Tiago Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Hello, Does anyone knows hot to render an ifd sequence from the command line? I've rendered an ifd file successfully (mantra -f filename.ifd), but I'm not able to render an all sequence... I've also checked on the help file (http://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini9.5/rendering/commandline) but it isn't clear... Thank you very much, Tiago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpencerL Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Hello,Does anyone knows hot to render an ifd sequence from the command line? I've rendered an ifd file successfully (mantra -f filename.ifd), but I'm not able to render an all sequence... I've also checked on the help file (http://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini9.5/rendering/commandline) but it isn't clear... Thank you very much, Tiago you need to render out an ifd per frame, so you need to add $F4 to your file name mantra -f filename.$F4.ifd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiago Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 you need to render out an ifd per frame, so you need to add $F4 to your file name mantra -f filename.$F4.ifd thanks, i tried $F but forgot the 3 or the 4... i guess i wasn't too convinced since it was being done in dos mode. but the *.* didn't work so i should have known Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katisss Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 (edited) I am trying the same but want to do this on a render farm. So basically for license reasons we want to just export idfs and render using mantra afterwards. So i am looking for a way to export idfs without rendering.... Should i be looking at SOHO? Edited February 17, 2011 by katisss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdg Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Is this what you're looking for? If you specify an Disk Path on the MantraROP it will just save the IFD without sending it to mantra. http://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini11.0/nodes/out/ifd The command (i.e. mantra) where the IFD file is sent. This will be disabled if the IFD file is saved to disk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katisss Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 (edited) Ah right, i was sort of assuming it will create images, too. No. So i just call hrender to do the export (hbatch license)... and then mantra to render ifds (free render license)? Is this what you're looking for? If you specify an Disk Path on the MantraROP it will just save the IFD without sending it to mantra. http://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini11.0/nodes/out/ifd Edited February 17, 2011 by katisss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdg Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Sounds about right. How to chain these tasks together obviously depends on your farm. Ah right, i was sort of assuming it will create images, too. No. So i just call hrender to do the export (hbatch license)... and then mantra to render ifds (free render license)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katisss Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 (edited) Edited March 8, 2011 by katisss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eitht Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Hello, forgive me if i am asking a newbie question. Haven't heard of .IFD format and went to google it, is it like a .BAT file which is used to render image/sequence from commandline? If it is, can users set startframe, endframe, formats, resolution etc via .IFD file. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
symek Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Nope, IFD stands for instantaneous frame description. It's analogical to renderman's RIB file, which is a definition used by an application to describe its renderer a scene details. Single ifd contains single frame's information (plus reflection, shadows, and stereo passes optionally). Conceptually *.bat file is around as ifd consists with series of commands read one by one, which specify world elements and its properties, but all in one relates to a single frame. You have plenty of detailed info at wiki: http://odforce.net/wiki/index.php/Mantra cheers, skk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eitht Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 (edited) Are they generated upon hitting "Render" in Mantra? The statement which interest me was Tiago wanted to render .IFD sequence which I initially thought it's a new image format (like .jpg .png), after hearing you and checking out wiki, it feels more like a file is used by Houdini internally. Is there a purpose for rendering out them? Thank you for your reply too, cheers SYmek! Edited March 20, 2011 by Eitht Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
symek Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 It is used both by Houdini and Mantra to communicate, so "externally" suites better . The purpose for IFD is to separate a process of preparing render and rendering itself. Why? because as you know rendering can be time/resource consuming and a process of preparing a scene for rendering is error prone. Additionally it adds a great deal of flexibility into the whole process. When you normally hit render, Houdini generates ifd first, then sends it transparently to mantra. On a render farm though this is usually handled differently. First, Houdini generates sequence of IFD files, then some - possible different - machines peak up those files to render final pictures. That intermediate process is handy, because IFDs can be stored, altered or combined along the line, rendering can be postponed or they can be reused later. Even if Houdini's session was altered or deleted, these files serve as frozen state of your scene. You can read about that approach in any renderman related book or paper. Houdini Apprentice disables saving IFD on disk, thus many users don't have a chance to play with it. cheers, skk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eitht Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Have a much better understanding about it now, sounds great and definitely a process worth knowing especially for anybody thinking of working in the industry huh. Unfortunately I'm using Apprentice version, maybe i'll check out my school's farm when i get the chance! Take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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