Programming Attributes

The Intensity panel lets you set how bright each fixture is.

Opening the Panel

Click the Intensity tab in the attribute bar, or press I on your keyboard.

What You'll See

DMXDesktop creates faders based on each fixture's channel structure:

Each fader is a vertical slider from 0 (off) to 255 (full).

How to Use the Faders

• Drag the slider up or down to set the brightness
• Double-click a slider to snap it to 0 (off)
• The number above each fader shows the current value

The Master Fader

When multiple fixtures are selected, a Master Fader appears at the top. It controls all selected fixtures simultaneously:

• If all fixtures are at the same value, the master shows that value
• Adjusting the master scales all individual faders proportionally

How Intensity Interacts with Color

• Fixtures with a dimmer channel: The fader controls the dimmer; your color values stay at their programmed levels
• Fixtures without a dimmer channel: The fader scales the RGB/CMY values directly (acting as a virtual dimmer)

Walkthrough: Setting Up a Basic Wash

1. Click a group button to select your front wash fixtures (e.g., "Front Wash")
2. Press I to open Intensity
3. Drag the master fader to 200 — all fixtures come up to about 78%
4. Now you have a basic warm-up state to build on

The Colors panel gives you multiple ways to set color on your fixtures — from a visual color wheel to professional gel filter libraries.

Opening the Panel

Click the Colors tab, or press C. You'll see four sub-tabs:

Using the Color Picker

Preset Color Buttons

A scrollable row of preset colors appears at the top of the Color Picker. Click any button to instantly apply that color to all selected fixtures. The presets shown are dynamic — they change based on which color channels your selected fixtures have.

The Color Wheel

Below the presets is a visual color wheel:

• Position around the wheel controls the hue (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet...)
• Distance from center controls saturation (center = white, edge = fully saturated)
• Click or drag anywhere on the wheel to select a color
• A cursor dot shows your current selection

Individual Channel Faders

Below the color wheel are precise per-channel sliders:

• RGB fixtures show Red, Green, Blue (0–255 each)
• CMY fixtures show Cyan, Magenta, Yellow (0–255 each)
• Extended colors may include Amber, UV, White, Warm White, Cool White

The faders and the color wheel stay in sync — adjusting one updates the other.

Using Gel Libraries

The Lee Gels and Apollo Gels sub-tabs display professional gel filter catalogs. Each gel button shows:

• The gel code (e.g., L26)
• The gel name (e.g., Bright Red)
• A color preview as the button background

Click a gel to apply its color. Click again to remove it. Gel buttons are disabled for fixtures that don't have RGB or CMY channels.

Saving Color Palettes

Once you've dialed in a color you like, save it for instant recall:

1. Set the color using the wheel, faders, gels, or any combination
2. Click the Save button (+ icon)
3. Enter a name (e.g., "Deep Blue Wash" or "Sunset Amber")
4. The palette appears as a new button with the color as its background

Managing palettes:

• Click a saved palette to apply it to your selected fixtures
• Right-click for options: Update (overwrite with current color), Rename, or Delete

Automatic Color Conversion

DMXDesktop automatically adapts to your fixture's color system:

Walkthrough: Creating a Color Look

1. Select your moving heads (e.g., Ctrl+Click each one, or click the "Movers" group)
2. Press C to open Colors
3. Click the Lee Gels tab
4. Click L181 Congo Blue — all selected movers turn deep blue
5. Now click the Color Picker tab — notice the faders and wheel reflect the Congo Blue values
6. Drag the Red fader up to about 40 — the blue shifts to a rich purple
7. Click the Save button, name it "Night Purple"
8. You now have a one-click palette for this color anytime you need it

The Positions panel gives you control over pan (horizontal rotation) and tilt (vertical rotation) for moving fixtures — moving heads, scanners, and similar fixtures.

Opening the Panel

Click the Positions tab or press P. This tab has two sub-tabs:

The Position Box

A large interactive area represents the stage from above. A movable dot shows the current fixture position:

• Drag the dot to move the fixture in real time
• The horizontal axis controls Pan (left/right)
• The vertical axis controls Tilt (up/down)

Below the box are Pan and Tilt sliders (0–255) with numeric inputs for precise values. Double-click either slider to reset to center (127).

Position Presets

Quick-access buttons for common positions:

Presets animate smoothly over 2 seconds rather than snapping instantly — so you can see the transition in real time.

Fan Controls — Spreading Fixtures Apart

Fan controls are one of the most powerful tools in the Positions panel. They take a single position and spread it across multiple fixtures, creating a beautiful fanned-out look.

• Fan Pan (-50 to +50) — Spreads fixtures horizontally
• Fan Tilt (-50 to +50) — Spreads fixtures vertically

How it works: The center fixture stays in place. Fixtures to the left and right are offset symmetrically.

Example: You have 5 moving heads on a truss, all pointing center stage. Set Fan Pan to +30 — the center head stays put, the two outer heads spread wide, and the two middle heads spread partway. The result is a symmetric fan across the stage.

Position Limits

Prevent fixtures from pointing where you don't want them (into the audience's eyes, at a video screen, etc.):

1. Click Enable Limits
2. A rectangular limit box appears on the position box
3. Drag the corner handles to resize the boundary
4. Drag the interior to move the box
5. All pan/tilt adjustments are now constrained within the limit area

Limits also apply to position effects — so a circle effect won't move fixtures outside your defined area.

Position Palettes

Save and recall positions just like color palettes:

1. Position your fixtures where you want them
2. Click Save (+ icon) and enter a name (e.g., "Center Cross" or "Wide Fan")
3. Click the saved palette button later to recall it
4. Right-click for: Update, Rename, Delete

Walkthrough: Creating a Position Look

1. Select all moving heads
2. Press P to open Positions
3. Click the Default preset — all heads go to center (127, 127)
4. Set Fan Pan to +25 — heads spread out in a symmetric fan
5. Drag the Tilt slider down to 80 — all heads tilt forward toward the stage
6. Click Save, name it "Wide Stage Fan"
7. Now you can recall this position with one click anytime

The Beams panel controls the optical elements inside your fixtures — gobos, prisms, shutters, strobes, and focusing optics.

Opening the Panel

Click the Beams tab or press B.

Dynamic Sub-Tabs

The Beams panel shows sub-tabs only for features your selected fixtures actually have. Missing features are automatically hidden.

Gobo Selection

Gobos are metal or glass pattern discs that shape the beam — projecting circles, stars, breakups, or custom patterns.

The gobo wheel displays as a horizontal carousel showing gobo thumbnails:

1. Scroll left/right using the arrow buttons or drag
2. Click a gobo to select it — the wheel centers on your selection
3. If the gobo supports rotation, a speed encoder knob appears
4. Drag the encoder up/down to control rotation speed

Prism Selection

Works identically to the gobo wheel — scroll, click to select, and use the rotation encoder for spin speed. Directional indicators show clockwise vs. counter-clockwise rotation.

Shutter Control

Option buttons for shutter modes:

Encoder Controls (Iris, Zoom, Focus, Frost)

These four attributes use a rotary encoder interface:

• Drag up to increase the value (open iris / widen zoom / sharpen focus / add frost)
• Drag down to decrease
• A visual animation shows the effect in real time (iris aperture, cone angle, blur amount)
• Double-click to reset to 50%
• The percentage display shows the current value

Walkthrough: Building a Gobo Look

1. Select your moving heads
2. Press B to open Beams
3. Click the Gobo sub-tab
4. Scroll through the carousel and click a breakup gobo
5. Drag the rotation encoder up to about 30% — the gobo starts rotating slowly
6. Click the Focus sub-tab and adjust until the gobo edge is crisp
7. Click the Iris sub-tab and close it to about 60% for a tighter beam
8. The look is now in your programmer — ready to record as a cue