This module covers TouchDesigner’s fundamental building blocks: Operators (or Nodes).
The OP Families
- (y-) COMP (Components): Structural containers and geometry bases.
- (y-) TOP (Texture Operators): 2D image generating and processing (GPU).
- (y-) CHOP (Channel Operators): Numbers, animation curves, logic, and audio (CPU).
- (y-) SOP (Surface Operators): 3D Points, polygons, and mesh geometry (CPU).
- (y-) DAT (Data Operators): Text, scripts, tables, and raw data protocols.
- (y-) MAT (Material Operators): Shaders and materials (Phong, PBR, GLSL).
- (y-) POP (Point Operators): Highly optimized GPU point clouds and particles.
Specific Node Deep-Dives
- (y-) Constant CHOP: Creating static named values — the building block of controllable networks.
- (y-) LFO CHOP: Oscillating signals — sine, triangle, square, ramp, and pulse waveforms.
- (y-) Math CHOP: Scaling, converting, and combining numerical data streams.
- (y-) Select CHOP: Routing and filtering data channels cleanly without wires.
- (y-) Timer CHOP: Handling triggers, countdowns, state machines, and time-based events.
- TOP): The foundation of organic movement and procedural textures.
- (y-) Geo COMP: Placing 3D geometry in the scene — transforms, materials, and instancing.
- (y-) Render TOP: Converting 3D scenes into 2D textures for display and processing.