Getting Data In and Out of Houdini

Table Of Contents

There are many different types of data which can be imported and exported from Houdini.

• Geometry Data
• Image Data
• 3D Texture Images
• Channel Data
• Lookup Tables
• Stream Motion Capture Data Using the Mocap Stream SOP

See Also

• SOHO: Scripted Output of Houdini Objects
• SOHO: Simple Examples

Geometry Data

• Houdini 12 introduced a new .geo/.bgeo file format: The .geo/.bgeo file format
• The old .geo/.bgeo format, now .hclassic/.bhclassic, is documented at length in $HH/public/GPD/gpd.txt which ships with Houdini.
• Binding Command Line Geometry Converters
  Using the GEOio.json table to import/export geometry by invoking an external command line program.
• Writing GEO_IOTranslators
  By registering your own GEO_IOTranslator class you can write a converter that plugs directly into Houdini, avoiding any intermediate copies.
• https://sourceforge.net/projects/houdinigpdlibra/files/
  An open source library to read/write Houdini geometry (both ASCII and binary) in the old format.
• Complete scenes can be imported and exported through the FBX file format: Importing and Exporting Data using FBX
• Geometry export can be performed using the SOHO interface: Scripted Output of Houdini Objects
• Geometry export can also be performed using HOM

Image Data

Houdini's image library

• Loading and Saving Raster Images
  The HDK provides facilities for reading and writing a large number of image formats.
• Adding a New Image Format Using FBio
  Using the FBio table to add a custom image format by translating through a well known format.
• Adding a New Image Format Using the HDK
  Houdini may be also be extended to support new raster formats using the HDK. A simple example of an image file extension can be found in IMG/IMG_Raw.C and IMG/IMG_Raw.h
• Deep Shadow/Camera Images
  The HDK provides an interface for reading and writing deep shadow and deep camera maps. A sample program (standalone/i3ddsmgen.C) shows how to read a deep shadow map and generate an 3D texture (3D Texture Images)

3D Texture Images

Using IMG3D_Manager is is possible to read and write Houdini's 3D texture files.

• 3D Texture Images
  
  • Introduction To 3D Texture Maps
  • Reading a 3D Texture
  • Writing a 3D Texture

Channel Data

• CHOPio Using the CHOPio table, it's possible to create a program which translates data into the Houdini clip format.

  See Also

  Adding a New Image Format Using FBio
  Binding Command Line Geometry Converters
  CL_Clip::save()
  CL_Clip::load()

Lookup Tables

• Lookup Tables (LUTs)
  Using the LUTio table and an external script/program to convert a foreign 3D LUT format into a Houdini LUT, so the foreign LUT is recognized in Houdini.

Stream Motion Capture Data Using the Mocap Stream SOP

Using the Mocap Stream SOP, it is possible to stream data into Houdini from motion capture applications natively supported by Houdini. By writing subclasses of MC_MocapStreamImpl, it is possible to stream data into Houdini from any motion capture application that supports UDP or TCP based data streaming.

• Writing a Device for Mocap Stream