Hey PyroExec, you're on the right track with DLY! I suspect the reason the "blip" on the timeline isn't aligning with the first burst is because you haven't quite gotten all the necessary VDL terms working together.   Here's the key: DLY + LFT = PFT   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 doesn't get the job done.   Visual Descriptive Language (VDL) has additional terms to support this scenario. One is DLY, and the other is LFT.   DLY is "Delay", such as a slow burning fuse. LFT is "Lift Time", which is the time from launch to burst.   For example, let’s say you have a 1.75″ Red Peony shell with a 4 second visco safety fuse, and 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 total time from firing system ignition to burst is “Delay” DLY + “Lift Time” LFT = “Prefire Time” PFT. To make an accurate simulation of this shell, the full VDL description would be 1.75" 4s DLY 2s LFT 6s PFT Red Peony.   Documentation article on prefire: https://finale3d.com/documentation/prefire/     On a separate but related note, I feel uneasy about the idea of representing racks of reloadable shells as a cakes in Finale 3D because it's not really accurate. If you go the cake route, the product list Finale 3D will provide will tell you to grab a "cake" to set up your show. But in reality, you are shooting a "chain" of 50 shells. It seems like it would be better if your product list said 50 shells, as opposed to saying 1 cake. If you agree, then a better approach would be to create a chain in Finale 3D instead of a cake. See: https://finale3d.com/video/creating-finale-chains-two-different-ways/

When I turned draw smoke off, the simulation stopped lagging, but that doesn't make it feel realistic. Smoke thickness was on Thin before I unchecked draw smoke.

Hey Brett,   Effects > Create effect... creates a new effect with no regard for the items selected on the timeline. Any VDL you see prepopulated in the create effect dialog is simply whatever was entered last time you created an effect.   Effects > Combine as cake effect... specifically combines the items selected on the timeline into a new cake.   To make slices from an existing cake, first do Effects > Break apart cake... This opens a temporary show with cake broken into single shots. Then, select the shots in the first row and go to Effects > Combine as cake effect... To keep things organized, give the row a part number that includes the parent cake part number, plus the suffix "Row01". For example if the parent cake is AB123, use AB123-Row01 as the part number for the cake representing the first row. Repeat the process of selecting shots for each row and combining until you've made cakes representing each how. Be sure to save the single-row cakes in your My Effects or somewhere else you can easily find them, then close the temporary show.

  Curtis B wrote: I’d like to see the ability to dial the smoke particles back either through render settings or the VDL itself. I’ve done some testing of vdl’s lately and it seems that once you get a LOT of smoke particles on screen, they really start to lag your show simulation down. If there is already a request for this or if it already exists, please let me know!   Hi Curtis, did you try the Draw smoke and Smoke thickness settings in File > Render settings?  

Hello, I have created a new DMX light fixture that I want to share to another computer, How can I do it? It´s there any folder where all my own DMX libraries are saved, to export them to another FInale 3D user computer? Thanks a lot

I'd like to see the ability to dial the smoke particles back either through render settings or the VDL itself. I've done some testing of vdl's lately and it seems that once you get a LOT of smoke particles on screen, they really start to lag your show simulation down.   If there is already a request for this or if it already exists, please let me know!

Anyone know the answer to this question? When I model a cake, I use "Effects>Combine as Cake" to create the cake when I am done. Let's now say I want to break it apart (Or any cake that is already modeled) and I am going to use each row (Or Rows) as slices. What's the difference between selecting  "Effects> Combine as Cake" vs "Effects>Create Effect" ?  Is there really any? And I am specifically talking about doing this with multiple shots. A single shot I would just use "Effects>Create Effect"   Thanks...Brett

I found the answer to my question. DLY adds the fuse time. But for some reason the effect dot on the timeline is not when the first effect goes off its well before it.   Any ideas why?   https://app.screencast.com/3OgiyTsUHEqY3    

Hi Russ,   Glad I could help! I am also a newb to F3D and have been trying to climb the ladder fast.   Yup, I also started saving multiple version of my shows should I could go backwards more easily. Wish F3D had a built in time line of the edits like photo shop or something similar to 3D parametric modeling.   As for my effects etc. I created an .fdb database in Finale called "Created Effects" so I could keep any cakes I broke apart or any effects I created separated from the "My Effects"  catalog. I then used the original part #  for the cake I broke apart and added a "- 1" or a "-2" etc. to identify what row of the cake I was using (assuming I was using an entire row). This way I could look up the effect by the part #, but also get all the variants I created.   Bummer you need to create so many effects. At first I was avoiding any non-modeled effects, but now I am realizing the importance of being able to model certain cakes/break them apart etc. It really helps when you can't find a pro 1.4 effect or if I have to shorten the duration of the effect.   Thanks for the feed back man! Cheers Brett  

No question about it, clear an understandable set up instructions for your crew are important.   While PDF reports are only customizable in Finale 3D Pro, you can export reports to Excel with Hobbyist. This will allow you do adjust the column widths and make other tweaks as needed before printing. See: https://finale3d.com/groups/english/forum/topic/can-i-import-product-list-as-csv/#post-1318822   Additionally, printing labels from Finale 3D and applying them to your fireworks is a great way to reduce wiring errors during show set up.