[stir]

Hi.

Today I tried submitting a job trough Command prompt that used to work in maxwell 2.X
but in maxwell 3 it seems to be something broken.

The samples doesn't seem to override the values that are baked in to the mxs.

Process:

create a sphere in 3ds max export out frames sequence 0-2 to MXS
the settings in 3ds max are
time:30
sample: 3

then running this in the command promt

C:\Program Files\Next Limit\Maxwell 3\maxwell.exe" -mxs:"Z:\Temp_Arkiv\maxwellTest\Sphere_sample_0000.mxs" -nowait -hide -animation:0-2 -threads:0 -time:30.0 -sampling:14.0 -node -verbose:4

I want the time to be the same but overriding the samples.

the result in the command prompt tells me that it uses the sample 3 from the mxs instead of my override.
also the output image is grainy as if it was sample 3.


The way i came over this was using Thinkbox deadline manager. They have this override feature built in. But it didn't override so we broke it down to this, and it might seem like the argument sampling is wrong?

is it suppose to be:

sample
samples
sampling
samplings..??


Thanks for your time

-Mats

[Mihai]

You can type /? in the cmd window to get the list of available commands and their usage. You should be able to use -sampling:x, -s:x, -sl:x. Did you try specifying it also without a decimal?

[stir]

No luck so far.

I tried
-sampling:
-s:
-sl:

and with and without decimal.

And i can't see where i'm doing something wrong.

[Mihai]

If you remove the -node flag?

[stir]

Did not make a difference.
I tried removing the -node and using with and without decimals.




C:\Users\stir>"C:\Program Files\Next Limit\Maxwell 3\maxwell.exe" -mxs:"Z:\Temp_
Arkiv\maxwellTest\Sphere_sample_0000.mxs" -nowait -hide -animation:0-2 -threads:
0 -time:30.0 -sampling:14.0 -verbose:4
Installing error mode handler
maxwell:[INFO]: Installing error mode handler
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]: MAXWELL RENDER (M~R). Engine version 3.0.0.0
maxwell:[INFO]: (C) 2004-2013. Licensed to Next Limit Technologies
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]: C:\Program Files\Next Limit\Maxwell 3\maxwell.exe -mxs:Z:\Temp_A
rkiv\maxwellTest\Sphere_sample_0000.mxs -nowait -hide -animation:0-2 -threads:0
-time:30.0 -sampling:14.0 -verbose:4
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]: LICENSE INFO
maxwell:[INFO]: License found in standard license path : C:\ProgramData/Next Lim
it/Maxwell/licenses/maxwell_license.lic
maxwell:[INFO]: License type: FULL SUITE
maxwell:[INFO]: License name: Axel Raberg
maxwell:[INFO]: Company: Stir (Zuprextra)
maxwell:[INFO]: Expiration date: permanent
maxwell:[INFO]: Issued by: NEXTLIMIT
maxwell:[INFO]: License checked out from server ID: 10.0.1.**
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]: SYSTEM INFO
maxwell:[INFO]: Num processors: ( logical: 32, physical: 32 )
maxwell:[INFO]: Maxwell Root folder :C:\Program Files\Next Limit\Maxwell 3\
maxwell:[INFO]: Host ID: **********
maxwell:[INFO]: Low Priority Enabled
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]: Found 5 procedural extensions in C:\Program Files\Next Limit\Max
well 3\extensions
maxwell:[INFO]: MaxwellHair
maxwell:[INFO]: MaxwellParticles
maxwell:[INFO]: MaxwellVolumetric
maxwell:[INFO]: MGrassH
maxwell:[INFO]: MGrassP
maxwell:[INFO]: Found 5 geometry loader extensions in C:\Program Files\Next Limi
t\Maxwell 3\extensions
maxwell:[INFO]: MaxwellMesher
maxwell:[INFO]: MaxwellSea
maxwell:[INFO]: MWObjectAlembic
maxwell:[INFO]: RFMeshes
maxwell:[INFO]: RWMeshes
maxwell:[INFO]: Found 4 geometry modifier extensions in C:\Program Files\Next Li
mit\Maxwell 3\extensions
maxwell:[INFO]: MaxwellCloner
maxwell:[INFO]: MaxwellGrass
maxwell:[INFO]: MaxwellScatter
maxwell:[INFO]: SubdivisionModifier
maxwell:[INFO]: Found 10 texture extensions in C:\Program Files\Next Limit\Maxwe
ll 3\extensions
maxwell:[INFO]: Brick
maxwell:[INFO]: Checker
maxwell:[INFO]: Circle
maxwell:[INFO]: Gradient3
maxwell:[INFO]: Gradient
maxwell:[INFO]: Grid
maxwell:[INFO]: Marble
maxwell:[INFO]: Noise
maxwell:[INFO]: Voronoi
maxwell:[INFO]: WireframeTexture
maxwell:[INFO]: Found 7 material modifier extensions in C:\Program Files\Next Li
mit\Maxwell 3\extensions
maxwell:[INFO]: AGS
maxwell:[INFO]: Opaque
maxwell:[INFO]: Transparent
maxwell:[INFO]: Metal
maxwell:[INFO]: Translucent
maxwell:[INFO]: Car Paint
maxwell:[INFO]: Hair
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[18/March/2014 14:36:13] [INFO]: Reading MXS:Z:\Temp_Arkiv\maxwellTest\S
phere_sample_0000.mxs
maxwell:[18/March/2014 14:36:13] [INFO]: MXS file read successfully
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[18/March/2014 14:36:13] [INFO]: Rendering animation. Loading frame:0.
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[18/March/2014 14:36:13] [INFO]: Reading MXS:Z:\Temp_Arkiv\maxwellTest\S
phere_sample_0000.mxs
maxwell:[INFO]: CPU ID used: 11858


maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[18/March/2014 14:36:13] [INFO]: Checking scene dependencies..

maxwell:[18/March/2014 14:36:13] [INFO]: Checking Data
maxwell:[18/March/2014 14:36:13] [INFO]: Loading Bitmaps & Preprocessing Data
maxwell:[18/March/2014 14:36:13] [WARNING]: DO NOT SAVE MXI FILE flag enabled. M
XI file will not be saved
maxwell:[18/March/2014 14:36:13] [INFO]: Starting voxelization.
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]: Scene Info:
maxwell:[INFO]: Frame: 0
maxwell:[INFO]: Image output: Z:\Temp_Arkiv\maxwellTest\sphere_sample_0000.exr
maxwell:[INFO]: MXI output: Z:\Temp_Arkiv\maxwellTest\sphere_sample_0000.exr.000
0.mxi
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]: Geometry:
maxwell:[INFO]: - Num Objects: 1
maxwell:[INFO]: - Num Meshes: 1
maxwell:[INFO]: - Num Triangles: 960
maxwell:[INFO]: - Num Vertexes: 482
maxwell:[INFO]: - Num Normals: 482
maxwell:[INFO]: - Num Materials: 1
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]: Camera: Camera001
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]: Render settings:
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]: - Engine version : 3.0.0.0
maxwell:[INFO]: - Using RS1 engine
maxwell:[INFO]: - Desired rendering time : 30
maxwell:[INFO]: - Desired sampling level : 3.000000
maxwell:[INFO]: - Using 32 threads
maxwell:[INFO]: - Multilight type: Disabled
maxwell:[INFO]: - Save lights in separate files:No
maxwell:[INFO]: - Motion blur: disabled
maxwell:[INFO]: - Displacement: enabled
maxwell:[INFO]: - Dispersion: disabled
maxwell:[INFO]: - Illumination layers:
maxwell:[INFO]: . . direct layer: true
maxwell:[INFO]: . . indirect layer: true
maxwell:[INFO]: . . direct caustic reflection layer: true
maxwell:[INFO]: . . direct caustic refraction layer: true
maxwell:[INFO]: . . indirect caustic reflection layer: true
maxwell:[INFO]: . . indirect caustic refraction layer: true
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[18/March/2014 14:36:13] [INFO]: Start Voxelization
maxwell:[18/March/2014 14:36:13] [INFO]: End Voxelization
maxwell:[18/March/2014 14:36:13] [INFO]: Voxelization done.
maxwell:[18/March/2014 14:36:13] [INFO]: Start Rendering
maxwell:[INFO]:
maxwell:[INFO]: Start writing image file...
maxwell:[INFO]: End writing image file...
maxwell:[INFO]: Start writing image file...
maxwell:[INFO]: End writing image file...
maxwell:[INFO]: Start writing image file...
maxwell:[INFO]: End writing image file...
maxwell:[18/March/2014 14:36:14] [INFO]: Benchmark of 972.800. Time: 1s. SL of 3
.00
maxwell:[18/March/2014 14:36:14] [INFO]: Ending render process..

[Mihai]

I tried with the latest beta (www.maxwellrender.com/betas) and it's working fine here. Maybe it's because of the animation flag, could you please try without it?

[stir]

yes! the animation flag is the culprit.

Now it reads the samples value correctly. And I ran it with -node and with decimals.
But this is of course a problem, because we need the animation node

Did you try with animation when you did it on the latest beta and it worked?

[Mihai]

No I just tried a single scene. It looks like a bug, but why don't you just re-export the sequence from Max, with the right SL you want?

[stir]

Easy, because some of the scenes takes a couple of hours exporting out.
So when people forget to sett the correct sample i start flipping tablets <- ( ye wacom's are flying trough the air)

But of course now we are much more careful to make sure the settings are correctly set before exporting.
I also assume the "resume mxi" option don't work, if this doesn't work?
like if we have it at sample 14 and it's done, and want it up to 16

But if this is a bug i hope it will get fixed at some point.

Thanks for helping me troubleshoot this
Cheers!

[stir]

I did not see any thing about this issue in the latest release.
Is there anything news about this problem?

I tried the override function again, in 3.0.1.0 Seems to be the same problem still.

[Mihai]

I'm sorry, I think this will be for the next release....

[Brany]

The isse was solved for 3.0.1. I've just checked it and the following command line works fine (maxwell 3.0.1.0):

"%MAXWELL3_ROOT%\maxwell.exe" -mxs:"D:\SAMPLES\maxwell\3.0.0.0\anim 3 frames\object_turn0000.mxs" -nowait -hide -animation:0-2 -threads:0 -time:30.0 -sampling:13.0 -node -verbose:4

The MXSs have a 12.0 SL, and the result MXIs were rendered to SL 13.0 as I expected with the -sampling:13.0 parameter.

Can you post the output of the command-line? you can print it out to a txt file adding a " > c:\file.txt" to your command. There is an example:

"%MAXWELL3_ROOT%\maxwell.exe" -mxs:"D:\SAMPLES\maxwell\3.0.0.0\anim 3 frames\object_turn0000.mxs" -nowait -hide -animation:0-2 -threads:0 -time:30.0 -sampling:2.0 -node -verbose:4 > C:\output.txt

[Mihai]

Stir, any follow up? Are you sure you are using 3.0.1?