Add and connect nodes in a shader graph

You can add and connect nodes in a shader graph in different ways depending on your current task.

Note

To add and connect nodes in a shader graph, you need to create a shader graph asset first and open the asset in the Shader Graph window.

Add a node

To add a node to your shader graph, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Create Node menu through either of the following:

    • Select the Shader Graph window's workspace and press the Spacebar.
    • Right-click in the Shader Graph Window's workspace and select Create Node.

  2. In the Create Node menu, browse or search for the desired node.

    The Create Node menu lists all nodes that are available in Shader Graph, categorized by their function. User-created sub graphs are also available in the Create Node menu under Sub Graph Assets, or in a custom category that you define in the Sub Graph Asset.

  3. Double-click on a node's name to add the corresponding node in the graph.

Note

Use the Create Node menu search box to filter the listed nodes by name parts and synonyms based on industry terms. It provides autocomplete options and highlights matching text in yellow. You can press Tab to accept the predictive text.

Connect node ports

To connect ports between two existing nodes or with the master stack, select and drag the desired port to the target.

The line resulting from that connection is called an edge.

You can only connect an output port to an input port, or vice-versa, and you can't connect two ports of the same node together.

Add and connect a node from an existing port

To connect a port to a node that doesn't exist yet and create that targeted node in the process, follow these steps:

  1. Select and drag the desired port and release it in an empty area of the workspace.

  2. In the Create Node menu, browse or search for the node you need to connect to the port you dragged out.

    The Create Node menu displays every node port available according to the data types compatible with the port you dragged out.

  3. Double-click on a node port's name to add the corresponding node in the graph, with the two expected ports already connected­.

Add a block node in the Master Stack

To add a new block node to the master stack, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Create Node menu for the Master Stack context through either of the following:

    • Select the Master Stack's targeted context (Vertex or Fragment) and press the Spacebar.
    • Right-click in the Master Stack's targeted context area and select Create Node.

  2. In the Create Node menu, browse or search for the desired block node.

    The Create Node menu displays all available blocks for the master stack based on the render pipelines in your project.

  3. Double-click on a block node's name to add the corresponding block node in the Master Stack.

Note

If the block that you add is not compatible with the current graph settings, the block is deactivated until you configure the settings to support it.

Additional resources