Jeremias Meister - Tools & Pipeline

Working with Nodes

Nodes are the building blocks of Project Succession pipelines. This guide covers everything you need to know about creating, connecting, and configuring nodes.

Node Types

There are two main types of nodes:

Triggers

  • Purpose: Detect events and start pipeline execution
  • Examples:
    • File System Watcher (monitors file changes)
    • Interval Trigger (runs on schedule)
    • Webhook Trigger (receives HTTP requests)
    • On Maya File Save (DCC tool event)

Triggers dispatch events immediately by default, so workflow executions can overlap. A trigger implementation can opt into queueing: events then run in arrival order, and each waits for the previous event’s entire workflow, including all branches, to finish or fail. Other triggers run independently. Pending queued events are discarded on shutdown.

File System Watcher queues its change events automatically. Interval Trigger and On Incoming Webhook offer a Queue Events checkbox, off by default. When enabled, each trigger’s events wait for its previous run to finish; they are not skipped or merged. Interval events continue to arrive on schedule. Other triggers keep immediate dispatch behavior.

Webhook response modes still apply when queueing is enabled: fire_and_forget acknowledges once the event is accepted, while synchronous waits for a Webhook Respond node. Response Timeout (ms) includes time spent waiting in the engine queue. An HTTP timeout does not cancel the queued event or workflow.

Actions

  • Purpose: Perform tasks when executed
  • Examples:
    • File System Operations (copy, move files)
    • HTTP Request (call APIs)
    • Execute Script (run shell commands)
    • AI Prompt (use language models)

Adding Nodes to Canvas

There are three ways to add nodes:

Method 1: Drag and Drop

  1. Find the node in the left sidebar
  2. Click and hold on the node
  3. Drag it onto the canvas
  4. Release to place
  1. Click on empty canvas or press Space
  2. Type the node name (e.g., “file system”)
  3. Use arrow keys to select
  4. Press Enter to insert at cursor position

Tip: Quick search is the fastest method for experienced users!

Node Anatomy

Every node has these components:

Node Header

  • Icon: Category-specific icon (left side)
  • Label: Node name (editable in right sidebar)

Flow Input Handles (Top)

  • Circle connectors: The input handles serve two purposes. one is directing the pipeline flow, which node executes after which one
  • The second purpose is carrying the main data stream through the pipeline.

Data Handles (Left Side)

  • Circle connectors: Receive data from other nodes

You can connect any data to any input. Project Succession tries to be smart about converting different types, but the fallback is interpreting the input as a string.

Output Handles (Bottom)

  • Circle connectors: The output handlers pass on the manipulated data from the node down the node stream into either:
  • A data handler to feed into another flow, or
  • a flow input handler to indicate further execution

Node Body

  • Quick Parameters: nodes show their parameters in the node body

Connecting Nodes

Nodes communicate through connections:

Creating Connections

  1. Click and hold on an output handle
  2. Drag the connection line
  3. Release on a compatible input handle
  4. Connection is created

Connection Rules

  • Output to Input: Always connect from output (bottom) to input (top) or data connection (left)
  • Type Compatibility: There is no distinct need of type compatibility. But it is advised. Nodes try to interpret the incoming data in the format they need, for some types that might work well, for others not.
  • Single Input: Inputs accept only one connection
  • Multiple Outputs: Outputs can connect to multiple inputs

Connection Types

Data Connections

  • Transfer data between nodes
  • Examples: file paths, JSON objects, strings, numbers

Control Flow Connections

  • Determine execution order
  • Trigger downstream nodes after completion
  • Branch execution based on conditions

Deleting Connections

  • Click on a connection line to select it
  • Press Delete or Backspace

Selecting Nodes

Single Selection

  • Click on a node to select it
  • Selected nodes have a highlighted border
  • Right sidebar shows node properties

Multiple Selection

  • Box Select: Shift+Click and drag on empty canvas
  • Ctrl/Cmd+Click: Add nodes to selection

Deselecting

  • Click on empty canvas to clear selection
  • Click on a different node to select only that node

Moving Nodes

Single Node

  1. Click and hold on node header
  2. Drag to new position
  3. Release to place

Multiple Nodes

  1. Select multiple nodes
  2. Click and drag any selected node
  3. All selected nodes move together

Configuring Nodes

Opening Properties

  • Click on a node to select it
  • Right Sidebar shows all configurable parameters

Editing a Text Block in a Full Editor

Some parameters hold whole blocks of text rather than a single line — a Python or GDScript body, an SQL statement, a JSON payload, an email body. The inline field on the node shows a few rows of it; for anything longer, open it in a full editor instead:

  1. Right-click the parameter on the node
  2. Select Open in Text Editor

The parameter opens in its own tab beside the graph tabs, titled with the node and the parameter. Press Ctrl+S / Cmd+S with the cursor in the editor, or click Apply to Parameter, to write the edited text back into the parameter. The tab shows an unsaved marker from your first edit until you apply it.

Applying the text marks the graph as changed but does not save the graph — save the graph as usual to keep it on disk.

Notes:

  • Offered only for these multi-line parameters, and not while the parameter is in expression mode or driven by a connection from another node. The entry appears on the node itself, not in the Right Sidebar.
  • The graph has to have been saved at least once, so that the parameter has a graph to belong to.
  • The inline field on the node stays editable while the tab is open; whichever of the two you apply last wins.
  • The tab stays open when you switch to another graph, but it can only be edited while its own graph is the one open — it says so in place of the editor until you return to it. The same happens if the parameter is switched to an expression while its tab is open.

Copying and Duplicating Nodes

Copy and Paste

  1. Select node(s)
  2. Press Ctrl+C / Cmd+C (copy)
  3. Press Ctrl+V / Cmd+V (paste)
  4. New nodes appear offset from originals

Duplicate

  1. Select node(s)
  2. Press Ctrl+D / Cmd+D
  3. Duplicates appear immediately

What’s Copied:

  • Node type and configuration
  • Parameter values
  • Custom labels
  • Connections within the copied nodes

What’s NOT Copied:

  • Connections to other nodes outside of the selection

Node States

Nodes display different states during execution:

Idle

  • Appearance: Default colors
  • Meaning: Not currently executing

Running

  • Appearance: Glowing/pulsing animation
  • Meaning: Currently executing

Success

  • Appearance: Green indicator
  • Meaning: Executed successfully

Error

  • Appearance: Red indicator
  • Meaning: Execution failed
  • Action: Check console for error details

Special Node Types

Comment Nodes

  • Purpose: Add notes and documentation to your graph
  • Features:
    • No execution logic
    • Visual organization

Subgraph Input/Output

  • Purpose: Define entry and exit points for reusable subgraphs
  • Color: Orange border
  • Use: Advanced workflow modularization

Loop Boundaries

  • Purpose: Define loop entry and return points
  • Color: Green border
  • Nodes: Get Iterator, Loop Return

Best Practices

Configuration

  1. Test Parameters: Test with simple values first
  2. Use Vault for Secrets: Never hardcode API keys
  3. Document Complex Logic: Use comment nodes
  4. Validate Inputs: Check parameter types and formats

Troubleshooting

Parameters Disabled

  • Connected Input: Parameter is receiving data from another node
  • Disconnect the input connection to manually edit the parameter

Node Missing

  • Search Spelling: Check spelling in node search
  • Category Filter: Make sure category is expanded in sidebar
  • Feature Access: Some nodes require specific license tiers