Distributed rendering - render node user paths reseting to default

[DEREK_DALLAS]

Hi

I have just switched to Max Design 2015 (was on 2014)
I have 1 workstation and 1 render slave.
I setup my user paths (textures etc) on the render slave (Customise - Configure User Paths)
However when I do a network render and vray restarts the render node at the end of a render, then the render slave (3D max) resets the user paths back to default setting.

Why is this happening. Never had this problem when using max 2014.

I am on the latest Vray build.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Derek

[vlado]

This is odd; we will have to try to reproduce this here.

Best regards,
Vlado

[DEREK_DALLAS]

Thanks!!!
Its abit time consuming having to reload paths everytime.

Regards

Derek

[Morne]

Thanks!!!
Its abit time consuming having to reload paths everytime.

Regards

Derek

In your workflow, why are you setting the user paths in the first place?

[Svetlozar Draganov]

I couldn't reproduce that - can you give us some steps we should follow in order to reproduce the issue?
Also by network rendering do you mean V-Ray Distributed Rendering , BackBurner or anything else?

[LQ2]

I had a very similar issue with Max 2014, and made some discoveries.

My problem was with Max's use of "Project Folders" and the .mxp files therein. If you do not use the project folders then this might not be the issue. However, what I observed is that the file paths that you have set on your workstation (within the current project folder's .mxp file) are pushed to the render nodes so that the render nodes have all the file paths that the workstation has. The problem I had was to do with the large number of paths that I was using and loosing some of the paths when changing the project folder. The official line from Autodesk was that when you change the Project folder there is a procedure that you must follow in order for it to work correctly: when you want to change the current project folder, you must do a "reset", then pick the new project folder. If you don't do the reset, Max will do all sorts of annoying things to the .mxp file. The slightly annoying thing about the project folders and their .mxp files, is that they are used to push the user paths that are job specific, back to the local Max.ini file, and then at render time, they are all pushed to the render node's local Max.ini files. The above, in my observation, applies to V-ray 2.x distributed rendering.

My apologies if this does not help or is not applicable because the information above relates to Max 2014 and I do not know if it applies to Max 2015.

Cheers,

Bill.

[DEREK_DALLAS]

Thanks for reply guys.

Using V-Ray Distributed Rendering

(Not sure if correct way) I have always had a folder on my workstation, with Cars, HQ Plants etc on it with there individual texture files. So can just drag and drop into scenes or proxy.
On the render node under customise - Config user paths - External files. I would direct it to these model texture files.
Then when working on a project (create project folder with a materialibraries folder for specific textures for that project.)
I would then also direct the render node to this materialibraries folder.
This way has always worked for me. As I am only using 1 render node, was not a problem to setup.

I know with the latest vray it has a Transfer missing assets option. (Great life made simpler) but even with that activated I was still getting missing textures and proxy cars not being rendered by node.
So I have just kept to setting up distributed rendering this way.
Until now with Max Design 2015 reseting the paths.

Im only adding about 5 paths to model textures and then project folder path.
Thanks LQ2, It worked in 2014, so think something changed in 2015. Or maybe its a windows 7 thing not allowing the node to set paths to workstation or something?
Attached is the default user paths settings.

Thanks again

Derek

[Morne]

You shouldnt have to set ANY paths on your slaves if you're using UNC paths to begin with

If your slaves can see your pc (fileserver) via UNC, it will just pick up whatever path you set from your main pc and still render.

[DEREK_DALLAS]

Hi Morne

I have never used UNC paths, as never had any problems.
Might have to look into using it now.

Derek

[DEREK_DALLAS]

Hi

Actually the textures seem to be rendering fine.
Its the xrefed Objects (cars) that are not being rendered by the nodes.

Derek

[Morne]

Open Asset tracker and see whats the location of the xref files
if they are different to the textures, for a test, try copying them to the same folder as the textures that work

[Svetlozar Draganov]

Thanks for reply guys.

Using V-Ray Distributed Rendering

(Not sure if correct way) I have always had a folder on my workstation, with Cars, HQ Plants etc on it with there individual texture files. So can just drag and drop into scenes or proxy.
On the render node under customise - Config user paths - External files. I would direct it to these model texture files.
Then when working on a project (create project folder with a materialibraries folder for specific textures for that project.)
I would then also direct the render node to this materialibraries folder.
This way has always worked for me. As I am only using 1 render node, was not a problem to setup.

I know with the latest vray it has a Transfer missing assets option. (Great life made simpler) but even with that activated I was still getting missing textures and proxy cars not being rendered by node.
So I have just kept to setting up distributed rendering this way.
Until now with Max Design 2015 reseting the paths.

Im only adding about 5 paths to model textures and then project folder path.
Thanks LQ2, It worked in 2014, so think something changed in 2015. Or maybe its a windows 7 thing not allowing the node to set paths to workstation or something?
Attached is the default user paths settings.

Thanks again

Derek

We would need a step-by-step instructions how to replicate this issue. I have tested it several times but without success.
I have performed the following 2 tests.

1.Add a few External Paths on the slave machine > Start VR spawner manually > Run DR rendering with "Restart Server on Render End" > After the job is complete I open 3DSmax Design 2015 on the slave machine and the paths were still there.

2.It is the same test basically but this time I also added different project folders for workstation and slave machine - the result was the same the external paths were preserved.