# HOUDINI NOTES

notes on learning Houdini

## GETTING STARTED

steps to get started, following [this video series](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsv8UGqDibc&t=310s)

### THE INTERFACE

the interface involves five key elements:
1. the viewport
2. the parameters
3. the network
4. the shelf tools
5. the timeline

### NAVIGATION

on a macbook
* click and drag to orbit
* two-finger click and drag to dolly (once you've changed your `houdini.env` file as outlined below)
* two-finger scroll to zoom

with a mouse
* left click and drag to orbit
* middle click and drag to dolly
* scroll middle button to zoom

Initially you should have the camera/view tool selected, and this enables this navigation.

If you mess up, **press G or H to return home**.

In other modes, hit space bar to temporarily gain access to navigation.

## TUTORIALS

### HOUDINI ISN'T SCARY

[Video 2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VFFb4s_RSM). On objects.

* used a new object node for icing
* added object merge to bring in reference to donut (the DONUT_OUT null we created there)
*

### TOOLS AND ICONS

* display/hide perspective grid
* perspective => set view. also shortcuts with numbers on numpad
* 1
* 2
* 3
* 4
* 5
* realtime toggle (will drop frames to keep timing correct)
* to add keyframes, option + click

### DYNAMICS VIDEO

- add `DYNAMIC_SPRINKLES` geometry node
- add a grid and
- animate it across the scene with a transform node
- add a POP network and double click to get inside
- in the POP source change the birthrate
- add POP Wind node between source and the merge, increase noise a bit
- add gravity after POP Solver
- add a static object node and connect ICING_OUT
- tweak the collider by increasing uniform divisions to 150 and offset to 0.01 or so
- send static object node and POP solver node to new merge node that then goes to gravity
- add pop collision behavior after wind but before merge
-

## RANDOM NOTES

### NEXT DIRECTIONS
* [LinkedIn Learning course on UVW mapping in Houdini](https://www.linkedin.com/learning/mastering-uvw-mapping-in-houdini-16-5/what-are-uvw-coordinates?u=2194065)
* [LinkedIn Learning course on dynamics and simulations](https://www.linkedin.com/learning/houdini-15-5-dynamics-and-simulation/exploring-collision-geometry-types?u=2194065)
* [LinkedIn Learning's Houdini Essential Training](https://www.linkedin.com/learning/houdini-essential-training/welcome?u=2194065)
*

### LINKS
* [18.5 Sneak Peak](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p_8eSaUfJM)
*

### FIXING PANNING ON A MACBOOK

go into your `houdini.env` file (with `code ~/Library/Preferences/houdini/18.5/houdini.env`, say) and add

# HOUDINI MIDDLE MOUSE PAN ENABLE/DISABLE
HOUDINI_MMB_PAN = 0

from [this thread](https://www.sidefx.com/forum/topic/56426/?page=1#post-253306). After this, two finger click should dolly for you.