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nodeslicer/doc/NODES.md

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Node & Socket Reference

Node Sockets

Socket ID Type Underlying Data Structure Purpose
NodeSocketObject bpy.types.Object Blender RNA Object Reference to a Blender Object
NodeSocketFloat float Python float Numeric value
NodeSocketInt int Python int Integer value
NodeSocketString str Python string Text, G-code, file/folder path value
NodeSocketVector tuple Python tuple (3) XYZ vector value
NodeSocketRotation tuple Python tuple (3) Euler rotation value
NodeSocketGeometry Geometry Geometry Data Generic geometry reference
SLICESOCK_Mesh SlicingObject NumPy NDArray (Triangles) Internal mesh data (Transformed/Scaled)
SLICESOCK_Paths SlicePaths (list) List of paths (N, 3) + groups Generic toolpaths or slice boundaries
SLICESOCK_Settings dict[str, str] Python dictionary Mapping of configuration fields to values
SLICESOCK_SettingsRo dict[str, str] Python dictionary Read-only merged configuration overrides

Detailed Data Types

SlicingObject (SLICESOCK_Mesh)

The SlicingObject class wraps a high-performance NumPy representation of a Blender mesh.

  • .mesh: A NumPy ndarray of type float64 with shape (N, 3, 3).
    • N: Number of triangles.
    • [i, 0:3, :]: The three vertices of the $i$-th triangle.
  • Coordinates: Transformed to world space and scaled by the Blender scene unit scale (multiplied by 1000 for mm-standard G-code).

SlicePaths (SLICESOCK_Paths)

A custom list subclass SlicePaths(list[np.ndarray]) containing toolpaths.

  • Content: Each np.ndarray has shape (N, 3).
  • Groups: Maintains a .groups list of integers mapping each path to a layer or logical group.
  • Extra Attributes: Maintains an .extra_attributes dictionary mapping G-code prefixes (e.g., S, M) to lists of NumPy arrays, enabling per-segment custom parameters.
  • Z-Awareness: Coordinates are stored as 3D (X, Y, Z) to maintain the correct layer height.
  • Topology: Generated and cleaned using pyclipper.

Gcode (SLICESOCK_Gcode)

A standard Python string containing formatted G-code.

  • Format: G0 for travels, G1 for extrusions.
  • Extrusion: Calculated as absolute E values based on Euclidean distance and a configurable EXTRUSION_RATE.
  • Metadata: Includes ;OFFSET_X= and ;OFFSET_Y= comments to allow reconstruction of original coordinates.

Nodes

All nodes are found in the Add (Shift+A) menu under the SliceNodes category.

Data & Input

  • Object: Blender object picker.
  • Float: Single float input.
  • Integer: Single integer input.
  • String: Single string/path input.
  • Collection Objects: Selects a Blender collection and dynamically exposes its mesh objects as output sockets, sorted alphabetically.
  • Settings: Read-only/write configuration settings dictionary.
  • Printer: Printer name picker.
  • Printer List: List of configured printers.
  • Printer Intrinsics: Configures bed size, extrusion/travel rates, retraction distance & feedrate, and Z-lift.

Geometry Processing

  • Get Mesh: Converts a Blender Object into internal SlicingObject format.
  • Rename Mesh: Overrides the internal metadata name of a SlicingObject, SlicingCollection, or SlicingGroup. Supports {AttributeName} attribute placeholders (e.g., Rebar-L{Rebar Length}M) that evaluate to index zero of the target attribute for each object, as well as {Name} to include the item's previous name (e.g., {Name}_T{Thickness}mm).
    • Geometry: Input geometry data.
    • Name: String input socket or property for the new name template.
  • Transform Geometry: Moves, rotates, and scales geometry (SlicingObject, SlicingCollection, SlicingGroup, or SlicePaths) relative to the origin.
    • Geometry: Input geometry data.
    • Translation: 3D vector specifying the translation offset.
    • Rotation: 3D vector/Euler rotation values.
    • Scale: 3D vector specifying scaling factors along the X, Y, and Z axes (defaults to 1.0, 1.0, 1.0).
  • Drop Geometry: Moves a SlicingCollection or SlicingGroup along Z so that its minimum Z sits at the specified value. Outputs both the dropped geometry and the translation vector.
    • Mesh: Input mesh data.
    • Z: Target minimum Z coordinate (defaults to 0.0).
    • Mesh: Output dropped mesh data.
    • Translation: Output translation vector (X, Y, Z) applied to the geometry.
  • Separate Mesh: Splits a SlicingCollection into two collections (Selection and Inverted) by comparing a specified mesh attribute against a target value with comparison operators (==, !=, >, <, >=, <=).
  • Separate Mesh by Range: Splits a SlicingCollection into multiple output sockets across an integer range (Start to End), matching a specified integer attribute. Objects in each output socket are renamed with a zero-indexed padded suffix (f"{base_mesh_name}{i:0{num_digits}d}" where num_digits = max(2, len(str(total_parts)))).
  • Arrange Slicing Group: Arranges the slicing collections in a slicing group on the build plate using the libnest2d bin-packing library. It nests their 2D bounding boxes to prevent collisions.
    • Method: Switch between NFP (No-Fit Polygon placer + First-Fit selection), Bottom-Left (Bottom-Left placer + First-Fit selection), and DJD Heuristic (No-Fit Polygon placer + Dyckhoff's heuristic).
    • Allow Rotations: Toggle whether to allow rotating objects (by 90-degree steps) during nesting.
    • Bed X / Y: The build plate dimensions in mm.
    • Spacing: The minimum distance between arranged objects in mm.
  • Get Paths: Extracts existing edges from a mesh as paths.
    • Extrusion Multiplier Attribute: Mesh attribute to use for per-segment extrusion rates.
    • Feedrate Attribute: Mesh attribute to use for per-segment feedrates.
    • Extra Attributes: Dictionary mapping mesh attribute names to custom G-code prefixes (e.g., opening_size -> S).
  • Slice Shells: Slices a SlicingObject into 2D SlicePaths at a given layer height. Automatically aligns path seams to the sharpest concave angle (inner corner) of each layer. Supports rotation for slicing at an angle.
    • Ignore Holes: Boolean option to omit interior hole perimeters and generate only the outer shell boundaries.
  • Buffer Shells: Offsets/buffers 2D SlicePaths. Supports rotated offsetting and multiple miter types.
  • Buffer Shells Multiple: Offsets 2D SlicePaths with multiple buffer passes.
  • Buffer Curve: Buffers open/closed curves using Shapely, allowing open path offsetting.
    • Cap Style: Style of the curve ends (Round, Flat, Square).
    • Join Style: Style of corner joins (Round, Mitre, Bevel).
    • Single Sided: Buffers only on one side of the curve if enabled.
    • Distance: The buffer distance.
    • Rotation: Optional Euler rotation for non-planar offsetting.
  • Offset Curve: Offsets/shifts open/closed curves by a distance using Shapely, producing parallel curves.
    • Join Style: Style of corner joins (Round, Mitre, Bevel).
    • Distance: The offset distance (positive for left side, negative for right side).
    • Rotation: Optional Euler rotation for non-planar offsetting.
  • Path Offset: Offsets SlicePaths by a 3D vector.
  • Rotate Path: Rotates SlicePaths around the Z-axis.
    • Angle: Rotation angle in degrees.
    • Center: Optional center of rotation. If not provided, it defaults to the midpoint of the first layer.
  • Simplify Paths: Simplifies SlicePaths geometry using the Douglas-Peucker algorithm.
  • Infill: Generates a cross-hatch grid or parallel lines clipped by boundary paths.
    • Infill Type: Switch between Grid (cross-hatch), Rectilinear (alternating parallel lines), and Lines (parallel lines in one direction).
    • Density: Distance between lines in units.
    • Infill Rotation: Base rotation of the infill pattern.
    • Layer Rotation: Rotation of the entire slice to align infill with specific planes.
  • Get Infill Mask: Computes the intersection of all closed paths in each group (layer) using Shapely.
  • Overhang Mask: Computes the accumulated overhang mask for each layer, propagating support requirements from top to bottom.
  • Boolean Paths: Performs 2D boolean operations (UNION, INTERSECTION, DIFFERENCE, XOR) on multiple slice sets.
  • Math: Float math operations.
  • Integer Math: Simple integer operations (Add, Multiply, etc.).

PDF Exporter

  • Assign PDF Properties: Assigns line width (mm) and line color PDF export properties to geometry (SlicingObject, SlicingCollection, SlicingGroup, or SlicePaths).
    • Geometry: Generic geometry input socket (accepts SLICESOCK_Mesh, SLICESOCK_Paths, or SLICESOCK_Geometry).
    • Line Width: Input socket / float property for line width in mm.
    • Line Color: Color property for stroke color.
  • Assign PDF Object Properties: Assigns custom settings/properties to geometry (SlicingObject, SlicingCollection, SlicingGroup, or SlicePaths) for rendering in PDF properties tables and object callout labels.
    • Geometry: Generic geometry input socket (accepts SLICESOCK_Mesh, SLICESOCK_Paths, or SLICESOCK_Geometry).
    • Settings: Input socket accepting configuration settings or property items.
  • Mesh to PDF: Generates a 1:1 true-scale 2D top-view (+Z orthographic) vector PDF from a SlicingGroup or SlicingCollection with a custom grid and background color. Subpanel menus are collapsed by default.
    • Template: File naming template string for exported PDF files when saving to a folder (default: {object_name}-{size_x_mm}x{size_y_mm}-{today_date_iso}.pdf). Supports placeholders {object_name}, {size_x_mm}, {size_y_mm} (the whole PDF page dimensions in mm), {today_date_iso} (current ISO date YYYY-MM-DD), and custom object attributes.
    • Technical Drawing Header: Collapsible menu containing string inputs for technical drawing info (Company, Part Name, Drawing No., Author, Revision, Material, Tolerance). If Part Name is left empty, it automatically defaults to the name of the first object being rendered. Automatically computes ISO date and scale length (1:1). Renders an ISO/DIN technical drawing header table on the bottom-right of the drawing.
    • Geometry: Input socket accepting a single geometry (SlicingGroup, SlicingCollection, or SlicingObject). Join multiple geometries using Join Geometry nodes.
    • SlicePaths: Input socket accepting SlicePaths (reserved for path rendering).
    • Folder: Target folder or PDF file path on disk.
    • Settings: Input socket accepting configuration settings or attribute names to render as <name>: <value> next to each object.
    • Wireframe: Checkbox to render all projected 3D wireframe edges.
    • Boundary (1 Face): Checkbox to render open mesh boundary edges owned by only 1 face.
    • Contour: Checkbox to render outer boundary silhouette contour.
    • Crease Angle: Checkbox to render crease lines above specified dihedral angle.
    • Bounding Box: Checkbox to render the 2D bounding box rectangle of each SlicingObject.
    • BBox Color: Color picker for the bounding box rectangle lines (default blue).
    • Show Name: Checkbox to render the object name to the right of the rightmost vertex of each SlicingObject.
    • Holes: Checkbox to render circular bore/hole diameter callouts (Ø) with ISO 129-1 compliant markings.
    • Arcs: Checkbox to render arc cutouts and corner fillet radius callouts (R) with ISO 129-1 compliant markings.
    • Chamfers: Checkbox to render bevel/chamfer callouts (C) with ISO 129-1 compliant markings.
    • Step Features: Checkbox to render interior step/notch feature segment length callouts with ISO 129-1 compliant markings.
    • Font Size (pt): Font size in PostScript points for all text labels and measurement callouts. Set to 0 for automatic sizing (equal to minor grid spacing).
    • Margin (mm): Margin around the geometry grid in mm.
    • Background: Color picker for the canvas background.
    • Wireframe: Color picker for the wireframe lines and grid.

Gcode Processing

  • Paths to Gcode: Converts SlicePaths into G-code blocks.
    • Header: Toggles the generation of standard NodeSlicer G-code headers and units setup.
  • Gcode Block: Manual text area for entering raw G-code.
  • Gcode Regex Replace: Performs regex search and replace on G-code.
  • Assign Metadata: Injects custom metadata comments into G-code.
  • Gcode Helper: Utility helper functions for G-code stream modifications.
  • Load Gcode: Reads a G-code file from disk.

Utility & Joiners

  • Join Mesh: Merges multiple SlicingObject instances into one.
  • Join Paths: Combines multiple SlicePaths. Supports Sequential or Interleaved modes.
  • Join Gcode: Concatenates multiple G-code strings.
  • Join Settings: Sequentially merges multiple override dictionaries. Later inputs overwrite earlier ones for matching keys.
  • Join Execution: Synchronizes sequential execution flows.

Action & I/O

  • Gcode to File: Writes G-code string to a file on disk.
    • Automatic Binary Conversion: If the G-code contains the comment ; binary_gcode = 1, the node automatically converts the output to Prusa's binary G-code format (.bgcode) using MeatPack encoding and Heatshrink compression.
  • Gcode to Text Block: Creates a new Blender text block containing the G-code and opens it in any active text editors.
  • Start Print: Sends G-code directly to a network printer.
  • Baserow Submit: Sends G-code and metadata to a Baserow database.
    • Host: Baserow host URL.
    • Token File: Path to a file containing the Baserow API token.
    • Table ID: The ID of the target Baserow table.
    • Record ID: Optional ID of an existing record to update.
    • Gcode Field: The name of the attachment field in Baserow.
  • Airtable Submit: Sends G-code and metadata to an Airtable base.
    • PAT File: Path to a file containing the Airtable Personal Access Token (PAT).
    • Base ID: The ID of the target Airtable base.
    • Table ID: The ID or name of the target Airtable table.
    • Record ID: Optional ID of an existing record to update.
    • Gcode Field: The name of the attachment field in Airtable.
  • Gcode to Preview Mesh: Decodes G-code and creates a Blender mesh ("Debug" object) for visualization.
  • Executor: Executes sub-tree node chains.
  • Test: Triggers evaluation for debugging purposes.