Houdini 20.0 Nodes Geometry nodes

Stash geometry node

Caches the input geometry in the node on command, and then uses it as the node’s output.

On this page
Since 16.0

Overview

When you click Stash input, the node will cook the input and cache the geometry in a data parameter. The node does not otherwise cook its input and will simply output the cached geometry. (You can even disconnect the input and the node will continue to output its stored geometry.) You can click Stash input again to re-cache if the input changes.

This node is conceptually very similar to locking a Null SOP, however it has several additional features:

  • The interaction is slightly more convenient.

  • You can modify or overwrite the cached geometry with hou.Geometry objects through scripting.

  • You can link the geometry parameter to a parameter on a parent asset. This allows assets to inject geometry into a network without making the contents editable.

  • The node never passes the input directly to the output, so Houdini doesn’t see downstream nodes as depending on upstream nodes. This is useful if a live connection would create a dependency cycle.

Tips and notes

  • The stashed geometry is saved as part of the node instance when you save the scene, so stashing large geometry can bloat the size of the .hip file.

  • You can discard the cached geometry by disconnecting the node’s input and clicking Stash input.

  • Because the caching process is manual, it is independent of time. For example, you can run a simulation process (for example, a terrain erosion), cache the final geometry, disconnect the simulation, and then go back to frame 1 and use the geometry in an animation.

Parameters

Geometry Stash

The data parameter (internal name stash) where the node stores the geometry.

Stash Input

Click to cook the input and cache its geometry in the data parameter above. Once geometry is cached, the node will output the cached geometry.

Geometry File

If there is no geometry in the data parameter, this file will be loaded and used instead.

Storing geometry in the data parameter will cause the .hip file to become larger, and require every version of the .hip file to re-save the data. When the stashed geometry no longer changes frequently, it can be moved into an external file. This file will then need to be available for the .hip file to load properly.

Move Stash to New File

Saves the data parameter into a new file, updates the geometry file to point to the new file, and clears the data parameter. This will externalize the geometry and reduce the size of the .hip file at the cost of having to manage an external file.

The default name and path are controlled by the HOUDINI_STASH_DIR and HOUDINI_STASH_FILENAME environment variables.

Load Stash from File

Explicitly loads the specified geometry file and stores it in the data parameter. This internalizes the stash file. The external file could be deleted after this, as the authoritative copy is now in the data parameter.

See also

Geometry nodes