Maxwell 3.2 Package for Renderfarm not working

[cornerofthemoon]

I updated the latest Maxwell Render with the latest 3.2 Formz plugin. I can't get the Package for Renderfarm to work so I can render from a different CPU. Is there a setting that I'm missing or do I need to go back to Maxwell 3.1?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Gary

[pylon]

Hi Gary,

 

We have tested this again, and are not having any issues with the Package for Renderfarm function.

 

Are you having any issues rendering the file locally? (If so, and your resolve these first, does the Package function then work for you?)

 

If you are still having issues, please run the command "Extensions> Maxwell Render> Forum" and post the resulting text here, so we can check your system info.

[Tech]

Hi Gary,

 

You should also check if rendering a new project with just a cube has the same issue -- or if it is related to something in your larger project...

[Andrew West]

Package to render farm works only once.  If for some reason you need to do it a second time you need to quit Form.z and then relaunch it.  This has been an issue for quite some time. 

Maxwell for formZ 3.2.0.3 (Win 64) | form·Z® v 8.5.0.1 (Build 9661) | Windows 7 v 6.1 Build 7601 Service Pack 1 Intel® Xeon® CPU E5-2640 v3 @ 2.60GHz

On another note I can not seem to use Rebus Farm for my render any more.  I have downloaded their software package and I think I understand how to use it.  However, there are some issues.

1) When I launch their plugin the default resolution for the image is 320x320.  I need to manually imput the exact dimensions of the image into their plugin.  It would be nice if Maxwell exported out the correct resolution to Rebus from the program.

2) All texture maps need to be placed in the same location (with the Form.z file) or I get texture load errors.

3) It is probably a Rebus error but I can not enter any "maximum render points " into their field.  I am trying to enter a Max SL of 20 and a Max Render Points of 100 but I get the error that "Points needs to be greater than 3".  Last I checked 100 was greater than 3.   Does anyone out there use Rebus and if so how?  

[pylon]

Andrew,

 

Thanks for your report about Package for Renderfarm working properly the first time, but not on subsequent invocations. (Gary's report did not include this detail, so we didn't reproduce it.) We we get this fixed.

 

The other issues have to do with Rebus's software, not the formZ plugin, so you might want to contact their technical support. (The pixel dimensions are embedded in the cameras within Maxwell scene exported from formZ... if it were otherwise, Maxwell would not render it at the correct size. One camera in the scene is marked as the 'active' camera. Perhaps the Rebus software is not selecting the active camera, but another instead? )

 

 

[Andrew West]

The Rebus software seems to be selecting the Fire Window as its camera. This is set at 320 x 320.   Rebus needs to be launched directly from Maxwell Studio now.  In the past I could export from Form.z to Rebus using package to render farm and then just link it.  Then when uploaded the camera dimensions were set to whatever the Form.z image option was. 

I am still trying to get a solution to using Rebus. If you have another suggestion please let me know. 

[Des]

In my experience with Rebus (last week), when I select the project for upload, I am given a dialog window showing all of the saved views (all are selected by default).

Uncheck the unwanted views including the 320 pixel one and select the view ending in "0" (the view names are truncated), that is the active one. The images sizes are correct, you just have to enter the max amount of dosh (money) you want to spend. The SL are per your setting in the Maxwell display option in Fz.

 

I use the Rebus Drop plugin (shows in the menubar). The Rebusmanager.app doesn't work for me for a while now, I think it's something to do with java as it keeps asking for a java installation (latest already installed in my machine (iMac)).

 

Des

[Andrew West]

Des

Thanks for your help.  I was accustomed to using the Rebus Manager in the past.  However, I have not used Rebus in several months so I need to re learn how to use their site.  I did not care for the awkward interface before and it now seems to be replaced by something equally as awkward.

Andrew

[Des]

You're welcome Andrew,

I think the Rebus plugin is heading in the right direction. You don't have to be on their web-site, just use the dropdown menu for uploading, the downloads are automatic. The thing I like most about Rebus is that it handles mxs references much better than Ranch farm where all the refs have to be named correctly before upload, Rebus handle it automatically (and queing is better too).

It seems stable enough, but their support is very good as well.

 

Des

 

 

[Andrew West]

I agree 100% about Rebus vs. Ranch.  Much smoother and easier. 
On another note have you ever had a problem with Rebus with your texture maps?  I had rendered out a test image on my machine and the furniture had a black leather texture assigned to it.  Then in the final I sent to Rebus I did a "package to render farm".  What I got back was an image that showed a very light brown texture for the leather.  Really weird.  I checked my texture and it was correct (black).  Why would Rebus's render farm interpolate either the texture or the lighting differently for just that map?  See attached images for reference. 

You are also correct on Rebus support.  They are really pretty good.  The time difference between Oregon and Germany is the only issue.

[Des]

Hmm, that's a strange one, haven't seen that happen before. My only guess would be that your texture map is named the same as another map, but tbh I don't know.

 

Great renders btw...

[Andrew West]

Des

I am totally perplexed by this issue.  The texture map is named the same as the original map but modified in Photoshop and stored in the project file.  When I do a Package to Render Farm the program should take all the current texture maps and place them in the same folder with the MXS file.  Each time I do this it reverts back to the old unmodified texture as if it is cached in the model file somewhere.  I have no idea why.  My only solution so far is to do another "save a copy as" in Form.z and create a new folder for the entire project.  Then when I go to Render Farm the correct textures do show up.  Weird.

[pylon]

Hi Andrew,

 

Try renaming the desired (black) texture map to a unique name (e.g. couch.tif to couch_20151111.tif), then reassign the newly named texture in formZ. Then try the package for renderfarm again.

 

 

 

[Andrew West]

Pylon

I am sure that would work properly.  However, that would definately increase the amount of work and time involved.  Renaming and relinking each map would get tedious.   What I still find unexplainable is that I changed several map images in my project folder yet only one of them kept reverting back to the original when I sent it to the Render Farm.  When I do a test render in Studio on my machine the material shows correctly.  How is that possible?

[pylon]

 

yet only one of them kept reverting back to the original

But if there is only one map causing an issue, you would only need to relink this map once in the Material Parameters editor to solve your problem, no?

 

If you don't want to follow that course, issue the Package for Renderfarm command, and then send us the project log and we'll have a look. (Select Extensions> Maxwell Render> Log, then save the log.) Please also let us know the exact filename you are having an issue with.

[Andrew West]

You are correct that it is only one map and therefore not really an issue in this case.  It just came as a total surprise when I received my images back from Rebus and the map was wrong. The end result is that I now do not trust "package to render farm" and I need to double check each image in the farm folder prior to sending.  Hopefully this was just a weird anomoly on this one file.  

[pylon]

Andrew,

 

If a texture map link is broken in formZ, the Resource Manager will attempt to find it in the search paths you have specified.  Note that texture maps will often display properly in formZ even if the filepath is broken, because the bitmap image is cached within the formZ project. It is possible that your filepath is broken, and that the Resource Manager is finding another file with an identical file name within the search paths you have specified. In general, if you are going to use the Resource Manager, avoid duplicate file names within the search path space.

 

If you wish, you can opt to not search for anything using the Resource Manager-- just delete the search paths. Or you can temporarily disable any or all search paths by clicking in the "use" column ( a plus sign indicates that the location will be searched). Also, you might temporarily disable the search paths, run a render and see what paths formZ is missing (again, consult the Project Log), and then re-link them, in Material Parameters.

 

We have not received your Project Log yet. It is likely that we can determine the cause from the log, and let you know how you might avoid the issue in the future. You can also check the log yourself to determine what formZ texture locations may be missing, and which files have been located in alternate locations and re-linked.

 

Resource Manager documentation:

http://support.nextlimit.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=16810300