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Reply To: Sequences
Center to outside + Reserve order
Sequences
I’m fairly new to finale3d, I know there’s a (center to outside) sequence, but how would you do outside to center? Ive used the (positions in order picked) but was curious if there is a better way.
Music editing in F3D
Is it possible to cut out middle parts of a song using the editing features within F3D?
Multi-load single-shot racks
Some types of single-shot rack holders can hold multiple tubes, packed together, if the tubes are small enough to fit. In Finale 3D, single-shot racks with multi-load holders look like Figure 1. The larger text and angle graphics represent individual tubes in the holders. The smaller text and angle graphics in the quadrants of the holders represent four smaller tubes packed together. You can see in Figure 1 that a rack packed full of multi-load holders can accommodate quite a few tubes and require quite a few modules and pins. The first pin of the first module is always in the upper left hand corner, module #41, pin #01 in this example. Figure 1 – Multi-load single-shot racks can hold one or more effects in a single holder Obviously, all tubes sharing the same holder must have the same effect angle. In Finale 3D, if you manually drag-and-drop effects of different angles into the same holder, they will turn red in the rack layout view to signal the violated constraint. Tubes being too large to share a tube is another possible constraint. Figure 2 – CraigCo MinCom racks with extruded aluminum holders can fit 4 x 22mm or 1 x 50mm In Finale 3D, single-shot rack definitions can specify a minimum and maximum effect size. Multi-shot single-shot rack definitions may also specify a term called "Max. effect size in shared holder". This term limits the size of effects that can share a holder. If an effect is larger than this term but smaller than or equal to the rack's maximum effect size, then the effect can still fit in the rack but it consumes an entire holder for itself. The rack definitions in Finale 3D specify either 1X or 2X or 4X tubes per holder. Figure 1 illustrates the 4X tubes per holder option. The number of effects that can fit in each holder is either the 1X, 2X, or 4X as specified, or just 1X if the effect is larger than "Max. effect size in shared holder". Figure 3 illustrates an example single-shot rack diagram for a multi-load rack. Since the rack can hold so many items, you may need to customize the diagram template to shrink the size of the font in the information panel to get all the information to fit. Figure 3 – An example single-shot rack report for a multi-load rack Figure 4 shows the rack definition dialog ("Racks > Create rack"). The primary fields pertaining to multi-load racks are 1) the rack structure (choosing 1X, 2X, or 4X), and 2) the min and max effect size, and 3) the "Max. effect size in shared holder". Figure 4 – These three fields define the constraints for multi-load racks Differences between multi-load racks and non-multi-load racks In general, multi-load racks work the same way as non-multi-load racks. When you re-address the show or position, the effects fill into the racks and are rearranged to avoid angle conflicts. The addressing algorithm automatically ensures that all the effects in each holder have the same angle and that the size constraints are satisfied. You should choose, when you add racks for the show, whether you want the multi-load version racks or non-multi-load version. In the physical world, both versions are likely the identical equipment. In Finale 3D you choose one or the other based on whether you want to multi-load effects when possible. The multi-load versions of racks are drawn with checkerboard holders, making it easy to tell the difference. There are some differences in the addressing algorithm results between multi-load and non-multi-load racks, even if all the loaded effects are larger than the "Max. effect size in shared holder". If a non-multi-load rack uses exactly two modules, then their pin orders will start from the upper left and upper right corners, working inwards, whereas the pin order for multi-load racks will always start in the first pin of the first module in the upper left and work toward the right. If a rack has prewired pins and multi-load holders, then the addressing algorithm doesn't rearrange or reorder the effects, which means that angle collisions are possible. If the rack holders are 2-axis tiltable and multi-load, then the addressing algorithm doesn't rearrange or reorder the effects, which means that angle collisions are possible. If a rack has multi-load holders, then the loading order as shown in Figure 4 to the right of the min and max size must be one of the "Along rows" options, not the "Across rows" options.
Reply To: Official PyroJam 2025 Discussion Topic
Thanks for the opportunity, Can't wait to see them in person
Reply To: Official PyroJam 2025 Discussion Topic
Thanks Tim! It was so much fun putting my entry together! I look forward to seeing all the submissions!
Reply To: Official PyroJam 2025 Discussion Topic
Hi Tim and everyone, it was a real pleasure to take part in my first ever PyroJam Competition. I would just like to say thank you to the Finale team for all your hard work and to all the talented designers around the world. I wish everyone who took part all the very best.
Print-time options
The optional Print-Time Options dialog appears when you print a diagram or report, providing choices that you can make at that time. A diagram or report's blueprint defines whether the print-time options dialog appears, and what options it contains. As of February 2025, only the rack layout diagrams support print-time options. Figure 1 – Print-time options dialog The purpose of the print-time options dialog is to provide some degree of configurability without modifying a diagram or report's blueprint. For example, if you want to print rack layout diagrams for the warehouse crew to set up a specific type of single-shot rack in the warehouse prior to the show, you can use the default "Rack Layout Per Single-Shot Rack" diagram and enter a value for "Additional search terms or expression to filter racks" to filter the printed document to the specific type of rack you want to set up. If that type of rack contains in its description the word "Mincom" then you could add the filter description += mincom. If only that type of rack has between 10 and 20 holders, you could add the filter tubes >= 10 + tubes <= 20. Table 1 – Print-time options fields Field Description Position name filter A full text search filter applying to the position names. Whatever string of characters you type into the field must appear in the position name for the position to be included. For example, the phrase "FR" would include positions "FR" and "FR-01" and "front" but not "F-01". Additional search terms or expression to filter racks A filter applying to the set of rack instances being considered, i.e., the rows in the table at the bottom of the rack layout view. If you want to include only cake racks, for example, you could type the word cake into this field, or more specifically description += cake to limit racks to those whose Description contains the word "cake". The syntax for expressions is described in Filter / search expressions. Page range A page or page range specification. Enter a single page number, like "2", or a page range, like "2-5", or a comma separated list of pages, like, "2, 3, 10".
Reply To: Official PyroJam 2025 Discussion Topic
Now that the entry submission portion of the 2025 Finale 3D PyroJam Pyromusical Design Competition is closed, I would like to thank everyone who took the time and effort to put together an entry. Best of luck to everyone!
Reply To: Questions for Drew and other Finale users
PyroDoc wrote: 1. Would like suggestions on how people like to address positions? Specifically, talking about sorting criteria. I think what you would really like are some concrete examples (e.g., I like to address my show by X, then Y, then Z, etc.). The challenge is that the choice of what order to address a firing position is highly situation dependent. In this context, the most concise answer I can give is this: address each position with the objective of optimizing production set up efficiency. In other words, address in an order that makes it easy to set up your show as quickly and accurately as possible. If a position has only a few items, the choice of addressing order is not likely to significantly impact show set up. However, if a position has more than a few items, and especially if it has hundreds or thousands of items, the order of addressing could be critical to making the show setup physically possible in the real world. If thinking about "sort criteria" or "order of assignment" all seems too abstract, it might be helpful to think about the addressing process in reverse. Try thinking about the physical collections of fireworks in each of your positions. Imagine that after completing your show design (but before addressing), you went out on your shoot site and physically made separate piles of fireworks for each position. Then, imagine you went to the pile of fireworks where you wanted the first module (pretend you choose the pile for the position name that's first alphabetically), laid out the fireworks, and connected them to the module(s) in whatever order made sense. For example, suppose you wired up a few cases of cakes (in cake name order), then some single shots, and to keep the wiring neat for the single shots you wired them up starting with angles on the left and working to the right. Then, after you were all done, you got out a pad of paper and wrote down what was connected to each pin on the module(s). This is your addressing order! In Finale 3D, this would be Position Name then Cakes First then Single-Shots First then Tilt — Single-shot then Description. Should you actually use this sort order? No, probably not. The point of the exercise is just to realize that if you have an idea for how you would wire up the show in the real world, you can choose a set of sort criteria to accomplish it in Finale 3D. 2. What are distances from audience considered “proximate positions, and which effects are considered “proximate” (is it 20-30mm single shot comets for instance?) The word "Proximate" has different meanings in different situations. In the United States, the safety distances for "true" close proximity pyrotechnics are governed by NFPA 1126: Standard for the Use of Pyrotechnics Before a Proximate Audience. In general, the safety distances required by this standard are a function of each device's hot debris fallout radius. However, the standard primarily applies to pyrotechnics that are precision manufactured to the highest possible quality. Safely shooting any pyrotechnic device in close proximity to an audience also requires the display operator to have significant experience and direct, hands-on knowledge of product (through testing). For all practical purposes, most of the of the fireworks/pyrotechnics that you can purchase from a wholesaler or retailer without a license cannot be considered "true" proximate pyrotechnics. When you see the word "Prox" or "Proximate" used in outdoor displays, it typically just means, "the line of firing positions closest to the audience". Sometimes, this line might be 150 feet from the audience, sometimes it might be 300 feet from the audience. It all depends on what's reasonable based on the product, and what's "reasonable" depends on many factors. A 20mm, 30ft height, precision-made mine that has been tested and known to be extremely consistent may be safe to 25ft from an audience. A cheaply-made 20mm, 150ft height comet may require a safety distance of 200ft. In the United States, the standard for outdoor fireworks displays is NFPA 1123: Code for Fireworks Display. Taking the Pyrotechnics Guild International (PGI) Display Operator Course (DOC) is a good way to learn how to safely conduct a fireworks display. The course is offered many times each year at various pyro events in the US. 3. Besides videos on F3D “resources” link, are there more videos detailing creative ways to do fans/sequences of comets/mines/slices, etc. All official Finale 3D videos can be found in the Finale 3D Help Center video gallery. This is the same location that can be accessed from the Resources menu. There is also lots of great user generated Finale 3D content online, especially on YouTube. 4 Inventory: after import the sample excel script from your documentation page, I see there is a column that reads “available”, but thought that if I used these “available” effects, the numbers of “remaining” effects would decrease automatically. This did not happen. Does this mean I have to manually change the number of effects that are “available” as I use them in my show? The Available column in the effects window does not change automatically. However, the Remaining Available column displays the Available quantity minus the Used quantity and changes dynamically in real time as you add/remove items from your show. To change the Available quantities after you finish a show, go to the Effects menu and select Subtract used quantities from available... Just keep in mind, this LITERALLY does what it says — it reduces the Available quantities based on how many are used in the show that is open on the screen. For example, if you have 10 of an item available and you used 5, and you click the menu item, the available quantity will be reduced from 10 to 5. If you click it again, 5 will be changed to 0. If you click it again 0 will be changed to (negative) -5. In other words, only use this option once each time you finish designing a show. If you click the menu item again and again, you will be subtracting all used quantities again and again. 5.I have the hobbyist version of Finale. With this version, is there a way that Finale can figure out how many racks I need for a given show I put together? Yes, Finale 3D Hobbyist is able to calculate the number of racks needed for a show based on the quantities and types of effects in each position, angles, etc. This is true for all kinds of effects and racks. To learn more, visit Rack counts (Hobbyist or Pro version).