Skip to main content
Electronic Theatre Controls Inc

Help! My Fixture isn't in the Eos Family Fixture Library!

Overview

If you do not see the option to patch your fixture on your Eos family console, you have a few options. First, make sure you are running the most up-to-date version of the fixture library. If there is still no profile for your fixture, you can search for user-created GDTF profiles on the Internet or build a custom profile yourself. If your need is not time-sensitive, you can also submit a request to ETC to build a profile for your fixture in future releases.

Update the Fixture Library

If your fixture is missing from the fixture library on your console, it may be present in later versions of the fixture library.

You can download the most recent version of the fixture library from the Fixture Library Hub.

First, check the fixture library version on your console by pressing the [About] key with a clear command line; if it does not match the most recent version shown on the Fixture Library Hub, follow these instructions to update it.

You may also need to update your console's software in order to load the most recent fixture library. Follow these instructions to update your console's software.

Windows XP Consoles

Consoles built before 2014 run Windows XP embedded, and cannot be updated above version 2.9.3. The last fixture library released for this platform was 2.9.3 build 4, which can be downloaded here.

Fixture profiles from the most recent fixture library can still be used on Windows XP consoles by merging them from another device running 3.x. See this article for more details.

General Device Type Format

Eos family software supports import of user-created GDTF (General Device Type Format) profiles. If there is no profile in the official fixture library, you may be able to find unverified, user-created profiles on websites such as gdtf-share.com. See this article for instructions on importing GDTF profiles into Eos showfiles.

Because GDTF profiles are unverified and often not built with Eos in mind, these profiles may require some modification to work correctly. See this article for tips on troubleshooting problematic GDTF profiles.

Build a Custom Profile

If you are unable to find a working GDTF profile for your fixture, you will need to build a profile for it yourself. Eos family devices have a built-in, fully featured fixture profile editor. See this video and this section of the user manual for an overview of the fixture profile editor.

You will need to reference your fixture's DMX chart when creating the profile. Most manufacturers make DMX charts available for download on their websites, either as a separate document or as an appendix to the user manual.

Submit a Request

If your need is not time sensitive, you can submit a request to ETC to build a fixture profile for your fixture. You will need to submit the DMX chart for the fixture with your request. To submit a request, search for your fixture in the fixture library hub; if there are no results, there will be an option to "start a new request".

  • Was this article helpful?