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create digital assets; saves as .hda instead of .otl?


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I'm trying to create a OTL file by entering the 'create digital asset' dialogue.

 

I'm however confronted with different options than the help file for this dialogue says I should have.

 

For example, I don't get get the range sliders for number of inputs. But most importantly, I can save only .hda's.

 

I've read that OTL's may contain multiple .hda's - but I cant find out how to make an OTL from an .hda.

 

Could anyone help me by pointing out what I might be overlooking?

 

Cheers,

 

L

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The original terminology was OTL files for Operator Type Libraries because the file contains a series of Operator Types. However, this encompassed the "operator types" for both the native C++ nodes, as well as the "scripted subnet" node types. So the Houdini Digital Asset (HDA) terminology was born to replace "scripted subnets" (or possibly some other name change in between that I forget ATM). To further add to the confusion, it was common practice to only put ONE HDA into an OTL file. So the term OTL started to be used interchangeably with HDA by expert users. In H14, an attempt has been started to go with the HDA terminology, without losing backwards compatibility.

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Yes but now we are left with conflicting terminology, ex:

 

Folders:

otls/custom.hda

 

Menus:

New Operator Type... (which creates an HDA) ? Wierd, doesn't make sense.

 

Selecting a Subnet:

Create Digital Asset... (creates and HDA) ? Perfect, makes sense.

 
I would rather keep them separate for the sake of the user.
 
- hdas - imply content hence the word assets (ex. characters, levels, stairs, etc)
- otls - imply primitive operators (ex. box, modeling tools, etc)
 
Preferred:
 
hdas/monsters.hda
otls/tools.otl
 
Conclusion:
 
Houdini digital assets are not new operator types and should be kept separate.
Edited by ayidi
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I would rather keep them separate for the sake of the user.

 

 

Perhaps better for the creator - the user most likely cares not of the distinction in 99% of cases.

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I think this format distinction is useless too. If we care too much about these, then why not also add whether they are SOP or POP, and whether they are written in Python or VEX, etc?

 

I just say every new operator created inside Houdini as HDA and everything else is a C++/compiled operator when I need to distinct them. Otherwise I don't mention anything.

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  • 3 months later...

I'd also have a question regarding this topic. I hope it's ok that I just add it here. If someone else comes across this question/new workflow, everything related to it will be in one place.

 

Here it goes:

Is it possible to use HDA's in H13, which were created in H14? Backward-Compatibility?

-> HDA created in H14 -> use it in H13?

 

So far, I couldn't get it to work. Thanks in advance folks! :)

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I don't think so - at least for anything more than simple HDAs...

there are some internal chanegs and some UI changes in 14 that are not suported in 13...

 

however you should be able to copy/paste between them to recreate the HDA in 13 as an otl...

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