Installation Guide
Get VEXpert up and running in minutes
⚡ Quick Setup: Installation takes less than 5 minutes. No complex configuration required!
Installation Steps
Close Houdini
Make sure Houdini is completely closed before proceeding with the installation.
Open Your Houdini Preferences Folder
Windows: C:/Users/<your-username>/Documents/houdini_XX/
Mac/Linux: ~/houdini_XX/
Replace XX with your Houdini version (e.g., houdini20.0, houdini20.5)
Create the 'packages' Folder
If you don't already have a packages folder inside your Houdini preferences directory, create one now.
Copy VEXpert Files
From the VEXpert zip file you received, copy these items into your packages folder:
vexpert.jsonvexpert1.0-master/(entire folder)
Restart Houdini
Launch Houdini and verify that VEXpert appears in your node list.
Activate Your License
1. Insert a VEXpert Attribute Wrangle node in the SOP context
2. Go to the License tab on the node
3. Paste your license key (found in your welcome email)
4. Click "Validate and Save"
You're ready to go! 🎉
Using VEXpert
VEXpert Feature Overview v1.0
Prompt to VEX
Describe what you want to achieve in plain language directly in the snippet, then press Prompt to VEX. VEXpert converts your intent into production-ready VEX, using the current node context, geometry class, and available attributes.
Modify / Refactor
Refine an existing snippet without starting over. Provide a short instruction (for example "make this work on primitives" or "add a ramp for falloff"), and VEXpert updates the code while preserving structure and intent.
Debug (Context-Aware Fixes)
Debug uses Houdini's own error and warning messages — not guesswork. VEXpert analyzes the scene context, existing parameters, and attribute availability to suggest safe, targeted fixes directly in your snippet.
Explain (Learning Mode)
Generate a clear explanation of the current VEX code. Great for learning, onboarding, or quickly understanding unfamiliar snippets. Explanations are added as network notes for easy reference.
Deeper Reasoning
When enabled, VEXpert uses a more capable reasoning mode, spending more compute per request. This often produces safer, more advanced solutions and is recommended for complex logic, refactors, or tricky debugging scenarios.
Disable Inline Comments
Generate clean, comment-free VEX when you want full control over formatting or plan to add documentation yourself.
Automatic Parameter Creation
VEXpert detects ch(), chf(), chi(), chv(), chramp(), and chs() calls and automatically creates matching parameters on the node — neatly organized and ready to use.
Cleanup Unused Parameters
Remove unused auto-created parameters to keep your node clean and focused. If the snippet is empty, VEXpert can optionally remove all auto-generated parameters.
Smart Node Naming
Automatically generate a descriptive node name based on what the VEX actually does — useful for readability in larger networks.
Convert to Native Wrangle
At any time, convert a VEXpert node to a standard Houdini Attribute Wrangle. The generated VEX and parameters are preserved, with no proprietary dependency and no vendor lock-in by design.
Local Licensing
Licensing is stored locally on your machine and never travels with .hip files. Opening shared scenes will always use your local license state.
Designed for Real Houdini Work
- Always shows the generated VEX
- Always editable
- Always convertible
- Designed to assist, not obscure
- Built for production, learning, and iteration
📍 Current Version: VEXpert v1.0 is available in the SOP context. More contexts coming soon!
Need Help?
Questions about installation or usage?
Email: support@vexpert.tools
Website: vexpert.tools
Happy Coding!
— Andreas @ VEXpert