Composite node breaks on hip load Tweet

[HandcraftedMedia]

Basically the composite node breaks when you save your file, close and start up again if you have changed the amount of input. There are also a few other issues with the way composite works so I made a video explaining the problem.
Here you go: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15R5QwW ... sp=sharing

To summarize my suggestions/bug:
- Bug when you change composite layer input count and reopen you file
- Suggestion to change layer count order to top to bottom
- Suggestion to have composite node ignore empty inputs

[HandcraftedMedia]

I think the material layer node is a good example of a better implementation!

[toby_a]

Thanks for the report! Issues with changing the layer count and loading messing up the connections are known and will be fixed.

In terms of the order the order of layers, doesn't it make sense for layers that are composed on top of other layers to appear on top in the UI? I agree that it can be confusing to have new inputs appear before existing inputs rather than at the end, but the plugin needs to stay consistent with the behaviour of Octane Standalone, as long as the issues with connections gettings messed up can be resolved.

Cheers,
Toby.

[HandcraftedMedia]

Thank you!
Well maybe the order could be confusing, but we're talking about a node based system, not layer and since the naming is clear it should be easy to figure out how things work.
If you look at the material layers they are also done that way, where it goes downwards, and that doesn't seem to be a problem right?
As regarding to standalone, isn't standalone node inputs horizontal vs houdini vertical anyway?
I think in terms of user experience switching the order would be a much better user experience then having to rewire the whole node Everytime you add inputs. That's at least my pov

Either way thanks for looking into it!

[frankmci]

When we are talking "stacks" and "layers", I think the best thing to do GUI wise is follow along with our instincts as creatures living in 3D space with gravity; the "top" of the stack of layers or should be uppermost on the screen. Higher elements influence how we see elements lower in the stack. Why fight five hundred million years of evolution?

[HandcraftedMedia]

Generally I agree but that's not how Houdini VOPs work. Houdini inputs normally go top to bottom (see attached example below).
I think it's more important to be cohesive within the context of the app (+ the current mode breaks stuff + you have to rewire everything if you add a new layer on top...)
Just try to use the current way it works for a few minutes and especially see what happens when you change the layer count. I think pretty quickly you will see it's not a good user experience.

Screenshot 2023-07-31 091740.png (10.5 KiB) Viewed 1732 times