[Tok_Tok]

Hi,

I'm doing a few renders for a client and I expected them to finish over night but when I looked in the output folder I set for the MXI's there were no files. Somehow the network manager
doesn't save the files to the output folder I selected. This was very frustrating but I tried it again just to rule out it was my own fault. The same thing happend again, no output MXI files and when I select
"open output folder" from the manager I get the Maxwell installation folder. I'm using 3ds Max to send the job to the network and I checked the path in the Network Wizard.

I've never had this problem before so I was hoping someone can help me with this.

Thanx.

[rusteberg]

are you specifying mxi location through max?

i always render with these two locations set to specified network location then run the job directly through mx network. have you tried that to see if maybe it's a funky max to network translation?

[Tok_Tok]

Thank you for the clear explanation. This is the method I always use, I hit the "send job to network" button and then I recheck the paths in the network wizard.
But the MXI's don't show up, the MXS's do. I always do it this way but now it's not working..

I do save the MXI's to a network path; Z: Maybe that could be a problem. I'll try a local directory tomorrow.

[Bubbaloo]

Which type of network render are you doing, single, coop, anim, batch?

[rusteberg]

Also what max plugin build are you using?

What I meant earlier is to set the mxs and mxi output paths in max render dialogue. DON'T press the send job to network button. Instead just hit the render button as you normally would without network. Does THIS method provide a mxi file?

[Tok_Tok]

I'm doing a single render.

I tried just writing the MXS by pressing the render button and that worked, I got the MXI. Thanx for the tip!

I'm still wondering though why the "send job to netwerk" button isn't working anymore, I liked the workflow.

[Tok_Tok]

Sorry guys but I have to get back on this topic, I'm having the same problem again. With single network renders it works fine but when I'm doing an Animation there are no MXI's being created. I'm also getting the Maxwell install folder as Output folder, but with no MXI's in it.

I'm not using the Send job to network button, as Rusteberg said and all the MXS's are in the right folder. I CAN request preview in the network manager but only when the rendering is in progress, after that I'm getting the image that's currently rendering. It seems to me that the same file is being overwritten and maxwell is ignoring the MXI folder I set in the Network Wizard.

Any suggestions?

[Tok_Tok]

Is there nobody that can help me? I know it's a sunday but really need to start rendering to make the deadline.. So anybody please??

[RobMitchell]

I had this issue once before. It seemed to happen when I set the host PC harddrive or our fileserver location as the output directory. But when I set the output files to save to a shared directory on one of the node machines, it'd work fine.

That sounds a bit confusing... basically, my network render set up is as follows:

1. Open node, manager then monitor on the host PC, then node 1 then node 2.
2. Back on the host PC, go to Jobs > Add > [whichever option you need] within the monitor.
3. Set image and MXI output to a shared folder on node 1.
4. Start the job.
5. You should find the files have saved in the previously selected folder. Then when they're finished you can transfer the files from node 1 to where ever you need them.

Sorry if that sounds really basic, and you've likely tried all that, but it's what worked for me when I had the issue. Good luck!

[Tok_Tok]

Thank you for your reply!

I did try that but in a slightly different way, so I tried it again the way you said it. I saved everthing locally and then tried rendering via the monitor using the same computer (node) on which the
files are located. But it didn't work.. I'm still getting the Maxwell install directory when hit the "open output folder". I do get this error when I'm trying to add a job, which I can't read :S



It probably says that I'm using a local folder to save and load the files.. ?

I have tried reinstalling Maxwell completely but that didn't work either. I'm getting a little bit frustrated with this, it is not the first time I had problems with network renders, often Nodes get stuck
and they need to be resetted or the monitor says they are rendering when they are not and they won't be used in the next frame..
Don't get me wrong, the network rendering in Maxwell has improved(!) but there are still some glitches that need to be fixed. It's not reliable to me when I get these issues in front of deadlines.

[sconlogue]

I am having a similar problem when rendering animations through the Network Monitor. The first 20 or so frames save no problem, after that the nodes render, the log says the write the MXI files but they are not there! Real bummer. Again the nodes act like everything is just fine but the MXI files don't get written!

[sconlogue]

Ok, so it would seem that if the nodes are faced with not knowing where to save an .mxi they will default to the temp folder on the network manager machine. So my images were not lost as it turned out. Also I think I fixed the issue by using UNC naming conventions rather than drive letters. So \\targetmachine\targetshare rather than R:\targetshare. I know backburner has issues with this as well sometimes. If someone else confirms this let me know.