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Connections are mappings between parameters that are internal to Vortex® and parameters that are piped into Vortex through an extension.

Connections can be created at both the mechanism and scene level, but all connections defined on a mechanism are local to that mechanism. The scene has its own discrete set of connections.

Connections are made via the Connections Editor Node Graph View or List View.

Node Graph View

In the Node Graph view, connections between extensions' inputs and outputs are visually represented as circular nodes connected by colored lines.

Boxes and Fields

A connection container is the element wherein you organize your connections.

To create a new connection container:

1. Select Basics from the Toolbox.

2. Double-click Connection Container. It now appears in the Explorer panel.

3. In its Properties panel, you can rename the container through its Name field.

To add fields to the container:

1. Select an extension from the Explorer panel or the 3D View so that its Properties panel opens.

   
   
   

2. Drag and drop the desired property from the Properties panel onto the graph.

A new container box related to the extension appears at the drop location, containing its associated fields. If a box related to the extension has previously been added, the newly dropped fields are added to that existing box.

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Dragging a property to the connection container

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Adding more properties to an existing container box

To remove a field from a box:

1. Hover the mouse over the field.

2. Click the delete icon that appears.

To remove an entire container box:

1. Select the desired box. (Hold down Ctrl to select multiple boxes.)

2. Right-click and select Remove from the menu.

To view field properties:

1. Hover over a field in a container box.

2. Click the arrow that appears to open its Properties panel.
   
   

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To move and resize a container box:

1. Click the header or any empty space in the box.

2. Drag the box to a new position in the container.

3. Click the bottom-right corner of the box.

4. Drag the corner to resize the box.

To navigate the connection container:

• Scroll the mouse wheel to zoom in or out at the mouse cursor's position in the connection container.

• Hold down the mouse wheel and move the mouse to navigate around the connection container.

Connections

The main benefit of the connection container is to see at a glance the connections between inputs and outputs in a visually-simple way.

You can create connections between two fields in two ways:

1. Connection between two fields already added to the container.

2. Connection between a field already added to the container to one that is not.

To connect two fields already added to the connection container:

1. Click and hold on the desired connector. Inputs are aligned on the left side of a container box, outputs on the right.

2. Drag the mouse to the desired end point. A preview connection line appears, while incompatible fields become shaded.

3. Release the mouse button on a compatible field to complete the connection.

To connect a field already added to the container to one that is not:

1. Select an extension from the Explorer panel or the 3D View.

2. Drag and drop the desired field from that extension's Properties panel onto a compatible field in the container box.

To delete connections: