I decided I was finally going to (try to) learn the Function Editor, but when I follow the GaP Function Editor tutorials using Vue 9 Infinite (Build 9005248), I find strange differences.  Vladimir is using version 7 but even when I compare with Vue 8.5, I find that Vue 9 behaves differently.

I realize there are vast differences between Vue 7 and Vue 9 and even Vue 8.5 and 9, but I thought the Function Editor wouldn't have changed all that much. For example, I started with a simple sphere, loaded the Rainbow color map, added a Noise Bump node in the FE, and this is what I end up with in Vue 9 Inf. :

As opposed to this in Vue 8.5 Infinite (Build 52356):

As you can see, the Noise node added in Vue 9 has no effect on the sphere's materialat all.  Does this sound correct? 

its related to scale....

they use 1:1 now where as in the past they used 1:something else...

theres a thread somewhere ill have a look for it..

edit - http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?thread_id=2815231

Change the function preview scale, by default, it's 10m, if you change it to lower values, it should be the same as in Vue7, 8... What's important is: does the object look the same in all Vue versions?

OK, I changed the size to 1 m in the Function Editor View option but it did not seem to make any difference.  I even closed Vue 9 and opened the sphere up again. 

And no, they do not look the same.  Here's what the Vue 9 sphere looks like in Final render:

As you can see, no bumps whatsoever.  Here's the Vue 8.5 sphere:

Hmm, What if you change material size to 0.1? Seems to work here.

OK, Bruno.  I think I'm on the right track.  I misunderstood and thought I should change the Object Size in the Preview Options in the Function Editor.  That didn't seem to do anything.

Instead, I changed the Scale as well as the Bump scale in the Advanced Material Editor from the default of 1.0 to 0.1.  This seems a very elaborate way to go about creating an acceptable bump map.  I also had to change the Function scale in the Color & Alpha tab of the AME:

and here is where I changed the Bump Scale:

However, the Noise node in the Function Editor still doesn't show any of the spots we are used to in prior versions - here's what it still looks like in the Function Editor:

Here's what my sphere looks like with the scale numbers adjusted to 0.1

The function preview doesn't show bumps because it's preview scale is bigger than in Vue 8. By default, the preview size is the one of a 10 m sphere. If you change the function preview scale (from the preview options icon in the top toolbar) to a smaller scale, you'll be able to see the bumps on the sphere. I agree it may not look the same as in previous versions, but it will be closer.

My turn to say "hmmmm" - I change the function preview to any of the options less than 10 m (doesn't matter which one 'cause none seem to have any effect) and still no spots appear on the Noise node - this is what the Noise node looks like in Vue 9:

and this is what it looks like in Vue 8.5:

As you can see, no spots.

I am also noticing that each time I start a new file and check the Object Size in the Function Editor Preview Options, it is returned to the 10m size.  And this is even though I have changed it in the File > Options > General Preferences tab > - in this area:

It must be something that I am missing.  If you don't mind, Bruno - could you create a simple sphere, load a color map and then add a Noise node and show me what your Noise node looks like in the Function Editor using Vue 9?

I think something is finally beginning to work.  I discovered that I hadn't pushed the Scale of the Noise node itself down far enough (in the above example in my first post, I have the scale at 3).  As you say, when I change the scale used in Vue 8.5 by one decimal point to the right, the spots begin to appear.

However, I still am wondering if something is going on with my version of Vue 9, since the Object Size keeps changing back to 10 m even though I've got it set to 1 m in the File > Options area??  Should I report this as a bug to e-on?

I'll check if the general settings for preview scale are kept in between sessions, maybe it's a bug indeed.