How to "remove an exposed parameter" but retain its current value in the graph?

[Peter23189590kry1]

Hi

Can somone helpe me with this question?

[Marco Vitale]

Can you a bit more specific. What are you intending to do? Is this exposed parameter used as value in Nodes in the graph? Do you want to have just a constant value, which is hidden for the user?

All the best Marco 

[Peter23189590kry1]

I downloaded a SBS from the Substance3D-Assets-Website in order to use this as base to make my own material. I would like to get rid of all the exposed parameters as I dont need the most of them. 
If I do it as described on the following website I loose the values that is stored in the exposed parameter
https://helpx.adobe.com/substance-3d-designer/using/exposing-parameters.html

I would like to retain its current value in the graph!

[Marco Vitale]

This is because these exposed values are used in Nodes inside the graph, when you remove the parameter, these nodes don't know what value they should use, because the reference value is missing.

There are two possibilities, to get rid of these parameters:

1.  You can identify the Nodes, which are using the parameter and set the values by hand, for smaller graphs, this would be the clean way, but also very complicated, if there are multiple Nodes using these values or use them in functions etc.
2.  The other possibility, I have in mind is to just hide this parameter for the user, this is the quick and dirty way, but should give you the result, you want to achieve. To hide a parameter you just set the "Visible If" to a False condition. like 1==0.

I hope this helps Stay healthy and creative

All the best Marco

[Luca Giarrizzo]

Hello,

Thank you for sharing this request. We are aware users wish to modify SBS files acquired from the Substance 3D assets catalogue, and that involves removing all exposed parameters without changing the result of the graph.

However, turning all exposed parameters in a graph into constants is technically challenging to do reliably. Discussions about this topic have started earlier this year and we are still in the process of deciding how and when we want to tackle this. 

For now, the most straightforward way to do this is by hand, as suggested by @Marco Vitale. To facilitate this, you may use the 'Node finder' tool to search for parameter identifiers. This will let you find nodes where exposed parameters are being used, in most cases.

I appreciate your patience.

Best regards.

[Marco Vitale]

Because this is obviously a big thing for a lot of users, I made a little plugin to find all the nodes using a exposed parameter and replaces it by a constant value. Download it from gumroad for free (https://marcovitale.gumroad.com/l/mvexposedparameters)

Stay Healthy and creative Marco

[Peter23189590kry1]

Hi Marco,

thanks a lot for this plugin!! How cool is that! Great work!

Would be great if there was a way to restore the adjustability as well!
At the moment there is still the "blue colored" Parameters (red arrow) that are not adjustable.

Would be great to have the adjustability back (green arrow)

Best regards
Peter

[Marco Vitale]

Hey Peter,

I'm glad it works for you, I'm working on a new version at the moment, which does exactly that. I still have some cleanups to do, but I hope to finish this version as soon as possible.

Thank you for your patience.

Stay healthy and creative Marco