What is a .HIP file?
HIP is the scene file of SideFX Houdini, the procedural VFX tool. Created and opened by Houdini.
- Did you know
- Houdini’s node-based, procedural approach makes it a favourite for film visual effects.
- Houdini is made by SideFX, founded as Side Effects Software in 1987 by Kim Davidson and Greg Hermanovic, who adapted it from their earlier PRISMS toolset.
- The Houdini name itself was introduced in 1996, separating the new application from the PRISMS suite it grew out of.
- What Analyser reads
- Identify CAD files and read header metadata: AutoCAD DWG (DXF now opens as a 2D drawing preview - see Diagrams), SolidWorks (SLDPRT, SLDASM, plus .sldreg Settings Wizard backups - release year, settings groups and the saved registry keys - and SOLIDWORKS Visualize .svap appearances and .svpj projects, opened as the ZIP packages they are), Fusion 360 (F3D), Inventor (IPT, IAM), Rhino (3DM) and Grasshopper (GH, GHX), SketchUp (SKP), 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, Houdini, ZBrush, Maya, CATIA, Eagle, and KiCad.
- Depth of analysis
- .HIP is an identification-grade format: Analyser recognises it from its bytes and decodes the header metadata it carries, rather than opening it in a full viewer. Formats that do get a full viewer are marked "Full" on the formats page.
- Open a .HIP file
- Drag a .HIP file onto the Analyser home page (or tap to pick one). It is identified entirely in your browser - nothing is uploaded, there is no account, and it works offline once installed.