Setting up .env Houdini 18 for Renderman 23

Forums Technical Discussion Setting up .env Houdini 18 for Renderman 23

8423 13 4


w007s: Member; 19 posts; Joined: Sept. 2015; Offline

Jan. 8, 2020 5:17 a.m.

Add an entry to the .env file:

RMANTREE=“C:\Program Files\Pixar\RenderManProServer-23.0”
RFHTREE=“C:\Program Files\Pixar\RenderManForHoudini-23.0”
RMAN_PROCEDURALPATH=$RFHTREE\18.0\openvdb;&
HOUDINI_PATH=$RFHTREE\18.0;&
PATH=$RMANTREE\bin;&

It also helps when an error occurs:
Cannot determine preloaded icons for shelf: <hou.Shelf ‘RenderMan23’>
and
Could not load C:\Program Files\Pixar\RenderManForHoudini-23.0/18.0/lib/rfh_ipr.dll

Edited by w007s - Jan. 8, 2020 05:23:54


dyts: Member; 119 posts; Joined: Aug. 2018; Offline

Jan. 8, 2020 6:33 a.m.

I prefer using package

{
“env” : [
{“RFHTREE” : “C:/Program Files/Pixar/RenderManForHoudini-23.0”},
{“HOUDINI_PATH” : “$RFHTREE/18.0”},
{“RMANTREE” : “C:/Program Files/Pixar/RenderManProServer-23.0”},
{“PATH” : “$RMANTREE/bin”},
{“RMAN_PROCEDURALPATH” : “$RFHTREE/18.0/openvdb”}
]
}

- David


w007s: Member; 19 posts; Joined: Sept. 2015; Offline

Jan. 8, 2020 8:10 a.m.

dyts
I prefer using package

{
“env” : [
{“RFHTREE” : “C:/Program Files/Pixar/RenderManForHoudini-23.0”},
{“HOUDINI_PATH” : “$RFHTREE/18.0”},
{“RMANTREE” : “C:/Program Files/Pixar/RenderManProServer-23.0”},
{“PATH” : “$RMANTREE/bin”},
{“RMAN_PROCEDURALPATH” : “$RFHTREE/18.0/openvdb”}
]
}

Where to write it? Which file? How is this introduced?

Edited by w007s - Jan. 8, 2020 08:14:35


dyts: Member; 119 posts; Joined: Aug. 2018; Offline

Jan. 8, 2020 8:14 a.m.

w007s
dyts
I prefer using package

{
“env” : [
{“RFHTREE” : “C:/Program Files/Pixar/RenderManForHoudini-23.0”},
{“HOUDINI_PATH” : “$RFHTREE/18.0”},
{“RMANTREE” : “C:/Program Files/Pixar/RenderManProServer-23.0”},
{“PATH” : “$RMANTREE/bin”},
{“RMAN_PROCEDURALPATH” : “$RFHTREE/18.0/openvdb”}
]
}
Where to write it? Which file?

I have a folder “packages” at houdini (on both my mac and PC) and inside all my json files renderman.json, redshift.json …

Attachments:
Capture d'écran 2020-01-08 14.14.03.png (484.8 KB)

- David


mabelzile: Staff; 447 posts; Joined: Feb. 2018; Offline

Jan. 8, 2020 8:45 a.m.

w007s
dyts
I prefer using package

{
“env” : [
{“RFHTREE” : “C:/Program Files/Pixar/RenderManForHoudini-23.0”},
{“HOUDINI_PATH” : “$RFHTREE/18.0”},
{“RMANTREE” : “C:/Program Files/Pixar/RenderManProServer-23.0”},
{“PATH” : “$RMANTREE/bin”},
{“RMAN_PROCEDURALPATH” : “$RFHTREE/18.0/openvdb”}
]
}
Where to write it? Which file? How is this introduced?

Take a look at the documentation https://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini18.0/ref/plugins.html [www.sidefx.com]


Mark Wallman: Member; 704 posts; Joined: Aug. 2013; Offline

Jan. 8, 2020 8:46 a.m.

Hi David

I am using a direct copy of your text for my package and am getting this..
ERROR: Syntax error in ‘C:/Docs/houdini18.0/packages/renderman.json’

My renderman install in in the right place. Could it be the direction of the slashes?

Best

Mark

Edited by Mark Wallman - Jan. 8, 2020 08:46:35


Mark Wallman: Member; 704 posts; Joined: Aug. 2013; Offline

Jan. 8, 2020 8:52 a.m.

Hi. In reference to how to set packages up question. I have one windows environment variable to point Houdini to the right location.

name: HOUDINI_USER_PREF_DIR
variable value: C:\Docs\houdini__HVER__

and then I have added all my packages inside the dir. (see screenshot). I have added a few examples as well so you can see what each package

says.

Edited by Mark Wallman - Jan. 8, 2020 08:53:17

Attachments:
Alicevision.json (116 bytes)
LYNX.json (181 bytes)
MOPS.json (98 bytes)
OTL.json (165 bytes)
SideFXLabs.json (374 bytes)
Capture.JPG (37.9 KB)


mabelzile: Staff; 447 posts; Joined: Feb. 2018; Offline

Jan. 8, 2020 8:59 a.m.

Can you post the content of the offending package file ? Also you can turn on verbose mode (set HOUDINI_PACKAGE_VERBOSE=1) to get error messages.

Edited by mabelzile - Jan. 8, 2020 08:59:51


Mark Wallman: Member; 704 posts; Joined: Aug. 2013; Offline

Jan. 8, 2020 10:53 a.m.

Hi Mabelzile

Thanks for replying.

I am still only getting the same error with verbose mode set to 1 (in my UHconfig.json file included here). Do I need to make the package higher up (renaming it something like A_UHconfig.json? like I have to do with Arnold?

Here is my renderman.json file as well. Best Mark

console..
= = = Houdini Package log = = =
Processing ‘C:/Docs/houdini18.0/packages/Alicevision.json’

Processing ‘C:/Docs/houdini18.0/packages/A__HtoA.json’

Processing ‘C:/Docs/houdini18.0/packages/LYNX.json’

Processing ‘C:/Docs/houdini18.0/packages/MOPS.json’

Processing ‘C:/Docs/houdini18.0/packages/OTL.json’

Processing ‘C:/Docs/houdini18.0/packages/renderman.json’
ERROR: Syntax error in ‘C:/Docs/houdini18.0/packages/renderman.json’

Processing ‘C:/Docs/houdini18.0/packages/SideFXLabs.json’

Processing ‘C:/Docs/houdini18.0/packages/toolbar.json’

Processing ‘C:/Docs/houdini18.0/packages/UHConfig.json’

EDIT: the plot thickens…

I have done just what the docs say..
https://rmanwiki.pixar.com/display/RFH23/Installation+of+RenderMan+for+Houdini [rmanwiki.pixar.com]
and still no joy. I have also made sure the renderman package is top of the list. My latest attempt is called A_renderman.json

Edited by Mark Wallman - Jan. 8, 2020 11:28:59

Attachments:
renderman.json (311 bytes)
UHConfig.json (201 bytes)
A_renderman.json (293 bytes)


mabelzile: Staff; 447 posts; Joined: Feb. 2018; Offline

Jan. 9, 2020 8:58 a.m.

Looks like your renderman.json file is using invalid double quotes.

Try with " instead

Edited by mabelzile - Jan. 9, 2020 08:58:38


Mark Wallman: Member; 704 posts; Joined: Aug. 2013; Offline

Jan. 9, 2020 1:56 p.m.

Hi.

I have gone through and checked the file. doing what you advise. Now it is throwing up even more errors.

Processing ‘C:/Docs/houdini18.0/packages/A_renderman.json’
ERROR: Syntax error in ‘C:/Docs/houdini18.0/packages/A_renderman.json’
ERROR: JSON ERROR: Missing object key (need a string) (near byte offset 255, line 8, column 2)

Here is my text

{
“env” :
[
{“RMANTREE” : “C:\Program Files\Pixar\RenderManProServer-23.0”},
{“RFHTREE” : “C:\Program Files\Pixar\RenderManForHoudini-23.0”},
{“RMAN_PROCEDURALPATH=$RFHTREE” : “RMAN_PROCEDURALPATH=$RFHTREE”},
{“HOUDINI_PATH” : “$RFHTREE\18.0;&”,
{“PATH” : “$RMANTREE\bin;&”},
]
}

this is line 8:
{“PATH” : “$RMANTREE\bin;&”},

And I am including my Json file as well. I am coping the exact text from the rmanWiki in my previous post. Best Mark

EDIT: I have just noticed my “ is still different to yours. I'm wondering if this is my text editor. I will check now.

Nope still the same error. I am pressing shift + 2 to get my ”

Sorry for the mass reediting: so the part that seems wrong is the : in this line

{“PATH” : “$RMANTREE\bin”},

I am still non the wiser on what to fix though. Best Mark

Edited by Mark Wallman - Jan. 9, 2020 15:04:34

Attachments:
A_renderman.json (289 bytes)


Mark Wallman: Member; 704 posts; Joined: Aug. 2013; Offline

Jan. 10, 2020 4:38 a.m.

Hi.

I now have the Json file working. But now I am getting sideFX and renderman software errors..

Could not load C:\Program Files\Pixar\RenderManForHoudini-23.0/18.0/lib/rfh_ipr.dll
The specified module could not be found.

Error running pythonrc.py:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File “C:/Program Files/Pixar/RenderManForHoudini-23.0/18.0/python2.7libs/pythonrc.py”, line 47, in <module>
rfh.prefs.init_prefs()
File “C:/Program Files/Pixar/RenderManForHoudini-23.0/18.0/python2.7libs\rfh\prefs.py”, line 223, in init_prefs
_getprefs('rfh', modules)
File “C:/Program Files/Pixar/RenderManForHoudini-23.0/18.0/python2.7libs\rfh\prefs.py”, line 198, in _getprefs
eval(compile('import %s' % fmod, ‘<string>’, ‘exec’))
File “<string>”, line 1, in <module>
File “C:/Program Files/Pixar/RenderManForHoudini-23.0/18.0/python2.7libs\rfh\preset_browser_houdini.py”, line 36, in <module>
from prman import Version as prman_version
File “C:\Program Files\Pixar\RenderManProServer-23.0\bin\prman.py”, line 45, in <module>
class __private: # simple means to keep locals private
File “C:\Program Files\Pixar\RenderManProServer-23.0\bin\prman.py”, line 70, in __private
libprman = ctypes.CDLL(file, ctypes.RTLD_GLOBAL)
File “C:\PROGRA~1\SIDEEF~1\HOUDIN~1.287\python27\lib\ctypes\__init__.py”, line 366, in __init__
self._handle = _dlopen(self._name, mode)
WindowsError: The specified module could not be found


Mark Wallman: Member; 704 posts; Joined: Aug. 2013; Offline

Jan. 10, 2020 10:03 a.m.

Hi

I now have it working. If anyone else has the same problems here is my working json file. Best Mark

Attachments:
renderman.json (271 bytes)


AnimGraphLab: Member; 66 posts; Joined: May 2019; Offline

Dec. 19, 2023 2:49 a.m.

Just for anyone who will encounter similar issues.

1. Make sure RenderMan for Houdini is Python 3 version.
2. Use installation via packages (json file). RenderMan has provided a json file at: "C:\Program Files\Pixar\RenderManForHoudini-25.2\packages\renderman_for_houdini.json"
3. Copy-paste this file to: "C:\Users\<YOUR_USERNAME>\Documents\houdini19.5\packages" (houdini<your_version_of_houdini>).
4. Delete everything related to Renderman from houdini.env as json file will do the same and if both are used together, it may cause conflicts. Related post: https://www.sidefx.com/forum/topic/71405/?page=1#post-302661 [www.sidefx.com]

Find "Package installation": https://rmanwiki.pixar.com/display/RFH25/Installation+of+RenderMan+for+Houdini [rmanwiki.pixar.com]

For Houdini 19.0 and beyond, RenderMan for Houdini can be installed with a packages file, found in the RfH installation directory.

Edited by AnimGraphLab - April 21, 2024 03:24:25

Generalist. Transforming still images to 3D animation 🔮
Socials: https://linktr.ee/AnimGraphLab [linktr.ee]

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