Network Path

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Every node has a network path or path. The path is the location of an operator within the Hierarchy of a TouchDesigner project. For example, /geo1/circle1, is a node called circle1 in a component called geo1. The path / is called Root or Home. Components are used to create another level in the path, slike folders/directories do for the file paths on your computer.

Example: The path of a node text1 is /project1/container1/button2/text1. All nodes in the path up the last node in a path are Components. That is, project1, container1 and button2 are all components.

If a path starts with /, it is an "absolute path", which refers back to the top root of the heirarchy. Example: /project1/wave1.

If you refer to another node is in the same network, you can just put the node name: text1 or button1/out1. This is a "relative path".

If you are in /project1/container1/button2, the "parent node" is /project1/container1. You can refer to another node in /project1/container1 using the ".." form: ../button3, where .. means "my parent". ../button3 is a "relative path".

Network path does not refer to location of a TouchDesigner file in the Windows file system. The network path of the currently selected operator is located at the top of every pane in TouchDesigner. The highest level of a TouchDesigner network is indicated by a ' / ' and is called the root of the network.

You can navigate up and down the network hierarchy by using the mouse's roller wheel, the Enter and "i" keys, or left-clicking on the network path at the top of the pane. Clicking on the lowest level of the current path will show a drop down list of available child Components that may be selected. To navigate up the hierarchy, use the roller wheel, the "u" key, or select the appropriate ' / ' in the path to navigate to that level.

Where you will find Paths[edit]

At the top of every Network Editor you see a path of the component whose network you are looking at.

Operators often have a path parameter, like the Select TOP, which allows it to get an image from any network.

Any parameter can have a Python expression that contains paths.

Paths are found in Python scripts and callbacks are contained in DATs, typically a Text DAT.

You may see an expression op('wave1')['chan1'], which is a channel called chan1 in the CHOP called wave1.

You may see an expression op('/project1/effect/transform1').par.tx, which is the tx parameter of the transform1 node.

The OP Find DAT outputs a table of paths.

In exporting you will see the path to a parameter: transform:tx This is the tx parameter of a Transform TOP.

See Also[edit]