Silly question… lets say I have 5 nodes one after the other.
The display / render flag is on the last one.
I want to change parameters on the 3rd node.
When I click the 3rd node, it will overlay the ‘output’ of the node at that point in the chain.
Is it possible to change that? I don’t want the viewport to update, I just want to change some parameters while the viewport stays on the 5th node.

Thank you

This?

It might be! Let me try! Thank you!

eikonoklastes
This?

Yes this was mostly it, thank you!

You might have issues with some modelling states if you do this, in that you won't be able to see the geometry you're working on. The simplest workaround is to simply go into the View state (Esc) in the viewport before clicking on the SOP node you want to change parameters on.

Another quick trick is select the node, then immediately click in empty space in the network panel. The parameter pane will stay active, but the ghost overlay of the selected node will go away.

What I usually do is any node I don't wan't to cause focus when I adjust the parameters of that node....I first select that node then lock(PIN) the nodes parameter window. I then move on to the desired part of my network, selecting other nodes and flagging the one I desire for visibility.
Then as the scene is displayed as I want it, I just adjust the parameters of the pinned window - This won't bring focus back to that node because you are only clicking and adjusting in the parameter window, yet seeing the results of those adjustments.

If you make the view tool the active tool (Press Escape)then you won't get updating in the viewport. You can then select and edit nodes and change parameters without the selected nodes displaying in the viewport.

Thank you! won’t pressing Esc not interrupt the cooking if the node is in progress?

rmagee
If you make the view tool the active tool (Press Escape)then you won't get updating in the viewport. You can then select and edit nodes and change parameters without the selected nodes displaying in the viewport.

LukeP
Thank you! won’t pressing Esc not interrupt the cooking if the node is in progress?

You only have to press Escape to get the View tool at the beginning - once you start working with the nodes then you don't have to press it again. You can also just click on the View tool on the toolbar on the left side of the viewport.