Hi people, I get the following error message when launching Houdini:

"SHFS currently not installed: D:/Side Effects Software/shfs"

The path exists, validating the shfs files shows no error. Houdini seem to run normally. But I get the error message when I start a render as well, the render process then procedes normally.
I am not sure what to make of this. Can I gnore it?

Any advice?

i think it's an installer "bug" on windows introduced in 22.0

windows houdini executable expects shfs sitting in parent directory relative to installation (ie if you installed it to C:/Program Files/Side Effects Software/Houdini X.X it expects it on C:/Program Files/Side Effects Software/shfs

you hit this only if you choose custom installation directory as you did i guess - this is the main catch, when you change target directory for installation on windows, you have to also change shfs directory (it's a separate tab) because it's not changed automatically and still targets Program Files

so the launcher doesnt see problem because shfs installed in Program Files but the app itself tries to find it in your custom target

You are absolutely correct. I found the SHFS files in the default directory C:/Programs....
However, the environment variable is set to SHFS C:/PROGRA~1/SIDEEF~1/shfs when I check in the "about" dialogue (which is why the files were validated without an error)but Houdini is still looking in the custom directory.
I solved the problem for now by just copying the contents of the shfs folder in the default location to the custom location.
Now Houdini seems to find them on startup but the environment variable is still the default one and this kinda contradicts the point of the shfs directory.

Seems to be a bit of a mess.
Thanks for the help.


EDIT: Soory to say, it didnt fix the issue. I worked once. I ust started Houdini again and the error was back.
At least we have a hint now. I need to figure out if I can edit the env variable to fix it. This is really weird.

It is getting weirder. What I ust found,and what made me think it was fixed it that Houdini corrects the environment variable when I validate the shfs files fro the launcher menu.
After that H22 starts normally.
When I close it and start it again, the environment varible is set back to the custom location and H22 throws the error. Ever though the files are now in the custom location.

So it only seems to works with the default location. But I dont know how I can prevent H22 from resetting the env variable to the custom location on start - or exit?


EDIT:
So setting the shfs directory manually fixed it now.
In conclusion the issue is the error message which wrongly points to the custom directoy. Then the automatic change of the env variable by Houdini is confusing as well.

It should be working with any directoy in the first place.
Thanks again. WE live and lear.

not sure, you can try to mess a bit with launcher settings
they are in C:/Program Files/Side Effects Software/Launcher/data/overview.json - probably you can set something there

but may be the best way is just reinstall houdini and set shfs to your custom target on istallation and being sibling to Houdini directory (so D:/Side Effects Software/shfs i guess)

(i just gave up and used default path, it is a bit of a mess)

https://www.sidefx.com/forum/topic/15603/ [www.sidefx.com]