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I like this feature!
it should be very usefull, but....

I cannot use it in current version.

Why Maxwell render forces me to change all rendering settings just to enable Progresive Rendering?
It would be better if we could decide which rendering settings to change, without the need to re-enter redundant data, with its consequent error risk.

The problem is that the resolution windows is stuck in a square resolution, (See in a separated topic here: http://www.maxwellrender.com/forum/view ... 02#p369138) so I cannot enter the original resolution i need in order to try the Progresive rendering option!

Ernesto

Ernesto wrote:
Why Maxwell render forces me to change all rendering settings just to enable Progresive Rendering?
It would be better if we could decide which rendering settings to change, without the need to re-enter redundant data, with its consequent error risk.

I don't understand, when you load an MXS using the Add Job Wizard, it loads the render settings already present in the MXS file. And you can change the ones you like.

Right, the trick is to set the proper settings when you first make your MXS file, then whenever you resume down the road, all the settings will be burned into the MXS file (and therefore no reason to change it). The feature works, it just requires a bit of planning with regards to your workflow

Humm, I guess I was not clear enough.
As far as I understand the way to render a file progresively (for instance at sample level 7, then, 10, and finally 12) is using the network batch job. I have my file set with the proper settings already. But to choose PROGRESIVE RENDERING, I have to re-enter the resolution and all the other settings again. Is there a way to avoid this double data entry?

Ernesto

I think that feature was not working. It was supposed to just run and save an image at those SL while going on with the render, but last time I checked it was broken.

Thanks Fernando, i thought it was me that was doing something wrong....
I wished this feature was working!

Ernesto

Mihai wrote: when you load an MXS using the Add Job Wizard, it loads the render settings already present in the MXS file. And you can change the ones you like.

Even if you had all the settings ok, if you need to change certain settings, you have to uncheck USE FILE SETTINGS, then you are forced to reenter all the settings even the one that you do not want to change.
At least this is what is happening in my machine!

Ernesto

This is confusing stuff.....lets try to clear some of it up:

First, the lock icon that didn't work, now works.

Second, the batch job, allows you to choose different, unrelated, MXS files. Each can have different settings. If you uncheck "use file settings", how is it supposed to know which of the chosen MXS files you want to grab the settings from? So it gives you instead some default options.

Third, this progressive rendering thing is possible in the other modes too. But what is it you want to render? A sequence in an animation? A single MXS? Multiple unrelated MXS files? You will notice that no matter which network job you add, you have a "SL updates" field, which allows you to add a comma separated list of numbers representing the SL: 3,7,13,18 etc. What happens now is Maxwell will first render your single MXS, or sequence of MXS, or a batch of MXS files first to SL 3, then resume to SL 7, resume again to SL 13, then to SL 18.

This progressive rendering makes the most sense when you have a sequence of MXS files to render. So it takes MXS 0001 to SL 3, then moves on to MXS 0002 and renders that to SL 3 etc. until it has gone through all the files specified in the sequence (if you chose an Animation job), or each of the MXS files in a batch job. After it has gone through them all, the sequence is resumed and now it will render to SL 7 until all the MXS in the sequence are done. And so on...

This allows you to start working on your sequence of renders very quickly, without having to wait for the final SL to start doing post production / compositing.

Third, this progressive rendering thing is possible in the other modes too. But what is it you want to render? A sequence in an animation? A single MXS? Multiple unrelated MXS files? You will notice that no matter which network job you add, you have a "SL updates" field, which allows you to add a comma separated list of numbers representing the SL: 3,7,13,18 etc. What happens now is Maxwell will first render your single MXS, or sequence of MXS, or a batch of MXS files first to SL 3, then resume to SL 7, resume again to SL 13, then to SL 18.

Ehem, sorry for misleading. Progressive rendering is working as expected here. I thought there were no Maxwell updates since then. I just made a test and it works ok.

I think that what Ernesto wants to know (and me too) is how to setup the steps of progressive render from 3dsmax before exporting the mxs. I guess we can do it in the box "additional MXCL flags" but I don't know the syntax. Alternatively it would be fine to be able to setup progressive render updates without having to edit the rest of the data which happens in batch mode.

Maybe I'm adding to the confusion.

Fernando Tella wrote: I think that what Ernesto wants to know (and me too) is how to setup the steps of progressive render from 3dsmax before exporting the mxs. I guess we can do it in the box "additional MXCL flags" but I don't know the syntax.

It can't work that way because progressive rendering is essentially several renders. It's a functionality that needs to be handled by something, in this case the Network app.

Alternatively it would be fine to be able to setup progressive render updates without having to edit the rest of the data which happens in batch mode.

I understand what you mean now, that the SL Update field is greyed out if "use scene settings" is checked. It's been noted, so we will change that. However if it's a few unrelated scenes you want to render progressively you still have the Single mode. You have to add each MXS to the queue one by one, but it's still pretty fast.

Hello Ernesto,

I can confirm that the feature is working fine.

Your confusion comes from the point that for this feature you don't have to launch your scene as a Batch Job (which then queues several jobs that could be different, so making you indicate the settings for them all).

Instead, launch the job as usual (Single or Animation) and use the SL Update field as Mihai is saying to indicate the SL steps you want to get. This automates all the process.

In fact, it is explained how to use the Progressive Rendering (via SL Updates, not by queuing a batch) in this page from our online Documentation resource:

http://support.nextlimit.com/display/ma ... g+Workflow

Take a look at the screenshot I'm attaching here. Anyway, it is working fine.

Greetings

Dario Lanza

Thanks Dario!
That was the point (I was trying to use batch rendering)

Ernesto

Is there a command line option for this?

There is one called -slupdate but that reads as something different to what's discussed here:

-slupdate:seconds Specify the time for refreshing the sampling level info

Good! I finnally could render an animation, using the progresive rendering option!
I still wonder if that could be used in stills renderings jobs?

Ernesto

I am rendering a 200 frames animation, in progresive mode, but the system crashed.
Currently I have about 150 frames at SL 7, and 50 frames at SL 3, and the final target SL is 10.
Is there any way to continue this job, without starting everything from scratch, nor completing them one by one?

Ernesto