It is your Intel graphics card. They suck. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do other than sell that mac book now while it has some value. Mac laptops and Houdini are kind of a low end solution.
You should be able to do simple tutorial learning stuff on your laptop but beyond that you might want something better.
You might get better performance by uninstalling Houdini R14 and installing Houdini R13. They changed viewport code between releases. Also your info indicates you are running 10.9 clang version on osx 10.10. try uninstalling Houdini R14 10.9 version and install the 10.10 version instead. It might be more optimized for your OSX.
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Houdini Indie and Apprentice » Slow viewport performance on MacOS Yosemite
- Enivob
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Technical Discussion » What system resources do fluid/liquid sims need?
- Enivob
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What you really need, above all else, is free disk space. No matter how much memory you have you will eventually have to write either .sim files or .bgeo files to the disk and this is when you will need free space.
You can configure Houdini to not use RAM at all for fluid sims and have it spool directly to the disk. This is one solution to simming on a lower spec machines. This means your sim will run a bit slower (the speed of your disk drive) but you may be able to sim above your computer's typical ability.
OpenCL graphics card acceleration is turned OFF by default so to leverage that you need to enable it in the solver. In my experience it is about a 30% increase in simming speed when enabled.
You can also employ basic tricks to sim lower and render higher. For instance sim with less particles, skin the fluid and then subdivide afterwards. Also you can use displacement materials to make your fluid look more complex than it really is. Also let's not forget our most useful tool, motion blur. After all that fluid is moving so blur the flank out of it.
Having said that, it always comes back to solving for the shot, not just solving for some science experiment to test a system. We can all invent a scene that our computer can not solve. Look at the shot requirements and the camera placement and scale needed and begin there.
You can configure Houdini to not use RAM at all for fluid sims and have it spool directly to the disk. This is one solution to simming on a lower spec machines. This means your sim will run a bit slower (the speed of your disk drive) but you may be able to sim above your computer's typical ability.
OpenCL graphics card acceleration is turned OFF by default so to leverage that you need to enable it in the solver. In my experience it is about a 30% increase in simming speed when enabled.
You can also employ basic tricks to sim lower and render higher. For instance sim with less particles, skin the fluid and then subdivide afterwards. Also you can use displacement materials to make your fluid look more complex than it really is. Also let's not forget our most useful tool, motion blur. After all that fluid is moving so blur the flank out of it.
Having said that, it always comes back to solving for the shot, not just solving for some science experiment to test a system. We can all invent a scene that our computer can not solve. Look at the shot requirements and the camera placement and scale needed and begin there.
Houdini Indie and Apprentice » Do you have to pay 199 $ once a year or...
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Yes, it is an annual fee.
Once your year expires, you license will be downgraded to Apprentice, automatically unless you renew it. This means any new HIP files you create will have .hipNC license attached to them and any previously created .hipLC files will render with the watermark.
Once your year expires, you license will be downgraded to Apprentice, automatically unless you renew it. This means any new HIP files you create will have .hipNC license attached to them and any previously created .hipLC files will render with the watermark.
Technical Discussion » [SOLVED]Fluid Exports Lumpy OBJ files?
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It ends up you don't need the VEX code at all. The VDB From Standard Particles node uses pscale by default.
I have working HIP solution to this lumpy problem posted on od|force. [forums.odforce.net]
I have working HIP solution to this lumpy problem posted on od|force. [forums.odforce.net]
Houdini Indie and Apprentice » Houdini 14 No Longer Uses Indie License?
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Thanks for the link to the bug submission form. I was not sure if the forum was the only way to report bugs or not.
Houdini Indie and Apprentice » Flip Simulation Lacking Memory - Video Graphics Card Options
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Once you write out a .bgeo sequence you can use a simple File node to read it back in for playback.
Basically you want a scene that generates the simulation and then a scene that plays back the exported .bgeo files. This way the playback scene is also the render scene and can be freely scrubbed without having to weigh down your system with constant simulation reiterations.
I typically skip the step of writing out .sim files because I don't need to deliver or transport my scene to another computer yet. Just keep the White water in the same scene file as the main FLIP simulation. You can ‘solo’ each element (foam, spray, bubbles) from the white water and export a .BGEO sequence for each one if you like or just lump them all together.
If you are already familiar with the youtube video try revisiting the series around episode 6 or 7. I think that is where he talks about white water exporting and playback performance.
Basically you want a scene that generates the simulation and then a scene that plays back the exported .bgeo files. This way the playback scene is also the render scene and can be freely scrubbed without having to weigh down your system with constant simulation reiterations.
I typically skip the step of writing out .sim files because I don't need to deliver or transport my scene to another computer yet. Just keep the White water in the same scene file as the main FLIP simulation. You can ‘solo’ each element (foam, spray, bubbles) from the white water and export a .BGEO sequence for each one if you like or just lump them all together.
If you are already familiar with the youtube video try revisiting the series around episode 6 or 7. I think that is where he talks about white water exporting and playback performance.
Houdini Indie and Apprentice » Flip Simulation Lacking Memory - Video Graphics Card Options
- Enivob
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Jeff,
You might want to check out the YouTube Houdini Hallway Flood tutorial. It covers the topics you mention and what circusmonkey states about writing out each part of the sim in stages.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJAQn_7F0aw [youtube.com]
I would think the GTX is going to be better than a Quadro as far as raw GPU power. Remember to turn on UseOpenCL inside the FLIP Solver node to actually make use of this. This is off by default and only came into existance with the R14 release.
You might want to check out the YouTube Houdini Hallway Flood tutorial. It covers the topics you mention and what circusmonkey states about writing out each part of the sim in stages.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJAQn_7F0aw [youtube.com]
I would think the GTX is going to be better than a Quadro as far as raw GPU power. Remember to turn on UseOpenCL inside the FLIP Solver node to actually make use of this. This is off by default and only came into existance with the R14 release.
Houdini Indie and Apprentice » Orange Bar Disappears Too Easily
- Enivob
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Houdini Indie and Apprentice » Viewport Near Clip?
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Hi All,
I have a fairly small scene. It is a fluid sim that occupies about 2 grid units, this is to scale.
When I zoom into the fluid the viewport starts to clip and I can't see anything. I know I can set the near clip on a camera. Is there a companion setting just for the perspective viewport that I can lower?
Thanks
I have a fairly small scene. It is a fluid sim that occupies about 2 grid units, this is to scale.
When I zoom into the fluid the viewport starts to clip and I can't see anything. I know I can set the near clip on a camera. Is there a companion setting just for the perspective viewport that I can lower?
Thanks
Houdini Indie and Apprentice » Orange Bar Disappears Too Easily
- Enivob
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I am working with a FLIP tank and I am waiting and waiting to calculate the sim and when Houdini finally gets to the end of the timeline I see an orange bar for the cache which indicates it is ready to playback in real time.
However, as soon as I rewind to play it, the orange bar disappears and the system starts re-calculating the sim all over again. NOTE: I did not change any parameters.
This is a very annoying workflow.
What am I doing wrong?
Why does Houdini work this way?
However, as soon as I rewind to play it, the orange bar disappears and the system starts re-calculating the sim all over again. NOTE: I did not change any parameters.
This is a very annoying workflow.
What am I doing wrong?
Why does Houdini work this way?
Technical Discussion » [SOLVED]Fluid Exports Lumpy OBJ files?
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I tried some to mock up your suggestions but I still don't have it working yet.
I moved the VEX code from the VOPSOP into the VolumeVOP. Does this make sense?
I still get “The Mask Input Is Empty”.
I moved the VEX code from the VOPSOP into the VolumeVOP. Does this make sense?
I still get “The Mask Input Is Empty”.
Technical Discussion » [BUG] Crashes Houdini 14. (Double Click On Object Node)
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I have Houdini Apprentice 13.0.631 working fine on my Mac Mini i7 16GB running OSX 10.9.4. Intel Hd4000.
I wanted to upgrade to R14 and but R14 crashes when I try to dive into the font node.
How To Reproduce The Bug:
Use a Mac mini specced as described above.
Download and install Houdini R14. I tried the official 14.0.201 and a daily build 14.0.254. They both crash the same way.
Open up Apprentice and CTRL-Click on the Font object. I see the font appear in my scene and an object node appears in the network panel. Double click on the object node to dive in and Houdini hangs then crashes.
NOTE: I have R14 Indie on Windows 7 and it does not crash as described. So it must be related to OSX or the Intel HD4000 driver. But R13 works fine..?
I wanted to upgrade to R14 and but R14 crashes when I try to dive into the font node.
How To Reproduce The Bug:
Use a Mac mini specced as described above.
Download and install Houdini R14. I tried the official 14.0.201 and a daily build 14.0.254. They both crash the same way.
Open up Apprentice and CTRL-Click on the Font object. I see the font appear in my scene and an object node appears in the network panel. Double click on the object node to dive in and Houdini hangs then crashes.
NOTE: I have R14 Indie on Windows 7 and it does not crash as described. So it must be related to OSX or the Intel HD4000 driver. But R13 works fine..?
Technical Discussion » [SOLVED]Fluid Exports Lumpy OBJ files?
- Enivob
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I found a post on odforce by eetu that hints at how to construct a vopsop to calculate the magnitude.
http://forums.odforce.net/topic/21784-flip-fluid-mantra-velocity-mesh-pass/page-2?hl=magnitude#entry129812 [forums.odforce.net]
I have modified the fluidtank fluid by placing a VDB Smooth SDF inline.
I have added a vopsop and calculated the magnitude.
I have typed the word magnitude into the alpha mask of the VDB Smooth SDF.
But it still does not work. Houdini tells me I don't have a mask when I just calculated it.
Does anyone know how to make this technique of scaling by velocity work?
I am using the shelf tool FLIP tank as my starter scene.
http://forums.odforce.net/topic/21784-flip-fluid-mantra-velocity-mesh-pass/page-2?hl=magnitude#entry129812 [forums.odforce.net]
I have modified the fluidtank fluid by placing a VDB Smooth SDF inline.
I have added a vopsop and calculated the magnitude.
I have typed the word magnitude into the alpha mask of the VDB Smooth SDF.
But it still does not work. Houdini tells me I don't have a mask when I just calculated it.
Does anyone know how to make this technique of scaling by velocity work?
I am using the shelf tool FLIP tank as my starter scene.
Technical Discussion » [SOLVED]Fluid Exports Lumpy OBJ files?
- Enivob
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I am still working on this.
Would I use a VOPSOP to calculate the magnitude? What nodes would allow for that inside the VOPSOP?
Would I use a VOPSOP to calculate the magnitude? What nodes would allow for that inside the VOPSOP?
Technical Discussion » [SOLVED]Fluid Exports Lumpy OBJ files?
- Enivob
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calculate the velocity magnitude to a volumeI am inside a fluidtank_fluid network so I have a variable named V.
From reading the help I think I need a second node to connect to the vdb smooth sdf to use as the mask.
What node would I use and how would I link in the varible V to calculate a magnitude?
Technical Discussion » [SOLVED]Fluid Exports Lumpy OBJ files?
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Thanks for the links and nodes to try out. I have added a VDB Smooth and played with scale to make it less lumpy. One of those links mentions scaling via speed but I don't know how to set that up yet.
Also I read about dialate/smooth/erode workflow. I can't seem to locate the dilate or erode nodes. Are they nodes or are they parameters in some other node?
@circusmonkey: I am handing off the result to a C4D guy who has an OBJ sequence reader. Cinema4D does not read .bgeo files.
Also I read about dialate/smooth/erode workflow. I can't seem to locate the dilate or erode nodes. Are they nodes or are they parameters in some other node?
@circusmonkey: I am handing off the result to a C4D guy who has an OBJ sequence reader. Cinema4D does not read .bgeo files.
Technical Discussion » [BUG] Crashes Houdini 14. (nVdia Driver Related)
- Enivob
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Here is what I experienced.
I setup a FLIP simulation on a low end system with an nVidia card. So start with only 8GB on the computer. Take your FLIP simulation and add a File Cache node after the RENDER null to generate output. Instead of outputting .bego, choose .obj instead. Now go back to your simulation and set the particle separation extremely low like 0.05. Head back to the File Cache node and click the Render Control button to start the export. Make sure the export takes 8 hours or more to complete. At some point, the screen saver will kick in. So we have both the screen saver and Houdini using the video card. At some point Houdini will crash, in my case this was 12 hours into the export. The nVidia driver displays a message and recovers but Houdini does not.
Just offering this up to the technicians.
NOTE: I did have OpenCL enabled.
It would be nice if Houdini didn't completely crash in the scenario.
I setup a FLIP simulation on a low end system with an nVidia card. So start with only 8GB on the computer. Take your FLIP simulation and add a File Cache node after the RENDER null to generate output. Instead of outputting .bego, choose .obj instead. Now go back to your simulation and set the particle separation extremely low like 0.05. Head back to the File Cache node and click the Render Control button to start the export. Make sure the export takes 8 hours or more to complete. At some point, the screen saver will kick in. So we have both the screen saver and Houdini using the video card. At some point Houdini will crash, in my case this was 12 hours into the export. The nVidia driver displays a message and recovers but Houdini does not.
Just offering this up to the technicians.
NOTE: I did have OpenCL enabled.
It would be nice if Houdini didn't completely crash in the scenario.
Technical Discussion » [SOLVED]Fluid Exports Lumpy OBJ files?
- Enivob
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I did place the File Cache node right after the RENDER null as you mention. So the output you see in the screen shots came from that approach. What I posted is a particle separation of 0.15?
Is that typically good enough for most work?
I also started messing around with the VDB conversion node parameter
. But they seem to inherit the particle separation from the main system.
Here is an export with a particle separation of 0.05. (Which makes extremely large OBJ files). But they don't really look any better.
Is that typically good enough for most work?
I also started messing around with the VDB conversion node parameter
. But they seem to inherit the particle separation from the main system.
Here is an export with a particle separation of 0.05. (Which makes extremely large OBJ files). But they don't really look any better.
Technical Discussion » [SOLVED]Fluid Exports Lumpy OBJ files?
- Enivob
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Hi All,
I have a FLIP simulation that looks good in Houdini. Now I want to export the fluid surface to an OBJ sequence. I do this via the File Cache node. This does work but the resulting mesh looks very lumpy and faceted.
The resulting mesh seems to be impervious to fixup in other 3D programs as well. Cinema4D phong tags and hyper nurds have no effect. Blender smoothing helps a bit but no enough.
What's the trick to making the output model look good?
I really want much thinner tendrils, like I see in the particle view of Houdini.
Thanks
I have a FLIP simulation that looks good in Houdini. Now I want to export the fluid surface to an OBJ sequence. I do this via the File Cache node. This does work but the resulting mesh looks very lumpy and faceted.
The resulting mesh seems to be impervious to fixup in other 3D programs as well. Cinema4D phong tags and hyper nurds have no effect. Blender smoothing helps a bit but no enough.
What's the trick to making the output model look good?
I really want much thinner tendrils, like I see in the particle view of Houdini.
Thanks
Edited by - Feb. 28, 2015 12:16:51
Technical Discussion » Fluid Explodes?
- Enivob
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Hi All,
I am trying to make a scene where a volume of fluid rushes in from the side around a static rigid body obstacle.
I have the scene setup with two boxes. One box is the large domain area that the smaller box resides within. The smaller box I have converted to fluid so it acts as the initial body of water. I have added initial velocity to the smaller box to make it move in towards the obstacle.
This all works, but soon after the simulation begins the initial volume of fluid tends to explode like it is colliding with itself. (white particles in image)
Can someone take a look at my scene and tell me if I have this setup correctly? Or offer up a way to prevent the fluid from exploding on itself?
Thanks
I am trying to make a scene where a volume of fluid rushes in from the side around a static rigid body obstacle.
I have the scene setup with two boxes. One box is the large domain area that the smaller box resides within. The smaller box I have converted to fluid so it acts as the initial body of water. I have added initial velocity to the smaller box to make it move in towards the obstacle.
This all works, but soon after the simulation begins the initial volume of fluid tends to explode like it is colliding with itself. (white particles in image)
Can someone take a look at my scene and tell me if I have this setup correctly? Or offer up a way to prevent the fluid from exploding on itself?
Thanks
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