Alternate between two nodes with "Enable/Disable Node"

Initial scenario:
2 Nodes are selected, the first Node is enabled and the second is disabled.

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Issue:
When clicking on "Color>Nodes>Enable / Disable Selected Nodes", the second disabled node gets enabled. The first one keeps enabled.
When clicking again both nodes are disabled.

Intention:
My intention is to switch between both nodes alternately in order to quickly compare without creating a node version. I was expecting that "Color>Nodes>Enable / Disable Selected Nodes" will enable the disabled node, and with the same click disable the enabled node to make a sort of quick A/B comparison

Request or help:

There is any way to do alternate nodes with a sinngle keystroke?
Would you agree that "Color>Nodes>Enable / Disable Selected Nodes" behaves as I expected above, in order to elevate it as a request?

+1

Yes, at present, throughout the application, all Enable/Disable commands force all selected objects to the same state, rather than toggling their active state. If I had the choice, I would prefer that Enable/Disable commands would always 'toggle' the existing state of selected objects... if a selection contains multiple objects in a mixed state, toggling the state would result in all selected objects swapping state.

My workaround for this is versions: one version would activate your Node #1, and the second version would activate Node #2. I use this kind of thing all the time to show kind of a "before & after" for clients so they can decide whether we're changing the image in the right direction or not. Sometimes it's not just one node: it's several nodes, so for that you'd need Versions.

Yep, but application wide, Marc, theres a lot to be said for the toggle behaviour.
'Versions' in the Edit Page don't exist, per se, 'Take Selector' notwithstanding. Its not unusual to place clips on separate tracks and use Enable/Disable to activate the clip you want to look at. Being able to select both the Enabled and Disabled clip(s) together and instantly toggle between them is only possible when the state of both are switched with the single command.
I'd argue that despite the page, and despite the alternative workflow options and methods that may or may not be available to achieve the same or a similar result, when changing the 'Enable/Disable' state of an item, toggling the state of all selected items is actually the logical function, not acting only on a subset of the selection.
That's my thinking anyway. It's not a 'issue' as is, but I'm in agreement with Fran that 'toggle' would be better (for me)... and I'd like to see it implemented application-wide. As with all such requests tho, I'd be more than happy to see any change in default behaviour be controlled with a User Preference. I'm a big fan of User Preferences, the more the merrier.

My workaround for this is versions:

Versions are limited to Clip, but unsupported on Pre-Clip, Post-Clip, and Timeline.

Also alternately enabling/disabling pair of nodes is much more intuitive for quick A/B node comparisons, more graphic and less things to remember (i.e remember to delete discarted version), less keystrokes, thatn working with versions

As with all such requests tho, I'd be more than happy to see any change in default behaviour be controlled with a User Preference. I'm a big fan of User Preferences, the more the merrier.

+1 Absolutely agree

+1 very much agree


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sometimes i have to compare two different set of nodes in timelines or post group and as mentioned versions does not work.

my workaround is this:

1) make two set of nodes that represent the two looks
2) have one empty extra node at the end of each chain
3) put a layer node and connect
4) tick on/off the extra node at the bottom and you will switch between the two branches

+1

Versions are limited to Clip, but unsupported on Pre-Clip, Post-Clip, and Timeline.

True, but it's not the way I work. I think coming up with a "Node Strategy" so that you avoid problems like this is integral to working quickly and efficiently. If it came to it, I'd create a duplicate timeline and make the massive changes on the dupe and leave the original alone. That way, if disaster struck, I could always go back to the original version. Having a large Fixed Node Structure with spare nodes makes all this possible.

To me, enabling/disabling nodes is just a case of being organized. I had a case some years ago with an A-list director -- a guy now worth $10 billion dollars -- who would turn to me and say, "you know, I like Thursday's version. But can you also show me the version we did on Tuesday? And then the one before that?" I had been warned about this, so I was ready and could pull up those changes. We wound up using half the corrections from Tuesday, half from Thursday, and ignored the previous week. But if I had said, "aaaaa, I only have today's version," I would've been fired.

I'd create a duplicate timeline and make the massive changes on the dupe and leave the original alone. That way, if disaster struck, I could always go back to the original version.

Yes, until, the company for workflow reason does force you to work with remote grades where duplicating the timeline does not work!!!!! (Don’t get me started on how i despise this workflow…)

The initial topic was to quickly compare two nodes in less than 3 seconds, i.e:
- Node 1: Classic Sharpen
- Node 2: Edge Sharpen FX

Then simply switch between both nodes really quickly, minimum keystrokes and boom, not using the mouse, so this doesn't steals time and doesn't produces garbage (the discarted node will be the only garbage to delete).

I see than creating Versions creates garbage, so later I have to worry about deleting the discarted version, also to avoid conflicts or confussion I should give a name to the version, which steals time... which is too much for such innocent comparison of two nodes.

Then this forum thread goes to create duplicated timelines, which is an insane database garbage for comparing two nodes. I simply want to being comparing two nodes in less than 3 seconds. Then the other option that Walter suggested of creating layer nodes... which is a good idea but want I want to stay more simple than this.

This is why I suggested this alternate way of enable/disable nodes

The initial topic was to quickly compare two nodes in less than 3 seconds, i.e:
- Node 1: Classic Sharpen
- Node 2: Edge Sharpen FX

Then simply switch between both nodes really quickly, minimum keystrokes and boom, not using the mouse, so this doesn't steals time and doesn't produces garbage (the discarted node will be the only garbage to delete).

I see than creating Versions creates garbage, so later I have to worry about deleting the discarted version, also to avoid conflicts or confussion I should give a name to the version, which steals time... which is too much for such innocent comparison of two nodes.

Then this forum thread goes to create duplicated timelines, which is an insane database garbage for comparing two nodes. I simply want to being comparing two nodes in less than 3 seconds. Then the other option that Walter suggested of creating layer nodes... which is a good idea but want I want to stay more simple than this.

This is why I suggested this alternate way of enable/disable nodes

also, the problem is if you use mouse and keyboard, because in a situation like the one you described, i do correction A and store in a memory, correction B and store in another and with the panel is a button click.

on the keyboard is a [alt #] to save and [cntrl #] to recall a memory, so is literally a button click.

If you use a fixed node structure, Joey D’anna of Mixinglight.com came up with an ingenious way of making a switch on a group grade. This might not serve your purpose but others should know about it. (Subscription needed but worth it)

https://mixinglight.com/color-grading-t ... tructures/

I don’t see why using versions is such a burden. I use them constantly as grades evolve and know that the last/highest one is the one to use. You can also batch delete unused ones if wanted/needed.
There are keyboard hot keys to toggle between them. I programmed them into a stream deck.

Best of luck.


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also, the problem is if you use mouse and keyboard, because in a situation like the one you described, i do correction A and store in a memory, correction B and store in another and with the panel is a button click. on the keyboard is a [alt #] to save and [cntrl #] to recall a memory, so is literally a button click.

Yes, a Memory would be another way to recall or delete a displayed correction. Versions would be my choice if I was comparing one kind of sharpening to another, but (as I often say), the power of Resolve is that there's typically 3 or 4 ways of accomplishing the same task.

I see than creating Versions creates garbage, so later I have to worry about deleting the discarted version, also to avoid conflicts or confussion I should give a name to the version, which steals time... which is too much for such innocent comparison of two nodes.

Naaaa, Version 1 and Version 2 is fine. In quite a few cases, I flip between versions and I deliberately don't want to know which is which. I just look at the screen and make a judgement call as to which is better, and then I keep whichever one looks best. I think there's something like 9 or 10 different ways to sharpen images these days: Midtone Detail, Texture Pop, Enhance Edges, Sharpening, Soften/Sharpen, Detail Recovery, Contrast Pop, Face Refinement... there's a lot of potential choices. Sometimes I won't sharpen at all, and instead I surround the actor with a loose window and then very slightly defocus the room around them, which give the actor more apparent sharpness without actually doing so.

Dario above is correct that you can delete all unused versions if you're worried about "garbage" in the session. Me, I'm just very careful that I leave the right version up when I'm rendering. The same concept applies in Avid, Pro Tools, and quite a few other kinds of software, where you make different decisions for the same timeline and then switch back and forth.

I have to admit, I'd like to have a way to lock the version so it couldn't be inadvertently be switched back by (say) an assistant doing the renders.

I'd create a duplicate timeline and make the massive changes on the dupe and leave the original alone. That way, if disaster struck, I could always go back to the original version.

Yes, until, the company for workflow reason does force you to work with remote grades where duplicating the timeline does not work!!!!!

Just duplicate the project

sometimes i have to compare two different set of nodes in timelines or post group and as mentioned versions does not work.

my workaround is this:

1) make two set of nodes that represent the two looks
2) have one empty extra node at the end of each chain
3) put a layer node and connect
4) tick on/off the extra node at the bottom and you will switch between the two branches

This worked great for me, thanks!!

+1 for the feature request