Of all the core features of SmartDancer (SD), the Canon is, by far, the most prolific.
While SD is primarily a tool for performing intricate group moves, Canons also allow for dancers to perform predefined SOLO dances which can be comprised of an animation and/or a turn. By using the Vanish Effect you can temporarily limit the number of visible dancers.
Canons allows for staggered animations and/or turns in alphabetical or reverse-alphabetical order on up to 9 animesh/avatars using the CanonInterval to provide the time between staggers and can be further delineated by a Target. (The default target is ‘abcdefghijklmnopqr‘) or simply ALL animesh/avatars/palettes.);
There are now 2 sets of animations you can choose from using the menu at run-time or a command at run-time using the SelectCanon feature. Select-1 and Select-2.
There are 3 levels of definition:
Level 1, the lowest level, lets you define a CanonAnimation and CanonInterval for each individual animesh/or avatar. You can actually define 2 for each animesh/avatar.
CanonAnimation1 and CanonInterval1 and CanonAnimation2 and CanonInterval2.
Animations and intervals will apply to all animesh/avatars THAT MATCH the current TARGET (target is a specification by letters of which animesh/avatars (J-R) will participate in the next Canon command.
Use the SelectCanon feature to select 1 or 2.
Level2 lets you ‘override” the individually assigned CanonAnimations. This override is defined on a nc in the Controller and will apply to all animesh/avatars THAT MATCH the current TARGET (target is a specification by letters of which animesh/avatars (J-R) will participate in the next Canon command.
So if you want to use the Level1 animations and intervals then omit these fields or leave the entry BLANK in the Controller on the *channels nc.
Or if you want to keep them in place for a consistent look then leave them as:
‘CanonAnimationOverride1,‘
‘CanonAnimationOverride2,‘
‘CanonIntervalOverride1,-1‘
‘CanonIntervalOverride1,-1‘
Level 3 lets you override Level1 AND Level2 declarations and is temporary until you specify a new Level3 or a BLANK Level3. A blank will revert back to Level2. If no Level2 then it will revert back to Level1. Level3 is entered at design-time using the CanonDance button on the Canons menu. You will get the animation menu and the next dance/animation you choose will become the Level3 CanonAnimation. If you exit out without entering a value then Level3 becomes void and the CanonAnimation will revert back to Level2 or Level1.
For Level3 override of CanonInterval, select the [Groupings] menu then use the MoveSpeed button and enter either: -1,-1,(interval value) or ,,(interval value)
So then the next Canon selection will use Level3 animation and interval.
When an animation is completed after the specified interval, it will automatically snap back into the previous running animation in perfect sync with the other dancers. If there was no previous animation then it will go into the ‘standing‘ animation.
Hold/Release/StopCanon
If you press the Hold button on CanonOrders sub-menu then the CanonAnimation will NOT snap back to the previous normal-running-animation and ignores the CanonInterval. You CAN trigger the synced-return to he previous normal-running-animation by pressing the StopCanon button on the CanonOrders sub-menu. This will Stop the CanonAnimation only. The Release button returns the CanonAnimation to its previous normal state which takes into account the CanonInterval and returns to the normal-running-animation upon expiration of the CanonInterval
Switch/UnSwitch
Default mode is UnSwitch(ed). When Switch on enabled, dancers 1-3-5-7-9 perform Select-1 CanonAnimations and Intervals
while dancers 2-4-6-8 perform Select-2 CanonAnimations and Intervals
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NOTE: When the choice is AnimsOnly, just select any Canon button (i.e. CanonLeft, CanonHome, CanonTurnIn, etc) since there will not be any turns to accompany the Animation.
Forward and Reverse
This button (CanonReverse/CanonForward) toggles the order of the Canon. Either alphabetically (J to R) or reverse-alphabetically ( R to J ).
Targeting
The Target button on the [OPTIONS]–> [EFFECTS] menu will allow you to control which animesh/palettes identified by the letter in the 19th position of the name, will be affected by the Canon. Be careful to remember to reset this value if you previously set it for some type of effects as it will still apply. Eight special values exist:
alt1 = jlnpr
alt2 = kmoq
all = jklmnopqr
middle = mnop
ends = jkpq
left = jklm
right = nopq
nor = jklmnopq
You can also specify a range:
j-r
k-q
j-q
r-r
And lastly you can specify specific animesh/palettes:
jklpqr
jkqr
lmnor
The ClearTarget button will reset the Target to the default values with is ‘jklmnopqr’ or ALL of the animesh/palettes.
Anims & Turns
The TurnsOnly button toggles to AnimsOnly. Default is TurnsOnly.
Press TurnsOnly if you want the animesh/dancers to only turn using the CanonInterval.
Press AnimsOnly if you want the animesh/dancers to only animate using the CanonInterval.
Press the Turns&Anims button if you want the animesh/dancers to animate AND turn.
Please note that there is ALSO a TurnDuration (and TurnDurationOverride). Turn durations ALSO exist at all 3 Levels.
TurnDuration should be close to the CanonInterval so that there is enough time to complete the turn before moving onto the next dancer but feel free to experiment for different effects.
NOTE: CanonInterval determines how long the CanonAnimation lasts. Once the interval expires the dancer returns to the previous animation unless Hold was specified..
Run-Time
There are equivalent commands for the inborn sequencer that allow you to Select Canon1 or Canon2 as well as perform overrides and specify a target and of course group. RunTime could be considered Level4 because it overrides Level1, Level2, and Level3.
Exclusions
You may be wondering what happens when there are conflicts?
CanonTurnIn and CanonTurnOut are restricted to Grouping by HALF or ALTERNATE. They always work between GROUP X and GROUP Y. They have no function otherwise. It is the same for non-canon turns.
You can use FlipXY to reverse the Groups in which case X becomes Y and Y becomes X. To see specific assignments of the 3 groups, X,Y, and Z, press ShowHoverTx button and the last letter of the hover-text will have the GROUP appended.
Well the 1st restriction is the Controller Name… PE18?-? . The question-marks (where they represent letters J thru R) limit what animesh/palettes can even consider other restrictions with regards to Canons.
2nd is Targeting which, if failed, can prevent any Turns associated with Turns&Anims from executing.
3rd is GROUPING. X,Y,Z can further limit Turns which are subject to GROUPING. Grouping controls Turns and Formations.
While animations are normally restricted by Division, CanonAnimations ARE NOT limited by Divisioning.
Also, be cognizant of how the overrides work as described above as they factor into which animations and intervals will apply.
COUPLING
Turn-Ins and TurnOuts and the HALF or ALTERNATE grouping.
By careful formation alignment and Divisioning (i.e. AAAABBBB or ABABABAB), and mirrored or coupled animation selection you can magically switch to a multi-coupled (4×2) dance configuration. By careful selection of CanonAnimations at the animesh/palette level you can even do coupled-canons. Of course you can do Junes as well and you can do partial Junes because Junes are dictated by formations which are subject to Grouping. (i.e. an X June or Y June).
And super-advanced, you can control over-lapping Junes that have a dancer or more, in common, rotate in opposite directions.
Combinations
Yes you can do a JUNE while doing a Canon. You can also do a FORMATION change while doing a Canon.
NOTE: It is not uncommon to see some jittering as 1 command is trying to make the dancer move in one direction while another command is trying to make it go in the opposite direction or 90 degrees off.
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Finish
AutoCanon