how would you make a dna strand? i clicked tube node then added a twist thinking it would make the twist i wanted but not sure how to really go about it.

ftp://ftp.newtek.com/pub/LightWave/Tutorials/Vidz/braids.mov

something like that so it looks like dna

In Houdini there are lots and lots of ways to make twisty dna-ish shapes.

Here is a quick go at it. I'm certain with a bit of digging you'll find some better examples. The book “The Magic of Houdini” is a good start.

Dude you rock. I was going to turbo squid and buy a .obj DNA object file but you saved me some cash. Looks like i can start learning with a cool object now thank you. I did see this

http://www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/Index.cfm/ID/162937 [turbosquid.com]

I might still buy that one later as i think i can do some cool stuff with it. But if i start working with advance objects its just going to throw me off so i am going to stick with the DNA you made me.

You sloved my lic problem and saved me $30 bux. I thank you ^_^

Glad I could help!

#1

How did you get your screen to be black?

#2

This is my first day so networks sops/pops I don't really know what those are but i found the window that lets you edit the DNA strands.

#3

How did you render that out?
I do this and get a black screen

~open your file
~click render/create render node/mantra
~get errors

Edit

~go to the render/start render
~can not find camera data would you like to create defalut camera?
~click yes
~node window pops in the lower right
~Brady_dna_thing (first node) second node is cam1.

It has to be the fact that they are not connect but I am not really sure how to connect them I have tryed but have failed.
I forgot what i was doing and i did get it to render but it was just a black screen and asked me for camera data?

Also in the lower right hand window were you can see all the nodes i cant see all yours nodes and it won't let me zoom or move around in the window to see all the nodes, thats a problem too. I looked at the help file but its not telling me step by step. I mean it might be but i need learn via baby ways Click this button in that window then click this then click render file.

I knows it my first day really getting into but it makes you mad when you try to do something yet you can not.

#1 when you are in the scene view hit the d-key then there is somewhere some option on some tab that turns the viewport black. Also check the thread about the houdini theme.
#2 the scene view is probably the window you'd be editing your strand. Houdini has different “contexts” for modeling, animating and compositing and, and etc…
#3….i suggest you look at some of the learning materials from sesi first. There is an excellent tutorial on setting up lighting and rendering.

hi!
nice setup there!

here is a more simple one, it's just 5 nodes

buki:
thanks. It's true it's a bit complicated, I just sorta followed my first train of thought. I think your approach is a lot more suitable in this case.

isxaari:
You should definitely check out some training materials and sesi tutorials in order to get comfortable with Houdini. Before you know it you'll be pretty familiar with it.
#2) In the default “Build” layout, on the right hand side there are two panes: the network view and the parameter view. Selecting a node in the network view will cause the parameter view to display it's controls.
#3) As Pagefan said, there are some good lighting and rendering tutorials that you should watch. In general though, you need at least one light and one camera in order to render. You can add those with the shelf easily.

Hey thanks I am rendering stuff out now. basic. I am even doing material to the object now. I can add colors and basic materials but it seems that of you choose metals or eye balls you can't see the material til you render.

I also get

cam1 evalInt: Invalid parameter name trange
cam1 evalInt: Invalid parameter name trange
cam1 evalInt: Invalid parameter name trange
cam1 evalInt: Invalid parameter name trange
cam1 evalInt: Invalid parameter name trange
cam1 evalInt: Invalid parameter name trange

but it does not seem to be effecting anything so?

if you've put down a mantra render node, make sure You also put down a camera, since the mantra node has set cam1 as default camera.

if you've put down a mantra render node, make sure You also put down a camera, since the mantra node has set cam1 as default camera.

isxaari
but it seems that of you choose metals or eye balls you can't see the material til you render.

Shaders that are procedural will not display in the viewport.

thanks. The work around for me was to just look at the ball as it updates and just to picture it in my head lol

RENDERING ><

~open Houdini
~file/import geometry
~select .obj file

~hold spacebar and zoom out with mouse weel
~HOLD CTRL key
~click camera
~HOLD CTRL key
~click point light
~Lower right hand there is a movie reel icon
~click it
~render comes out black
~pointlight1 evalInt: Invalid parameter name trange
pointlight1 evalInt: Invalid parameter name trange
pointlight1 evalInt: Invalid parameter name trange
pointlight1 evalInt: Invalid parameter name trange
pointlight1 evalInt: Invalid parameter name trange
pointlight1 evalInt: Invalid parameter name trange

whats wrong

edit

edit

add a resample and sweep with spheres or metaball and you will get the molecuels that make up the DNA instead of tubes. Needs a little tweaking but is very nice.