When referencing point clouds into shaders can you use the form “opobj/foo/scatter” or does it have to be a file on disk. Certainly in Apprentice this doesn't seem to work but will it work in the full version?
Yes, you can directly fetch the data from a SOP by using the op: method. The beta forum is now locked but I wanted to answer this one here.
Simon Cheers Jeff, but can you do that with a shader directly referencing a sop. I tried it with Mario sub scattering teapot and it didn't work.
Hey Simon,
No. Or… “not yet?” The shading contexts are the only place where the op: syntax doesn't work (i.e it can't be used from Mantra). You can use it everywhere else in Houdini though.
Actually you can use the op syntax in Shading contexts when referencing images from COPs. Its clever enough to know it has to include the image in the IFD.
Does it not work for geometry?
I guess the op string would have to be exposed as a parameter - i.e. not hardcoded inside the shader where Houdini would not try to look for such strings.
Maybe all OPs in Houdini need an option flag to forcibly “Include the output of this Op in the IFD” kinda thing? Then you could make sure certain op info is available to hardcoded strings, etc. (even CHOPs)
That was what confused me, you can access cops but not sops. In Marios SS shader he exposes the point cloud file string and you can enter opobj/model/scatter1 or whatever the path is, but it doesn't work, you have to use a disk file. Hopefully as Mario says this functionality is coming. 8)
The trick is finding just the right hammer for every screw
obj/foo/scatter” or does it have to be a file on disk. Certainly in Apprentice this doesn't seem to work but will it work in the full version?
