step 1 - required only ONCE

Use the Templates->Houdini->Set Houdini Paths Bat File menu item to generate a document called set_houdini_paths.bat.

Save the bat file in a convenient location. This file should be run before each Houdini session. It establishes the environment variables that point Houdini to the directories that will contain your custom VEX, DS and SHOPxxx files.

step 2 - required only ONCE

On a drive of your choosing create a folder names SHOP. Cutter will automatically create the appropriate subdirectories as and when they are required.

step 3 - required only ONCE

Open Cutters Preferences window (Edit->Show Preferences). Choose the Languages->VFL tab. Set the SHOP Dir text field to the location of your SHOP folder.

Check the other two fields, Vex Docs Dir and the Houdini are set correctly. Click the Save VFL button.

Close the Preferences window.

step 4 - create a vfl document

Choose Templates->Houdini->Vfl surface-diffuse menu item. Save the document in any convenient directory. Using either the menu item Script->compile or the keyboard short-cuts ALT+e or CNTR+e compile the shader.

A VEX shader and its associated DS file will be saved in the SHOP directory. In addition Cutter will generate, and subsequently maintain, a file called SHOPsurface that will also appear in the SHOP folder.

step 5 - testing the shader within Cutter

Choose Templates->Houdini->Ifd menu item. Line 61 must be edited. For example, change,

__SHADER_NAME_HERE__ __PARAMETER__ __VALUE__

to

cutrDiffuse.vex Kd 0.5

Execute the IFD file using Script->execute or the keyboard short-cut. The Process Info window will open. Ignore the warnings! After a short delay a (Mantra) MPlay window will display a sphere rendered with the cutrDiffuse shader.

step 6 - setting paths & launch Houdini

Double click the set_houdini_paths.bat file. Launch Houdini in the normal way.

step 7 - testing a shader within Houdini

In the shops window press the TAB key. After the popup menu appears type the first letter of the custom shader ie. "c". The cutrDiffuse shader previously compiled within Cutter should appear in the popup containing the names CHOP Network, CHOP2 Network.

Choose cutrDiffuse - the sphere in the modeling window will be rendered with the custom shader.

step 8 - importing other shaders

Each time an existing shader is modified within Cutter it must be reloaded before it will take effect in Houdini. Choose the Windows->Textport... (Houdini) menu item . Type the command,

dsreload

This will direct Houdini to reload the modifed shader.