Another major release, so soon? You bet. This time we have fewer changes, but they’re quite far-reaching. Included are major updates to the main application’s editor UI, new scene manipulator features, and the new CopyPrimitiveVariables and NameSwitch nodes. Let’s take a tour.
Linux download
macOS download
Full changelog
New features
Object-to-surface tools
- Translate tool (): V-click to move any selected object(s) onto a target surface.
- Rotate tool (): V-click to aim any selected object(s) at a target surface.
CopyPrimitiveVariables node
- Download example graph
- New node that copies primitive variables from one object to another.
NameSwitch node
- Download example graph
- New node that switches between named input connections using a string instead of an index number.
- John, Gaffer’s project lead, wrote a tutorial on how to customize the NameSwitch node to better integrate it into your pipeline.
Breaking changes
- The 0.54.2.1 backport release can open scripts saved in 0.55.0.0. For use when your environment is restricted to 0.54.x.x.
- Scripts saved in 0.55.0.0 that use multiple inputs on the Parent node are not compatible with previous Gaffer versions.
warning
The Instancer node now deletes the target point cloud from the scene. This affects all graphs that rely on the target point cloud remaining in the scene after instancing.
Improvements
Editor UI and layout
- Updated the default layouts so all the inspectors follow the first Viewer.
- Viewers can now follow other Viewers.
- Redesigned the Pin menu as the Editor Focus menu:
- Button has been updated for clarity and ease-of-use:
- Menu now opens with left click.
- Restructured the Follow and Pin sub-sections for clarity:
- New keyboard shortcuts:
- Hover over an editor and hit P to pin it to the current node selection.
- Hover over an editor and hit N to make it follow the current node selection.
- All shortcuts that change a following editor’s focus now, as a first step, sever it from its master.
- Editor links are now visualized: linked editors and the linking menu action now highlight the master editor.
- Saving a layout now preserves the focus and link states of each editor.
Parent node
- Improved to support multiple input connections, allowing you to parent multiple branches of a graph at once.
Viewer
- Increased visibility of the pause indicator:
- When viewing a Catalogue node, hit ↓ and ↑ to select the next/previous image in the list.