ETC Cobalt Family v7.1.0 - Manual (Page 144)

Cobalt 7.1 - 20140612
143
Import From Other Lighting Control Systems
Importing a show from another lighting system is easy, as long as it is saved in the Standard ASCII
Light Cues format.
Basically the easiest way to get the information into Cobalt is to
1. Open the play - any play in Standard ASCII Light Cues format (name.asc or name.alq) can
be opened directly.
2. Save the play as a normal Cobalt play.
3. Use the import Organizer in this chapter to import parts of these plays.
Check each system for specific conversion rules. The ASCII Light Cues format is quite old and
contains standard definition of simple play data like dimmer patch, cues for intensity information,
groups and submasters. More complex data, like moving light data and effects, is not defined in the
standard. Some control systems' ASCII files contain data not included in the standard, some not.
Cobalt can get differing amounts of data from these ASCII show files. Systems with expanded
capabilites are described below.
NOTE
Due to some difference in play structure some play data may not be
transferred.
Import from ­ ETC Express/Expression/Emphasis
Only ASCII light cue format is supported (files ending ".asc"). Export this using Expression Offline or
within Emphasis. See the Express(ion) and Emphasis manuals for more details.
• Group keywords are now treated as real Groups and not as presets not in the sequence.
• Parameter Definitions are imported.
• Templates are imported.
• Devices are imported.
• Support for translation of parameter values from channel levels (the Emphasis style) to
attribute parameters (the Cobalt style).
Import from ­ GrandMa
Cobalt can read GrandMA alq files. The tracking cues of GrandMA will be converted to full cues.
Import from ­ Strand
The following applies when opening a show with data from a Strand System. Strand ASCII Light
Cues files that ends with .alq can be opened directly.
Patch
Patch 1 is always used.