Export to Cobra

System Overview

Please make sure you install the latest Cobra firmware before exporting. Please visit CobraFiringSystems.com to upgrade your firmware.

This video demonstrates how to create a simple show and transfer it to the Cobra firing system:

Please follow these steps:

1. Create a new show or open an existing one. Select the “Cobra” firing system.
2. Under the “Modules” tab, create enough modules for all cues. Per default, cues are connected to the nearest module. However, you can also associate modules with specific firing positions.
3. Click Export -> Cobra and select a filename. FWsim will generate module and pin numbers automatically and create a .csv file. If there are any problems (e.g. too few modules), FWsim will alert you.
4. FWsim will prompt you for deadman switch setting and music filename. These are optional and you can leave these fields empty if you don’t need them.
5. You can now transfer this .csv file to your system.

The difference between FWsim Pro and Cobra ShowCreator

Cobra Show Creator (CSC) is a web-based application for planning pyrotechnic shows. It can be used on any operating system that supports the Chrome browser. CSC has been specifically designed to create shows for the Cobra system. The user interface consists of a table showing the cues, and a simple timeline. The application can be used to plan both timed as well as STEP-based shows. It can load music and therefore be used to plan pyromusicals. There is no visualization.

FWsim Pro is a downloadable fireworks choreography software. It works on Microsoft Windows only. FWsim Pro fully supports Cobra as well as many other firing systems. FWsim Pro focusses on visual simulation, it features a timeline as well as a table view. The workflow in FWsim Pro is optimized on working with the timeline.

How to use the STEP functionality of Cobra

With the Cobra STEP functionality, you can have multiple sections in your show. After each section, the system waits until you press the STEP button to proceed. Here’s how to use this functionality with the FWsim Pro data export:

1. Create your show in FWsim.
2. To add section markers, click Export –> Start New Sequence. Read more about that in the FWsim manual
3. Export your show to Cobra like usual.

The Cobra system requires that a channel is fired on every start of a section. That means, in a Cobra script file, you cannot start a new section without firing something. FWsim handles this as follows:

• If a section has a cue immediately when the section starts, then this cue is marked with a time of “STEP” in the script file.
• If the first cue in a section fires after the start of the section, then FWsim exports a cue with time of “STEP” on channel 99, pin 1. You need to make sure that you do not use channel 99 for any real modules in your show.

How to use the Cobra Audiobox with FWsim

Please follow these steps:

1. Cobra requires that your music starts at 0 seconds. Please make sure that this is the case before continuing.
2. Simply export your show as described above.
3. When exporting, FWsim will ask you for the audiobox filename. Insert the filename of your music, but without the .mp3 extension.

Please be aware that Cobra has some limitations for the audio filename. They are:

“If you are using firmware version 3.0 to 4.0.1, make sure your audio filename is audiobox.mp3. If you are using firmware version 5.0.1 to 5.0.5, make sure your audio filename, when imported into COBRA Show Creator, has no more than 9 characters excluding the .mp3 extension: for example, 123456789.mp3. If you are using firmware version 5.1 or higher, make sure your audio filename, when imported into COBRA Show Creator, has no more than 45 characters excluding the .mp3 extension. If your audio filename is too long, you can re-name the audio file, re-import the audio file into COBRA Show Creator, and then re-export the COBRA script file into the 18R2.” (this is quoted directly from the Cobra user manual)