Publish and use a module

Once your rigging module is functional, it's important to finalize it so that it can be reused or shared with others.

Finalizing and Publishing the Module

Before a module is used in production, take time to clean it up and prepare it for publishing.

Review exposed parameters

If your module has parameters that control logic in user_setup or user_animation, make sure they are exposed at the top level of the compound. This allows you to adjust behavior later, even after the module has been published.

For reference, the root_module and arm_module examples expose parameters under a Setup port group to control key parts of their user_setup.

Publish the module compound

When your module is ready, you can publish it. To publish a module:

1. Click on the three dots at the top of your module and select Publish "my_custom_module"....
2. Use the Browse button to set the file path.
3. Define the name and namespace of your module.
4. Click on Publish to complete the process.

Once published, the module can be created via the Tab menu or the Node Library, and its JSON file can be distributed.

A Note on Performance

Rigging Modules can become expensive to evaluate if development settings are left enabled. For optimal performance, be mindful of two key features: Edit Mode and Diagnostics.

Edit Mode

Every module includes an edit_mode parameter that, when enabled, forces key parts of the module, such as the user_setup, or look-up operations in the find_* nodes used inside user_animation, to be recomputed on every graph evaluation.

This is essential while editing a module, as it ensures that changes to the structure, initial state, or parenting rules are always reflected immediately.

However, leaving edit_mode enabled during animation leads to significant performance degradation. When disabled, the module will automatically cache results and skip unnecessary recomputation.

• Enable edit_mode when:

  • You are modifying internal logic in user_setup or user_animation.
  • You are tweaking exposed parameters that are directly affecting the user_setup logic, or find_* nodes used inside user_animation.

• Disable edit_mode when:

  • A module is ready to be used for rigging and animation and you want to maximize performance.

Diagnostics

Modules support optional visual debugging via the Diagnostics port group and the terminal D flag. These toggles allow you to display pins, controls, joints, and their respective transforms directly in the viewport.

This is useful for inspecting what a module generates and how it behaves during development, but keeping diagnostics active during animation can lead to significant performance degradation.

Unless you are actively debugging a module, be sure to disable the diagnostics D flag and related display settings to maintain optimal performance.