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$HIP and paths workflow


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Hi guys,

As you can probably tell from the question I'm pretty new to Houdini and I have a question about folder structures, $HIP and paths...

So let's say I'm working on a project that's structured like this that I guess is pretty standard.

[PROJECT NAME]

[hip_files] - contains houdini hip files organized in folders for each shot

[shot_1] - houdini hip files for shot_1

[shot_2] - houdini hip files for shot_1

[shot_3] - houdini hip files for shot_1

[textures] - texture maps

[simulation_cache] - where to save the simulation cache

[render_output] - where to save the render files

If I refer the textures or simulation cache or render output with the entire path everything is fine on my machine. But if I move the project on another machine without being able to put the project folder at the same address as it was previously or if I move the project folder in another location on my computer then the textures, cache or render output won't be accessible.

Now if I use $HIP when I get a texture houdini will look for that texture inside the folder where the scene that I opened was. So in my example let's say I open shot_1.hip then houdini will look for the texture inside the folder [shot_1]. Instead it should go back 2 folders until [PROJECT_NAME] and look for the texture inside [textures].

How do I solve this? Is there a way to set the $HIP address to be another folder than the one that contains the hip file that I opened? Or in the path name can I specify to go up 2 folders and than check in another?

Many thanks,

Adrian

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Hi guys,

As you can probably tell from the question I'm pretty new to Houdini and I have a question about folder structures, $HIP and paths...

So let's say I'm working on a project that's structured like this that I guess is pretty standard.

[PROJECT NAME]

[hip_files] - contains houdini hip files organized in folders for each shot

[shot_1] - houdini hip files for shot_1

[shot_2] - houdini hip files for shot_1

[shot_3] - houdini hip files for shot_1

[textures] - texture maps

[simulation_cache] - where to save the simulation cache

[render_output] - where to save the render files

If I refer the textures or simulation cache or render output with the entire path everything is fine on my machine. But if I move the project on another machine without being able to put the project folder at the same address as it was previously or if I move the project folder in another location on my computer then the textures, cache or render output won't be accessible.

Now if I use $HIP when I get a texture houdini will look for that texture inside the folder where the scene that I opened was. So in my example let's say I open shot_1.hip then houdini will look for the texture inside the folder [shot_1]. Instead it should go back 2 folders until [PROJECT_NAME] and look for the texture inside [textures].

How do I solve this? Is there a way to set the $HIP address to be another folder than the one that contains the hip file that I opened? Or in the path name can I specify to go up 2 folders and than check in another?

Many thanks,

Adrian

The way to fix this is to use the $JOB variable. Don't use $HIP in any of your paths (well, you could, if you want to refer to things that are 100% sure to stay in the $HIP path, but you never know).

Do you know how to set environment variables? Easiest way is to edit the Houdini.env file. This is in different places depending on your operating system.

What $JOB does is just set a path for your job, and then if you move the entire folder structure, just change $JOB once, and all should be good.

Alex

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I think if you go to Edit > Aliases and Variables > under the Variables tab, click on HIP and change its value, that should solve your problem.

But in general, when I work on a project, I try to save all the HIP files on one directory, so all the other folders inside that are inside $HIP anyway ;) it's easier and still organized!

Edited by ehsan parizi
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Thanks for the help guys, I'll try it right away. Ehsan I don't understand how you're able to manage all the files. I have over 300 hip files so far and now that I'm starting to split the files based on shot will be many many more. The only way to keep things clean is to organize the files in folders...

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