Just tried installing RenderMan into the new Houdini 15.5 Indie, but get this when trying to render:

CreateProcess failed for ‘prman’

I added this to the Houdini Environment Settings file located in the Documents folder

RMANTREE = “C:\Program Files\Pixar\RenderManProServer-20.9”
PATH = “$PATH;$RMANTREE/bin”

Still nothing. The Houdini documentation itself is, well, cryptic at best.

Any thoughts? Anyone found a solution to this.

Thanks.

Hey Tod,
I don´t really know, but maybe the PRMan-for-Maya part has to be installed, too (if you haven´t done so already), not only the ProServer part of PRMan
I remember this being the case for the PRMan-for-Blender add-on,
maybe it´s similar with Houdini, since there is no straight PRMan-for-Houdini plug-in from Renderman
as far as I know (wich is not very far! ). I havn´t tried it yet, but am eager to!
Will probably return with some feedback on the proceedings later on…
good luck +
cheers!
ralf

Having same problem on MacOs. Got it to work once then error 127. Renderman works fine in Maya 2016 and 2016.5. Filed a problem report and provided a simple example that reproduces the problem.

Update: I tried this on a different MacOS computer (iMac) and had the same problem. Renders in “IT” once then never again with the RIS node reporting error 127.

I contacted support and they didn't have anything to offer…strange. Perhaps Renderman for houdini just doesn't work for many. Simple as that.
I will say that I have never seen anything this convoluted before, in terms of getting a third party plugin to work. Weird….

Just installed ProServer + Studio-for-Maya (NC) and am getting the same “CreateProcess failed for ‘prman’” in Houdini
(+ took the occasion to re-install the PRMan-for-Blender plug-in and there “It” works fine…) on WinX that is - havn´t tried it on Linux - yet. Maybe it makes a difference. If you get one render done on MacOS it´s better than none at all on WinX .

ah, just tried it with Linux and it´s the same (wouldn´t work with Houdini, works well with Blender) + error 127, too… .
Well, maybe I messed up the render node´s parms… is it ok to just leave it at default?.

Based on my research this has been an issue for some time; it's really nothing new. I contacted Side Effects support but they were zero help. I don't get it. I really don't. I've installed many plugins in various software over the years, but I have never seen anything like this. Should I really have to go into Windows and change the environment variables? Really? This is clearly a lapse on Side Effects, not Renderman–Houdini itself simply can't find the tools in Renderman.

I probably shouldn't complain because Houdini Indie is only $200/year and Renderman is free, but it really does bug me that they would market Houdini Indie now allowing Renderman use, yet it is unusable. Kinda shameful.

Anyhow, let's see how they handle the future V-Ray plugin…….

The RenderMan Render node works for me under Linux, but unfortunately I don't have an Indie license yet. I have set the following relevant environment variables:
HOUDINI_DEFAULT_RIB_RENDERER=prman20.0 (This can also be set in Edit/Preferences/Rendering)
RMANTREE=/opt/pixar/RenderManProServer-20.9
PATH=$RMANTREE/bin:$PATH

This tutorial may be helpful for some:
http://www.botianli.com/renderman-in-houdini.html [botianli.com]

Tod Ryan
Based on my research this has been an issue for some time; it's really nothing new. I contacted Side Effects support but they were zero help. I don't get it. I really don't. I've installed many plugins in various software over the years, but I have never seen anything like this. Should I really have to go into Windows and change the environment variables? Really? This is clearly a lapse on Side Effects, not Renderman–Houdini itself simply can't find the tools in Renderman.

I probably shouldn't complain because Houdini Indie is only $200/year and Renderman is free, but it really does bug me that they would market Houdini Indie now allowing Renderman use, yet it is unusable. Kinda shameful.

Anyhow, let's see how they handle the future V-Ray plugin…….

Yes. You really need to set some environment variables to make PRMan work. It's not Side Effects fault. Have you posted your question on the Pixar Support forum [renderman.pixar.com] as well?

Tod Ryan
Based on my research this has been an issue for some time; it's really nothing new. I contacted Side Effects support but they were zero help. I don't get it. I really don't. I've installed many plugins in various software over the years, but I have never seen anything like this. Should I really have to go into Windows and change the environment variables? Really? This is clearly a lapse on Side Effects, not Renderman–Houdini itself simply can't find the tools in Renderman.

I probably shouldn't complain because Houdini Indie is only $200/year and Renderman is free, but it really does bug me that they would market Houdini Indie now allowing Renderman use, yet it is unusable. Kinda shameful.

Anyhow, let's see how they handle the future V-Ray plugin…….

So when it works, how should we respond to you.

OsX 10.10.5, Houdini Indie 15.5.480

RMANTREE=/Applications/Pixar/RenderManProServer-20.9
PATH=$PATH:$RMANTREE/bin

Hiplc file with PRenderMan

Tod Ryan
…….I added this to the Houdini Environment Settings file located in the Documents folder

RMANTREE = “C:\Program Files\Pixar\RenderManProServer-20.9”
PATH = “$PATH;$RMANTREE/bin”

Still nothing. The Houdini documentation itself is, well, cryptic at best. Any thoughts? Anyone found a solution to this.
Thanks.

I don't know why you guys complain! Your environment is not setup correctly. You put the program address with wrong type of lines(backwards \ instead of forwards /). You need to use the line under the exclamation point for program addresses. It's THAT hard to add two text lines? Open up your Houdini environment file(is in your Documents/Houdini 15.5) with Wordpad and copy/paste this two lines at the very end of it:

RMANTREE = “CProgram Files/Pixar/RenderManProServer-20.9”
PATH = “$PATH;$RMANTREE/bin”

Somehow i can't type the proper text lines, this editor replaces it with emoticons. So it's like C : /program Files…. but without spaces. In your Houdini preferences make sure to check Renderman 20 under render engines. Now it works. Thank you SESI guys for Indie support of renderman!

Hey I have the same problem, houdini cant find my prman “CreateProcess failed for ‘prman’”

My houdini env folder has the two lines you describe

RMANTREE = “Drenderman/Pixar/RenderManProServer-20.9”
PATH = “$PATH;$RMANTREE/bin”

And my windows env system path is also canged to point to /RenderManProServer-20.9

I also changed RMSTREE to point to /RenderManStudio-20.9-maya2016

Also added renderman in the render preffs of houdini

What am I missing?

It wont work with a semicolon… try a colon instead

PATH = “$PATH:$RMANTREE/bin”

Please follow the manual.

Setting up RenderMan

In order for Houdini to be able to find all the necessary RenderMan tools, first you will need to set a few environment variables:

ensure the RMANTREE is set to the installed version of RenderMan, for example:

export RMANTREE=/opt/pixar/RenderManProServer-20.0
ensure the search path includes the bin subdirectory of RenderMan, for example:

export PATH=$PATH:$RMANTREE/bin
set the HOUDINI_DEFAULT_RIB_RENDERER to the desired version, for example:

export HOUDINI_DEFAULT_RIB_RENDERER=prman20.0
After setting up these three environment variables, Houdini should be able to use RenderMan.

LudvigJonsson
Hey I have the same problem, houdini cant find my prman “CreateProcess failed for ‘prman’”

My houdini env folder has the two lines you describe

RMANTREE = “Drenderman/Pixar/RenderManProServer-20.9”
PATH = “$PATH;$RMANTREE/bin”

And my windows env system path is also canged to point to /RenderManProServer-20.9

I also changed RMSTREE to point to /RenderManStudio-20.9-maya2016

Also added renderman in the render preffs of houdini

What am I missing?

Your environment paths are not setup correctly!!! You need two paths in your windows environment. Both needs to have BACKWARDS lines instead of FORWARD like in the Houdini environment file. They should be like this:
RMANTREE should be C:\Program Files\Pixar\RenderManProServer-20.9\
RMSTREE should be C:\Program Files\Pixar\RenderManStudio-20.9-maya2016\

Note that both have end lines, without them won't work. I wonder if anyone reads what they need to do before posting. Adding few text lines it's like 5 minutes guys! Anyway, i hope i helped anyone to have their renderman working.

You guys need to relax….deep breath….exhale….

I tried all this, been doing the 3D thing for years…this…simply…does…not…work….

I've checked many forums, changed my env variables, blah, blah, blah….

If my original post seems a bit terse then this attitude comes from the amount of absurd, ridiculous waste of time that I spent on something that is NOT an issue with Maya or Blender (and likely the upcoming C4D plugin), but specific to Houdini. I don't know if it's a Windows 10 issue or what–but this should never be an issue when installing a plugin. It's like “we did the bare minimum to get this thing to kinda work–you guys are on your own.”

Having said all this, Houdini Indie is only $200 (I absolutely applaud this package), and Renderman is free. Me no stay awake at night ova' dis…..

Tod Ryan
You guys need to relax….deep breath….exhale….

I tried all this, been doing the 3D thing for years…this…simply…does…not…work….

I've checked many forums, changed my env variables, blah, blah, blah….

If my original post seems a bit terse then this attitude comes from the amount of absurd, ridiculous waste of time that I spent on something that is NOT an issue with Maya or Blender (and likely the upcoming C4D plugin), but specific to Houdini. I don't know if it's a Windows 10 issue or what–but this should never be an issue when installing a plugin. It's like “we did the bare minimum to get this thing to kinda work–you guys are on your own.”

Having said all this, Houdini Indie is only $200 (I absolutely applaud this package), and Renderman is free. Me no stay awake at night ova' dis…..

Well, it works for anyone else but you and few other geniuses, so this kinda put things in perspective a bit, right? No need to stay awake for this one either.

Oh dear, just occurred to me. Maybe you guys just did not setup the pathtracer inside prman. Create a prman ris render node into your output directory(out). In the same place create a shopnet node. Dive inside it and create a ris shading network(risnet node). Dive inside this one too and add a pathtracer node. Than go back to your prman node and add the pathtracer to the ris integrator. It really sounds much harder than it is. Just look at the picture crop. You will also need renderman lights and shaders. Now Renderman will work if environment is setup correctly.

Tod Ryan
You guys need to relax….deep breath….exhale….

That's curious, after 10min of Zen buddhist mediation it's as easy as ever to install

It's easy to see where you are coming from and a great example is HtoA plug-in. The original Houdini to Arnold installer used to be like this one, with the user manually writing env, but the wizard will now automatically write the following:

# htoa config start
HOUDINI_PATH = “~/htoa/htoa-1.11.2_r1712_houdini-15.0.459/htoa-1.11.2_r1712_houdini-${HOUDINI_VERSION};&”
# htoa config end


This should help all highly skilled 3d artist who has problems installing plug-ins!

EDIT: Looking at the dedicated forum, looks like there are many issues to installing RendermanNC for all software packages.
RenderMan Forums / Non-Commercial RenderMan / Installation & Configuration
https://renderman.pixar.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=161 [renderman.pixar.com]

Dudes,

It works fine.

Add these lines to your houdini.env file.

RMANTREE=“cProgram Files/Pixar/RenderManProServer-20.9”
PATH=$PATH;$RMANTREE/bin
HOUDINI_DEFAULT_RIB_RENDERER=prman20.9

And make sure you have renderman ticked in the render prefs.

Here's a link to the scene, with everything required to render
rendermanHoudini [dropbox.com]