I've got two files objects and Im importing different geo's into each - a bowl and some ice cream.

I can only select one node to be visible at once, but I want to see them both displayed at the same time - how do I do this?

Why is such a simple thing like this not obvious?

Thank you!

Because you're new to Houdini and you don't know the tricks yet!

But yeah…I hear you, could be easier.

So here's a couple of strategies:

If you have two File nodes in the OBJ context (if you don't know what that is, it's the root-most part of the Houdini environment), one for the Bowl and one for the Ice Cream, when you are in the SOP context (inside one of the File nodes), then just make sure that the Show All Objects option at the top-right of the Viewer is selected:




If you have two file nodes inside the same Geometry node, then you have a couple of options:

1. Add a Merge node that connects them both and set the Visibility on the Merge (the Blue tab).

2. While one File node has the Visibility tab on, turn on the Template tab (the Pink tab) on the other one.


Stick with it…it'll get easier as you continue to use Houdini. It can be frustrating and seem unnecessarily complicated at first (and the truth is that in some ways it absolutely is).