Persistent file browser layout (Windows)

[meeotch]

Does anyone know if it's possible to save the layout of the Houdini file chooser windows (running Windows 7)?

The problem is that the "Favorites" pane (lower left of the file window) is too small to display the full path of favorited directories, and I end up having to drag-expand the window, and then drag the vertical pane divider bar to the right every time I use the file browser in a new context.  (Layout seems to be persistent for a single context in a single session.  For instance, choosing a file for a File SOP.  But all contexts seem to revert with a new Houdini session.)

Or I can guess my way into a bunch of identical-looking links like this:

     S:/projects/119999_Nike_Buy_Our_Shoes/prod/sequences/...
     S:/projects/119999_Nike_Buy_Our_Shoes/prod/sequences/...
     S:/projects/119999_Nike_Buy_Our_Shoes/prod/sequences/...

It's maddening, I tell you, maddening.

Edited July 14, 2016 by meeotch

[michael]

in your HoudiniXX.X directory there is a file called jump.pref

env variables are supported, so you can use things like $HOME etc

you could make an env variable called $NIKE that pointed to S:/projects/119999_Nike_Buy_Our_Shoes/prod/sequences (provided this was a valid path)

then in the jump.pref file add

$NIKE

and it will show up in the list

 

[meeotch]

Michael - thanks for the response.  I'd thought about doing something with variables as a workaround, but hadn't had time to play around with it.

When you say "environment variable" - you mean a variable that's global to & saved with the file itself, correct?  After poking through the docs, I'm still a bit unclear on the interaction between file globals and "true" (system) environment vars.  The docs use the term "environment variable" both for things like $JOB, which appears to not carry over from the system environment on Windows (it defaults to Windows %PROFILEDIR% on an empty file, even if it exists in the system environment) - as well as for things like $HFS, which isn't a windows env var; and $HOME, which (on my system) is.

In this case, I'm not actually sure which would be preferable...  Reading $NIKE from a Windows system env var would be the most convenient, but might also require altering the environment on machines facility-wide, for rendering.  Reading $NIKE from a file global var would be safer, but would require setting it every time I start a new file.

[michael]

I meant a system env - it's much easier and doing it facility wide will help everyone.

most places I've worked had system variables for all the filers and render farm locations but also for assets, sequences and shots and departments.

so when you start working on something you're always creating an environment - usually through a shell script or similar - that sets 'where' you are. 

[meeotch]

Yes - I have the same experience, w.r.t. environment.  Unfortunately, I'm a freelancer & don't have any control over that in this case.

I think the thing that confused me is above $JOB, which shows up in the Aliases+Variables window in houdini, even when it's set as a system environment var.  Whereas the other sys env vars don't show up there (but are still usable in the file dialog).  I take it $JOB is a special case?

p.s. - I'm almost 100% sure that on my work machine, $JOB wasn't inheriting its value (in a blank, new houdini session) from the system env var that I set up for it - it seemed to default to my windows profile dir.  But I just tested it on my home workstation, and it does inherit here.