This Fusion node will change everything

To put it simply, I think a node called the "Control Node" Should be added to the fusion page. This node will start blank, but you can add new controls under customized headings to build it. This node will have no visual changes, but it can be paired with published controls to change everything in one central place. This way you don't have to go hunting through the hundreds of nodes to find the exact value you need. Instead you can just find it in the control node.

I believe this functionality is so game-changing that it might even fit as it's own window.

I believe this change will make it easier for new people to learn nodes, as well as make it much quicker to organize nodes effectively for more experienced editors. This functionality is a no-brainer and I highly recommend it's being added.

[Peter Chamberlain]

Soren, please refrain from shouting (all caps)

This sounds like the "Custom Tool" node, which already exists.

+1

I was just googling this to see if such a node existed and ended up here.

The CustomTool has a bunch of controls that have to be hidden and when editing the code in a text editor you cannot get rid of all the junk lines it puts in there (I tried deleting them, but they just come right back). I would much prefer to have a totally blank canvas to add only the sections and controls that I want, with the exception of the Settings section, that can stay.

For now, I'm using the Dissolve node and moving the two controls ("Operation" and "Mix") to the Common section which hides them and allows the entire Controls section for my custom controls. I prefer this over using the CustomTool.

For now, I'm using the Dissolve node and moving the two controls ("Operation" and "Mix") to the Common section which hides them and allows the entire Controls section for my custom controls. I prefer this over using the CustomTool.

I'm using a pipe router for this. It has only two parameters in the settings tab.

The "Edit Controls" option does not appear when you right click it but I found a workaround:
You have to select the pipe router along with a normal node, then select "Edit Controls", the dialog will appear for the normal node, cancel it and will re-appear for the pipe router.

If you didn’t already know, you can add a pipe router by Alt + clicking the connection line.

A pipe router is an interesting idea, however, I do like having a node that I can label. I'm saving my macros as groups that I can open back up in Fusion and continue adding onto. The Dissolve node is currently the best I've found for this at the moment, but a blank node would be ideal.

Save this as a "Controls.setting" file in your Macro folder and it will give you an empty control node that you can use in Fusion.

Code: Select all

{
   Tools = ordered() {
      Controls = AlphaDivide {
         CtrlWZoom = false,
         Inputs = {
            Blend = Input { Value = 0, }
         },
         ViewInfo = OperatorInfo { Pos = { 0, 0} },
         UserControls = ordered() {
            Common = ControlPage { CT_Visible = false, CT_Priority = 0 },
            Controls = ControlPage { CT_Visible = true, CT_Priority = 0 },
         }
      }
   }
}

It uses an AlphaDivide node with blend set to zero, which bypasses node processing. The settings page is hidden and I added a "Controls" page so you can easily add new controls to it using the controls editor.

Thanks philipbowser, that's great! I hadn't thought about turning the blend down to zero to have that node not do any processing, very good idea.

Save this as a "Controls.setting" file in your Macro folder and it will give you an empty control node that you can use in Fusion.

Code: Select all

{
   Tools = ordered() {
      Controls = AlphaDivide {
         CtrlWZoom = false,
         Inputs = {
            Blend = Input { Value = 0, }
         },
         ViewInfo = OperatorInfo { Pos = { 0, 0} },
         UserControls = ordered() {
            Common = ControlPage { CT_Visible = false, CT_Priority = 0 },
            Controls = ControlPage { CT_Visible = true, CT_Priority = 0 },
         }
      }
   }
}

It uses an AlphaDivide node with blend set to zero, which bypasses node processing. The settings page is hidden and I added a "Controls" page so you can easily add new controls to it using the controls editor.

How about just using a macro? Then you can even skip the blend set to zero.

Code: Select all

{
   Tools = ordered() {
      Controls = MacroOperator {
         CtrlWZoom = false,
         Inputs = {},
         ViewInfo = OperatorInfo { Pos = { 0, 0} },
         UserControls = ordered() {
            Common = ControlPage { CT_Visible = false, CT_Priority = 0 },
            Controls = ControlPage { CT_Visible = true, CT_Priority = 0 },
         }
      }
   }
}

Genius! Thanks for sharing, Sean.

It seems as though the macro method doesn't provide an image input / output, which means it can't be in-line somewhere in your flow. But I can't think of a reason why that would be important other than personal preference.

A macro *can* have inputs/outputs, but you just have to instance them on your macro to make it work, just like with any macro.