Node Tools Overview #101778

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opened 2022-10-12 20:26:04 +02:00 by Hans Goudey · 3 comments
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Background

With node group assets becoming more prevalent and geometry nodes becoming essential
for manipulating geometry in Blender, we want to add the ability to implement operators
with geometry node groups.

Relevant node groups would need a geometry input and output, and could have other inputs (and possibly outputs), with similar mappings as the geometry nodes modifier.

Additionally, specific inputs could be marked as editable modally, for example, a "Factor" input could be controlled by moving the mouse cursor left or right.

The specific data design still needs to be settled on (i.e. is the node group an operator, or does an operator reference a node group?).

Design

  • The node group itself is the operator asset
  • Geometry nodes gets new input nodes
    • Selection
    • Mouse coordinates
    • View transform
    • 3D cursor location
    • etc.
  • Geometry node groups with these input nodes can only be used as operators
    • This design is similar to the shared node groups between shader and geometry nodes, for example.
  • The group outputs are used to adjust the output geometry
    • The geometry output will adjust the "active" geometry
    • We might need to store a specific mapping for outputs, but relying on the name is a start
  • The project is "completely finished" when any existing edit mode operator could be implemented with nodes, though realistically that won't be achieved any time soon.

Implementation

Organized by priority in each category

4.0 Targets

Changes needed to move the feature out of experimental and enable it in the release

Polishing

Not necessarily required for a release in main

  • Show visual difference for tool nodes in modifier context
  • Show visual difference for viewer and simulation nodes in tool context
  • Resolve flickering in asset browser when using redo panel
  • Support for node warnings 6ba9ee88c8
  • Add support for evaluating output attributes

Milestone 2

The second phase of the project, after the fundamentals are working well

  • Object mode support 3fcd9c9425
  • Support socket inspection 740d1fbc4b
  • #120723 Avoid unnecessary depsgraph evaluation
  • Data-block inputs in redo panel
    • Use session_uid properties instead of pointer properties
    • Add UI for data-block pickers backed by session_uid
  • Option to show settings in popup before operation starts
  • Tool specific nodes
    • Sculpt "soft selection" input and set
    • View transform
    • Mouse position
    • Deformed positions from object evaluation
  • "Wait for cursor" option 23ebc45f70
  • Store operator properties for the next execution

Modal Operators

The "modal node tools" project

Use Cases and Ideas

  • Mesh sculpt "face set extract"
  • Mesh sculpt "mask extract"
  • Lasso selection operator
## Background With node group assets becoming more prevalent and geometry nodes becoming essential for manipulating geometry in Blender, we want to add the ability to implement operators with geometry node groups. Relevant node groups would need a geometry input and output, and could have other inputs (and possibly outputs), with similar mappings as the geometry nodes modifier. Additionally, specific inputs could be marked as editable modally, for example, a "Factor" input could be controlled by moving the mouse cursor left or right. The specific data design still needs to be settled on (i.e. is the node group an operator, or does an operator reference a node group?). ## Design - The node group itself is the operator asset - Geometry nodes gets new input nodes - Selection - Mouse coordinates - View transform - 3D cursor location - etc. - Geometry node groups with these input nodes can only be used as operators - This design is similar to the shared node groups between shader and geometry nodes, for example. - The group outputs are used to adjust the output geometry - The geometry output will adjust the "active" geometry - We _might_ need to store a specific mapping for outputs, but relying on the name is a start - The project is "completely finished" when any existing edit mode operator could be implemented with nodes, though realistically that won't be achieved any time soon. ## Implementation _Organized by priority in each category_ ### 4.0 Targets _Changes needed to move the feature out of experimental and enable it in the release_ - [x] Initial basic feature for curves sculpt mode e4cc91a6113f14418b5d8f2a0aace252dc3949d8 - [x] Allow controlling which modes assets are available in fd9d22ba57d75b278a0350492c5eab2d39d39070 - [x] Update 3D view menus dynamically (avoid need to restart Blender) cc83951951efc28411960d950435224e8d06606c - [x] #114102 Make object info node geometry output work properly 66c1ca7419f7393b56b821dacd45d40127481ac1 - [x] #111529 Show menus for unassigned node group assets d2d4de8c710c4e8e648a86f904e6436133664836 - [x] Tool specific nodes - [x] Selection input e3e6fb8ecf8252344e9bfc9dc255bf7f722aa5f0 - [x] Set selection e3e6fb8ecf8252344e9bfc9dc255bf7f722aa5f0 - [x] 3D cursor e3e6fb8ecf8252344e9bfc9dc255bf7f722aa5f0 - [x] Sculpt face sets input e3e6fb8ecf8252344e9bfc9dc255bf7f722aa5f0 - [ ] Node group inputs displayed in the redo panel - [x] Initial input drawing bc393c403325c956ec4e83eeb072a9bdb2e7824d - [x] Display node group name in panel title f0467b4615b366f34f0daae81ef717c342e8f520 ee1ee584ded3b76fdd9b661244274af850b08fa9 - [ ] Add attribute search - [x] Don't draw redo panel when there are no inputs c59d998ce524e37c2449694602fb6d57b6d292fa - [x] #111523 Improved default traits b4dc16f32d92a2fbc140abfe6eb438ff11b5d5e8 - [x] #111524 Finalize trait popover locations 2cb34f7c0df731b903accbd24c3881134885d684 - [x] Shortcut support 65591b2c8cc83b024bc0a283bae1bbeb7ee85132 70ffc7a2de41fa75a9ace68919390bd21ee6f7b9 - [x] Quick favorite support 65591b2c8cc83b024bc0a283bae1bbeb7ee85132 - [x] #111526 Filter data-block selector based on tool/modifier option 1c51f74cb495a76d2b243c809cfcc2b41ec26494 - [x] Publish the user manual ### Polishing _Not necessarily required for a release in main_ - [ ] Show visual difference for tool nodes in modifier context - [ ] Show visual difference for viewer and simulation nodes in tool context - [ ] Resolve flickering in asset browser when using redo panel - [x] Support for node warnings 6ba9ee88c8fa8e645c51a5d7c9125c1ef7e04ed2 - [ ] Add support for evaluating output attributes ### Milestone 2 _The second phase of the project, after the fundamentals are working well_ - [x] Object mode support 3fcd9c94255f28c3a9d704b2dc1985682d07c419 - [x] Support socket inspection 740d1fbc4b134a3ea11d67ccd2ed5b28ef27767d - [ ] #120723 Avoid unnecessary depsgraph evaluation - [ ] Data-block inputs in redo panel - [ ] Use session_uid properties instead of pointer properties - [ ] Add UI for data-block pickers backed by session_uid - [ ] Option to show settings in popup before operation starts - [ ] Tool specific nodes - [ ] Sculpt "soft selection" input and set - [ ] View transform - [ ] Mouse position - [ ] Deformed positions from object evaluation - [ ] "Wait for cursor" option 23ebc45f700b7670616294b450337ff0a22f7a4b - [ ] Store operator properties for the next execution ### Modal Operators _The "modal node tools" project_ ## Use Cases and Ideas - [ ] Mesh sculpt "face set extract" - [ ] Mesh sculpt "mask extract" - [ ] Lasso selection operator

It would be useful to provide a module for converting custom panel settings to input sockets as part of the input sockets signature.

It would be useful to provide a module for converting custom panel settings to input sockets as part of the input sockets signature.
Dalai Felinto added this to the Nodes & Physics project 2023-02-27 15:24:57 +01:00
Hans Goudey added this to the 3.6 LTS milestone 2023-02-28 20:11:18 +01:00
Hans Goudey modified the milestone from 3.6 LTS to 4.0 2023-06-26 21:07:57 +02:00
Hans Goudey changed title from Node group operators to Node Tools Overview 2023-09-05 16:36:59 +02:00

Some issues I currently still have with Node Tools:

  • I cannot add custom shortcuts

    • Go to Context Menu > Assign Shortcut, set e.g., "A"
    • Nothing happens (A doesn't show as the shortcut for this menu entry).
    • Repeat that will get a crash bpy.data.window_managers["WinMan"].(null) = 'A' # Property
  • Tool popover layout always "inactive", regardless of the checkbox value:

image

  • Cannot add tools to "sub-menus", for example to Mesh > Delete:

image

  • I still run into No asset found at path "NodeTree/Tool" in some cases.

Not a bug, but nonetheless:

  • No way to make a tool input to take only values (not be a field) - and "values" should be the default I think, at least for tools:

image

Some issues I currently still have with Node Tools: - [x] I cannot add custom shortcuts - Go to Context Menu > Assign Shortcut, set e.g., "A" - Nothing happens (A doesn't show as the shortcut for this menu entry). - Repeat that will get a crash `bpy.data.window_managers["WinMan"].(null) = 'A' # Property` - [x] Tool popover layout always "inactive", regardless of the checkbox value: ![image](/attachments/055d6009-3cd9-4253-8e1a-7ea7051d8f46) - [x] Cannot add tools to "sub-menus", for example to `Mesh > Delete`: ![image](/attachments/fef318c5-3d03-4724-8d1d-29b62087078c) - [ ] I still run into `No asset found at path "NodeTree/Tool"` in some cases. --- Not a bug, but nonetheless: - [x] No way to make a tool input to take only values (not be a field) - and "values" should be the default I think, at least for tools: ![image](/attachments/368f614f-90d4-47b3-872f-654f65926231)
Contributor

I think the warnings only displayed in modifier panels (like the one below) should be visible when making tools.

blender_vO0uEax4uI.png

Maybe the warnings should have displayed somewhere inside the node editor to begin with? (Like in header as other warnings?)

I think the warnings only displayed in modifier panels (like the one below) should be visible when making tools. ![blender_vO0uEax4uI.png](/attachments/21ea5995-a74d-40ee-b155-41b215d9a7b9) Maybe the warnings should have displayed somewhere inside the node editor to begin with? (Like in header as other warnings?)
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Reference: blender/blender#101778
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