---
title: "Programming Attributes - Programmer Manual - DMXDesktop"
lang: en
source: /knowledgebase/programmer-manual/programming-attributes
---

Programmer Manual Programming Attributes

Programmer Manual

# Programming Attributes

Control intensity, color, position, and beam properties - the four attribute types that define every lighting look.

## 4. Programming Intensity

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:

| Fixture Type | What Appears |
| --- | --- |
| Has a master dimmer channel | One fader for overall intensity |
| Per-pixel dimmers (multi-pixel fixture) | One fader per lamp/pixel |
| RGB-only (no dimmer channel) | Color channels are used as a virtual dimmer |

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)

Tip

The button below each fader shows a color preview when color values are active - so you can see at a glance what color each fixture is set to.

### 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

## 5. Programming Color

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:

| Sub-Tab | Purpose |
| --- | --- |
| Color Picker | Interactive color wheel and individual channel faders |
| Lee Gels | The complete Lee professional gel filter library (250+ colors) |
| Apollo Gels | The Apollo professional gel filter library (50+ gels) |
| Color Effects | Animated color effects (covered in the Effects section) |

### 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.

Tip

Gels are a great starting point even if you're not familiar with color theory - they're the same colors professional lighting designers have used in theater and concerts for decades.

### 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:

| Fixture Type | What Happens |
| --- | --- |
| RGB channels | Direct control - you set red, green, blue |
| CMY channels | Auto-converts from your RGB selection to cyan, magenta, yellow |
| Color wheel | Finds the closest matching slot on the fixture's physical color wheel |
| RGB + Color wheel | Uses RGB for mixing, wheel for indexed colors |

### 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

## 6. Programming Position

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:

| Sub-Tab | Purpose |
| --- | --- |
| Manual Control | Direct pan/tilt adjustment with a visual position box |
| Position Effects | Automated movement patterns (covered in the Effects section) |

Important

The Positions tab is only available when at least one selected fixture has pan/tilt channels.

### 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:

| Preset | Pan | Tilt | Where the Light Points |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Default | 127 | 127 | Center/straight ahead |
| Front | 127 | 0 | Straight down at the audience |
| Back | 127 | 255 | Behind the fixture |
| Left | 0 | 127 | Full left |
| Right | 255 | 127 | Full right |
| Front-Left | 0 | 0 | Front-left corner |
| Back-Left | 0 | 255 | Back-left corner |

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.

Tip

Double-click a fan slider to reset to 0.

### 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

## 7. Programming Beam Properties

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.

Important

The Beams tab is only available when at least one selected fixture has beam channels.

### Dynamic Sub-Tabs

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

| Sub-Tab | What It Controls |
| --- | --- |
| Gobo | Gobo wheel selection and rotation speed |
| Prism | Prism selection and rotation speed |
| Shutter | Open/closed/strobe modes |
| Strobe | Dedicated strobe speed |
| Iris | Aperture size (beam width) |
| Zoom | Beam angle (wide to narrow) |
| Focus | Beam sharpness (sharp to soft) |
| Frost | Frost filter intensity |

### 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

Tip

Gobo images come from the fixture's profile (GDTF or custom), so you see the actual patterns your fixture can project.

### 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:

| Option | Effect |
| --- | --- |
| Open | Shutter fully open (normal beam) |
| Strobe SF | Strobe effect, slow to fast - a speed encoder appears |
| Strobe FS | Strobe effect, fast to slow - a speed encoder appears |

### 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