Best way using Render Licenses?

[Robert]

Whats the best way to make use of the render licenses?
Well except doing DR off course. Is there a standalone included in the Modo license that can render an exported vrscene?
I heard it works on a PC in some way, but I haven't seen any examples for Mac users.

[vladimir.nedev]

You can render using the V-Ray Standalone by going to the V-Ray menu inside MODO and then choosing "Render with V-Ray Standalone".
This will export a .vrscene for you and start the rendering. This type of rendering requires only the render license. The UI license is engaged only during the .vrscene export.
You can start multiple renders from the same machine, restricting them to only some render servers and disabling "Use Local Machine".
This way, you will be using only render licenses and looking at the render progress from your main workstation.



You can also kill the started standalone render (I will add an option not to start the rendering at all) and then use the generated .command file to execute the rendering at a later time.
The .command file and .vrscene files are saved inside your /tmp directory. You can specify the directory here as well:



Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[Robert]

So that means:
1. If I need the workstation license on the machine I do the export, it makes no sense for me. My problem is that I don't want to transfer license each time I just want to render on another machine (machine with net render license so).
2. How can I execude the command on another machine, without running Modo first and on a Mac? I read that there is only a .bat file created.

[vladimir.nedev]

1. If I need the workstation license on the machine I do the export, it makes no sense for me. My problem is that I don't want to transfer license each time I just want to render on another machine (machine with net render license so).

Aren't your machines connected in a local network ?
If they are, you can just point them to use the same local license server and borrow the licenses there. No need to transfer anything.
If they are connected, you can also do what I suggested, use the "Render with V-Ray Standalone" command to render on the remote machine and look at the result on your main machine.

2. How can I execude the command on another machine, without running Modo first and on a Mac? I read that there is only a .bat file created.

You need to copy over the .command file (.bat on Windows) and .vrscene file, but you will probably have troubles with the file paths.
You will need to have your assets on a network drive and probably modify the .command file to fix the path to the .vrscene.

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[Robert]

1. Well thats the problem when working on a laptop, network is not always the same then in office.
2. That should work, I use dropbox on both machines and so the path are identical...

[vladimir.nedev]

1. Well thats the problem when working on a laptop, network is not always the same then in office.

I am not sure that I understand the situation correctly here.
Do you mean that your laptop's IP address is changing, so you can't point the render slaves to use it for licensing ?
You can use the laptop's network name instead of the IP when specifying the license server connection settings.



You can also use it in the DR host list :


Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[Robert]

With changing I mean I change location and network. I can do a VPN, but the thing I want is not DR rendering.
I want to export the scene to my dropbox and then have any computer to access that and render it. Pretty much like render manager but more simple.
Modo has a very simple network render feature but it also can do batch rendering.
So what I want is simple save out a vrscene (same location then Modo scene so all textures are still in place) then open that vrscene on another computer and render it with the standalone.

However, when I export the scene to standalone I do only get the 'don't use local machine' when I enable DR. Otherwise the scene get rendered on the same machine.
So can't that work without DR?

[BVA]

With windows you can say render with standalone and tick the dont delete files. On any other computer on the network you can just run the .bat file and it will open standalone and render.
I think Robert is trying to do this but on a mac.....is that possible?

[Robert]

I can get it to work, but not as easy.
So what ever I choose as option on export Vray does always start rendering. Even when 'use local machine' is turned off.
The only thing I can do is to kill the rendering right when it starts. However 'delete vrscene after..' need to be turned off.
From that point on I can start the rendering on another computer whit the same path setup. Which is easy.
Works on OsX too.
So the remaining question is: How can I export a scene without starting it right after?

[vladimir.nedev]

I can get it to work, but not as easy.
So what ever I choose as option on export Vray does always start rendering. Even when 'use local machine' is turned off.
The only thing I can do is to kill the rendering right when it starts. However 'delete vrscene after..' need to be turned off.
From that point on I can start the rendering on another computer whit the same path setup. Which is easy.
Works on OsX too.
So the remaining question is: How can I export a scene without starting it right after?

Ah, yes, this is normal, I will add a separate option for this, it was requested by other people too - "Don't start rendering (only export)", which when enabled will mean that "Delete .vscene after render" will be considered disabled.
I will also add a separate command to just export .vrscene files (without creating the .command or .bat files).

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[Robert]

cool.. waiting for that!