Connections & Wiring¶
Connections (wires) link nodes together to define the dialogue flow. They are drawn as smooth bezier curves between output and input ports.
Creating a Connection¶
- Hover over a port on any node (the small circles on the left/right edges).
- Click and drag from the port. A yellow preview wire follows your cursor.
- Release on a compatible port on another node.
You can drag in either direction — output-to-input or input-to-output. TaleNode automatically determines which is the source and which is the target.
Connection Rules¶
| Rule | Description |
|---|---|
| Output to input only | Wires must connect an output port to an input port |
| One wire per output | Each output port can have at most 1 outgoing connection |
| One wire per input | Each input port can have at most 1 incoming connection |
| No self-loops | A node cannot connect to itself |
| No same-direction | Output-to-output and input-to-input connections are not allowed |
Note
If you connect to a port that already has a wire, the existing connection is replaced by the new one.
Port Types¶
- Input ports are on the left side of a node
- Output ports are on the right side of a node
Each node type has a fixed number of input ports, but some types have dynamic outputs:
| Node Type | Input Ports | Output Ports |
|---|---|---|
| Start | 0 | 1 |
| Dialogue | 1 | 1 |
| Choice | 1 | N (one per option) |
| Condition | 1 | 2 (True / False) |
| Event | 1 | 1 |
| Random | 1 | N (one per branch) |
| End | 1 | 0 |
Port Labels¶
Output ports on Choice and Condition nodes display labels:
- Choice: Each output is labeled with the choice option text
- Condition: Outputs are labeled True and False
- Random: Outputs show the weight percentage
Wire Appearance¶
- Default: Light gray (
rgb(180, 180, 180)) - Selected: Yellow (
rgb(255, 255, 100)) — when either connected node is selected - Dragging preview: Yellow
- Thickness: 2.5px (scaled by zoom level)
- Shape: Cubic bezier curve with horizontal control points
Removing a Connection¶
Connections are removed automatically when you:
- Delete a node — all wires to/from that node are removed
- Create a new connection to a port that already has one — the old wire is replaced
- Undo a connection action (Ctrl+Z)
Tip
There is no direct "delete wire" action. To remove a specific connection, you can undo the connection or delete and re-add one of the connected nodes.
Flow Direction¶
TaleNode graphs flow left to right by convention:
Input ports are on the left, output ports on the right. While you can position nodes however you like, left-to-right layout keeps the graph readable.