ABSTRACT
An automated light without some means of control is no more useful than a car without an engine. By the same token, an automated lighting controller without programming is no more useful than a car with no gas in the tank. In either case, the car can’t get out of the driveway. Programming is one of the most important aspects of automated lighting, and in some cases it’s also one of the most overlooked and misunderstood as well. The difference between a well-programmed system and a poorly programmed system has a great infl uence on the outcome and performance of a lighting system. Automated lighting consoles have evolved into highly effective tools that help the programmer work very quickly and effectively. But the most powerful consoles also require a great deal of study and understanding before the programmer can take full advantage of them. In most show environments, programming time is limited and a great deal of work must be done in a very short amount of time, much of it even before setting foot on the job site. Those programmers who are the best prepared and who can work quickly and accurately are in the highest demand and command the highest compensation. It pays to learn the craft well.
