Hi :-)
I've started going through a few tutorials, one of them being: https://www.sidefx.com/tutorials/pyro-fx-billowy-smoke/ [www.sidefx.com]

Ran into a few minor issues, but mainly rendering… Let talk about the minor issues first…

1) As the tutorials steps through the nodes created by the PyroFX>BillowySmoke shelf tool, it references parameters that I can't find anywhere: Crate_density node: Minimum Distance and Empty Interior? In fact, the crate density node in the tutorial seems to have much more parameters, including lots buried in tabs. Also edge location doesn't seem to exist… similar in the tutorial there appears to be noise tab, where you can set the sharpness…Any thoughts? Is the tutorial using different create density node?

2) Even though the sim looks pretty good, I add a point light, then camera, then Mantra node (std settings). But the render looks nothing like on screen. In fact, it looks like nothing at all… just a big blob of some white ink (no details, no shadows, not even shading)… it doesn't even resemble the shape of what I see onscreen. What am I missing?

Thank you!

LukeP
2) Even though the sim looks pretty good, I add a point light, then camera, then Mantra node (std settings). But the render looks nothing like on screen. In fact, it looks like nothing at all… just a big blob of some white ink (no details, no shadows, not even shading)… it doesn't even resemble the shape of what I see onscreen. What am I missing?

Did you assign a Volume shader to your smoke?

Probably not, I assumed that the PyroFX shelf tool does that? :-)

It does not, you'll need to create and assign one in order to see anything in the render.

I think it used to create a pyro material. Maybe that part got left out when h17 revisited the pyro shelves.

there is always a default volume shader applied via the environment:

HOUDINI_VEX_DEFAULT_VOLUME := ‘opdefShop/v_volumecloud’

LukeP
1) As the tutorials steps through the nodes created by the PyroFX>BillowySmoke shelf tool, it references parameters that I can't find anywhere: Crate_density node: Minimum Distance and Empty Interior? In fact, the crate density node in the tutorial seems to have much more parameters, including lots buried in tabs. Also edge location doesn't seem to exist… similar in the tutorial there appears to be noise tab, where you can set the sharpness…Any thoughts? Is the tutorial using different create density node?

I'm having the same issue, I can't seem to find that option anywhere…

Some one please explain

it's because under the hood, it has been re-designed. So the tute is pre-H17. For H17, the create density workflow has changed.

First, to see params in the tute, go to your Pyro shelf, rclick on an empty area>Edit shelf tab. go to Tools tab, scroll down to find Fluid Source, highlight it, accept. Now you'll see a new button called Fluid Source.

Click on it to create a node in your network, disconnect it, we just need the node to see its params….this is where you see the params as per the old tute.

But the new H17 workflow is changed. I'm a noob with pyro/FLIP so won't be able to help you further. Other gurus will chime in…..just be patient.