QT layout for vfb

[1funk]

We were able to reliably reproduce the crash when switching from the "Model" to "Render V-Ray" layout.
It happens each time on Window 8, but doesn't seem to happen on Window 7 or Mac OS X.
The crashing code is all MODO, but you do need a V-Ray VFB docked for this to happen.

I'm using win 7 and it's crashing reliably. One thing to check is, after a few crashes, Windows may automatically try to fix the crashes by putting modo into the FTH blacklist or setting app compatibility flags.

This prevents further crashes but impacts performance and also gives the false illusion that the crash was random and magically fixed itself.

If you see modo listed in the following registry key, it has been blacklisted in the FTH. I have some info about it here and how to remove it

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\FTH\State

If you see modo listed in the following keys, Windows has set some compatibility flags. Remove it and run modo again to see if the initial crash happens again.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers

I am thinking that MODO doesn't like the "Render V-Ray" layout somehow.
Here is how I created it:

- first cleared all my MODO preferences (so the only changed preference is the new layout)

- selected the "Render" layout from the switcher bar

- clicked the "+" for "New Layout" and checked "As Copy of Current Layout", and entered "Render V-Ray" for the name

- changed the "Preview" viewport to "vray.view.vfb" in this new layout

- for some reason the "Shader Tree" viewport was called something like 4854002808203:view in the new layout,
so I deleted it and added "Shader Tree" again

- I think I changed the size of the "Properties" and "Shader Tree" viewports at this point

- executed File -> Config Export ..., selected Fragment -> Layouts, unchecked "Import Resulting File"

- I then added the resulting .cfg file to the V-Ray for MODO installation (it is in cfg_901 dir in the V-Ray for MODO installation and is called layout.render.vray.CFG).
The file contains only my "Render V-Ray" layout, added to the switcher bar. All the internal IDs are generated by MODO.

funk, do you think this the correct way to create a custom layout and add it to a kit/plug-in.
Have I missed something ? Should I start with a completely empty layout and add all the viewports one by one ?
I will ask this question on the MODO forum as well.

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

Custom layouts is a really huge topic that has almost zero documentation. It's usually best to start with a completely wiped layout, although I don't strictly stick to this advice myself. The "As Copy of Current Layout" might be fine, although it's a relatively new and untested feature

Modo's config export for layouts can produce some pretty messy code (duplicate unused items etc). As you noticed, it also automatically generates hashes/keys for sections.

I have seen problems with kits that have had auto generated IDs clashing, so I highly recommend editing your layouts by hand. Remove any unused code and give all sections unique keys / hashes / ids / nicer descriptive names etc

The easiest thing to do is prefix everything with something like your kit name. eg. Your custom view code would go from this:

    <hash type="customview" key="base.89479665974:layout_vp_27744701477" val="listed">
      <atom type="Identifier">73573666030:customview</atom>
      <atom type="Server">vray.view.vfb</atom>
      <atom type="ViewportLock2">0 0</atom>
      <atom type="MinHeader">1</atom>
      <atom type="QuadLock">0</atom>
      <atom type="ViewportTitle">vray.view.vfb</atom>
      <atom type="ViewportClass">vpapplication</atom>
    </hash>

to this:

    <hash type="customview" key="base.vray_vfb" val="listed">
      <atom type="Identifier">vray_vfb:customview</atom>
      <atom type="Server">V-ray VFB</atom>
      <atom type="ViewportLock2">0 0</atom>
      <atom type="MinHeader">1</atom>
      <atom type="QuadLock">0</atom>
      <atom type="ViewportTitle">V-ray VFB</atom>
      <atom type="ViewportClass">vpapplication</atom>
    </hash>

This may not fix your crashes, but it will prevent any possible clashes with other kits in the future.

[1funk]

By the way, you should also join the skype SDK Developers Channel (it's all text based):
http://community.thefoundry.co.uk/di...x?f=37&t=68068

[vladimir.nedev]

By the way, you should also join the skype SDK Developers Channel (it's all text based):
http://community.thefoundry.co.uk/di...x?f=37&t=68068

Joined.

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[vladimir.nedev]

If you see modo listed in the following keys, Windows has set some compatibility flags. Remove it and run modo again to see if the initial crash happens again.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers

Wow, thank you ! That was it, I can now debug it on my Windows 7 machine.
And it will probably help in the future as well.

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[1funk]

I'm glad some of that info was useful

[jonmoore]

Modo community powered V-Ray development. Symbiosis is action...

[1funk]

I'm pretty sure this is a modo bug, so we'll have to wait on TF to fix it.

Vladimir joined skype and we found a temporary "workaround" to prevent the crash. You can simply delete the timeline at the bottom of the layout.

1. Start modo in the modeling layout
2. Select the "v-ray vfb" layout
3. Select the "render vray" layout
4. Right click here and choose "delete"


After restarting modo changing to the vray layout wont crash any more

[jonmoore]

I haven't installed any of the the QT builds as yet. Am I right in saying that the bug is strictly a WinTel thing and that OS X is functioning as it should?

Cheers,

jm

[vladimir.nedev]

I haven't installed any of the the QT builds as yet. Am I right in saying that the bug is strictly a WinTel thing and that OS X is functioning as it should?

Cheers,

jm

I haven't been able to reproduce the "switch from "Model" to "Render V-Ray" layout" crash on Mac OS X.

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[jonmoore]

Cheers Vladimir.

I'll be giving the new QT build a test over the weekend and will report back if I find anything is awry.

[vmodo]

I don´t experience the "switch from "Model" to "Render V-Ray" layout" crash on Mac OS X.
but under V-Ray GI / Irradiance Map: When I click on the “Auto save file” Dropdown-Arrow Button MODO crashes.

[vladimir.nedev]

I don´t experience the "switch from "Model" to "Render V-Ray" layout" crash on Mac OS X.
but under V-Ray GI / Irradiance Map: When I click on the “Auto save file” Dropdown-Arrow Button MODO crashes.

Are you on Mac OS X ? I tried on Windows, and it works fine (although I seem to remember this happening, but it might have been on Mac OS X as well).
Also on Mac OS X, MODO 801 SP2 doesn't have this crash.
If you enter even one character in the "Auto save file" box, then clicking the arrow doesn't cause the crash.
Also the stack trace shows all MODO functions, so my feeling is this is a MODO bug, and you should send them those crash reports so they can fix it.

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[vladimir.nedev]

After installing this version of Vray on my servers I am not able to open the modo_sl -slave anymore.

The nightly build from 2015-07-25 will no longer crash modo_cl.exe on start-up.

I also fixed a crash when normal MODO is closed while RT is running. This was again happening only in MODO 901 (both on Windows and Mac OS X).

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[vladimir.nedev]

I found a way to work-around the crash when switching from the "Model" to the "Render V-Ray" layout. You no longer have to remove the 'Timeline".
The fix will be in the nightly build from 2015-07-25.
It will be very helpful, if everyone who had this issue tests that build, so any other issues can be found.

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[1funk]

Confirming 2015-07-25 nightly has fixed the crash for me. What was the workaround?

Thanks Vladimir