AWS Thinkbox Discussion Forums

3dsmax/ submission script

I am currently running in free mode to do some testing.....

I want the server workstation to also be included in the render process, i.e. if I understand correctly it also has to be designated as a slave. How do I setup deadline so when the job is submitted from within max using the script it doesn't start another version of max ?

Also, what is this error message "FF: The Render File Name PREFIX does not match the MAX file PREFIX"
i unchecked it to be ignored.

max file: window_shot3_04.max
out put file: window_shot3_04_.exr


thanks

Hi Andy,


How do I setup deadline so when the job is submitted from within max

using the script it doesn’t start another version of max ?



This isn’t possible. Deadline must start a new instance of max because

it includes a custom plugin that must be loaded in order for Deadline to

communicate with max. If you don’t want max to fail when there is an

existing 3dsmax process open, make sure you have the Fail On Existing

3dsmax Process option disabled in the 3dsmax plugin configuration.




Also, what is this error message “FF: The Render File Name PREFIX

does not match the MAX file PREFIX”



This is a Frantic Films specific sanity check, and should be removed

from the public sanity check. I’ll make a note of this. In the meantime,

you can continue to ignore this, as it has no affect on the rendering.



Cheers,

>I am currently running in free mode to do some testing.....
>I want the server workstation to also be included in the
>render process, i.e. if I understand correctly it also has
>to be designated as a slave. How do I setup deadline so when
>the job is submitted from within max using the script it
>doesn't start another version of max ?

When Deadline is rendering is Slave mode, it HAS TO start another copy of Max because your workstation copy is in interactive mode and is not controllable by the Deadline plugin.

Why wouldn't you want a clean copy of Max to be launched?


>Also, what is this error message "FF: The Render File Name
>PREFIX does not match the MAX file PREFIX"i unchecked it to
>be ignored.
>max file: window_shot3_04.maxout put file:
>window_shot3_04_.exr
>thanks

This is, as the prefix reveals, an internal FF sanity check, and it is the wrong version anyway - I was under the impression that is was fixed a while ago, but it looks like it was not. I just fixed it again internally.

You can disable it (and all the other FF checks) by remarking the lines of the array SMTD_Private_SanityChecksToPerform inside the file "SubmitMaxToDeadline_SanityCheck_Private.ms" in your Repository\submission\3dsmax folder.

Regards,
Borislav "Bobo" Petrov
Technical Director VFX
Frantic Films Winnipeg

>Why wouldn't you want a clean copy of Max to be launched?

I was under the impression that multiple instances of a program mean that the program has to be loaded into memory several times. This might not be a big issue if you have enough render power but for a small setup as I have every MB of RAM counts to ensure good performance. ?! This is sort of a paradox since deadline probably isn't aimed towards users like me running a mini-renderfarm.

thanks for your quick support and fixing the script :)

Hi Andy,

After you submit your job, you could simply close down your open copy of 3dsmax on your workstation, then fire up the Deadline Slave which will then start up 3dsmax in slave mode to render. Since you still only have a single instance of 3dsmax running, all resources will be available for the render. I would imagine you wouldn't be working with 3dsmax in workstation mode during the render (since you mention needing all resources possible), so this shouldn't affect your workflow.

We actually have quite a few users with "mini" render farms (many making use of the 2 free node feature), and it is quite common to submit from their workstation, close down the software, then launch the slave to include their machine in the render process.

Also, something to note is that when Deadline renders with 3dsmax, it only loads 3dsmax and the scene file ONCE per job, keeping the scene loaded in memory between tasks.

Cheers,
 - Ryan

great solution Ryan, thanks a lot!

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