Installation Guide

Thank you for purchasing the Houdini AI Assistant! Follow these steps to get up and running.

1: After Your Gumroad Purchase

Part A: Download the Files After your purchase on Gumroad, you will receive a link to download a .zip file (e.g., Houdini_AI_Assistant_0.1.0_win_py3.11.zip).

Part B: Unzip the Package Extract the contents of the .zip file to a permanent, easily accessible location on your computer. This will create a Houdini_AI_Assistant_0.1.0_win_py3.11 folder containing the tool's components (Houdini_AI_Assistant, otls, requirements.lock, etc.).

Example location: C:/Users/YourUser/Documents/Houdini_AI_Assistant_0.1.0_win_py3.11

2: Prerequisites

Part A: Get a Gemini API Key: The assistant requires a Google Gemini API key to function.

Once you are on the "API keys" page, you will see a button to create a new key.

  • Click the + Create API key button.

  • A dialog will open, suggesting you create the key in a new project. Click the Create API key in new project button. The system will automatically generate a key for you.

Copy and Securely Store Your Key!

Immediately after creation, your new API key will appear on the screen. It is a long string of letters and numbers.

  • Click the copy icon to ensure you have correctly copied the entire key. ⚠️ WARNING: Treat this API key like a password. Never share it publicly, commit it to shared code, or show it to anyone. Anyone with your key can make API requests on your behalf.

Part B: Install Python Dependencies The tool requires specific Python libraries to communicate with the AI and create its user interface.

Windows Installation 1: Locate the Necessary Files

  • Find hython.exe: This is Houdini's Python interpreter. Its location is typically similar to this: "C:\Program Files\Side Effects Software\Houdini 21.0.440\bin\hython.exe" (Adjust the version and path if necessary).

  • Find requirements.lock: This file is located inside the folder you just unzipped from the Gumroad download. Navigate into that folder to find the requirements.lock file. You will need the full path to this file.

    Easy way to get the path: In Windows Explorer, navigate to the file, hold down the Shift key, then right-click on requirements.lock and select "Copy as path".

2: Open Command Prompt as Administrator

  • Search for cmd in the Start Menu.

  • Right-click on Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator".

3: Run the Installation Command

In the Command Prompt window, type the following command. It is one single, long line.

  • Replace <path_to_hython> with the path from Step 1 (Find hython.exe: ).

  • Replace <path_to_requirements.lock> with the path from Step 1 (Find requirements.lock: ).

  • Make sure to use quotes " for both paths.

"<path_to_hython>" -m pip install -r "<path_to_requirements.lock>"

Concrete Example:

"C:\Program Files\Side Effects Software\Houdini 20.0.440\bin\hython.exe" -m pip install -r "D:\Downloads\Houdini_AI_Assistant_0.1.0_win_py3.11\requirements.lock"

Press Enter. The process will automatically download and install all the required packages: google-generativeai, pygments, markdown, requests, and others.

3: Setup in Houdini

Follow these steps to create a permanent button for the AI Assistant on your Houdini shelf.

Part A: Configure the Launcher Script

Before adding the script to Houdini, you must tell it where the tool is located.

  1. Navigate to your installation folder where you extracted the files. Find Install folder. Inside, you will find the shelf_tool.txt file.

  2. Open shelf_tool.txt with a text editor.

  3. Locate the line that says TOOL_INSTALL_PATH and edit the path to point to the folder containing the tool's components (the Houdini_AI_Assistant folder, otls, etc.). Example: C:/Users/YourUser/Documents/AI_Assistant/Houdini_AI_Assistant_0.1.0 ⚠️ WARNING: The path you enter here must be the exact location where you unzipped the archive. If this path is incorrect, the tool will not be able to find its files and will fail to start.

  4. Save and close the file. Now, copy the entire content of this file to your clipboard.

Part B: Create the Shelf Tool

  1. Launch Houdini.

  2. Right-click on any shelf and select "New Tool...".

  3. In the "Edit Tool" window, configure the following tabs:

    • Options Tab:

      • Name: Set a unique script name, for example, AI Assistant.

      • Label: Enter the text you want to see under the icon, e.g., AI Assistant.

      • Icon: Click the button to browse for an icon. Navigate to the installation folder and select the main_logo.png file from this path: .../Houdini_AI_Assistant/assets/icon/.

    • Script Tab:

      • Delete any existing text.

      • Paste the entire content of the shelf_tool.txt script that you copied in Part A.

        ⚠️ WARNING: The path you enter here must be the exact location where you unzipped the archive. If this path is incorrect, the tool will not be able to find its files and will fail to start.

  4. Click "Apply" and then "Accept" to save your new tool. You will now see the AI Assistant icon on your shelf.

Part C: First Launch

  1. Click the new "AI Assistant" button on your shelf.

  2. A message will appear: "Configuration Complete - Restart Required". The script has now automatically configured your Houdini environment.

  3. Restart Houdini: Close and reopen Houdini for all changes to take effect.

After restarting, you can proceed to Step 4: Activation and Final Configuration from the original guide.

4: Activation and Final Configuration

  1. Launch the Assistant: After restarting Houdini, click the shelf button you created again.

  2. Activate Your License:

    • A "Product Activation" window will appear.

    • Enter the license key you received from Gumroad and click "Save".

    • The tool will verify your license online. Once successful, you will see a confirmation message.

  3. Enter Your API Key:

    • Next, open "AI Assistant" .

    • The Splash Screen - When you first launch the tool, you'll be greeted by this elegant panel that gives you quick access to all essential resources. Start Assinstant

    • Open Setings

    • Paste your Google Gemini API key into the "Gemini API Key" field.

    • Click "Validate Key and Load Models". The tool will contact Google's servers and populate the "Gemini Model" dropdown menu.

    • Click "Save".

  4. Start Using the Assistant!

    • The main "Gemini Scene Assistant" panel will now be open and ready to use.

    • You can start by clicking "Analyze Selection" on a node or simply typing a question into the chatbox.

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