Overview of the Node Layout

This section provides you with an overview of the format and layout of the Chalice node. Although there are many node types within Chalice, they share several common features.

The major components of the node are described below:

Node Title Bar

The Node Title Bar displays the name of the current node. Chalice assigns each new node a unique name (for example "dissolve1," "dissolve2," etc.). You can rename the node at any time by typing a new, unique name into the "Name:" entry box on the node panel. See also "Overview of the Node Panel " in chapter 6.

You click the title bar of any node to make it active; the title bar of the currently active node will be highlighted in blue and the node parameters for that node will appear in the node panel (on the left side of the Chalice screen).

Local Node Menu Button

Each node includes a Local Node Menu button that enables you to display a popup menu of options for that node by clicking and holding the Local Node Menu button with the right or left mouse button. The Local Node Menu button is labeled with the name of the node type (for example, Disk Input, Blur, etc.).

You can use the Local Node Menu to access a Monitor at various resolutions, to create a Monitor Flipbook, or to turn Frame Icon on and off for the node (using the "Icon Image" checkbox). The only exception is the Exec node, and any Group nodes you create, for which these specific options are not applicable.

You can reset the display size of the node--see "Setting Node Display Options " for more information--or you can delete the node altogether. And you can bind the node to an image buffer, as explained in "Using the Display Buffers " in chapter 8, "Monitors and Flipbooks ."

The "Pick All" options enable you to select nodes connected to the current node, as explained in the previous section on "Selecting Multiple Nodes ."

You can also use the Local Node Menu button to replace the current node with another type of node, keeping all input and output connections intact: Middle-click and hold the Local Node Menu button to access a popup menu of compatible node types.

Frame Icon

The Frame Icon displays a thumbnail image of the current frame in the image sequence at the current stage of processing in the network. (You specify the current frame number in the Frame Controller.) All nodes except Exec and Group nodes include the Frame Icon option.

Frame Icon can be turned on and off using the Local Node Menu or the Images option under the Preferences menu. For more information, see "Setting Node Display Options ."

Tip:
To update the thumbnail images for all nodes in the network, select the Update All Icons command in the Chalice Layout menu.

Input Connector(s)

You flow data into a node by linking the output connector of one node to the input connector of a subsequent node.

All nodes have one or more input connectors (except for the Color and Disk Input nodes, and any Plug-in nodes that you add to the Chalice system that do not require input connectors). For multiple-input nodes (nodes that accept more than two inputs), Chalice adds an additional input connector as soon as there are no vacancies.

For more information about using node connectors, see the section on "Creating Node Networks " elsewhere in this chapter.

Tip:
You can create new nodes directly from existing nodes by using the Node Connector Menu, which is accessed by middle-clicking on any Input or Output connector. The procedure is described in the "Creating Node Networks " section.

Output Connector

You flow data out of a node by linking the node's output connector to the input connector of a subsequent node. All nodes have one output connector, except for the Exec node, which has none. You can connect the output connector of a node to the input connectors of more than one other node.

Note:
Group nodes can have no outputs or multiple outputs. For more information about creating and using Group node connectors, see the description of "Grouping Nodes " in chapter 7.

Info Button

Click and hold the Info button to display information about the node. See the description of the "Info Tab" in chapter 6 for details. When Chalice detects an error, the Info button on the relevant node turns red and the "i" turns into an exclamation point. Click and hold the button to display the error message.

Setting Node Display Options

You can adjust the display mode of individual nodes in your network using the Local Node Menu, or of all selected nodes by using the command in the Chalice Layout menu.

Using the Local Node Menu

The Local Node Menu on each node includes options for Large Display, Medium Display, and Small Display. You can adjust the size of the current node by selecting one of these options. The default size is Medium Display. This option affects only the current node.

You can also specify whether or not the Frame Icon should be displayed for a node using the "Icon Image" option in the Local Node Menu.

Using the Layout Menu

The Layout menu includes commands that affect the display of all selected nodes in the workspace, including showing or hiding their frame icons, updating the icon displays, and changing node size, as described in chapter 10, "Main Menu Bar ."

Node Display Preferences

The Node Preferences panel, which is described in chapter 11, "Setting Preferences ," enables you to control the default display of new nodes, including size, icon display, and menu type.




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