what is net slot?

[barbarab]

I had two dimmers that had stopped working and I found their numbers in the Net Slot columns in patch routing.
Not sure how it happened. When I cleared them out, the values reverted to 1.1; I hope those are correct but don't know what it means.

[barbarab]

Okay, if "Net Slot" lists the values for the beginning of each universe, is there any reason those values would not receive control?

[golights]

The net slot might be setup for Artnet when you want it to be dmx. What dmx address you are sending and what protocol (shownet, dmx,ect) are you using and what net slot have you got set up?

[barbarab]

I'm using Shownet and the dmx addresses were simply circuit numbers in the first universe.
Apparently they were accidentally entered into the Net Slot column, and I'm curious as to why this made them stop working.

Are the values in the Net Slot column dedicated to something else?

[JohnGrimshaw]

Think of "net slot" as "what universe am I playing in".

By changing the net slot, I suspect you were effectively moving the "controlled" channels far outside your intended DMX universe.

[gooze]

To come back to the original question. I once had the same. I got an excellent answer fom Rob Hillig:

NetSlot= address within a Shownet network packet (1-18000+)

It is not the same as outputs...Outputs are Routed to Netslots.

The column header has to say something. The protocol column will define how the NetSlot column is interpreted. If protocol is DMX, the console will interpret values 1-512 as belonging to Port A (100 being DMX 100 our of port A) 513-1024 as belonging to port B (612 being DMX 100 out of port B).

If the protocol is set to ShowNet however, the console doesn't parse ranges at all. It simply places the appropriate controls in the defined places on the network.

If you send 3.1 thru 3.512 (which is a range of outputs from the patch screen) to NetSlot 2 using the DMX protocol you will get:
Port A: 2-512 (3.1-3.511)
Port B:1 (3.512)

Define the range of three universes then assign them to a starting NetSlot.

1.1-3.512 @1 will place the levels for outputs 1- 1536 on NetSlots 1-1536.
1.1-1.512@1001 will place the levels for outputs 1-512 at NetSlot 1001-1512.

Does that make sense?

It makes a lot of sense.
In fact the whole netslot column is there to shift your whole patch up by the amount you specify in this column minus 1.
The confusion is this: to my foreign understanding of your language a slot is something which specifies a lower and a higher value, or as the dictionary says it: an allotted space in an arrangement. But in fact it is the amount of shift.

I try to make this as clear as possible, because the commandline for 'Add route' here makes no sense at all and I try to think of something better. If someone has a suggestion...

Think of a network packet.

Within this packet can be 18000+ control levels. Each one is held separately from all the others, though it is encoded in the same packet. The only way to tell them apart is by their location in the string (it's slot).

If it helps the network packet is a toolbox. This toolbox has a space for your slotted screwdriver, Phillips Screwdriver, box cutter (you get the idea). You decide where each of these spaces (or slots!) are when you configure the toolbox. Having an assigned space allows you to find the tool quickly each time. If you get a new tool, you give it a new space. If you get more screwdrivers you can expand that section to accommodate the new items.

The whole discussion is to be found here.