[mtripoli]

I'm trying to setup network rendering... I can't find where to add the "-manager" switch option. I've started mxcl.exe with the "-server" switch, but when I start rendering it never finds the other machine.

Also, on the other machine when I start up mxcl it says licensed to Next Limit. WHen I start it on my main machine it says licened to me. Is this normal?

[jomaga]

Hi Mike, try with this little step by step:

Configuration
-Install maxwell in all the nodes of your network. You don't have to install any plugin, the nodes (servers) only will need mcxl. You must have the same version of Maxwell in all your nodes (a mix with 1.1 and 1.5 won't work)
- Copy your license.dat file to all your servers.
- Choose the Pc you want to be the manager. As zoppo said, doesn't have to be the fastest. Only one Manager is allowed
- Put shortcuts to mxcl.exe in your start folder:
One with mxcl.exe -server -silent in all your nodes
One with mxcl.exe -manager -silent and another with mxcl.exe -server -silent in the manager
- Make a Shared folder accesible by all the pc's in the network

Add jobs
- If you work with any of the plugins, you have to generate the mxs file
- Place the mxs file and all the textures, iors and mxi emitters into the shared folder. If you work with Studio, Pack & Go is the best option.
- Start mxcl -d in the manager Pc
- Goto network tab
- Press Connect. You will see all the servers in the Render farm window
- Select from this window the servers you want to work in the job
- Press Add to start a job. Your selected servers will show in the Render farm window
- Search for the mxs file. You have to search your shared folder from the network path. Local paths aren't allowed.
- Select cooperative
- Click on render options
- Set all your paths with the network direction of the shared folder (mxs, mxi, image, bitmaps). Not local paths
- Press OK, and the Job will start
- If you want to see the preogress of your nodes, select the node and click display. Each node display will be updated.
- If you want a preview of the merged image (al the nodes), select the Job and click Display. This image won't be updated. You must close the window and generate it again to see the progress.
- If you want to stop any of the nodes, select it and press Stop. It will wait for the other nodes to merge. When the last node is stopped, the final merged mxi will be written in your shared folder.
- You have to load this mxi to play with multilight (if you have it), shutter speed, Iso, Burn, Gamma, Simulens or whatever

[mtripoli]

Thanks very much Jose!

I've got things working (I think)! I'm rendering with two computers right now, and can see the rendered images in each display tab. There are a couple of things I still am unclear on:

1.) You say "click the job" to see the to display of the merged data, and that you have to close the window and generate it again. Is this to say stop the render? I'm a little unclear on this... as it is right now, each of the seperate job windows display a much clearer image individually than looking at it from the "network" tab.

I've stopped the render a couple of times, and then went to re-render again from the beginning. However, it seems to pick up from where it left off. I don't see where there is a "resume" switch, so I'm a little confused by this.

Thanks for your help!

[jomaga]

1.) You say "click the job" to see the to display of the merged data, and that you have to close the window and generate it again. Is this to say stop the render? I'm a little unclear on this... as it is right now, each of the seperate job windows display a much clearer image individually than looking at it from the "network" tab.

No, the render won't stop, only the display will be closed.
And, btw, I noticed that you don't have to close the merged job window, if you press again display when the main job is selected and his window in open, the image will be updated

I've stopped the render a couple of times, and then went to re-render again from the beginning. However, it seems to pick up from where it left off. I don't see where there is a "resume" switch, so I'm a little confused by this.

You can't resume a network job, if you stop the job and want to resume it, you´ll be able to do it in one computer from the Render options tab, with the Resume option.