Operator to create wrapper node tree of Geometry Nodes modifier #104171

New Issue

Simon Thommes · 2023-01-27T12:01:22+01:00

Simon Thommes commented

2023-01-27 12:01:22 +01:00

High level geometry nodes setups that are mainly meant for use in the modifier stack reach their limits quickly whenever the user wants to use some more flexible input than just a single value, or a paintable mask. Currently, moving to a node-tree from an existing modifier in the modifer stack means a lot of abundant work of copying over values.

To leverage the node setup to its fullest, even for less advanced users that are barely familiar with the node editor, there should be an easy way to convert an existing Geometry Nodes modifier to a wrapper of its nodegroup version that keeps all the inputs and outputs that are set in the UI intact, but exposes them in the nodetree instead. That way it is easy to add simple setups like multiplication or curve mapping to the inputs or even go beyond that and expand to more complex setups.

From:

To:

Some design topics:

My proposal is to actually remove all in and outputs from the modifier UI to keep things clean and really move everything to nodes. The user can still re-expose necessary in/outputs.
One question is where exactly in the UI this operator should be found. I would propose to locate this operator in the menu, where application and duplication of a modifier are. This also depends on the next design point.
How do we handle merging multiple modifiers? For the sake of simplicity and also due to the fact that not all modifiers can be represented as nodes, I would propose to only do this one modifier at a time (for now at least). The users can still copy and paste the node setups of the individual modifiers into a larger node tree afterwards. That is enough for the time being imo.

High level geometry nodes setups that are mainly meant for use in the modifier stack reach their limits quickly whenever the user wants to use some more flexible input than just a single value, or a paintable mask. Currently, moving to a node-tree from an existing modifier in the modifer stack means a lot of abundant work of copying over values. To leverage the node setup to its fullest, even for less advanced users that are barely familiar with the node editor, there should be an easy way to convert an existing Geometry Nodes modifier to a wrapper of its nodegroup version that keeps all the inputs and outputs that are set in the UI intact, but exposes them in the nodetree instead. That way it is easy to add simple setups like multiplication or curve mapping to the inputs or even go beyond that and expand to more complex setups. From: ![image.png](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F14203155/image.png) To: ![image.png](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F14203172/image.png) Some design topics: - My proposal is to actually remove all in and outputs from the modifier UI to keep things clean and really move everything to nodes. The user can still re-expose necessary in/outputs. - One question is where exactly in the UI this operator should be found. I would propose to locate this operator in the menu, where application and duplication of a modifier are. This also depends on the next design point. - How do we handle merging multiple modifiers? For the sake of simplicity and also due to the fact that not all modifiers can be represented as nodes, I would propose to only do this one modifier at a time (for now at least). The users can still copy and paste the node setups of the individual modifiers into a larger node tree afterwards. That is enough for the time being imo.

Simon Thommes commented

2023-01-27 12:01:22 +01:00

Changed status from 'Needs Triage' to: 'Confirmed'

Simon Thommes commented

2023-01-27 12:01:22 +01:00

Added subscriber: @SimonThommes

Faruk Ahmet commented

2023-01-27 12:21:13 +01:00

Added subscriber: @Kuboa

Trung Phạm commented

2023-01-27 12:36:20 +01:00

Added subscriber: @zNight

Jacques Lucke commented

2023-01-27 12:41:08 +01:00

Added subscriber: @JacquesLucke

Andres Stephens commented

2023-01-27 13:59:15 +01:00

Added subscriber: @AndresStephens

Andres Stephens commented

2023-01-27 13:59:15 +01:00

Button in the modifier stack in the drop down arrow "Elevate /n Convert modifier stack parameters to high Level node group".

fwfeet commented

2023-01-30 20:35:42 +01:00

Added subscriber: @costa

fwfeet commented

2023-01-30 20:35:42 +01:00

Throwing my 2 cents here...
Maybe putting "copy all settings" in the modifier dropdown panel would make sense since there's already some options there.
Also in graph editor you can copy paste whole modifiers (basically linking modifiers) so maybe copying a modifier would make sense to paste it into another object

Throwing my 2 cents here... Maybe putting "copy all settings" in the modifier dropdown panel would make sense since there's already some options there. Also in graph editor you can copy paste whole modifiers (basically linking modifiers) so maybe copying a modifier would make sense to paste it into another object ![image.png](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F14214978/image.png)

Simon Thommes commented

2023-01-31 11:23:31 +01:00

@costa imo these suggestions are only tangentially related to this task. I personally don't think that using the same modifier on one object multiple times that common of a use-case. And there is still the Duplicate operator.
For copying to separate objects there are the Copy to Selected and Copy Modifiers operators.

@costa imo these suggestions are only tangentially related to this task. I personally don't think that using the same modifier on one object multiple times that common of a use-case. And there is still the `Duplicate` operator. For copying to separate objects there are the `Copy to Selected` and `Copy Modifiers` operators.

Hans Goudey commented

2023-02-06 15:26:33 +01:00

Added subscriber: @HooglyBoogly

Hans Goudey referenced this issue

2023-02-09 22:40:41 +01:00

Geometry Nodes: Operator to wrap a modifier's node group #104546

Hans Goudey referenced this issue from a commit

2023-02-14 18:22:04 +01:00

Geometry Nodes: Operator to wrap a modifier's node group

Hans Goudey closed this issue

2023-02-14 18:22:16 +01:00

Blender Bot added