Houdini 20.5 Nodes Channel nodes

Dynamic Warp channel node

Time-warps the node’s first input (source clip) using its second input (reference clip) as a reference.

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Since 18.5

Overview

This CHOP node time-warps its first input (the source clip) using its second input (the reference clip) as a reference. The node warps the motions in the source clip so that it more closely resembles the motions in the reference clip. The node does this by sampling the set of points in the source.

Interpreting motion data inputs

If the Motion Data parameter is enabled, the inputs are treated as three-dimensional motion data and this chop will behave very similarily to the Dynamic Warp SOP.

Motion warping methods

When Warp Method is set to “Synchronize Entire Clip”, the node attempts to synchronize the source’s clip with the reference’s clip for the entire length of the output. It does this by sampling the source so that, for the entire length of the output, the clip is as similar to the reference’s clip as possible. This method works best when the two clip are similar to begin with. For example, it would be excellent at warping two walk animations so that they walk in stride.

This method is based upon the Dynamic Time Warp algorithm.

When Warp Method is set to “Create Similar Motions”, the node attempts to warp each section of the source’s clip so that it resembles some section of the reference’s clip. In addition, it lets the you define the length of the output.

To highlight some of what this method can do well, a few examples are:

  • If you have a reference animation that is a single punch animation and a source that has many, it will warp the speed of each punch in the source to match the speed of the reference punch.

  • If you have a walk animation that you use as both the source and the reference, it will make each step take the same amount of time.

  • If you shorten the clip length using a single animation as both the source and the reference, it will maintain the natural timing of each motion while accelerating periods of inactivity.

This method is intended for use with motion data and is based upon the Guided Time Warp algorithm.

Motion data output modes

This CHOP has three output modes:

In “Channels” Mode, the output will be the warped channels of the source.

In “Warp Index Curve” Mode, the output will be a single channel which represents the warp. Each point on this curve is the frame index of the source needed to achieve the warp. This curve can be used by the Warp CHOP with Method set to “Index Control”.

In “Warp Rate Curve” Mode, the output will be a single channel which represents the warp. Each point on this curve represents the sampling rate of the warp at that point. This curve can be used by the Warp CHOP with Method set to “Rate Control”.

Parameters

Channels

These parameters are used to declare which channels (if any) represent motion data.

Interpret As Motion Data

Determines whether or not the input clips should be interpreted as three dimensional motion data.

If this is on, all joint translation and locomotion translation channels must be set. Additionally, this chop will behave very similarily to the Dynamic Warp SOP.

Joint Translation

The input channels which should be treated as x, y, and z translation channels.

Each of these sets must be the same size.

Locomotion Translation

The three input channels which should be treated as the x, y, and z translation channels for the joint which determine the locomotion of the object (the node that has the translation channels that moves it forward in space).

Each of these channels must be the selected from the sets defined by Joint Translations.

When Warp Method is set to “Create Similar Motions”, the acceleration of these channels will be taken into account.

Locomotion Rotation

The three input channels which should be treated as the x, y, and z rotation channels for the joint which determine the locomotion of the object (the node that has the translation channels that moves it forwards in space).

These channels must not be members of Joint Translation.

If any of these parameters are set, all three must be.

If these are set, then the motion of each joint will be compared relative to the position and rotation of the locomotion joint.

Warp

These parameters are used to alter the settings of the output and warping algorithms.

Output Method

Determines what the output of the node will be.

Channels

The output will be the warped versions of the source channels.

Warp Index Curve

The output will be an Index Control Curve. This curve can be used with a Warp CHOP with Method set to “Index Control”.

Warp Rate Curve

The output will be a Rate Control Curve. This curve can be used with a Warp CHOP with Method set to “Rate Control”.

Warp Method

Determines which method will be used to warp the source clip to the reference clip.

Synchronize Entire Clip

The source will be warped so that it is synchronized with the reference. For this method, the reference is treated as a looping clip.

Create Similar Motions

Each motion of the source will be warped so that it appears similar to some motion in the reference.

Max Step

Bounds the maximum number of consecutive frames of the source that can be skipped at once.

This parameter can only be disabled if Warp Method is set to “Synchronize Entire Clip” and Interpret As Motion Data is off.

Max Stall

Bounds how many times the same frame can be repeated. If Motion Data is enabled, then instead of repeating frames, they will be interpolated.

This parameter can only be disabled if Interpret As Motion Data is off.

This parameter is only available when Warp Method is set to “Create Similar Motions”.

Scale Source Length

Multiplies the length of the source before warping begins.

This also factors the rate of the output.

This parameter must be greater than 1 if you wish to slow down sections of the source using the Create Similar Motions method.

If this is set to x, it is equivalent to resampling the source using a Resample CHOP with Method set to “Same Rate, New Interval” and Sample Rate set to x times the rate of the source.

This parameter is only available when Warp Method is set to “Create Similar Motions”.

Nearest Neighbors

The number of motions in the reference each motion in the source will be matched to.

This parameter is only available when Warp Method is set to “Create Similar Motions”.

Output Length

Determines how the length of the output is specified.

By Time

The length of the warp is specified in time.

By Length Scale

The length of the warp is specified as a multiple of the length of the source.

Optimize Length

The length of the warp is determined by the warp method. This will attempt to find the best possible warp from the source to the reference.

This parameter is only available when Warp Method is set to “Create Similar Motions”.

Time

The length of the warp in time.

This parameter is only available when Channel Length is set to “By Time”.

Length Scale

The length of the warp specified as a multiple of the source length.

This parameter is only available when Channel Length is set to “By Length Scale”.

Common

Some of these parameters may not be available on all CHOP nodes.

Scope

To determine the channels that are affected, some CHOPs have a scope string. Patterns can be used in Scope, for example * (match all), and ? (match single character).

The following are examples of possible channel name matching options:

chan2

Matches a single channel name.

chan3 tx ty tz

Matches four channel names, separated by spaces.

chan*

Matches each channel that starts with chan.

*foot*

Matches each channel that has foot in it.

t?

The ? matches a single character. t? matches two-character channels starting with t.

blend[3-7:2]

Matches number ranges, giving blend3, blend5, and blend7.

blend[2-3,5,13]

Matches channels blend2, blend3, blend5, blend13.

t[xyz]

[xyz]matches three characters, giving channels tx, ty and tz.

Sample Rate Match

The Sample Rate Match options handle cases where multiple input CHOPs’ sample rates are different.

Resample At First Input’s Rate

Use the rate of the first input to resample the others.

Resample At Maximum Rate

Resample to the highest sample rate.

Resample At Minimum Rate

Resample to the lowest sample rate.

Error if Rates Differ

Does not accept conflicting sample rates.

Units

The units of the time parameters.

For example, you can specify the amount of time a lag should last for in seconds (default), frames (at the Houdini FPS), or samples (in the CHOP’s sample rate).

Note

When you change the Units parameter, the existing parameters are not converted to the new units.

Time Slice

Time slicing is a feature that boosts cooking performance and reduces memory usage. Traditionally, CHOPs calculate the channel over its entire frame range. If the channel needs to be evaluated every frame, then cooking the entire range of the channel is unnecessary. It is more efficient to calculate only the fraction of the channel that is needed. This fraction is the Time Slice.

Unload

Causes the memory consumed by a CHOP to be released after it is cooked, and the data passed to the next CHOP.

Export Prefix

The Export Prefix is prepended to CHOP channel names to determine where to export to.

For example, if the CHOP channel was named geo1:tx, and the prefix was /obj, the channel would be exported to /obj/geo1/tx.

Note

You can leave the Export Prefix blank, but then your CHOP track names need to be absolute paths, such as obj:geo1:tx.

Graph Color

Every CHOP has this option. Each CHOP gets a default color assigned to it for display in the graph, but you can override the color with the Graph Color. There are 36 RGB color combinations in the palette.

Graph Color Step

When the graph displays the animation curves, and a CHOP has two or more channels, this defines the difference in color from one channel to the next, giving a rainbow spectrum of colors.

Inputs

First Input

This input is the source.

Second Input

This input is the reference.

The names of the reference’s channels must match the names of the source’s channels.

See also

Channel nodes

  • Acoustic

    Design audio filters and sound materials for the spatial audio system.

  • Agent

    Imports an animation clip from an agent primitive.

  • Area

    Calculates the area under a channel’s graph, which is the same as calculating the integral of a channel, or integrating the channel.

  • Attribute

    Adds, removes or updates attributes of the input chop.

  • Audio In

    Receives audio input from the analog audio ports or the digital port.

  • Band EQ

    A 14-band equalizer which filters audio input channels in the same way that a conventional band equalizer uses a bank of sliders to filter fixed-frequency bands of sound.

  • Beat

    Manually tap the beat of a piece of music, and automatically generate a repeating ramp or pulse that continues to keep time with the music after the taps stop.

  • Blend

    Combines two or more chops in input 2, 3 and so on, by using a set of blending channels in input 1.

  • BlendPose

    Performs multi-dimensional, example-based interpolation of channels.

  • Channel

    Creates channels from the value of its parameters.

  • Channel VOP

    Contains a VOP network that can manipulate channel data.

  • Channel Wrangle

    Runs a VEX snippet to modify channel data.

  • Composite

    Layers (blends) the channels of one CHOP on the channels of another CHOP.

  • Constant

    Create up to forty new channels.

  • Constraint Blend

    Combines two or more CHOP inputs using a list of weights specified as parameters.

  • Constraint Get Local Space

    Returns an Object Local Transform.

  • Constraint Get Parent Space

    Returns an Object Parent Transform.

  • Constraint Get World Space

    Returns an Object World Transform.

  • Constraint Lookat

    Constrains rotation so it always points toward a target position.

  • Constraint Object

    Compares two objects and returns information on their relative positions and orientations.

  • Constraint Object Offset

    Compares two objects and returns information on their relative positions and orientations.

  • Constraint Object Pretransform

    Returns an Object Pretransform.

  • Constraint Offset

    Applies an transformation offset after evaluating a constraint.

  • Constraint Parent

    Reparent an object.

  • Constraint Path

    Position an object on a path and orient it to the path’s direction.

  • Constraint Points

    Position and Orient an object using point positions from a geometry.

  • Constraint Sequence

    Combines multiple chops by blending the inputs in sequence.

  • Constraint Simple Blend

    Combines two chops by using a single weight specified as a parameter.

  • Constraint Surface

    Position and Orient an object using the surface of a geometry.

  • Constraint Transform

    Takes translate, rotate, and/or scale channels and transforms them.

  • Copy

    Produces multiple copies of the second input along the timeline of the first input.

  • Count

    Counts the number of times a channel crosses a trigger or release threshold.

  • Cycle

    Creates cycles.

  • Delay

    Delays the input, and can be run in normal or time-sliced mode.

  • Delete

    Removes channels coming from its input.

  • Device Transform

    Turns data from device inputs into transform data

  • Dynamic Warp

    Time-warps the node’s first input (source clip) using its second input (reference clip) as a reference.

  • Dynamics

    Extracts any information from a DOP simulation that is accessible through the dopfield expression function.

  • Envelope

    Outputs the maximum amplitude in the vicinity of each sample of the input.

  • Euler Rotation Filter

    Fixes discontinuity of rotation data after cracking matrices

  • Export

    A convenient tool for exporting channels.

  • Export Constraints

    Export Constraints Network on any object

  • Export Transforms

    Export Transforms to Constraints Network of many objects

  • Expression

    Modify input channels by using expressions.

  • Extend

    Only sets the extend conditions of a chop, which determines what values you get when sampling the CHOP before or after its interval.

  • Extract Bone Transforms

    (Deprecated) Extracts the current world or local space bone transforms from a geometry object.

  • Extract Locomotion

    Extracts locomotion from an animation clip.

  • Extract Pose-Drivers

    (Deprecated) Creates channels from the specified derived transforms, node parameters and CHOP channels for pose-space deformation.

  • FBX

    Reads in channel data from an FBX file.

  • Fan

    Used for controlling other CHOPs.

  • Feedback

    Get the state of a chop as it was one frame or time slice ago.

  • Fetch Channels

    Imports channels from other CHOPs.

  • Fetch Parameters

    Imports channels from other OPs.

  • File

    Reads in channel and audio files for use by chops.

  • Filter

    Smooths or sharpens the input channels.

  • Foot Plant

    Computes when position channels are stationary.

  • Foreach

    Divides the input channels into groups, cooking the contained network for each group.

  • Function

    Provides more complicated math functions than found in the Math CHOP such as trigonometic functions, logarithmic functions, and exponential functions.

  • Gamepad

    Turns input values for the gamepad or joystick device into channel outputs.

  • Geometry

    Uses a geometry object to choose a sop from which the channels will be created.

  • Gesture

  • Handle

    The engine which drives Inverse Kinematic solutions using the Handle object.

  • Hold

    Sample and hold the value of the first input.

  • IKSolver

    Solves inverse kinematics rotations for bone chains.

  • Identity

    Returns an identity transform.

  • Image

    Converts rows and/or columns of pixels in an image to CHOP channels.

  • Interpolate

    Treats its multiple-inputs as keyframes and interpolates between them.

  • InverseKin

    Generates channels for bone objects based on a bone chain and an end affector.

  • Invert

    Returns an invert transform of the input.

  • Jiggle

    Creates a jiggling effect in the translate channels passed in.

  • Keyboard

    Turns key presses into channel output.

  • Lag

    Adds lag and overshoot to channels.

  • Layer

    Mix weighted layers of keyframed animation from multiple Channel CHOPs to a base Channel CHOP.

  • Limit

    Provides a variety of functions to limit and quantize the input channels.

  • Logic

    Converts channels of all its input chops into binary channels and combines them using a variety of logic operations.

  • Lookup

    Uses a channel in the first input to index into a lookup table in the second input, and output values from the lookup table.

  • MIDI In

    The MIDI In CHOP reads Note events, Controller events, Program Change events, and Timing events from both midi devices and files.

  • MIDI Out

    The MIDI Out CHOP sends MIDI events to any available MIDI devices.

  • Math

    Perform a variety of arithmetic operations on and between channels.

  • Merge

    Takes multiple inputs and merges them into the output.

  • Mouse

    Outputs X and Y screen values for the mouse device.

  • Mouse 3D

    Turns input values for the Connexion space mouse into channel outputs.

  • Multiply

    Post multiplies all the input transformations.

  • Network

    Similar to the Pipe In/Out CHOPs in Network mode.

  • Noise

    Makes an irregular wave that never repeats, with values approximately in the range -1 to +1.

  • Null

    Used as a place-holder and does not have a function of its own.

  • Object

    Compares two objects and returns information on their relative positions and orientations.

  • ObjectChain

    Creates channels representing the transforms for a chain of objects.

  • Oscillator

    Generates sounds in two ways.

  • Output

    Marks the output of a sub-network.

  • Parametric EQ

    Filters an audio clip, and then applies other audio effects.

  • Particle

    Produces translate and rotate channels to move Objects according to the positions of particles in a POP Network.

  • Pass Filter

    Filters audio input using one of four different filter types.

  • Phoneme

    Translates english text into a series of phonetic values.

  • Pipe In

    Pipes data from custom devices into a CHOP, without needing the Houdini Developers' Kit or knowledge of Houdini internals.

  • Pipe Out

    Transmit data out of Houdini to other processes.

  • Pitch

    Attempts to extract the fundamental pitch of a musical tone from the input audio.

  • Pose

    Store a transform pose for later use by evaluating the input.

  • Pose Difference

    Computes the difference between two poses.

  • Pretransform

    Takes translate, rotate, and/or scale channels and transforms them using the pretransform of the given object.

  • Pulse

    Generates pulses at regular intervals of one channel.

  • ROP Channel Output

  • Record

  • Rename

    Renames channels.

  • Reorder

    Reorders the first input CHOP’s channels by numeric or alphabetic patterns.

  • Resample

    Resamples an input’s channels to a new rate and/or start/end interval.

  • Sequence

    Takes all its inputs and appends one chop after another.

  • Shift

    This time-shifts a CHOP, changing the start and end of the CHOP’s interval.

  • Shuffle

    Reorganizes a list of channels.

  • Slope

    Calculates the slope (or derivative) of the input channels.

  • Spatial Audio

    The rendering engine for producing 3D audio.

  • Spectrum

    Calculates the frequency spectrum of the input channels, or a portion of the channels.

  • Spline

    Edit the channel data by using direct manipulation of cubic or Bezier handles in the graph of the CHOP.

  • Spring

    Creates vibrations influenced by the input channels, as if a mass was attached to a spring.

  • Stash

    Caches the input motion in the node on command, and then uses it as the node’s output.

  • Stash Pose

    (Deprecated) Stashes the bone transforms and pose-drivers for use by the Pose-Space Deform SOP and Pose-Space Edit SOP nodes.

  • Stretch

    Preserves the shape of channels and the sampling rate, but resamples the channels into a new interval.

  • Subnetwork

    Allows for the simplification of complex networks by collapsing several CHOPs into one.

  • Switch

    Control the flow of channels through a CHOPnet.

  • Time Range

    This converts an input node in Current Frame mode to a Time Range mode by re-cooking it multiple times.

  • Time Shift

    This time-shifts a CHOP, re-cooking the node using different time.

  • Transform

    Takes translate, rotate, and/or scale channels and transforms them.

  • Transform VOP CVEX

    Contains a VOP network that can manipulate transform data.

  • TransformChain

    Combines a chain of translate, rotate, and/or scale channels.

  • Trigger

    Adds an audio-style attack/decay/sustain/release (ADSR) envelope to all trigger points in the input channels.

  • Trim

    Shortens or lengthens the input’s channels.

  • VEX Waveform

    This function is a sub-set of the waveform CHOP.

  • Vector

    Performs vector operations on a set or sets of channels.

  • Voice Split

    The Voice Split CHOP takes an audio track and separates words out into different channels.

  • Voice Sync

    The Voice Sync CHOP detects phonemes in an audio channel given some audio phoneme samples and pro…

  • Warp

    Time-warps the channels of the first input (the Pre-Warp Channels) using one warping channel in the second input.

  • Wave

    Creates a waveform that is repeated.