Well, this WOULD have worked if I wasn't using transparencies. This method doesn't blank out the center position if one of the others are engaged.
I did manage to get 005 working with transparencies (see attached).
Thanks to a combination of the input I've gotten on this, I've been able to get several files working that weren't before, but there are a dozen with hairballs I'm still stuck on.
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I have officially retired from sucking at everything I do. Life is much easier now.