Hi !

I'm new to Houdini. But I've spend some hours to understand how it works.
I've a strange behavior. When I'm creating a null node (in obj level, in the viewport or anywhere else), my null is empty.
Normally, there is a control and a point node (no ?).
And my null node doesn't show up in the viewport of course (it's empty…).
I've made a short video to show you the issue.

I've made a fresh install of houdini and deleted all the file comming from houdini before. (I think so)

Here is the video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9bkyPDRo0M [youtube.com]

(Same result if I'm using tab > utility > null in the viewport at obj level).
I've pressed h in the network editor to be sure nodes are not hidden.

I tried to delete de preferences folder Houdini10 (in Documents folder).

I'm using the free non-commercial version of Houdini 10 64 bits (latest version).
I'm under windows 7 64, ATI 5870, i7 920, 6 gigs.

Thanks,
Denis.

First your YouTube video can not be found, I get an error when clicking on the link.
Second: There is a Null Object and a Null Node. To basically explain from someone who is a newbie to Houdini himself: The Null Node is what is created for the Node Network to basically say that this is the end of what I want to refer to. Someone else will explain that much better than I. The Null that is on the Shelf is a Null Object it is in essensce an empty object.
I hope that this has helped some.
DJ

Sorry here is the correct link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9bkyPDRo0M [youtube.com]

I know that there are two null type.

When I press tab in the network editor for example, and I type null, I get the null but he's empty and nothing showing up in the viewport.

In a video from 3Dbuzz, he do that and he get a null that show up in the viewport (and customizable).

Plus, in the misc tab from the null object, I can change some options like “control type”. But nothing work… I'm sure this the good null object that must show up in the viewport (in shelf > create, when I'm right click on the null icon I choose help, and the help is clear, he show up on the viewport…

I can create the null object and put every time, the point and the control nodes but it's boring and of course the parameters are not connected.

Thanks for the video. “A picture explains many words”. I am not at a computer with Houdini installed but maybe you can with your cursor in the Viewport and type “d” without the quotes to bring up the display menu and look through there. If anyone has other ideas please speak up.

DJ

Thanks, but I have check every options in the display panel.
Nothing work.

But can you check when you have the time, if there are nodes in the null obj (I'm pretty sure that there are point and control node).

That's very strange !

I'm downloading the 32 bits version to see if that have something to do with with the 64 bits version.

I'll check tonight on my laptop. I have the HD version of Apprentice with 64bits on my hp pavilion 1073us with 4gb of Ram with Windows 7 x64 with ATI Radeon HD VidCard.

DJ

Thanks

ps : Same behavior with the 32 bits version

I just tried with mine and here is the result:
I hope this helps.
DJ

Thanks

So Houdini doesn't work on my pc, or with bug.

cooly: Have you tried pressing d in the viewport and deselecting the Origin Gnomon and pressing the Grid Icon on the right of the Viewport to turn it off to see if it's there? Also try uninstalling and re-installing and see if that helps.

DJ

From the video, the fact that as soon as you hit the Null shelf tool and showing a “circle” instead in the viewport means that you've somehow modified the default Null object. In the Network View pane, middle-click in the middle of the node. Does it have a line that says “Defined By:” ? If so, what does it say?

DJ_BOXER, when I disable the grid and hide the origin gnomon, nothing change… I think my null node is corrupt, very strange.

edward, thanks for the answer.
It's a fresh install of houdini. I've just launched houdini and clicked on the null node.

When I middle click on the null node, there is no “Defined By:”.

Here is a screenshot : http://tof.canardpc.com/view/738eacb1-07ec-4668-b567-92a1f3089a9d.jpg [tof.canardpc.com]

And here a screenshot when I right click “edit” on the null utility in the shelf :
http://tof.canardpc.com/view/3d6e8b3a-7fe5-468f-97d1-a74399702f5d.jpg [tof.canardpc.com]

You're sure that you've tried renamed C:\Users\Dennis\Documents\houdini10.0 to something like C:\Users\Dennis\Documents\houdini10.0.old? Make sure you close all Houdini sessions first before the rename.

I've tried again.
He rebuild the UI cache.
But same problem after that.

EDIT :
I've installed Houdini 32bits on a old imac through bootcamp.
The null node is working as expected (he has two nodes inside and he show up in the viewport). But houdini is too slow on my old imac.

This drive me crazy.

Have you tried re-installing using the latest DAILY build?

Yes, I've tried too.
Maybe there is an other software who's interfering with houdini.

There is a google(dropdown menu) beneath the camera lock icon, which filters out various objects from the viewport, including nulls, is that turned OFF maybe?

Given that he re-installed houdini and deleted his preferences PLUS the fact that inside the node object there are no OPs I think this is definitely no problem of display settings.

A few tests:

Right click the Null in the shelf, choose “Edit tool” and paste whats in the script and context tab.

create a geomtry object, delete the file OP inside it and drop a control-OP, does this work and does the control op show up in the viewport?

are any other tools malfunctioning?

By default any changes you make to preferences in Houdini get dumped in your $HOME/houdini10.0 directory (assuming you are using Houdini10.0).
Uninstalling Houdini doesn't touch this directory at all.

If you change an operator “type” like a null to a circle then apply changes, yes indeed you can re-define any default Houdini operator. We let you shoot yourself in the foot quite nicely. Lots of warnings come up too so make sure to close your eyes when you pull the trigger.

Move or delete the $HOME/houdini10.0 directory. Always do that first when Houdini is doing weird stuff like this and give that a go.

Thanks to all, but I have deleted the folder many times. $HOME/houdini10.0
I will try to install temporarily windows to an other disk and try direclty houdini. Maybe there is an other software who interfer with houdini…

This isn't a display issue because the null node is empty.

ManDay, here are the null content :

http://tof.canardpc.com/view/3d6e8b3a-7fe5-468f-97d1-a74399702f5d.jpg [tof.canardpc.com]

Doing that : “create a geomtry object, delete the file OP inside it and drop a control-OP, does this work and does the control op show up in the viewport? ”

I see the cross in this case yes. It can be a quick workaround.