Creating an Houdini package file allows you to create an installation setup for plugin tools.

• A package file basically let you specify the location of tools with the HOUDINI_PATH environment variable.

• The use of an Houdini package removes the need to edit Houdini.env.

• Package files are processed on startup by Houdini.

• With a package file you can set the HOUDINI_PATH variable but it’s also possible to set other Houdini variables, set custom variables or set the system PATH.

• Packages let you enable/disable a tool installation or specify what package(s) are required by a tool.

• An expression language is also available for setting variables conditionally . For instance, you can set a path based on the current OS or if the Houdini version matches a specific version, etc…

• The use of expressions allows you to use a single package file to create a multi-platform setup.

Houdini Package files are JSON files and must have a .json extension. Houdini will scan the following directories on startup for processing package files:

• $HOUDINI_USER_PREF_DIR/packages

• $HFS/packages

• $HSITE/houdini<release version>/packages

• $HOUDINI_PACKAGE_DIR

Multiple package files can be added directly under the packages directory. Adding package files in sub-directories is not supported and will be ignored.

Package files are processed in the loading order (i.e. ordered by file name alphabetically).

Here are some examples of Houdini package files:

1) Prepend /user/bob/libs to HOUDINI_PATH using the path key.

{
    "path" : "/user/bob/libs"
}

2) Prepend multiple paths.

{
    "path" : 
    [
        "/user/bob/libs",
        "/user/tom/libs",
        "/user/sam/libs"
    ]
}

3) Use value to specify the path value and method to specify how paths are added. method is optional, paths are prepended by default.

{
    "path" : 
    [
        {
            "value" : "/user/bob/libs",
            "method" : "append"
        },
        "/user/tom/libs",
        "/user/sam/libs"
    ]
}

4) HOUDINI_PATH can be reset and replaced with new paths (method=replace).

{
    "path" : 
    [
        {        
            "value" : 
                [
                    "/user/bob/libs",
                    "/user/tom/libs",
                    "/user/sam/libs"
                ],
            "method" : "replace"
        }
    ]
}

5) Package installation can be skipped with the enable key without having to remove the file from disk.

{
    "enable" : false,
    "path" : "/user/bob/libs"
}

6) Package dependency can be specified to enforce validation of an installation. Houdini issues a warning if the package(s) are missing.

{
    "recommends" : "a_package_name",
    "path" : "/user/bob/libs"
}

7) Mandatory package dependency can be specified with requires. It is similar to recommends but Houdini issues an error and skips the installation of the enclosing package if the dependent package(s) are missing.

{
    "requires" : ["package1","package2"],
    "path" : "/user/bob/libs"
}

8) Expressions can be used as key for setting variables conditionally.

{
    "path" : 
        [
            {"houdini_os != 'windows'" : "/user/bob/libs"},
            {"houdini_os == 'windows'" : "$HOME/bob_win_libs"},
        ]
}

9) env can be used for setting custom variables, HOUDINI_PATH and the system PATH.

{
    "requires" : ["package1","package2"],
    "env": [
        {
            "BOB": "$HOME/bob_tool"
        },
        {
            "HOUDINI_PATH" :
            [
                "$BOB/libs",
                {
                    "houdini_version>'17.5' and houdini_version<'17.5.250'": "$BOB/test",
                    "method": "append"
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

10) Alternative syntax for defining environment variables using the reserved keywords "var" and "value".

{
    "requires" : ["package1","package2"],
    "env": [
        {
            "var": "BOB",
            "value": "$HOME/bob_tool"
        },
        {
            "var": "HOUDINI_PATH",
            "value": [
                "$BOB/libs",
                {
                    "houdini_version>'17.5' and houdini_version<'17.5.250'": "$BOB/test2",
                    "method": "append"
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

The list of the available keys for configuring an installation setup. Settings are basically JSON key/value pairs.

"enable": false

"enable": "houdini_os == 'linux'"

"enable": { "houdini_os == 'linux'": true }

"env" : 
[
    {
        "BOB" : "$HOME/bob_tool"
    },
    {
        "TOM" : "$HOME/tom_tool"
    }
]

"env" : 
[
    {
        "QUAD_LIBS" : 
        { 
            "houdini_version > '17.0' and houdini_version < '17.5'" : "$HOME/quad_libs"
        }
    }
]

"env" : 
[
    {
        "BOB" : "$HOME/bob_tool"
    },
    {
        "BOB_TEST" : "$BOB/test"
    }
]

"env" : 
[
    {
        "HOUDINI_PATH" : "$HOME/bob_tool"
    }
]

"env" : 
[
    {
        "HOUDINI_PATH" : 
        {
            "value": "$HOME/bob_tool",
            "method": "append"
        }
    }
]

"env" : 
[
    {
        "HOUDINI_PATH" :
        {
            "value": 
            [
                "$HOME/bob_tool",
                "$HOME/tom_tool"
            ],
            "method": "replace"
        }
    }
]

"env": 
[
    {
        "BOB" : "$HOME/bob_tool"
    },
    {
        "HOUDINI_PATH" :
        {
            "value": 
            [
                "$BOB/libs",
                {
                    "houdini_version>'17.5' and houdini_version<'17.5.250'": "$BOB/test",
                    "method": "append"
                }
            ]
        }
    }
]

"env" : 
[
    {
        "PATH" :
        { 
            "value": 
            [
                "$HOME/bob_tool",
                {
                    "value": "$HOME/tom_tool",
                    "method": "append"
                }
            ]
        }
    }
]

"path": "$HOME/bob_tool/libs"

"path": ["$HOME/bob_tool/libs", "$HOME/bob_tool/test"]

"path": {"houdini_os == 'windows'"} : "$HOME/bob_tool/libs"}

"recommends": "bob_tool"

"recommends": [ "bob_tool", "tom_tool" ]

"recommends": { "houdini_version > '17.0'": "sam_tool" }

"requires": "bob_tool"

"requires": [ "bob_tool", "tom_tool" ]

"requires": { "houdini_version > '17.0'": "sam_tool" }

The env array lets you define environment variables. You can create custom variables, set the system PATH and most of the Houdini variables as well.

Houdini only let you use HOUDINI_PATH for path configuration though, other path variables such as HOUDINI_OTLSCAN_PATH and HOUDINI_OTL_PATH are ignored.

Custom path variables are not supported, you can only declare single value custom variables.

It is possible to define and reuse your variables within an env array. You must make sure the variables are declared before they are being used, otherwise it could break the installation.

Expressions are available for setting variables conditionally and for setting boolean variables. The expression grammar supports boolean expressions defined with a set of comparison and logical operators:

( ) < > == <= >= != and or. 

The precedence order is similar to python and C++.

• Higher precedence:

  ( )
  

• Lower precedence:

  < > == <= >= != 
  

These Houdini variables are defined as identifiers in the expression language:

• houdini_version: evaluates to the current Houdini version (full version path)

• houdini_os: evaluates to the OS platform ('windows', 'linux', 'macos')

The language supports string values only. Other types may be supported in the future for new identifiers.

String values must be enclosed within ' characters like the following:

'This is a valid string'

Here are some expression examples:

"houdini_version == '16.5'"

"houdini_version == '16.5' and houdini_os=='linux'"

"houdini_version => '16.5' and houdini_version < '17.5'"

"houdini_os != 'windows' or houdini_version == '17.5' or houdini_version == '17.5.56'"

"(houdini_os != 'macos') or (houdini_version >= '17.4' and houdini_version <= '17.5')"

Expressions can be to set boolean variables or as as keys to conditionally set variables as follows:

{
    "enable": "houdini_version > '15.0'",
    "path": 
    [
        {
            "houdini_version == '17.0' and houdini_os=='windows'": "/bob/libs",
            "method": "append"
        },
        "houdini_os == 'linux'": "/tom/test"
    ]
}