I don't have an Asset Library DB and usually use the possibility to read from an usd file or LOP node, so maybe that is the main issue?
This is why I would love to know if there are people using the Layout LOP on the regular and if they have similar issues, or if these are simply "me problems".
Here is a list of things I encountered:
- Sometimes the Layout LOP will completely lock up. Any changes will freeze Houdini. So far the only solution was to delete it and recreate everything.
- Having dual or quad view in the viewer will drastically decrease performance to an unusable state. Having two viewer panes open seems slightly better.
- There doesn't seem to be a way of selecting variations from a usd prim. So you have to split all variations into separate assets before importing them into the asset selection. Kinda diminishing the whole concept.
- You can only load one usd file into the assets at a time. All previously added assets will vanish and cause issues when you open the file again.
- You can't have two layout LOPs with different assets in them.
- The Scale brush doesn't scale inside the brush, only inside the soft radius area.
- Sometimes the highlighted edges of the scattered instances don't turn off. Even when you're selecting other nodes.
I do not rule out that there could be user errors on my part causing these but to me, it always feels like random chance if it will work or not. It would be great to hear if others are facing the same or similar issues or if maybe someone has no issues at all. That would be helpful to know as well.