Asset Pipeline Tools

Asset Create

· Purpose : Automates asset creation from a predefined template by generating directory structures and updating scene files for Maya and Houdini.

· Tech Stack : Python 3, Maya 2024, Houdini 19.5
· Environment : Linux

· Description :

- This script takes asset type and name as arguments, duplicates a template directory structure, and renames files and nodes accordingly.

- It locates Maya (.mb) and Houdini (.hip) files, then updates node names to match the new asset, ensuring consistent naming and directory setup across departments.

- By standardizing asset initialization, it reduces manual setup time and enforces a uniform project structure within the pipeline.

Code Snippet

Model Publish

· Purpose : Automates the model publishing process by exporting clean, versioned assets in multiple formats (.mb, .obj, .abc, .usd) for pipeline integration.

· Tech Stack : Python 3, Maya 2022, 2024, Houdini 19.5, Usd
· Environment : Linux, Windows - cross platform

· Description :

- Developed a Python-based Maya publishing system that automates model exports into multiple formats(.mb, .obj, .abc, .usd).

- The tool runs in both Linux and Windows environments, initializing a standalone Maya session, loading required plugins, and identifying hero or proxy models based on naming conventions.

- It validates scene hierarchy, resets pivots, and enables render-related attributes to ensure clean geometry export.

- Alembic files are generated per variant and then converted to Usd using a Houdini TOP network executed via hython.

- The system enforces consistent directory structures, version control, and variant management to maintain stability and reliability in model publishing workflows.

Code Snippet
- Developed equivalent functionality in Python and MEL when required.

Python script

Maya mel script

Asset Publish - Convert

· Purpose : Automates asset publishing, versioning and conversion for Usd based pipelines.

· Tech Stack : Python 3, Maya 2022, 2024, Houdini 19.5, Usd, Crontab, Html, Flow Production Tracking(ShotGrid)
· Environment : Linux, Windows - cross platform

· Description :

This tool automates the conversion, versioning, and publishing of assets (models, shaders, textures) for production, ensuring consistent, reproducible, and cross-platform workflows. Key technical features include:

- Cross-platform compatibility:

▫ Supports both Linux and Windows, handling OS-specific differences in file paths, permissions, and symlink behavior.

- Timestamp based publishing:

▫ Checks file modification times to determine if assets need to be published, ensuring only updated assets are processed.

- Automated asset conversion:

▫ Converts Usd files and updates internal references for models, shaders, textures, and lights.

▫ For specific asset types, the system flattens Usd layer stacks and merges sublayers to produce clean,

publish-ready assets.

▫ Integrates Alembic (.abc) data, automatically renaming and organizing files.

- Version management:

▫ Tracks and records current and latest versions of models, shaders, and textures.

▫ Set ‘stable’ and ‘latest’ labels using symlinks(Linux) and JSON(Windows) for reproducible references.

- Automated publishing & notifications:

▫ Publishes assets to designated production directories.

▫ Supports email notifications with version, comment and conversion details.

▫Uploads published asset data to Flow Production Tracking(ShotGrid) for production tracking.

- Daily automation:

▫ Runs automatically on Linux via crontab every night to ensure the latest assets are published and available for artists.

- Logging & reproducibility:

▫ Generates JSON logs of version and conversion data, then compiles them into an HTML report for review.

Publish notification

Report daily conversion

Asset Pinning - Version Control

· Purpose : Establish a reliable asset versioning and pinning system for consistent and controllable data flow across the production pipeline.

· Tech Stack : Python 3, Maya 2022, 2024, Houdini 19.5, Usd, Crontab
· Environment : Linux, Windows - cross platform

· Description :

- Designed and implemented asset version control architecture to manage publish history and version pinning within the pipeline.

- Each asset publish generates a new versioned directory v001, v002, and etc.

- Using Linux symlinks, the system pins specific versions to label stable, latest, and sequence number.

- Within Usd, pin references are also managed through ‘prepend references’ to maintain version consistency.

- This structure enables artists and tools to always reference the correct, locked, or stable version automatically, minimizing manual file tracking and ensuring reproducible results in collaborative environments.

Concept Example

Code Snippet

Label pins are basically set during publishing, but artists can also easily modify them through the UI when needed.

When rendering, checking the "Pin Latest" option ensures the render uses the most recent version of the asset.

Asset Render

1. Variants Settings

2. Render Settings

3. Rendered Files

4. Take Files

· Purpose : Render assets based on user-defined settings.

· Tech Stack : Python 3, Pyside 2, Houdini, Nuke, Usd, FFmpeg, Tractor, Flow Production Tracking(ShotGrid)
· Environment : Linux

· Description :

- This system automates asset rendering by loading model and texture variants from Usd files and applying render settings such as ROP options (front, top, side, oblique, etc.), frame ranges, and naming conventions.

- Combine the rendered images into a take and attach an informational slate containing relevant metadata.

- Completed takes are automatically published and uploaded to Flow Production Tracking(ShotGrid) for review and pipeline integration.

1. Get and Set model, texture variants from asset.usd

2. Render images of assets based on the specified settings.

The selected ROP is linked to the render-executing node within the Houdini file.

The frame line is designed to handle the following cases.
# F - L(default full frame)
# FML(First, Mid, Last)
# FL or F, L(First, Last)
# 1020 - 1030
# 1001 or 1001 - 1001
# 1005, 1009, 1020, 1030

3, 4. Renders and Takes

Combine the rendered images into a take and attach an informational slate containing relevant metadata using FFmpeg and Nuke.
Automatically uploaded to Flow Production Tracking(ShotGrid).