Create Guide Index Map¶
The Create Guide Index Map node generates an integer attribute named
guide_curve_index that maps every hair curve to its nearest guide curve.
Each non-guide curve is assigned the index of the guide curve it should follow.
This guide map is used by other hair grooming nodes (for example, Braid Hair Curves, Clump Hair Curves) to organize curves into logical groups around shared guides and apply effects consistently.
Other nodes in the Hair Guides Nodes category can generate a guide map internally for convenience, but the resulting attribute is equivalent to what this node produces.
Inputs¶
- Geometry
The input geometry containing the hair curves to be grouped and, optionally, existing guide curves.
- Guides
The curves or points that can act as guides. These are the candidates that other curves will be assigned to.
- Guide Distance
The minimum spacing between chosen guides. This prevents guides from being selected too close together and helps control how large each guide’s influence region will be.
- Guide Mask
A mask that restricts which curves are allowed to become guides. Curves with a mask value of 0 cannot be selected as guides.
- Group ID
An ID used to divide the curves into independent groups for guide assignment. A curve will only select a guide that has the same Group ID value. This is useful for ensuring that different regions (for example, left vs. right side of a groom) do not mix.
Outputs¶
- Geometry
The input geometry with two additions:
A
guide_curve_indexattribute that stores, for every curve, the index of its assigned guide curve.A anonymous attribute representing the guide selection. The resulting geometry still contains both normal curves and the chosen guide curves.
- Guide Curves
A geometry output that includes only the curves selected as guides.
- Guide Index
An integer attribute giving, for each curve, the index of the closest guide curve with the same Group ID.
- Guide Selection
A boolean selection attribute that is true only for curves that were chosen as guides. This can be used to isolate, visualize, or further process the guide curves.