Houdini 22.0 Nodes LOP nodes

PointInstancer

Creates or edits USD PointInstancer prims from SOP points.

On this page
Since 22.0

Overview

USD supports two types of instancing: instanceable primitives (where multiple copies of the same branch are aliases to shared storage) and point instancing (where USD stores points and prototypes to copy onto the points, but only draws the copies at render time). See USD instancing for more information.

This node specializes in point instancing. It uses an internal SOP network (or an external SOP) as the source of the per-instance data, and authors that data onto one or more USD PointInstancer prims. The node can either create a new point instancer or edit an existing one (or any combination of both in a single cook).

The thing or things you want to create multiples of are called the prototypes. The node assumes the prototypes already exist, connected to the first or second input (or already present on an existing point instancer in the first input).

The points you want to instance onto are called the targets. The targets are SOP points (from the internal SOP network or an external SOP). Each point becomes one instance. A target point can be assigned to a specific instancer prim by setting a path string attribute on it; points without that attribute fall back to the Primitive Path on this node.

Compared to Copy to Points LOP, this node is focused exclusively on the point instancer workflow but offers finer control over multi-instancer authoring, sparse updates, ids, primvars, time sampling, and animated prototype extents.

Editing an Existing PointInstancer

The internal SOP network usually contains a USD PointInstancer Import SOP feeding into an output node. That import SOP reads instances out of the existing point instancer(s) listed in Primitives, exposes them as points, and lets you modify them with standard SOPs. When this node cooks, the modified points are written back as USD time samples on the source instancer prim.

The Create Import Node button on the Existing PointInstancers tab creates such an import SOP inside this node and pre-wires it to the parameters on this LOP. The Edit PointInstancer shelf tool is a one-click equivalent for setting up an existing PointInstancer for in-place editing – it drops this node configured for the Edit workflow and wires the internal import SOP automatically.

The internal SOP network also contains an output SOP (with its display flag set) that defines which points feed back into the LOP. The Edit PointInstancer shelf tool wires the import SOP into this output automatically; in a create workflow, route your own SOPs into the output SOP to make the network’s intent explicit.

In Sparse edit mode, only the points whose ids changed are re-authored; instances absent from the SOP geometry are governed by the Missing Points Policy. In Overwrite mode the entire instancer data is replaced on each cook.

Special SOP attributes

The following attributes on the target points have special meaning:

  • path (string) – The scene graph path of the point instancer prim that this point should become an instance of. **When set, this attribute takes precedence over the Primitive Path parameter for this point. Points without this attribute fall back to Primitive Path.

  • id (int) – The USD instance id for the point. Required for sparse edits of existing instancers. Points without an id attribute, or with id == -1, are assigned the next available id automatically.

  • delete (string) – A value of delete removes the point from the output entirely. The corresponding instance is dropped regardless of Edit Mode or Missing Points Policy – this is a hard delete, distinct from a “missing” id.

  • usdvisibility (string) – A value of invisible adds the point’s id to the instancer’s invisibleIds. The default inherit removes it.

  • usdxform (matrix4d) – A per-point matrix4 attribute recording the world transform of the source instancer when the points were imported with Transform into World Space on the USD PointInstancer Import SOP. This LOP reads the first point’s value and authors the matching world transform on the destination instancer prim. The LOP emits a warning if the per-point values disagree for points targeting the same destination.

The standard SOP instancing attributes – P, orient (or N/up), scale/pscale, v, accel, w, and id – map directly to the USD positions, orientations, scales, velocities, accelerations, angularVelocities, and ids attributes when the corresponding Set Properties From Data toggle is on. Any other point attribute can be carried through as a primvar via Point Attributes to Copy.

Parameters

Frame Sampling

Per-Node Frame Sampling

Sampling Behavior

Cooking this node can generate many USD time samples, rather than just a single time sample at the current time. This can be equivalent to having a Cache LOP following this node, but it will evaluate much faster, and does not cache data from any other nodes. This allows animated data to be authored to USD without introducing a node time dependency which would then cause all following nodes to also be time dependent. This can vastly improve playback performance of some LOP Networks.

In all sampling modes, if a parameter on this node does not vary with time, and does not rely on other time sampled data from the stage, only a single default value will be generated in USD for the corresponding attribute. USD time samples are only generated for parameters that may vary over time.

Sample Current Frame

A single time sample will be generated for the current time.

Sample Frame Range If Input Is Not Time Dependent

If the input to this node is time dependent, this node behaves as if it is in Sample Current Frame mode. Otherwise it behaves as if it is in Sample Frame Range mode.

Sample Frame Range

The Start/End/Inc parameter is used to generate multiple times at which this node’s parameters are evaluated, and a USD time sample is created for each attribute at each one of these times.

Start/End/Inc

When the Sampling behavior is Sample Frame Range, this parameter controls the number and spacing of base time samples to be generated by this node. The default values of this parameter are @fstart, @fend, and @finc. These values correspond to the start, end, and step size of the global Houdini animation settings when interacting with Houdini. When using a ROP node to generate a range of frames, these values correspond to the start, end, and increment values specified on the ROP node being executed. This default ensures that a USD file written to disk will contain time samples for exactly the frame range requested by the ROP (regardless of the Houdini animation settings).

Subframe Sampling

Subframe Sampling

For each primary sample generated by this node, these parameters can cause additional samples to be generated around that primary sample time. This is most often used to ensure that accurate data exists at exactly the camera shutter open and close times, as well as at the primary sample time.

Shutter

Controls the method used to specify the shutter open and close times relative to the primary sample times.

Specify Manually

The Shutter Open/Close parameter values provide exact offset values relative to the primary sample time.

Use Camera Prim

The Camera Prim parameter provides the scene graph path of a camera primitive from which the shutter open and close times are extracted to provide the offset values relative to the primary time sample.

Shutter Open/Close

When Shutter is set to Specify Manually, these two offset values are added to the primary sample time to indicate the shutter open and close times. The open time should be less than or equal to zero, and the close time should be greater than or equal to zero.

Camera Prim

When Shutter is set to Use Camera Prim, this is the scene graph path of a camera prim on the input node’s stage. The shutter open and close attribute values are read from this primitive.

Samples

The number of subframe samples to create for each primary sample. These samples are evenly distributed between the shutter open and close times. Note that such an even distribution may or may not create a sample at exactly the primary sample time.

Always Include Frame Sample

When turned on, forces a sample to be created at exactly the primary sample time. If the Samples value, together with the shutter open and close times, already place a sample at the primary sample time, turning on this option has no effect. Otherwise, this option causes an addition sample to be added. This means that the actual number of samples per primary sample may in fact be one more than the number specified in the Samples parameter.

PointInstancer

Primitive Path

The scene graph path of the point instancer prim to create or edit. If the prim doesn’t exist, this node creates it as a PointInstancer. If the prim exists but isn’t a PointInstancer, the node errors.

Note

This parameter applies only to source points that do not have a path attribute set. Points whose path attribute names a different scene graph path are routed there instead, and Primitive Path is ignored for those points.

Create Empty PointInstancer

When on (the default), the node authors a PointInstancer prim at Primitive Path even when the source SOP geometry has no points (or no points whose path attribute resolves to Primitive Path). Turn this off when you only want to edit existing instancers and don’t want a stray empty one to be created at Primitive Path.

The tab-menu Edit PointInstancer tool turns this off automatically so editing flows never accidentally author empty instancers.

New PointInstancers

These parameters apply to point instancer prims that this node creates. They are ignored when an instancer already exists at the target path.

Primitive Kind

The kind to set on any newly created instancer prim. Leave blank to author no kind.

Primitive Specifier

The specifier (def, over, or class) used when creating new instancer prims. The default is def.

Parent Primitive Type

The type used when this node has to create any intermediate ancestor prims along Primitive Path. The default is Xform.

Existing PointInstancers

These parameters apply to point instancer prims that already exist on the stage.

Primitives

The scene graph path(s) of existing point instancer prims to edit. You can use pattern syntax to select multiple instancers.

Each target point’s path attribute selects which of these instancers it belongs to. Points whose path doesn’t match any listed instancer fall back to Primitive Path.

Edit Mode

Controls how the data on existing instancer prims is replaced.

Sparse

Only re-author the instance entries (rows of the protoIndices, positions, orientations, etc. arrays) whose id is present in the SOP geometry. Ids absent from the SOP geometry are handled according to the Missing Points Policy. This is the recommended mode for partial edits.

Overwrite

Replace the full per-instance arrays with whatever the SOP geometry provides. Ids in the source data are honoured, and missing ids are dropped entirely.

Prototypes Relationship Mode

Controls how this node combines its prototype list with the existing prototypes relationship on the target instancer prim.

Preserve

Keep the existing prototypes relationship targets exactly as they are. The cooked protoIndices values must reference indices in the preserved list. Prototype-related parameters on this node are disabled for existing instancers in this mode.

Overwrite

Replace the prototypes relationship with the targets specified by this node. Existing protoIndices values are invalidated; supply new index assignments via the Prototype Assignment ▸ Existing PointInstancers controls.

Append

Append this node’s prototypes to the existing prototypes relationship. Existing instance entries continue to point at the original prototypes; new entries can address the appended ones via the Existing PointInstancers assignment controls.

Create Import Node

Click to add a USD PointInstancer Import SOP inside this node’s internal SOP network, named existing_pointinstancers, with its key parameters wired to the parameters above. Use this as the starting point for an edit-existing-instancer setup.

Prototypes

Prototype Source

Whether the prim(s) you want to reference/instance onto the points is/are in the first input or the second input.

Source

Use Entire Stage as Prototype

If Prototype Source is Second Input and this is on, the node copies everything from the second input’s scene graph tree under a new prim and uses that as the prototype. This lets you build a node chain that builds the prototype and connect it to the second input, and not have to specify which prim in the second input to use.

Using this option implies that there is only one prototype, because this node has no multi-input. If you have several full stages you want to use as prototypes, combine them with a Graft Stages LOP first, and feed the result into the second input, but with this option turned off.

Prototype Primitives

The scene graph path(s) of the primitive(s) you want to use as prototype(s). You can use pattern syntax to select multiple primitives.

Handle Missing Prototypes

If a point specifies a prototype that doesn’t exist, this parameter controls whether the node will present a warning, enter an error state or create the missing primitives. The default is to enter an error state, which can be useful to catch accidental use of missing prototypes. The warning mode is useful for scenarios where prototypes may be added to the instancer later in the LOP network or through USD composition. The create mode will create placeholder prims in the scene to use as prototypes.

Destination

Create Prototypes Area

If Prototype Source is First Input, this toggle controls whether to create a “Prototypes” scope under the specified Primitive Path or not.

If enabled, the primitive will be populated with references (see Prototype Reference Type below) to the original source primitives, and these references will be used for the instances. If disabled, the instances will be directly connected to the original source primitives. It is standard practice, but not required, to have this enabled when the Method is set to PointInstancer.

Make Prototype Source Primitives Invisible

If Prototype Source is First Input and Create Prototypes Area is enabled and this is on, the node sets the visibility of the prims used as primitives to “hidden” in the output. The default is on.

Root Prim

The scene graph path to the root prim for the prototype area. This prim will be created if it doesn’t already exist.

This parm has access to the following local variables

@primpath

The currently targeted prim path.

Root Prim Kind

When Use Entire Stage is on, this sets the kind of the prim the node creates as a parent for root prims from the second input. The default is None.

Name

The name for the prototype prims to be created under the prototype destination root prim.

This parm has access to the following local variables

@primpath

The currently targeted prim path.

@protoprimpath

The source primpath for the current prototype.

@protoprimname

The name of the source prototype prim.

@protoindex

The index for the current prototype.

Only Copy Specified Prototype Prims

If Prototype Source is Second Input and Use Entire Stage as Prototype is off, this controls whether to only copy the prototype primitives specified by Prototype Primitives, or the entire stage. The default is on.

Using this option can result in a smaller stage, but requires that the prototype sources are fully self-contained (for example they cannot refer to materials that sit elsewhere in the prim hierarchy).

Prototype Reference Type

If Prototype Source is First Input and Create Prototypes Area is enabled, this parameter controls the composition type to use when creating references to the source primitives from within the Prototypes folder in the scene graph. This parameter can be Reference, Inherit, or Specialize. See inherits and specializes for more information about how these choices differ from a simple reference.

Target Points

Import SOP Points

SOP Source

Where to find the SOP geometry that drives the per-instance data.

Internal SOP

Use this node’s internal SOP network. The display SOP of that subnet provides the points.

External SOP

Use the output of a SOP elsewhere in the Houdini node hierarchy. Specify it in SOP Path.

SOP Path

When SOP Source is External SOP, the node path of the SOP that generates the target points. Defaults to ..

Show LOP Stage in SOPs

Points to a LOP node whose stage is rendered into the Scene Viewer along with the SOP geometry when you dive inside this node’s internal SOP network. Any USD cameras and lights will also become available to look through in the viewport’s camera menu. Specifying a LOP Network instead of a LOP node path fetches the stage of the display-flagged LOP node within the target LOP Network.

This is only used when SOP Source is Internal SOP. The default expression looks at this node’s first input.

Point Group

Restrict the imported points to this named point group on the SOP geometry.

Missing Points Policy

When Edit Mode is Sparse, controls what happens to instance ids on existing point instancers when those ids are absent from the SOP geometry (either because the upstream SOPs dropped them, or because the Point Group filter excluded them). Points marked with the delete SOP attribute are not handled here – they are removed unconditionally, see Special SOP attributes.

Do Nothing

Leave the existing instance entries untouched. The instance keeps its previous transform and visibility.

Remove Instances

Delete the missing ids from the instancer. The corresponding instance entries are erased from protoIndices, positions, etc.

Make Instances Invisible

Add the missing ids to the instancer’s invisibleIds. The data for those instances is preserved so the instance can be re-shown later by re-adding its id.

Set Properties From Data

Ids

Author the USD ids attribute from the SOP id point attribute. Required when Edit Mode is Sparse (a warning notes that ids are handled automatically in sparse mode regardless of this toggle).

InvisibleIds

Author the USD invisibleIds attribute. Any point whose usdvisibility string attribute is invisible has its id added to invisibleIds. Requires the SOP id attribute (or an automatically assigned one).

Positions

Author the USD positions attribute from the SOP point position P.

Orientations

Author the USD orientations (or orientationsf) attribute from the SOP orient quaternion (or the standard N/up combination if orient isn’t present).

Scales

Author the USD scales attribute from the SOP scale and/or pscale attributes.

Accelerations

Author the USD accelerations attribute from the SOP accel point attribute.

Velocities

Author the USD velocities attribute from the SOP v point attribute.

Angular Velocities

Author the USD angularVelocities attribute from the SOP w point attribute.

Point Attributes to Copy

A pattern matching point attribute names to copy onto the instancer prim as array primvars. Each listed attribute becomes one entry per instance. The default excludes the standard instancing attributes (which are handled by the toggles above), USD bookkeeping attributes, and the path attribute.

Missing Primvars Policy

When Edit Mode is Sparse, controls how mismatched primvar sets between the SOP geometry and an existing instancer prim are handled. Ignored when Edit Mode is Overwrite (the existing instancer’s primvars are replaced wholesale in that mode).

Do Nothing

If the SOP geometry lacks an attribute that exists as a primvar on the instancer, leave the primvar values for the affected ids unchanged.

Create

Create any missing primvar on the instancer, using zero-valued entries for ids absent from the SOP geometry.

Common Primvars

A whitespace-separated list of primvar names that should be authored on every PointInstancer affected by this node. This is a finer-grained alternative to setting Missing Primvars Policy to Create (which authors every SOP primvar on every affected instancer) – list only the primvars you want broadcast, and leave the rest to follow the per-instancer import set.

The USD PointInstancer Import SOP writes this list to the geometry’s importedprimvars detail attribute, and this LOP reads it to drive sparse primvar resampling.

Indexed Primvars

A space-separated list of primvar names or patterns specifying which primvars are authored as indexed (a deduplicated value array plus an index array) rather than flat per-instance arrays.

type:string

Matches against any SOP string primvars.

Indexed primvars are a useful optimization when a small number of unique values is repeated across a large number of instances. Preparing an indexed primvar can be expensive for attribute types other than integers or strings, so use this where the storage savings are clearly worth it.

Prototype Assignment

New PointInstancers

These controls assign a protoIndices value to each instance on newly created instancer prims.

Prototype Index

How the prototype index for each instance is determined.

None

Don’t author protoIndices from this node. Useful when another node downstream supplies the values.

Random

Pick a prototype at random for each instance, using Seed as the seed.

Integer Attribute

Use the value of an integer point attribute as the index into the prototype list.

String Attribute

Use the value of a string point attribute. The value is matched against each prototype’s prim name (or the path’s basename); a match sets the corresponding protoIndices entry.

Seed

When Prototype Index is Random, the seed for the random number generator.

Integer Attribute

When Prototype Index is Integer Attribute, the name of the integer point attribute to read. Defaults to protoindex.

String Attribute

When Prototype Index is String Attribute, the name of the string point attribute to read. Defaults to protoname.

Existing PointInstancers

These controls assign prototype indices for instances on existing instancer prims. They are disabled when Prototypes Relationship Mode is Preserve (because the existing prototype list and indices are kept intact).

Prototype Index

Same as New PointInstancers ▸ Prototype Index, applied to existing instancers. The default is None – existing instances keep their authored protoIndices values.

Seed

When Prototype Index is Random, the seed for the random number generator.

Integer Attribute

When Prototype Index is Integer Attribute, the name of the integer point attribute to read.

String Attribute

When Prototype Index is String Attribute, the name of the string point attribute to read.

Warn on Skipped Instances

When a per-instance attribute lookup fails (an integer index out of range, or a string with no matching prototype name), emit a warning naming the first such instance. Visible only when one of the Prototype Index menus is set to Integer Attribute or String Attribute.

See also

LOP nodes

  • APEX Animate

    Edits the animation on an APEX scene.

  • APEX SOP Rig Builder

    Authors APEX rigs and binds them to USD primitives.

  • 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.

  • Bake APEX Scene

    Bakes animation from APEX scenes to point positions and transforms.

  • Bake UsdSkel 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 APEX Rig

    Configures and attaches simple APEX rigs to USD primitives.

  • Configure Guide Deform

    Tags groom primitives with the HairDeform procedural API, configuring how they deform at render time.

  • 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.

  • Copy to Points

    Instances or copies primitives onto points.

  • 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 Network

    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 Light

    Adds properties to turn geometry into lights.

  • 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 Preview Procedurals

    Invokes Houdini Procedurals while working interactively.

  • Houdini Procedural: Crowd

    Houdini Crowd Procedural for Solaris.

  • Houdini Procedural: Feather

    Generates feathers for rendering.

  • Houdini Procedural: Hair

    Houdini Procedural: Haie for Solaris.

  • Houdini Procedural: Ocean

    Houdini Ocean Procedural for Solaris.

  • Houdini Procedural: RBD

    Houdini Procedural: RBD for Solaris.

  • Husk Image Metadata

    Add Husk Custom Metadata to Render Products and Render Vars.

  • Image Filter

    Create an Image Filter List

  • 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.

  • Isolate Scene

    Work in masked areas of the stage.

  • Karma Background Plate

    Sets up AOVs and 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.

  • Karma Blocker Light Filter

    Creates or edits a USD Karma blocker light filter prim.

  • 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 Settings

    Configure Render Settings for Karma.

  • Karma Shadow Catcher

    Configure render-time hold-out or matte objects.

  • 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).

  • Karma Texture Baker

    Create a Render Settings primitive to create texture maps that define shading states for an object.

  • LPE Tag

    Manage Lights' LPE Tags.

  • Labs Biome Plant Scatter Import

    Import a biome plant scatter from SOPs to LOPs.

  • Labs Karma

    Renders USD stages using Karma with integrated caching, wedging, and TOPs workflows.

  • 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.

  • Labs Relight GSplats

    Relights Gaussian Splats using USD lights and a BSDF shader.

  • Labs ZibraVDB Import

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Live Render

    Launches renders which react to upstream LOP changes and send the image to the Render Gallery.

  • 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

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

  • Merge PointInstancers

    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.

  • Paint Instances

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

  • Parent Constraint

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

  • Plane

    Creates or edits a plane shape primitive.

  • PointInstancer

    Creates or edits USD PointInstancer prims from SOP points.

  • Points

    Creates or edits a Points shape primitive.

  • Points Constraint

    Position and Orient primitives using point positions from a geometry.

  • Portal Light

    Creates or edits a USD Portal Light prim. A portal light is used in conjunction with a Dome Light to restrict the parts of the dome light that are sampled to illuminate a scene.

  • 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.

  • Relocates

    Authors relocate source-target mappings to the active layer.

  • Render Geometry Settings

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

  • Render Pass

    Creates or edits a UsdRenderPass prim, which represents a render pass, with attributes configuring the content of the pass, and how to configure the renderer to generate the pass.

  • 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 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 Import

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

  • SOP Import APEX Scene

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

  • SOP Import Crowd

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

  • SOP Import UsdSkel Character

    Imports a character or animation 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.

  • Scatter Instances

    Hydra generative procedural and LOP node for scattering instances.

  • 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.

  • Shot Layer Edit

    Part of the Shot Builder Toolset, targets a specific layer for all shots that match the give pattern.

  • Shot Load

    Part of the Shot Builder Toolset, load USD data for your project.

  • Shot Output

    Part of the Shot Builder Toolset, outputs USD data and /or rendered images to your project.

  • Shot Split

    Passes through the input node’s stage, but may alter the shot context option depending on which output branch is being cooked.

  • Shot Switch

    Passes through one of several inputs, based on the shot context option.

  • 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 PointInstancers

    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.

  • Texture Material Library

    Authors USD material primitives whose texture inputs are driven by COPs.

  • 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.

  • Transform by SOP Points

    Transforms USD primitives by SOP points with transform attributes.

  • 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.