Distributed Rendering and IFL (Image File List)

[Tim in Hollywood]

Hi,

We have an interior scene with a few TVs. For the content of the TVs, we have 9 images listed in an IFL (Image File List).

On the primary / host system, everything renders perfectly.

When doing a distributed render, we often get buckets that create square holes in the renderings in ONLY the objects with IFL images in their materials.

1. DESKTOP05 is the host / primary 3ds max workstation.
2. The IFL has UNC paths to each of the 9 images.
3. When on the slave/server machines, all of the images can be brought up instantly via Windows Explorer.
4. RENDER01, RENDER02, RENDER03 are the slave/render machine names. All machines on the network have a hosts file that references all computers on the network with fixed IP addresses.
5. DESKTOP05 and RENDER01 work all of the time. No empty buckets. This is particularly confusing, since RENDER01 and RENDER02 were set up at the same time and were fresh installs of Win7x64.

Additional info (in case it is relevant):

I am unable to see all of the images in the IFL within the Asset Tracking dialog box. It shows the IFL, then has a couple items nested below the IFL. For example:

IFL file (with UNC path in the "Full Path" column).
\ Maps / Shaders
\ map1.tga

The IFL has 9 images in it. Asset Tracking does not list all nine images. Sometimes, it will list a few of the images in the IFL, but never all of them. I don't know that this is relevant, because the map1.tga (or whatever is listed in Asset Tracking) doesn't render anyway.

***When the list of maps is transferred to RENDER02, map1.tga (or any from the IFL) is NOT listed in the V-Ray messages window. Asset "\\DESKTOP05\projectname\randomtexture.tga" transferred to render02:20204 provides a list of all files transferred to RENDER02.

***RENDER01 never has a similar file listing in the V-Ray messages window.

Restart servers on render end -CHECKED
Save servers in the scene -CHECKED
Max servers =0
Use local host -UNchecked
Transfer missing assets -CHECKED
Use cached assets -UNchecked


Is there any way to diagnose the problem? We are completely stumped. Is there possibly a setting in a config file on RENDER02 and RENDER03 that could be causing the problem? The slave/server machines all have unlicensed 3ds max 2015 on them...with the latest SP. Using V-Ray 3.10.03. Will upgrade to latest V-Ray when this project is finished.

Thanks,
Tim

[svetlozar.draganov]

Thank you very much for the detailed explanation of the issue.
Would it be possible to provide the following information as well:

1.Sample render output to visualize how those holes look like.
2.Sample scene which also reproduces the issue for investigation along its assets.
3.3DSmax version.
4.Confirm/Double check that all machines participating in the DR have absolutely the same V-Ray/3DSmax version installed.
5.V-Ray log file from one of the problematic machines after the issue has occurred.
6.V-Ray spawner has been started manually or as a windows service?

It is a good idea to update to the latest V-Ray version even just for test purpose since it contains a lot of bug fixed and this issue might be also solved.

Thank you very much in advance.