Option to set color of connecting cables

[d.a.v.i.d]

hi, when a scene starts to develop, I find myself having to trace connecting cables from module to module. would being able to set a unique color for each connecting cable help? I reckon so, and it would add a bit of eye-candy to interface

[Terry Payman]

An ability to name the connectors (cables) would also be useful as the connection name could explictly identify its source or purpose, facilitating development and documentation of the scene.

The connection's context menu could be used to add/change/delete the name, which could be displayed in a tooltip when a connection is hovered over and highlighted.

To clean up scenes which would otherwise have (e.g.) long "diagonal" connectors a further feature would be to have a "Connection out" module with just an output pin, which would act as a source of its named connection. It could perhaps be picked from the Add menu in a similar manner to a Scene module, choosing from the list of defined connection names, although I appreciate that there are issues of scene vs project scope. A "Connection in" module would be a neat complement.

[d.a.v.i.d]

yes, agree with your suggestions, as many a time i find myself having to "trace" information.

[Magic]

I reckon so, and it would add a bit of eye-candy to interface

That's sort of the reason I haven't done it. I don't want the interface to be eye candy, I want it to be as clean and simple as possible. Other people have suggested being able to change the color of modules themselves, but I rejected that also. The compromise is that I added coloration for the annotations. I would suggest using this solution to organize which modules are connected.

[d.a.v.i.d]

That's sort of the reason I haven't done it. I don't want the interface to be eye candy, I want it to be as clean and simple as possible.

hi Eric, you certainly achieved a clean interface, and for the most part, it's super intuitive. but, as mentioned, there are times when color would be more than beneficial imo re connections. the color annotations are helpful, but don't speed up connection tracing enough...again imo.

DAWS are an area where automation/channel colors are successfully implemented, without compromising the aesthetics of the interface.
just a thought.

[Valis]

I was a heavy user of Softimage back in the day, and when using ICE (procedural fx engine with node based environment) the color coded 'nipples' indicated the type of data. Grey indicated multiple types of data, and the color would switch based on what was being connected. This was certainly invaluable, and we could 'nest' things in a way that was similar to scenes, but it essentially made a new 'module' from nested modules. Almost everything was just adders and simple and/or/xor/etc on the base level, and you could dig into anything to see how it was built. This is now showing up in Maya...

In any case, knowing what signal type was being carried was increasingly important as overall effect complexity increased, and as our GPU's become more powerful you can plan on this happening here. (ICE was cpu based when I used it)

Even Bidule, which only has audio & midi data, uses differently colored 'nipples' and cables. SO count my vote as yes on this one.

[skarabee]

I also support this kind of FR.
maybe tracing (highlight) the connections from a selected module could be a good start.

[d.a.v.i.d]

color coded 'nipples' indicated the type of data

this would be a fantastic compromise if colored cables aren't an option.

[iglooooooo]

I also would love this. Not for aesthetic reasons, but just to be able to quickly understand what my set up (sometimes you go months between using scenes and anything to help organize makes the uptake much quicker).

[yumatripp]

Plus 1.

Colored cables would be super helpful.