VEX noobie

[Juzwa]

Hi, 

 

I've just started learning VEX. I'm using maxscript on a daily basis to write my own tools. And I got used to some cool things that maxscript has and seems to be missing in houdini (or maybe I can't fin them?). I've learned maxscript almost by myself, I'm not a programmer. So if if you have any answers for my questions please try to explain it like to a child I'm more of a artist that uses scripting not a programmer that works in cg industry

 

1) eg AttribWrangle node or any other node that can run a VEXpression has just a little space to write a code. When your code grows it's almost impossible to find yourself in this little space. Can I somehow enlarge this window? Max has a maxscript editor - a new window that you can resize however you want and has a syntax highlighting.

 

I know that some of you are using sublime text. I've tried to install the package form Shawn Lipowski (https://github.com/WhileRomeBurns/VEX_Syntax) but somehow it's still not working for me. Probably I'm doing something wrong, but don't know what So are there any other editors that would highlight vex syntax?

 

2) Debugging (I think it's called that). Maxscript has a Listener window, where you can see exactly whats going on, whenever you make any mistake ina code, you can see an error and you can easily find there the error is. 

 

In Houdini the error is displayed on the node, and when you need to middle-click. But very often I find that not very useful, sometimes I even get more confused than before I looked into that window . Can I look for those errors in some other window?

 

3) Syntax. I'll try to explain using example:

 

flaot my_variable = 10.0;

flaot my_variable=10.0;

 

I'm not talking about this specific example, but I've run in to a simmilar ones couple of times. 

 

And both of those lines seams not to be exactly the same. Sometimes the first line can drop an error and a second is working fine. This confuses me a lot, because it looks like VEX syntax is very different from maxscript. 

 

Where can I find some core fundamentals tutorials/lectures on VEX syntax structure? Can you recommend me some good one?

[Stalkerx777]

Hi.

1) Alt + e in any houdini numeric parameter will open floating window with code.

2) You have 2 options for "debugging" vex: printf function and viewing attribute values in houdini viewport (in case of SOP context). Also you have some "debugging" options in VOP network, where each node have "Debug" flag.

3) float my_variable = 10.0; and float my_variable=10.0; are completely identical. You shouldn't have an error.

 

Where can I find some core fundamentals tutorials/lectures on VEX syntax structure? Can you recommend me some good one?

 

Houdini documentation is where you can get all that you need. http://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini13.0/vex/lang

Note, that VEX is not Maxscript. Not even close. If you need general houdini scripting, you should go with Python http://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini13.0/hom/

[pbarua]

cmiVFX have two volume on VEX by David Gary and cgsociety have a running course by Shawn Lipowski.

 

http://forums.odforce.net/topic/20392-cgworkshops-vex-in-houdini-ask-me-anything/

[pbarua]

And there is Wrangle Workshop by Ari Danesh from SESI.

http://vimeo.com/67677051