It sounds like a simple question: How can I tell if an effect is a chain? The reason it is not simple is that multiple pieces of information about the effect can be inconsistent, some indicative of a chain, others indicative of not a chain. For example, the description could include the word “Chain”; the VDL could include the word “Chain”; either field could also include the word “Cake”; the “Devices” column could have multiple devices (looking like a chain) or a single device (looking like not a chain). If you are puzzling about the behavior of an item that might be a chain, you can follow these rules to determine if it is a chain:
Table 1 – How the software determines if an effect is a chain
| Chain | Not a chain | |
|---|---|---|
| In Effects window | Row defines a chain if the VDL contains the word “Chain”, or if the VDL is empty but the VDL that would be created automatically from the “Description” column would contain the word “Chain”. | Otherwise |
| In Script | Row is part of a chain if it has a reference number in the “Chain” column | Otherwise |
The number of devices that a chain effect in the Effect window represents is the number in the “Devices” column — even if that number is inconsistent with the description or VDL of the effect. This can be a source of confusion, because you might have an effect called “Chain of 5” with the number 10 in the “Devices” column. Although it looks like a chain of 5 by the description (particularly if the “Devices” column happens to be hidden), the chain represents 10 devices.