kaToolsExpressionPicker

Thank you for visiting my tool! This is module-based expression editor. We can write vex/python code by drag & drop....plus a little bit of editing. If you use one function over and over again, save it as a module, and you can grab it whenever you want from the list view!

Update v0.1.022

• Syntax highlighting! (Partially...)
• Clear button for filtering.
• reconstruct some part.

Update v0.1.018

• You can double-click something on a list and edit a code or name.
• Bit better layout.

Update v0.1.017

• If you press tab in the text area, cursor still keeps the position (It doesn't go away).
• Not completely, but even when you edit code on a parameter, text area on this tool is updated (You need to set focus to somewhere from the parameter).

Installation

Put this repository somewhere and add its path to both:

• HOUDINI_PATH,
• HOUDINI_PYTHON_PANEL_PATH

in houdini.env. (e.g. rename "kaToolsExpressionPicker-release" "kaToolsExpressionPicker", move it to "C:/Users/foo/Documents/houdini16.0" and then, on Windows: HOUDINI_PATH="C:/Users/foo/Documents/houdini16.0/kaToolsExpressionPicker;" HOUDINI_PYTHON_PANEL_PATH="C:/Users/foo/Documents/houdini16.0/kaToolsExpressionPicker;")

Once you donwload it, I reccomend moving "expression.xml" to parent folder.

** On Windows, if that file path is below: ** ** "C:/Users/foo/Documents/houdini16.0/kaToolsExpressionPicker/expression.xml", ** ** then move it parent like below: ** ** "C:/Users/foo/Documents/houdini16.0/expression.xml". ** ** This tool looks up original file path or above. (e.g. it looks up even : "C:/expression.xml") ** ** In this way, you don't lose expression-modules you have made when you update this tool. **

Instructions

1. Type whatever code you might re-use.
2. Hit "Save".
3. Type Category and name, and press OK.
4. On the list, now you can see expressions you have saved.
5. Drag and Drop a parameter (e.g. "snippet" parameter in "attribwrangle") 6.Drag and drop expressions from the list onto text area.
6. You can edit code in the text area, Houdini shows result tight away. (Sorry, but no auto completion or syntax highlighting.)

Extra:

• When you have a bunch of expressions, you can filter expressions and categories.
• If you want to sort expressions, hit "sort".
• If you want to delete a expression you have in the list, select it and hit "delete".

Shortcuts

(text area)

• Ctrl + Shift + "+": zoom in
• Ctrl + "-" : zoom out

Bug....ish

• Drag and drop inside the list doesn't really work. It looks like you can re-arrange the order, but if you hit refresh, the list goes back to the previous order.

If you have any questions, feedbacks and/or ideas that may enhance usability of this tool, feel free to send a message to: nkfxtd@gmail.com

Naoki K