Node Info window
This is a window that displays various information and metadata about a node when you hover over the node and press a mouse button. For example, for a modelling node, the window will show the extent of the model’s bounding box, the number of polygons in the model, and various other data.
Originally, the info window was just white-on-black plain text in a monospaced font, produced by the programmers as if it was console output. For the new network editor, I wanted to use design (color, lines, spacing, etc.) to make the information clearer and more useful.
This was one of many projects I was able to design and implement myself, thanks to Houdini’s embedded Python interpreter for scripting and Qt as the user interface library.
Evolution of the new info window
-
Original text-only window
Originally, the info window just displayed a text buffer built from C++ methods on the node that output node information formatted for a fixed-width font display.
-
Prototype
During the prototyping phase for the new Houdini network editor, I mocked up a more graphical, compact, formatted info window that popped out of a specific widget attached to the node.
-
Implementation
I used Python and PySide to implement the info window using Qt and HTML generated from a template combined with the raw info from the node.
-
Next generation
In the next version I’m going to rewrite the info window to use Qt widgets and painting instead of HTML for improved speed and capabilities.