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).

When installed with Launcher:

Select Command Line Tools from the little triangle to the right of 'Launch' button on the Houdini section of Launcher.

Windows (when installed with the old installer)

• Programs -> Side Effects Software -> Houdini 21.0.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/hfs21.0.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.

cd /usr/lib/sesi
./sesictrl

Mac

• Applications -> Houdini -> Houdini 21.0.xxx -> Utilities -> Houdini Terminal 21.0.xxx