Itoo FPP not rendering some objects when DBRing

[DPS]

I'm trying to learn whether the problems I'm having are with itoo or the vray proxies that it creates.

When DBRing, some buckets do not render certain forest objects. What is odd is that some render fine. So FPP objects 1-10 render fine where as the rest are invisible on some buckets.

My scene is pretty heavy, lots of ground cover.

Any ideas? Could there be a problem transferring certain proxies to my slaves?

Everyone is on a shared drive but I've had some other issues with my slaves since updating vray.

[alexyork]

Likely to be either inaccessible directory (check asset tracker and FPP setup) or nodes running out of memory.

[svetlozar.draganov]

Like alexyork said - it is most likely the issue is related to wrong proxy-path , please check the paths of the missing objects and make sure that this paths/files are accessible from all slaves.
If you are not able to troubleshoot it - you could either send us your scene + all the assets or to run a remote session on your machine and run first hand tests.

[dgsantana]

Normally this happens when using network paths that are not in the UNC format.

Best regards,
Daniel

[DPS]

This problem went away. I'm using network paths for everything.

Memory usage on the near final scene is around 10GB out of the 16GB in my slaves. 32GB in my workstation.
I'll keep an eye on it and either Remote Desktop or send you assets if it crops up again. Thanks.

[trixian]

Not sure if this is your issue, but here, if using a preset from FPP, the paths are always set to relative in a way, but show up as not having paths in my asset tracker.
I just select all maps for the FPP objects that are missing paths and right-click choosing "make paths absolute".
Note: Requires that the nodes also have FPP installed normally so maps are found at the same place.

Personally I'd like Itoo to stop installing libraries locally and just have it as an option to place manually (I.e on your network where you might have the rest of your library assets).

[DPS]

Hi

The problem was intermittent so I don't think pathing was the cause in this case. And the scene wasn't using itoo's presets.

All is working again now.

[Itoosoft]

Not sure if this is your issue, but here, if using a preset from FPP, the paths are always set to relative in a way, but show up as not having paths in my asset tracker.
I just select all maps for the FPP objects that are missing paths and right-click choosing "make paths absolute".
Note: Requires that the nodes also have FPP installed normally so maps are found at the same place.

Personally I'd like Itoo to stop installing libraries locally and just have it as an option to place manually (I.e on your network where you might have the rest of your library assets).

The first time that Forest runs in a slave node, it configures automatically the texture paths to the local drive. This is the reason there are not visible paths in the asset tracker (they are not necessary). The paths are added to 3dsmax.ini (in each slave machine), but you can configure your own network shares as well:

C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Autodesk\3dsmax\<max version>\enu\3dsmax.ini ([BitmapDirs] section)

In Max these paths are defined at Customize->Configure User Paths->External files. Once configured, it should not be necessary to modify or repath anymore in the asset tracker.

[trixian]

First: I am describing this running max and FPP in workstation mode (if that is the correct term), and they are absolutely necessary. I can't get DR working unless I fist set the paths to absolute.

Second: Defining you own paths.....How exactly do you mean? Re-pathing the ones listed related to Itoo? Or can one add some magical path to a root directory so Itoo plugins always look recursively there and in its sub directories? (Like an environment variable).

Would you guys consider changing your install routines so Libraries can be installed either separately to a speciffic location (thus needing to set an env. variable), or at least let us pick the library folder manually (and let the installer update the paths in the max ini (or maybe it's own ini read by the plugins)?

Oh and sorry for Hijacking this thread suddenly

Oh and nice "cross-forum-monitoring" from you Itoo guys. I really appreciate your omnipresence dishing out support all over the places. Are you equally present in other forums as well, or do you just happen to like us vray users more?

[Itoosoft]

When Max cannot find a texture on its default path (or there is not path defined), it searches the files in the folders defined at "External Paths", as described above. This is a standard Max mechanism, and Forest relies on it.

We have not plans to modify the location of the default libraries, or repath the textures to custom folders. This would be redundant, and doesn't follow the rules that Max uses to handle textures. If the Max search paths are working correctly, it is not necessary.

I suggest you add to 3dsmax.ini (or to Customize->Configure User Paths->External files) your own texture paths, in UNC format preferably. This is the right way to handle them, and should solve all problems of missing textures on DR nodes.

I read daily the VRay forums... lot of useful info here. Other forums are less interesting.

[trixian]

Yeah, you guys love us more than the others .
Guess I have to manually copy your libs to my network and add the path.

[leehumphries]

Not sure if i am reading this correct but i had a similar problem with a test i was doing to make sure my Distributed rendering was working ok.. First test had missing buckets - checked all my permissions and re-tested with a scene with no Forest scatter..DR worked fine, then i unchecked Limit to Visibility on Forest and my DR worked fine everytime..