How can I setup the Houdini environment for command line usage?

If you would like to use the command line to run certain Houdini programs and commands, you must set up what's called an "environment". This means that Houdini will be able to find all the directories and programs that it needs in order to run the command you tell it to (for example, sesictrl).

Windows

  • Programs -> Side Effects Software -> Houdini 19.0.xxx -> bin -> hcmd.exe
  • You can also do a system search for Command Line Tools

Linux

  1. cd path to Houdini installation
  2. source houdini_setup
    • Example:
      $ cd /opt/hfs18.5.xxx
      $ source houdini_setup

This is useful to put into login scripts so you can have the environment setup upon login.

If you only need to access sesictrl then you may find it directly in /usr/lib/sesi.

Mac

  • Applications -> Houdini -> Houdini 18.5.xxx -> Utilities -> Houdini Terminal 18.5.xxx