Distributed Rendering (DR) Setup Mac OS X

[JabbaTheNut]

I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to setup VRay for Modo DR on Mac OS X. There are no instructions on how to do this. Ultimately, I was able to cobble together bits and pieces from the forum. Here are the instructions that worked for me:

Workstation Installation

1. Install Modo as usual and activate its license.
2. Install VRay for Modo as per instruction in the docs (http://docs.chaosgroup.com/display/V...V-Ray+for+MODO)
a. Make sure "Local V-Ray license server on this machine" is selected.
3. Install VRay Online License Server as per instruction in the docs (http://docs.chaosgroup.com/display/V...line+Licensing)
a. If you get an error when trying to reach http://localhost:30304, then have most likely run into a permission bug in the VRay for Modo installation process. To resolve, delete the hidden folder .ChaosGroup located in your user directory (i.e., /Users/[username]/.ChaosGroup. Once deleted, it will automatically be recreated with proper permissions.
4. Do a test render to make sure that your installation is working.

Render Slave Installation

1. Install Modo, but do not activate its license. Licensing is not necessary on render slaves.
2. Install VRay for Modo as per the instructions in the docs (link provided in item 2 above).
a. Make sure "Remote V-Ray license server on the network" is selected.
b. Input the IP address of your workstation (the one that has the online license server installed).

Rendering

1. Execute the following command in Terminal on all machines (workstation and slaves): "/Applications/ChaosGroup/V-Ray/MODO_x64/vraysl/vray.bin -server"
a. Please note that I am assuming a default installation of VRay for Modo. Use the correct path to the vray.bin file in your installation.
2. In Modo's VRay preferences, do the following:
a. Select "Enable DR for production rendering".
b. Select "Enable DR for RT rendering" (if you desire this).
c. Enter the IP addresses of all participating rendering machines in the Hosts section (workstation and slaves).
3. Render as usual. All machines should be participating. You can confirm this in the Modo event log. As well, the Terminal in each active rendering machine will detail the activity.

Ending Distributed Rendering
1. On each machine (workstation and slaves) enter Ctrl+C in Terminal to exit.

If I have missed any important details, please add to this post so others can benefit.

It would be helpful if ChaosGroup could post some clear and complete instructions on how to get Distributed Rendering in VRay for Modo properly installed and running.

[vladimir.nedev]

Thank you for summing all of this up in one thread. We should definitely add a section about DR in the docs.

Just a note, you don't need to start "/Applications/ChaosGroup/V-Ray/MODO_x64/vraysl/vray.bin -server" on the workstation and add it to a "host list",
unless of course you have more than 1 and you want to use one from the other.

Also I need to automate starting "vray.bin -server". In V-Ray for Maya, I think there is an option during installation that makes "vray.bin -server" a service that starts on OS login.

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[JabbaTheNut]

Hi Vladimir,

Regarding the point on starting "vray.bin -server" on the workstation...

Initially, I had only started "vray.bin -server" on the slaves and did not add the workstation as a host in the VRay preferences. I noticed in the Modo event log, however, that the workstation was not being used as a DR host during rendering.

I then tried adding the workstation as a host in the VRay preferences. This did not work, either. The workstation still wasn't showing up as a host in the DR process. In fact, there was a warning indicating that it could not launch the workstation as a host.

When I did both (i.e., start "vray.bin -server" on the workstation and add the workstation as a host in the VRay preferences) the event log finally showed the workstation as a host in the DR process.

I guess I did not try just starting "vray.bin -server" without adding the workstation to the host list. I will try this tonight and report the results.

By the way, once I got everything up and running, it was awesome

[vladimir.nedev]

There are options Use local machine for production/RT rendering in the DR settings.
If you have them enabled (the default), the copy of V-Ray within MODO will be used to render together with the slaves.
In this case, you don't have to start "vray.bin" on the workstation and/or specify it in one of the host lists.

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[JabbaTheNut]

Hi Vladimir,

In all of the scenarios I listed above, the option to use the local machine for production/rt rendering was selected. I believe it was selected by default.

So that I understand, are you saying the following?

1. Start "vray.bin -server" on each of the slaves. Do not start "vray.bin -server" on the workstation.
2. Enter the IP addresses of each slave in the VRay preferences Host List. Do not enter workstation IP address in Host List.
3. Make sure "Use local machine for production/RT render" is selected.

Thanks.

[vladimir.nedev]

Hi Vladimir,

In all of the scenarios I listed above, the option to use the local machine for production/rt rendering was selected. I believe it was selected by default.

So that I understand, are you saying the following?

1. Start "vray.bin -server" on each of the slaves. Do not start "vray.bin -server" on the workstation.
2. Enter the IP addresses of each slave in the VRay preferences Host List. Do not enter workstation IP address in Host List.
3. Make sure "Use local machine for production/RT render" is selected.

Thanks.

Yes, that's it. The local machine won't be reported in the Event Log as a DR host, but you should see it rendering buckets.
This is because it renders from within the MODO process, there is no network connection to it.

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[JabbaTheNut]

Ok. I understand now. That makes sense. Thank you for your explanation.

Where can I look to verify that the workstation is rendering buckets along with the slaves (e.g., a VRay log of some kind)?

[BVA]

Where can I look to verify that the workstation is rendering buckets along with the slaves (e.g., a VRay log of some kind)?

If DR is working you will see the names of your workstation and slaves writen in the buckets as they render. Also, there will be a render element called DR. you should be able to see who rendered what bucket in the pass.

[JabbaTheNut]

Perfect. I will give that a try.

Thanks

[danklife]

Thanks all for this thread. Got me up and running on one this morning. Once the studio remodel is done I'll hopefully get the rest set up no problems. Kinda nice to see it all in terminal plugging along. Thanks!

[mikecampau]

Thanks Everyone, this was HUGE!
I just started the "/Applications/ChaosGroup/V-Ray/MODO_x64/vraysl/vray.bin -server" in the terminal on the slave and put in the IP on the host and BOOM 24 more threads!

[danklife]

Was adding a mac laptop into the render farm today and for the life of me I could not get it to work. I kept getting, "VRay could not obtain a license (61)" error. Turns out I was having some issue with the hidden Chaos Group Folder: HD>Users>USERNAME>.ChaosGroup. The vrlclient.xml doc was not writing itself into there for some reason. It was always empty no matter how many reinstalls I did.

to solve that, I just copied it over from another machine without any changes and now it's up and running. Could not find any tips for solving error 61 so I thought I would add this to the list.

[mikecampau]

I was wondering if I had to buy additional licenses to add more machines to my distributed rendering list? Right now I have one master and one render slave running, but wanted to add another machine. I installed MODO and VRAY on that machine but it didn't give me the option to install it with "Remote V-Ray license network" in the customized section? It doesn't show up in my DR when rendering, so I'm guessing I need to get an additional license?

[danklife]

Heya Mike,

You sure do. I picked up this package when I first bought:

https://novedge.com/products/11654

Not sure how to go about just getting more nodes though. I'd email them and ask. They were helpful for me, I just tried to do it over a holiday weekend where VRay is located so it was a bit slow.

[vladimir.nedev]

I was wondering if I had to buy additional licenses to add more machines to my distributed rendering list? Right now I have one master and one render slave running, but wanted to add another machine.

Yes, each render slave needs a V-Ray Render Node 3.0 license.
They can be bought separately : https://www.chaosgroup.com/vray/render-node#pricing
or bundled with a V-Ray for MODO UI license : https://www.chaosgroup.com/vray/modo#pricing

The number of available licenses is listed in the online license server's page:

I installed MODO and VRAY on that machine but it didn't give me the option to install it with "Remote V-Ray license network" in the customized section?

If you click the Customize button it should give you this option.



Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev