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isntead of xpresso, try just using a Selection Object. Select all of your SDS objects, then go to Select > Selection Filter > Create Selection Object. This creates a null object w an Object tab. The tab has a list of all your SDS objects that were selected at the time of creation, and a button for "Restore Selection." You can press the button to get all your object selected, then in the Basic tab, check/uncheck Enable. Alternatively, clicking the closed eyeball in the upper right of the obj mgr will open a window that lets you select objects, tags, layers, etc. Here you could right click the SDS object, and choose Select All, and perform the same enable/disable function as in the previous paragraph. Eric

sounds like your xpresso setup is using Absolute nodes instead of Relative nodes, to reference the path of the object from which you're trying to create a trail Question for you: Why not just use the MoGraph Tracer object, then Sweet the Tracer? I think I've seen some Xpresso setups online to create trails from objects' paths, but usually those are done for people who don't have C4D Studio version (lacking MoGraph). **Edit** by Sweet the Tracer, of course, I mean, SWEEP the tracer

to the best of my knowledge, the answer to your question is "no." And rightfully so in my opinion. Imagine how confusing that would become if you opened a file that had been setup that way a year from now! Or if someone else had to dissect your file. Having referenced or instance nodes in xpresso setups would get very confusing very quick. Like you said, I think your best bet is to create some user data as your "bridge" (that's a great term for it, by the way!) Whether you do it this way, or you figure out a way to create your instanced node, make sure your priorities are correct!! Tags are calculated left to right, top to bottom. Having them out of order will cause calculations to be computed out of order, leading to rig lag. You can always tweak the priorities in the Xpresso tag's Basic Properties if you run into issues.

hover your cursor over the black triangles, a box will pop up telling you what object the xpresso tag is on, and what the name of that xpresso tag is (if you've changed it from the default), and also what the name of the node that is connecting that in or out port. When the black triangle is on the right, it means that value (size X and Y in your image) are driving the input of something else. Whereas if the black triangle is on the left, it means that value is being driven by something else. When you have 2 black triangles, it means that value is doing both: controlling something else, and being controlled.

I would gladly contribute for new knowledge! That polymer rig and python effector sound particularly interesting.