Hi All ,
I have several mantra ROPs and a COP network but I wish to execute them to render in an order as the cop network is dependent on inputs from the first Mantra ROP. and the last mantra ROP is reliant from the resulting process from the COP network. Is this possible with a one button solution or hack ?

My next question.The COP network reads in a Frame using the default file cop , but every time I re-render the input frame I have to use the reload button on the file COP. Is there a way to get round this constant need to reload a frame or sequence ?

Last Question : Is there a function I can use that can read the name of any geometry level node I care to input ie

I want to grab the name of a geometry node at /obj/teapot and apply it to the outputname of a geometry rop at /obj/geo_out/geometryROP .

best

r

q1: Use a compositingROP and wire the manraROPs into it. That shoudl render them in the order you specifiy.

q2: I would think that this is solved by using the compROP. But if in doubt use a preframe opparm -c to call the reload button.

q3: not sure what the question is. But chs and opname might be your friend.

Cheers ! buddy

q2: I would think that this is solved by using the compROP. But if in doubt use a preframe opparm -c to call the reload button.

Just the answer works like a charm ! muhaaa AO baking tool here we come

R

Thanks so much for the reload trick!
I've been tearing my hair out trying to get my COP render output node to do all my frames (9.5 Apprentice).
I've been jumping back into my COP Net and reloading frames and all the source images were there, but Houdini didn't want to believe it.
Restarting Houdini did no good.
But then, at your recommendation, I added the following to the pre-render script:

opparm -c /img/main/* reload

Yeah the reload trick is pretty cool. I use it all over the place now. Maybe we should add it to the docs ?

r

Sadly, this wonderful trick has started failing me lately!

I moved from 9.5 to 10.0.390 and now my COP network is acting up again.
My COP just will not cook from my Comp ROP.

I have the same opparm -c /img/main/* reload line in my Pre-Render script as before.

After the error, I go check my COP.
Every File Op shows an error.
The error says “Bad/missing frames 7 15 39” (misc frames from my range).
I check those frames. They are fine.
I select all nodes and click “reload” and the COP cooks all the way to the bottom.
I go back to ROPs and try a set of frames. Same error. Same place.
I wonder if this is related to me having missing frames on some of these File COPs?
And, did something change in the way COP File nodes are reloaded going from 9.5 to 10.0?
I'm very confused!
I've also made sure that the Comp ROP has

Reload All Files

checked. No help.

Any thoughts? I can't believe more people aren't running into this. I'm not doing anything wacky. This is basic, basic comp stuff!

EDIT: Another, final, detail. When I've been debugging this, trying lots of variations and param tweaks I some times run into a different ROP error: “Too many open files”. I don't have a clue why this would be popping up.

Thanks for any help the community can provide!

OS X
Houdini Apprentice 10.0.390