How to Use Node Editor Templates

Last updated 15 June 2026

How to Use Node Editor Templates

Node Editor templates are pre-built node graphs you can drop into your working graph with a single click. They cover common patterns like network parsing, sequence control, audio routing, and string manipulation, so you do not have to wire them from scratch.

Before you start

  • A Backstage project is open with at least one graph in the Node Editor
  • You are viewing the Node Editor tab (not Scene View or Video Routing)
  • Basic familiarity with the Node Editor canvas (see Your First Graph)

Steps

1. Open the Templates menu

Right-click on an empty area of your graph canvas. The context menu opens with a search box at the top. Below the search box, before the node categories, you will see a Templates submenu (and optionally a Guides submenu). The Templates menu only appears when the search box is empty.

2. Browse by category

Hover over Templates to expand the category list. Backstage ships with categories such as Audio, Control, Math, Network, Sequence, String, System, and Time. Each category groups templates for that domain. Hover over a category to see the templates inside it.

Hover over a template name to see its description tooltip (if one was provided by the template author).

3. Click a template to enter placement mode

Click the template name. The context menu closes and the template's nodes appear on the canvas, following your cursor with a selection highlight. A banner appears at the top of the canvas: "Click to place the template - Esc or right-click to cancel".

4. Place or cancel

Move the cursor to where you want the template and click to place it. The nodes are dropped at that position and remain selected so you can reposition them immediately. To cancel without placing, press Esc or right-click (without dragging). Cancelling removes the template nodes entirely.

While in placement mode, the canvas auto-pans when your cursor approaches the edge of the view, so you can place templates beyond the visible area.

5. Connect the template to your graph

After placing, the template nodes are independent. Wire their input and output pins to the rest of your graph as needed. Most templates include comment boxes that explain the purpose of each node and what to connect.

Save your own template

You can save any group of nodes as a reusable template.

1. Select the nodes to save

Select two or more nodes on the canvas (box-select or Ctrl+click to add to the selection). Include any comment nodes you want to ship with the template.

2. Open the Save dialog

In the Node Editor menu bar, go to Selection > Save selection as... > Template... A dialog opens with three fields.

3. Fill in the details

  • Name -- a descriptive name for the template (e.g. "Parse UDP Feedback").

  • Category -- choose an existing category from the dropdown, or click the + button to create a new one.

  • Description (optional) -- a short explanation shown as a tooltip when browsing templates.

4. Save

Click Save. The template is written to disk as a .template file inside templates/<Category>/ and immediately registered. It appears in the right-click Templates menu without restarting Backstage.

Stock template categories

Backstage ships with templates organized into the following categories. The exact templates may change between releases.

Category

What it covers

Audio

Playing audio files over network, timecode-to-LTC output, mixer volume control

Control

Logic patterns such as random cue selection

Math

Arithmetic, formula evaluation, comparison, value remapping

Network

UDP/TCP receive-and-parse, send feedback, OSC, ArtNet lighting desk control, heartbeat monitoring

Sequence

Stepper setups (full and minimal), sequence command parsing, multi-server sync

String

Find/replace, format/concatenate, parse numbers, split, substring, trim

System

Startup/shutdown notification, scheduled command-line actions

Time

Daily scheduled tasks at a set time

Common Mistakes

  • Templates menu does not appear -- the Templates submenu is hidden when text is entered in the search box at the top of the right-click context menu. Clear the search box to see it.

  • Template placed in the wrong location -- during placement mode, a left click drops the template immediately. If you click before positioning the cursor, use Ctrl+Z to undo and try again.

  • "Save selection as..." is greyed out -- the Selection menu requires two or more nodes to be selected. Select at least two nodes before opening it.

  • Right-click during placement cancels instead of opening a menu -- a stationary right-click cancels placement mode. This is by design. To pan the canvas while placing, use a right-click drag instead.

Tips

  • Templates include comment nodes that document the pattern. Read the comments before wiring -- they explain which pins to connect and what values to change.

  • When creating your own template, include a Comment node with usage instructions. Operators who place your template later will see these comments immediately.

  • Custom templates are stored alongside the stock ones in the templates/ folder under the Backstage resource directory. You can share templates between installations by copying .template files.

  • The canvas auto-pans when your cursor reaches the edge during placement, so you can place templates in areas not currently visible.

  • After placing a template, all its nodes remain selected. Use F to focus the view on the selection, or drag them as a group to a better position.

Your First Graph -- Get started with the Node Editor canvas, nodes, and connections.

Build a Multi-Step Show -- Use Stepper nodes and sequences to build a multi-step show (several stock templates cover this).

Node Editor -- Node Editor reference page with full feature overview.

How to Create Crossfade Transitions Between Events -- Create crossfade transitions between events in sequences.