Add the ability to expose nodes for direct access in instantiated scenes

[yahkr]

Updated 9/8/2025

Description

This pull request implements a feature that significantly enhances Godot's scene editing capabilities. It allows specific nodes within a scene to be exposed, making them visible and allowing their properties to be overridden when the scene is instantiated elsewhere. I believe it is an improved version of editable children.

• By exposing only relevant nodes, the scene tree editor remains uncluttered, which is especially useful for creating reusable scenes (Custom containers, Generic windows).
• This PR also adds the ability to expose nodes on import, for use when wanting to expose parts of a scene (such as the hand bone of a character for equipping).

Note

• Node exposure only propagates up one level of instantiation
• Nodes that are exposed can be re-exposed

Important

The use of unique names has been removed from this PR (#84018 (comment)) as there were too many issues with it, once #106837 is merged this PR should function like originally planned

Example 1

Lets say we have this window scene that we want to re-use everywhere we can exposed the title label and the content nodes:

With this PR we can modify the properties of the exposed nodes and append child nodes to them, this lets us create super flexible scenes and use them like so:

and this is the same scene with editable children enabled. Far messier and poorer UX

Updated Example 2

[gd_scene load_steps=2 format=3 uid="uid://bg7bu82kitjht"]

[ext_resource type="Texture2D" uid="uid://dvj2xcm5vrvy8" path="res://icon.svg" id="1_mdjal"]

[node name="scene_0" type="Node2D"]

[node name="Parent" type="Node2D" parent="."]

[node name="Exposed_0" type="Sprite2D" parent="Parent" index="0"]
texture = ExtResource("1_mdjal")

+ [exposed path="Parent/Exposed_0"]

[gd_scene load_steps=3 format=3 uid="uid://da3f5wvbqv0bv"]

[ext_resource type="PackedScene" uid="uid://bg7bu82kitjht" path="res://scene_0.tscn" id="1_mdjal"]

[sub_resource type="CompressedTexture2D" id="CompressedTexture2D_3sd7o"]
load_path = "res://.godot/imported/icon.svg-218a8f2b3041327d8a5756f3a245f83b.ctex"

[node name="scene_1" type="Node2D"]

[node name="scene_0_instance" parent="." instance=ExtResource("1_mdjal")]

[node name="Exposed_0" parent="scene_0_instance/Parent" index="0"]
self_modulate = Color(1, 0.666667, 0, 1)

[node name="Child_Of_Exposed" type="Sprite2D" parent="scene_0_instance/Parent/Exposed_0" index="0"]
position = Vector2(100, 30)
scale = Vector2(0.5, 0.5)
texture = SubResource("CompressedTexture2D_3sd7o")

+[exposed path="scene_0_instance/Parent/Exposed_0"]  // Re-exposure 
+[exposed path="scene_0_instance/Parent/Exposed_0/Child_Of_Exposed"] // Initial Exposure

• Additional good example by @ptlthg Add the ability to expose nodes for direct access in instantiated scenes #84018 (comment)

---

Sample Project

• mrp.zip

TODO

• Fix remaining issues
• Continue to test

---

I think that this pr addresses the following proposals:

• Closes Improve usability of Editable Children godot-proposals#3248
• Closes Make the "internal node" feature more accessible godot-proposals#4265
• Closes Allow saving scenes as a prefab (aka property bag) godot-proposals#9660
• Closes Add ability to flag a "Node Slot" for instanced scenes godot-proposals#5475
• Closes Allow user to expose nodes within an instantiated scene godot-proposals#8266
• Closes (?) Make child nodes export variables be editable in the scene root inspector godot-proposals#7803
• Closes (?) Allow for exposing properties on parent nodes from child nodes (multiple alternative suggestions how it could be implemented) godot-proposals#9536

[jcostello]

This will work with imported gltf scenes?

[yahkr]

This will work with imported gltf scenes?

I havn't looked into that aspect, but would be a nice feature to add to this as well

EDIT 11/2/2024:

Yes!

[AThousandShips]

Also please update your branch by rebasing instead of merging, important skill to get used to with contributing, see the pr workflow for details

[AThousandShips]

You have reset your branch and this closes the PR, if you update your branch this can be reopened

[yahkr]

Sorry, still trying to get a grip on correct way of updating my repo from main while keeping my changes. I've pushed my new changes up. This includes a somewhat functional version of this pr.

[DeanLemans]

what are the current issues with this PR that is preventing this from being merged?

[yahkr]

what are the current issues with this PR that is preventing this from being merged?

Barring other technical issues my PR (most certainly) has. It really boils down to:

• Is the way I'm proposing to solve this problem the best way to go?
• Is it the best solution for those issues I've linked to this?
• What happens to Editable Children if we go this route? (Deprecate/Remove/Maintain)

It sounds like after 4.5 releases this may get more discussion from maintainers. I'm confident that this workflow issue will be resolved one way or another. It's something I've been wanting since I started using Godot, and I really appreciate the thoughtful feedback and support from everyone following this PR.

[100gold]

There is a possible issue with "has_meta + set_meta" code. In some places code assume there can be 'false' value in meta. For example, here:

p_node->set_meta(META_EXPOSED_IN_OWNER, bool(node_settings["import/exposed"]));

Also, there is a lot of code like this:

bool exposed_node = p_node->has_meta(META_EXPOSED_IN_OWNER);

That code assume there is no option to have a 'false' value in meta. As far as I understand.

[yahkr]

• Updated to 0fdb93c
• Removed void TreeItem::set_exposed(bool p_exposed) in favor of set_meta
• Removed use of auto
• Adjusted meta checks so it won't assign/read a false value (thanks @100gold)

Happy birthday to the PR 🎂2 Years🎉

[nubels]

The use of unique names has been removed from this PR (#84018 (comment)) as there were too many issues with it, once #106837 is merged this PR should function like originally planned

Just curious: #106837 has been merged, what about the use of unique names?

[yahkr]

The use of unique names has been removed from this PR (#84018 (comment)) as there were too many issues with it, once #106837 is merged this PR should function like originally planned

Just curious: #106837 has been merged, what about the use of unique names?

I was using unique names when I first started this to mimic what that PR accomplishes. Thankfully we shouldn't have to change anything in this PR to gain the benefit from that one.

[AThousandShips]

Code looks good, haven't tested the functionality

[100gold]

I'm still facing error possible related to 'has_meta' issue. In editor, in scene that contains scene that contains exposed nodes there are error messages like this:

  ERROR: Node not found: "" (relative to "/root/@EditorNode@20534/@Panel@14/@VBoxContainer@15/DockHSplitLeftL/DockHSplitLeftR/DockVSplitLeftR/DockSlotLeftUR/Scene/@SceneTreeEditor@4758").
  ERROR: Node not found: "" (relative to "/root/@EditorNode@20534/@Panel@14/@VBoxContainer@15/DockHSplitLeftL/DockHSplitLeftR/DockVSplitLeftR/DockSlotLeftUR/Scene/@SceneTreeEditor@4758").
  ERROR: Node not found: "" (relative to "/root/@EditorNode@20534/@Panel@14/@VBoxContainer@15/DockHSplitLeftL/DockHSplitLeftR/DockVSplitLeftR/DockSlotLeftUR/Scene/@SceneTreeEditor@4758").
  ERROR: Node not found: "" (relative to "/root/@EditorNode@20534/@Panel@14/@VBoxContainer@15/DockHSplitLeftL/DockHSplitLeftR/DockVSplitLeftR/DockSlotLeftUR/Scene/@SceneTreeEditor@4758").
  ERROR: Node not found: "" (relative to "/root/@EditorNode@20534/@Panel@14/@VBoxContainer@15/DockHSplitLeftL/DockHSplitLeftR/DockVSplitLeftR/DockSlotLeftUR/Scene/@SceneTreeEditor@4758").

When I change all has_meta to get_meta(..., false) errors are gone.

[yahkr]

I'm still facing error possible related to 'has_meta' issue. In editor, in scene that contains scene that contains exposed nodes there are error messages like this:

  ERROR: Node not found: "" (relative to "/root/@EditorNode@20534/@Panel@14/@VBoxContainer@15/DockHSplitLeftL/DockHSplitLeftR/DockVSplitLeftR/DockSlotLeftUR/Scene/@SceneTreeEditor@4758").
  ERROR: Node not found: "" (relative to "/root/@EditorNode@20534/@Panel@14/@VBoxContainer@15/DockHSplitLeftL/DockHSplitLeftR/DockVSplitLeftR/DockSlotLeftUR/Scene/@SceneTreeEditor@4758").
  ERROR: Node not found: "" (relative to "/root/@EditorNode@20534/@Panel@14/@VBoxContainer@15/DockHSplitLeftL/DockHSplitLeftR/DockVSplitLeftR/DockSlotLeftUR/Scene/@SceneTreeEditor@4758").
  ERROR: Node not found: "" (relative to "/root/@EditorNode@20534/@Panel@14/@VBoxContainer@15/DockHSplitLeftL/DockHSplitLeftR/DockVSplitLeftR/DockSlotLeftUR/Scene/@SceneTreeEditor@4758").
  ERROR: Node not found: "" (relative to "/root/@EditorNode@20534/@Panel@14/@VBoxContainer@15/DockHSplitLeftL/DockHSplitLeftR/DockVSplitLeftR/DockSlotLeftUR/Scene/@SceneTreeEditor@4758").

When I change all has_meta to get_meta(..., false) errors are gone.

If you're able, could you provide a zip of a MRP?

I'm not sure why swapping it from has_meta to get_meta would change anything, but maybe I'm just missing something

[100gold]

Maybe I'm wrong about has_meta\get_meta thing. I don't sure why that change helps me in my main project. But anyway here is mrp with error.
mrp.zip