docs/vcspeeddial.html

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<H1><IMG SRC="qrc:/speed.png" ALIGN="absmiddle"> Virtual Console Speed Dial</H1>

<P>
Speed dials are meant for adjusting the speed of a set of functions from virtual console,
much like bus-mode sliders in the previous versions of QLC+. While the bus concept relied on
assigning functions and a slider to the same bus, the speed dial's method is a simpler and
more straightforward one: The user directly selects a set of functions whose speed properties are
controlled with the dial, thus removing the need for buses in the middle.
</P>

<H3>Operation</H3>

<P>
The speed dial itself looks and works just the same as the speed dials in various function
editors: There is a <B>big dial</B> in the middle that increases the time when rotated clockwise
and decreases it when rotated counter-clockwise. The plus
<IMG SRC="qrc:/edit_add.png" HEIGHT="16"/> and minus
<IMG SRC="qrc:/edit_remove.png" HEIGHT="16"/> buttons are an alternative way of adjusting the speed.
</P>

<P>
The <B>current time</B> value is displayed in four parts. When any of these fields is clicked,
the dial and the plus/minus buttons will increase/decrease that unit of time. The mouse
wheel can also be used instead of the dial/buttons and the fields also accept values entered
on the numeric keypad.
<LI><B>h</B>: Hours</LI>
<LI><B>m</B>: Minutes</LI>
<LI><B>s</B>: Seconds</LI>
<LI><B>.xx</B>: Centiseconds (100ths of a second)</LI>
</P>

<P>
Clicking the <B>infinite</B> button disables all of the dial's controls and sets the
currently adjusted functions' speed to infinity. For example, with a 
<A HREF="file:concept.html#Chaser">Chaser</A>, an infinite duration means that it will never
switch to the next step unless manually instructed to (see <A HREF="file:vccuelist.html">Cue List</A>).
</P>

<P>
The <B>tap</B> button can be used to match the time to a beat. 
The elapsed time between clicks is measured and this time is set for the controlled functions, just as if the dial
had been adjusted to that particular time.
</P>

<P>For cuelists/chasers and RGB Matrices, the tap button advances things to next step/position when
speed dial is set to adjust duration. The tapped tempo must be more than 1/4 of the original duration.
</P>

<H3>Configuration - Functions tab</H3>
<P>
Speed dials can be configured with the properties
<IMG SRC="qrc:/edit.png" ALIGN="bottom"> button found in the toolbar or
by double clicking the speed dial itself.
</P>

<TABLE BORDER=1 class="qlcTable">
 <TR>
  <TD>
   <B>Speed Dial Name</B>
  </TD>
  <TD>
   Change the dial's name.
  </TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD>
   <B>Function table</B>
  </TD>
  <TD>
   <P>Displays the list of functions, whose speed value(s) are being controlled by the dial.</P>
   <P>For each speed value (fade in, fade out, duration), it is possible to set a multiplier.</P>
   <TABLE BORDER=1 class="qlcTable">
    <TR>
     <TD>
      <B>Fade In *</B>
     </TD>
     <TD>
      Select a multiplier to adjust the functions' <A HREF="file:concept.html#Functions">fade in speed</A>
     </TD>
    </TR>
    <TR>
     <TD>
      <B>Fade Out *</B>
     </TD>
     <TD>
      Select a multiplier to adjust the functions' <A HREF="file:concept.html#Functions">fade out speed</A>
     </TD>
    </TR>
    <TR>
     <TD>
      <B>Duration *</B>
     </TD>
     <TD>
      Select a multiplier to adjust the functions' <A HREF="file:concept.html#Functions">duration</A>
     </TD>
    </TR>
   </TABLE>
   <P>This multiplier will be applied to the speed dial value before adjusting the functions' speed value.</P>
   <P>Select <B>(Not Sent)</B> so the functions' speed value will not be affected by this speed dial.</P>
  </TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD>
   <IMG SRC="qrc:/edit_add.png"/>
  </TD>
  <TD>
   Add function(s) to be controlled by the speed dial.
  </TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD>
   <IMG SRC="qrc:/edit_remove.png"/>
  </TD>
  <TD>
   Remove the selected functions from the speed dial's list of controlled functions.
  </TD>
 </TR>
</TABLE>

<H3>Configuration - Input tab</H3>
<P>
External input can be configured here: one for value with minimum and maximum and another for tap button.
</P>

<H3>Configuration - Appearance tab</H3>
<P>
Individual visibility of the widget's layout elements can be switched on or off here. This way it is possible to 
save some screen real estate if some of the fields are not needed (e.g. when controlled by an external controller, 
the big dial is not needed).
</P>

<TABLE BORDER=1 class="qlcTable">
 <TR>
  <TD>
   <B>Show the plus and minus buttons</B>
  </TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD>
   <B>Show the central dial</B>
  </TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD>
   <B>Show the tap button</B>
  </TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD>
   <B>Show the hours field</B>
  </TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD>
   <B>Show the minutes field</B>
  </TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD>
   <B>Show the seconds field</B>
  </TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD>
   <B>Show the milliseconds field</B>
  </TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD>
   <B>Show the inifinite option</B>
  </TD>
 </TR>
</TABLE>

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