adjust the contents that
are displayed within the placeholder, refer to "Adjusting the
contents" for further details.

Layout templates
The Layout Templates feature can be used to improve your workflow and
save time. Layout Templates allow you to select multiple objects in your
layouts and group them together. These groups can then be inserted into
any layout in any WYSIWYG file.

This is possible because once a Layout Template is created, it is added to

the Layout Template Database and is saved with the current installation
of WYSIWYG. As a result, Layout Templates are available in all files
opened and created in the same installation of WYSIWYG. Layout
Templates may be moved to other WYSIWYG installations and to new
versions of the software via .WUD files.

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Layout Template icons

The Layout Insert toolbar includes the three icons for creating, inserting
and deleting Layout Templates. You can also use the menu commands,
as detailed in the procedures below.

For information on how to import or export Layout Templates, see

"WYSIWYG User Data Profile"

Create Layout
Template

Delete
Layout Template

Insert Layout
Template

To create a new Layout Template

1 In your layout, select the items that you want to include in the
Layout Template. For example, you can select Title Blocks, Plot
Notes, Custom Legends and Keys, Disclaimers, and so on.
2 Right-click and select Create Layout Template.
Tip: Alternately, you may click the Insert menu and choose Layout
Template > Create.
3 Type a name for your new Layout Template.
4 Click OK.
Tip: If you do not select any items in the Layout, saving a Layout
Template will prompt you to save the entire Layout as a Layout
Template. This includes Layout view options, such as Paper Size and
Tile Printing. To insert the entire Layout, right-click on the Shortcut
Bar (Layouts page), and select New Layout Using Layout Template.

To insert a Layout Template in a layout

Once you have created a Layout Template, you can insert it into other
drawings as follows:
1 In your Layout, right-click and select Insert Layout Template.
Tip: Alternately, you may click the Insert menu and choose Layout
Template > Insert.
2 In the window that appears, select the name of the Layout Template
that you want to insert, and then click OK.

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3 Navigate to the location where you want to insert the Layout

Template and click to place it.
Tip: If no items in a Layout are selected, saving a Layout Template
will prompt you to save the entire Layout as a Layout Template. This
includes Layout view options, such as Paper Size and Tile Printing. To
insert the entire Layout, right-click on the Layouts shortcut bar and
select New Layout Using Layout Template. Type a name for the new
Layout, and then click OK to create it. The new Layout appears on the
Layouts shortcut bar.

To delete a Layout Template from the database

Once you have created a Layout Template, you can delete it from the
database.

Attention: A deleted Layout Template will no longer be saved with your

WYSIWYG file and you will no longer be able to insert it in subsequent
drawings.

1 On the Layouts tab, on the Layout Insert toolbar, click the Delete Layout
Template icon.
Tip: Alternately, you may click the Insert menu and choose Layout
Template > Delete.
2 In the window that appears, select the name of the Layout Template
that you want to delete, and then click the Delete checkbox.
3 Click OK to delete the Layout Template.

Content and item properties

As with all objects in WYSIWYG, the objects that you have placed on your
page have unique properties. There are two types of properties:
 Content Properties
 Item Properties

Content Properties
Content Properties affect the content of the presentation item. When you
open these properties, you open a similar or identical dialog box to the
View Options dialog box that appears when you are working on the original
item in CAD, Data, or Pres mode. In this dialog box, you can modify the
information to be displayed and control how it is displayed.

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To modify content properties

1 Select the presentation item that you want to modify.
2 From the Modify menu, choose Content Properties.
Tip: You can also click the Content Properties tool on the Layout Edit
toolbar.
Result: The Content Properties dialog box appears.
Note: Content properties for CAD items are discussed in "CAD items".

Item Properties
Item Properties affect the placeholders and the scaling of the contents.
Options here include the outline’s weight and color, and various printing
options for the contents, such as scale.

To modify item properties

1 Select the presentation item you want to modify.
2 From the Modify menu, choose Item Properties.
Tip: You can also click the Item Properties tool on the Layout Edit
toolbar.

The Item Properties button.

Result: The Properties dialog box appears.

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Note: The first tab of the properties dialog box is identical regardless of
the type of presentation item. Options here affect the outline and fill
color of the placeholder.

CAD items
You can modify or edit CAD items to meet printing requirements. Their
content properties are detailed below.

Note: Options which do not appear in the CAD item’s Content Properties
follow the settings specified in Document Options.

To modify content properties of CAD items

1 Select the CAD item, right-click, and then choose Content Properties
or click the Item Properties tool on the Layout Edit toolbar.
Result: The Content Properties window appears.

2 Modify options as desired.

3 When finished, click OK.

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General tab
Options on the General tab affect the scene that is displayed in the CAD
item. Only fixtures and objects on the active layers are displayed in the
layout.
 Follow Current Scene: Select this checkbox to use the scene that is
displayed in the drop-down list on the Scene toolbar. Clear the
checkbox, and then select the desired scene from the Scene drop-
down list. For more information on scenes, refer to "Scenes".

CAD Rotation tab

Options on the CAD Rotation tab affect the angle at which the CAD item is
printed.

 Angle: Type an angle value in degrees if you want the drawing in the
CAD item to be printed on an angle. This feature is helpful for
printing booms.

CAD Printing tab

Options on the CAD Printing tab affect the scale for the drawing.

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 Fit: If you select this option, the entire CAD drawing is scaled to fit
inside the placeholder.
 Fixed: If you select this option, the CAD item is printed at the
specified scale. To determine which portion of the CAD item is
displayed inside the placeholder, choose Open Contents. Inside this
view, you can move around a white rectangle that represents the
placeholder. See "Adjusting the contents" for details on the
functionality available with Open Contents.
 Variable: If you select this option, when you “open contents” you will
be able to change the size of the white rectangle without affecting
the original placeholder. The portion of the drawing contained within
the white rectangle is scaled to fit in the placeholder. See "Adjusting
the contents" for details on the functionality available with Open
Contents.
 On paper: The scale ratio that you want to use on a paper copy of the
layout.
 Real World: The “real” measurement for the scale ratio that you
specify in the On paper box. For example, you may want to use a
scaling of one inch in a paper copy of your layout. This one-inch
measurement translates to a “realistic” measurement (for example,
3 feet).

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 Point Size: The size at which points are printed.

 Hide Zero Intensity Fixture: Select this checkbox to hide any fixtures
with an Intensity set to zero so they do not print.

View type tab

Options on the View type tab affect the view type of the CAD item.

 View Type: The view types available are those discussed in "Plot
types".
 WorkPlane: The workplanes available are those discussed in "Plot
types".
 Scrollbars: Select this checkbox to display the scrollbars on the
bottom and left side edges of the layout. Clear this checkbox to turn
the scrollbars off.

Wireframe Details tab

Options on the Wireframe Details tab affect the amount of information that
is shown in the CAD item.

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 Wireframe Details: Information of CAD items in wireframe that you can

display on the plot.
 Show on Plot: Select the corresponding checkboxes in this column

to display the selected wireframe information in the plot.

 Select the checkbox on the top row of the column to select all

check boxes below.

 Click on the arrows in leftmost column to expand and display the

rows with additional options.

 Use Document Defaults: Select this checkbox to reference the options
selected on the Wireframe Details tab of Document Options. Clear the Use
Document Defaults checkbox to make specific changes for the active
view.

Fixture Attribute Details tab

Options on the Fixture Attribute Details tab affect which attributes of the
fixture are displayed with the fixture object.

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 Fixture Attributes: Select the attributes that you want displayed around
the fixture symbols in the CAD item. To modify how the attributes are
laid out, refer to Fixture Notation and Information Layout in "Fixture
notation".
 Plot: Select the corresponding checkboxes in this column to display

the selected attributes in the plot.

 Wireframe Views: Select the corresponding checkboxes in this

column to display the attributes in the Tooltips in Wireframe view.

Displays tooltips on the CAD item. Tooltips are the pop-up
messages that display specific information about a fixture when
you hover over it. Choose the information that you want to display
in a tooltip by selecting the appropriate check boxes in the Fixture
tooltips group box. Tooltips are often helpful when trying to locate a
specific fixture in a plot.
 Shaded Views: Select this checkbox to display the attributes when

you hover over a fixture in Shaded view.

Tip: Select the checkbox on the top row of the Plot or Wireframe Views
or Shaded Views column to select all check boxes below.
 Use Document Defaults: Select this checkbox to reference the options
selected on the Wireframe Details tab of Document Options. Clear the Use
Document Defaults checkbox to make specific changes for the active
view.

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Adjusting the contents

If you chose fixed or variable scaling on the CAD Printing tab or if you
inserted a New Plots item, you can further set up how the item will
appear within the placeholder by modifying the open contents.

To adjust the contents

1 With the item selected, from the Modify menu, choose Open
Contents.
Tip: You can also click the Open Contents tool on the Layout Edit
toolbar.
Result: A new window opens, displaying your drawing and the item
placeholder.

2 Adjust the positioning of the placeholder as desired.

Tip: To adjust the view of the contents, you can use your mouse
wheel to zoom in or out or pan around by holding down the middle
mouse button.
3 Close the window.

New Plot items

New Plot items are inserted into your layout using the options specified
when you created the item. You might want to modify these options if
you wish to display or print the New Plot item in black and white, for
example.

To modify content properties of New Plot items

1 Select the New Plot item on the layout.
2 From the Modify menu, choose Content Properties.
Tip: You can also click the Content Properties tool on the Layout Edit
toolbar.
Result: The Content Properties window appears.

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For an explanation of the options that are available, refer to

"Modifying the properties of a plot".

Note: Any options that you modify here are also updated in the New
Plots view that you inserted.

Image items
Special considerations should be given to printing images on layouts. To
maintain the integrity of the image, WYSIWYG can maintain the aspect
ratio of the image so as not to distort it.

To maintain aspect ratio

1 Select the image item on the layout.
2 From the Modify menu, choose Item Properties.
Tip: You can also click the Item Properties tool on the Layout Edit
toolbar.
3 Click the Image tab.

4 Select the Keep Aspect Ratio checkbox.

Result: When this box is checked, the height versus width
relationship of the original image is maintained regardless of how
you resize the placeholder.

Worksheet, report, and spreadsheet items

Worksheet, Report, and Spreadsheet items are inserted into your layout
at a set scale (100%) regardless of the paper size. For readability
purposes, you can readjust this value.

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To adjust the properties of Worksheet, Report, and

Spreadsheet items
1 Select the worksheet, report, or spreadsheet item on the layout.
2 From the Modify menu, choose Item Properties.
Tip: You can also click the Item Properties tool on the Layout Edit
toolbar.
3 Click the Worksheet, Report, or Spreadsheet tab as appropriate.

4 From the Worksheet drop-down list box, select the item that you want
to modify. The options vary based on the type of item that you have
selected.
5 Click to select the Gridlines option to print gridlines.
6 In the Scale box, type a percentage value to increase or decrease the
size of the contents.
7 Click Use Auto-fit to automatically fit the item in the bounding box,
and then choose an auto-fit option:
 Attempt to fill: WYSIWYG will attempt to fill the bounding box,
ignoring the scale specified in the Scale box.
 Limit: WYSIWYG will still attempt to fill the bounding box; the
scale specified in the Scale field will be considered.
8 Click to select Fit Whole Sheet to specify that Auto-fit should apply to
the entire contents of the worksheet/spreadsheet/report
9 Click to toggle Fit all rows and Fit all columns to specify that Auto-fit
should apply to all rows or all columns of the worksheet/
spreadsheet/report. Alternately, you can specify to which rows and
columns it should apply.

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10 Click OK.

Legends
You may want to add a legend to your layout to provide a definition of
the symbols used in the layout. To add a legend to a layout, you must
first use the Legend Wizard to create the legend. The legend that you
create can consist of the symbol name, wattage, count, and any other
special notes. You can create multiple legends per layout.

The Legend shortcuts in Layouts can be set to follow the Scenes available
in the Scene Database.

To create legend items

1 Right-click on the Wizards shortcut bar, and then select New Legend.
Result: The Enter new Legend name dialog box appears.

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2 Type a name for the legend, and then click OK.

Result: The legend shortcut is stored in the shortcut bar and the
Legend Wizard opens. The Legend Symbols Editor appears as
displayed below. All fixtures in your CAD drawing are listed in the
Legend Editor for possible inclusion in the Legend. All the options to
configure your Legend are available from this dialog box.

a. Legend layout
Options found here affect the layout of your legend.
 Title: The Title field displays the name of the legend. Type a title in
the Title box if you want a title other than the default name to be
displayed.
 Scene: The Scene field is not editable and only displays the name of
the scene where the legend symbols listed in the Legend Editor
table are displayed. A scene is set by right-clicking on the Legend
shortcut >Properties. In the Scene Database window, you can choose
the Scenes that you have created or (Current Layer Only) or (All
Layers).
 Automatic updates: By default, this option is on and will
automatically update the legend when there are updates in your
CAD drawing
 Display Columns: The Display Columns button is used to edit what
columns are displayed in the legend. Clicking the button will bring
up the Legend Options window. From here choose the columns that
you want displayed by selecting the appropriate columns from the
list. The Symbol and Name columns are displayed by default. Order
the display of columns by clicking the Up and Down buttons.

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 In the Rename column, type a name for the selected Legend

Column header.
 Move Up: Select a row and use this button to move the fixture row

up in the table.
 Move Down: Select a row and use this button to move the fixture

row down in the table.

 Reset to Default: When a fixture row is selected that has cells that

have been edited, this button becomes active. By clicking this

button, the all the editable cells in the row will be reset to their
default text.
 Symbol: The Fixture Symbol section displays up to three symbols

that represent a fixture from different views, Plan, Front, Side, if

available. Use the checkbox under each symbol if you wish it in the
Legend.
Note: At least one symbol must be displayed for each symbol.
b. Legend information
Each symbol type that exists in your CAD drawing is displayed for
possible inclusion in the legend. The counts of each symbol type is
updated automatically as symbols with the same symbol type are
added or deleted from the CAD drawing.
Options found here affect the symbol information that is displayed in
the legend.
 Display checkbox: By default all fixtures are displayed in the legend,
as identified by the checkbox. Clear this checkbox if you do not
want the highlighted fixture in the table to be displayed in the
Legend.
 Symbol: This column displays the name of the Symbol from the
Library which represents the fixture in your CAD drawing and will
be displayed for this fixture on the Legend.

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January 2019 Presentation mode

 Name: By default, the name of the fixture will be displayed, as

listed in the Library Browser. If you wish to edit the displayed
fixture name, click in the cell and type in your preferred Name for
display.
 Count: By default, the total number of the fixture in the drawing

appears in the Count column. This value includes only hung

fixtures in your show file. If you wish to edit this number, click in
the cell and enter a new count.
 Spares: By default, this column is blank. If you have spare fixtures

that you would like to display on your Legend, click in the cell and
enter a number of Spares.
 Wattage: By default, the table displays the wattage for the Lamp in

volts. If you wish to edit this value, click on the cell and enter a
new Wattage value.
 Lamp: displays the lamp of the fixture.

 Fixture Options: displays any options that are available on the

fixture. To edit this cell, click on it and add or remove any of the
text.
 Notes: Type in any additional notes that should be displayed for

this fixture in the Legend.

 Color Source: By default, the Color Source will be set to Plot Color,

which means the Legend will automatically display the symbol

using the Layer Color or Object Color of the fixture, if the color is
the same for all instances of the fixture in your drawing. If the
color is not the same, the Plot Color will automatically be set to
Black. Alternatively, you can switch this column to Custom Color,
and then select a custom color for the symbol from the color box
on the Color column.
 Color: Click the color box to open a color picker. Select the new

color that you want to apply to the symbol, and then click OK.
 Symbol Fill: By default, the Symbol Fill is set to Plot Color, which will

automatically display a filled fixture symbol using the Symbol Fill

that was set in the plot if all instances of the Fixture are set to the
same Plot Color (otherwise, the fixture will not be filled
automatically). Alternatively, you can switch this column to
Custom Color, and then select the color from the color box on the
Symbol Fill column.
 Fill Color: Click the color box to open a color picker. Select the new

fill color that you want to apply to the symbol.

 Rotate: By default the checkbox is unchecked to display the fixture

symbol in its default orientation. To rotate the symbol, click on the

checkbox and select it.
 Mode: Displays the fixture’s mode setting.

 # Channels: Displays the total number of DMX channels required by

the fixture.
Note: The Legends table will display information in blue text after a
cell has been edited.

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c. Legend display options

How a legend appears in a report can be customized to meet your
needs.
Options found here affect how a legend appears in the report.
 Display Legend title: Enable this option to display a title for your
legend.
 Display column headings: Enable this option to display the headings
of columns in the legend.
 Display accessories: Enable this option to display accessories of
fixtures.
 Line weight: This option determines how thick or thin symbol lines
will appear.
 Max column width: The number sets the width of the columns. The
width must be set in order to set Word Wrap option. (Note: The
minimum width for a column is 30).
 Word wrap: Enable this option to wrap text that exceeds the max
column width.
 Font: Use the drop-down list to select a support font style.
 Font Size: Set the font size for all text in the legend.

Editing a legend
To make changes to the information that is displayed in the legend, click
on the Legend Shortcut, and it will open the Legend Symbol Editor, and
then make any necessary modifications.

Note: In the Legends Wizard, the Legends table will display information in
blue text after a cell has been edited.
Once a legend has been defined, it does not change until you make
modifications to its settings, but the data associated to the fixtures may
update if you selected the Automatic updates checkbox. If any new fixtures
with different symbol types are added to the file or any removed, these
additions/deletions will be automatically.
To rename, delete, or clone the shortcut, follow the steps defined in
"Working with shortcuts".

Inserting a legend onto the layout

Once the legend has been created using the Legend Wizard, you can place
it onto the layout.

To insert a legend onto a layout

1 From the Insert menu, choose Legend Item.
Tip: You can also click the Legend tool on the Layout Insert toolbar.

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2 Click and drag a window (placeholder) on the page where you want
the item to appear.
Result: The Select Legend to be referenced dialog box appears.

3 Select the legend that you want to add to the page, and then click
OK.
Result: The legend is added to the page at the position where you
inserted the placeholder.

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Modifying the properties of a legend

To modify the properties of a legend

1 On the layout, right-click the legend that you want to modify and
choose Item Properties.
Tip: You can also click the Item Properties tool on the Layout Edit
toolbar.
Result: The Properties dialog box appears.

The General tab is similar for all items. For more information on this
tab, see "To modify item properties".

Legend tab
Options on the Legend tab affect the scaling and content of the
placeholder.

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January 2019 Presentation mode

 Legend: Select the legend that you want to be displayed on the

layout. A list of all the legends you have created is displayed in the
drop-down list.
 Scaling Type: How you want the legend to scale. Can fit to the page or
be fix ratio.
 Scaling: The scale ratio in inches and feet at which the legend should
be printed. If the scale that you want to use for printing is not
displayed, select Custom.
 On paper: The scale ratio that you want to use on a paper copy of the
layout.
 Real World: The “real” measurement for the scale ratio that you
specify in the On paper box. For example, you might want to use a
scaling of one inch in a paper copy of your layout. However, this one-
inch measurement translates to a more “realistic” measurement (for
example, 3 feet).
 Display Gridlines: Select this checkbox to show the gridlines in the
legends table.

Legends in scenes
The Legends shortcut in Layouts can be set to follow Scenes.

To select the Scenes where Legends are displayed

1 In Layouts tab in PRES mode, right-click on the Legend shortcut and
choose Properties.
Result: The Legend dialog box appears.
2 In the Scene section, choose the Scene where the Legend will be
displayed.
 Follow Current Scene: Select this checkbox to choose the default
scene that was set in the Scene Database.

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 Scene: Click the drop-down list and select the scene where the
Legend will be displayed.
3 Click OK.
Result: Only the Legend symbols in the selected Scene will be
displayed in the Layout.

Keys
You may want to add a key to your layout to provide a definition for the
fixture notation used in the layout. To add a key to a layout, you must
first use the Key Wizard to create the key. The key you create consists of
the symbol of one given fixture and identifiers for the various attributes
notated around the symbol. You can create multiple keys per layout.

To create key items

1 Right-click on the Wizards shortcut bar, and then select New Key.
Result: The Enter new Key name dialog box appears.

2 Type a name for the key, and then click OK.

Result: The key shortcut is stored on the shortcut bar and the Key
Wizard opens.

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Step 1 - Key Symbol Selection

Options in Step 1 allow you to choose the symbol that will represent
the fixture or accessory in the key.
 List of symbols: Select the symbols you want to use. You can choose
up to one fixture symbol and one accessories symbol. The symbols
available in this list are the default WYSIWYG symbols for each
fixture or accessory type. When you select a symbol, it appears in
the preview window to the right.
 Change Symbol: Enables you to choose a different symbol from the
more extensive symbols library which includes the USITT standards,
among others. Follow the steps in “Changing Symbols” to perform
the modifications.
 Delete Symbol: Click this button to remove the selected symbol from
the preview window.

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 Changing symbols
a. From the list of items in the window to the right of the preview
window, select the symbol. To change the symbol, click the
Change Symbol button. The following dialog box appears:

b. From the list on the left side, choose the new symbol. When you
are finished making your choice, click Select.

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Step 2 - Symbol Layout

For each attribute there are two entries. One is for the attribute
itself, the other is to label the attribute. The label is distinguishable
by the qualifier “Key” (for example, the attribute Focus and the label
Key - Focus). An extension line is drawn between the label and the
attribute. For each attribute and its label you must decide whether
you want to display it in the key by having its checkbox selected in
the Visible column.
If an attribute is included, you can further specify how it will be
displayed using the various formatting options (including text size
and color, shape size and color, and justification).
You can also edit all the text, choose to give examples of attribute
values, and provide custom definitions for the labels.

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Options in Step 2 allow you to choose the attributes and notation to

be displayed around the chosen symbols.
 Fixture: The name of the selected fixture.
 Filter: Enables either Attributes, Keys or both to be visible in the
symbol layout.
 Display Title: Select this checkbox if you want the name of the

symbol displayed in the key. Type a title in the Display Title box if
you want a title other than the default name to be displayed.
 Key Title: The title that will appear for the key.

 Font Type: The selected font type for the key title.

 Font Size: The size of the font for the key title.

Note: The key title is not visible in the preview window and can not
be seen until the key is inserted into the layout.
 Zoom: Manages the magnification of the key in the preview
window.
 Rotation: Manages the orientation of the key in the preview

window.
 Grid Snap: When enabled the placement of objects will be aligned to

grid points in the preview window.

 Visible: Select this checkbox if you want the attribute or label to be

displayed around the symbol in your key.

 Property: The name of the symbol attribute.

 Color: Select this to set a specific color for the attribute or label.

 Text: Type the text that you want displayed for the attribute or

label.
 Symbol Fill: Select this checkbox to add fill to the symbol, then click

the color box to choose the fill color.

 Copy: Will copy the Color, Text, Shape and placement of objects in

the preview window as they currently appear.

 Paste: Will add all objects, settings and placements of objects that

were previously saved using Copy.

Note: Copy and Paste work across different Keys.
 Text: How the text in the key will appear.
 Height: How large the text in the key will appear.

 Rotation: Specifies the attribute or label alignment in relation to

the fixture symbol.

 Italics: Select this checkbox to italicize the attribute or label font.

 Line weight: Adjust this value to increase or decrease the density

of the label or attribute font.

 Text Anchor: Controls the justification for the text. This is in

relation to the insertion point or shape.

 Horizontal: The horizontal justification for the text.

 Vertical: The vertical justification for the text.

 Shape: Associates a shape with the label or attribute, if desired.

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 Style: What type of shape is associated with the label or

attribute. You can choose from: none, circle, square, octagon,
or diamond.
 Size: Increase or decrease the size of the shape as desired.

 Line Weight: The thickness of the line that makes the shape.

3 Set the position of the attribute or label by clicking and dragging on

the label or attribute in the preview window. You can also select an
attribute by clicking on it in the preview window.
4 The key as it will be drawn on the layout is displayed in the preview
window. Once all the attributes are set as desired, click Finish.
Result: The Wizard shortcut is stored in the shortcut bar with the
name you specified in the Title box.

Editing a key
To make changes to the information that is displayed in the key, open the
Key Wizard by double-clicking on the key shortcut, and then make any
necessary modifications. Once a key has been defined, it does not
change until you make modifications to its settings.
To rename, delete, or clone the shortcut, follow the steps defined in
"Working with shortcuts".

Inserting a key into a layout

Once the key has been created using the Key Wizard, you can place it on
the page.

To insert a key into a layout

1 From the Insert menu, choose Key item.
Tip: You can also click the Key tool on the Layout Insert toolbar.

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2 Click and drag a window (placeholder) on the “page” where you want
the item to appear.
Result: The Select Key to be referenced dialog box appears.

3 Select the key that you want to add to the layout, and then click OK.
Result: Your key appears within the placeholder as drawn. By
default key items are set to a scale of 1/16” = 1’.

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Modifying the properties of a key

To modify the properties of a key

1 On the layout, select the key that you want to modify.
2 From the Modify menu, choose Item Properties.
Tip: You can also click the Item Properties tool on the Layout Edit
toolbar.
Result: The Properties dialog box appears.

The General tab is similar for all items. For more information on this
tab, see "To modify item properties".

Key tab
Options on the Key tab affect the scaling and content of the placeholder.

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 Key: Select the key that you want to be displayed on the layout. A list
of all the keys that you have created is displayed in the drop-down
list.
 Scaling Type: How you want the key to scale. Can fit to the page or be
fix ratio.
 Scaling: The scale ratio in inches and feet at which the key should be
printed. If the scale that you want to use for printing is not displayed,
select Custom.
 On paper: The scale ratio that you want to use on a paper copy of the
layout.
 Real World: The “real” measurement for the scale ratio that you
specify in the On paper box. For example, you might want to use a
scaling of one inch in a paper copy of your layout. However, this one-
inch measurement translates to a “realistic” measurement (for
example, 3 feet).

Sharing keys
Keys that have been previously created can be shared between
WYSIWYG files on the same computer. The key first needs to be
designated for sharing and saved to WYSIWYG itself. Then any other
WYSIWYG file can insert the key or remove it from being shared.

To share a key
Note: A key must first be previously created in the current WYSIWYG file
before it can be shared.

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1 In PRES mode, from the Insert menu, choose Share Keys, Share Keys
with Other Files.
Result: The Share Key with Other Files window appears.

2 In the Share Key with Other Files window select the desired key from the
drop down menu.
3 Click OK.
4 Enter a new name for the key that is being shared. This is how other
WYSIWYG files will identify the key.
5 Click OK.
Result: The key is now shared with other WYSIWYG files on the
same computer.

To insert a shared key into a file

1 In PRES mode, from the Insert menu, choose Share Keys, Insert
Shared Keys.
2 The Insert Shared Key window appears.

3 In the Insert Shared Key window, enter a name for the imported key in
the Enter Key Name field. This name will be how the imported key will
appear in the current file.
4 Select the desired key to import from the Selected Shared Key drop
down menu.
5 Click OK.
Result: The selected key will be imported into the current WYSIWYG
file.

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To removed a shared key

1 In PRES mode, from the Insert menu, choose Share Keys, Remove
Shared Keys.
2 The Removed Shared Key window appears.

3 In the Removed Shared Key window, for each key you want to remove,
select the checkbox next to the key in the Delete column.
Note: You can select all keys using the Select All button, or clear all
keys using the Select None button.
4 Click OK.
Result: The selected keys will be removed from sharing between
WYSIWYG files. If a key was previously imported into a WYSIWYG
file, it will remain in the file as it was imported.

Note: Shared Keys can be shared to other WYSIWYG installs and

computers, by using the WUDs feature.

Layout tools

Locking items in Layouts

You can “lock” items in your Layouts to avoid accidentally moving or
deleting them once you are satisfied with their placement. Once an item
is locked, you can still select it (and access its Properties), but you can’t
move or delete it.

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To lock an item in a Layout

1 In your Layout, click the item that you want to lock.
2 On the Layout Edit toolbar, click to select the Lock icon.
Tip: Alternately, you can click CTRL + L to lock the selected item.
Result: The grips of the item turn red instead of black and you
cannot move or delete the object.

To unlock an item in a Layout

When you click on an item in a Layout and see that its grips are red, or
you notice that it cannot be moved or deleted, this means that the item
is “locked.” Follow the procedure below to unlock it.
1 In your Layout, click the item that you want to unlock.
2 On the Layout Edit toolbar, click to select the Lock icon.
Tip: Alternately, you can click CTRL + L to unlock the selected item.
Result: The grips of the item turn black instead of red and you can
now move or delete the object.

Placeholders
You can move and resize placeholders at any time.

To resize a placeholder
1 Click to select the presentation item.
2 Click and drag the marker points of the placeholder to resize it.

Note: Resizing a placeholder affects the content that is displayed. You

might have to edit the scale of the contents or revisit open contents.

To move a placeholder
1 Click to select the presentation item.
2 When a small grey rectangle appears on your cursor, click and hold
the left mouse button and drag the placeholder to the desired
location.
3 Release the mouse button.
Tip: Use the gridlines of the presentation view to line up
placeholders.

To copy a placeholder and its contents

1 Click to select the presentation item.
2 When a small grey rectangle appears on your cursor, press and hold
the CTRL key.

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3 Click and hold the left mouse button and drag the copied item to the
desired location.
4 Release the mouse button.

Ordering
To facilitate overlaying and underlaying placeholders, use the Bring to
Front and Send to Back tools. Think of placeholders as being piled on top of
each other. Bring to Front moves the selected placeholder and its contents
to the top of the pile. Send to Back moves the selected placeholder and its
contents behind all of the others.

To overlay a placeholder
1 Click to select the presentation item.
2 From the Modify menu, choose Bring to Front.
Tip: You can also use the Bring to Front tool on the Layout Edit toolbar

To underlay a placeholder
1 Click to select the presentation item.
2 From the Modify menu, choose Send to Back.
Tip: You can also use the Send to Back tool on the Layout Edit toolbar.

Printing layouts
If you have a large layout you can “tile print” the layout across multiple
smaller sheets of paper. To set up how you want the layout arranged on
the sheets of paper, see "Working with layouts".

You can print a complete layout or specific pages of a layout based on the
settings that you choose when printing.

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To print a layout
1 From the File menu, choose Print.
Result: The Print dialog box appears.

2 From the Name drop-down list, choose the printer (or plotter) that
you want to use. WYSIWYG records the name that you choose for
future reference and thereafter displays it as the default printer for
layouts.
3 To print all pages of a layout, select All.
4 To print select pages of a layout, click Pages, and then enter the
range in the from and to boxes.
5 If you want to print multiple copies of the pages, select the value
from the Number of copies list box.
6 Click OK.

Batch printing
You can print multiple shortcuts at once on the Reports, Layouts, or
Worksheets tabs in PRES mode, choosing to save them as PDF files in the
folder of your choice.
1 On the Reports, Layouts, or Worksheets tab, click File > Batch
Printing.
Result: The Batch Printing dialog box appears.
2 Select the shortcuts that you want to print. To print all, click the
checkbox on the row on top of the list to select all the check boxes
below.
 To print to PDF, select the Print to PDF checkbox, and then specify
the output folder.
 To auto-select the paper size for print, select the Use layout Paper
Size checkbox.
 The Landscape column indicates if the document prints in the
landscape orientation (Yes) or portrait orientation (No).

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 To add a prefix to the printed file name, select the Prefix checkbox
and type the prefix text in the Prefix box.
3 To change the output location for the printed file, enter the location
in the Output Folder box or click Browse to select the new location.
4 Click OK.

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Images

Introduction
Images such as renderings and logos are stored in the Images tab of
Presentation mode. Renderings are automatically saved here when you
select “internal” in the Output Properties/Step 2 of the Render Wizard. Any
other image files (bitmap or jpeg format) may be imported.

To import a bitmap or a jpeg

1 Right-click on the Images shortcut tab, and then choose New Image.
2 Type the name of your image.
3 Click OK.
4 Click on the shortcut for your new image. The text “No Image
Available” appears in the working area of the screen.
5 From the File menu, choose Import.
6 Use the browser to find the image file that you want to import.
7 Click Open.

To export a bitmap or a jpeg

1 Select the image that you want to export.
2 From the File menu, choose Export.
3 Use the browser to select a destination and a name for the image file
that you want to export. Ensure that either bitmap (.bmp) or jpeg
(.jpg) is selected in the Save As Type box.
4 Click Save.

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Worksheets

Introduction
The Worksheet tab contains a spreadsheet much like many other
spreadsheet programs. You can enter data and create mathematical
functions here, as well as import and export data to other spreadsheet
programs. This functionality is useful when you are creating
spreadsheets for crew requirements, schedules, budgets, or any other
show-specific data.

To import data
1 Select File > Import.
2 Select the file.
3 Click Open.

To export data
1 Select File > Export > Worksheet.
2 Enter the file name for your worksheet.
3 Click Save.

Note: For optimal compatibility with other WYG files, it is recommended

that you export to the WYSIWYG Spreadsheet format (*.wss).

To export a Worksheet template

For large shows, you may want to save the formatting of your worksheet
as follows:
1 Select File > Export > Worksheet Template.
2 Enter the file name for your worksheet.
3 Click Save.

To create a new Worksheet

1 Click the Worksheets shortcut tab.
2 Right-click in the worksheets shortcut area, and then choose New
Worksheet.
3 Type the name of your new worksheet.
4 Click OK.

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To insert Smart Cells

1 In your worksheet, select a cell.
2 From the menu, select Worksheet > Insert Smart Cell.

To insert pictures
1 In your worksheet, select a cell.
2 From the menu, select Worksheet > Insert Picture.
3 Select a photo in one of the supported formats (*.BMP, *.JPG, *.GIF,
*.TIFF, *.PNG, *.TGA).
4 Click OK.

To sort data
1 Select a cell block that needs to be sorted.
2 From the menu, select Worksheet > Sort > Ascending/Descending.

Adding/removing rows and columns

To add a row
1 Select the cell above which you want to add a row.
2 From the menu, select Worksheet > Add > Row.

To remove a row
1 Select a cell in the row that you want to remove.
2 From the menu, select Worksheet > Delete > Rows.

To add a column
1 Select a cell to the left of which you want to add a column.
2 From the menu, select Worksheet > Add > Column.

To remove a column
1 Select a cell in the column that you want to remove.
2 From the menu, select Worksheet > Delete > Column.

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Merging/Unmerging Cells

To merge cells
1 Select the block of cells that you would like to merge.
2 From the menu, select Worksheet > Merge Cells.

To unmerge cells
1 Select the block of cells that you would like to unmerge.
2 From the menu, select Worksheet > Unmerge Cells.

Zebra Striping

To enable Zebra Striping on your worksheet

1 From the menu, select Worksheet > Zebra Striping.

Note: Currently there is only one set of alternating colors that you can
choose.

Hiding Headers

To hide the headers (the labeling of rows and columns)

From the menu, select Worksheet > Hide Headers.

Freezing Panes
Freezing panes will lock a series of cells to the top of the working area no
matter how much you scroll.

To freeze panes
1 Select the row below the section you want to freeze.
2 From the menu, select Worksheet > Freeze Panes.

Note: You can unfreeze panes by clicking Worksheet > Unfreeze Panes.

Formatting Cells
Each cell has a configurable Type, Border, Alignment, Font, and
Background. To access these options, select a cell (or block of cells), and
then select Worksheet > Format Cells.

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Exporting Spreadsheets data to Worksheets

Information from DATA mode spreadsheets can be automatically
exported into a new PRES mode worksheet. This same data can then be
inserted on a Layout if needed.

To export data to worksheets

1 In DATA mode, open the Spreadsheet tab.
2 From the File menu, select Export to Worksheet.
Result: The Enter new Worksheet name window appears.

3 Enter the name for the new worksheet which the data will be
exported.
4 Click OK.
Result: The data will be exported to PRES mode into a new
worksheet.

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Pipe tapes

Introduction
WYSIWYG enables you to make “Pipe Tapes,” which are attached to a
pipe at the beginning of a hang. The pipe tape indicates to the
electricians where to hang the fixtures and displays pertinent information
about the fixtures, such as circuit number, dimmer number, gel color, and
so on, as specified by the user. This tool significantly increases the
accuracy between the WYSIWYG plot and the real installation.

For more information on the settings for the Pipe Tape printer, see
"Additional Interfaces tab".

Note: Printers that support Pipe Tape printing are:

 Epson TM-T88VI
 Epson TM-T88III (model M129C)
 Epson TM-T20II Direct Thermal Printer
 Epson models supported by the OPOS ADK driver

To print a pipe tape

1 Connect the pipe tape printer to your computer through the serial
port or USB or Ethernet port.
2 In CAD mode, select the pipe for which you want to generate a pipe
tape.

Attention: Due to the rounding of measurement values between pixels

to distances, the resulting discrepancy increases with distance. As of this
release, the distance is off by 1 feet for every 7 feet, or a discrepancy of
2.5 cm for every 2.0 m.

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3 From the Tools menu, choose Print Pipe Tape.

Result: The Print Pipe Tape Setup dialog box appears.

4 In the Fixture details group box, select the data fields that you want
printed on the pipe tape for each fixture.
5 To print show information such as venue, lighting designer, and show
name, select the Show Info checkbox. Show information is added via
the Production Team Info Wizard. See "Production Team Info Wizard" in
the following section for details.
6 To display a graphic in the header and/or footer, type a file name in
the Bitmap File box or use the file browser to locate the file. To display
correctly, the graphics selected must be monochrome bitmaps.
7 To print a total count of the fixtures on the selected pipe, select the
Fixture Count checkbox. The total count is broken down by fixture
type.
8 To print a total count of the circuits used by the fixtures, select the
Circuit Count checkbox.
9 To display text in the footer and/or header of the pipe tape, type a
text file name in the Text File box.
10 To print a total count of the number of lenses mounted in the
fixtures, select the Lens Count checkbox. The total count is broken
down by fixture type.
11 To print the weight of the fixtures on the pipe, select the Weight
checkbox.

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12 To display tick marks on the pipe tape, select the Show Tick Marks
checkbox. Tick marks are placed every foot or half meter, based on
the unit of measurement (imperial or metric). The tick marks are for
reference purposes only.
13 When you have finished making your selections, click Print to send
the print job to the pipe tape printer.
14 Click Save and Exit if you want to save the settings but do not want to
print the pipe tape at this time.

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Production Team Info Wizard

Introduction
The Production Team Info Wizard helps you gather and enter all of the
information associated with your production team in one easy to access
place.

To use the Production Team Info Wizard

1 In CAD mode, click File > Production Team Info Wizard.
Result: The Welcome window of the Wizard appears.

2 Type the name and date of your show in the boxes provided.
3 Use the checkboxes in the “Does your production meet any of these
requirements?” section to specify whether you want to see extra
information for entering team members:
 This production will tour: This option gives the user information on a
touring production’s needs, such as Crew Chief, Lighting Director,
and so on.

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 This production is filmed or broadcast: This option gives the user extra
fields for a typical film or television production crew.
 This production has more than 2 lighting suppliers: When your
production is sourcing equipment from more than two lighting
suppliers, this option gives you up to five contact field groups for
your extra suppliers’ information.
 I have information for Grips, Lighting Technicians, Production Electricians,
and Shooters: Check this box if you need to save contact
information on the above types of production personnel.
4 Click Next.
5 Complete all the required information on each window of the Wizard,
clicking Next to proceed to the next window.
6 When you reach the last screen, click Finish to save your information.
Result: You can access your information at any time through the
Wizard itself (File > Production Team Info Wizard) or by choosing
Options > Document Options > Production Team Info.

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Smart Cells

Introduction
Smart cells allow you to reference WYSIWYG variables in reports and
worksheets to ensure that the same type of information is displayed in
each report and worksheet. These variables are found in the report
headings and in various title blocks in PRES mode.

Additionally, you can replace these variables in your Layout text by

typing them directly. To do so, you must surround the variable with per
cent symbols (%) when altering the text item’s properties. For example,
to add the Chief Lighting Designer variable, you would type %Chief
Lighting Designer%.

All variables shown in the Production Team Information Wizard and Production
Team Info tab of the Options > Document Options window are available as
smart cells. For more information on changing these variables, see
"Production Team Info Wizard".

The following variables are accessible from a Smart Cell drop-down list
(or by typing them in Text items in Layouts):

Available In

Variable Definition Source Reports Worksheets Layouts

Production Any Any variable Y Y Y

Team Info Production as defined on
variables Team the Production
variable Team Info tab
in Document
Options. For
more
information on
this tab, refer
to "Production
Team Info
tab".
Data The data Information Y N N
that that is
comprises available in
the report Data mode

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Available In

Variable Definition Source Reports Worksheets Layouts

Show Date The date of The date of Y Y Y

the show the show
defined on the
Production Team
Info tab in
Document
Options.
For more
information on
this tab, refer
to "Production
Team Info
tab".
File The name The name you Y Y Y
of your chose when
WYSIWYG saving your
file document
using either
the Save or
Save As
command
from the File
menu.
Group The name The Group By Y N N
of the parameter
group chosen on the
Report tab in
View Options.
For more
information on
this option,
refer to
"Report tab".
Headings The The columns Y N N
column defined in the
headings Report tab in
that View Options.
comprise For more
the report information on
choosing
these
columns, refer
to "Report
tab".

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January 2019 Presentation mode

Available In

Variable Definition Source Reports Worksheets Layouts

Scene The scene The scene Y Y Y

chosen for defined on the
the report General tab in
View Options.
Show The name The show Y Y Y
Name of the defined on the
show Production Team
Info tab in
Document
Options.
For more
information on
this tab, refer
to "Production
Team Info
tab".
Title The title of The name of Y Y Y
the report the report as
defined on the
shortcut bar
(for example,
Instrument
Count).
User The name The user Y Y Y
of the name defined
current in the
user Document
Options,
Document
Summary tab,
Modified By
field.
Venue The name The venue Y Y Y
of the defined on the
Venue Production Team
Info tab in
Document
Options.
For more
information on
this tab, refer
to "Production
Team Info
tab".

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Show information
You can enter all of your show information at once using the Production
Team Information Wizard. For details, see "Production Team Info Wizard".
Alternately, you can enter your information manually using the edit fields
in the Production Team Info tab. These fields appear in the headings of all
reports and in the WYSIWYG default title block (for plots). They also
appear in Smart Cells, if you have chosen to use them.

After information has been entered about your show, you can search and
sort for the information entered using the search field in the Production
Team Info tab. Information can also be favored. Doing so will add a Star
icon next to the entry in the Fav column.

To input show info in the Production Team Info tab

1 From the Options menu, choose Document Options.
2 Click the Production Team Info tab.

3 Click the Filter drop-down list and choose which information to display
in the table:
 Show All displays all the rows.

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 Show Favorites Only displays only the rows marked in the Fav
column.
 Show Populated Rows Only displays all rows with user data.
 Organize by Production Team Info Wizard Pages displays the rows that
were set in the Production Team Info Wizard menu.
4 In the Value column, type all the pertinent information in the boxes
provided.
5 Click OK.
Result: All reports are updated.
Tip: Click the Reset to Default button to sort the list back to its default
order.

To search for show info in the Production Team Info tab

1 From the Options menu, choose Document Options.
2 Click the Production Team Info tab.

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3 At the top of each column there is a search field. Enter what you are
looking for in either the Name Search or Value Search field.
Result: The Production Team Info tab will show only information
matching your search criteria.

To mark show info as favored in the Production Team Info

tab
1 From the Options menu, choose Document Options.
2 Click the Production Team Info tab.
3 Locate the information you want to favorite. Click the field in the Fav
column next to the information.
Result: A Star will appear next to the information in the Fav column.
You can now sort Production Team Info by Favorite.
Note: Clicking a field with an existing star will unfavorite the
information.
4 Click OK.
Result: All reports are updated.

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882
 Chapter 13

Live mode

Live mode is used for graphically simulating the output of a lighting

control console or compatible offline editor. Live mode also has
rendering ability, enabling you to create photo-realistic pictures of
the simulated lighting looks. Unlike Design mode, Live mode
displays transitions from cue to cue, allowing you to see the
programmed movement of light over time. If you have configured a
patched video source, you can use Live mode to control the
progress of your video with the console device. And if you have
patched and mapped an image to a light-emitting surface, you can
control it with the Image Console.

Live mode is available only in WYSIWYG Perform.

In this chapter
Layout tabs 885
Connecting to consoles 886
Working with consoles 893
Image Console 899
AutoPatch 904
Visualization 906
Autofocus 908
Rendering 912
DMX Camera 913
Patching Camera Paths 916

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Layout tabs

Introduction
Beneath the work area in each mode is a series of Layout tabs. These
tabs provide various configurations of the views that you are working
with. To change layouts, click the appropriate tab.

Live mode contains the following Layout tabs:

 Wireframe: The work area displays a full-screen wireframe view.
 Quad: The work area is divided into quadrants, three of which can be
modified to show plan, front, or side views. The lower-right quadrant
contains a shaded view.
 Shaded: The work area displays a full-screen shaded view.

Notes:
 The wireframe views in Live mode are used for fixture selection only.
To make any drawing modifications, you must return to CAD mode.
 You can change the properties of the fixtures in LIVE mode by
double-clicking on the fixture, which opens its Properties window.

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Connecting to consoles

Introduction
To use Live mode, you need to insert and connect to a control console or
compatible offline editor. If you use a DMX console, you require a DMX
interface device to connect to WYSIWYG.

You must ensure that the patch you have created in WYSIWYG and the
patch in your console are exactly the same for simulation to work
properly.

Connecting to a console

To connect to a console
1 Connect the console to the computer with the appropriate hardware.
2 From the Managers menu, choose Device Manager.
Result: The Device Manager dialog box appears.

3 Click New.
Result: The console library is displayed.

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4 Navigate through the console library until you find the console or
device that you are connecting to. Click the console name to
highlight it.
Note: If you are connecting to a console with a Wyg-it or Wyg-it2,
you can select either the console or the Wyg-it device. The Address
box discussed below must contain the name of the Wyg-it.
5 Click Insert.
Result: The console appears in the Device Manager.
6 With the console name still selected, click Properties.
Result: The Properties dialog box appears.

7 From the Protocol drop-down list, select the protocol used by the
console. For example, DMX, SandNet.
Result: The console model is displayed in the Model box. The name
of the console is displayed in the Name box.
8 In the Address box, type the designated address of the console, if
applicable.

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9 A list of the output ports from the console appears in the Ports list.
You must assign these outputs to WYSIWYG patch universes. Click
the appropriate port to highlight it.
Notes:
 Motion control systems have a single port named “Motion.”
 If you are working with a motion control system, then you can
assign only to motion universes; if you are working with a DMX
console then you can assign only to DMX universes.
10 Select the desired Patch Universe, and then click OK.
11 Repeat the above steps to bind all ports to their appropriate patch
universes.
Note: You cannot control a channel count exceeding that of the
WYSIWYG Perform package that you purchased.
12 Click Close to close the Properties box.
13 Click Connect.
Result: The status of the console changes to “connected.”
14 Click OK to exit the Device Manager.
Notes:
 Once the console is running and connected to the WYSIWYG drawing,
operate the console as you would in the live venue. Run up channels
and record cues using the console. Remember that WYSIWYG does
not store or save cues—this is done in your console’s memory. Once
the console information is set up, you can set WYSIWYG to
automatically connect to the console every time the file is opened.
 You can also perform the above procedure through the Device Manager
Toolbar. For details, see "Device Manager toolbar".

To unassign the patch binding settings of multiple ports

1 From the Managers menu, choose Device Manager.
Result: The Device Manager dialog box appears.
2 Select the console.
3 Click Properties.
4 Select the ports for which you want to change the patch binding.
5 Click Unassign.
Result: All the selected ports will become unassigned.

To patch multiple ports simultaneously

Note: When assigning multiple ports to universes, the selected ports will
be assigned to universes in sequential order. The universe sequence is
based on availability, then alphabetical order.

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1 From the Managers menu, choose Device Manager.

Result: The Device Manager dialog box appears.
2 Select the console.
3 Click Properties.
4 Select the ports for which you want to patch.
5 Click Assign.
Result: The Quick Patch Assignment dialog box appears.

a. To have all universes available for patching, even ones that were
previously assigned, select the checkbox by Show Assigned
universes (Indicated by *). Otherwise, only unassigned universe will
be available to patch.
6 In the Quick Patch Assignment window, from the Available Universes drop-
down menu, select the universe that will be assigned to the first
selected port.
Result: A summary of the assignments will be displayed in the
window. The dialog box displays a summary if there is a conflict with
either a universe being unassigned or reassigned.

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7 Click OK.
Result: The ports will be patched to universes. The first port
selected will be assigned to the first universe selected. The next
sequential port will be patched to the next sequential universe. This
continues until all the selected ports are assigned, or there are no
more available universes to assign.
8 Click Close to close the Properties box.
9 Click Connect.
Result: The status of the console changes to “connected.”
10 Click OK to exit the Device Manager.

To connect the Image Console

The Image Console is produced by CAST Software and ships with

WYSIWYG. It acts like a lighting console, media, or video server, enabling
you to control color, intensity, and the image display of all patched LED
surfaces that you have created with the LED Wizard.
1 From the Managers menu, choose Device Manager.
Result: The Device Manager dialog box appears.

2 Click New.
Result: The console library is displayed.
3 Double-click Consoles > Manufacturer > CAST Software, and then
highlight Image Console.
4 Click Insert.
Result: The console appears in the Device Manager.

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January 2019 Live mode

5 With the console name still selected, click Properties.

Result: The Properties dialog box appears.

6 Leave the defaults for Protocol, Model, and Name.

7 In the Address box, type the designated address of the console. Note
that this address must match the Device Address that you type in the
Image Console window. For details on configuring the Image Console,
see "To configure the Image Console".
8 A list of the output ports from the console appears in the Ports list.
You must assign these outputs to WYSIWYG patch universes.
Double-click the appropriate port to open the Quick Patch Assignment
window.
9 In the Quick Patch Assignment window, select the appropriate patch
universe, and then click OK.
10 Repeat the above steps to bind all required ports for your LED grid to
their appropriate patch universes.
Note: You cannot control a channel count exceeding that of the
WYSIWYG Perform package that you purchased.
11 Click Close to close the Properties box.

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12 Click Connect.
Result: The status of the console changes to “connected.”
13 Click OK to exit the Device Manager. You can now control the patched
LED grid with the connected Image Console. For details, see "To
control a patched grid of LEDs with the Image Console".

Device Manager toolbar

The Device Manager Toolbar simplifies your regular device connect/

disconnect operations. You can use the drop-down list on this toolbar to
select a device (Consoles, Devices, Networks), and then click the connect
icon or the disconnect icon.

The “All Devices” option in the drop-down list enables you to easily
connect/disconnect all devices with one click without opening the Device
Manager.

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Working with consoles

Introduction
This section contains instructions for editing the console settings, as well
as using consoles to control various types of elements, such as video and
motion axes.

Note: For information about the mapping of images onto patched light-
emitting surfaces, see "Image Console".

To set the console to connect on load

1 From the Managers menu, choose Device Manager.
Result: The Device Manager dialog box appears.
2 Select the console.
3 Select the Connect on load checkbox.
4 Click OK to close the Device Manager.

To remove a console from the Device Manager

1 From the Managers menu, choose Device Manager.
Result: The Device Manager dialog box appears.
2 Select the console that you want to remove.
3 Click Delete.
Result: The console is removed and all patch binding information is
lost.

Controlling a DMX patched video source with a console

Note: If the video control is patched and DMX connected in Live Mode,
then you will not be able to control the video using any of the Video
Designer tool commands in Design mode. Video sources can only be
controlled by a Designer tool when the DMX source is disconnected;
therefore, you must first disconnect the applicable console device from
Live Mode before using any of the Video Designer tool commands.

After you have patched the control of a video source in Data mode, you
can use the applicable console device to control the progress of the video
in Live mode.

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In WYSIWYG, you patch the control of a video source, not the actual
video. This means that you can use the console device to control the
progress of a live video stream or a video file by making the video play,
pause, or rewind; you cannot use WYSIWYG to change different aspects
of the video itself.

To control the video source, the DMX patch is allocated three channels
with the following controls:
 First channel (Intensity): The video is off if the value is set
between 1—128 (below 50%), it is on if the value is between 128—
255 (above 50%).
 Second channel (Control): The video is controlled by the position
that you set on the third channel if the value is set between 1—84
(between 1% and 33%), it is paused if the value is set between 85—
169 (between 33% and 66%), and it plays if the value is set between
170—255 (between 66% and 100%).
 Third channel (Position): If you have set a value within the
bottom third level of the second channel (between 1% and 33%),
then you can use the third channel like a slider, advancing the video
either backward or forward to the exact position that you want to
see. If the value on the second channel is set to any level above 84
(between 33% and 100%), then the third channel is disabled.

To control a DMX patched video source with a console

1 Ensure that the console device is connected to the patched video
source. For details on connecting a console, see "To connect to a
console".
 To play the video from start to finish, perform the following steps:
a. Set the first channel to a value between 128—255 (above 50%).
b. Set the second channel to a value between 255—170 (between
100% and 66%).
 To pause the video, perform the following steps:
a. Set the first channel to a value between 128—255 (above 50%).
b. Set the second channel to a value between 255—170 (between
100% and 66%) and play the video to the spot where you want
to pause it. Then move the second channel to a value between
169—85 (between 66% and 33%) to pause the video at this spot.
 To control the progress of the video manually, perform the
following steps:
a. Set the first channel to a value between 128—255 (above 50%).
b. Set the second channel to a value between 84—1 (between 33%
and 1%).
c. Slide the third channel up and down to control the progress of the
video, forward and backward.

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Controlling a DMX patched motion axis with a console

After you have patched a motion axis in Data mode, you can use the
applicable console device in Live mode to control the movement of any
objects that are attached to the axis.

To control the object, the DMX patch is allocated two channels with the
following controls:
 First channel (Move): The first channel is for coarse movement
and can be used to advance the object quickly to any position along
the entire path, from start to finish.
 Second channel (Move Fine): The second channel is used for
further refining the object’s position that you set with the first
channel. Adjust the slider on the second channel to move the object
very slightly either forward or back from its current position. The
movement achieved with this channel is so fine, that it is best viewed
on linear axes that are quite long. Note that for rotation axes, the
movement is so slight, that you may not be able to see it.

To control a DMX patched motion axis with a console

1 Ensure that the console device is connected to the patched motion
axis. For details on connecting a console, see "To connect to a
console".
2 To move the object quickly along the motion axis, adjust the slider
on the first channel, stopping at the position where you want to leave
the object.
3 To move the object in fine increments either forward or back from its
current position, adjust the slider on the second channel.
Tip: To view fine movement, the object must be attached to a very
long linear axis, or be set to rotate in a very wide arc. It is also a
good idea to zoom in quite close to the object before moving it.

Controlling a motion-control patched motion axis with a

motion control system
After you have patched a motion axis in Data mode, you can use the
applicable motion control system in Live mode to control the movement
of any objects that are attached to the axis.

Based on the type of system that you are using, you can control the
object in different ways. The following procedure outlines how to control
the object(s) with WYSIWYG’s Motion Control Console.

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To control a motion-control patched motion axis with a

motion control system
1 Launch the Motion Control Console.

2 Ensure that the Motion Control Console (or the motion control system if
you are using one) is connected to the patched motion axis. You
connect the Motion Control Console (and motion control systems) in
much the same way as you connect consoles. For details, see "To
connect to a console".
3 To change the settings of a patched motion axis, highlight the axis in
the left pane, and then choose from the following settings:
 ID box: To change the ID of the motion axis, type the new motion
control ID.
 Travel box: Type the distance (in meters for linear axes, in
degrees for rotational axes) that you want the object to travel
along or around the axis. This can be the full length/angle of the
axis, or only a portion of it if you do not want the object to travel
along/around the full path. For linear axes, if you type a value
that is longer than the actual axis, the object stops at the end of
the physical axis.
 Type: If you change the axis type so that it does not match the
axis that you have drawn (for example, if the actual axis is linear,
but you choose rotational here), the cell in patch view turns to
red.
 In the Mode area, select the type of movement for the object:
 Manual: Select this option if you want to specify the precise
location of a static object on the motion axis. You can then
use the position slider at the bottom of the window to adjust
the position and control the movement of the object manually.
 Bounce: Select this option if you want the object to move
forward and backward in a continuous loop along the motion
axis.

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 Forward: Select this option if you want the object to move

forward along the axis from start to finish, and then start over
again at the beginning in a continuous forward loop.
 Backward: Select this option if you want the object to move
backwards along the axis from finish to start, and then begin
over again in a continuous backwards loop.
 Duration (sec) box: If you have chosen any moving Mode value
(that is, any value except Static), you can specify the length of
time (in seconds) over which you want the full range of motion to
take place. The larger the number you type in this box, the slower
the object moves.
 Position slider: For all moving modes (bounce, forward,
backward), the slider indicates the position of the object when
the console is sending data to WYSIWYG. For the static mode,
while the console is started, drag the slider to adjust the position
of the object on its axis. The position value changes in the box in
the left pane.
 Position box: While the console is sending data to WYSIWYG, for
all moving modes, this box shows the progress of the object’s
movement along its axis; for the axes in the static mode, you can
type the precise location of the object on the axis.
4 Click Update Axis to view your new settings.
5 Click Save to save the changes.

Note: If you make any changes to the axis settings and save the
changes, you can revert to the previous settings by clicking Load.

Connecting with a Wyg-it 2

WYG-it 2 is CAST Software’s DMX interface device. You require a DMX
interface to connect a DMX console to WYSIWYG. Each WYG-it 2 has 2
DMX inputs that enable you to visualize up to 1024 channels of DMX. The
WYG-it 2 also has 2 DMX through ports that allow you to connect the
console both to WYSIWYG and to the physical lighting equipment at the
same time. WYG-it 2 is equipped with the necessary outputs to send
Autofocus commands.

You can connect the WYG-it 2 to your computer by inserting the WYG-it 2
USB cable into an available USB port. Once connected to your computer,
the WYG-it 2 does not need an external power supply.

Note: When WYG-it 2 is installed, the WYG-it DMX Interface

configuration panel is accessible in the Control Panel of your computer.
The WYG-it 2 name recorded in this configuration panel is the value that
you must type in the Address box of the Device Manager Properties
window.

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Mini Console
WYSIWYG contains an application that simulates a small console, called
the Mini Console. You can use this application in lieu of a real console. To
use the Mini Console, run the Mini Console application, found in the
WYSIWYG section of the Windows Start menu. Connect as if you are
using an external console.

The Mini Console gives you control of a single DMX universe but does not
record or playback cues.

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Image Console

Introduction
The Image Console is a control device much like the existing Mini
Console, only specifically for controlling LED elements.

It acts like a lighting console, media, or video server, enabling you to

control color, intensity, and the image display of all patched LED surfaces
that you have created with the LED Wizard.

This console enables you to control and test color, intensity, and image
mapping independently or simultaneously in Live mode.

Note: It is recommended that you configure the Image Console first and
then use the LED Wizard to create the LED grid that will display the
image.

If you are going to choose multi-patch for color, single patch for intensity
and you are going to use the Image Console to display an image on the
LED grid, then it is recommended that you note the last patch address
for intensity that is displayed in the configured Image Console and type
this same address for the Dynamic Intensity Control Patch in the LED
Wizard.

In the following example of a configured Image Console, the last address

for intensity is 193, so this is the value you would type in the LED Wizard
for the Dynamic Intensity Control Patch. For details on using the LED
Wizard, see "LED Wizard".

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To configure the Image Console

Note: After you configure the Image Console, you configure and patch a
grid of light-emitting surfaces using the LED Wizard. For details, see "To
use the LED Wizard".

For optimum image viewing, the patch settings that you have defined for
both intensity and color in the Image Console must match those that you
define for the LED grid. For example, if you choose multi patch for both
intensity and color in the Image Console, then you must also choose
multi patch for both properties in the LED Wizard.
1 From the Start menu, choose WYSIWYG > Image Console.
Result: The Image Console appears.

2 Click Show multi-patch numbering if you have enabled multi-patch and

want to see a graphical representation of the numbering of the
surfaces in the grid, either along columns/rows or in a serpentine
pattern.
Note: The graphic appears only after you have chosen an image and
clicked Apply.
3 Complete the following fields on the Dimensions tab:
 Height: Type the number of rows that you are going to configure
in the LED grid.
 Width: Type the number of columns that you are going to
configure in the LED grid.
4 Click the Intensity tab and complete the following fields:
 Enable Dynamic Intensity: Select this checkbox to control the
intensity of the light emitting surface in Live Mode when
connected to a console. Then choose the patch properties below.
 Intensity slider: Use the slider to select the maximum intensity
value of the light-emitting surface when connected to a console
and viewed in Live mode, with 255 representing the brightest

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January 2019 Live mode

possible intensity. This value enables you to control the scale of

the intensity over a series of light-emitting surfaces. (When you
disconnect from the console, the intensity is fixed at the static
value.) Note that the DMX intensity value is treated as a
percentage of the dynamic intensity value. For example, a DMX
value of 127 results in 50% of the maximum intensity value that
you set.
 Single Patch: Select this value to apply a single address that
controls the intensity of the surface as a whole, and then choose
whether you want to use the Default Single-Patch Address or
specify the port and channel of the single patch address.
 Multi Patch: Select this value if you want to use different addresses
for each individual element in the grid. With multiple addresses,
you can make different parts of the grid have varying intensity
levels.
5 Click the Color tab and complete the following fields:
 Enable Dynamic Color: Select this checkbox to control the color of
the light-emitting surface in Live Mode when connected to a
console. Then choose the patch properties below.
 Single Patch: Select this value to apply a single address that
controls the grid as a whole, and then choose the color
properties. For example, if you choose red from the drop-down
color-picker, every surface in the entire grid will be red. You could
use this setting to create a string of holiday lights with the same
color, and then control the intensity of the lights as one string to
turn them all on or off simultaneously. Then choose the default
single patch address or specify an address.
 Multi-Patch: Select this value if you have chosen different
addresses for each individual element in the grid. When you
choose multi patch, you can apply a graphic to the grid, with the
colors in the graphic mapped to each of the grid’s surfaces.
 Image: Click the ellipsis button (...) to browse for the image
that you want to map to the LED grid in your plot. You can
choose from multiple graphic formats such as .gif, .jpg., or
.bmp. For optimum results, the image size should be
proportional to the grid size. For example, if your grid is 20
columns wide by 20 rows high, then your image should be
perfectly square. If your grid is 30 columns wide by 20 rows
high, then your image size should be in the ratio of 3 X 2 (for
example 600 X 400 pixels).
 Mode: Choose how the image is mapped to the surfaces in the
grid. The 1:1 option is ideal for images that have the exact
same dimensions as the grid on a pixel per row/column
mapping (for example, if your grid is 20 x 20, then the image
should also be 20 x 20 pixels). Choose Stretch to have the
image stretched over the surfaces of the grid. Note that based
on the image size, there might be distortion. Choose Stretch

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Preserving Aspect Ratio to stretch the image over the grid and
keep its original aspect ratio. Note that this option is only
suitable when the grid shape and image shape are the same.
For example, if the image is rectangular, but the grid is
square, some of the surfaces in the grid will remain blank
because the image will not stretch to cover them.
6 Click the Multi-Patch Numbering tab and complete the following fields:
 Start From: For multi-patch, choose where you want to start the
numbering of the surfaces in your grid.
 Number Along: Select the direction of the numbering, either along
the rows or columns of the grid.
 Alternate direction for each row/column: Select this checkbox to have
the numbering progress in a serpentine pattern throughout the
grid.
Note: Click Apply to see a preview of your numbering choice.
7 Click the Advanced tab and complete the following fields:
 Device Address: Type the address of the Image Console. This name
must match the Image Console address configured in the
Properties window of the Device Manager. For details on using the
Device Manager to connect the Image Console, see "To connect
the Image Console".
 DMX Channels per Port: Type the number of DMX channels required
per port. Leave the default value of 512 for DMX universes. If you
are using a universe with a greater number of ports (for example,
EDMX), type the number of channels in this box. If you are using
a protocol that supports more than 512 channels per port, type
the value here.
8 Click Apply.
Result: A preview of the grid appears in the left pane. To change the
look of the grid, adjust any of the values, and then click Apply again.
9 To save your settings so you can open the Image Console and use
the same properties at any time, click the Save icon, and then type a
name for the console.

What’s next?
If you are going to choose multi-patch for color, single patch for intensity
and you are going to use the Image Console to display an image on the
LED grid, then it is recommended that you note the last patch address
for intensity that is displayed in the configured Image Console and type
this same address for the dynamic Intensity Control Patch in the LED
Wizard.

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January 2019 Live mode

In the following example of a configured Image Console, the last address

for intensity is 180, so this is the value you would type in the LED Wizard
for the Dynamic Intensity Control Patch. For details on using the LED
Wizard, see "LED Wizard".

To control a patched grid of LEDs with the Image Console

There are three prerequisites to this procedure:

 First you must configure the Image Console.
 Second you must create and patch an LED grid. For details, see "To
use the LED Wizard".
 Lastly you must connect the Image Console. For details, see "To
connect the Image Console".
1 Click Live mode > Shaded tab and adjust the view so you can clearly
see the grid that you have created.
2 From the Start menu, choose WYSIWYG > Image Console.
3 To open a configured and saved console, click File > Open, and then
navigate to the .lxi file containing your saved console properties. If
you have not yet configured your Image Console with the image you
would like to display, perform the steps in the procedure "To
configure the Image Console".
4 When you are satisfied with your settings, click Apply. Note the
appearance of the LED grid in the Shaded tab. Adjust the properties
of the Image Console as desired, and then click Apply again.

Reference Guide 903

Live mode R42

AutoPatch

Introduction
AutoPatch is a protocol by which WYSIWYG can transfer the patch
hookup to a compatible console. AutoPatch is only available in WYSIWYG
Perform.

You must be connected to a compatible console for this feature to be

enabled. All ports for which you want the patch information to be
transferred must be properly bound. Only the hookup information in
patch universes bound to the console’s outputs will transfer.

The patch information is transferred over Ethernet.

To perform an AutoPatch
1 Connect to the console as described in "To connect to a console".
2 From the Live menu, choose AutoPatch.
Result: The AutoPatch dialog box appears.

3 Click Send Patch.

Result: WYSIWYG assembles the patch information for all the
fixtures in the plot and then attempts to send the relevant patch
information to each connected AutoPatch-capable device.
Notes:
 A fixture’s patch information is transmitted to a console only if
the following conditions are met:
 The fixture has at least one part that is patched to a patch
universe.
 The patch universe is bound to the console.
 The console is connected to WYSIWYG through the Device
Manager.
 Some fixtures might have parts patched to two (or more)
different consoles. In this situation, both consoles will receive the
patch information for that fixture, but the port numbers given for
each part will be set appropriately for each console.

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January 2019 Live mode

 It is recommended that you click Clear Patch prior to sending the

patch to clear out the existing patch.
4 Click Close.

To clear the patch

1 Connect to the console as described in "To connect to a console".
2 From the Live menu, choose AutoPatch.
Result: The AutoPatch dialog box appears.
3 Click Clear Patch.
Result: WYSIWYG prompts each AutoPatch-capable device to clear
the patch for each port that is bound to a WYSIWYG patch universe.
4 Click Close.

Reference Guide 905

Live mode R42

Visualization

Introduction
There is a limitation on the number of DMX channels that can be
simulated in Live mode. 102,400 channels (200 universes) of simulation
are available in WYSIWYG.

In Live mode, WYSIWYG will not simulate the DMX values being received
on channels that exceed the channel count of your system. The unused
channels display on the Status bar tracks the remaining channels for
simulation.

Note: Fixtures on layers that are not visible or not included in the
current scene are not counted.

For more information on the Status bar, refer to "Status bar".

Simulation options
The Simulation options affect how fixtures respond in Live mode and how
the beams are displayed in shaded views. Turning options off will yield
faster simulation performance while compromising aesthetics. For
optimal results, increase the processing power of your computer.

To change the simulation options

1 From the Options menu, choose Document Options.
Result: The Document Options window appears.

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January 2019 Live mode

2 Click the Fixture Settings tab.

3 Make your selections, and then click OK to exit.

Reference Guide 907

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Autofocus

Introduction
Autofocus is the protocol that WYSIWYG uses to “talk back” to a
compatible console. Using the mouse in a Wireframe view or using the
concept shortcuts and design tools at any time, you can direct the
console to select fixtures, set focus, and control intensity, iris, and color.
Autofocus is connected through MIDI, Serial, or Ethernet.

The following consoles are compatible with the Autofocus protocol:

 Flying Pig Systems WholeHog II
 High End Systems WholeHog III
 Barco/High End Systems WholeHog IV
 Compulite Vector
 ETC Congo, Pronto, Prisma NT, Focus NT
 MA Lighting grandMA 1 and 2
 LeHigh Rendition and Millenium
 Rosco Horizon software
 Chamsys MagicQ
 LightFactory software
 SGM Regia (all)

Assigning Spot Numbers to fixtures

In addition to assigning DMX addresses to fixtures, you must assign

specific Spot Numbers to them in Data mode. The Spot Number that is
assigned to the fixture in WYSIWYG must match the Fixture ID/Spot
Number assigned to the fixture in the console.

Note: Unless you assign a Spot Number, you cannot control the fixture
using AutoFocus.

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January 2019 Live mode

To bind Autofocus to the console

1 Follow steps 1 through 14 of "To connect to a console".
2 Click Bind Autofocus.
Note: The Bind Autofocus button is only available when a compatible
console is selected in the Device Manager.
Result: The autofocus icon appears beside the name of the console
in the Device Manager.

The autofocus icon.

3 Click Connect.
4 Click OK to close the Device Manager.

Autofocus tools and menu commands

To select fixtures

The procedure for selecting fixtures in Live mode is the same as selecting
fixtures in Design mode using the design tools and Concepts shortcuts.
For more information, refer to "Using the design tools".

To use the Autofocus tools

The procedure for using the autofocus tools is the same as using the
design tools. For more information, refer to "Using the design tools".

Reference Guide 909

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To use the Autofocus menu commands

Right-click on a selected fixture or fixtures to open a menu with the
following Autofocus commands:
 At Level and Focus: Sets the intensity of the selected lights on the
connected Autofocus-compatible console to the level last
specified by the Intensity command, and then launches the Focus
command.
 Focus: When you click in a Wireframe view, the selected
automated fixtures will focus (if they can) to that point. Click and
drag to position them in real-time. Change the missing focus
coordinate to alter the height at which you want to focus the
fixtures.
 Intensity: Reveals a sub-menu where you can specify the level to
set the intensity for the selected fixtures. The first option in the
list is the last level you specified and by default is set to Full. You
can also set the level to half and out.
 Iris: Sets the iris to either tight or wide. There is also a Specify
option where you can set the iris to any percentage. The Specify
value is retained for the session.
 Color: Fixtures that can mix color can be directed to either a
palette color or an approximation of a manufacturer’s gel color.
You can specify and save palette colors using the custom color
creator or Palette shortcuts.
Tips:
 You can repeat Autofocus commands by touching the Space bar.
This way, you can select one fixture, adjust it, select another, and
then press the Space bar to perform the same operation
repeatedly.
 Alter the missing focus coordinate to focus fixtures at different
heights.
 When focusing fixtures, you can click and drag in the wireframe
view. If you are using WYSIWYG in the theatre, launch this
command, and then look to the stage to position your lights.
 Working in an Isometric view, you can use the snap tools to focus
fixtures to points on your set pieces.
 If you set the intensity to a specific value, the right-click menu
option At Full and Focus changes to At ##% and Focus where ##
is the specific value that you set.
 Select multiple fixtures by dragging a window around them. If
you drag the window from right to left across projected beams,
you can select the fixtures that produced the beams.
 To select fixtures by type, draw a box using the right mouse
button. You will be prompted to isolate one or more types of
fixtures.

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January 2019 Live mode

 Use the Concept shortcuts to create and select groups of fixtures.

 Use the Palette shortcuts to save and send color commands.

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Rendering

Introduction
At any time in Live mode you can generate a rendering of a lighting cue
or static look. The Render Wizard calculates the rendering based on the
DMX values being received at the moment when you click Finish.

To render a lighting look

1 In the working area of the screen, display the lighting look that you
want to render.
2 From the Design menu, choose Render.
Tip: You can also click the Render Wizard tool on the Design toolbar.
Result: The Render Wizard opens and guides you through a series of
options. Click Next and Back to navigate through the Render Wizard.
3 Click Finish.
Result: WYSIWYG generates the rendering of your lighting look or
cue. If the rendering is saved internally, it is available as an image in
Presentation mode.

Note: For more information, see "Rendering".

912
January 2019 Live mode

DMX Camera

Introduction
With the DMX Camera utility, the camera's orientation (position and
target), zooming, and roll features can all be manipulated and recorded
to create a realistic rendering of a professional, fully edited film clip.

It is important to distinguish between DMX Camera and cameras drawn

in the CAD mode of WYSIWYG. Drawn cameras provide a single
viewpoint; the camera can be moved, but only by one parameter at a
time and there is no possibility to track or record camera movements.
DMX Camera is not drawn in your plot and is completely maneuverable;
each attribute is patched to a DMX channel and controlled through the
console of your choice. Changes can be recorded on a separate cue list, if
the console allows it; alternatively, camera changes can be recorded
directly into previously created cues. The result is a recorded camera
track that runs simultaneously with your show.

To use DMX Camera

1 From the Live drop-down menu, select DMX Camera Patch.
2 In the Enter DMX Camera Patch window, enter a new patch (for
example, type Camera.1, where the "1" indicates the first channel
number that the camera attributes will patch into).

3 In the Device Manager, bind the appropriate output of your selected

console with the camera's patch universe, and then connect to the
console.
4 In Live mode, click the Shaded tab.
Result: The position and focus point coordinates and roll and zoom
angles of the camera display on the Status bar.
5 From the Options menu, choose View Options.
6 Select the Options tab.
7 From the Camera drop-down menu, select DMX control.

Reference Guide 913

Live mode R42

8 Click OK.
Result: You should now have direct control over the DMX camera. It
may be helpful to record the camera patch as a pop-up frame in data
to view the attributes that you are modifying.

To provide a fairly neutral starting point, it is recommended that the

majority of the sixteen DMX Camera channels initially be set at a level of
50 per cent. The exceptions are "camera Y coarse", which should be set
at 40 per cent, and "target Y coarse", which should be set at 60 per cent.
Adjusting these two attributes will ensure that the camera and the target
are not occupying the same point in three-dimensional space.
"Personalities" may be created to reflect this.

The camera's initial position will be dictated by the document origin (not
to be confused with the user origin, which can be altered at any time).

The 16 camera parameters are as follows:

1. camera X coarse
2. camera X fine
3. camera Y coarse
4. camera Y fine
5. camera Z coarse
6. camera Z fine
7. target X coarse
8. target X fine
9. target Y coarse
10. target Y fine
11. target Z coarse
12. target Z fine
13. roll coarse
14. roll fine
15. zoom coarse
16. zoom fine

Notes:
 The "coarse" parameter is defined as 100 metres/256 steps, or 0.39
metres per step.
 The "fine" parameter is defined as 100 metres/65536 steps, or
0.0015 metres per step.

914
January 2019 Live mode

 The zoom function of the DMX camera has a range of 5° to 100°.

 The "coarse" zoom parameter is defined as 95°/ 256 steps, or 0.37°
per step.
 The "fine" zoom parameter is defined as 95°/ 65536 steps, or
0.00145° per step.

Reference Guide 915

Live mode R42

Patching Camera Paths

Introduction
Once you draw a Camera Path in CAD mode, you can patch it to a DMX
universe to control the camera’s movement along the path in Live mode.

For details on Camera Paths, see "Camera Paths".

The Camera Path requires seven DMX channels, as shown in the DMX
map below:
 Channel 1:Stop/Pause/Play… Stop: 0; Pause: 1-127; Play: 128-255.
 Channel 2:Looping… Enable: 0-127; Disable: 128-255.
 Channel 3:Direction… Forward: 0-127; Reverse: 128-255.
 Channel 4:Speed… x1: 0-127; x1/4: 128-159; x1/2: 160-191; x2:
192-223; x4: 224-255.
 Channel 5:Position (Scrubbing): controls the playback start position
along the camera path. This is similar to dragging the marker in the
timeline but relative to camera path's total spatial length; please
note that it is not possible to ‘scrub via DMX’ when a Flying Camera is
playing, only when it is paused (i.e., Channel 1 is receiving a DMX
value of 1 through 127).
 Channel 6:Reserved.
 Channel 7:Reserved.

To patch a camera path

1 Select the Camera Path.
2 Right-click and select Properties (or press ALT+<enter>).
3 Click the Camera Path tab.
4 In the Patch area at the bottom, click the DMX Patch radio button.
5 Select an existing Universe and then enter a channel number or click
the ellipsis button to create a new Universe.
6 Click OK.

916
January 2019 Live mode

Tips for controlling camera path playback via DMX

After binding the universe to which the camera path was patched to the
connected console’s output, set Channel 1’s level to 128 or above to
begin playback.

Pause playback by setting this channel’s level to anywhere between 1

and 127. While paused, increase the level of Channel 5 to begin
scrubbing along the Timeline.

Note: The flying camera will only move when scrubbed once the Position
channel’s level becomes higher than the position along the Camera Path
where playback was paused. This means that if playback was paused
around the (physical) middle of the camera path, Channel 5’s level will
have to reach above 127 (or so) before the Shaded View starts to
update. Once the correct level is reached though, decreasing this
channel’s level will scrub the flying camera back towards the start point
of its camera path.

Much like when scrubbing along the timeline by clicking and dragging the
marker with the mouse, Direction is ignored. In other words, regardless
of whether Channel 3 tells the flying camera to move forward or
backward, increasing Channel 5’s level will always move the flying
camera towards the physical “end” point of its camera path, while
decreasing this channel’s level will always move the flying camera
towards the physical “start” point of its camera path.

Using cues on a console, it is very easy to begin playback of a flying

camera from a position other than the camera path’s “start” point:
 Play; record Cue 1.
 Pause; record Cue 2 with a zero-count and make it auto-follow Cue
1.
 Scrub to the position where playback is to start; record Cue 3 with a
zero-count and make it auto-follow Cue 2.
 Play; record Cue 4 with a zero-count and make it auto-follow Cue 3.

Using multiple cameras

When multiple Camera Paths are patched, starting playback for a camera
path that’s currently paused/stopped will “switch” to that flying camera
immediately. To “switch back” to the flying camera that was playing
initially, simply ‘nudge’ its Playback channel (i.e., set its level to
something else within the “Play” range). This helps achieve ‘cutting’
between different camera shots.

Reference Guide 917

Live mode R42

To use multiple cameras

Using cues on a console, it is easy to Pause one camera, Play another,

scrub the initial camera to a different position and then start its playback
from that position:
1 Play the first camera; record Cue 1.
2 Play the second camera and Pause the first camera; record Cue 2.
(Timing for Cue 2 depends on how far the first camera needs to
move before cutting to the second.)
3 Scrub the first camera to a new position and ‘nudge’ the Playback
channel for the second camera so it continues to play; record Cue 3
with a zero-count and make it auto-follow Cue 2.
4 Play the first camera; record Cue 4. (Timing for Cue 4 depends on
where the second camera needs to get before cutting back to the
first.)

918
 Chapter 14

Virtual Reality mode

The Shaded view in WYSIWYG features an integrated platform for

virtual reality experience.

In this chapter
Using virtual reality 921

Reference Guide 919

Virtual Reality mode R42

920
January 2019 Virtual Reality mode

Using virtual reality

Introduction
In WYSIWYG’s Shaded view, you can immerse in the virtual reality
feature to view and experience your show design in virtual reality mode.

Before you begin

The Virtual Reality feature in WYSIWYG is available to anyone who has
the VIVE VR or OCULUS RIFT hardware system installed, connected
and fully operational with the SteamVR application.

Follow these instructions before you begin:

1 Ensure that your computer meets the minimum VIVE VR or Oculus
Rift specifications.
2 Ensure that the VIVE VR or Oculus Rift system components are
installed, connected, and working correctly.
3 Ensure that you have SteamVR installed and when you start it, all of
the VR hardware is detected (headset, Controllers and Base
Stations).
4 Ensure that you have installed WYSIWYG Release R42.

Using virtual reality in WYSIWYG

To start and end the VR feature in WYSIWYG

1 In WYSIWYG, switch to a Shaded view tab in CAD, DESIGN, or LIVE
mode.
2 To start VR Mode, right-click on the Shaded view and choose the Start
VR Mode menu. The Start VR Mode will appear on the menu list if
SteamVR has detected all VR hardware, and your system meets the
system requirements.
Tip: You can also press the F10 key to start VR Mode.
Note: While VR mode is enabled, WYSIWYG’s Shaded view will
display on the screen what the headset is showing in the VR headset.
3 To exit VR Mode, right-click on the Shaded view and choose the Stop
VR Mode menu.
Tip: You can also press the F10 or ESC keys to exit VR Mode.

Reference Guide 921

Virtual Reality mode R42

To use the camera controls on VIVE VR Controllers

The camera controllers are used to interact with objects in the Shaded
view, and access system controls.
 Menu Button: Use to toggle the control labels. This is helpful when
familiarizing with the controls.
 Trackpad on the Right Controller: Use the Trackpad for moving around.
 Move Forward: Press to move forward.

 Move Backward: Press to move backward.

 Move Left: Press to move towards the left side.

 Move Right: Press to move towards the right side.

 Grip Button on the Right Controller: Press to move upwards.

 Grip Button on the Left Controller: Press to move downwards.
 Trackpad on the Left Controller:
 Rotate Left: Use to pivot around your current position towards the

left side.
 Rotate Right: Use to pivot around your current position towards the
right side.
 Teleport More: Press to increase the distance of the dashed teleport
arc, and then press the Trigger button to apply. The teleport arc
shows you where you would be teleported to in the space.
 Teleport Less: Press to decrease the distance of the dashed teleport
arc, and then press the Trigger button to apply. The teleport arc
shows you where you would be teleported to in the space.

On the VIVE VR, when the button labels are displayed, the Controllers’
will display the following information in the virtual space.

922
January 2019 Virtual Reality mode

To use camera controls on OCULUS RIFT Controllers

The camera controls are used to interact with objects in the Shaded view,
and access system controls.
 Menu Button: Click to toggle the control labels. This is helpful when
familiarizing with the controls.
 Joystick on the Right Controller: Use the Joystick for moving around.
 Move Forward: Push forward to move forward.

 Move Backward: Push backwards to move backward.

 Move Left: Push left to move towards the left side.

 Move Right: Push right to move towards the right side.

 Grip Button on the Right Controller: Press to move downwards.

 Grip Button on the Left Controller: Press to move upwards.
 Joystick on the Left Controller:
 Rotate Left: Push left to pivot around your current position towards

the left side.

 Rotate Right: Push right to pivot around your current position

towards the right side.

 Teleport More: Push forward to increase the distance of the dashed

teleport arc, and then press the Trigger button to apply. The
teleport arc shows you where you would be teleported to in the
space.
 Teleport Less: Push backward to decrease the distance of the

dashed teleport arc, and then press the Trigger button to apply. The
teleport arc shows you where you would be teleported to in the
space.

Reference Guide 923

Virtual Reality mode R42

On the OCULUS RIFT, when the button labels are displayed, the
Controllers’ will display the following information in the virtual space.

VR GUI and Menus

The VR GUI and its menus offer the ability to select predefined shortcuts
(e.g. Looks, Cameras, Camera Paths, Scenes), or Properties (e.g.
Shaded View Properties) while viewing your show in VR.

924
January 2019 Virtual Reality mode

To use the VR menus

1 Press the Show Menu button on the Left Controller of either VIVE VR
or OCULUS RIFT to display the VR GUI.
2 Use the Trackpad or Joystick to navigate the menu options.
 Looks: A carousel of Looks saved in the file will be visible for
selection.
a. Select the Look menu to display a carousel of Looks that were
saved in the file.
b. Use the Left and Right controls on the Left Controller to select the
Look.
c. Use the Trigger button to actuate the Look.
Result: WYSIWYG will update the current Look in your virtual
Shaded view.
 Cameras: A carousel of Cameras created and available in the file will
be displayed for selection.
a. Select the Cameras menu to display a carousel of Cameras that
were created and available in the file.

Reference Guide 925

Virtual Reality mode R42

b. Use the Left and Right controls on the Left Controller to select.
c. Use the Trigger button to actuate the Look.
Result: WYSIWYG will update the current view to the Camera
selected.
 Camera Paths: A carousel of Camera Paths created and available in the
file will be displayed for selection.
a. Select the Camera Paths menu to display a carousel of Camera
Paths that were created and available in the file.
b. Use the Left and Right controls on the Left Controller to select.
c. Use the Trigger button to actuate the Camera Path.
Result: WYSIWYG will update and apply the Camera Path to
the current view.
 Scenes: A carousel of Scenes saved in the file will be displayed for
selection.
a. Select the Scene menu to display a carousel of Scenes that were
saved in the file.
b. Use the Left and Right controls on the Left Controller to select.
c. Use the Trigger button to actuate the Look.
Result: WYSIWYG will update the current Scene in your virtual
Shaded view.
 View Options: Shaded view properties will be displayed and available
for changes.
a. In the View Options page, use the Trigger button to enter.
b. Use Up and Down to select the option you wish to adjust. The
option will be highlighted.
c. Use Left and Right to change the property value of the selected
option.
d. Use the Trigger button to actuate/save the property changes.
 Menu Settings: Settings that affect how the menu page and virtual
graphic user interface are displayed and used in the virtual space can
be changed in the Menu Settings page.
In Menu Settings, you can change the following settings:
 Smooth Teleport: Choose to display smooth teleport or instant

teleport.
 Smooth Rotation: Choose to display smooth rotation or instant

rotation.
 Haptics Enabled: Tactile sensation with VR space interaction and

controls.
 Draw Model: Display of the controller model object in VR space.

 Draw Beam: Display of the beam and distances from the controller

in VR space.
 Background Color: Adjust Red, Green, Blue and Alpha levels.

926
January 2019 Virtual Reality mode

 Menu Angle: Adjust how the Menu page is angled in the VR space.
 Move Speed: Adjust the interactive Menu response speed in the VR
space.
 Menu Scale: Adjust the size of the Menu page in the VR space.
a. In the Menu Settings page, use the Trigger to enter.
b. Use Up and Down to select the option you wish to adjust. The
option will be highlighted.
c. Use Left and Right to change the property value of the selected
option.
d. Use the Trigger button to actuate/save the property changes.

Reference Guide 927

Virtual Reality mode R42

928
 Appendix A

Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys

Keyboard shortcuts and hot keys help you to access commonly

used commands more quickly.

In this appendix
Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys 931

Reference Guide 929

Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys R42

930
January 2019 Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys

Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys

Keyboard shortcuts
There are many keyboard shortcuts that can save you time when using
WYSIWYG.

Standardized WYSIWYG keyboard shortcuts are defined below.

Description Keyboard shortcut

Help F1
Displays context- SHIFT + F1
sensitive help
Repeat last command F4 or SPACEBAR
Refresh current view F5
Relative or absolute F6
coordinate toggle
Ortho toggle F8
Snap toggle F9
Crosshairs toggle F7
Interactive object F11
creation toggle in
Wireframe view and
Focus is inactive
Full screen toggle in F11
Shaded view and in Focus
Save current document F12
as...
Repeat last command Space
Select all Ctrl+A
Select current layer CTRL + SHIFT + A
Create new layer CTRL + SHIFT + L
Copy CTRL + C
Find CTRL + F
Group CTRL + G

Reference Guide 931

Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys R42

Description Keyboard shortcut

Replace CTRL + H
Invert selection of CTRL + I
objects in CAD
Invert selection of CTRL + SHIFT + I
fixtures in CAD, Design
and Live
New Fixture Group CTRL + J
Move CTRL + M
New document CTRL + N
Open document CTRL + O
Print current view CTRL + P
Rotate CTRL + R
Save current document CTRL + S
Ungroup CTRL + U
Paste CTRL + V
Cut CTRL + X
Redo CTRL + Y
Undo CTRL + Z
Add to or remove from CTRL + Click
selection list
Copy selected objects CTRL + Drag
Rotate selected objects ALT + Drag
Mirror selected object CTRL + W
Nudges selected objects ALT + ARROW KEYS
by ten times the grid
spacing
Nudges selected objects ALT + SHIFT + ARROW
by one grid space KEYS
Displays properties of ALT + ENTER
selected object
Move target ARROW KEYS
Rotates the isometric CTRL + ARROW KEYS
angle of the drawing in
isometric view

932
January 2019 Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys

Description Keyboard shortcut

Rotates the isometric CTRL + Click & Drag Third

angle of the drawing in Mouse (Scroll Wheel)
isometric view
Slow down isometric view Press and hold CTRL +
angle rotation SHIFT and tap +
Speed up isometric view Press and hold CTRL +
angle rotation SHIFT and tap -
Zoom in and out PAGE UP / PAGE DOWN
Zoom fit Z
Erases selected object DEL
Abort command ESC
Finish current command ENTER
Position Tool CTRL + ALT + P
Cuts and Adjustments CTRL + ALT + A
Fanning Tool CTRL + ALT + F
Camera Path Editor CTRL + ALT + E
Shaded View Settings CTRL + ALT + S
Tool
With object(s) selected, CTRL + SHIFT + X
opens Position Tool with
cursor in X
With object(s) selected, CTRL + SHIFT + Y
opens Position Tool with
cursor in Y
With an object(s) CTRL + SHIFT + Z
selected, opens Position
Tool with cursor in Z

Note: If fixtures and more than one other object is selected, CTRL+G will
create a normal “Objects Group” from the selected objects (the same if
there were no fixtures in the selection set), while CTRL+J will create a
Fixture Group (the same as if CTRL+G was used with only fixtures
selected).

Reference Guide 933

Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys R42

Hotkeys
Hotkeys are keyboard shortcuts that act as commands entered from
menus or toolbars. They are categorized according to the view and
timing of usage. For example, certain hotkeys are only operational in plot
views and only in the midst of performing an operation.

Default hotkeys available in Plot Views

The following default hotkeys are useful when working in CAD mode.

934
January 2019 Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys

Start Operations

Description Hotkey

Insert line L
Insert riser R
Insert cylinder C
Insert pipe P
Insert truss T
Insert text label B
Insert fixture F
Insert point .
Insert circle O
Insert arc U
Insert surface S
Focus position X
Insert screen N
LED Wizard W
Snap to grid G
Snap to midpoints M
Snap to endpoints E
Snap to intersection K
Zoom fit Z
Modify view V
ToolTips on/off Y
Insert dimension D
Insert rigging point ‘

Mid Operations

Description Hotkey

Abort mode A
Finish mode F
Close line C

Reference Guide 935

Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys R42

Description Hotkey

Quick increase I
Quick decrease D
Snap to grid G
Snap to midpoints M
Snap to endpoints E
Snap to intersection K
Rotate truss counter- Z
clockwise
Rotate truss clockwise X
Truss rotate from one S
end to the other end
ToolTips on/off Y
Boolean subtract CTRL + B
Boolean unite CTRL + SHIFT + B
Distribute center CTRL+D
Distribute between two CTRL + SHIFT +D
points
Focus selected fixtures CTRL + F
Consolidate mesh CTRL + Q
Trim line CTRL + T
Extend line CTRL + SHIFT + T
Extrude CTRL + E
Extrude Objects CTRL + SHIFT + E
Quick Tools Q (fixtures are not
selected)
Quick Focus Q (fixtures are selected)
Switch to first hang 1
position of fixture.
Switch to second hang 2
position of fixture.

936
January 2019 Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys

Default hotkeys available in Simulation Views

The following default hotkeys are helpful when working in Design and
Live modes.

Start Operations

Description Hotkey

At last and focus L

Focus F
At full intensity 1
At 50% intensity 5
Intensity off 0
Intensity specify S
Iris wide W
Iris tight T
Iris specify I
Zoom fit Z
Modify view V
ToolTips on/off Y

Mid Operations

Description Hotkey

Abort mode A
Finish mode F
ToolTips on/off Y
Export image E
Save view as New C
Camera
Camera lock X

Reference Guide 937

Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys R42

Default hotkeys available in Layout View

The following default hot keys are helpful when working in Presentation
mode - Layouts.

Start Operations

Description Hotkey

Insert line L
Insert rectangle N
Insert round rectangle U
Insert ellipse E
Insert polygon G
Insert text T
Insert bitmap B
Insert plot view P
Insert data view D
Insert report view R
Insert spreadsheet X
Open bound view O
Bound view properties S
Move to front J
Move to back K
Placeholders only H
Print preview W
Zoom fit Z
Modify view V

Mid Operations

Description Hotkey

Abort mode A
Finish mode F

938
January 2019 Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys

Default hotkeys available in New Plots View

The following default hot keys are helpful when working in Presentation
mode - New Plots.

Start Operations

Description Hotkey

Snap to end-point E
Snap to mid-point M
Snap to grid G
Snap to intersection K
Insert solid line L
Insect circle O
Insect Arc U
Insert text label B
Insert symbol S

Mid Operations

Description Hotkey

Zoom fit Z

Reference Guide 939

Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys R42

Default hotkeys available in Patch Views

The following default hot keys are helpful when working in Data mode -
Patch.

Start Operations

Description Hotkey

Console modify C
Unpatch U
Modify view V
ToolTips on/off Y

Mid Operations

Description Hotkey

Abort mode A
ToolTips on/off Y

Default hotkeys used to switch Wireframe Views

The following default hotkeys are used to switch between Wireframe view
types in CAD and DATA modes.

Description Hotkey

Activate Plan View 1

Activate Left View 2
Activate Right View 3
Activate Front View 4
Activate Back View 5
Activate Isometric View 6

940
 Appendix B

Shaded View Camera Control

This feature enables you to choose the camera control in Shaded

View.

In this appendix
Camera Control 943

Reference Guide 941

Shaded View Camera Control R42

942
January 2019 Shaded View Camera Control

Camera Control

Introduction
The Shaded View Camera Control feature in the General tab of the Application
Options window enables you to choose either Traditional WYSIWYG or Other
3D Applications.

When you select Traditional WYSIWYG, the commands used to control the
camera(s) in Shaded view are standard WYSIWYG commands used in all
versions of WYSIWYG.

When you select Other 3D Applications, the commands used to control

camera(s) in Shaded view comply with the commands of the different 3D
application.

Mouse Actions

Action Traditional WYSIWYG 0ther 3D Applications

Select at point With Selection Mode On, Always (i.e. permanent

Left Mouse click Selection Mode On), Left
Mouse click

Selection box With Selection Mode On, Always (i.e. permanent

Left Mouse button Up Selection Mode On), Left
Mouse click and drag; on
Left Mouse button Up

Move camera along plane Ctrl+Left Mouse drag/ Middle Mouse drag*
defined by initial camera Right-click held during Left
position and camera axis Mouse drag*
as normal; target follows
translation of camera

Move camera around Left Mouse drag* Right Mouse drag*

sphere with camera target
at its center, target is fixed

Pan camera along camera Ctrl+Alt+Scroll Scroll

axis; target is fixed

Pan camera and target Ctrl+Scroll Ctrl+Scroll

along camera axis
maintain distance between
them

Change Field of View Scroll Alt+Scroll

Fine control modifier Shift Shift

Reference Guide 943

Shaded View Camera Control R42

Action Traditional WYSIWYG 0ther 3D Applications

Roll Camera Middle Mouse drag Ctrl+Alt keyboard button

+ Mouse Right button
pressed, and the mouse is
dragged

Right-click menu Right Mouse button Down Right Mouse button Up if

and only if no drag
occurred between Mouse
down up

Camera pitch and yaw; Alt+Left Mouse drag* Alt+Right Mouse drag*
camera axis rotates;
camera target moves but
maintains distance

*Affected by View Option, “Pan tool moves objects”.

Keyboard Actions

Key Traditional WYSIWYG Other 3D Applications

Field of View Page Up/Page Down Alt+Page Up/Page Down

(unmodified)

Pan camera and target Ctrl+Page Up/Page Down Ctrl+Page Up/Page Down
along camera axis

Roll Camera Alt+Page Up/Page Down Ctrl+Alt+Page Up/Page

Down Keys

Pan camera only along NONE Page Up/Page Down

camera axis; target is
fixed

Camera pitch and yaw Arrow Keys (unmodified) Alt+Arrow Keys

Move camera along plane Ctrl+Arrow Keys Ctrl+Arrow Keys

Move camera around Alt+Arrow Keys Arrow Keys

sphere

Fine control modifier Shift Shift

944
 Appendix C

Connecting to an Art-Net Device

WYSIWYG contains drivers that enable you to “listen” to incoming

DMX data when connected to the updated Art-Net network device
in LIVE mode.

In this appendix
Connecting to an Art-Net Device 947

Reference Guide 945

Connecting to an Art-Net Device R42

946
January 2019 Connecting to an Art-Net Device

Connecting to an Art-Net Device

Introduction
WYSIWYG contains drivers that enable you to “listen” to incoming DMX
data when connected to the updated Art-Net network device in LIVE
mode.

To connect to an Art-Net device

1 Run WYSIWYG and start a new file.
2 Insert a venue, some hang structures, and fixtures.
3 Patch the fixtures to one or more Art-Net Patch Universes.
Note: Patching to EDMX will not work.
4 Switch to LIVE mode.
5 From the Options menu, select Application Options.
Result: The Application Options window appears.
6 On the Application Options window, click Additional Interfaces.
7 Click the Local Address drop-down list in the ArtNet Interface section of
the Additional Interfaces tab, and select the IP address from which the
incoming Art-Net Device is being received by your computer.
8 Click OK.
Result: A dialog box appears prompting to open the Device Manager,
disconnect and reconnect for the change to take effect.
9 Click OK to close the dialog box and the Application Options window.
10 From the Managers menu, select Device Manager.
Result: The Device Manager window appears.
11 In the Device Manager window, click New.
Result: The Library Selection window appears.
12 In the Library Selection window, search for Art-Net (note spelling).
13 Select the single search result and click Insert.
14 With Artistic License Art-Net selected in the device list, click
Properties.
15 Bind the Universes that you created to the incoming Art-Net ports.
16 When the binding is complete, click OK.
17 In the Device Manager window, with Artistic License Art-Net selected in
the device list, click Connect.

Reference Guide 947

Connecting to an Art-Net Device R42

18 Close the Device Manager window.

Result: You are now connected to Art-Net and WYSIWYG will begin
reacting to incoming Art-Net data.

948
 Appendix D

Connecting to an sACN Device

WYSIWYG contains drivers that enable you to “listen” to incoming

sACN data when connected to the updated sACN network device in
LIVE mode.

In this appendix
Connecting to an sACN Device 951

Reference Guide 949

Connecting to an sACN Device R42

950
January 2019 Connecting to an sACN Device

Connecting to an sACN Device

Introduction
WYSIWYG contains drivers that enable you to “listen” to incoming sACN
data when connected to the updated sACN network device in LIVE mode.

To connect to an sACN device

1 Run WYSIWYG and start a new file.
2 Insert a venue, some hang structures, and fixtures.
3 Patch the fixtures to one or more sACN Patch Universes.
4 Switch to LIVE mode.
5 From the Options menu, select Application Options.
Result: The Application Options window appears.
6 In the Application Options window, click Additional Interfaces.
7 Click the Local Address drop-down list in the sACN Interface section of
the Additional Interfaces tab, and select the IP address from which the
incoming sACN device data is being received by your computer.
8 Click OK.
Result: A dialog box appears prompting to open the Device Manager,
disconnect and reconnect for the change to take effect.
9 Click OK to close the dialog box and the Application Options window.
10 From the Managers menu, select Device Manager.
Result: The Device Manager window appears.
11 In the Device Manager window, click New.
Result: The Library Selection window appears.
12 In the Library Selection window, search for sACN (note spelling).
13 Select the single search result and click Insert.
14 With sACN selected in the device list, click Properties.
15 Bind the Universes that you created to the incoming sACN ports.
16 When the binding is complete, click OK.
17 In the Device Manager window, with sACN selected in the device list,
click Connect.
18 Close the Device Manager window.
Result: You are now connected to sACN and WYSIWYG will begin
reacting to incoming sACN data.

Reference Guide 951

Connecting to an sACN Device R42

Note: WYSIWYG supports sACN priority. This means that if there are two
consoles outputting sACN, and if one console has a higher priority, then
the higher priority console will have it’s output prioritized over the other
console.

952
 Appendix E

Connecting to a PSN 2.0 Device

WYSIWYG contains drivers that enable you to “listen” to incoming

PSN 2.0 data when connected to the updated PosiStageNet
network device in LIVE mode.

In this appendix
Connecting to a PSN 2.0 Device 955

Reference Guide 953

Connecting to a PSN 2.0 Device R42

954
January 2019 Connecting to a PSN 2.0 Device

Connecting to a PSN 2.0 Device

Introduction
WYSIWYG contains drivers that enable you to “listen” to incoming PSN
2.0 protocol data when connected to the updated PosiStageNet network
device in LIVE mode.

To connect to a PSN 2.0 device

1 Run WYSIWYG and start a new file.
2 Insert a venue, some hang structures, and fixtures.
3 Patch the fixtures into PSN 2.0 Patch Universes.
4 Switch to LIVE mode.
5 From the Live menu, select Device Manager.
6 In the Device Manager window, click New.
7 In the Library Selection window, search for PSN 2.0 (note spelling).
8 Select the single search result and click Insert.
9 With PSN 2.0 selected in the device list, click Properties.
10 Bind the Universes that you created to the incoming PSN 2.0 ports.
11 When the binding is complete, click OK.
12 In the Device Manager window, with PSN 2.0 selected in the device list,
click Connect.
13 Close the Device Manager window.
Result: You are now connected and WYSIWYG will begin reacting to
incoming PSN 2.0 data.

Reference Guide 955

Connecting to a PSN 2.0 Device R42

956
 Appendix F

Connecting to an RTTrPM Device

WYSIWYG contains drivers that enable you to “listen” to incoming

RTTrPM data when connected to the updated RTTrPM network
device in LIVE mode.

In this appendix
Connecting to an RTTrPM Device 959

Reference Guide 957

Connecting to an RTTrPM Device R42

958
January 2019 Connecting to an RTTrPM Device

Connecting to an RTTrPM Device

Introduction
WYSIWYG contains drivers that enable you to “listen” to incoming
RTTrPM data when connected to the updated RTTrPM network device in
LIVE mode.

To connect to an RTTrPM device

1 Run WYSIWYG and start a new file.
2 Insert a venue, some hang structures, and fixtures.
3 Patch the fixtures into RTTrPM Patch Universes.
4 Switch to LIVE mode.
5 From the Options menu, select Application Options.
Result: The Application Options window appears.
6 In the Application Options window, click Additional Interfaces.
7 Click the Local Address drop-down list in the RTTrPM Interface section of
the Additional Interfaces tab, and select the IP address from which the
incoming RTTrPM device data is being received by your computer.
8 Click the Group Address drop-down list and select the IP multicast
address from group data transmissions.
9 Click the Port drop-down list and select the port used by the RTTrPM
device connection.
10 Click OK.
Result: A dialog box appears prompting to open the Device Manager,
disconnect and reconnect for the change to take effect.
11 Click OK to close the dialog box and the Application Options window.
12 From the Managers menu, select Device Manager.
Result: The Device Manager window appears.
13 In the Device Manager window, click New.
Result: The Library Selection window appears.
14 In the Library Selection window, search for RTTrPM (note spelling).
15 Select the single search result and click Insert.
16 With RTTrPM selected in the device list, click Properties.
17 Bind the Universes that you created to the incoming RTTrPM ports.
18 When the binding is complete, click OK.

Reference Guide 959

Connecting to an RTTrPM Device R42

19 In the Device Manager window, with RTTrPM selected in the device list,
click Connect.
20 Close the Device Manager window.
Result: You are now connected and WYSIWYG will begin reacting to
incoming RTTrPM data.

960
 Appendix G

Using the 3D Connexion Mouse

with WYSIWYG

This new interface enables you to use a 3D Connexion mouse

device, making camera movement and design in all six Degrees of
Freedom (DoF) simpler and more intuitive. The device combines
mouse interaction with many common buttons, all at your
fingertips. Use the 3D Connexion mouse to control camera
movement in Shaded Views and adjust the focus (pan/tilt) of a
fixture.

In this appendix
Using the 3D Connexion Mouse 963

Reference Guide 961

Using the 3D Connexion Mouse with WYSIWYG R42

962
January 2019 Using the 3D Connexion Mouse with WYSIWYG

Using the 3D Connexion Mouse

Introduction
This new interface enables you to use a 3D Connexion mouse device,
making camera movement and design in all six Degrees of Freedom
(DoF) simpler and more intuitive. The device combines mouse interaction
with many common buttons, all at your fingertips. Use the 3D Connexion
mouse to control camera movement in Shaded Views and adjust the
focus (pan/tilt) of a fixture.

3D Connexion Menu
You can display the 3D Connexion menu at any time by pressing the
Menu button while in the Shaded view.
 Speed: You may modify the speed and sensitivity of the input from
the 3D connexion mouse to any one of Low, Medium, and High.
 Motion Control – Pan/Zoom Only: Select this option to limit the input
to control only Pan and Zoom while in Shaded views.
 Motion Control – Rotate Only: Select this option to limit the input to
control only rotation while in Shaded views.
 Motion Control – Dominant Motion: Select this option to tell WYSIWYG
to only consider the dominant motion while using the mouse. This is
useful if you want smoother control over the Camera.
 Navigation Mode – Move Camera: Select this option to allow you to
move the camera in Shaded views.
 Navigation Mode – Modify Fixture Pan/Tilt: Select this option to let you
focus selected fixtures without having to hold down the ALT key.
 Navigation Mode – Encircle Target on Pan: Select this option to change
the way in which you Pan In.

Camera Navigation in Shaded View

The following will be the expected output for the indicated input on the
3D mouse:
 Push Forward – Camera moves towards the object/scene.
 Pull Backwards – Camera moves away from the object / scene.
 Pull Up – Camera moves up while looking at the target.
 Push Down – Camera moves down while looking at the target.

The following will be the expected output for input rotation:

 Tilt Forward – Camera looks down (Target moves down).
 Tilt Backward – Camera looks up (Target moves up).

Reference Guide 963

Using the 3D Connexion Mouse with WYSIWYG R42

 Twist Right (Clockwise) – Camera looks to the right.

 Twist Left (Anti Clockwise) – Camera looks to the left.

Switching the camera position on the 3D Mouse keys

The following occurs when you press the 3D Mouse keys on the
SpacePilot Pro model:
 Fit - Automatically positions the camera forward or backward to a
point where the whole scene is visible. Camera to target distance is
maintained.
 T – Target is set to the center of the scene and camera is positioned
to be looking at the Top View.
 B – Target is set to the center of the scene and camera is positioned
to be looking at the Bottom View.
 F – Target is set to the center of the scene and camera is positioned
to be looking at the Front View.
 BK – Target is set to the center of the scene and camera is
positioned to be looking at the Back View.
 R – Target is set to the center of the scene and camera is positioned
to be looking at the Right View.
 L – Target is set to the center of the scene and camera is positioned
to be looking at the Left View.
 Iso1 – Target is set to the center of the scene and camera is
positioned to be looking at the First Isometric View (Camera at the
top left when looking from the front).
 Iso2 – Target is set to the center of the scene and camera is
positioned to be looking at the Second Isometric View (Camera at
the top right when looking from the front).
 Translation or Rotation Only - If you only want to translate or rotate
the camera. The undesired motion will be filtered out. The
Translations and Rotations toggle buttons will achieve this effect. In
Space Pilot Explorer, use the 1 and 2 keys to achieve this.
 In the Space Pilot Explorer model, set the B (Bottom) and BK (Back)
views by pressing and holding the SHIFT key while pressing the T or F
keys accordingly. Set Iso1 and Iso2 by pressing 1 and 2 while
pressing and holding the SHIFT key.

Focusing Pan/Tilt of Fixtures

Limited fixture control in Shaded view can be achieved using the 3D

Connexion mouse:
 With only a single fixture selected, press the FIT key and the camera
will be positioned behind the fixture looking toward the target on
which the fixture is focused.
 With any number of fixtures selected, press and hold the ALT key
while tilting the 3D mouse forward and back or twisting it left and
right. The fixture pan and tilt adjusts accordingly. Note that fixture

964
January 2019 Using the 3D Connexion Mouse with WYSIWYG

control follows the WYSIWYG control conventions. Only conventional

fixtures may be focused in CAD mode, and only moving head and
mirror fixtures may be focused in DESIGN mode.

Reference Guide 965

Using the 3D Connexion Mouse with WYSIWYG R42

966
 Appendix H

CAST Software Cleaner Tool

The CAST Software Cleaner Tool is a standalone program that can

be used to remove CAST programs and all associated files
completely from your computer.

In this appendix
CAST Software Cleaner Tool 969

Reference Guide 967

CAST Software Cleaner Tool R42

968
January 2019 CAST Software Cleaner Tool

CAST Software Cleaner Tool

When to use the CAST Software Cleaner Tool

When installing/uninstalling CAST products, the process may fail and you
may be unable to continue with installing/uninstalling the program. If
you are unable to uninstall/install or repair the program by regular
means, the CAST Software Cleaner Tool may be able to help.

The CAST Software Cleaner Tool will search out all files related to the
corrupted program on the affected computer, and then remove them.
This should enable you to then perform a clean install of the CAST
program without problems.

Note: Please consult with CAST Technical Support for access to the CAST
Software Cleaner Tool. “Troubleshooting” for more information.

To use the CAST Software Cleaner Tool

1 In you computer that has CAST programs you want to remove, have
the CAST Software Cleaner Tool installed.
2 Run the “CAST Cleaner.EXE” on your computer.
Result: The Cast Software Cleanup Tool window will open.

3 In the Cast Software Cleanup Tool window, under Versions Found,

select the CAST program you want to remove from your computer.

Reference Guide 969

January 2019 Index

Index Buttons, 773

Configuring, 767
Deleting jobs from, 777
Exporting images from, 777
Moving dequeued jobs back into queue,
776
Moving jobs to top of queue, 775
Numerics Moving jobs up or down in queue, 776
Pausing, 775
3D Connexion Mouse Removing jobs from queue, 776
Using, 943, 963 Resuming, 775
Taskbar icons, 770
Backup files, 165
A Barndoors, 610
Base plates, 354
Absolute coordinates, 92, 378
Batch printing, 863
Accessory, 610
Baud rate, 172
Activation, 45
Beam angle, 581
Adding
Beams, 183
floorplans, 260
Big Layouts, 820
Additional Interfaces tab, 171
Bind
Aiming fixtures, 559 to console, 886
Alias definition, 579
Bitmaps, 865
Aligning objects, 479, 810
Black Box, 286
Alpha mapping, 431 BlackTrax Frames, 348
Ambient light, 115
Blocks
Antialiasing options, 764
Custom library items, 351
Aperture, 757 Groups, 377
Appearance tab
Boolean Operations
renaming elements in, 404
and intersection, 490
Application Options, 161 and projection, 490
Arc Length Dimension tab, 422
and view planes, 491
Arc Length Dimensions, 308
Boolean operations, 489
Arcs Booms, 520
Drawing in CAD mode, 293
Break tool, 464, 465
Drawing in New Plots, 806
Bringing to Front, 380
Arena, 287 Budget
Arranging shortcuts, 69 Cost, 578, 686
Array, 479
Bulb
Grid pattern, 484 Lamp, 581, 685
Using to hang fixtures, 548
Aspect ratio, 840
Assembly Snap, 221, 527
Atmospheric options, 758 C
Attribute Anchor, 607 CAD environment, 206
Attribute layout, 804 CAD items, 833
Attributes (Data fields), 684 CAD Options toolbar, 76
Auto load, 165 Camera, 332
Auto Recover, 167 changing the hotkey number, 335
Auto save, 165 deleting the hotkey number, 335
Auto Truss Dimension, 312 locking in shaded view, 336
Autofocus, 908 using hotkeys, 334
AutoPatch, 904 Using Pitch, Roll and Yaw, 336
AutoUnit, 188, 509, 511 Camera controls, 103
Axes Camera path editor, 749
drawing, 342 Camera Paths, 748
Camera paths
patching, 916
B Camera toolbar
using, 334
Back view, 217
CAST Software Cleaner Tool, 953, 957, 967
Background Rendering Manager Center line, 289
About, 767
Channel count, 91

Reference Guide
Index R42

Channels Program (CEIP), 34

Simulation, 91 Customizing spreadsheet views, 687
Circle, 292 Cut, 808
Circles, 806 Cuts and Adjustments tool, 570
Circuit Name data field, 685 Cycle Selection, 371
Circuit Number data field, 685 Cylinders, 321
Circuit Type data field, 686
Circus tents, 287
Clamp type, 589
Close the show document, 157
D
Color Data error tab, 196
Inserting, 610 Data fields, 684
Inserting multiple, 691 Data Font toolbar, 77
Color data field, 685 Decimal display, 164
Color Temperature and Intensity Falloff Delete, 809
features, 134 Design toolbar, 78
Color temperature calculations, 134 Design tools, 722
Color wheel, 727 Designer’s Remote, 910
Column Width Size, 712 Device Manager, 886
Columns in Data mode, 684 Device Manager toolbar, 78
Combining Report, 791 Dimension
Command Line toolbar, 77 Arc Length, 308
Compass, 341 Linear, 305
Cones Radial, 309
drawing, 325 Dimension line, 304
Connecting, 886 fonts used in, 305
console, 886 Dimensions tab, 191
Console data field, 686 Dimmer data field, 684
Consoles Distance tool, 488
connecting, 886 Distribute Objects, 488
Consolidated Mesh feature, 430 Distributing fixtures, 550
using, 502 Divide tool, 470
Content properties, 831 DMX, 886, 898
Convert Document summary, 174
Lines into surfaces, 466 Dolly, 105
Convert tool, 466 Dongle reauthorization, 42
Co-ordinate display, 164 Dot line, 289
Coordinate notation, 207 Draw Details tab, 180
Coordinates, 92, 206 Draw menu
Copy, 808 Wall command, 318
Cost data field, 686 Draw toolbar, 79
Creating a new DMX universe, 702 Drawing
Creating a new spreadsheet, 699 motion axes, 342
Cross-fading between lighting looks, 741 Walls, 318
Cuelists, 745 Drawing aids, 282
Current Drawing pipes, 512
Set current layer, 439 Drawing rectangles, 296
Curved pipes, 515 Drawing screens, 328
Custom, 614 Drawing tips, 282
Custom color scroll, 612 DWG, 148
Custom color wheels, 612 DWG/DXF files
Custom fixtures importing, 234
creating, 552 DXF, 148
deleting, 554 DXF/DWG files, 234
Custom gobo wheels, 612
Custom gobos, 614
deleting, 616 E
Custom library items, 279
creating, 352 Edit (Pres) toolbar, 80
deleting, 353 Edit toolbar, 80
Custom settings, 161 Editing a key, 855
Custom Tab Manager, 204 Editing a legend, 846
Customer Experience Improvement Editing objects, 369

971
January 2019 Index

EDMX, 171 Focusing

EDMX address, 592 click and drag method, 730
Elements Focusing fixtures, 559
renaming, 404 Font
Enhanced beam quality changing in New Plots, 807
Color Temperature & Footprint changing in Text Labels, 303
Intensity Falloff features of, 134 Fonts tab, 193
Entering data in the spreadsheet, 687 Footnotes data field, 685
Environmental options, 762 Footprint Intensity Falloff, 136
Errors, 714 Footprint tool
Ethernet, 908 using (CAD mode), 574
Exit WYSIWYG, 160 using (Design mode), 732
Export to DWG/DXF, 254 Frame size, 617
Exporting Frame tents, 287
to 2D DWG/DXF, 254 French curve, 290
to 3D DWG/DXF, 254 Front view, 217
Extrude, 473 Full screen mode, 61
Extrude Objects, 474

G
F Gels, 726
Fading between lighting looks, 741 Inserting, 610
FAL Template Manager, 604 Inserting multiple, 691
fastFan General object properties, 386
Using in CAD mode, 566 Gobo data field, 685
Field angle, 581 Gobo wheels
File menu, 147 Custom, 612
Fillet, 477 Gobos
Filter Bar, 692 Custom, 614
Fixture Details tab, 799 Design tool, 726
Fixture layout, 596 Inserting, 610
Fixture notation, 596 Graphics, 865
Fixture properties Grid array, 484
Photometrics, 581 Grid options, 181
Fixture Settings tab, 185 Group tab, 378
Fixture snap, 220 Grouping, 377
Fixtures, 546
Distribute and array feature, 551, 552
Distributing along pipes/truss, 550
Distributing between two points on
H
pipes/truss, 551 Hang structure, 509, 556
Distributing from the center of pipes/ Hang Structure Settings tab, 187
truss, 552 Hanging, 546
Distributing in a direction on pipes/ Hanging fixtures, 546
truss, 551 Hanging multiple fixtures, 548
Hanging multiple, 548 Hanging truss, 520
Inserting in CAD mode, 546 Hatch style, 609
Selecting, 549 Hatching, 388
Using Array feature to hang, 548 Hidden line, 289
Flight Case, 618 Hide Floorplan, 268
Floor mount, 509, 520 Hookup data field, 685
Floorplans Hot keys, 931, 934
adding, 260 Patch views, 940
Hiding after importing, 268 Presentation views, 938, 939
Flow control, 172 Simulation, 937
Focus
Design tool, 728
Focus data field, 685 I
focus lines
assigning fixtures to, 563 Image Console
Focus position, 609 configuring, 900
Focus tool, 728 controlling LES grids with, 903

Reference Guide
Index R42

Image items, 840 Layer data field, 686

Image Manager, 667 Layer Groups, 451
Image placeholder for video, 664 Layer prefixes, 445
Images, 865 Layers, 438
Imperial units, 208 Layers toolbar, 81
Importing Layout
DWG/DXF files, 234 fixture data, 596
SketchUp files, 222, 223, 229 Layout tabs
Importing .3DS files, 258 CAD, 201
Importing .DAE files, 258 Data, 683
Importing .FBX files, 258 Design, 721
Importing .OBJ files, 258 Live, 885
Importing DWG/DXF files, 237, 245 Pres, 781, 921
Importing fixtures, 269 Layouts
Importing floorplans, 260 locking items in, 861
In-Place update, 27 Locking out items in, 860
Insert (Pres) toolbar, 81 unlocking items in, 861
Insertable, 152 Layouts (Pres mode), 820
Inserting Lease
Color in Data mode, 691 Renewing, 50
Fixtures in CAD mode, 546 Lease Details
Fixtures in Data mode, 690 Obtaining, 49
Positions in Data mode, 691 Leases, 47
Installing LED Wizard, 626
In-Place update, 27 Left view, 216
WYSIWYG, 26 Legend items, 842
WYSIWYG Learn, 27 Library Browser, 273
WYSIWYG Network, 27 using the Search feature in, 275
Intensity design tool, 724 Library objects
Interactive mode, 222 applying textures to, 278
Intersect Objects, 489 replacing, 276
Intersecting objects, 497 Library shortcuts, 67
Intersection Light emission, 405
and the Boolean Operations feature, Line
490 Drawing lines, 289
Intruction Tooltip, 93 Line color, 449
Inverse Square Law calculations, 136 Line weight, 449
Isometric view, 217 Linear axis, 342
Item properties, 832 Linear Scales, 311
Lines, 806
Converting into surfaces, 466
J Live toolbar, 82
Location setup, 176, 341
jpeg file, 615, 758, 823, 865 Locations tab, 173
Longitude, 176
Looks
K and moving scenery, 743
Key
Instrument labels, 596
Keyboard and mouse control, 94 M
Keyboard shortcuts, 931 Marker grips, 385
Keys, 850 Material Reflections, 437
Materials, 403, 433
Measurement mode, 304
L Membership and Leases, 47
Menu bar, 73
Ladders, 509, 520 Merge, 155
Lamp Type data field, 685 Merge Objects, 489
Lamps, 275 Merging
Languages, 62 SketchUp files, 229
Lasers, 623 Merging documents, 155
Latitude, 176 Metric units, 208

973
January 2019 Index

Micro Layouts, 820 Printing, 818

MIDI, 908 Reestablish links, 801
Mini Console, 898 Relationship with objects in CAD, 800
Mirror tool, 382 Relationship with objects in Data, 801
Mirroring, 382 Selecting objects, 808
Mirroring Pipes, 517 Updating, 795
Mirroring Truss, 534 Working in, 794
Missing coordinate, 213, 214 New Right Section Plot, 795
Model data field, 686 New Show, 147
Modes, 57, 58 Nudging, 380
Modifying wireframe views, 97 Number of color frames data field, 686
Motion axes Number of data channels data field, 686
drawing, 342 Number of lamps data field, 686
Motion axis
adding vertex to linear, 346
attaching objects to, 345
attaching to a DMX patch, 344
O
attaching to a motion patch, 344 Object representation in New Plots, 800
changing path of, 346 Object Settings tab, 189
drawing linear, 343 Object-specific properties, 412
drawing rotation, 344 Offset, 518
moving objects on with a console Offset data field, 685
device, 895 Open a show document, 148
moving objects on with a motion Open GL tab, 169
control system, 896 Options, 161
patching to DMX console device, 706 Orbit, 104
patching to motion control system, 707 Origin, 181, 206
Motion control system Ortho, 92, 219
moving objects with, 896 Owner data field, 686
Mountable yokes, 617
Move, 809
Move Page, 799 P
Move tool, 378
Moving, 556 Palette shortcuts, 739
Moving head, 592 Pan data field, 685
Moving mirror, 592 Paperwork, 782
Moving scenery Passwords, 52
reading the patch for, 710 Patch, 701
viewing, 743 changing width of cells in, 712
Moving Scenery tool, 733 Patch data field, 684
using, 733 Patch universe, 701
Multi-source light Patch views
applying color to with Quick Tools, 611 Hot keys, 940
Patching
motion axes (DMX), 706
N motion axes (motion control system),
707
Navigation shortcuts, 67 Patching fixtures, 702
New Back Elevation Plot, 795 Performance, 122
New Front Elevation Plot, 795 Photo quality pictures, 753
New Left Section Plot, 795 Photometrics, 547, 581
New Plan Plot, 795 Pipe, 327, 554
New Plot View Properties tab, 797 Pipe and Drape Wizard, 354
New Plots, 794 Pipe snap, 221
Attribute layout, 804 Pipe tape, 870
changing font used in, 807 Pipes
Creating a new plot type, 795 Distributing multiple fixtures on, 551,
Drawing objects, 805 552
Editing objects, 807 Pivot, 104
Inserting into layouts, 829, 839 Plan view, 216, 217
Modifying properties of a plot, 796 Plot type, 216
Objects, 800 Points, 291
Objects drawn in New Plots, 814 Polygons

Reference Guide
Index R42

drawing, 297 Regional settings, 176

Pop-up frames, 60 Relative, 378
Ports Relative coordinates, 92
console, 886 Rename fixture type, 579
Position, 509 Renaming object elements, 404
Position data field, 685 Render shortcuts, 765
Position Manager, 509 Rendering, 680, 753, 912
Precision, 180, 422, 423 Replacing fixtures, 552
Presence option, 759 Report Defaults tab, 195
Presentation items, 822 Reports, 782, 879
Presentation views Creating, 787
Hot keys, 938, 939 Reset origin, 206
Print, 157 Reseting Orientation, 382
Printing Resizing
Batch, 863 Spheres, 385
Printing layouts, 862 Revolve, 502, 509
Product Configuration Wizard, 36 Rigging points, 539
Production Team Info Wizard, 873 Right view, 217
Projection Riser, 318
and the Boolean Operations feature, Roll, 105
490 Room Builder, 282
Properties Rotate, 811
Dimension, 420 Rotate tool, 381
Errors, 718 Rotating, 381
Focus position, 560 Rotating objects in place, 382
General, 386 Rotation axis, 343
Layouts, 821 Ruler
Legend, 848, 857 changing origin of, 211
Library item, 278 toggling on and off, 210
Line, 415 Ruler icons, 209
Patch universe, 711 Ruler Tool, 208
Pipe, 518
Point, 415
Report, 783
Spreadsheet, 693
S
Symbol, 609 Saturation, 763
Text label, 418 Save, 149
Wireframe view, 96 Save As, 149
Proscenium Arch, 285 Saving a lighting look, 741
Protractor tab, 425 Scaling, 383
Purge command, 154 Scattering, 119
Purpose data field, 685 Scenes, 459
Scenes toolbar, 83
Schedules, 782
Q Screen layout, 57
Screen Properties, 331
Quick focus, 565 Scrollbars, 100
Quick Light Emission Tools, 408 Scrollers, 614, 726
Quick Motion Patch Tool, 349 Scrolls, 612
Quick tools, 581 Selecting alternate mount points during
assembly, 528
Selecting objects, 369
R Selection sets, 489
Selection toolbar, 83
Radial Dimension tab, 423 Send the show document through e-mail,
Radial Dimensions, 309 160
Radiosity, 761 Sending to Back, 380
Reading the patch, 709 Setting display size for shortcuts, 69
Reassembling Truss, 528 Settings
Reauthorization regional, 176
for dongles, 42 Shaded View Profiles, 136
Redo, 376 Shaded View Selection, 373
Regional profile, 162 Shaded views, 103

975
January 2019 Index

Sharing Keys, 858

Shortcut, 66
T
Shortcut bar Tag data field, 686
Create Shortcuts Tape printer, 870
Fixture groups, 736 Template, 151
Images, 865 Tents, 287
Layouts, 820 Text label, 299, 505, 806
Library Objects, 277 Text Labels
Lighting looks, 741 changing font of, 303
Textures, 166, 430
Palette, 739
applying to library objects, 278
Patch Universes, 702
Tile printing, 798, 822
Render, 765 Tile Printing tab, 797
Spreadsheets, 699 Tilt data field, 685
Shortcuts, 66 Time of Day Lighting tab, 129
arranging, 69 Time zones, 176
delete, 68 Timeline tool, 751
new, 68 Title block, 823, 878
ordering, 68 Toolbars, 73, 168
setting display size, 69 Tools
Show information, 794 CAD, 463
Shutter cuts, 567 Design, 722
Shutters tab, 592 Tools toolbar, 85
Sidedness Tooltips, 178
Changing for an object, 410 Tophats, 610
Sidedness tab, 409 Troubleshooting, 4
Simulation Truss
Channels, 91 Distributing multiple fixtures on, 551,
Simulation options, 680, 912 552
Simulation views Hanging truss, 520
Hot keys, 937 Indicators for assembly, 520
SketchUp files rolling, 529
importing, 222, 223, 229 Rolling truss, 528
Merging, 229 Truss cross members, 183
Snap, 92, 182, 220 Truss Manager, 535
Soft shadow, 762 Truss snap, 221, 527
Solid line, 289 Turbulence, 127
Sphere, 323 Type data field, 685
Spheres
Resizing, 385
Spin data field, 685
Spline, 290
U
Split gels, 691 Undo, 376
Splitting video, 658 Ungrouping, 377
Spot data field, 684 Unicode, 26
Spot Numbers Unit data field, 685
assigning to fixtures, 908 Unite Objects, 489
Spreadsheets, 684 Uniting objects, 496, 497
Spreadsheets Toolbar, 84 Universe
Standard toolbar, 84 Patch, 701
Status bar, 91 Unused channels, 91
Status data field, 686 Upgrades, 23, 45
Stock, 612 User Data
Streaming video Exporting, 64
reading the patch for, 710 Importing, 64
Subtract Objects, 489 User Data Profile, 63
Subtract tool USITT symbols, 609
cutting holes in walls with, 499
Subtracting objects, 498
Surfaces, 314
Surfaces as Curtains, 315
V
Symbols, 596, 807 Vertex, 464, 472
adding to a linear axis, 346

Reference Guide
January 2019 Index

Vertical hang structures, 802 Zooming, 96

Vertical justification of a line, 420 Zoom tools, 94
Video
patching in the patch view, 706
splitting, 658
Video Manager, 653
Video source
configuring new, 665
controlling with a console device, 894
Video tool, 731
View - full screen, 61
View Options
Error, 718
Flight Case, 620
Layouts, 821
Patch universe, 711
Report, 783
Shaded views, 111
Spreadsheet, 693
Wireframe views, 97
View shortcuts, 96
View toolbar, 86
Viewer, 197
Viewing
moving scenery, 743
Views/tools shortcuts, 67
Visual camera path builder tool, 750
Visual Effects, 124
Visualization Requirements, 25

W
Walls, 318
Wattage data field, 685
Weight data field, 685
Welcome window, 57
Wheels, 614, 726
Window Position Management, 88
Window toolbar, 86
Wireframe views, 94
Workplane, 217
WYSIWYG
Design, 11
Perform, 13, 17, 20
Report, 5, 9
starting for the first time, 36
WYSIWYG Learn, 17, 27
WYSIWYG Network, 19
WYSIWYG Perform - Console Edition, 5, 15
WYSIWYG Viewer, 197

Y
Yokes
mountable, 617

Z
Zebra Striping, 790
Zoom, 106, 722

Reference Guide