Procedural Compositing with Batch > Batch Processing >

# Duplicating Batch Nodes

You can keep two nodes in the schematic in sync by creating a Duplicate link between them. When you change the settings of one node, they are automatically duplicated on the other node.

You can use Duplicate links for nodes connected to mono clips or to clips containing stereo tracks. For stereo tracks, any changes made with a linked node to the layer of one eye are automatically duplicated on the other eye. For mono clips, any changes made with a linked node to one clip are automatically duplicated on the other clips.

To duplicate nodes, the nodes must be of the same type. For example, you can link between Flip nodes but not between a Flip node and a Colour Correct node. As well, for some nodes, the sources must share the same resolution and/or bit depth. If duplicated nodes do not support sources of differing resolutions and/or bit depth, an error message appears in the message bar.

Note that the following nodes cannot be duplicated.

Action | Modular Keyer
Coloured Frame | Paint
Keyer | Text

When you create a Duplicate link between nodes, the original node becomes the master. You can modify either the master node or the duplicated node and the other node is simultaneously updated. However, only the channels of the master node are displayed in the Channel Editor since the channels of the duplicated node are identical to those of the master. If you break the Duplicate link, the channels of both nodes appear. However, the values of the duplicated node are not restored. They keep the values of the master node.

If you copy duplicate nodes, one of the following occurs depending on whether you copied the master node or the duplicated node:

- If you copy the master node, only the master node is copied.
- If you copy the duplicated node, only the duplicated node is copied, but the Duplicate link is recreated between the copy and the master.
- If you copy the master and duplicate nodes, both nodes are copied.

When using duplicate nodes with mono clips, you must create the Duplicate links manually. When using duplicate nodes with a clip containing a stereo track, you can create the Duplicate links manually or have them created automatically using a stereo group node.

To create a Duplicate link using a stereo group node:

1. Press Shift+S and drag a node from the node bin to the schematic.

   A stereo group node containing left eye and right eye inputs appears in the schematic.

   (a) Left eye input(b) Right eye input

2. Connect the left and right eye inputs of the stereo group node to the clip node’s left and right eye outputs, as shown in the following example.
   TipUse the Advanced Autolink feature to connect the input tabs. See Connecting Nodes.

   (a) Clip containing stereo track(b) Left eye output tab(c) Left eye input tab (d) Right eye input tab (e) Right eye output tab

3. Double-click the stereo group node or click Edit in the Group List menu.
   NoteStereo group nodes have the same functionality as regular Batch group nodes (see Grouping Nodes). However, the Node List box only displays the option for accessing the master node’s menu since the menu settings of the duplicated node are identical to those of the master node.

   Another schematic opens containing two nodes of the same type as the one you dragged from the node bin. A green-arrowed dotted line indicates that the nodes are linked as duplicates.

   (a) Master node(b) Duplicate link (c) Duplicate node

4. Change the settings of either node.

   Notice that the changes made to one node are duplicated on the other node so that both the left and right eye clips are affected simultaneously.

   (a) Flip node connected to left eye is edited(b) Settings are automatically duplicated on Flip node connected to right eye

5. Click Exit Group.
6. Select the Stereo group node and press Shift+up or down arrow to toggle between the left eye and right eye outputs.

To create a Duplicate link between nodes connected to mono clips:

1. From the Edit Mode box, select Duplicate (or press spacebar+W).
2. In the schematic, drag between nodes of the same type.

   A green-arrowed dotted line indicates that the nodes are linked as duplicates. The direction of the arrow indicates which node is the master.

   (a) Duplicate link(b) Master node(b) Duplicate link(d) Duplicated nodes

   TipWhile in Move mode, you can also create a Duplicate link by pressing Shift+W and dragging from one node to another so that the nodes touch. Press Shift+Alt+W to reverse the link direction.
3. Connect each node to a mono clip.
4. Change the settings of any node.

   Notice that the settings made to one node are duplicated on the other nodes so that all connected mono clips are affected simultaneously. In the following example, duplicated CC6 node is edited. Master CC5 node and duplicated CC7 node are updated with the same changes.

   (a) Edited node