Why do I get invalid node type names using Python?

[magneto]

Hi,

 

When I am traversing all vop nodes using this code;

 

ops = []
category = hou.vopNodeTypeCategory()
for node_type in category.nodeTypes().itervalues():
    if not node_type.hidden():
        ops.append(node_type.name())

I am getting invalid node type names like "ptreplicate", "rayhit". When I try to create them inside attribute vop, I get "Invalid node type name" error.

 

Is this normal? What are these node types that are not available in the TAB menu but they are also not hidden.

 

 

Thanks

[graham]

Certain VOP node types are only available in certain contexts so you can't create every type everywhere.  This behavior is defined in the VopNet Mask field in an operator's Type Properties.

 

For example the Ray Hit operator has a mask of "surface photon displace light shadow fog" that basically indicates that it can only be used in shading VOP contexts.

 

The ptreplicate VOP can only be used in "vopmaterial" networks.

[magneto]

Thanks Graham. I thought everything was CVEX now. So SHOP contexts are still specialized like the old SOP and POP contexts? If so, will there be any plans to make SHOP context CVEX too so we can use the same VOPs/functions anywhere else, not just in the SHOP context?