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Fixture Body vs Barrel Count

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I have been working in a number of theaters lately that have a Source 4 stock with fewer bodies then they have barrels. I have been working with a manual solution, but I would love to know if there is a workflow or trick to keeping track of how many bodies you have left as well as the number of barrels or options of fixtures, without the risk of putting in more lights then there are bodies, even if there are enough barrels. 


25x 50 degree S4 

15x 36 degree S4

2x 19 Degree S4 Barrel

4x 70 Degree S4 Barrel



Is there an easy way to track which have been used either in VW or even Lightwright?

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Yes.  I usually do something like the attached.  Use a worksheet to count the instrument types (this example uses the field value for Inst type).


Then I type in the available numbers from the inventory.  Subtract the number used from the inventory.  Add all the fixtures to get the total bodies.



Key to Inst Example.vwx

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@michaelk Thank you this is fantastic, this makes a lot of sense, although I am having trouble connecting the reference for the number of bodies in use I had at least one of each type in the file in a dummy position for creating inventory list the first time. I am just wondering where it draws that data from so I can input in a smart way and have it update live.

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@Kealight  Glad you like it.


To get the barrel counts, I'm actually counting the whole instrument.  


Select a cell

Type in = (equal sign)

In the menu bar for the worksheet    Insert > Function.  Choose Count

You will get this in the cell:  =COUNT() with the cursor inside the parenthesis

In the menu bar for the worksheet      Insert > Criteria > Custom > whatever criteria you want + Field Value = 'paste Inst type from OIP here'


You will get something that looks like this

=COUNT((NOTINREFDLVP & NOTINDLVP & ('Lighting Device'.'Inst Type'='ETC Source4 19deg 750W')))


Once you get one cell done, I find it easier to copy and paste that cell and just change the instrument type text.


You have to get the Inst Type text string exactly right.  Notice, for example, that the 50º unit doesn't have a W after the wattage.  Especially if you have symbols from older version of VW, you could see slightly different naming conventions.  It only takes one character to be off to make it not count that fixture.




To count the bodies I'm actually adding up all the fixtures used above like you would do in Excel.  


=SUM(drag the cells you want to sum)




=SUM(first cell..last cell). [first cell dot dot last cel]




= Insert > Function > Sum, etc .


So to count lens tubes I'm actually counting each instrument type.  To count bodies I'm adding up all the instrument type counts.



Once you get it worked out and formatted the way you like, it's easy to copy and paste these cells to count lenses in S4Pars, or lamps in PAR 64s.






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