Output differences in Distributed Rendering

[DigiFoto]

Hi,

I tested the distributed rendering. It really speeds things up, but there are differences in different parts of the final image.

My test cofiguration:

Master: 3dsmax 2014 64 bit sp5 + Corona Alpha6 +backburner 2014.0.3
Slave: 3dsmax 2014 64 bit sp5 + Corona Alpha6 +backburner 2014.0.3
A simple scene with sphere iluminated only by corona environment (white 255, 255, 255). Only 2 bitmaps used in material (diffuse and bump), both visible from the same network path.

The result:

 

[Ondra]

Corona creates file received_scene.max in the DR server folder. Can you try directly rendering the file on your slave machine to see, what image it produces?

[DigiFoto]

Ok let's go:

1. Direct render from master
2. Direct render from slave (received_scene.max)
3. Distributed rendering master+slave
4. Material
5. Corona settings

[Ondra]

oh, you have the red in your material - that means that the slave did not find the texture. Does it give the same result, if you run it not with gui, but with 3dsmaxcmd? (that is, running 3dsmaxcmd.exe C:/.../received_scene.max from the command line)?

You can just copy and run the command shown in the DrServer console.

[DigiFoto]

The red color has been added specifically to check for possible "missing textures" problems in DR. Ok I ran the command line according to what you wrote: "3dsmaxcmd.exe C:/.../received_scene.max". No problems here. It renders ok - no missing textures. Both computers (master and slave) use the same mapped drive (for example \\192.168.0.101\Projects mapped as Z: drive on both computers. Firewalls disabled. I wonder what I'm doing wrong.

Best regards

Adam

[DigiFoto]

Hi,

Continuing yesterday's discussion ...

As already showed in the previous printscreen my material uses two bitmaps. One for the diffuse channel and a second for bump (master and slave use the same network path). I set the red color of the material. Thus, in places where the slave lost bitmap rendering is red, but lack only the diffuse channel. Channel bump surprisingly working properly. See DR test rendering below:

[VASLAVO]

HI, i have the same issue with network path textures, i created a post but the response was that is an error on 3dsmax about the asset tracker but it doesnt give me those problems on other render engines, all my servers also have the same paths.

here my post:

http://forum.corona-renderer.com/index.php/topic,3148.0.html


if you have some solution let me know please, the only one for me is to copy the textures locally on each server (very painful)

[DigiFoto]

I think I managed to solve the problem!

I have the same configuration as KOGODIS. I have 9 slave machines and one server with all the textures. All slaves have virtual mapped disks calling the server, all with the same name path. My master computer as well. The problem was that all computers have turned off the default administrator account (master computer - windows 8.1, slaves - windows 7). "DrServer.exe" was run with administrator rights, but from another user (also with administrator rights). I solved the problem by enabling the default Administrator user (on all slaves and texture server), setting everywhere the same administrator password and running "DrServer.exe" as default system Administrator user. Administrator user on the server and slave computers now have the same password. Now, DR works properly.

There is just one more problem to solve. Corona Distributed Rendering works properly only when the 3dsmax "Enable Gamma / LUT Correction" option is enabled. When it is turned off master renders using gamma 1 and slaves using gamma 2.2, and again we have differences in final image.

Regards,

Adam

[VASLAVO]

Thats really great, i will check that, about the gamma, for my experience the distribute in corona doesnt ajust it by itself, you have to manually change it on every slave.

[mediopolis]

I did the same thing. Enabled Admin account and set the passwords.

nm.. I restart fixed everything.

[Ludvik Koutny]

Running as a real administrator is quite unsafe, so it may not be an ideal solution. BUT this quite narrows down the problem. I would try setting complete access rights to any locations where DRServer.exe writes data. That could help.

[mediopolis]

I agree Rawalanche. As an IT company owner... not a secure solution to implement.

[Rebate]

(sorry for bad english. Google translate)
Somebody decided this probelmy with textures? They just are not transmitted. Slave PC returns the slot color, but not the texture. if you put texture manually in drData everything is good... but it is awkwardly. Help. Why texture not passed?

[tallbox]

Hello guys, i have a question about DR rendering folder on main machine.
Is there a way to change that folder, because after last rendering job my C:// was with 50 gig. more files.

[Frood]

For me those issues are quite obvious IF drServer is started as Administrator AND assets in the scene are referenced by a mapped drive and NOT by UNC Names:

The Administrator is just another user who may simply not has the network drive mapped if no session has run before with that user (Administrator) and had the corresponding drive mapped. Remember that you run a different user environment when running applications with a different user credential.

Check:

-Login at failing node as normal user
-Navigate to windows\system32
-Run cmd.exe AS ADMINISTRATOR (right mouse button option)
-type "net use" in the shell
-or try to switch to the (apparently not) mapped drive, this will fail if this is the issue

ALWAYS USE UNC PATHS in your scenes even when accessing local files on your workstation harddisk. It resolves almost all those problems. So the last post of the thread that KOGODIS mentioned (https://forum.corona-renderer.com/index.php/topic,3148.msg23610.html#msg23610) should fix the scene.

Good Luck!