TECHNICAL PAPER Building Tools for Houdini 9

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Components Description:FILE - is the contents of the xml fileSHELF_SET - defines the shelf set entity ‘name’ attribute is a unique name identifier for the shelf set.‘label’ attribute is the label that appears in menus, etc. The element defines which shelf isincluded in the shelf set; the shelf’s unique name is specified as the ‘name’ attribute.SHELF - similar to SHELF_SET, but it defines a shelf entity ‘name’ attribute is a unique name identifier forthe shelf. ‘label’ attribute specifies a label that appears in various UI menus, etc. The elementdefines which tool is included in the shelf; the ‘name’ attribute specifies the tool’s unique name.TOOL - defines the tool entity. ‘name’ attribute is a unique name that identifies the tool ‘label’ attributespecifies the label used in UI menus, etc. ‘icon’ attribute specifies the icon name used by this tool specifies the help text for the tool specifies the URL at which additional help can be found. The element encompasses a string that defines a path for the submenu in which this tool shouldappear in the TAB menu. The ‘/’ delimits the nesting of the sub-sub menus (if needed).TOOL_MENU_CONTEXT - defines a context in which the tool can appear within the Tab menu. ‘name’attribute defines the context pane and currently can be either “viewer” or “network” elementencompasses a string that specifies an operator (the standard ‘table/operator’ string). The tool will appearwithin the Tab menu if the network type (of a pane in which the Tab menu popped up) allows this operator. encompasses a string that specifies a network type for which the tool is allowed in the Tabmenu. Currently, the strings can be: OBJ, SOP, POP, CHOP, ROP, SHOP, COP2, VOP, VOPNET, and DOP.TOOL_SCRIPT -defines the script associated with the tool ‘scrptType’ attribute specifies the script language,currently it can be: “python” or “hscript”. The string within the CDATA section is the script itself.34 | TECHNICAL PAPER Rev 1.0
Appendix D: Development ChecklistIcons and Help1.2.Each tool should have an appropriate icon for each context. [see icon guidelines]Each tool must have a tooltip (F1 Help). An abbreviated purpose/usage description is appropriate.3. Each tool must have a Help Card formatted using textbook formatting [see Appendix B]4.ContextAny non-standard parameters must have tooltips.1.2.Specify valid pane(s) in which the tool can be TAB-ed or drag-n-dropped: viewport, network editor.Specify valid networks: SOPs, DOPs, etc.Behavior1.2.3.4.5.6.Each tool will try to make do with the pre-defined selection, regardless of the selection type. If theincoming selection is incompatible with the selection required by the tool, the tool will automaticallyconvert it to a type it understands or inform the user of the problem.If a selection does not exist when the tool is invoked the tool will prompt for one, and will set the(component) selection mask appropriately.Each tool will set the selection mask according to the type of data it works with (particles, DOPs,points, uvs, etc).If the operation results in some kind of selection, as it usually does, the selection should be highlightedunless it is really stupid to do soAll tools must have prompting/hinting messages. Furthermore, the prompts must be complete. Forexample, if you want the user to select points, say so (not “select geometry”). If the tool requires anaction to complete the operation, the prompt must specify it: “press Enter to complete”.If the tool creates a node, the name of the node should be descriptive and have a suffix of “1”. This isimportant so that the node name sequence will be like “gravity1”, “gravity2”, “gravity3”, etc. insteadof “gravity”, “gravity1”, “gravity2”, etc.UI1.2.3.4.5.6.The toolbox above the viewport will contain a meaningful subset of the parameter set of the instantiatednode.Parameters should be named descriptively and according to existing conventionsParameter ranges and defaults should provide good results out of the boxConsider providing presets where appropriateHandles will be bound where feasible.Use relative paths to reference other nodes wherever possibleBuilding Tools for Houdini 9 | 35
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Page 3 and 4: Scripts: HOUDINI_SCRIPT_PATH 23Pyth
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Page 9 and 10: ▪ ▪ Name is the internal name o
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Page 15 and 16: Parameters Folder3.The Gear Menu al
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Page 20 and 21: equivalent Python commands hou.Node
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Page 28 and 29: Appendix B: Help Card Format with W
Page 30 and 31: Use heading 3s to represent paramet
Page 32 and 33: Examplehelp URLOBJSOPPOPDOPPOPCOP2t
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TECHNICAL PAPER Building Tools for Houdini 9

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