Menu Commands

Convert Section Object to BeamViz Object 

You can convert a BeamViz Section object to a regular BeamViz Object. Hightlight the section object and select the menu Beamviz>Convert Section Obj to BeamViz Obj . The first click will drop the focus point, the second click serves as a rotate for you to set where the fixture will land in plan. 

Cycle BV Interactive Mode 

Allows you to change your interactive mode without clicking on the radial buttons. The default hotkey to do this is Option+Command+R. 

Apply Light Info to Beams 

Will update selected beams with info to match a lighting symbol in the current document. Any symbol from a favorite file can also be selected through the resource manager. 

Reverse and Repeat 

You can easily reverse and repeat beams across the x=0 centerline. Shutter cuts and bottle rotations are also reversed.

1. Select the beam objects you want to reverse and repeat. They can be any mix of BeamViz Objects, Pars, and Sections. 
2. Select the menu Reverse and Repeat BeamViz Objects . 

You can also use the Mirror Tool to reverse and repeat beams across arbitrary vertical or horizontal planes of reflection.

Channeling Beams 

If you’re working with a single system of beams, you may find it useful to assign channel numbers. 

1. If no beams are selected, the command channels all beams on the current layer. Otherwise the command works with selected beams of any type. 
2. Choose the menu command Channel BeamViz . 
3. You will see a dialog allowing you to select the first channel and the direction channels will number. 
4. If you find yourself needing to channel beams in more complex arrangements, you may be interested in the Savvy Sequencer. 
5. The channel displays at the focus point. You can change the font and size using the Text menu.
6. Select a beam, and at the bottom make sure Show Paperwork Info is checked. You can manually set channel and purpose here. Those fields can automatically transfer when a beam is turned into a Spotlight Lighting Device. 
7. Uncheck the Show Beam parameter and select Display Field Angle. The beam object reduces to the focus point (if it’s shown) and the instrument location, with the channel, field angle, and direction displayed. This is useful for creating a rough plot from your beans. 

Converting BeamViz to Spotlight Lighting Devices 

1. Select the BeamViz objects you wish to convert. If no beams are selected, the command converts all beams on the current layer.
2. A dialog will ask you to match each field angle with a symbol in your document. There is also a set of symbols whose field angles are close to your selected beam.
   
3. Choose if you want the symbols aligned to the drawing grid and rotated to the nearest 90°. 
4. Any channel and purpose data entered into your BeamViz objects will be transferred to your Lighting Devices, along with focus, hanging height, shutters, bottle rotation, and all the default values from the symbol’s Light Info Record.
5. You have the option to link the Lighting Device to your BeamViz object. Any changes to the BeamViz object will push to the Lighting Device. BeamViz will also pull changes in position from the Lighting Device. Note this is not automatic, and you will need to manually refresh the BeamViz Object. If you do not want that to happen, check “Ignore location changes” (this is useful when working with lights not in true plan position, such as on a vertical position). Also note that changing beam and field angles will not automatically change the instrument type.
6. You have the option to create a Spotlight Focus Point at the focus point for each beam. The Convert command will first look for existing focus points at the given location and position, and if found assign the Lighting Device and BeamViz Object to those points.
7. You can create Lighting Devices on any layer. This can be useful if you have stored each system of beams in its own layer and are in the process of converting your rough plot to Lighting Devices.

Convert Beams to Vertical Position 

We will take the 6 sidelights drawn here in true location and convert them to a ladder position. The ladder position will be presented on it’s own plate, as such it is drawn straight up/down on the page. The other common way of approaching this is ‘folding’ the position back on the page. This ladder is 3 rungs tall at 1’-9” spacing. The trim height is +18’-0” from the stage to the center of the bottom rung

1. As usual, highlight the BeamViz objects you would like to convert and select the menu command BeamViz>Convert BeamViz to Instrument 
2. In the pop-up, ensure Create Vertical Position is checked.
   
3. After clicking OK, you will be prompted to select the direction of your vertical position. The first click will initiate the process.
   
4. The second click will point the arrow in the direction of the position. Because the ladder is running US/DS I will click above the ladder.
   
5. The third click will set the direction in which the lights are drawn on the position. I want my DS most unit on the right-hand side on the page, so I will point the arrow towards the left.
   
6. You will now see a preview of dashed boxes representing instruments drawn when you move your mouse around. Since the ladder trims at 18’ off of the deck, the lights will appear 18’ above the cursor. Hover the mouse underneath the position at your 0’-0“ height, and line up the boxes.
   
7. Now click, you will be given the option to rotate the lights if you need to. Clicking again will draw the lights.
   
8. The lights are now drawn on your ladder!

Move Beams to a Layer 

1. Select the beams you wish to file on another layer. If no beams are selected, the command converts all beams on the current layer. 
2. Select the Move BeamViz Objects to Layer menu command. 
3. You will be prompted for a suffix name for the layer, usually the system name. The layer name can be new or existing. 
4. You can choose whether to hide or show the layer and to deselect the Show Beam parameter. If you are building a rough plot, you may wish to make the new layer visible and to have the command turn off Show Beam. If you have already converted your beams to Lighting Devices, you may wish to hide the new layer.
5. Click OK, now the beams are moved. 

Select BeamViz Objects 

The Select BeamViz Objects menu command will select all BeamViz objects on the current layer. If your Layer Option is set to Show/Snap/Modify, all BeamViz objects will be selected across layers.

BeamViz Settings 

The BeamViz Settings menu command allows you to set the default base class and layer prefix, set the Interactive mode when duplicating, chose which consolidated calculations to display, and where they are displayed in the Object Info Palette, as well as choosing whether hiding the beam hides the focus vector as well. You have the option to save defaults for all new documents.