Is there a way in H9.1 to display an image in the camera viewport as an overlay (ie. onion-skin)?

If you want onion skinning you need to edit the parameter interface (gear icon) for the camera node and add the clear viewport parameter from the “for rendering tab”, look in the viewport display folder.
Once you have that parameter turining it down from 1 will give you an onion skin effect.

There is also the viewsnapshot textport command.

Simon, I tried your suggestion but no luck. Perhaps I didn't explain what I need clearly enough. Let's try this:
1) start Houdini and add a camera & sphere
2) bring up display options (d hotkey)
3) Background -> Image Source and load up butterfly image
4) click on display background images

We now see butterfly in viewport behind the sphere … I want to be able to layer this image over the sphere. I guess I could always create a textured grid and attach to camera but wondering if there is a quicker way.

Ondrej, your suggestion reminds me … where did the memory buttons/snapshot options go that use to be located under the view port in earlier versions?

Rob

Ok, yes that's not really what I'd call onion-skinning.

Not sure if you can do what you what, usually viewport images are behind.

You can add the “View mask” parameters but I think that just lets you put sop geometry over the top. That might work with a shader on a grid, never tried it though.

rdms
Simon, I tried your suggestion but no luck. Perhaps I didn't explain what I need clearly enough. Let's try this:
1) start Houdini and add a camera & sphere
2) bring up display options (d hotkey)
3) Background -> Image Source and load up butterfly image
4) click on display background images

We now see butterfly in viewport behind the sphere … I want to be able to layer this image over the sphere. I guess I could always create a textured grid and attach to camera but wondering if there is a quicker way.

Ondrej, your suggestion reminds me … where did the memory buttons/snapshot options go that use to be located under the view port in earlier versions?

Rob

Try the camera mask parameters. See attached. Oh, you need to turn on the display option too.

rdms
Ondrej, your suggestion reminds me … where did the memory buttons/snapshot options go that use to be located under the view port in earlier versions?

They were removed in the redesign. There is already an RFE to bring them back.

mark
Try the camera mask parameters. See attached. Oh, you need to turn on the display option too.

Thanks for the file but I'm looking for a way to use an image rather than geometry.

I'm wondering if this should be a RFE … would others find it useful?