Hello,

I was hope someone might be able to help me understand the warning/error messages I am getting when creating a subnet to make a digital asset.

I've watched the 6 video tutorials but none of the content seems to shed a light on the “problem” I am looking at.

I have a Chop network that has a wave and export node.
I also have 2 pathcv nodes that are driven by the Chop.

In screenshot “A” below I get that error message shown when I go to create the digital asset ( right clicking the subnet > create digital asset ).

So it's telling me that I am using nodes outside the subnet or that I am using absolute paths.

What I am using is as in screenshot “B” ( the export node of the Chop network )

These are relative paths.

So I tried shortening them going from using: “../../pathcv1 ../../pathcv2”

to using: “../pathcv1 ../pathcv2”

But this doesn't work because now the pathcvs' no longer work ( they don't become moved, driven by the code )

The reason I tried shortening it like this is because the absolute path is:

“/obj/SUBNET/pathcv1 /obj/SUBNET/pathcv2”

So going by what the warning message is saying I am assuming the “/obj” is the part that is outside the subnet and if I remove that then it should not be considered outside the network.

But again, the code fails to work if I “shorten” it like that.

So I've tried variations of these two paths, but these 2 are the only ones that allow my code to work but both give the same warning message:

“../../pathcv1 ../../pathcv2”
“/obj/SUBNET/pathcv1 /obj/SUBNET/pathcv2”

I don't know what to do to eliminate the warning message and it seems that I should because I get other error messages for when after I create the digital asset and want to make changes ( modify ) the asset and the original warning message comes up again, along side other warning/error messages.

I'm just trying to clear up what I may be doing wrong or not understanding.

any help is appreciated.

Thank you

go to the Common Tab of any CHOP nodes in your asset
you'll see a parameter called Export Prefix
delete anything there
go to the node you are exporting
make sure the path there is relative.

HTH

Hi arctor,

Thanks for the reply, hopefuly your still on and might be able to answer again.

Even if I do what you said I still get an error message, although it just seems like a shorter version of the orginal.

The first screenshot is of this “new” error message.

I only have 2 nodes in my chop and in both I eliminated anything in the Export Prefix parameter.

Just to be sure I looked in all my other nodes as well to make sure everything is set as relative paths and I've included screenshots of everything that has any parameter reference to another parameter.

I was thinking, in one of my parameter references I am using a function that is in my Python Source Editor.

And even though the function is using relative paths for it's arguments I thought I may have read somewhere saying we can't use code that is stored in Python Source Editor when we are going to make a digital asset?

Is this true? It would make sense as that code does lie outside the subnet and maybe that's why I get the error message?

Maybe I need to take that Python Source Code and put it in Python Nodes within the subnet?

Thanks to anyone who can shed light on this.

yeah - if you need python in your HDA put it in the PythonModule

also it looks as if your PathCV's are not inside your subnet…

can you upload the file - maybe a simple version of it - might be faster to have a look at the actual file.

Hi arctor,

So here's the attached file.

It actually is a simpler version of what I am doing elsewhere.

Maybe it could be more simple, I don't know.

I was trying to keep all the ‘elements’ of what I planned on doing with my more complex version.

Thanks again for taking the time to look at this.

thanks for the file…

there are a few things going on here…and one of them is a bug

I've attached the hda with my changes

I've taken your python code and added it to a pythonModule in the hda
see : http://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini15.0/hom/hou/HDAModule [sidefx.com]

then changed the two expressions on your CHOPnet
node_type = node_type = hou.nodeType(hou.objNodeTypeCategory(), “path_test”)
node_type.hdaModule().PHI_Divide_Bracket( ch(“display_position_txx”), ch(“display_position_txy”), ch(“divisions_position_tx”), ch(“index_position_tx”), ch(“add_subtract_position_tx”), ch(“skip_position_tx”), True )

the warning you're getting when you save the hda is actually a false positive
Houdini is reading the Node parameter of the Export CHOP as being an Operator Path Type - which accepts only ONE node (../../pathcv1 in this case)
adding two nodes manually isn't wrong, ad obviously works.
but when you save the hda the fact that thee are two nodes in there throws the warning.
this is the bug I'll add.

Thank you very much arctor,

In addition to helping in this matter, you've indirectly helped show me what areas to look into further that will help me structure my code in a way I was hoping to be able to do.

e.g. your code example and the link to hou.HDAModule

Thanks again.

glad to help.