I'm trying to expand/collapse HDAs using both Python and HScript. Both operations fail with a completely nondescript error:

"Error collapsing C:/Users/Henry/Projects/VFX/MOPS/otls/MOPS_Aim_TEST from C:/Users/Henry/Projects/VFX/MOPS/otls/MOPS_Aim.hda."
Python fails similarly with a generic “OperationFailed” error. I've tried exporting files that are named the same as the original, files that are named differently, files with different extensions / no extensions… absolutely nothing works.

When I use the Asset Library window to right-click > Convert to unpacked/packed format, it works fine every time. This is using Houdini 17.0.416 on Windows 10. I'd really like to automate this process, so any pointers here would be great.

toadstorm
…
When I use the Asset Library window to right-click > Convert to unpacked/packed format, it works fine every time. This is using Houdini 17.0.416 on Windows 10. I'd really like to automate this process, so any pointers here would be great.

At the moment that particular type of expand / collapse currently doesn't have an HOM or HScript equivalent. The only way to automate it would be to use the shell command to unpack and to pack.

Thanks for this! Could you explain what the difference is with packing/unpacking, then? I wasn't aware there were multiple “types” of expanded asset definitions.

does this work in any version?
hotl.exe throws the same errors for me in 19.5 - "error collapsing".
It can unpack a hda but errors out on repacking. Any other solutions? Or what else can we do ?
is there hscript or hom functionality elsewhere ?


thanks