Getting an error, can't figure out "invalid string position"

Deadline
1

I’ve rendered this project before without issue but now I’m getting this-

Exception Details
2022-12-24 11:09:26: RenderPluginException – FailRenderException : Error: Caught exception: invalid string position
2022-12-24 11:09:26: at Deadline.Plugins.DeadlinePlugin.FailRender(String message) (Python.Runtime.PythonException)
2022-12-24 11:09:26: File “C:\ProgramData\Thinkbox\Deadline10\workers\ice\plugins\63a722d77128e2983424a835\Houdini.py”, line 438, in HandleStdoutError
2022-12-24 11:09:26: self.FailRender(self.GetRegexMatch(1))
2022-12-24 11:09:26: at Python.Runtime.Dispatcher.Dispatch(ArrayList args)
2022-12-24 11:09:26: at __FranticX_Processes_ManagedProcess_StdoutHandlerDelegateDispatcher.Invoke()
2022-12-24 11:09:26: at FranticX.Processes.ManagedProcess.RegexHandlerCallback.CallFunction()
2022-12-24 11:09:26: at FranticX.Processes.ManagedProcess.e(String dl, Boolean dm)
2022-12-24 11:09:26: at FranticX.Processes.ManagedProcess.Execute(Boolean waitForExit)
2022-12-24 11:09:26: at Deadline.Plugins.DeadlinePlugin.DoRenderTasks()
2022-12-24 11:09:26: at Deadline.Plugins.PluginWrapper.RenderTasks(Task task, String& outMessage, AbortLevel& abortLevel)
2022-12-24 11:09:26: at Deadline.Plugins.PluginWrapper.RenderTasks(Task task, String& outMessage, AbortLevel& abortLevel)
2022-12-24 11:09:26: RenderPluginException.Cause: JobError (2)
2022-12-24 11:09:26: RenderPluginException.Level: Major (1)
2022-12-24 11:09:26: RenderPluginException.HasSlaveLog: True
2022-12-24 11:09:26: RenderPluginException.SlaveLogFileName: C:\ProgramData\Thinkbox\Deadline10\logs\deadlineslave_renderthread_0-Ice-0000.log
2022-12-24 11:09:26: Exception.TargetSite: Deadline.Slaves.Messaging.PluginResponseMemento d(Deadline.Net.DeadlineMessage, System.Threading.CancellationToken)
2022-12-24 11:09:26: Exception.Data: ( )
2022-12-24 11:09:26: Exception.Source: deadline
2022-12-24 11:09:26: Exception.HResult: -2146233088
2022-12-24 11:09:26: Exception.StackTrace:
2022-12-24 11:09:26: at Deadline.Plugins.SandboxedPlugin.d(DeadlineMessage bgo, CancellationToken bgp)
2022-12-24 11:09:26: at Deadline.Plugins.SandboxedPlugin.RenderTask(Task task, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
2022-12-24 11:09:26: at Deadline.Slaves.SlaveRenderThread.c(TaskLogWriter ajt, CancellationToken aju)

2

Unfortunately Deadline plugins often swallow the actual error. The log is line based, and the moment the plugin sees a failure string, it fails the task. This means the rest of the error message is not displayed.
This error is coming from python code running inside Houdini. Try opening the scene manually and checking for this error - it might not be considered fatal in an interactive session.

1 Like
3

@mois.moshev is 100% correct. You’ll have to either find what’s kicking out the ‘invalid string position’ error we’re failing the render on via the UI or you’ll have to follow the steps in this troubleshooting guide to pull out the ‘Full Command’ we run Houdini with.

The gotcha for that guide with Houdini is that we give Houdini a Python file from DeadlineRepository10\plugins\Houdini called hrender_dl.py that you’ll have to pull before following those steps. And you’ll have to replace the temporary paths used in the ‘Full Command’ string.

After that, running the command on the render node should hit the same failure you’re seeing but without error handling shutting down Houdini after the first line of error gets printed.