Hi Seelan,
I have no errors in my console. I tried with another package, through the Package Manager. This time it was Cinemachine, and Houdini Engine disappears at the top of the toolbar. It was replaced with Cinemachine. On my HDA, it has a Missing Script warning.


Glen

In case anyone else has this issue:

Not sure if this is on SideFX or Unity3D. I have Houdini Engine for Unity 17.5.360 Engine Version 3.2.43 installed to Unity 2019.2.8f1. I have HEngine installed for a long time. Recently, I installed through the Window->Package Manager three tools. Polybrush, ProBuilder, and Rider Editor. After this was installed, HEngine was working fine. I restarted Unity, and HoudiniEngine in the toolbar disappears, and I can't load any HDAs into the Hierarchy.

I tried installing the Houdini Engine package again, and a window appeared saying it was in my project.

Steps I took to fix this was remove ProBuilder first. Restarted Unity, and still nothing. I then removed Polybrush and Rider Editor, restarted Unity, and Houdini Engine is back in its working glory.

Is this a bug for SideFX or Unity3D?

Glen

Hi Konstantin,
Thanks for the file, it really helped. This is exactly what I was trying to accomplish. Marvelous exports the geo with the UV as a Point attribute, I just had to create an attribute promote node for the uv. This was very helpful, I really appreciate the help!

Glen

Is there a way in Houdini to transfer the position of 2D geometry to a 3D position?

I am trying to replicate this tutorial in Houdini, and it at some point you have take the exported 2D mesh from Marvelous Designer, retopo, transfer UVs and then basically shrink wrap it onto the original posed object.

Here is a link to the tutorial. https://www.artstation.com/artwork/zZOOL [www.artstation.com]

I have tried taking using a Morph, with not that great results since the meshes don't have the same topology. My usual way was creating new topology based on the pose geometry.

@Guillaume The Fetch Chop worked well in the L_arm_bone_goal_auto and L_hand_bone_auto. I had to use a Transform VOP to reverse the translations that I needed.

In the end I actually went a different direction. I added another Object Offset to the Parent Blend lock the L_arm_bone_goal_auto to the R_Weapon_Attach null that is located where the hand holds the barrel of the weapon.

I used a Look At Constraint for the L_hand_bone_auto to Look At the R_Weapon_Attach. This gave us the rotations needed to keep the hand on the barrel. Then we just have to fine tune the hand animation instead of creating a brand new animation for the entire L Arm and Hand.

Thanks for the help!

Guillaume
I got the scene from Michael and had a quick look. There is an evaluation cycle when you add the second constraint. I think it comes from the constraint installed on L_arm_bone_2 which pulls from L_hand_bone_ctrl. The solution might be to add new OBJ nodes to prevent the cycle or to use a Fetch CHOP node instead of using a CHOP_Object node.

Thanks, I'll give it a try!

goldfarb
can you attach your file?

Hi Michael,
I sent you a message with a link to the HDA. I can't post it on the forums at the moment. I have some limited info on versions in the Help Section of the HDA as well.
Glen

I have been working on a character rig that requires the character to hold a weapon in either hand. We are able to get the Weapon attachment points on either hand. Now, I am setting up a constraint that allows the characters left or right hand to be constrained to the hand guard/barrel of the weapon. It works on one side of the character and not the other.

My process to lock the right hand to the hand guard/barrel of the weapon is: Select the R_hand_bone_auto null, select Blend, Simple, RX RY RZ, select Target Object which is a Null (L_Weapon_Attach) placed at the point of contact, Select Enter. I also do this for the R_arm_bone_goal_auto, instead I use the TX TY TZ values. Then I setup an additional IK Space Switch for the L_Weapon_Attach.



This works perfectly, and now I try the same process just reversed with the Left side. This time I get a CHOP error that I just can't figure out. I have tried starting with the Left side instead of the Right and still the same error.



I did try building the Constraint network manually and still the same errors. I have also tried to recreate the three nulls for the L_hand, and no errors have appeared. When I try to constrain the L_hand_bone to the L_hand_bone_ctrl the hand loses all function. Does anyone have an idea of what this error could mean? Thanks!

When I select a controller in our character rig, it shows up in the Dope Sheet. We currently have Expressions that control the feet, i.e., foot roll, foot side to side, etc. How do we get these to appear in the Dope Sheet when selected? Right now the only way to have them appear in the Dope Sheet is through the parameters pane and Shift-MMB?

Glen

I did notice this only happens when the HDA is locked. When the HDA is unlocked, the selection doesn't switch Tabs in the parameters window.

Hi @litote do you have an image of what you are trying to rig? Maybe a description of what you want to robot arm to do?

Glen

When I am grabbing any Controller for the character, the parameters tab I have set up defaults to the first tab. No matter the Tab, it does default to the First Tab. Is there a way to not have the parameters tab default to the first Tab?

Edit: Is there a way to grab the controller and that Tab activates? Instead of manually selecting that tab? In the image, I start out in the L Arm Tab and then I select the LArm IK Trans and the Master Tab activates. Thanks, Glen.

Created a rig in Houdini and brought it in using the ROP FBX Export. When we export the character using ‘Render with Take’, the character comes in fine with the animation.

When we use the Export Animation Clips(Takes) the Rig comes in with errors. The bones are reversed in the head, the shoulders are pushed back and the hands are bent.

In the Unity settings I checked Import Constraints and still gives the same error.

Does this happen to anyone else exporting through the Export Animation Clips setting?

Houdini Version 17.5.293

Glen

@kif11 The ROP FBX Output node now has the ability to Export Animation Clips. Implemented in 17.5.281. I hope this helps.
Glen

In the ROP FBX Output node, there is an option in there to Export Animation Clips (Takes). It was implemented in 17.5.281. I hope this helps.

When I was setting up the IK for the arms and the legs I ran into a strange issue. I setup the IK based on the Left Arm video. FK is setup and then IK was setup. I setup the Blend constraint in the Constraints node. Then nothing happens when I translate L_arm_bone_goal. I saved the hda, quit Houdini. Opened Houdini, loaded hda and the IK L_arm_bone_goal works. Not sure why this happens, it just does.

Houdini 17.5.293
Windows 10 Pro

Glen

@goldfarb Thank you, that worked! I forgot the semi-colon at the end of each line.

Glen

@goldfarb, great series on riggin in Houdini. When I am finishing up the reverse foot rig, there is a script that goes into the L_ball_loc/rx channel. I keep getting this error when I type it in. Not sure how to input this Expression.

Has anyone else encountered this error?


It is at the 28 minute mark of the Rigging Series 06 video. This keeps giving me an error.

Error: Unable to evaluate expression (inline (8): Syntax error in expression
inline: Error parsing inline function
(/obj/F_Rig/L_ball_loc/rx)).

Glen

We use Houdini to Unity for our Character Animation. Right now having a problem with importing our weights into Unity. A bit of an issue.

@kif11 Not sure if you did this or not, Did you bake the Keyframes on the selected animations? RMB on parameter -> Keyframes -> Bake Keyframes. I hope this helps.

Downloaded Houdini 17.5.293 and it works. I guess I was on an older version.