Tools----Otl Files

   12823   9   1
User Avatar
Member
11 posts
Joined: Feb. 2010
Offline
I came across these tools by Swann on the OD forum which some of will be quite useful.

http://www.forum3d.pl/f3dbb/index.php?md=topic&tid=124040#first_unread_post [forum3d.pl]

Anyway are tools cross version compatible? And how do I go about installing them, They are an Asset? Is there a simplified guide to installing them and say ending up with a shelf button?

Thanks
User Avatar
Member
678 posts
Joined: July 2005
Offline
Hi,

Put them in

“harddrive letter:\Houdini10.x.xxx\houdini\otls” folder and the will install automatically. They will be available under TAB menu.

As for making shelf tools from them.

RMB+NewTool on the shelf. After creation edit this tool and under scriptTAB add this line

import soptoolutils

soptoolutils.genericTool(kwargs, ‘toolname’)"

in tool name write specified tool that you want to install to shelf.

So in case of Bridge Polygon write this:

import soptoolutils

soptoolutils.genericTool(kwargs, ‘bridge_polygon’).

And don't forget to name your tools on the optionsTab


Yes they are cross version compatibile. Ofcourse it may happen that something will change in Houdini architecture so drasticaly that they fail but propably it will be easy fix to make them running again.
User Avatar
Member
11 posts
Joined: Feb. 2010
Offline
Swann_
Hi,

Put them in

“harddrive letter:\Houdini10.x.xxx\houdini\otls” folder and the will install automatically. They will be available under TAB menu.

As for making shelf tools from them.

RMB+NewTool on the shelf. After creation edit this tool and under scriptTAB add this line

import soptoolutils

soptoolutils.genericTool(kwargs, ‘toolname’)"

in tool name write specified tool that you want to install to shelf.

So in case of Bridge Polygon write this:

import soptoolutils

soptoolutils.genericTool(kwargs, ‘bridge_polygon’).

And don't forget to name your tools on the optionsTab


Yes they are cross version compatibile. Ofcourse it may happen that something will change in Houdini architecture so drasticaly that they fail but propably it will be easy fix to make them running again.

Thanks for that, One question when I put them in the Otls folder My path in OSX “Libary/Frameworks/Houdini Framework/Versions/10.0.554/Resources/hodini/Otls” I get a warning every time I start Houdini I get a warning about them having been created in a non commercial version even though thats the version im using? Even after starting closing and starting again. For some reason it would prefer they had come from a commercial version of Houdini is this normal?



Having tried out the Bridge Poly I think that should be built in to 10.6 as a matter of course, Its the dogs do nads.





.
User Avatar
Member
678 posts
Joined: July 2005
Offline
PJ-Maybe
Thanks for that, One question when I put them in the Otls folder My path in OSX “Libary/Frameworks/Houdini Framework/Versions/10.0.554/Resources/hodini/Otls” I get a warning every time I start Houdini I get a warning about them having been created in a non commercial version even though thats the version im using? Even after starting closing and starting again. For some reason it would prefer they had come from a commercial version of Houdini is this normal?

I'm on PC so You have to ask someone else about that.

PJ-Maybe
Having tried out the Bridge Poly I think that should be built in to 10.6 as a matter of course, Its the dogs do nads. .

My favourite is FlattenPoints. Is so usefull.

Check my WIP on odForce. It has more informations about tool in english.
http://forums.odforce.net/index.php?/topic/9707-my-tools/ [forums.odforce.net]
User Avatar
Member
11 posts
Joined: Feb. 2010
Offline
Swann_
PJ-Maybe
Thanks for that, One question when I put them in the Otls folder My path in OSX “Libary/Frameworks/Houdini Framework/Versions/10.0.554/Resources/hodini/Otls” I get a warning every time I start Houdini I get a warning about them having been created in a non commercial version even though thats the version im using? Even after starting closing and starting again. For some reason it would prefer they had come from a commercial version of Houdini is this normal?

I'm on PC so You have to ask someone else about that.

PJ-Maybe
Having tried out the Bridge Poly I think that should be built in to 10.6 as a matter of course, Its the dogs do nads. .

My favourite is FlattenPoints. Is so usefull.

Check my WIP on odForce. It has more informations about tool in english.
http://forums.odforce.net/index.php?/topic/9707-my-tools/ [forums.odforce.net]

Thanks….
User Avatar
Member
1908 posts
Joined: Nov. 2006
Online
For whatever reason, Houdini on OS X at least like to throw up warnings about NC assets when using Apprentice. I think there's a bug logged for it somewhere.

I'd also suggest you put your otl files in the $HOME/Library/Preferences/houdini/10.0/otl/ folder. This way your assets exist in a directory that is seen by all the installations of Houdini.

Putting them in the Houdini install directory will work, but as soon as you install a newer build, that build won't be able to see the file in the other versions directory. You would have to copy/paste it to the new install. This may also cause problems with the assets being out of sync. Also, if you remove that version then your asset is gone for good.
Graham Thompson, Technical Artist @ Rockstar Games
User Avatar
Member
11 posts
Joined: Feb. 2010
Offline
graham
For whatever reason, Houdini on OS X at least like to throw up warnings about NC assets when using Apprentice. I think there's a bug logged for it somewhere.

I'd also suggest you put your otl files in the $HOME/Library/Preferences/houdini/10.0/otl/ folder. This way your assets exist in a directory that is seen by all the installations of Houdini.

Putting them in the Houdini install directory will work, but as soon as you install a newer build, that build won't be able to see the file in the other versions directory. You would have to copy/paste it to the new install. This may also cause problems with the assets being out of sync. Also, if you remove that version then your asset is gone for good.


Thanks for that, I dont get the warning if I import them as assets for each session as opposed to having them in a scanned Otl folder. So I will do that for now.
User Avatar
Member
2624 posts
Joined: Aug. 2006
Offline
Swann why don't you upload your tools to the Houdini exchange. Then the non commercial stuff will get stripped out of the asset.

I recently put up some notes on otl paths and editing your env file.

OS and custom otl paths
You can add custom search paths to the houdini.env file and also add statements to alter and change features within Houdini.

Otl’s choice 1 : - create a folder named “otls” and place it in your houdini $home directory.This folder will then get picked up when Houdini starts up. An example path would be /userz/houdini9.5/otls

Otls choice 2 : is to create a custom path in the houdini.env file. This file path in osx is :- Users/Library/Preferences/houdini/9.5/houdini.env .
Then add this path HOUDINI_OTLSCAN_PATH=/Volumes/Macintosh_HD/Houdini_pathotl/otls;&;

In a shell you can print the current values of all Houdini environment variables using hconfig -a

rob
Gone fishing
User Avatar
Member
678 posts
Joined: July 2005
Offline
circusmonkey
Swann why don't you upload your tools to the Houdini exchange.

I will, just give me a little more time.

circusmonkey
Having tried out the Bridge Poly I think that should be built in to 10.6…

Not a good idea, Houdini is a tool for making tools and if you get every tool preprogramed with it you will never learn how it works.
What I really miss is edge group support.
User Avatar
Member
255 posts
Joined: Sept. 2012
Offline
Sorry guys but where could i find this “soptoolutils” please?

thanks
Vincent Thomas   (VFX and Art since 1998)
Senior Env and Lighting  artist & Houdini generalist & Creative Concepts
http://fr.linkedin.com/in/vincentthomas [fr.linkedin.com]
  • Quick Links