News and Announcements
Pre-release 2680 is now available. This pre-release has one significant new feature: printed labels for attaching to shells with information about where they go. It also fixes several bugs that have crept in recently.
URL for the pre-release:
http://media.finalefireworks.com/installers/FINALE_Fireworks_02680.exe
The latest documentation is always available here:
http://www.finalefireworks.com/docs
Complete release notes:
BUILD: 2680
RELEASE: August 27, 2010
NEW FEATURES: * Added label printing for Avery 5260 and Avery 5267 labels.
* Added Category, Location Primary and Location Secondary fields to Finale Generic.
* Draw an red XX if a mortar has a manual assignment to a pin with no fireworks
FIXED BUGS: * Fixed bug with scrolling in "Manage My Fireworks" dialog
* Fixed bug with scrolling in "Make / download video" dialog
* Fixed bug where firework was not being drawn in red when caliber mis-matched on manual assignment
* Fixed bug where manual assignment of firework to rack could place firework in rack at wrong angle
A few questions/ coments on the new lables,
would it be possible to add test clipping for long product names, I have a few cases with long names that run on to the lable next to it (this seems to only be a problem on the large lables)?
On the angle part of the lable would it be possible to print the angle degrees with the direction symbol, ex. 20/ or 15\
I have several chains and I get the following on the lable "(Part of field chain of NaN)" where is this looking, and is it possible to add notes or more info to it (if that makes since).
Jason
jmurri, just got back. Those are great improvements. Clipping the name, and the NAN are clearly bugs. We'll fix them. The 20\ or 20/ would be easy to do. In our BEV UI we use the terms 20L or 20R. It is usually a good idea to keep consistent terminology, but I'm concerned that replacing 20L and 20R with 20\ and 20/ in the BEV might be confusing. On the other hand, using 20L and 20R in the labels may seem like a step backwards to some people who are accustomed to the \ and / and | characters. Thoughts?
The other thing I was going to mention was I think using the angle + L or R helps out inexperienced crew members, and I think that it speed up the scripting and setup process by not having to add extra notes to the cues.
I agree with nepyro the less brain power I have to use the better for everybody.
Jason
Okay, given this feedback, as I look at the labels there is actually room that I could append the familiar 20L or 20R after the \|/ character. Although the \|/ character would technically be redundant on the label, I don't see any harm in including it. The end result would be,
"Angle: / 20R"
instead of what it is now,
"Angle: /"
Sound okay to everyone?
By the way, Ed just noticed that the labels could be sorted in a more convenient order on print out, so we will fix this too. The proposed new sort order is (1) magazineLocation (if used), (2) effect name, (3) launch position name.
And I will add that after using them I found the \ / almost useless, I vote for "35R" we have some racks that have 5 positions,or angles... 35R, 15R, 0 15L 35L The current text leaves that possibility out and forces us to refer back to the loading report anyway.
Will,
I noticed when I printed a test page of the large lables (avery 5260) I noticed that the left margin was printing right on the edge of the lable ( starting to get cut off). Would it be possible to maybe add a space or two tho the left edge so the text would not get cut off.
I think that using " Angle: / 20R" for the angle would be good also.
Jason
SORT ORDERS on ALL REPORTS/LABLES - must be USER definable at creation time. Each user at different times has a different sort order need. The poor guy pulling the product from the warehouse/bunker would like it one way, the guys in charge of setting it up, would like it a totally different way. The label print order could be usefull in many different orders, depending on the preferences or product disposition of the show they are going to be used for. For example, the NFA coming up... An show Inventory Report was probably used to "pull" the cases of product need for the show...Now these cases are in a trailer or "new" storage location other than the "Bunker" or "warehouse" location they may have come from...Now the guys needing to set this show up, turn to labels and or reports to organize this product for the shoot. Some like to work on it by Launch Position, or by POD. Thus, this sort order would be prefered over "effect" or "bunker-location". But, you could just as easily sort it by Effect, find that product, stick all the labels with that effect on that product, then use another LOADING report to guide you in matching up the EFFECT/LABEL to the right position... but that is probably too much work... The important thing is that the RIGHT product get to the RIGHT PIN# in the RIGHT Launch position! Therefore it would be my preference to sort labels by Launch Position, then by POD/RACK. I would then call out to someone, "Get me 2 of these, 4 of those, 1 of that, etc" and when the product was physically brought to me, put the label on it or it's ematch, and repack that stuff for that LP together...IMHO... :)
Great discussion!
Firstly, this is a great feature. Agree with the long name desc and the \ 20L statement (my team likes the \/ - for them that's what they are used to).
My one issue would be that these lable types seem notoriously difficult to purchase in the UK as we print to A4 generally.
For the UK a 40 label system would be Avery Product Number: 3651 or something like Product Number: L6140-20 - Software Code: L6140 which is a label much more suitable for outdoor weather.
As for finding an Avery label sheet with 30 on, the only listed in A4 is DPS30-100 but it's listed as copied lables rather than Laser / Inkjet.
So you may be better aiming for the larger labels going with 24 labels on Avery Product Number: 3474 or something like Product Number: L6141-20
Infact I would be very happy if you went for the L6140-20 and the L6141-20 options. You coudl even add productname(UK) to suit.
Any quick solution would be much appreciated so we (UK) can start printing labels in preparation for UK Nov 5th displays. I'd even be happy to spend the money on those labels and test for you.
