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Author Topic: network rendering FP3 and 3Dmasx 2009  (Read 9281 times)

betabey

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network rendering FP3 and 3Dmasx 2009
« on: September 15, 2008, 06:47:53 PM »
sorry for my bad english......

I bought FP3 since 2 or 3 months
it's a very good plugin, I used it very often but I have a problem.

I have 4 computer, (3 with xp 32 bit et 1 with xp 64 bit), all the computer are connecting with intranet network
I work with 3ds max 2009
On each computer I have install 3dmax 2009, two with license and two without license,
On each computer I have install FP 3.03, one with license and three without license.

Whith the license manager of 3dmax and FP3, I could render scene in each computer separately, there is no problem, and all the FP3 object are visible.

But when I use network rendering, it's like the Fp3 plugin doesn't exist. There isn't any message error, all seems to be good, but in the rendering, all the FP3 object are invisible. even on the main computer with FP3 license..

I tried to read forum, I had install FP 3.03b, I made research in 3dsMax forum, but I don't find anything....
Please help me because like I explain to you, I used FP3 very often and it's very complicated when I should realize animation.
thank you




« Last Edit: September 15, 2008, 06:52:04 PM by KG4520 »

iToo

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Re: network rendering FP3 and 3Dmasx 2009
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2008, 08:08:14 PM »
Hi,

We are trying to reproduce the problem, but our tests render without problems. Please, try to network render the attached sample scene:

1.- Using only the computer with FP3 license
2.- Using all the rendering nodes

And post here the results.

What renderer are you using: Standard, Mental Ray, VRay ?

Carlos Quintero
iToo Software

betabey

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Re: network rendering FP3 and 3Dmasx 2009
« Reply #2 on: September 16, 2008, 12:54:20 PM »
Thank you for the quickness of your answer :

I tried several rendering of your scene
1 - using only computer with FP3 license : NO PROBLEM, all the object are rendering
2 - using all the rendering nodes : NO PROBLEM, all the object are rendering

I tried rendering of my scene
1 - using only computer with FP3 license : NO PROBLEM, all the object are rendering
2 - using all the rendering nodes : PROBLEM, none object are rendering

I tried rendering your scene and I merged the object from my scene
1 - using only computer with FP3 license : NO PROBLEM, all the object are rendering
2 - using all the rendering nodes : NO PROBLEM wtih the object from your scene, PROBLEM with the object from my scene, none are rendering

I tried rendering my scene and I merged the object from your scene
1 - using only computer with FP3 license : NO PROBLEM, all the object are rendering
2 - using all the rendering nodes : NO PROBLEM wtih the object from your scene, PROBLEM with the object from my scene, none are rendering

I don't understand where is the problem, I have tried to change option, to modified my scene... but the problem is still here.

To answer to your question, I useed standard renderer.

Thank you for your help


iToo

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Re: network rendering FP3 and 3Dmasx 2009
« Reply #3 on: September 16, 2008, 08:31:50 PM »

I've found two problems in your scene:

1 - The "four planes" geometry template is corrupted. This is a hidden object created automatically by Forest. Please, follow these steps to fix it:

a) Open the Layer manager
b) Uncheck "Hide" and "Freeze" options for the "forest_templates" layer
c) Open "Select By name" dialog, select all "_forest_template" objects and delete them
d) Select a Forest object, and modify some parameter (as General->Icon Size). This will force Forest to rebuild the template objects
e) Save the scene and reload it

2 - If the scene doesn't include any light, Max 2009 creates different images from interactive and network rendering. I'm not sure why, but on network rendering some faces show as black. I assume your production scene will include some light, but be sure that your test scene also have it, or you will get unexpected results (i almost go crazy on my tests, because i didn't know this issue of max 2009  :()

Carlos Quintero
iToo Software

betabey

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Re: network rendering FP3 and 3Dmasx 2009
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2008, 10:38:54 AM »
Thank you for your answer,

I followed your indications but my problem isn't solve, I have past a lot of time to tried,make  test, but I don't understand where is the problem..


Did you succed to render my scene?


Thank you for all, I hope that a solution will be found very soon, because in all my project I used FP3 and without network rendering, It's very difficult.

iToo

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Re: network rendering FP3 and 3Dmasx 2009
« Reply #5 on: September 17, 2008, 05:02:10 PM »
When i render your scene, i don't get anything (local or network) because the template geometry issue. In fact, i can see the problem on the viewport as well (the trees are displayed as a vertical line, with no width).

But fixing the template and adding a light, as described in my previous post, the scene renders fine. I've attached the fixed scene and the resulting image. I am using Windows Server 2003, Max 2009 SP1 and Forest 3.03b (without license) as slave node.

I'm sending the scene to render with the "Include Maps" checkbox enabled, to be sure that the slave finds the maps. How are you sharing the textures with the rendering nodes ? Other users have reported some problems with Max 2009, that was not finding the maps on network rendering (textures shows black), although paths were correct and backburner doesn't show any error message. If you don't use "Include Maps" option, put all custom textures in a network path and add it to Customize->Configure User Paths->External Files (for each slave node).

If you have not done it already, upgrade to Max 2009 Service Pack 1, that fixes multiples issues. Also, to check if this is a Forest or a Max issue, you may convert all Forest objects to editables meshes before sending the test scene to render.
Carlos Quintero
iToo Software

betabey

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Re: network rendering FP3 and 3Dmasx 2009
« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2008, 10:21:07 AM »
Thank you for the time past to solve my problem.

In fact, it's not a problem of SP1 or mapping, when I made a Network render, I found all the mapping in Backburner folder, so the problem isn't here.

The unique deifference between your scene and my scene is in the display option of FP3, look at the attached files, I don't inderstand why and I don't know if it's the problem came from 3ds max or FP3, Do you have a Idea?

But now I can make network rendering.

Thank you for all,
have a nice day

iToo

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Re: network rendering FP3 and 3Dmasx 2009
« Reply #7 on: September 20, 2008, 11:47:08 AM »

Using the "Render->Planes" option, Forest ignores the geometry defined in the Geometry rollout ("four planes" for your scene) and uses a single plane as mesh. So, the problem seem to be related with the corrupted geometry of "four planes" template yet.

Have you fixed the templates following my instructions ? What result do you get using other template (as "two planes") ?

Please, post here the fixed scene that you are using for testing. I would like to check it.

Thanks,
Carlos Quintero
iToo Software

betabey

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Re: network rendering FP3 and 3Dmasx 2009
« Reply #8 on: September 23, 2008, 10:47:30 AM »
I tried to fixed the templates following yoour instructions, but it doesn't change anything.

But, You 're right, if I used other templates, 1 planes, two planes, three planes, the network render is ok, no problems with this templates. The problem concerned only "four planes"

Find my scene test in attached file.

thank you for all.

iToo

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Re: network rendering FP3 and 3Dmasx 2009
« Reply #9 on: September 27, 2008, 01:13:21 PM »

Sorry by the delay. We have been working on different platforms to reproduce the issue, and you are right: there is a problem with "Four Planes" template and network rendering.

It's not exactly a Forest problem, but a strange bug of Max2009 that creates some issues with our plugin. We are going to report it to Autodesk, but we will also include a workaround in Forest 3.04b. Until then, we suggest not using "Four Planes" template with Max2009.

Carlos Quintero
iToo Software