Deadline, 3DSMax and Fume FX

Deadline
1

Hi there,

I am not sure where to post this, and I have asked the FumeFX people, and still no response. Maybe someone here can help.
I can render locally on the machine and all the plugins are working as intended. Whenever I submit through Deadline 3.1 (64 bit) and using 3DSMax 2009 (64 bit), with FumeFX 1.2C- Simulation License… I receive the following:

Error Message
An error occurred in StartJob(): 3dsmax: Failed to load max file: “C:/Documents and Settings/render/Local Settings/Application Data/Frantic Films/Deadline/slave/jobsData/test_deadline_4_2009.max”
2009/06/01 17:14:29 INF: Loaded C:/Documents and Settings/render/Local Settings/Application Data/Frantic Films/Deadline/slave/jobsData/test_deadline_4_2009.max
2009/06/01 17:14:29 ERR: Missing dll: FumeFX.dlo - FumeFX
2009/06/01 17:14:29 ERR: Missing dll: FumeFX.dlo - Standard
2009/06/01 17:14:29 ERR: Missing dll: FumeFX.dlo - FFX Object
2009/06/01 17:14:29 ERR: Missing dll: FumeFX.dlo - Simple Src
2009/06/01 17:14:29 ERR: Missing dll: FumeFX.dlo - Source Controller
(Deadline.Plugins.ScriptPlugin+FailRenderException)

[b]Slave Log
der\LOCALS~1\Temp\dl.ini" -q -s “C:\Documents and Settings\render\Local Settings\Application Data\Frantic Films\Deadline\slave\plugins\deadlineStartupMax2009.max”
0: INFO: Startup Directory: “d:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2009”
0: INFO: Process Priority: BelowNormal
0: INFO: Process is now running
0: INFO: Waiting for connection from 3dsmax
---- June 01 2009 – 05:14 PM ----
0: INFO: Connected to 3dsmax plugin version Lightning 3.1.0.35348 Mar 27 2009 09:44:47 R
0: INFO: Scene file to render: C:\Documents and Settings\render\Local Settings\Application Data\Frantic Films\Deadline\slave\jobsData\test_deadline_4_2009.max
0: INFO: Camera: no camera specified, rendering active viewport
0: INFO: Restarting 3dsmax after each frame: 0
0: INFO: Showing frame buffer: 1
0: INFO: Overriding render output: U:\RENDER\STAFF\SIMON\test_deadline\test_deadline…tga
0: INFO: Frame number base: 0
0: INFO: Remove padding from output filename: 0
0: INFO: Ignore missing external file errors: 1
0: INFO: Ignore missing UVW errors: 1
0: INFO: Ignore missing XREF errors: 1
0: INFO: Ignore missing DLL errors: 0
0: INFO: Disabling Multipass: 0
0: INFO: Loading 3dsmax scene file
Scheduler Thread - Render Thread 0 threw an error:
Scheduler Thread - An error occurred in StartJob(): 3dsmax: Failed to load max file: “C:/Documents and Settings/render/Local Settings/Application Data/Frantic Films/Deadline/slave/jobsData/test_deadline_4_2009.max”
2009/06/01 17:14:29 INF: Loaded C:/Documents and Settings/render/Local Settings/Application Data/Frantic Films/Deadline/slave/jobsData/test_deadline_4_2009.max

2009/06/01 17:14:29 ERR: Missing dll: FumeFX.dlo - FumeFX

2009/06/01 17:14:29 ERR: Missing dll: FumeFX.dlo - Standard

2009/06/01 17:14:29 ERR: Missing dll: FumeFX.dlo - FFX Object

2009/06/01 17:14:29 ERR: Missing dll: FumeFX.dlo - Simple Src

2009/06/01 17:14:29 ERR: Missing dll: FumeFX.dlo - Source Controller

(Deadline.Plugins.ScriptPlugin+FailRenderException)[/b]

Error Type
RenderPluginException

Error Stack Trace
at Deadline.Plugins.ScriptPlugin.StartJob(Job job)
at Deadline.Plugins.Plugin.StartJob(Job job)
at Deadline.Slaves.SlaveRenderThread.RenderCurrentTask()

Seems to me, that the problem is not necessarily with 3DSMax, because as stated above, launched locally, the Plugin does work as well as 3DSMax without any error. The problem could be the pathing to the plugin itself, or a configuration that needs to be handled in 3DSMax. I am wondering however, as I am not very familiar with Deadline 3.1 if it is not a configuration in Deadline that needs to be taken into consideration.

Thank you for the assistance.

2

You are missing the plugins for Fume on the slave machine.
The plugins need to be installed to the c:\maxrootdir\plugins
and the plugin.ini should be modified, which will be in either c:\maxrootdir\plugin.ini or if you are using local profiles, C:\Documents and Settings\owenm\Local Settings\Application Data\Autodesk\3dsmax
Mike

3

That’s part of the problem. The plungin is installed on the machine. Although, it is a “simulation license”. I will try installing with the real license as in this case it is not trying to Simulate… Interesting.
Also, the plugin itself puts itself in the \plugins\AfterWorks folder. Does it need to be one up in the directory tree or is it okay in here as it is defined in the plugin.ini file of the application as well as the local profile.

Thanks again.

4

The fact that the plugins are missing, means that 3dsMax is failing to find the plugins when it boots up…

so…can you make sure that in your plugin.ini you have the following entry:

[Directories] ;=; Fume Plugins=c:\3dsmax2008x64\plugins\AfterWorks\

Also in your C:\maxrootdir\InstallSettings.ini, what setting is the following set to?

[Least User Privilege] useUserProfiles=0

If its set to = 1, then the root plugin is used and the user profile one is ignored. (I think this is a better way to work. :slight_smile:)

Mike

5

In the FumeFx options in Max, I believe there is a NetRender toggle button that you would normally have “ON” if simulating through backburner. This button also needs to be toggled on when submitting to Deadline. We’ve performed FumeFx simulations with Deadline here in the past, so this definitely should be possible.

Cheers,

  • Ryan