fixtures – Lighting & Show Control

8th September 202519th October 2025

Why can I not import fixtures into Show Buddy Active?

Problem – you downloaded a fixture from the online library, but when you try to import it into Show Buddy Active (from File > Manage fixtures) you get an error, or the file cannot be selected.

The Reason

Fixtures are downloaded as .zip files. and Show Buddy Active can only import these original .zip files.

If your computer automatically opens the .zip file, you’ll end up with a folder called “DmxLibrary” that contains one or more “.dmx” files. These cannot be imported directly.

Here’s how to prevent your browser from auto-extracting zip files.

macOS Users

On a Mac, Safari and the built-in Archive Utility may automatically unzip downloads.

Stop Safari from Unzipping Files

Open Safari.
From the menu bar, choose Safari > Settings (or Preferences).
In the General tab, uncheck:
“Open ‘safe’ files after downloading.”

Now downloaded zip files will stay zipped.

Stop Archive Utility from Removing Zip Files

Open Finder → Applications → Utilities → Archive Utility.
In the top menu, select Archive Utility > Preferences.
Under “After expanding”, choose “Leave archive file.”

Windows Users

On Windows, web browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, etc.) normally do not unzip files automatically.

If your zip files are still being unpacked, it’s usually caused by another program on your computer, such as:

A download manager (e.g., Internet Download Manager, Free Download Manager)
An archiving tool (e.g., WinRAR, 7-Zip, PeaZip)
Antivirus or security software

What to Do

Open the program’s settings and look for options like:
- “Auto extract archives after download”
- “Unpack files automatically”
Turn those options off.
If you’re not sure which program is doing it, try temporarily disabling or uninstalling extra download tools, then test again.

Manual Workaround

If you prefer, you can manually copy the fixtures files as follows.

Locate the .dmx files (in the DmxLibrary folder of the downloaded zip file)
Copy the .dmx files into your Show Buddy Active fixture library:
- Windows : C:/Users/Public/Public Documents//db-audioware/Show Buddy Active/DmxLibrary
- Mac : /Library/Application Support/db audioware/Show Buddy Active/DmxLibrary

19th September 20186th September 2025

How do I create a new fixture for use with Show Buddy Active?

Use the online fixture editor

The easiest solution is to use the online fixture editor. This public fixture database is an easy way to create new fixture definitions, and to download fixtures already created by other users.

Simply go to fixtures.dmxis.com and create an account. More help and a tutorial video is available on the fixture editor page.

To import downloaded fixtures into Show Buddy Active, select File > Manage fixtures… from the main menu, and click the Import… button.

Manually create a fixture file

If you do not want to use the online editor, you can manually create the fixture file in a text editor. Fixture files must be saved as plain text format.

Fixture file internal format

Each Show Buddy Active fixture file contains a simple list of channels. Each channel in turn contains a number of ranges covering 0-255 (the range of possible DMX values).

For example, a 3 channel fixture with Pan/Tilt/Speed channels might look like this:

Pan
V,0,255,
Tilt 
V,0,255, 
Speed 
V,0,255,

Each range contains the fields type, min, max, label
Type can be V (variable), S (static), D (dimmer) or B (blackout)
Variable ranges are displayed as a percentage under the DMXIS slider
Static ranges only display a label under the DMXIS slider.
Only Dimmer ranges will react to the DMXIS Master Level control.
Blackout values are automatically loaded for that fixture when the Show Buddy Active Master slider is set to minimum.
If the label is blank (as above) we only see a percentage displayed under the fader.
Static ranges always need a label (or you will see an empty label uder the slider!)

You can mix static & variable ranges in one channel. This is necessary, as manufacturers often squeeze lots of features into a single channel:

Gobo
S,0,30,Closed 
S,31,60,Circle 
S,61,90,Tunnel,
S,91,120,Open, 
V,121,255,Spin

19th September 201812th May 2025

How to display 0-255 values under a Show Buddy Active channel fader

Question: I am creating a Show Buddy Active fixture definition. How do I make a channel slider display 0-255, rather than the 0-100% default range?

Say you add this “Zoom” channel to your fixture file:

Zoom
V,0,255,

As you move the slider, it will display a 0-100% value. If you want to have more precise control, simply replace the V,0,255 line above with this block of text:

S,0,0,0
S,1,1,1
S,2,2,2
S,3,3,3
S,4,4,4
S,5,5,5
S,6,6,6
S,7,7,7
S,8,8,8
S,9,9,9
S,10,10,10
S,11,11,11
S,12,12,12
S,13,13,13
S,14,14,14
S,15,15,15
S,16,16,16
S,17,17,17
S,18,18,18
S,19,19,19
S,20,20,20
S,21,21,21
S,22,22,22
S,23,23,23
S,24,24,24
S,25,25,25
S,26,26,26
S,27,27,27
S,28,28,28
S,29,29,29
S,30,30,30
S,31,31,31
S,32,32,32
S,33,33,33
S,34,34,34
S,35,35,35
S,36,36,36
S,37,37,37
S,38,38,38
S,39,39,39
S,40,40,40
S,41,41,41
S,42,42,42
S,43,43,43
S,44,44,44
S,45,45,45
S,46,46,46
S,47,47,47
S,48,48,48
S,49,49,49
S,50,50,50
S,51,51,51
S,52,52,52
S,53,53,53
S,54,54,54
S,55,55,55
S,56,56,56
S,57,57,57
S,58,58,58
S,59,59,59
S,60,60,60
S,61,61,61
S,62,62,62
S,63,63,63
S,64,64,64
S,65,65,65
S,66,66,66
S,67,67,67
S,68,68,68
S,69,69,69
S,70,70,70
S,71,71,71
S,72,72,72
S,73,73,73
S,74,74,74
S,75,75,75
S,76,76,76
S,77,77,77
S,78,78,78
S,79,79,79
S,80,80,80
S,81,81,81
S,82,82,82
S,83,83,83
S,84,84,84
S,85,85,85
S,86,86,86
S,87,87,87
S,88,88,88
S,89,89,89
S,90,90,90
S,91,91,91
S,92,92,92
S,93,93,93
S,94,94,94
S,95,95,95
S,96,96,96
S,97,97,97
S,98,98,98
S,99,99,99
S,100,100,100
S,101,101,101
S,102,102,102
S,103,103,103
S,104,104,104
S,105,105,105
S,106,106,106
S,107,107,107
S,108,108,108
S,109,109,109
S,110,110,110
S,111,111,111
S,112,112,112
S,113,113,113
S,114,114,114
S,115,115,115
S,116,116,116
S,117,117,117
S,118,118,118
S,119,119,119
S,120,120,120
S,121,121,121
S,122,122,122
S,123,123,123
S,124,124,124
S,125,125,125
S,126,126,126
S,127,127,127
S,128,128,128
S,129,129,129
S,130,130,130
S,131,131,131
S,132,132,132
S,133,133,133
S,134,134,134
S,135,135,135
S,136,136,136
S,137,137,137
S,138,138,138
S,139,139,139
S,140,140,140
S,141,141,141
S,142,142,142
S,143,143,143
S,144,144,144
S,145,145,145
S,146,146,146
S,147,147,147
S,148,148,148
S,149,149,149
S,150,150,150
S,151,151,151
S,152,152,152
S,153,153,153
S,154,154,154
S,155,155,155
S,156,156,156
S,157,157,157
S,158,158,158
S,159,159,159
S,160,160,160
S,161,161,161
S,162,162,162
S,163,163,163
S,164,164,164
S,165,165,165
S,166,166,166
S,167,167,167
S,168,168,168
S,169,169,169
S,170,170,170
S,171,171,171
S,172,172,172
S,173,173,173
S,174,174,174
S,175,175,175
S,176,176,176
S,177,177,177
S,178,178,178
S,179,179,179
S,180,180,180
S,181,181,181
S,182,182,182
S,183,183,183
S,184,184,184
S,185,185,185
S,186,186,186
S,187,187,187
S,188,188,188
S,189,189,189
S,190,190,190
S,191,191,191
S,192,192,192
S,193,193,193
S,194,194,194
S,195,195,195
S,196,196,196
S,197,197,197
S,198,198,198
S,199,199,199
S,200,200,200
S,201,201,201
S,202,202,202
S,203,203,203
S,204,204,204
S,205,205,205
S,206,206,206
S,207,207,207
S,208,208,208
S,209,209,209
S,210,210,210
S,211,211,211
S,212,212,212
S,213,213,213
S,214,214,214
S,215,215,215
S,216,216,216
S,217,217,217
S,218,218,218
S,219,219,219
S,220,220,220
S,221,221,221
S,222,222,222
S,223,223,223
S,224,224,224
S,225,225,225
S,226,226,226
S,227,227,227
S,228,228,228
S,229,229,229
S,230,230,230
S,231,231,231
S,232,232,232
S,233,233,233
S,234,234,234
S,235,235,235
S,236,236,236
S,237,237,237
S,238,238,238
S,239,239,239
S,240,240,240
S,241,241,241
S,242,242,242
S,243,243,243
S,244,244,244
S,245,245,245
S,246,246,246
S,247,247,247
S,248,248,248
S,249,249,249
S,250,250,250
S,251,251,251
S,252,252,252
S,253,253,253
S,254,254,254
S,255,255,255

The slider will now display 0-255 values (allowing you to accurately position the slider), and you can directly type in 0-255 numbers by clicking on the value under the slider.