SOHO

Houdini now communicates with renderers through the SOHO Python bindings. All renderers use the same process for parameter definition and evaluation. Each renderer can add its own parameter definitions and bindings using Python mappings.

The SOHO interface is used to send geometry, object transforms, and rendering properties to a renderer. Each supported renderer has a set of pre-defined rendering properties. If an object has any of these properties defined as spare parameters, its value will be sent to the renderer.

There are a set of pre-defined rendering parameters which can be added to objects (or materials) using the “Edit Rendering Parameters” interface. There is a one to one mapping of these parameters from the Houdini interface to the renderer’s properties.

SOHO uses the new Material workflow to process shaders and rendering properties. For more information see the materials, properties, and property overrides help.