If you do not have a Houdini, Houdini FX, Houdini Indie, Houdini Engine or Houdini Engine Indie license, it is possible to acquire a 30 day Houdini Engine Trial license which will let you load existing assets into Cinema 4D using the plug-in.

Please use the following instructions to acquire the trial license:

Windows:

• - Go to the Start Menu
  - Select All Programs
  - Navigate to Side Effects Software > Houdini 14.0.367 > Utilities
  - Select Command Line Tools
  - Type: hkey -n 9
  - Press Enter
  - Follow the rest of the instructions
  OR:
  - open the terminal
  - run: “C:\Program Files\Side Effects Software\Houdini 14.0.367\bin\hkey.exe” -n 9
  
  Mac:
  
  - In the Finder top menu click on Go > Applications
  - Go to Houdini 14.0.367 > Utilities
  - Double click on Houdini Terminal
  - Type: hkey -n 9
  - Press Enter
  - Follow the rest of the instructions
  OR
  - Open the terminal
  - Run: open /Applications/Houdini\ 14.0.367/Administrative\ Tools/License\ Administrator.app –args -n 9

I tried Installing the Houdini Engine via the “houdini-14.0.367-win64-vc11.exe” but there is no c4d option to check?

This is normal. The C4D plugin is not bundled with the Houdini installer. You need to download and install it separately from here: http://http.maxon.net/pub/houdini/plugins/build1/Cinema4D_Houdini_Engine_Plug-In_Public_Beta_136548.zip [http.maxon.net]

More info here: http://www.maxon.net/en/products/houdini-integration/overview.html [maxon.net]

hi,

when I try to activate a trial license on ( imac with Yosemite)

“Mac:”
“1. In the Finder top menu click on Go > Applications”
“2. Go to Houdini 14.0.367 > Utilities”
“3. Double click on Houdini Terminal”
“4. Type: hkey -n 9 and press Enter”
“5. Follow the rest of the instructions”

it´s a bit hard to follow the instructions

kay tennemann2
hi,

when I try to activate a trial license on ( imac with Yosemite)

“Mac:”
“1. In the Finder top menu click on Go > Applications”
“2. Go to Houdini 14.0.367 > Utilities”
“3. Double click on Houdini Terminal”
“4. Type: hkey -n 9 and press Enter”
“5. Follow the rest of the instructions”

it´s a bit hard to follow the instructions

Well, that's odd.

I just have a couple of questions:
- what Yosemite version are you using? 10.10.3?
- what iMac model are you using?
- what's your desktop configuration? i.e. number of monitors and resolution on each monitor?

Also, were there any error messages or warnings that appeared in the Houdini Terminal when you ran the hkey command?

Cheers,
Rob

Hi Rob,

- Yosemite 10.10.3
- Imac ( late 2012) model 13,2
- just the iMac Display 2560x1440

No Error or warnings , there appears just that Houdini License Administrator Window in black so U can´t read anything.

I made another test with my MAC PRO 6,1 / Yosemite 10.10.3 …same result!

best
kay

kay tennemann2
I made another test with my MAC PRO 6,1 / Yosemite 10.10.3 …same result!

best
kay

Hmm. I'm using the same Mac Pro and OSX.

What's the graphics card and desktop resolution for your Mac Pro? I have an “AMD FirePro D300 2048 MB” with a dual monitor setup – 1920x1200 and 2560x1440.

And just a stab in the dark but what happens if you drop the resolution on your iMac down to say 1920x1200 and re-run the hkey command? Does that work?

Hi rvinluan,

have this dual FirePro 500D on Board. dual monitor setups is:

2560*1440 & 2048*1152

changing resolutions didn´t help ( on the Mac Pro 6.1 )

best
kay

Hi Kay,

Your machine specs look fine.

Just a hunch that maybe the UI styles aren't loading properly (for whatever reason) so the interface is appearing black.

Can you try installing the attached base.qss file into your Houdini distro?

You can open the Houdini Terminal and run these commands:

cd $HFS/houdini/config/Styles
sudo cp base.qss base.qss.backup

# This command assumes that the attached base.qss file
# was downloaded to your $HOME/Downloads directory.
sudo cp $HOME/Downloads/base.qss base.qss


Cheers,
Rob

Sorry, I had to zip the base.qss file because the forum doesn't allow .qss attachments so you'll have to unzip first and then install the file into the Houdini distro.

Hi rob,

I did this “patch” and now it works … I can see the UI on my Mac Pro .
Will test it later at home on my iMac, too.

But it is not strange that both my Macs had this problem ,that can not be a coincidence?

Anyway,many thanks for the help, now I´m very curious watching H.engiene in action

best
kay

Hello I'm trying to install the indy license trail per the instructions, but I get a 404 page not found? How can I get the license so I can load assets into c4d Houdini engine?


Windows:

- Go to the Start Menu
- Select All Programs
- Navigate to Side Effects Software > Houdini 14.0.367 > Utilities
- Select Command Line Tools
- Type: hkey -n 9
- Press Enter
- Follow the rest of the instructions

I activated the free license for Houdini engine 16.0, installed latest cinema 4d Houdini pipeline installer and now I'm getting a “no valid license found” error in cinema 4d. I'm guessing this is because the engine license is 16.0 but Cinema4D is only up to 15.5. Any suggestions? I have a feeling Cinema will update to 16.0 the day after my 30 day license runs out :-)

Download the “proper” C4D version of the Houdini Engine from C4D's “Pipeline->Houdini Engine->Get Houdini Installer”.
I think your H16 license should work with H15.5

noseman
Download the “proper” C4D version of the Houdini Engine from C4D's “Pipeline->Houdini Engine->Get Houdini Installer”.
I think your H16 license should work with H15.5

Did that. What is offered to download from that process is “houdini-15.5.632-macosx_x86_64_clang7.3_10.11”.

I'm assuming that Maxon's Houdini pipeline 15.5.632 is incompatible with the Houdini engine license 16.0 I recently acquired.

Or it's because I'm still working on the Apprentice version (.hdanc)which I thought the engine license would resolve for 30 days.

hdanc won't open in C4D.

Here's the chart:
https://www.sidefx.com/forum/topic/39259/ [sidefx.com]

noseman
hdanc won't open in C4D.

I downloaded an .hda file (walking crowd) and I still get the same error.

This really looks like Maxon not updating their pipeline plugin to match current Houdini engine.

I also have problems using H16 .hda's in C4D R18. Hope that Maxon can update the pipeline soon.

Same issue here I guess, I cannot instal Houdini plugin into C4D R18. From Pipline > Install Houdini Installer I get H16 and seems like C4D is looking for version 15 What to do?

C4D R18 works with Houdini 15.5
For more information on H16 compatibility, please contact Maxon Support.

Cheers