Install Houdini first, then confirm your Houdini build is supported by the exact Modeler release you plan to use. Modeler is a third-party toolkit, not a built-in SideFX component, so its download, installation and activation are separate from Houdini’s. For Modeler 26.5, release reporting dated October 5, 2026, says it adds Houdini 22 compatibility; follow the developer’s instructions for the release-specific setup rather than relying on older package examples.
1. Install Houdini and confirm it launches
Modeler runs inside Houdini, so install and launch the host application before setting up the toolkit. SideFX describes its Houdini Installer as the tool for installing and managing Houdini builds. The installer is for Houdini itself; it does not install Modeler. See the SideFX Installer FAQ for installer information.
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- Use the SideFX installer appropriate for your operating system to install the Houdini build you intend to use.
- Launch that Houdini build once to confirm the host application starts successfully.
2. Check that your Houdini and Modeler versions are compatible
Before downloading Modeler, check the developer’s current compatibility notes for the specific Modeler release and Houdini build you have installed. A report updated October 5, 2026 says Modeler 26.5 adds Houdini 22 compatibility and characterizes Modeler 26 as compatible with Houdini 21.0 and later. It does not provide a complete build-by-build compatibility matrix, so do not assume every Houdini build in that range is supported. Consult the Modeler 26.5 release report and verify the exact pairing with the developer.
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Obtain Modeler from the developer’s current product page and use the installation and activation instructions supplied for your specific release. The available documentation does not establish a current download flow, operating-system-specific install paths, or activation procedure, so those details should not be inferred from older forum posts.
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Modeler’s developer, Alexey Vanzhula, posted a package configuration example in a March 25, 2020 SideFX forum reply. That is historical context, not a current installer recipe. Use it only if the instructions for your release call for manual package configuration, and check the paths against the actual location of your Modeler files: the original Modeler 1.0 forum discussion.
4. Understand Houdini package configuration
Houdini package files are JSON configuration files that can set environment variables and plugin paths. Houdini scans configured package directories, including the user’s preferences packages directory; SideFX says the user packages directory is created automatically. The official Houdini packages documentation explains the format and search locations.
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In the 2020 example, Vanzhula set both HOUDINI_PATH and MODELER_PATH to $HOUDINI_PACKAGE_PATH/../modeler. That relative path depends on the example’s folder layout and may not correspond to where a current Modeler release is installed. Do not copy it blindly or create a package file unless the current developer instructions require it and you can map the paths to your installation.
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5. Restart Houdini and verify the setup
After following the release-specific installation steps or changing a package configuration, restart Houdini so it can load the updated setup. Then check the developer’s instructions for where that release’s Modeler interface or tools should appear. The available sources do not establish current menu names or a universal troubleshooting sequence; use the release documentation if Modeler does not appear.
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