Finale 3D has a set of default prefire times based on Size. You can see this in action if you use the menu item ‘Effects > Create effect…’ For example, if you type 1″ Red Peony, you will see Finale 3D will automatically populates a prefire time of 1.59s. If you change the size to 1.75″, the prefire will increase to 2.05s, etc.   You can override the default prefire values by explicitly adding prefire to your input description. For example, 1.75″ 2.25s PFT Red Peony. In this example, the 2.25s prefire (PFT) overrides the default value of 2.05s.   The Finale 3D definition of prefire is “the time from firing system ignition to the effect time that is synchronized to the music.” For shells, prefire = lift time, but if the shell is a consumer shell with a slow burning fuse, then the default prefire values does not automatically take that into account. Visual Descriptive Language (VDL) has additional terms to support this scenario. For example, let’s say your 1.75″ consumer shell has a 4s Visco fuse, then a 2s lift time from launch to burst. The 4 seconds of Visco fuse is a “Delay” (DLY) and the 2s from launch to burst is “Lift Time” (LFT). The full time from firing system ignition to burst is “Delay” DLY + “Lift Time” LFT = “Prefire Time” PFT. Therefore, to make an accurate simulation, you could type 1.75″ 4s DLY 2s LFT 6s PFT Red Peony.   Documentation article on prefire: https://finale3d.com/documentation/prefire/   When it comes to timing, there is no substitute for knowing your product.

The main influences to “effect time” is shell diameter and Pre Fire Time (PFT).  Finale is pretty good at estimating lift time based on the shells diameter.  PFT is dependent on your ignition method.  If you are matching/Talon(ing) onto the visco leader of a consumer shell your PFT would need to be set to set to an average burn time for the leader.  These burn times may vary from manufacturer.  So you may get close, but never perfect…  If you are matching “direct” then PFT is not as important (I set my PFT to .1)   1.75” .1s PFT Variegated Peony Shell

I downloaded the beta and now it is showing it as DMX, it was kind of hard to script when all I saw is just lift sparks:) Now time to test the flame machines!! Thanks, a lot.

With all the various types of 1.4g mortars available, how does finale account for the various burn rates of fuses, lift times, etc to ensure effects match up with events as you would like them too?  Is there one default set of values that is preloaded, do I need to change those times for each type of mortar, help!

Hi Mark,   At this moment, Finale 3D doesn’t have a built-in report that shows total net explosive mass/quantity (NEQ). However, in all versions of Finale 3D, any table window (such as the Effect window or Script window) can be copied and pasted to Excel. Once in Excel, it would be easy to sum the NEQ column to get the total. In the Pro version of Finale 3D, reports and labels are extremely customizable. Here’s a video tutorial that demonstrates how to create a custom report that provides total NEQ by Hazard Class:     Regarding equipment, Finale 3D currently only reports rack quantities. The exception is Lite, which doesn’t have racks. In Hobbyist or Pro, try ‘File > Reports > Basic reports > Rack Totals’. A report that can include other equipment like controllers, modules and e-matches will be possible later this year.

Is there a report or window that gives me the total NEQ for a show ? and a report that gives me total equipment ?   Thanks Mark.

Create a new position and define as DMX Fixture.  Look for the “Generic Light FIxture (ON/OFF)” under the Fixture Type…  

Where or how can I put a single channel fixture in my show to turn a confetti machine (Dmx)on and off at different times? I have read this article but don’t understand how to find that type fixture (Generic Light Fixture ON/OFF) how do I ge this ? thanks

They are still working on the DMX Fixture visualizations…  I believe if you are using the latest BETA version you can change the VDL to display PAR, Spotlight, etc., plus you can use descriptors, like “Dim”, “Bright”, “Very Bright”…  For example here is the VDL for a par light set to display green:  “Bright Green Par Light”, with the Effect Type set to “LIGHT”.

All of the DMX effects are showing as gerbs or just lift, and when you select “move in black” it just shows a gerb at 90 degrees? I think I’m just missing a setting or something… Thanks Raven,