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Installation Guide

This guide explains the automated installation process for LOPs (Language/Learning/Logic/Latent Operators) in TouchDesigner.

  • TouchDesigner (current recommended version: 2023.11000 or newer)
  • Windows 10/11 or macOS 10.15+
  • Python 3.11+ (Python 3.11.9 recommended for PC users)
  • Minimum 8GB RAM (16GB+ recommended for larger models)
  • Internet connection for API-dependent operators

macOS Compatibility: Most LOPs features have been tested and are functional on macOS.

LOPs features a guided installation system that walks you through the setup via message boxes and automates most of the technical steps:

The installation process is triggered automatically when LOPs needs to use the Python environment:

  1. When you first attempt to use any LOPs functionality that requires Python libraries (like accessing LLM APIs)
  2. The system detects that no LOPs installation exists
  3. A popup appears with the message “No LOPs Installation Detected!”
  4. Click “Setup / Install” to proceed

After clicking “Setup / Install”:

  1. A folder selection dialog appears
  2. Create or select a folder where LOPs will store its Python environment
    • This folder will be used across all TouchDesigner projects that use LOPs
    • Similar to other extensions like Stream Diffusion or ComfyTD
  3. The system will automatically:
    • Create a Python virtual environment in the selected folder
    • Install necessary dependencies (including LiteLLM)
    • Configure paths for future use

3. Direct Installation from the Main Operator

Section titled “3. Direct Installation from the Main Operator”

If you want to set up the environment before using any features:

  1. Select the dot_lops container component
  2. In the parameters panel, find the “Install LOPs Environment” pulse button
  3. Click the pulse button to start the installation process
  4. Follow the same folder selection and setup process as described above

Once installation completes:

  1. Navigate to the Model section to set up API service connections
  2. For each service you want to use (OpenAI, OpenRouter, Groq, etc.):
    • Click the “Find API Key” button for the service
    • Follow the link to create an account if needed
    • Generate an API key on the service’s website
    • Copy and paste the key into the appropriate field
  3. The system will securely store your API keys

After installation:

  • “First use may freeze the project briefly” as noted in the installation message
  • The “Python Venv” parameter on the Config page will point to your selected installation folder
  • If dependencies are missing, LOPs will automatically prompt you to install them

The system may display these messages during operation:

  • “No LOPs Installation Detected!” - Indicates first-time setup is needed
  • “LOPs Installation Found at: [path]” - Shows an existing installation was detected
  • “Installation Complete” - Confirms successful installation
  • “API Key Stored” - Confirms an API key was successfully saved

If you encounter any issues:

  • Click the “Install OpenAI” or “Install LOPs” button to rerun the installation wizard
  • For Python issues, use the “Download Python 3.11” option in the installation dialog
  • If an “API Key is not defined” error appears, re-enter your API key

Once installation is complete: