VEX Wrangle Snippets

Translate

Offset the position of geometry

vex_offset_position.hiplc

@P += {1, 0, 0};

Taper

Reduces the circumference by scaling along the XZ plane based on the height of the geometry.

taper_vex_001.hiplc

float taper = relbbox(0,@P).y;
// Remap the taper range
taper = fit01(taper, 1, fit01(sin(@Time*PI/5)*0.5+0.5, 2.5, .5));
// Apply the taper by scaling along the X and Y axis
@P *= set(taper,1,taper);

Boxify

Distorts the geometry, morphing it into a box shape

vex_boxify_001.hiplc

vector centroid = getbbox_center(0);
vector size = getbbox_size(0);
size = min(size); // Largest component
@P -= centroid;
@P *= (1.0/size);
@P = lerp(@P, @P+clamp(normalize(@P)*1.75,vector(-1),vector(1)) * (1.0-length(max(abs(@P)))), chf('blend'));
@P *= size;
@P += centroid;

Spherify

Distorts the geometry into a sphere shape

vex_spherify_001.hiplc

vector centroid = getbbox_center(0);
vector size = getbbox_size(0);
size = min(size); // Largest component
@P -= centroid;
@P *= (1.0/size);
@P = lerp(@P, normalize(@P), chf('blend'));
@P *= size;
@P += centroid;

Stretch

Stretch the geometry across it's X axis

Add one component of position to itself to stretch the geometry away from it's center. You can control the amount of stretching by multiplying the position before adding it to itself.

vex_stretch_001.hiplc

vector centroid = getbbox_center(0);
@P -= centroid;
@P.x += @P.x*chf('amt');
@P += centroid;

Shape Blending

Blend between point attributes to produce a morph effect

vex_position_blend.hiplc

@P = lerp(@P, @opinput1_P, chf('blend'));
@N = lerp(@N, @opinput1_N, chf('blend'));

Snap to Grid

Snap (quantize) point positions to a grid for a downres effect

File:vex_snap_to_grid.hiplc

float grid_scale = chf('grid_scale');
@P = rint(@P*grid_scale)/grid_scale;

Make 2D

You can use the setcomp function to zero out a component of a vector, resulting in a two dimensional surface.

vex_setcomp.hiplc

// Set the X component to zero, making the geometry 2D in the YZ plane.
setcomp(@P, 0, 0);

// Set the Y component to zero, making the geometry 2D in the XZ plane.
setcomp(@P, 0, 1);

// Set the Z component to zero, making the geometry 2D in the XY plane.
setcomp(@P, 0, 2);

Swizzle Coordinate System

Shuffle the components of a vector using swizzle

vex_swizzle_vector_components.hiplc

@P = @P.zyx;

Twirl

Twirl the geometry around the Y axis

vex_twirl.hiplc

float a = chf('angle') * length(@P * {1, 0, 1});
float u = atan2(@P.x, @P.z);
float r = length(@P * {1, 0, 1});
@P = set(sin(u-a), @P.y, cos(u-a)) * set(r,1,r);

Peak

Move the surface along it's normals, producing an inflation effect

vex_push_surface_along_normals.hip

@P += normalize(@P) * chf('scale');

Exploded View

Moves each packed piece outward from the geometry centroid

vex_exploded_view.hiplc

@P += (@P - getbbox_center(0)) * chf('scale');

Point Jitter

Jitter each point by a random spherical direction

@P += sample_sphere_uniform(rand(@elemnum+chf('seed'))) * chf('scale');

Plexus Effect

Connect nearby points

foreach(int pt; nearpoints(0, @P, 0.5, 250))    {
    if(pt > @ptnum)
        addprim(0, 'polyline', @ptnum, pt);
}

Connect to Nearest Point

Draw a line to the closest point of the second input

addprim(0, 'polyline', @ptnum, addpoint(0, vector(point(1,'P',nearpoint(1,@P)))) );

Connect to Closest Surface Position

Draw a line to the closest surface position

addprim(0, 'polyline', @ptnum, addpoint(0, minpos(1,@P) );

Randomize the Rotation of Packed Primitives

Update the transform intrinsic to a random orientation

vector r = sample_direction_uniform(rand(@primnum));
matrix3 x = primintrinsic(0,'transform',i@primnum);
rotate(x, PI*pow(rand(@primnum-666),0.5), r);
setprimintrinsic(0,'transform',i@primnum,x);

Randomize the Scale of Packed Primitives

Update the transform intrinsic to a apply a random scale

vector s = rand(i@primnum);
s = s.yyy;  // Uniform Scale
matrix3 x = primintrinsic(0,'transform',i@primnum);
scale(x, s);
setprimintrinsic(0,'transform',i@primnum,x);

Random Color from Normal Direction

Generate random colors based on the surface normal, adjust the multiplier to control the amount of colors

v@Cd = rand(rint(v@N*8));

Iterative Face Insetting

Recursive divide and inset edges, via @d_gfx, excellent use of arrays

int pts[] = primpoints(0,@primnum); vector pos[];
int edge_div_pts[]; vector edge_div_pos[];
foreach( int pt; pts ) 
    append(pos, vector(point(0,'P',pt)));
for( int i = 0; i < chi('iterations'); i++ )    {
    resize(edge_div_pts,0); // empty
    resize(edge_div_pos,0); // empty
    for( int j = 0; j < len(pts); j++ ) {
        append(edge_div_pos, lerp( pos[j], pos[(j+1)%len(pts)], chf('div_ratio') ));
        append(edge_div_pts, addpoint(0, edge_div_pos[-1])); // [-1] grabs the last item from an array
    }
    for (int k = 0; k < len(pts); k++ ) {
        addprim(0, 'poly', pts[k], edge_div_pts[k], edge_div_pts[(k+2)%len(pts)]);
    }
    pts = edge_div_pts;
    pos = edge_div_pos;
}
addprim(0, 'poly', edge_div_pts);
removeprim(0,@primnum,1); // Remove the input prim and any points belonging to it

Iridescent Color Function

Produce an iridescent color ramp from any varying value, from shadertoy

vex_iridescent.hiplc

float amt = dot(@N, set(0,1,0))*0.5+0.5;
v@Cd =  (0.5 + 0.5 * cos( PI*2*( amt + set(0,1,2)/3) ) );

Rainbow Colors from HSV Colorspace

You can easily control the hue, while keeping the saturation and value the same using the hsvtorgb function.

This allows you to easily create rainbows, gradients, perform hue rotations and produce complimentary colors.

vex_hsvtorgb_rainbow_001.hiplc

v@Cd = hsvtorgb( set(relbbox(0,@P).z - @Time/5 + dot(@N,set(0,1,0))/2, 1, 1));

Rainbow Cycle with frac function

Using the frac function, you can cycle through a rainbow over a desired amount of elements.

This is then offset by adding the current time to the fractional value, which produces the scrolling effect.

vex_frac_rainbow_cycle_001.hiplc

v@Cd = hsvtorgb(set(frac(@elemnum/8.0)+@Time/10, 1, 1));

Loop Over All Attributes

string pt_attrs[] = detailintrinsic(1,'pointattributes');
foreach( string pt_attr; pt_attrs ) {
    if( pt_attr ~= 'attr_name*' ) {
        setpointgroup(0, pt_attr, @ptnum, 1);
    }
}

Remove Faces Across Bounding Box

if( relbbox(0,@P).x < rand(@primnum) )
    removeprim(0,@primnum,1);

Torus Knot

Online Knot Viewer

float u = float(@ptnum)/(@numpt-1);
u += @Time/10.0;
u %= 1.0;
u *= PI * 2;
float r = 2.0;
float q = 2;
float p = 3;
f@u = u;
@P.x += cos(u*q) * (cos(u*p)+r);
@P.y += sin(u*q) * (cos(u*p)+r);
@P.z += sin(u*p);

Remap Grid to Circle

Working with polar coordinates to map a square onto a circle.

vex_map_grid_to_circle.hiplc

@P += {0.5, 0.5, 0}; // Remap the grid to zero to one range
float theta = @P.x;
float radius = @P.y/2;
@P = 0;
@P.x = sin(theta*PI*2 ) * radius;
@P.y = cos(theta*PI*2 ) * radius;

Remap Grid to Sphere

Working with polar coordinates to map a square onto a sphere.

vex_map_grid_to_sphere.hiplc

@P += {0.5, 0.5, 0}; // Remap the grid to zero to one range
float phi = @P.x;
float theta = 1.0-@P.y;
@P.x = sin(theta*PI*1 ) * cos(phi*PI*2 )/2;
@P.z = sin(theta*PI*1 ) * sin(phi*PI*2 )/2;
@P.y = cos(theta*PI*1 )/2;

Make a Quad

int prim = addprim(0,'poly');
addvertex(0,prim,addpoint(0,set(0,0,0)) );
addvertex(0,prim,addpoint(0,set(1,0,0)) );
addvertex(0,prim,addpoint(0,set(1,0,1)) );
addvertex(0,prim,addpoint(0,set(0,0,1)) );

Make a Grid

for(int i = 0; i<8; i++)    {
    for(int j = 0; j<8; j++)    {
        int prim = addprim(0,'poly');
        addvertex(0,prim,addpoint(0,set(i,0,j)) );
        addvertex(0,prim,addpoint(0,set(i+1,0,j)) );
        addvertex(0,prim,addpoint(0,set(i+1,0,j+1)) );
        addvertex(0,prim,addpoint(0,set(i,0,j+1)) );
    }
}

Make a Circle

This example shows how you can generate a circle or N sided polygon using a for loop, sin and cos.

Run the code in detail mode with an attribute wrangle.

This is essentially the same idea as the circle node but hopefully a beneficial example to see how this type of geometry is generated via VEX.

vex_make_circle_001.hiplc

int prim = addprim(0,'poly');
int seg = chi('segments');
for( int i = 0; i<seg; i++ )  {
    float u = float(i)/seg * 2*PI;
    addvertex(0, prim, addpoint(0, set(sin(u),0,cos(u))) );
}

Groups to Attribute

From zybrand

//convert numbered groups to a numbered attribute
string groups[] = detailintrinsic(0, "primitivegroups");
int prim = @primnum;
string elemnum;

foreach(string i; groups)
{
    //if the current primitive is in group i
    if(inprimgroup(0,i,prim) == 1)
    {
        elemnum = re_find(r"\d{3,6}",i);
    }
}
s@number = elemnum;

Looping Curl Noise

It's possible to achieve seamless looping animation from curl noise by blending between two noises.

In this example one noise function is evaluated at the current time, and a second noise function is evaluated at the time shifted back by the desired loop duration.

The result of these two noise functions are blended from one to the other over the duration.

vex_looping_noises.hiplc

// Position x Frequency
vector p = @P*0.5;
// Speed
float s = 0.5;
// Loop Length (in seconds)
float l = 5;
// Time % duration
float t = (@Time%l);
// Blending
vector v0 = curlgxnoise(p + set(0,0,0,t*s));
vector v1 = curlgxnoise(p + set(0,0,0,(t-l)*s));
@P += lerp(v0,v1,frac(@Time/l)) * 0.35;