Terminology

A description of some of the most commonly used terms in LightAct

Timeline

Timelines are where you sequence and composite content (layers), events and actions. LightAct can have several independent timelines. In every timeline you can have one or several:

• Tracks

• Sections

• Layers

• Markers

Track

Each Timeline is divided into several Tracks. On each track you can have one or several layers.

Layer

A layer is an entity that exists in a Timeline and has a beginning and an end (determined by the Duration parameter). A layer can perform a variety of functions such as content processing & playback, video/image/image sequence/Notch block reading and playback or just some logic.

Good to know: Layers in LightAct are called Layer Templates and you can easily create your own.

Layouts

Layouts are LightAct's node-based system. You can find them in:

• Layers

• Mappings (in Canvas Maps and Output Maps windows)

• Projectors

Variable

A LightAct variable is a container holding information. The information can be a number (integer or float), color, texture or something else.

There are 2 types of variables:

• Layer variables are available only within one layer

• Global variables can be accessed anywhere

Section

Section is part of a timeline. Very often sections also serves as cues.

Marker

A Timeline marker indicates a position on a Timeline.

Viewport

Serves as the visual preview area where you can see how your compositions and mappings will appear in the real world.

Video screen

A video screen is a virtual representation of a physical video screen.

Thrower

A thrower is a helper virtual object that facilitates mapping of content onto various viewport objects by taking into account their position in the 3D scene of the viewport.

3D model

A 3D model is a virtual representation of a physical object. 3D models are usually imported as an .fbx or .obj assets.

Primitive

A primitive is a simple 3D model of a cube, a plane, a sphere or a cone.

Null object

A null object is an ‘empty’ object that can be used as a container of other objects.

It allows you to group objects and move them together.

Marker in Viewport

A viewport marker indicates a 3D position in the Viewport window.

Other

Canvas

A canvas is an entity that holds one texture. The texture can be of an arbitrary resolution. In most cases, content is rendered on a canvas through the Layers.

Content is then rendered to various viewport objects through Canvas maps window.

Assets

Asset is an external resource that LightAct uses in a specific project. Examples include:

• images, image sequences or video files,

• Notch blocks, or TouchDesigner components,

• Audio files,

• 3D models or

• Unreal Engine projects.

Video output

Video output is a virtual representation of a physical output on the system’s GPU.

DMX

DMX stands for DMX512, which is a communication standard commonly used to control lighting and effects.

Art-Net

Art-Net is a UDP based protocol used to transmit DMX data over Ethernet. It was developed by Artistic License.

sACN

sACN is a UDP based protocol used to transmit DMX data over Ethernet. It was developed by ESTA. In many aspects it is comparable with Art-Net.

Fixture

Fixture refers to a DMX light fixture, i.e. a light fixture controlled by DMX.