Cobra Show Creator

[ssmith512]

Quick question,..playing around with Cobra Show Creator for the first time (first time for any scripting software). There is this column called "IGNITER PRE-FIRE". It is defaulted to "0.5". Does this mean the Cobra module will "fire the cue" 0.5 seconds prior to the scripted time for that event? If so, why would I want that? Why wouldnt I want the cue to fire exactly when I script it to? Is this maybe for effects like fountains or wheels or ??? that generally do not come to full effect instantly? Is it safe to assume cakes and shells (with quick match or with the initiator placed directly into the lift charge) do not need any "PRE-FIRE"??

Any help and guidance is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[IndianaPH]

ssmith512-

CSC takes into account the pre-fire and lift time into account when creating the actual script for the show. Think of it as this equation:

Event Time minus Lift Time minus Pre-fire Time equals Actual Time Cue Will Fire in the Script

Typically, e-matches and MJG Initiators will use 0 for a pre-fire time. I believe that Talon Igniters will use 0.5 seconds, but I have never used Talons, so hopefully some that has will chime in. You can change the setting in CSC by going to clicking on Preferences on the left side of the screen and then the Events tab.

For cakes that you have poked and inserted an igniter into the lift charge and shells that have quick match leads, you would use 0 as a pre-fire time as the cake or lift charge will ignite as soon as the cue is fired.

1.3 Shells are a great example of where Lift Time comes into play. For example, if I want a 3", 4" & 5" shell to all break at the same time, the 5" will typically be fired first, then the 4", then the 3" so that they will all break at the same time.

[esgrillo]

IndianaPH has it right.

I'll give you my 2 cents when it come to scripting with or without a pre-fire setting in CSC.

I dont use pre-fire at all. The reason is the timeline can get very crowded when you start having a lot of cues in your show. When you add prefire, a small line is added prior to the cue that shows the time of the prefire but the vertical line for the cue is still at the time you put it in so for that cue, unlike any without the main visual reference, the vertical bar, will not be when the cue fires. To me it just makes it more difficult to glance at the waveform timeline and see what is firing when.

I am sure many or most use the pre-fire so I am probably the exception but if you're doing a comet run for example and then have an item with pre-fire I doubt you will even be able to see the pre-line. Im all consumer so the big shell example is something I dont deal with. Im just jamming 500+ cues into a show lol.

[Birdman]

You can change the setting in CSC by going to clicking on Preferences on the left side of the screen and then the Events tab.

Thanks for pointing that out. I have been editing every event so prefire was set to 0. I do use lift time when I want to try and get a shell to break at a certain point in the song.

To clarify further, when you place an event in CSC the time of the event is when that event should happen (e.g. when you want a shell to break). If you have prefire or lift it will factor in that time to the event. When you export your script you will notice that the times cues are scripted to fire will be different (fire sooner) then the event time in CSC, if you have any prefire or lift time added to the event. So if you want a shell to break at 1:50 into your audio track and it has 1.5 seconds of lift time before it breaks, CSC will actually script the cue to fire 1:48.5 so the shell breaks at the event time (1:50).

[ssmith512]

Thanks for the help friends. I'm gonna change my default settings so prefire is "0". I dont plan on using talon igniters, so it sounds like pre-fire is not something I need or want.