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Author Topic: Forest Pack 4.4 ,Deadline 7 and Max 2014  (Read 2865 times)

Nestamonk

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Forest Pack 4.4 ,Deadline 7 and Max 2014
« on: July 17, 2015, 03:54:17 PM »
We recently installed a new build to all of our machines and renderboxxes. We run 3dmax 2014,2015(garbage), and 2016.
Forrest pack 4.4 and Max 2016 render fine on the renderfarm. Max2014 and forrest pack 4.4 will not render forest pack on the farm even though all the version numbers are the same. Any idea as to why this is dropping forest pack with Max 2014. All the texture maps are in the correct unc path. Please help as to why it is dropping. 
Nesta

Michal Karmazín

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Re: Forest Pack 4.4 ,Deadline 7 and Max 2014
« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2015, 04:39:55 PM »
Hi,

Thanks for attached log file. Unfortunately, at first sight there is no information pointing to the source of the problem. Usually these problems are caused because of some installation error (when installing our plug-in please double check you are not running any 3D Max / VRay Spawner service during the installation process).

I would suggest you to follow our "Distributed Rendering issues" post to identify where the problem could be in your case (even you are using Deadline, those tests might be useful to trace it down).

Also, would you please perform a quick test using Forest Tools and do the export of your scattered geometry into instances? You can find it under Utilities panel - More ... - Forest Tools. Feel free to check more information about this handy tool in our on-line reference guide. Thanks in advance. (This way you can check that the problem happens during Forest object conversion or not)

Best regards,

Nestamonk

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Re: Forest Pack 4.4 ,Deadline 7 and Max 2014
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2015, 03:58:59 PM »
I created a forest test scene with textures like you specified. Everything rendered fine. I also rendered the scene using the forest tools export to scattered geometry.  Everything rendered fine. The large scene that has forest pack  that's not rendering could be a memory issue. Not complete sure but is it possible that it drops the forest pack. It does however render with 2016 not 2014.
Nesta

iToo

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Re: Forest Pack 4.4 ,Deadline 7 and Max 2014
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2015, 06:08:51 PM »
It's a strange issue. Does it render locally with Max 2014 ? What V-Ray version ? (i cannot find it in the log)
Carlos Quintero
iToo Software

Nestamonk

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Re: Forest Pack 4.4 ,Deadline 7 and Max 2014
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2015, 10:02:02 PM »
We think the issue is with Forest pack not showing up in our renders is because it was created with a different version of forest pack prior to our upgrade.  Anything we create with the current forest pack works. Stuff created with the older version prior to Version 4.4 doesn't work.

iToo

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Re: Forest Pack 4.4 ,Deadline 7 and Max 2014
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2015, 08:30:51 AM »
Scenes created with previous versions should work fine, except of course if there is some bug that we unkown. But in this case the problem should be reproducible locally as well.

Have you tried saving one of the problematic scenes with FP 4.4 before rendering ?
Carlos Quintero
iToo Software

Nestamonk

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Re: Forest Pack 4.4 ,Deadline 7 and Max 2014
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2015, 02:56:11 PM »
I ran a test on 24 machines this morning.  3 of them rendered forest pack
I recreated the forest pack with new version 4.4 and the same thing happened.

I then opened my scene on one of the renderboxes that would't render it. It opened fine and could see all of my forest objects. I hit render and the dialog box came up (Forest Pack is configured to use a local license, but non are available)

I'm assuming this needs to be changed to a network license for the render farm machines?
Nesta

Nestamonk

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Re: Forest Pack 4.4 ,Deadline 7 and Max 2014
« Reply #7 on: July 31, 2015, 03:32:37 PM »
Here are 2 log files 1 from a machine that didn't render the frame and 1 from a machine that did render the frame with FP.


Nestamonk

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Re: Forest Pack 4.4 ,Deadline 7 and Max 2014
« Reply #8 on: July 31, 2015, 05:01:11 PM »
We have 2 renderfarms one that is here in our office and 1 that is at our main office through a dedicated fiber line.  All of my tests are being sent to the main office renderfarm. Only 3 machines rendered it.

I rendered the same scene on our local farm here and they all rendered everything correctly.
All licenses of all software lives on our main office server.

I'm a bit puzzled as to why they are not rendering.
Nesta

iToo

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Re: Forest Pack 4.4 ,Deadline 7 and Max 2014
« Reply #9 on: July 31, 2015, 05:07:19 PM »
I then opened my scene on one of the renderboxes that would't render it. It opened fine and could see all of my forest objects. I hit render and the dialog box came up (Forest Pack is configured to use a local license, but non are available)

I'm assuming this needs to be changed to a network license for the render farm machines?

No, render nodes don't require a license when run on non-interactive modes (the usual way). Instead, if you open the scene manually from Max (interactive mode), a license is required.

For the test, you can do this in render node:

1) Run the "Change License mode" tool (Start Menu->Itoo Software->Forest Pack Pro), and select "Network/floating license".
2) Open the scene and render as usual. Forest will use one the network licenses available.

It's not necessary to change anything to work again as render node.

I'm checking the logs, but i cannot find any clue about this issue. Unfortunately not all events are registered in the render log.
I suggest you try again to render interactively, with the above procedure.  That may give us some extra info.
Carlos Quintero
iToo Software

Nestamonk

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Re: Forest Pack 4.4 ,Deadline 7 and Max 2014
« Reply #10 on: August 04, 2015, 04:53:26 PM »
So I changed the license mode to Network/Floating license
Forest Pack shows up in the scene viewport.
Hit render and none of the forest pack items render out.   

I also tried rendering it through deadline to just that machine and still no forest pack

Attached is the log

« Last Edit: August 04, 2015, 05:36:39 PM by Nestamonk »

iToo

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Re: Forest Pack 4.4 ,Deadline 7 and Max 2014
« Reply #11 on: August 05, 2015, 08:51:30 AM »
Please, try rendering a simple Forest scene (such several teapots without textures) using the same procedure. Does it work ?

If the test works, try cleaning the production scene deleting all non-essential objects, and keeping one or several Forests.
If it doesn't render either, send us the files to support@itoosoft.com. We'll check them, to be sure there is nothing wrong.

Thanks,
Carlos Quintero
iToo Software

Nestamonk

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Re: Forest Pack 4.4 ,Deadline 7 and Max 2014
« Reply #12 on: August 07, 2015, 04:33:16 PM »
Uploading file today so you can further troubleshoot the issues.   Quick question  For Max 2014 we have object types Forest Pro,Forest Pro 2, Forest LOD, Planes 2, and Railclone.

Issue
Forest Objects do not render on certain farm machines.  The teapot test works just fine with and without textures.

In Max 2016
We only have object types Forest Pro and Forest LOD     

Issue
Forest Pack works randomly on our farm when using DR.


iToo

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Re: Forest Pack 4.4 ,Deadline 7 and Max 2014
« Reply #13 on: August 10, 2015, 04:03:35 AM »
Forest Pro 2 and Planes 2 use a separated plugin. Please check if ForestPackPro2.dlo exists in the "plugins" folder. This plugin can be installed by the setup program, but it is disabled by default (shown as "Legacy Plugins").

Theorically that should not affect to Forest 4 objects, but it's better to check it. I'll do some tests with your scene and post the results as soon as we receive it.
« Last Edit: August 10, 2015, 04:08:02 AM by iToo »
Carlos Quintero
iToo Software

iToo

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Re: Forest Pack 4.4 ,Deadline 7 and Max 2014
« Reply #14 on: August 11, 2015, 06:16:55 AM »
Thanks for the scene. I'm testing it, but cannot find any problem. Except "Forest009" which doesn't render because has not include areas (Forest shows a popup message after rendering).
I used FP 4.4.1, V-Ray 2.20.01 and Max 2014 SP5 (this is the only difference with your render nodes, which have SP3).

I'm afraid the only way to isolate the problem will be by trial and error, modifying and rendering the scene at each step. I suggest to do it interactively in one of the problematic render nodes:

1) First, be sure that "General->Disable Pop-ups" is off, so Forest shows render errors if any. This parameter is global for all Forest objects.
2) Delete non-essential objects, keeping Forest and related items (areas, cameras, lights and so). Besides render will be quicker, this configuration should discard errors by high memory use.
3) I see all Forest objects use proxies. Try replacing them by a test mesh.
4) Try saving and rendering the scene with Max 2016. Does it solve the problem ?.

We can try other tests, once we have the results from these.
« Last Edit: August 11, 2015, 06:18:47 AM by iToo »
Carlos Quintero
iToo Software