Create Engine COMP
create_engine_compCreate an Engine COMP to load an external .tox file in an isolated subprocess with independent cook and GPU thread, ideal for hosting heavy or unstable TouchDesigner subgraphs.
Instructions
Drop a TouchDesigner Engine COMP that loads an external .tox in a separate TD subprocess — an independent crash domain with its own cook + (optionally) a second GPU thread, ideal for hosting heavy or unstable subgraphs. Sets the .tox file, optional reload pulse (re-pulls the .tox once), perform-mode override, and color-map toggle. The .tox's own outTOP/outCHOP/outSOP/outDAT operators surface as connectors on the Engine COMP for downstream wiring. Complements make_portable_tox (which produces the shippable .tox). Note: sub-process spin-up forks a TD process — the first cook can be multi-second on slow disks; that is not a hang. par.reload / par.usecolormap / par.performmode are guarded with hasattr so unverified par names degrade to warnings rather than throwing.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| name | No | Node name for the new Engine COMP. | engine1 |
| parent_path | No | Parent COMP path the Engine COMP is created inside (default '/project1'). | /project1 |
| tox_path | Yes | Path to the .tox file the sub-engine loads. Forward-slash recommended; absolute or project-relative. | |
| reload | No | When true, pulse the Engine COMP's reload par so the .tox is re-pulled once at creation. | |
| use_color_map | No | Mirror the Engine COMP's color-map toggle (UNVERIFIED par name 'usecolormap' — guarded with hasattr). | |
| perform_mode | No | 'on' forces the sub-engine to cook in perform mode; 'off' forces it off; 'auto' leaves the par at its default. (UNVERIFIED par name 'performmode' — guarded with hasattr). | auto |