NEW version of HGS PREMIUM January 2026 (REVISION 2906)

The HydroGeoSphere January 2026 release is now available for download.

This release introduces a major update to the HydroGeoSphere installation system for both Windows and Linux. These changes improve how binaries, licenses, and supporting libraries are managed, making future upgrades simpler and more robust across platforms. Because of these structural changes, special installation steps are required the first time you install this or any newer release.

Important Installation Changes

Windows Installation

• The default installation directory is now:
  C:\Program Files\HydroGeoSphere

• The install path can be selected during installation.

• Executables and DLLs are now located in:
  <HGSInstallDir>\bin

• Your HGS license file (hgs.lic) must be placed in the bin directory next to the binaries.

• PROJ resource files are now installed in:
  <HGSInstallDir>\share\proj
  instead of
  C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Local\proj

Linux Installation

• Binaries are installed to:
  <HGSInstallDir>/bin

• The hgs.lic file must also be placed in the bin directory.

• Users no longer need to define the HGSDIR environment variable.

One-Time Upgrade Steps for Existing Windows Users

If you already have HydroGeoSphere installed, follow these steps once when installing the January 2026 (or newer) release:

1. Copy your HGS license file and any other files you want to save from the installation directory C:\Program_Files\HydroGeoSphere to a safe location.

2. Manually remove the existing HGS installation by running Uninstall.exe in the directory C:\Program_Files\HydroGeoSphere. Delete the C:\Program_Files folder when uninstallation is complete.

3. Remove the C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Local\proj folder. Skipping this step may result in issues when reading raster files with grok or phgs, or when running hgs2vtu. If you are unsure about removing this folder, a workaround is to set the environment variable PROJ_DATA=<HGSInstallDir>\share\proj in your shell prior to running HGS.

4. Install the new version of HGS (we recommend the default installation directory C:\Program Files\HydroGeoSphere). We recommend that you allow the installer to update your PATH environment variable when prompted by the installation wizard. Select the “Do not create shortcuts” radio button when prompted to choose a Start Menu folder.

5. Copy your saved license file to the <HGSInstallDir>\bin directory.

6. Run a few verification tests provided with your installation to confirm that everything is working correctly.

These special steps will only need to be made once when installing a newer software version released January 2026 or later. Subsequent software updates will only require the user to download an installation file and follow the usual prompts in the installation wizard.

And as always, we are committed to the continued improvement to the user experience. Do you have suggestions for new commands or improvements to the user experience? Send your ideas to support@aquanty.com!

The latest installers are available on the HGS download page and a full list of changes/updates can be found in the release notes.

Download the January 2026 release of HydroGeoSphere here: https://www.aquanty.com/hgs-download

Review the release notes here: https://www.aquanty.com/updates