pause render problem/solving cpu priority issues

[plastic_]

i see people asking for a working pause button all the time...

of course the concept of stopping a process in order to be able to check e-mails, or doing anything else while rendering, is absurd.
windows is a real multitasking system for a long time now. the problem with max/vray is that it eats every bit of processing power and leaves nothing to other apps by default, that's why the system seems to stop responding.

here is a small batchfile that starts max in lower priority mode.
this wont make it run slower, but simply leaves some processing power to other apps in case they demand it.

http://plugins.angstraum.at/beta/maxlow.zip

just copy the maxlow.cmd file into your max dir and run it, to start 3dsmax.exe in low priority mode.

the same can be archieved with the windows task manager, by selecting the process and changing the priority with the right click menu. but this has to be done each time the the process restarts.

hope this helps.

[DJ-Studd]

Alternatively,
you can create a script containing:

sysinfo.maxpriority = #low

Call it priority.ms and place it in your max\scripts\startup folder

-- DJ

[priad]

Thx very usefull here!!!

[DaForce]

nice.. thanks... saves a few seconds..

odd that the script doesnt work with belownormal tho. ah well low is good enough.

[Guy]

Only use 1 processor on HT or Dual

If under windows you go to Task Manager, thenProcesses tab. You can see which software is using all the cpu power.
If you Right click over 3dsmax.exe, click set affinity.... it brings up your cpus and you can disable CPU 1 by clicking the box,

That way you can use your machine, and will not notice that you have a render going, this is because many other softwares are written to only use 1 CPU.

I find this works well when using everyones machines in the office to network render, if I set it to only 1 cpu then they do not know that I am nicking there cpu power.

[ene.xis]

hum...that s a damn good idea!
hehehe

[s0real]

good tips! thanks!

[EricCamper]

Now...this only works if the slaves have dual cpus right...I just tried it and of course when I click on my machine I have cpu 0 -4 and the singles only have Cpu 0 and Cpu 1....so I uncheck cpu1 and it dones nothing.....just checking

Thanx