Idiots guide to installing Vray for 3ds Max via Deadline

[AC5L4T3R]

Hi guys,

I'm currently trying to install Vray via Deadline so I don't have to manually install it on each the 20 machines we have once Vray 4 officially releases. I've created the config file that's in support documents and created the following .bat file:

start Z:\01_Still\S2_Bauteile-3D\27_Renderfarm\Vray\Vray3.6_Max_2017.exe -gui=0 -configFile="Z:\01_Still\S2_Bauteile-3D\27_Renderfarm\Vray\Max2017_config.xml" -quiet=1

When I submit the .bat to deadline via "Submit Command Script Job", the Vray CMD box (the one that opens every time you install Vray) opens on the machine I'm using to test but closes as soon as the Deadline Slave says the job is complete (or vice versa).

I've tried this a few times now but can never get it to work. Is there anyone out there than can finally solve this problem for me?

Cheers!

[Morbid Angel]

You need to submit it as command line job not command script job. Make sure number of frames = number of slaves which are online so they all pickup at one time, otherwise they will install over and over.
The way I have the files setup is a bit different then yours. I create a .cmd file in a network directory for example vrayDeploy.cmd inside the file the command is like
this:

P:\pipeline\max2017\deploy\vray_adv_35701_max2017_ x64.exe -gui=0 -configFile="vraydeploy.xml" -quiet=1
pause

vraydeploy.xml is placed in the same directory so you don't have to path it twice. I also run a pause command at the end to be able to see if the job went through ok (you can also check that in the deadline slave log)

[AC5L4T3R]

Thanks! After many months, I've finally got it to work. I owe you a beer

[AC5L4T3R]

I'm now trying to do the same thing with 3ds Max.. The installer starts but is terminated as soon as Deadline completes the job.

My .cmd file is the following:

Z:\01_Still\S2_Bauteile-3D\27_Renderfarm\3ds_Max_2017\Img\Setup.exe /qb /I Z:\01_Still\S2_Bauteile-3D\27_Renderfarm\3ds_Max_2017\Img\STS Max 2017.ini /Trial /language en-us
pause

[Morbid Angel]

I think different max versions have different deployment commands. In any case you need to make a deployment image first. then run it in silent mode via cmd, but I recall in max 2016 and earlier deadline was killing the process half way through the install, but it worked fine for 2017 and onwards, also maya was working fine so I'm not sure as to why it broke. I spoke to deadline support and they said though its possible to do this kind of operations (installing software) its not officially supported by deadline.

[AC5L4T3R]

Yeah that's what I've done, the path I posted above is to the deployment image that 3ds max created. Any chance you could share your 2017 command?

[Dave_Wortley]

You can also make your job a 'Maintenance Job' in Deadline and it'll run once for each render slave you have.

[AC5L4T3R]

I've managed to get it all working now. Still have a few hiccups.. like trying to copy plug-ins from our server to the slave machines and not being allowed by windows, thus having to create a shortcut that is then opened by a .cmd file to open another .cmd file that uses xcopy to copy the plug-in. Great fun

[Morbid Angel]

AC5L4T3R sorry I did not respond sooner I was moving to a new space etc, its apocalypse over here. Anyways, I don't have 3ds max deploy command anymore we stopped supporting 3ds max all together. For the plugins you actually don't need to copy them to each machine. What you need to do is have them in a central location on the network then copy the 3ds max Plugin.UserSettings.ini file (which has that network path specified) to each machine. Upon startup max will parse that network directory and load all the plugins. That works very well with some exceptions like forest pack - it is better to install that one in silent mode because it sometimes relies on its own internal bitmaps library which is usually pathed to your default max / fp installation.

Here is how the Plugin.UserSettings.ini looks like. Z is basically a mapped network drive, it can be a unc path too.
[Directories]
Additional MAX plug-ins=C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2017\PlugIns\
Custom Max plugi-ins = Z:\_image\pipeline\max2017\plugins

[AC5L4T3R]

AC5L4T3R sorry I did not respond sooner I was moving to a new space etc, its apocalypse over here. Anyways, I don't have 3ds max deploy command anymore we stopped supporting 3ds max all together. For the plugins you actually don't need to copy them to each machine. What you need to do is have them in a central location on the network then copy the 3ds max Plugin.UserSettings.ini file (which has that network path specified) to each machine. Upon startup max will parse that network directory and load all the plugins. That works very well with some exceptions like forest pack - it is better to install that one in silent mode because it sometimes relies on its own internal bitmaps library which is usually pathed to your default max / fp installation.

Here is how the Plugin.UserSettings.ini looks like. Z is basically a mapped network drive, it can be a unc path too.
[Directories]
Additional MAX plug-ins=C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2017\PlugIns\
Custom Max plugi-ins = Z:\_image\pipeline\max2017\plugins

Thanks Dmitry,

I've managed to get Max 2018 and Vray 4 to install without problems now... It's now Vray for Maya that's giving me headaches. I've installed Maya and Vray for Maya with a deployment no problem but upon submitting jobs to Deadline, I'm told it can't find the Vray for Maya enviroment variable and cannot render. DR works no problem. I hate Maya.

[DannyA]

Hi @Morbid Angel
Thanks for the info above.

Has anyone run into issues with UAC dialogues popping up?

I've got this running nicely apart from blasted UAC popping up every time. So far I've tried to disable it with an OU in group policy on the server. No luck yet.