Package archives are created with the following structure:

./{content folder name}/
./{content folder name}/{resource files}
./{content folder name}/{resource folders}/{resource files}
./{package file name}.json  

• Content:

  • content folder name : The plugin folder containing the resources.

  • resource folders: Subfolders of Houdini resources.

  • resource files: Houdini resource files or other plugin files.

  • package file name: The plugin installation package.

The following example shows how to setup a plugin content folder with an installation package file.

The viewer handle demo folder layout:

$HFS/packages/viewer_handle_demo/
    pythonX.Ylibs/
        move_tool_demo/
            utils.py
    scenes/
        move_tool_demo.hip
        viewer_handle_demo.hip
    toolbar/
        viewer_handle_demo.shelf
    viewer_handles/
        move_tool_handle.py
        viewer_handle_intro1.py
        viewer_handle_intro2.py
        viewer_handle_intro3.py

The installation package file adds the folder path to HOUDINI_PATH:

. cat $HFS/houdini/viewer_handles/viewer_handle_demo.json    
{
    "path" : "$HFS/packages/viewer_handle_demo"
}

Package nodes in the tree view can be expanded with on the icon to inspect their properties and settings. Use SHIFT + to expand/collapse the node branch fully . Packages are active by default, click on the node icon to deactivate a package. Deactivating a package will unload the package but will not remove it from the tree. Click on the icon to activate the package again. Locked packages cannot be deactivated.

A package node will typically (but not always) contain the following information:

• File path: The package file path.

• enable: Set package as enabled if True.

• load_package_once: Prevents a package from being loaded multiple times.

• process_order: Specifies an integer value that Houdini can use for arranging the order of the packages to process in a package directory.

• package_path: Scans package paths dynamically.

• recommends: Checks specific package(s) availability without enforcing a dependency.

• requires: Checks specific package(s) availability and enforces a dependency.

• show: Set a package to be listed in the Package Browser window.

• Environment variables: The list of environment variables set in the package.

• Resources: A list of Houdini resources such as scripts, desktops, and digital assets, loaded by the package.

• File

  • New Package…

    Opens a dialog to create and edit a new package. The new package is added to the user packages folder by default. The tree view should list the package if the creation is successful.

  • New Package Archive…

    Opens a dialog to create and edit a new package archive. The dialog allows you to select a plugin content folder along with a new package to install the plugin in Houdini. The content folder and the package file are stored in the new archive as explained above, the archive is saved on disk under the user folder packages/archives. Optionally the content folder can be included as the root folder in the archive. This means that when you install the archive, the folder itself will appear at the top level, containing all the subfolders and files inside it. You can also exclude the content folder as the root from the archive, only the contents of the folder (subfolders and files) will be archived. When you install the archive, the files and subfolders will appear directly at the top level, without the content folder.

    Note

    The archive is not installed after creation.

  • Load Package…

    Opens a dialog to select and load a package file. The loaded package is listed in the tree view if the operation is sucessful.

  • Install Package Archive…

    Opens a dialog to select and install a package archive. By default, the selected package archive is installed under the current folder where the archive is located, you can also select a different installation folder. The installation package file is listed in the tree view if the operation is successful.

  • Reload Selected Package

    Reloads the package selected in the tree view. The reloaded package is listed in the tree view if the operation is sucessful.

  • Remove Selected Package

    Unload the package selected in the tree view and remove it from the tree view.

  • Delete Selected Package

    Unload the package selected in the tree view and delete the package file.

• Edit

  • Edit Package File…

    Opens a dialog to select a package file from disk and opens an editor to the package. The edited package is not loaded back in the browser once the editor is closed.

  • Edit Selected Package…

    Opens an editor to edit the package selected in the tree view. The edited package is loaded back in the browser with the new changes once the editor is closed.

A popup menu is available for each package node in the tree view and contains the following actions:

• Edit: Opens an editor to edit the underlying package file.

• Expand All: Expands the tree node along with all its sub-nodes.

• Reload: Reload the underlying package.

• Remove: Unload and remove the underlying package from the browser.

• Delete: Remove and delete the underlying package.