Using ORBX From Solaris (Houdini)

A guide to using the Render Network with Solaris in Houdini

When using Render Network in conjunction with Solaris in Houdini, the accepted output format is ORBX. A Solaris scene layout can be exported in ORBX format from the Octane-specific Render Settings node connected to a USD Render ROP node (Figure 1). Additional tips for preparing Houdini files for export as ORBX can be found in the Considerations for Exporting to ORBX section at the end of this document.

Figure 1: Adding an Octane Render Settings and USD Render ROP to Solaris

In the Octane Render Settings node, the Export ORBX and Alembic Files checkbox needs to be activated. The Export Mode option provides an option between exporting the entire scene to ORBX or to Alembic only. When preparing files for the Render Network, Full ORBX Scene should be selected (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Choosing Full ORBX Scene as the Export mode

The file name and location for saving the ORBX export can be determined with the Base File Name parameter (Figure 3). The .orbx file extension does not need to be added to the file name manually as is the case with typical of Houdini file saving conventions. The .orbx extension will be added automatically.

Figure 3: Naming and determining the save location for the ORBX export

The Render Settings parameter in the USD Render ROP node should be set to the Octane-specific Render Settings node discussed previously (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Adding the Render Settings node to the USD Render ROP node

The Render All Frames With a Single Process should be activated in the USD Render ROP node (Figure 5). Otherwise, Octane will not render all frames of an animated sequence.

Figure 5: Activating Render All Frames With a Single Process

The exporting of the ORBX file can be started by clicking on the Render to Disk button in the USD Render ROP node (Figure 6).

Figure 6: Rendering to disk from the USD Render ROP node

It is good practice to open the ORBX file in Octane Standalone to make sure everything from the Solaris scene is exported properly. To check for rendering issues inside of Octane Standalone, click on the Render Target node in the Node Graph Editor window (figure 7).

Figure 7: Activating a render in Octane Standalone by clicking on the Render Target node

If the exported ORBX file contains animation, the timeline will be visible in the Standalone Render Viewport window (Figure 8). A Solaris scene can also be exported in USD format using the USD ROP node instead of the USD Render ROP node (Figure 9).

Figure 8: The Render Viewport timeline

Figure 9: Exporting to USD

The Output File path in the USD ROP node needs to be set accordingly along with the .usd file extension (Figure 10).

Figure 10: Setting the output path and .usd file extension

The exporting of the USD file can be started by clicking on the Save to Disk button in the USD ROP node (Figure 11).

Figure 11: Saving to disk from the USD ROP node

The exported USD scene from Solaris can be imported into Octane Standalone by dragging and dropping the USD file into the Standalone Node Graph Editor window (Figure 12).

Figure 12: Adding the USD file to the Node Graph Editor window in Standalone

A Render Target node needs to be added by right-clicking in the Node Graph Editor window and choosing Render Target from the node list. The camera and geometry output pins on the .usd node need to be connected to the Render Target’s Camera and Geometry input pins (figure 13).

Figure 13: Connecting the usd node’s output pins to the Render Target node

The scene can be saved in ORBX format by choosing Save As or Save as Package from the File menu (Figure 14).

Figure 14: Saving ORBX scene from Standalone

For more information on saving, packaging, and unpacking files, refer to the Octane Standalone documentation.

Considerations for Exporting to ORBX

• File Size - The ORBX files should not exceed 20 GB in size. If an exported ORBX file is larger than 20 GB (which can be the case with animated projects), the export can be broken down into frame ranges..

• AOVs - Render passes or AOVs need to be set up prior to exporting the ORBX file from Solaris. AOVs can also be set up using Octane Standalone prior to uploading the ORBX to the Render Network.

  • The Product Type parameter in the AOV Settings tab of the Octane-specific Render Settings node can be set to Raster so the AOVs can be viewed from the OctaneRender Viewport or it can be set to Octane_raster to save the AOVs for final output.

• Simulations - All simulation assets such as particles, fluids, hair, etc. should be baked prior to ORBX export.

• Double check Pyro or VDB simulations in Standalone prior to uploading the ORBX to the Render Network. This is to ensure that the proper VDB grids are loaded in the ORBX file.