FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is HERDS?
HERDS is a tool that makes it easier for people to create lighting designs together.
It lets technicians prepare a set of lighting looks in ETC Eos, then gives creatives and students a much simpler way to build their show using those looks, without needing to know how to program the lighting desk.
At the end, HERDS creates a file you can import back into ETC Eos.
Who is HERDS for?
HERDS is for places where one person understands the lighting desk, but other people need to shape the creative ideas.
That might include:
drama schools and conservatoires
technical theatre teachers
lighting tutors
production managers
visiting lighting designers
students and creatives working with technical staff
It is especially useful when creatives or students are choosing the lighting, but a technician or designer is still handling the programming.
How does HERDS work?
Build your lighting looks in ETC Eos
Start by creating the lighting states you want people to use.
These are the looks your participants will choose from when building their piece.
Take reference images
Take a photo or screenshot of each lighting state from the same position every time.
This could be:
a visualiser screenshot
a fixed camera position in the auditorium
The important part is consistency, so every lighting state can be compared properly.
Export your Eos CSV
Export your cue data from ETC Eos as a CSV file.
Upload everything to HERDS
In HERDS, upload:
the ETC Eos CSV
the reference image for each lighting state
This creates the lighting library for the project.
Add your users
You can add participants one by one or upload them in bulk using a CSV template.
Set up the project
Create a project, add your participants, attach the lighting library, and adjust any project settings.
Participants build their design
Participants log in and use a guided interface to:
choose lighting states
put them in order
set timings
structure their piece
They do not need direct access to the lighting desk.
Export back into ETC Eos
When the design is finished, HERDS generates a new CSV file for ETC Eos.
That file is ready to import back in, with the cues arranged and formatted for you.
Optional: create a QLab cue list
HERDS can also generate an AppleScript file for QLab.
To use it:
paste the script into a QLab Network Cue
trigger the cue
This builds the cue list for the project automatically inside QLab.
Does HERDS work with tracking mode?
Yes.
HERDS works with tracking mode, but Cue Only is recommended because it is usually clearer and more predictable.
What export settings should I use in ETC Eos?
A few settings matter when exporting your CSV:
Encoding Format: use UTF-8
This is the safest option, especially if your cue labels include special characters.
Sections to include: leave everything ticked
HERDS only needs the cues, but exporting everything is fine and gives you a fuller backup.
Use Decimal Format (Multi Cell): either is fine
HERDS can handle both decimal and integer cue numbers.
What audio files can I upload?
HERDS supports:
WAV
MP3
Any audio exported from HERDS is downloaded as a WAV file.
All exported audio files are converted to MP3; compressed within the FREE tier and almost lossless compression in STUDIO.
How do I trigger ETC Eos cues from QLab?
Make sure:
your QLab Network Connection is set up as an ETC Eos connection
the correct connection is selected in the Network Cue
If this is set up wrongly, cue triggering may fail.
What if something is not updating properly?
Press the Refresh button inside the project.
That usually reloads the view and pulls in the latest changes.
How do I report a problem?
Email: info@abrighteyeddeer.com
Please include:
what you were trying to do
the exact error message, if there was one
a screenshot, if possible
the exported CSV file, if relevant
a debug report from the project settings
The debug report makes it much faster to work out what went wrong.