Full_show_preview

Houdini Digital Asset (full_show_preview) for generating a drone show preview animation from a config file and Alembic cache, uploading the result to the server.

HDA: houdinitools/hda/full_show_preview.hda

Parameters

ParameterTypeDefaultDescription
Config file configFile—Show config file (.cfg) of the site. On selection the origin and the spectators' position are read from it and shown above, and Show name is filled from the show name in the config.
ABC file abc_pathFile—Alembic file (.abc) with the show animation. On selection the playbar range is set to the length of the file, starting at frame 1. The preview covers the playbar range.
Show name show_nameString—Name of the preview on the server. It names the uploaded file and the preview link. Filled from the config with spaces replaced by underscores; can be changed by hand.
Audio file audio_fileFile—Soundtrack (.mp3) played with the preview. Leave empty for a silent preview.
Audio shift frame audio_shift_frameInteger0Shift of the soundtrack against the animation, in frames from the start of the playbar range. A positive value starts the music later; a negative one cuts that much from the start of the track.
Overwrite overwrite_modeToggleOffReplace a preview with the same name that is already on the server. When off, the upload is refused if the name is taken.
Upload prepare_and_uploadButton—Write the animation over the playbar range, the site data from the config and the soundtrack into a preview file and upload it to the server. On success a dialog shows the preview link.

Info Labels

LabelDescription
Site info:Header label
MessageShows origin coordinates and spectator camera position after loading a valid config

Usage

  1. Load config — Set Config file to a show JSON config file. Origin and spectator info auto-fill in the info label
  2. Verify data — Confirm ABC file and Show name are populated correctly
  3. Upload — Click Upload
  4. Get link — On success, a dialog shows the preview URL: https://dronatello.com/show_preview/?project_name=<name>

Video tutorials

Dronatello Course #31 — Sharing Your Finished Show with an Interactive Web VisualizerOur first complete drone show is done! In this final lesson of the basic workflow, we publish an interactive web visualization for client and art-director approval — and look ahead to what's coming next in the Dronatello course.