theidleguest
Feb. 7, 2024 04:30:03
Hello everyone,
I am a student currently learning Houdini. I just bought the Education licence.
I need to load Houdini assets into Unreal 5.3.2. I understand Unreal can't read .hdanc files.
I have also installed the Houdini Engine for Unreal.
My question is: what is the proper workflow to move from Houdini Education to Unreal?
Thank you!
dward
March 26, 2024 13:11:31
Me too! Or is Houdini Engine not compatible with UE5.1+?
I've seen where other people have been able to use the engine with Unreal 5, but I haven't seen much for the most current versions of Unreal.
Cody Spahr
March 26, 2024 13:34:51
Houdini Engine for Unreal works for all version of UE5. 5.0, 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3.
Houdini Engine is also able to read `.hda` files from Core and FX. As well as `.hdalc` files from Indie licenses, and `.hdanc` from Education licenses. It is not able to read assets from Apprentice version of Houdini however.
See the compare page for more info.
https://www.sidefx.com/products/compare/ [
www.sidefx.com]
TAR_JustinGrant
July 8, 2024 09:32:58
I'm running into this same problem. I have the Education Edition of Houdini but when I load the .hdanc into UE it does not render anything. Is there anything I can check to ensure that everything is set up correctly?
Something I noticed that is a little suspicious is that if I open Houdini Engine -> Installation Info, under the License Type Acquired field it says "No License Acquired". I'm guessing this might have something to do with it, but I have no idea how to fix it.
Matt_B
July 8, 2024 14:25:05
TAR_JustinGrant
I'm running into this same problem. I have the Education Edition of Houdini but when I load the .hdanc into UE it does not render anything. Is there anything I can check to ensure that everything is set up correctly?
Something I noticed that is a little suspicious is that if I open Houdini Engine -> Installation Info, under the License Type Acquired field it says "No License Acquired". I'm guessing this might have something to do with it, but I have no idea how to fix it.
A license is not acquired until you start a session or instantiate an HDA in your level.
rmagee
July 8, 2024 15:19:04
Does anyone have the free Houdini Engine for Unreal/Unity installed? This a commercial license that will interfere with education licenses. What happens is that when you open up Unreal it finds the commercial license then when you load an education asset it is rejected because those files aren't allow in commercial software.
Get rid of the free Houdini Engine for Unreal/Unity and then your education license will be used for the HE for Unreal and the .hdanc file will be accepted.
Robert
MarkWoo
Jan. 14, 2026 15:00:47
rmagee
Does anyone have the free Houdini Engine for Unreal/Unity installed? This a commercial license that will interfere with education licenses. What happens is that when you open up Unreal it finds the commercial license then when you load an education asset it is rejected because those files aren't allow in commercial software.
Get rid of the free Houdini Engine for Unreal/Unity and then your education license will be used for the HE for Unreal and the .hdanc file will be accepted.
Robert
Hello thanks for this information. I want to know whether indie license holder can use .hda file in Unreal with houdini engine. Will houdini engine for indie license only support .hdalc file in unreal? Also for apprentice license holder, whether their houdini engine only support .hdanc file in unreal?
rmagee
Jan. 15, 2026 11:35:00
If you are using Houdini Indie then you need to be using Houdini Engine for Indie. Again No Houdini Engine for Unreal/Unity because that will be the default license grabbed by Unreal and it cannot open .hdalc files.
The Houdini Engine for Indie will open both .hdalc and .hda files but not .hdanc.