Configuring Gaffer for Third-Party Tools

Gaffer is compatible with the following commercial and open-source third-party tools:

Gaffer comes with Appleseed, so it will require no additional configuration. For the rest of the tools in this list, you will need to set some additional environment variables.

Tip

If you do not use Appleseed in production, you can hide its nodes and presets from the UI by setting the GAFFERAPPLESEED_HIDE_UI environment variable to 1. Even when set, Appleseed will still be available for OSL shader previews and example scenes.

Note

For the following Linux instructions, we will assume you are using the bash shell and are familiar with terminal commands. Other shells will have comparable methods for setting environment variables.

Configuring Gaffer for Arnold

For Gaffer to load the GafferArnold module, an ARNOLD_ROOT environment variable must point to the Arnold installation directory. Before you begin, make sure that Arnold is correctly installed and configured, and close any open instances of Gaffer.

Arnold in Linux

Note

For this instruction, we will assume you have Arnold 7.1.4.2 installed to /opt/solidangle/arnold-7.1.4.2.

To create the ARNOLD_ROOT environment variable in Linux:

  1. Open ~/.bash_profile with a text editor.

  2. Add the line export ARNOLD_ROOT=/opt/solidangle/arnold-7.1.4.2 and save.

  3. In a terminal, test that the variable is set:

    user@desktop ~ $ echo $ARNOLD_ROOT
# /opt/solidangle/arnold-7.1.4.2

Arnold in Windows

Note

For this instruction, we will assume you have Arnold 7.1.4.2 installed to C:\software\arnold-7.1.4.2.

To create the ARNOLD_ROOT environment variable in Windows:

  1. Open the Command Prompt (Start > Windows System > Command Prompt).

  2. Run the command setx ARNOLD_ROOT "C:\software\arnold-7.1.4.2".

  3. In a new Command Prompt window, test that the variable is set:

    C:\Users\user> echo %ARNOLD_ROOT%
# C:\software\arnold-7.1.4.2

Arnold in macOS

Note

For this instruction, we will assume you have Arnold 7.1.4.2 installed to /opt/solidangle/arnold-7.1.4.2.

To create the ARNOLD_ROOT environment variable in macOS:

  1. Open ~/.bash_profile with a text editor.

  2. Add the line export ARNOLD_ROOT=/opt/solidangle/arnold-7.1.4.2 and save.

  3. Open a terminal (Finder > Go > Utilities > Terminal).

  4. Test that the variable is set:

    MacBook:~ user$ echo $ARNOLD_ROOT
# /opt/solidangle/arnold-7.1.4.2

Verifying Arnold is loaded

The next time you start Gaffer, the Arnold nodes will be available from the node creation menu (right-click inside the Graph Editor).

Configuring Gaffer for 3Delight

For Gaffer to load the GafferDelight module, a DELIGHT environment variable must point to the 3Delight installation directory. Before you begin, make sure that 3Delight is correctly installed and configured, and close any open instances of Gaffer.

3Delight in Linux

Note

For this instruction, we will assume you have 3Delight 2.9.17 installed to /opt/3delight-2.9.17.

To create the DELIGHT environment variable in Linux:

  1. Open ~/.bash_profile with a text editor.

  2. Add the line export DELIGHT=/opt/3delight-2.9.17 and save.

  3. In a terminal, test that the variable is set:

    user@desktop ~ $ echo $DELIGHT
# /opt/3delight-2.9.17

3Delight in Windows

Important

Gaffer currently requires 3Delight for Maya to be included as part of the 3Delight install for access to lights and shaders.

Tip

The 3Delight installer typically configures the DELIGHT environment variable on Windows. So the steps below may not be required.

Note

For this instruction, we will assume you have 3Delight 2.9.17 installed to C:\software\3delight-2.9.17.

To create the DELIGHT environment variable in Windows:

  1. Open the Command Prompt (Start > Windows System > Command Prompt).

  2. Run the command setx DELIGHT "C:\software\3delight-2.9.17".

  3. In a new Command Prompt window, test that the variable is set:

    C:\Users\user> echo %DELIGHT%
# C:\software\3delight-2.9.17

3Delight in macOS

Note

For this instruction, we will assume you have 3Delight 2.9.17 installed to /opt/3delight-2.9.17.

To create the DELIGHT environment variable in macOS:

  1. Open ~/.bash_profile with a text editor.

  2. Add the line export DELIGHT=/opt/3delight-2.9.17 and save.

  3. Open a terminal (Finder > Go > Utilities > Terminal).

  4. Test that the variable is set:

    MacBook:~ user$ echo $DELIGHT
# /opt/3delight-2.9.17

Verifying 3Delight is loaded

The next time you start Gaffer, the 3Delight nodes will be available from the node creation menu (right-click inside the Graph Editor).

Configuring Gaffer for Tractor

For Gaffer to interface with Tractor, the PYTHONPATH environment variable must contain the path to the Tractor python module. Before you begin, make sure that Tractor is correctly installed and configured, and close any open instances of Gaffer.

Tractor in Linux

Note

For this instruction, we will assume you have Tractor 2.2 installed to /opt/pixar/Tractor-2.2.

To add the Tractor python module to the PYTHONPATH environment variable in Linux:

  1. Open ~/.bash_profile with a text editor.

  2. Add the line export PYTHONPATH=$PYTHONPATH\:/opt/pixar/Tractor-2.2/lib/python2.7/site-packages and save.

  3. In a terminal, test that the variable is set:

    user@desktop ~ $ echo $PYTHONPATH
# /usr/bin/python2.7:/usr/lib/python2.7:/opt/pixar/Tractor-2.2/lib/python2.7/site-packages

Note

Depending on your system’s configuration, your PYTHONPATH variable might not appear exactly as above. What’s important is whether :/opt/pixar/Tractor-2.2/lib/python2.7/site-packages appears in the path.

Tractor in macOS

Note

For this instruction, we will assume you have Tractor 2.2 installed to /Applications/pixar/Tractor-2.2.

To add the Tractor python module to the PYTHONPATH environment variable in macOS:

  1. Open ~/.bash_profile with a text editor.

  2. Add the line export PYTHONPATH=$PYTHONPATH\:/Applications/pixar/Tractor-2.2/lib/python2.7/site-packages and save.

  3. Open a terminal (Finder > Go > Utilities > Terminal).

  4. Test that the variable is set:

    MacBook:~ user$ echo $PYTHONPATH
# /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/bin:/Applications/pixar/Tractor-2.2/lib/python2.7/site-packages

Note

Depending on your system’s configuration, your PYTHONPATH variable might not appear exactly as above. What’s important is whether :/Applications/pixar/Tractor-2.2/lib/python2.7/site-packages appears in the path.

Verifying Tractor is loaded

Once the tractor folder has been added to your PYTHONPATH, you can then verify that Tractor is loading correctly:

  1. Launch Gaffer.

  2. Create and select a SystemCommand node (Dispatch > SystemCommand).

  3. In the Node Editor, click Execute. The Dispatcher window will open.

  4. Tractor will be available in the Dispatcher drop-down menu.

See also