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Houdini Setup#

Common#

  • Install license server on each machine
  • Install HQueue Client Reference
  • Directory in D:\knl\hou\HQClient
  • Server: ${env:EDEV_HOUSERVER}:5000 (ex: ikrima-ryzen:5000)
  • Logon Account: ${env:EDEV_HOUSERVERACCOUNT} (ex: sa_server_account)
  • Make sure firewall is accessible
  • Update MachineSetup-Config.ps1:${env:EDEV_HOUDIR} to point to new path and rerun
  • Make sure HOUDINI_USER_PREF_DIR is set (e.g. HOUDINI_USER_PREF_DIR=${env:EDEV_HOUPSITEDIR}/prefs/houdini__HVER__)
  • Change symlink of C:\Program Files\Side Effects Software\Latest to point to new directory

Optional#

  • Update git repos in tp directory
  • Update binary plugins (Redshift, optix)

For Major Updates#

For major-minor version updates (i.e. from 17.0 to 17.5) - Copy previous version prefs folder to new one (eg: ${env:EDEV_HOUPSITEDIR}\prefs\houdini17.5) - Update the new houdini.env Version envars. Ex: - HOU_MAJOR_VER = 17 - HOU_MINOR_VER = 5 - REDSHIFT_VER = 17.5.173 - Create a new version specific dso folder (eg: ${env:EDEV_HOUPSITEDIR}\personal\dso-17.5) - Compile dso’s with new HDK (ex: SOP_ComputeTangents) - mikktspace-for-houdini: Update the visual studio HDK props file to point to new HDK location - Not needed anymore as PolyFrame node has builtin support for mikktspace - Follow instructions for nightly build updates

For Nightly Updates#

  • Run HoudiniConfig.ps1:Update-HythonVenv
  • Change nvidia graphics custom 3d settings for new hindie.exe

Houdini.env#

Use $HSITE and $HFS to point site specific configuration & houdini install directory The problem is that no one seems to understand the fully correct syntax, while some slightly bad variations happen to work depending on the platform/method.

Let me try to lay out some of the rules: Reference - Houdini only expands environment variables in the hscript syntax. ie. $HOME, not the DOS syntax like %HOME%. - The path separators should be semi-colon (;) instead of colon (:). This works on all platforms. Linux/OSX happen to also accept colon (:) as well. - When you override a variable, you should have “&” in there somewhere so that the default path is still used. Depending on your shell, this is sometimes a special character, in which case you need to ensure that you set it with the correct escaping. - On Windows especially, make sure you launch Houdini from the shell you set the environment variable. You cannot set it into a shell and then expect the Start Menu > Houdini to see it. - You must set your environment variable BEFORE Houdini is loaded. - If you’re using houdini.env (as an alternative), then you must use double quotes if your variable value contains spaces. - List of environment variables

Last update: November 18, 2021