Houdini 21.0 Nodes Copernicus nodes

Cache Copernicus node

Caches the input layers for faster playback.

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This node builds an in-memory cache for each input. The cache allows for faster playback of operations that take a lot of time, but increases memory usage for RAM and VRAM. The node caches the images over time, so you don’t recook the inputs for different frames. You can build an in-memory cache for any input type (layers, geometry, and VDBs).

Note

In some scenarios, it may be faster to recompute instead of cache.

By default, the node clears the cache if it detects any changes upstream. Turn Clear Cache when Change Upstream off to let flipbooks persist for a session.

You can use this node after an expensive operation that you won’t change, especially if the operation’s time-dependent. For example, you can use this to make the File COP real-time.

Tip

You can use this node for texture synthesis. Wire a chain of nodes into the Cache COP to take a snapshot of the output, and then turn Clear Cache when Change Upstream off before making iterative changes. This provides an artistic reference, but doesn’t store upstream parameter settings.

Use the Stash COP instead of this node when you want to save the node’s inputs to itself, but otherwise not cook the inputs.

Parameters

Clear Cache

Erases all cached data to free memory and make sure new results are cooked.

Reload Playbar Range

Caches all frames over the current playbar range.

This makes the frames able to playback at an increased speed. You don’t need to first wait through a slower playback to build the cache.

Max Frames

The maximum number of frames to store in the cache. Lower values reduce the maximum memory usage, which increases the playback speed around key frames.

Clear Cache when Change Upstream

Autodetects upstream changes and clears the cache when nodes upstream change (except through usual time-based operations).

Turn this off to make the cache sticky (persistent). This is useful when you want to create a flipbook of results before a change was made.

Output #

The name of the node output.

If the name isn’t blank, it’s kept as a placeholder for future wiring even if you remove the corresponding wires.

Inputs

input#

The source layer on which to build an in-memory cache.

Outputs

output#

The output layer with the in-memory cache. The node’s output names are based on the Output # parameters.

See also

Copernicus nodes