How to Add Scans to Easy Stand Alone: A Simple Guide

If you’ve ever worked with stage lighting or DMX controllers, you know how exciting it is to bring a show to life. But you also know the frustration when the software doesn’t have the profile for your brand-new fixture. You’ve got this great piece of gear, but your controller, like an Easy Stand Alone (ESA) unit, can’t speak its language yet. This is a common roadblock, especially when you’re trying to integrate new or less common lighting fixtures.

The good news is that you’re not stuck. Adding a new scan file, or fixture profile, to your lighting software is a skill every lighting enthusiast and professional should have. It gives you the freedom to use any light you want, not just the ones in the default library. This guide will walk you through exactly how to add new scan file to Easy Stand Alone, turning a technical hurdle into a simple, straightforward task.

What is a Scan File and Why Do You Need It?

In the world of DMX lighting, a “scan file” (also called a fixture profile, personality file, or SSL2 file) is a small data file that acts as a translator. It tells your lighting control software, in this case, Easy Stand Alone, everything it needs to know about a specific lighting fixture.

Think of it like a driver for a computer printer. When you get a new printer, you install a driver so your computer knows how to communicate with it—how to send print jobs, check ink levels, and so on. A scan file does the same thing for a light.

This file contains crucial information, including:

• DMX Channel Map: Which DMX channel controls which function (e.g., Channel 1 is the dimmer, Channel 2 is pan, Channel 3 is tilt, Channel 4 is color wheel).
• Value Ranges: What the DMX values (0-255) for each channel mean. For a color wheel, a value of 10 might be red, 20 might be blue, and so on.
• Fixture Type: Whether it’s a moving head, a scanner, an LED par can, or a laser.

Without the correct scan file, your software might send a DMX signal for “red,” but the light might interpret it as “strobe,” leading to chaos. A correct profile ensures that when you click a button in your software, the light does exactly what you expect.

Before You Begin: Finding Your Fixture’s DMX Chart

Before you can create or add a new profile, you need the light’s instruction manual. Specifically, you’re looking for the DMX Personality Chart or DMX Traits. This chart is the Rosetta Stone for your fixture. It lists every DMX channel and what it does.

For example, a simple moving head might have a DMX chart that looks like this:

• Channel 1: Pan (0-255)
• Channel 2: Tilt (0-255)
• Channel 3: Color Wheel (0-10: White, 11-20: Red, 21-30: Green…)
• Channel 4: Gobo Wheel (0-5: Open, 6-15: Gobo 1…)
• Channel 5: Dimmer (0-255)

If you’ve lost the manual, don’t worry. A quick search online for “[Your Fixture Name] DMX chart PDF” will almost always lead you to the manufacturer’s documentation. Download and save this PDF; you’ll need it open for the next steps.

Step-by-Step: Adding a New Scan File to Easy Stand Alone

The ESA software suite includes a powerful tool called the Scan Library Editor. This is where all the magic happens. The process involves creating a new profile based on your fixture’s DMX chart.

Step 1: Open the Scan Library Editor

First, launch the Scan Library software that comes with your Easy Stand Alone hardware. This is a separate application from the main ESA or ESA2 controller software. Look for a program named “ScanLibrary.”

Step 2: Create a New Fixture Profile

Inside the Scan Library editor, you’ll start a new profile.

1. Go to File > New.
2. A window will pop up asking for general information about your fixture. This is where you’ll input the manufacturer’s name (e.g., Chauvet, American DJ) and the model name of the light. Be specific, as this is how you’ll find it in the library later.
3. You can also add a picture of the fixture and other notes if you wish. This helps with organization. Click “OK.”

Step 3: Build the DMX Channel Map

This is the most important part of the document scanning process for your fixture’s manual. You are going to digitally recreate the DMX chart you found earlier.

1. On the right side of the editor, you will see a list of pre-defined channel functions (like Dimmer, Shutter, Pan, Tilt, Color, Gobo).
2. Look at your DMX chart. Let’s say Channel 1 is “Pan.” In the Scan Library editor, find “Pan” in the function list and drag it into the channel list on the left. It will automatically be assigned to Channel 1.
3. Repeat this for all your channels. If Channel 2 is “Tilt,” drag the “Tilt” function to the channel list. It will become Channel 2.
4. Continue this for every channel your fixture uses. If your fixture has a function not on the list, you can use a “Generic” channel and label it manually.

Step 4: Define the Channel Values and Presets

Simply assigning channels isn’t enough. You need to tell the software what the values within each channel mean. This is especially important for channels like color wheels or gobo wheels.

1. Click on a channel you’ve added, for example, the “Color” channel.
2. A new window or tab will open for setting presets. Here, you will create a preset for each color.
3. Click “Add” to create a new preset. Name it “Red.”
4. Look at your DMX chart. If red is from DMX value 11 to 20, you will enter “11” as the minimum value and “20” as the maximum value for this preset. You can also assign an icon or color swatch to it.
5. Repeat this for every single color, gobo, and function preset on your DMX chart.

This step can be tedious, but accuracy is key. Take your time and double-check your work against the DMX chart.

Step 5: Save Your New Scan File

Once you have added all the channels and defined all the presets, it’s time to save your work.

1. Go to File > Save.
2. The file will be saved with an .ssl2 extension. The software will automatically save it in the correct folder where your Easy Stand Alone controller software looks for fixture profiles.

Now, when you open your main ESA or ESA2 software and go to add a new fixture to your patch, you can search for the manufacturer and model name you entered in Step 2. Your newly created profile will be there, ready to use!

Troubleshooting: When Things Don’t Go as Planned

Sometimes, even after following the steps, a light might not behave as expected. Here are some common issues and how to fix them.

• A function is not working correctly: This is almost always due to an incorrect DMX value range in the presets. Go back into the Scan Library editor, open your profile, and double-check the min/max values for that function against the DMX chart.
• Pan or Tilt is inverted: Many fixtures have an option to invert pan and tilt. Inside the channel settings for Pan and Tilt in the Scan Library editor, there is usually a checkbox for “Invert.” Try checking this box, saving the profile, and re-patching the fixture.
• Where do scanned documents go? Metaphorically speaking, when you “scan” your manual and create a profile, the saved .ssl2 file goes into a specific folder on your computer. Usually, this is something like Documents\ESA2\ScanLibrary. The controller software knows to look here.

Beyond the Basics: Tips for Organizing Your Scan Library

As you add more custom profiles, your library can get messy.

• Use Consistent Naming: Always use the full, official manufacturer and model name. Avoid nicknames.
• Create Different Modes: Some fixtures have multiple DMX modes (e.g., a 5-channel basic mode and a 15-channel advanced mode). You can create a separate profile for each mode. Name them clearly, like “MyFixture 5ch” and “MyFixture 15ch.”
• Back Up Your Library: The “ScanLibrary” folder contains all your hard work. Regularly back it up to a cloud drive or external hard drive. If your computer crashes, you won’t have to rebuild all your profiles from scratch.

Conclusion: Take Full Control of Your Lighting Rig

Learning how to add new scan file to Easy Stand Alone is a liberating skill. It frees you from the limitations of the default library and opens up a world of creative possibilities. You can confidently buy any fixture, knowing you can make it work with your controller.

The process might seem technical at first, but it boils down to carefully copying information from the fixture’s DMX chart into the Scan Library software. By taking it one channel at a time, you can build a perfect profile for any light in your rig.

Key Takeaways:

• Find the DMX Chart: Your fixture’s manual is the blueprint for creating a new scan file.
• Use the Scan Library Editor: This specialized tool is designed for building and managing fixture profiles.
• Be Meticulous: The accuracy of your channel assignments and value ranges determines whether the profile will work.
• Save and Test: Save your .ssl2 file, patch the fixture in your main software, and test every function.
• Don’t Be Afraid to Edit: If something isn’t right, you can always go back into the editor to make corrections.

Now you have the knowledge to build a truly custom lighting setup, perfectly tailored to your vision.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I download a scan file instead of making one?
Yes, sometimes. The fixture manufacturer’s website or the software developer’s site (like Nicolaudie for Easy Stand Alone) often has libraries of profiles you can download. Always check there first. You only need to build a profile from scratch if you can’t find a pre-made one.

2. Is this process the same for other lighting software like those for Mac?
The general concept is the same across most DMX software for Mac and Windows. You will always need the DMX chart and a tool to build a profile. However, the specific software and file extension (.ssl2 is for Nicolaudie products) will be different. The steps of assigning channels and defining values are universal.

3. My new fixture is compatible with Windows 11, but ESA isn’t finding it. Why?
Fixture compatibility with an operating system (like scanners compatible with Windows 11) is different from software compatibility. The issue isn’t with Windows; it’s that the ESA software itself doesn’t have the profile for that light. You must add the scan file using the steps above for the software to recognize and control the fixture’s functions.

Read More: How to Change the Account Number on a Fire-Lite Panel