Slate: Node Naming Updates

[lightcube]

I've never much been a fan of the way Slate names copied (and sometimes new) nodes. For example, if I make a Gradient Ramp and name it "Volcano Mask" and then shift-drag it (to copy in view) I'd expect that the copied map would be named "Volcano Mask002" to be consistent with how copies nodes are named. Instead, you get "Map #45" or the likes.

Here is just some food for thought:

• Have a new Setting in Slate preferences for new nodes (Materials/Maps/Controllers) to get names signifying their class. So if I create a new Standard Material, the material name will be "Standard001", of for Blend it will be "Blend001" instead of generic "Map #1", "Material #2" etc.
• When dragging an input socket out to the view and releasing to generate a new wired map/material/controller node, the name of the new node will reflect the name of the input field this node is going to. For example, if I LMB+HOLD on a BlendedBoxMap node named "graniterock1" and see a list of parameters I can create nodes for and choose MapScale and release in the view, the generated Controller node is just named "Controller #1". Instead it should be named "graniterock1_mapscale" to reflect what slot it's going into.
• Shift-Dragging slate nodes should keep the original name and just add integers to the end just like copying scene nodes works.

I think this will help optimize things and reduce typing when trying to name nodes in useful ways.

[dgorsman]

So formatted text as a base, something along the lines of this idea: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/3ds-max-ideas/automatic-render-file-names/idc-p/8029374#M4415

[lightcube]

I'm not sure that is really similar @dgorsman . I'm simply proposing that the materials/maps get named in more meaningful ways and that copied nodes in Slate keep their original name just like copying nodes in the scene keeps the original node's name (except with an integer increment).

[dgorsman]

Formatting control makes that a bit easier to accomplish.  For example, that new setting could be provided as {CLASSNAME}-{INDEX}.  Or you may want {ORIGINAL_NAME}-{INDEX}, or even Material-{INDEX].  It gives what you're after, with enough flexibility to accommodate different users.