Network Working with nodes

See also: Wiring nodes together, Navigating the node network, Editing parameters, Node flags

Many actions in Houdini automatically create nodes in the network, such as using the tools on the shelf. You can also manually add nodes in the network editor. For example, if you are viewing a geometry network you can create a Sphere node in the network editor pane, and a sphere will appear in the 3D view. See the tab menu for information on using the tab menu to create nodes.

To... Do this

Navigate around networks

  • Drag to pan around.

  • Drag or use to zoom in and out.

  • Double click a node to go inside, or select it and press Enter .

  • With the mouse over the network editor, press U to go up a level.

  • You can also use the Back and Forward buttons in the network editor toolbar to move back and forward through the network history.

See how to navigate in the network editor for more information.

Select a node

Click the node in the network view.

Select multiple nodes

  • Hold ⇧ Shift and click nodes to add them to the selection.

  • Press in empty space and drag a marquee around the nodes you want to select.

Move a node in the layout area

Drag the node.

Connect nodes together

See wiring nodes.

Rename a node

Click the name next to the node to make it editable.

Delete nodes

Select the nodes and press Del .

Cut, copy, and paste one or more nodes

  • Select the nodes.

  • Right-click a selected node and choose Cut, Copy, or Paste.

Show a context menu of commands related to a node

  • Press on the node.

  • You can also press on the name of a node in the path shown at the top of a pane to get that node’s context menu.

Change the display of the network

In the network editor, press D or right-click the background and choose Viewing controls > Display options.

Settings you can change include:

  • How wires are drawn.

  • Show a grid behind the nodes.

  • Show a background image behind the nodes. This is often useful for characters where you can positions the character’s nodes over a schematic image of the character.

  • Show extra links between nodes representing dependencies.
Tip

When you delete a node, the network tries to regenerate itself by connecting all the descendants of the deleted node to the node’s first parent.

You can Delete a node and then insert a new node using on the parent’s output to quickly replace a node.

Tip

You can copy and paste between multiple running instances of Houdini. To make each running copy of Houdini have a separate clipboard, use the SESI_COPY_SUFFIX environment variable.