GhostHorses

This guide will walk you through creating a dynamic, adjustable dashed circle using Blender's Geometry Nodes. We'll be extremely detailed, explaining where to click, what to look for, why each step is necessary, and how to troubleshoot common issues like off-screen nodes or subtle visual cues.

Part 1: Setting Up Your Blender Environment

First, let's prepare Blender's interface to make it easy to work with Geometry Nodes.

Start a New Blender File:

At the top-left of your Blender window, click File.
From the dropdown menu, select New.
Then, from the new submenu, choose General.
(This creates a fresh Blender scene, usually with a default Cube, Camera, and Light.)

Delete the Default Cube:

In the 3D Viewport (the large central window with the cube), make sure the Cube is selected; it'll have an orange outline.
Press the X key on your keyboard.
A small Delete context menu will pop up near your mouse.
Click Delete (or just press Enter to confirm).
(We're removing the default cube to start with a clean slate, as we'll generate our own geometry.)

Add a "Host" Object for Geometry Nodes:

Geometry Nodes works as a modifier, and modifiers need an object to attach to. This object's shape will be completely replaced by our generated dashed circle.
Make sure your mouse cursor is hovering anywhere within the 3D Viewport.
Press Shift + A on your keyboard. This opens the Add menu.
From the Add menu, hover over Mesh.
From the Mesh submenu, click Plane.
(A flat square Plane object will appear in your 3D Viewport at the center of the scene.)

Switch to the Geometry Nodes Workspace:

At the very top of your Blender window, you'll see tabs like Layout, Modeling, Sculpting, etc. These are Blender's pre-set "workspaces."
Click on the Geometry Nodes tab.
(Your Blender screen layout will change. You should now see the 3D Viewport at the top, and a large, dark, grid-like area at the bottom. This bottom area is the Geometry Nodes Editor, where you'll build your node tree.)

Part 2: Attaching the Geometry Nodes Modifier

Now, let's apply the Geometry Nodes system to our Plane object.

Select Your Plane Object:

Ensure the Plane you just added is selected in the 3D Viewport. It should have an orange outline.
(If you accidentally deselected it, just click on it again.)

Access the Modifier Properties:

On the right side of your Blender window, find the stack of vertical tabs in the Properties Editor.
Look for the tab that resembles a wrench icon. It's usually labeled Modifier Properties when you hover over it.
Click on the wrench icon.
(This panel is where you add, configure, and manage all modifiers applied to your selected object.)

Add the Geometry Nodes Modifier:

Within the Modifier Properties panel, click the Add Modifier button.
A large list of available modifiers will pop up.
Scroll down or look under the Generate column.
Click on Geometry Nodes.
(A new Geometry Nodes panel will appear within the Modifier Properties tab, showing options for the modifier.)

Create a New Geometry Node Tree:

Inside the Geometry Nodes modifier panel (in the Modifier Properties tab on the right), click the New button.
(Immediately, the large, dark Geometry Nodes Editor at the bottom of your screen will populate with two default nodes: Group Input on the left and Group Output on the right. A green line will connect them.)

Part 3: Building the Node Tree for Your Dashed Circle

This is where we connect the "logic" for generating our dashed circle within the Geometry Nodes Editor.

A. Initial Setup in the Geometry Nodes Editor

Identify the Default Nodes:

In the Geometry Nodes Editor (the large, dark, grid-like area at the bottom), you'll see:
- Group Input: On the far left, with a green output socket labeled Geometry. This represents the original Plane data.
- Group Output: On the far right, with a green input socket labeled Geometry. Whatever connects here is what Blender displays.
(Currently, a green line connects Group Input's Geometry output to Group Output's Geometry input. This means your Plane is still being passed through and displayed.)

Disconnect the Default Connection:

Click on the green line connecting Group Input to Group Output.
Important Visual Cue: The line itself will NOT turn orange. Instead, it will become highlighted (e.g., a brighter green, a thicker line, or with a subtle glow, depending on your Blender theme), indicating it's selected.
Press X on your keyboard (or Delete).
A small Delete context menu will appear.
Click Delete (or press Enter to confirm).
(The green line disappears. Your Plane object will vanish from the 3D Viewport. This is correct! We've told Blender to ignore the Plane's original shape, and we haven't generated anything new yet.)

B. Creating the Base Circle Curve

We'll start by generating a perfect circle as the foundation for our dashes.

Add a Curve Circle Node:

Ensure your mouse cursor is hovering within the Geometry Nodes Editor. This is crucial for the Shift + A menu to open the correct "Add Node" menu.
Press Shift + A on your keyboard. This opens the Add menu for nodes.
From this Add menu, hover over Curve. A submenu will pop out.
In this submenu, hover over Primitives. Another submenu will pop out.
In this third submenu, click Curve Circle.
(A new Curve Circle node will appear where your mouse was in the Geometry Nodes Editor.)

Connect Curve Circle to Group Output:

On the Curve Circle node, find the green output socket on its right, labeled Curve.
Click and drag your mouse from this Curve output socket. A green line (or "noodle") will follow.
Drag this green line over to the Group Output node (on the far right).
Connect it to the green input socket on the left of Group Output, labeled Geometry.
Release the mouse button.
(You should now see a perfect circle appear in your 3D Viewport! This circle is currently a thin line, not a solid object.)

Adjust the Circle's Size and Smoothness:

On the Curve Circle node, you'll see Radius and Resolution parameters.
Radius: Click and drag on the number value next to Radius to make the circle bigger or smaller. (This controls the overall size of your dashed circle.)
Resolution: Click and drag on the number value next to Resolution. A higher number here means the circle will be made of more small segments, resulting in a smoother curve. (Set this to something like 64 or 128 for a nice smooth curve. You can also type the number directly and press Enter.)

C. Resampling the Curve for Dash and Gap Lengths

This is a crucial step. We'll break the continuous circle into specific segments. Each segment represents the total length of one dash plus its following gap.

Add a Resample Curve Node: Troubleshooting: Node Off-Screen

Ensure your mouse cursor is hovering within the Geometry Nodes Editor.
Press Shift + A on your keyboard. This opens the Add menu for nodes.
From this Add menu, hover over Curve. A new submenu will pop out.
In this new submenu, hover over Operations. Another submenu will pop out.
In this third submenu, click Resample Curve.
(A new Resample Curve node will appear. If you don't immediately see it, it might have spawned off-screen. See the troubleshooting tips below.)
If the Resample Curve node doesn't appear immediately or you can't find it:
- Zoom Out: Scroll your mouse wheel backwards (away from you) in the Geometry Nodes Editor. This zooms out your view, making more of the grid visible, helping you find the node.
- Pan: Press and hold your Middle Mouse Button (the scroll wheel itself) and drag your mouse around to pan your view.
- Frame Selected: The newly added node is usually automatically selected (it will have a thin, bright outline). Press . (the period key) on your Numpad (the block of numbers on the right of most keyboards, or Fn + . on some laptops) to immediately zoom and pan the view to center on the selected node.
- Frame All: If you're completely lost, press Home on your keyboard (often near Insert/Delete keys, or Fn + left arrow on some laptops) to zoom out and show all nodes currently in your tree.
Once you find the Resample Curve node, you can click and drag it (holding the left mouse button) to a more convenient location near your Curve Circle and Group Output nodes.

Insert Resample Curve into the Network:

Take the Resample Curve node you just added.
Click and drag it over the green line connecting Curve Circle.Curve to Group Output.Geometry.
When the green line turns orange/yellow where you're dragging the node over it, release your mouse button.
(The Resample Curve node will automatically insert and connect itself: Curve Circle -> Resample Curve -> Group Output.)

Set Resample Mode to "Length":

On the Resample Curve node, find the dropdown menu that currently says Count.
Click on Count.
From the dropdown list, choose Length.
(A new input field labeled Length will appear on the Resample Curve node.)
Length (on Resample Curve): This is very important. This value defines the total combined length of one dash segment and its adjacent gap segment around the circle.
- Click and drag the number value next to Length or type a value (e.g., 0.2 or 0.5).
- (You won't see individual dashes or gaps in the 3D Viewport yet, but the curve is now internally divided into segments of this specified length.)

D. Creating the Individual Dash Geometry (The 3D Shape of Each Dash)

We need to define what each "dash" actually looks like as a 3D object. Let's use a simple stretched cube.

Add a Cube Node:

In the Geometry Nodes Editor, ensure your mouse cursor is hovering over the grid.
Press Shift + A > Mesh Primitives > Cube.
(A Cube node appears. Nothing changes in the 3D Viewport yet, as this cube isn't connected to anything.)

Adjust the Cube's Dimensions (to be a thin dash):

On the Cube node, you'll see an input labeled Size.
To control the X, Y, and Z dimensions independently, Blender's "Vector" inputs often automatically expand to X, Y, and Z fields when you interact with them or if the node is wide enough.
Action:
- Click into the Size number field on the Cube node.
- Type a value like 0.5 and press Enter. (You'll notice typing a single value applies it to all three dimensions equally.)
- Now, click into the Size number field again.
- You should now see three separate input fields: X, Y, Z.
- If they don't appear automatically, try clicking and dragging the right edge of the Cube node to make it wider. This often reveals the individual X, Y, Z input fields if they were hidden due to the node being too narrow.
Now, adjust these individual values to create a thin, elongated shape that will become your individual dash segment:
- X: Set this to a value that represents the desired length of your dash (e.g., 0.5).
- Y: Set this to a small value for the width of your dash (e.g., 0.1).
- Z: Set this to a small value for the thickness/height of your dash (e.g., 0.1).
- (You still won't see the cube in the 3D Viewport yet, as it's not connected to the Group Output.)

E. Instancing Dashes Along the Curve (Placing the 3D Shapes)

Now we'll take our prepared curve (from Resample Curve) and our dash-cube, and place copies (instances) of the cube along the curve.

Add a Curve to Points Node:

In the Geometry Nodes Editor, ensure your mouse cursor is hovering over the grid.
Press Shift + A > Curve > Curve to Points.
(A Curve to Points node appears.)

Insert Curve to Points into the Network:

Click and drag the Curve to Points node.
Drag it over the green line connecting Resample Curve.Curve to Group Output.Geometry.
When the green line turns orange/yellow where you're dragging the node, release your mouse button.
(The Curve to Points node will automatically insert itself: Resample Curve -> Curve to Points -> Group Output. You might see tiny dots appear along your circle in the 3D Viewport. This node converts the curve into a series of distinct points.)

Set Curve to Points Mode to "Length":

On the Curve to Points node, change the Mode dropdown from Evaluated (or Count) to Length.
(A new input field labeled Length will appear on the Curve to Points node.)
Length (on Curve to Points): This value defines the actual length of each individual dash (the visible part).
- Set this to a value that is smaller than the Length you set on the Resample Curve node.
- (For example: If Resample Curve.Length is 0.5, set Curve to Points.Length to 0.3 or 0.4. The difference (0.5 - 0.3 = 0.2) will implicitly become the length of your gap between dashes.)

Add an Instance on Points Node:

In the Geometry Nodes Editor, ensure your mouse cursor is hovering over the grid.
Press Shift + A > Instances > Instance on Points.
(An Instance on Points node appears.)

Insert Instance on Points into the Network:

Click and drag the Instance on Points node.
Drag it over the green line connecting Curve to Points.Points to Group Output.Geometry.
When the green line turns orange/yellow where you're dragging the node, release your mouse button.
(The node will automatically insert itself: Resample Curve -> Curve to Points -> Instance on Points -> Group Output. Nothing visible will change in the 3D Viewport yet, as we haven't told this node what to instance.)

Connect the Cube to Instance on Points:

On the Cube node, find the green output socket on its right, labeled Mesh.
Click and drag a green line from Cube.Mesh.
Drag this green line over to the Instance on Points node.
Connect it to the green input socket on the left of Instance on Points, labeled Instance.
Release the mouse button.
(Now you should see your dashed circle appear in the 3D Viewport! The small 3D cubes you defined are now placed along the circle, forming the dashes.)

F. Orienting the Instances (Blender 4.x Simplification!)

Currently, your dashes might all be pointing straight up or in a uniform direction. We need them to naturally follow the curve's direction.

Connect Rotation Output to Rotation Input:

On the Curve to Points node, find the white output socket on its right, labeled Rotation.
Click and drag a white line from Curve to Points.Rotation.
Drag this white line to the Instance on Points node.
Connect it to the white input socket on the left of Instance on Points, also labeled Rotation.
Release the mouse button.
(Your dashes should now snap to align perfectly along the curve, rotating to follow its curvature!)

G. Finalizing the Geometry (Making it Real Mesh)

When Blender creates "instances," these are very lightweight copies. To make them "real" mesh data that can be exported, further modified by other modifiers, or used in simulations, we need one more step to "realize" them.

Add a Realize Instances Node:

In the Geometry Nodes Editor, ensure your mouse cursor is hovering over the grid.
Press Shift + A > Instances > Realize Instances.
(A Realize Instances node appears.)

Insert Realize Instances into the Network:

Click and drag the Realize Instances node.
Drag it over the green line connecting Instance on Points.Geometry to Group Output.Geometry.
When the green line turns orange/yellow where you're dragging the node over it, release your mouse button.
(The Realize Instances node will automatically insert itself: Instance on Points -> Realize Instances -> Group Output. You won't see a visual change, but the instances are now converted into actual mesh data.)

Your basic, dynamic dashed circle node tree is now complete!

Part 4: Controlling Your Dashed Circle Easily from the Modifier Panel

Now that the nodes are connected, you can change properties using the sliders on the nodes themselves. However, it's far more convenient to have these controls directly in the Modifier Properties panel on the right side of your screen.

Select the Group Input Node:

In the Geometry Nodes Editor, click directly on the Group Input node (the one on the far left). The node will get a thin, bright outline (e.g., light blue or white, depending on your Blender theme), indicating it's selected.
(Confirm it's selected, as the N-panel's 'Group' tab depends on this selection.)

Open the N-Panel (Node Properties Panel):

Make sure your mouse cursor is hovering within the Geometry Nodes Editor.
Press the N key on your keyboard.
(A sidebar will appear on the right side of the Geometry Nodes Editor.)
At the top of this sidebar, click on the tab labeled Group. (This panel allows you to customize the inputs and outputs that appear on your Geometry Nodes modifier.)

Expose Parameters (Drag & Drop to create sliders):

Important: In Blender 4.x, you drag the input socket from another node directly to the Group Input node itself. This automatically creates a new output on the Group Input node and a corresponding control in your Modifier Properties panel. The N-panel's Group tab will then show these new inputs, allowing you to rename them.
Expose Radius from Curve Circle:
- In the Geometry Nodes Editor, locate the Curve Circle node.
- Find the white input socket on its left side, labeled Radius.
- Click and drag from this Radius input socket.
- Drag this white line over to the right-hand side of the Group Input node. As you hover, you'll see a white outline or a small line appear near the existing Geometry output, indicating a new output slot.
- Release your mouse button when you see this cue over the Group Input node.
- (A new white output socket labeled "Radius" will appear on the right side of the Group Input node. Immediately, a new control named "Radius" will also appear in the Modifier Properties panel on the right of your Blender window, and also in the N-panel's Group tab.)
Expose Length from Resample Curve (for Dash + Gap Length):
- On the Resample Curve node, find the white input socket on its left side, labeled Length.
- Click and drag from this Length input socket.
- Drag it over to the right-hand side of the Group Input node.
- Release your mouse button.
- (A new white output socket for "Length" will appear on the right side of Group Input. Now, go to the N-panel's Group tab (which should still be open). You'll see the newly exposed "Length" parameter listed there. Click once on "Length" in the N-panel's Group tab to select it, then double-click its name and rename it to Dash + Gap Length for clarity. Press Enter after renaming.)
Expose Length from Curve to Points (for Dash Length):
- On the Curve to Points node, find the white input socket on its left side, labeled Length.
- Click and drag from this Length input socket.
- Drag it over to the right-hand side of the Group Input node.
- Release your mouse button.
- (A new white output socket for "Length" will appear on the right side of Group Input. Go to the N-panel's Group tab. Click once on the new "Length" parameter (it might be the second "Length" listed) to select it, then double-click its name and rename it to Dash Length. Press Enter after renaming.)
Expose Size.Z (Thickness) from Cube:
- On the Cube node, find the white input socket for Z under Size. This controls the thickness/height of your dashes.
- Click and drag from this Z input socket.
- Drag it over to the right-hand side of the Group Input node.
- Release your mouse button.
- (A new white output socket for "Z" will appear on the right side of Group Input. Go to the N-panel's Group tab. Click once on the new "Z" parameter to select it, then double-click its name and rename it to Dash Thickness. Press Enter after renaming.)

Close the N-Panel:

Press N again to hide the N-panel in the Geometry Nodes Editor.

Go Back to the Layout Workspace:

At the top of your Blender window, click on the Layout tab.
(This brings you back to the default workspace, where you typically model and view your scene.)

Control Your Dashed Circle from the Modifier Panel:

Ensure your dashed circle (the Plane object) is selected in the 3D Viewport.
Go to the Modifier Properties tab (the wrench icon) on the right side of the screen.
Under the Geometry Nodes modifier, you will now see friendly sliders for Radius, Dash + Gap Length, Dash Length, and Dash Thickness!
(You can now easily adjust your dashed circle's appearance directly from here, without needing to open the Geometry Nodes Editor every time. Experiment by dragging these sliders!)

Creating a dashed ring in Blender