TouchDesigner Glossary

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Learn to Speak the Language of TouchDesigner[edit]

.toe: TOuch Environment file, the file type used by TouchDesigner to save your project.

.tox: TouchDesigner Component file, the file type used to save a Component from TouchDesigner.

Adaptive Homing: In the node viewers of Geometry COMPs and SOPs, the Adaptive Homing option will continually keep in-view the 3D geometry being displayed, even when the geometry changes shape, size and animated position.




Bookmarks: A pull-down list at the top of a network Pane containing jump-to Network Paths.

Bypass: An operator whose Bypass flag is set does nothing: All data from its first input flows through to its output unaffected.





Component or COMP: An Operator Family that contains its own Network inside. There are twelve 3D Object Component and eight 2D Panel Component types. See also Network Path.

Connector: The notch on the left and right of each Node that lets you connect a Wire from the output of one operator to the input of another operator of the same Operator Family.




Dependency: is the procedural mechanism in TouchDesigner, where if one piece of data changes, it automatically causes other operators and expressions to re-cook.

Designer Mode: You edit your networks in Designer Mode. See Perform Mode.

Dialog: Any floating window that is not a Pane or Viewer.





Extensions: Any component can be extended with its own Python classes which contain python functions and data.

Filter: Operators that have 1 or more input, like a Math CHOP, are called filters. See Generator.

Flag: (1) Indicator of certain states of an operator (bypass, display, lock), or (2) option of a Tscript command.



Frame Rate or FPS: The frame rate that TouchDesigner's Timeline uses. Equal to the Frames per Second value project.cookRate.

Gadget: The component types that are used to make Panels: Button, Slider, Field, Container, Select. Gadgets are also known as Panel Components. see also Object.

Generator: Operators that normally have 0 inputs, like a Noise CHOP, are called generators. See Filter.

Geometry: The 3D data held in SOPs and passed for rendering by the Geometry COMP.

Geometry Spreadsheet: Currently, use a SOP to DAT to look at SOP point/polygon XYZ and other attributes. Formerly a Pane type.


Global OP Shortcut: A name for a component that is accessible from any node in a project, which can be declared in a component's Global Operator Shortcut parameter.


Immune: Every node has an Immune flag. When the Immune flag is on, and the node is inside a Clone, it is not affected by any change to the clone, so you can store extra data in a clone.


Internal Operators: Internal Operators (iOPs) provide a simple shortcut to a frequently-used operator, accessing from anywhere in that component.

Internal Parameters: Internal Parameters act like local variables in a component. They provide a simple shortcut to collections of parameters that you create within a component, accessing from anywhere in that component.

Interoperability or Interops: The devices, protocols and software tools that TouchDesigner interfaces to, via native Operators and Palette components.



Link: Unlike a Wire that connects nodes in the same Operator Family, a Link is the dashed lines between nodes that represent other data flowing between nodes, like CHOP Exports, node Paths in parameters, and expressions in parameters referencing CHOP channels, DAT tables and other nodes.


Macro: A Tscript-only script that executes one or more scripting language commands. The F1 to F12 keys run macros. The F1 macro puts you in Perform Mode. See also Script, DAT and Python.

MAT or Material: An Operator Family that associates a shader with a SOP or Geometry Object for rendering textured and lit objects.

Menu Bar: The bar at the top of the Designer Mode interface that contains menus, links, status messages and other controls.

MultiTouch or Multi-Touch: Support in TouchDesigner for screens and input devices that support multiple-finger input.


Network Editor: A pane type where networks of operators can be created and edited.


Node Viewer: The viewer found on each operator in a Network Editor pane. This viewer is turned on by clicking the Viewer Flag.


OP Create Menu: The menu used to select and create a new operator or component. Can be opened by the + sign in the Pane Bar, by pressing the <Tab> key while in a Network Editor, or by clicking MMB or RMB on an operator's output connector.


Operator Family or Family: The Operator Families are TOPs, CHOPs, SOPs, MATs (Materials), DATs (data operators) and Components (Panel Gadgets and Objects).




Panel Component: The component types (e.g. Slider, Button, Field, Container) that are used to create custom control panels, also known simply as Panel or Gadget


Panel or Control Panel: A custom interactive control panel built within TouchDesigner. Panels are created using Panel Components whose look is created entirely with TOPs.


Parameter Expression: A parameter expression is a python expression that is in the expression field of a parameter.


Parameter Reference: A parameter reference can be setup between any two parameters. This creates a link between the two parameters such that when one changes, the other will change automatically (known as "constraints" in other software). A Parameter reference is a type of Link.

Parameter Value: Parameter Value refers to the constant, the expression, the bind reference and the Parameter Mode that are used together to determine the evaluated parameter value.

Parameters Dialog: A floating dialog, pane type, or dialog in a Network Editor that displays one operator's parameters.




Pattern Matching: Matching strings using wildcard characters and bracketing. Useful in "Select" parameters to select multiple operators, paths, etc.



Performance Monitor: The tool built-in to TouchDesigner that analyzes and displays what TouchDesigner is doing as it generates an image.


Playbar: A former name for Timeline. See Timeline.



Popup Help: Help message that comes up when rolling the cursor over the interface, or clicking the ? help button on the corner of each operator's Parameters page.



Procedural: Is the chain-reaction mechanism of TouchDesigner, where if one piece of data changes, it automatically causes other dependent operators and expressions to re-cook and re-generate.

Projection Mapping: A technique or workflow that allows for displaying content on often irregular shapes and surfaces.


Quad Reprojection: Quad Reprojection renders pixel-perfect perspective-correct images for flat TVs and LED panels hung at any orientation.

Reference: A Link.

Render Flag: The purple flag on COMP and SOP nodes that determines if the node will be rendered in a Render or Render Pass TOP. The operator must also be listed in the Render / Render Pass TOP's 'Geometry' parameter.












Socket.IO: Socket.IO enables real-time, bidirectional and event-based communication. It works on every platform, browser or device, focusing equally on reliability and speed. Socket.IO server apps are often created using Node.js. See SocketIO DAT.

SOP or Surface Operator: An Operator Family that reads, creates and modifies 3D polygons, curves, NURBS surfaces, spheres, meatballs and other 3D surface data.

Status Bar: The line of text at the top of the TouchDesigner window which displays messages from TouchDesigner when certain events succeed or fail.

Storage: Storage is a python dictionary in each operator, where users can store and fetch extra data.

Synth: The full project you are creating with your .toe file and all the media files it uses.

Table DAT: A form of DATs (Data Operators) that is structured as rows and columns of text strings.






Tscript: TouchDesigner's original built-in Command scripting language prior to Python.

TUIK: TouchDesigner User Interface Kit - A collection of User Interface components.








Viewer flag: Each node has a viewer flag that turns on/off the node's viewer in the Node Viewer.




Now you are fluent in Touchese.