The pipeline I have is as follows:

1- I create the model in Maya with its groups and purposes:

book/
geometry
render --- purpose render
proxy --- purpose proxy


Output: asset_name_model.usdc

2- In Maya, I create a stage and make a payload reference to asset_name_model.usdc, then I duplicate it in the scene, simulating the Set Dressing department.

Output: setdress.usda


3-In Houdini Surface Setup:

book_geometry - prepend references = @../../../model/Props/book/book_model.usdc@

book_materials - def Scope "materials"

book_payload - prepend references = [
@./book_materials.usda@,
@./book_geometry.usda@
]

book_surface - prepend payload = @./book_payload.usda@ and set up __class__

I also create the setup for geometry and shader variants.


4- In Houdini, I create the Sublayer, load setdress.usda, and then reference book_surface.usda.

The problem I’m facing is that I can successfully switch material variants, but when I try to switch geometry variants, it still keeps the geometry that’s being read from the file exported from Maya (setdress.usda).

The workaround I’ve come up with is to create a copy of setdress.usda and change the paths to book_surface.usda, but I’d like to be able to do that directly from Houdini and export a new USD layer containing the shader information for all duplicated assets with their variant model and material changes.

Thanks.