EricRollei-Local_LLM_Prompt_Enhancer/docs/WILDCARD_GUIDE.md

Wildcard Support Guide

What Are Wildcards?

Wildcards let you create dynamic prompts with random variations. Instead of typing the same prompt multiple times with different subjects, use wildcards for automatic randomization.

Syntax

Inline Wildcards (Recommended)

{category:option1|option2|option3}

Example:

A {animal:cat|dog|bird} playing {instrument:piano|guitar|drums} in a {location:park|studio|street}

Generates one of:

• "A cat playing piano in a park"
• "A dog playing guitar in a studio"
• "A bird playing drums in a street"
• (Any combination of the options)

Predefined Wildcards

{category}

Example:

A {person} using a {tool} to {action} the {object}

Uses built-in categories:

• {animal}, {person}, {profession}, {instrument}, {location}
• {weather}, {time}, {emotion}, {action}, {color}
• {vehicle}, {tool}, {object}

Built-in Wildcard Categories

Category	Options
{animal}	cat, dog, bird, horse, rabbit, fox, deer, wolf
{person}	man, woman, child, elder, teenager, artist, scientist
{profession}	detective, chef, doctor, teacher, engineer, musician, artist
{instrument}	piano, guitar, violin, drums, saxophone, flute
{location}	park, studio, street, forest, beach, city, room
{weather}	sunny, rainy, snowy, foggy, stormy, cloudy
{time}	morning, noon, afternoon, evening, night, midnight
{emotion}	happy, sad, angry, surprised, calm, excited, pensive
{action}	walking, running, dancing, working, playing, creating
{color}	red, blue, green, yellow, purple, orange, black, white
{vehicle}	car, motorcycle, bicycle, truck, bus, train, boat
{tool}	hammer, wrench, paintbrush, camera, telescope, microscope
{object}	book, ball, box, bottle, phone, computer, chair

Examples

Example 1: Character Variations

Input: A {profession:detective|chef|scientist} in their {location:office|kitchen|laboratory} at {time:dawn|midnight|noon}

Possible outputs:
- "A detective in their office at dawn"
- "A chef in their kitchen at midnight"  
- "A scientist in their laboratory at noon"

Example 2: Vehicle Scenes

Input: A {color:red|blue|black} {vehicle:sports car|motorcycle|truck} racing through a {weather:rainy|snowy|foggy} {location:city|mountain pass|desert}

Possible outputs:
- "A red sports car racing through a rainy city"
- "A blue motorcycle racing through a snowy mountain pass"
- "A black truck racing through a foggy desert"

Example 3: Mixed Inline & Predefined

Input: A {person} {emotion:happily|sadly|angrily} holding a {color} {object}

Uses predefined {person} and {object} with inline emotions and colors.

Example 4: Complex Scene

Input: {profession:astronaut|pilot|diver} explores {location:alien planet|underwater cave|arctic tundra} during {time:sunrise|sunset|night} with {tool:scanner|camera|equipment}

Creates varied exploration scenes automatically.

How It Works

1. Wildcard Detection: Node scans your prompt for {...} syntax
2. Random Selection: Picks one option from each wildcard
3. Replacement: Substitutes wildcards with chosen options
4. Expansion: Sends processed prompt to LLM for detail expansion

Breakdown Output

The node shows what was chosen:

Original Input:
A {animal:cat|dog|bird} playing {instrument:piano|guitar}

Wildcard Replacements:
- animal: cat
- instrument: piano

Processed Prompt:
A cat playing piano

With Variations

When generating multiple variations, wildcards are re-rolled for each:

Variation 1: A cat playing piano in a park
Variation 2: A dog playing guitar in a studio  
Variation 3: A bird playing drums in a street

Each variation gets different random selections!

Tips for Using Wildcards

1. Keep Options Related

✅ Good: {location:park|beach|forest} (all outdoor) ❌ Bad: {location:park|spaceship|microscope} (unrelated)

2. Match Grammar

✅ Good: A {animal:cat|dog|bird} (all singular) ❌ Bad: A {animal:cat|dogs|birds} (mixed singular/plural)

3. Use Inline for Custom Options

Use inline wildcards when you need specific options not in predefined lists:

{character:wizard|warrior|rogue|healer}

4. Combine with Presets

Input: A {profession} in a {location}
Preset: noir
Tier: advanced

Result: Noir-style expansion of the random profession/location combo

5. Use with Advanced Node Dropdowns

Input: A {vehicle} racing through {weather} conditions
Shot Size: wide shot
Camera Movement: tracking shot
Preset: action

Result: Action-style wide tracking shot of random vehicle/weather

With Random Preset

Wildcards work GREAT with random preset:

Input: A {animal} {action}
Preset: random
Tier: enhanced

Result:
- Random animal chosen (e.g., "fox")
- Random action chosen (e.g., "dancing")
- Random cinematography applied
- Output: "A fox dancing" with random aesthetic choices

Troubleshooting

Wildcards Not Replaced

• Check syntax: {name:opt1|opt2} (colon and pipes)
• No spaces in curly braces: {animal} not { animal }

Same Options Every Time

• Not a bug! Each run picks randomly
• Use variations (num_variations: 3) to get multiple

Wildcard in Output

If you see {animal} in the output:

• Typo in category name
• Category not in predefined list
• Use inline format: {animal:cat|dog|bird}

Advanced: Nested Concepts

You can combine wildcards with concepts:

Input: {profession} using {tool} to fix a {object} in a {weather} {time}

Creates complex scenarios like:
"engineer using wrench to fix a computer in a rainy morning"

Combining Features

Wildcards + Keywords + Preset

Input: A {profession} in dramatic pose
Preset: cinematic
Positive Keywords: myLoRA_trigger
Tier: advanced

Result: Random profession, cinematic style, with LoRA trigger

Wildcards + Advanced Node Controls

Input: A {vehicle} in motion
Preset: action
Shot Size: wide shot
Camera Movement: tracking shot
Time of Day: sunset time
Lens: wide-angle lens

Result: Random vehicle, but specific cinematography

Summary

Wildcards enable:

• ✅ Dynamic prompt variations
• ✅ Quick batch generation with variety
• ✅ A/B testing different concepts
• ✅ Creative exploration
• ✅ Efficient prompt iteration

Syntax:

• Inline: {name:opt1|opt2|opt3}
• Predefined: {category}

Works with:

• All presets (especially good with "random")
• All tiers
• All modes (text-to-video, image-to-video)
• Both Standard and Advanced nodes
• Multiple variations

Try it!

Input: A {animal} {action} in a {location} during {time}

Generate 3 variations and see the variety!