Presets

Tip

Functions are marked with a 2️⃣ symbol if they can only be used with MA2. Functions are marked with a 3️⃣ symbol if they can only be used with MA3. Functions without a symbol can be used on both systems.

Here we are with the powerful generator machine! Let’s explore the options available for creating various presets, effects and gradients. The Preset section of the drawer has five windows:

• Single Presets: delays, values and effects/phasers.
• Gradient Presets: a gradient between two presets.
• Batch Gradient Presets: gradients for every combination of start and end presets.
• Multi Gradient Presets: several groups, each with its own form, rotation and presets.
• Function ID FX: effects/phasers with one line per row of fixtures.

FX Groups use the same forms and options.

Origins

Every form is calculated from an origin. Set its position (X, Y, Z) and the Rotate value in degrees. Type a name into Select Origin to save it, and recall, update or delete saved origins later. The origins are stored in the .ppcad file, and the name of the origin is added to the created items.

Forms

Select one or more forms. There are 14 forms available in the app. Every row has a 👁 button that shows a preview of the values for your fixtures. All and None select or clear every form.

Form	Description	Example
Line X >	Horizontal line from left to right
Line Y >	Vertical line from bottom to top
Line X <>	Horizontal line from center to edges
Line Y <>	Vertical line from center to edges
Ring	Circular shape
Clock	Radial shape like clock hands
Cake <>	Pie-chart like shape
Arrow	Directional shape (Angle adjustable)
Diamond	Diamond shape
Cross	Cross shape
Functions	Uses the different function names to create the values
Modules	Creates values inside fixtures — separately for each module
Function ID	Uses the function IDs of the fixtures. The ⚙ button sets how the fixtures are grouped (Include Type / Position / Function, Sort by Fixture ID, Set Grouping).
Path	A curve fitted through your fixtures, which you can also draw yourself. See Path and Easing.

Options

Option	Description
Min / Max	The range of the values: time in seconds, effect phase in degrees, or a value. The labels change with the preset type.
Orientation	Determine from which side the 3D data is projected onto the 2D forms: Top, Front or Side.
Path	The easing of the values: Linear, High-Normal (ease out), Normal-High (ease in), High-High or Custom. The ⚙ button next to it lets you draw your own curve, see Path and Easing.
Add SubIDs	When selected, each Sub-Fixture is calculated separately. If not selected, all Sub-Fixtures receive the same value.
Grouping	Divide the form into multiple sections. For example, selecting the “Line X >” form with a grouping of 2 will cause the effect or delay to run simultaneously from the left and the center.
Mirror	Off, mirror every Even group, or mirror the groups Randomly.
Randomize	Randomize the order of the groups.
Chunks	Sets the fixtures of a group to the same value.

The attribute filter for effects and phasers is in the Attributes panel of the Single Presets window: a tree of all attributes with All and None buttons.

Explore these features to maximize your creative potential with the generator machine!

Single Presets

Choose the Preset Type:

Preset Type	Min / Max	Creates
Value	Min Value / Max Value	Presets with values for the selected attributes.
Delay	Min Time / Max Time	Presets with delay times.
FX Phase	Min Phase / Max Phase	2️⃣ Effects or 3️⃣ phasers with the phases of the form.

Then press Create Preset (or Create Effect for FX Phase).

3️⃣ For delay presets you can choose the MA3 Delay Output: Hard Values stores a fixed delay per fixture, Groups references the values to groups. grandMA3 presets are created with recipes.

Gradient Presets

Gradient Presets let you create a new preset that transitions between two presets selected from the showfile. This feature is perfect for creating color gradients.

1. Settings: choose the origin, forms and options, then press Next.
2. Select Presets: choose the Preset Type, the Preset Start and the Preset End. prepare reads the presets directly from the desk.

Press Create Gradient Preset. In grandMA3 the gradient presets use fixed values.

Batch Gradient Presets

Batch Gradient Presets create gradients for every combination of start and end presets at once. For example, three start presets and four end presets create twelve gradient presets.

The settings are the same as for the Gradient Presets. In the second step, choose the Pool, the Start Preset Range and the End Preset Range, then press Create Batch Gradient Preset.

Note

When selecting a huge range of presets, be aware that processing may take a while.

Multi Gradient Presets

Multi Gradient Presets create one preset for several groups, each with its own form, rotation and presets — e.g. a different color gradient on every truss.

1. Settings: choose the origin and options, and the Arrow Angle. Then press Next.
2. Groups & Presets: enter the Start Group and End Group and press Load Groups. Choose the Preset Pool.

Every group gets its own row:

Option	Description
Gradient / Full Color	A gradient between two presets, or one preset for the whole group.
Form	The form of the gradient.
Path	A saved path for the Path form.
Values	Across or Along the path.
Rotate	The rotation of the form in degrees.
Flip	Reverses the gradient.
Start Preset / End Preset	The presets of the gradient (or a single Preset for Full Color).

The preview icon shows the result for the group. Press Create Multi Gradient Preset to create it.

Function ID FX

Function ID FX creates an effect in which every row of fixtures gets its own line — the rows are defined like in the Straight Layout, and the fixtures in a row are ordered by their function ID.

Option	Description
Include Type / Position / Function	Which fields define a row.
Set Grouping	Define the rows with a template instead.
Sort by Fixture ID within each group	Orders the fixtures of each row by their Fixture ID.
Sort Rows by / Sort Fixtures within Rows by	The order of the rows and of the fixtures in a row.
Name	The name of the effect.
3️⃣ Group start pool	grandMA3 creates a group for every row, starting at this pool ID.
Phase per Row	Spreads the phase across the rows.
Set Blocks = Instances per Module	Sets the blocks to the number of instances per module, so a multi-instance fixture acts as one.
Attributes	The attributes of the effect.

Press Create Effect (2️⃣) or Create FX Preset (3️⃣). In grandMA3, prepare creates a preset with phaser recipes that reference the groups.