Release Notes
Build 2023.1115
Updated to be compatible with HDR Light Studio 8.2
Build 2023.0823
Support added for Houdini 20.
This build removes support for 18.5, for 18.5 please use Build 2023.0706
Please note: We have spotted a problem introduced with plug-in Build 2023.0706. If the digital assets from older projects are embedded in the project and are not referencing our latest plug-in, you may not experience these problems. In fact, we have not had any customers complain about the issue we have found here.
There were significant changes to our plug-in in 2023.0706. Lighting stored using build 2023.0706 will work fine with build 2023.0823 and any newer builds. However, there will be an error when loading older Houdini scenes using HDR Light Studio plug-in versions 2023.0330 and older. The lighting stored in those projects is not restoring correctly when opening HDR Light Studio. But there is a workaround if this is required.
1.Install HDR Light Studio Houdini plug-in Build 2023.0330.
2.Open the old scene and start HDR Light Studio.
3.Save the lighting project as a file on disk from HDR Light Studio using Project > Save Project.
4.Close the scene. Install the latest HDR Light Studio Houdini plug-in.
5.Open the old scene and start HDR Light Studio - a warning/error box will pop up.
6.In HDR Light Studio, open the project saved on disk using Project > Open Project. This will properly restore the lighting design, and a new set of HDR Light Studio area lights will be created (if there were any in the design)
7.Delete the old HDR Light Studio area lights that have not been synced up properly. These are grouped in the area light network box (if there were any)
That's it; everything will now work as expected. You have updated your lighting to the new HDR Light Studio Houdini plug-in version.
We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
Please note: OCIO config file versions higher than 2.0.2 are not supported by HDR Light Studio 8.1.1. Users who are using Houdini versions such as Houdini 20 with OCIO config file version 2.1 will be unable to load their own OCIO profiles. Instead, they will need to use the default profiles provided by HDR Light Studio. This will be addressed and fixed in the next release of HDR Light Studio.
Build 2023.0706
The Houdini connection now uses our new API for a far more responsive lighting experience.
The Houdini connection is now only compatible with Python 3 builds of Houdini.
Support added for Houdini 19.5 running on Apple Silicon.
Please note: The HDR Light Studio main application is still an Intel MacOS app and runs via Rosetta on Apple Silicon computers. However, this does not stop it from performing very well and communicating with our new plug-ins compiled for Apple Silicon apps.
Updated HDR Light Studio Connection UI.
Compatibility added for Area Light Spread (Redshift, V-Ray, Arnold, and RenderMan).
The path to the rendered HDRI lighting textures now uses $HIP file structure.
Bug fix: The HDR Light Studio connection now prevents users from creating more than one HDR Light Studio Connection Controller.
Build 2023.0330
Performance improvements.
HDR Light Studio API updates.
Fix some issues with Area Lights.
HDR Light Studio has moved to using a new version of QT. Plug-in updates were required as a result of this.
Bug fixes.
Build 2022.0624
Support added for Houdini 19.5
Build 2021.1208
Support added for Houdini 19
Support added for RenderMan 24.2
Octane 2021.1.0.4 or newer is required for compatibility with Octane.
Dropped support for Houdini 17.5
Build 2021.0504
On macOS, if HDR Light Studio environment variable is not found/work/set then default install location used to find HDR Light Studio main app. This allows users to use HDR Light Studio with their connection who were having technical difficulties due to macOS ignoring our environment variable.
Build 2021.0203 - Released 6th April 2021
Support added for Python 3 version of Houdini 18.5. Single plug-in supports both Python 2 and 3.
Build 2020.1207
Small bug fixes
November 23rd 2020
Support added for Houdini 18.5
Build 2020.0218
Small bug fixes
Build 2019.1203
Supports Houdini 18, 17, 17.5
Installation method has been updated.
Support for V-Ray, Octane & RenderMan has been added.
Support added for Houdini 18
HDR Light Studio Connection interface has been refreshed.
Build 2019.0314
Updated to support Houdini 17.5
Send empty string in place of camera name if no camera in use/selected but there are cameras in the scene.
Updated Arnold to use .tx files for its missing textures.
Build 2018.1015
Updated to support Houdini 17.
Build 2018.0615
Support added for Redshift render.
Area Light creation and control added for Mantra, Arnold and Redshift.
Updated connection workflow - press the start button and env light is created for you.
Build 2018.0131
Minor bug fixes
Build 2016.1124
Minor bug fixes
Build 2016.0425
Updated compatibility with HDR Light Studio 5.3.3
Build 2016.0219
Updated for compatibility with HDR Light Studio 5.3
Bug 1154 - Dragging Lat / Long Sliders in HDRLS, slow HDRI map updates has been fixed.
Bug 1232 - Fixed issue when starting HDRLS with an embedded project, the initial lighting didn't match until a change was made.
Bug 1005 - Fixed HDRLS crash on exit when referencing Alembic file
Bug 1163: Fixed bug with Houdini not closing the main app if the main app is hidden.
Bug 972 - Fixed bug where exporting Alembic file from HDRLS plug-in would fail unless .abc was typed as the extension. We automatically add missing extension to filename in plugin now.
Bug 988 - Fixed bug where connection could not be resumed with HDRLS after a HDRLS crash.
Build 2015.1023
Support for Houdini 15 has been added.
Build 2015.0814
The Houdini Connection has been updated to be compatible with HDR Light Studio 5.2.1
HDR Light Studio 5.2.1 contains a critical stability fix relating to communications between HDR Light Studio and host connections.
Build 2015.0706
Support for Houdini 12, 13, 14 has been added.
Scenes can be pushed into HDR Light Studio and file format for proxy environment map can be switched between exr and hdr.
Support for Arnold renderer has been added in the following combinations.
Houdini 14.0.361
Houdini 14.0.335
Houdini 14.0.291
Houdini 13.0.498
HtoA 1.5.4
HDR Light Studio 5.2 Build 2015.0716
Houdini connection Build 2015.0706
Known Issues
HDR Light Studio 8.1.1 does not support OCIO config file versions higher than 2.0.2
Some Houdini versions use OCIO config file versions higher than 2.0.2, for example: Houdini 20 uses OCIO config file version 2.1. This means the users will not be able to load their own Houdini OCIO profiles in HDR Light Studio, instead they will have to use the default HDR Light Studio ones. This issues will be fixed in the next release of HDR Light Studio.
Importing Scene Geometry
On rare occasions, when you press the play button in HDR Light Studio on Render View [HDR Light Studio], the Houdini scene might not sync with HDR Light Studio. To fix this, users can click inside the HDR Light Studio connection panel in Houdini and the scene will sync.
Octane
Currently, area lights under Octane do not show correctly due to a bug - we are waiting for OTOY to fix this. HDR Light Studio plug-in sets the “Use Alpha” check box in the Distribution-IES Texture panel of the Shader settings in the area light properties, but now when this is set, you will not see the light. The workaround is to uncheck this tick box. However, that means you will have no alpha on your area light.
Arnold
When IPR Running, if you make an area light in HDR Light Studio (Arnold mesh light) and put a texture on it, it's shown as white with no texture. The IPR needs to be restarted before it’s picked up by Arnold. This is an Arnold bug.
If the IPR completes - changing the light textures will not invalidate and restart the IPR rendering.
