Fixtures & Patching
The Fixture Library
Define your fixtures once as reusable templates, then patch as many instances as you need across the show.
Definitions vs. instances
WavePhase separates a fixture's definition from its patched instance:
- A fixture definition is a template stored in your project library — a name plus an ordered list of channels (e.g. Intensity, Pan, Tilt, Red, Green, Blue).
- A fixture instance is a Fixture Out node in the signal patch that references a definition and assigns it a real DMX address. You can patch many instances of the same definition.
Creating a fixture definition
- 1
Add a definition
In the fixture editor, create a new fixture and give it a clear name likeMoving Head 16chorRGB PAR. - 2
Add channels in order
Add one channel per DMX slot the real fixture uses, in the same order as its manual. Each channel has a name and an optional default value (0–255) that's used until something is wired to it. - 3
Reuse it
Once defined, the fixture appears in the library and can be patched any number of times.
Match the real channel order
The order of channels in your definition must match the fixture's DMX personality. If a real fixture has multiple modes, create a definition per mode you actually use.Channels and values
Each channel is a single DMX slot with a value from 0 to 255. When you wire a signal to a channel, you can feed it as a normalised 0..1 float (scaled automatically) or as a raw 0–255 integer — controlled by the Use Float option on the output. Defaults keep unwired channels at a sensible value.
Next: give it an address
A definition doesn't output anything until it's patched. Continue to Patching to assign a universe, start channel, and output protocol.