Houdini 20.0 Unreal

Menus

Explains each of the items in the Houdini Engine menu.

On this page

The Houdini Engine menu is displayed in Unreal Engine’s main menu bar.

Session

Create Session

Starts a new Houdini Engine session.

Connect Session

Connects to an existing Houdini Engine session.

Stop Session

Stops the current session.

Restart Session

Stops current session and starts a new one.

Open Houdini Session Sync

Stops the current session, opens Houdini, and starts a Session Sync session. See Session sync for more information.

Close Houdini Session Sync

Stops Session Sync session and closes Houdini.

Sync Viewport

This submenu contains menu items to control the viewport sync between Houdini and Unreal.

Disabled

Do not sync viewports.

Sync Houdini to Unreal

Sync Houdini’s viewport to Unreal’s viewport.

Sync Unreal to Houdini

Sync Unreal’s viewport to Houdini’s viewport.

Both

Sync both viewports when you make changes on Houdini or Unreal.

Houdini Node Sync

Opens the Houdini Node Sync menu. See Node Sync for mroe information.

Houdini Tools

Opens the Houdini Tools menu. See Houdini Tools for more information.

PDG

Work Item Import Settings

This submenu contains menu items to control PDG Asset Link options. The PDG Asset Link uses an asynchronous commandlet importer.

Enable Async Importer

Turns on the PDG Asset Link importer.

Start Async Importer

Starts the PDG Asset Link importer.

Stop Async Importer

Stops the PDG Asset Link importer.

Plugin

Installation Info

Displays information about the Houdini Engine installation.

Plugin Settings

Displays the Houdini Engine plugin settings. See Plugin Settings for more information.

Plugin Editor Preferences

Displays the Plugin Editor Preferences. See Editor Preferences for more information.

File

Open Scene in Houdini

Opens the current level with Houdini assets in a new Houdini.

Save Houdini Scene (HIP)

Saves current Houdini scene as a .hip file.

Clean Houdini Engine Tem Folder

Deletes the temporary files in the temp folder.

Help and Support

Online Documentation

Opens the Houdini Engine for Unreal documentation in a browser.

Online Forum

Opens the Houdini Engine for Unreal forum in a browser.

Report Bugs

Opens a browser to submit bugs or request for enhancements.

Actions

Recook All

Recooks all Houdini Asset Actors in the current level.

Recook Selection

Recooks selected Houdini Asset Actors.

Rebuild All

Rebuilds all Houdini Asset Actors in the current level.

Rebuild Selection

Rebuilds selected Houdini Asset Actors.

Bake and Replace All Houdini Assets

Bakes and replaces all Houdini Asset Actors with blueprints in the current level.

Bake and Replace Selection

Bakes and replaces selected Houdini Asset Actors with blueprints.

Refine All Houdini Proxy Meshes to Static Meshes

Replaces all Houdini proxy meshes with UStaticMesh instances.

Refine Selected Houdini Proxy Meshes to Static Meshes

Replaces selected Houdini proxy meshes with UStaticMesh instances.

Pause Houdini Engine Cooking

When on, prevents Houdini Engine from cooking assets.

Unreal

Getting started

Basics

Using Houdini Engine

Reference

Houdini Engine for Unreal Engine is a plug-in that allows integration of Houdini technology into Unreal. Session Sync and Node Sync are two features of the Houdini Engine Plugin to interact with a live session of Houdini.

This plug-in brings Houdini’s powerful and flexible procedural workflow into Unreal Engine through Houdini Digital Assets. Artists can interactively adjust asset parameters inside the editor and use Unreal assets as inputs. Houdini’s procedural engine will then “cook” the asset and the results will be available in the editor without the need for baking.

General information:

Compatibility:

Currently, the plugins has binaries that have been built for UE5.3, 5.2, 5.1, 5.0, UE4.27 and UE4.26, and is linked with the latest production build of Houdini.

Source code for the plugin is available on this repository for UE5.3, 5.2, 5.1, 5.0, UE4.27, UE4.26.

Note

UE5.1 and UE5.0 use the same source files/branches, the 5.0 sources are also intended to be used with 5.1.

Support and reporting bugs:

SessionSync

The Houdini Engine SessionSync feature allows you to connect to a session of Houdini Engine running inside Houdini with its GUI. It supports all the features of the regular Houdini Engine workflow and additional features specific to Session Sync.

Houdini Engine uses a non-UI version of Houdini while Session Sync lets you see and interact with the Houdini session through Houdini’s user interface. It also synchronizes changes made in either Unreal or Houdini so both programs can make changes and see the same results.

NodeSync

NodeSync is a feature for the Houdini Unreal Engine Plugin that enables sharing assets between Unreal and Houdini Session Sync. It works for Skeletal and static meshes.

You can send and receive data to and from Unreal without a dedicated HDA. It works with Static and Skeletal meshes as well as Actors.

Houdini Niagara

The Houdini-Niagara plugin allows you to exchange point cloud data between Houdini and Unreal’s Niagara system using the HoudiniNiagara Data Interface. You can export Houdini’s attribute data as HoudiniPointCache assets. These can then be imported into Unreal to use the Niagara systems and emitters to create complex effects and particle systems.

The Houdini KineFX Live Link plugin lets you control rigs in Unreal directly from KineFX in Houdini.