The node editor is used to create schematics, formulas and battle AIs.
This documentation focuses on general features of the node editor, the screenshots are from the node editor in the ORK editor.
The node editor in the schematic editor works the same way but with a slightly different layout and a few more features.
What are Nodes? #
The node editor is used to create node-based settings.
Formulas are calculated one node at a time, battle AIs check for targets and select actions one node at a time and schematics execute one node at a time.
In short, nodes are used to create a step-by-step functionality with connections between nodes, e.g. checking for conditions to be valid and using different nodes based on the result.
Node Editor Layout #
The node editor is separated into different areas. This documentation excludes the areas that are part of the regular ORK editor.
Top Bar #
The top bar is at the top of the node editor.
It contains buttons to manage your nodes, from left to right:
- Show Settings
Shows or hides the settings area. - Snap to Grid
Toggles if nodes will be placed neatly when moving them on and off. - Colorize Nodes
Toggles if nodes are colorized on and off.
The nodes are tintend using the colors defined the editor settings. - Add Node
Displays a menu to add nodes.
The nodes are separated into several sub-menus.
If a node is selected, the node will be added as next node to the selected slot or the first free slot of the node.
If no node is selected, the node will be added without a connection. - Copy
Copies the selected node and adds it without a connection. - Copy to Clipboard
Copies the node to the clipboard. - Paste from Clipboard
Pastes the a node copied to the clipboard.
If a node is selected, the node will be added as next node to the selected slot or the first free slot of the node.
If no node is selected, the node will be added without a connection. - Paste Settings
Pastes the settings of a copied node on a selected node. - Swap Nodes
Exchanges 2 selected nodes, making them switch places.
Only useable if 2 nodes are selected. - Remove Node
Removes the selected node. - Remove Chain
Removes the selected node and all following (connected) nodes. - +/- Slider
Zooms the node grid.
You can also zoom using the scroll wheel. - Search Bar
Allows searching for nodes by node name.
All non-matching nodes will be semi-transparent, making it easier to see the nodes you’re looking for. - Layer Selection
Allows changing the current layer, adding new layers or renaming a layer.
Node Grid #
The node grid is used to add, move, connect and delete nodes. Beside the top bar, you can also manage your nodes (add, remove, copy, etc.) with the context menu (right mouse click).
You can navigate on the grid by clicking and dragging the scroll wheel (or middle mouse button).
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Zooming #
You can zoom in/out using the zoom slider in the top bar or the scroll wheel.
Node Layers #
The node layer selection is located at the right side of the top bar. You can use node layers to bring order into your nodes by separating them on different layers.
The node layer popup also allows adding new layers by selecting Add Layer. You can change the name of a layer by clicking on the Rename Layer button on the right side of the popup – this changes the node layer popup into a text field. To stop editing the name, click on the Rename Layer button again.
To remove a layer, click on the Remove Layer button – this will remove the layer and all nodes (and layer gates) to it.
To connect nodes between layers, you can add Layer Gate nodes.
A Layer Gate node is visible on both layers that are connected by it. On the layer the connection starts, a Gate Entry node is displayed. On the layer the connection the connection ends, a Gate Exit node is displayed.
You can also move nodes and node changes between layers using the context menu.
Double clicking on a Gate Entry or Gate Exit title will take you to the layer it connects to.
Settings Area #
The settings area is at the bottom of the node grid.
The settings area displays the settings of the currently selected nodes.
Anatomy of a Node #
A node consists of 3 parts – title, info and slots.
- Title
The name/title of the node is displayed at the top of the node (darker area of the node).
Double clicking on the node’s title will limit the node grid view to only display the node and following nodes (node chain).
To leave the limited view, either double click on the title again or double click somewhere on the grid.
Hovering the mouse above the title will display the help text of the node.
You can move the node by dragging it after clicking on the title. - Info
The info of the node displays parts of the settings made in the node.
The info text is displayed below the title – hovering the mouse above it will display the info text in the help text (displays more text).
Please note that not all nodes will have an information to display. - Slots
The slots are used to connect nodes – depending on the node you’ll have 0, 1 or multiple slots.
A connected slot will have a green circle.
A not connected slot will have a red circle.
To change a node’s settings, select it by clicking on it. The settings area will display the node’s settings.
You might have noticed the small checkbox in the upper right corner of the node – this allows you to quickly enable or disable the node.
Using the Node Editor #
The node editor allows you to add, remove, move and connect nodes.
Connecting Nodes #
Nodes are connected by clicking and holding the left mouse button on a slot. Drag the line on another node and release the mouse button above the node. You can also double click on a slot and click on another node to connect them.
Connections can be removed through the context menu when right clicking on a slot and selecting Remove Connection.
A disconnected node will be tinted red and have a disconnection icon in the upper left corner.
Context Menu #
Your main tool to manage your nodes is the context menu.
The context menu is opened by a click on the right/context mouse button. Depending on where you’ve clicked, you will have different options available.
Like the all other dropdown menus, the node editor’s context menu is also searchable and you can mark nodes as favorites.
Click on Grid #
Right clicking on the grid will allow:
- Adding nodes without connecting them.
- Adding node groups.
- Paste a node from the clipboard (works like adding a new node).
- Sort all nodes horizontally or vertically.
- Snap all nodes to the grid.
Click on Node #
Right clicking on a node (title/info) will allow:
- Adding nodes connected to the first free slot of the node.
When there is no free slot, connects the node to the first slot and the previously connected node to the new node’s first slot. - Add the node to a new or existing node group.
- Copy the node or copy it to the clipboard.
- Paste a node or node settings from the clipboard.
- Removing the node or node chain.
- Sorting the node and all following nodes (chain) horizontally or vertically.
- Snap the node and all following nodes (chain) to the grid.
- Move the node and all following nodes to a different node layer.
This will automatically create a Layer Gate node and connect it to the previous node. - Limit the node view (same as double clicking on the title) or view all nodes.
Click on Slot #
Right clicking on a slot will allow:
- Adding nodes connected to the slot.
When there already is a connection, the new node will be connected to the slot and the previously connected node to the new node’s first slot. - Add the node to a new or existing node group.
- Copy the node or copy it to the clipboard.
- Paste a node or node settings from the clipboard.
- Removing the slot’s connection.
- Removing the node or node chain.
- Sorting the node and all following nodes (chain) horizontally or vertically.
- Snap the node and all following nodes (chain) to the grid.
- Move the node and all following nodes to a different node layer.
This will automatically create a Layer Gate node and connect it to the previous node. - Limit the node view (same as double clicking on the title) or view all nodes.
Box Selection #
You can use box selection to select multiple nodes.
Using Shift+Click also lets you select multiple nodes.
Node Groups #
Use Node Groups to bring order into your node-chaos. You can also put groups into groups, into groups, into groups …
You can add or remove nodes (and groups) to/from groups by holding CTRL while dragging them – or use the context menu.
Keyboard Shortcuts #
There are several keyboard shortcuts available:
- CTRL+F
Focus on the search field. - CTRL+D
Duplicate a node. - CTRL+C
Copy a node to the clipboard. - CTRL+V
Paste a node from the clipboard. - CTRL+X
Cut (i.e. copy to clipboard and remove) a node. - CTRL+G
Create a node group (adding selected nodes to it). - F
Focus/scroll on the selected node(s). - Delete
Delete the selected nodes.