67 lines
3.8 KiB
Markdown
67 lines
3.8 KiB
Markdown
<div style="border: solid 1px #999; border-radius:12px; background-color:#EEE; padding: 8px; padding-left:14px; color: #555; font-size:14px;"><b>Draft:</b> The content on this page is complete, but it has not been reviewed yet.</div>
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# Properties
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Properties are editable fields that you can connect to graph elements using [Property workflow](GraphLogicAndPhilosophy.md). They can be found on graph elements such as [Contexts](Contexts.md), [Blocks](Blocks.md) and [Operators](Operators.md).
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## Using Properties
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Properties are displayed on graph elements and will change their value accordingly to their actual value in the graph : Connecting another property to a property slot will display the computed value of the connected property.
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> Note: After disconnecting a connected property, the field will revert to the previously set property value.
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## Property Types
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Properties in Visual Effect Graph can be of any type defined by the user, from base data types such as boolean, integer, float, Vectors, Textures, AnimationCurve or Gradient.
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### Accessing Property Components
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Properties that are made of multiple components (such as Vectors, or Colors) can display every component individually in order to connect these to other properties of compatible type : to do so, use the arrow next to the property to unfold the components.
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### Casting Properties
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Properties can connect between base types to perform cast. Casts are useful in order to change the data type you are working on in order to inherit its specificites : for instance casting a float to integer to benefit from integer division.
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Casting from one type to another abides with the following rules:
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* All Casting rules from HLSL apply:
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* Except Boolean types that cannot be cast
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* Scalars will cast into vectors by setting all compoents
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* Vectors will cast into vectors of lesser size by taking only the first N components
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### Compound Property Types
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Compount Property Types are made from base data types in order to describe more complex data structures. For instance, a Sphere is composed of a Position (Vector3) and a radius (float).
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Compound property types can be expanded in order to access their components.
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### Spaceable Properties
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Spaceable properties are specific Property Types that carry a **Space information** (Local/World) along with its value. This information is used by the graph to perform automatic space transformations when required.
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The Space Modifier is visible left to the Property Field and can be changed by clicking on it.
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For Example : Position type carries a Vector3 value and a Space : setting a the property to Local [0,1,0] will tell the graph that we refer to the 0,1,0 value in local space.
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Depending on the [System Simulation Space](Systems.md#system-spaces), the value will be automatically transformed to the simulation space if required.
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> Tip: Manually changing a Property Space can be achieved using the Change Space operator
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## Property Nodes
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Property Nodes are special [Operators](Operators.md) Nodes that enable accessing Graph-Wide Properties defined in the [Blackboard](Blackboard.md). Using these properties enable you reuse the same value throughout the graph at different places.
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* Property Nodes display a Green dot left to the Property name if the property is exposed.
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* You can create a Property Node :
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* By Dragging the Node from the Blackboard Panel into the Workspace.
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* By using the Create Node menu from the Right Click context menu and selecting the desired property from the Property category.
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* You can convert a Property Node to an Inline Node of the same type by right-clicking the property Node and selecting "Convert to Inline"
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* Deleting a property from the Blackboard will also delete all its property Node instances from the graph.
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