3.3 The Attribs Node Manager

The attribs node manager presents all attribute nodes that exist in the scene. They can be managed, assigned, duplicated or deleted here.

Figure 3.3: The Attribs Node Manager Window

The components of the attribs node manager window are:

` Attribs Node Name'

The name of the attributes node selected in the attributes nodes list. This field can be used to rename the node to something more meaningful.

` Name Filter'

Only the attributes node names that match the expression set in Name Filter will be displayed in the attributes nodes list. Wildcard characters suc as `*' can be used in the filter.

` Attributes Nodes List'

The list of all attributes nodes in the scene, filtered by the Name Filter exprssion and that are matching the type specified in Attribs Type option menu. Right-clicking on some attribs node offers additional actions:

` Select Node'

Shows the attributes of the selected attributes node in Maya's Attribute Editor and makes it the current Maya selection.

` Show in AE'

Shows the attributes of the selected attributes node in Maya's Attribute Editor (without making it the current selection).

` Duplicate'

Creates a copy of the highlighted attribs node. Assignments to scene objects are not duplicated.

` Select Attached Objects'

Selects the objects in the scene that have the highlighted shaders attached to them. The sub menu offers options to specify if the highlighted attributes node should be used as the object attributes node or the collection attributes node.

` Highlight Attached Attribs Nodes'

Will highlight in the attributes nodes list the nodes that are attached to scene objects currently selected.

` Delete'

Deletes the attributes nodes that are highlighted in the attributes nodes list.

` Attribs Type'

Only the nodes whose type match what is selected in Attribs Type will be displayed in the Attributes Nodes List. The selected type will also dictate what node will be created when clicking on the Create button.

` Collection'

The collection selected here will be used for the assignment when the Assignment option menu is set to `Collection' or `Override'. The assignment occurs when the Attach button is pressed. See The Shader Assignment Panel for more about shader collections.

` Assignment '

Specifies to which element an attributes node will be assigned when pressing the Attach button. This could be either `Object', `Collection' or `Override' (see section The Shader Assignment Panel).

` Create'

Creates a new attributes node; the type of that node is defined by what is set in the Attribs Type option menu. If this option menu is set to `All', the creat button is unavailable.

` Attach'

Attach (or assign) the selected node in the attributes nodes list to the currently selected objects, taking into account the current values of the Collection and the Assignment option menus.

` Close'

Closes the window.

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