# hou Module Quick Reference

Common patterns for the Hermes Bridge.

## Selection & Navigation

```python
# Selected nodes
hou.selectedNodes()                    # → list[hou.Node]
hou.selectedNodes()[0].path()          # → '/obj/geo1/box1'
hou.selectedNodes()[0].type().name()   # → 'box'

# Find nodes
hou.node('/obj/geo1')                  # Get by path
hou.node('/obj').children()            # All children
hou.node('/obj').recursiveGlob('*box*')# Glob search

# Parent/child
node.parent()                          # Parent node
node.node('childname')                 # Named child
```

## Parameters

```python
n = hou.selectedNodes()[0]

# Get/Set
n.parm('tx').eval()                    # Evaluate value
n.parm('tx').set(5.0)                  # Set value
n.parm('file').set('/path/to/file')    # Set string param

# All non-default parms
[(p.name(), p.eval()) for p in n.parms() if not p.isAtDefault()]

# Existence check
if n.parm('snippet') is not None:
    n.parm('snippet').set('@P.y += 1;')
```

## Connections

```python
# Inputs
n.inputConnections()                   # → tuple of (input_node, output_idx, input_idx)
n.inputConnectors()                    # Input connector names
n.setInput(0, other_node)              # Connect

# Outputs
n.outputConnections()                  # What connects FROM this node

# Disconnect all inputs
for i in range(len(n.inputConnectors())):
    n.setInput(i, None)
```

## Node Creation

```python
parent = hou.node('/obj/geo1')

# Single nodes
box = parent.createNode('box')
null = parent.createNode('null', 'OUT')

# Common types
'geo'           # Geometry container
'null'          # Null
'attribwrangle' # Attribute Wrangle
'attribvop'     # Attribute VOP
'file'          # File read (SOP)
'rop_geometry'  # Geometry ROP
'switch'        # Switch
'merge'         # Merge
'transform'     # Transform (xform)
'sphere'        # Sphere
'grid'          # Grid
'scatter'       # Scatter
'boolean'       # Boolean
'remesh'        # Remesh
'polyextrude'   # Poly Extrude
'principledshader::2.0'  # Material
```

## VEX

```python
wrangle = hou.selectedNodes()[0]
wrangle.parm('snippet').set('''
// Your VEX code here
@P.y += sin(@Frame * 0.1) * 0.5;
@Cd = rand(@ptnum);
''')
```

## Layout

```python
node.moveToGoodPosition()              # Auto-layout one node
for n in parent.children():
    n.moveToGoodPosition()             # Layout all children
```

## Scene Info

```python
hou.hipFile.name()                     # Current .hip path
hou.hipFile.basename()                 # Just filename
hou.expandString('$HIP')               # Scene directory
hou.hscript('ls /obj')                 # Raw hscript
```