File Cache 2.0 & Wedging - Houdini 19 Quicktip

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[@PawelGrzelak]

Good one. This is definetly one of the nodes that I am most hyped about in hou19.

[@Fakepilot]

Amazing. Who would have thought a new file cache node would spark so much joy. ;-)

[@jahormaksimau1597]

Best and clear explanation as always. Thank you!!!

[@andvfx]

Thats great man, thanks for the video, thinks like that I like it much more than other blackboxes that was so much hyped during the video. Simplifying day to day tasks are much more appreciated for me.

[@cgforge]

I totally agree. Sometimes simplifying the little things makes the best improvements.

[@muinasjutumees]

Thank you! How would you add wedged parameter name to folder/filename, so for example my density range would be also stored for later recall?

[@FirehawkVFX]

Very cool. I wonder is it possible yet to have per frame dependencies between multiple file cache sop nodes in H19?

[@cgforge]

I'm not sure, maybe so - I didn't show it in the video, but if you click on the top hat icon, that will create a topnet which auto-populates a file cache top node that's linked to what you've set in SOPs. So, for more intricate TOP workflows, that's an option you can go with for nested wedging if you'd like.

[@houdininodes5637]

Thank a lot

[@SaschaRobitzki]

What happened to the Labs version? I don't see it in 19.5.

[@santiagorinaldi1712]

i see it in my 19.5.303 version

[@mattbarker5017]

Great video!. Question, How do you have it automatically write like the old filecache node? Wiht H18.5 and earlier, I would flipbook out a pyro sim, with the filecacahe set to "Automatic" or "Write Files", and end up with a vdb cache and my flipbook. having trouble doing that with the new one.

[@3donwong]

I would add a file node, and reference the output file path from the labsFileCache, then do the same things as what you do before. it should work

[@Pixellevel]

Hi, Great tutorial! But i might be missing something here, but i cant seem to find the "Enable Wedges" button on the filecache node in the final build. I am using Indie license, maybe its a limitation?

[@cgforge]

It's probably because you need to use the Labs version of the File Cache. If you don't have labs installed, then go to the top shelf, find sidefx labs and click on the shelf button to install it

[@Pixellevel]

@@cgforge aha! I see! Thanks :)

[@nictanghe98]

How whould i add wedgenumer as an attribute using this method ?

[@MsFuchen]

How can i sim cache one by one .if set like this all sim at the same time ,computer may be crash!

[@yakoto4876]

Does this work for static meshes? Like I'm just using Houdini to do procedural modeling involving a lot of VDB actions. I don't want to change anything from those VDB actions now as I'm satisfied with the result, can I use this node to cache the result so that I can speed up whatever I'm going to do after these VDB actions?

[@cgforge]

Yep, it'll work for static meshes. If you're happy with your current result, then look for the "Time Dependent" checkbox and turn that off. If you want multiple meshes, then I would suggest either using wedging, or you can also just use the $F as a seed for your mesh and then pick out whichever one you like the best when scrubbing through your timeline.

[@yakoto4876]

@@cgforge That helps a lot. Thank you!

[@18bovende]

I like how the Labs File Cache doesn't show the frames as workitems. It's makes it really clear and simple. However unfortunately for nested wedging this does not work properly yet. I hope they will come up with something for that.

[@PawelGrzelak]

Nested? Like multiple params per each wedge?

[@cgforge]

I didn't show it in the video, but if you click on the top hat icon, that will create a topnet which auto-populates a file cache top node that's linked to what you've set in SOPs. So, for more intricate TOP workflows, that's an option you can go with for nested wedging if you'd like.

[@ati7900]

@@cgforge nested wedging in tops is very problematic in a sop based workflow. However the end result of nested wedging nothing more then creating attribute in a certain pattern, like 000111222... Which you cand do with the filecache. The problem adding separate top wedge nodes in your wedge graph is that your sop and top caches will be desynced, therefore it is not recommended

[@cl11334]

is it normal for cpu to be at 100%utilisation while caching to disk in the background? i saved to disk the other day and my PC blue screened. specs: i9 13900k 192gb ddr5 5200mz ram suprim x 4090 meg ace z790 1500 w psu

[@cl11334]

my cpu hit only 85degrees c before it bluescreened** so im not sure if overheating was the issue.

[@ChrisOseProduction]

Great Tutorial, thank you! I have a problem with the labs file cache node starting to cache out the wedge versions simultaneously. My sims are so heavy that my computer freezes, when it tries to cache them all at one. Is there a way to have it caching one wedge at a time?

[@cgforge]

Hey Chris, thanks for watching the video. There's a few things you can try: For one, go to scheduling --> local --> CPU count to use and memory. This will allow you to prevent the file cache from immediately using all your resources. You may also be running out of memory, disk space, or overheating your computer. Start there, and if that still doesn't work, then make sure "time dependent cache" and "Simulation" are both turned on.

[@ChrisOseProduction]

@@cgforge Thank you for the quick reply! I already tried to change the setting for "CPU count to use and memory" without any luck, but will look into it again. I hope I understood your suggestion: I only run out of memory, disk space, or overheating my computer, when I try to cache the simulation 4 times in parallel, If I cache it one after the other it's not a problem. "Time Dependant cache" sounds good, I will look into this. Thank you again!

[@cgforge]

Yeah, the time dependent cache option should definitely be on as well as the "Simulation" checkbox which is right next to the start/end frame range options. Another thing you could try is seeing what behavior you get with a more simple simulation. It might make it easier to troubleshoot that way. Good luck!

[@ChrisOseProduction]

Update: Since "Time Dependent cache" is turned on by default that also didn't help :/ Will keep you guys updated if there are any news...

[@ChrisOseProduction]

Update2: I think the problem is, that I used the "explicied" version of the labs file cache instead of the "constructed" version. To have one wedge after the other rendered you need to enable "single" in the local scheduler of your TOP net.

[@nictanghe98]

To save all wedges at once you need to save in background.

[@theshizon]

Hi! So I can get this file cache wedging working on really basic stuff. However, I can't get it working after a sim! It errors out. I'm trying to wedge a pyro sim and pipe the @wedgeattribute into an upstream blast node and it just won't work.

[@cgforge]

Hey there! Did you use the labs filecache for this?

[@theshizon]

@@cgforge Hey! Yes it was the Labs filecache. I have googled around and found some other instances of people saying its not working/buggy. I created my own TOP wedging setup and got it working from the PDG FX workflow tutorial in the H19 documentation so.... I think it must be something to do with an option missing from the Labs tool. Maybe need to dive inside to change something.

[@theshizon]

@@cgforge I could get the Labs tool working if I just rendered a single wedge at a time, but I could not "save to disk in background" and get them all to work. I tried 12 wedges. The first 4 always worked, 5-6-7-9-10 errored, 8-11-12 worked when I tried to cook all wedges.

[@theshizon]

@@cgforge Just to elaborate, in the wedging tab if I set "Evaluate As" to "Single wedge and cached, then changed the wedge number it worked. Idf Evaluate as was set to "All Wedges", it just seemed to be successful randomly.

[@cgforge]

Hmm that's good to know. Thanks for sharing your insights on that one. It's all new stuff, so I imagine that your guesses ought to be as good as mine in situations like that. One thing I'll sometimes do to troubleshoot situations like this is to make the simplest version possible of what I'm doing and then introduce one complex thing at a time until something breaks. Anyway, I'm glad you got something working at the end of the day. Cheers!

[@tetsuooshima832]

Hi, how can I pass groups through a filecache with merged wedges ? it doesn't pass through the switch, I wanted to put different colors on 2 different vellum fluids... any tips ? :x

[@cgforge]

Hmm it's difficult to say without looking at your scene. If you're trying to put colors on 2 different vellum fluids, then why not just wedge it with 2 separate colors?

[@tetsuooshima832]

@@cgforge That's what i did, but maybe not the way you think... I don't know, I jut put a different color node for each fluid before the "wedging", then the color information wasn't preserved at all, groups neither, obviously I'm doing it wrong

[@tetsuooshima832]

ok I got it x) Stupid mistake, I had an attribute delete to make the datas more lightweight, but I forgot to add the ^Cd exception haha sorry problem solved x) I still don't know how to preserve groups but well, at least I got my color, good enough for today (Edit: aaand I got that solved as well, groups were on primitives, fluids are points. Of course that wouldn't work. I'm on a roll lol )

[@cgforge]

Glad you figured it all out Tetsuo. I've accidently deleted attributes more than a couple times as well, so you're not alone there. haha