Render Farm 2

[Rich Rosemann]

I got around to loading the render farm software and installed it on two networked stations.

The farm monitor list both stations.  I loaded the farm on each station to show the farm icon on each station.  I made sure that the render share folder was network available and the folder was read/write.  I run Acad 2010, load nXt, open the Walkabout window, set the resolution, chose a Acad view, pick the farm icon, except the default number of passes (20) and hit the render button.

Nothing happens.  The Walkaround window stays up, no render window pops up.  I see the hard drive light activated, and the hourglass jumps around for a few minutes.  I let the system alone for an hour and stop the render, (which is not rendering,  anyway).  I look at the share render folder and see a sub-folder created with a name  nxtjob-2010....etc. I open the sub-folder "Output" and it is empty.  (Tried this three times.  Re-installed the farm software twice)

 

I went back to the nXt main render window and hit the render button, (no path Tracer).  Nothing, no render window pops up, never gets past the Preparing Rendering window.  I stop the render, turn on Path Tracer and hit the render button, I get a render.  I stop the render, turn off the Path Tracer and run the render,  no render.

 

The Farm procedures seem easy enough.  The programs appear transparent to each station.  I saved a test file to the shared folder, opened it and edited the file from the other station.  The file was changed.  Running out of ideas.

 

Question, how does one know when the render is complete, assuming it does render.  Does the render window close, or a popup window show -Finished..or?

 

I read the conversation you had earlier with Peter Milner and all seems to agree with your comments and suggestions.  Should I take up nitting?

 

Parden the rambling, so many questions, so little time.

 

Sincerely

 

Rich Rosemann

 

 

[Roy Hirshkowitz]

You won't see anything at all in nXt after you submit the job. Start by running the monitor program-- it will list the active machines and jobs on the farm.

[Rich Rosemann]

Good morning Roy,

I guess my point is that when I look at the monitor program, it shows the active machines but no jobs on the farm and no final renderings in the output folder. I assume that is the reason for creating the output folder.

I will try again tonight starting from scratch. Do I need to delete, or un-install the farm programs before re-installing them? Thanks. Don't understand why I couldn't get a render from the original engine after running the farm.

Rich Rosemann





Rich Rosemann

[Roy Hirshkowitz]

Do not start from scratch.

If you don't see any jobs listed in the Farm Monitor, but do see job folders listed when you look at the farm folder via explorer, then you have a problem. It's likely that either all of the machines are not pointing to the same folder, or that the folder is not read-write accessible by all of the machines.

You can try a single machine farm first using a local drive to see if that works. Use a machine with AutoCAD and nXt and the farm installed. Create a local farm folder and configure the farm to point to it. Start a small job-- see if it shows up on the Farm Monitor.

[Rich Rosemann]

Will do. Thanks Roy.

Rich Rosemann