HS-118 – Attributes by David Torno

Attributes are the backbone of every Houdini project. If you’ve ever felt lost staring at the geometry spreadsheet or confused about why your VEX snippet isn’t working, this course is for you. David Torno walks through the fundamentals of geometry components, attribute classes, and the different ways to create and manage data in Houdini. You’ll learn how to read the spreadsheet, understand intrinsics, and build custom attributes that actually do what you expect.

🎯 What you’ll learn

• Understand the relationship between points, vertices, and primitives
• Create and manage attributes using VEX, HScript, and Python
• Read and interpret the geometry spreadsheet and intrinsics
• Troubleshoot common attribute issues in your projects
• Use native attributes for RBD, FLIP, Vellum, and Crowd simulations

✅ Requirements

• Skills: Comfortable with writing code (VEX, HScript, and Python will be used)
• Hardware: Computer meeting SideFX system requirements; a second monitor is recommended

📝 Description

This isn’t a “click here, do that” tutorial. David focuses on the why behind attributes, not just the how. You’ll start with the absolute basics—what a point is versus a vertex, and why that distinction matters. From there, you move into attribute classes, types, and the precedence rules that determine which data wins when conflicts arise.

The course covers three main scripting languages: VEX, HScript, and Python. David shows you the strengths of each and when to use them. You’ll see live demonstrations of attribute creation, reading methods, and the Attribute SOP nodes that give you direct control over your data. The final session dives into native attributes used by Houdini’s simulation frameworks—RBD, FLIP, Vellum, and Crowds—with real project examples that show how these attributes drive behavior.

By the end, you’ll stop treating attributes as magic black boxes. You’ll know exactly how to build them, debug them, and extract the data your project needs.

🧑‍🎓 Who this course is for

• Houdini artists who want to move beyond copying and pasting VEX snippets
• Technical artists who need a solid understanding of data flow in procedural workflows
• Anyone who has struggled with the geometry spreadsheet or attribute mismatches in their projects

🧑‍🏫 About the Author

David Torno is a self-taught visual effects professional with over two decades of industry experience. Since 2000, he has worked on films, commercials, music videos, and large-scale multimedia projects. In 2008, he began sharing his knowledge through video tutorials, project templates, and utility scripts. Under the Fendra Fx name, David continues to create tools and training for the creative community, with a focus on 3D volumetric and particle animation.

🏁 Final Result

• A clear mental model of how attributes work in Houdini
• The ability to build custom attributes for any project
• Confidence in reading and troubleshooting the geometry spreadsheet
• Practical knowledge of native attributes used in RBD, FLIP, Vellum, and Crowd simulations