Rack layout diagrams show graphical instructions for setting up and wiring racks.  Finale 3D provides default diagram templates for a variety of workflows, such as for the show crew to set up racks at the shoot site, or for the warehouse crew to prepare single-shot rack configurations in the warehouse in advance of the show.  The diagrams are highly customizable.  If you have a preference for showing certain information per page that is different from the default templates, or if you want different layout proportions or styles, there is a good chance you'll be able to configure the diagrams to be exactly what you want.   Figure 1 – Rack layout per position (page 1)   Most of the content displayed in a rack layout diagram comes from rack layout view of your show.  The primary difference between the default templates is whether each diagram page of the printed document includes one entire launch position (Figure 1), similar to the rack layout view itself, or whether each page is more granular, such as showing one single-shot rack per page (Figure 2) or one rack cluster per page (Figure 3).   Figure 2 – Rack layout per single-shot rack (page 1)   The diagrams also include your company logo and information from the "Show > Set show information..." page, as well as static information and dynamic Text box variables in the information panel.   Figure 3 – Rack layout per single-shot rack cluster (page 1)   The Print-Time Options dialog that appears when you print a document provides some customization options on the fly, at the time you print the document.   That may be all the customization you need from the default templates.  If not you can copy and modify the default templates or create new templates/blueprints from scratch. The default rack layout diagram templates are available in 18-row and 32-row configurations to accommodate firing system modules that have 18 or fewer pins, or more than 18 pins, using the minimum number of extra pages rows spilling off the first page.  An additional default template is available that prints in landscape orientation and includes all the rows on a separate page.   All of these options are customizable from the rack layout view's blue gear menu, as shown in Figure 4.   Figure 4 – Customize diagrams from the blue gear menu in the upper right of the rack layout view   When you customize a default diagram template/blueprint, you will be creating a copy of it.  A dialog appears asking for you to name your copy.  The blueprint name is the unique identifier for your copy.  The page title is what appears on the page.   Figure 5 – The blueprint name is the unique identifier for the template; the page title is what appears on the page   When you create a new template/blueprint or a copy of a default, the new blueprint will be saved along with the show.  You can find it in the show's Blueprints window.  You can also create a rack layout diagram blueprint from scratch, but it is usually easiest to begin with one of the defaults.   Customizing rack layout diagrams When you create new rack layout diagram or customize one of the defaults from the blue gear menu of the rack layout window, a dialog appears with vast array of configuration options.   Figure 6 – The first settings in the dialog specify what goes in the information panel on the right   The "Default pathname" (see Default pathnames) and "Batch tags" (see Print batch) fields are somewhat advanced time-saving features for people who print lots of documents.  The "Position name filter" and "Diagram tag" fields (see Position name filters and diagram tag filters) are generally used to create a diagram template that applies to a certain type of position, like just rooftop positions or just single-shot positions. The position name filter is most useful when you have a consistent naming convention for your show's launch positions, enabling you to choose a group of positions by filtering to a substring in the position names that is common to the group.  If you leave the position name filter blank in the template, you can let the user define it at the time of printing the diagram, from the Print-Time Options dialog.  This dialog is itself is configurable as described below. The diagram tags support enabling or disabling drawings based on the diagram (drawings are the circles, icons, lines, etc. that you can draw in the rack layout view by clicking "Draw mode" in the upper left).  For example, you may want to have a set of drawings that appear only on diagrams you are giving the crew at the shoot site, and a different set of drawings for folks in the warehouse, but all the drawings are drawn in the same rack layout view together.  You can use diagram tags to control which drawings appear on which diagrams.   Text box variables and the information panel Referring back to Figures 1-3, the information panel on the right contains a variety of content.  The top section, with the show name, date, and location, comes from the "Show > Set show information..." dialog automatically.  The text content below that comes from "Text box 1" through "Text box 8".  These text boxes can contain static text or Text box variables that expand to information from the diagram or position.  "Text box 1" in Figure 6 is "{diagram_title}", which expands to the "Page title" of the blueprint (See Figure 5).  "Text box 6" in Figure 6 is "{rack_counts_table}" which expands to two lines in Figure 1. The double-bars at the beginning of some of the text fields in the default diagrams (e.g., "||Racks") have to do language localization.  Any text string beginning with double-bar will be translated from English into the user's chosen language if the application's language dictionary contains a translation.  If there's no translation, or if the user's language is English, then the double-bars are simply elided when printing.   What the diagram contains Scroll down on the configuration dialog to see the remaining settings for the rack layout diagrams.  The first two settings, "Each diagram page consists of one" and "filtered to" define the basic parameters of what each "diagram page" contains.  The term "diagram page" means the one or more printed pages required to print one diagram plus the associated rows in the table below the diagram, which may spill over into additional printed pages.   Figure 7 – Scroll down to find the settings for what appears in the diagram, and the style choices   The examples in Figures 1-3 are good illustrations of the first two settings.  For the first setting, they correspond to Position, Rack, and Rack Cluster.    Table 1 – Each diagram page consists of one ... Diagram content Typical use Position If you divide work up by position or if you want an overview per position, this is the right variation.  The diagram page for a position includes all racks in the position; the table includes all script rows associated with the position, even unracked items. Module If you divide work up by module, use this variation to print one diagram page of information per task.  The diagram for a module includes all racks served by the module; the table includes all script rows associated with the module, even unracked items. Rack If you set up single-shot racks in advance of the show (angles, wiring, or effects), use this variation to print one diagram page per single-shot rack.  The diagram has only one rack; the table has only the script rows associated with that rack.  Unracked items are not included in the table.  Rack Cluster If in advance of the show you construct aggregate single-shot racks from rows that are represented in Finale 3D as individual racks, use this variation to print one diagram page per aggregate rack, which is a rack cluster in Finale 3D.  The diagram has all the racks in the cluster (i.e., all the rows making up the aggregate rack); the table has the script rows associated with those racks.  Unracked items are not included in the table. Also, if you divide work up by rack cluster or "rack pod" for groups of mortar racks that are assembled together, you can use this variation for mortar racks instead of single-shot racks. Custom Rack Field  If you divide work up by groups of racks that are assembled together, and if the groups don't correspond to rack clusters in Finale 3D, you can use the Custom Rack Field in the table at the bottom of the rack layout view to define the groups that constitute a single diagram page.   The diagram will include all racks having the same Custom Rack Field (and the same position); the table will include all items associated with those racks, excluding unracked items. Rack Notes Similar to Custom Rack Field, you can use this variation to define your own groups of racks.  If you already use the Custom Rack Field for addressing concerns, the Rack Notes field is another option.   The second setting ("filtered to" ) specifies what kind of racks to filter to: Any kind, Single-shot, Mortar, Candle, etc.  Typically if the first setting is Position or Module, the second setting is Any kind; and if the first setting is Rack or Rack Cluster, the second setting is something more specific. The third setting ("Additional search terms or expressions to filter racks") also filters the content of the diagram.   These search terms or expressions can select a specific type of rack that is even more specific than second setting's options.  Your warehouse crew may set up only specific types of single-shot racks in the warehouse before the show, leaving other types of single-shot racks to set up at the shoot site.  The third setting can filter the racks to the right set.  See Filter / search expressions for instructions.  Similar to "Position name filter", if you leave this field blank you can offer it to the user to define when printing the diagram, from the Print-Time Options dialog. After some general style settings that are self-explanatory, the "Table blueprint" setting is what controls the table of script rows below the diagram.  This setting refers to a separate script report blueprint that you can customize or create from the blue gear menu in the upper right corner of the script window.  The script report's blueprint specifies the table columns and formatting choices like zebra-striping rows, font size, conditional formatting colors, etc.  Thus, to customize the table shown in rack layout diagrams, first you need to create the customized script report blueprint, and then second you need to customize the rack layout diagram blueprint to refer to your customized script report blueprint.   Tube text and graphics The "Tube text top" and bottom and angle graphics options configure what information is shown in each single-shot holder or mortar tube cell of the drawn rack.  These three settings in combination can be configured to match any of the tube text options in the rack layout view and many other options that are not available in the rack layout view.   Figure 8  – A tube text option for printed diagrams that isn't available in the rack layout view   The text top and bottom components can be: Pin, Rail, Address, Angle, Rack relative angle, or None.  If you choose none for top or bottom, the other will expand to fit the area.  For example, the default option in the rack layout view is equivalent to pin for top text, none for bottom text, and none for angle graphics, which gives pin number all the area for the largest font possible. The angle graphics component can be: In center, On right, On left, or None.  If angle graphics are included in any manner, they will consume much of the available area, shrinking the font of the text components.  Putting the angle graphics in the center (in a vertical stack) shrinks the text font the most because the stack of top text, angle graphics, and bottom text must be short enough to fit in the available height.   Putting the angle graphics on the left or right generally divides the area more efficiently if you are including both top text and bottom text, but only if the tube text area is more of a wide rectangle than a square based on the physical proportions of the rack.   Figure 8 shows this efficient use of space in comparison to Figure 2, which works better for racks with square tube areas.   Checkbox options After the tube text selectors is a collection of checkboxes affecting the appearance of the diagrams.  The checkboxes and their meanings are in Table 2.   Table 2 – Checkbox options and their meaning Checkbox Meaning Show rail/pin boxes Draw the rail box graphics in the information panel, as shown in Figures 1-3. Show rack cluster colors Draw the colored bounding boxes around the rack clusters, just like when you drag a rack in the rack layout view next to another rack and they snap together in a cluster. Show rack cluster rulers Draw the dimension rulers for the rack clusters, just like when you drag a rack in the rack layout view next to another rack and they snap together in a cluster. Show tube angle colors Draw the color gradient backgrounds of the rack tube/holder cells based on the angles of their effects, just like when you are dragging and dropping pins in the rack layout view. Show drawings Draw the drawings (drawings are the circles, icons, lines, etc. that you can draw in the rack layout view by clicking “Draw mode” in the upper left). Show all rack annotations Draw all rack annotations of racks in the position, not just the rack annotations associated specifically with the racks shown in the diagram. Show outlines of excluded racks Draw gray boxes for racks in the position that are not otherwise included in the diagram, providing context for the surroundings of the racks that are included in the diagram. Move rail numbers to side if necessary Move the rail numbers that are by default drawn underneath the rack to the right side of the rack if the rack has vertical neighbors.  It is usually better to turn this option OFF if each diagram includes only one rack to make better use of the available print area. Include drawings in printed area Include your drawings in the calculation of the bounding box for the printed area of the page.  If you are maximizing the size of the racks in the printed area, you might be happier turning this option OFF so your drawings don't expand the bounding box and thereby shrink the size of the racks.  If your drawings include important information for the diagram, then leave this option ON. Include associated rack annotations in printed area Include the rack annotations of the included racks, and of any racks in rack clusters containing included racks if Include associated rack clusters in printed area is ON, in the bounding box calculation for the printed area.  If rack annotations include important information for the diagram then leave this option ON or add "{annotation}" as a text box variable to include the annotations in the information panel. Include associated rack clusters in printed area In addition to the racks in the diagram, include in the bounding box calculation for the printed area all the racks that are not themselves included in the diagram but that are in rack clusters containing other racks that are.  Set this option ON for Per Rack or Per Module diagrams if Show outlines of excluded racks is ON so the outlines of the other racks in the clusters of the included racks are included in the printed area, providing useful context of the surroundings. Include all racks in printed area Include all racks, and their annotations if Include associated rack annotations in printed area is ON, in the bounding box calculation for the printed area.  With this option ON, all diagram pages for the same position will have the same bounding box even if each diagram page draws only a subset of the racks.  In combination with Show outlines of excluded racks, this option provides the best context for the surroundings of the drawn racks, though the drawn racks may be smaller on the printed page because of space required for the surroundings. Print-time options: Position name filter Show the Print-Time Options dialog when the user prints this diagram template, and include the Position name filter field in the dialog.  If this option is ON, the user's entry in the Print-Time Options dialog will overwrite the Position name filter field of the template even if the user leaves the field blank. Print-time options: Additional search terms or expression to filter racks Show the Print-Time Options dialog when the user prints this diagram template, and include the Additional search terms or expression to filter racks field in the dialog.  If this option is ON, the user's entry in the Print-Time Options dialog will overwrite the Additional search terms or expression to filter racks field of the template even if the user leaves the field blank. Print-time options: Page range Show the Print-Time Options dialog when the user prints this diagram template, and include the page range field.    

Site layout and rack layout diagrams contain an optional information panel on the right of the page that displays a variety of information tailored to the purpose of the diagram, such as whether the diagram is for a client, or the authority having jurisdiction, or the display operator's crew, or the personnel who assemble single-shot racks in advance to bring to the shoot site. You choose what information to display by configuring the diagram template (blueprint), which is accessed from the blue gear menu in the upper right corner of the rack layout window.  The diagram template contains eight configurable text boxes, and the text boxes can contain variables that refer to information from the diagram or the show. The site layout's "Diagram side panel text", which you set from the "Show > Set side panel text" menu or from the button in the top left of the rack layout view for site layout, also supports text box variables. The table below shows the list of variables available to you and their meaning.   Table 1 – Variable meanings in site layout diagrams and rack layout diagrams Variables Meaning in site layout diagrams Meaning in rack layout diagrams {annotation} <undefined> The union of annotations of racks in rack clusters that are associated with racks that are included in the diagram page's "consists-of" specification and filter.  Rack diagrams often have a single annotation per rack cluster, describing the entire cluster of racks, but the annotation itself in the user interface is associated with a specific rack.  This definition of the {annotation} variable ensures that if the rack layout diagram displays any of the racks in a rack cluster, the {annotation} will include the annotation describing the cluster. {diagram_page_number}, {number_of_diagram_pages} <undefined> Rack layout diagrams contain a collection of diagram pages, such as one diagram page per position, or module, or rack.  Each diagram page typically consists of a diagram and a table of information.  If the table is short, it may fit on the same page as the diagram, in which case the diagram page requires just a single page of paper, but if the table doesn't fit on the same page as the diagram, the diagram page may require multiple pages of paper for the overflow.  Whereas the page number in the upper right of the page counts the pages of paper, the {diagram_page_number} counts the diagram pages. {diagram_title} The title of the diagram, from the diagram template. Same as for site layout. {effect_angles_table} A table of angle counts for effects in racks in all positions passing the site layout's position name filter. A table of angle counts for effects in racks in the diagram page's position, which may include racks not in the diagram page itself for diagram configurations like per-rack-cluster which create diagram pages for subsets of the racks in a position. {effect_angles_table_per_diagram_page} <undefined> A table of angle counts for effects in racks included in the diagram page itself. {module}, {rail}, {rack_number}, {rack_cluster}, {rack_name}, {rack_manufacturer}, {rack_notes} <undefined> The union of module numbers, rail numbers, etc. of events included in the diagram page's "consists-of" specification, and if the specification is "PER MODULE" then also the diagram page's position's pre-assigned rails (or modules thereof) that match the diagram page's module, and if the specification is "PER POSITION" then also all the diagram page's position's pre-assigned rails (or modules thereof). {number_of_modules}, {number_of_rails}, {number_of_ematches}, {number_of_pins_used}, {number_of_pins_total}, {number_of_devices}, {number_of_universes} The count of modules, rails, etc. of all events in all positions passing the site layout's position name filter. The number of modules is based on used and pre-assigned rails. Total pins includes pins from pre-assigned rails. The count of modules, rails, etc. of all events in the diagram page's position, whether included in the shown racks or not. The number of modules is based on used and pre-assigned modules. Total pins includes pins from pre-assigned rails. {number_of_multi_loaded_holders} The count of individual single-shot holders that contain multiple effects, considering racks in all positions passing the site layout's position name filter. The count of individual single-shot holders that contain multiple effects, considering all racks in the diagram page's position, which may include racks not in the diagram page itself for diagram configurations like per-rack-cluster which create diagram pages for subsets of the racks in a position. Certain types of single-shot racks, such as those with the rack structure "Single-shot rack, 1-axis tiltable holders for up to 4 tubes," support multiple effects in the same holder if the sizes are sufficiently small.  For such racks, if a holder contains zero or one effect, the holder does not contribute to this variable's count; if it contains two or more effects, it does contribute.  In the physical world, racks of this structure may need a plug in the bottom of their holders if and only if the holders contain more than one effect.  The purpose of this variable is to tell you how many plugs are required. {number_of_multi_loaded_holders_per_diagram_page} <undefined> The count individual of single-shot holders that contain multiple effects, considering all racks included in the diagram page itself. Certain types of single-shot racks, such as those with the rack structure "Single-shot rack, 1-axis tiltable holders for up to 4 tubes," support multiple effects in the same holder if the sizes are sufficiently small.  For such racks, if a holder contains zero or one effect, the holder does not contribute to this variable's count; if it contains two or more effects, it does contribute.  In the physical world, racks of this structure may need a plug in the bottom of their holders if and only if the holders contain more than one effect.  The purpose of this variable is to tell you how many plugs are required. {position} <undefined> The name of the position containing the information shown in the diagram page. {rack_counts_table}, {rack_totals_table} A table of counts of racks in all positions passing the site layout's position name filter.  The totals table includes one line per rack name and size.  The counts table includes one line for each angle of each rack and size. A table of counts of all racks in the diagram page's position, which may include racks not in the diagram page itself for diagram configurations like per-rack-cluster which create diagram pages for subsets of the racks in a position.  The totals table includes one line per rack name and size.  The counts table includes one line for each angle of each rack and size. {rack_counts_table_per_diagram_page}, {rack_totals_table_per_diagram_page} <undefined> A table of counts of all racks included in the diagram page itself.  The totals table includes one line per rack name and size.  The counts table includes one line for each angle of each rack and size. {universes}, {sections} The union of universes or sections of all events in all positions passing the site layout's position name filter. The union of universes or sections of all events in the diagram page's position, whether included in the shown racks or not.

To create and export a script for the MainFX firing system, please follow these three steps: Design the show. Address the show ("Addressing > Address show"). Export the script ("File > Export > Export firing scripts"). Step 3 creates the script file, which is a JSON file that you can import into your firing system.   Figure 1 – The MainFX firing system   The MainFX script is a JSON text file that supports 30, 100, and 10k pin modules.    Table 1 – File format and encoding File format Extension Text encoding Field delimiter End-of-line JSON .out UTF-8 Not applicable Not applicable   The script is a JSON array of objects ("rows") for firing events, i.e., unique combinations of module, pin, and ignition-time.  Multiple effects can be combined on a single cue. The special characteristics of the script are shown in the following table:   Table 2 – Special characteristics Special characteristics Description Sort order of rows Rows sorted ascending first by event time. What rows represent Rows represent firing events, i.e., unique module-pin-ignition-time events.  If multiple effects are triggered on the same cue, the effects are combined in name field, but the row is still just one row. Supported modules S-BOX 30, S-BOX 100, and Custom 10K modules are supported, with 30, 100, and 10k pins respectively. Minimum separation between cues 10ms   The JSON objects include the necessary information for each ignition event, consisting of some values derived from the show data in Finale 3D and other values with hard coded, constant values.    Table 3 – Specifications of script fields Field name Description action (int) The value 1 between (int) Time in milliseconds between the previous row's event time and this row's event time, or zero for the first row ch (int) Pin number delay (int) Event time in milliseconds with 10ms resolution (last digit is always zero) freeze (bool) The value false id (int) The row number, beginning with 0 position (int) The module number, beginning with 1 (not the "launch position" in Finale 3D, which is not represented in the MainFX script) time (int) The value 100 type (int) The value 2 name (string) The effect name, or effect names if the row represents multiple rows with different names size (string) The size of the first effect quantity (int) The number of devices represented by the row angle (string) ASCII graphics angle representation of all effects represented by the row, preceded by a list of angles followed by a dot character if any angles are non-zero The example script below is from a show with nine positions, illustrating rows with various combinations of effects.  The first eleven rows each have a single effect.  The next three rows have 2, 2, and 3 effects respectively.  The first of those three has two effects of different names, which are combined in the name property separated by comma.  The remaining rows have homogeneous effects, so their name properties consist of a single name.   [{"action":1,"between":0,"ch":1,"delay":2760,"freeze":false,"id":0,"position":1,"time":100,"type":2,"name":"Red Chrysanthemum","size":"50mm","quantity":1,"angle":"|"}, {"action":1,"between":500,"ch":1,"delay":3260,"freeze":false,"id":1,"position":2,"time":100,"type":2,"name":"Red Chrysanthemum","size":"50mm","quantity":1,"angle":"|"}, {"action":1,"between":500,"ch":1,"delay":3760,"freeze":false,"id":2,"position":3,"time":100,"type":2,"name":"Red Chrysanthemum","size":"50mm","quantity":1,"angle":"|"}, {"action":1,"between":500,"ch":2,"delay":4260,"freeze":false,"id":3,"position":4,"time":100,"type":2,"name":"Red Chrysanthemum","size":"50mm","quantity":1,"angle":"|"}, {"action":1,"between":500,"ch":2,"delay":4760,"freeze":false,"id":4,"position":5,"time":100,"type":2,"name":"Red Chrysanthemum","size":"50mm","quantity":1,"angle":"|"}, {"action":1,"between":500,"ch":2,"delay":5260,"freeze":false,"id":5,"position":6,"time":100,"type":2,"name":"Red Chrysanthemum","size":"50mm","quantity":1,"angle":"|"}, {"action":1,"between":500,"ch":1,"delay":5760,"freeze":false,"id":6,"position":7,"time":100,"type":2,"name":"Red Chrysanthemum","size":"50mm","quantity":1,"angle":"|"}, {"action":1,"between":500,"ch":1,"delay":6260,"freeze":false,"id":7,"position":8,"time":100,"type":2,"name":"Red Chrysanthemum","size":"50mm","quantity":1,"angle":"|"}, {"action":1,"between":500,"ch":1,"delay":6760,"freeze":false,"id":8,"position":9,"time":100,"type":2,"name":"Red Chrysanthemum","size":"50mm","quantity":1,"angle":"|"}, {"action":1,"between":2220,"ch":1,"delay":8980,"freeze":false,"id":9,"position":4,"time":100,"type":2,"name":"Indigo Chrysanthemum","size":"3"","quantity":1,"angle":"|"}, {"action":1,"between":0,"ch":1,"delay":8980,"freeze":false,"id":10,"position":6,"time":100,"type":2,"name":"Indigo Chrysanthemum","size":"3"","quantity":1,"angle":"|"}, {"action":1,"between":3000,"ch":1,"delay":11980,"freeze":false,"id":11,"position":5,"time":100,"type":2,"name":"Indigo Chrysanthemum, Yellow Chrysanthemum","size":"3"","quantity":2,"angle":"-45 +45. \/"}, {"action":1,"between":6000,"ch":3,"delay":17980,"freeze":false,"id":12,"position":6,"time":100,"type":2,"name":"Yellow Chrysanthemum","size":"3"","quantity":2,"angle":"-45 +45. \/"}, {"action":1,"between":9000,"ch":2,"delay":26980,"freeze":false,"id":13,"position":7,"time":100,"type":2,"name":"Yellow Chrysanthemum","size":"3"","quantity":3,"angle":"|||"}] Figure 2 – Example MainFX script

To create and export a script for the IGNITE firing system, please follow these steps: Design the show. Address the show ("Addressing > Address show"). Export the script ("File > Export > Export firing scripts").  This function creates an Excel XLSX file containing the rows, and it also copies the rows into the system clipboard so you can paste them into a text editor or the IGNITE designer web application. Paste the script rows into designer.ignitefiringsystems.com.  Select the first row in the table on this web page, then press Ctrl+V.   Figure 1 – The IGNITE firing system module   The exported IGNITE script is a list of rows represented as text with tab separated fields.  The method of transferring a show designed in Finale 3D to the IGNITE system is to address and export the show from Finale 3D and then paste (or copy/paste from exported XLSX file) the rows into a blank show in the IGNITE designer web application. The "Event Time" field in IGNITE corresponds to the "Effect Time" in Finale 3D, i.e., the break of a shell as opposed to the launch of a shell.  The "Color" and "Cue" fields in IGNITE correspond to the "Rail" and "Pin" columns in Finale 3D.   The six colors in IGNITE, beginning with red, are rail numbers 0-5 in Finale 3D.  The pin and cue numbers, and the "Firework Name" and "Duration" fields have the same meaning in IGNITE and Finale 3D.  The "Igniter Pre-fire" field in IGNITE corresponds to the "Prefire" field in Finale 3D.   Table 1 – Clipboard format and encoding Clipboard format Extension Text encoding Field delimiter End-of-line Text XLSX UTF-8 Tab CRLF The script contains rows for the firing events, i.e., unique combinations of module, channel, and ignition-time.  Multiple effects can be combined on a single cue. The special characteristics of the script are shown in the following table:   Table 2 – Special characteristics Special characteristics Description Sort order of rows Rows sorted ascending first by Event Time. What rows represent Rows represent firing events, i.e., unique module-channel-ignition-time events.  If multiple effects are triggered on the same cue, the effects are combined in name field, but the row is still just one row. Special characters The script may contain any Unicode characters except the comma character and control characters like tab or carriage return.  Finale 3D automatically strips out the comma characters from exported scripts. The IGNITE script has no header, just a list of rows corresponding to the firing events.  Each row has six fields, defined as follows:   Table 3 – Specifications of script fields Field name Description Event Time The Effect Time (the break time, not the launch time) in the format MM:SS.D from the beginning of the show (1/10th second resolution) Color Module number, from 0-5 Cue Pin number, from 1-18 or 1-36 Firework Name The effect description (up to 62 Unicode characters, including double quote and characters from other languages but not comma) Duration Duration in seconds without fractional seconds (integer) Igniter Pre-fire Prefire as a floating point number with 1/10th second resolution The example script below has three cakes, all shot from the same module (0, or red).  The first two cakes are long, at 22 and 18 seconds respectively.  The third cake is an all-at-once shell cake, and therefore has an Igniter Pre-fire equal to the lift time, represented in the Igniter Pre-fire field even though the delay is in the aerial delay fuse, not the igniter.   00:05.0 0 3 Slingin' Rhymes 22 0.0 00:30.7 0 1 Green Ice 18 0.0 00:53.7 0 2 Say Again? 1 1.7 Figure 2 – Example IGNITE script as text   Figure 3 – Example IGNITE script as shown in the IGNITE designer web application

The "Addressing algorithm" is the procedure the computer follows to assign modules, pins, racks and tubes to the events of the show.  The basic procedure is a lot like what a human would do: Decide in what sort order you will assign addresses to effects. Take the first effect in that order, and assign it the lowest number module, pin, rack, and tube that satisfy all the constraints. After the assignment, look ahead to assign any same-time or same-chain effects to the same module and pin and the lowest number rack and tube that satisfy constraints. Repeat from step (2) until finished. Rearrange the tubes in the single-shot racks to avoid collisions between tubes with crossing angles. If you turn off step (5) rearrangement, the results of the algorithm are fully transparent and 100% determined by the sort order and the constraints specified in the addressing dialog, meaning that a human could follow these same steps to get the same result.  You can fall back on this truth if you ever question the results of the addressing algorithm: follow the same steps and see if you get the same result.   Sort order The sort order is a list of criteria, sorting first by criterion 1, then breaking ties by criterion 2, then breaking further ties by criterion 3, etc.  Sort criteria include attributes like Position Name, Size, and Part Number.  In fact it is easy to imagine assigning modules and pins sorted by those exact criteria, and many people do. Sort criteria can also include conditional terms, like "Size >= 50mm (If Single-Shot)", which sorts single-shot items of size >= 50mm first; then other single-shot items; then non-single-shot items in their original order.  The purpose of conditional sort terms with phrases like "(If Single-Shot)" is to apply some criteria to some kinds of effects without affecting others.  For example, it may be important to assign racks and tubes to large (>= 50mm) single-shots before others if a launch position has a limited number of racks capable of holding the larger effects, which you wouldn't want to fill with smaller effects until ensuring you have dealt with all the large effects. Sort criteria can also include derived terms like "Rack Number", which prioritize effects that fit in the next rack according to the Rack Numbers.  The precise definitions and calculations of derived terms like Rack Number are often complicated.  If the meaning isn't obvious or if you are trying to step through exactly what the computer is doing, you can refer to the list of terms and their definitions here: Special sort terms.   Constraints Unlike the list of sort order terms, constraints come from multiple places.  The addressing dialog provides lists of constraint fields applying to modules, slats, pins, and racks, and provides the constraint, "Max. e-matches per pin".  The rack definition dialog for the "Create/edit rack" functions includes pre-wired pins, various size constraints, usable length of rack row constraints for Pyrolamas-like racks, and constraints related to angles.  Effects have a Type property that must be compatible with the rack structure (cake racks vs. single-shot racks, etc.).  Positions can have pre-wired rails.  Script rows can have Rack Type values that are required to match the Rack Type properties of the racks. Like sort terms, constraint fields applying to modules, slats, pins, and racks can refer to attributes like Position, Size and Part Number, or other more complicated conditional and derived terms like "Rack (If Single-Shot)" or "Chain-Or-Not" (see Special constraints). The important characteristic of constraints is that they combine in a principled manner.  The combination of constraint 1 and constraint 2 means simply that constraint 1 and constraint 2 must both be satisfied by any assignment of modules, pins, racks, and tubes.  Because of this characteristic, you can configure the addressing algorithm to take into account a staggeringly large and complex set of considerations while still being able to rely on the predictability and verifiability of the result.   Example sort order and constraints for single-shot racks with pre-wired pins Addressing for pre-wired pins on racks with angle range constraints requires a significant amount of sort order and constraint calculation which illustrates the complexity.   The specific terms are listed in Table 1 of Racks with pre-wired pins.  Figure 1 is an excerpt:   Figure 1 – Example sort order and constraints for pre-wired pins.   The "Tilt > 50° — Single-Shot" sort term guarantees that single-shots angled more than 50° get to allocate the tube holders on the ends of the rows that are the only holders capable of rotating to those extreme angles.  Similarly, the "Size >= 50mm -- Single-Shot" sort term ensures large holder single-shot racks are allocated first to the large effects that need them.  The "One Single-Shot Rack" constraint restricts a module to zero or one single-shot rack but allows pins to be shared with other non-single-shot racks.  See Racks with pre-wired pins for the full explanation of the terms in this example.  

To create a rack with multiple rows of tubes or tube holders, and to have that rack appear in rack layout diagrams with the pin number text oriented upright, it is necessary to understand Finale 3D's definition of "row" and "standard orientation". The meaning of "row" in rack definitions in Finale 3D is a line of tubes that either tilt together or fan out along the line.  This meaning makes sense for wooden racks for shells, because everyone would agree that the rack in Figure 1 is one row of tubes. Figure 1 –The meaning of "row" in rack definitions is a line of tubes that either tilt together or fan out along the line.   For racks with multiple rows, row #1 is on the left in the orientation of the rack definition, which would point toward the audience or down in the rack layout view if the rack is not rotated.  Imagine if the rack of Figure 1 had four rows, side by side, and the tubes could fan out within the rows, i.e., a Fan row rack.  It would look a lot like the rack in Figure 2.   Figure 2 –In fan row racks, the rows are perpendicular to the pivot rods that the holders rotate around.   In fan row racks, the rows are perpendicular to the pivot rods that the holders rotate around.  It is easy to tell how many rows a fan row rack has by just by looking at the knobs on the ends of the rods.  Count the number of tube holders that rotate around a rod.  That's the number of rows!  Fan row racks are usually rotated 90° counter-clockwise to make the rows aim sideways for tubes within them to make left/right fans from the audience perspective.   Figure 3 –In tiltable row racks, the rows are the tracks that the tubes slide onto.   In a Tiltable Row Rack like in Figure 3, the rows are the tracks that the tubes slide onto.  To tell how many rows a tiltable row rack has, just count the tracks.  Tiltable row racks are usually not rotated in the rack layout because the rows aim forward and tilt sideways to make left/right fans from the audience perspective.   A trick to remember A trick to remember the row orientation in the rack definitions versus when rotated in the rack layout view is: Hold your left arm out in front of you, wrist bent, fingers together pointing down.  Your fingers are the rows, pinky finger being row #1.  The tube numbers counting “By rows, left to right” start with the first pin at the base of the pinky finger, progressing down to the finger tip, then continuing at the base of the ring finger.  If the rack is rotated 90° counter-clockwise to make the rows horizontal from the audience perspective, that’s like rotating your hand 90° counter-clockwise.  In that orientation the first row represented by your pinky finger is closest to the ground, which is equivalent to closest to the audience in the rack layout view. Finale 3D includes options to count tubes in other orders like "By rows, right to left" and "Across rows, right to left" (see Tube loading order).  You can use the hand/finger trick to visualize the tube numbers in the rack definition versus rotated in the rack layout.  The order definitions are interpreted in the orientation of the rack definition (left hand fingers pointing down).  Thus the order "By rows, right to left" begins with pin 1 at the base of the index finger, progressing to the finger tip.  If the rack is rotated 90° counter-clockwise in the rack layout, pin 1 would be in the back left, and pins 2, 3, 4, ... would progress to the right.   Standard orientation In shows, fan row racks are usually oriented with the fan angles going from side to side. Finale 3D offers the choice in the "Create rack" dialog to change the standard orientation of the rack to be rotated 90° counter-clockwise to make rows sideways to the audience by default.  Changing the standard orientation doesn't change the meaning of rows in the rack definition.  It just changes the default orientation that the rack will appear in when added to the show, and it changes the orientation of the pin number text and other text to be upright when the rack is in its standard orientation.   Figure 4 –The standard orientation dictates the orientation of the pin number text and other text.   When adding racks to the rack layout of a show, the racks must be in the correct orientation to accommodate the effect angles.  If the effects are angled left and right, the rack's rows need to be aiming left/right.  It is hard to tell from looking at a single-shot rack's tube circles in the rack layout view which direction the rows are aiming since the rows could run in either direction, so Finale 3D draws the rod end knobs on the sides of the rack, indicating the direction of the rods.  It is easy to imagine the tubes rotating around the rods, which tells you whether the rows are aiming in the right direction.   Figure 5 –The little knobs on the sides of the rack are the ends of the rods that the tube holders rotate around.  

The Spark Fabrica SF-X2 Spark Spin fixture is a sparks fixture with two nozzles on a rotating platform that can be controlled by any of the DMX-capable firing systems, such as Piroshow, Pyromac, PyroSure, fireTEK, Cobra, Fire Control G2, and Mongoose.   Figure 1 – Spark Fabrica SF-X2 Spark Spin   Capabilities The Spark Spin fixture has two channel configuration options, with 2 and 4 channels.  Finale 3D only supports the 4 channel option.  The four channel option provides independent control over the two spark nozzles and over the spinning platform.   Table 1 – DMX channel configuration options DMX Channel Mode Supported in Finale 3D 2CH NO 4CH YES   Adding spark effects and controlling the spinning platform To add a sparks effect to your show, simply insert one of the sparks effects from the supplier catalog, such as "SF-X8 [202/0417] One Sec Sparks (md)".  Since the two nozzles are typically used together, the effects in the supplier catalog trigger both nozzles together. To make the platform spin, insert the "SF-X2 [201/0537] With Clockwise Spinning" effect, or the counter-clockwise option, and extend its duration on the timeline to cover the period over which the platform is spinning.  The spinning of the platform and the triggering of the nozzles are independent actions. The animation capabilities in Finale 3D are not currently capable of animating the effects for this fixture in a manner that remains consistent if you change the duration of the effect, and in a manner that is determined by the combination of the spinning effects and the triggering effects.  Thus, as of June 2024 the animations of the non-macro effects for this fixture are simply a single spark jet that does not spin. Finale 3D provides some macro effects, however, that include animation of the two nozzles and the spinning together.  The macros have pre-defined, non-adjustable duration, and the macros combine the spinning and the triggering together, thereby working around the animation limitations.  If the macro options have duration and spinning characteristics that are acceptable for your show design, use them instead of the non-macro effects to take advantage of their animation.  The macros produce the same DMX firing system script export data; the only difference is the macro effects have predefined durations. If none of the provided macros have the duration or spinning speed that you are looking for, you can create your own macros using the Effect macros features, by combining the non-macro effects for your desired duration and by adding spinning animation in the Effect Data field of the events.   Table 2 – DMX channels DMX Channel Meaning Channel 1 (DMX Channel Base + 0) Nozzle 1 height (0 - 15 = off, 16  -90 = low height; 91 - 170 = medium height; 171 - 255 = high height) Channel 2 (DMX Channel Base + 2) Pre-heat (0 - 239 = OFF: 240 - 255 = ON) Channel 3 (DMX Channel Base + 4) Nozzle 2 height (0-15 = off, 16-90 = low height; 91-170 = medium height; 171-255 = high height) Channel 4 (DMX Channel Base + 5)  Spin rate (0 - 15 = OFF; 16 - 135 = clockwise spinning; 136 - 255 = counter-clockwise spinning)   Instructions To design a show for Spark Fabrica SF-X2 Spark Spin units, please follow these steps:  Set up.  (A) Follow the set up instructions in DMX basic instructions.  Depending on your DMX controller, you may choose to give each each fixture its own DMX universe, or give each fixture a channel range in a shared DMX universe.  (B) In the real world configure each physical fixture unit's "Start Address" to be the start of the channel range you allocate for it. (C) In Finale 3D configure the "DMX Channel Base" of the fixture to match the Start Address exactly. Add the Spark Fabrica supplier catalog to your Finale 3D account.  Login to the finale3d.com website.  At the top of the page, go to “My Account > Supplier Catalog Settings” (www.finale3d.com/supplier-catalogs-settings/).  Find the Spark Fabrica supplier catalog in the table, and turn the switch to ON.  Then launch the Finale 3D application and synch to network.  The Spark Fabrica catalog will appear as one of the available collections in the effects window, which you can choose from the selector at the top of the window.  This catalog contains effects for all types of Spark Fabrica fixtures currently supported in Finale 3D, together. Add effects to the show.  In the 3D view, click on a Spark Spin position to filter the effects window to compatible effects.   Choosing the DMX channel ranges for fixtures Each Spark Spin fixture requires multiple channels, so if you are putting multiple fixtures in the same DMX Universe, you need to set the Start Address on the fixture in the real world and the corresponding DMX Channel Base on the fixture in Finale 3D to a range of channels that doesn't overlap with others.  A DMX universe has channels 1-512.  If you want to pack as many fixtures into the 512 channels of a DMX universe as you can, back-to-back ranges are the most efficient.  Table 3 shows an example for Spark Spin fixtures.  Some DMX firing systems only support 50 or 100 channels, so you may not have all 512 channels to work with.   Table 3 – Example channel ranges for 4CH Spark Spin fixtures Fixture DMX Channel Base Channels Used 1 1 1-4 2 5 5-8 3 9 9-12 4 13 13-16 5 17 17-20 ... 85 509 509-512     Table 4 – Example files and downloads Download link Explanation SF-X2 SPARK SPIN USER MANUAL.pdf Spark Fabrica SF-X2 Spark Spin  user manual

The Spark Fabrica SF-Z5 Fly Spark fixture is a moving head sparks fixture that can be controlled by any of the DMX-capable firing systems, such as Piroshow, Pyromac, PyroSure, fireTEK, Cobra, Fire Control G2, and Mongoose.   Figure 1 – Spark Fabrica SF-Z5 Fly Spark   Capabilities The Fly Spark fixture supports direct control of the head angle over DMX, and it also supports a set of 72 pre-defined firing pattern macros.  Finale 3D only supports the direct control of the head angle features.  As of June 2024, Finale 3D does not support the 72 pre-defined firing pattern macros.   Specifying the angle of effects To add a sparks effect to your show at a specific angle, simply insert one of the sparks effects from the supplier catalog, such as "SF-Z5 [200/0417] One Sec Sparks (md)".  Then adjust the duration on the timeline to the desired duration by dragging the right end of the effect bar in the timeline, and adjust the angle by dragging the control point at the top of the effect's trajectory in the 3D view. To animate the moving head angle, insert a Move-In-Black effect to specify the starting angle of a movement; and then add a Move-To While On effect shortly after the Move-In-Black effect to specify the ending angle of the movement.  Adjust the trajectory angles of the Move-In-Black effect and the Move-To While On effects to specify the angles.  The time between the two events is the duration of the sweep.  You can add additional Move-To While On effects after the first in a sequence, each with its own angle, to create a back and forth sweeping animation. As of June 2024, the majority of firing systems do not have support for ramping a DMX channel value, and Finale 3D's firing system exporter does not yet support ramps, so as of this date the angle sweeps created with Move-In-Black and Move-To While On effects for this fixture will move at the fixture's maximum speed, regardless of the duration between the Move-In-Black and Move-To While On effects.  It is not possible at this time to design a slow moving angle sweep for this fixture in Finale 3D. The situation with ramps is changing this year (2024).  Most of the major firing systems are nearing completion of their support for ramps.  Concurrently, Finale is in the process of improving its DMX exporter to use the new ramp features of the firing systems to control the speed of animated parameters like the angle sweeps for this fixture. Finale's improved exporter will also provide a similar control of angle sweep speed for firing systems that do not have ramp capabilities by automatically using multiple events in a stair step sequence to change the angle parameter.  Finale's exporter will provide the user with options to manage this capability since it enlarges the script size with the multiple event sequences.   Table 1 – DMX channels DMX Channel Meaning Channel 1 (DMX Channel Base + 0) Angle from 90° to -90°，128 or 0 and 1upwords (128 is up, 255 is to the right; values down to 3 are to the left; as a special case, values 0 and 1 are also up) Channel 2 (DMX Channel Base + 1) Unused, write 0. Channel 3 (DMX Channel Base + 2)  Height (0-15 = off, 16-90 = low height; 91-170 = medium height; 171-255 = high height) Channel 4 (DMX Channel Base + 3) Unused, write 0. Channel 5 (DMX Channel Base + 4) Sequence (0 - 2 or 186 - 255 = no sequence; 3 - 185 = sequence based on the formula: channel value = 2 + sequence number * 2.55, rounded to nearest)   Channel 6 (DMX Channel Base + 5)  Pre-heat (0 - 49 or 201 - 255 = OFF: 50 - 200 = ON)   Instructions To design a show for Spark Fabrica SF-Z5 Fly Spark units, please follow these steps:  Set up.  (A) Follow the set up instructions in DMX basic instructions.  Depending on your DMX controller, you may choose to give each each fixture its own DMX universe, or give each fixture a channel range in a shared DMX universe.  (B) In the real world configure each physical fixture unit's "Start Address" to be the start of the channel range you allocate for it. (C) In Finale 3D configure the "DMX Channel Base" of the fixture to match the Start Address exactly. Add the Spark Fabrica supplier catalog to your Finale 3D account.  Login to the finale3d.com website.  At the top of the page, go to “My Account > Supplier Catalog Settings” (www.finale3d.com/supplier-catalogs-settings/).  Find the Spark Fabrica supplier catalog in the table, and turn the switch to ON.  Then launch the Finale 3D application and synch to network.  The Spark Fabrica catalog will appear as one of the available collections in the effects window, which you can choose from the selector at the top of the window.  This catalog contains effects for all types of Spark Fabrica fixtures currently supported in Finale 3D, together. Add effects to the show.  In the 3D view, click on a Fly Spark position to filter the effects window to compatible effects.   Choosing the DMX channel ranges for fixtures Each Fly Spark fixture requires multiple channels, so if you are putting multiple fixtures in the same DMX Universe, you need to set the Start Address on the fixture in the real world and the corresponding DMX Channel Base on the fixture in Finale 3D to a range of channels that doesn't overlap with others.  A DMX universe has channels 1-512.  If you want to pack as many fixtures into the 512 channels of a DMX universe as you can, back-to-back ranges are the most efficient.  Table 2 shows an example for Fly Spark fixtures.  Some DMX firing systems only support 50 or 100 channels, so you may not have all 512 channels to work with.   Table 2 – Example channel ranges for 6CH Fly Spark fixtures Fixture DMX Channel Base Channels Used 1 1 1-6 2 7 7-12 3 13 13-18 4 19 19-24 5 25 25-30 6 31 31-36 7 37 37-42 8 43 43-48 9 49 49-54 10 55 55-60 ... 85 505 505-511     Table 3 – Example files and downloads Download link Explanation SF-Z5 FLYSPARK USER MANUAL.pdf Spark Fabrica SF-Z5 Fly Spark user manual

For various purposes you may find yourself needing to add effects to a show design strictly for the visualization, effects that you don't want to be part of the exported firing system script or to consume racks.  Although various workarounds exist, the <Exclude This Position> choice in the firing system selector of position properties is the feature meant for this purpose.   Figure 1 – The Firing System field of the Edit Properties dialog has an <Exclude This Position> option.   Figure 1 shows the selected option.   After setting this option for a position, the "Addressing > Address show..." function and other addressing functions will fill the Universe, Section, Module Or Slat Type, Rail, Pin, Rack, and Tube fields of all events at the position with blank values.  The "Racks > Add racks for show..." and other racking functions will not add racks for the position.  The rack layout view will not show the list of red circles representing unaddressed shells.  The export firing system script functions will ignore events at the position if their Rail and Pin properties are blank (which they will be as a result of addressing the show).      

SMPTE 29.97 NDF progresses through HH, MM, and SS slower than the progression of time in the real world (called "wall clock" time) by 1.2 seconds for every 20 minutes.   It advances the HH, MM, and SS by one second after the passage of every 30 frames, but the frames are playing back at only 29.97 per second, so the HH, MM, SS advance at a rate of 29.97 / 30 as fast as wall clock time. If the script event times are in wall clock time, the slower rate playback causes the script playback to become out of synch with the music, running slower than the music by 1.2 seconds per 20 minutes.  To compensate, the event times in the script need to be based on 29.97 NDF time rather than wall clock time.  An event at the end of a script that is exactly 20 minutes long in wall clock time should have an event time of 00:19:58:24 in the script. Some controllers have an option to compensate for the slower-than-wall-clock rate of SMPTE 29.97 NDF.  Notwithstanding, if the show contains multiple timecode sections, the reason to not configure the controller to compensate for the slower-than-wall-clock rate of SMPTE 29.97 NDF is that each individual timecode section is expected to start at a specific, agreed upon SMPTE frame, such as beginning on SMPTE 01:00:00:00, 02:00:00:00, etc.  An event at the start of timecode section 01:00:00:00 is expected to trigger on the literal SMPTE frame 01:00:00:00, not "the SMPTE frame that corresponds to 1 hour wall clock time in whatever the SMPTE frame rate is". When adding a soundtrack to your show, if you elect for Finale 3D to split the soundtrack's timecode sections apart and automatically position them independently on the timeline, Finale 3D will position them on the timeline at the wall clock time interpretation of the SMPTE HHMMSSFF timestamps, even if the SMPTE timecode sections internally are in SMPTE 29.97 NDF.  Similarly, if you slave the playhead in Finale 3D to external timecode input (see Timecode basic instructions), the playhead will be positioned according to the wall clock time interpretation of the timestamps.   Adjusting times in the script for SMPTE 29.97 NDF timecode When Finale 3D exports a firing system script, it provides an option: "Adjust times for SMPTE 29.97 NDF timecode" with the options shown in Figure 1.   Figure 1 – The options for "Adjust times for SMPTE 29.97 NDF timecode"    The YES options all adjust the times in the script to compensate for the expected slower-than-wall-clock progression of the controller.  Obviously, if you use these options then you should not also configure the controller to compensate for the slower-than-wall-clock rate, because doing so would doubly compensate.   Table 1 – SMPTE 29.97 NDF adjustment options in Finale 3D Adjustment When to use it Imported songs must include SMPTE timecode Yes, relative to 00:00:00:00 on timeline You should use this setting if your controller will be receiving SMPTE 29.97 NDF timecode from an external source, and if the show begins at approximately zero on the timeline in Finale 3D. Finale 3D expects the controller's clock to advance more slowly than real time when receiving SMPTE 29.97 NDF timecode. With this setting, Finale 3D adjusts the script times to compensate for the slow clock advancement and keep the script in synch with the music. No, doesn't matter Yes, relative to the first event You should use this setting if your controller will be receiving SMPTE 29.97 NDF timecode from an external source, and if the show begins at a large offset on the timeline in Finale 3D (like 01:00:00:00). Finale 3D expects the controller's clock to advance more slowly than real time when receiving SMPTE 29.97 NDF timecode. With this setting, Finale 3D adjusts the script times to compensate for the slow clock advancement and keep the script in synch with the music. No, doesn't matter Yes, for each 29.97 NDF timecode section You should use this setting if the show contains separate timecode sections for the songs, and if some or all of the sections use SMPTE 29.97 NDF timecode. Finale 3D expects the controller's clock to advance more slowly than real time when receiving SMPTE 29.97 NDF timecode. With this setting, Finale 3D adjusts the script times in each SMPTE 29.97 NDF timecode section relative to the start of the section to compensate for the expected slow clock advancement and keep the script in synch with the music.  The time adjustments are only applied to SMPTE 29.97 NDF timecode sections. Yes   The first two YES options convert all the event times of the show to compensate for slower-than-wall-clock progression of the controller.  The difference is whether the adjustments are relative to zero on the timeline or relative to the first event.  Concerts with shows or songs that execute at agreed upon SMPTE times often require large offsets, like beginning at 01:00:00:00 or even 23:00:00:00.  At show time, when the SMPTE at 01:00:00:00 or 23:00:00:00 starts playing, that's the cue for the show to start.  If the SMPTE is 29.97 NDF, then it will be progressing in HH, MM, SS, FF slower-than-wall-clock from that point forward.  Thus the needed time adjustment is relative to the start time, 01:00:00:00 or 23:00:00:00, not relative to zero. So, if the show begins at a SMPTE offset on the timeline in Finale 3D, use the second YES option to make adjustments relative to the first event.  If the show begins at SMPTE zero, or if you are using a firing system export offset in Finale 3D for the SMPTE offset, then you can use the first YES option.  In those cases there usually isn't much difference between the first and second YES option anyway since the first event is usually near zero, so as a rule of thumb if the show does not have multiple timecode sections, you can always use the second YES option. The first two YES options do not require that Finale 3D knows about your timecode.  These options are available even if you import a soundtrack or song into Finale 3D as audio-only, without timecode. The third YES option only converts the events in SMPTE 29.97 NDF timecode sections, leaving other timecode sections alone.  Thus the third YES option does require that you import your soundtrack or individual songs along with their timecode, so Finale 3D can know which events to convert and what the start time the conversion is relative to.