QuickShare v2.0.0

QuickShare is a Houdini copy/paste sharing application which allows user to share their current clipboard with another Houdini user.

Tested

This release of QuickShare was testing in the following configuration.

• Houdini Version: 18
• Python Version: 2.7
• OS: Windows 10

Icons:

These are free icons that came from http://www.iconarchive.com. If you want to change out your icons they have a very good selection.

Interface Images:

Configuration

QuickShare works by storing shared data in a common directory all users hav access to.

• Once started QuickShare will create a folder in this directory if one does not exist.
• If QuickShare can not create a directory it will prompt the user to create the appropriate directory.

Editing config.py

Before using the script you will need to edit the config.py file. The config.py file has two variables you will want to configure:

• EXCLUDE_USERS
  • Used to inform QuickShare that the assigned users should not be seen in the auto complete when searching for users.
  • Pay close attention to the syntax when excluding users.
• SHARED_USERS_FOLDER
  • This is the path to where QuickShare will store shared packets.
  • Make sure to add a r before your path.
    • Example: r"/path/to/shared/drive/folder"

Adding QuickShare to Houdini

Install location

• Add the scripts/python/quick_share folder found in this repo to your local Houdini directory.
  • For example:
    • C:\Users\waldo\Documents\houdini18.0\scripts\python\ quick_share
• If you have configured Houdini to point towards a different scripts folder than the default, copy the same folder to your configured scripts dir.

Installing QuickShare to a python panel.

• Add the python_panels/qShare.pypanel to your local Houdini directory.
  • For example:
    • C:\Users\waldo\Documents\houdini18.0\python_panels\ qShare.pypanel
  • You should see quickshare in the panel as such:

Adding QuickShare to a shelf.

• Adding QuickShare to a shelf is straight forward.
  1. Create a new shelf button.
  2. Add the following code to the code body of the button (Make sure your language is set to python)

     •  import quick_share
        quick_share.show() 

Opening QuickShare command line.

If attempting to use QuickShare command line insure that you have:

1. Python installed. Ideally this is through a Conda env.
2. PySide2 installed. This can be done using pip.

• To open QuickShare via a command line:
  1. Open a shell
  2. Navigate to the scripts/python/quick_share directory.
  3. type: python init.py

Usage

• Sending Data

  1. Select node you want to copy, press Ctrl_C.
  2. Open QuickShare.
  3. Click the SEND tab.
  4. Select the icon next to the data you want to send. This will register the item to send.
  5. Add a note in the note field.
  6. Type a user name in the bar below the packets and hit enter to add the user.
  7. Add a name. This is what the recipient will see.
  8. Add a note. This is what the recipient will see if they click the light bulb icon in the manage tab.
  9. Press the mail delivery icon. You will be notified the package was sent.

• Receiving Data

  1. Open QuickShare
  2. Click the MANAGE tab.
  3. In the tree view navigate to the item you want to add to your scene.
  4. Select the item package (NOT THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS IN THE PACKAGE)
  5. When you have a valid selection. The Icon next to GET YOUR DATA will activate.
  6. Press the Mail Delivery Icon next to GET YOUR DATA
  7. Ctrl_V into the appropriate view. You should see your selection show up in your scene.
     • Do this for every view type you have data for.

Release Notes:

• v1.0.0
  • Original release of QuickShare.
• v2.0.0
  • Complete rewrite of QuickShare.
  • New directory for storing shared data packets
    • the new structure is <user>\quickshare_data<sender><year><month><day><share name>
    • v1.0.0 share data is still supported.
  • Simplified configuration.