Expression Vec2

Overview

Produces one 2D vector (Vec2) from a short expression. Its current main path is to reuse vector calculations through the vec input of another Expression node or of list_map / list_filter.

Usage tips

• The go-to moving coordinates are vec2(sin(time*pi*2), cos(time*pi*2)) for circular motion and vec2(time * 32, 0) for horizontal scrolling. Pass the result to another Expression node's vec input and read its components with x(vec) / y(vec).
• Round offsets to integers to keep pixel art stable: vec2(floor(x), floor(y)).
• It is also useful simply to combine two numbers into a Vec2 (a number-to-Vec2 conversion point).

Related nodes

• expression_float / expression_bool — reuse the result through their vec input
• list_map / list_filter — reuse the result through the list expression's vec input
• time_source — supplies time (the expression's built-in time is also available)

Read this first

• The x, y, vec, and flag names here are separate from variables created in the Variables panel.
• They are the input pin names of the Expression node itself.
• You can also enter x, y, vec_x, vec_y, and flag directly in the Inspector.
• To use a variable from the Variables panel, retrieve it with Variable Ref or a similar node and connect it to the relevant input pin.
• When a value is connected to an input pin, the input-pin value takes precedence over the Inspector value.
• Unconnected inputs use the following values:
  • x, y = 0
  • vec = [vec_x, vec_y]
  • flag = false

Available features

• Variables: x, y, vec, vx, vy, flag, time, frame, total_frames
• Operators: + - * / %, == != < <= > >=, && || !
• Functions: min, max, clamp, abs, floor, ceil, round, sign, sin, cos, tan, sqrt, pow, lerp, vec2, x, y, length, if

Common expressions

• vec2(x, y)
• vec2(x + 1, y - 1)
• vec + vec2(2, 0)
• if(flag, vec2(1, 0), vec2(0, 1))

Concrete examples

Example 1: Convert coordinates directly to Vec2

• Set x to 1
• Set y to 2
• expression = vec2(x, y)

value = [1, 2]

Example 2: Add an offset

• Set x to 1
• Set y to 2
• expression = vec2(x + 1, y + 2)

value = [2, 4]

When to use it

• When you want to reuse vector math across Expression or List expressions
• When you want to keep two components together, then split them with x(vec) / y(vec) in a later expression

Notes

• Make sure the expression can ultimately be converted to Vec2.
• When unsure, explicitly writing vec2(...) is safest.
• The primary Transform and Path nodes currently have no input that accepts Vec2 directly. Pass the components as separate numbers when needed.
• && / || and if short-circuit. Reversed clamp bounds are swapped, sign(0) = 0, and % is a non-negative Euclidean remainder. Division or modulo by zero and sqrt of a negative value produce an error.
• While you type an expression, the incomplete intermediate text is evaluated immediately, so an error may appear temporarily.