Invalid node type name "heightfield_file"

[cgdougm]

ISSUE: Trying to create a "HeightField File" SOP node using python.

 

STEP #1: Make code that Houdini thinks is correct

I create a hip file that has just "/obj/geo/height", a node which is of type "Heightfield File."

I make code for the node using

hou.node("/obj/geo/height").asCode()

The node type in the generated code is "heightfield_file" as you would expect.

 

STEP #2: Try to recreate the original file

Then, using the generated code as a guide, simplifying it, I run it and get this error:

hou.OperationFailed: The attempted operation failed.
Invalid node type name

The code I ran (with vanilla python rather then hython, because, that's epic) was:

import sys, os

sys.path.append(
    os.environ['HFS'] + "/houdini/python%d.%dlibs" % sys.version_info[:2]
)
import hou

hou.hipFile.clear()
hou_parent = hou.node('/obj')
hou_node = hou_parent.createNode("heightfield_file")

...and yes, I tried 'hython" too after removing the sys.path trick.

Any hints or ideas?

TIA