Spawner Fails

[MegaPixel]

Just following up to Da_elf's comments.

I too confirm that each DR slave must connect to and register with the BB manager atleast once to stay active and work properly. Nothing else needs to be done.

Dave

[Da_elf]

yeah. and its sooooo simple and quick as opposed to the other method

[artykris]

Guys,
The trick with starting Max8 BB manager doesn`t work for me.
When I launch the spawner - it just opens max8 with "untitled" and closes it immediately. I use VRAY 1.5 RC2.
I also had max7 installed on that machine previously, the BB 2.2 is still there! I`ve started that one as well. Still no luck.

Can you name other solutions that I can try? Any tricks? What should I check?
Can you write me step by step how this procedure with BB looks like? Maybe I do sth wrong... (I just starded the BB manager, clicked oK on settings and shut it down)

I always had problems with Vray DR service, it was only working when it wanted to... it`s a huge problem to be fixed.

Thx,

[stucker]

I too am having some problems getting the spawner to stay running.

I've tried everything listed here:

Start BB3 Manager, Monitor, Server. Completed startup configuration of them all and watched them connect to each other. Shut them down. Start spawner with same results.

Open the dummy max file and save it.

Install viz 2006, install backburner 2.3, open backburner 2.3 manager, monitor, and server. Close all 3 and start spawner, same results.

I'm able to get BB3 up and running on the network to process renderings on the farm. I'm wanting to use the DR porting of Vray so I can render single, non-animated, images across the farm. BB3 will accept the rendering request, but only process the image on one slave.

I've setup a spawner.ini file as instructed in the installation documention

Anyone have any more ideas on things I can check on?

I'm using Viz2007, BB3, and Vray 1.5 (using the dll hack / no dongle work around), all running on Windows XP Pro. Except on one machine, all others have a frest install of Viz2007, BB3, and 1.5.

My spawner log file looks like this:

   0:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:25]    ========================== Starting new session ==========================
   1:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:25]    Got this module name: C:\Autodesk\VIZ2007\vrayspawner60.exe
   2:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:25]    Got this INI file name: C:\Autodesk\VIZ2007\VRaySpawner.ini
   3:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:25]    Reading settings from INI file: "C:\Autodesk\VIZ2007\VRaySpawner.ini"
   4:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:25]    --
   5:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:25]      Dumping current settings...
   6:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:25]      VRaySpawner temp dir: "C:\Autodesk\Viz2007\temprender"
   7:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:25]      Application name (MAX/VIZ): "C:\Autodesk\VIZ2007\3dsviz.exe"
   8:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:25]    --
   9:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:25]    Process id is 3748 (0xea4)
  10:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:25]    Executing ""C:\Autodesk\VIZ2007\3dsviz.exe" -server C:\Autodesk\Viz2007\temprender\vraydummy60.max"
  11:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:35]    Process id is 3748 (0xea4)
  12:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:35]    Executing ""C:\Autodesk\VIZ2007\3dsviz.exe" -server C:\Autodesk\Viz2007\temprender\vraydummy60.max"
  13:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:45]    Process id is 3748 (0xea4)
  14:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:45]    Executing ""C:\Autodesk\VIZ2007\3dsviz.exe" -server C:\Autodesk\Viz2007\temprender\vraydummy60.max"
  15:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:57]    Process id is 3748 (0xea4)
  16:  [2006/Oct/2|09:54:57]    Executing ""C:\Autodesk\VIZ2007\3dsviz.exe" -server C:\Autodesk\Viz2007\temprender\vraydummy60.max"
  17:  [2006/Oct/2|09:55:09]    Process id is 3748 (0xea4)
  18:  [2006/Oct/2|09:55:09]    Executing ""C:\Autodesk\VIZ2007\3dsviz.exe" -server C:\Autodesk\Viz2007\temprender\vraydummy60.max"
  19:  [2006/Oct/2|09:55:10]    ========================== Ending session ==========================

And my VRaySpawner.ini looks like this:

[Directories]
AppName=C:\Autodesk\VIZ2007\3dsviz.exe
TempDir=C:\Autodesk\Viz2007\temprender

Thanks for your patience and assistance. I'm new to Viz and Vray administration and I appreciate any additional insight.

Thanks,
Shannon

[jacksc02]

you cant send a DR job through backburner.

[re:FORM]

This is really doing my head in. I've got a render node that has stopped working since I added another node on the network. I can't work out why this might be causing a problem. The vray spawner opens max with vraydummy60 with no problem, but when I send a DR, the machine sits close to idle, tries to load the file, then restarts max. Meanwhile, my other nodes immediately hit 100% cpu as they load the file, then render without any problems.

I've tried running manager and server and monitor on the suspect machine, reloaded the spawner, and it still doesnt work. I've rebooted also .... I can't think of what else to try.... apart from a reinstall.

here's the spawner log

   0:  [2006/Nov/2|13:37:34]    ========================== Starting new session ==========================
   1:  [2006/Nov/2|13:37:34]    Got this module name: C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3dsMax8\vrayspawner60.exe
   2:  [2006/Nov/2|13:37:34]    Got this INI file name: C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3dsMax8\VRaySpawner.ini
   3:  [2006/Nov/2|13:37:34]    *** ALERT! Could not open INI file: "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3dsMax8\VRaySpawner.ini". Using defaults.
   4:  [2006/Nov/2|13:37:34]    --
   5:  [2006/Nov/2|13:37:34]      Dumping current settings...
   6:  [2006/Nov/2|13:37:34]      VRaySpawner temp dir: "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3dsMax8\network"
   7:  [2006/Nov/2|13:37:34]      Application name (MAX/VIZ): "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3dsMax8\3dsmax.exe"
   8:  [2006/Nov/2|13:37:34]    --
   9:  [2006/Nov/2|13:37:34]    Process id is 2604 (0xa2c)
  10:  [2006/Nov/2|13:37:34]    Executing ""C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3dsMax8\3dsmax.exe" -server C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3dsMax8\network\vraydummy60.max"
  11:  [2006/Nov/2|13:38:26]    Process id is 2604 (0xa2c)
  12:  [2006/Nov/2|13:38:26]    Executing ""C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3dsMax8\3dsmax.exe" -server C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3dsMax8\network\vraydummy60.max"

In the v-ray messages window, I get
Server 192.168.1.117: Scene loaded: starting Render.

But, I never get 'starting frame 0' which all the other nodes have immediately after loading the scene.

Then a minute later, I get "Warning: Render host unknown (192.168.1.117) is not responding"

Any suggestions?

[re:FORM]

I reinstalled vray, and now after I get the "scene loaded" message, but before the render has anywhere near completed, I get the "server 192.168.1.117: Render completed." message.

v.strange.

<edit> I've noticed Im getting an error message in my vrLServer.:-
"Error in data consistency or system buffers full. Will close connection."

<edit-2> I forgot to copy over cgauth.dll So ignore the errors in this post. Reinstalling vray hasn't fixed the DR problem though. If I reinstall max, will I need to re-authorise vray? Will reinstalling max fix the problem?

[CCS]

This is really ticking me off. I haven't gotten DR to run yet on 1.5. Never worked for me in 1.47 either, although I used it fairly regularly in 1.46.

Tried starting manager and server and watched them connect. Then started spawner and it's still in the never-ending cycle. This is very frustrating. It shouldn't take all this screwing around. Especially when 1.5 was to have "bulletproof" DR.

BTW, Max8 and VRay 1.5 are installed and running on all machines.

Any ideas??

[artykris]

This is really ticking me off. I haven't gotten DR to run yet on 1.5. Never worked for me in 1.47 either, although I used it fairly regularly in 1.46.

Same here.
Vlado, is there any progress with making DR "bulletproof"?

Thanks,
/\/\.

[jacksc02]

scott, what problems are you specifically having?

[CCS]

Well, right now, my cable internet keeps dropping out. Plus my kids won't obey and the car is making a funny noise...

whoa - you mean DR problems? I'm so embarrassed!

I've just been trying to get DR on 2 machines for now (my main workstation plus another). MAX/vray work fine on both machines. When I start spawner on the slave though, it just does the MAX continual start/stop thing.

I tried starting BB mon/svr/mgr and they connect fine. After exiting them all, spawner still does the same thing.

[jacksc02]

ok, do you have the vrlserver running on your slave? you might have to set vray on your slaves to see the license on your machine that has the license otherwise it wont run

[jacksc02]

as for your other problems....... your on your own!

[CCS]

Ok - I'm going crazy.

Still not working. Here's today's log:

Again, working on 3 machines right now - call them workstation and slave. I completely uninstalled RC2 from both, including the WIBU thing and all other files, just to be safe. Then installed RC3. When RC3 installed, I noticed that vrlserver automatically ran on each. This seemed odd, but what do I know. Based on a suggestion from CJ that they needed to share the same license server for DR, I disabled it on the slave. Then I started MAX and pointed it to the workstation's IP. At this point, MAX and vray start and render fine on both machines. Next, I went thru the BB routine on the slave with no problems. Now I figure all should be perfect, so I start spawner on the slave. Cycle time. Grrrrrr.

The only relevant error I was able to track down was in the Max.log in the network folder. It kept repeating "Starting Network, Error opening *.max file, Stop Network"

What is going on here??? I've wasted alot of time on this, and I really need to move on.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[RErender]

Have you tried saving over the vraydummy max file?