Previous versions of Houdini has always used sub-network containment to describe the block structure of the looping constructs. This meant when you have the inner most structure of the loop, it would be inside of a subnet, rather than on the same level as the rest of the network. Although this had many benefits, it did make it difficult to pass data from subnets as parameters.

Houdini 15 has introduced a new way to do loops in VOPs and SOPs

Houdini 15 changes the way that the looping constructs work, adding a new block based approach. Explicit open and closed block nodes which act the same as the brace would when using C++.

Here, Jeff Lait, senior mathematician at Side Effects Software, walks through the changes to the looping constructs in Houdini 15. This looping constructs masterclass provides an overview to the new way to do loops in Houdini 15’s VOPs and SOPs.

With the new looping constructs, effects that used to require significant technical knowledge to achieve with Foreach SOPs can now be built much easier. The sample files from the Looping Constructs masterclass are available at Side Effects here.