In the HD version of Houdini Apprentice, can I use the ROP output driver node to record my simulation?? :?:

Yes, you can use it to save out .bgeo (or .obj, etc.) files of your sim

But you can't use it from Dynamics context.
But it works fine in other contexts(OBJ, ROP) In end of it, yes you can.

Than I can't save in .sim .
What are the advantages to saving in .sim??

With .sim files you can resume simulation, but they have much bigger size , than bgeo, because they contain all information about whats happening while simulating.

from Help:

".sim stores a bunch of simulation objects and their attached data"

I think there is people who can explain better, I have novice knowledge of DOPs.

Its pretty much exactly as toms put it. The .sim files are so that you can resume simulating from a certain point. They are very large, as they contain the current state of the simulation, –all objects and all of their data. They also double the amount of RAM needed on the frame that you are creating them, because the sim needs x RAM for the sim and then another x for the .sim file. bgeo binary geometry file, which stores geometry, namely points, prims, vertexes and their attribs.

Keep in mind that in some scenarios, you don't need a .sim file to ‘continue’ simulating from a certain point. For example, if you have a rigid body sim, that you've stopped for whatever reason, as long as the points still have v on them, you can just initialize them as new rbd objects and they'll keep traveling seamlessly. This only works in some scenarios, but it can save a lot of time when it does.

In my use of apprentice, i've found that you can cache .sim files to an explicit cache and use them to resume a sim, the rop dop just isn't available.

Hey =]

i check in here because i get stuck with caching a pyro sim.

is there an apprentice option to speed up pyro sims like caching when there is
no option to cache sims ? - its getting terrible slow when i get propper resolution.

i think about upgrading to HD but if there is no benefit - its wasted money.

cheerz
deHeavy