Hi Mark, the answer depends on which version of Finale 3D you are running. In Lite, you can limit the number of pins used by limiting the items you add to a position and then restricting each module to a single position when addressing. For example, if you have a position with just 12 salute chains and nothing else, then a single module will be assigned to that position and only 12 pins will be used. The other option in Lite would be to manually hand-key in the addresses you want. In the Hobbyist version, you can take further with more options to constrain modules and selectively lock and unlock addresses. For example, you can restrict each module to a single part number, this would give you the desired result. In Pro, there are many more options, my favorite way to achieve this is by dragging and dropping racks in to two separate clusters (one for salute chains and one for color chains), and then restricting each module to a single rack cluster.   To see how max. e-matches per pin works, start small. Open a new blank show and add two of the same effect on the same position at the same time. Next, address the show with a max. of 1 e-match per pin. You will see that the first item gets rail 1 pin 1 and the second item gets rail 1 pin 2. Now address the show again and change the max. to 2. Now you will see that both items are assigned rail 1, pin 1. Build up from there...   It's also worth noting that any manual addressing you do isn't taken into account whatsoever when you then do 'Addressing > Address show...' In other words, when you address your show, the slate is wiped clean, anything you have typed in the rail and pin columns is completely and utterly blown away.

Hello,   I've taken this down as a task request ("Add format options for event time in script window.").  You are right, currently you have options in "Show > Show settings > Set effect time format" but they do not apply to the event time format.  Part of the reason we don't treat them together is that a number of firing systems including PD use a different time representation for prefire and effect time.  For PD, prefire is in 10ths of a second; for a number of other firing systems, prefire is in 100ths or ms.  Consequently the event times, which are effect times minus prefire times, often aren't themselves representable cleanly as frames, because they don't fall on an even frame boundary.  Our formatting options do include the ability to represent fractional frames with millisecond remainders but they are ugly when printed (example: 00:05;11+14).   So the long winded explanation for why event times are in milliseconds is that I didn't think people would like the frames representation of them, which would usually have ugly millisecond remainders.   But it is possible to add this feature, so I've added it to our feature request list.   Will      

Drew,I have another question for you:  Is there a way to end a module at less than 18?  For example if I have 12 salute chains on module 21 and 18 color chains on module 22, how can I stop finale from adding cues to module 21 to "fill it up"?   Also, I changed the max. ematch per pin to 3, but the addressing is still off.  Not sure why, but even if I manually fix it, addressing with multiple match per cue reverts to exactly how it was when it was set to 1???   Thank you again.   MP

Drew, pls see below

When you are customizing a simulation, you can create what we call a "blob" effect, as opposed to a "vdl" effect.   A VDL effect has VDL text in the VDL column.  For example, "Red to Green Peony". Or more complicated cake VDL, like "20 Shot Cake (a) Rising Very Long Silver Tip + (b) Glittering Gold Crown, 4 Rows, Row 1 (bbbbb/STR), Row 2 (aaaaa/BLT), Row 3 (aaaaa/BRT), Row 4 (aaaaa/VST)" Either way, it is more or less readable.   A Blob effect shows up as "{SIM1}" in the VDL column of the effects table when the effect is not selected, and it looks like a bunch of random characters in between curly braces if you edit the actual VDL column. It looks something like "{1KLUv/WDpAvUIAKQJu....}". It is not human-readable.   When you have a VDL effect, the "height" column of the effects table is used to generate the low-level effect definition.  This will determine the height of a comet, fountain, or mine, and it will determine the break height of a shell.   When you have a Blob simulation, the "height" column of the effects table is no longer used to generate the low-level effect definition. When you are customizing a simulation, you are effectively editing the low-level effect definition directly. You can put whatever value you like into the height column, but it will not change the low-level effect definition.   To change the actual height of a custom simulation, look at the 'launch' node in the Effect Editor, and adjust the 'height' field there.  

Hi Mark,   In the 'Address Show' dialog, set the 'Max. e-matches per pin' setting to a number higher than 1. For example, if you want to allow 2 e-matches to be on the same pin (i.e. cue), change the number to 2, etc. Once you do this, Finale 3D will automatically put qualifying items on the same pin, up to the max. that you specify.

I have a show where I need to double up shells assigned to 1 cue (cobra based).  If I manually enter the values for those cues, when I address the show, it breaks them back out and assigns them to a new module which I can't have.   I'm sure there is a way to do this but I haven't found it yet.  Can someone please help?   Thanks!   Mark

Addition to PyroDan Posts: And please optionally a output option for the timecode as a running clock in the bottom right corner for example. Especially when we render just parts other have the possibility to know which is the true showtime for this render. KR

Also for me it would be great if the time columns optionally are showing the time format which we have setup at the Show Settings.

For Video Renders - Additive Dissolve (start of video) - Dip to black (end of video) - Add logo to video render   For my process - would save from running thru a 2nd process of video encoding on each render.