Houdini 20.5 Nodes LOP nodes

Component Geometry

Geometry container or import source, in a network created by the Component Builder tool.

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Since 19.0

Overview

This node is part of the network created by the Component Builder tool. The component builder network gives you a framework in LOPs to create a Component model (usually a prop, such as a chair or tree) and export it to USD for re-use.

This node is either a SOP network the user can use to build the component model from scratch, or an import node to grab the geometry from somewhere else (such as another SOP network or a geometry file).

You can dive inside this node, to a SOP network inside. In this network you can build the component model’s geometry.

To build a component with multiple geometry variants, you can insert a Component Geometry Variants LOP between the initial Component Geometry node and the Component Material Node. Then you can wire in more Component Geometry nodes representing the variants.

See how to use the component builder tool for more information.

Proxy outputs

The SOP network inside has three output nodes:

  • Green (default) output node. This is the “real” geometry of the component.

  • You can also optionally generate simplified proxy geometry and connect it to the yellow proxy output. This geometry can be used for display in an OpenGL viewer. If you connect this output, the default output is used as the render purpose.

    Generating efficient GL proxy geometry can make a big difference in performance. Use the following tips to make fast display proxy geometry:

    • When translating to USD, use as few mesh prims as possible, ideally just one.

    • Triangulate your polygons and remove vertex attributes.

    • Use the Normal SOP to add a point normal attribute to the geometry, instead of making the GL viewer do it.

    • Divide and Vertex Split nodes may be helpful in creating proxy geometry.

  • You can also optionally generate simplified collision geometry and connect it to the pink simproxy output. This geometry is used for computing collisions in a simulation, as well as for things such as the Edit node’s “Use Physics” mode or the Drop node.

    Sim proxy geometry is often very simple compared to the render or display geometry.

    For example, if you have an apple component, even the low-res “display” proxy will probably be mostly round, have indentations with the top having stem coming out of it, a leaf on the stem, and so on, so you can tell what it represents in the viewer.

    The “sim proxy” version of the geometry will almost certainly eliminate the indentations, stem, leaf, small bumps, and so on. It can be just a simple spheroid that approximates the geneeral shape of the original. Depending on how much you value speed vs. accuracy in the simulation, you could use quite a low-poly shape that is more blocky than round.

  • The PolyReduce SOP is useful for quickly creating a low-res display proxy.

  • The Convex Decomposition SOP is useful for creating a low-res convex collision proxy.

Parameters

Input Source

The source of this node’s geometry.

Internal SOP Network

Use the output(s) of the SOP network inside this node.

Imported Files

Use the contents of an external geometry file (or files).

External SOP Network

Use the output of a SOP node (or nodes) somewhere else in this scene file.

Referenced Files

Create references to external file (or files). Any USD File Format is supported. These relative references are never localized.

Fix SOP Outputs

When Input Source is Internal SOP network, re-create the three output nodes in the contained SOP network. This can be useful if you accidentally delete one of the output nodes.

Imported Files

Default/Render

When Input Source is File, the path to a file containing the default geometry (if the other fields are filled in, this is the render purpose geometry).

Proxy

When Input Source is File, the path to a file containing the fast display proxy geometry.

SimProxy

When Input Source is File, the path to a file containing the simulation (collision) proxy geometry.

Missing Frame

What to do when a file is missing from an animated sequence: either have no geometry just at that frame, or trigger an error.

External SOP Source

Default/Render

When Input Source is External SOP, the node path to the SOP node whose output to use as the default geometry.

Proxy

When Input Source is External SOP, the node path to the SOP node whose output to use as the fast display proxy geometry.

SimProxy

When Input Source is External SOP, the node path to the SOP node whose output to use as the simulation (collision) geometry.

Attributes

Converted Attribs

Geometry attributes to be imported from SOPs as primvars.

Index Attributes

Converted attributes which should be index primvars.

Partition Attributes

Attributes for creating GeomSubsets on meshes.

Prefix Subsets with Attribute Name

When creating subsets from Partition Attributes, the subsets are named by combining the attribute name with the partition attribute’s value (a string or integer). This avoids name collisions when multiple partition attributes contain the same values, but can be undesirable if precise control of the subset names is required. For string attributes, if this option is turned off, the attribute values are directly used as the subset names.

Subset Groups

Primitive groups which will be converted into GeomSubests on meshes.

Translate UV Attribute to ST

Converts the SOP vertex attribute 'uv' into a USD PrimVar called 'primvars:st'.

Topology Attributes

Controls whether USD topology attributes should be authored as time sampled or default values.

Treat Polygons as Subdivision Surfaces

Any polygon meshes not already tagged as subdivs, set the subdivisionScheme to 'catmullClark'.

Reverse Polygon Vertex Ordering

USD supports an orientation attribute on mesh primitives that indicates whether polygons have a left-handed or right-handed ordering, while SOP geometry is always left-handed ordering. When this option is on, the importer always reorders vertices (and associated primvars) to be right-handed.

This is useful when round tripping right-handed oriented polygons from USD into SOPs and back into USD. The data is always converted to a left handed ordering when importing it into SOPs. If you imported the polygons back into USD without this option, they would be left-handed, unlike the original.

Set Missing Widths

USD has a fallback value of 1.0 for the width of Curves and Points, which is often far wider/thicker than desired. If the SOP geometry does not explicitly author width/pscale data, this control can be used instead to explicitly author a USD value.

Author Time Samples

Whether attributes imported from SOP should be imported as default values or as time samples.

Compute Extents Hint

Generates extentsHint and extents on missing gprims, xforms, and scopes.

Primitives

Packed Primitives

Configures how packed prims from SOPs should be converted to USD.

Import Height Fields as Mesh

Converts imported height fields to geometry, rather than importing as Field prims.

Bind Materials

Creates empty materials and bindings, using the usdmaterialpath attribute.

Partitions

Automatically turns the material bindings into geomsubsets.

Setup Quick Materials for Bindings

Appends a new Component Material node, and creates a Quick Surface Material for each of the empty materials.

Advanced

Geo Variant Name

Sets the variant name when this node is connected to a Component Geometry Variant.

Houdini Icon

Optional path to an icon file, or Houdini icon name (for example, SHELF_tree_conifer). If you set this, Houdini’s Scene Graph Tree pane will display this variant of the component prim using this icon.

Enforce Model Kind Hierarchy

Ensures that no model kind (component, assembly, etc…) is found beneath the component root.

Add GeomModelAPI

Turn this on to set the wireframe color and draw mode.

Custom Data

You can use this multiparm to add custom attributes to the geometry prim created by this node.

See also

LOP nodes

  • Add Variant

    Adds one or more variants to a variant set on a primitive. This node creates the primitive if it doesn’t exist.

  • Additional Render Vars

    Create multiple render vars.

  • Asset Reference

    Reference, Transform, and select variants of a USD Asset.

  • Assign Material

    Assigns a material to one or more USD primitives. You can use also programmatically assign materials using VEX, programmatically override material settings for each assignment, and programmatically assign materials to geometry subsets.

  • Assign Prototypes

    Switch point instances or USD instanceable prims to instance a different prototype.

  • Attribute VOP

    Create/edit USD attribute values using a VOP network.

  • Attribute Wrangle

    Create/edit USD primitive attributes using a VEX snippet.

  • Auto Select LOD

    Automatically selects a level-of-detail variant based on the primitive’s distance from the camera.

  • Background Plate

    Sets up hold-out or matte objects that leave holes in the scene through which the background is visible. These prims still take shadows and contribute to reflections as if they were the background.

  • Bake Skinning

    Bakes animation driven by a UsdSkel into transforms and point positions.

  • Basis Curves

    Creates or edits a basis curves shape primitive.

  • Begin Context Options Block

    This node begins a block of LOP nodes, within which certain context options have certain values.

  • Blend

    Partially applies edits to a layer’s attributes based on a fractional weight.

  • Blend Constraint

    Blends transforms according to a list of weights specified as parameters.

  • Cache

    Caches the results of cooking the network at different times, increasing playback speed.

  • Camera

    Adds a USD camera to the scene.

  • Capsule

    Creates or edits a capsule (tube with hemispherical ends) shape primitive.

  • Collection

    Creates/edits collections using primitive patterns.

  • Component Geometry

    Geometry container or import source, in a network created by the Component Builder tool.

  • Component Geometry Variants

    Sets up geometry variants, in a network created by the Component Builder tool.

  • Component Material

    Assigns materials to geometry in a network created by the Component Builder tool.

  • Component Output

    Assembles the final Component prim, in a network created by the Component Builder tool.

  • Cone

    Creates or edits a cone shape primitive.

  • Configure Layer

    Edits metadata on a layer.

  • Configure Primitives

    Edits various metadata on one or more primitives.

  • Configure Properties

    Configures metadata on properties (relationships and attributes).

  • Configure Stage

    Configures metadata for how to load layers into the stage and asset resolution.

  • Coordinate System

    Define named coordinate systems used in shaders.

  • Copy Property

    Copy properties from one primitive to another, or renames properties on a primitive.

  • Create LOD

    Uses the PolyReduce SOP to automatically generate multiple levels of detail from a high-res model, and stores them as USD variants.

  • Cube

    Creates or edits a cube shape primitive.

  • Cylinder

    Creates or edits a cylinder shape primitive.

  • Distant Light

    Creates or edits a USD Distant Light, representing a far-off light source such as the sun. Adds some useful Karma-specific attributes.

  • Dome Light

    Creates or edits a USD Dome Light prim. A dome light emits light inward, simulating light coming from the sky/environment surrounding the scene.

  • Draw Mode

    Sets draw mode properties on USD model assets.

  • Drop

    Runs a simulation to drop primitives under gravity.

  • Duplicate

    Creates copies of a prim (and its descendants).

  • Edit

    Interactively transforms prims in the viewer. Can use physics collisions to position props realistically.

  • Edit Context Options

  • Edit Material

    Allows you to edit an existing USD material by modifying parameters and shader connections. This can be useful if the existing material is on a non-editable layer.

  • Edit Material Properties

    Lets you build a spare parameter interface that reflects material or shader input attributes to directly edit their values.

  • Edit Properties

    Lets you build a spare parameter interface to directly edit attribute and relationship values.

  • Edit Properties From Node

    Lets you refer to the parameter on another node to directly edit attribute and relationship values.

  • Edit Prototypes

    Modify the prototypes of native or point instances in-place, without disturbing the instancing setup.

  • Edit Target Layer

    Allows you to apply edits directly in a lower layer, instead of overriding prims and attributes in the active layer.

  • Error

    Generates a message, warning, or error, which can show up on a parent asset.

  • Explore Variants

    Visualize, set, or extract variants on primitives.

  • Extract Instances

    Converts (heroes) an instance into a real editable prim.

  • Fetch

    Grabs the output of another LOP, potentially in another LOP network.

  • File Cache

    Caches (writes out once and then reads from) USD layers (possibly animated) to disk.

  • Follow Path Constraint

    Constrains a prim to follow a path curve.

  • For Each

    The end node of a For-Each loop block.

  • Geometry Clip Sequence

  • Geometry Color

    Adds display color and display opacity primvars to geometry.

  • Geometry Sequence

    Imports a sequence of geometry files into LOPs as animated geometry.

  • Geometry Subset VOP

    Creates USD geometry subsets within geometry prims (similar to groups in SOPs) based on evaluating a VEXpression or VOP network.

  • Graft Branches

    Takes prims/branches from the second input and attaches them onto branches of the scene graph tree in the first input.

  • Graft Stages

    Takes scene graph trees from other inputs and attaches them onto branches of the scene graph tree in the first input.

  • HDA Dynamic Payload

    Cooks a OBJ or SOP asset on disk and imports the animated geometry output as a USD payload.

  • Hermite Curves

    Creates or edits a hermite curves shape primitive.

  • Houdini Feather Procedural

    Generates feathers for rendering.

  • Houdini Preview Procedurals

    Invokes Houdini Procedurals while working interactively.

  • Houdini Procedural: Crowd

    Houdini Crowd Procedural for Solaris.

  • Houdini Procedural: Hair

    Houdini Hair Procedural for Solaris.

  • Houdini Procedural: Ocean

    Houdini Ocean Procedural for Solaris.

  • Houdini Procedural: RBD

    Houdini RBD Procedural for Solaris.

  • Inline USD

    Parses usda code representing a layer and adds it to the layer stack.

  • Insertion Point

    Represents a point in the node graph where nodes can be inserted.

  • Instancer

    Instances or copies primitives onto points.

  • Isolate Scene

    Work in masked areas of the stage.

  • Karma

    Renders the USD scene using Houdini’s Karma renderer.

  • Karma Cryptomatte

    Setup Cryptomatte AOVs for Karma.

  • Karma Fog Box

    Creates a constant volume within a box.

  • Karma Physical Sky

    Creates a Karma Sky Dome and Sun Light rig.

  • Karma Render Products

    Create multiple render products sharing common settings.

  • Karma Render Properties

    Configure Render Properties for Karma.

  • Karma Sky Atmosphere

    Creates or edits a Karma Sky Atmosphere.

  • Karma Sky Dome Light

    Creates or edits a Karma Sky Dome Light.

  • Karma Standard Render Vars

    Create standard karma render vars (AOVs/Image Planes).

  • LPE Tag

    Manage Lights' LPE Tags.

  • Labs Karma AOVs for RenderMan Denoiser

    Generates AOVs for the Pixar RenderMan denoiser.

  • Labs ML CV Directory Variant

    Creates a variant set from USD assets in a directory.

  • Labs ML CV Dome Camera

    Generates a camera from one of the random positions within a specified 3D camera dome and frames the focus object within the camera’s view.

  • Labs ML CV Synthetics Karma Rop

    Renders RGB image or ID EXR file for segmentation masking.

  • Layer Break

    Starts a new active sublayer that subsequent nodes will edit, and indicates all previous layers will be discarded when saving to disk.

  • Layer Replace

    Replaces all uses of a certain layer with a substitute layer from its second input.

  • Layout

    Provides tools for populating a scene with instanced USD assets. You can place individual components, paint/scatter components in different ways using customizable brushes, and edit existing instances.

  • Light

    Creates or edits a USD Light prim. This node also adds some useful Karma-specific attributes.

  • Light Filter Library

    Authors USD light filter primitives from VOP nodes.

  • Light Linker

    Creates USD light link properties based on rules.

  • Light Mixer

    Lets you interactively edit USD properties for multiple lights.

  • Load Layer for Editing

  • Loft Payload Info

    Adds basic information from inside a payload to the primitive that loads the payload.

  • Look At Constraint

    Constrains a prim to always point toward a target.

  • Mask from Bounds

    Sets a primvar based on whether/by how much selected prims are inside a bounding shape.

  • Match Size

    Resizes and recenters the input geometry to match a reference bounding box.

  • Material Library

    Authors USD material primitives from shader VOP nodes.

  • Material Linker

    Creates material assignments based on rules.

  • Material Variation

    Creates attributes/primvars to override material parameters per-prim/instance.

  • Merge LOP

    Merges the layers from incoming stages into a unified layer stack.

  • Merge Point Instancers

    Merges point instancers into a single consolidated point instancer.

  • Mesh

    Creates or edits a mesh shape primitive.

  • Modify Paths

    Modify asset path attribute values.

  • Modify Point Instances

    Modifies point transforms and property values for individual point instances.

  • Motion Blur

    Adds time samples to allow motion blur when rendering.

  • Null

    This node does nothing. It can be useful to insert a Null into a network as a fixed point in the network that you can refer to by name in expressions/scripts.

  • Output

    Represents the output of a subnetwork. Allows you to design a node asset with multiple outputs.

  • Parent Constraint

    Makes a primitive appear to inherit the transform hierarchy of another prim somewhere else in the tree.

  • Points

    Creates or edits a Points shape primitive.

  • Points Constraint

    Position and Orient primitives using point positions from a geometry.

  • Primitive

    Bulk-creates one or more attributes of a certain type.

  • Prune

    Hides or deactivates primitives and point instances.

  • Python Script

    Lets you write Python code in the node to use the USD API to directly manipulate the stage.

  • RBD Destruction

    An example for a fracturing simulation in USD, also useful as a canned effect.

  • Reference

    References the contents of a external USD files and/or layers created by other LOP nodes into a branch of the existing scene graph tree. Can also remove or replace existing references.

  • Render Geometry Settings

    Applies renderer-specific geometry settings to geometry in the scene graph.

  • Render Product

    Creates or edits a UsdRenderProduct prim, which represents an output of a renderer (such as a rendered image file or other file-like artifact produced by a renderer), with attributes configuring how to generate the product.

  • Render Settings

    Creates or edits a UsdRenderSettings prim, which holds the general settings for rendering the scene.

  • Render Var

    Specifies a custom variable computed by the renderer and/or shaders, either a shader output or a light path expression (LPE).

  • Resample Transforms

    Generates interpolated transform time samples from existing time samples on USD prims.

  • Restructure Scene Graph

    This node has various operations for editing prim paths, variant sets, and composition arcs.

  • Retime Instances

    Offsets and/or scales the timing of animation on selected instances.

  • SOP Character Import

    Imports a character or animation from a SOP network into the USD scene graph.

  • SOP Create

    Lets you create geometry in a SOP subnetwork inside this node, so you can create geometry in-place in the LOP network instead of needing a separate SOP network.

  • SOP Crowd Import

    Imports a crowd from a SOP network into the USD scene graph.

  • SOP Import

    Imports geometry from a SOP network into the USD scene graph.

  • SOP Modify

    Converts USD geometry into SOP geometry, runs the SOP subnet inside this node on the geometry, and converts the changes back to USD overrides.

  • Scene Doctor

    Validates primitives on a USD stage.

  • Scene Import

    Imports models, materials, and lights from the Object level into the LOP network.

  • Scope

    Creates a scope primitive. Scope is the simplest form of grouping, and does not have a transform. Scopes can be useful for organizing the scene tree.

  • Set Extents

    Sets the bounding box metadata of selected primitives.

  • Set Variant

    Selects (switches to) one of the variants stored in a variant set on a primitive.

  • Simulation Proxy

    Generates low-poly collison geometry suitable for physical simulation and creates a proxy relationship to the original model.

  • Sphere

    Creates or edits a sphere shape primitive.

  • Split Point Instancers

    Splits a point instancer into two or more instances, which divide up the original instances.

  • Split Primitive

    Splits USD geometry prims into child primitives based on geometry subsets or primvar values.

  • Split Scene

    This node splits a scene graph into two disjoint sets of primitives.

  • Stage Manager

    Provides a convenient interface to reference in many files at once and place them in the scene graph tree.

  • Store Parameter Values

    Lets you store temporary (unsaved) data in the stage.

  • Sublayer

    Imports from USD files or other LOP node chains into as sublayers, or removes/replaces/reorders existing sublayers.

  • Subnet

    Encapsulates a LOP subnetwork, allowing you to organize and hide parts of the network.

  • Surface Constraint

    Constrain a prim to stick to a surface.

  • Switch

    Passes through one of several inputs, based on a parameter choice or expression.

  • TimeShift

    Outputs the stage as it is at a different point in the timeline.

  • Transform

    Edits the transforms of selected USD primitives.

  • Transform UV

    Moves, rotates, and scales texture coordinates on USD primitives.

  • USD ROP

  • USD Render ROP

  • Unassign Material

    Unbinds a material from one or more USD primitives.

  • Value Clip

  • Vary Material Assignment

    Assign different materials across a number of prims to create variation.

  • Volume

    References volume data on disk into a volume prim containing field prims.

  • Xform

    Creates or edits an Xform prim. Xform (and its sub-classes) represents a transform in the scene tree.