Using groups and references, Simple image tutorial Options

[Music3000]

For using references it's fairly simple once you get used to using them, here is a quick way -

From the library on the right side click the group folder and drag a group node into a empty slot. You can also right click one and go Insert > Group > Group



You should now have a empty group node in the project



Click the group node and change the Inputs to the amount needed, in this case i set 4



The group should adjust to show new inputs now



Now add a few things you want to use in the group



On the group node there is a button that says 'Enter' so click this to go into the group. You can also just double click on the group node to go inside it.



Right now if you are doing this for the first time it may seem like everything just went as you have a empty area. Don't worry this is just because you are in a empty group but everything else you did is still there. If you look over to the left you will see the things you sent into the group.



For the tutorial i will insert a combine node so right click and go Insert > Combine > Combine or select the combine folder and drag the module in from the library



Now look over to the left again where you have image of all the things you sent in to the group from earlier step. Click something you want and keeping the mouse button held drag it across into one of the empty slots on the combine module. You have now created a reference, a reference is basically sending something into the group from above and recieving it where you need to have it.



It also means you don't have to create multiple things to use the same thing over again. For example drag the same thing you tried before into another slot.



If you click on a reference you will notice that it does not have the same controls as the original you sent into the group. This is because you are just sending and getting the same thing at another location so it is not a copy of the original in the same way you copy and paste things. They have a 'Slot Number' control though, if you move this it will change the reference being used.



Notice on the last thing in the group there is a out button, there is also the same option next to the fit and pan buttons also they do the same thing (but that button is quicker if you have multiple groups). If you click the 'Out' button you can go up to the layer above again.



You should now hopefully know the basics of using groups and references. You can also have groups inside other groups for complex sub layer structures. Now have fun

[Silkrooster]

Very nice tutorial...

[MonsterMind]

Excellent tutorial.

You are right. It is very simple to use the group node but I had been wondering for a long time how it is done because I could not figure out what to do with the empty group node.

This post has been edited by MonsterMind: Nov 14 2009, 11:23 AM

[Atlas]

Thank you for the tutorial! I've added it to this page.

[Music3000]

No problem, thanks everyone

[Stacey_73]

No problem, thanks everyone