If I understand what you are looking for..... You could do this with Frame Distribution and batch script rendering from a server.
I do this the "hard" yet simple way of
bit in a *.bat script. Run the script on loop on all nodes from the server (1 batch script), it will start a loop of the script in the nodes. Then I modify the batch script with the scene you want to be rendered using the
bit. Then if the scene is set right, or when needed I override settings in the script, it loads from the server, then renders back to the server - all nodes rendering with frame distribution (one frame, then the next, then jump the ones done, then the next, etc).
You just have to call the
setnv.bat at the start of the batch script, then call the
XSIBatch.exe on each scene, or refer to it earlier on in the script.
Works for all render engines - redshift, arnold, mentalray. Well.. those are the ones I've tried.
Here's the setnv.bat:
"C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Softimage [version]\Application\bin\setenv.bat"
Here's the XSIBatch.exe
"C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Softimage [version]\Application\bin\XSIBatch.exe"
Example with some overrides:
Code: Select all
@echo off
call "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Softimage 2013\Application\bin\setenv.bat"
call "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Softimage [version]\Application\bin\XSIBatch.exe" -r -scene "\\SERVER\Projects\<project>\<folder>\<scene>" -verbose prog -skip true -startframe <startframe> -endframe <endframe> -pass <pass> -filename "\\SERVER\Renders\<project>_RENDERS\<shot>\<filename>"
pause
There are render farm managers out there, but none that I know of for free.
