Redshift Proxy with relative path [SOLVED]

[markinglevfx]

Hey guys,

I need to send a large point cloud which instances geo to the cloud to render. The problem I'm having is the instancefile attribute is absolute, and once the project is uploaded to the cloud render environment the path is no longer relevant/correct.

Redshift does not seem to expand strings at render time, so $HIP or $JOB do not get evaluated afaik. I've also tried setting the path to a node within the .hip file.

For example, this will work:

M:/_Work/_Personal/sandbox/rs_proxy_relative/rs_proxy/teapot.0001.rs

But this will not:

\$HIP/rs_proxy/teapot.0001.rs

Nor will this:

/obj/teapot_rs/OUT/

I've attached a super simple setup where I get instancing working using an absolute path (it references the output of the RS Proxy Output SOP).

Is there any way to get Redshift to to instance from a path that is relative to the project folder, or a node within the .hip file? Or has anyone had experience getting Redshift instances rendering on Gridmarkets?

Thanks all!

 

Note:

I've also tried using the instance obj node (see v002 hip attachment). BUT the issue I run into with this is it maxes out my GPU's VRAM at render time, whereas using an absolute path with instancefile renders just fine with the ~6m points I need to instance on.

rs_proxy_relative_v001.hip

rs_proxy_relative_v002.hip

Edited May 22, 2020 by markinglevfx

[Atom]

I don't think you need the slash in front of $HIP.

Try this instead.

$HIP/rs_proxy/teapot.0001.rs

Also for local instancing, don't use instancefile, use its companion, instance.

s@instance = "/obj/teapot_rs/OUT/";

 

[markinglevfx]

Makes sense! Should've realized I needed to use @instance instead of @instancefile.

With the \$HIP slash no slash, I was trying to get the $HIP to evaluate at render time. So having @instancefile = $HIP/rs_proxy/teapot.0001.rs and not @instancefile = M:/_Work/_Personal/sandbox/rs_proxy_relative/rs_proxy/teapot.0001.rs. But this is the wrong approach, for anyone wondering.

Either using @instance, or the instance geo node with a .rs proxy object as its instance object would be the correct way to do local instancing.

I also looked at exporting a packed prim to the .rs proxy, but it didn't seem to affect the render times. File attached. Also renders of instancing teapots on 6m points, using point attributes to drive color, orientation etc. 

rs_proxy_relative_v003.hip

Edited May 22, 2020 by markinglevfx