Houdini Engine and hython

[borisb2]

I am testing to implement houdini engine into my render pipeline.

 

So far I was using hython to submit jobs to the farm with the following executable/script:

"C:\Program Files\Side Effects Software\Houdini 13.xxx\bin\hython.exe" Y:\_scripts\houdini\renderScript.py
Z:/_rnd/shots/portal/houdini/twist_render_047.hip /out/mantra_beauty 6 10

where renderScript.py is:

import hou, sys
hou.hipFile.load(sys.argv[1])
renderNode = hou.node(sys.argv[2])
frameStart = int(sys.argv[3])
frameEnd = int(sys.argv[4])

renderNode.render(frame_range=(frameStart,frameEnd), verbose=True)

This always worked for all ROPs (render, caching etc.) - which also means I never needed to write out ifds or something but select the ROP and directly send the job to the farm.

 

But when only houdini engine is installed on a computer that doesnt work anymore. I changed my script to:

"C:\Program Files\Side Effects Software\Houdini Engine.xxx\bin\hython.exe" Y:\_scripts\houdini\renderScript.py
Z:/_rnd/shots/portal/houdini/twist_render_047.hip /out/mantra_beauty 6 10

but hython spits out a lot of errors:

Could not find scene mouse modifier file: SceneMouseModifiers
Unrecognized modifier key token: scene.handle.floor.mirror
Unrecognized modifier key token: scene.handle.common.scale_delta
Unrecognized modifier key token: scene.floor.xy
Unrecognized modifier key token: scene.floor.h
Unrecognized modifier key token: scene.common.extend
Could not find scene mouse modifier file: SceneMouseModifiers
Unrecognized modifier key token: scene.handle.floor.mirror
Unrecognized modifier key token: scene.handle.common.scale_delta
Unrecognized modifier key token: scene.floor.xy
Unrecognized modifier key token: scene.floor.h
Unrecognized modifier key token: scene.common.extend
Rendering 5 frames ( from 11 to 15 by 1)
11:11:09 mantra_beauty frame 11 (1 of 5)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "Y:\_scripts\houdini\renderScript.py", line 15, in <module>
renderNode.render(frame_range=(frameStart,frameEnd), verbose=True)
File "C:/PROGRA~1/SIDEEF~1/HOUDIN~1.13/houdini/python2.7libs\hou.py", line
56587, in render
return _hou.RopNode_render(*args, **kwargs)
hou.OperationFailed: The attempted operation failed.
Error: No soho script program specified for output driver: IFD.py.

Is that because the way I'm calling hython? Do I need to write out ifds in order to work with houdini engine?

Can't I use the standard ROP-workflow with the houdini engine?

Edited June 3, 2015 by borisb2

[borisb2]

Nobody is using houdini engine?

How do you submit render jobs?

[Jason]

Make sure that the entire houdini installation is installed/visible to the render nodes.  I don't think you can install only Houdini Engine and expect it to work as it requires the entire Houdini framework.

[borisb2]

You mean installing both houdini and engine, but licensing and using in my scripts only engine?

[Jason]

Yes, install both.

 

If fact, it might be considered a bug by Side Effects that they might allow you to install Engine only, at least without warning you that it needs to exist already to work.