Distributed rendering of GeomStaticMesh

[lcrivell]

Hi,
Based on your provided geomMeshLoader sample , I am using a Maya MPxNode that is calling a geomMeshLoader in which there is a GeomStaticMesh-called plugin. However I can't get it to be distributed rendered:

static struct GeomDesc: VR::VRayPluginDesc
{
    GeomDesc(void):VR::VRayPluginDesc(&geommeshloader_params) {}
    PluginID getPluginID(void) { return PluginID(LARGE_CONST(0x2010090301)); }
    Plugin *newPlugin(PluginHost *host) { return new GeomMeshLoader(this); }
    void deletePlugin(Plugin *obj) { delete (GeomMeshLoader*) obj; }
    bool supportsInterface(InterfaceID id) { return (id==EXT_STATIC_GEOM_SOURCE) || (id==EXT_VRAY_PLUGIN); }
    tchar *getName(void) { return "geomMeshLoader"; }
    const tchar *getCopyright(void) { return "Copyright (C) 2015, Chaos Software Ltd"; }
} geomDesc;

void myMpxNode::createVRayPlugin(VR::VRayGeomInfo *geomInfo)
{
    if (!geomInfo) return;
    
    plugman=geomInfo->getPluginManager();
    if (!plugman) return;
    
    bool existing=false;
    
    // Check to see if our class is already registered in the plugin manager
    // and register it if necessary
    PluginDesc *geomPluginDesc=plugman->getPluginDesc("geomMeshLoader");
    if (!geomPluginDesc)
    {
        plugman->registerPlugin(&geomDesc);
        pluginRegistered=true;
    }
    GeomMeshLoader *geom=static_cast<GeomMeshLoader*>(geomInfo->newPlugin("geomMeshLoader", existing));
    geom->parentEmitterNode=this;
    
    if (!existing)
    {
        // The plugin did not exist before - we can do additional set up here, if necessary
    }
}

However, when I perform a distributed rendering, the slave indicates that "geomMeshLoader" cannot be found (indeed I don't have a specific .so file for that).
As my geomMeshLoader is only about loading geometry in GeomStaticMesh and doing some memory/factory cleanup, what should I do to get my geometry being distributed ?
1. Compile my own .so ?
2. Call GeomStaticMesh plugin directly from my MPxNode ?
3. Other ?

Thanks.

[vlado]

Yes, in that case you will need to compile a separate .so file with the V-Ray plugin rather than registering it dynamically.

Best regards,
Vlado

[lcrivell]

Thanks. So I can't directly create a GeomStaticMesh plugin from my MPxNode and feed it with geometry parameters, right ?

[ivaylo.ivanov]

You can create GeomStaticMesh plugins, but not a GeomMeshLoader since the other machine doesn't know what this is.

[lcrivell]

Thanks, and for my understanding on Distributed rendering: The master machine will generate the plugin parameters and send the parameters to the slave renderers for rendering ?
In such a case how can I know in the MPxNode when to update the plugin parameters ?

With a custom Plugin (like geomMeshLoader), I know it because of the frameBegin function, but if I directly create a GeomStaticMesh plugin from the MpxNode, how can I intercept/override the frameBegin function ?