How to connect a replicant output to another replicant input?

Beginners
1

Hello, I want to make a Twirl effect from palette work for multiples coordinates, so that I could have more than one swirl on the screen.

I’m trying to make this with the Replicator COMP and automatically connect an image to the first replicant’s input, then connect the 1st replicant’s output to the 2nd replicant’s input, etc. But I haven’t find a way to access input/output of specific replicants. Is there a way to do this?

PS: I assume it’s easier to do by tweaking .glsl shader in the Twirl effect, but I’m even less familiar with .glsl then with python scripting.

So any help would be appreciated! Thank you

2

Okay, got it work with this script (in replicator callbacks, inside onReplicate function):

	for c in allOps:
		
		last_r = op('replicator1').par.numreplicants
		
		if c.digits == 1:
			c.inputConnectors[0].connect(op('in1'))
			if last_r == 1:
				c.outputConnectors[0].connect(op('out1'))
			elif last_r > 1:
				c.outputConnectors[0].connect(op('item2'))
			
		elif c.digits == last_r:
			c.outputConnectors[0].connect(op('out1'))
		else:
			c.outputConnectors[0].connect(op('item' + str(c.digits + 1)))
			
		pass

ReplicatorConnections
ReplicatorConnections1893×868 81.5 KB

3

Hi @anya_mycelium,

your solution absolutely works, I guess you would have to add a bit scripting for the case where replicants are removed.

Attached a technique which I enjoy using with minimal scripting needs. This all becomes possible by packaging the replicated operator into a Base CCOMP and then work with In and Select operators.

image

When working this way, the master operator is already part of the network and uses it’s In operator to get the initial image. Every other replicant will select the output from the previous by a small expression reference (making use of Parent Shortcuts here):

parent.RepliExample.op('item{}/null_final'.format(parent().digits-1))

Then there is a final Select operator which retrieves it’s data from the last replicant, again by an expression:

op('item{}/null_final'.format(op('replicator1').par.numreplicants))

This now works fully automatic and since there are no hard wired connections, it also works when removing replicants.

image
image930×389 37.4 KB

Cheers
Markus
base_repliExample.tox (1.5 KB)