Don't Guess! The Map Range Node Visualized in Blender

[@kebrus]

I want to point out two small mistakes and one important omission on the video. I know you said the visualization wasn't completely correct but I still think it's worth pointing out that the drivers setup and explanation lead into a math mistake. The first mistake is at around 5:00, you say how by having the "From Max" at 0.5 makes the input max value (which is at 1 in the example) turn into 1.5. This is wrong, it's exactly 2. I didn't checked the drivers setup to see what is wrong with it but most likely the math is wrong there. The way that node works means that a value range of [0, 0.5] becomes [0, 1] which means that by extrapolating the range [0, 1] should go exactly to [0, 2]. The second issue is with the clamp explanation. Clamp does not limit the value between 0 to 1 and it doesn't has anything to do how the principle BSDF or stuff like that. Clamp limits the output to the "to min" and "to max" values, so it happens at that point in time in the explanation the values are indeed 0 and 1, but if values were -1 and 2 it would clamp to those instead so you could still mess up any other following node configuration by having values outside of the "allowed ones". The reason clamps is sometimes useful is related to my final point and critique of your omission. Finally, one omission is the explanation of the first parameter of the node, if you click on it is says "interpolation type" and throughout the whole video you have it at "linear". Interpolation is a math operation where you guess the "inbetween" values of something using a mathematical equation. And linear is just the type of equation used, linear here means that values travel from and to, well... linearly, if you want to picture this using this video example it would mean that you would connect the from and to, min and max value with a straight line, not with a curve, in fact, one of the options in the interpolation type list is "smooth step" which uses a hermite interpolation equation which actually resembles the curve the video shows. So basically throughout the whole video you are showing a preview of the operation more closely resembling the smooth step type while having the node and actual texture preview using the linear mode. And the reason I said this was related to my second point is because the math being done here can actually calculate the value outside of the provided range, this is called "extrapolation", so by having clamp turned off imagine having the blue curve continue in whatever direction it was before reaching the "to" values which sometime leads to unwanted results, that's when clamp comes in hand. my two cents, the video is still good helping explaining visually what the node does, I just wanted to share these corrections in case someone stumbles across issues with them cheers

[@Edgard422]

I was wondering why the value just went up to 1.5 instead of 2, I was assuming he was right and that the node just "stretchs" everything between the range ("map range" made sense) and that it only offsets everything outside it. I was then confused when he told that the outside values were extrapolated, so I didn't know what to believe. I hope they can reupload this video with the correct explanation.

[@zetsology]

Sounds logical. In your opinion, what is the best place to start learning math again, online, and at the same time understand how to apply it in Python and maybe even nodes? I really feel like I have missed a lot or at least forgot a lot. Thanks.

[@cg_cookie]

Thank you for the thorough corrections! You are right - my equation for the drivers was incorrect. I may reupload with corrections in the future, but in the meantime I'll pin this comment so that it's the most visible.

[@kebrus]

@@zetsology I'm not a good person to give such information, I know this stuff because I learned how to code my own shaders and then later on applied that to more complex situation, more specially in creating node based editors. In those two environments linear interpolation is actually very common so my eye is "trained" to it, hence why I noticed the issues in the video. There's a ton of good information online about shaders and about python however something specific like you want seems more difficult, at least to me. If would give any advice it would be to start a small project (1 or 2 weeks of time) and research everything you need for it. Just the act itself will set you in the path of getting the information and knowledge you seek, you can then move on to something progressively more complex. not sure if this helps in any way :\

[@zetsology]

@@kebrus thanks for taking time to answer. Take care.

[@diegopadovani4942]

I am mesmerized how you made the realtime graph... amazing.

[@ЭрикКарапетян-в5в]

Thank you for this cool lesson and for this beatiful visual demostration

[@lightmanleaf3761]

I have been puzzled by this node for a long time. You saved me!

[@jerryhunter1114]

Had to go back a few times, but def worth watching. Totally get it......mostly lol

[@husainbadi8333]

dang this is a good video! the presentation make it a lot easier to understand!

[@ombra30]

really nice as visualizer. it's useful for me as i just started

[@GenericInternetter]

I've been using Map Range for ages now, it is truly the most underrated node imo

[@brk5590]

Great explanaition. Thanks

[@rsher_digital-art]

a great illustration of this node.

[@ThadeousM]

thank you mate, very clear. Map range reminds me of After Effects Linear Expressions

[@martinconstable5911]

Excellent work!

[@hamishmctiaigh4363]

Brilliant explanation mate, thank you!

[@SnowInHere]

ahh, now I understand. thanks for making this video

[@sycomorah1380]

Very useful! Thank you

[@balinthonvari7723]

Thank you so much!

[@jkl3201]

good! thx

[@wakegary]

Thanks. I was guessing.

[@johndc7446]

I guess it would be nice to have an optional 2 row map range node: FROM: (min:0.0 | max:1.0) TO: (min:0.0 | max:1.0)

[@ian.ambrose]

Yeah the 2 rows is more intuitive than the 4 rows we have now.

[@GerardMenvussa]

First time I even hear of this node. When was it added? :o

[@InvasiveAlienPlants]

genius! I'm curious about a case that min value is bigger than max value. I saw someone use that values editing displacement in cycles

[@cg_cookie]

That will flip it and make the values appear inverted. It's a handy trick!

[@darrenberkey7017]

I must not be cut out for Blender stuff, because even when someone draws a picture for me on how something works, I still don't understand. 🤔

[@cauanorbiato1713]

I cannot understanding anything reading blender documentation. This way is much more easier to understand, because I can visualize what happening.

[@sforzz]

well, sound a bit strange)

[@allinoneentertainment7499]

Hit me hard. If i understand a single word in this videoo...😭

[@mcan-piano4718]

I didnt understand too. I have a easier explanation for you :) Map range node is same as color ramp. Once I made color ramp node by using maths to expose inputs, so those 4 values actually illustrate, 1)blacks color intensity, white color intensity, the position of black color on color ramp and position of white color on color ramp.

[@bzikarius]

No point to understand, explanation is wrong.

[@usomat5447]

Hey Cookie-Team, im a citizen and i would like to build the rolls royce i see on the "Moving from 2.7 to 2.8" course. I couldnt find a course to model that car though. Can you help me out?

[@FCR3399]

so im trying to import a map and while i zoom out it just goes gone

[@pseenazloy6409]

What if you don't know your FROM values, and you want to compress this whole unknown range to 0...1 (not clamp, but compress)?

[@ian.ambrose]

There's no way you don't know the From value, just observe the values. You actually don't have to input the correct From values, if you input any value, Map Range will register that value and start interpolating.

[@pseenazloy6409]

@@ian.ambrose yes, I wasn't thinking enough

[@quanli3552]

What if you don't know the bound of the data?

[@himoplayer1959]

If you have a random spots of 0 value like for example a voronoi texture ran into a greater than, how can you make it smoothly transition between the black value to white?

[@ColinPaddock]

Check the image in this link. I think you’ll find “smoothstep” is your friend. twitter.com/bartekmoniewski/status/1229063557330984960?s=21 Also this: www.shadertoy.com/view/ldB3zc , and this: www.iquilezles.org/www/articles/smoothvoronoi/smoothvoronoi.htm

[@himoplayer1959]

@@ColinPaddock thanks for the useful resources, but that is not exactly the issue I wanted to address. My question was if you have only 0 and 1 values without falloff in ununiform pattern, how could you create a falloff between them?

[@cg_cookie]

@@himoplayer1959 I don't really think you can, without getting pretty hacky. I sometimes cheat by taking the vector coordinates and linear light mixing a white noise texture to make it appear blurred.

[@ian.ambrose]

@@himoplayer1959 Sorry for late comment, as you said there is only number 0 and 1 on the surface (because of the Greater Than's output), it means there is no other numbers between 0 and 1 (0.000...----> 0.9999...) available to create said fall off. And since they are not available, you will have to manually generate those ''fall off numbers'' to achieve the smooth transition effect.

[@stefanocippone942]

Ok ok..i understand...no i can t

[@drumboarder1]

The shirt makes this a total comedy EDIT: invaluable but comedy nonetheless

[@Qu1_qu3_TTV]

hi i know a lot years have passed since the video, but how did u the interactive graph there? i would like to know how to do that to see real time math models like functions along the time and things like this in b3d if u can answer ill be gratefull best regards ty

[@cg_cookie]

The secret is drivers! An example of that workflow is here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hWWpgIiqeL2inbs

[@Qu1_qu3_TTV]

ty@@cg_cookie

[@minhchauo1279]

Can i download this file

[@Mike-Bell]

Base is crazy high. It was too overwhelming to finish waching

[@gradynelson]

the explanation itself is harder for someone who wants to understand the node and i mean this is really not the best idea trying to explain something to someone who didn't get it in the same logic they didn't get before.

[@MissMoffet19]

even Justin Timberlake is into blender

[@OnionAddiction]

Who's your favorite UFC fighter? EL CUCUY and BOBBY THE REAPER team represent!

[@kayquecavoli6313]

What is use this?

[@caribbeanchild]

No extrapolation there.... only transformation

[@sleepyreapy1222]

This dude look like tom Holland with a perm

[@nspidel]

Am I wrong in thinking this just seems like a more convoluted and less powerful curves node? It didn't seem like you did anything with this node that couldn't easily be done with curves in a much more intuitive way.

[@ian.ambrose]

You can't set keyframes and animate with curve node. But you can with map range.

[@nspidel]

@@ian.ambrose ah!! Right, okay that makes perfect sense actually. Great observation.

[@wycliffe_ndiba]

😂😂I feel targeted.

[@cg_cookie]

Lol that wasn't intended...much

[@minhchauo1279]

I'm not CGC, someone helps me file, thanks

[@handlesucks509]

Wrong. When from A~B to C~D, than A- =C, B+ =D. Not copy and paste.

[@ped-away-g1396]

i didn't understand this node. now i still don't understand plus more confused than ever.

[@nightcandle9437]

UFC fight club

[@reubenrk3406]

First to comment kkkkk, now to watch video

[@murdocklesban6836]

QUE MALO ERES EXPLICANDO

[@xnet-pvzok728]

Who was struggling with this? EZ