A standard TOX container convention (out1 TOP + thumb TOP) makes VJ mixer cells interchangeable across projects

A widely used convention in the TouchDesigner VJ community defines each piece of content or effect as a standalone .tox container with two required outputs: an out1 TOP carrying the full-resolution render, and a TOP named thumb (typically 256×256) carrying a preview thumbnail. Any mixer or launcher that follows this convention can load arbitrary community-made content without custom wiring. The convention was established by Richard Burns’s Simple Mixer and adopted by AAVJ and other tools. Following it when building effects or scenes ensures compatibility with the ecosystem.

Examples

To create a new effect for AAVJ: build any generative network, wire its output to a TOP named out1, add a Fit TOP at 256×256 named thumb, save as .tox. Drag into AAVJ; it will auto-detect parameters and thumbnail.

Assessment

Why does standardising on out1 and thumb enable a plugin ecosystem that bespoke parameter-passing cannot? Give a concrete example of a compatibility failure that the convention prevents.