Frequently Asked Questions¶

Common questions and answers about Nodo.

General¶

What is Nodo?¶

Nodo is a procedural 3D modeling application that uses node-based workflows. Instead of manually pushing vertices, you create geometry by connecting nodes that perform operations (create shapes, transform, combine, etc.).

Who is Nodo for?¶

• 3D Artists - Create procedural models for games, film, architecture
• Game Developers - Build modular, parameterized assets
• Technical Artists - Automate repetitive modeling tasks
• Designers - Explore variations quickly with parametric controls
• 3D Print Enthusiasts - Generate customizable designs

Is Nodo free?¶

Nodo is commercial software. Check the official website for pricing and licensing options.

What platforms does Nodo support?¶

• Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
• Linux Ubuntu 20.04+ and compatible distributions

macOS is not currently supported.

Installation & Setup¶

Where do I download Nodo?¶

Download from the official website: nodo3d.com

What are the system requirements?¶

Minimum: - Dual-core CPU (2 GHz+) - 4 GB RAM - OpenGL 3.3+ graphics card

Recommended: - Quad-core CPU (3 GHz+) - 8 GB+ RAM - Dedicated GPU with 2 GB VRAM

See Installation Guide for details.

I get "Failed to initialize OpenGL" error¶

Your graphics card or drivers don't support OpenGL 3.3+.

Solutions: - Update your graphics drivers to the latest version - Check if your GPU supports OpenGL 3.3 (released 2010) - For Intel integrated graphics, ensure drivers are up to date

Nodo crashes on startup (Windows)¶

You may be missing Visual C++ Runtime libraries.

Solution: Download and install Visual C++ Redistributable

The viewport is blank/black¶

Possible causes: 1. No geometry is created yet - Add a node from the Generator category 2. Camera needs adjustment - Press A to frame all geometry 3. All nodes have errors - Check for red error indicators 4. Display toggles are off - Check viewport toolbar buttons

Where are my settings/projects saved?¶

Windows: %APPDATA%/Nodo/NodoStudio/ Linux: ~/.config/Nodo/NodoStudio/

Recent files list and UI preferences are stored here.

Working with Nodes¶

How do I add a node?¶

1. Open Node Library panel (left side)
2. Expand a category (Generator, Modifier, etc.)
3. Click a node to add it to the graph

Or use the context menu: Right-click in node graph → Add Node

How do I connect nodes?¶

1. Click and drag from an output pin (right side of node)
2. Release on an input pin (left side of another node)

A curved line appears showing the connection.

How do I delete a node?¶

Select the node and press Del or Backspace.

Or right-click → Delete.

How do I delete a connection?¶

• Single-click the connection to select it, then press Del
• Right-click the connection → Delete Connection

How do I duplicate a node?¶

Select the node and press Ctrl+D.

Or right-click → Duplicate.

Can I copy/paste nodes?¶

Yes! - Copy: Ctrl+C - Paste: Ctrl+V - Cut: Ctrl+X

Works across different scenes too.

What do the node colors mean?¶

• Green indicator - Node is valid, no errors
• Red indicator - Node has an error (hover to see message)
• Yellow indicator - Warning (non-critical issue)
• Orange highlight - Node is selected

My node has a red error indicator¶

Hover over the error indicator to see the error message. Common causes:

• Missing required input connections
• Invalid parameter values (e.g., radius = 0)
• Geometry operation failed (e.g., invalid boolean)

How do I rename a node?¶

Double-click the node's title bar and type a new name.

Parameters & Expressions¶

How do I edit a parameter?¶

1. Select a node in the graph
2. The Property Panel (right side) shows its parameters
3. Click a value to edit, or drag to scrub

What is Expression Mode?¶

Expression Mode lets you use math formulas instead of fixed values.

Enable it: - Click the ≡ button next to the parameter - Button changes to # and a text field appears - Type your expression and press Enter

The parameter turns blue when the expression is valid.

What can I write in expressions?¶

Basic math:

2 + 2
sin(45) * 2
max(10, 20)

Reference other parameters:

ch("../other_node/radius")
ch("radius") * 2

See Expression Syntax for full reference.

How do I reference another parameter?¶

Use ch("path/to/parameter"):

ch("../sphere/radius")      # Reference sibling node's radius
ch("../../control")         # Reference parent's parameter

What math functions are available?¶

Trigonometry: sin, cos, tan, asin, acos, atan Math: sqrt, pow, abs, min, max, floor, ceil, round Utility: clamp, lerp, smoothstep

See Math Functions for complete list.

Can I animate parameters?¶

Not yet. Animation support (timeline, keyframes) is planned for a future version.

The $F variable (frame number) exists in expressions but currently always returns 0.

Viewport¶

How do I navigate the viewport?¶

How do I frame my geometry?¶

• A or Home - Frame all geometry
• F - Frame selected node's output

Or use the Fit View button in viewport toolbar.

How do I toggle wireframe?¶

Click the Wireframe button in the viewport toolbar (top-right).

You can have both wireframe and shading on at the same time.

What are the viewport display toggles?¶

In the viewport toolbar:

• ● Vertices - Show geometry points
• ─ Edges - Show edge wireframe
• ↑V Vertex Normals - Display normal arrows
• ↑F Face Normals - Display face normals
• # Point Numbers - Number each vertex
• ⊕ Grid - Show ground grid

The viewport is slow/laggy¶

For complex geometry:

1. Turn off Vertex Normals and Face Normals (expensive to draw)
2. Use Wireframe mode instead of shaded
3. Hide the Grid if not needed
4. Consider using a Cache node to freeze expensive operations

File Operations¶

What file format does Nodo use?¶

Nodo uses .nfg (Nodo Graph) files to save your node networks.

This is a JSON-based format that stores: - All nodes and their parameters - Connections between nodes - Graph parameter definitions - UI layout preferences

How do I save my work?¶

File → Save Scene (Ctrl+S)

Choose a location and filename. The .nfg extension is added automatically.

Can I export geometry?¶

Yes! Use an Export node (IO category):

1. Add Export node to graph
2. Connect geometry to it
3. Select the Export node
4. Set File Path and Format
5. The geometry is exported when the node evaluates

What export formats are supported?¶

• OBJ - Wavefront OBJ (widely compatible)
• STL - Stereolithography (3D printing)
• PLY - Polygon File Format (supports vertex colors)
• glTF - GL Transmission Format (modern, with materials)

Can I import geometry?¶

Yes! Use a File node (IO category):

1. Add File node to graph
2. Set File Path to your model file
3. Supported formats: OBJ, STL, PLY, glTF, OFF

The imported geometry can be modified with other nodes.

Where are recent files shown?¶

File → Recent Projects shows the last 10 opened .nfg files.

Click one to quickly reopen it.

Common Issues¶

Undo doesn't work / History is lost¶

Undo/Redo is fully supported for: - Adding/deleting nodes - Changing parameters - Creating/deleting connections

If undo seems broken: - Make sure you're using Ctrl+Z - Check if the action is undoable (file operations aren't)

Parameter changes don't update the viewport¶

The graph should auto-update. If it doesn't:

1. Check if the node has an error indicator
2. Ensure nodes are connected to an Output node (or visible node)
3. Try selecting a different node and back

If the issue persists, try reloading the scene.

Boolean operations fail¶

Boolean operations (Union, Subtract, Intersect) require:

• Manifold geometry - No holes, self-intersections, or non-closed surfaces
• Valid input - Both inputs must be solid geometry

Common fixes: - Use Merge instead if you just want to combine meshes - Check input geometry for errors - Try simplifying geometry before boolean

Nodes won't connect¶

Check that: - You're dragging from output pin (right side) to input pin (left side) - The target node accepts that input type - The target input pin isn't already connected (disconnect first)

Copy to Points isn't working¶

Ensure: - Input 0 has points/geometry to copy TO - Input 1 has the geometry to BE copied - Point positions exist in input 0

Expression shows error¶

Common expression errors:

• Syntax error - Check parentheses, commas, quotes
• Unknown function - Function name misspelled
• Invalid reference - ch() path is wrong
• Type mismatch - Trying to use string in math operation

Hover the parameter to see the error message.

Performance¶

How do I make Nodo faster?¶

1. Use Cache nodes - Freeze expensive operations
2. Reduce geometry complexity - Lower subdivision/resolution on generators
3. Disable viewport features - Turn off normals, point numbers
4. Use Switch nodes - Disable branches you're not working on

What's the geometry limit?¶

There's no hard limit, but performance depends on your hardware.

General guidelines: - < 100k vertices - Real-time editing on most systems - 100k - 1M vertices - May lag on complex operations - > 1M vertices - Consider using Cache nodes, or work in pieces

Does Nodo use GPU acceleration?¶

Currently, geometry operations run on CPU. The viewport uses GPU for rendering.

GPU-accelerated geometry operations are planned for future versions.

Keyboard Shortcuts¶

See the Keyboard Shortcuts page for a complete reference.

Essential shortcuts:

Getting Help¶

Where can I find more documentation?¶

• Quick Start Guide - 30-minute tutorial
• Interface Overview - UI walkthrough
• Node Reference - All 44 nodes documented
• Expression System - Math and scripting

How do I report a bug?¶

Contact support through the official website with: - Description of the issue - Steps to reproduce - Your Nodo version (Help → About) - Operating system

How do I request a feature?¶

Submit feature requests through the official website. Include: - What you want to accomplish - Why it would be useful - Example use cases

Is there a community forum?¶

Check the official website for community links and discussion forums.

Advanced¶

Can I write custom nodes?¶

Not currently. Plugin/extension API is planned for future versions.

Can I script Nodo?¶

Not yet. Headless/scripting API is under development.

The expression system provides math scripting within parameters.

What geometry kernel does Nodo use?¶

Nodo uses Manifold for robust boolean operations and mesh processing.

Is there a command-line interface?¶

Not in the current version. CLI support is planned for batch processing workflows.

Still have questions? Contact support through the official website.