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Kiryha edited this page Jul 3, 2018 · 64 revisions

Introduction

Here you will find Houdini general usage tips

Project setup

Environment variables allow to setup variables and values in Houdini.
List all available variables: run cmds, run command hconfig.exe -a
Check the variable value in Houdini: in Texport window run echo $<VAR_NAME>
Variables which works with paths divided into 2 types:

  • Location (HIP, JOB, etc), one specific directory
  • Path (HOUDINI_SCRIPT_PATH, etc), list of dirs

JOB - root for Houdini project.
HIP - path where Houdini scene is.
HOME - Houdini settings for the user
HFS - Houdini install dir

Check Houdini environment

Run Windows > Shell (which runs cmds). Enter hconfig-ap

Attributes and parameters

Attributes
Global expression variables
Standard variables
Local SOP variables

Hotkeys: Scene view

  • Reset rotate pivot to a viewport center: Shift + Z

Hotkeys: Network view

  • Align nodes: press A, press LMB, move left(or up)
  • Move node with upstream connections: Shift + LMB + move
  • Move node with downstream connections: Ctrl + LMB + move
  • Duplicate node: Alt + LMB + move .
  • Duplicate node with upstream connections: Alt + Shift + LMB + move
  • Duplicate node with downstream connections: Alt + Ctrl + LMB + move
  • Set display and render flag: R + LMB click
  • Set render flag: T + LMB click
  • Set bypass flag: Q + LMB click
  • Set template flag: W + LMB click
  • Reoder inputs: Shift + R
  • Add dot: Alt + LMB click .
  • Pin the wire: Alt + LMB click
  • Cut the wire: Y + LMB drag
  • Set quickmark 1: Ctr + 1
  • Go to quickmark 1: 1
  • Togle quickmarks: tilda

Pipeline developing notes

Introduction

This repository is a Houdini pipeline toolset in the early stage of developing. Working name is "Mother". This section is my notes on developing process, it does not intend to have valuable public content. I mean, skip it!

Once released, Mother would be out of the box VFX pipeline for Houdini and Nuke applications under control of Shotgun management system.

Despite the Houdini data management part is not developed yet, the whole VFX pipeline structure is based on Animation DNA ideas, so we have a concept for the project folder structure, assets structure etc.

Pipeline definition and goals

What is PP? Pipeline covers:

  • Communications
  • Data storage, exchange and tracking

Agile and Organic Pipeline

There is a well-known VFX production structure with strict vertical hierarchy and tasks division between departments. We well research agile project management option with task division between teams.

The term "production pipeline" by itself defines our perception of movie making process. Obviously, we see the similarity between movie production and any other manufacturing where we use machines, tools and other mechanical devices. Such conception gives quite successful results.

However, we try to look at production process from the biological point of view and get some interesting ideas. The difference between machine and organism is similar to the difference between nodes and layers — the same task could be achieved differently and perception could define algorithms. Organic pipeline research is our goal here.

We are going to breed shots with Mother...

Project-pipeline relation

At the highest level, there are two options for defining the relation between a pipeline and projects:

  • One pipeline driving all projects
  • Each project has its own pipeline version

The first option more suitable when you have a limited amount of big and complex long-term projects (like animation feature), second fits better for a bunch of fast tasks, like commercials. Here we will design the first option.

Sure, there is a third option available, a combination of this two methods, when you have one pipeline driving all projects and each project has the ability to customize pipeline individually.

Pipeline deploy

This is basically pipeline for pipeline developing. Where you keep source code, how you modify it and track changes, how you deliver pipeline to a production for the studio and for outsourcers.

Run new project.

Download repository as a zip file, extract to any temp location and run setupProject.bat. Select directory to hold the project, enter project name and press "CREATE PROJECT" to build a project folder structure with a pipeline.

Github developer notes

Install GitHub Desktop. Clone this repo to a PIPELINE folder of a project used to develop the pipeline E:\256\PROJECTS\NSI\PREP\PIPELINE.

Create a project in PyCharm, set PIPELINE folder as root.

Exclude PyCharm project folder (.idea) from GitHub commits: go to PIPELINE/.git/info, add .idea line to "exclude" file.

Modify code, commit changes, Fetch Origin!

Clone this wiki locally