When you have a simple bezier curve with two points and two tangents, what's the easiest way to rig this in Houdini?. I am looking for something that can be hand animated.

In xsi I would have normally add a cluster center to the end points, and to the tangent points. I would have then parent the tangent point null clusters to the end ones, so they would follow.

What is the houdini approach?

I really need to review the rigging side of houdini, any good resources? or where to start?

Thanks!

Try doing searches on cables, rope, or cords.

I found a few examples on OdForce [forums.odforce.net].

cgcris
What is the houdini approach?

In simple cases you would animate Null objects at the obj level.
The Nulls can be placed in a hierarchy in whatever way makes sense to you. (like tangent handles parented to CV's).

Then you can create your curve by adding another object that does an Object_Merge on these Nulls -in order- and draws a curve through them.

Null objects conveniently contain a point you can use as your merge target.

and have a look at the Path tool
in the view port TAB > Path
you can then place 2 (+) PathCV's and a bezier curve is built between them…

and have a look at the Path tool
in the view port TAB > Path
you can then place 2 (+) PathCV's and a bezier curve is built between them…

Thanks Sweet trick

cgcris

and have a look at the Path tool
in the view port TAB > Path
you can then place 2 (+) PathCV's and a bezier curve is built between them…

Thanks Sweet trick

and be sure to look inside the Path object - you'll see how it is being built and it will give you lots of ideas about how to extend it

About two yrs late to this party, but a few days ago when I started digging into rigging with a big shovel, studying the autorigs and various setups for custom rigs, I've discovered that there's no automated process to set up a spine like in XSI. I've filed a RFE for the simple spine setup à la XSI, but other RFEs too. Hope to see them implemented soon…

I've made a short video for any XSIers out there, but not only.
I would've recorded voice if my mic weren't cheaper than dirt, hence extremely low audio quality. My eastern-European hillbilly accent wouldn't have helped either.
Anyway, here it is: