Yes, I am frustrated. No, I have no background in programming. I am new to PC, having worked on a Mac for over ten years. I am also relatively new to Houdini. One thing I just can't seem to understand is the saving and caching element to Houdini. You know, Environment Variables, $JOB, etc.

Here is my problem, I am trying to bake out a agent animation, in the cache directory it reads ${HIP}/agents/${AGENT}, which really means CProgram Files/Side Effects Software/Houdini 16.0.600/bin/agents/agent1. When I hit Save to Disk, I get a warning that readsCould not create directory CProgram Files/Side Effects Software/Houdini 16.0.600/bin/agents/agent1. The directory exists on my PC, I have tripled checked that, so whats the problem? Can I do something different?

I am on Windows 10 using Houdini 16.0.600

edit: So when I usually save a .hiplc file, I save to my desktop(i'm lazy) but when I tried to save a .hiplc to the directory above I get a Save failed for CProgram Files/Side Effects Software/Houdini 16.0.600/bin/agents/agent1 and Permission denied

Heh?

the program files directory is write protected because Windows doesn't want you messing with the files of an installed program.
the reason that $HIP is resolving to this directory is because (I'm guessing) you're somehow starting Houdini by running the .exe
which makes Houdini start in it's program folder - this is bad

to quickly solve your issue - save the hip file to somewhere like a Projects folder.
in the future, run Houdini from the desktop shortcut or from the start menu.

Thanks for your quick reply. I am running Houdini from my taskbar, am I running the .exe file from my taskbar by mistake? If so, what Houdini start up file should I be using?

EDIT: Figured it out, I just started from the command line

Ok so now I am really confused. When I start up Houdini through the command line I get a “fresh” HIPFILE directory under variables. While Houdini is open, I pin it to the taskbar. When I close Houdini and then reopen it through the newly created icon in the taskbar its the old .exe directories in the variables window. What is the “good way” to open Houdini?

Also it seems that when I add custom Environment Variables to the houdini.env file that changes never take affect in the program.

you have to stop thinking mac and start thinking Windows

when Houdini installs it's ask if you want to create a Desktop Shortcut - this seems to be the way most Windows users outside of proper pipelines start Houdini.
to create a Desktop Shortcut - you should be able to RMB on the desktop and select New > Shortcut - this will then pop up a dialog to Browse to the executable you want to run, this should be:
this is the Houdini FX executable but if will find the proper license (FX, Core, Indie, Apprentice)
you can name this shortcut to whatever you want - I'd call it Houdini16.0.600, so that you always know what version you are running (you can have more than one version installed at the same time - the latest Production Build is 16.0.671)
you can drag this shortcut to the taskbar if you want

this should fix you up.

if you want to run Houdini via the command line check out this page in the docs:
http://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini/ref/commandline [www.sidefx.com]

Thanks arctor for the info but I followed every step you mentioned and still the variable points back to the CProgram Files/Side Effects Software/Houdini 16.0.600/bin. I also tried to modify the Environment Variables in the Houdini.env file but no luck with that. Is there any other work around to this using the GUI?

if you RMB on the desktop shortcut and select Properties
you should see these two fields:
(the Houdini version will depend on what you have installed)

target path: “C:\Program Files\Side Effects Software\Houdini 16.0.557\bin\houdinifx.exe”

start in: “C:\Program Files\Side Effects Software\Houdini 16.0.557\bin”

if the Target path is correct - if it correctly runs Houdini
make a folder called Projects (or whatever) at the root of C, or on some other drive etc
then you should change the ‘start in’ path to something like this:

“C:\Projects\”

give this a try…

and get rid of any changes you've made to houdini.env