9.5.2

1066 • CHAPTER 22
XPRESSO EDITOR • 1067
Ports
Ports are the inputs and outputs of nodes and XGroups. To add a port, choose the desired port from
the inputs menu (blue square) or outputs menu (red square); in these menus, ports that have already
been added are ghosted.
Add ports using the
inputs and outputs
menus (the blue and red
squares in the node’s top
corners).
Values are passed via
ports. Output ports are
shown as red circles,
input ports as blue circles.
Red ports are output ports and send values to other nodes or XGroups. Blue ports are input ports and
receive values from other nodes or XGroups. To connect an output port to an input port, drag and
drop the circle of one port onto the other. A wire will connect the ports, as illustrated below.
To connect ports, drag and drop one port onto the other.
Various commands that are specic to ports are available from the port’s context menu.
If a node or XGroup is selected and has unconnected ports, these are shown on the Attribute
manager’s Parameter page (does not apply to Object nodes); you can send values to these ports by
entering values on this page. This can be especially useful for testing nodes with particular values. The
Attribute manager also enables you to send your own data to nodes (see ‘User Data’, below).
To display a port’s name, hover the mouse pointer over the port and its name will appear in the
XPresso Editor’s status bar. (To switch on the status bar, enable the Show Status Bar option on the
XPresso Editor’s Layout menu). To display port names, enable the Ports > Show Names option on the
context menu.
Double-clicking on a port will disconnect it. If the port is already disconnected, double-clicking on
the port will delete it instead. To change a port’s vertical order, Alt-drag the port and drop it in its
new position.
User Data
User Data ports enable you to send your own values to nodes via the Attribute manager.
To create a User Data port
 In the Object manager, select the object to which the port should be added.
Only user data added to objects in the Object manager can be used in the
XPresso Editor. User Data added to XGroups cannot be used in the XPresso
editor.