# Using the color picker Source: https://help.malighting.com/grandMA2/en/help/key_of_color_picker.html This is grandocs, an unofficial mirror of MA Lighting documentation. For authoritative or safety-relevant information, cite the canonical page on help.malighting.com. --- Based on the field you work in, the color picker provides the opportunity of displaying the colors of fixtures in various views. **Requirement:** - Fixtures are patched. For more information on how to patch fixtures see [Adding fixtures to your show](/grandma2/key_patch_add_fixtures/).  --- ## Open the Color Picker There are two options to open the color picker. **1. Option:** 1. Tap any empty space in the **user-defined area**. 2. The pop-up **Create Basic Window** opens.  3. Tap Other. 4. Then tap Color Picker. 5. The **Color Picker** opens.  ![](/img/grandma2/img_color-picker_hsb_v3-3-ab4d47.png) _Color Picker Opened Via Create Basic Window_ **2. Option:** 1. Tap Color in the encoder bar. 2. Then tap Special Dialog.  3. The temporary color picker opens. ![](/img/grandma2/img_color-picker_special-dialog_v3-3-f7b4ea.png) _Color Picker Opened Via Special Dialog_ **Important:**\ If you open the color picker via the **Special Dialog**, you will see an additional bar with buttons that are not visible if you open the color picker via the dialog **Create Basic Window**. These buttons, however, can be enabled in the options of the color picker.  The differences of each view in special dialog are explained further down in the corresponding views.   --- As mentioned before the color picker consists of five views.   ## 1. HSB: **Hint:**\ HSB is the abbreviation for hue, saturation and brightness.  ![](/img/grandma2/img_color-picker_hsb_v3-3-ab4d47.png) _Color Picker – HSB _ **Hue:**\ Is displayed in degrees and it is the horizontal axis of the screen.\   **Saturation:**\ Is displayed as a vertical axis of the screen.\   **Brightness:**\ Is displayed as an additional fader.  **Q fader:** The Q fader is displayed at the far right of the screen.  **Important:**\ The Q fader is disabled for fixtures with ColorWheel or MixColor attributes (RGB) only. Fixtures with more than three MixColor attributes enable the Q fader.  It consists of three categories: **Primary:**\ Represents RGB only. ![](/img/grandma2/img_color-picker_q-fader-primary_v3-3-c1af7c.png) _HSB – Q Fader – Category Primary_ **Max:**\ Represents a mixture of RGB and the special color attributes.  ![](/img/grandma2/img_color-picker_q-fader-max_v3-3-cdc852.png) _HSB – Q Fader – Category Max_ **Pure:**\ Represents a special color attribute. ![](/img/grandma2/img_color-picker_q-fader-pure_v3-3-d9d854.png) _HSB – Q Fader – Category Pure_   --- ## Bar In HSB – Special Dialog ![](/img/grandma2/img_color-picker_bar-in-hsb_special-dialog_v3-3-8666b2.png) _Bar Highlighted In HSB – Special Dialog_ - **Percentage display:**\ Displays the value in percentage. The corresponding color spectrum is displayed on top of the percentage. \   - **Link encoder HSB:**\ Links the three encoders starting from the left with the display of HSB.\   - **​Link encoder CMY:**\ Links the three encoders starting from the left with the display of CMY. \   - **Link encoder RGB:**\ Links the three encoders starting from the left with the display of RGB. \   - **Prefer MixColor only:**\ This is usually the default. Here MixColor attributes are preferably used to blend the color.  \   - **MixColor only:**\ Here only MixColor attributes are used to blend the color. \   - **ColorWheel only:**\ Here only ColorWheel attributes are used to blend the color.  --- ## 2. Swatch Book The swatch book displays manufacturers and their corresponding gels.  For more information on gel see the keyword [Gel](/grandma2/key_keyword_gel/).  ![](/img/grandma2/img_color-picker_swatch-book_v3-3-6f4423.png) _Color Picker – Swatch Book_ **Important:**\ The swatch book displays the color in RGB and RGB number.  - If you type a number into the filter on the top left, the swatch book will sort the list by the hints containing this number.  - If you type a letter into the filter, the swatch book will sort by the name of the color.  --- ## Bar In Swatch Book – Special Dialog ![](/img/grandma2/img_special-dialog_swatch-book-bar_v3-3-5b9f38.png) _Special Dialog – Bar In Swatch Book_ - **Clear Filter:**\ Empties the filter on the top left of the dialog.  - **[]()Live Preview:**\ If you scroll using the encoder to change colors, these colors are directly shown live.  --- ## 3. Raw Faders Raw faders display all MixColor attributes in a show file.  ![](/img/grandma2/image_color-picker_raw-faders_v3-3-778b2a.png) _Color Picker – Raw Faders_ --- ## 4. Predefined Colors Predefined colors are displayed in a rod-shaped pattern in four columns.  ![](/img/grandma2/img_color-picker_predefined-colors_v3-3-8011f1.png) _Color Picker – Predefined Colors_ **Important:**\ Predefined colors are not available in the Special Dialog.  --- ## 5. Faders Faders display the three color systems – HSB, CMY and RGB along with the Q fader – in contrast to one another in form of faders. ![](/img/grandma2/img_color-picker_faders_v3-3-08bf1d.png) _Color Picker – Faders_ --- ## Options To open the options in the color picker, tap ![](/img/grandma2/icon_yellow-ball_3_2-329eb0.png)in the upper left corner of the window.  ![](/img/grandma2/img_color-picer_options_v3-3-458b23.png) _Color Picker – Options_ Options display the following: **[Live Preview](<#Live Preview>):** See Bar in Swatch Book – Special Dialog. **Linked Encoders:** If you tap this button, the pop-up **Select Linked Encoders** opens. Choose which [encoders](<#Link Encoders>) you would like to link here.  **Preferable Engine:** If you tap this button, the pop-up **Select Preferable Engine** opens. Choose the [color system](<#Preferable Color Engine>) you would prefer to use.  **Active Page:** If you tap this button, the pop-up **Select Active Page** opens. Choose the view you would like to be displayed here. **Swatch Book View Mode:** If you tap this button, the pop-up **Select Swatch Book View Mode** opens. Choose the category you would like the Swatch Book to be displayed by. **Swatch Book Sort Mode:** If you tap this button, the pop-up **Select Swatch Book Sort Mode** opens. Choose the category you would like to sort the swatch book by.  **Hide Labels:** If you disable this button, the values of HSB, CMY and RGB will be displayed in percentage.  --- ### Title Buttons To open the title buttons in the color picker, tap ![](/img/grandma2/icon_yellow-ball_3_2-329eb0.png)in the upper left corner of the window.  ![](/img/grandma2/img_color-picker_title-buttons_v3-3-54ac12.png) _Color Picker – Title Buttons_ If you enable **Color Engine**, **Active Page** and **Link Encoders**, these buttons will be displayed in the title bar of the view.  If you enable **Swatch Book** and **Swatch Book View**, these buttons will be displayed in the title bar in Swatch Book only.  To close the **Color Picker Options**, tap ![](/img/grandma2/icon_close_small_v3-2-1c8fff.png) in the upper right corner.  --- ## Close the Color Picker To close the color picker altogether, tap ![](/img/grandma2/icon_yellow-ball_3_2-329eb0.png) in the upper left corner of the dialog and tap Delete Window.  If you opened the color picker via the special dialog, then tap ![](/img/grandma2/icon_close_small_v3-2-1c8fff.png) in the upper right corner of the dialog.