ok, i'm new here and just started. but i've searched high and low for the polywire button. is it on a shelf? can anyone help. it makes me think that i am missing out on other tools as well. thanks

There are many tools that are not on the shelf by default but can be easily added. If you RMB on a shelf and select Edit Shelf then look in the Tools tab. If you scroll down to Poly Wire and select it it will then be on the shelf.

rsinalt
ok, i'm new here and just started. but i've searched high and low for the polywire button. is it on a shelf? can anyone help. it makes me think that i am missing out on other tools as well. thanks

What Graham said - but I hope you know that just because a tool is not on the Shelf doesn't mean that it's not in the context TAB menu.

Good luck : )
Jason

graham and jason – thanks a ton, it wasn't that obvious to me. is there a website or book that lists all the tools and their potential is a visual format? thanks again.

To see all the available operators for a context just hit tab in the network editor.

Almost all operators have a help card that tells you what it does. Most help cards come with example files that you can load and study. These examples show the operator in context surrounded by other nodes. There are comments on most of the nodes as well. Middle mouse on the nodes with blue labels to see them. Once you are familiar with the interface, this is a good tool to use to study each node. Best of all it's hands-on.

thanks again!

i've just been using houdini for a week – i've never used anything like this before, but i wanted to share what i've learned so far. i was trying to emulate Brandon Morse's “falling buildings”. i've uploaded my crude, but initial stab (finding the polywire tool helped immensely!)

here's a link to his work:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ebmorse/2765237299/ [flickr.com]

here's another that i'd like to try and figure out:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ebmorse/2399356089/ [flickr.com]

if anyone has any tips, they are appreciated!

Falling building?

It looks more like a cloth simulation, with some hair gel… :twisted:

Just kidding ;-)

But you could maybe “stiffen” it up a bit…