"Arrow node" that draws simple arrows

I'd like a node in Fusion that can draw arrow heads, such as this:

arr.jpg (14.23 KiB) Viewed 3398 times

It's a simple feature available in PowerPoint, Word, and many graphics software. The arrowhead points correctly no matter which angle

Some might say, just paste in a graphic file. But I need the arrow(s) to be part of Fusion animations, interacting with other Fusion shapes, taking advantage of keyframes and splines, and also change the length and size of the arrow using keyframes and splines, keyframe its size etc.

I do know some ways of creating such an arrow in Fusion, but it involves jumping through a lot of hoops.

For Adobe After Effects, I came across this plugin https://www.vdodna.com/products/arrowhead/ but I'm not aware of any such plugin for Fusion in Davinci Resolve.

arr2.jpg (30.94 KiB) Viewed 3398 times

I'd like it to be as simple as drawing a line using the Polygon node, and then go to the Inspector, with settings to adjust the size of the arrowhead, keyframe its position, keyframe its rotation, keyframe the length of the shaft etc.

How about a "write on" effect in the Arrow Node (akin to the write-on effect in the Paint Node) except that the end of the write-on effect ends in an arrowhead?

So ... you need someone who writes the plugin for you.
The engine is here - Fusion.
And you can get all the controls in Edit if the plugin is made as Effects / Generator.

So ... you need someone who writes the plugin for you.
The engine is here - Fusion.
And you can get all the controls in Edit if the plugin is made as Effects / Generator.

Well, if BMD would not offer it as a new Node, I guess a plugin would be a next best alternative, provided it was stable.

So ... you need someone who writes the plugin for you.
The engine is here - Fusion.
And you can get all the controls in Edit if the plugin is made as Effects / Generator.

Well, if BMD would not offer it as a new Node...

BMD will not. The plugin that you gave as an example did not make by Adobe, right?

You have a need - an arrow. Is there a tool in Resolve to meet your needs? Yes - Fusion. There are several ways to add a Fusion composition and save it for future use.
Ok, you want controls for the arrow. Is there a tool in Resolve to meet your needs? Yes - Fusion Generator. If you do not want or cannot make a Generator yourself, you can ask those who can.

By "plugin" I meant the macro for the Fusion Generator.

BMD will not. The plugin that you gave as an example did not make by Adobe, right?

It depends how far BM want to go in making it user-friendly.

e.g. the Rectangle Node can be achieved using the Polygon node. But it makes life so much easier with the Rectangle Node.

e.g. drawing a line. You see the hoops people jump though to simply draw a line, such as making a rectangle and flattening it. (It can be done in the Polygon Node with two clicks). It would be easy if there was a Line Node.

Already, Fusion has a Triangle Node.

e.g., we have to jump through hoops to use Fusion to make a semi-circle, whereas Adobe InDesign or Illustrator have simple semi-circle tools.

I believe that in most software, there are provision for "basic shapes". It would be good if BM at least had Nodes for these basic shapes.

I think this feature request should be re-titled, rather than an arrow, to requesting a range of basic, commonly-used shapes.

It depends how far BM want to go in making it user-friendly.

I tend to favor power over 'user friendly' myself, especially when 'user friendly' is little more than a euphemism for 'someone who hasn't taken the time to become proficient'.

It depends how far BM want to go in making it user-friendly.

I tend to favor power over 'user friendly' myself, especially when 'user friendly' is little more than a euphemism for 'someone who hasn't taken the time to become proficient'.

I'll assess your comment based on (i) facts versus (ii) marketing.

In terms of facts, I do not contest your comment.

In terms of marketing, a user-friendly software opens it up to a wider user base (that comprises people as you described).

The BM CEO would ask himself: is there a benefit to BM to widen the user-base from experts to the broader youtube community? Would the increased reputation in the wider community increase BM's options of making saleable products to, not just the Hollywood fraternity, but to small video makers? For instance, does BM want to enter the territory of external monitors that are sold by the likes of SmallHD, Feelworld etc. i.e. the low margin, high turnover segment of the market.

Would having a wider user-base of Davinci help to expand its goodwill to people who buy cameras like the Blackmagic Pocket 4K and 6K series.

I personally am trained in a profession where, in my 30's it was very small, exclusive and very difficult to enter because of the high level of expertise needed. Later in my career, through governments coming in to break up monopolies, and increasing opportunities for training, the barrier to entry has been coming down.

Take another example. Decades ago, we had website software like Dreamweaver that were considerably difficult to learn. Now we have SquareSpace and Wix where anybody's grandma can make a website.

If BM were to make its interface so simple and intuitive, to Steve-Jobs-level of simplicity, while keeping its power, will that BM sell more hardware, or hinder it?

Let me say this. SOMEONE eventually is going to do it. BM can be like HP, Microsoft, Nokia, and laugh at the simplicity of the first iPhone.

I fully understand. As I said, I personally am in a profession with a very steep barrier to entry. And the natural tendency of those in it is to keep it that way. One of the ways this is achieved is to make the software so complex that the usual suspects can never grasp it. For example, if you look at the range of youtube tutorials out there, there are depths of Davinci and Fusion that are not touched by those tutorials.

If BM were to make its interface so simple and intuitive, to Steve-Jobs-level of simplicity, while keeping its power, will that BM sell more hardware, or hinder it?

Let me say this. SOMEONE eventually is going to do it. BM can be like HP, Microsoft, Nokia, and laugh at the simplicity of the first iPhone.

You have described FCPX perfectly here! Unfortunately it was not liked by a LOT of editors. What you have asked for exists as a plugin for FCPX and Premiere but not as a native effect that is bundled with the software. Resolve has the smallest number of plugins available, which is changing as developers realise the potential in the OFX format.

I notice that in Davinci Resolve 17.1, in the Edit tab, there is now a facility to draw simple arrows and annotations. While I'm grateful that BMD listens to feature requests, I'm somewhat disappointed because I had hope that the facility would be in Fusion.

Right now in the implementation of the feature, the arrow is created as a graphic, not as a Fusion element. Thus, once the arrow is created - and if it is not perfectly horizontal or vertical, for example, there's no way to edit it - or even gauge whether it is perfectly oriented.

Once the arrow is draw, its angle orientation is fixed. While the x,y position can be changed later, the angle is fixed.

When I made the suggestion, I had hoped it would have been implemented as a new Arrow Node in Fusion, such as the Triangle Nodes.