Hello, I was wondering how one would write out simulation data in a way that can be resumed? Say, I have a pyro simulation. What I usually do is write out a bgeo files. That doesn't really allows me to resume since its not sim data. I have read the filedata DOP but I can't get it to write a file. I set it to write file and press play like writing with fileSOP but nothing is written in the directory.

Can anyone share their approach to this problem? Is there a sidefx tutorial out there that demonstrate this? Or in the help perhaps.

I'd really appreciate your help. Thank you!

You would write out .sim files, not sure that is available in Apprentice.

http://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini13.0/nodes/out/dop [sidefx.com]

what you want is using explicit cache
http://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini13.0/nodes/obj/dopnet, [sidefx.com] scroll to Explicit Cache parameter

If you wanna cache your simulation on the Disk (for example frame 1 to 100) ,and resume your simulation later from your last cached frame (for example frame 101 to 200),You can define your last cached frame (for example 100 ) in the “Initial State” parameters in the AutoDopNetwork !

Also you can change your *.bgeo file to *.sim files manualy !!!

I Suggest you to use “Explicit Cache Files” and don't forget to use $SF instead of $F to read or write your caches sequence files

hi guys.
i have problem in my render with pyro simulation
when i render smoke or fire in division 0.01 or 0.02 RAM of PC fill very soon and render will be very slow!!
in cach manager i clear all cach but ram is still full!
is way to solve this problem?
for example use hard disk instead of RAM?
my RAM of PC is 16 GB DDR3
thanks.

NimaNolan
hi guys.
i have problem in my render with pyro simulation
when i render smoke or fire in division 0.01 or 0.02 RAM of PC fill very soon and render will be very slow!!
in cach manager i clear all cach but ram is still full!
is way to solve this problem?
for example use hard disk instead of RAM?
my RAM of PC is 16 GB DDR3
thanks.

To save your cache's file on the Disk instead of RAM ,You should use “Explicit Cache”.

Turn On “Explicit Cache” option in the AutoDopNetwork's Parameters

NimaNolan
hi guys.
i have problem in my render with pyro simulation
when i render smoke or fire in division 0.01 or 0.02 RAM of PC fill very soon and render will be very slow!!
in cach manager i clear all cach but ram is still full!
is way to solve this problem?
for example use hard disk instead of RAM?
my RAM of PC is 16 GB DDR3
thanks.

Oh , :?

Just don't forget to set “Cache Memory(MB)” parameter to some smaller number like 1 or even 0 !

Joker386
If you wanna cache your simulation on the Disk (for example frame 1 to 100) ,and resume your simulation later from your last cached frame (for example frame 101 to 200),You can define your last cached frame (for example 100 ) in the “Initial State” parameters in the AutoDopNetwork !

Also you can change your *.bgeo file to *.sim files manualy !!!

I Suggest you to use “Explicit Cache Files” and don't forget to use $SF instead of $F to read or write your caches sequence files

Hi Joker386,

How do you write out the sim files? I was using the ROP but it doesn't work using $SF in the filename. No files are being written out.

Do you write out files using fileDOP/rop driver to write files to be used in Explicit Cache Files?

When putting files in Initial State and Explicit Cache Files, do I write a specific frame “file_025.sim” or “file_$SF3.sim”? Then how do I continue the sim? Do I make a switch node or write out the next files using file or rop?

I have tested this and it confuses me a lot. I'm getting mixed results. Sometimes the simulation blows up after reading the sim files. Sometimes it doesn't read any.

Thank you!

For exporting cache files I usually use “Explicit Cache” option on the AutoDopNetwork node.

for example I turn on “Explicit Cache” check box and I put this in the “Explicit Cache Files” : $HIP/Test_$SF.sim

Also to continue simulation after certain frame I just put this in the “Initial State” :

$HIP/Test_100.sim

In this case Houdini start your initial state simnulation at the first frame ,But if you wanna start your simulation after exactly same frame like initial state (e.g 100) you should set “Start Frame” to 100 :wink:

If I set my Start Frame to be 100, is there a way to add in the expression to “trick” so the number of the newly created .sim files would be saved as Test_101.sim instead of Test_1.sim or starting with a frame number? :wink:

Glad to find example here, I am confused about it and am loving the feature.

booger
If I set my Start Frame to be 100, is there a way to add in the expression to “trick” so the number of the newly created .sim files would be saved as Test_101.sim instead of Test_1.sim or starting with a frame number? :wink:

Glad to find example here, I am confused about it and am loving the feature.

I guess is a bit too late hehe, but you can add to the resolved variable. For instance, if you were using $F for caching some geo, it would look like this: “pathToFolder/geo.$F.bgeo.sc” or if you're using padding “pathToFolder/geo.$F4.bgeo.sc”. Now, if you want, for whatever reason, offset the frame number you use backticks: “pathToFolder/geo.`$F+100`.bgeo.sc” or “pathToFolder/geo.`$F4+100`.bgeo.sc”

Unfortunately this doesn't work with $SF (I'm not sure why) but you can use padzero expression: “pathToFolder/dop.`padzero(1, $SF+100)`.sim”, or if you're using padding “pathToFrame/dop.`padzero(4, $SF4+100)`.sim”