| name | parameter-design |
| description | MUST READ before creating or designing custom parameters on any COMP: pages, styles, ranges, help text, naming, ParGroup gotchas. |
Parameter Design
Help Text
Every custom parameter MUST have help text set via par.help = "...". Help text appears as a tooltip when users hover the parameter name in the dialog. Describe what the parameter controls and what its values mean.
- Good:
"Maximum number of rows displayed in the manager list. Set to 0 for unlimited."
- Bad:
"Max rows" (just restates the label)
- Unacceptable: no help text at all
In TDN files, include "help": "..." in the parameter definition. Embody exports and imports help text automatically.
Section Breaks
Use par.startSection = True on the first parameter of each logical group. This draws a horizontal separator line above the parameter, visually grouping related controls.
In TDN: "startSection": true in the parameter definition.
Parameter Ordering
Parameters appear in the order they are appended. Keep related parameters together and maintain a logical flow within each page:
- Primary controls first (what users interact with most)
- Secondary/advanced settings after
- Read-only status/info parameters last
If reordering after creation, use par.order (accepts float values like 11.5 to insert between existing positions).
Page Organization
Group parameters into pages by function. Use comp.appendCustomPage('PageName') -- pages appear in creation order.
Common patterns: