Houdini Resources — Wrangles

Wrangle Node Examples

Posted Sept 10 2016 Updated March 26 2026

Point wrangle nodes using snippets allow you to create geometry and UI controls. Below is a gentle introduction to VEX and then assorted cards showing specific syntax. See also the VEX, VOPs & Python page for additional references.

Video: Wrangle Node Introduction

My Examples VEX syntax reference collection

Circle of Points

demonstrates vex snippets for loops parameters sin cos

Phyllotactic Pattern

demonstrates vex snippets for loops parameters sin cos Vogel's formula

Phyllotactic Pattern — User-Defined Vex Functions

for loops parameters sin cos functions quaternion orient qmultiply

Procedural Snowmen

Building a snowman procedurally - hscript and point wrangle setpointattrib pscale

Extracting Image Data

vex to cops comparison setpointattrib colormap luminance

Rubber Toy Rotate

randomly rotating objects random fit01 maketransform quaternion orient

Fizz Buzz in wrangle form

addpoint addpointattrib setpointattrib for loops modulus itoa

Creating and Grouping Points

addpoint addattrib setattrib setpointgroup for loops modulus

Spokes

groups using point wrangle add node

Blowing Apart a Torus

second input to wrangle point lerp

Candy Roof - calculated angle between two vectors

pos distance acos dot normalize pow setpointattrib

Two Point Constraint - from Math for VFX - wrangle version

acos degrees sqrt pow point detail

Curve Vectors - calculate vectors on curve for use as normals

vectors second input normals

Train Wheels Variant - from Math for VFX - wrangle version

acos degrees point

Pop Spin Spinning

Particles using pop spin while allowing initial orientation maketransform orient quaternion

Dice Illusion

line delete orient quaternion from rotation

Bend Line Illusion

color pscale for fun

Fractals — Mandelbrot

Mandelbrot set

Fur Trees

add polyspline pointwrangle fur node

Sierpinski in Wrangle Nodes

vector4 xyzw arrays no recursion details

Tangent to a Circle

sqrt asin point details two opinputs

Impossible Object

ramp parameter polywire

Positioning Windows with Side Door

details only addpoint for loops

Procedural Springs

for-each details only cos sin getbbox_size

Noise Tentacles

vex using vop noise uv texture on line

Rubik's Cube Disintegration

pop wrangle and pop vop for curve path follow pop spin pcopen pcfilter opfullpath

Rubik's Cube Mosaic

colormap cop2net opfullpath

Wobble Wheels

dot product see also: Math for Vfx

Additional Excellent Examples external · wrangle-node specific

For other syntax references, see the VEX / VOPs / Python page.

Resource	Date	Version
Entagma: VEX in Houdini — Space Colonization Strongly advise creating your own hip file - there is one provided. Also my own notes hip.	Aug 2017	H16.0
Len White — Escher in Houdini: Spirals hip file I created based on tutorial: EsherSpiralLenWhite.hipnc	Aug 2017	—
Len White — Escher in Houdini: Sphere Spirals hip file I created based on tutorial: EsherSphereLenWhite.hipnc	Aug 2017	—
Bubble Destroyer card file by Viola Lyu	Spring 2017	—
VEX Circle Pattern exercise by Anastasia Opara A good VEX intro exercise	Feb 2017	—

Other Resources

The idea — a Google search for "creating points in VEX snippets" — led to a few other resources:

Resource	Author	—
Creating Geometry With VEX	Entagma	—
Create UI controls — cgwiki on Vex `"ch()` tells Houdini to look for a channel (a UI component, usually a slider). Hit the plug icon to the right of the text editor — Houdini scans the VEX code, realizes you've referred to a channel that doesn't exist yet, and creates a channel at the bottom of the wrangle UI."	cgwiki	—