Would be swell if we could get vectors from the normal perturb output of a map, or scalars from the mono output. Right now we only get vectors from the color. A radio to choose which to load from a map would be perfect.
- Chad
mmnn scalars from mono would be cool for sure, seems it would be easier data to use dealing with a single 0.0 through 1.0 instead of the three vector channels, of course you won’t get a direction from the mono output but would be a great on through off
Mono output from textures doesn’t have direction anyway, so no loss. Some textures have different output for mono and color anyway, so you’d never be able to recover the mono output even if you got the color. Normal perturb is the one we specifically need right now, and that’s one where you almost always see a different output.
Logged as Ticket #245
We are adding this right now and I wondered if it would be a good idea to output a Scalar from the Mono output from usability point of view.
The implementation in the UI will give you another drop-down list in the TextureMap Input node to select the type of data you want - Color, Mono or Perturb. The first and last output a Vector. We could let Mono also output a Vector so switching the Input node would not break the flow, or make it Scalar as you requested which could potentially break the flow as you flip through the 3 modes.
I’m curious is it possible to have a switchable output? So if you wanted a vector and its 3 channels out you could choose it or if you wanted a scalar and a single float you could choose it, I don’t meybe a silly thought but thought I would ask.
We have explicit conversion nodes for this, so don’t expect variable outputs from the Input node itself.
If we decide to go with the output of the TextureMap node as Scalar, you can always connect it to a ToVector.
If the output of the TextureMap node ends up as a Vector, you can always convert that ToScalar or using one of the other operators.
The main question here is TYPICAL workflow - if we have Color and Perturb output a Vector and the node is connected in a flow that expects the Input to be Vector, switching to Mono that outputs Scalar would require manual intervention (adding a ToVector operator) to make the flow work again. But if we make the Input output a Vector for all 3 modes but Chad wants the Mono to be Scalar, he would have to add an additional node each time he makes a Mono TextureMap to convert the Vector to Scalar, which would be a PITA.
If you are using Mono as density channel data for example, Scalar would make more sense as you could connect an Input node to the Density Output node and no conversion would be needed…
We cannot do both - we have to pick the lesser evil. Darcy seems to prefer Vector/Scalar/Vector, I would prefer Vector/Vector/Vector as the output types of the TextureMap for Color/Mono/Perturb. Seeing that Chad suggested Scalar, we will probably do that for now.
I think most maps output Mono either as something completely different than Color or as just a Lightness/Luminance of the Color.
In the case of the latter, I’ve been able to convert that in KCM already. In the case of the former, I’m not sure I’d really want the Mono to be a vector unless I was intentionally converting it, perhaps to show it as color in the viewport? In those cases, I’m probably normalizing or whatever anyway.
So no, I want it to break. Typically, I’m going to want Alpha out of a bitmap, maybe 70% of the time. In those cases, I’ll be using that for density, or to elongate color, or in some other way that the scalar is perfect for.
And everything else in KCM’s is barebones, not frilly, so why start now. 
- Chad
Hear hear!
BEHOLD! Bump Mapping!
That I do know 
Only asked out of pure speculative curiosity, and as Chad mentioned KCM’s are barebones and I totally agree with don’t change it if it ain’t broken.
Are their any typical users yet besides you guys 
, since everything I do seems to start out backwards anyway… I have never minded dropping in a ToVector or ToScalar, at least we have the means to do so I guess if you had to do it a couple hundred times in a row, that would drive me f’n nuts, I guess you could just build a couple Blops
V/S/V or V/V/V , as I mentioned earlier scalars are super easy to work with, most people seem to understand a single float. Speaking for myself I could see some confusion with vector and mono, since you would only be using one of the three channels and since none of us read the great little usage examples on all of the nodes 
sexy