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Hello there, before I start to email sidefx support, do anyone of you have any problem rendering with Mantra 5.5.33 in which Mantra would just stop rendering or stall in the middle of the render?

Also, for those of you who have 5.5.33, have you successfully render it with dual processor when you specify the host as "-H compname,compname" in the option...? (where "compname" is the name of your computer)

Thanks!

Alex

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Sometimes mantra doesn't like something in the render, that's why it stopped. It happens to me sometimes but after some minor adjustments to the shader parameters etc, mantra will be okay. Are you trying to render MOPs with mantra? Please explain what you're trying to render or give some details.

I'm using 5.5.33 & mantra renders with both processors. May I know did you install the 5.5.33 license server? Or are you using the license server from the previous version?

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Hey Steven,

My test model is actually the head that's subdivided with only a basic VEX Plastic shader applied. Beyond this, there is nothing particular that I did...

I am still on my beta license actually. My license server is install on another computer, which my workstation is getting the license from. Hmm... my license server is still running on 5.5.27. May be that's the cause of my problem?

Thanks.

Alex

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The machine has to run the same version of software & license server in order for the -H option to work predictably. I found that out through trial and error too, not to mention frustration. ;) Also, SESI did help. B)

Why don't you update the license server first before rendering again?

Keep me posted.

Cheers!

steven

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Hey Steven, Installing the homogeneous version of Houdini into both computer did not work... On some frame, Mantra either freeze or "done" before the image is fully rendered. Then when I render that same frame again, it's fine.

Also, I still can't get it to render on dual cpu via "-H localhost,localhost" command.... :(

-Alex

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Hey Alex

Quick question... are you rendering the object as a subdivision surface, or did you use a subdivide sop?

If you render as a subdivide surface, then you shouldn't use raytraced shadows (fast shadow, etc.), 'cause they don't handle raytracing that well...

Cheers

Marc

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Actually, I was rendering from Subdivide SOP...

THanks for pointing out about the ray traced shadow. That ought to save me from my future headache. :)

Hmm... come to think of it... May be that was the reason why I have some render cracks on the sword because of the Subdivision render...

Thanks!

ALex

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I remember you mentioning you're using the beta license. Is that correct?

Please do "sesictrl -ai" to check for the total number of licenses. If you only have the beta license, I think you have just one render license which means you can only render with one CPU.

If you have a Houdini license, I think 5.5.33 still requires the beta license, so you're back to one CPU.

Have I confused you yet? :)

I might be wrong here though. Marc?

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Hey Alex,

A slight correction to my post after some testing:

The beta license is only needed to run 5.5.33 however mantra will use the render licenses. Since you have 5 render licenses, then you should be able to render with two CPUs.

For testing purposes, try to render with two CPUs using 5.0.xx, if you have it. Please let me know whether it works & we'll go from there.

Cheers!

steven

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