Shader Editor: Allow to set default Texture

[galberola]

Describe the project you are working on

Following the GDQuest Shader Secrets and other Shader tutorials (Brakeys cof cof) using the Shader Editor.

Describe the problem or limitation you are having in your project

The Shader Editor can also be seen as a debug tool, by providing a visual representation at each step of the flow.
For this to work though, we need to have the Texture assigned to the material. Currently if you utilize for example, the Texture2D, this is a white quad on the shader editor.

Describe the feature / enhancement and how it helps to overcome the problem or limitation

Having the ability to provide a default texture to be used in the shader editor will provide this visualization.

For a more clear reference, the following image represents part of a shader used to create an outline on the left side:

I then changed the Texture2D to Texture and manually injected a texture, and the result is as following:

Describe how your proposal will work, with code, pseudo-code, mock-ups, and/or diagrams

Based on other components, we might be able to do something like the Uniform values, by allowing to provide a default value, which is used only on the shader editor.

The field should look like the one presented on the Texture2D / Texture node:

If this enhancement will not be used often, can it be worked around with a few lines of script?

Current work around that I'm aware is to change the Texture2D to a plain Texture and manually assign a Texture.

But when you want to test the shader on an object through a material you need to revert back to Texture2D. And if you then need to go back to the shader editor need to change again ... and so on..

Is there a reason why this should be core and not an add-on in the asset library?

The visual representation of the main texture on the shader editor feels like part of the core experience.