Houdini Network Render

[Dennis Sedov]

Hello I have a couple of questions regarding network rendering in Houdini.

I know I can type in names of render nodes in the mantra properties, but I would like to render each frame on seperate machene rather then rendering one frame on all machenes.

I assume I need to generate files for Mantra (forgot what they are called, and dont have Houdini on this machene) How do I do this?

Also in case of big scenes, I would like to generate those files on seperate machenes. Is it possible? It would be nice to be able to do this from a command line, so I can batch process it remotely (using Muster for example)

Now when I have all those files =) How do I start render on them from command line? (also to batch process them through Muster)

Thank in advance for any info on this topic

[digitallysane]

You may need RScript for that.

Batch Tools

Dragos

[pbowmar]

I assume I need to generate files for Mantra (forgot what they are called, and dont have Houdini on this machene) How do I do this?

IFD files is what you need to generate, and if you want to generate them on different machines, Rscript is what you need, indeed.

Also in case of big scenes, I would like to generate those files on seperate machenes. Is it possible? It would be nice to be able to do this from a command line, so I can batch process it remotely (using Muster for example)

Now when I have all those files =) How do I start render on them from command line? (also to batch process them through Muster)

I don't know what Muster is, but basically you create a script (Tcshell, Python, etc) that runs Mantra and uses the IFD file as an argument. Run mantra - to see command line options. How you get this on your render queue depends on the queue, but that's basically all there is to it.

Cheers,

peter B

[Dennis Sedov]

Okey guys, now how do you use RScript? Guide me please to some beginner info, please =)

[mattd]

In the render forum, I posted my technique for using muster to queue mantra instances on an XP renderfarm

this took me a long time to figure out, it just seemes like assumed knowledge by most of the experts on this forum, or most of the large houses have their own system already set up; so it was hard to figure out what a small house with 1-3 animators running Master, and having access to a small renderfarm, including workstations.

what you need to do is generate .ifd files, one for each frame. This can take a bit of time. There are a few ways to do this. All start with making a render ROP set up to 'generate script files'. How you run this render rop can be:

1-from within the houdini interface. This ties up your interactive session.

2-on a multiproc system, run another copy of hmaster and render it there, so you can keep working

3-Master lets you run hscript (and rscript. Rscript is a subset of hscript and only allows rendering, no other script commands) on the same system that you are running interactive, allowing you to work using your other procs.

4-on another system, like a renderfarm system, using only Hscript or Rscript, then your box is totally free. I could see this being needed in a big house with a serious pipeline. I think it's overkill personally, but it also is the recommended setup, at least with the sidefx sales reps I spoke with.

This would be the way to distribute the creation of ifd files as well, although I found that it is difficult to batch command hscript due to the way windows shells work(not work...). Linux works as expected. You may need to front end it with python as Peter B suggests

Now you have a director of numbered ifd files, one per frame. you need to invoke mantra on each of these. I find that running multiple copies of mantra (one per proc) is more desirable than running mantra -n 4, assuming your farm systems have the memory to handle it.

We use muster for our maya rendering, and I was able to work out how to get mantra running. It is a bit convolulted, but it does work very reliably.

see more info in this thread:

http://forums.odforce.net/index.php?showtopic=4536

it also needs to be mentioned that this does not work in the learning edition of houdini

good luck

MD

IFD files is what you need to generate, and if you want to generate them on different machines, Rscript is what you need, indeed.

Also in case of big scenes, I would like to generate those files on seperate machenes. Is it possible? It would be nice to be able to do this from a command line, so I can batch process it remotely (using Muster for example)

I don't know what Muster is, but basically you create a script (Tcshell, Python, etc) that runs Mantra and uses the IFD file as an argument. Run mantra - to see command line options. How you get this on your render queue depends on the queue, but that's basically all there is to it.

Cheers,

peter B