Hey!
Here's a simple question:
is there a way to get a printed manual for Houdini9?

Thanks!

I'd really like a printed manual too! or at least the ability to print the online help. Since it is in a custom browser, its really difficult to print properly. Any help?

PDFs of the help are a long-time RFE, but for the past year we've been focused more on updating the help to 9 than doing that kind of infrastructure work.

You can't print from within Houdini's embedded browser (it's a bug in embedded Mozilla), but you can copy the URL from the address bar, paste it into Firefox, and print from there.

Matt

I too like a PDF maual to print, i need that to work and to learn tutorials. Video tutorials are difficult to follow.
Bye.
Achille

I'd hate for SESI to spend time generating PDFs for everything plus downloading it would be wasteful too. I think a good solution would be to supply a Save to PDF button, then the end user can do it themselves and print as they like. There are a large number of HTML to PDF coverters available including open source ones on Sourceforge. I did a quick test and while it wasn't perfect it was pretty good.

Cheers,

Peter B

Add the Scrapbook plugin to Firefox and you can capture the pages you want. There are preferences for how deep into the weblinks you want to go when capturing webpages. It captures all the images from the pages as well.
It's also very handy for capturing videos from webpages that you normally can't save.
A very handy tool.

If you are on windows you can print to a pdf from a browser using primo pdf

http://www.primopdf.com/ [primopdf.com]

I think the orginal question pertains to printed manual as in a book format, not printing yourself from a PDF or HTML manual.

XSI comes in a package box as well as Maya with numerous books etc.
I feel this would be benefitial to Houdini as well, at least as an image enhancer.

As I mentioned, it's down to a lack of infinite time, and PDF versions of the help would probably be more of a PIY option anyway. Houdini's model of “download versions as they become available” is not very compatible with printing and shipping manuals, which requires huge lead times and huge costs.

AFAIK, Maya does not come with printed manuals, other than possibly a small getting started guide.

Actually, turns out they don't print anything.

Yah, hardcopy has been dead a long time for software manuals. It doesn't make sense anymore - costs too much, adds to environmental problems, hard to update. I consider it a negative image thing, myself. Honestly, I'm a little disappointed XSI is still burning up all those trees…are they really?

Cheers,

J.C.

perhaps SESI can look into something like this:
http://www.activepdf.com/products/serverproducts/webgrabber/index.cfm [activepdf.com]

it would be very cool to be able to go to the SESI website > the online docs (presumably the most up to date) > click convert to pdf and save the file for reading or printing or whatever…

I usually have a better overview with a hardcopy. HTML help is good for context info, but not so for complex procedures.

Last time I bought Maya for a company I got a set of manuals (Learning Maya). It may be a while back tho.

I think that without a good printed or pdf manual that cover the most important aspect of the program it'll be impossible for me to begin use Houdini.
I cannot follow the video tutorials while using the program, and the help is for who know yet the use of it and need deeper explanations.
I think a beginner manual, with tutorials and so on is the best for most of people.
I hope Sidefx will consider that.
Bye.
Achille

it sounds like the recent 3rd party books are just what you need.

whats the problem with the video tutorials? i dont think you are expected to keep up in real time… i frequently pause them.

I think that a such expensive software without a pdf manual, almost a starting guide, is not so good.
Video tutorials are good to learn while using the program, but a printed guide may be read in every place and is useful for a first approach.
I buyed “Houdini on the spot” book, but it is for whom knows yet the program .
To finish: my idea is that SideFX has to find the way to create a printable manual or starting guide, like other software houses do: Cinema4d, Softimage, Maya and so on.
Bye.
Achille

spiralbound A5, please.

-cpb

I agree with the other posters here. I am also trying to learn Houdini at the moment but struggling to find any real beginner information. Most of the books and dvd's seem to be for more advanced users or users coming to Houdini from other 3D packages… not for total beginners. Also the only book that seems to be for beginners “The Magic of Houdini” is for version 8 and not 9.

I agree with the other posters here. I am also trying to learn Houdini at the moment but struggling to find any real beginner information. Most of the books and dvd's seem to be for more advanced users or users coming to Houdini from other 3D packages… not for total beginners. Also the only book that seems to be for beginners “The Magic of Houdini” is for version 8 and not 9.

I do hope SESI doesn't waste resources (and trees ) by printing a manual which only few people will actually need and use.
However, I think it would be a great idea to offer in the Help Browser a feature for exporting the help contents to a structured, bookmarked PDF.
Once the PDF exists it can be easily printed if one needs a hardcopy.

Dragos