CocoNodz

A unified and configurable Nodegraph wrapper for Visual Effects Applications

Project Goals
Documentation
- Environment Variables
- Nodegraph Hotkeys
Integrations

Project Goals

CocoNodz aims to provide a simple framework to integrate a unified and flexible Nodegraph into applications that supports Python and PyQt/PySide. Main Goals:

use a single nodegraph between different applications and plattforms on OSX, linux, Windows
customize and extend it where native applications nodegraph are lacking functionality or limiting customizability
provide a simple system for users to extend it with custom code snippets
load and share shading networks

Documentation

Required or useful environment variables

| Environment variable | Type | Description |:------------------------|:------|:------------ | COCONODZ_STARTUP | str | root path to coconodz, will be needed for any host integration | COCONODZ_IGNORE_HOST | bool |coconodz is able to detect the host application, set this to 1 if you want to use it without any host integration | QT_PREFERRED_BINDING | str | specifies the preferred Qt binding

Nodegraph hotkeys

| Default Shortcut | Description |:-----------------|:------------ | RMB | opens the context-aware graph widget | Alt + RMB | zooms in and out the nodegraph canvas | Tab | opens the node creation widget | F | focus selected nodes | Ctrl + S | opens the node search widget | L | layouts selected nodes

overall configuration

| Value | Type |Description |:---------------------------------|:-------|:------------ | output_verbosity | string | logging verbosity, supported are "critical", "error", "warning", "info", "debug" | scene_width | int | default graph width | scene_height | int | default graph height | grid_size | int | default graph grid size | antialiasing | bool | | antialiasing_boost | bool | | smooth_pixmap | bool | | attribute_order | string | attribute creation order, supported are "top", "bottom", "alphabetical" | available_node_types | list | the nodetypes that will be available in the creation field widget by default | default_attribute_name | string | name of the default attribute | default_attribute_data_type | string | datatype of the default attribute | default_socket | bool | if true it will add the attribute as socket | default_plug | bool | if true it will add the attribute as plug | node_font | string | font used for all nodes | node_font_size | int | font size used for all nodes | attr_font | string | font used for all attributes | attr_font_size | int | font size used for all attributes | mouse_bounding_box | int | | node_width | int | default node width | node_height | int | default node height | node_radius | int | default node radius | node_border | int | default node border size | node_attr_height | int | default attribute height | connection_width | int | default connection pixel width | grid_color | list | color the canvas grid will use | slot_border | list | | non_connectable_color | list | color the connection will use when attributes are not connectable, RGBA color list 0-255 | connection_highlight:color | list | color when hovering over a connection, RGBA color list 0-255 | connection_text_color | list | text color when hovering over a connection, RGBA color list 0-255 | connection_interpolation | string | connection shape, "bezier", linear | connection_inherit_datatype_color| bool | if true connection will use the color specified for data type | connection_color | list | default color the connection when not inheriting the data type color, RGBA color list 0-255 | layout_margin_size | int | | backdrop color | list | default backdrop color, RGBA color list 0-255 | backdrop_border_color | list | default backdrop border color, RGBA color list 0-255 | backdrop_bounds | list | default position and size of a backdrop, x, y, width, height | backdrop_title_font_size | int | default font size for backdrop titles | backdrop_description_font_size | int | default font size for backdrop descriptions | backdrop_font | int | default backdrop title and description font

node configuration

The configuration color configuration per node type, it needs to start with node_ followed by the nodetype and must include specific values.

| Value | Type |Description |:---------------------------------|:-------|:------------ | bg | list | node color, RGBA color list 0-255 | border | list | node border color when node is unselected, RGBA color list 0-255 | border_sel | list | node border color when node is selected, RGBA color list 0-255 | text | list | node text color, RGBA color list 0-255

node_default will be used for all unspecified node types

attribute configuration

Same as in the node configuration color configuration per attribute data type can be specified, it needs to start with attr_ followed by the nodetype and must include specific values.

| Value | Type |Description |:---------------------------------|:-------|:------------ | bg | list | attribute background color, RGBA color list 0-255 | text | list | attribute text color, RGBA color list 0-255 | plug | list | attribute plug color, RGBA color list 0-255 | socket | list | attribute slot color, RGBA color list 0-255

reserved node types

backdrop

CocoNodz is supporting backdrop nodes to help grouping nodes, similar to backdrops in The Foundry's Nuke.

dot

Dot nodes are planned...

Integrations

CocoNodz offers integrations for the following Applications

Autodesk Maya Integration
The Foundry Katana Integration

Standalone

Autodesk Maya Integration

How to install the CocoNodz Maya plugin

To use CocoNodz within Maya you have to add the following paths to your environment.

COCONODZ_STARTUP=<path to coconodz root>
MAYA_PLUG_IN_PATH=<path to coconodz root>\etc\maya\plugin

maya configuration

The Maya integration allows additional configurations

| Value | Type |Description |:---------------------------------|:-------|:------------ | docked | bool | specified if the window will be dockable or not | dock_area | string | specifies the default dock area when the nodegraph will be docked | allowed_dock_areas | string | specifies if the dockable window can be docked left, right or everywhere, supported are "left", "right", "all" | floating | bool | specifies is the window will be docked or float | width | int | default width of the window | height | int | default height of the window | available_node_categories | list | will add multiple node types based on the node type categories, e.g: "shader", "texture"

Launch Maya and load the coconodz.py plugin. After successful initizalization you should be able to see a CocoNodz menu in Maya's menubar.

The Foundry Katana Integration

To use CocoNodz within Katana you have to add the following paths to your environment.

QT_PREFERRED_BINDING=PyQt4
QT_SIP_API_HINT=1
COCONODZ_STARTUP<path to coconodz root>\coconodz
KATANA_RESOURCES<path to coconodz root>\etc\katana

Coconodz

Install / Use

README