• Extending the Kind Registry [graphics.pixar.com] - USD Docs
  
• USD Cookbook - Subclass Your Own Kind [github.com] - Colin Kennedy
  

goldleaf
It's done using USD's plugin mechanism, but doesn't require any compiling. You register additional kinds via the plugInfo.jsonand add it's directory to $PXR_PLUGINPATH_NAME. As long as that env var has the directory to your plugin folder, Solaris will include your custom kinds in the kind-based menus/parameters (i.e. Kind-based selections,

Here are some links for more details/examples:

• Extending the Kind Registry [graphics.pixar.com] - USD Docs
  
• USD Cookbook - Subclass Your Own Kind [github.com] - Colin Kennedy
  

{
    "Plugins": [
        {
            "Type": "python",
            "Name": "TestKindModule",
            "Info": {
                "Kinds": {
                    # Add "test_model_kind" as a kind of model.
                    "test_model_kind": {
                        "baseKind": "model"
                    },
                    # Add "test_root_kind" as a root kind.
                    "test_root_kind": {
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    ]
}

mtucker
The json looks fine to me, but it's possible that setting PXR_PLUGINPATH_NAME in houdini.env isn't working? If you just put your plugInfo.json in `/home/user/houdini19.0/dso/usd_plugins` you actually wouldn't have to explicitly set anything in your environment. That path will get picked up automatically. If it still doesn't work, try setting the env var `TF_DEBUG=PLUG_*` before starting Houdini (again, it's probably safest to not rely on houdini.env while you're trying to get these issues worked out). Setting this env var will make USD spit our all kinds of information about all the plugInfo.json files it is loading.

mtucker
Houdini is already looking for a custom icon for your custom kind... If you create a "config/Icons/SCENEGRAPH/kind_mykind.svg" file in your $HOUDINI_PATH, it should get picked up and used as the icon for "mykind". You can alternatively re-implement the usdprimicons.py module, and add it to the pythonX.Ylibs subdirectory of your HOUDINI_PATH, which lets you rewrite the code the tells Houdini what icon to use for each primitive kind.