Create and employ different node types in VRED

Create and organize group nodes, create and assign a material to a material group node, and use a switch node to manage geometry variants within the VRED Scenegraph.


00:03

Autodesk VRED Professional offers a variety of node types within the Scenegraph, each with unique functionality.

00:12

With a scene open in VRED, from the Quick Access bar, click Graph to open the Scenegraph.

00:20

Then, right-click and select Create to access the available nodes.

00:25

You can use a group node to select and transform a group of objects all at once.

00:31

When any object within a group is transformed, its node changes to a transform node.

00:37

However, if a group node is selected and transformed, it automatically changes to a group transform node.

00:45

In this example, tires and wheels will be grouped to structure the data more efficiently.

00:51

Then, a material group will be created to illustrate its use.

00:57

To start, create two group nodes.

01:00

In the Scenegraph, right-click and select Create > Group,

01:07

then rename the new group—in this case, to “Rim”.

01:12

Create a second group named “Tire”.

01:16

In the Search field, enter “Wheels” to locate this group.

01:21

Drag and drop the two new groups into the Wheels group to subordinate them.

01:26

Next, in the search field, enter “Tires”.

01:31

Then, drag and drop the selected results into the Tire group.

01:37

Repeat this process for Rims.

01:40

Collapse some of the nodes to simplify your view in the Scenegraph.

01:44

Next, create a material group node.

01:49

With the Wheels group node selected, right-click and select Create > Material Group.

01:57

Then, drag and drop the Tire group into the Material Group to subordinate the Tire group.

02:04

A material group node transfers the materials assigned to it to all subordinated objects.

02:10

The original material of the geometry is suspended but not deleted.

02:15

To see how this works, create a material and assign it to the group node.

02:21

From the Quick Access bar, click Materials.

02:26

In the Material Editor, right-click a material in the preview and select Create Material > Plastic.

02:35

Leave the material in its raw state.

02:39

To assign this new material to the group node, first, in the Scenegraph, hide any unnecessary geometry by deselecting the appropriate nodes.

02:49

Then, from the Material Editor, drag and drop the material into the Material Group.

02:57

Observe the tire material changing to the newly assigned plastic material.

03:02

To undo this change, simply remove the Tire group from the material group by dropping it into the Wheels group.

03:11

Now that it is no longer subordinated, the original geometry-assigned material is used.

03:18

Close the Material Editor, and in the Scenegraph, reveal the hidden geometry.

03:24

Next, explore the use of the switch node to control geometry visibility by switching between variants.

03:32

This node sets one subordinate object, or child, to be visible while rendering the others invisible.

03:40

In this example, a wheel variation is already imported and a switch node will be created for the front left wheel.

03:49

In the Scenegraph, select the Wheels group node, then right-click and select Create > Switch.

03:59

Rename the node to “Rim_Switch_FL”.

04:04

Next, to locate the FL Rims, select the Rim group node.

04:11

Next to the search bar, select Search in Selection, type “FL” into the search field, and then press ENTER.

04:21

Drag and drop the found FL Rims into the new switch node.

04:26

Expand the Multispoke group,

04:29

then drag and drop the FL Rims into the switch as well.

04:34

Expand the switch to see that both rims are now subordinated to the switch.

04:40

Now, use the Variants module to specify which variation to display.

04:46

From the Menu Bar, click Scene and select Variants.

04:53

The Variants dialog opens.

04:56

From the Scenegraph, drag and drop the switch node into the Variants dialog.

05:04

From the list of variants, select the switch node to display its properties.

05:10

To switch between variations, double-click the desired variation from the State list.

05:16

Notice that the currently selected variation is displayed in the Viewport

05:20

and is also selected in the Scenegraph, while the other remains hidden and deselected.

05:27

Now you can use group nodes, material group nodes, and switch nodes in the Scenegraph to help configure your VRED scene.

Video transcript

00:03

Autodesk VRED Professional offers a variety of node types within the Scenegraph, each with unique functionality.

00:12

With a scene open in VRED, from the Quick Access bar, click Graph to open the Scenegraph.

00:20

Then, right-click and select Create to access the available nodes.

00:25

You can use a group node to select and transform a group of objects all at once.

00:31

When any object within a group is transformed, its node changes to a transform node.

00:37

However, if a group node is selected and transformed, it automatically changes to a group transform node.

00:45

In this example, tires and wheels will be grouped to structure the data more efficiently.

00:51

Then, a material group will be created to illustrate its use.

00:57

To start, create two group nodes.

01:00

In the Scenegraph, right-click and select Create > Group,

01:07

then rename the new group—in this case, to “Rim”.

01:12

Create a second group named “Tire”.

01:16

In the Search field, enter “Wheels” to locate this group.

01:21

Drag and drop the two new groups into the Wheels group to subordinate them.

01:26

Next, in the search field, enter “Tires”.

01:31

Then, drag and drop the selected results into the Tire group.

01:37

Repeat this process for Rims.

01:40

Collapse some of the nodes to simplify your view in the Scenegraph.

01:44

Next, create a material group node.

01:49

With the Wheels group node selected, right-click and select Create > Material Group.

01:57

Then, drag and drop the Tire group into the Material Group to subordinate the Tire group.

02:04

A material group node transfers the materials assigned to it to all subordinated objects.

02:10

The original material of the geometry is suspended but not deleted.

02:15

To see how this works, create a material and assign it to the group node.

02:21

From the Quick Access bar, click Materials.

02:26

In the Material Editor, right-click a material in the preview and select Create Material > Plastic.

02:35

Leave the material in its raw state.

02:39

To assign this new material to the group node, first, in the Scenegraph, hide any unnecessary geometry by deselecting the appropriate nodes.

02:49

Then, from the Material Editor, drag and drop the material into the Material Group.

02:57

Observe the tire material changing to the newly assigned plastic material.

03:02

To undo this change, simply remove the Tire group from the material group by dropping it into the Wheels group.

03:11

Now that it is no longer subordinated, the original geometry-assigned material is used.

03:18

Close the Material Editor, and in the Scenegraph, reveal the hidden geometry.

03:24

Next, explore the use of the switch node to control geometry visibility by switching between variants.

03:32

This node sets one subordinate object, or child, to be visible while rendering the others invisible.

03:40

In this example, a wheel variation is already imported and a switch node will be created for the front left wheel.

03:49

In the Scenegraph, select the Wheels group node, then right-click and select Create > Switch.

03:59

Rename the node to “Rim_Switch_FL”.

04:04

Next, to locate the FL Rims, select the Rim group node.

04:11

Next to the search bar, select Search in Selection, type “FL” into the search field, and then press ENTER.

04:21

Drag and drop the found FL Rims into the new switch node.

04:26

Expand the Multispoke group,

04:29

then drag and drop the FL Rims into the switch as well.

04:34

Expand the switch to see that both rims are now subordinated to the switch.

04:40

Now, use the Variants module to specify which variation to display.

04:46

From the Menu Bar, click Scene and select Variants.

04:53

The Variants dialog opens.

04:56

From the Scenegraph, drag and drop the switch node into the Variants dialog.

05:04

From the list of variants, select the switch node to display its properties.

05:10

To switch between variations, double-click the desired variation from the State list.

05:16

Notice that the currently selected variation is displayed in the Viewport

05:20

and is also selected in the Scenegraph, while the other remains hidden and deselected.

05:27

Now you can use group nodes, material group nodes, and switch nodes in the Scenegraph to help configure your VRED scene.

Was this information helpful?