Exporting to Pyrotronix

Overview

In order to make a firing script, you need to configure your launch positions with specifications of your firing system. For instructions, please see the Export Overview section. When configuring your launch positions for the Pyrotronix firing system boxes, use integers from 1 to 200 for the module addresses (boxes); specify the first pin ("channel") is 1, and number of pins is 16. Pyrotronix systems support 15 e-matches per channel under normal conditions, so you can configure the e-matches/pin field of modules up to 15. Once you are ready to export your firing script, click the "File > Export firing script > Pyrotronix" menu item.

Example Script

The following two files are an example show file that you can load into Finale, and the corresponding exported script for Pyrotronix. More explanation of the examples is provided in the Export Examples section.

• examplefile.hbs
• examplefile-pyrotronix.ptx

The example file has three shots at 10, 11, and 12 seconds into the show from a first launch position (module address 10), then three shots at 20, 21, 22 seconds from a second launch position (module address 11), then three shots of pairs of identical devices at 30, 31, and 32 seconds from the first launch position, then three shots of pairs of different devices at 40, 41, and 42 seconds also from the first launch position. The firing system modules have been configured in the example file to combine multiple launches that occur at the same time onto the same firing system pin, in order to economize pin usage.

Understanding the Pyrotronix Script Format

The Pyrotronix script format consists of a sequence of firing rows sorted by increasing ignition time. Each firing row contains 20 fields indicating the module address ("box number") and pin address ("channel number") of the shot, in addition to timing information, the effect description, and other parameters. Since each firing row represents only a single effect type, it may require multiple firing rows to represent all of the effects ignited by a single pin number. Thus firing rows may have the same module and pin address, although the firing rows do contain a quantity field, so if a shot contains multiple devices of the same type and angle, such as a chain of devices, all the devices can be represented on the same row.

The script is a text file, one line per firing row. The firing row fields are separated with semi-colons. Double quotes, tabs, and semi-colons in the text of fields are removed. Lines are delimited with pairs of carriage return and linefeed characters (0x0D, 0x0A).

The Fields in Each Firing Row

The Pyrotronix firing rows include the following fields, which Finale fills as indicated:

• Ignition-Time Number The ordinal count of unique ignition times, starting with one for the first ignition time, increasing by one at each new ignition time (multiple rows with the same ignition time having the same ignition-time number).
• Ignition Time The ignition time of the shot, in the format 0:00:00.00.
• Prefire Time The prefire time, in the format 0.00.
• Effect Time The effect time, in the format 0:00:00.00.
• Duration The effect duration, in the format 0.00. Finale writes 0.00.
• Number Of Devices The total number of devices (e.g., shells) represented by this row; may exceed one in the case of multiple effects of the same type in a chain or e-matched together in series or parallel (e.g., a chain of five shells counts as five, not one).
• Effect Name The effect name or description.
• Effect Type ID Finale leaves this field blank.
• Caliber The size of the device in millimeters in the format 00 mm (the "mm" units included).
• Launch Position The launch position name.
• Module Address Integer number of the ignition box, 1-200.
• Pin Address Integer number of the channel, 1-16.
• Setup Finale leaves this field blank.
• Danger Class Finale leaves this field blank.
• Notes Combined notes from all effects represented by the firing row.
• Angle Shot angle in integer degrees (left-most angle if row represents multiple devices).
• Angle Graphic ASCII-art representation of the angles of the effects, using backslash, vertical line, and slash characters.
• Product ID Product identifier.
• Price Finale leaves this field blank.
• Total Price Finale leaves this field blank.

Electrical/Communication Limitations

Pyrotronix systems require a minimum 30ms delay between consecutive ignitions on the same or different modules. When Finale exports a script for Pyrotronix, Finale adjusts ignition times as necessary to provide the 30ms minimum delay. Pyrotronix systems do not have any limitations on the number of simultaneous ignitions on the same or different modules.