standard question

[gilicom]

Hello guys
This question is not regarding vray but here it is:
Whenever I make a new bitmap i'm copying it manualy to all of the other computers in my studio one by one(other computers = render farm).
Is there some kind of software that you use for transferring materials from one computer to all the rest of them in a easy and faster way?

[travistlo]

Use a shared folder. If you add the share directory to your other computers then they will all be able to see the files.

I personally use a shared drive Ex: L: (libraries) In this directory I have All my Maps, Mat Libraries, IES Files, 3D shared objects (lamps, chairs etc). and so on.

If you are using Windows XP, or windows 2000 to share this directory you are limited to 10 simultaneous connections, if you are using a windows server you are limited to your CAL license amounts.

You need to add the drive to max. Its a little different in each version, but "configure paths" is what you need. Add the drive, and all its subfolders. Once you have this, Just copy your .ini file to the other computers. This file holds all the configured paths in it. (you wont have to open max on all machine and configure the paths if you copy the .ini file around).

Travis

[gilicom]

thanks travis
I remember that i used to work like that nut i also remember that while i've used just one driver as a library for all the other computers i used to had render crashes, and when i started working with bitmaps manualy on each computer the crashes stopped.
Does everybody work the way you described or some of you guys copy all the shared material to each computer?
if so how do you do it?

[dbuchhofer]

I share the drives for a ton of machines.. (Be sure to limit the access groups if you do this.. you don't want EVERYONE able to look at it..)

i pretty much just make a .bat file click and go for a coffee..

copy \COMPUTERNAMEGOESHERE\SHARENAME\SourceDirectory\*.* \COMPUTERNAMEGOESHERE\SHARENAME\DestinationDirectory\

rem ------ Edit it to format your network..~
copy \Workstation\wsCDriveShare\FARMCOPY\*.* \SlaveslCDriveShare	extures
rem ------ will copy all files from c:\Farmcopy to the slave comp C:\Textures Dir..

not too clear of an explanation.. but a start.
Saves some headaches if you don't have a 'Server' based operating system/machine to host the textures..

edit: forgot about the double slash thing.

[guilhermerc]

well i just use computer istead of drive

\ComputerSharedFolderfilename.ext

this way i can open the file at any computer of the network without any prob....

[gilicom]

dbuchhofer
Ok the way my network is cofigured is that on each comuter i have a global maps directory called "maps" and its placed on d: , so your way will fit for comparing once in a while those directorys on all of the other machines.
but my problem begins when i'm working on a specific project that has its own unike maps and those are the maps that i want to copy to all the other macines,theyare placed on diffrent directorys dipending on the project name.
exmple:
d:/projects/projec_name/maps
I want to copy thise directory respecticly to all of the other machines without having to write a diffrent bat file for eace project, so i'm asking if there is some kind of utilty software that you are able to point the source directory and it will automaticly copy it to all the other machines to the same directory as the source one and will make such a directory if it doesn't exist.
Is this kind of software exists?

[trick]

If you persist on duplicating your texture directories on all computers, use Beyond Compare (www.scootersoftware.com). It's perfect for what you need

[dbuchhofer]

yea, thought about making something custom, but the batchfiles work entirely too easy

I just have a template .. One batch file to copy the 3dsmax.ini, one to make the texture dir, one to copy the texturefiles to the newly made remote texture dir..

I do the same for VRMaps, but they need to be specified locally in the same locations as they are on the remote machines..

find and replace in notepad is key

Edit: and yea, Beyond compare is great for checking for inconsistencies

[gilicom]

thank you for all the help