Is it Possible to Start the Distributed Rendering Service at Logoff?

[ddixon]

I run a school lab with forty computers that are used at different times each day. I am searching for a way to have our machines at a student log off start the backburner server and V-Ray DR spawner services and stop the said services when a student logs back on. I have seen some logon/logoff scripts on the internet that seem to offer this capability, but only for straight backburner server services. Is it possible to modify one of these scripts to also start and stop the V-Ray DR spawner service at logoff and logon?

[vlado]

I think it should be possible... can you tell me which scripts you are looking at?

Best regards,
Vlado

[ddixon]

The Logon/Logoff Script that I was Going to Try

Sorry of the delay in responding to you.

I have copied and pasted some instructions the I got from the Autodesk Area website. I was going to use them as a starting point. I figured that if I added the commands to start and stop the V-Ray DR spawner services to the respective .bat files it may work.

"Install the Backburner Server as a service that starts automatically at startup… the default.

procedure:

c:… serversvc.exe -i

Now create a file in notepad with the following line and call it Netstart_BB_Server.bat:

net start backburner_srv_200

Now create a file in notepad with the following line and call it Netstop_BB_Server.bat:

net stop backburner_srv_200

In order to have this work properly, you’ll have to edit the logon and logoff policy for the system… sounds more complicated than it is.

On each system, Start, Run, type in GPEDIT.MSC ... that file edits and manages the Group Policy for the system. Group Policy should open up.

Expand out the User Configuration, Windows Settings menu to find the Scripts (Logon/Logoff).

Now, in the left pane, click on the Scripts (Logon/Logoff) item, in the right pane you should see Logon and Logoff listed. Right click the Logon item and select Properties.

In the properties panel, click Add, click Browse, and browse to the Netstop_BB_Server.bat file you created. Click OK. And OK again to close the Logon Properties panel.

Back in the Group Policy, Right Pane, right click the Logoff item and select Properties.

In the properties panel, click Add, click Browse, and browse to the Netstart_BB_Server.bat file you created. Click OK. And OK again to close the Logoff Properties Panel.

Close the Group Policy Panel.

You have just set up the system in question to run the Stop Backburner Service bat file at any user logon, and to Start Backburner Service bat file at any user logoff.

That should work, it’s my instructions from many years ago… at one time it was included in the User Reference, but I’m not sure it’s still in there.

Maneswar Cheemalapati [FA]"

[vlado]

Yep, that will work. You need to use the name of the V-Ray spawner service, which will be something like "VRaySpawner 90" (for 3ds Max 9 and 2008 ) or "VRaySpawner 2009" for 3ds Max 2009. You'll need to use quotes as there is a space in the service name, so it should be something like this:

net start "VRaySpawner 90"

Note that you need to register the V-Ray spawner as a service first.

Best regards,
Vlado