I am feel completely silly. I am unable to find preview controls for creating shaded AVI, trhough Mplay. Not rendering, just GL shaded saved to a an animation file. Its like they have disappeared from menues. I must have forgotten something, casuse when I opened the Interface PDF, I still am not able to find information. What is it called? I realise it's stupid question, and feel even more stupid asking about it. I remember doing it when I first installed Houdini, but have been so wrapped in learning its modeling, and of course fulfilling client projects, that I have tottally forget where those options lie. I naturally assumed that Preview controls would named as such and be in the menus in Objects. But theres nothing there, like that.
Thanks so much

Dave R