How to set up Slave Machines for Distributed Rendering?

[clonk2u]

How I was wondering if anyone knew and could elaborate upon the proper steps to set up slave machines for the new distributed rendering system?

Also, do you need 3DS Max installed on slave machines?

Thank you for your time spent regarding this question!

[The Syndicate]

Assuming you have your slave machines/LAN already setup, you can choose to install the DrServer when you run the A6 installation exe. I did get the following error message when I tried to open it:

Cannot open/read/write file ‘C:\Program Files (x86)\Corona\Drserver/drData/DrConfig.txt'

If you get this message, try running the DrServer.exe as an adminstrator. Have yet to actually run anything quite yet, but I hope that helps someone out there!

[zzubnik]

How I was wondering if anyone knew and could elaborate upon the proper steps to set up slave machines for the new distributed rendering system?

Also, do you need 3DS Max installed on slave machines?

Thank you for your time spent regarding this question!

You do indeed need Max installed on the slave machines.

I just did a test, rendering from home using my work machines as slaves. I was shocked to find that it actually works!

[ronaldjung]

Yes, working for me too.

You must, on the instalation of Corona, check de DR option.
Then, open on the slave computer the DrServer on: C:/Program Files (x86)/Corona/DrServer as Administrator.

On the Master computer, Enable Distribute Rendering on Corona and click Search LAN, it should find the Slave computer.
Then just Render :D

Abraços

Ronald

[ronaldjung]

Also:

You need to have all the textures in the slave computer with path for it.

Feitoria

Ronald

[clonk2u]

Thank you everyone, I have gotten a slave computer working, thanks to your help!

[ronaldjung]

Great!

[alkyon]

awesome.Just tested distributed rendering in my mini farm and works!

[diogovb]

I am having some problems in DR... In the Frame Buffer tab DR shows the other computer but then it FAIL... Must I open some door to work it?

[Ondra]

yes, it must be enabled in firewall and slaves must have backburner installed.  The log on slaves will tell you more

[diogovb]

Where is it saying? Which door should I open?
The log just says that...

2014/02/19-16:01:08   DR server started
2014/02/19-16:01:08   Cannot read the config file, default one will be created
2014/02/19-16:01:08   Creating default DrConfig.txt: found 2 3dsmax versions
2014/02/19-16:01:08   Starting UDP socket, local hostname: amigti187.a5.local

[The Syndicate]

How I was wondering if anyone knew and could elaborate upon the proper steps to set up slave machines for the new distributed rendering system?

Also, do you need 3DS Max installed on slave machines?

Thank you for your time spent regarding this question!

You do indeed need Max installed on the slave machines.

I just did a test, rendering from home using my work machines as slaves. I was shocked to find that it actually works!

Successfully ran some tests a couple days ago. Textures are fine if they're stored on a network drive (and the drives are mapped the same on each machine). I take it this would slow down your render by a little (or a lot?)?

Just out of curiosity (and not having the time to test this just yet), but do you need a licensed version of Max on each machine or can it just be a demo? I noticed the slave machine opened an "unregistered" version of Max (even though it has a licensed copy installed).

[Ondra]

it runs in server mode, where no licences are needed

[diogovb]

I am still having problems, I couldn't render it in DR... as my old workflow: VRAY w/ or without BACKBURNER it render fine... but with Corona it FAIL... what am I doing wrong?

[neri69]

3 very fast tip:
1) when run DRServer remember run as administrator
2) Some time on installation of 3dsmax the backburner option is not enabled by default, from this link http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/3ds-max/downloads/caas/downloads/content/backburner-2014-windows-version-for-3ds-max3ds-max-design-2014.html you can download 2014 version of backburner.
3) For bitmap image path always check from Asset Tracking (shift + T) if everything is mapped on network drive that is from every slave machines accessible with the same drive letter.

Sorry if this is obvious....

[jonofj]

Can anybody help.

Im trying Distributed Rendering.

its registering the 2 slaves in backburner.

but when rendering they show failed in Corona DR

[luisernesto]

From what i see you may have a corrupted backburner.xml file, xml tags should not show on the server window, try renaming your current backburner.xml file re enter your settings on manager settings window and backburner will create a new one.

[luisernesto]

Hi, first off all congrats and thanks to the Corona Team for a great product.
I was wondering the following i have small 3dsmax/backburner vray/drspawner renderfarm with different cpu memory configurations and i want to install corona to render instead of vray so:
1. Since there are diferent cpus and some don't support SSE4.1 can the legacy version of corona coexist and work as a distribuited render node for the farm with the ones that support SSE4.1

2. I have 3ds max 2011 scenes worked with vray and would like to re render those with corona should i have to do some previous steps before clicking render

3. i render animations with backburner on a manager main pc and slave node servers, do i have to install corona's dr server on the manager also or only on the slave nodes

thanks in advance for any help

[Ondra]

legacy/fullspeed versions are fully interchangeable

[CiroC]

Do I need to have backburner running to start rendering? I have firewall permissions, DR Server running on the slave PC, but when I click Search LAN nothing appears or if I use the slave's IP.

[jonofj]

yes you have to start back burner on your Computer First as the Manager.
then start backburner "Server" on the slaves .

funny thing I had to enter their names in the LAN as wasnt picking it up, and it would still say Fail in the rendering...but it will work and start the rendering on the slave machines.
that was for A6 havent used A7 to test that yet...

Does anyone know if you can render bucket , or progressive for One Still image using all the slave machines?????
....I didnt find an answer since some one asked already somewhere in the forum.

[CiroC]

yes you have to start back burner on your Computer First as the Manager.
then start backburner "Server" on the slaves .

funny thing I had to enter their names in the LAN as wasnt picking it up, and it would still say Fail in the rendering...but it will work and start the rendering on the slave machines.
that was for A6 havent used A7 to test that yet...

Does anyone know if you can render bucket , or progressive for One Still image using all the slave machines?????
....I didnt find an answer since some one asked already somewhere in the forum.

Thanks. I will give a try :D

[padre.ayuso]

You must, on the instalation of Corona, check de DR option.
Then, open on the slave computer the DrServer on: C:/Program Files (x86)/Corona/DrServer as Administrator.

On the Master computer, Enable Distribute Rendering on Corona and click Search LAN, it should find the Slave computer.
Then just Render :D

Sorry, new here. Just tried adding DR on the slave computer I installed 7.1 but did not give me the option. Is there any other way to enable DR?

Thanks
Alex

[theedge]

Hi,

I have the same problem : in the Corona 7.1 setup window I do not see the option to install DR server.

Edit : I found that it is a display bug. See this screen capture : on the right is the setup dialog on one of my render slaves : the DR option appears. But on my main workstation it is cropped and I can't resize the window to make it appear.