VEX Creating a surface node using VOPs/VEX

See also: SOP context, VOP SOP, VEX SOP,

You can create new surface node types using VOPs/VEX. These surface nodes evaluate their internal VOP network or VEX program to manipulate point attributes on incoming geometry.

Using a VOP network

  1. In the network editor, go to the VEX Builder Networks level (Right-click obj in the path and choose Other networks > vex).

  2. Create a SOP Type network.

  3. In the parameter editor for the SOP Type node, set the SOP type name to the name you want the node to appear as in the Tab menu.

  4. In the network editor, double-click the SOP Type node to go inside and create the VOP network.

Using (textual) VEX code

  1. Choose File > New Operator Type.

  2. Set the name and label of the new node type, set the Operator style to VEX type, and set the Network Type to Geometry Operator.

  3. Click Accept.

  4. Use the Code tab of the new digital asset to edit the VEX definition. The function with a return type of sop is the “main” function Houdini will run to manipulate the geometry.

How to wire/write the VOPs/VEX

  • Parameter expressions in VOP nodes are not evaluated per-point. You must use VOPs to manipulate the point data.

  • You can use Parameter VOP nodes nodes (or function parameters in VEX) to create a user interface for the node (controls for the parameters appear in the VOP SOP node’s parameter editor interface).

  • If an attribute exists on the input geometry with the same name as a parameter, the parameter value will be overridden by the attribute. (Note that this refers to the “internal” parameter name, not the human-readable parameter label.)

  • To access point attributes:

    • In VOPs, create a Global variables VOP node to access common point attributes (from the VOP SOP node’s first input) and feed it through other VOP nodes. For other attributes, you can use a parameter with the same name and type (so it will be overridden by the attribute) or use the Import Attribute VOP.

    • In VEX, global variables are available for common point attributes (from the first input) such as P. For other attributes, you can use a parameter with the same name and type (so it will be overridden by the attribute) or use the import function.

  • Only the first input’s geometry can be manipulated by the network/program. You can access information from the other inputs using the Import Attribute VOP or the import function in VEX.

  • To add an attribute to the geometry…

    In VOPs use a Parameter node and set Export to Always or When input is connected.

    In VEX use a function parameter marked as export (e.g. export float a = 0;), or the addattribute function (especially to add/change an attribute whose name is not known at compile time, i.e. the attribute name is controlled by the user interface).

  • In VEX code, the function with a return type of sop is the “main” function that Houdini will call. You can define other “helper” functions alongside this main function as needed.