max network rendering using vray

[qwarto]

as a newbie to max and vray i have a few questions regarding network rendering

i have max 6 + vray 1.09.03r and a few comp in the office. can anybody give a step by step process to start the rendering.

do you need max & vray to be installed on computers participating in the rendering.

 

whats the first thing thati should do or check?

any help is much appreciated.

 

thanks in advance.

[anvaraziz]

u can use backburner,,,

 

go to max help file ,, its written detailed , how to setup network rendering....

[qwarto]

thanks

[ziadin]

hi, m trying to render in vray using distrubuted rendering on another machine, but wen i put render it an error appeares " warning:render host "abc" (192.168.0.104) is not responding (note that the mentioned ip is of the other machine.

Should i install any utility on other system? what to do?

[Pangaea]

Network rendering with vray.. so simple to set up why bother spending time with max reference files.

 

heres the simple steps.

 

Please note, when I got this working, i didnt have to even add in any network settings or anything, however, your network might be different.

 

I shall use 3dsmax 9 as an example.

 

Your master pc (manager) must (obviously have max installed) with vray installed... im not sure about having to install max on all the server pcs to, but i did it anyway.

 

So, first, u locate your "backburner" folder, in max root dir.

 

Start, Manager.exe

u can also start Moniter.exe (so u can see whats going on).

 

Now go to your other pcs.. and do the same, only this time run

server.exe from the backburner folder.. on all machines.. and u can also start the moniter to see whats going on, but u dont have to.

 

Next u need to make sure all your servers are sharing the correct media files needed to render your image/animation... this includes.. maps, mats, hdri images.. anything really that has any context to your project.

 

You do this by opening up max on all the server pcs, and going to "customise user paths" .. then once in there, go to the "external files" tab.

 

Map all your folders needed to render your project..

(note, on the manager or wherever you have ur media files stored, u need to set windows to "folder share" over the network.

 

Anyway.. thats more or less it.. open up your project, go to the render settings .. common settings, toward the bottom you`ll see a tick box "net render" ... check that, and set up "save to file"... make sure also all your servers can accsess the "save folder" too.

 

 

click render... a backburner window will popup... click "connect"

you should now see at the top right window all your "active" servers with a green light thing beside it..

 

select the ones u want to use to render.. then click submit.

 

hey presto, you server pcs should start rendering away.

 

 

Please note.. if u dont set up your "media" paths correctly on all servers your render will not render how u want.... for example, If u where useing a hdri map for your envirnment in a folder with hdri maps in, but forgot to set the path to this folder up on your servers, your servers will render, but with out that map... that goes the same for everything, inc maps, mats, fonts, anything at all.

 

As far as i know, if u watch your "server" windows, or "manager" windows (backburner) it should tell you if your render is missing any media files in red. tho.. ive noticed that somtimes it wont, hdri maps for instance.

 

 

anyway, hope this helps

[ludo21]

great answer ! It reminds me of the time I set it up myself...

 

note : Use "network syntax" paths in your external renderer's paths...

[Spooner04]

I just wanted to bump this thread because I haven't seen many posts that originated in 2005 lately.