Is it possible to specify custom environment variable in a way that it would be used to simplify path like variables such as $JOB, $HOME, etc do?
for example i want to define a $SOMEPRJ variable, that would point to some project structure i define an different hosts..

on linux i see that it maintains $SOMEPRJ variable as it is in file open menu, for example, but on windows it changes text to variable value when i pressing enter… so instead of $SOMEPRJ i got //server2/project/test_a on windows

also i want this custom variable to appear in Jump menu… is it possible?

Is it possible to specify custom environment variable in a way that it would be used to simplify path like variables such as $JOB, $HOME, etc do?
for example i want to define a $SOMEPRJ variable, that would point to some project structure i define an different hosts..

This is up to you to define your environment. Houdini inherits all shell (linux) or system (windows) environment variables for you to use directly.

on linux i see that it maintains $SOMEPRJ variable as it is in file open menu, for example, but on windows it changes text to variable value when i pressing enter… so instead of $SOMEPRJ i got //server2/project/test_a on windows

Windows behaviour.

also i want this custom variable to appear in Jump menu… is it possible?

In any houdini directory in the $HOUDINI_PATH ($HFS/houdini, $HOME/houdini<major_version>.<minor_version>, etc…), create a file called jump.pref and just put the path that you want to show up in the jump menu.

jeff

on linux i see that it maintains $SOMEPRJ variable as it is in file open menu, for example, but on windows it changes text to variable value when i pressing enter… so instead of $SOMEPRJ i got //server2/project/test_a on windows

Windows behaviour.

isn't it a bug in houdini?

Nope.

If your environment variables ($JOB, $HIP, $HSITE, etc) use UNC paths, when you jump to them in the file browser the UNC paths will be preserved. If you type a UNC path into the file browser, that UNC path will be preserved. If you browse using drive letters (jump to drive X then no, there is no way for us to preserve the mapping and the result is expanded.

Use unc paths.

But I am using unc and it expands anyway!
Can this be related to slashes orientation in Env. variable? \\server2\projects
or //server2/projects ?

I think it must be slash direction - we use unix style even though we are on windows and it doesn't then expand the path, regardless of whether we use unc or mapped drive letters.

In any houdini directory in the $HOUDINI_PATH ($HFS/houdini, $HOME/houdini<major_version>.<minor_version>, etc…), create a file called jump.pref and just put the path that you want to show up in the jump menu.

just what i needed! thanks oldschool