Caching on a farm

[Otuama]

Hi.

We use the RenderPal render manager.

I'm trying to get our render process as automated as possible.

With renderpal you can do dependencies.  So, when a system caches a shot on renderpal, that job finishes and then another scene is loaded to render the shot (with the completed cache).

We would currently cache a shot/camera path on 1 system.

However, would it be possible to also do the cache on multiple systems?  - so all systems render their own cache frames and it's appended to the cache file.

This would speed up the rendering process

I don't fully understand the append to file feature - does the cache file need to added to in sequence or can data be added to the file in different stages - for example: frame 0, 100, 200, 75, 25, 500 etc etc

If that is possible it'd mean that multiple systems can render the cache.

Hope that makes sense.

Thanks

[maru]

Just to make sure - by "caching", "cache", etc, you mean the UHD Cache, right? (Corona's cached secondary GI solver)

If so:

However, would it be possible to also do the cache on multiple systems?  - so all systems render their own cache frames and it's appended to the cache file.

If you mean having 1 file, and multiple computers would merge their caches with that file, then it probably won't be ever possible.

I don't fully understand the append to file feature - does the cache file need to added to in sequence or can data be added to the file in different stages - for example: frame 0, 100, 200, 75, 25, 500 etc etc

The data can be added every nth frame. In such case, the data in the cache will be interpolated between those frames.

Generally, this guide should answer on most of your questions:
https://coronarenderer.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/5000515648

If you could describe your scene, that would probably make it easier to provide more accurate help. Does it have a moving camera, lights, objects?

[Otuama]

Hi. 

Thanks for the reply.  Yes, using the UHD cache.

I just have a moving camera but your reply of

If you mean having 1 file, and multiple computers would merge their caches with that file, then it probably won't be ever possible.

has answered my question

Thanks

[maru]

If you only have a static camera, then you can render just a single static cache file and re-use it for all frames as described under "for animations > without moving objects/lights" here: https://coronarenderer.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/5000515648