Houdini plugin · VisionCore pack
VaraVision
A clean, intuitive measuring tool that lives right in the Houdini viewport. Click points, see the distance, and render the measurements over your beauty render.
VaraVision is a viewport measuring tool for SideFX Houdini. It lets Houdini artists click points in the viewport to read point to point distances and angles, then render those measurements as a clean 2D overlay over a beauty render. It works in the Object and Solaris viewports, costs 24.95 USD as a one time purchase, and is made by House of Visions as part of the VisionCore pack.
What it does
Measurements that end up in the final image
Clients want to see measurements in the shot. VaraVision lets the artist click points directly in the viewport and instantly see the distance drawn as a line with a clean label. It is built as a native Houdini viewer state, so it feels like a real tool, not a script.
Best of all, the annotations are renderable. They project as a crisp 2D overlay from your render camera and composite over a beauty render, so the measurements end up in the final image.
Fun fact
The vara was a traditional Spanish unit of length, essentially a measuring rod about as long as an arm, with the standard Castilian version coming in around 0.84 meters (roughly 33 inches). Spain dropped it as an official unit in 1849 when it moved to the metric system.
Key features
Everything you need to measure and present
Point to point distance
Measure between points with live, on screen labels that update as you work.
Angle mode
Click three points to measure an angle, with an arc and a degree readout.
Live preview
A rubber band line and running distance update as you move the cursor.
Smart snapping
Snaps to geometry points and to your own existing measurement endpoints, so you can chain measurements together. Toggle Snap off to drop points freely on the construction plane.
Axis lock
Hold Shift to lock a measurement to a single world axis (X, Y or Z) for clean reference lines.
Persistent measurements
Keep multiple measurements, each numbered, saved with your scene.
Ruler ticks
Optional subdivision marks along each line: halves, quarters, eighths and so on.
Full styling in the viewport
Color presets (purple, amber, white, red, green, cyan), label size, line width, marker size, decimals, unit suffix, label offset, and number labels.
Render Overlay
Project measurements from the render camera as a clean 2D overlay over a beauty render, or render a transparent overlay to composite yourself. Resolution independent, always crisp, always facing the camera.
Object and Solaris
Works in both the classic Object viewport and the Solaris / Stage (LOP) viewport, including rendering through a USD camera.
CSV export
Export every measurement and angle to CSV, each row with its number, type, value with unit, and the point coordinates.
Edit on the fly
Drag an endpoint to move it, Backspace to remove the last, Ctrl+click to delete a specific one, or Clear All in one press. Esc leaves the tool and keeps your measurements.
Fully local
Never goes online. Measurements live in your scene file and nowhere else, in your scene's own units, never converted behind your back.
Measures in scene units with a settable unit suffix, for example "2.50 m". The line length snaps to your Decimals setting, so the number you read is the real length, never an in between value.
Why the render overlay approach
Sharp at any resolution
The measurements render as a 2D overlay projected from your render camera rather than as 3D geometry. That means labels stay sharp and face the viewer, lines stay clean and constant width, the look is fully styleable, and it matches the viewport exactly at any resolution.
How it compares
VaraVision next to the built in ruler
Houdini already ships with a quick viewport ruler, and it is handy for a fast check. VaraVision is built for measurements you keep and show, so it goes further in a few ways.
- It stays with your scene. Measurements are saved with the file and numbered, so they are still there next time you open it.
- It works in Solaris. Measure in the classic Object viewport and in the Solaris and Stage viewport, including through a USD camera.
- It renders into the final image. Project the measurements from your render camera as a clean 2D overlay and composite them over a beauty render.
- It is fully styleable. Set colors, label size, line width, decimals and a unit suffix from an in viewport toolbar.
Who it is for
Built for showing real measurements to clients
Houdini artists who need to show real world measurements to clients, supervisors, or in turntables and breakdowns, without leaving the viewport or annotating by hand in post.
Requirements
What you need
- SideFX Houdini 20.5 or 21
- Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
- Works with PySide6 (Houdini 21 and late 20.5) and PySide2 (earlier 20.5)
- Works in both the Object and Solaris / Stage viewports
Installation
Two simple ways to install
Open and click Install
Open the included INSTALL.hip inside Houdini, click Install, and restart Houdini.
One line installer
Or run a one line Python installer from a terminal with any Python 3. Houdini is not required to install.
Then enable the VaraVision shelf. The tool runs from its own folder, so if you move the folder later, just install again from the new location. A PDF guide is included.
Who makes it
Built by a working studio
VaraVision is made by House of Visions, a 3D visualization studio. We built it for our own Houdini work, then cleaned it up to share. See the studio portfolio, or get in touch if you need a hand.
FAQ
Questions before you buy
What is VaraVision?
VaraVision is a measuring tool that runs inside the SideFX Houdini viewport. It lets artists click points to read distances and angles, then render those measurements over a beauty render. It is built as a native Houdini viewer state and sold for 24.95 USD by House of Visions.
Which Houdini version does VaraVision need?
VaraVision runs in SideFX Houdini 20.5 and 21 on Windows, macOS and Linux, and works with both PySide6 and PySide2. It installs as a native viewer state, so it behaves like a built in tool rather than a loose script.
Does VaraVision send anything online?
No. VaraVision is fully local and never goes online. Measurements live in your scene file and nowhere else, and the tool measures in your scene's own units without ever converting behind your back.
Does VaraVision work in Solaris and Stage, or only at the Object level?
Both. VaraVision works in the classic Object viewport and in the Solaris and Stage LOP viewport, and it can render through a USD camera as well as a classic render camera.
Can VaraVision measurements appear in the final render?
Yes. VaraVision projects the measurements from your render camera as a clean 2D overlay and composites them over a beauty render, so the labels and lines end up in the final image and stay sharp at any resolution.
Does the render overlay depend on a specific render engine?
No. The measurements are not 3D geometry tied to a renderer. They project from your render camera as a 2D overlay that you composite over a finished beauty render, so the overlay works regardless of which engine produced the beauty pass.
How much does VaraVision cost?
VaraVision costs 24.95 USD as a one time purchase on Gumroad, sold by House of Visions under the store nuclearvision. A VisionCore bundle with VisionVault for 44.95 USD is coming soon.
What units does VaraVision measure in?
VaraVision measures in scene units with a unit suffix you set, for example 2.50 m, and can export every measurement and angle to CSV.
Can I get a refund if it does not fit my pipeline?
VaraVision is sold through Gumroad, so refunds follow Gumroad's standard refund policy. If something is not working for you, contact House of Visions through the site and we will help.
Get VaraVision
Click points, read the distance, and render the measurements straight into your final image.
Launch deal: 20% off with code LAUNCH20
Buy on GumroadPart of the VisionCore pack by House of Visions, releasing soon with VisionVault, the local asset manager, and VisionView, a free reference board. VaraVision is available now.