ComfyUI Prompt Preset Selector

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A flexible ComfyUI node for selecting text presets from external files with advanced filtering capabilities. Perfect for managing camera angles, clothing descriptions, lighting setups, character databases, or any text-based presets.

Features

• 📁 External File Management: Store presets in .txt, .yaml, or .yml files
• 🌐 Absolute Path Support: Use files from anywhere on your system
• 📝 Multiple YAML Formats: Supports list, nested dict, and flat formats
• 🔍 Advanced Keyword Filtering: Include/exclude keywords with phrase support
• 🎲 Multiple Selection Modes: Manual, Sequential, Sequential (continue), Random
• 🎰 Wildcard Expansion: Supports {A|B|C}, __filename__, and {__key__|__key__} syntax
• 🔄 ComfyUI-Impact-Pack Integration: Compatible with wildcards folder
• 📝 Easy Editing: Edit presets with any text editor - no need to touch Python code
• 🗂️ Multiple Preset Files: Organize presets by category
• 💬 Comment Support: Add comments and empty lines in preset files for organization
• 🔄 Dynamic Loading: No ComfyUI restart needed when editing preset files

Node Types

This extension provides two versions of the node:

Prompt Preset Selector

Basic preset selection functionality. Use when wildcard expansion is not needed.

Prompt Preset Selector (Wildcard)

Enhanced version with wildcard expansion support:

• {A|B|C} - Select one option from choices
• __filename__ - Load a line from a file in the wildcards folder
• {__key__|__key__} - Select content from YAML keys (Impact Pack format)

Installation

1. Navigate to your ComfyUI custom nodes directory:

cd ComfyUI/custom_nodes

2. Clone this repository:

git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/ComfyUI-Prompt-Preset-Selector.git

3. (Optional) Install PyYAML if not already installed (for YAML support):

pip install pyyaml

Note: PyYAML is usually already installed in most environments. The node will display a warning if YAML files cannot be loaded.

4. Restart ComfyUI

Usage

Basic Usage

1. Add "Prompt Preset Selector" or "Prompt Preset Selector (Wildcard)" node to your workflow
2. Option A: Select a preset file from the dropdown (e.g., camera_angles.txt) Option B: Enter an absolute path in the absolute_path field (e.g., /home/user/my_presets/styles.yaml)
3. Choose an execution mode
4. Connect the text output to your prompt node

Note: If absolute_path is provided, it takes priority over the preset_file dropdown.

File Locations

Preset files are loaded from the following locations (in priority order):

1. Absolute path - When specified in the absolute_path field
2. presets folder - ComfyUI/custom_nodes/ComfyUI-Prompt-Preset-Selector/presets/
3. wildcards folder - ComfyUI/custom_nodes/ComfyUI-Impact-Pack/wildcards/ (when Impact Pack is installed)

The dropdown displays files from both the presets and wildcards folders (duplicates are excluded).

Using Absolute Paths

You can use preset files from anywhere on your system:

/home/user/presets/camera_angles.txt
/mnt/shared/prompts/styles.yaml
C:\Users\YourName\Documents\presets\lighting.yml  (Windows)

Supported file types: .txt, .yaml, .yml

Wildcard Features (Wildcard Node Only)

enable_wildcard Parameter

• true (default): Expand wildcard syntax
• false: Output wildcard syntax as plain text

Generally, keeping it at true is recommended. If there's no wildcard syntax, it will output text normally.

Supported Wildcard Syntax

1. Choice Expansion: {A|B|C}

{red|blue|green} dress
→ "red dress", "blue dress", or "green dress"

Supports nesting:

{red|{dark|light} blue} dress
→ "red dress", "dark blue dress", or "light blue dress"

2. File Reference: __filename__

References content from presets/colors.txt or wildcards/colors.txt:

__colors__ dress
→ Expands to a random line from colors.txt

File search order:

1. presets/colors.txt
2. wildcards/colors.txt (if not found in presets)

3. YAML Key Selection: {__key1__|__key2__}

Select content from keys within a YAML file (Impact Pack format):

characters:
  heroes:
    - superman, cape, blue suit
    - batman, dark costume, mask
  villains:
    - joker, purple suit, green hair
    - riddler, question mark, green suit

Usage example:

{__heroes__|__villains__}
→ Selects one item from either heroes or villains keys

Important: This syntax references keys within the selected preset file.

Selection Mode and Wildcard Expansion

selection_mode	Preset Selection	Wildcard Expansion
Manual	Uses preset_index	Random (seed-based)
Random	Random (seed-based)	Random (seed-based)
Sequential	Sequential from preset_index	Sequential
Sequential (continue)	Continues from last position	Sequential

Sequential expansion: Uses wildcard options in order (next option on next execution) Random expansion: Selects based on seed each time

YAML File Formats

This node supports three YAML formats:

Format A: Presets List

presets:
  - front view, low-angle shot, close-up
  - back view, low-angle shot, close-up
  - side view, eye-level shot, medium shot

Format B: Flat List

- front view, low-angle shot, close-up
- back view, low-angle shot, close-up
- side view, eye-level shot, medium shot

Format C: Nested Dictionary

camera_angles:
  close_up:
    - front view, low-angle shot, close-up
    - back view, low-angle shot, close-up
  wide_shot:
    - front view, high-angle shot, wide shot
    - back view, high-angle shot, wide shot

lighting:
  natural:
    - golden hour lighting, warm tones
    - overcast daylight, diffused light
  studio:
    - three-point lighting, neutral balance

Important: In Format C, key hierarchy is prepended to each preset:

• Becomes: camera_angles:close_up: front view, low-angle shot, close-up
• This allows searching by keys: camera_angles: or close_up: or "camera angles":"close up"
• Keys with spaces must use quotes in YAML: "camera angles":

All formats are automatically flattened into a single list of presets.

Execution Modes

Manual

• Uses preset_index directly
• Good for testing specific presets

Sequential

• Starts from preset_index, increments each execution
• Resets to preset_index when workflow is reloaded

Sequential (continue)

• Continues from last position across executions
• Persists state until workflow is reloaded
• Useful for generating batches

Random

• Selects random preset based on seed
• Same seed = same result (reproducible)

Keyword Filtering

Filter presets using powerful keyword search:

Basic Modes

• OFF: No filtering (use all presets)
• AND: Match ALL keywords
• OR: Match ANY keyword

Syntax

Simple Keywords:

front                → Lines containing "front"
front close-up       → AND: both "front" AND "close-up"
front, back          → OR: "front" OR "back"

Phrase Search (use double quotes):

"low-angle shot"     → Match exact phrase
front "eye-level"    → Combine phrase and word

YAML Key Hierarchy Search:

When using nested YAML dictionaries, keys are prepended to preset text:

camera_angles:
  close_up:
    - front view, low-angle shot, close-up

Becomes: camera_angles:close_up: front view, low-angle shot, close-up

Search by keys:

camera_angles:              → All presets under camera_angles
close_up:                   → All presets with close_up key (any level)
camera_angles:close_up:     → Exact path (requires space as separator in AND mode)
"camera angles":            → Keys with spaces (use quotes)
"camera angles" "close up"  → Both keys present (AND mode)

⚠️ Excluding Wildcard Choice Lines:

When using nested YAML structures, wildcard choice lines ({__key1__|__key2__}) may match keyword searches:

characters:
  all:
    - {__heroes__|__villains__}
  heroes:
    - superman, cape, blue suit
  villains:
    - joker, purple suit

Searching for "heroes" will also include the all line (because "heroes" appears in the wildcard).

Solution: Include the colon : in your search

Keyword: heroes:

This searches as a key hierarchy, excluding wildcard choice lines:

• ❌ all: {...} → No match (not in "heroes:" format)
• ✅ heroes: superman, cape... → Match

Alternative:

Keyword: heroes -all

Use exclusion keywords to explicitly exclude all.

Exclusion (use minus prefix):

front -wide          → Include "front", exclude "wide"
front -wide -medium  → Multiple exclusions
-wide -back          → Only exclusions (remove from all)
"front view" -"wide shot" → Phrase with exclusion
camera_angles: -wide_shot:  → Key filter + key exclusion

Filtering Rules

• Keywords are case-insensitive
• Exclusions use OR logic (exclude if ANY match)
• Exclusions apply AFTER inclusion filtering
• Order doesn't matter: front -wide = -wide front
• Delimiters: comma , or space
• YAML dict keys are searchable: Use : suffix for key matching (e.g., close_up:)
• Spaces in keys: Use double quotes (e.g., "camera angles":)

Examples

Keyword	Mode	Result
front close-up -wide	AND	Has both "front" AND "close-up", but NOT "wide"
front back -medium	OR	Has "front" OR "back", but NOT "medium"
"front view" -"wide shot"	AND	Has phrase "front view", but NOT phrase "wide shot"
-wide	OFF	All lines except those with "wide"
camera_angles:	AND	All presets under camera_angles key (YAML)
"close up":	AND	All presets with "close up" key (YAML, spaces in key)
lighting: -dramatic:	AND	lighting key presets, excluding dramatic key
heroes:	AND	Only heroes key (excludes wildcard choice `{heroes

Creating Custom Presets

Text Files (.txt)

1. Navigate to the presets folder in this node's directory
2. Create a new .txt file (e.g., my_presets.txt)
3. Add your presets, one per line:

# This is a comment - it will be ignored

front view, low-angle shot, close-up
side view, eye-level shot, medium shot
back view, high-angle shot, wide shot

# Another section
overhead view, bird's-eye view, establishing shot

YAML Files (.yaml / .yml)

Create structured preset files with YAML:

# Nested dictionary format
camera_angles:
  close_up:
    - front view, low-angle shot, close-up
    - side view, low-angle shot, close-up
  
  medium_shot:
    - front view, eye-level shot, medium shot
    - side view, eye-level shot, medium shot

Or use simple list format:

presets:
  - front view, low-angle shot, close-up
  - side view, eye-level shot, medium shot

4. Refresh ComfyUI or restart
5. Your new preset file will appear in the dropdown

Preset File Formats

Text Files (.txt)

• One preset per line
• Lines starting with # are comments (ignored)
• Empty lines are ignored
• UTF-8 encoding supported (for international characters)

YAML Files (.yaml, .yml)

• Three supported formats: presets list, flat list, nested dictionary
• All formats are flattened into a single preset list
• Comments supported using #
• UTF-8 encoding supported

Node Parameters

Prompt Preset Selector (Basic)

Parameter	Type	Description
preset_file	Dropdown	Select which file to use from presets or wildcards directory
absolute_path	String	Optional: Absolute path to preset file (overrides preset_file)
keyword	String	Keywords for filtering (supports phrases and exclusions)
keyword_mode	Dropdown	Filter mode: OFF, AND, OR
selection_mode	Dropdown	How to select presets: Manual, Sequential, Sequential (continue), Random
preset_index	Integer	Starting index (0-based) for Manual/Sequential modes
seed	Integer	Random seed for reproducible random selection

Prompt Preset Selector (Wildcard)

All parameters from the basic version, plus:

Parameter	Type	Description
enable_wildcard	Boolean	Enable/disable wildcard expansion (default: true)

Node Outputs

Output	Type	Description
text	STRING	The selected preset text (with wildcards expanded)
preset_list	STRING	Numbered list of all available presets (for reference)
selected_info	STRING	Details about selection (index, mode, filter stats, wildcard expansion info)

Example Use Cases

Wildcard Usage Examples

Dynamic Character Selection

characters:
  all_characters:
    - {__heroes__|__villains__|__sidekicks__}
  heroes:
    - superman, red cape, blue suit
    - batman, dark costume, utility belt
  villains:
    - joker, purple suit, green hair
  sidekicks:
    - robin, red vest, yellow cape

Selecting all_characters will randomly choose from 3 categories, then select a character from that category.

Color and Style Combinations

Create colors.txt in the presets folder:

red
blue
green
yellow

Preset:

__colors__ {dress|suit|jacket}
→ "red dress", "blue suit", "green jacket", etc.

Prompt Library Management

Save and reuse prompts from your successful generations with date-tagged keys:

portraits:
  "girl_soft_lighting_20250115": masterpiece, best quality, 1girl, soft lighting, gentle smile, pastel colors, bokeh background, natural pose, detailed eyes, flowing hair
  "boy_dramatic_20250116": high contrast, 1boy, dramatic lighting, intense gaze, dark background, cinematic composition, sharp focus
  "fantasy_elf_20250117": fantasy art, elf girl, pointed ears, ethereal beauty, magic glow, forest background, detailed costume

landscapes:
  "sunset_beach_20250114": beautiful sunset, golden hour, ocean waves, dramatic sky, vibrant colors, peaceful atmosphere, photorealistic
  "cyberpunk_city_20250115": cyberpunk cityscape, neon lights, rain reflections, futuristic architecture, night scene, highly detailed

experimental:
  "abstract_colors_20250113": abstract art, vibrant colors, flowing shapes, dreamlike, artistic composition

Usage examples:

• "girl_soft_lighting_20250115": → Recall specific prompt in full
• portraits: + Sequential → Try portrait prompts one by one
• portraits: + Random → Randomly select from past portrait works
• lighting -dramatic → Prompts containing "lighting" but not "dramatic"

Benefits:

• ✅ Record successful prompts with dates
• ✅ Easily generate variations with the same settings
• ✅ Review what worked well later
• ✅ Share good prompts with your team

Systematically manage your past successes and streamline your creative workflow!

Camera Angle Variations

Generate systematic camera angle variations with filtering:

Keyword: "close-up" -back
Mode: Sequential
→ Cycles through all close-up shots except back views

Anime Character Database

Organize character prompts by series:

anime:
  shonen:
    - luffy, straw hat, scar under eye, determined expression
    - naruto, blonde hair, whisker marks, orange jacket
    - goku, spiky black hair, orange gi, martial arts pose
  seinen:
    - spike spiegel, green hair, brown suit, cigarette
    - guts, black armor, huge sword, intense gaze
  slice_of_life:
    - yui hirasawa, brown hair, school uniform, guitar

Search examples:

• anime: → All anime characters
• shonen: → Only shonen characters
• shonen: -naruto → Shonen characters except Naruto
• blonde -naruto → Blonde characters excluding Naruto
• "slice_of_life": → Slice of life characters only

This is perfect for managing large character databases where you want to randomly select from specific categories!

YAML-based Style Library

Organize complex style hierarchies:

styles:
  anime:
    - vibrant colors, bold outlines, expressive eyes
    - pastel tones, soft shading, cute aesthetic
  
  realistic:
    - photographic quality, detailed textures
    - high dynamic range, natural lighting
  
  artistic:
    - watercolor effect, soft edges, dreamy atmosphere
    - oil painting style, thick brushstrokes, rich colors

Absolute Path for Shared Presets

Use team-shared preset files:

absolute_path: /mnt/shared/company_presets/brand_styles.yaml
keyword: professional
→ Access centralized preset library

LoRA Combinations

<lora:style1:0.8>, anime style, vibrant colors
<lora:style2:1.0>, realistic, detailed
<lora:style3:0.9>, watercolor, soft edges

Note: This node outputs LoRA syntax as plain text. To actually load and apply LoRAs, connect the output to a LoRA-compatible node that can parse the <lora:name:weight> syntax. The node itself does not process LoRA syntax—it simply provides the text for downstream nodes to handle.

Tips

Using preset_list Output

Connect preset_list to a display node to see all available presets with their indices. Useful for:

• Checking which presets match your keywords
• Finding the right preset_index value
• Verifying filter results

Using selected_info Output

Shows execution details like:

Selected: 5: front view, eye-level shot, close-up
Mode: Sequential (continue)
Filtered: 24/96 presets
[Wildcards expanded: sequential]

Batch Generation

Use Sequential (continue) mode with keyword filtering:

1. Set keyword filter (e.g., "close-up" -back)
2. Choose Sequential (continue) mode
3. Queue multiple generations → Each generation uses the next matching preset

Reproducible Results

For random selection:

1. Use Random mode
2. Note the seed value when you get good results
3. Use the same seed to reproduce exactly

Wildcard Tips

• Keep enable_wildcard=true recommended (no effect if no wildcard syntax exists)
• Sequential mode expands wildcards sequentially too
• {__key__|__key__} references keys within the same YAML file
• __filename__ searches both presets and wildcards folders

Troubleshooting

Q: Empty dropdown for presets? A: This node uses an integer preset_index instead of a text dropdown. Use the preset_list output to see available presets.

Q: Keywords not working? A: Make sure keyword_mode is set to AND or OR, not OFF. Check that keywords match actual text in your preset file.

Q: Sequential (continue) mode not continuing? A: This mode resets when you reload the workflow. State persists only during active workflow execution.

Q: Exclusions not working? A: Make sure you're using the minus prefix: -wide not - wide. No space after the minus.

Q: YAML file not loading? A: Ensure PyYAML is installed: pip install pyyaml. Check that your YAML syntax is valid. The node supports three formats (see YAML File Formats section).

Q: Absolute path not working? A:

• Check the file exists at the specified path
• Use forward slashes / even on Windows (or escaped backslashes \\)
• Ensure file has supported extension: .txt, .yaml, or .yml
• Verify you have read permissions for the file

Q: Wildcards not expanding? A:

• Check that enable_wildcard is set to true
• Make sure you're using the Wildcard version node ("Prompt Preset Selector (Wildcard)")
• For __filename__, verify the file exists in presets or wildcards folder
• For {__key__|__key__}, verify the keys exist in the selected YAML file

Q: Wildcard choice lines included in filter results? A: Include the colon : in your keyword search. For example, searching for heroes will also match {__heroes__|...}, but searching for heroes: will only match actual key hierarchies and exclude wildcard choice lines.

Q: YAML nested dict returns wrong order? A: Python dictionaries maintain insertion order (Python 3.7+), but the flattening process extracts all values. The order depends on YAML structure traversal.

Disclaimer and Support Policy

Disclaimer

• This node is provided without technical support
• No warranty for functionality
• No guarantee of compatibility with future ComfyUI updates
• Bug reports and feature requests may not be addressed
• Use at your own risk

Support Status

• ❌ No individual support via issues or email
• ❌ No guarantee of bug fixes or feature additions
• ✅ Code is open source - feel free to fork and modify
• ✅ Community discussions welcome (no promise of response)

Reporting Issues

While support is not guaranteed, you may:

1. Check existing issues in the repository
2. Review this README and troubleshooting section
3. Open an issue (may not be addressed)
4. Fork and fix it yourself

License

MIT License - feel free to use, modify, and distribute as needed.