NodeMaterial, how to interface with properties

Another topic extracted from https://github.com/mrdoob/three.js/issues/7522 and https://github.com/mrdoob/three.js/issues/14252

When i look at the example here: https://github.com/mrdoob/three.js/blob/dev/examples/webgl_materials_nodes.html#L361-L367

I’m experiencing cognitive overload when i read this code. For every material prop .foo there seems to be a corresponding .node.foo node.

This means that every property .foo that i have on Material now, will no longer be Texture,Color,Vector2,Float etc. but all will be Node.

Every .foo property will thus have to be accessed through .foo.value which is very similar to ShaderMaterial.uniforms.

What kind of an interface can i expect with NodeMaterial moving to /src?

[donmccurdy]

The crux of the problem is that no documentation has yet been written. Certainly we should fix that. There is no need for an open-ended issue discussing how to use NodeMaterial or a theoretical backward-compatible wrapper, unless it is feedback on code that is already checked in. Sorry to be terse, these are too many tangents and resurrections of previous threads, and it is becoming disruptive to the aspects of NodeMaterial that require more focused discussion.

[pailhead]

The checked in code can be seen here: https://github.com/mrdoob/three.js/blob/dev/examples/webgl_materials_nodes.html#L361-L367

The feedback is:

why are inputs one level detached from the material. Why .prop.value and not just .prop?