Variant Select

Overview

Selects one entry by index from a list of variant candidates. Its main job is to step through candidates from variant_range / seed_range with index and visually compare which value works best.

Usage tips

• The basic comparison flow is variant_range → variant_select → variant_value_get → the node that consumes the typed value. Change index, then read the chosen snapshot key in the type required downstream.
• The values output (Map) is convenient when you only need values. The node also outputs names and favorite state, supporting uses similar to a candidate-management UI.
• To output every candidate at once, use batch_render. Variant Select is for inspecting candidates one at a time.

Related nodes

• variant_range / seed_range — generate candidates
• batch_render — output every candidate in a batch
• variant_value_get — extract a typed value from the selected snapshot or values Map
• value_select — simple N-way selection without variants
• cartesian_product — expand candidates along multiple axes

Read this first

• VariantSelect selects only one candidate.
• It does more than select one: importantly, it breaks the candidate into convenient outputs.

Understanding the outputs

Start with this example

Suppose a preceding VariantRange creates candidates with these settings:

• key = value
• start = 0
• end = 1
• count = 5

The candidates are:

[0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0]

Setting VariantSelect.index = 2 selects the third candidate, 0.5.

record

{
  "version": 1,
  "id": "range:value:2",
  "name": "value=0.500",
  "favorite": false,
  "snapshot": {
    "version": 1,
    "values": { "value": 0.5 }
  },
  "recipe": {
    "version": 1,
    "kind": "range",
    "label": "value",
    "parameters": {
      "key": "value",
      "start": 0.0,
      "end": 1.0,
      "count": 5,
      "value_type": "Float"
    }
  },
  "note": null
}

snapshot

{
  "version": 1,
  "values": { "value": 0.5 }
}

values

{ "value": 0.5 }

name / favorite / count

name = "value=0.500"
favorite = false
count = 5

Common uses

• Select one candidate created by VariantRange or SeedRange.
• Move index to compare candidates.
• Pass values downstream when you need only the values.

Notes

• The Inspector automatically adjusts the maximum index to the number of input candidates.
• For an empty list, the node returns only count=0 and does not send other outputs.