Like many of us, I find myself frequently utilizing wrangles in Houdini to write code snippets for various things. It's an integral part of my workflow in Houdini, allowing for a great deal of flexibility and control.

However, I've started to feel somewhat restricted by the small coding window provided in the wrangle nodes. It's functional, yes, but when it comes to handling larger blocks of code or more complex scripting, it feels a bit lackluster. The limited space and general lack of features sometimes hinder my coding efficiency and comfort.

This brings me to my main question: has anyone experimented with using an external IDE for scripting in Houdini? I'm curious about the feasibility and advantages of integrating an external IDE into the Houdini workflow. An IDE with more robust features like code completion, debugging tools, and a more comfortable interface could potentially enhance the coding experience significantly.

If you've tried this approach, I'd love to hear about your experiences:

Which IDE did you use?
How did you integrate it with Houdini?
What were the benefits and possible drawbacks you encountered?
Any tips or tricks for a smoother integration?

VSCode has a VEX extension, but I'd like to know if there is a better set up too.

I didn't know there was a VEX extension for VS Code. Might give that a try!

From reading your post however I'm figuring you tried it already and are not that happy with it?

Could try this.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HldzZ5ikZhc [m.youtube.com]

Heileif
Could try this.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HldzZ5ikZhc [m.youtube.com]

Thanks, I’ll try it!