deadline customize question

[tagosaku]

Hi, I have 4 pipeline questions for deadline. If anyone can answer these technical issues, I really appreciate it, thanks!  

1. auto ifd delete
Can we delete ifd file automatically after deadline finishes mantra rendering? I guess we don't have this feature as default, and need to create and send a external script file to deadline??

 

2. save hip file and "submit to deadline"
When hitting the button"submit To deadline", can we create a pop-up message like a "save hip file before submit" if a hip file is not saved after modifying it? As default, because there is no such function, I sometimes forget to save a file before sending to deadline renderFarm. 

 

 

3. auto cache path change by submission
When submitting, I want to change cache path by script. When doing local sim, pre-render script takes care my python script to change cache. As the same way, I wonder how to execute or change cache path by deadline submission.

 

 

4. frame dependency for sim
When making ifd and mantra jobs, I think deadline sets a frame dependency to mantra job. Then, I try to make a same system for flip sim and particleFluidSurface generation. For example, a flip sim has 100 frames. Normally deadline needs to wait for completion of that job and finally resume a particleFluidSurface job. However, I want to make frame dependency for particleFluidSurface job. Then, particleFluidSurface job can starts immediately from any frames after each frame of flip sim is done, instead of waiting for the end frame of flip sim. So far, I tried frame dependency in deadline, but it seems not working at all. How can we set up frame dependency for these sim situation? Also, can we add this frame dependency with deadline node in houdini ? 

 

 

 

[fencer]

Longest title ever, beer to this man!

[WLVL]

also interested in some pointer for the auto ifd deletion in deadline

[bonsak]

1. auto ifd delete

You could delete old ifds by making a custom event plugin in dl that checks if the job that just finished is a mantra job. The "OnJobFinishedCallback" fires when jobs are finished.
https://docs.thinkboxsoftware.com/products/deadline/10.1/1_User Manual/manual/event-plugins.html?highlight=event

2. save hip file and "submit to deadline"

If you have "Save Houdini Scene" checked doesnt that save a new file from the state of the file you are in? If not, maybe ask Thinkbox to fix this because thats not very intuitive. In other DCCs you get a warning that your scene is not saved.

3. auto cache path change by submission

Again, i think you could do this with an event plugin. We use event plugins for setting up 3-party envvars like render versions, paths etc with the "OnJobSubmittedCallback"

4. frame dependency for sim

In DL 10 there is a checkbox for making jobs frame dependent on the DL rop.

 

Hope this helps

 

-b

[tagosaku]

I really appreciate for your answer,  bonsak!!  This is because only few people have this type of solutions and knowledge. I will try them out later, and thanks a lot!!

Best,

 

 

[fxartist420]

Hi,

Just wondering if you could manage to get the auto cache change by submission??

I'm trying to do few things with pre-render scripts, but having a difficult time setting it up with deadline. It works fine locally.

I'd really appreciate if you could give me some hints on how you did it. 

Thanks!

[tagosaku]

Prateek,

I don't remember precisely due to a long time ago. My solution was that I paste a button UI as a custom a submit button on deadline node. When hitting the button, it triggers a python script to change cache directory on a cacheNode , and run the original deadline submission, instead of using pre-script.

Also, I still don't know/remember why pre-script does not work in farm, but only locally. 

My guess are :

1 - pre-script is only executed when clicking render button on fetch/Mantra node, or when actual caching or rendering are happening. So I think the submit deadline is just copying and pasting hip file, and does not execute actual caching or rendering. That's why pre-script won't be triggered.

2 - the submit deadline button may ignore these button.

3 - Deadline may need a custom call like  "OnJobSubmittedCallback" as Bonsak Schieldrop explained.

4 - actually, when deadline farm picks your jobs, it executes your pre-script,. However, when the job finishes, Houdini may reverse your pre-script. So you could try to type the same script in Post-render script whether this fixs. 

Some of my ideas could be wrong, but hopefully it gives you inspiration.